Plano

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!

More Love From Our Clients!

by Scarlette | No Comments Thursday, February 2, 2012

Hi Scarlette,
I wanted to add my kudos to you & your team for all your help.

Bit of Bliss is my weekly miracle.  After trying numerous maid services, I was beginning to give up on finding a service that provided the results my husband and I were looking for, but Bit of Bliss came to our rescue in the knick of time.  They’re always dependable, efficient, and thorough and on more than several occasions went above and beyond.  Thank you Scarlette and your wonderful team for helping me keep my home just the way I want it.

Leigh Fullrich
Plano, TX

Top 10 Things A Maid Service Guarantees That Independant Cleaners Can’t

by Jennifer | No Comments Friday, January 27, 2012

Having someone clean your home is a wonderful thing to do for yourself and your family. But the hard part is, who do you hire? Your neighbor’s housekeeper that she found through another friend, or a service with great online reviews? Fact of the matter is, and individual can almost always offer a greatly reduced price, but the important question is how are they able to offer this reduced price?  To help you make an informed decision, here are just a few of many reasons why it is worth it to hire a service.

10) Legitimacy

When you hire a reputable service, you are going with a business that pays into all required, county, state and federal tax agencies. This means that you don’t have to worry about providing 1099 forms for your individual housekeeper and the IRS won’t come knocking on your door to collect for things you didn’t know you were supposed to pay.

9) Quality Assurance

Nobody is perfect. It is important to know that everyone makes mistakes from time to time. But when you use a service, you know that you have full support with your cleaning needs, and any issues will be addressed and fixed to your satisfaction.

8) Consistency

The great thing about using a service, is that they have a staff that is familiar with your home and with your needs, so if your usual cleaner is sick or can’t come in for some reason, there will be someone to help out. This way, you always know that someone will be there to clean your home on the date you request, so that say for instance you have a cleaning scheduled the day of a party at your home, you won’t be left with a whole house to clean on top of everything else you need to do.

7) Communication

However, life does happen sometimes and things do need to change. Maybe your cleaner needs to come in the afternoon instead of morning? Or maybe they are at your home and have a question about where the dog treats are for your furry friend. Someone will promptly contact you with anything that needs to be communicated between you and your cleaner, so you have the peace of mind of knowing that you have all possible information.

6) Extensive And Constantly Updated Training

Each person hired into a service undergo thorough training to ensure they are providing the same quality service as everyone else. And as information in the industry is updated, training is refreshed as needed. This means that your cleaner knows exactly how to handle every surface in your home, and since everyone is trained the same, you know that if someone different comes to your home you will receive the same service.

5) Professionalism

With a service comes the great feeling of being a star! Your business is important, and you will be treated with the respect you deserve. It’s like having a VIP pass, the service is there to meet your needs, and will maintain a level of professionalism that will make you feel great about having them in your home.

4) Access To Information About The Business

Any reputable service will have a website with extensive information about their service and anything you need to know about them. And with that website and location comes access to reviews from other people about the business, which can be very helpful in making your decision. And if you’re not sure about something, simply call and ask! Someone should be available to answer any questions you have.

3) Bonded and Insured

Before you let anyone into your home to clean, you want to make sure they are bonded. This means that if anything gets broken or stolen from your home, that you are covered. We have had many clients switch to our service because their previous cleaner stole a great deal from them and disappeared, leaving them short of whatever was taken. A service does not anticipate theft, however it is taken very seriously and every precaution is taken to ensure that you, the client, are not responsible for anything that happens.

2) Background Checks

This is also an important thing to make sure of before letting anyone in to clean your home. You want to have the peace of mind of knowing that you can trust whomever you let into your home, whether you are there or not. If you talk to anyone about cleaning your home and they do not run background checks, hang up the phone and move on.

1) The Bragging Rights!

If anything, you will have the right to say “my service…” and see how your friends’ eyes light up! In reality, you chose a maid service because of the safety and security for you and your family, along with the peace of mind of knowing that your home is in good quality hands. But they don’t have to know that!

 

 

The Amazing Disappearing Chicken Salad Sandwich!

by Jennifer | No Comments Tuesday, January 24, 2012

I am way too picky about my chicken salad sandwich. I can name only a handful of places that serve it up in a way that I find satisfying. Call me a simpleton, but I prefer mine without all the bells and whistles, in such a way that my flavor palatte is not overwhelmed by trying to decipher every one of the 30 ingredients added to make it “special.” I consider mine unique in it’s own way, with the right amount of texture and flavor that the whole family will enjoy. The recipe below will yield about 8-10 servings.

-2 lbs. chicken, either baked with salt, pepper, and garlic for 45 minutes at 375 degrees and chopped. Or if you are looking for a quick meal, try a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, pulled apart.
-6 eggs, boiled and chopped
-2 stalks of celery, chopped
-2 green onions, chopped
-6 strips (1/4 lb.) bacon, chopped and fried on a pan. For a quicker alternative, crumble pre-cooked bacon.
-1/2 cup real mayonnaise
-2 tbsp. dill relish
-the juice of 1/2 a lemon
-1 tbsp. pepper (fresh ground is best if you have it.)
-1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
-salt to taste

Simply mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, add salt at the end to taste (the chicken and bacon add salt to the recipe, so use sparingly.) Serve it up on toasted wheat bread, and ta da! See how fast it disappears!

Making a Difference On A Budget

by Jennifer | No Comments Thursday, January 19, 2012

Charity is the foundation of humanity, it brings out our compassion and fulfill’s the need to make a difference. I would like to assume that if we were all millionairs, that we would donate a whole mess of money to causes and foundations. But don’t worry, just because you don’t have a larger than life salary doesn’t mean you can’t make a big difference!

Finding Your Cause(s)

The first thing you need to do is discover what you are passionate about. Whether it’s animal rescue, disaster relief, or helping the homeless, whatever you decide is a great choice! A cause out there needs your help, and whether you choose one thing or 10, every little bit helps.

Donating Money

Most charities will tell you that they need money before anything else. It helps pay the costs of running the foundation, and supplies needed to give whomever they are helping. And it doesn’t have to be a lot. If you could pledge to yourself to donate just $10 a month, you are making a change. Although you are not on the front line of making a difference, contributions are the backbone of charities, they cannot function on good will alone. These days it is so easy, you can donate through text that will go on your phone bill, or mail a check. It even feels good to dig out whatever change you can find at the stoplights when the firefighters are out! Check the website of the cause you want to give to to find out the best way to give money.

Volunteering

Juggling work, family, and other obligations can make it difficult to find time to volunteer. The good news is, there are dozens, if not hundreds of volunteer opportunities within mere miles of your home, so knowing you don’t necessarily have to take an hour to drive across town to volunteer will give you the peace of mind of knowing that the time you CAN give, will be used wisely. When you really think about it, 2 hours a week doesn’t seem too intimidating. Just don’t commit to more if you know it will make other important aspects of your life suffer. The last thing you want to do is make volunteering seem like a chore, when you should really be appreciating the difference you are making. And there are plenty of places that could use more help, for example a charity that makes and donates clothes to impoverished newborns might need help cutting fabric, or a local food bank might need help organizing donations. Help is always needed, in any amount of time.

Donating Items

Never underestimate the power of donating your unwanted items, such as clothes, shoes, and furniture. You know those pictures of people wearing soda bottles on string as flip-flops? I don’t think they would mind getting a pair of gently worn shoes. There are drop off donation bins in virtually ever grocery store parking lot. And donating food is as easy as buying a pre-packaged grocery bag at the store, or purchasing canned goods to give to places you frequent, be it work, church, or your child’s school. When it comes to furniture, all you need to do is set up an appointment with The Salvation Army and they will pick it up from your house!

Other Ways To Give Back

There are countless ways to help make the world a little bit better. Marathons and Walks are a great example. Those typically raise money for scientific research for things like cancer and diabetes (just to name a couple.) Check out Guide Live’s list of Dallas charity walks for local opportunities. And of course, feel free to do something completely on your own. Pass out meals or blankets to the homeless (always go in groups of 4 or more,) spend a sunday hosting a neighborhood garage sale and donate to a charity everyone agrees on. The opportunities are endless!