Top Drawer

Best way to clean A/C vents

It’s disheartening to clean your home only to turn around and notice unsightly dust clinging to your air conditioner return vents. A recent Google search turned up superficial ways to clean the vents. But what if they’ve been neglected for months or years? Let’s just say it could happen. As you tackle spring cleaning, include this on your must-do list.

1 Turn off your air conditioner at the breaker.

2 Vacuum as much dust, cobwebs and debris as possible from the vent cover slats.

3 Remove the screws that hold the vent cover in place and set them aside. Gently pull the cover away from the wall. (Some vent covers are held in by clips. If this is the case, lift or press the clip at the top and pull the vent cover up and out to release it.)

4 Fill your sink or tub with a solution of dish soap and hot water.

5 Let the vent cover soak in the tub for about 20 minutes, then remove the cover from the water and scrub both sides with a damp cloth. Use a wet foam paintbrush to clean between the slats.

6 Rinse thoroughly with clean water and set it on a clean towel to dry.

7 Set your hairdryer on its cool setting and blow air into the joints and crevices of the vent cover to dry any moisture that may have pooled in the slats. This helps to prevent rust from forming later.

8 Reinstall the vent cover when it is fully dry.

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Best spring organizing tips

Give your apartment or home a facelift this spring with these tips from Apartment Therapy.

Stow off-season items: Invest in some attractive, affordable baskets to store out-of-season clothing and bedding, and stack them on top of a closet or armoire.

Polish surfaces: Freshen up your worn wooden furniture with an easy-to-make wood polish. Check out full instructions below.

Wash windows: Wash with a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and warm water. Do this on a cloudy day, as sunshine will cause windows to dry too quickly and create streaks.

Clean out your freezer: Make way for freezer pops and other summery treats by discarding foods past their use dates or that have been forgotten since Thanksgiving!

Best plant sale

Circle your calendar for Saturday, April 11. That’s when JC Raulston Arboretum holds its annual garden festival, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The event includes a plant sale, birdhouse competition and displays, gardening demonstrations, children’s activities, plus artists, vendors and food trucks.

Admission is $5 per person; $10 for families; free for arboretum members. The arboretum is at 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh.

Info: 919-515-3132 or jcra.ncsu.edu

Best homemade furniture polish

Make your own furniture polish with this formula:

▪ Juice of 1 lemon

▪ 1 tablespoon grapeseed or olive oil

▪ 1 tablespoon water

Pour the juice of one lemon into a small jar; add oil and water. Seal jar tightly and shake until emulsified.

Dip a small, clean cloth into the polish and make that wood shine!

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Best for Easter

Here’s a salad that’s a perfect companion with your Easter entree. Raleigh reader Peggy Esposito likes to serve it in the spring and summertime. “This is a great salad served with grilled meat of any kind.”

Cherry Tomato Salad

▪ 40 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

▪ 3 ounces pine nuts (pignoli)

▪ 1 cup pitted and sliced green olives

▪ 1/2 cup olive oil

▪ 1 (6-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained

▪ 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

▪ 2 green onions, sliced

▪ 1 tablespoon white sugar

▪ 1 teaspoon oregano

▪ Salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl, combine tomatoes, olives and green onion.

In a dry skillet, toast pine nuts over medium heat until golden brown, turning frequently, just a minute or two. Stir into the tomato mixture.

In a small bowl or jar, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour over the salad and stir gently to coat. Chill 1 hour.

Best of the tube

On HGTV

Bad surprises: Tarek and Christina spot a home online that’s set to go on the auction block that afternoon. Based on neighborhood comps, it looks like a bargain. But after an unusual auction and a bevy of surprise issues, this dirty, dated home quickly becomes more work than the couple bargained for. “Flip or Flop” airs at 6:30 Tuesday.

This story was originally published April 3, 2015 at 12:00 PM.