Preparing For A Party
Welcoming guests into your home can be overwhelming when you think about the prep that goes into cleaning before your friends arrive. Although prepping the house may seem like a burden, all it usually takes is straightening up a few key rooms to give guests a good impression. Begin where guests will enter the home. This is usually the entryway or foyer. Make room in and tidy up the coat closet so guests will have places to stow their coats. Remove any clutter that congregates in the entry, including shoes, mail or dog leashes. Put them in a basket and move it to a closet or storage area. Give the floor a thorough cleaning or vacuuming. Focus on the rooms where guests will be spending the majority of their time. In most cases, this is a dining area or living space. Because these are often the places where families spend…
Make Your Floors Shine
Flooring should last for years. Homeowners investing in new flooring do not want to replace floors too frequently, and keeping floors looking like new takes effort and maintenance. Sweep and Clean Begin by thoroughly sweeping or vacuuming the floor. Clean along all surfaces of the floor, including under furniture where dust and dirt tends to accumulate. Use the hard-floor setting on a vacuum to avoid having the brush rolls scratch or damage the flooring. Laminate can scratch easily and hardwood flooring is not impervious to dings and scratches. Quite often a dry mop or a static-charged mopping cloth effectively picks up debris left behind on many flooring surfaces. Although many commercial cleaners can clean flooring, homemade mopping solutions are sometimes just as effective. Keep in mind that wood, laminate and vinyl should not be soaked in water. A little liquid can go a long way on these surfaces. Water and…
Preventing Illness At Home
Close-knit families share many things together, including meals, vacations and sometimes illnesses. When living in close quarters with others, it’s not surprising that stomach bugs or colds get passed around among members of the household. Germs, bacteria and viruses can spread easily through the air and on surfaces. According to Healthwatch England, once introduced into the home, it’s possible for certain viruses and bacteria to live on nonporous surfaces for hours and even days. However, The Mayo Clinic says that, it’s possible to catch the flu or a cold after handling an object an infected person sneezed or coughed on a few moments ago. Since it’s not possible to avoid your family entirely when ill, there are some steps that you can take to help limit the spread of illness at home. It’s impossible to kill every germ in the home, but regular cleaning and disinfecting high-risk areas can prevent illness…
Streamline Household Cleaning
Travel down the cleaning aisle of a neighborhood store and you will be met with product after product designed for specialized cleaning. There are sprays for windows, cleansers for electronics, carpet-cleaning foams, and scouring solutions for tubs and showers. Although many of these are effective, the average person can rely on just one cleaning aid for a wide variety of tasks: vinegar. Vinegar is a versatile product that can be used in everything from cooking to pickling to preserving foods to household cleaning. Vinegar is made by two distinct biological processes, offers The Vinegar Institute. Via fermentation, yeast will first change the natural sugars in the vinegar-to-be material solution into alcohol. The second process involves a group of bacteria called “acetobacter,” which convert the alcohol into an acid. Vinegar can be made from any fruit or natural material containing sugar. For the purpose of generalized cleaning, white vinegar is the…
Tame Indoor House Odors
A clean home interior can make a strong first impression on your prospective buyers, but only if that home is accompanied by pleasant scents. Odors can make a strong impact on buyers’ perceptions of a home, including its level of cleanliness and upkeep. Although dirt and other grime can contribute to the odor of a home, additional culprits can contribute to foul smells as well. Everything from pets to the foods cooked in the kitchen to the hidden presence of mold can impact air quality and odor inside a home. Fortunately, there are ways to remedy stinky problems and come away with sweet-smelling solutions. It’s important for homeowners to realize that foul air inside a home can be the result of poor indoor air quality — which can be a health hazard. So how does one remedy poor indoor air quality and odors inside a home? These tips can improve…
Hire A Maid With Confidence
More people are looking to hire a maid. While it’s easy to hire on price alone, it is more important to research a potential housekeeper before letting that person into your home. It’s estimated that only 30 percent of housekeepers are employed by legitimate companies. What makes a company legitimate? Legitimate companies are backed by liability insurance, bonding insurance and are compliant with Workplace Safety & Insurance Board standards. Many housekeepers are self-employed and are therefore not adequately prepared to cover loss, damage or injuries that may occur on your property. Considering the fact that housekeepers and maid services will be entering your home when you are not around, it is important to find a reputable service. Before hiring a service, figure out what you expect of the housekeeper. Standard packages often include a thorough cleaning of the kitchen, bathrooms, floors and furniture. Other work, like moving furniture and vacuuming…