7 SPRING CLEANING TIPS THAT MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

1. Make doormats welcoming. Shake 'em, wash 'em, swat 'em with a broom. Give them the toughest cleaning they can take. They're your front line against tracked-in dirt so keep them clean enough to function at peak efficiency.

2. Clean carpets and upholstery. Fabrics that have absorbed a winter's worth of dirt, body oil, and germs will need a deep cleaning to get them ready for another year of wear and for that close inspection by your relaxing guests. MORE ABOUT CARPET AND UPHOLSTERY CLEANING

3. Wash walls, cabinets, baseboards, and woodwork. The walls may not look as if they need a bath after all, dust and soot fall to the floor, right? Most of it does, but just enough clings to vertical surfaces to warrant a seasonal or preholiday bath. Use a sponge and hand dishwashing detergent, washing the surface in sections. A sponge mop makes it easier to reach higher spots. Use two buckets: one for dishwashing detergent solution and another for wringing your sponge. Dry the walls and woodwork with a clean cloth.

4. Vacuum with intelligence. The old rules mandated that you go through the labor-intensive task of dragging every stick of furniture off the carpet, just so the vacuum cleaner could cover every nook and cranny. The new rules will save you time, and you'll still get the corner-to-corner cleaning done: Simply move those big items a little to the left or to the right. Vacuum the area previously occupied by the furniture and then move it back into place.

5. Clean ceiling fixtures. Remove dust and dirt from ceiling fans and air-conditioner vents with a cloth and a vacuum with a soft nozzle attachment.

6. Clean your light fixtures. A few minutes with a stepladder, all-purpose cleaner, a sponge, and a polish cloth will give new light to your life. If your home has skylights or tall ceilings, consider investing in a stepladder and extended-reach dust-and-dirt-removal tools, all of which are available at your local hardware store and at home -- and janitorial -- supply stores.

7. Check your coils. You should clean the refrigerator's condenser coil, usually found behind the toe grille, with a long-handled bottle brush and a vacuum cleaner with an attachment hose to remove dust and lint. Built-up dust can shut down the unit by causing it to overheat.

 From Readers Digest