7 Tips To Deep Clean Your New Home

So you’ve managed the packing, the moving to-do list, and you’ve finally arrived at the new place. What now? The best thing to do to make your house feel more like a home is to do a proper cleanup. Even if the previous owners left the place in good condition, chances are, things were missed. These tips and tricks will help you get the new place in the best possible shape, and turn it into your new home!

1. Get Some Fresh Air

First things first. Get some fresh air. And I mean, really fresh! Airing out your home by opening doors and windows can help eliminate that musty, shut-up feeling that has been building up over the winter. This is important if your home hasn’t been lived in while it was on the market. It’s also good if you’re renting, to get rid of the paint smell, and make it feel homier. You should also get an air purifier for smoke. Getting yourself a high-quality HEPA air purifier can help you keep your home fresh. eliminating up to 99% of dust, allergen and pet dander from the air. You may not smoke, or own pets, but if the previous owners did, there’s a good chance some of that is still in the walls. A good air purifier will eliminate most of the danger associated with second-hand smoke.

2. Clean Out Your Closets

Spring is a great time to declutter. Getting rid of clothes you don’t wear, items you don’t use, and appliances you’re pretty sure you were going to get fixed someday, is surprisingly satisfying. Organize a yard sale or check out your local commission sales to get rid of gently used items, and make yourself some extra cash for a summer wardrobe, or a much-needed vacation. Take part in your community by donating items to worthy causes. Decluttering will free up space in your home, making it feel more open and easier to keep tidy, and moving is the perfect excuse to leave behind anything you don’t need anymore.

3. Scrub The Walls

It may seem like overkill, but you’d be surprised how fast your bright walls can look dingy. Wipe down those scuff marks and fingerprints with a gentle clean. Use non-abrasive cleaners and sponges to avoid damaging your paint job. For trouble spots, like those around doorknobs, and baseboards where dust and grime can collect more easily, mix a solution of one part vinegar to one part water, and scrub gently with a non-abrasive sponge. Pat dry. This is great if your home’s previous owner was a smoker, or if you find you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, to get grease and grime off the walls.

4. Clean the Carpets and Rugs

Estimates predict up to a pound of dirt, grime, soil, and hair can collect in every square foot of carpet! vacuuming helps, especially when you’re using a HEPA vacuum, which eliminates the dust that springs up as you vacuum. But a better way to clean carpets and rugs is to invest in steam cleaning two or three times a year. Steam cleaning can help to get stubborn, stuck in grime out of the fibers of your rugs and carpets, as prevent them from getting into the air you breath. Steam cleaning can also help with the grime in your upholstery, especially if you have pets in the home.

5. Work Top To Bottom

As you’re cleaning, employ the professional method: Start at the top, and work your way down. That means everything from dusting the furniture from the highest point, to scrubbing baseboards, walls, and cupboards from the top downward. This ensures that any dust floats downward to be swept up. It makes your job a lot easier and means you won’t miss any spots as you move through your to-do list.

6. Declutter Kitchen and Bathroom Too

No deep clean is complete without a proper scrubbing of the kitchen and bathroom. Kitchens and bathrooms are where there tends to be a lot of bacteria, and staining. Don’t be afraid to get down and dirty! Scrub between tiles to keep your bathroom floors from getting dingy. Don’t forget the kitchen backsplash. As you are decluttering, it’s a great time to test your kitchen appliances for functionality. That will help protect against kitchen accidents. Cleaning out and scrubbing down the fridge (to remove fridge odors) and stove is a great way to get rid of the jars and bottles that you forgot were back there, and keep track of everything you have. Cleaning out bathroom cupboards can help you declutter and get rid of expired makeup, vitamins, and other odds and ends that make their way to your medicine cabinet.

7. Use Green Cleaners

Finally, as you move through your home, use green natural cleaners whenever possible. Homemade cleaners like vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda can be just as effective for getting rid of everyday grime and dirt, even in your kitchen and bathroom. And especially in the kitchen, it means you avoid chemicals that can harm you and your family. When homemade isn’t doing the job, look for the green products in your green cleaning aisle to limit exposure to harsh chemicals found in many household cleaners.

5 Home Cleaning Ways To Be More Energy Efficient

Keeping your home clean is necessary to make it more comfortable to live. A neat and clean house is essential for the health and wellness of your family. As a homeowner, cleaning your home every day such as sweeping the floor, washing the dishes, and keeping things organized is ideal for achieving a more pleasant and relaxing environment.

Cleaning is more energy efficient when you go back on doing simple things like washing your dishes without a dishwasher, washing your clothes without using a washing machine, removing the dust on the floor without your vacuum cleaner, and more. Following the basics of cleaning can help reduce your water and energy bills.

The energy efficient way of cleaning can also be more fun and exciting because it can be your bonding activity with your family. As such, take time to check out these home cleaning ways below.

Use Rake And Mulch For Cleaning The Leaves

Cleaning the leaves is a regular task when you have trees on your backyard. Doing the job can be ideal and more energy efficient when you use rake and mulch instead of using a leaf blower.

A blower removes the leaves and grass by propelling the air out of its nozzle. The tool uses electric or gasoline motors to run, so it would produce air pollution that is harmful to the environment. And when the blower gets broken, you would also require money to fix or replace the tool.

So instead of using a leaf blower, it can be ideal to use a rake to remove the leaves and grass to your backyard. You can also use the dried leaves as a mulch if you have garden beds on the place. Applying the mulch will help conserve the moisture of the soil, improve its fertility, and reduce the weed growth in the area.

Replace The Filters On Your Air Conditioner

One of the best ways to keep your HVAC system from running smoother is to replace its filters regularly. Replacing them will help your AC system from cooling down the high temperature on your house more effectively. So your air conditioner can provide a high cooling efficiency, especially during summer.

Your air filters may get dirt and dust as time passes by. This dirt and dust can affect your AC system by slowing down its airflow making it inefficient for cooling down the temperature in your place. So it’s necessary to replace them and give your system a regular cleaning to ensure that it operates at its maximum efficiency.

Aside from cleaning your AC system and changing its filters, make sure that you also have a reliable energy supplier. 

Hand Washing Your Dishes is More Energy Efficient

When you only have a few used plates and other kitchen utensils on your sink, then it can be ideal to do hand wash rather than running your dishwasher. Your dishwasher might only waste water and electricity for cleaning them. Instead, you can hand wash the dishes using a scrub and a dishwashing paste to clean them more effectively.

Apart from the energy efficiency you get from hand washing, doing it can also provide significant benefits such as relieving your stress. According to research, washing your dishes with your hands helps improve your mindfulness, thus improves your mood, reduces your stress level, and boosts your immune system.

Wash Your Linens and Clothes With Cold Water

Washing your linens and clothes with cold water works better than warm water. Most of the washing detergents have enzymes that work faster on a low temperature. Washing in cold water also does best for delicate fabrics like lace and silk and other colorful fabrics.

Not all types of stains will respond when you use warm water. An example of this is the blood stains that tends to set in the fabric when using hot water. It also tends to fade, shrink, and wrinkle significant clothing fabrics. So, when you’re not heating the water on your washing machine, you will reduce water and energy costs and save money as well.

Dry Your Laundry Under The Sun

Drying your laundry under is quite cost-effective, so is laundry service. It doesn’t cost you money since you don’t need to pay any electricity bill. Your clothes won’t also shrink when you dry them outside because they don’t stretch just like on the laundry dryer. So you can hang your clothes longer under the sun without damaging them.

Moreover, the sunlight is a natural sanitizer, so drying your clothes outside can make them fresher and cleaner. It can also disinfect your clothes with the help of the UV rays that kill the microorganism and bacteria and stops their production. So it can be more energy efficient to dry your clothes under the sun since it helps save water and energy bills.

Takeaway

Cleaning your home every day is vital for the health and wellness of your family while making your place more comfortable to live. Indeed, doing the simple ways of cleaning a home such as those mentioned above is ideal to be more energy efficient and help you save money and protect the environment as well.

7 Laminate Kitchen Cabinets That Are Totally Hassle-Free

Wood or cover. Is this a trap question?

In case you’re in the market for a kitchen rebuild, you most likely think you definitely realize the appropriate response about what material you ought to use for your new cabinetry. All things considered, isn’t wood the best alternative the whole distance around – increasingly stable, all the more tastefully satisfying, ready to be tweaked from numerous points of view, and ready to help up the estimation of your home?

Technological advancements have permitted overlay cupboards to progress into an item that rivals genuine wood, yet from various perspectives outperforms it as far as support, solidness, life span, and cost. Advances in the configuration have brought about the capacity to make outside facade that looks precisely like wood. Then the advancement of solid materials has brought about support free cabinet outsides that can be adequately cleaned off, without a particle of harm done or further upkeep required.

The fundamental drawback to wood is it can require a touch of consideration. Wood can twist, stain and split if it is not appropriately kept up. It needs regular washing with warm water and gentle cleanser and may likewise mean oiling or revamping every so often. But,  if you want to cherish the appearance of wood yet need all the more a “splash it-with anything-wipe-and-go” sort of kitchen, laminated kitchen cabinets pre-assembled is the best answer.

Nonetheless, as you consider it, know that not all cover is made an equivalent. You will at present discover variants like the molecule boards. The best quality laminate kitchen cabinets pre-assembled are produced using what’s known as “MDF”— Medium-Density Fiberboard. In case you settle on the decision to run with cover cupboards for your kitchen, you’ll need to watch out for those three letters. The distinction in esteem is night and day between molecule board and MDF.

Laminate Kitchen Cabinets Pre-Assembled

Laminate kitchen cabinets pre-assembled have betrayed numerous individuals into trusting they were taking a gander at genuine wood. Trust us, and your visitors will be unaware! Below are seven kitchens with laminate cupboards that were not genuine wood.

1. White Cabinet Exteriors

Laminate kitchen cabinets are the perfect external pair for white cupboards. White is the most well-known shading. However, it additionally takes the prize for destined to demonstrate fingerprints. In this way, a maintenance-free surface will be your closest companion. With wood cupboards that are painted white, you are restricted by the way you can clean them, and the wood is as yet powerless to twisting and so forth.

2. Laminate Cherry Cupboards

There are cherry-conditioned cupboards that are laminated, however, you may be tricked first and thought they are wood. The mind-boggling subtleties of the raised-board entryway help to pull off the ploy. In any case, the warm shading and practical grain are only a fantastic finish.

3. Profound, Dull Wood-tones Overlay

An interesting cookroom kitchen includes a warm Tropical Mahogany complete that would trap even the most loving fashioner. For instance, if every single wood grain inside the external facade copies genuine mahogany wood, making profundity and staggeringly persuading visual intrigue. The outcome is a show-stopping kitchen that the property holder paid a small amount of what they would have paid for natural wood cabinetry.

4. Cover Cupboards and Gray Shades

For similar reasons we clarified for white cupboards, a laminate is ideal for dark cabinets. Dim is a level shading, so soil and fingerprints that amass in any kitchen will be more unmistakable than they would be on a fluctuated wood-grain surface. It is another circumstance, similar to white, where the wood partner will be painted dim. Indeed, even expertly painted cupboards will require more upkeep, and they won’t be as tough or durable, as astounding as laminate kitchen cabinets pre-assembled. If you don’t want to clean the cupboards, you can always hire a maid service.

5. Recovered Wood Cover Cupboards

It is genuinely energizing, supposing that you like that reclaimed wood look, at that point you might be acquainted with the expense related. It’s super-expensive. In any case, prepare to be blown away. Laminates that resemble recovered wood will in general cost equivalent to overlays that resemble customary wood. In this way, you can get the rustic look you’ve been longing for without hurting your financial plan.

6. Overlays Impeccably Mirror Light To Medium Wood Shades

There are current kitchen’s cover cupboards that include Hazelnut finish.  It has an extremely decent iridescence that verbalizes the natural sheen that genuine wood can display with specific completions. There is genuinely nothing a wood overlay that can’t effectively imitate.

7. Coated Laminate Cupboards

Even if a cupboard is adequately secured in white covers, you can still show off the craftsmanship of the doorframes by giving it a rich dark coating. Coated laminate cupboards is a beautiful method to include visual intrigue, and make your cover cupboards look significantly increasingly like genuine wood.

6 Ways Fresh Flowers Can Improve The Life Of A College Student

College and university students tend to live their lives on something of an emotional rollercoaster. Pursuing higher education is a challenging endeavor on a number of fronts. These include the academic aspect of working towards a degree as well as the intensity naturally associated with the personal life of a young adult.

There is a reason why a majority of college students cut loose on weekends and when they have some spare time. The seek a respite from what can be a barrage of intense emotions that routinely face. What many, many college students overlook are the benefits that can be derived by being around natural items, including fresh flowers. In fact, fresh-cut flowers are more than items placed in finer bistros, at weddings, and at funerals. There are six ways in which fresh flowers can improve the life of a college student.

It’s Not Just Conjecture: Scientific Research Supports Benefits of Fresh Flowers

Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital undertook a research study on the ways in which fresh flowers can benefit an individual, including a college student. Indeed, the research study focused on a preponderance of college students. The study was entitled The Home Ecology of Flowers Study at Harvard.

The study identified four ways in which fresh flowers can improve the life of a college student:

  • Fresh flowers enhance compassion
  • Fresh flowers reduce anxiety
  • Fresh flowers relieve depression
  • Fresh flowers boost energy and enthusiasm

Fresh Flowers Enhance Compassion

The Harvard and Mass General researchers concluded that people who live with fresh flowers in their residences should increase their level of kindness to and compassion for other people. The enhancement of kindness and compassion remained consistent as long as the research participants maintained fresh-cut flowers in their living environments.

Fresh Flowers Reduce Anxiety

Anxiety is a significant issue for many college students. The nature of higher education tends to cause students to experience what can prove be a significant amount of anxiety. The research study revealed that people who incorporate fresh-cut flowers into their living environments are better able to control their anxiety levels.

Fresh Flowers Relieve Depression

A considerable percentage of college students report experiencing depression at some juncture during the course of their academic careers. Indeed, some students are plagued with depression for extended periods of time. Of course, if the need exists, nothing takes the place of professional assistance for chronic or serious depression. With that caveat, the Harvard-Mass General Research study revealed that the inclusion of fresh flowers in a person’s living environment oftentimes did prove beneficial in easing the symptoms of depression. Don’t have fresh flowers? You can try making some homemade potpourri

Fresh Flowers Boost Energy and Enthusiasm

There is no doubt that a typical college student not only burns the candle at both ends but sometimes takes a blowtorch to it. With regularity, a college student can lack energy as well as enthusiasm.

Nothing takes the place of obtaining a healthy amount of sleep. Beyond that, incorporating fresh flowers into a college student’s living environment was shown to boost energy and enthusiasm in the research study. The energy and enthusiasm boost resulted in students enjoying greater success academically and socially.

And Some More Benefits

The Harvard-Mass General research study is not the only resource delineating benefits associated with incorporating fresh flowers into a student’s life. Other research endeavors add two other benefits of fresh flowers to the list.

Fresh Flowers Aid in Concentration and Memory

Keen concentration and sharp memory are important to academic success. Evidence compiled about people who include fresh flowers in their living environments indicates that they have better concentration and memory as a cohort than do individuals who do not take advantage of fresh-cut blooms in this manner.

Recover From Illness Faster

Despite all of the positive aspects of being in a college or university environment, a negative aspect is found in the fact that being in close quarters increases the odds for illness. Colds and flu spread far and wide on college and university campuses. While an initial objective is to avoid getting sick in the first instance, when an illness arises, the goal is to get over it as soon as possible.

Yet another benefit of fresh-cut flowers in the living environment of a college student is that they appear to contribute in a positive manner to the healing and recovery process. People who are ill and have fresh flowers at hand tend to recover faster than those who do not have such an accouterment.

One More Thought

When it comes to incorporating fresh flowers into your daily life and living environment, make sure the placement of the blooms is in a room or rooms in which you spend the greatest amount of time. In most cases, this proves to be the kitchen or living room. The bedroom can be a suitable place for fresh flowers; however, a person ideally is sleeping when in the bedroom. Thus, a person is not awake and enjoying the blossoms. Also, make sure the fresh flowers are placed in clean rooms for a better feel. You can use a house cleaning service to get you set up.

A Final Thought

Yes, these benefits discussed here might be even more significant if a person receives fresh flowers from someone else. Nonetheless, these important benefits can be experienced by a college or university student who obtained fresh-cut flowers for his or her self.

How to Clean a Mattress Easily?

Nothing is better than returning to bed which smells fresh and feels great. All your day stress can be relieved instantly by resting on a clean mattress for a good time. However, in today’s world people are so busy with their social and parental responsibilities that it becomes difficult to get some time for cleaning and maintaining their house items like mattresses. Your health easily gets affected by the dirt and infection that invades your territory due to insufficient cleaning. You spend more than one-third part of your life sleeping on the mattress hence its cleanliness is very important to maintain your health.

Most people think that mattress cleaning is very tough and only professional can do it right. But, the fact is you can clean your mattress effectively without spending a huge sum of money. Mostly the cleaners used in mattress cleaning are harmful chemicals or are way too expensive. Therefore, let’s skip the drama and hop on the real measure to take for cleaning your mattress easily.

1. Start With Undressing Your Bed

Your mattress stays covered most of the time which is why there are more chances of molds and entrapped dirt within it. Make your mattress naked and if possible do the mattress cleaning in an open-air area so that it gets dry completely after the process. Throw the linens and mattress covers in a laundry. Washing them in hot water will ensure that there is no dirt and bacteria left after drying.

2. Vacuum cleaning

Cleaning your mattress begins with a quick vacuum session. This will ensure to suck out any dead skin, hidden dust, mites, and other debris from the mattress. People who prefer eating on the bed should do the vacuuming every 15 days so that there is no food particles or crumbs hidden in the side or corners of the mattress. Also, if you are a pet lover, there are changes of having their hairs and dry skin particles on your mattress hence vacuuming will remove all such dry dust from your mattress easily. However, make sure your vacuum cleaner nozzle is clean and infectant proof before touch you mattress through it.

3. Magical Cleaning

A mattress full of bloodstains, body stains and spots is the worst thing you ever want to imagine. If your mattress has developed some stains in the past few months, its time to wave it goodbye. There are some magical ingredients in your kitchen which can help you get rid of mattress marks. Prepare yourself to tackle the most important part of mattress cleaning and here you go:

  • The stain removing Serum – Mix together hydrogen peroxide, liquid dish soap, and baking soda in a spray bottle to treat the stains on your mattress. Remember to keep the proportion 2:1:1 respectively. Sprinkle the serum on the stains and using a clean towel daub it properly on the spot.
  • The odor killing Powder – You can use regular cleaner and vinegar solution to treat the spot and make it bad odor-free. Also, natural enzymes cleaners like Rocco & Roxie Professional Strength Stain remover can be directly sprayed to the stains to reduce its intensity and easy cleaning. Do not spill too much making the mattress too wet as it might take a longer time to dry completely.
  • Traditional Trick – A mix of lemon juice and salt is a potential natural remedy for stain treatment on the mattress since ages. You can apply it directly on the stain and clean it up by rubbing it with a clean towel after a couple of hours.

4. Deodorize

Look in your kitchen and grab a pack of baking soda for freshening up your mattress. You can add a few drops of essential oil in the baking soda for some nice fragrance. Spread it evenly through the mattress and leave it for a couple of hours. Baking soda will absorb the excess moisture from the mattress making it smells fresh and clean. Now, again its time to suck it out using a vacuum cleaner. Give a good amount of time to this vacuum session as any traces or baking soda residue can irritate you later.

5. Dry It

All the efforts are done here. It is time for sunbathing for your mattress. Expose to direct sunlight and UV will help your mattress to live longer and get free from bacteria or enzymes. Even randomly in between the month you can do this for ensuring the cleanliness of your mattress. You will love the mattress fresh after it gets complete dried, stain-free and bacteria-free.

6. Protection Layer

Finally, you need to cover up your freshly cleaned mattress before it gets contaminated by any kind of infection. Protection cover or mattress protector is a great way to increase the life of your mattress. This layer will protect your mattress from dirt, dead skin and accidental spilling of liquids. You can wash your mattress cover time to time for better protection. It’s more of safeguarding your mattress from any future happenings.

Voila!!!

Your mattress is fresh as new. If you still feel like you need a new mattress you can throw out your mattress and get a new one. You can’t agree more, sleeping on a clean mattress refreshes your mind and body. Make sure you give the drying part enough time as it is very crucial for the effective results. Try out the tricks and find out its cool effects and results on your mattress.

clean like a professional cleaner

How to Keep Your Apartment Clean with 15-Minutes Per Week

Cleaning sucks, we get it. Nobody wants to have to get their hands dirty and spend hours each week getting rid of the dirt that seems to magically appear. But it doesn’t have to take hours, especially if you’re only trying to get a superficial level of cleaning in-between visits from our professional cleaners.

Efficiency is the key. The truth is that homeowners are terrible cleaners, they don’t have anywhere near the numbers of hours of experience that a professional house cleaner or an apartment cleaning in NYC that does and as a result, they’ve never had to learn the tricks of the trade.

The 3 Rules of Cleaning Efficiently

There are three key rules when it comes to keeping your apartment clean with only 15-minutes each week and to work this efficiently, you have to follow each religiously. Not only do they prevent you from wasting time, but they ensure that you can get better results in only 15-minutes per week.

Clean from Top to Bottom

The first rule is the most important because it’s the biggest mistake that amateurs make. Dust and dirt obey the rules of gravity, so, cleaning your TV stand and then the TV is going to mean that dust from the top of the screen will fall down and make the previously clean stand dirty again.

Instead, you MUST clean from top to bottom. Simply swapping to a top to bottom approach can half the amount of time that it currently takes you to clean your apartment, particularly if you have a lot of shelving and appliances.

Never Repeat Your Steps

If you’re having to constantly go from room to room to grab cleaning products or are tidying up clutter in each room first, you’re wasting a huge amount of time. Your goal should be to never step on the same piece of flooring more than once or twice, to ensure that you’re working as efficiently as possible.

When combined with the rule above, the result is that you should work from top left to bottom right in a room. Working around the room in this way prevents you from repeating work or steps, which add up quickly when you’re trying to work as fast as possible.

The only exception to this rule is when it comes to vacuuming, which we would recommend doing last and all at once. Again, this is far more efficient because you don’t have to keep unplugging the cord and starting over.

Only Clean What is Dirty

The final rule is to only clean what is dirty. That might sound obvious, but the vast majority of people will clean an entire bookshelf, even if only one shelf has dust on it. Why waste your time? When you’re trying to clean your apartment in 15-minutes each week, you need to prioritize your time.

If the TV isn’t dirty, move on. You can always clean it in the 15-minutes that you have next week or the week after, when it’s actually dirty, and isn’t a waste of valuable minutes.

Following this rule is particularly important in the bathroom and kitchen, two areas where people tend to scrub things out of principle. The same rules apply here, unless you’re talking about disinfecting a surface that could contain bacteria, and perhaps more so.

Tiling can take a long time to scrub and if it’s not dirty or only very slightly, you’re probably best to move on and leave it for when it’s actually dirty so that you’re not wasting time. Of course, if you were doing a deep clean or professional clean, like our cleaners do, you would scrub every inch until it sparkled, but for superficial upkeep you must be selective.