House cleaning tips from Frederick, MD Cleaning Professionals
Now servicing Boonsboro, Brunswick, Knoxville and Keedysville
May the Maid's favorite tips and tricks for house cleaning
0. Hire May :-)
1. Instill a strict no shoes indoors policy.
2. Place a door mat on both sides of all exterior doors.
4. Use vinegar to clean and deodorize. 5. Use trash can liners in all trash cans.
6. Keep extra bags in bottom of trash cans.
7. Reuse shopping bags as liners for small trash cans
8. Put a few drops of essential oils on a cotton ball and toss into the trash can to freshen a small area.
9. Put a few drops of essential oils on a cotton ball and into your vacuum bag to freshen the air as you clean.
9. Use toothbrushes to get into small crevices.
10. Don't use pledge on high quality wood furniture!
11. Use microfibers to dust.
12. Use microfibers and only water to clean glass.
13. No microfiber cloths? Use coffee filters or newspaper to clean glass.
14. Move furniture to clean underneath at least once a month to prevent build-up.
15. Microwave a very WET sponge to kill bacteria and also loosen food stuck inside the microwave.
16. Throw your sponge in the dishwasher when you run it to get rid of the mildew smell.
17. Dust with the lights off and the curtains or blinds open.
18. Get down to eye level after cleaning countertops to make sure everything is clean.
19. Use a flat microfiber mop to clean large areas of floor.
20. Use the brush attachment on your vacuum to keep up with baseboard dusting.
21. Use the crevice attachment on your vacuum cleaner to get under the edge of your cabinets.
22. Use hospital corners when making a bed. Helps make the bed look neater.
23. When your baking soda in the fridge needs to be changed, pour it in your garbage disposal. Let it run for a few seconds without water to clean away build up. Follow with a cup of vinegar.
24. Be careful with your vacuum, it can easily damage furniture and walls.
25. Always read the instructions on cleaning products before use.
26. Never mix cleaning products.
27. Wear an apron so you can carry more with you.
28. Clean from top to bottom, dirt settles.
29. Clean from left to right so it is easy to know where you left off if you get distracted.
30. Wear gloves to protect your skin and your health.
31. Only use water as necessary. Letting the faucets run is a waste.
32. When cleaning a shower stall, place an old towel on the floor to prevent making a bigger mess.
33. Better be safe than sorry! Research before attempting to clean stones, wood and other surfaces.
34. Disinfect light switches.
35. Disinfect Door handles.
36. Disinfect keyboards and desks.
37. Consider going green.
38. If using chemicals in a bathroom, make sure to use the exhaust fan for air circulation.
39. Turn off Ionic air purifiers before cleaning.
40. Vacuum your window sills often. You can add this to your dusting routine.
41. Use a spray bottle of water with a little detergent as your all-purpose cleaner. (saves money and works just as well as the chemicals you pay $3 a bottle for)
42. Use hot water on Stainless Steel. It may take work removing residue from previous cleaners, but you will soon find water is a great streak free way to make stainless shine.
43.Wash out your trash cans regularly.
44. Use detergent and sponge to clean your sink. The detergent helps the sink dry without water spots.
45. Polish all fixtures.
46. Polish all faucets.
47. Use a duster on an extension pole to take care of cobwebs frequently.
48.Wash your hands regularly while cleaning.
49. Wash your hands regularly while going about your day to day life to avoid fingerprints on doors and such.
50. Keep scissors in your cleaning tool kit.
51. A step stool is a must have.
52. Use a hot iron and a paper sack (or old towel) to remove spilled wax. The paper or towel will absorb the melting wax.
53. Use grapefruit seed extract or tea tree oil to make natural disinfectants.
54. User hydrogen peroxide to clean blood stains on carpet.
55. Use hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to clean grout on tile floors.
56. Clean up spills immediately. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to remove.
57. Donate kids toys and clothes before a holiday or birthday occurs.
58. De-clutter 10 minutes a day to keep up on clutter.
59. Burn soy candles instead of parrafin. They burn cleaner and don't leave a film on your windows or mirrors. .
60. Don't forget the tops of your picture frames!
61. Use a cleaning caddy to keep all of your tools and supplies in one place. Tote it with you as you clean. There is no need to have multiple bottles of the same product throughout your home.
62. Air out your mattress regularly. Vacuum as well to keep dust mites under control.
63. Buy new pillows annually.
64. Clean your air intakes regularly. Often these go unattended and the build up adds up fast.
65. Change your air filters regularly. This saves on electric costs and helps control dust as well.
66. Use cleaning methods that capture dirt and don't just spread it! Use HEPA filters in vacuums and damp dusting stop dirt in its tracks!
67. Clean door mats often! The more dirt stopped at the mat means less in your home.
68. Keep your porches, sidewalks and such clean! This helps prevent tracking dirt in.
69. Wash dishes as they are used.
70. As my grandmother always taught me, everything has its place! If you have a homeless item perhaps it should be donated!
71. Use a dry erase marker on top of permanent marker marks. They then wipe off easily. (hard surfaces only, not fabrics)
72. De-calcify your coffee pot regularly with vinegar.
73. Soak your shower head in CLR or LimeAway regularly.
74. If you have bad hard water problems, pour a bottle of CLR or LimeAway into your toilet tank to help control rings in the toilet. (Or use an eco-friendly version)
75. When cleaning windows, use horizontal stokes on the inside and vertical on the outside. This makes it easy to fix any streaking problems.
76. Get a squeegee for cleaning outside windows.
77. Don't forget to clean the window tracts when cleaning the windows.
78. When cleaning bathrooms, spray everything down and then wipe. This gives the products a few minutes to do their work before your start yours.
79. Dry your shower after EVERY use. Especially if you have hard water.
80. Use Borax mixed with Lemon juice to remove tough bathroom stains like black bottoms of shower pans. .
81. Wash your shower curtains regularly. Throw them in the washer with your cleaning cloths to get them clean!.
82. Use WD-40 to get crayon off walls.
83. User Baking soda to get crayon off walls.
84.Use WD-40 to remove labels or sticky residues on hard surfaces.
85.Keep a few cleaning cloths in your kitchen and stashed in various places around your home for quick clean up of kid messes.
86. Use RainX on the inside of glass shower surrounds to make cleaning a breeze. This helps prevent soap scum and hard water build up.
87. Use car wax on faucets to keep them shining and make polishing a breeze!.
88. Leave stripping floors to a professional. Things can get ugly quickly!
89. Use a pumice stone to remove tough toilet rings.
90. Pour a bucket of water down the toilet to lower the water level and make cleaning easier.
91. Use a pumice stone to clean oven racks.
92. Make a baking soda and vinegar mix to clean the oven. Mix in a large bowl as it will bubble. Paint on all surfaces inside oven. Let stand overnight (or as long as possible) before cleaning. Vinegar helps remove any baking soda residue.
93.Use separate bins for dirty laundry. If you sort it as it is used, it makes laundry day a breeze.
94. Use baking soda in your laundry.
95. Use borax to whiten your whites.
96. Clean your garage floors regularly! A dirty garage makes an easy path for dirt into your home.
97. Use 1/3 cup liquid fabric softener in a spray bottle of water as an anti-static spray for your carpets.
98. Use the same formula above on a cloth to clean your TV screen.
99. Clean your lamp shades regularly! Easiest way is to vacuum with the soft bristle brush.
100. Don't be afraid to recycle, donate or toss unused items. Chances are you won't need it again like that little pack-rat voice in the back of your head tries to tell you.
101. Make a list and rotate amongst your chores to prevent them from building up.