Freshen Up Anything

Forget about new-car smell or those little trees you hang from the rearview mirror. If we could invent a scent, we’d call it “line-dried sheets.” Wouldn’t that be great? Actually, anything that’s fresh is pretty appealing at this weary time of year. That’s why we’ve put together this list of easy ways to invigorate lots of things and create the illusion of an early spring. Ready, set, refresh!

Kitchen sink. If yours is stainless steel, douse it with flour, buff with a soft dry cloth, then rinse. The shine will blind.

Refrigerator. If you’ve tried baking soda, coffee grounds, charcoal, lemon juice, vanilla…and still the monster lives, stuff in damp, crumpled newspaper for a few days. (Tabloids like the National Enquirer seem to pick up embarrassing scents most readily.)

Crystal. Add a few drops of ammonia to 2 cups of water and scrub. Rinse, polish with a lint-free cloth, and start making the party list.

Porcelain. If the fixtures in your bathroom look like they belong in Dodger Stadium, clean with vinegar and rinse with water.

Winter boots. To remove salt stains, mix a tablespoon of vinegar in a cup of water. Then dampen a cloth and wipe.

An outfit. If dinner is an hour away and your sweater or knit dress is way wrinkled, throw it in the dryer on low-heat with a fabric-softening sheet. It’ll be wrinkle-free and sweet smelling in 10 minutes.

Bedroom drawers. Take a dryer sheet and just slip it into the back of a clothing drawer. It’ll make everything smell better.

Blankets. Add 2 cups of vinegar to the washer’s rinse cycle. It’ll flush out the soap residue that makes cotton and wool fabrics scratchy.

Carpets. Dust with baking soda, let it sit for an hour, then vacuum.

Wallpaper. If yours is the washable kind, squirt some dishwashing liquid into a quart of water and wipe away the grime.

Household air. Paint, carpeting, and vinyl emit fumes that can cause headaches. Potted plants filter these. The best air conditioners are Boston ferns, dwarf date palms, dumb canes, and dragon trees.

Plants. To keep your forest looking tropical, rub a little mayonnaise onto a rag and wipe down the leaves.

Wood deck. It won’t be long before you’re out there in your flip-flops, so make things look inviting by applying some oxygen bleach, letting it soak 10 minutes, then cleaning with a push-broom and hose.

Résumé. Add a section called “Achievements.” And we’re not talking the trophy you won in Miss Noseworthy’s dance class. We mean a money- or time-saving program you devised for previous employers, or anything else that showcases your productivity and bottom-line drive. That’s what’s valued in this economy.

Relationships. Tell your man that you love him first thing every morning and last thing every night. Before long he’ll be reciprocating and you’ll both be like giddy teenagers again. Now it’s really starting to feel like spring.