How to Clean Plastic Wire Shelving
In today's modern homes, more often than not, you'll find plastic or vinyl-coated wire shelving in place of the traditional wood shelves homes used to have. Major brands such as Rubbermaid and Closet Mate make these shelving units and accessories available for retail purchase. Cleaning your plastic-coated wire shelves is an easy, but necessary, chore, in order to eliminate dust build-up. In pantries, shelves can be removed from wall brackets and simply washed in the sink with soapy water. Closet shelves can be left intact and cleaned with a spray cleaner. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- All purpose cleaner spray
- Paper towels
- Sponge
- Goo gone or adhesive remover * optional
- Bed sheet * optional
Instructions
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1
Remove clothing or anything on or directly beneath the plastic-coated shelves. If the items cannot be removed, cover with a layer of paper towels or spread a clean bed sheet over them.
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2
Spray the plastic-coated shelves with an all purpose cleaner, completely covering the shelf. Allow the cleaner to drip between the wire rungs.
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3
Use paper towels or a sponge to scrub the wire shelves, using a sweeping motion with your hand and sponge, in a back and forth pattern, from the wall toward you. If the dust has created a gummy build-up, apply a citrus-based adhesive cleaner such as Goo Gone to the sponge and rub each wrung individually by gripping the wrung in the sponge and wiping back and forth. Force the sponge between the plastic-coated wires and clean between each one.
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4
Use the sponge or paper towels to wipe the brackets attaching the shelf to the wall, wiping any grime or accumulated dust from any indentations or crevices.
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5
Dry the plastic-coated wire shelves with paper towels. Discard all soiled paper towels in the wastepaper basket. Rinse the sponge and allow it to dry. Replace any removed articles or clothing to the shelf or below the plastic-coated wire shelf.
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Tips & Warnings
New end caps can be purchased at a home improvement center to cover exposed metal ends on the wire shelving unit. Most plastic-coated wire shelves are cut to fit the closet they are in and then end caps are inserted over the jagged metal ends. Cover any splits in the plastic-coating with a dab of silicone gel or purchase "paint on" repair kits made especially for these repairs. Shelves can also be dismantled from the wall brackets and taken outside and hosed off or washed in the bathtub or sink.
