Millennial-Style Housekeeping

Yes, mom's house always seemed magically clean, so you may have missed some of her little tricks and tips. Here are a few to add to your cleaning repertoire and simplify your life.

Housekeeping hacks

• Repurpose your orange peels: Place orange, lemon, or lime peels in your garbage disposal and run with plenty of water to clean out nasty residue and make your sink smell citrusy fresh. Alternatively, run a little bit of distilled vinegar in the disposal and follow with lots of water. The vinegar odor dissipates within a couple of hours leaving your drains with a pleasant neutral odor.
• Keep your brew flowing: Run distilled white vinegar, not apple cider vinegar, through your coffee machine every few weeks. Just add a half cup to one full pot of water, pour it in and press "brew" to clean out the calcium and lime deposits that build up in the coffee maker and wipe out any mold or bacteria hiding in the works. Make sure to follow up with a pot or two of clean, clear water so that your coffee maker is morning ready.
• Dump the dryer lint: Ever wonder why it takes you longer to dry your clothes than it took your mom? Clean the dryer lint between each load. The filter that collects the fuzz is also the place that damp air leaves the dryer so clearing out that build-up makes the dryer more efficient. At least every two or three months, carefully pull the dryer out from the wall and clean the lint caught in the hose and vent too.
• Freshen the bed: Clean your sheets every week. If you're like a lot of millennials and don't use a top sheet, then clean your comforter or duvet cover at the same time. Your sheets gather sweat, oils, and dead skin cells that attract dust mites and other pests. Remember the mattress pad too. Wash it every other sheet change or so. And while you have it off, vacuum your mattress. If it has collected odors, sprinkle a little baking soda on it, let it sit while you do the laundry and then vacuum it off before you make up the bed.
• Be friendly to your mattress: You sleep on it every night, so for your mattress to hold up, flip it end for end at least twice a year. If it is reversible, flip it over too. That way it wears more evenly and lasts longer.
• Detail the dishwasher: In the same way that water deposits build up in your coffee maker, they can clog up the dishwasher's tiny drain holes. Run an empty load with a cup of distilled white vinegar every couple of months to keep it running smoothly.
• Ditch the dust: If you always see dust on your bookcase, it might be because you have a dirty HVAC filter. Change your filter once a month for best results and use a HEPA filter if you have allergies. While you're at it, dust off that ceiling fan.

Add these actions into your routine, and your home will feel more, well, homey! When you move into your new house, have your agent show you where the furnace vents are so you can get started on a clean foot.