Maid

How To Deep Clean Your Bedroom In 8 Steps

by Jennifer | No Comments Thursday, March 15, 2012

It can be easy to skip out on deep cleaning your bedroom. After all, it’s not a kitchen or bathroom, right? Ok, maybe it’s not as intensive as deep cleaning one of those, but you spend more time in it than any other room, so it deserves some TLC here and there. If you are cleaning your home on your own, we recommend doing this deep clean quarterly, then keeping it up with dusting and spot cleaning in between. For this deep cleaning, we recommend opening your windows a little to keep the air circulating, so there will be minimum resettling of dust.

1. Use An Extendable Duster To Clean The Ceiling

Before you do anything else, dust the ceiling fan, crown moulding, and remove any cobwebs with an extendable duster. This way, everything will fall onto surfaces and your bed before they are clean.

2. Clean Your Bed

Strip your sheets and bedskirt, and throw in the washer. If anything is dry-clean only, take it a day or two in advance so that it will be ready today, and use your backup linens/comforter in the meantime. Take a spray bottle with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of baking soda filled to the top with water and spray on your mattress and pillows until slightly damp. This will remove unsightly odors and freshen up everything. You can add a little scent to the baking soda mix if you like, but if you are sensitive, just leave it as is. Make your bed at the very end of your deep clean, making sure the mattress and pillows are completely dry.

3. Clean Blinds, Windows, and Sills

Carefully dust your blinds and window sills with a microfiber rag, to minimize tossing dust up in the air. With a clean rag and a spray bottle with 2 tablespoons vinegar, a few drops of essential oil of your choice (optional) filled to the top with water, remove any spots from your blinds, windows, and sills.

4.  Doors, Door Frames and Switchplates

With the Vinegar solution, go around and clean all door frames, doors, door handles, and switchplates. These are commonly touched areas that can harbor viruses and bacteria. Vinegar is naturally anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal, so it will not only make those areas look sparkling, but will sanitize them as well.

5. Dust Wall Decor

With a microfiber rag, dust every item on your wall carefully. If possible, gently pull the decor away from the wall and dust behind it.

6. Dust Furniture

A good trick is to take every item off of your dresser and tables first. This way, when you put everything back, you are less likely to put everything back as clutter, and find a new home for everything you don’t need sitting out. Go around with a microfiber cloth and dust every piece of furniture, including the sides and any detail work. Don’t forget the headboard and footboard! As you put all decor and necessities back on your furniture, dust each item as well.

7. Wash Your Basebaords

Using the vinegar mixture and a rag, wash all basebaords. Move furniture away from the wall if possible.

8. Vacuum/Sweep And Mop Floors

If you have carpet, use the hose attachment of your vacuum to go around all edges, corners, and underneath all furniture before doing the main area. If you are sweeping and mopping, be sure and get every possible nook and cranny.

Eating Healthy On A Budget

by Jennifer | No Comments Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Nowadays, when you think of eating cheap, you think of fast and easy as well. While it may be more convenient to eat off the dollar menu, or buy those high calorie pre-packaged meals at the store that are on clearance, you’re not really getting the best deal. What you are paying for is the bells and whistles (packaging and marketing) and all those fillers and preservatives that provide no nutritional value to you. But if you know what to look for, you can eat very well, and healthy, on a low or fixed budget.

1. Limit Meat Consumption

Meat is typically the most expensive item in your grocery cart, and designating one or two days a week to having no meat will greatly reduce your cost, and it is great for your health!

2. Buy In Season

It is possible to have those really nice fruits and vegetables that you like to splurge on from time to time, all you have to do is pace yourself and wait until they are in season. If there is something that you absolutely love and the price is right, buy in modest bulk and freeze what you don’t use immediately. Just check beforehand to see how long they will keep in the freezer, and be sure to use it all before then to avoid waste.

3. Buy Frozen Instead Of Fresh When Possible

More often than not, frozen fruits and vegetables have the same nutritional value as buying fresh, and it is almost always a great deal cheaper.

4. Make A Weekly Meal Plan

Take an hour out of your Sunday to go through the weekly grocery specials and make a list of meals for every day of the following week, and make your grocery list accordingly. This will save you a great deal of money and cut down on waste.

5. Buy Store Brand As Much As Possible

Most store brand products are almost, if not exactly, the same as name brands. Of course, there may be a few items here and there that you are certain are just not the same otherwise, but the staples such as pasta, rice, bread, etc. won’t let you down with the store brand, and you will save a great deal of money right off the bat.

For more great tips on eating well on a low budget, check out this blog from Frugal Living!

Cleaning Your Bathroom In 5 Easy Steps

by Jennifer | 1 Comment Friday, February 3, 2012

Cleaning and maintaining your bathroom is not as hard as you might think. When you think of doing it, do hours of sweaty and nasty hard labor pop into your head? Well, the good news is it doesn’t have to be that way. Follow these steps in this order (to keep things sanitary and easy) and you will find that it’s really a piece of cake! All you need is a few clean rags, microfiber cloths (to help with lint and streaks,) a broom, mop, magic erasers, and cleaner. And don’t forget to go green! If you need help deciding what products to use, check out Our Blog On Creating Your Own House Cleaning Kit!

1. Mirrors

You always want to start with the mirrors with a fresh, clean rag for the best result, and spray the product directly on the mirror, followed by a dry microfiber cloth to ensure a clean finish. If you use a rag that has already been used elsewhere, you will likely have problems with streaking and smudging.

2. Counters

Using a fresh rag with the cleaning product of your choice, clean your countertops and sinks. Make sure you get underneath all items on the counters, as well as wiping off the items. Also, spot check the cabinets and clean as needed.

3. Tub and or Shower

Whether it’s a standing shower or combination tub/shower, you want to begin with the walls and work your way down. Spray down the walls and use a magic eraser if necessary to remove any soap scum, then wipe down again with a rag to smooth out. Then clean out the tub with the eraser and rags, and making sure the fixtures are clean as well.

4. Toilet

If you are using a homemade vinegar solution, you can pour or spray some in the bowl first and let sit to disinfect. Start with the tank, the sides, outside of the bowl, and the area between the tank and toilet seat. Then lift the lid and clean the seat and rim. Finish by scrubbing the toilet bowl with a brush and flush.

5. Clean The Floor

If you have carpet, simply vacuum, and use the hose attachment to go around the areas the vacuum can’t reach and over the baseboards. If you need to sweep and mop, sweep first, going over the baseboards as well. If your mop does not reach behind the toilet, use a rag to clean that area, then mop the rest of the floor. Let dry for 10 minutes and voila! Your bathroom is clean and sparkling!

What You Should Expect From Your House Cleaner Every Time

by Jennifer | No Comments Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Hiring a house cleaner can take a lot of stress out of your life and save you precious time. Most people don’t check every little thing the cleaner does every time, as it is already expected it will be done. However, there are a few things you should check from time to time to make sure you are always getting what you are paying for. Some things are to keep the overall look of your home sparkling clean, while some can be hazardous to your health and safety if not done regularly. Also, if you have not hired a service yet, make sure they know that these things are necessary, to avoid any miscommunication in the future.

You want to make sure your baseboards are being properly taken care of.

Typically, the first time a service comes to your home, they will hand-wash all of them, and every time after, touch them up and dust as needed to keep them in good condition. It is amazing how something so simple as having clean baseboards can change the look of every room.

Keeping your ceiling and room corners free of cobwebs.

This needs to be checked for and taken care of regularly. They can build up over time and create a negative feel to your home. Make sure your house cleaner is equipped with some sort of extendable duster, for the higher up areas.

Do you see any streaks, lint, or residue on any surfaces?

These are issues typically associated with an inexperienced cleaner, but it can be seen with anyone who is not being very thorough, and is a good indication of the quality of work throughout your home. All surfaces and mirrors should be free of any particulates or streaks, otherwise they will not look very clean, even though you know they have been. But keep in mind that if your home accumulates a lot of dust, some minor resettling may occur.

If you have an electric stove, the drip pans should be wiped out.

While there’s not much that can be done about burned in food, your drip pans should be free of all loose crumbs, which can easily catch fire when you are cooking. At the very least, it creates that unpleasant burning smell that can set off your fire alarms.

Your microwave should be kept in the best condition possible.

Most people don’t think much about this, but it can be a serious hazard to let the microwave build up food splatters over time. The food can catch fire, rendering the microwave useless, or even cause major damage to your kitchen or entire home.

Keeping the light switches and doorknobs clean.

Not only does it look bad to have switches and knobs grimy and filthy, but letting them go makes them major players in spreading sickness and harmful bacteria, since they are constantly being touched. Make sure your service provider’s all purpose cleaner has disinfecting properties, and that they are looking well taken care of.

Every home is different, and you may notice that there are other things you want from your cleanings. Make a list, and make sure those things are being done. And don’t be afraid to speak up if you notice things being overlooked or not done at all. Often, the issue can be handled quickly and peacefully. Click here to view our list of services, and see what you should expect with every cleaning!

At Bit a Bliss we are dedicated to providing extraordinary maid service in Plano, Frisco, Dallas and the surrounding area.  Everyone deserves a Bit a Bliss!  www.bitabliss.com

 

Quiz: How Often Should You Get Your House Cleaned?

by Jennifer | No Comments Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Hiring a maid service is one of life’s most appreciated pleasures. Between work, having a life, and for some: kids, and/or pets, it can be very taxing to keep your home as clean as you would like. But often the biggest question of hiring a cleaning service, is how often should they come? Some prefer every week (or more,) and some only need monthly, and there are options in between. So how do you decide what is best for you? Take this quick and easy quiz to find out!

1. How many pets do you have?
A. None
B. One
C. Two or more

2. How many people live in your house?
A. One
B. Two or three
C. Four or more

3. How much do you enjoy cleaning on your own?
A. Very much!
B. The basics in maintenance are fine
C. None! I want no part of it!

4. How picky are you about the cleanliness of your home?
A. Extremely picky
B. Somewhat picky, but not obsessive
C. I don’t really notice until it gets bad

5. How organized is your home?
A. I don’t keep any clutter, and everything has a specific place
B. Pretty well, I’m not messy but things can be a little out of place here and there
C. Organized? What’s that?

If you answered mostly A’s, your best option is monthly. You enjoy cleaning from time to time, you just don’t want to have to spend a much needed weekend off here and there cleaning, when you could be out enjoying yourself.

If you answered mostly B’s, your best option is bi-weekly. Although a little maintenance cleaning is fine, you are far too busy to worry about the state your home is in all the time.

If you answered mostly C’s, your best option is weekly. You are constantly on the go, and if you had to worry about cleaning on your own, you would never get any rest!

At Bit a Bliss we are dedicated to providing extraordinary maid service in Plano, Frisco, Dallas and the surrounding area.  Everyone deserves a Bit a Bliss!  www.bitabliss.com