Four expert tips for keeping the home clean inside and out during summer months

Published 7:00 pm Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Summer is the ideal time to entertain. From casual barbecues and pool parties, to graduations and more, there is always a reason to invite family and friends over. This is also cause to keep your house tidy.

Josh Temple, host of DIY Network’s “House Crashers” and “Disaster House,” knows plenty about how to maintain homes inside and out. So you don’t waste a ton of time, energy and money cleaning, here are some of his tricks that will help you get even tough jobs done quickly and efficiently so you can spend less time cleaning and more time enjoying this summer season.

1. Maintain the grill in minutes

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Summer means barbecuing, which also means a dirty, grimy grill. To keep your grill clean so you can cook alfresco happily all season long, cleaning it after every use is a must. After the grill has cooled, scrape large food particles with a wire brush. Then spray the grilling rack with Dawn Grill Cleaner – a foam spray that penetrates even the toughest burnt-on grill grease. All you’ll have to do is quickly wipe down, rinse and store until the next use.

2. Clean hard-to-reach outdoor spaces

From the small grooves on the outdoor table that gather miniscule food particles, to the tiny gaps on the kids’ swing set that always attract sticky spills, outdoor items are full of small spaces that can be a nightmare to clean. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Outdoor Pro is specially designed to help lift away tough grime with just water. It’s perfect for getting into hard-to-reach spaces because the water-activated micro-scrubbers reach into surface grooves, making cleaning a breeze. Always test first on an inconspicuous area with light pressure.

3. Clean tough outdoor surfaces

Warm weather is perfect for outdoor cleaning projects. For dirty outdoor surfaces like non-plastic patio furniture, gutters, grills, play sets and more, look for a cleaner formulated to tackle outdoor messes, such as Mr. Clean Outdoor Pro Multi-Purpose Spray. Be sure to spray on greasy and soiled areas and let the solution soak for extra tough soils. Then you can easily scrub away tough outdoor dirt, allowing you to spend less time cleaning and more time relaxing.

4. Make indoor cleaning easy

While the warm weather calls families outdoors, it’s important to maintain the inside of the home as well. Having the right cleaning tools in your arsenal makes any mission easy. An all-purpose cleaner can save time and money over buying multiple cleaners for each interior surface. Keep commonly-used hard surfaces clean and smelling fresh any time of year with Mr. Clean with the scent of Gain – perfect for the kitchen sink, dirty countertops, bathroom faucets, the floors and more.