Caring for the finishes throughout your Camden apartment home can truly make a difference in its appearance and how you feel every day. Coming home to clean and shining countertops and appliances can bring you peace of mind after a long day at work—not only will your home look great for guests, but this can also be a huge support for your mental health! Here are helpful tips that can help keep your Camden apartment home sparkling!

Identify the Finishes

The first step to a shining home is to identify the different finishes and types of appliances in your Camden apartment home. Look in your kitchen and bathroom to think of all the finishes you see. Your kitchen countertops may be quartz, granite, or maybe Formica. Is your stove top glass or metal? Are your fridge, microwave, and stove stainless steel or plastic?

Photo Courtesy of Camden NoDa

Use appropriate materials and chemicals

When cleaning surfaces throughout your Camden apartment home, make sure you use the correct cleaning supplies to ensure the cleanliness and longevity of the finishes. Here is a list of what you should use for common finishes:

Stainless Steel:

Use: Store-bought stainless-steel sprays, such as Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner. For DIY products, you can utilize dish soap for cleaning and a very small amount of baby oil on a microfiber cloth for the shine.

Quartz and granite countertops:

Use: Mild soap or liquid detergent with warm water or glass cleaner. Use a nonabrasive sponge or cotton cloth.

Formica countertops:

Use: Mild soap or liquid detergent and lukewarm water. Like the quartz and granite countertops, utilize a nonabrasive sponge or cotton cloth.

Glass cooktops:

Use: First, make sure the stovetop has cooled down after use. Create a mixture of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle (this assists with grease on the stovetop). Sprinkle baking soda on top of the sitting vinegar, creating a powerful bubbling effect that will eat through the grease and leftover drippings on the stovetop. Soak a towel in hot water and scrub gently across the surface. After you’re finished scrubbing, clean up with a microfiber cloth which will help leave the stovetop clean and streak-free.

What Not to Use:

For all finish types, do not use steel wool, abrasive sponges, or scrubber pads – these can all scratch the surfaces of your lovely finishes. Also, do not use any cleaning chemicals containing strong acids or strong bases, as these products can contain harmful chemicals for your stovetop.

Good examples of these chemicals to not use are bleach, bath tile cleaners, furniture polish, or hydrogen peroxide.

Photo Courtesy of Camden Thornton Park

Make it a habit!

Make cleaning your finishes a habit! We all know that cooking always ends up with a mess in the kitchen. Some advice that has always helped me is to clean up as you go – go ahead and clean up your utensils and bowls and give the countertop a clean wipe down while your food is cooking in the oven.

Keeping a clean apartment home will go a long way in your mental health and overall happiness – feel the difference immediately after seeing your shining countertops and appliances!

Keep your inspiration going with these Camden Blogs on cleaning your home with these Top 5 Sustainable Cleaning Products for your Home and How to Create an Easy Apartment Cleaning Routine blog!