Skip the Fumes 

One of the worst parts about cleaning your oven is having to be cooped up in a small space with a lot of chemicals. Instead, opt for things you probably already have, like baking soda and vinegar. The only catch with this method is that you'll need to invest some time before everything comes out clean. 

Attack All Surfaces 

Once you've taken out every last rack from the oven, you'll need to apply a paste of baking soda and water. The ratio is roughly a cup of baking soda for every 6 tablespoons of water, but you may need more or less depending on how thick you want it and the size of your oven. This concoction should go over the whole oven minus the heating elements. The greasier your oven is, the more paste you'll need. 

Wipe It Out 

Wait about 12 hours for the paste to do its work, clean out the racks, and wipe down the oven with a damp cloth (use a silicone spatula to help get out all of the paste if need be). Use vinegar from a spray bottle or cloth to react with any leftover paste. From there, you should be able to wipe it down one last time for a true sparkle.

Your Flagstaff apartment will be a healthier environment when you take the time to clean. If you're looking for a kitchen that's stacked with the appliances you need to make truly great meals, call Butterfield Apartment Homes to learn more about our availability today. We're here to help you find a space that truly fits your needs.

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How to Clear Out Clutter in Your Apartment

Get Rid of Trash First

Go around your apartment, and sort and throw out any trash that’s lying around. This includes items such as receipts, empty bottles of lotions and shampoos, and anything else you don’t need to sort through and decide whether or not to keep. This gives you a simple way to get started on clearing away clutter.

Pick a Room

Don’t plan on eliminating clutter all at once. Trying to tackle your entire home in one day can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Instead, choose one room to start with. Go through everything in the room, including every drawer and pile of clutter. Decide whether you’re going to keep each item, give it away or toss it. Put items you’re giving away in one box and items you’re tossing in another box or in a large garbage bag. When you’ve finished one room, plan on doing the same in another room the next day.

Eliminate Extras

When you’re going through the items in your home, get rid of extras. For example, you only need one of certain kitchen items, such as a potato peeler. You might be surprised to find that you have more than one of these kinds of items. Plan on giving those extras away as long as they’re in good shape, and you’ll have a much more organized home before you know it.

Our apartments in Flagstaff, AZ, offer additional storage for those items that you need to keep around. Contact us for more information on our community.

The post Simple Ways to Clear Out Clutter in Your Apartment appeared first on Butterfield Apartments Blog.

If you're like most people, you probably already know that baking soda has a wide variety of household uses. For instance, you may already place an open box of baking soda in your refrigerator to absorb odors. However, baking soda has abundant uses in the home that many people have never even heard of—and it's got the added benefits of being inexpensive, easily available, and environmentally friendly. Following are just a few of the many ways that residents of apartments in Flagstaff can use baking soda to clean almost anything. 

Clean Produce With Baking Soda

You can clean any residual dirt and waxy buildup from produce you purchase in the grocery store simply by mixing baking soda with water and using it to wash down the produce in the sink. The baking soda won't leave an off-taste on your fruits and vegetables, and as an added bonus, it'll help sweeten the drain in your kitchen sink. 

Cut Grease on Dishes and Pans With Baking Soda

Although many people aren't aware of it, baking soda is great grease cutter, making it an ideal choice for cleaning up dishes and pans after a feast. Mix a little in with your usual dish soap to provide it with an extra punch, and soak the dishes and pans in hot water before scrubbing them clean with a scrub sponge. 

Freshen Furniture Upholstery With Baking Soda

Although many products are available for the purpose of freshening furniture upholstery, these often leave an artificial odor. Baking soda, on the other hand, simply freshens by absorbing existing odors and doesn't leave an overpowering scent behind. Sprinkle it onto your couch or chairs, leave for 15 minutes, and vacuum using the upholstery attachment on your vacuum cleaner. For stubborn odors, leave the baking soda on overnight. 

Please feel free to contact our office for more helpful advice on getting the most from apartment life in Flagstaff. 

The post How to Clean Almost Anything with Baking Soda appeared first on Butterfield Apartments Blog.

Declutter Your Closets

In many ways, clutter represents our human failure to stay organized and limit purchases. Many movies use closets to get laughs. You know, someone opens a door and piles of stuff bury them. It’s funny because it’s so true. We hide stuff in closets. To avoid having a real-life skit in your space, take everything out and reorganize that closet.

Start by incorporating a shoe organizer. It can hang on the door or be simple shelving. That should help clear the floor. Box anything that doesn’t fit or any oddities that you can’t remember why you bought it in the first place. Make a list and donate all of it. You may be able to take a tax deduction if you give it to a non-profit. Create sections for specific types of clothing and items. Once you’ve put it all back together, place a sign on the inside of the door that reads “One In, One Out.” Hopefully, that rule will help keep your closets uncluttered.  

Coca-Cola Cleans Toilet Stains

Cleaning products can be expensive and toxic to the environment. Coke, on the other hand, is just a cheap sugary beverage. Gently pour about 12 ounces of Coke over toilet stains. As it runs over them, some of the Coke will cling. Let it sit for at least an hour while the acids act on the stains. Flushing should remove a good amount of the residue and a quick scrub brushing will do the rest.

Steam Clean Your Microwave

Microwaves can be a real pain to scrub clean because it’s difficult to see the inside ceiling. One simple way to loosen clinging food spatter is to mix two tablespoons of white vinegar with water and nuke it for about five minutes. The steam will do the rest.

Refrigerator Liners

This may seem a bit out of the mainstream, but it’s perfectly fine to cover problem areas inside your refrigerator with cling wrap. Whether it’s salad dressing leakage or the meat tray, by lining the surface you can just peel and replace.  

Natural Air Fresheners

Some of the best smelling things are completely natural. For example, fill a pot of water with lemon slices and rosemary and let it simmer all afternoon. It will make your apartment smell magnificent. You can also do things like adding cinnamon sticks to candles or growing lemongrass on a window sill. Just run your fingers through the lemongrass and let it permeate your apartment.

Spring has sprung and we wish our Butterfield community members a wonderful season. If you or a friend would like more information about our Flagstaff apartments, call us today. 

The post 5 DIY Spring Cleaning Hacks For Butterfield Residents appeared first on Butterfield Apartments Blog.