Category: Cleaning Tip

Moving is proven to be one of the most stressful things you can experience in your lifetime. Even when it is part of a positive step in your life, such as buying your first home, moving in with a partner, or moving into your first apartment, it still comes with a long list of tasks that can become overwhelming. However, fear not! Here, we offer 10 must-know tips to help save time and effort when you move.

1. Create a to-do list

Even if you aren’t much of a list-maker, moving has so many steps that you don’t want to miss anything. The most important steps to add to your list include:

• Checking out the price for movers vs. renting a truck or van to DIY it
• Scheduling the truck rental or moving company for moving day
• Getting boxes for packing
• Packing schedule
• Trash removal if required
• Arranging for new furniture or appliance deliveries
• Recruiting helpers
• Change of address
• Change of utilities, including ending them at your current home and setting them up at your new one
• Reserving the moving elevator at your new and old building
• Finding a new pharmacy closer to your new home
• Cleaning out your fridge and freezer
• Arranging for a move-in cleaning service

This will help you keep on top of everything, and provide great satisfaction as you cross each item off the list. If something new comes up, be sure to add it to the list.

2. Hire a moving company

If you have the budget, it is much easier to hire a moving company instead of trying to do it yourself. Ask for referrals, and check online reviews to find the right team for the job. Make sure they are bonded and insured, as they will be handling your most cherished belongings. Start this process as soon as you know you are moving so you can schedule them in, as movers book up fast. If you can’t afford movers, schedule your truck or van rental as soon as possible.

3. Speak to your building management

If you live in a condo or apartment, and/or are moving to an apartment or condo, speak to your building management about the move. Most buildings have rules in place regarding moving times, elevator use, where you can load and unload, etc. Knowing all of the rules in advance will help you avoid a lot of unnecessary stress.

4. Pack a bit each day and toss what you don’t need

Take a little time each day to get some packing done. A good rule of thumb is to start with things you don’t need right now like your off-season clothing. As you pack, look for opportunities to get rid of stuff you don’t wear or no longer use. These items can be packed separately either to be tossed, given to charity, or to be sold.

Selling items can help build up some funds for your moving expenses. If you have stuff to donate, do so as soon as you can to reduce the number of boxes and bags in your home. You’ll be glad to be rid of the old things you no longer need, reduce the number of boxes you need to move, and have an easier job unpacking at your new place.

5. Make a list of things needed at the new place

If you are moving into a rental unit, there are things you will most likely need the day you move in. This includes items such as curtains for privacy, which won’t come with the new home in most cases. As well, if this is your first apartment, you’ll need a long list of household items, especially for the kitchen.

While it does add to the things you need to pack, you’ll be much better off if you make these purchases in advance. The last thing you want is to find your new neighbours across the way staring at you, or that you don’t have a cup for your morning coffee.

6. Set aside moving money

You will come across some unexpected moving expenses that could interfere with your monthly budget. To avoid budget challenges, be sure to reduce your spending for the months before you move. Set aside money you would normally spend on things like take-out so you can cover costs of the moving van, set up costs for things like cable or internet, and also pay for pizza for the group that helps you move.

7. Pack a moving-day overnight bag

As you wind down your packing, consider the things you should have handy for the first night in your new home. This would include your pyjamas, clean clothes for the next day, sheets and towels, and your personal hygiene items. You also might consider packing a box of tools and cleaning products you can access easily so you can put together furniture, hang pictures, or clean kitchen counters and cupboards before you unpack.

8. Keep organized

This is easier said than done, but your to-do list will help. By packing slowly each day, you can keep organized and be ready for moving day. As well, if you plan things out well and stick to your plan, you can stay organized so you aren’t feeling rushed and stressed.

9. Label everything clearly

Every box should be clearly labelled so it is easy for movers, yourself, and any helpers you recruit to know where everything goes. This includes furniture if you have to move several rooms. Put a sticky note on each room door so everyone knows where to go. For example, if you have several bedrooms, they should be labelled as bedroom 1, 2, or office, and the boxes and furniture for those rooms should be marked exactly the same.

10. Create a floor plan

A floor plan will help make setting up at your new home easier. You can direct the movers where to put everything, so you don’t have to contend with shifting things around. If you have access to your new home before moving day, take the time to go there, measure everything, and fine tune your floor plan to make sure the furniture fits.

While moving is always stressful, these 10 tips will make things easier. And don’t forget to schedule a move-in cleaning service so your new home is sparkling clean. Speak to our team at Maid4Condos today by calling us at 647-822-0601.

It’s no secret the bathroom is a stinky, germy room. There are just too many things going on in your bathroom every day that leave behind germs and odours. It’s probably the reason it is also the room in the home that most of us dread cleaning.

However, because it is the stinkiest and germiest, it is important to keep your bathroom clean. Here, we offer our professional deep cleaning services tips on how to conduct a thorough bathroom cleaning, starting with handy tips to make the job less icky.

Use a Proactive Approach

This is our most important tip for bathroom cleaning. If you use a proactive approach to keeping your bathroom clean, it makes your cleaning day much easier. Here’s what we suggest you do to reduce the bathroom cleaning “ick” factor:

• Bathroom wipes: Keep bathroom wipes in the bathroom and clean the sink, faucet, and counter after each use. It takes a few seconds and keeps the sink germ-free and clean.
• Toilet flush cleaners: Use a toilet flush cleaner in your toilets to help reduce odours and also keep the bowl sparkling clean.
• Clean after “messy” toilet use: If you have a particularly “messy” moment using the toilet, keep your toilet brush and cleaner handy so you can do a quick cleaning of the toilet rim and under the seat. It’s also the polite thing to do if you don’t live alone!
• Use a shower squeegee: This is a tip everyone needs to adopt because it makes a big difference. Hang a shower squeegee in your shower and use it on the tiles or glass walls after each shower. It takes a few swipes and removes soap scum and water that leaves marks and contributes to mildew.
• Use a scrubless spray: After you use the squeegee, spritz the tub with a scrubless bathroom cleaning spray to help reduce bathtub rim dirt buildup and prevent grout discolouration.

This might sound like a lot of work, but it literally takes less than a minute to complete these tasks. Even if you don’t do it every day, you’ll notice a big decrease in the ick factor when using and thoroughly cleaning your bathroom.

Make Room for Cleaning

Bathrooms are notorious for storing tons of products in the shower, bathtub area, counters, and even on top of the toilet tank. This makes it close to impossible to thoroughly clean surfaces. You also have dirty towels, a shower curtain, and, in some cases, a rug that all get in the way. Before you begin cleaning, remove all of these items, tossing the shower curtain, rug, and towels in the laundry if they are washer safe. Also, remove the trash can so you can get at every corner of the floor.

Dust Surfaces

We don’t often think of dusting in bathrooms, but it is an important first step. If you don’t remove the dust first, you’ll just be moving it around and make it hard to clean with your wet cleaning products.

Sweep the Floor

Dusting first helps, as a lot of the debris will land on the floor that you can then sweep up. This makes it easier to clean the floor thoroughly with a wet mop.

Spritz the Shower and Tub With a Bathroom Cleaner

Use a good bathroom-cleaning product, and spray your entire tub and shower area. Let the cleaner do its job while you move on to the next step.

Wipe Surfaces Clean

Use a microfiber cloth to wipe down all the surfaces in your bathroom using a multi-purpose cleaner, preferably with germ-fighting power. This includes the top of the toilet, any shelves you might have, baseboards, etc.

Wipe Down the Shower and Tub

Your cleaner will have loosened up the gunk in the tub and shower, thus making it easier to wipe away the remaining mess. If you find some stubborn dirt, then use a brush to scrub it away. Then, do a thorough rinse of the walls and tub.

Put Your Product Away

Now that the tub and shower area is clean, you can put away all your products and rehang your fresh, clean shower curtain.

Tackle the Glass and Mirrors

If you have a glass shower door, use a glass cleaner to wipe it. If you have been using a squeegee, as we recommended, this will be an easier job. Then, do your mirror.

Clean the Sink and/or Counter

Use a bathroom all-purpose cleaner to clean your sink, faucets, and countertops. If you have a soap dish or pump at the sink, wipe it down thoroughly to remove soapy buildup. You can also wipe down your vanity cabinets to remove any spray or mess that might have dripped down as you clean. Replace all the products you removed.

Tackle the Toilet

This should be an easier job if you use the flush cleaner and take care of the dirty work at the time it occurs! Your thorough toilet clean requires a toilet cleaner and brush to remove stains and buildup. Flush once and look for anything you missed and repeat if necessary. Be sure to lift the toilet seat and use the brush to get the mess. The worst part of this step is you should then wipe down the seat, sides, and toilet rim to make sure you remove the drips.

Use a germ-fighting cleaner with a disposable cloth, and don’t flush the cloth. Instead, toss it in the garbage or you’ll clog your toilet. Don’t forget the base of the toilet, as this tends to get pretty stinky, especially if there are men in the household.

Clean the Floor

It’s always best to leave the floors until last, as you can clean away all the drips from cleaning the rest of the bathroom. Use a mop or disposable cleaning product like a Swiffer. Mops do a more thorough job, as they allow you to get into every corner and in and around the toilet. Work your way back towards the door. Let the floor dry, and then you can put your garbage and rug back.

If this sounds like way too much work, at Maid4Condos, we offer deep cleaning services that are ideal for a thorough bathroom cleaning. Give us a call today at 647-822-0601.

Hopefully, you are cleaning your home every week or two to keep on top of your everyday messes. While there are some things that need more attention than others, if you let things go much beyond twice-a-month cleanings, you’ll start to see some major dirt and grime that can make your home unpleasant and unhealthy.

Even if you are cleaning regularly, however, you should also be doing a deep clean of your home to remove all the allergens, germs, and bacteria lurking in the corners. In this article, we look at how often your home needs a good, deep cleaning and what that entails.

How Often Depends on Where

Our title is a little misleading in that we made it sound like you are deep cleaning your entire home at regular intervals. It doesn’t really work that way, though. Each room in your house has different levels of dirt and germ build-up that impacts how often you need to clean, and deep clean. For example, generally speaking, a living room doesn’t get as dirty as the bathroom or kitchen. So, the way to gauge the frequency depends on the following:

• How often is the room used?
• Do you have pets?
• Do you prepare or eat food in the room?
• Do you sleep in the room?
• Do you attend to personal hygiene and cleaning in the room?

The more often you use a room, the more often you should be cleaning it. In the case of clean eating and preparing food, daily cleaning is a must to ensure areas such as the counters and cooking surfaces are always germ-free. As well, your bathrooms should be cleaned frequently because these rooms are prone to more germs and bacteria.

Daily Deep Cleaning

Here is a breakdown of the rooms that need a daily deep clean:

• Kitchen: You should be sanitizing the table where you eat and the kitchen surfaces where food is prepared every single day. As well, anywhere there is food debris, there is risk for pests. Sweeping your floors and keeping counters and tables clear of crumbs and other debris is a must to reduce the risk for pests, especially if you live in an apartment.
• Bathrooms: The more people sharing your bathroom, the more you need to clean it. We probably don’t have to explain why, but the how is important here. You should clean your toilet bowl every morning or evening using a disinfectant bathroom cleanser and toilet brush—and don’t forget the handle. Also, do a good wipe down of your faucets.

Make sure you pay attention to the floors in these rooms, especially around the toilet. Now with the threat of COVID-19 ever lingering, be sure to do a thorough sanitizing wipe of all the frequently touched surfaces in your home such as light switches, taps, and door knobs.

Weekly Deep Cleaning

Every week, set aside time to take care of the following cleaning tasks:

• Dusting surfaces and furniture
• Sanitizing your sponges
• Cleaning your kitchen appliances
• Mopping kitchen and bathroom floors with disinfectant cleaner
• Vacuuming
• Scrubbing and disinfecting the bathtub/shower stall and sink
• Putting your towels and face cloths in the laundry

Bi-Weekly Deep Cleaning

Bi-weekly deep cleaning should be done in these areas:

• Bedroom: Your bed is where you spend about eight hours each night (or day if you do shift work). Your bi-weekly deep cleaning should include tossing your sheets in the laundry. If you have pets that sleep with you, if you sleep naked, or if you have allergies, you should consider doing your sheets weekly.
• Fridge: Every two weeks, examine your fridge and give it a thorough cleaning inside and out. Look for spills inside the drawers, as well as all the shelves, and wash them thoroughly with a good all-purpose cleaner. If you notice leaks from raw meat, though, that needs to be wiped up right away and then the area cleaned with disinfectant.
• Floors: The rest of the floors in your home should be swept often, and then thoroughly washed with a good floor-cleaner with disinfectant every two weeks or so.

Monthly Deep Cleaning

Some tasks you should perform every month include:

• Wiping and vacuuming your vents
• Wiping and dusting your baseboards
• Dusting blinds and light fixtures
• Cleaning your dishwasher

Additional Deep Cleaning Jobs

There are also some additional deep cleaning jobs to help keep your home clean and improve air quality including:

• Every few months, remove your mattress cover, sprinkle your mattress with baking soda, and vacuum it to remove odours and dust mites.
• Put your mattress cover and pillow covers in the laundry every few months.
• Clean your oven every few months.
• Wipe down your rangehood with a grease-cutting cleanser every few months.
• Keep an eye on your kitchen cupboards and cabinets, and wipe them down with a grease-cutting cleanser when they start to look grimy.

Annual Deep Cleaning

Every year, you should hire a professional cleaner to come in and provide top-to-bottom deep cleaning services. This is well worth the investment to get at every nook and cranny, and set the stage to help keep your home clean for the rest of the year. Consider this as part of your spring cleaning job along with a steam cleaning of your soft furniture, carpets, and drapes.

Whether it is your annual spring cleaning, a more frequent deep cleaning, or even a steam cleaning of your carpets, speak to our team at Maid4Condos today about the deep cleaning services that we offer. Call us at 647-822-0601 or contact us here.

Most of us dread the arrival of winter. Cold days, long nights, and being stuck indoors all make for a boring existence. What can make things worse is living in a messy home. However, if you keep your home nice and cozy, then being indoors won’t be as bad. In this article, we offer 11 expert tips to keep your apartment clean this winter, so you can create a friendly environment during your hibernation.

1. Vacuum carpets often

Your carpets are home to a lot of deep down dirt that can get worse in the winter months. This is because your slushy wet boots and shoes have things like salt and dirt on them that get tracked into your home. Even if you take your boots off, as they dry, they can leave dirty and salt debris on the floor that gets on your socks or slippers.

This is the time of year to be more diligent about vacuuming, so you get rid of all the extra dirt, germs, dust, and bacteria. If you have a balcony, you can shake out your boot trays or hall carpets to remove the gritty mess left behind by slushy boots. If you’re a real clean nut, you can also rinse them in the sink.

2. Heating grates

Make sure when you have the vacuum out you give your heating grates a nice cleaning too. Since this is how the warm air is forced into your apartment, you want to reduce the dust and debris that gets circulated.

3. Open the windows

On milder days, open your windows and let in some fresh air. This helps circulate the stale air in your home, and can also reduce indoor air pollution such as dust mites, mould spores, or pet dander. Just a few minutes a day throughout the winter can make a big difference, even if the weather is a little chilly.

4. Keep your home smelling fresh

We tend to empty our trash cans and replace the bag, but do little to keep the actual trash bin itself clean. With the heat on and being trapped inside, you want to keep the garbage smells down to a minimum. A good way to do this is to disinfect your trash bins whenever you change the bag. A nice disinfectant aerosol spray cleaner does the trick, but you can also consider actually wiping the bin down with a clean cloth and disinfectant cleanser if they are looking a little crusty.

5. Clean your oven

Another thing that tends to get a little crustier in the winter is your oven. If you’re lucky, your apartment has a self-cleaning oven. Since the winter tends to be the time of year we do more roasting and baking, you want your oven to be nice and clean. You can turn on your self-cleaning setting every few weeks or when the oven starts to look greasy and crusty, and let it do its job while you sit and watch TV.

If you don’t have a self-cleaning oven, spray it with water and sprinkle it with baking soda. Let it sit for a few hours, and then wipe it clean with a warm damp sponge. This is better than using the chemical oven cleaners, which give off dangerous fumes.

6. Get those windows sparkling

The dull gray days of winter can make your apartment feel dark and dingy. This is a great time of year to bring more sun and daylight into your home by washing your windows. A natural cleaning solution that makes your windows sparkle is 1/4 cup of white vinegar, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of eco-friendly dish detergent, and 2 cups of water. Spritz it on the windows, and then wipe them down with a clean microfiber cloth.

7. Vacuum under the furniture

Take the time to get really serious about your vacuuming and go all out with moving the furniture away from the walls to vacuum. Get under the bed and couch and tackle those dust bunnies hiding away, as they make it harder to breathe. Also, remove your couch cushions and vacuum up all those crumbs.

8. Declutter

Use your boredom as motivation to do some decluttering. You can make the most of your apartment’s space by going through your closets, cupboards, and pantry to throw out the things you don’t need.

9. Get organized

Why wait until the spring to get more organized? As you declutter, arrange everything in your apartment so you can find items easily while helping to reduce the mess. When everything has a place, it makes it easier to keep your items neat and tidy, which in turn reduces stress when you are home.

10. Store away your summer wear

Move all your summer clothes to the harder-to-reach areas of your closets and drawers. Bring your winter clothes front and center so you can find everything more easily. If space allows, store your summer wear away, either under the bed in flat-lidded plastic bins or higher up on your closet shelves.

11. Organize your winter accessories

Climate change can make it difficult to know what to wear in the winter months. Organize your winter accessories and outerwear so it’s easy to adapt to the unpredictable weather when you head out in the morning. Get some cute little baskets to store smaller items like gloves and mittens, and some hooks for your scarves and jackets. This also keeps your apartment much neater, so you don’t feel so claustrophobic.

If the idea of winter cleaning makes you even more depressed, then leave it to the professionals at Maid4Condos. Speak to our team today about our condo cleaning services this winter. Call us at 647-822-0601 or contact us here.

Those red wine stains are the worst. Your pristine white carpet or trendy white shirt is a prime target for that tipsy loved one, wine glass in hand, gesturing madly as they tell her story about her idiot boss. While the story might get a happy ending, the stain they leave behind never does. So, what do you do when that red wine sloshes onto the floor or couch? In this article, we offer our professional cleaning tips to get those stains out quickly.

Act Fast

As soon as the deed is done, you need to act fast. The red from the grapes is just as bad as pouring red dye on your rug. You can’t give it a chance to sink in.

Never Scrub, Just “Dab”

First, never scrub a wine stain; all you’re doing is spreading it around. Instead, you want to dab at the stain with no pressure, so the rag in your hand absorbs the excess and doesn’t press it deeper into the fabric or carpet.

Use a Clean Dry Cloth

A clean dry cloth dabbed on the stain will be the quickest way to absorb the wine up and away from the fibers of your carpet or couch.

Apply Powder

You can also apply various types of powder to the stain to absorb the wine, including table salt, baking soda, dry soap powder, talcum powder, or kitty litter. The only downside with this method is that it makes more of a mess. So, sprinkle the powder on, let it absorb the wine, and then blot at the spot after a few minutes to lift the powder and stain from the surface.

Don’t Use White Wine

This is actually an old wives’ tale. Somehow, people got the notion that using white wine will clean away red wine stains. All this will do is spread the red colour around more. Plus, you’re also wasting perfectly good wine.

Boiling Water

While applying boiling water might scare you a bit at first sight because it will spread the stain out, fear not. It is actually diluting the deep colour and helping the wine lose its cohesion. The water makes it easier to blot up the mess with a dry clean cloth. However, don’t soak the stain too much. Use a small amount to avoid soaking the absorbent under padding that will retain all that wetness, which can lead to mould and mildew.

Got milk?

Unlike the white wine that spreads the stain around, this white liquid actually helps to absorb the wine. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then blot it with a dry cloth or sponge. Make sure you clean it up well or you’ll have a rancid milk smell.

Club Soda and White Vinegar

This provides a one-two punch to the stain. First, the minerals help break up the molecules of the wine. Second, the white vinegar helps to clean. Apply the mix, and then blot the area with a clean cloth to absorb the mess.

Good Old OxiClean

This is a tried and true product that gets stains out of anything. This is your go-to solution if the stain goes unnoticed and has time to set in. Just follow the instructions, and let the sodium percarbonate mix with water to create a powerful hydrogen peroxide cleanser.

Dishwashing Liquid and Hydrogen Peroxide

No OxiClean? No worries. Use 1 part dishwashing liquid with 3 parts hydrogen peroxide on the stain. Let it sit for about 20 minutes, and then blot it away.

If you don’t have OxiClean or hydrogen peroxide, head to the store and buy an Oxi product. Since the stain is already dry, you’ve got the time!

For Clothes

If the oopsy hits your clothes, you need to act fast as well. Blot it with a clean white cloth, and never rub it or the stain will spread and sink in further. Never go further than the blotting stage without checking the washing instructions on the label, as dry-clean only items can be ruined if you try to apply some kind of cleaning product. You can then try any of the above methods to get the stain out completely. Of course, your Oxi laundry cleaner always does the job quickly as long as the instructions say you can use it on your particular type of fabric.

If you’ve got stains in your carpeting or furniture, then leave it up to the professionals at Maid4Condos to remove them for good. Speak to our team today about the cleaning services that Toronto residents love. Call us at 647-822-0601 or contact us here.

Let’s face it, many of us love our pets more than we love our partners! However, those little critters can really add a lot of mess to your home. If your pet is allowed to roam outside, they can especially carry a lot of dirt and germs on their paws and fur. Add to that the constant shedding and that kitty or pup makes it hard to keep your home clean.

In this article, we look at how often you should clean your home if you have pets. Hold onto your leashes, though, because it’s much more often than you might think.

Accidents: Every Time

Even the most disciplined pet can have an accident now and then. Unfortunately, when this happens, the frequency for cleaning is every time they make a mess. The longer you wait to clean pee, poop, or dirt from your floors and furniture, the worse the smell and the deeper the stain can set in. Keep a good pet-cleaning product on hand to handle these situations, and use them as soon as you spot (or smell) the mess.

Floors for Shedding Management: Daily

Sigh, yep, it’s lots of work, but cats and dogs that shed frequently are spreading a mess about the house that can be really hard on your health. Even if you don’t have allergies, or think you don’t, all that fur and dander gets in everywhere and makes it hard to breathe. So, although it might be unrealistic for most people, we advise that you sweep or vacuum daily if possible. Otherwise, stick to a strict weekly regime.

An excellent tip for getting fur off carpets and rugs is to use the rubber side of a squeegee. Just drag it across the carpet and watch it work its magic. If your home is carpet-free, then use an electrostatic dust mop to pick up the fur every day or so.

Pet Hang Outs: Every Few Days or More

One of the important things to note about shedding is that the spots your pets favour will have a way worse buildup of fur and hair. You really want to keep on top of that, especially if your pet happens to be the opposite shade of your furniture or carpet. For example, a black dog or cat who likes to hang out on your white sofa is going to demand much more work than a white cat on a white sofa. If your pet is the same shade as your furniture, it’s not as bad. Just remember, though, if it’s where other people sit, they’re going to be carrying half a dog’s coat with them when they stand up!

If you just can’t clean that often, try laying down a towel or cozy blanket in the spots your pet likes to frequent, and then just wash the cover once a week. Also, if you have guests, you can just remove it and not worry about struggling to get all that hair off the furniture. A quick clean method to get hair and fur off of furniture is to put on a rubber glove and wet it a bit, and then wipe across the surface. It acts like a magnet to make the job a little easier.

Pet Bowls: Daily

If you want to avoid germs in your pet’s water and food, their bowls should be washed every day. You don’t eat off the same plate or drink out of the same cup everyday without washing it (we hope!), so you shouldn’t expect your pet to either.

After Walks: Every Time

To maintain messes in the home to a minimum, keep a pet-friendly wipe by the door so you can wipe down their paws and fur to remove dirt after walks. This will keep your floors cleaner and also remove any debris they might shed along with their fur.

Deep Cleaning: Seasonally

A nice deep cleaning of your carpets and soft furniture like sofas and chairs should be done with the change of the seasons. Steam cleaning removes all the germs and deep down dirt that tends to be worse in homes with pets. Your furniture and carpets will look nicer and last longer as well.

If this seems like too much work, at Maid4Condos we can keep your pet-friendly home neat and tidy for you. Speak to our team today about our basic cleaning services. Call us at 647-822-0601 or contact us here.

The fall and winter months can make spaces feel so dreary. It’s hard enough to adjust to the miserable weather and lack of daylight without working and living in dark and dingy areas. While it can be difficult changing to the woes of winter, there are some ways to make the rooms you work or live in a lot more pleasant. Here are 15 tips to brighten up your home or office.

1. Use brighter light bulbs

While we all want to save energy, you should consider looking for a brighter light bulb to make your space more cheerful in the winter months. Different types of light can be cool or warm. Your local home reno center usually has a light bulb display that allows you to check out the different kinds of light. Choose the one that makes you feel happier and replace the bulbs in the rooms that could use some brightening.

2. Swap out your artwork

If you lack artwork on your walls or the artwork you have lacks colour, adding new artwork with lots of colours can do wonders to brighten up a space. Choose an image that makes you happy or art with colours that are more cheerful and bright. You’ll help create a brighter atmosphere with pops of colour around you.

3. Take out your window screens

Even if you open your windows in the dead of winter, there’s one benefit to the cold months we all love: No bugs: That means you don’t need your window screens. Screens can block out the light and make even rooms with lots of natural light seem grayer. Remove the screens and store them away until the bugs return in the spring, and you’ll be amazed by how much more daylight streams into your space.

4. Paint a wall or two

While this takes a lot more effort than our other ideas, a fresh coat of paint can make a world of difference to your room’s light. White walls are clean and crisp and open up a space, or you can go for something more vibrant to create an accent wall. Choose a colour that improves your mood, and you’ll love your area.

5. Do a makeover with slipcovers

If the furniture in your space is dark, it can dampen your spirits. Consider covering dark or worn couches or chairs with a lighter coloured or cheerful patterned slipcover. It can be your winter look, and you can remove them in the spring or decide to live with the new look until you get bored of it.

6. Add some toss pillows or throw covers

Accent your room or office with some colour using affordable toss pillows or throw covers. They can be placed on chairs, draped over sofa arms and even stacked in the corner of the room to add pops of lively colour that help improve the mood of the space.

7. Fill a vase with fresh flowers

Winter and fall are depressing because everything dies. Filling a vase with fresh flowers is a great way to bring colour into the room while also adding more life and a breath of fresh air. If flowers aren’t your thing, consider potted plants for bursts of lovely green that also help keep the air in the space fresher.

8. Lay down an area rug

Another way to add colour to a space is to lay down an area rug. If you have dingy carpets or dark hardwood, it weighs a room down. Bright rugs in lively patterns or sunny solids can break up the monotony of dark floors and even help reflect the natural light coming into a room. It’s also cozier underfoot on those chilly days.

9. Clean things up

Never underestimate the power of a clean, clutter-free space. Make an effort to declutter your space and keep things tidy. It just takes a few minutes a day to keep on top of the mess, and it will help keep your mind feeling calmer and your room seeming less like it’s closing in on you. You can also consider hiring the cleaning services many in Toronto use to keep things under control.

10. Hang airier window treatments

Heavy curtains and blinds, even when open, can make a room feel rich and dark. Consider hanging airier window treatments that are lighter in colour. This will allow more light to filter into the room, creating a soft light that lifts your spirits.

11. Light fragrant candles

Aromatherapy can perk you up. Although candles will bring light into the room, it is the scent that can boost your spirits. Choose fragrances such as lemon or citrus, lavender, cinnamon, peppermint or jasmine to provide a sense of well-being and rejuvenation. Just watch out for dripping candle wax.

12. Add warm metals

The trend for white metals has seen its final days making room for retro, warmer gold metals. Look for ways to bring gold into your space, whether picture frames, lamps, trim on tables, or a mirror. You’ll be surprised how a brass switch can affect a room’s brightness.

13. Clean your windows and mirrors

Keeping your windows and mirrors clean in the winter can also bring in more light. The sparkle of clean windows and mirrors reflects the light while also removing the filtering effect of dirt and grime on the windows.

14. Hang a mirror

Along the same lines as above, sparkling clean mirrors help make a room feel larger while also making the most of natural light. Hanging a mirror opposite windows or glass doors doubles the amount of natural light in the room.

15. Clear clutter from windows & sliding glass doors

You might not realize the clutter around windows and sliding glass doors could be blocking the light. Something like a bookshelf, tall lamp, or DVD tower can cast shade in a room. Keep your windows clear, and you’ll optimize natural light.

If you would like to declutter and clean your home to keep it brighter this winter, speak to our team about the cleaning services Toronto at (647) 822-0601 or contact us here.

This is a question we get asked often. Whether you have wall-to-wall carpets or area rugs, it can be hard to tell how often you need to wash them. Carpets get dirty pretty fast, especially in busy homes with high foot traffic, kids and pets. Even if you live alone, your shoes, tracking your bike into the house and even having the windows open can all contribute to the dirt in your carpets. Here we explain how to wash your carpets and rugs and how often you should be doing it.

Vacuum Regularly

Your carpets and rugs can be kept clean if you make an effort to vacuum regularly. Vacuuming helps reduce the amount of pet hair, dirt, crumbs, dust and other debris that collects due to normal traffic, pets, food, etc. Vacuuming at least twice a week will help cut down on dirt and allergens, so your carpets are kept reasonably clean. However, a few things to consider to make sure you are doing it often enough to suit your home and lifestyle. Here’s a breakdown to help you find the schedule right for you:

• If you have pets, you really should vacuum the areas they frequent daily
• Rooms with average use can be cleaned weekly
• High-traffic areas should be vacuumed every few days
• Rooms rarely used can be cleaned twice a month or so

Households with kids often need to be vacuumed daily, as you don’t want them crawling or sitting on dirty carpeting. This schedule will help reduce dirt and allergens substantially.

Shampooing

Carpets need a deep cleaning shampoo once a year to remove all the deep-down debris that can make you sick and irritate allergies and asthma. A good rule of thumb is to follow this schedule based on use and who lives in your home:

• Households with Kids: Kids are not only messier, but they tend to get down on the floor more often. You will want to vacuum at least every few days, or even daily, to keep the carpets clean enough to lie on and then top this up with a shampoo or steam cleaning every six months or so.
• Households with Pets: Pets shed fur and dander and can carry in all kinds of dirt and germs into the home on their paws and fur. Vacuuming daily is advised in homes with allergies and at least every few days for homes without allergy sufferers. Your carpets should then be shampooed, or steam cleaned every three to six months. Messes should be cleaned ideally with a steam cleaner immediately to remove germs and reduce the risk of odours and staining.
• Households with Light Colored Carpets: To keep light-coloured carpets light coloured, you need to vacuum twice a week and shampoo at least twice a year. You can also just clean based on how dirty they look, depending on how much traffic you have in the home, whether you have pets or kids, and how “spilly” you are.
• Households with Allergy Sufferers: Carpets allow allergens to build up when not vacuumed frequently enough. Using a vacuum with a HEPA filter is a must, as this is the best way to reduce allergens in your carpet. You should vacuum daily, and shampoo or steam clean your carpets every two or three months.
• Households with Smokers: The tar and nicotine from cigarettes cling to the fibres in your carpet. This results in that distinct odour and can make the air in your home less than healthy. You should be vacuuming every few days and then shampooing or steam cleaning every three months for heavy smokers and light to moderate smokers every six months.

Households with pets, allergies, kids and smokers are best using deep cleaning services for their shampooing or steaming.

How to Clean Your Carpets

Follow these tips to keep your carpets fresh and clean:

Vacuuming

• Make sure you vacuum with the right setting suited to the pile of your carpets, as this ensures the suction is working its hardest
• Especially if you have allergies or pets, if you can, choose a vacuum with HEPA filters.
• Vacuum in one direction slowly and then pull back, working your way across the room both north and south, and then east and west.

Shampooing

• Make sure you are not saturating your carpet with water and shampoo as it will stay in the padding and not dry properly.
• Always vacuum before shampooing.
• Follow the instructions on the label, as well as for operating the steamer or shampooer.
• Consider hiring a deep cleaning service to avoid damaging your carpeting or making them too wet so it can’t dry properly.
• When using a new carpet cleaning product, always do a spot check under a chair or the couch first to ensure it doesn’t bleach or stain the carpet.
• Spot clean stains first to make sure you get as much colour out of the carpet as possible.
• Don’t scrub stains as this can force the stain deeper into the fibres – always “blot” the area instead.
• Only use white clothes to clean the carpet to avoid transferring the dye from the cloth into the carpet.
• Always clean inwards when working on a stain, or else you will increase the size of the stain.

The best way to avoid stains is to clean up messes and spills immediately. Warm water with a few drops of dishwashing liquid can do wonders to remove just about any stain. First, blot the stain to pick up as much of the liquid as possible, then use a clean white cloth with soapy water to blot the remainder of the stain, working from the outside in. Let it sit a bit, and then use a cloth with water only to blot away the soap residue.

These tips will help keep your carpets clean, fresh and looking their best.

If you would like to hire us for our deep cleaning services, call Maid4Condos at (647) 822-0601 or contact us here.

Having classic wood furniture in your home is one of the best ways to create a timeless look that never goes out of style. Whether it is antiques, funky mid-century modern, or edgy vintage wood pieces, you want your wood furniture to look its best. When properly cared for, your wood furniture can last forever. However, when not well maintained, it can start to look a little worse for wear. Here we offer tips to help make your wood furniture look brand new again.

Dusting

Wood furniture care starts with regular dusting. It is the best way to remove debris that can create a film that dulls the finish when allowed to buildup on wood surfaces. Waste can also increase the risk for fine scratches that slowly remove the finish. If you dust properly, you can reduce dust that causes allergies while keeping your furniture in better shape. Dusting properly allows you to capture and remove the dust instead of just sending it airborne or moving it around.

Choosing the Best Tools for Dusting

The easiest way to dust your furniture and avoid the above scenario is to use a damp microfiber cloth. The microfiber collects and holds onto dust. Just be sure you aren’t leaving any moisture behind. If you wet the fabric too much, you’ll need to remove it with a dry microfiber cloth or terry towel. Other wood-friendly cleaning tools include:

• Feather dusters
• Treated lint-free cloths
• Lamb’s-wool duster for carved wood

These items all work fine for dusting your wood furniture.

Cleaning Wood Furniture

Dusting is the best way to care for your wood furniture. Many people mistake using all-purpose cleaning sprays on their wood which can do more harm than good. Dry dusting is the best way to avoid damaging your wood furniture, with a damp cloth being the most moisture you’ll want to apply to the sensitive surface. That said, you will encounter times when something more than a duster is required. Sticky spots, for example, can eat away at the finish while also attracting debris that can scratch.

In this case, you want to use a lint-free cloth in mild soap or detergent. Be sure you wring out as much soapy water as possible before applying it to the mess. Wipe the area clean and then dry it with a soft, clean cloth to remove any moisture.

Oils and Polishes

It can be confusing knowing how to care for wood furniture with so many wood products available. For example, oil polishes, cleaners, and furniture oils are designed to protect the wood, yet they don’t provide the protection many people think they do. So should you be using these types of products on your furniture? Here is a breakdown of the dos and don’ts for oils and polishes:

• Silicone oil: Products containing silicone oil offer protection for your wood furniture, but they also make it easier to show fingerprints.
• Sprays and Polishes: Frequent use of wood sprays and polishes leave a residue that can lead to issues if you decide to refinish your wood furniture.
• Olive oil: You might have read you can use pure olive oil as a natural wood polish. However, it ends up attracting dust and leaving behind smears. If you want a natural cleaning product for wood for grimy furniture, you can create a mix of equal parts denatured alcohol, olive oil, strained lemon juice and gum turpentine which you can apply with a soft cloth and then buff away with a clean cloth.

Furniture Wax

Most wood furniture has either a varnish, polyurethane, or shellac finish for protection. If you want to protect this finish, it is important to choose the right products. Paste waxes do provide the security to reduce scratches. It is a long-lasting finish that is hard and smear-free, and it comes in both paste and liquid form. This is the product you should choose over sprays or polishes.

Paste wax or liquid wax can add a layer of protection that can last for up to two years. It does take some elbow grease to use waxes, but it is a little easier to apply if you choose liquid wax. Just keep in mind it is also thinner, so you might need to use it more often than a paste. Since it always works better in light coats, you can avoid streaks and clouds with the liquid products. It has to be rubbed into the grain to work best.

Special Cleaning Tips

There are a few scenarios where special cleaning methods are recommended, including:

• Antiques: Clean your antiques using steel wool and a commercial cleaning product working with the grain once a year. You can prevent cracking and drying using an orange oil or wax-based conditioner.
• Mould: In damp conditions, wood furniture can grow mould or mildew, which first has to be vacuumed with a soft brush attachment to remove the spores and then wiped with a cloth dipped in mild soap or detergent barely damp. Dry it off thoroughly and then apply furniture paste wax to avoid future growth.
• Deep-Clean: If you have a grimy piece of wood furniture, an oil soap for wood can help remove the residue. If this doesn’t do the trick, you might need to use steel wool with a wood-safe cleaning product avoiding anything containing boiled linseed oil, turpentine, or white vinegar.
• Smells: Some vintage pieces you buy might have a strong smell due to the way they were stored. Set them outside away from direct sunlight to air them out. You can also pour talcum or baking soda on the surface and let it sit for a while so it can absorb the odours. Charcoal briquettes can also be placed in drawers to reduce odours.
• Sticking Doors and Drawers: If you have trouble opening and closing doors or drawers, rub the edges with white candle wax to help them close smoothly.
• Dingy Hardware: Furniture pieces with brass hardware can look a little dirty when the brass tarnishes. Solid brass needs to be cleaned with a brass cleaner. You can check to see if it is solid by placing a magnet on it. The magnet won’t stick to solid brass.
• Scratches: You can reduce the appearance of blemishes using either paste wax or special pens that come in varied finishes to match wood furniture.

Following these cleaning tips will help keep your wood furniture looking brand new. You can also hire our team to provide basic cleaning services to help care for your cherished wood items.

To learn more about how to make wood furniture look brand new, call Maid4Condos at (647) 822-0601 or contact us here.

When you live in a building such as a condo, it can be easier to find bugs in your home. This is because they can travel via small nooks and crannies throughout the building. They can quickly take over a unit or an entire building if you don’t take steps to keep them away. You need to act the minute you spot a bug in your home. Here we offer cleaning and general tips that help reduce the risk for a bug infestation.

Watch for Pests

Your first line of defence is to keep an eye out for signs of pests in your home. This will allow you to head them off before they have time to bring in the whole community. For example, if you spot an ant, don’t be too casual about this. A single ant is a scout for the colony, they are looking for a possible home and you need to make sure they don’t find it too inviting.

At the first sign of any bug, start taking strategic action to avoid an invasion. Speak to your local hardware store to ask for specific items, such as traps and then start looking for areas the bugs can get in including:

• Windows
• Vents
• Pipes
• Under the bathroom and kitchen sink

Fill gaps with caulking or speak to your building management to find out what can be done to stem the flow of bugs in your unit.

Keep Your Home Clean

Pests are looking for food. Although the idea that bugs like “messes” is a myth, they do like crumbs and other food debris. Your best bet is to make sure your kitchen is spotless. This includes wiping down counters, tables and the stovetop after meal prep and sweeping and disposing of crumbs and dirt on the floor. This makes your home less hospitable so they don’t find anything that will keep them well fed.

Also, avoid eating anywhere other than the dining room or kitchen, as this just leaves more areas you’ll have to clean after you eat. Crumbs on the floor under coffee tables, for example, are harder to spot for you and easy to find for pests. And if, like most people, you hate and fear cockroaches, they do like paper. So avoid hoarding newspapers and magazines as this attracts cockroaches. Combine this with their hatred of light, and a stack of magazines and old newspapers is the ideal spot for them to build a home.

Seal Up Food

Your cupboards are full of packages offering easy snacks for pests. Be sure that you don’t leave any food out and that your cupboards are stocked with sealed containers. Consider putting everything in either Ziploc bags or containers with sealed lids. For example, items like cereal that come in a box can be decanted into a Ziploc and placed back in the box, so it’s harder for pests to get into your food.

You can also have containers labelled for staples like sugar and flour. Just rolling up the bag isn’t enough to keep bugs at bay. So make sure everything is sealed and the bugs will go elsewhere. If you have a pet, don’t leave their food bowls full. Only fill the bowl at mealtimes and empty out anything they don’t eat.

Keep Fruit and Veggies in the Fridge

Although some items like potatoes and tomatoes can sit on the counter, if you are worried about pests, keep them in the fridge. Tomatoes are better when kept out of the fridge, so you can consider buying them the day you need them. Ants and fruit flies are particularly attracted to fruit baskets!

Seal Your Garbage

Make sure all of your garbage bins have good lids to reduce the risk of bugs crawling into them. Pests like fruit flies can make their way into the garbage and also will hang around in your sink drain, hence their nickname ‘drain flies’.

Avoid Leaks and Drips

Bugs get thirsty just like any other living being. So you have to cut off their water supply. They are good at finding water including spots under the sink, as well as your tub and sinks. Check your home for dripping pipes and also wipe away excess moisture from the tub, shower and sinks so there isn’t moisture to attract bugs to your home.

Pay Attention to Spills

It can be easy to drip or spill small amounts of food you don’t really notice. Sugar sprinkles or cream drips when making a cup of coffee, for example, are enough to feed bugs. So pay attention to everything you prepare, even something as harmless as a cup of tea or coffee – and wipe away even tiny drops of milk or sugar grains left behind.

Make Natural Bug Traps

There are a few natural ways to get rid of or discourage bugs from living in your home including:

• Fruit Fly Traps: Fruit flies are attracted by smell. You can put containers around your kitchen or rooms where you’ve spotted fruit flies with some wine or cider vinegar and cover them with plastic wrap. Then punch holes in the plastic. The bugs will crawl in but won’t be able to get back out.
• Ants and Vinegar: Ants hate the smell of vinegar, so using vinegar to wipe down your counters, floors and cupboard shelves will keep them at bay.
• Wipe Away Chemical Trails: Ants leave behind chemical trails to guide them and their army back to the new spot they’ve scouted. However, if you use soapy water in areas you’ve seen them, you remove the chemicals and even might kill some ants in their tracks.
• Natural Ant Repellants: Vinegar isn’t the only smell ants hate. The smell of the following things you can find in your spice rack also keep them away:
  • Black pepper
  • Cinnamon
  • Mint
  • Red chilli powder
  • Turmeric
• Cockroach Deadly Cocktail: Cockroaches are attracted to the smell of sugar and cocoa powder. You can create a trap with a mix of these powders in hand with some borax. The only thing is you then have these poisonous things sitting around in your home, not good for kids or pets.

Call in the Big Guns

If you’ve tried everything and the bugs just keep coming, don’t wait too long. The sooner you call in the professionals, the sooner you’ll rid yourself of the pests. If you live in a condo or apartment building let the management know right away.

To keep your condo clean and pest-free, you can also consider hiring home cleaning services. We’ll make sure your counters are wiped, your floors are sparkling, your kitchen is spotless and more. This can help keep those little buggers away.

To learn more about dealing with pests in your home, call Maid4Condos at 647-822-0601 or contact us here.