WASHINGTON — As the world outside awakens from its slumber, refresh your world inside with an old-fashioned spring cleaning.

Take a cue from some of America's finest hotels and embrace the new season by rejuvenating your home.

National Trust Historic Hotels of America offers tips from professionals who tackle hundreds of rooms every day.

Do you leave heirloom silver in the drawer because you hate to polish it?

Sandy Gough, executive housekeeper at The Sagamore in Bolton Landing, N.Y., suggests placing a piece of chalk in the silver chest to absorb moisture and keep the pieces from tarnishing quickly.

When cleaning chandelier crystals, Mary Ann Rodino, executive housekeeper at The Spa at Norwich Inn in Norwich, Conn., recommends mixing one part rubbing alcohol with three parts of water in a spray bottle. Spray on crystal and wipe clean with a white cotton cloth.

Sean Nies, executive housekeeper at the Hotel Hershey in Hershey, Pa., has encountered more than his share of chocolate mishaps. He says chocolate is a "combination" stain — one that contains substances of both a greasy and non- greasy origin.

Treat the stain first for the nongreasy portion, using cool water and detergent. Rinse thoroughly and let dry. Then sponge the remaining greasy portion with cleaning fluid. Let dry and repeat, if necessary.

Bleach is sometimes necessary to completely remove tough stains but be sure to test for colorfastness first.

Melted candle wax on carpets or fabric can be a big mess. To remove it, Addie Johnson, executive housekeeper at the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston places a thin, wet cloth on top of the stain. Set an iron to low heat and iron over the cloth. The wax will slowly melt and be absorbed into the cloth.

For a dozen additional housekeeping tips, visit www.historichotels.org.