4. Declutter as you pack – Going room by room, declutter as you organize to pack. Take three empty cardboard boxes and mark them “Keep,” “Throw Out,” and “Give Away.” Beginning in the first room sort through every shelf, drawer, and bin, sorting the contents into one of the three boxes.

5. Hire us to clean! (You knew that was coming!) – Moving is stressful enough! You unpack, we’ll clean. We will even guarantee your cleaning deposit back! Give us a call at 215-2224 and ask how!

Fidelity Bond – This is known as an “feel good” bond because it essentially just reassures the client that if there were ever an instance of theft inside their home, they would be protected.  There is a caveat that there would need to be a trial and a guilty sentence for this bond to take effect.  Since most thefts are not required to go to trial, the bond is actually less important than many people think.

Surety Bond – This type of bond is known as a “Performance” bond.  This bond just lets the client know that if there were ever an issue where the job was not being completed as promised, they would have the opportunity to contact the business’ insurance company so that they could be reimbursed to use the funds to hire another company to complete the job properly without being out any money.

The important part of the term “Bonded and Insured” does actually appear to be the latter.  However, when searching for a cleaning service, or other service professional, it is definitely important to find a company that takes that extra step to bond themselves.  It is always reassuring, not to mention professional, to have a backup plan.

With two boys, a big clumsy dog, and a husband with size 15 shoes, this wet spring weather is driving me CRAZY with all the mud being tracked into my house! Obviously, the best way to keep the mud out is to have everyone take their shoes off when entering the home, but if your family is anything like mine, accidents happen all the time!

For when they do, here’s the way the All-Stars handle the mess.

• Remember that mud is essentially just dirt and water- once it dries, your normal vacuum cleaner will be the best way to pick it up.
• For mud in carpet, allow it to dry and then make slow overlapping passes with your vacuum.
• Trying to mop up mud while it’s still wet may scratch wood floors so it really is best to wait for it to dry!
• However, if you’re anything like me, it’s hard to wait and sometimes you just have to clean it up. If you must, use a soft cotton mop and rinse it out regularly!

So, you walk out to your car in the morning, and there it is…  That beautiful, mustard-hued enemy – pollen.  Pollen is distributed into the air during pollination.  Most of us imagine a honey bee perched on a flower when we think of pollen, but it also comes from grass, trees, as well as weeds.  The most potent form does seem to come from trees though.  Elm, Sycamore, Walnut, HIckory, and Pecan trees do tend to release the most reactive forms of pollen.  Trees such as Fig, Pear, Dogwood, and Crape Myrtle, tend to be safer on our sensitive sinuses.

So, how do we keep this nuisance from ruining this awesome season?

The obvious choice would be to avoid the outside world altogether, but since this isn’t really an option, we can definitely reduce our chances of an allergic response by limiting our time outdoors during peak hours.  Pollen counts rise during the morning, peak around midday, and drop off from there.  So, early in the morning and later in the evening would be ideal times to get some fresh air.

You can also try a neti pot.  This is a tiny pot, almost resembling a miniature  teapot, that is used as a sinus irrigation system.  It utilizes a saline solution to cleanse your nasal passages, and washes away pollen residue as well as other allergens and irritants. The saline solution keeps the area from drying out, which could cause further congestion.

How about some Spring cleaning?  Pollen settles on our clothes and cakes our shoes, which means it is also transferred and tracked into our homes.  Keeping our houses dusted and our floors pollen-free will keep our home a safe-haven from allergies.  Feeling overwhelmed? Hiring a cleaning service gives you the peace-of-mind that your home will be cleaned thoroughly, without sacrificing valuable family-time.

While we are whipping our houses into shape, how about our diets?  Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, active cultures, Omega-3 fatty acids, and whole grains, can significantly reduce an allergen response.  (Mom always said to eat your broccoli!)

So, let’s go show Spring allergies who’s boss!

Step 1: Gather your Tools – You’ll need:

• 2 Laundry baskets
• Trash Bag
• Dusting cloths

Step 2: Pick Up – If it doesn’t belong where it is, put it in one of three places.
Wrong Place (right room): Basket 1
Wrong Room: Basket 2
Trash: Trash Bag

Step 3: Dust/Polish – This task is easy-peasy once everything that doesn’t belong is removed.  Start in one place in the room, and work your way around in a circle. Wipe surfaces and polishing items, such as mirrors, with a microfiber cloth as you go.  Once you reach your starting point again, go back and dust any surfaces/items that aren’t along the wall, such as coffee tables.

Step 4: Empty Basket 1 – If it’s in the right room, but the  wrong place, put it back.  Since you’ve already dusted everything, wipe the items down as you put them back.

Step 5: Congratulations!  You’re ready for the next room! – Bring Basket 2 with any “items that don’t belong” with you to your next cleaning destination and repeat the process.

Step 6: Suck it up – Once the whole house is done, I usually vacuum all of the rooms at once instead of doing it room by room.  Partly because it’s my favorite part, and partly because then I’m able to start at the back of the house without risking walking on those pretty vacuum lines.

These 5 easy steps will help you introduce cleaning to your whole family!

1. Baby Steps – Instead of assigning a small child to a room, assign each child an area or a task for the room.  It’s much easier for them to “dust the bookshelf and pick up the dirty clothes” rather than having the daunting task of “clean your room.”
2. Turn up the Music – Music makes everything more fun – including cleaning.  I like to keep a playlist ready with upbeat “exercise type” music.  The faster the music, the faster you move!
3. Make Cleaning a Game – Set a timer and have your kids race to finish their tasks before the time runs out.  When cleaning their rooms, for instance, tell them on Monday that you are going to play the game on Friday.  They can technically win the game by keeping their room picked up, or near spotless before the game begins.  Imagine that!
4. Cleaning with Style – Put together a cleaning kit individualized for your child.  A bright bucket with pink apron and lime green dusting rags, or Maybe a CSI (Cleaning Scene Investigation) kit complete with investigatory flashlight and white rags to help analyze the dust as they wipe.
5. Reward – Giving a cleaning reward doesn’t have to cost you a penny.  Let your kids take turns picking their favorite dinner for you to make or picking the movie for family night, or even just give them verbal praise.  Everyone loves a pat on the back!

So get them involved and enjoy the fruits of your (and their) labor.  You’ll be glad you did!

Price: When pricing cleaning services against individuals, there is a clear winner.  Individuals are, for the most part, much cheaper than going through a cleaning service.  One can expect to save anywhere from a few dollars to up to half off of the price of a professional service. Before you start checking the want-ads, you should know that this cheaper price can quite literally come at a cost.

Training: Professional cleaning services hire individuals and, through a company-wide training process, they become professional cleaners.  Using a company means that you can be confident that the person that you have invited into your home has been trained, not only to clean thoroughly and efficiently, but also to handle your valuables in a professional manner.  If someone is not properly trained on what products or chemicals can and cannot be used on different surfaces in your home, expensive and/or irreparable damage can be done.

Insurance and Bonding: If something is broken or damaged in your home when being cleaned by an individual, it is much less likely that this person has any bonding or insurance to cover this.  Hiring a service that is bonded and insured also comes with the added security that the company more than likely does pre-employment background checks on all of their employees to keep from being susceptible to unnecessary claims. If you do choose to hire an individual cleaner, you need to make sure you check that your homeowner’s insurance policy to make sure that you have high enough liability coverage to your belongings and any damage that may be accidentally incurred.

Legality: Perhaps the most important factor to consider when choosing whether to hire an individual or a professional cleaning service is the legality. You should be aware that if you pay more than $1700 per year to an independent cleaner, you technically become their employer.  If this is the case:

• You  must contact the IRS to apply for an Employer ID Number.
• You are legally required to pay Social Security, Medicare, and Federal Unemployment Tax on your employee’s earnings.
• You must verify that the person that you are hiring is legally allowed to work in the United States.  You do this by having them fill out an I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form.  (This form can be acquired through the IRS website.)

Once these forms are completed, you can legally hire an individual cleaner.

So, when the important decision arises, you should have the tools to arm you so that you can make an informed decision.

• Busts soap scum like nobody’s business
• Grease doesn’t stand a chance!
• Makes vinyl patio furniture look like new
• Removes marks on vinyl siding
• Makes tennis shoes look like new again
• Removes cooked-on stains in pots and pans
• Removes hair dye from counter tops and floors
• Cleans plastic coolers inside & out
• Cleans oven shelves & the grates on the grill
• Removes water line marks around pool

A word of warning though – Magic Erasers are for all practical purposes a very fine sand paper (a pencil eraser would also be a good comparison) so they can take the finish off of some surfaces. Always test in an inconspicuous spot!

Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down clogged drain

Follow immediately with 1/2 cup vinegar (but call the kids in to watch first – volcano time!)

Cover and let sit for 30 minutes

Flush with boiling water

Bonus Tip: Prevent your shower drain from clogging in the first place by using a drain trap to catch hairs!