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The Battle Of Cleaning The Bathroom
There are two rooms in the house that are the most challenging to clean, the kitchen and the bathroom. That being said, any tips that can make the job go easier are welcome as they’ll save a lot of time, energy, money, and headache.
The basics to cleaning the bathroom are materials that are cheap and usually already a part of the household repertoire of products. Things like vinegar, baking soda, bleach, dish soap, are all regular weapons in the battle for bathroom cleanliness.
With such materials at hand, the first step is to know how to apply them and to which surfaces. Since you’ll be dealing with tile mostly, that’s not a problem. With some elbow grease and time, you’ll do wonders with the simplest of materials.
You’ll need clean sponges, brushes, paper towels. Again, baking soda, vinegar, bleach, warm water. If you feel you need more, then add a glass cleaner and an all purpose cleaner. A microfiber cloth or two or three, vacuum, mop, broom, extendable duster, and of course rubber gloves to protect your hands. Believe it or not, some folks use safety glasses which isn’t a bad idea.
You’re going to tackle areas like the shower, shower heads, grout, sink, doors and door handles, mirrors, the toilet, mats, rugs, garbage receptacle, curtains, vents, light fixtures, outside light switches, door hinges. Any decorative items like sculptured reliefs or statues, picture frames, and artificial plants. The decorative items might not seem like they’ll need a cleaning, but they will. They collect moisture residue and dust as does everything else in the room.
Take care of the small areas first like hinges, molding, door frames. A dusting and then a pass with the cleaner of your choice. The walls, are the big areas so judge your energy level for them. One pass with a cleaner of vinegar and warm water should do the trick. Windows call for special care where those nooks and crannies are as they can collect moisture and promote mold. Look over the room for those areas, those cracks where things are fixed to the walls, doors, like screw mounts etc.. You want to make sure the itty bitty places that are most overlooked but if neglected can cause damage in the long run and be a hiding place for germs and bacteria.
The shower and the toilet are the heavy duty areas of combat. It’ll take powerful cleaning solutions and effort to get in there especially where grout is concerned. Vinegar and warm water, baking soda can do wonders here. These areas take two to three passes. Consuming most of your cleaning time but well worth it. A real good, deep cleaning means not having to expend so much effort later. Floors, usually tile call for getting deep and making sure the grout areas are thoroughly clean. Cabinets, closets need a pass and the outside hinges too. Just a wee bit of vinegar, diluted will do the trick so as not to cause damage to the hinge.
Home cleaning, especially bathroom cleaning is of utmost importance, but need not be a major chore. Just careful tender loving care and you should be in good form from beginning to end.
Image credit: Alexander Raths
Cleaning The Bedroom Big Time
The main problem with the bedroom is that it’s the bedroom. The place you lay your head down each night and sleep or lounge around on those lazy days. It serves as a combination crash pad, gymnasium and storage facility. With that much usage, cleaning it thoroughly means a big time effort.
We’re not talking your regular daily or weekly vacuuming and dusting, we’re talking the big beat down on dirt, clutter, damage, and more.
Getting started means surveying the bedroom and assessing when the last time it got a thorough cleaning. Realize that there may be spots that need some real elbow grease to straighten out. You’re going to have to move some furniture, loose some fixtures, and lift some rugs. The worst part is cleaning out the closets of clutter that has accumulated over time.
Clean out the closets and drawers first. Put down some plastic or big sheets that you can put the stuff on and not soil the rug or damage the furniture and floor. Look at what you really need to have in your closet. Old clothes that hold some sentimental value, just pack up and store in the attic. Shoes too. Some ladies can accumulate so many shoes they often forget they’re there. Tools, broken items, old boxes, need to be cleaned or tossed out. You’ll end up with just the right items you need to keep.
Before putting the necessary items back in the closet, inspect it for damage. Clean it thoroughly and if it needs painting or repair, set that as a chore. Once the job is done you can repopulate it with your possessions. Drawers, cabinets, need to be inspected and cleaned. Move them to see what is underneath them and clean it if need be. Check ceiling fans and air ducts for dust and clutter as well as discoloration and damage. Replace them to give the place a better look. Furniture and items that have small details you need to clean with delicate cloth and cleaner.
If the room needs a new coat of paint, then set things up. Same if the rug or flooring needs attention. A new rug will prevent the build up of mold and dust that older rugs can accumulate. Smooth surface flooring like hard wood, need special care and a few throw rugs that are secured underneath with adhesive will protect the floor and cut down on noise. Don’t forget door hinges and door knobs as well as electrical sockets. Just unscrew and replace or unscrew and clean and put back.
Overall, home cleaning with the bedroom will lead to more peace of mind and foster a better attitude in your life.
Image source: Andriy Popov
Cleaning The Pro Way With Simple Household Items
It might surprise one to find out that they can do a pro level job of cleaning the bathroom and kitchen using just some simple products that are found in just about every household.
You don’t need those high profile cleaning products that cost a bit and don’t always do the job. Doing things the old fashioned way can save in money, time, and get the level of cleaning done that doesn’t harm surfaces, gets rid of the germs with basic vinegar. Vinegar is one of the oldest and most effective disinfectants and cleaners ever. So much so that some companies actually up out a product called cleaning vinegar, which is basically vinegar with a new snazzy name.
Usually, just a half cup of vinegar and a half cup of water will do an entire bathroom or kitchen. This includes appliances, sinks, walls, and floors, and doors tool.
Vinegar won’t harm anything and kills odors. The trick is to get a regimen in and the right tools which are simple. Nowadays the only difference is that you can use microfiber cloth thus cutting down on the use of numerous paper towels.
For the sinks and toilets and showers, just spray the cleaning solution and let set for like 15 minutes. Then follow up with a damp cloth from top to bottom. Follow up with a buffing of paper towels or toilet paper. You’ll get that professional shine right on the spot. Toilets are the heavy duty job, but following a simple procedure will get the job done almost effortlessly. You spray the inside of the bowl and scrub before spraying and wait until 15 minutes after spraying. The grime and icky will disappear easily. Next spray the outside of the toilet and seat and lid and let set about 10 minutes and use a cloth the same way and buff with paper towels or toilet paper. It’s easy and highly effective. Not a lot of elbow grease needed at all.
Walls are the same way. Spray, wait, damp cloth. For appliances, same thing except for the insides. Refrigerators need cleaning in a different way as do dishwashers and microwaves. Fridges need to be sprayed and with the door open, let the spray sit and then wipe down and do a thorough job on the shelves. Put the shelves back in, let dry and you’re good to go. Same with a microwave. Open the door, spray lightly, let set, damp cloth, buff with paper. Dishwasher cleaning can be done with no effort. Just a half cup of water and half cup of vinegar poured into the dishwasher and set on low cycle and voila, the job is done. Do this once a week to prevent odors and other nasty things.
Finally, for floors, you just get a damp mop, after thoroughly spraying the floor or just applying directly with your vinegar water solution. When it’s almost dry, clean damp mop with warm water, to clean up and you’re done.
So it’s no big major chore, just doing things simply with cleaning tools and products that are inexpensive and easy to get.
Image credit: Sebastian Duda
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Cleaning The Refrigerator Doesn’t Have To Be A Chore
The refrigerator is the second busiest if not the most busy large appliance in your house. It runs 24/7 and is essential in the preservation of your food. It can take some punishment and requires regular cleaning, but it doesn’t have to be a chore.
Cleaning the refrigerator means you’ll have it operating at top efficiency. This means that when clean, it will use less electricity and deliver proper performance.
First comes the cleaning and checking. Look for leaks along the seal by putting a flashlight or some portable light inside and close the door. Turn off the lights and examine to see if you see light emitting from the fridge. If so, you need to tighten up that seal. This will keep food fresh and odors down.
Next is cleaning. You can use a number of homemade cleaning solutions or a brand name one from the store. Get one or make one that not only cuts through grease and grime, but also disinfects and won’t harm the surfaces of the refrigerator itself. You can then buff some wax on the glass to prevent stains and such, but your main goal is to get rid of grease and grime, disinfect and then prevent same.
There are also a number of ways to deodorize your fridge too. The old standby is a box of baking soda opened and sitting in the back of the fridge. Another is using a sock with activated charcoal that you can get at any pet store. Put it in the sock, tie a knot in it and stash it out of the way in the fridge. That will absorb the odors for at least a month or more. Some cotton with vanilla extract, orange oil, lemon oil, or something like that, will add some pleasant aroma to the fridge.
There are lots of household remedies so it’s best to search around and ask friends and family what they use.
Once you’ve gotten the refrigerator cleaned, cleaning it over time will be easier. There are other things you an do to aid in your refrigerator cleaning regimen.
Keep items at least an inch away from the walls of the refrigerator. This will allow for the fridge to circulate the air and keep things cool. Keep all containers with lids and tops tightly closed. Avoid putting meats on top but keep them on the bottom as if they leak you won’t have a waterfall of stuff. Vegetables should be in their own bin, best on top of a plain paper bag or paper towels that will absorb moisture and odors.
Cleaning your refrigerator should be a pleasurable experience, not a chore.
Image credit: Andriy Popov
Posted in Cleaning Service, Cleaning Tips
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Condominium Cleaning in St Petersburg FL
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Cleaning and restoring your Washing Machine
Cleaning your washer is a task that no one wants to do. But following these tips will make it all the more practical for just about anyone to complete—no children!
Unfortunately, over time through usage washing machines build up unwanted hard minerals, nasty soils, hair, mildew, and detergent compounds. These are not only unhealthy for the operation of your machine, but can also leave a nasty or otherwise unwanted smell, or even worse, residue on your clothes.
Many common causes of green or yellow staining on your clothing can be caused by mildew and mold buildup, and even make your clothes stink! While some detergents are specifically designed to clean out your washer during it’s next cycle, these products can be unreasonably costly. Rather, you might find useful taking the time to wash your washer by hand every six months to prevent unwanted smells and coloring.
The best way to clean your top loading washer is by setting it to the highest heat and cycle setting. Through adding white cleaning vinegar (specifically containing six percent acid) to the wash cycle you can renew your washer’s once clean smell and appearance. After starting your cycle, just hit pause, and get to cleaning! Using a soft rag or microfiber (even better) cleaning cloth to wipe the insides and outside of your washer should leave it looking clean and smelling fresh. You can use an old or cheap toothbrush to scrub down the inside, and a rag to wipe up any unwanted residue. Make sure to also clean out the intake dispensers, and then continue the wash after an hour of letting it sit in the cleaner. After this, turn on your washer’s cycle at its hottest and strongest. Doing this will not only wash away the current buildup, but also wash away unwanted smells and clean the interior parts that you can’t see—but still effect your clothes cleanliness.
Try to avoid leaving your washer lid door open unnecessarily, ensuring it’s always dry, and trying to dry out the insides as well during the more humid seasons to avoid bacterial growth or mold buildup.
One final tip: Stop mildew and mold by keeping the lid or door closed when not in use.
For Front Load washers use a similar method for cleaning, but also ensure the water is on the hottest setting. Also add a little bit more white cleaning vinegar, approximately 2 cups. Add a little baking soda (about half a cup) into the washer through the drum, and make sure you clean all rubber gaskets for the best cleaning results!
Image credit: Ivanov Arkady
Posted in Cleaning Service, Home Cleaning, House Cleaning, Tips
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We Love Pets But It Calls For Cleaning
A dog is a man’s best friend, and other pets can be like members of the family, but they’re not the independent creatures who can clean up after themselves, thus it requires us to do the job for them.
Cleaning up after pets calls for two strategies, actually three. The first is training them to avoid such messes like house breaking them properly, not allowing them in certain areas and making sure they understand this. Leaping up on the sofa or lounging on the kitchen table are no-nos for most pets although there are ranges of how much comfort a pet is allowed in the house. The more leverage they are allowed, the more cleaning you’ll have to use.
The second strategy is to prevent problems. This includes brushing them properly, bathing them properly, and cleaning up before they come into the house. There are all sorts of new gizmos out there that work mostly on keeping paws cleaned. Cats and dogs particularly, will trounce through the most messy environments, dogs in particular. Before they enter the home you can wipe off their paws and inspect them. Some doggie and cat entry doors have rough carpet that can wipe off the mud and dirt to a good degree. Put pet doors in areas that won’t lead directly to the expensive carpeting or kitchen floors. The basement entry is a good one as they’ll have to walk across concrete or inexpensive carpeting first.
Finally, is the cleanup. For animals with hair or fur, use brushes on the furniture. Velcro brushes work fine. Vacuum cleaners with extensions should get to the wide areas and hard to reach places. For those messy messes, you’ll need disinfectant cleaners like vinegar and warm water. Other cleaning solutions can be used but you don’t want to poison your pets so check with your local pet store for the safe products to use.
Since there are all sorts of pets, we need to look at the variety of species. People will make a pet out of anything, even animals that are dangerous. From big cats to birds, to even reptiles, and aquatic animals.
Cleaning up an aquarium for example takes skill as you don’t want to kill the creatures inside. This can range from fish to snails, turtles, small lizards, frogs. There’s a procedure for moving the contents of an aquarium and a good book on the subject is best to serve as procedural reference. You just can’t dump the aquarium contents in a bucket and use a spray cleaner. That might kill the pets. Sometimes good old fashioned vinegar and warm water to clean the enclosure will work.
For birds, some people have open perches for the big ones like the colorful tucans and parrots. There are products that people put at the bottom of these to capture the droppings and spilled food. In the old days people used newspapers but there are more efficient and cleaner products available at your pet store, or you can make on your own.
Knowing your pet’s habits, timing for messes is also good. You’ll be able to anticipate and prepare. You can’t control everything about an animal but you can minimize the messes with some attention and loving care.
Image credit: John McAllister