Carpe diem, summer’s almost over
Okay, my fellow mid-Atlantic dwellers, this is it. It’s August. It’s hot-hot-hot, but if you’ve lived here for more than a year, you certainly realize snow and sub-freezing temperatures are just around the corner. Back-to-school sales are in full swing, sunsets are happening earlier, and dare I say a few leaves have fallen from the trees in my yard… The summer of 2019 is rapidly passing us by, but I refuse to let it go without squeezing every last bit of goodness out of it.
As an almost-empty-nester, I do remember a few summers when we parents were counting down the minutes until school started again. My family always thrived on routine, and the summertime lack of a schedule could send us into a tailspin. No matter how organized, excited, and well-intended I was in June—“My kids will have summer chores! We’ll have nightly outdoor dinners! We’ll do fun crafts and science projects! And they’ll stick to a strict bedtime schedule and a budget!”—by July 4 it would all be falling apart, with bored kids testing boundaries, fighting with each other, making constant messes, and using me as a human ATM.
Still, I would love to have the last 18 summers back to do it all over again. A weird thing happens when you hit the age of 50. You really do face your own mortality; the passage of time speeds up exponentially. This year, I made a new year’s resolution to “Just Say Yes” more often—by which I mean, when an opportunity to do something fun or different presents itself, I resolve to accept the opportunity whenever possible. This does not come naturally to me as an introvert, but I’m realizing that now is the time to “carpe diem,” because, just like our mid-Atlantic summers, life is flying by far too quickly.
So as August begins, I encourage you all to join me in “seizing the summer” for these last few weeks. Now is the time to soak it all in. I get that we all have adult responsibilities that make it difficult to “Just Say Yes” to everything. We are busy, we have jobs, we have to tend to our families… It takes some effort, but summer is so short; you have to make the time to “carpe diem.”
Let some things go. Call Immaculate Clean so you don’t spend your free time cleaning! Give yourself the gift of time to do something that is hard to do the rest of the year. Go to the beach, go swimming, go for a hike, ride a bike, sleep in a tent, go fishing, grill hamburgers on your patio, play miniature golf, watch baseball, make s’mores, visit the farmer’s markets, see an outdoor movie or a concert, tend to your garden… Make some summer memories before it’s too late!
Why Hire Professional Cleaners When You Move?
Moving can be a difficult and very stressful time. You need to pack everything up, hire a moving company, update your address, along with many other arrangements and coordination. You’ll also need to clean everything up, but this is one thing that you can take off your plate by contacting a professional cleaning company in Eldersburg. There are many reasons why you should have your home professionally cleaned, we wanted to discuss several today.
Take Away the Stress
Moving should be an exciting new change but the overall process can be overwhelming. Cleaning your previous home before the new buyers take ownership will be the one thing you think you’ll have time to accomplish. Unfortunately, cleaning usually ends up being the only thing you won’t have time or energy for. Cleaning an empty home can be more time consuming than cleaning a fully furnished home. Plan ahead to eliminate unnecessary stress by working with a professional Eldersburg, MD cleaning company. Do yourself a favor and eliminate as much stress as you can during the moving process.
Make Your Fresh Start a Clean One
You’ve finally moved everything and want nothing more than to just unpack and relax. You walk in to your new home only to discover that the previous homeowner did not have their home serviced by a professional cleaning company. Make sure to contact your local Eldersburg cleaning company.
When you hire a professional Eldersburg cleaning company you’re truly getting a fresh start, and without the hassle. Sure you could probably clean the house yourself, but you’re probably already tired, stressed and with very limited time or no time at all. You will be so glad you arranged for a professional move in/move out clean, you may even consider a recurring maintenance plan.
Work With an Experienced Eldersburg Cleaner
When you hire any service into your home, be sure to check references and reviews. Ask the home service company if they are insured and how long they have been in business. Hire integrity! Immaculate Clean prides themselves with the highest standards for integrity and for service excellence. You’ll be able to rest easy in your new home knowing it’s been serviced by professionals. If you’re in need of cleaning services in the Eldersburg, MD area, don’t delay, call us today. Our Team of cleaning professionals are standing by and are ready to help make your busy life easier!
Taking a hint from Heloise
Good Housekeeping may sound like an odd choice of reading material for a 12-year-old. But, as an avid reader growing up, often upon finishing the latest Laura Ingalls Wilder or Judy Blume book and feeling desperate for something to read, I would turn to my mother’s copy of the popular women’s magazine.
One of the regular features in the magazine was a column called “Hints from Heloise,” in which a lovely white-maned woman named Heloise would respond to readers’ urgent questions, like “My cat peed on my antique oriental carpet, what do I do?” or “What is the best way to clean the inside of my refrigerator?”
One thing stuck with me from those columns. Heloise’s helpful hints for almost every situation tended to involved one common ingredient: vinegar. Occasionally, she’d throw in another kitchen staple, like baking soda or lemon juice. But vinegar—that was clearly the magic elixir. Sometimes I wonder how she would answer if a reader ever sent in this question: “Dear Heloise, I’ve used your hints to clean up every stain in my house; now how do I remove the lingering aroma of vinegar?”
I’m no Heloise. My answer to almost any household problem would be to buy a cleaning product marketed for that specific problem. “Why make something when you can buy it?” has kind of been my philosophy regarding everything from birthday cakes to cleaning supplies. In short, I am the kind of consumer advertisers dream about.
But with age comes wisdom, and I have come to accept that Heloise was on to something. Vinegar is cheap and, in many instances, actually seems to do a better job than any store-bought cleaners. For example, I have a fancy insulated stainless steel water bottle that is not supposed to be washed in the dishwasher because that will eventually break down the insulation. Hand washing the bottle with soap is not a good alternative, because it starts to make the water taste soapy. Enter Heloise. I’ve learned to throw a spoonful of vinegar into the bottle, add some water, slosh it around, rinse it out, and, voila—a clean bottle that continues to keep cold liquids cold and hot liquids hot and tasting good.
In a previous post, I’ve talked about how I generally use a French Press to make coffee at home. However, we do have a normal drip coffee maker for when we need to make larger quantities of coffee. Occasionally, it starts acting wonky, like something is clogged. The solution, naturally, is vinegar. Run a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water through one brew cycle, then run it through another cycle using just water in order to rinse it out. Voila! Problem solved. (But take it from me—you don’t want forget to go through that rinse cycle before you brew your next pot of coffee!)
I’ve also started running vinegar through my washing machine when it starts smelling a little funky or when the suds don’t seem to all be rinsing out.
I assume you realize that in all of these cases, I’m talking about regular distilled white vinegar. But it turns out cider vinegar also can be useful in tackling one extremely annoying household problem—fruit flies. If you ever find yourself battling fruit flies after bringing home one bad banana, here’s how you can make a trap to rid your home of those little suckers for good. Pour a little cider vinegar into the bottom of a jar. Roll up a piece of paper into a cone shape, and stick the narrow end of the cone into the jar. Fruit flies will be attracted to the cider vinegar like a magnet, where their own gluttony will lead them to the bottom of the cone, where, unable to escape, they face a certain liquidy death.
So there you have it; I’m afraid that’s the extent of my handy DIY household hints. But if you want more, don’t worry—Heloise is still at it today!
What Makes a Deep Clean Different?
When you think about cleaning your house, tasks like wiping down counter tops and vacuuming carpets probably come to mind. You might clean the bathroom and make sure everything is tidied up, but when was the last time you hand wiped your fan blades, window lock ledges, sills and baseboards? What about the interior of your refrigerator? Cleaning your home is important and sometimes you need to go above and beyond.
Deep Cleaning Addresses the Commonly Ignored Build Up
There are plenty of areas within our homes that we don’t often get to or get to at all. Life is BUSY! The baseboards of closets, underneath the beds, cabinet fronts, and other areas where dust doesn’t stop and continues to build up. Just like grass in the warm weather months, dust and buildup don’t stop no matter the activity in your home. To be fair, these neglected areas may not need as much attention as often, but they will eventually begin to attract and accumulate build up if unattended to for long periods of time. We call this “old” dirt in the professional cleaning industry.
Deep Cleaning Tackles the Tough Stuff
Some cleaning jobs around the house get continually put off because they aren’t the easiest to complete. Ceiling fans tend to accumulate dust quickly, but many of us rarely look towards the ceiling when surveying areas that are in need of cleaning. If we do notice a dusty fan or cobwebbed ceiling, few homeowners have the immediate reaction of searching their home for a ladder that is tall enough to reach these high places and climbing up there to take care of the dust. A thorough, deep cleaning will address hard-to-reach areas as well as other troublesome spots:
- Blinds
- Window sills
- Door panels
- Lamp shades
- Baseboards
- Cabinet fronts
- Carpet Edges
…and more!
Deep Cleaning Gives You More Free Time
Deeper and more efficient house cleanings ultimately provides you with two major benefits when it comes to your own tidying duties as a homeowner:
#1 – Individual cleanings between deep treatments will be less intensive and therefore require less of your time.
#2 – Cleaning sessions can be completed with a stronger routine. Every two weeks is the maximum before that “old” dirt starts accumulating and becomes harder to handle. A quick dust with a lamps wool duster won’t be sufficient. Hand wiping may be required.
How to Schedule a Deep Cleaning in Eldersburg, MD
If you’re tired of trying to maintain an exhausting schedule of cleanings in your home and want more free time to do the things you enjoy, hiring the professionals at Immaculate Clean to perform deep cleaning services for you is one of the smartest decisions you can make. To get started, simply fill out our form to request a FREE cleaning estimate or contact us by phone at 410-549-0727 today!
Baby Stepping Towards Saving the Planet
I never thought I’d see this day: My family has run out of plastic bags.
We used to have several giant plastic bags filled with smaller grocery-sized plastic bags hanging on hooks in our garage. Back in the day, I wouldn’t even give that stash of plastic bags a second thought. They came in handy, after all—we would use them to clean up after our dog, for example. And I’m from the generation that was taught that choosing a plastic bag was a better environmental choice than a paper bag, because every time we used a paper bag, we were killing a tree.
I realize that in today’s world that last sentence sounds kind of ridiculous, but I’m pretty sure that if Rip Van Winkle fell into a coma in 1984 and woke up in 2019, he’d be stunned to find paper bags making a comeback in grocery stores, and would probably expect to find a barren global landscape devoid of trees as a result. He’d almost certainly be baffled at the concept of bringing your own reusable bags with you to the store.
Over the last year or two, after seeing story after story about whales and dolphins (my favorite creatures on earth) being found dead with tons of plastic bags in their stomachs, and after being educated by my smarter friends about how hard it is to truly recycle plastic, and how most of our plastic ends up in landfills where it can take upwards of 500 years to decompose, I decided to take a couple of baby steps toward doing my part to decrease the use of plastic.
Keep Reusable Grocery Bags in The Car
Baby Step One involved stocking up on about 5 reusable grocery bags which I keep in my car so that even if I make a spontaneous decision to go shopping, I will only have to walk back to my car to get them when I forget to bring them into the store with me—which literally happens every time I go. Every. Single. Time. (Thankfully, I almost never forget to wear my Fitbit, so I get credit for all of those extra steps. Always look for that silver lining.)
As of last week, our eternal stockpile of plastic bags is completely gone, and my husband is kind of beside himself, wondering how we’re going to clean up after the dog… He doesn’t really like my solution, which is to buy biodegradable pet waste bags that fit into a handy dandy (albeit plastic) holder that attaches to the dog leash. I mean, spending money on bags that we used to hoard for free? That’s crazy talk. But it makes me feel good, like maybe I’m helping out my dolphin friends in some tiny way.
Choose Tap Water More Often
Baby Step Two involves trying to decrease the amount of plastic water bottles we consume in our family. Bottled water is another one of those things that Rip Van Winkle would be baffled by. There is a legendary tale in our family about how my husband’s parents were approached by an innovative entrepreneur back in the 1980s. He was planning to bottle water from a nearby spring and sell it for individual consumption, and was looking for investors. My mother-in-law thought this was the most ridiculous idea she’d ever heard—who in their right mind would pay for WATER, of all things, when you can get it straight from your tap? Needless to say, they did not invest. Needless to say, we would all probably be gazillionaires by now if they had.
But as society is just starting to realize, the popularity of the convenient single-use water bottles has been pretty detrimental to our environment, polluting the oceans and overflowing landfills. Even the recycling process is messy and expensive, and the job is often shipped overseas to countries like China, who no longer want to do this kind of dirty work for us.
So I’m really trying. I still keep bottled water on hand for three main reasons, which I know environmentalists will frown upon, but here they are: A. It’s super convenient to have on hand to offer to visitors who are on the go; B. I prefer my kids drink water over soda, and if it’s available in a handy plastic bottle, they’re more likely to go for the water; and C. Sometimes the water from our tap tastes kind of funky; bottled water never gets that funky taste.
Yes, we’re still guilty of using plastic water bottles, but, like I said—baby steps. We’ve cut back big time. I personally am trying to lead my family by example, so I carry an insulated water bottle with me to the gym and almost everywhere else I go—and I’ve found it keeps the water so cold, it tastes much better. And I’ll no longer tolerate finding hundreds of half-consumed water bottles strewn about the house. Anyone who starts drinking from a plastic bottle must put their initials on the cap with a Sharpie so they can finish it later.
Oh, and here’s a bonus Baby Step— I ditched our Keurig coffee maker a l-o-n-g time ago, because I hated using all of those little plastic pods. This was before the big anti-plastic crusade, but it was clear to me from the beginning that all of that waste could not be a good idea. Besides—French pressed coffee tastes SO much better, involves no waste, and it’s super easy.
I realize we have a long way to go to really make an impact, and it’s virtually impossible for us ordinary, mainstream Americans to completely eliminate plastic from our daily lives. But taking a few baby steps in the right direction can’t hurt, right? I’m not judging anyone who uses plastic grocery bags and drinks from plastic water bottles, but I do hope you’ll challenge yourself to cut back, even just a little bit. It’s not that hard to do, and it will make you feel good!
How to Reduce Allergens in Your Home
Spring has sprung and though it’s nice to see the flowers and birds coming back into our lives, it comes at a cost. Springtime allergies can be pretty serious and when they hit, you might find yourself feeling snuffly and sneezy, but there are a few things that you can do to keep the allergens to a minimum.
Clean Your Bedding Regularly
Dust mites and pollen tend to cause the most problems when it comes to irritating our allergies and both of those irritants love to gather on your bedding. You should be washing your pillowcase, sheets, and comforter weekly in very hot water to get rid of pesky dust mites. Whenever possible, you should also invest in allergen-friendly covers for your mattress and pillows.
Stay on Top of Dust
Dust is the enemy of allergy-sufferers everywhere. As it collects, it aggravates our noses and makes our eyes itchy and watery. Dust likes to accumulate anywhere it can, but some of the most common places include tables, decorations you don’t move often, blinds, and ceiling fans. Not only that, but when you tackle dust, it’s imperative to use a micro-fiber cleaning cloth to ensure that you’re actually picking it up rather than just moving it around. Thankfully, we always use micro-fiber cloths when we clean your home. Check out these five tips for dusting your home effectively.
How’s the Floor Doing?
Floors can also collect a lot of dust and debris that will irritate your allergies. The best way to minimize this problem is to vacuum. However, not all vacuums are created equal in this regard. You’ll want to use a vacuum that uses a HEPA filter to ensure that you’re not just moving the dust around, but that you’re truly cleaning your home. Thankfully, when you call on the experts at Immaculate Clean, you can rest easy knowing that we’ve got you covered.
Immaculate Clean Is Ready to Help You
If you or your family are suffering from major allergies, then having your home cleaned on a regular basis can help. Rest assured that everything we do is designed to sanitize your home to promote health and cleanliness. Contact us today so that we can work together to stay on top of allergy season!
5 Reasons to Get Your Home Professionally Cleaned in May
Think back to what you were doing six months ago. It was November, and most of us were gearing up for the hectic holiday season—baking, cooking, shopping, decorating, cleaning, entertaining… It was the most wonderful—and busy—time of the year.
Fast forward to May: the seasons have changed and we’ve entered what I think of as the second most wonderful—and busy—time of the year. We’re finally emerging from our long, cold mid-Atlantic hibernation and we have much to celebrate. But before we do, we should make sure our homes are in order. Even if you’re just going to have your home professionally cleaned a couple of times a year, the month of May is definitely one of the times to do it. Here are 5 good reasons to call Immaculate Clean today:
- Mother’s Day. Moms deserve a break, and they also deserve a clean home! No matter that it’s 2019 and men and women are supposed to be equal—research has shown that moms, regardless of their working status, still do the bulk of the house work in a family. Most moms do this without even thinking about it, and certainly without being recognized for it. Mother’s Day is the perfect time to show your appreciation for everything Mom really does, and give her the gift of time by hiring someone else to do the cleaning. Gift certificates are available from Immaculate Clean!
- Spring Allergies. It’s the time of year that those of us with tree allergies suffer most, and apparently they are saying this is going to be a particularly bad year for allergies. (Side note: I’m not sure who “they” are: meteorolgists? allergists? the makers of Claritin?) Itchy eyes, runny nose, sore throat—it’s like having a really annoying head cold for a month. A good cleaning will help rid your home of pollen that has been tracked in on shoes and clothes, by pets, and through open windows.
- May Milestones. Graduations, proms, school band concerts, award ceremonies—a lot of the end-of-year rituals for school-aged kids are happening now. This means you’ll be extra busy, and you’ll also want to have your home looking nice for photos and for any grandparents or aunts and uncles who are visiting to take part in these special celebrations.
- Memorial Day Weekend. While Memorial Day should be a day to reflect and honor the sacrifices our service men and women have made for us, let’s face it—it’s also the unofficial kick-off of summer, which means it’s often the time we break out the grill for the year’s first barbecue. If you’re hosting neighbors or family members, you’ll hope for good weather so that most of the entertaining is happening outdoors, but regardless—people will be using your bathroom and probably congregating in the kitchen at some point, because that’s just what we do! A good pre-Memorial Day cleaning will ensure you’re prepared for anything.
- School’s Out for Summer. Get ready, parents! There are only a few more weeks until the kids are spending a lot more waking hours at home, and you know what that means: more messes. I know in my house, leaving the kids to their own devices often led to experiments with Mentos and Coke, slime making, or just generally tracking in dirt and wet grass on their bare feet every day. I’m a big proponent of answering an “I’m bored” whine with a few chores to keep them occupied, but before you’re relying on your kids to scrub your toilet, you might want to start with a clean slate, meaning a spic and span home to kick off summer break.
Whatever it is you’re celebrating this May, let Immaculate Clean help you make this month more enjoyable and stress-free. You won’t regret it!
3 Ways to Prepare Your Home for Cleaning Day
Hiring someone to clean your home is an awesome way to enjoy a sanitary space without having to sacrifice your free time. To make sure that you’re getting the most out of your house cleaning services, we’ve put together some helpful tasks and tips to help us help you. Let’s take a look.
Don’t Clean Before the Cleaners
When we come into your home, we’re going to focus on cleaning and sanitizing. To do that, we need to make sure that obstacles are minimized. A home that is picked up and tidy prior to our arrival enables us to work efficiently while bringing consistently effective results. But please, don’t “clean before the cleaners”. Cleaning is our job, and we’re really good at it!
Let Us Know What Rooms Cause Your Family The Biggest Challenge
Do you feel like you can handle the brunt of the routine weekly maintenance cleaning of your home, but just wish you could “get a little help from your friends” in those high traffic areas that take too much of your time? Bathrooms and kitchens always feel like they never stay clean for long? We can customize your service plan to only address the areas that you would rather not have to tend to. We are here for you and ready to go to battle for you, fighting those dirt and germs that never seem to stop. With professional grade equipment, tools and cleaning agents, there’s no job to difficult. Turn to your friends at Immaculate Clean. Our staff is trained to tackle the toughest jobs. They are equipped with the right tools that will get the results that you have wished for. Imagine how proud you’ll feel when those unexpected guests pop in on you and your home has been maintained by the professionals.
Make Sure Your Furry Family Members Feel Comfortable and Not Afraid
At Immaculate Clean, our entire staff loves animals. In fact, most of us have furry family members of our own. This is why it is very important to us that your furry friends feel safe and secure on day of service. We also want our staff to feel safe and secure. Make sure that any questions or concerns are addressed at time of hire in regards to your pet’s(s’) favorite place to rest and play. Our goal is to ensure that everyone living in your home has a positive experience. We’ll make sure to address any concerns at time of hire.
Ready for The Pride that Results from an “Immaculate Clean” Home?
We’re ready to help bring a whole new level of harmony into your home. You deserve it and we’re prepared to deliver a consistent level of service excellence. To learn more about how we serve our clients, contact us today. We look forward to meeting your needs and improving your quality of life. Life’s way to short for busy homeowners to stress over the cleanliness of their home. Immaculate Clean is here to help. There’s a pride that results when you place your trust in the hands of the professionals. We hope you’ll choose to experience this for yourself. Your family will thank you for taking back your free time to spend it doing what you and your family enjoy the most.