Get your home ready for summer activities, cookouts, and guests with these summer cleaning tips.
Summer Cleaning Checklist Tip 1: Get Your Outdoor Spaces, Ready for the Summer
It’s important to give the exterior of your home and outdoor entertainment spaces a good once-over when the summer starts. Here are the areas you should pay attention to:
Household Vinyl Siding: Use an eraser sponge to remove mold, mildew, dirt, and grime. If you have a large area to clean, our Super S Eraser Sponges (12 Pack) will help shorten your cleaning time due to the their large size.
Windows: Use an eraser sponge to remove any dirt or grime from windows. The eraser sponge extension handle kit can help you reach the upper areas of the window with ease as it extends up to three feet. No ladders or step stools required!
Microfiber is a synthetic material that has two fibers blended together- polyester and polyamide. The polyester is great for polishing, while the polyamide is super absorbent. Microfiber Towels have great advantages when it comes to cleaning in and around your home. They are gentle, versatile, durable, and reusable, which makes them great for cleaning.
What are the advantages?
The blend of these two fibers creates a unique material with qualities you won’t find in your typical towel or sponge. The way that it is constructed will absorb liquids but can also attract and pick up dust and debris.
Microfiber is lint free, so they are great for washing windows, mirrors, and other reflective surfaces.
This product is hypoallergenic. For those who have allergies or are sensitive to other materials that can be found in cloths or towels, these will not give you a reaction.
Microfiber towels are free of added chemicals, unlike cleaning wipes and sprays, which can irritate skin.
They are safe to use on any surface. These towels are soft and will not cause scratches or scuff marks. This makes them the perfect for cleaning wooden furniture, natural stone countertops and stainless steel appliances.
These towels will attract dirt and absorb oil from a surface instead of spreading or smearing them around, making cleaning easier.
Our microfiber towels can clean up messes made from dirt, soap, lubricants, dust, food spills, fingerprints, grime, residues, wax, grease, silicone, and much more.
Microfiber is super absorbent and can hold up to seven times its weight in moisture. Wow!
Microfiber materials are a good economic choice, as they last for a long time and are reusable.
As you can see, there are many reasons to invest in microfiber towels. If you’re looking for a product that can clean your home without added chemicals, are reusable and last a long time, you’ve come to the right place! Visit SpongeOutlet.com to help make your cleaning tasks easier with our microfiber towels and eraser products.
Your bike is your loyal companion out on the road or trail. When you return from a long day of pedaling, chances are you’ll toss your favorite bike shorts and windbreaker in the washing machine—but when’s the last time you washed your bike?
If your bike is looking a little worse for wear these days, but you’re not sure where to get started to make it look like new again, you’re in luck: SpongeOutlet is here today with a step-by-step guide to cleaning your bike. Read on, pick up the supplies you need, get started, and then get back to the trails!
Plus, cleaning your bike regularly will maintain its paint job and keep it looking as good as the first day you rode it out of the bike shop. If you don’t clean your bike regularly, the dirt and grime build up can start to impact some of its mechanical integrity.
Gather Your Cleaning Supplies
You’ll need a few things to properly clean your bike, so the first thing you should do is gather your supplies. Grab two buckets, bottle brushes if you have them, a soft microfiber cloth, regular sponges, eraser sponges, a garden hose, degreaser for the chain, and dish soap.
Depending on the type of bike you have, there may be specific cleaning instructions, so make sure you check the internet before you dive in with your scrub brush. If your bike company or brand recommends a certain type of soap, it’s probably a good idea to pick up a bottle. Your bike is made to last through tough conditions, but it’s important to make sure you’re doing everything you can to maintain its paint.
Step One: Clean Your Bike Wheels
The first thing you want to do is fill your buckets with dish soap and water and remove the wheels from your bike. Use a soft, plastic brush to gently remove grease and grime from your wheels. Don’t forget the valve, spokes and hub, and flip the wheel over when you finish one side.
One of the buckets will be the grimy bucket, and the other will be the finishing bucket. Use the cloth or sponge in the grimy bucket to do your first round of washing—give everything a good wipe down.
Once you give everything a good scrub, hose down the wheels. Then, swap to the finishing bucket, and re-scrub everything. This will ensure you loosen all of the fine dirt that might be stuck in your wheels’ nooks and crannies.
Once you’re done with the wheels, check the tires for air and set them aside to dry.
Step Two: Clean Your Bike Chain
Use a degreaser, and apply it to each of the links: Bicycling.com says turning the cranks backwards can make it easier to reach each and every link. If your chain is still a greasy mess after you use your degreaser, you can apply a little dish soap and run your eraser sponge around the chain.
A little grease left over is OK, as long as you remove the major build up. Rinse the chain, repeat if necessary, and move on to step three.
Step Three: Clean Your Bike Frame
Next up is the frame: use a soft sponge or microfiber cloth and start at the top and work your way down. Start by wetting the frame with a garden hose, and then using your cloth to scrub it. Tough spots can be tackled with eraser sponges, just be careful not to damage the paint with too much harsh scrubbing.
Rinse, repeat, and then buff with a dry microfiber cloth to make sure all areas of the frame have dried to a sparkling finish. Buffing your bike after you clean it with a microfiber cloth can actually prevent dirt from sticking to it while you’re out on your next ride!
Step Four: Clean the Smaller Parts of Your Bike
Use a toothbrush to get the grime and grease out of any hard-to-reach areas on your bike, and don’t forget to dry and buff those areas really well when you finish up. And, remember to wash things like handlebars, cup holders, and pedals. Some of these pieces may be easy to remove, so if you’re going for a deep clean, snap off the pieces and clean them before reattaching them to the bike.
Just like any pastime, riding a bike can be fun, relaxing and rewarding, but it’s important to take care of your equipment. After all, you spent a good deal of money on it! So, remember to regularly wash your bike, and if you’re not up for a weekly deep clean, a wipe down with a microfiber cloth and some soapy water after a ride in between deep cleans will do the trick.
For more tips on cleaning items around your car, office and home, check out our blog. Contact SpongeOutlet today if you have any questions about our products or how you can use them to keep your life sparkling clean!
Finally, we’re able to enjoy some good weather! The sun is shining, it’s warm and comfortable, but your outdoor furniture is covered in pollen and dirt from last year…
Well, not to worry, SpongeOutlet is here today with some tips on how to clean your outdoor furniture this summer.
Whether you just broke your outdoor furniture out of the garage, or you’re finding that it needs a good wipe down after it’s been out on the back deck for a couple weeks, we have the info you need.
Dirt & Dust Build Up
Outdoor furniture is prone to dirt and dust build up, so it’s important that you properly store it when you’re putting it away for the winter. If you can, wrap it in an old sheet or cloths to keep the dirt at bay, and keep it in a dry spot in your garage or shed.
When you first take your furniture out of storage, even if it was covered, you’ll need to give it a good wipe down before it’s safe to sit on. The first thing you should do is attack the furniture pieces with a bucket of soapy water, and a microfiber cloth or paper towels. This will remove all the fine dirt and dust that built up on the chairs during the winter months.
Don’t skip this step, even if your chairs were stored in a clean space, dust is everywhere! And you don’t want it to transfer to your guests’ clothing once they sit on your furniture.
Make sure you choose the proper soap for your furniture. If your furniture is wicker or wood, you’ll need to use an oil-based soap to remove any dust and grime from the surface. Metal frames can be cleaned with mild dish soap.
Don’t forget to give everything a good rinse, and let it dry completely before you use the furniture.
And, if your furniture is hard wood, you may want to sand the surface and apply a fresh coat of paint each year before use.
For areas that have become rusty or stained from last summer’s use, that you can’t clean easily with a cloth and soapy water, take an eraser sponge to the area. Eraser sponges will remove any tough stains from the surface of your furniture but be careful in areas where the paint is chipping—you want to avoid causing further damage to the paint.
Cushions
If your outdoor furniture has cushions attached, you should follow the cleaning instructions on the pillow tags. If they are machine washable, toss the covers in the wash and make sure they are completely air or tumbled dry before you use them. If your cushions aren’t machine washable, you can probably still clean the surfaces of them with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or dust.
Maintenance
On a weekly basis, hose down your furniture to remove debris like leaves and bugs that could damage the integrity of the rust-resistant paint on the surface of the furniture. Make sure that you take the cushions inside whenever you can if it’s going to rain: prolonged exposure to rain without ever becoming fully dry will cause mold to grow inside and on your cushions.
About halfway through the summer, or once a month, give your furniture another wipe-down with a cloth and soapy water, to make sure that you’re removing any dust and dirt that’s stuck to the surfaces. And, if there are any stains, use an eraser sponge to get rid of them right away.
If you have a big party and your furniture is used heavily over the course of an evening, it’s a good idea to hose everything down to remove food and alcohol particles that could cause problems down the line.
And, if you know there’s going to be a big summer storm, bring your furniture inside or tie it to your deck to avoid it being thrown around in the wind and damaged, or damaging something else, like your house!
Proper Storage
At the end of the summer, repeat the deep clean that you performed at the beginning of the season to remove dirt and grime, and store your furniture in a place where it will stay dry and not too cold, if possible. Wrap your furniture with old sheets or cloths, and keep any fabric or pillows sealed in a storage bin.
If you follow these simple (and frequent) cleaning tips, your furniture will last you for many summers to come. In the meantime, get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather!
For more information on Sponge Outlet products, or for more cleaning tips for around the house, head to our blog often! Questions? Call us at 877-776-6430.
Finally moving into your new home is so exciting: you get to rearrange all of your furniture, buy some new pieces, and decorate the space exactly how you pictured it in your head. But before you can get to all of the fun parts of moving, there are a few things you need to take care of first, including cleaning your new house from top to bottom.
Whether your home is a new construction, or you’re moving in after the previous owners vacated, it’s a good idea to do a deep clean before you move in any of your belongings. That way, you won’t have to worry about certain difficult cleaning tasks, like shampooing the carpet, once your furniture is all moved in.
If you’re not sure where to start, not to worry: SpongeOutlet is here today with some tips for cleaning your new home.
Read on for our cleaning guide, and get that new home cleaned out before the move-in date.
Sanitize the Bathrooms
The bathrooms are a great place to start. Even if they appear to be clean enough, your bathrooms can benefit from another deep clean and disinfect. Start with the toilet: replace the seat and cover if the old one is looking a little worse for wear—it’s a super inexpensive way to freshen the bathroom.
Angie’s List says don’t forget areas like underneath the sink, in the cabinets and drawers, and behind the toilet. These hard-to-reach areas may go uncleaned for a while once you move in your toiletries, so take advantage of the empty storage areas, and clean them now.
As for the shower and tub, use a grout and tile cleaner, but keep in mind that replacing the grout is an easy job that you can probably do yourself with a bit of help from your local hardware store.
Disinfect the Kitchen
Sure, wipe down the countertops, but more importantly: clean the appliances. Remove all of the stove grates and knobs, take the shelving out of the refrigerator, and set the oven to “self-clean.” Kitchens are notorious for built-up grime, so take a look at the vent hood, and replace or clean the filter. Wipe down the walls around the stove, and make sure there’s no grease or grime stuck anywhere.
Don’t forget the dishwasher: you can search the model you have online to see the best ways to clean it, but many dishwashers will have a clean setting—just pop in some dishwasher cleaning soap.
The insides of the cabinets, including the back of the doors, will need a good wipe down. Don’t forget the knobs: they collect grease from our hands and may need some special attention.
Clean the Bedrooms
The bedrooms are a little simpler: if there are built in cabinets, give everything a dust and then a wipe down. Go over the baseboards with wood cleaner, and make sure that the shelving in the closet is clean and shiny.
As for the floor, mop if it’s hardwood or laminate, and hire a carpet cleaning service if it’s carpet. If it seems relatively clean to you, you could wash the carpet yourself; just remember that the previous owners probably didn’t shampoo before they moved out, so if they had pets or kids, it’s probably a good idea to bring in the professionals.
Check out the light fixtures next: remove the covers and dust the fixtures and the bulbs. If you have ceiling fans, make sure to give them a good dusting before you turn them on, or else they’ll scatter dust throughout the room!
Clean the Living Spaces
Living areas should be treated similarly to the bedrooms, with an emphasis on that carpet cleaning step, especially for high-traffic areas. Clean the walls, and make sure there are no fingerprints left over from toddlers, or marks on busy corners.
You can buff those out by using an eraser sponge, without damaging the paint. You may even want to dust the walls (but make sure to do this before shampooing the carpet!) with a microfiber cloth. If you have tile, Moving.com suggests renting a steam cleaner.
Don’t neglect areas like sheds and garages: truth is, if you don’t clean those out, you could be looking at an annoying pest problem down the line. Make sure to sweep the floors, de-clutter the rooms, and re-seal or caulk any holes that mice may be able to burrow into. Trust us, it’s much more annoying to deal with a squirrel living in your garage than to sweep and seal the space before moving in.
If there are washing sinks or laundry machines in these spaces, clean those two: search for your washing machine and dryer models online to find out the best way to clean them, and don’t forget to pull them out from the wall and dust behind!
Moving into a new home can be overwhelming at times, but if you get the heavy lifting cleaning out of the way before move-in day, you can focus on unpacking and getting settled in. For more tips on how to clean your home the best way, check out SpongeOutlet’s blog.
When you’re ready to deep clean, pick up all of the cleaning supplies you’ll need from SpongeOutlet!
Let’s face it. Life is full of little messes and you need the proper tools for cleaning them up. But with so many cleaning products to choose from, how do you know which will work best for your particular situation?
We’ve highlighted a few of our best-selling products below to help you narrow it down.
Microfiber Cloths- Gentle and Versatile
Made from synthetic materials, microfiber cloths can be used for many different applications including cleaning smooth and delicate surfaces. They are tough enough to soak up dirt and oil yet they are soft enough that they can be used forcefully without creating scratches.
When you aren’t using them for dirty messes, microfiber cloths are great for dusting because they naturally attract dust with their electrostatic properties. They can also do great things for stainless steel surfaces, windows, antiques, and other sensitive surfaces. They are also great for polishing mirrored or reflective surface and can really make them shine.
To remove and capture dust, try slightly dampening them with water before dusting to make sure that dust is collected by the cloth and not just disturbed on the surface or moved into the air.
According to experts, microfiber towels should not be washed with other items of your laundry in order to avoid cross-contamination with dirt, dust and leftover cleaning agents. Also, these cloths are highly sensitive and easily attract lint and stick to other cotton fabric items. Washing the towels only with other microfiber towels should prevent them from gathering lint and sticking to other laundry items. Do not use bleach, fabric softeners, detergents with added fabric softeners, or highly-fragrant detergents to clean your microfiber towels because it will cause the cloths to be less effective at cleaning. Air dry or tumble dry on a low or no-heat setting to prevent the looped fabric from becoming damaged from heat. Do not use dryer sheets when drying your microfiber towels as the sheets can coat the fabric with fabric softener and make the towels less effective at cleaning.
Eraser Sponges – A Cleaning Product with So Many Uses
If you think that all sponges are the same, then you have never used the miraculous eraser sponge. This water-activated tool works on a variety of surfaces and can clean just about every form of filth. With just a bit of water, it can clean walls, floors, and other surfaces. Crayons, pencil marks, dirt, grime, and scuff marks are no match for the eraser sponge; it’s like magic!
The Instant Erase sponge is also available in an extra strength melamine eraser sponge which makes quick work of the harshest grease, grime and baked-on stains. The extra strength eraser sponge is compressed to give it lasting cleaning. It also has a textured surface to help it clean grout lines on tile or remove tough stains.
To clean an eraser sponge, just rinse the sponge under water to remove dirt. Sometimes you have small and very dirty jobs, like removing mud from the soles of a sneaker. For small dirty jobs like this, you can cut the sponge into a smaller piece, do your cleaning and then dispose of the dirty sponge afterwards. This also helps stretch your supply of sponges and the new shape might help it reach into corners and small areas.
Scrubby Sponges For Tough Jobs
Our scrubby sponges can do wonders for everyday general cleaning, from simple to tough. This sponge works great with typical spills including those on bathroom surfaces, countertops, and more. The coarse, hard scrub surface can also help clean tough dishes or grease soiled kitchen surfaces.
Some of our scrubby sponges have both a cellulose side and abrasive side so they can handle just about any cleaning needs.
After many cleanings, sponges can sometimes smell. To prevent this, make sure you rinse them after use and allow them to dry out. You can also toss your sponge into the top rack of your dishwasher for easy cleaning .
Cleaning Product Tips
Before using any cleaning product, it’s always wise to test the product on an inconspicuous spot on the surface you plan to clean. Do this first before using the cleaning product on the entire surface. Look for scratches or dulling of the surface before you continue to clean.
You do not always need to deeply clean your cleaning tools between uses, but a quick rinse and thorough dry will help extend their lifespan and keep them working effectively. For example, you do not always need to wash your microfiber towels in the washer after each use. In between washings shake out your microfiber towel over or inside a trash bag to catch any loose dirt or dust and rinse under water to remove any remaining dirt. Allow the towels to air dry and they are good for another round of cleaning.
If you store your cleaning supplies together, colors can sometimes help you remember which towels are used on what surfaces. You would not want to use the same sponge to clean your kitchen that you use to clean your bathroom, for example. By color-coding your cleaning supplies, this help prevent any cross contamination.
Spongeoutlet is the leading online distributor of bulk melamine eraser sponges, microfiber towels, dusters, mops, and other essential cleaning supplies.
When you’re working through your to-do list for cleaning your home, you probably have countertops, bathrooms, and floors towards the top of the list.
However, cleaning your walls is an important part of home maintenance that you should be doing at least once a year.
A simple swipe of a vacuum likely isn’t enough especially if you’re cleaning a high-traffic room.
Take a look at the walls in your living room or kitchen, especially near doorframes and light switches.
If you haven’t cleaned these walls in some time, you’ll probably notice a significant amount of dust and dirt building up.
Whether you are planning to spot clean latex-painted walls or do a floor-to-ceiling wipe down, the first step is to mix a few drops of dish detergent in with some warm water. Use an eraser sponge to clean, lightly scrubbing the area.
Make sure to watch for dripping: if you don’t evenly apply water to the paint, it could cause discoloration.
For oil-based paints, you can add a mild de-greaser into to the detergent and water mixture. Follow the same steps, and use a gentle microfiber cloth to wash.
If you have stubborn spots that need a little extra attention, our eraser sponges should be able to eliminate them. Remember that if you rub too vigorously, you could remove some of the paint. Be careful to scrub in gentle circular motions to remove stains.
Even though washing your walls isn’t something you may think to do often, taking care of the paint on your walls will prevent long-term, hard-to-get-out stains and help maintain your home and paint.
Looking to purchase eraser sponges, or other products, for your next cleaning job? Visit Spongeoutlet.
If you live in a section of the United States where winter weather is nasty and the days are often dark, you understand that committing to household chores in winter can be difficult.
We are all guilty of crawling under the covers in the winter months when we should be cleaning our home.
It is important to clean our home throughout the winter months.
Below are some suggestions on what areas of your home deserve special attention as the season settles in.
Clean the Kitchen
We make more homemade meals as temperatures decline which means our kitchen is typically dirtier in winter months.
If you haven’t looked up at your kitchen ceiling lately, you are in for a surprise when you do.
Our kitchen ceiling and our kitchen walls are soiled daily by moisture, fumes, and smoke.
Using your favorite Spongeoutlet’s eraser sponge along with some warm water mixed with dish soap, you should scrub the ceiling gently using very little water so it does not drip.
If you notice any streak marks as you clean, stop immediately.
Dust Regularly
Dusting can be a tedious chore but it can make a big difference when it comes to the overall appearance of our home and can help improve our home’s air quality.
Homes get especially dusty in the winter months because the air inside is much warmer and drier than usual from heaters and fireplaces. Dusting your home on a regular basis will make ensure that dust levels never get out of hand. Make sure you also dust hard to reach places including ceiling fans, moldings, and light fixtures.
You can use a Spongeoutlet’s microfiber cloth to clean off dust from any surface.
The cloths will not scratch surfaces and they will hold onto the dust as you go.
Vacuum Furniture
We tend to disregard our furniture when we are cleaning our homes and often clean around it. However, many of us do snack when sitting on our sofa.
We need to be periodically cleaning our furniture. You should make sure to vacuum under the cushions and get out any crumbs or other surprises.
You should also be flipping the furniture upside down, easily done with two people, in order to get under the furniture where a lot of crumbs reside.
Winterize Entrances
For many states, the winter means that snow, water, and mud are being constantly tracked into your home.
Designate a “winter doorway” where you can put down a thick mat outside where people can wipe their feet before entering. You should also have a chair or bench available for sitting allowing guests to take their boots off right away.
Place a rubber mat alongside it where boots can sit to dry.
By practicing some of these cleaning habits, your house will be better maintained throughout the winter months, making less work for you when spring finally arrives.
Visit Spongeoutlet for reliable sponges and microfiber cloths to get your home in shape for winter.
They say that the one place that you spend more time at then home is at work at your desk.
Think about it; you are there for eight or more hours per day. With this being said, keeping your desk clean is generally not the highest priority.
Chances are there are some very dusty corners, crumbs stuck in your keyboard or stains from last week’s coffee that spilled.
If you don’t have one in place already, we at SpongeOutlet recommend putting together a cleaning regiment to help keep your area nice and tidy each week.
Here are a few of the easiest things that you can do to help keep your area clean and yourself healthy.
First things first, establish an easy to follow schedule to clean your office cubical once a month at a minimum. Obviously if you have a major spill, don’t sit on it until the 1st of the month.
Begin by cleaning the dust from everything. Dust loves to settle on electronics, so clean those items first. For your computer screen, reach for one of Sponge Outlets Microfiber Cloths.
It will be able to clean off this sensitive area without leaving a scratch like a normal towel would.
Once you have cleaned your electronics off, try to tackle your desk next. Order a pack of our Eraser Sponges to begin cleaning with confidence that you will get all the grime off of your desk.
Our sponges will not leave residue from cleaning chemicals on your desk, like other wipes you have used in the past did.
A clean desk leads to a happy and more productive environment. Keep your area clean with the simple ideas above.
They will take barely any time and will make your work space a much more comfortable area to spend time in.
Looking to get your whole office clean? Order from Sponge Outlet in bulk to save!
While nobody really likes to do chores around the home, there are some that are admittedly easier than others.
Take out the trash? No problem.
Make the bed? Not bad.
But washing the windows? That can certainly be a pain.
Just think of all the times you sprayed window cleaner trying to clean it up and inhaled all those chemicals.
Not only does it not smell nice, there were often times fibers left behind from your paper towel!
Now that can be a pain!
However we have a method that is used by window cleaning professionals that will change how you clean your windows! This method will help get your windows completely clean.
Step Two: Clean Your Bike Chain
For more tips on cleaning items around your car, office and home, 
Disinfect the Kitchen
