Blog - Emily's Maids' Blog with Cleaning Tips and Company News.

House Cleaning Tips for Home Sellers

September 2, 2022 by emilysmaids

House Cleaning Tips for Home Sellers - Emily's Maids

Hi! We’re happy to be back with a new cleaning article this week, and today we will be giving you cleaning tips for home sellers.

Selling your home is a challenge for many reasons. Everything from taking the decision to sell, figuring out the moving out process, getting in contact with real estate agents and potential buyers… it’s all a huge challenge when you’re trying to balance out your regular work and life routine in the process.

Then, on top of that, you have to worry about keeping your home clean and tidy. Not only for you, but you have to be extra careful if you want to make it attractive to potential buyers. Everyone knows that a spotlessly clean house will increase your home value.

Today we’ve gathered cleaning tips for home sellers to leave your potential buyers impressed and ready to make an offer!

Start By Decluttering

The first step to achieving a stunning home is to declutter. More specifically, it’s about carefully choosing everything that is part of each room. And you can’t do that without removing everything unnecessary for that area to look great.

Small knick-knacks, kid’s toys scattered on the floor, and dozens of frames or books, are all examples of items that will make the room look overwhelming and smaller than it is.

You will leave a good impression if all areas are clear, if they can walk around each area without any obstacles and if the room looks cohesive and all items balance each other out nicely.

Besides, it is important to declutter your home occasionally, whether you sell your house or not. Research has shown there’s a connection between cleaning and mental health. The process is very similar, it’s just that this time you want to focus on that area being functional to a wider audience instead of personalized to your family.

The items that go away can be separated onto four boxes: donate, sell, recycle, or discard.

If possible, take every item out of each room and evaluate what you want users to look at. Do not buy any décor or organizing drawer or basket until you have decided what stays and what goes.

Make sure your closets, cabinets, and drawers are not crowded or full. Especially your closets, because you want people to see their true capacity. If you fill them out with dozens of items, it will make them look tiny and not very functional.

The same goes for your kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanity, laundry room, and office.

Decluttering and sorting pieces of clothing

Organize Rooms

Have you ever wondered how they create beautiful, open spaces in design magazines and top-notch homes?

Organizing a room after decluttering is important. You want the potential buyers to have a realistic understanding of what the room is like and the possibilities for it.

On the other hand, you also want the room to “connect” with them, to see themselves and their families living there. Add one or two picture frames with your family, to make it feel like a home.

Everything else (trophies, your kid’s artwork, souvenirs from your trips) will be too “noisy” and will create a distance from potential buyers. Therefore, they should be stored.

In this case, using trial and error is a good opportunity. Organize your furniture in different ways until you find the result that looks the most spacious and balanced.

You can find inspiration on the internet where you will find many ideas for each room. And, of course, make sure everything is squeaky clean, and shiny!

Deep Clean Your Home Before Selling

It’s so important to give your house a full deep cleaning. That’s one of the most important cleaning tips for home sellers.

Think of it this way: you get used to every detail in your home, and that includes the not-so-positive ones. A stain on the floor, a carpet that smells like your dog permanently, watermarks in the mirrors, dusty fans, and so on.

However, your potential buyers will definitely notice this and will not be impressed.

This is why, after decluttering, a nice full home cleaning should be on the way.

At this point, you might be wondering: should I clean first or organize first?

That’s a very good question! It’s not easy because both of these tasks are important, and in some areas, it might be counterintuitive to organize without cleaning and vice versa.

There’s not a perfect answer for this. You can try cleaning permanent items and large surfaces or areas right after decluttering, for example. This includes vacuuming and mopping floors, cleaning walls, wiping and polishing light fixtures, etc.

If you are doing this on your own, make sure you bring the right supplies for deep cleaning, especially for large areas such as your floors. A steam cleaner, an upholstery and carpet cleaner, a drill brush attachment, and a good mop are all good tools to start with.

You will also need a concentrated all-purpose cleaner, plenty of anti-static microfiber cloths, and a brush for each area of your home.

There are many guides for deep cleaning your home on the internet, but every house is a different world. Try to “scan” each room with your eyes from top to bottom and left to right, and check that you have cleaned every single item you come across.

In the next section, we’ll share some tips for each major area.

How to Clean Each Room as a Home Seller

After deep cleaning your home, you have one of the hardest challenges ahead of you: keeping your home clean while you’re in the selling process.

First, make sure your home is free of mold and mildew. This is a priority because it is not only an aesthetic issue but a health hazard as well.

Pay special attention to the kitchen and bathrooms. Use a mold-removing agent such as bleach or cleaners with bleach to remove mold from your shower door or curtain, floor, and wall tiles and grout between them.

Then, decide if you are going to deep clean your floors, and walls with a sweep or an industrial floor scrubber. You might also want to search for floor restoration services. This could be helpful if you have wooden floors that have been not waxed in a long time, for example.

If you don’t, at least make sure to sweep and vacuum your floors, and use a deodorizer when cleaning them, especially if you have pets. Our noses get used to the smell, but potential buyers will notice if there is one.

This is important for pretty much every area in your home for different reasons. Your living room and bedrooms are where your family spends most of the time, and floors will preserve the odor of bacteria, sweat, pet hair and dander, etc.

And then in your bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room, the smells and grease will concentrate as well, so it’s important to remove grease, soap scum, food residues, and so on.

Don’t forget to vacuum your pieces of furniture inside out, including underneath and behind them. Remember to clean bookshelves, picture frames, clocks, and other pieces of décor. Of course, wipe surfaces as well with a cleaning agent according to the material.

Cleaning and wiping bookshelves for home selling

Keep Your Home Spotless

After deep cleaning your home, you have one of the hardest challenges ahead of you: keeping your home clean while you’re in the selling process.

This is understandable because while you’re trying to sell your house, you and your family are still living there.

The trick is to deep clean once, and then clean every day to keep up with your home and make sure it still looks outstanding.

With opaque organizing baskets, you will be able to store day-to-day items such as office supplies, kids’ toys, cookware, plates and glasses, and anything else you can think of that you need to use every day.

You could also choose a small part of your closet as a designated “junk zone” for that same purpose.

Use plastic grocery bags as trash bags and hang them on the doors of your bedroom, bathrooms, and kitchen. This way, your trashcan will always stay squeaky clean, and you will always remember to take out the trash before any potential buyers or agents come.

Hire a Cleaning Service to Sell Your Home

The last tip we wanted to talk about is hiring a professional cleaning service for deep cleaning your home. Most, if not all, allow you to point out the areas you want them to focus on the most.

They also offer a move-out cleaning service which will be perfect if you want to leave and keep your furniture, leaving your home empty for the new owners.

For example, Emily’s Maids cleaning service in Dallas is already trained for different events and needs, including this one (selling your home).

As we mentioned above, you can also search for specialized floor maintenance services. For example, carpet cleaning services or wooden floor treatment services. They work using industrial equipment and professional cleaning techniques to restore your floors and make them look nice and shiny.

They might represent a small monetary investment, but at the end of the day, floors that look brand new will increase your house value.

Conclusion

Getting your home spotless and keeping it that way is a huge challenge. We hope these cleaning tips for home sellers help you impress your potential buyers and sell your home for a huge profit!

And remember, you always have the chance of hiring a cleaning service in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. We’ll be happy to leave your home looking stunning!

Check our blog for more cleaning tips. We’ll be back soon!

Cleaning Your Home with Low Energy or Motivation

August 15, 2022 by emilysmaids

Cleaning Your Home With Low Energy or Motivation - Emily's Maids of Dallas

Hello! We’re back with another article and this time we want to talk about something a bit different: Cleaning with low energy or motivation. We understand that, even if you find our cleaning tips interesting and valuable, sometimes you just don have the motivation to try them.

There are multiple possible causes for this: maybe you’re busy with life and your mind puts cleaning at the bottom of your priorities. Or, your current cleaning checklist is unrealistic, making you feel pressured and overwhelmed.

Perhaps you’re going through a rough patch, and you don’t have the right spirit or mental place to take care of cleaning or organizing your home. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the last few years haven’t been easy to anyone, and it’s completely understandable your energy levels are low.

And even if you do have the energy and motivation to accomplish other goals in your life, you can’t let aside your household maintenance and cleaning.

When you are thinking about cleaning your home with low energy, it’s important to give yourself little room for second-guessing. In this article, we’ll discuss some reasons why you might not feel motivated, and how to implement cleaning strategies to make you take action without thinking twice.

Now, you have the option of hiring a professional cleaning service, of course. This will get any issues about time, energy or motivation out of the way. But if this is something you feel like doing on your own, then we hope these tips are helpful. Without further ado, let’s go through each one. Enjoy!

Create a Cleaning List

One of the reasons you might be having a hard time cleaning is because you have numerous cleaning tasks and you don’t know where to start.

Or, you do have an idea of what areas to go through first, but you don’t know what to do for each area.

In any case, creating a list will help you sort out the first step of your cleaning routine: setting your objectives and always knowing what the next step is.

Besides, if you’re able to strike out cleaning tasks as you go, you will feel accomplishment and more motivation to continue with the next task.

There are hundreds of cleaning checklists on the internet so make sure you check a few until you find the right combination for your household.

The 20-10 Method for Cleaning With Low Energy

This rule is related in general, to procrastination. Procrastination is the act of postponing tasks that are important in favor of more menial, enjoyable ones such as taking a nap or checking social media.

This gives you momentary relief, but the guilt and discomfort caused by getting behind at work will be higher in the long run.

And this happens frequently with cleaning, as many of these tasks can be long and menial. In this case, the 20-10 rule will be helpful. It is a good method for tasks that are physically demanding, and cleaning can be one of those, certainly.

At this point, you might be asking, what is the 20/10 Cleaning rule? We’ve talked about this method in the past, so feel free to check our article.

This method involves doing an activity (in this case, cleaning) for 20 minutes, and then resting for 10 minutes. Although this work/rest balance might seem too “easy”, it can be more productive in the long term than working for an hour and then quitting, for example.

It is effective for various reasons. First, 20 minutes is a reasonable time to accomplish several cleaning tasks. Sweeping, mopping or vacuuming a room or two, doing the dishes, making your bed, and tidying up your bedroom are just a few examples.

Second, this rule allows you to start slowly and “guarantees” you some resting time between each task. By scheduling your resting time, you will be less likely to take unplanned, long breaks that go on forever.

You can combine the 20/10 method with the “Set a timer” strategy for better results. We’ll talk about this one next!

Set a Timer for Each Cleaning Task

This strategy is similar to the 2-minute rule. However, the difference is that, while the 2-minute rule is meant for quick cleaning tasks, a timer can be set to any time you wish, and it’s perfect for longer or more complex tasks.

With a timer, you’re pretty much already giving yourself the time you will need. Research has proven that there’s a phenomenon called Parkinson’s law, which means, essentially, that works expands to fill the time available to its completion.

If you think it will take you 15 minutes to vacuum your living room, it will. If you think it will take you half an hour, it will!

Keep in mind this might be a double-edged sword: if you’re too unrealistic about the goals you’re setting, you might feel defeated or frustrated when the timer goes off and your task remains unfinished. But don’t worry! This is a matter of trial and error.

If you know you tend to underestimate the time it takes to finish a task, then make that time times 1.5x or 2x. For example, if you are thinking of setting a 10-minute timer to tidy up your office, then make it 15 or 20.

This might seem counterintuitive, especially after reading about Parkinson’s law. You have to compromise here, as you want to finish your task as fast as possible, but avoid the negative feelings of not completing that task within the timeframe you set.

Apply The 2 Minute Rule for Cleaning with Low Energy

This is an interesting strategy. Basically, the purpose of the 2-minute rule is to minimize the mental effort it takes you to start and finish small cleaning tasks.

To apply this strategy, think of any chores that will take you less than 2 minutes. There are many examples: decluttering your desk or workspace, taking out the trash, and even loading a dishwasher. The rule is: if it takes you less than 2 minutes, do it right away.

That sounds like a very small time and energy investment, and if your brain realizes it, it will give you the extra motivation you need for it.

Think about it: taking out the trash takes you less than 2 minutes. Thinking about whether you should take the trash out or not is just not worthwhile.

First, you probably will take longer to convince yourself of doing that task. Second, by considering whether to do the task or not, you have a chance of not “gathering” the energy to do it and feel bad afterward.

Play Some Music While Cleaning!

Believe it or not, this strategy is really helpful. With music, it’s easier to engage with your task, in this case, cleaning. Fortunately, this is a task that doesn’t require a high mental or creative effort, it is mostly physical energy.

Second, music will make this a more pleasant task. A survey shows that users report positive feelings if they are cleaning while listening to music. Scientific research has proven that music helps increase productivity in repetitive tasks.

However, try to play some music that will not distract you, such as instrumental music with no lyrics.

Create Cleaning Momentum Slowly

This is not a cleaning strategy, but rather an approach to the other strategies that we have mentioned.

If you have experienced cleaning with low energy (or attempting to), or procrastinating on your cleaning tasks, it is not uncommon for you to have sudden bursts of motivation sometimes.

In this scenario, you feel motivated and try to reach many long goals that you have wanted/needed to do for a while.

Although positive, this might lead to feeling tired and overwhelmed quickly and being inconsistent with your cleaning schedule. If this has happened to you in the past, you might want to focus this time on creating momentum.

As you may have read so far, many of these methods are quantifiable (e.g., setting several tasks, a timespan for each task, etc.). What you want to do is start with an easy, feasible challenge. And then work from it slowly, increasing “difficulty” as you go.

For example, you can challenge yourself to sweep and mop all your floors in one hour. Next time, make it 55 minutes, then 50 minutes, until you reach a level that you are comfortable with.

Disconnect From Cleaning (and Life) for a While

We all know that cleaning comes with many benefits, including the improvement of mental health. However, it is just as important to take a step back and disconnect if you are feeling overwhelmed. In fact, one of the ways for restoring energy or motivation is to rest, both physically and mentally.

Dedicating at least half a day of your week to yourself and anything that makes you happy is a great way to reset and bring back the energy and motivation that you’ve been missing.

Nowadays, it’s so hard to disconnect from work, family obligations, running errands, and taking care of your home. Try to save at least two to three hours from your weekend or your free day(s) and dedicate that a hobby or activity that lets your mind get some rest.

The goal is to learn how to improve your energy and mindset out of a positive place (self-improvement, good mental health) and not out of a negative one such as guilt or frustration.

If this lack of energy and motivation is present in other areas of your life, you must talk to someone about this, whether it is a mental health professional, a family member, or a friend.

And talking about family, don’t forget you can (and should!) incorporate your family into cleaning. Perhaps you feel unmotivated because all the household work falls on your shoulders. Make sure you include your SO and the rest of your family with tasks according to their age and time availability.

Resting from cleaning to improve mental health

Conclusion

If you’re feeling unmotivated and not in the right mood, these organization tips will help you stay motivated. Remember, give yourself some time to get used to a cleaning routine.

Be patient, trial and error is the key to finding the balance in cleaning (and in life in general!).

And don’t forget that you can also hire a cleaning service, and this is a perfectly valid choice. With a cleaning service, there’s no need for you to work on improving your motivation for cleaning.

This will allow you to dedicate your time and energy to more fulfilling tasks, such as your family, leisure time, or personal growth.

We hope these tips for cleaning with low energy were helpful. Feel free to try them either on their own or combined, and let us know if you had any positive results! You can contact us or check our social media.

Until next time!

How to Clean Your Floors Part III: 5 Techniques to Work Smarter

July 26, 2022 by emilysmaids

How to Clean Your Foors Part III 5 Techniques to Work Smarter - Emilys Maids of Dallas

Hi! We’re back once again with the last part of our “How to Clean Your Floors” series which is related to cleaning techniques. In the past, we have talked about tools and products to ensure your floors look great and stay healthy for a long time.

Now, in part III we will talk about the actual cleaning process with 5 techniques to work smarter and not harder.

Before we start, let’s have a quick recap from our earlier article, where we recommended 5 must-have cleaning products. They are:

All-purpose Floor Cleaner: you need a product that is versatile and safe to use for most surfaces. Plant-based or mineral-based products are the safest route to take.
Hardwood Floor Cleaner: hardwood floors are sensitive and react to temperature and humidity changes. You need a hardwood floor cleaner to polish, sanitize and protect your floors.
An Enzymatic Cleaner: enzymatic cleaners are ideal for carpet floors, rugs, and furniture. They are the perfect solution for pet “accidents” because they break down organic fluids in order to be cleaned quickly and remove odors.
Natural Stone Floor Cleaner: just like hardwood floors, natural stone floors such as granite, limestone, and travertine, are sensitive to some chemicals, particularly acidic components. They can get streaks and permanent stains.
DIY Floor Cleaner: you also have the choice of creating your very own floor cleaner. Make sure it adapts to the surface whether that is hardwood, tile, carpet, or vinyl.

Now, let’s read about cleaning techniques and how to implement them in your household.

Why Are Cleaning Techniques Important to Clean Floors?

This is very important because, even if you have the most expensive and effective tools, if you don’t apply the proper steps in the right order, you will a) feel tired and overwhelmed after a simple cleaning task and b) you might damage your floors by staining them, weakening the protective coat, or scratching them.

Remember, it’s not always about applying brute force, but about following steps in a logical sense, letting products act, and using the right technique for each surface and material. Cleaning a granite floor is not the same as washing a wooden deck or vacuuming carpet flooring.

The entire cleaning process is formed by smaller tasks, so the planning and methods will create a huge difference. In this article, we will give you 5 techniques to clean your floors in a way that is both effective and safe.

If you want to learn how to clean floors smarter and not harder, we hope you enjoy reading this article!

Create a Plan to Achieve Clean Floors

The first step is not a cleaning strategy, but more of an idea on how to proceed before your cleaning time, and this not only applies to floors but to every single cleaning duty.

An important part of cleaning is to avoid clutter to go overboard, and yes, this includes your floors. Dedicate 15 minutes or half an hour each day to place everything where it belongs, such as your kids’ toys, anything spilling such as your dog food or some coffee in your kitchen,

Not only is this important for your routine and mental wellbeing, but it is also the smartest way to avoid heavy-duty floor cleaning which will take a toll on your body and demand more time as well.

Also, by decluttering and cleaning your floors regularly, they will remain healthier for longer and you will prevent permanent stains or damage.

It is easier to keep track of cleaning your floors when you stick to a cleaning schedule. There are hundreds of guides available on the internet where you can follow a plan or checklist to clean and organize your home. We have several ones, such as our Pre-Spring Cleaning Checklist and our Easter Cleaning Guide.

If you have a hard time finding the energy and motivation, you can try the 20-10 method for cleaning your home, too.

Keep into consideration that different floors require different needs. For example, if you have carpet floors, you will have to vacuum them at least twice a week or every other day.

If you have tile floors, you might need to sweep every day and mop them once or twice a month. If you have hardwood floors, you will need to sweep, mop, and then polish them 4 to 6 times a year.

Let Cleaning Agents Act on Their Own

This is one of the most important points, and it doesn’t apply only to floors. For example, if you have really dirty dishes and pans, let them soak in hot water and then remove them with a non-scratch scrubber.

Not only this will be so much faster and easier, but it will keep the non-stick coating intact for longer.

But anyways, let’s get back to floors. Depending on the surface, you might want to leave products for a certain amount of time.

For example, with tile floors, you can leave your deodorizer or cleaning solution for 30 minutes without any issues and you can apply plenty of water/cleaning solution, while hardwood floors do not get along with water or liquids and you should only apply a slightly damp mop.

Sweep, Then Mop

Even though this might sound obvious to many people, there is a surprising number of people that don’t sweep before mopping, or that only sweep and never mop.

The reason for this is that mopping won’t do its job correctly if the floor is filled with food crumbs, dirt, and grime everywhere.

If you don’t, all you are doing when mopping is spreading over more dirt and bacteria.

The right process, in this case, is to sweep all your floors and then start mopping them, wringing your mop constantly. If you are using the traditional mop and bucket technique, make sure to replace dirty water with fresh water after going through each room.

Nowadays you can find buckets with two compartments for both dirty water and fresh water. This will save you a lot of work in the long run as you will only need to fill your bucket once.

Double Bucket for Mopping Floors - Emily's Maids

You can also get a steam mop, which can be a bit more pricey than regular mops, but you will notice its effects in the long run. USA Leading manufacturers recommend steam cleaning for many types of floors (except for hardwood floors). This is because steam is not a harmless chemical (just hot water), and it is able to remove grease.

The Golden Rule to Clean Floors: Cleaning From Top to Bottom

This golden rule to clean floors is based on something really simple: gravity. When we are cleaning and particularly when we are wiping surfaces, there’s a lot of dust, lint, and even liquid spills sometimes.

It’s not uncommon for people to clean not only floors but the entire area, which means that dust and dirt will fly from your bookshelves, countertops, and tables. And it will all fall to the floor inevitably.

It’s super important to follow this order during cleaning to avoid wasting extra time and energy cleaning something twice. And if you don’t have time and you need to only focus on one area, focus on the tallest surfaces (or the dirtiest ones) and then clean your floors when you have more time.

Wiping Bookshelves before cleaning floors- Emily's Maids

Use the Right Technique for Each Surface

As we mentioned earlier, each type of floor comes with its own dos and don’ts.

In our previous article, we already gave you some strategies for using DIY cleaning solutions according to each type of floor. Now, let’s talk about how to perform each technique properly:

The first step, of course, is decluttering. Remove any toys, shoes, pet beds, and power strips. A good trick is to set a timer to 10 or 20 minutes and make a little challenge which is to place everything back in its place, such as toys back in their drawer, shoes in the closet, and so on.

The most basic floor cleaning technique is sweeping. Sweep toward you, to control the pile of dust and avoid spreading it outwards. When finishing up, after sweeping and using the dustpan, use your vacuum quickly to collect that last line of dust.

Sweep using quick and short strokes. Otherwise, you will end up leaving a trail of dust and you will require to repeat the process. Start from the outer edges of the room and work towards the trash can.

For vacuuming, it depends on the floor. If you have carpet floors or rugs, a vacuum cleaner with a beater bar is ideal, but not so much for hard surfaces because it can damage them.

Use a vacuum with smooth rubber wheels instead of hard, plastic ones that can scratch your floors.

If you have hardwood floors, you should mop using very little water. Too much water will start to swell up. Use a wet microfiber mop and spray with a specialized hardwood floor solution.

If your floor is capable of “resisting” liquids, you can leave your floor cleaner act on one room while you mop the other one.

Conclusion

There you have it! This is the final part of our floor cleaning series! We hope this entire series and the rest of the articles in our blog allow you to keep your home nice and clean.

If you guys have any other themes you want to cover, let us know and we’ll be happy to continue this series with more helpful cleaning tips.

And, as we always mention, remember you can hire us if you need a professional cleaning service in the Dallas/Fort-Worth area.

That’s it for today’s article. We’ll be back soon with more cleaning tips!

How to Clean Your Floors Part II: 5 Must-Have Cleaning Products

July 20, 2022 by emilysmaids

How to Clean Your Floors PART II 5 Must-Have Cleaning Products - Emily's Maids

We’re back with our “How to Clean Your Floors” series, and this time we have Part II.

In our previous article, we talked about 5 tools or devices to help you get started. As a quick recap, here are our 5 must-have tools:

A good vacuum cleaner is the starting point for every good cleaning. It will let you absorb dust in areas where a broom or towel won’t reach, and it will also absorb microscopic dust particles.
Next, we need to have an upholstery and carpet cleaner. With this, you will be able to clean your furniture, carpet floors, rugs, and even your pet’s bedding!
Third, we need a good mop before cleaning. This will ensure your floors will remain spotless.
Fourth, a brush drill attachment is the heavy-duty tool ideal for scrubbing floors, corners, and fixtures. This is not a device on its own, but rather an attachment for your drill.
Last but not least, a steamer will make your job easier by using steam to soften up grease and remove dust and dirt from nooks and crannies.

Now, in Part II, we will be talking about cleaning agents: anything either liquid or powder to make your floors look clean, sanitized and shiny!

As we discussed previously, there are many types of floors, and they all take different measures in order to be cleaned. For example, organic materials are prone to staining or cracking, and require both regular cleaning and occasional cleaning with different products.

Without further ado, let’s read about your must-haves for cleaning your floors!

All-Purpose Floor Cleaner

First and foremost, you need a product that is versatile and able to take care of most, if not all, of your floors.

When looking through different options, the safest route is to choose plant or mineral-based cleaning products. Green cleaning brands are often formulated to be neutral and harmless to most cleaning surfaces.

This is very important because some materials are sensitive to cleaning products that are too acidic or alkaline.

The type of product will depend on how dirty your floor is. Degreasers are the most abrasive and heavy-duty cleaners, and if you haven’t cleaned your room in a while. Keep in mind they will need to be more alkaline (or acid) to do the job. If the cleanser is too alkaline, there’s a chance that it leaves an oil or soap film, keeping the floor looking “cloudy” and dirty.

This is why it’s best to try a product for the first time in a smaller presentation, and then you can try it out a few times before investing in a larger presentation of that product.

If you clean your floors regularly, you can use a mild cleaner with a neutral pH. This will be gentler on both your floors and your hands, and it’s ideal for regular cleaning.

Hardwood Floor Cleaner

This one is ideal for hardwood floors. Hardwood floors are particular because they come from an organic source. This means that they need certain conditions of humidity and temperature in order to stay “balanced”.

For example, if you live in Dallas, you might have noticed that low humidity during extended periods of time makes your hardwood floors look, for lack of a better term, dehydrated. This means you might notice the floor cracking more often, or just looking dull and lacking that healthy shine.

On the other hand, excessive moisture can cause floors to feel oily and attract bacteria and mold.

Therefore, you need a hardwood floor cleaner that restores floors back to the ideal moisture levels, disinfects surfaces and gives it a nice, protective finish. Because organic-based materials are so particular, this means that other specialized products won’t work, such as vinyl or tile floor cleaners.

When looking for one, pay attention to the ingredients. Decyl glucoside, citric acid, and hydrogen peroxide are common ingredients for hardwood cleaners, and they are not that dangerous to use or be around.

However, keep in mind that because these are specialized products, they might use complex chemicals that you will have to use inevitably.

Concentrated formulas are great because you can water them down if you need them or use them straight for deep cleaning.

Other features that you might consider are products that are cruelty-free and vegan. Using these ingredients will most likely mean they are safe to you as well, and that they’ve thought carefully about the ingredients they’re using for their formulas.

And if you don’t have any, mild soap and warm water can get you out of a hurry! Just try not to overdo this solution, as it might cause the hardwood protective coat to weaken progressively.

Use an Enzymatic Cleaner to Clean Your Floors

This product is ideal for carpet floors as well as rugs and other upholstery and fabrics. You can also use it for hardwood, tile, laminate, and vinyl.

Enzymatic cleaners are the perfect solution for pet “accidents”. The way they work is by using non-pathogenic bacteria and enzymes to break down the complex molecules from organic waste. This results in simpler molecules that bacteria can eat and remove waste from your floors.

An enzyme cleaner is a must-have for homes with pets or with carpet floors or rugs. Besides their natural deodorizing power, they are often created in a way that doubles up as an odor remover, too.

However, keep in mind that they are not disinfectants or sanitizers, so you need to obtain these properties from a different product.

Enzyme cleaners are more or less similar in terms of ingredients and purpose, so it’s not hard to find a good fit for you.

Also, keep in mind that enzyme cleaners, or any other chemical product (even water) can be applied to all surfaces. This is true especially for furniture items. Make sure you check the care label beforehand. Make sure you read our Couch Deep Cleaning Guide to understand the products and techniques you can use depending on the care label.

Spraying Enzyme Cleaner to Hardwood Floors

How to Clean Your Natural Stone Floors

This one is a must-have if you have natural stone flooring, such as travertine, granite, marble or limestone. The reason is that, similar to hardwood, these floors are very sensitive.

Many all-purpose floor cleaners include acidic ingredients, such as vinegar or citric acid. But for natural stone surfaces, you need to be more careful. Acidic cleaners or liquids can cause permanent stains on certain types of stone.

This is why you see that a rule of thumb for granite and marble countertops is not letting lemon juice, tomato sauce or vinegar come into contact with them. Even though some of these items are great for cleaning, they do not get along with natural stone surfaces.

Therefore, it’s best to stick with specialized products with neutral pH. If you don’t have one, stick to sweeping and vacuuming or using only slightly soapy water, and mopping a second time with fresh water to remove soap residues.

DIY Floor Cleaner

Last but not least, you can create your own personalized product, especially if you have several types of flooring in your home.

This should be safe enough to be used in different areas, yet effective enough to clean and sanitize surfaces. As we mentioned, there are certain items that should be cleaned only with specialized products (such as hardwood, granite and marble).

To create your very own DIY Floor cleaner, you need to consider the different types of floor materials first. Here are a few recipes for the most common ones:

DIY Floor Cleaner for Hardwood Floors

As we mentioned earlier, hardwood floors are sensitive. Therefore, this recipe is quite simple and safe. You just need to create a mix of ¼ cup white vinegar and 1-gallon warm water.

Be careful when calculating the vinegar/water ratio because the vinegar is already acid enough. Just make sure you don’t exceed the vinegar ratio and your floor’s finish will remain in good condition.

Use a dampened cloth or a mop and wring it before applying. Besides, open your windows to ensure the solution will evaporate quickly.

But what about the fragrance? if you read Part I and Part II of our essential oils cleaning guide, then you already know by now how effective they are for adding bring a fresh, calming fragrance.

Pro tip: If you are having guests soon and you’re short on time, clean your entryways’ floors and add a few extra drops of essential oil to give them a fresh, clean first impression as soon as they walk in.

Some essential oils are not recommended if you have dogs or cats. If you have pets, do some research about your preferred oil before applying.

Ceramic Tile Floor Cleaner

Ceramic tiles are one of the most common types of flooring. Fortunately, they’re very resistant to most chemical agents and cleaning techniques (sweeping, mopping, scrubbing, vacuuming). As we mentioned in Part I of our series, make sure you vacuum first to remove loose debris.

Next, apply your cleaning solution, which consists of: ¼ cup white vinegar, ¼ cup baking soda, 1 tbps. Mild dish soap, and 2 gallons hot water. Heat and dish soap will soften up grease and dirt, while vinegar and baking soda will kill bacteria and deodorize.

Apply with a mop or cloth and then mop again, but this time using fresh water and let dry afterward.

Vinyl Floor Cleaner

Vinyl is another popular floor type, especially in kitchens and bathrooms. If this is your case, you will benefit from a stronger, concentrated cleaning solution. Mix together ½ cup rubbing alcohol, ½ cup vinegar, ½ tsp. dish detergent and 2 gallons of water.

Vinegar and alcohol are acidic components capable of killing the most common household bacteria, according to research. Mop your floors and rinse with fresh water.

The essential oil trick still applies here so feel free to use your preferred scent.

Carpet Cleaner

Last but not least, we have carpet floors. These are especially problematic because the fibers absorb pretty much everything: sweat, saliva, food crumbs, dandruff, pet hair and dander, and every dust particle and microbe you can think off falls naturally to the floor. Besides, it seems to absorb spills and stains in the blink of an eye!

After vacuuming, prepare a cleaning solution to deep clean your carpet floors with the following ingredients. Mix one cup of warm water, 1/8 tsp mild dish soap, and 1 tbsp white vinegar. Mix and apply using a spray bottle.

Some cleaning guides recommend adding baking soda, but the issue here is that not all vacuum cleaners are prepared to “handle” baking soda. They can mess up your vacuum’s internal circuits and filters over time.

Related: What’s in Your Cleaning Cupboard? 5 Household Chemical Products and How To Handle Them

Conclusions

This is it for part II of our Cleaning Your Floor series! We hope you enjoyed these tips and know you will make a more informed decision when trying your must-have floor cleaning products.

Remember to check our booking page if you need to book a professional cleaning & maid service in Dallas. And stay tuned for Part III, where we will give you cleaning techniques to clean your floors smarter and not harder.

Until next time!

4th of July Countdown: Cleaning Tips Before Your Party

July 1, 2022 by emilysmaids

4th of July Countdown Cleaning Tips Before Your Party - Emily's Maids

Hey guys! We’re back with another article and this time we wanted to talk about 4th of July coming VERY soon and give you some cleaning tips before your party.

Before we continue with our “How to Clean Your Floors” guide, we wanted to quickly address this very important festivity.

We all know how special 4^th of July is and you are probably expecting friends and family to visit. And of course, you want to impress them and make them feel at home. Besides, we all know it is important that our home is clean, sanitized and safe for our guests.

Here’s what you can do!

Define The Areas You Will Clean

We absolutely understand that you have a busy life. Between work, family and running errands, you only have less than a week before the 4^th of July.

Of course, if you are in the Dallas Fort-Worth Area you can always hire our cleaning service. But if you are doing this on your own, it will be hard and unrealistic to try cleaning your entire home.

Instead, start by just thinking and writing down your priorities when it comes to cleaning.

Are you planning on a barbeque out in your backyard? If that’s the case, then your focus will be your backyard.

Maybe you have a nice kitchen and you want to entertain your guests while cooking something delicious? Then make sure your kitchen & dining area will be spotless.

Or, if you have more of a relaxed plan, you can just focus on getting the living and TV room ready for a movie night.

Besides this, you might even come up with other considerations, for example: are immunocompromised people coming to the party? Maybe someone that is allergic to strong fragrances? Keep that in mind when deciding what cleaning products are you going to use, whether you need to actually disinfect areas or just wipe them clean, etc.

Grab Your Cleaning Supplies

Of course, you can’t clean unless you have all your cleaning supplies at hand! Depending on the tasks you’re deciding on cleaning, you will need some cleaning products and tools. On the next chapters you will read about our suggested tasks and areas.

Just as a little heads up, you will need a regular vacuum with a brush attachment (and if you have an extra handheld vacuum, even better!) and a DIY all-purpose solution. This could be an equal-parts white vinegar and water solution, or a hot, soapy water solution made with mild dish soap for sensitive surfaces (granite, marble, quartz or wood).

You will need two or three different-sized cleaning brushes, microfiber cloths, a wire brush, a broom and mop, and a pressure washer if you have one.

Depending on the time and energy that you have available, you will discard (or not) some of these tasks, and therefore not all tools above will be essential, so if you don’t have one, don’t worry! Make sure it won’t be necessary for the tasks you’re planning before 4^th of July.

Grabbing kitchen supplies - Emily's Maids

Start With the Essentials

Now that you know what areas you will focus on, it’s a good time to start with the essentials, which are the most common areas or surfaces that your guests will notice or use during their visit.

These areas are the ones that will make your home look clean overall, as a whole, instead of just small areas here and there.

For example, floors. Even if you’ve cleaned up your backyard, if your floors are dirty and messy, your entire home will look and feel that way. That’s why you should at least sweep your floors quickly and, if possible, vacuum them as well.

Even if you decided that your guess will not be anywhere near your kitchen, you never know for sure, so it’s best to give it at least a quick rinse and wipe here and there.

Wipe and declutter your countertops and place all your dirty dishware and cookware in your sink or your dishwasher and take out the trash. It won’t take you longer than 5 or 10 minutes and it will cause a huge positive impact in your kitchen straight away.

Your guest bathroom is another area that you must clean, especially if there are several guests. There are extremely high chances that at least one of them will have to use your bathroom during your visit, even if it’s just to freshen up or wash their hands.

Try to take care of the quality of the air, especially if you have pets. We get used to the smell of our home, but visitors will quickly detect when pets are around. If you have the time, make sure you mop your floors and don’t forget to use a floor deodorizer, especially one formulated for pet odors. Use your air purifier if you have one, too.

Clean Your Defined Areas

Now that you took care of all the essential areas and surfaces, it’s time to go into the areas where your guests will hang out.

When you’re going through each area, think of yourself as a guest and spend 10 or 15 minutes in each area, until you realize what is out of place or needs cleaning. Does your dining table have little crumbs or stains? Does the grill look greasy and with food crumbs or burn marks?

Keep this in mind and you will quickly notice what needs to be cleaned.

If you’re short on time, it’s really important to keep a balance between “essential” areas, and your “defined areas” so that they can enjoy their visit as a whole.

Another important step is to take care of the heaviest cleaning duties first and leave the finishing touches for the same day or the previous day. The last thing you want to do that day is heavy-duty cleaning, because you will be too stressed out and busy that day, and you will end up exhausted and without any energy to entertain your guests.

Clean Your Backyard and Outdoors

For 4^th of July is highly likely you will spend some time in your backyard. That being said, it can be a bit confusing to know where to start.

If you do have a deck or any floor with wooden planks, it might be a good time to clean it down with a pressure washer. Make sure you don’t go overboard, sweep the nozzle at a slight angle and about 8 inches from the surface. Of course, this should be planned out with time because it might take some time for it to dry. The same goes for mowing your lawn.

Second, check your outdoor furniture to make sure it’s working fine and that it doesn’t need any cleaning. For surfaces where you will eat (tables, countertops) clean them nonetheless just to ensure they are clean and sanitized.

A one-part white vinegar, one-part water mix is usually a great solution because it’s affordable and effective. However, keep in mind that natural stone surfaces do not get along with vinegar or abrasive products in general. Some materials such as granite or marble are safer if you clean them with hot, soapy water.

Don’t Forget About Your Entryway

Your entryway, for obvious reasons, is the first impression your guests will have about your home. It’s always a good idea to sweep your entrance, at the very least. If possible, mop your floors and when you are doing it, spray some deodorizer or add a few drops of essential oil to your mop water.

Your guests will immediately notice a pleasant smell and will associate it with your home being clean.

Clean the cobwebs, light fixtures and your entrance door, of course. If you have rugs or mats, take them outside to shake them clean. If you have an upholstery cleaner, you can quickly run your cleaner through your rugs.

Besides this, you might want to add a small decoration piece, but that’s completely up to you.

Sweeping Entryway Deck Floor - Emily's Maids

4^TH of July Checklist

By now you should have a more or less clear plan of what you are going to clean before 4^th of July.

However, to make it so much easier to keep track of the cleaning task and areas, we wanted to create a checklist that you can print and follow easily.

You can even save in your documents for similar festivities in the future! We will make sure to leave some empty lines for you to fill out with any other tasks you deem necessary.

Conclusion

Now that 4^th of July is coming so soon, you have all the tools and techniques to get your home ready and impress your guests.

And if you are having a busy weekend and you need some help to leave your home nice and shiny, you can always visit our booking page to learn more about our cleaning services in the Dallas- Fort Worth Area.

As always, feel free to contact us if you have any questions. We hope you have the best 4^th of July and enjoy with your friends and family!

How to Clean Your Floors: 5 Tools to Make it Easier

June 20, 2022 by emilysmaids

We know how hard it is to clean your floors because the minute you turn around, they’re dirty again. Fortunately, now you have so many techniques, products and equipment to clean your floors.

This is why Emily’s Maids wants to create a series called How to Clean Your Floors, where we will focus on digging deep down on how to clean floors and all the resources you have available.

Before we start, you might be asking, why should I keep my floors clean?

Let’s learn a bit from floors and what happens when you don’t clean them often and then we will jump into Part I of our series.

Why Should You Clean Your Floors?

No matter the type of floor you have, it’s really one of the most important areas to keep track of when you’re cleaning your home.

Floors go through several “challenges”. Obviously, the most common and frequent one is people walking. Depending on the type of footwear and the floor’s material, it can speed up the floor’s aging noticeably.

Heels, for example, are notoriously harmful to hardwood floors, although it is (fortunately) quite uncommon to use heels at home.

Second, they “catch” all pieces of dirt, dust and crumbs from everything that is happening on top. Just think about every surface on your house: furniture, shelves, kitchen countertops, sofas and chairs, and so on. Maybe some food falls to the floor, or a liquid spill out.

Third, smaller elements also end up in your floors. For example, bacteria and germs floating around the air from many natural, everyday actions. Talking, sneezing, your dogs and cats walking around.

Second, the type of flooring plays a very important role in their care and longevity. Technology has allowed us to develop many types of materials, both natural and synthetic. Natural-based materials such as hardwood and granite are very popular and gorgeous. However, humidity and temperature do affect them.

States such as Dallas show up to 40% increases or decreases in humidity on the very same day. This doesn’t mean your floors won’t last, it just means you need to take extra care of your floors.

Now, let’s hear from 5 tools to help you clean your floors faster and better, as well as some tips to choose them.

Start With a Good Vacuum

A good vacuum cleaner is an absolute must-have in every household. That’s one of the pros of having one: you can put them to good use even if you have 3 or 4 different types of flooring.

Vacuuming is an effective cleaning method for several reasons. First, it reduces the physical effort you need to make every time you clean, because you just need to move your vacuum without scrubbing or brushing, the way you would with a broom, for example.

Second, vacuums have something called HEPA filter. It is a filter capable of removing more than 99% of airborne particles which are considered harmful such as dust, mold, bacteria and pollen.

If you feel constantly about to sneeze or with other allergy symptoms (maybe a skin rash, congestion, headache) then it might have to do with the fact that your floors collect a lot of allergens that your current tools cannot remove (regular brooms and mops).

Fortunately, now we have many options in the market for vacuum cleaners. For example, a 3-in-1 vacuum cleaner which goes from a regular vacuum to a handheld vacuum, to a handheld vacuum without a brush attachment.

Another option is robot vacuums. They are a pretty recent tech development that seems to work for many busy families. Of course, they will never have the accuracy and efficiency of a professional cleaner, or just any person at all. But they do seem to help with at least maintaining your floors if you don’t have the time or consistency.

When choosing a vacuum cleaner, besides the HEPA filter, make sure it comes with different tools and attachments, such as a brush and a capture nozzle.

Cordless vacuums are often more comfortable, but you might need one with a large battery if you have a big home, or you might need to split your vacuuming in two different “sessions”.

Bring The Heavy Machinery: An Upholstery and Carpet Cleaner

Now that your floors are nice and vacuumed, you might need an upholstery and carpet cleaner. Not only for carpet flooring and rugs, but it will be useful for your furniture such as your couch and other seating.

An upholstery is slightly different from a vacuum cleaner because it is meant for deep cleaning and absorbing deep stains and dirt that has been building up in carpet or upholstery. They have particularly strong suction power and the way they work is by having two compartments.

One of them has clean water or soapy water. The other one is the dirty water reservoir. This way, you apply clean, soapy water, vacuum and absorb all the dirty water which then goes to a different container.

As you can imagine, it cleans much deeper than a vacuum cleaner. It is not uncommon to find devices that work both as a dry and a wet vacuum cleaner, or even a steamer as well.

Learn more: 10 Tips to Keep Your Carpet Clean and Hygienic

Get a Good Mop

After taking care of your carpet floors and rugs, you might need a mop as well. A good mop is essential for maintaining hard flooring such as wooden, ceramic and vinyl.

With a mop, you can apply liquid cleaning and disinfecting products evenly across the surface.

Some of the important features of a good mop are good absorbency, release and cleaning power. There are two main types of electric mops: flat and spin mops. Most modern models come with two circular spinning mopheads, and flat ones are usually rectangle-shaped or triangle-shaped.

When looking for a good electric mop, make sure it has washable pads, that it is lightweight and easy to handle, and that it doesn’t require filtered or distilled water to be easily refillable.

Although cordless mops are easier to maneuver around the house, they tend to have a small battery life (around 30 minutes, depending on the model). If you have a large home, a corded version might work better for you.

Brush Drill Attachment: The Perfect Tool for Cleaning Your Bathroom and Kitchen

This is not a device on its own, but it is an attachment for a drill. This is perfect for areas with cleaning tile surfaces, such as your kitchen and your bathroom, especially because grease, soap scum and bacteria start to build up with time. Plus, grout between tiles gets dark and starts to lose some of its luster.

A brush drill attachment is shaped like a toilet brush, and it attaches to a regular drill. If you truly want to clean your home like a professional, a drill brush will dig deep at your surfaces and leave them spotless.

After applying a cleaning agent, you can wait around 10 to 15 minutes (depending on the cleaning agents you use) use this brush drill attachment to your kitchen and bathroom surfaces, your tub and your shower.

Fortunately, most attachment sets actually bring different brushes, around 3 to 5 pieces with different sizes and purposes. Some of them might be wider and flatter which is ideal for large, flat surfaces such as your floors. Others might be perfect for corners or little nooks and crannies thanks to their smaller size.

Get a Steamer to Deep Clean Your Floors

Steam is one of the most effective cleaning agents! It’s just water at really high temperatures. This brings many advantages: it is completely safe for all surfaces (unless they say otherwise), easy to dry and remove, and completely harmless to the human body as well. This means you can replace some of the harmful chemicals you might be using right now.

According to research, water at such high temperatures has proven to kill many types of bacteria and mold. With a steamer, you can apply hot water to different surfaces. It can remove stains and soften up grease, for example. It is capable of killing fleas and dust mites as well.

Be careful on less durable upholstery fabrics that might damage the integrity due to the high heating exposure. Use distilled water in your steam cleaner if you have hard water in your area. Dallas, for example, is known for having hard water.

Your steam cleaner is useful in so many areas. You can use that in your kitchen, specifically in your counters, the inside of your cabinets, as well as your appliances and your range hoods to soften up grease.

As we mentioned earlier, you can find a steam mop that will mix the best of a mop and a vacuum or an upholstery cleaner that also works as a steamer.

Conclusion

This is the end of part I from our new series on how to clean your floors! We really hope you enjoy this chapter to start with, so you get to choose the best tools before we continue with this series.

Soon we will bring more tips about cleaning your floors, so you are able to keep these floors for longer.

And as always, don’t forget to contact us if you need our help with our maid & cleaning service.

Until next time!

10 Food Ingredients You Can Use for Cleaning (Part II)

May 31, 2022 by emilysmaids

Square - 10 Food Ingredients You Can Use for Cleaning Part II

We’re back with part II! We have more ingredients you can use for cleaning. Our last article mentioned five ingredients and their incredible uses for cleaning, and now we’re here to bring five more.

Many products that you can use for cleaning are already in your pantry or in your fridge. And if you missed Part I, don’t worry! Let’s read a quick recap first.

Quick Recap from Part I About Using Food Ingredients for Cleaning

More and more people have started to use food for cleaning over time. Ingredients are almost always not pH neutral: they are either acid or alkaline. When used properly, this allows them to be used for different surfaces with multiple purposes: cleaning, degreasing, disinfecting, and deodorizing.

Part I describes the cleaning properties of five products from your pantry: salt, vodka, lemon juice, vinegar, and coconut.

Salt is a terrific cleaner, for example. It is affordable, you can buy it in bulk, and it’s useful for absorbing moisture and oil, plus removing grease. It is commonly used for cleaning cast irons, for example.

Vodka, believe it or not, is also used for cleaning. Thanks to its alcohol concentration, it is perfect for killing many different types of bacteria. Mixed with other products it is an effective all-purpose cleaner.

Lemon juice is another acidic agent that is capable of removing bacteria and grease, especially when combined with hot water. It is also great for removing odors, which makes it the perfect cleaning agent for deodorizing microwaves and fridges.

Vinegar is another popular ingredient for cleaning: it’s versatile, effective, and safe to use. It is safe enough that, right after you use it for cleaning, you can use it for dressing a salad! You can use it for killing bacteria on pretty much all surfaces. It is perfect for tile floors and walls, as well as laminate countertops. This makes it the ideal cleaning ally for your kitchen and bathroom. Plus, you can use vinegar as a fabric softener and deodorizer as well.

Last but not least, coconut oil is used often in the personal care industry. In the cleaning field, you can use it to remove sticky labels, remove water stains, and for moisturizing different surfaces.

Now that you’ve read this quick recap of our previous article, it’s time to learn about 5 more ingredients you can use for cleaning!

Olive Oil: Great for Cooking, Great for Cleaning

Olive oil is a delicious, healthy ingredient that enhances any dish it’s in. But did you know it also works as a cleaning agent? Like coconut oil, it has moisturizing properties, and you can use it to remove grease.

It is ideal for delicate surfaces, especially those that come from live beings such as wood. Because they need to maintain certain conditions of temperature and humidity, any noticeable change will make them lose their natural balance. This can come from natural environment changes, for example. Dallas is known for having noticeable changes in humidity, going from 40% to 85% on the same day.

The point is, if you’re not careful, wood can show cracks or scuffs with time. If it happens, they will need some added moisturizing.

You can mix three parts olive oil with one part distilled white vinegar. You can also add a few drops of lemon essential oil for an extra refreshing, clean fragrance. Test in a small area first and then, if the material reacted favorably, apply to the entire surface, using a microfiber cloth.

Make sure you don’t go overboard because the material might end up too oily and unpleasant to the touch.

As for removing grease, this is ideal for stainless steel because it won’t cause staining, because olive oil is pretty much pH neutral. It’s not acid enough to cause a stain or decoloring in your stainless-steel products. This includes anything from countertops to appliances and silverware, even light fixtures!

Similar to coconut oil, you can use this for removing sticky labels as well. Just place a few drops of olive oil on the paper label and let it sit for 15 minutes.

Remember we mentioned salt for cleaning cast iron pans? You can mix coarse salt with olive oil to get rid of stubborn residues.

Baking Soda

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a compound that is commonly found as a powder. Besides being a great ingredient for cooking and baking, it is also one of the most popular ingredients that people use for cleaning.

First of all, it is a harmless chemical compound, and that is something you don’t see very often. It is only slightly alkaline, and it is perfectly fine for pretty much all surfaces, including sensitive ones such as granite or marble.

Second, it is effective for removing odors, dissolving dirt and grease, and overall cleaning and maintaining surfaces.

Baking soda is pretty much the perfect companion for many other cleaning products as well. It is one of the very few products that you can mix safely with bleach, for example.

Because it is powder, that property is also useful on its own because it can be combined with liquids (e.g., lemon juice, vinegar, even dish soap).

We have many guides on the use of baking soda as a cleaning agent, such as for Cleaning Your Bathroom and your Kitchen Items, and even your Couch.

Cleaning With Baking Soda and a Toothbrush

Orange Peels: Using Fruits as Ingredients for Cleaning

We previously mentioned in our article about Fruits and Vegetables For Cleaning that Orange peels are great as an ingredient for all-purpose cleaners. This is particularly great if you are (or want to be) part of the zero-waste movement, which aims to reduce the waste you produce.

For example, you can leave orange peels in a mason jar filled halfway with vinegar (either white or apple cider). Vinegar extracts oils of oranges which will add degreasing power and create an all-purpose cleaner. This creates a product with both degreasing and disinfecting properties. This is perfect for wood surfaces because they will be moisturized and smell great afterward.

You can also fill a small plate with orange peels and two tablespoons of salt and place it in the fridge. This is great for absorbing odors. Salt is able to absorb moisture, while orange peels slowly release a pleasant fragrance to balance out the odor in your fridge.

Corn Starch

Corn starch or cornflour is another versatile ingredient in your kitchen, and it is frequently used to thicken soups or sauces. But did you know it can be used for cleaning as well?

Cornstarch is able to remove different types of stains, grease, and odors.

For example, if you have grease stains on your clothing, you can apply a big scoop of cornstarch and let it sit for 12 hours. This will give it plenty of time for cornstarch to absorb grease. You can wash normally afterward to remove residues.

You can use this trick for cleaning carpet floors as well, and particularly for removing stains or odors. In this case, you should sprinkle cornstarch on the carpet for 30 minutes and then vacuum.

Cornstarch is useful for cleaning cooktops as well as kitchen utensils, mainly pots, and pans. It is effective but it’s non-abrasive, which makes it safe for your items. In this case, you can mix one-part water with two parts of cornstarch. This will create a paste that you can leave on your surfaces so that it softens grease and burned-on food.

Ketchup: One of The Unexpected Ingredients for Cleaning

Who would’ve thought that ketchup is capable of cleaning surfaces? The power of ketchup comes from tomatoes. This brings citric acid which is a powerful cleaner and degreaser. Ketchup has vinegar, too, which adds even more to its acidity levels.

Ketchup is perfect for removing tarnish from pots and other utensils. The best part is that it works for both copper and stainless-steel items. You can leave it for as long as you want (as long as you try it in a small area first, of course). Don’t forget to wipe and rinse with plenty of water.

You can remove rust spots from cast iron pans as well. Cast iron pans do not get along with humidity, and they can rust with time.

In this case, it’s pretty much the same procedure: cover the rust spots with some ketchup and wipe clean after letting it sit for a few hours.

Conclusion

Voilà! There you have it, five more food ingredients that you can use for cleaning. All of these ingredients are affordable, and you can even buy them in bulk to have plenty of it if you want to use them both as a food ingredient and as a cleaning agent.

As a rule of thumb, remember to test any cleaning agents on a small area first, and you can even combine or test different cleaning products one after the other until you reach the desired results.

Remember that you can contact our professional cleaning service if you need help with taking care of your home and giving you extra time to spend with your family.

House Cleaning as a Gift for Mother’s Day

May 7, 2022 by emilysmaids

House Cleaning as a gift for mother's day - Emily's Maids

We all know Mother’s Day is coming soon, and what better way to celebrate than by cleaning your house as a gift for your mom or your significant other? We all know the hard, tiresome work that mothers do for their households and their families. The last thing they should be doing is cleaning on their special day!

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, so make sure you read our article where we can give you a few cleaning tips for you and the rest of your family. Besides creating a special day and perhaps getting a thoughtful gift, you can also clean your home to remove stress and physical work from Mom.

Now, remember you can hire a professional cleaning service as a Mother’s Day surprise so your entire family can have a special day while your home is getting cleaned by Emily’s Maids of Dallas.

If you do want to take this into your own hands, you should pay attention to those areas that are not cleaned that frequently to make a huge impression and a noticeable change in your home.

Keep reading this guide to find out more!

Mother’s Day Cleaning: How to Get Started

First of all, you need to pick up all your supplies. Keep in mind you’re going to wash and wipe areas and surfaces that you don’t necessarily clean every day, such as windows, baseboards, windowsills, ceiling fans, and so on.

What we recommend is having several basic cleaning agents that you can mix safely with each other to form different cleaning solutions for each surface. You will need specialized cleaning products if you have delicate surfaces such as leather or wood.

Remember that organic products are sensitive to sudden changes in temperature in humidity. Dallas has noticeable changes during the day, which is why you need to take care of these types of surfaces.

Natural stone surfaces such as granite or marble are sensitive to acidic products, so you might want to get a specialized stone cleaner as well.

Besides, you will need cleaning tools and devices: at least 2 or 3 non-scratch sponges, a spray bottle, and plenty of clean microfiber cloths. This way, you will be able to cover different areas without using dirty towels that will only transfer dust and dirt across surfaces.

Finally, a vacuum cleaner and a steamer for removing heavy grease and grime would be ideal.

You can check our Spring Cleaning Supplies Guide to get more ideas on basic cleaning agents, eco-friendly products, and other items and supplies.

Of course, all these supplies will depend upon the areas and the cleaning tasks that you will be covering for your Mother’s Day Cleaning. In this article, we will cover different areas and rooms so feel free to add or take them away what you need for your own home.

Related: What’s In Your Cleaning Caddy?

Organize the Pantry

The pantry can get messy more often than not, and sometimes you never seem to find the time to clean and organize it. If you want to give your pantry a fresh, clean look, you have many options.

You can take the fastest route and clean all surfaces. If they are wire shelves, it is highly likely that they look greasy or sticky. Hot, soapy water will be your ally here. You should use a sponge or a large brush, as well as a soft toothbrush for the sides and hard-to-reach corners.

The soap concentration should be higher or lower depending on how sticky they are. You can use concentrated liquid detergent for particularly tough areas. Don’t forget to wipe after 15 minutes.

If you have laminate shelves or cabinets, just hot, soapy water will do. Make sure you scrub with a non-scratch sponge, then wipe using a damp cloth, and then wipe again with a dry cloth this time. Let surfaces dry for at least 30 minutes.

On the other hand, if you have beautiful wooden shelves make sure you use very little water. As you know, humidity and wood do not get along. In this case, you should use two tbsps. of white vinegar, two tbsps. of mineral oil and one tbsp of lemon juice. All these ingredients will clean, moisturize and leave a fresh fragrance afterward.

Besides just cleaning, by decluttering and organizing your ingredients you will be making a change.

You can order some pantry food containers with labels to give it a complete renovation. If you do, make sure you don’t go too crazy with it. Leave some space between each container and if they are open shelves, you can even place plants or herbs.

Clean Hard-to-Reach Places

There are some areas that you overlook when cleaning your home because they might be hard to reach. For example, your ceiling fans (if you have any). They collect dust and might be hard to reach and clean, especially for a shorter woman.

In this case, you can use the old pillowcase trick: just stick each fan into an old pillowcase, and you can wipe it with a microfiber cloth or a large brush.

On a similar note, you should also take care of light fixtures. These fixtures often come with nooks and crannies that are not easy to reach, especially if you’re standing on a ladder. Because this is a light fixture, you should stay away from water and instead use a clean, long-bristled cleaning brush or, even better, a handheld vacuum cleaner.

Vacuum and Clean Your Floors

Floors are one of the most tiring surfaces to clean, because they absorb everything that falls down and, of course, are not easy to cover because you need to move around constantly. Besides, each type of floor has its unique cleaning steps, so this just adds more work.

Vacuuming and mopping your floors will create a huge impact on the cleanliness of the entire room and, if you read Part I and Part II of our essential oils cleaning guide, you know you can also add them to your cleaning solution and bring a fresh, calming vibe.

Besides floors, another item that you commonly overlook is baseboards. You should follow the same steps as you would do with a floor of the same material: hot soapy water for ceramic or porcelain, a specialized cleaning product for natural stone or hardwood.

If you have MDF or PVC or any other type of floor, it’s best to stick to vacuuming and wiping with a dry cloth, or just follow instructions from your manufacturer.

Take Care of Windows and Windowsills for Mother’s Day

Windows are cleaned much less often than recommended. With time, frames gather dust, and the glass looks dirty and dull. Fortunately, they’re really easy to clean! You just need to be quick and follow the steps methodically.

You can start with your windowsills. You’re going to need a vacuum cleaner, some hot soapy water, a degreaser that you can apply using a spray bottle, a sponge, a large brush, an old toothbrush for corners, as well as a microfiber cloth.

First, vacuum everything you can to remove debris and dust. Next, apply a bit of soapy water and scrub with your brush or a sponge. Then, apply the degreaser and scrub thoroughly using your brushes. Rinse and wipe every residue with your microfiber cloth.

Next, we have the glass panes. Outside windows are quite easy to clean because all they collect is dust and droplets. Everything you will need is a spray bottle with water (or a one-part water, one-part vinegar mix if your windows are really dirty) and two microfiber cloths.

You will use the first one only for wetting your window (or mirror). The second one is for drying. Start by folding your microfiber cloths until you can place them in the palm of your hand. Wet the first cloth and wipe following a “Z” pattern, and then repeat the steps using the drying cloth.

Give Mom a Gift Certificate to a Professional Cleaning Service

All the tasks above are rewarding but certainly challenging and time-consuming. If you wish to enjoy this Mother’s Day with your family and make it a really special day, it’s actually quite common to hire a professional cleaning service.

This allows you to spend this day enjoying yourself with your family instead of cleaning and scrubbing all day long. And it’s also a nice surprise! Imagine seeing your mom’s or your SO’s face as they walk in to a clean, spotless home after going out for a nice lunch.

Research has shown time and again that cleanliness makes us happy, and this is even more noticeable after you created an entire special day for Mother’s Day.

Conclusion

Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and deep cleaning a home is an amazing gesture. It will take some pressure off their shoulders and make them feel comfortable in their clean, fresh home.

If you want to follow this guide, you will need around 3 to 4 hours to complete every step. You can shorten the total number of steps and rooms if you want to finish faster.

And if you have neither the time nor the energy and you want to spend it instead in a nice lunch or go out and do something fun, you can call our professional cleaning service in the greater Dallas area. We will take care of your home while you enjoy Mother’s Day with your loved ones.

We wish you the best Mothers’ Day ever!

10 Food Ingredients You Can Use for Cleaning (Part I)

April 26, 2022 by emilysmaids

Hello! We’re back with more cleaning tips for you, and today we wanted to talk about food ingredients as cleaning products. Who would’ve thought that mixing those too was going to be a good combo?

Well, the truth is that many food ingredients are used as compounds for your cleaning and personal care products. Those industries extract their desired component and put them in the formula to enhance their properties.

The good news is that you can use them straight from the source as well! Instead of using dozens of different manufactured cleaning products, you can switch to safer alternatives. They’re safe enough for you to eat!

This is why we’ve come up with a list of ingredients that are already in your fridge or your pantry and can be used for all sorts of cleaning purposes: sanitizing, degreasing, removing stains, and even moisturizing.

This is Part I so we’re going to discuss 5 amazing ingredients and then 5 more in our next article.

The Benefits of Using Food Ingredients for Cleaning

There’s a really high chance that you’ve heard about DIY cleaning solutions for your household that involve ingredients from your pantry or fridge.

If you’re using fruits and vegetables, this means that you are getting the cleaning properties straight from the source.

And if you’re using other ingredients, such as vinegar or olive oil, it means they passed strict laws and regulations to be safe enough to consume.

Manufactured cleaning products are safe enough, of course, but they can be harmful if they come into contact with your skin, eyes, or lungs. Besides, there’s the risk of leaving residues in your kitchen and eating area, which is the place where you prepare your food.

Now, let’s dive in!

Cleaning With Salt

Salt is one of the less-known ingredients for cleaning, but that might change once you realize how versatile it is. It does everything from cleaning a cast iron skillet to removing sweat stains.

Salt is great for cleaning because a) it’s abrasive, which means that is able to scrape off dirt and grease from surfaces, b) It has ionic qualities which are useful for absorbing moisture and oil, and c) you can mix it safely with a variety of cleaning products and other ingredients as well.

If you want to clean your cast iron skillet, use a couple of tablespoons of kosher salt and fill it halfway with water. Heat it over medium heat and scrape any residues as you go, using a wooden spoon so you won’t scratch the skillet. You can also use it straight and with a plastic scrubby, rubbing in a soft, circular motion.

Thanks to its absorbing properties, you can remove wine stains too using salt. To remove a stain, the first step is always blotting with a wet cloth several times until you absorb as much as you can. Next, add some table salt until you cover the stain and let it sit for a few hours or overnight if you are not in a hurry.

Check our cast iron skillet cleaning guide if you want to see how to clean it with other ingredients.

Salt goes great with lemon juice, too. Together they can degrease, remove odors and whiten your items. You can clean anything from teapots to cutting boards just by spreading some salt and then scrubbing with half of a lemon. Remember to rinse with plenty of water!

Or, you can use it for leaving your stainless steel sink looking nice and shiny. This time, you should add baking soda and soap until you form a paste. Scrub with a sponge and then open your water tap to remove any residue. You’ll notice the difference right away!

Use Vodka as an All-Purpose Cleaner

Who would have thought that vodka can be used as more than an ingredient for making great cocktails? The truth is, we all know vodka has a strong alcohol concentration, which is ideal for killing different types of bacteria. The best part is that you can apply that on any surface without fearing that it contaminates or harms your food in any form.

This makes vodka the ideal ingredient for an all-purpose cleaner. It’s versatile enough to be used straight from the bottle (applied with a microfiber cloth) or combined with other items on a spray bottle. To create a powerful all-purpose solution, mix ½ cup of vodka, ½ cup of vinegar, 2 cups of water, and 30 drops of lemon essential oil. Add that to a spray bottle and apply it to your surface. Between the alcohol, vinegar (which is made out of alcohol), and lemon, you get a product with disinfecting and degreasing properties.

This works for a variety of surfaces such as your kitchen counters, your cutting boards, or mirrors and windows. It can also remove soap scum and mildew from your bathroom.

And don’t worry about brands, you can use the cheapest brand of vodka you can find for all your cleaning needs.

Lemon Juice Will Be Your #1 Cleaning Ally

Lemon juice is a powerful cleaning product. Like any other citrus fruit, it contains citric acid. It has two great cleaning properties: softening up grease and removing odors.

For example, you can use it to deodorize your microwave. Just squeeze half o a lemon and add it to a cup of water in a microwave-safe container. Run your microwave for 5 minutes and then let your cleaning mix sit for 2 more minutes. Then, wipe everything with a microfiber cloth.

Another great application of lemon juice is as a descaler. As we mentioned above, lemon juice works great with salt, and this is not the exception. With time, coffee makers and kettles start to build up limescale, which is created thanks to mineral residues of water. The frequency and amount of limescale will depend on how often you use your appliance, as well as the area you live in.

For example, Dallas is known to have really hard water, which means that it has a lot of minerals inside.

With salt and lemon juice you will be able to remove limescale in a second. Fill your kettle or the water reservoir of your coffee maker with ½ cup of lemon juice, and then fill the rest of it with cold water. Run a full cycle and then another cycle but this time using just water.

You can check our lime and salt article to check out how to remove stains. And don’t forget to check out Emily’s Maids Cleaning Guide using Lemon!

Use Vinegar for Removing Stains and Odor

We have talked about vinegar as a cleaning product before, and it’s a must-have in your pantry. Vinegar is extremely affordable (less than $3 per gallon!) really safe to use and apply on pretty much any surface, and effective.

Your white cooking vinegar is made out of alcohol and it has a 5% concentration. This means it’s safe enough for you to consume, yet it has enough concentration to clean your surfaces and remove mildew in your bathroom, for example.

You can use vinegar for endless cleaning tasks. For example, you can use it as a substitute for fabric softener and deodorizer. Just add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. It will remove odors, lint, and pet hair.

If you need to remove limescale or hard water stains on your bathroom faucets, simply spray them with vinegar and then tie a bag around them overnight, using a Ziplock bag and a rubber bag. Remember to rinse with plenty of water afterward.

Like lemon juice, vinegar is great for removing stains, odor, and limescale from your kitchen tools and appliances as well. Just spray over the surface and scrub with a non-scratch sponge.

Coconut Oil

Besides a delicious ingredient for baking, coconut oil is also popular in the personal care and cleaning industry. Natural-sourced oils are usually great for removing labels and marks, moisturizing organic surfaces such as wood and leather, and as a lubricant for door hinges.

We all know how annoying it is to find half a sticky label from a dish or a flower pot. And if you scrub too hard, it becomes a huge scratch that no one likes to look at. But don’t worry, you can apply coconut oil using a microfiber cloth and rub softly to soften up your label. After a few minutes, scrub it off. You can add baking soda if you’re dealing with really rough sticky items.

It’s great for removing water stains on sinks and other appliances as well, use the same method! Remember to wipe everything out with a dry cloth afterward.

If you want to use it as a moisturizer, apply a tiny bit on the surface, such as your leather furniture or your wooden floors.

Conclusion (Before Part II)

This is it! In this article, we have covered how to clean using salt, vodka, vinegar, lemon juice, and coconut oil. These are all safe ingredients that are already in your pantry, so you won’t have to move away from home to put them to good use.

Cleaning with food ingredients or with eco-friendly DIY solutions is more and more common nowadays because it makes your trips to the store easier, and it keeps harmful chemicals away from your household.

Make sure you stay alert for part II so you can learn how to use 5 more ingredients for your cleaning needs. And remember, we’re always happy to help busy families keep their households nice and clean. Make sure you visit Emily’s Maids booking page to get a free budget or contact us if you have any questions.

The Best Cleaning Supplies for Spring Cleaning

March 28, 2022 by emilysmaids

Springtime is officially now upon us! We’ve had a long winter in Dallas but a new season has come, finally, and what better way to celebrate than by setting up a deep, long spring cleaning?

Deep cleaning is customary (or at least it should be!) after each season, which makes it 4x a year. It’s a great way to renew your spirit and give a fresh, clean vibe to your home. Besides, it’s more than reasonable to deep clean your entire home once a quarter to make sure everything looks good and presentable.

Whenever you have a huge task ahead, it’s important to work smarter and not harder. Cleaning is not the exception. Many cleaning items can ensure you work faster and safer while still taking care of your pocket.

Here’s a guide for getting the best cleaning supplies for spring cleaning. Everything from cleaning gadgets to remove dirt and grease in the blink of an eye, and up to effective and harmless cleaning agents.

Once you learn how to choose your cleaning products, your spring cleaning will become easier and more pleasant. Let’s get started!

Basic Cleaning Agents

Let’s start with the must-have products that you should get before you start cleaning.

Buying in bulk is always better in the long run, especially if you like cleaning often. If that is not the case, you can always split the bill with friends, neighbors, or family members.

Baking Soda

Besides your must-have ingredient for desserts, baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a type of salt that is useful for many cleaning purposes, such as deodorizing, degreasing, and even killing mold.

The best part is that it can be combined with other cleaning products, such as vinegar and soap, and even with bleach!

Dish Soap

In this list, we also need to include a product that helps cut down grease and creates suds. Regular dish soap will work just great! The good thing about it is that you can choose the right concentration. It can be just straight from the bottle for a highly degreasing and cleaning action.

Or you can dilute it into water if you want to cover big surfaces or if you want to soak entire items into a bowl or a sink. By using hot water, you are combining the cleaning properties from soap and adding heat on top you are speeding up the process.

Vinegar

Vinegar is the most versatile cleaning agent you’ll find, probably. Its “formal” name is acetic acid, although it is usually diluted with a 5% concentration which is what we know as white cooking vinegar. It works for basically all rooms and surfaces with a few exceptions.

Vinegar is made from alcohol so it’s great for killing mold as well as many types of bacteria. If you check our guide about household chemical products, you won’t be surprised to find it there.

Even if it isn’t as aggressive as other types of acid, vinegar can still cause staining to some sensitive materials, mostly organic materials such as natural stone (gran6ite, marble, or quartz) as well as natural wood, such as hardwood floors.

You can read more cleaning solutions using vinegar here.

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is the easiest, cheapest way of obtaining citric acid which is a powerful degreaser. It is no surprise that basically all dish detergents and some laundry detergents have citric acid as part of their ingredients.

You can find citric acid in powder as well, and it’s easier to store it without worrying about it going bad like you would with lemons.

Choosing Safe, Eco-Friendly, and Affordable Options for Spring Cleaning

Over the last years, you have probably seen more and more companies that offer green, natural, and/or environmentally friendly alternatives for many areas including cleaning. The good side is that there are many ways to choose healthier alternatives to the traditional, industrial options.

For example, you can try finding products that offer safer, more natural cleaning agents. Traditional manufactured brands tend to use chemicals that can be harmful to your body (skin contact, breathing, allergies).

Another good idea is to look for vegan, cruelty-free products. Many chemicals are tested on animals such as rabbits, monkeys, and guinea pigs. Cruelty-free products mean that they are never tested on animals, and vegan cleaning products are 100% plant and mineral-based.

You can also find products that offer plastic-free packaging. The U.S. is one of the most contaminating countries and this includes the use of plastic that ends up in the ocean. You will find options such as cardboard, kraft paper, glass, or biodegradable packaging.

Concentrated products are another great choice. This means that the item needs to be diluted into water, which you can do it at home in a second. Their packaging is less contaminating because you need less plastic for the same product, and this will make them more affordable in the long run.

Make sure you calculate how many times you can dilute them into water versus a regular cleaning product that is meant to be used undiluted.

Multipurpose or Specialized Cleaning Products

Natural Stone Cleaners

Unfortunately, as mentioned above vinegar is not a great choice for natural stone cleaners. In this case, you should look for a specialized granite or marble cleaner.

If you don’t have any, you can use a tiny bit of mild dish soap with warm water, wiping several times to ensure you don’t leave any soap residues left.

Hardwood Cleaners and Conditioners

Natural products need certain conditions of temperature and humidity in order to stay healthy. For example, Dallas can reach humidity levels from as low as 50% and up to 90% on the same day! Highly unstable temperature and humidity mean that you should keep an eye on your wooden surfaces and furniture.

You can use teak oil or olive oil mixed with lemon juice as a natural conditioner, so keep it in mind if you plan on applying conditioner to your wooden surfaces.

Leather Conditioner

Same as wooden items, if you have leather furniture or upholstery and you see that it desperately needs some care, it’s best to buy a leather cleaner/conditioner. Fortunately, they are very cheap (as low as $5) and they last a long time since leather doesn’t need to be cleaned that often.

All-Purpose Cleaners

If you feel inspired by eco-friendly products now that you’ve read a bit more about them, the good news is that they usually offer all-purpose cleaners. You can buy them by gallon which is twice as good because you can recycle the gallon container. Some stores or brands can even refill or trade your (clean) empty containers and offer a discount.

They are safe to use on many different surfaces and can make your job easier since you don’t have to change between 10 different cleaning products.

Items for Scrubbing, Wiping, and Rubbing

Microfiber Towels and Cloths

If you want to clean like a pro, switch to microfiber cloths instead of cotton ones. Microfiber works better than cotton because it absorbs more moisture and dirt.

Sponges

Besides your microfiber cloths, you will also need some sponges for scrubbing the grease and dirt away, especially in your kitchen. Non-scratch sponges will do for most surfaces, although you might want to get yourself some big yellow sponges.

For reaching nooks and crannies, find yourself an old toothbrush! It will help you give them a second use and they’re perfect for the job.

Squeegee

This is great for cleaning windows and mirrors and other glass surfaces. If you have really tall windows you might want to get yourself a squeegee with an extension pole.

Cleaning Gadgets to Improve Your Spring Cleaning

Power Scrubber

This is an incredible gadget. It is a bristle brush attachment for your power tool, similar to a toilet brush. It usually comes in a set of different shapes and sizes.

The goal here is to attach the head to the power tool and let it do all the heavy work with just the push of a button! It is especially helpful for cleaning tiles and grout because it really gets the grease and dirt out. The best part is that they are less than $10 per set!

Steamer

A steamer or steam cleaner is a device capable of generating steam, usually through a nozzle.

If you are thinking about investing in a steamer, you can check multi-purpose or 3-in-1 steamers, that work as wet vacuum cleaners, handheld steamers, and long-handled steamers.

Vacuum Cleaner

There are hundreds of vacuum cleaners in all shapes and sizes. It’s always a good idea to find items that are capable of achieving different purposes at the same time.

Similar to steamers, you can find models that are adaptable to different needs, going from a traditional vacuum cleaner to a hand vacuum, and even with attachments to clean upholstery.

You have a lot of price ranges as well, where you can find an adaptable vacuum cleaner for as low as $70. It is more than reasonable considering how much easier your spring cleaning will be if you have one of these.

Don’t Forget About Safety When You Are Spring Cleaning!

Even if your chosen cleaning products are not harmful, you can’t ever be too sure. Remember you need to protect your skin, your eyes, and your nose (from breathing chemicals).

Make sure you bring latex cleaning gloves, a face mask, and safety goggles.

Always test your cleaning products in a small, inconspicuous area. Remember to let air flow in small spaces, especially if you are using strong chemicals such as those with bleach and ammonia.

Conclusion

If you’re thinking about spring cleaning soon, now you have all the tips and tricks for choosing your entire cleaning set. You are going to spend some time and energy here so it’s best to think exactly what you are getting.

There are many, many guides on the internet for spring cleaning. You can check the Spring Cleaning guide from Dallas Maids, for example. Make sure you visit a few of those and then create your own checklist. Remember, it’s not a perfect recipe and it’s also not about reaching every single area and surface, but more about keeping everything together as good as possible.

As mentioned above, remember you should deep clean your home at least 2 to 4 times a year. If you are buying all your items in bulk, it might be a good idea to distribute them in order to fit that schedule, including both spring cleaning and regular cleaning.

These tips will help you work faster and reduce the effort, but you need to keep and mind that spring cleaning will always demand a lot of time and energy, especially if you have a large home. Remember you can contact us to hire a professional service and forget about cleaning for endless hours.

Good luck and enjoy your spring cleaning!

Emily's Maids Blog

Start By Decluttering

Organize Rooms

Deep Clean Your Home Before Selling

How to Clean Each Room as a Home Seller

Keep Your Home Spotless

Hire a Cleaning Service to Sell Your Home

Conclusion

Create a Cleaning List

The 20-10 Method for Cleaning With Low Energy

Set a Timer for Each Cleaning Task

Apply The 2 Minute Rule for Cleaning with Low Energy

Play Some Music While Cleaning!

Create Cleaning Momentum Slowly

Disconnect From Cleaning (and Life) for a While

Conclusion

Why Are Cleaning Techniques Important to Clean Floors?

Create a Plan to Achieve Clean Floors

Let Cleaning Agents Act on Their Own

Sweep, Then Mop

The Golden Rule to Clean Floors: Cleaning From Top to Bottom

Use the Right Technique for Each Surface

Conclusion

All-Purpose Floor Cleaner

Hardwood Floor Cleaner

Use an Enzymatic Cleaner to Clean Your Floors

How to Clean Your Natural Stone Floors

DIY Floor Cleaner

DIY Floor Cleaner for Hardwood Floors

Ceramic Tile Floor Cleaner

Vinyl Floor Cleaner

Carpet Cleaner

Related: What’s in Your Cleaning Cupboard? 5 Household Chemical Products and How To Handle Them

Conclusions

Define The Areas You Will Clean

Grab Your Cleaning Supplies

Start With the Essentials

Clean Your Defined Areas

Clean Your Backyard and Outdoors

Don’t Forget About Your Entryway

4TH of July Checklist

Conclusion

Why Should You Clean Your Floors?

Start With a Good Vacuum

Bring The Heavy Machinery: An Upholstery and Carpet Cleaner

Get a Good Mop

Brush Drill Attachment: The Perfect Tool for Cleaning Your Bathroom and Kitchen

Get a Steamer to Deep Clean Your Floors

Conclusion

Quick Recap from Part I About Using Food Ingredients for Cleaning

Olive Oil: Great for Cooking, Great for Cleaning

Baking Soda

Orange Peels: Using Fruits as Ingredients for Cleaning

Corn Starch

Ketchup: One of The Unexpected Ingredients for Cleaning

Conclusion

Mother’s Day Cleaning: How to Get Started

Organize the Pantry

Clean Hard-to-Reach Places

Vacuum and Clean Your Floors

Take Care of Windows and Windowsills for Mother’s Day

Give Mom a Gift Certificate to a Professional Cleaning Service

Conclusion

The Benefits of Using Food Ingredients for Cleaning

Cleaning With Salt

Use Vodka as an All-Purpose Cleaner

Lemon Juice Will Be Your #1 Cleaning Ally

Use Vinegar for Removing Stains and Odor

Coconut Oil

Conclusion (Before Part II)

Basic Cleaning Agents

Baking Soda

Dish Soap

Vinegar

Lemon Juice

Choosing Safe, Eco-Friendly, and Affordable Options for Spring Cleaning

Multipurpose or Specialized Cleaning Products

Natural Stone Cleaners

Hardwood Cleaners and Conditioners

Leather Conditioner

4^TH of July Checklist