Speed Cleaning: How to Get a Clean House Quick

by: Love My Maids | January 1, 2021

A clean home is about more than just looks; it can also impact your health. Dust, mold, and germs can cause illnesses, allergies, and other health issues. However, as important as cleaning is, most of us struggle to find time to do it. That means we need to find ways to clean quickly but efficiently, taking advantage of every spare moment that we have left in the day.

Speed cleaning routines can help you clean your home and keep it clean in under an hour each day. Here’s how to start:

Work from top to bottom

When you start cleaning, start at the top and work your way down. In other words, clean your highest surfaces first (such as shelves, cabinets, tables, and countertops), then work your way down to floor level.

Save mopping, sweeping, and vacuuming for last

Dragging out your vacuum, mop, or broom several times can be time-consuming. Instead, save all of your mopping, sweeping, and vacuuming till the end. And don’t do this every day. We recommend sweeping and mopping at least once a week and vacuuming about three times a week.

Get the right tools

You don’t need much to clean a room properly. Ditch the fancy gadgets and go for something simple that you can tuck away in a cleaning apron. And a cleaning apron is a must. It will save you time by keeping everything you need right at your fingertips.

Create a storage system

Cleaning your home is much easier when things are organized. So, instead of leaving items scattered across your home, have a designated area for each. For example, when you come home at night, put your shoes away in the coat closet instead of tossing them across the ground. You’ll save yourself a lot of time later as you’re vacuuming the floor.

Spray first, let it sit, then wipe

When cleaning, many of us spray a surface and then immediately wipe it. However, this doesn’t do the job. You need to let cleaning products sit for a few minutes for them to clean a surface effectively. So, when you’re going through a room, spray a surface, move on to something else, and when you’re done, return to that surface to wipe it down.

Repeat, repeat, repeat

The more often you clean, the less time it will take. If your schedule allows, try to clean each day for 30 to 45 minutes. If you can’t manage every day, then try every other day. The important part is making cleaning a regular chore to save yourself time in the long run.

If you’re still struggling to find time to clean your home, then consider hiring Love My Maids to clean it for you. Contact us today to learn more!

5 Signs Your House Needs Deep Cleaning

by: Love My Maids | November 18, 2020

5 5 Signs Your House Needs a Deep Cleaning?

Photo by Kelly Sikkema from Unsplash

A regular cleaning routine may not be enough to disinfect and sanitize your home or your rental space. On the surface, your house may look spic and span, but this could be until you start smelling something foul or grime starts building up. There are many hidden corners and areas around your home that you may be overlooking in your cleaning routine.

To clean your space entirely, you would need to clear up your schedule and dedicate the whole day to make your house look flawless. Deep cleaning can be very time consuming, and who has the time for that? Whether work or kids are keeping you occupied, tidying up the house is usually pushed back on the priority list for people with busy lifestyles.

Understandably, not everybody can keep their home tidy at all times. A survey by the American Cleaning Institute has found that 34% of people don’t think that they are cleaning enough, so you are not alone. Sometimes, a quick vacuum and wipe can do the trick and make your space look put together.

While a quick clean-up takes care of easy messes, when should you start worrying about deep cleaning your house? What are the signs that your home needs deep cleaning? Here are a few indications that a regular cleaning routine won’t cut it anymore.

Hospital/clinic visits are becoming frequent.

Photo by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from Unsplash

When you get the flu or a cold, sometimes a weak immune system is not the one to blame. You might be getting sick because of your space’s lack of cleanliness. If you didn’t know, there’s a connection between cleanliness and health.

A deeply cleansed house can reduce your risks of getting ill. When your home is free of dust and dirt, the fewer chances you’ll inhale or ingest it. Your chances of an allergy attack will also decrease when you have deeply cleansed your space from allergens.

An unpleasant odor is starting to smell.

Once you smell something foul and can’t find the source of it, it’s time to consider a deep clean. If you ignore the smell and hope it goes away, you can get accustomed to the unpleasant odor until such time when you won’t be able to realize that your house smells bad anymore!

Nasty smells can come from your carpet, the walls, your dishwasher, or your garbage disposal. Let a professional check out your space for a proper deep clean. You don’t want to be a turn-off and leave an unpleasant impression on your guests.

Hidden spaces are accumulating dust.

You might be wondering, “How could there still be dirt particles present on surfaces when I frequently clean them?” It could be because of the air’s moisture that causes dust to stay behind or the air pollution entering your home. Check the corners of your doors and windows: if there is collected dust, it’s a sign you need to deep clean.

Aside from doors and windows, be sure to also check your walls behind sofa sets and tables. These areas are spaces you don’t get to clean too often. Backsides of doors and floors under big furniture are homes for dust bunnies as well.

Finding items is becoming harder and harder.

Photo by Onur Bahçıvancılar from Unsplash

You know that it’s time for a deep clean when objects around your space are starting to pile up. For instance, your laundry pile is turning into a mountain and taking over your bedroom. Your kitchen counters could also be filling up with miscellaneous items that you can barely place anything on it anymore.

As you collect and pile up clutter, so does the accumulation of dust and dirt. If items are becoming hard to find in your home, you should consider allotting a day in which you could organize your belongings to get your life back on track. Also, an organized home is easier to regularly clean than a chaotic one.

There’s a room you avoid.

The saying, “Out of sight, out of mind,” may not be the best motto to have when it comes to cleaning your space. If there’s a room in your house that you don’t visit because it’s overwhelmingly messy inside, it’s a sign that it’s time for you to deep clean.

Bring back that room’s purpose by utilizing it. You can start by clearing up your belongings. You wouldn’t want to waste a perfectly good space.

Deep cleaning your home is a difficult task to do alone and in a day. Ease your way into it by deep cleaning by area or type (vacuuming, scrubbing, dusting). You also have a more convenient option, which is to hire house cleaning professionals.

Asking the experts’ help to deep clean your space is an efficient way to save time and energy. Aside from being properly trained to do the job, they also might know some cleaning tips and tricks that will bring glow and cleanliness back into your home.

About the Author

Kleona Amoyo is a freelance writer for Nomade Villa Collection. When she’s not pursuing her passion for writing, you can find her doing yoga, crocheting, journaling, or laughing at memes on her phone.

4 Tips for Helping a Senior Clean Their Home

by: Ginger Whitson | November 14, 2020

We all want to live in a clean and tidy home. However, seniors often struggle to complete housekeeping chores because they don’t have the stamina and strength they once had. This can make completing even simple housekeeping tasks very difficult. When you’re younger, you don’t give any thought to running a vacuum or cleaning a tub. But when you’re older, these tasks can be nearly impossible. If you have a senior family member that is still living independently, here are some tips on how best to help them keep a clean and tidy home.

Declutter first

One thing that really helps to keep a house clean, is to declutter it. The more clutter there is, the more there is to “clean around’ and this makes it difficult to clean the house. So, before you start dusting, disinfecting, and cleaning, help your senior family member organize and declutter their house. After all, the fewer things that are in your way, the easier it will be to clean. Start with the room that is used the most, then go room by room until each space is free of random clutter. And as always, make sure your senior is involved and agreeable to your choices about where things are put and how they are organized

Start with a deep cleaning

If your senior’s house has not been thoroughly cleaned in a long while, it needs a deep house cleaning. A deep cleaning get’s everything caught up. The house is thoroughly cleaned, sanitized and dusted. This is a great start and will make maintaining the home so much easier.

Make a list and divvy up the chores

If the senior in your family is still mobile and active, then find out what they still want to do and which tasks they are finding difficult to complete. Make a list of the different housekeeping tasks that need to be done, then divvy up the chores they will be responsible for and which you will be taking over. Just make sure that you take on the more physically demanding jobs to prevent any accidents from occurring. And, it goes without saying that it’s best if you can do your chores on a scheduled basis to prevent your senior for feeling anxious about getting things done.

Consider hiring a cleaning service

Our recurring maid services are perfect for seniors and caregivers who struggle with keeping their home clean and organized. At Love My Maids, we really appreciate our senior clients and love visiting them on a biweekly or monthly basis to help them keep their home clean, tidy and safe from dangerous germs and viruses. Older people are often more susceptible to getting sick, so a regular cleaning and disinfecting really helps keep them healthy. Also, by keeping the home picked up, a cleaning service can prevent falls which to older people can be devastating. Lastly, many seniors are often lonely and really appreciate having someone to visit with on a regular basis. We have one senior clients that dresses up for cleaning day because it makes her feel like she’s having company. And, our cleaning ladies are always happy to stop and visit a bit during the cleaning.

To learn more, contact us today!

Keep Your House Clean Like a Pro

by: Ginger Whitson | October 20, 2020

We all have the happy task of keeping our homes clean on a regular basis. Believe it or not, some people actually like cleaning their house. But, for most people, keeping a house clean amid a busy life can be a challenge, and in some cases overwhelming. Especially these days, with everyone working and schooling from home, we all need a house cleaning plan!

Having a plan for how to keep a house neat, clean and fresh can help alleviate some of the overwhelm and can give homeowners an opportunity to decide what tasks to do themselves and which to outsource to someone else.

Why it’s important to keep a clean home

Keeping a clean home goes well beyond just keeping a space “looking good.” Regular housekeeping keeps your home healthy and contributes greatly to the well-being of the occupants.

A home that is dusted and cleaned regularly is much less likely to have issues with mold and germs that cause viruses and disease. Additionally, for those with allergies, regular cleaning prevents the build-up of allergens. Surprisingly, even a house that “looks clean” can be teaming with nasty germs and viruses that can make people sick if surfaces are not regularly disinfected. The areas of your home most likely to harbor germs and viruses are the kitchen, bathrooms, countertops and floors. These areas should be cleaned often.

Another impact of a messy or dirty home has to do with the mental and emotional impact on family members. Not surprisingly, a cluttered or dirty living space have a negative impact on the mental health of the people who live in the home. When people let their home go, at some point they will likely begin to feel overwhelmed and anxious. In addition to the negative impact of dirt and clutter, there’s also an equally positive impact a neat and clean space has on people’s attitudes and moods.

One thing that can help a family keep a clean home is to set up routines that are done daily, weekly and monthly. Here is are a few of our professional tips for breaking housekeeping down into manageable tasks.

House cleaning that should be done daily

Part of keeping a clean house it to make sure daily chores are done on a regular basis. Things that should be done daily are:

Make your bed every morning.
Wash the dishes or put them in the dishwasher after breakfast and dinner.
Wipe the kitchen countertops and stove top after each meal.
Clean up spills and messes when they occur.
Put things away when you are done with them.
Pick up rooms before going to bed.
In busy households it may make sense to run the vacuum once during the week.

This sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? It can be, and you will be amazed what a difference doing these things daily can make in terms of reducing weekend cleaning time and the accumulation of clutter. Just ask family members to clean up after dinner and pick up the family room before going to bed, and everyone get to wake up to a neat and clean house. As you can imagine, this makes mornings much more enjoyable.

House cleaning that should be done weekly or biweekly

Most people spend some time every weekend cleaning the house. While not always the most fun way to spend a Saturday, it is a necessary part of keeping a clean home. Depending on just how busy your home is, these chores should be done on a weekly or biweekly basis.

In the bedroom

Change the linen on the beds.
Dust the furniture (buy a feather duster – it makes dusting easy work).
Vacuum and mop floors.

In the bathrooms

Clean the showers and tubs, removing soap scum and mold or mildew.
Clean bathroom counter tops, sinks and mirrors.
Neaten up toiletries and bathroom counter tops.
Sanitize the toilet and toilet area.
Vacuum and mop the floor.

In the kitchen

Wipe down the outside of appliances; polish stainless appliances.
Disinfect the countertops.
Dust countertop items.
Wipe down the outside of the trash can.
Sanitize the sink with a spray bleach.
Vacuum and mop the floor.
Clean the microwave.

In the living areas

Dust furniture, knack-knacks and lamps (again, a feather duster will make this super easy and fast.).
Vacuum carpets.
Vacuum and mop hard surface floors.

You must admit, that when broken down like this, these tasks look manageable. And what will make them more manageable is to break the list in half and do half this weekend and the other half next weekend. Still look daunting? Check out our recurring house cleaning services.

House Cleaning that should be done monthly

Some tasks just need to be done once a month. The great thing is, you can break this list down and do just a few items each week.

Dust ceiling fans.
Wipe down doors and doorframes.
Dust blinds, A/C vents and baseboards.
Wipe windowsills and window ledges.
Disinfect doorknobs, light switches and remote controls.
Vacuum closet floors.
Dust electronics.
Clean out the refrigerator.

One of the ways to prevent letting house cleaning rise to level of overwhelm is to tackle it on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. It is more that most people can do to try and tackle all this every weekend. The secret is to break it into manageable chunks and get the entire family involved.

After implementing this schedule for a month, give some thought to which of the tasks you found enjoyable and manageable for you and your family. These chores can be assigned to family members and should be kept on a schedule. Other items can be easily outsourced. A professional cleaning company like Love My Maids is available to take on those items you do not want, or have the time, to do. If you’d like more information about our cleaning services contact us anytime.

We hope these tips help you keep your house clean and healthy without too much effort. One thing I bet you know already, living in a house that is neat and clean is great for your mental health. Nothing feels better than coming home to a clean house!

How to Properly Disinfect Your Home

by: Love My Maids | August 24, 2020

Properly disinfecting your home has become more important now than ever before. However, effectively ridding your home of viruses and germs requires more than just spraying your surfaces with a disinfectant and calling it a day. In order to truly disinfect your home, you need to know when, where, and how you disinfect. Read on to learn more:

Cleaning vs. Disinfecting

Before we get into the ins and outs of disinfecting, we must first cover the difference between cleaning and disinfecting.

Cleaning a surface means you are removing all of the dirt, dust, and grime that has built up over time.
Disinfecting a surface means you are removing any bacteria and/or viruses that are living on that particular surface.

Finding the right products

Not all disinfectants are created equal. Some kill certain germs while others do not. For example, one disinfectant may be able to kill influenza, but unable to kill the coronavirus. In order to find the right product, check the label for the EPA registration number, and then search for it on the EPA’s website to see what it’s effective against.

How to disinfect

In addition to buying the right products, you must also use those products correctly. Many homeowners simply spray the disinfectant onto a surface and wipe it immediately. This, however, is ineffective, as the disinfectant needs time to kill any viruses or bacteria living on the surface. Check your product’s instructions to see how long it must sit on the surface before you can wipe it down. Then, when you wipe it down, be sure you’re wearing gloves to protect your hands, as many disinfectants can cause contact dermatitis.

Where to disinfect

Any surfaces that are frequently used or touched should be regularly disinfected. This includes the following:

Door handles
Countertops
Toilets
Sinks
Tables
Hard dining chairs
Light switches
Remote controls
Railings

When to Disinfect

Disinfecting your home regularly will ensure that you keep viruses and bacteria at bay. Disinfect high-touch surfaces (such as the ones above) once a day, and low-touch surfaces every other day. You should also disinfect after coming home from shopping or the grocery store, as it’s easy to track in germs after being out for even a few hours.

Properly disinfecting your home can be a real chore, especially for busy families who may not have the time, or seniors who are unable to do it themselves. At Love My Maids, we offer disinfecting services for homes and businesses in the Arlington, TX area. To learn more, contact us today!

7 Family Gathering Tips To Stay Safe This Summer

by: Ginger Whitson | August 11, 2020

As the months keep passing and the pandemic continues, we learn to live in this new normal. Family gatherings were considered one of the safer ways to enjoy the summer, but since the number of COVID-19 has risen, it’s time to do a check-up of all the preventive measures we have to follow to stay virus-free. Celebrate your next family get together or meeting with friends without risking anyone’s health. Keep reading this blog post.

Outdoors is the best option.

“Prioritize outdoor activities where social distancing can be maintained as much as possible.” indicates the Center For Disease Control (CDC). The virus has a harder time spreading outdoors because of the wind and the sunlight, so small gatherings on yards are the safer way to meet your friends and family.

Set a schedule

Maybe other year’s gatherings and parties have lasted until the wee hours of the morning, but 2020 isn’t the time to do that. Limiting your exposure to other people is crucial to avoid the virus, and having a clear end defined schedule will be beneficial. Sure, maybe the spontaneity will be missing, but everyone will be safer. You can do the same with the dinner hour, making sure you gather all the food in one single swoop or touch, and just one person to avoid multiple people from touching surfaces.

Open communication between hosts and guests

Days before the party, the host needs to contact and inform all the guests, firstly, to allow them to say “no,” and also to tell them the number of guests, itinerary, food, and other activities. There’s no time for improvisation. Most of the time, guests will bring their own supplies and hygiene products if the host doesn’t have them.

Planned seats

Another topic that shouldn’t be left to chance is seating. The host must ensure that all guests have an eating space, six feet separated from the others (unless they come with household members). If there isn’t enough space, the host must limit their number of guests.

Bring your own supplies policy.

Experts encourage guests to bring their drinks and also disposable plates and cutlery to the gathering. As with face masks, getting rid of all objects that made contact with our saliva is a crucial measure. If guests use the host’s dishes, then all objects must be washed and sanitized afterward. And of course, nobody must share their spoons, forks, and plates.

Individual serving and drinks on the rocks

People must avoid touching other people’s food. For example, if the host is serving burgers, every table or guest must have the necessary dressings in individual servings (or for every household family). Prepared drinks are an issue too: it’s better to serve more simple drinks like beers or on the rocks to avoid that too many hands touched the bottles, ice, and other stuff.

Paper towels and liquid soap

Entering bathrooms isn’t risky if you follow appropriate hygiene rules. Washing your hands is the most obvious measure, but drying your hands with everyone’s towel can be avoided. Hosts must consider paper towels just for the day.

Family gatherings come with their risks, but if you follow these guidelines, you will be fine. Staying in touch with our loved ones is more critical than ever. Just don’t risk anyone’s health. Remember that Love My Maids are offering sanitation and cleaning services for homeowners and business owners. Book your service fast and easy on our website.

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