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How to Keep Your Condominium Spic and Span?

How to Keep Your Condominium Spic and Span?

Your home is without doubt your most precious possession that provides you shelter from the elements and antisocial elements. Now, how long your flat located in a condominium will continue to offer you unflinching protection will among other things, depend on your level of maintenance. Apart from carrying out necessary repairs and renovations on a periodical basis, thorough condominium cleaning is an activity or task that you cannot afford to disregard.

Even if the condo is located far away from the city proper, it is bound to gather dust and becoming unkempt after a period of time. You need to keep your condo spic and span not only to make the premises appealing to guests and visitors but also to keep health issues at bay. Following are some tips or guidelines that you can abide by without breaking your back.

1. Start with the top first

When you embark on a home cleaning drive, make sure that you clean the entire area or premises. That means removing dust and grime from each and every room in the condominium including the bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom, and living room. Make it a point to start from the top of the room like the walls and the ceiling. Clean floors at the end so that so that all the dusted and accumulated dirt can be removed thoroughly. If you start with the floors and move to the walls next, then you’ll have to clean the floorings all over again.

2. Clothes and furnishings should be rinsed regularly

Although this goes without saying, you need to wash all your daily wear every alternate day as the apparels tend to pick up a lot of dirt and get sweaty. Upholstery over sofas, window furnishings and bed covers also need to be rinsed on a routine basis. Use warm water and recommended detergents for washing garments, furnishings or upholsters.

3. Use a vacuum cleaner for the floors

Using a vacuum cleaner for keeping the floors tidy is another important condominium cleaning tip. If your flat is large, manually cleaning the floors can be a backbreaking exercise, especially when you need to clean the flooring at least once a week. Using a vacuum cleaner in these circumstances would be more convenient and practical. Not only will the areas be freed from dust completely including the difficult-to-reach areas but also you’ll not get exhausted.

4. Bathroom cleaning is a must every week

More often than not, the germs and bacteria from your body seem to accumulate in the bathroom simply because this is the area where you retire to everyday for cleansing yourself. To keep using your bathroom effectively and safeguarding yourself from incurring any serious health problem, make it a point to scrub clean the bathroom at least once in a week.

5. The living room and kitchen should not be neglected either

This is one area in your house where you and your family spend quite a lot of time. You also receive and entertain your guests in the living room. Therefore, tidying up the drawing room should be on the must dos of home cleaning program. The kitchen is another room in your condominium that tends to get greasy and sullied almost on a daily basis. So cleanliness of the kitchen is an essential task that should not be neglected.

Image credit: dolgachov

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It’s Time For End Of Summer Home Cleaning Ideas!

It's Time For End Of Summer Home Cleaning Ideas!

Well, summer is almost over. It’s been a brutal one across the nation and that means extra care has to be applied to cleaning up and preparing for Autumn.

Summer usually invites more heat, rain, wind and debris. Lots of outdoor activities and excited pets and children. Mopping and dusting and washing doubles up during the summer months and the home itself can take quite a beating from the elements and people. There are also the constant problem of insect pests who will leave no chance to enter and take advantage of your home. This means you’ll need to knuckle down and clean up from the events and battles to both preserve and protect the home from here on.

First thing is to go through damage analysis. How much has the summer’s fun and general course of action affected the home and materials therein. Don’t do a quick glance here. Summer takes a toll on a structure and if you don’t see those little things that can lead to bigger problems now, you’ll end up with bigger problems before you know it. Look at rugs in particular. Move furniture around and look up and under and all around. Large appliances are great sports for spills and bugs to find a place to show off. Window frames just love that debris and dead bugs and pet hair. Even if you’ve cleaned them once a month, do a thorough inspection now to make sure small rocks don’t damage window function. Gutters need to be cleaned as well. Autumn will bring on falling leaves in most parts of the country, so getting them cleaned now will allow for easier maintenance later. Garages need a major look over to make sure used materials are discarded or properly packaged and set away for easy access.

Once the damage analysis is over, it’s time to get down to the proverbial nitty gritty. Lots of elbow grease is required but simple solutions made from home products should allow for easy and thorough cleaning.

The good old fashioned warm water and vinegar is always a welcomed stand by. You can also make your own warm water, dish detergent, solution as well. There are many DIY or Do-It-Yourself cleaning solutions that are safe and green at that. However, you need to know what solutions to use on which surfaces.

Don’t use anything on a hardwood floor that will dull the shine or compromise the wood. Soft dusting and sweeping should suffice and for stains and spills that you didn’t know of try warm water and a cloth first and then something stronger if need be. Carpets need deep cleaning after summer to get any possible debris and insect eggs that might lie deep within. Rugs need the good old fashioned treatment. A good rug cleaning steamer should suffice. All floors need a major work over but it’s necessary.

Bathrooms and kitchen are where the elbow grease really needs to be done. Heat of summer causes more use of showers and bathrooms so getting in there with the right cleaning materials and time will result in problems like mold not taking root.
Cleaning up after summer may seem a daunting task, but it can be fun and rewarding knowing that your home is cleaned properly and you’re ready for the next season with renewed vigor.

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Cleaning your Bathroom Floors: Tiles and Cleaners

Cleaning your Bathroom Floors: Tiles and Cleaners

When it’s time to clean the bathroom floor it may seem like it’s an impossible task, intimidating, and discouraging. Using the right cleaning agents make all the difference in scrubbing down, cleaning, and preventing future dirt and grime buildup. Without the right cleaning ingredients, this can become an easier albeit not the most enjoyable task. It’s critical that you prepare and use the right types of chemicals when cleaning your bathroom tile or you could cause damage or make it worse. Let’s consider some steps to prepare, treat, and prevent future dirt build-up on your bathroom tile floor.

Prepare the Right Way: Why to Choose Vinegar
One of the most effective, natural ingredients is not bleach or other powerful and harmful ingredients that can be tough to breathe in or leave a funky smell behind. In fact, one of the most optimal cleaning products is simply vinegar with water. Vinegar acts as a natural cleaning agent to remove dirt, mold, hair, and other sticky residues accumulated on your bathroom floor over time.

How to Get Started
Prepare yourself two buckets, fill both with warm water, and mix one gallon of water with a cup of vinegar in the other. A mop is very useful, but it’s helpful to also get some sponges just in case you come into hard to reach places. Rags can be helpful as well, and if you have an old towel or shirts you don’t use anymore you can use these to dry the floor when you’re done.

Try to find yourself a pair of gloves and open up the windows if possible to keep away the tough, potent smell of vinegar. If you do not have windows to open in the bathroom then setup and turn on a fat to circulate the room while you clean but keep it at a distance so that it does not make a mess and blow all of the dirt all over and make the job tougher.

Scrubbing it Down and Enjoying the Results
If it’s been a while since you’ve cleaned your bathroom tile floors it may be necessary to add a few drops of dish detergent to the water solution you make to add dirt removing strength. If you have marble or stone floors then this method and these ingredients are not recommended as they can be harmful.

If you have especially troubling dirt and debris build-up on your bathroom floor it may also be necessary to use an anti-bacterial soap to really get everything clean. Remember, it’s not so much of how good it smells in your bathroom when you’re done, rather, it matters most that you’ve got all the dirt up and have properly dried your floors – as moisture can attract and build up bacteria and dirt again. Happy Cleaning!

Image credit: Jennifer Huls

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7 Tips for Summer Cleaning and Home Maintenance

7 Tips for Summer Cleaning and Home Maintenance

As that warm weather (in most places) rolls around this year, cleaning and managing your home for upcoming family gatherings and guests can be a little hectic when first kicking off the season.

Summer cleaning doesn’t have to be an undesirable task, in fact, you should take pride in your home, so check out the following 7 pieces of advice and tips for maximizing your summer cleaning efforts!

1. Get the little ones involved! Don’t be afraid to assign (age appropriate) cleaning tasks to your little ones or spouse – so that you can collaborate on cleaning your home post-winter together as a team. The more the merrier, and this will also help cut back on total time required to clean your home and prepare for the hot, summer season to come.

2. Dust down places high and low, and consider changing air filters on any types of devices, air-conditioner equipment, and ventilation shafts throughout your home that likely built up bacteria or debris from the previous season.

3. Before storing all of those pillows, comforters, and sheets from the previous season make sure you wash them thoroughly, and hang dry them outside to maximize removal of harmful bacterial, dirt built up, and any possible critters that might have accumulated on them over time unknown to you and your family.

4. Take your family shopping to the local department store and pick out fun, family-styled mats to put on the interior and exterior of each of your doorways. Thanks to hotter climate, bacteria, bugs, and dirt really become common throughout this season, so make this an integral part of your summer cleaning efforts!

5. Wipe down, dry, and clean all of your windows interior and exteriors throughout your home. Make sure you use a microfiber or gentle cloth to prevent smudging, and get off all that icky’ bacteria and dirt build-up from previous seasons.

6. Vacuum and ‘suck up’ any and all dirt left behind on your rugs, mats, floors, and wipe down behind your beds and other hard-to-reach places because you can bet dust and dirt is likely to have built up over time. Don’t forget to dust the corners and ceilings if possible! If not, borrow a tall neighbor, spouse, or friend to get the job done right! Just be careful if you’re going to do it yourself, use a steady (preferably) ladder, or chair but try to make sure someone is spotting you for safety-sake.

7. Lastly, clean up and close up your fireplace if you have one, sweep the chimney with the necessary treating log or agent, and put away all related materials, wood, and tools to clear the path and make your home more “roomy”.

Summer cleaning doesn’t have to be a headache, and with the right game plan (and hopefully team players) it can be done the right way. If possible, try to go through this routine every month or two to maximize a clean, happy home environment.

Image credit: amveldman

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Cleaning Outdoor and Indoor Windows the Right Way

Cleaning Outdoor and Indoor Windows the Right Way

Cleaning windows, whether outside or in, doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With the right knowledge, product, and ingredients cleaning your windows can be a simpler, faster process.

For indoor windows, you can create and use a one part white vinegar solution for swift, effective cleaning of debris, dust, and dirt.

One of the biggest mistakes homeowners – and car owners – make when cleaning windows is using soap chemicals without wiping down the window first. It’s important to focus wiping off the heavier dirt build up, debris, and insect guts that have accumulated over time. A more thoroughly cleaning guarantees a cleaner window for a longer period of time.

Using a microfiber, paper towel, or black and white newspaper are all effective materials to use to get the most out cleaning your windows. It is worth noting however that sometimes multiple applications are necessary for cleaning windows, and sometimes letting the soap, or water and vinegar “sit” on the window, as this helps to break-down dirt build-up is necessary.

In preparation for cleaning your windows it’s helpful to already have a bucket for rinsing, and one for mixing the soap or chemicals if possible. Whether it’s inside or outdoor windows, be sure to use Z-like wiping motions to really get all the dirt off and improve dirt-removal. Using this technique also helps to prevent smudges, smearing, and missing spots!

Cleaning windows outside although they appear tough, can actually be an easier process. If possible, use a hose to water down your window first – but make sure you check for cracks and that your windows are closed and secure!

With cleaning windows outside, you can use either a spray-bottle or mop, since you don’t have to worry about the water and chemicals spilling on the ground or working its way down.

Make a point to also wipe down and clean your screen. Even with a clean window, getting sunlight in or seeing beyond your window can be tough with dirty screens! Screens are metal, so you don’t have to worry about being ‘too tough’ or abrasive with the cleaning agents and materials.

Sometimes on both windows and screens mineral deposits and mucky water build overtime, or from using ‘hard water’ – typically caused by iron or copper in water.

Calcium, lime, and rust build-up are common troubles both with windows and window screens. This is where applying cleaning agents and letting it sit comes into play the most.

CLR is a perfect example of a tough, reliable cleaning agent that helps to build up some of the strongest, most stubborn sticky build-ups and other dirty and nasty muck or grime.

Believe it or not, even in light of both indoor and outdoor cleaning, using white vinegar diluted with water can be the strongest, most effective solution thanks to it’s natural, organic ingredients. Vinegar in it’s various forms is a natural acid, so removing bug-guts, mold, dirt build-up and grime is a cinch!

Cool water is found to typically be most effective on outdoor windows – barring it’s not winter. While warm-water on the other hand is usually optimal for indoor window-cleaning, as the heat helps to break away at dirt and debris build-up.

Image credit: Andriy Popov

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The Best In Cleaning Services In St. Petersburg, FL

EM-logoNo other cleaning company in the region takes as much pride in their work as our company that features top flight European Maids.

Our staff have years of professional experience and our company is over 15 years old having serviced everything from homes, offices, hotels, motels, and more. We just don’t go in and vacuum and dust, no, we go in and do a full thorough job of analyzing your cleaning needs, what best materials to use, and know all the fabrics and textiles your home or office is made of. This allows us to use the right cleaning solutions to bring out the luster and color of your structure and furnishings without causing damage to any.

 

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Rental Condominium Cleaning Service in St Petersburg FL

European Maids offers Rental Condominium Cleaning Service in St Petersburg and Clearwater  FL. Our cleaning company has been providing cleaning service for over 16 years.

Rental Condominium Cleaning Service in St Petersburg FLRental Condominium Cleaning Service in St Petersburg FLRental Condominium Cleaning Service in St Petersburg FL

 

 

 

 

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Vinegar Still Reigns As A Cleaning Giant

Vinegar Still Reigns As A Cleaning GiantVinegar has been used for cleaning ever since man found out its usefulness millenia ago. In today’s modern age of high tech wizardry, vinegar may have been overlooked by far too many people in regard to its effectiveness as an all around cleaner.

Fortunately, thanks to the Green movements and to old wives’ tales, Vinegar has made a resounding comeback of sorts as the go-to cleaner of choice. Most brand name cleaners use alcohol, and other chemicals added with fragrance to get the grime gone, but vinegar either full concentration o diluted with water does a job just as good if not better in some cases. It really depends on the types of dirt and stains, but overall, if you give vinegar a chance, ti will prove itself out.

Vinegar is more than just a cleaner though, it’s an antiseptic and one of the most powerful. Alcohol, ammonia, vinegar, all can be used as cleaner and antiseptic, with vinegar being the safest.

The sheer number of surfaces and materials you can use vinegar on are immense. There’s really no surface that it won’t work on, and when diluted well, it can act as laundry detergent does.

Carpenters can appreciate vinegar as a cleaning tool. Diluted properly it will clean wood, plastic, metal. Even those hard to clean places in specialized tools. Carpentry calls for astonishing skill and tools that must be maintained in top condition always. As wood is an organic material, vinegar is a wise choice as a cleaner. Same goes with antique tools that many top carpenters use. Some being handed down through the generations. Vinegar can keep them in fine condition but it’s best to study up on the concentration needed on those various surfaces.

Gardeners can appreciate vinegar as a cleaning solution. Those gardening tools can take a beating regarding dirt and a decent washing with vinegar not only cleans the surfaces but as an antiseptic is cleaning the tools even more. Same goes for containers like pots and so on. Garden decorations can benefit from vinegar as well. Put some in a spray bottle diluted with water and bring some cleaning wipes and you’re good to go.

If you play video games and have an entertainment system at home, wiping down consoles, controls, and even the video screen can keep things hygienically clean and more. The vinegar won’t harm those space age plastics.

That goes for toys too. If you’ve wee ones at home and you know you’ve got to clean the toys, a vinegar solution should do the trick.

Sports equipment can use some vinegar for cleaning too. As usual, just make a solution and wipe off those baseballs and footballs, and tackle gear for fishing.

So to answer the question, “What can I use vinegar for to clean with?”, the truth of the matter is that just about everything can be a cleaning victory with vinegar.

Image credit: Badagnani (Wikipedia)

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Battling Bacteria And Germs In The Kitchen

Battling Bacteria And Germs In The KitchenThe kitchen is the place where you prepare your foods. It cannot be compromised by bacteria or germs or the results could be both dangerous and even fatal. There should be no half stepping regarding yours and your family’s safety in this regard and there are practices and tips to minimize the risks.

You can’t get rid of all bacteria and germs but you can minimize their presence by following some specific practices. First you have to look at who and what enter your kitchen. Although we love them, we should keep pets out of the kitchen. They track in microbes from outside or from other pets or people and can do so in spots that you wouldn’t think they can access. If you can’t keep the pet out of the kitchen, then make sure you follow it around so that you can clean those spots that the critters get into. This means toys they chew on too.

The surfaces of the kitchen area are where the microbes rest on. Kitchen cleaning here calls for a cleaner that is a disinfectant that won’t harm the counter tops or table tops or the appliances nor are toxic to people. Using sponges and cloths are another area of kitchen cleaning that you have to be careful of. Sponges can be a place where bacteria thrives. You need to clean your sponges daily by dipping them in an anti-bacterial solution. Hot water doesn’t work unless you boil your sponges and also your cloths you use to clean with. Microbes can withstand incredible temperatures, but they can’t survive the chemicals and compounds that disrupt their biological functions such as a good anti-bacterial solution. Clean sponges and cloths daily. Find a bucket that you can place somewhere and at the end of the day, put the sponges and cloths in there with a good amount of disinfectant and water. The next morning, take them out and rinse. Have tow sets of cleaning cloths and sponges. One for day, one for night. This way you’ll have a readily available arsenal of kitchen cleaning materials.

Floors need a good mopping with disinfectant especially. If you walk around your kitchen in shoes and so do the other family members, there’s no telling how many microbes get onto the floor’s surface. Sweeping won’t do jack. You need to mop daily, especially if you have pets or babies that like to play on the floors. Ten minutes a day to clean that floor at night or in the morning means getting a foothold on preventing bacteria and germs from dominating.

Remember to wipe down appliances and handles once a day that see lots of activity like the fridge door handle and kitchen doorknobs. These places often miss the attention of the need for constant cleaning but are the most infected areas.

No need to mention the importance of disinfecting the sink or the table top where we eat. Overall, getting a great arsenal of disinfectant cleaning solutions, as simple as vinegar and water, and establishing a regimen of cleaning daily by all members of the household, you’ll have a kitchen cleaning procedure that all can take responsibility for and minimize the risks caused by those itty bitty critters of the microscopic kind.

Image credit: My Make OU

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Vacation and Rental Condominium Cleaning Service in St Petersburg FL

European Maids offers Vacation and Rental Condominium Cleaning Service in St Petersburg and Clearwater  FL. Our cleaning company has been providing cleaning service for over 16 years.

Vacation and Rental Condominium Cleaning Service in St Petersburg FL

Vacation and Rental Condominium Cleaning Service in St Petersburg FL

Vacation and Rental Condominium Cleaning Service in St Petersburg FL

Vacation and Rental Condominium Cleaning Service in St Petersburg FL

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