Category: Cleaning Tip

If you are an avid fan of workouts and have a complete gym in your home, you might be missing out on one very important benefit to joining a club: hygiene. Public gyms have policies that members must follow, as well as professional cleaning services to keep the gym clean and safe.

While you might feel it’s just you and your family members using your gym, you are still at risk of exposure to a long list of unpleasant health dangers if you don’t take proper care of your equipment.

For example, your gym equipment can be covered in germs and bacteria, including Human Papillomavirus, Klebsiella, E. Coli, Staphylococcus, Aureus, Candida, Streptococcus, and Influenza, to name but a few.

While most home gyms won’t be rife with these germs, one thing that is unavoidable is odour and dust. If you don’t have a home cleaning service coming in to reduce dust and odours, both these things can make your workout unpleasant.

In fact, dust can also make breathing during your workout more of a struggle. Here are our top cleaning tips to keep your gym sweat, odour, dust and germ-free.

Weight Machines and Weights

Use antibacterial wipes to do a quick wipe down of your weight machines and free weights to remove sweat and germs after every workout. For a more environmentally friendly cleaning option, try using a microfibre cloth.

They are a green choice and help avoid leaving damp residue on metal and other materials used on weights that can lead to rust and damage. Don’t forget the seat for your weight machine! This is a spot where sweat is most likely to collect, leading to odours.

Aerobic Equipment

Aerobic equipment such as treadmills, stationary bikes, and ellipticals might not seem like they need a cleaning, but once again, a wipe down using a dry microfiber cloth after each use to remove sweat is important. Focus on handrails, conveyor belts and pedals when wiping things down.

A more thorough cleaning should be done weekly using a clean cloth dampened with water on the electronic display, and then a mini vacuum to suck up dirt that can collect and impact the equipment function.

Mats

A stinky mat can make your zen-like yoga and stretches very unpleasant. A good way to keep mats as clean as possible is to buy an antimicrobial mat. These mats protect against odour-causing bacteria growth.

If your mats are fabric-like, you can check to see if your mat can be tossed in with the laundry. If your mats are rubbery, they can be cleaned with a sponge and soapy water weekly.

Air

Circulation is important in a gym, which is why public gyms usually have giant fans to help to keep the air moving. Unseen air circulators such as a good HVAC system, overhead air freshening systems, and air purifiers might also be used.

To improve the inflow and outflow of air in your home gym, you can use a fan. However, if you use your gym often, a high-quality air purifier might make better sense as they use HEPA filters to remove allergens, dust, and pollen. This way, you keep the air cleaner when you’re doing all that deep breathing.

The less dust in the room, the easier the breathing when working out. However, if odours are an issue, you can also spray with an odour-neutralizing spray. If you are overly sensitive or allergic to scents, you can also use a natural essential oil diffuser. If scents aren’t your thing, place some purifying bamboo charcoal bags around the room. They offer an all-natural, odourless option to filter impurity in the air.

Add Your Gym to Your Cleaning List

Make sure your gym isn’t overlooked by adding it to your to-do household cleaning list. This makes it easier because you’ll have all your cleaning tools out already, such as your broom or vacuum, cleaning products, duster, etc. You can run your vacuum over the floors, dust baseboards to reduce irritating dust in the room, and do a general cleaning to keep things well maintained.

Braces and Supports

Odours can often form on things such as braces you wear for support during workouts. Supports made with antimicrobial technology are good choices to help keep odours to a minimum.

If you have already purchased your braces and supports, and they do tend to smell, you can place them in a plastic lidded container with laundry dryer sheets after every workout to keep the odours contained, while helping to keep them fresh.

The Overlooked

Some of the items in home gyms that are most likely to be overlooked in the clean-up process include:

• Resistance bands that can be washed with soapy water every couple of weeks
• Towels that should be tossed in the laundry after each workout
• Clothes that should also be tossed in the laundry after every workout to reduce the stink in the gym and protect your skin from irritation

Home Gym Cleaning Kit

To make it more likely you will follow a hygienic cleaning regime, keep a cleaning kit stored in your gym for easy access. When you do this, you are more likely to stick to the basics since everything you need will always be in reach. Your kit should include:

1. Laundry hamper

If you don’t want to have a stack of dirty towels and work out clothes, add a laundry hamper where everything can be tossed. You can then add the dirty clothes and towels to your laundry when laundry day arrives.

2. Cleansing cloths

Wipes or a few microfibre cloths make it easy to wipe down surfaces and keep things smelling clean while keeping equipment safe for others to touch. Just remember bleach wipes and other strong chemicals leave a residue, so you might prefer the natural option and use a microfiber cloth. Don’t use paper towels as they will stick to the various surfaces found in your gym like rubber and the textured steel used on barbells, etc.

3. Deodorizers

These can be tossed in your gym shoes after each workout to keep them and the air fresh. If you want a cheaper option, use scented dryer sheets.

4. Duster

Keeping dust to a minimum keeps air more breathable, so have a duster handy and use it on a regular basis.

These tips will keep your home gym fresh, clean, and pleasant for healthier workouts that make it easier to stay committed.

To learn more about the best ways to keep your home gym dust and sweat-free, call Maid4Condos at 647-822-0601 or contact us here.

Considering the fact that most of us have a lot of time on our hands due to self-isolation, it makes sense to take advantage of the situation and learn some new healthy cleaning habits. Let’s face it, many of us tend to let our homes “go,” since cleaning is not something most of us enjoy. Our team loves cleaning, but since we’re not able to assist at this time, we thought we’d provide advice on how you can keep your home disinfected during the COVID-19 outbreak. Here are our disinfecting tips based on the current government recommendations.

The Difference Between Cleaning and Disinfecting

When you clean, you are removing dirt and germs, but you are not “killing” them. This means, despite your best efforts, the germs can remain on surfaces, which makes it easier to spread the virus. Disinfecting, on the other hand, literally kills germs, and this is why you should focus on disinfecting during self-isolation.

A List of High Touch Surfaces

You’ve probably heard this term used repeatedly on the news, and there’s a good reason for it. These are the surfaces constantly touched in your household and, therefore, those that need regular disinfecting, including:

• Tables
• Doorknobs
• Light switches
• Countertops
• Handles
• Desks
• Phones
• Keyboards/mice
• Toilets
• Faucets
• Sinks
• TV and video game controls/changers
• Toys and games

Routine cleaning of these services using disinfectant wipes or disinfectant cleansers is a must.

Clean, then Disinfect

You should first clean surfaces that appear dirty, such as kitchen counters and bathroom sinks, with your usual cleaning products. However, you then need to take it one step further and use a germ-killing disinfectant, preferably containing bleach to kill germs. If the surface does not appear dirty, you can go right to the disinfecting stage. Because of being shut in, it might be tempting to use products past their due date, but this is not advisable. These products will lose their potency and, therefore, might do nothing more than moving the germs around on surfaces. You can make a bleach cleaning solution with 5 tablespoons of bleach to a gallon of water. You can also use alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol.

To get the best results, follow the product instructions. If you make your own, a good tip is to leave the cleaning solution on the surface for several minutes before wiping it away, so it increases its germ-killing effectiveness. Always wear gloves to protect your skin and open a window to reduce exposure to the fumes.

Don’t Forget to Clean “Soft Surfaces”

Soft surfaces include drapes, furniture like your couch or upholstered chairs, pillows, and rugs. These surfaces must be cleaned if someone in the household is sick with the virus or potentially could be. Be sure you choose cleaning products that won’t damage your stuff, and then be extra safe by trying the product on a less noticeable area to make sure it doesn’t cause discolouration. Some items can be thrown into the laundry, such as drapes and even some pillows, so read the labels for cleaning instructions. You can also use spray disinfectants on soft surfaces, but again, follow the instructions.

Linens and Clothes

Towels, blankets, and bed linens should all be washed regularly, as should clothes. Don’t shake anything out before placing it in the washing machine, and if someone is sick or has been exposed to the virus, wear gloves. Sick people’s clothes and linens can be washed with the rest of the families’ items. In this case, however, if they used a laundry hamper, then the hamper should be disinfected. Don’t forget to wash your hands even if you used gloves. Use the warmest water possible according to the laundering instructions on the label.

Have a Cleaning Regime

Even if no one is sick in the home, it’s important to have a safe cleaning regime that you stick to during the outbreak. Do a disinfecting wipe down at least twice a day of all high-touch surfaces. Ask family members to wash their hands often. Make a new rule where people can’t use things such as TV and video controllers/changers and shared handheld and computer devices without washing their hands first. If someone sneezes, coughs or blows their nose, make sure they wash their hands immediately. When wearing gloves, you still have to wash your hands when you remove them. Do not dust during the outbreak; instead, use only wet cleaning methods, as you can release droplets captured in the dust.

If you use reusable cleaning cloths such as microfibre cloths, wash them often. Remove visible dirt right away from surfaces and be more diligent with shared areas such as kitchens and bathrooms.

Living with an Infected Person

If you are caring or living with a person with the virus, you have to be diligent in disinfecting yourself and anything they touch. Wear gloves whenever you are in contact with them or touch anything they have used or touched. If you’ve got it, use a hand sanitizer often; if not, wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, even if you have worn gloves. Keep the person in a separate room or, if this is not possible, keep them two metres apart from others. It is best to have them use a different bathroom than the rest of the household.

As a caregiver, it is very important to avoid close contact as much as possible and to be obsessive with hand washing and not touching your face.

Food Preparation

Hopefully, you are already using safe food preparation practices at home, including washing your hands before and after handling food. If you are living with a sick person, have them eat in a different area than the rest of the household, and wear gloves when bringing their food and clearing their dishes.

Dishes and utensils must be washed wearing gloves and using a dish-friendly antibacterial dishwashing liquid whenever possible. Have a special set of dishes put aside for the sick person. Dishwashers are excellent as they have a high temperature that can kill germs. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Wash your hands even if you wore gloves.

Garbage

Sick people should have their own lined trash can, especially for used facial tissue. You must wear gloves when removing their trash and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.

At Maid4Condos, we are a responsible community business and want everyone to stay healthy. These cleaning tips will help keep you healthy during this difficult time. Stay well, and we look forward to serving you soon.

Now that COVID-19 is in our community, it’s important to keep yourself, your loved ones, and your neighbours safe. This is especially vital if you or those who live with you are considered high risk for serious complications, including anyone with existing health conditions and people over the age of 65. That said, the key is to practice social distancing, staying two metres apart from others when out and about, and constant hand-washing to reduce the risk of spreading or acquiring the virus. You can plan on getting your household ready to fight the virus now, even if you feel there is no risk in your immediate community. Here are our tips to keep your home safer during the outbreak.

1. Lay down the household rules

Hold a family meeting to make it clear what the most recent rules are related to flattening the curve of the virus spreading:

• Cough and sneeze into your sleeve and use a tissue when possible.
• No visitors to your home or visiting others’ homes.
• Go out only when necessary, even if you feel fine.
• Remain two metres apart from others when out for groceries, a quick walk for exercise, etc.
• Wash your hands frequently, especially after going out, interacting with others, coughing or sneezing, or using the bathroom. When in doubt, wash your hands just to be safe.

This way, everyone in the home will understand how to remain healthy during the outbreak.

2. Conduct daily cleaning

Clean frequently-touched surfaces and objects daily with strong detergent and water. For particularly dirty surfaces, such as kitchen counters or bathroom sinks, first, remove the dirt then wash again with disinfecting cleansers. Avoid mixing detergents, as this can be dangerous. Follow the instructions on the bottle to be safe.

3. Prepare a “Sick” room

Have a room or zone set up, just in case someone appears to be sick. This should include a separate bathroom, if possible. Keeping sick people apart from the rest of the household is very important to reduce the odds of others catching the virus. Symptoms would include any sign of cough, fever, difficulty breathing, sore throat, etc.

4. Set up a home office

You must stay home if you feel even slightly ill to avoid the risk of spreading the illness to others. Even if well, you should plan to work from home whenever possible. Set up a room or area of your home as a temporary work spot. If more than one person in your household needs a work spot, try to find separate rooms for privacy. Speak to your employer to see what they recommend and let them know if you plan to work from home. If you don’t have a computer, you can use your phone, and your work will usually be able to aid in setting up things like email so you can respond quickly.

5. No sharing

Although it might be confusing to kids to tell them “No sharing,” it’s the best way to keep them safe. Do not share drinks and food items. If you’re snacking with a bag of chips or cookies, place them on separate plates or bowls for each person. The same goes for drinks. Each person should have their own glass or cup. Have the kids choose their healthy cups and plates, and make sure they use them, so they get used to this new rule. Wash after every use!

6. Keep in touch

Although you should not be socializing with others in person, it’s a good idea to keep in touch with friends and family during the social distancing period. Phone, email, or use video calls to interact with others, so you don’t feel isolated. This is very important for anyone living alone, or for those at high risk who might feel cut off from everyone else. Ask if there is anything you can do for those in high-risk groups, such as dropping off groceries to reduce their need to leave their home.

7. Explain “Why” to the kids

These are scary times, and kids might begin to feel nervous, not to mention stir-crazy, because they are not seeing friends and are experiencing drastic changes to their routines. Do your best to keep things as scheduled as possible and explain the basics of why you are all staying home together. Stress that this is a time to enjoy each other’s company and let them know they are safe.

8. Lay down the law for the older kids

The rebel in your teen might decide to come out at the most inopportune time. They might feel that since they are not in the high-risk category, they are immune from the virus. Make sure they understand that when they don’t practice social distancing, they are putting your entire family at risk. This includes vulnerable people, such as their grandparents, who are at risk of not just getting sick but even dying.

Do what you can to make it easier for them to share time with friends through video games, their phones, and their computer to help keep them occupied. They should remain in touch with their peers via texting, social media, and video calls, for example, to avoid the temptation to sneak out and hang around with others in person.

9. Keep up to date

Watch the news regularly to keep up to date, as the rules and recommendations are changing daily, or in some cases even several times a day. Be certain to inform family members of anything you learn, so you all remain on the same page and continue to practice the health and safety rules in your community.

10. Maintain mental health

It’s easy to get on each other’s nerves when living in such close quarters over long periods of time. As mentioned, practice as much social contact as possible via over the phone or video calls with others and remember that you’re all in this together. Share feelings and frustrations, and try to stay occupied watching movies, playing games, and keeping fit. Go for walks, maintaining your distance from others, and avoid parks and other areas that tend to be more crowded. Workout at home and look for online opportunities to enjoy fitness classes, as well as other sources of entertainment and learning. Encourage the kids to ask questions and think of ways to keep them happy and feeling safe.

At Maid4Condos, we are a responsible community business and want everyone to stay healthy. Remember, we are all in this together, and each household can do its part by sticking with a household plan and keeping up to date with the latest recommendations from the government. Stay healthy, and we look forward to serving you soon.

Perhaps one of the most ironic things about cleaning is that the best way to avoid it is to do it every day. While this seems counterintuitive to someone who hates cleaning, this isn’t as hard as it sounds.

If you can get into the habit of keeping things tidy, you can avoid dealing with major weekend-long cleaning battles. Neat freaks have tapped into the beauty of tidying a little bit here and there, so they never have to face one big mess. It just makes sense to take on some “neat freak” tendencies to keep ahead of the game.

Here we offer 15 cleaning tips you won’t hate to help keep your condo clean.

1. Stop hoarding

The smaller your living space, the faster you’ll see clutter build. This means it doesn’t take long for clutter to spread to other rooms — if you have other rooms — which means your home becomes a disaster area. To avoid clutter, get into the habit of throwing things you don’t need out right away. You’ll reduce the number of papers, thing-a-ma-jigs, and other odd items that tend to end up in your junk drawer and keep things neater as a result.

2. Declutter as you go

Instead of leaving a mess behind in every room you use, declutter as you go. Put things back, take dirty dishes to the kitchen and rinse them out or put them in the dishwasher, put dirty clothes in the hamper, etc. Your home will be tidy all the time, and these small habits make it easier to do quick cleans such as vacuuming and dusting with nothing on the floor or tables.

3. A place for everything

To make decluttering easy, get organized, so you know where everything belongs. Whether it’s adding shelves, using baskets, having shoe racks, or adding more hooks to hang things, being organized and having designated storage keeps things tidy.

4. Keep antibacterial wipes around

Avoid all that horrifying build-up of toothpaste, hair, grease, food, etc. in your bathroom and kitchen by keeping antibacterial wipes near the sink. Give any spills, spots, and messes a quick swipe as they happen, so any bathroom and kitchen clean-ups become a breeze. It’s also better for your health as it reduces bacteria that can make you sick.

5. Binge clean while you binge-watch

Choose a favourite show to binge-watch when you have heavier cleaning jobs to do like vacuuming, dusting or folding laundry. You won’t feel like you’re missing out on anything, and the time spent cleaning will go by much faster.

6. Eliminate paper

Online subscriptions allow you to read without magazines, newspapers, and books piling up. This is good for the environment, but also keeps your home far less cluttered. Music and movie subscriptions also reduce the space needed for CDs, DVDs, and records. And yes, we realize for vinyl addicts this suggestion is sacrilegious!

7. Make your bed

Even just throwing your duvet across your bed and fluffing your pillows will make a world of difference for your bedroom. Smooth it all out, and voila, suddenly, your bedroom looks clean and welcoming.

8. Keep a schedule

Consider having a schedule to spread out annoying duties like vacuuming or dusting. Mark it on your calendar for a day that suits you and stick to it. It will become routine and take less time as there will be less buildup.

9. Use a hamper

Dirty clothes have a way of piling up not only in the bedroom but on chairs, in halls, and wherever you toss them. The best way to manage laundry is to buy a good-sized hamper and make sure all dirty clothes are tossed in there every day. It will also make it easier to get your clothes to the laundry room.

10. Hang up clothes

For clothes that aren’t dirty such as jackets, sweaters or skirts that still have a few wears before they need cleaning, hang them up when you take them off. This way, you won’t have to worry about ironing them, and you help keep your bedroom less messy.

11. Do the dishes

Never allow dishes to pile up. Wash dishes right away whenever you can. A few plates are manageable, while a pile can lead to despair. Also, dishes are easier to clean when the food hasn’t been left to form a crust. And don’t forget dirty dishes are an invitation to all sorts of pests, which should be enough said to convince you not to leave your dirty dishes out.

12. Clean in spurts

If you hate cleaning so much you can’t bear the thought of it, do it in manageable spurts. Focus on one task at a time and don’t spend more than 5 or 10 minutes on cleaning. Rest in between to read, play a video game, or watch a bit of TV for 30 minutes and then move on to the next task.

13. Make it a group effort

If you live alone, you’ll have to be the lone cleaner. If you have roommates, a partner, or kids, everyone should be pitching in. Sometimes you get lucky, and where you hate doing dishes but don’t mind doing laundry, the other person is the opposite, and it works out perfectly. However, if this isn’t the case, make sure everyone is doing their fair share for a happier, cleaner home.

14. Teach good habits

Without being too naggy, help your kids have neat habits. Provide designated spots for their toys, their homework, and their belongings so they know where things should be placed when they aren’t using them. Baskets work well for homework, as do hooks for things like backpacks and coats, and plastic boxes are great for toys.

15. Have a dumping ground

Life is busy, and sometimes you’re just going to have to let the mess build up. To make it more manageable and help keep your mind calm, having a dumping ground out of sight works best. Whether it’s a hall closet, a spare bedroom or a spot under the kitchen counter, choose a safe zone for messes and use it as needed.

For more tips and easy ways to keep your home clean, call Maid4Condos at 647-822-0601 or contact us here.

Kids love colouring, and so should parents. It’s one of the best ways to keep kids occupied and, more importantly, off their computers and handheld devices. Crayons are excellent choices to keep your kids reasonably clean when compared to other artsy past times like painting or crafts with sticky glues.

Of course, crayons do come with their own challenges — mainly if your children decide to get creative with walls and other surfaces — and that waxy, deep-set colour can cause a lot of damage.

Here we teach you how to manage your little Banksy’s misplaced murals with our professional tips on how to clean crayon stains.

Why are crayon stains so stubborn?

Most crayons are made of coloured paraffin wax. Colour pigments are then added to the melted wax and left to set. The wax is difficult to clean because it contains the pigments within its sticky material, which in turn seals the stain when applied to other surfaces and fabrics.

The only way to loosen and remove the pigment is to loosen the wax to release it, or completely scrape away the wax and colour from the surface.

Clothing

Honestly, it’s pretty hard for kids to stain their clothing when they’re colouring with crayons. However, the common crayon related disasters are either washing a piece of clothing with a crayon in the pocket or picking up a pile of clothes without realizing you have a rogue crayon in there.

It then gets run through the washer and dryer cycle, leaving a terrible mess in its wake. Due to the sticky nature of the crayons, they form a seal on fabrics, which can seem impossible to remove. However, with these steps, you can get a win over the crayons!

First is prevention. You can simply avoid the situation altogether by carefully checking pockets and shaking out clothes before placing them in the washer.

If you didn’t manage to find the crayon, you will have to do your best to remove as much of the waxy substance as possible by scraping it off. A metal spoon or dull knife will do the least amount of damage to most fabrics.

Next, use liquid dish soap instead of laundry detergent or stain remover, and gently rub it into the stain. Set it in very hot water for at least a few minutes and then rinse it out. If it is a fabric that shouldn’t be placed in hot water, try only to soak the spot with the stain, as the heat is needed to help melt and loosen the remaining crayon. This should remove the stain.

You can then toss it in the laundry on the heavy stain setting and the warmest water possible according to the clothing’s laundering instructions. Check that the stain is removed before tossing it in the dryer — if it’s a dryer friendly piece of clothing — or else you will seal the stain in. If the stain is not removed, repeat the steps.

Upholstery and Linens

Fast-moving hands can send crayon lines off the page and onto your unsuspecting upholstered surfaces or table linens in the blink of an eye. Your first defence is a good offence: tell your kids to colour on a table without an expensive tablecloth, preferably with a layer of paper for protection. This will help to avoid stains on your furniture and linens.

If it does happen, you can follow the same steps above for linens. However, if you try scraping the crayon from furniture, you risk spreading the crayon over a larger surface. For furnishings, diluted detergent or dish soap works like magic.

Use about a quarter teaspoon of the liquid detergent diluted in the detergent cap with about half a cup of water. Use a white dish rag to scrub at the stain, and it should come right out. Then use a clean, damp dishcloth to remove the detergent, or it will leave a residue that could discolour the fabric.

Depending on the fabric, the stain might remain. If this is the case, you might have to call in a professional upholstery cleaning service.

Carpet and Area Rugs

Heat is a must when it comes to getting crayons out of carpets and rugs. You can scrape away any crayon residue, but this will be difficult, depending on the density of the carpet. The denser the fibres, the easier it will be to apply pressure to scrape off the wax.

You can then cover the stained area with a white paper towel or clean dish rag and apply heat with a blow dryer. In theory, the wax should melt and be absorbed by the towel. In some cases, the pigment will remain in the rug fibres.

If this happens, you can use a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution to bleach out the colour; however, this can also damage the existing colours of the carpet. You can test the solution in a less conspicuous spot before trying to remove the stain.

Dab the hydrogen peroxide on the stain with a white cloth or even a cotton swab, then let it sit for about a minute. Rinse it out with a wet cloth and then dab it dry with a clean white towel. If there is no colour change, it’s okay to use and you can follow the same steps on the stain.

Finished Wood

Whether it’s your wood floors, panelling, artwork, or furniture, crayon accidents on your wood surfaces aren’t the end of the world. However, they will take some elbow grease to remove. Use warm water and liquid dish soap with a clean sponge and rub the stain in a circular motion until it is removed.

If this doesn’t work, a toothbrush or non-abrasive cleaning brush might help. If you still don’t get results, you can use toothpaste or very mildly abrasive cleaner, which should do the trick. Rinse away cleaning residue with warm water and make sure the surface is then completely dry. Clean the stain as soon as you see it, as if left too long, the crayon will collect other dirt and residue that will make it harder to remove.

To learn more about how to clean crayon stains, call Maid4Condos at 647-822-0601 or contact us here.

Spring brings with it the real estate listing season in the GTA. As the last traces of the winter melts into city lawns, real estate agents are meeting with clients who are intent on selling their homes.

Regardless of the market climate, one thing is always certain — people buy clean homes. If you’re selling your home this spring, you need to set your sights on prepping your home for viewings.

Homebuyers have trouble seeing past the dust bunnies, dirty bathroom grout and stained kitchen counters. The best way to help buyers focus on the positives of your home is a deep clean. Here’s why a deep clean is a must if you want to sell your home fast.

You’re used to the Dirt and Mess

Right now, you’re likely living in your home every day, which means you aren’t really looking at it too closely. It’s not uncommon to overlook the condition of the floors, window ledges, grimy tiles and other areas of the home because you almost become desensitized to the details. After all, it’s easier to ignore them than to clean them.

When you hire our home cleaning services to do a deep clean of your home, we look at every detail with a fresh set of eyes and will target every nook and cranny you might miss. We make it appeal to potential new occupants who will be shopping for a clean home.

Deep Cleans help Disassociate You from Your Home

Thorough cleaning by a home cleaning service allows you time to disassociate yourself from the house emotionally. You will have to keep up the cleanliness once the cleaning takes place, to get rid of that “lived in” look. That means you almost have to start living in the home as if you have already left — like a guest who doesn’t want their hosts to think they are messy.

You can Depersonalize Your House

To allow for a deep clean to take place, you need to clear away the clutter so that the cleaners can get to the floors, closets, cupboards, and other areas that tend to fill up with personal items.

Remove clutter and do an inventory of your belongings. Sort what you want to keep available until moving day. Pack away or get rid of things to make way for not only our cleaners but the new owners.

To make the cleaning process easier, pack up all the dust collectors, such as your personal photographs, family heirlooms, and knick-knacks that not only add to clutter but also become a distraction to house hunters. This depersonalization makes it easier for buyers to see themselves in the home without focusing on your items.

Rethink the Layout

Deep cleaning doesn’t just go around furniture. It gets under furniture to remove all traces of dust bunnies and other issues that can make your home less appealing, including smells. You never know what lurks behind and beneath your furnishings, and when selling your home, it is a must to move things away from walls to get every inch of mess.

While you’re at it, you have the perfect opportunity to rethink your furniture layout and make the most of your space. You can also consider removing unnecessary furniture pieces that are making things appear crowded.

A neat layout includes the basics that define each room, such as a sofa or loveseat and a chair or two in the living room, an appropriately sized bed, bedside table and dresser in the bedroom and a desk, chair and seating for an office. The right amount of furniture sells spaces while offering a purpose for each room to help guide buyers through your home.

It Gets You Organized

We’ve already mentioned the importance of removing clutter. Deep cleans also allows you to get your home more organized. This is especially important in smaller homes — such as condos — as buyers are going to be looking at how much closet and storage space they’ll be getting.

Because you will want to clear up areas for major vacuuming and dusting, you can show off storage space. This sends a better message to potential buyers who will view the home as neat and tidy, but also spacious with ample storage.

From organized, cleared kitchen counters, to caddies and baskets to contain your personal items in the bathrooms, the cleaning process allows you to look at opportunities to keep things neat and tidy throughout the home. Removing items and wiping down shelves in every cupboard and closet keeps things not only organized but also looking spick and span.

Improve the Appearance of Flooring

A deep clean can breathe new life into your flooring. Homebuyers are floor obsessed, so if you don’t have gleaming hardwood, it can take away from your home’s appeal. Regardless of the type of flooring you have, a professional home cleaning service will keep your floors looking as new and attractive as possible.

Stained carpets are a big turn off, so a steam cleaning is always best for all rooms with carpeting. This will also eliminate odours you might have become immune to!

New Life for Your Kitchen and Bathroom

If you’ve given up on keeping your backsplashes, shower surrounds, and wall tiles clean in your kitchen and bathrooms, buyers will spot that right away. A professional deep clean will attack things like greasy build-up on tiles, discoloured grout, soap scum, and mildew by providing sparkling surfaces in the rooms where buyers can be the most discerning.

The kitchen and bathroom have a long list of cleaning tasks home cleaning services will tackle including:

• Scrubbing tubs, showers, toilets and sinks
• Cleaning shower curtains and bathmats
• Washing all surfaces and mirrors
• Cleaning window treatments
• Scrubbing the tops and insides of kitchen cabinets and organizing the pantry
• Vacuuming and washing behind the fridge and stove
• Cleaning and organizing your refrigerator
• Wiping down countertops, appliances and cabinet surfaces
• Scrubbing sinks, the stovetop and oven

Once these tasks are complete, you can make a few touch ups to the caulking along the edges of counters, the bathtub, and in the shower to perfect the appearance of your tile.

Overall Sparkle

Our professional cleaning team will make every inch of your home sparkle, including your windows, door handles, faucets, mirrors, floorboards, furniture, light fixtures, and even your trash cans.

To learn more about why deep cleaning can help you sell your house, call Maid4Condos at 647-822-0601 or contact us here.

For those seeking a clean home, allergies can be a real pain. Kicking up dust, scrubbing away mildew, and even composting can cause a chain reaction of sneezing and coughing which leads to a miserable afternoon. At Maid4Condos, we deal with these issues daily and have learned a few tips and tricks on how to clean home allergies away without feeling their wrath.

Here are a few ways you can organize and clean your home with less allergic reactions and a higher success rate.

Clean Top to Bottom

In any room of your home, the best advice we can offer is clean top to bottom. This allows all the dust, dirt and debris to settle on the floor before you start sweeping and vacuuming. Otherwise, you wind up dusting ceiling fans and high shelves, only to find yourself mopping for the third time that day.

The same goes for the house. You should begin your cleaning spree in the uppermost rooms, working your way down the stairs, and finishing on the main level of the basement. This pushes dirt down the stairs before you’ve swept them, rather than after.

Working one room at a time also gives you a chance to completely clear a space before moving onto the next. This leaves less dust to kick up later when you find items from downstairs that belong upstairs.

Give Yourself the Air You Need

The worst part of maintaining a clean home — allergies or not — is the amount of dust that begins flying around the moment you break out the duster. A good way to relieve allergy symptoms caused by this dust is to open windows, and doors if possible, to get air flowing through. Fresh air will help keep pathways to your lungs open, and breath flowing more easily.

When you shut yourself into a closed-off space, even if it’s a big house, you’re trapping all that dust inside with you. Aside from vacuuming, the dust has nowhere to go but back down on the shelves and floors you just swept it from. And, of course, into your lungs as you breathe it in.

Tackle Mold and Mildew Early

Kitchens and bathrooms are a playground for mould spores and mildew. With the amount of food in the kitchen and liquid in your bathroom, these allergens can grow and spread without your notice. While cleaning these spaces, it’s best to start at the source.

Check open pipes and drains, crevices along the sides of tubs and sinks, and in areas not always visible, like the cupboards below your sink. Look for black, pink, orange, and brown marks which shouldn’t be there; bacteria can appear in a variety of colours.

Depending on the stage of mildew or mould, you can use different cleaners to get rid of it. A mixture of water and bleach is often effective but be especially careful while handling it. Wear gloves and keep it away from your nose and mouth.

Wash Bedding and Linens Regularly

You might be surprised to learn that one of the worst rooms in your house for allergens is your bedroom. As we sleep our bodies deposit dead skin cells, hair, and dust into our bedding. It settles into linens, carpets, and even between floorboards. If you’re getting goosebumps just thinking about it, you’re not alone.

Vacuuming your bedroom regularly is an excellent way to avoid allergies. You should also strip your bed once a week and thoroughly launder all linens in your bedroom. The same goes for towels, face cloths, and dishcloths, which collect bacteria.

This bacteria grows and spreads the longer it is left around, so regularly washing towels and cloths will keep your home cleaner longer.

Use a Dehumidifier Where Needed

It might sound like more of an air quality tip than a clean home allergies removal tip, but a dehumidifier is an excellent way to rid your home of dampness. Bathrooms are especially bad for hoarding humidity, which causes mould and mildew to grow unchecked. It’s no good to continuously clean mildew from the bathroom if the state of humidity keeps it growing.

Dehumidifiers can be installed as permanent fixtures or used as needed. If your home gets especially humid, try running the dehumidifier at night while you sleep.

Remove Clutter Where Allergens Might Hide

We all have that one room in our home full of clutter and boxes. While storage is an essential part of life, it’s also an area that gets filled with bacteria and dust; and is often cleaned the least.

Cardboard boxes attract pests, which flock to eat or live inside the cardboard. In between boxes, shelves, and knickknacks dust begins to gather, spinning cobwebs and creating havoc for your lungs should you ever enter the room.

Keeping your storage spaces clutter-free, organized, and regularly dusted minimizes the chance for pests and allergy outbreaks. Remember, the dust which gathers here spreads to other portions of your home, moving in and out of air vents, and rustling through the halls when the door is swung open.

The best way to manage the allergens in your storage space is to treat it like any other part of the home and give it a weekly cleaning.

Hire a Maid Service

Finally, an amazing resource for those who suffer from allergies while cleaning is to hire a maid service. Professional cleaners are trained to handle even the toughest messes in everything from residential housing to high rise condominiums.

These professional services are trained to tackle allergen-related cleaning tasks carefully and always with the client in mind. Rather than rustling up allergens which will cause you an allergy attack the minute you walk through the door, we always minimize allergens by cleaning thoughtfully and purposefully.

To learn more about how to protect your home from allergens, call Maid4Condos at 647-822-0601 or contact us here.

While the beginnings of modern baking soda didn’t appear until the early 1940s, sodium carbonate has been used in ancient life as far back as 3500 B.C. as a form of cleaner in Egypt.

Its most modern form was developed to replace yeast in recipes used by Alfred Bird’s wife in Great Britain. He developed the formula because she was allergic to baking yeast. His invention would go on to provide many uses to modern man, including cleaning our homes.

From brushing your teeth to polishing mirrors, baking soda is a commonly found household item with 101+ uses. At Maid4Condos, we are constantly turning to solutions including baking soda for a chemical-free cleaning service our customers can count on.

Here are some of our top baking soda clean tips for those who are thinking of trying baking soda for themselves.

1. Stinky refrigerators and compost bins

One thing your fridge, garbage, and compost bin have in common is the ability to really stink up a place. Strong smells emanate from food sources and become absorbed by other materials.

In the case of your refrigerator, the non-smelly food absorbs these odours, and unfortunately, this also alters their taste. In your trash and compost bin, the plastic material of the bin absorbs the smell, making them stink over time.

You can prevent or remove these terrible smells with a simple trick of sprinkling baking soda into the bin or stacking an opened container of baking soda in the door of your fridge. The baking soda absorbs the odour before any other material, protecting your home and your nose from offensive scents.

2. Carpet cleaning

Carpets are hoarders of dust, bacteria, debris, and odours. From pet hair to food crumbs, our poor carpets get put through the wringer. At Maid4Condos, we have seen many clients reach the point where they have been ready to throw a carpet in the garbage before we offered our baking soda clean tips.

Save your carpet and your pocketbook through the simple use of baking soda. To keep your carpet fresh, sprinkle baking soda all over it at night before you go to bed. Be liberal with the powder and then stay off the carpet until morning.

Once the baking soda has had a chance to set in and absorb stains and odours, vacuum it up. It may take a few trips with the vacuum cleaner and be sure to empty the chamber after each pass. When you’re finished, your carpet will smell as fresh as the day you bought it and be far cleaner for the effort.

3. Polish silverware with an overnight soak

Another of our baking soda clean tips that require overnight activity is the silverware soak.
Over time, your silverware takes a beating, gets stained, and even tarnished. Baking soda and water is the perfect combination to tackle these tough to remove silverware issues.

In a large bowl, mix 4 tablespoons of baking soda with 4 cups of water. Stir gently and place any silverware which needs polishing into the bowl. These pieces should all be clean before you place them in the mixture, as it works better with as little food particles stuck on as possible.

When you wake up in the morning, remove the silverware from the bowl, rinse, dry, and voila! Good as new.

4. Use baking soda to unclog your drain

Ever try the experiment where the vinegar and baking soda make your paper-mâché volcano explode? The same science that won you the first-place ribbon can help you get out of sticky situations when the drains in your house get backed up.

The acid in the vinegar acts on the baking soda, causing it to fizz up. These air bubbles and the chemical reaction therein eats away at food particles, and other materials clogging up the drains in your house.

This is an amazing alternative to the harsh chemicals used in unclogging agents, which could damage delicate plumbing in your home. A bonus to this method is the polishing of stainless-steel sinks after the mixture has been rinsed away. You don’t even have to scrub them much, because the reaction between the two ingredients breaks down food and stains, leaving a shiny metal sink.

5. Get rid of bacteria in your kiddie pool

Nothing is quite as fun as splashing around in the kiddie pool on a hot summer day.

Unfortunately, once the pools are stored for the winter, any residual bacteria or liquid causes mildew to grow. You can get rid of this unfortunate buildup with a rinse of warm water and baking soda.

The antibacterial properties of baking soda wash away the mildew and prevent it from coming back, as the pool is wiped dry and stored properly.

6. Add a cup to your laundry

If you’ve been noticing your laundry looking dim and faded, a cup of baking soda could be just the thing you need. Brighten colours, whiten whites, and darken blacks with a scoop of baking soda.

The baking soda is added in with your standard washing detergent. Not only does it brighten and whiten, but you’ll notice every piece of laundry smells a little bit fresher than it would on a standard load.

Baking soda in the laundry is especially great for loads with any items which have been treated for stains. The baking soda acts on the stains, helping bleach them out while retaining the integrity of the materials.

7. Rid your home of litter odours

Cats are beautiful majestic creatures, which make excellent companions, however, dealing with a litter box is no walk in the park. Adding a sprinkle of baking soda after every cleaning ensures your house will never smell like you have cats.

In fact, many of our clients’ friends and neighbours are surprised to learn they even own a cat, because it’s so difficult to detect any note of litter in the house.

If you’re interested in learning more baking soda clean tips, call Maid4Condos at 1-647-822-0601 or contact us here.

Of all the surfaces to clean in your home, the shiny ones are the most finicky when it comes to creating a perfect sheen. Mirrors are tough to clear of fingerprints and smudges without smearing everything around and making it worse.

There’s nothing quite as bad as spraying and wiping a mirror, only to revisit it moments later and see streaks where the cleaner touched it. So, what can you do as a homeowner to eliminate these problems and create the perfect streak-free mirror you deserve?

At Maid4Condos, we receive this question often, and while we truly believe nobody cleans a mirror quite like us, we’re happy to share some tips and tricks for the DIY’ers out there.

Pre-Cleaning Your Mirror

It sounds like overkill, but before you get to the polishing and shining of your mirror, you should focus on the actual dirt and residue living there.

The most difficult mirrors to clean are those situated in the bathroom or over a bedroom vanity. These mirrors receive a generous helping of toothpaste splatter, makeup particles, and hairspray residue.

But, isn’t that what the glass cleaner is supposed to take care of? Not exactly. Glass cleaner removes dust and smears but doesn’t penetrate anything more substantial than the oil from your fingertips.

Before you get to polishing invest in some cotton balls and rubbing alcohol. The cotton balls offer the perfect amount of texture to break apart stuck-on gunk without scratching the mirror.

The alcohol penetrates even the thickest hairspray and weakens its bond to the glass. This makes it much easier to wipe away. Alternatively, a combination of 1:1 vinegar and water does the trick.

Polishing Your Mirror

With deep mirror clean tips out of the way, it’s time to tackle the surface with a good polishing technique. The best cloth is a microfiber with a flat weave, and the best cleaner is any glass cleaner or home-made vinegar spray.

An important part of this process is applying an even yet minimal spritz of cleaner. Too much cleaner and you’ll be left with drip and streak marks. A light misting is best.

When wiping, begin at the top and working your way down so that as you wipe, residual cleaning solution drips down and is caught up in the next swipe across the mirror. Begin at the left corner and glide to the right. Repeat again and again as you move down the mirror. By the end, you should be able to wipe the cloth across the bottom of the mirror, leaving a perfectly clean space.

Sometimes, spots get missed and splotches occur, even when you’ve taken care to clean evenly. If you notice one or two small spots where the sheen is uneven, try gently rubbing a dry microfiber cloth over the spot. So long as the spot wasn’t caused by oil or grease, the area should buff clean in a few swipes.

If it is some form of grease or residue, the spot will need to be cleaned by your vinegar solution again before trying to buff it out.

Mirror Cleaning Tips to Avoid

Now that we’ve covered the most rewarding methods of mirror cleaning, let’s visit the mirror clean tips you should avoid. Some of these cleaning faux pas are based on folk tales, while others are just common sense to avoid.

Most leave your mirror worse than they started and cost you time and supplies you could save by using more of the above mirror remedies

1. Paper towels

It’s an easy staple to grab and go with, but paper towels are full of tiny paper particles, which leave a dusty-looking residue on the surface of the mirror. The result is a powdery, chalky visual through which you can’t see yourself clearly.

2. Newspaper

Your grandmother and her grandmother before her probably all used newspaper to clean their mirrors.

Unfortunately, the ink and paper we use today are very different from newspaper products of yore. Now, you’re likely to see ink transfer and other issues crop up, making the surface murkier than it already is.

3. Bath towels

Wiping a steamy mirror always produces a perfect looking sheen. Only until the mirror cools, the condensation subsides, and the steam fades. Then, all you’re left with is the smudgy outline of where your bath towel touched the mirror.

4. Multi-surface cleaners

Windex and other glass cleaners are almost always the best options for a squeaky-clean mirror. Non-glass cleaners tend to leave a residue behind, sometimes greasy in appearance. This is because of the chemicals inside which are designed to treat specific surfaces like wood or ceramic.

5. Abrasive cleaning tools

It might seem obvious, but some people aren’t sure which tools are good to use on glass and which aren’t. To polish a mirror, all the best mirror clean tips suggest a microfiber cloth with a flat weave. These soft cloths detract from the chance of scratching.

Hopefully, this list of don’ts is just as informative as our list of dos.

If you’re interested in learning more about mirror cleaning, call Maid4Condos at 1-647-822-0601 or contact us here.

Hard water is nobody’s friend, clogging drains with buildup and leaving unsightly residue around the bathroom. At Maid4Condos we see plenty of hard water problems among our clients, and while there is a simple solution to even water consistency, not everybody has the means to do so.

Hard water is caused by minerals like calcium and lime, which filter into the water supply from natural sources, creating stains and buildup along the way. While drinking hard water offers some benefit due to the mineral content, it can be detrimental to pipes and plumbing, and a hassle to clean.

If you’re looking for some way to simplify the hard water stain removal process, look no further. Here are 5 tips to keep your tub, sink, and shower, lime scale-free.

1. Try using vinegar

One of the oldest tricks in the book for dealing with stains relating to hard water is vinegar. By mixing a ratio of 1:1 vinegar and water in a spray bottle, you create a powerful stain-fighting agent with no harsh chemicals, additives, or allergens.

Nature’s stain remover uses the power of acid to eat through mineral deposits and stains, polishing bathroom hardware to a high sheen once again.

The best way to apply the vinegar spray is with a combination of rubber gloves and a small scrub brush. Even an old toothbrush will do the trick, getting into hard to reach areas and thoroughly scrubbing every crevice.

After spraying your vinegar mixture, allow the solution to sit on stained surfaces for up to 15-minutes. This allows the vinegar acid to penetrate the stain and begin breaking down the minerals within.

The bristles on the brush then tackle the tough outer shell of the calcium buildup, breaking it up so you can wipe away the final residue with a soft cloth or sponge.

Some things to remember while using the vinegar for hard water stain removal are:

• Never spray the solution onto hardwood as it will destroy the finish and stain
• For extremely tough stains, increase your solution to 2:1 vinegar to water
• Always use a soft-bristled brush rather than a harsh cleaning tool like steel wool
• The odour of vinegar dissipates quickly, but you can add 1-2 drops of peppermint essential oil to freshen the smell

At Maid4Condos we have several go-to cleaners we use for specific tasks. Vinegar is tried and true, and environmentally friendly.

2. Make your bathroom lemony fresh

Another natural cleaner many homeowners turn to for the hard water stain removal process is lemon juice. Lemons, like vinegar, are loaded with natural acids that eat away at mineral buildup, allowing the hardened calcium to breakdown and scrub away.

Lemon juice can be applied without dilution. While it’s a natural juice from fruit, it’s still a good idea to wear gloves or avoid getting juice into cuts or dry skin as it will sting.

Lemon juice should be applied to stains approximately 10-minutes before receiving a wipe down with a damp cloth or sponge. For tough, stuck on mineral deposits, the same soft-bristled cleaning brush will help break apart buildup.

3. Use bleach and dishwasher detergent for jet tubs

Jet tubs are notorious for backing up when hard water is present. This is due to the crystallization of minerals in and around the jet fixtures. Because the jets run directly into the tub, rather than simply sitting exterior to it, it’s important that your cleaning solution achieve a deep clean.

For this, we suggest a mixture of ½ cup dishwashing detergent and 1 cup of bleach. If you are uncomfortable using bleach, vinegar can be used in this recipe as well.

For best results, fill your tub with hot water until the water reaches just above the jet fixtures. Pour in your chosen cleaning mixture and run the jets. This mixture should flow through your jets for 15-minutes and then soak in the tub for another hour. Be extremely careful handling the bleach and wear gloves if you must submerge your hand into the water for any reason.

After the hour-long soak, run the jets for another 15-minutes, drain, and rinse. You’re likely to see a huge difference without the need for a brush or sponge.

4. Use talc and hydrogen peroxide for granite

Granite is a tricky surface to clean, and its smoothness contrasts so dramatically against the granule buildup of minerals. To properly clean your granite surfaces and remove stains from hard water, try a mix of powdered talc and hydrogen peroxide.

The two combine to form a paste that easily smears across the granite and tackles tough stains without scratching the surface.

Let the ingredients sit on the stain for 5-minutes before gently scrubbing with a soft brush. Rinse with warm water and wipe clean with a soft cloth. Unlike the above cleaning methods, the talc and hydrogen peroxide mix may require a few attempts before the stains are fully removed and the buildup of minerals clear away.

You may experience the urge to scrub harder but it’s best to keep cleaning strokes consistent and gentle throughout the process to maintain the integrity of your granite surfaces.

5. Call in the professionals

If all your hard work and hard water stain remove attempts have failed, there’s still one solution to try: call a maid service.

Professional cleaners specialize in tough stains and gentle cleaning methods. By investing in a cleaning service, you not only save yourself time but also ensure that each surface is treated with your homes’ best interest at heart.

For more tips on removing hard water stains, call Maid4Condos at 1-647-822-0601 or contact us here.