Vacuuming—it’s probably not a foreign concept to you. Even those of us who hate cleaning and housekeeping, most will probably still break down and run the vacuum cleaner when it starts getting really bad! Running the vacuum cleaner is not rocket science; however, it is something that could still be done better by most people in order to be more efficient and produce better results. Here are a few of the most common vacuuming mistakes that I see being made every day.
Not Going Around the Edges
Vacuuming the main area of the floor is great, but please don’t forget about the edges. So many times I see people have vacuumed the main area of the carpet but they have not taken the crevice tool around the edges of the carpet. Their floor still looks dirty! With the activity taking place in the middle of the carpet a lot of the dirt travels to the edges where, especially if it is a carpeted room, the dirt lodges between the wall and baseboard. If you do not vacuum the edges with the crevice tool, it will stay there. This is why if you vacuum the main area of the carpet but fail to go around the edges your carpet can still look dirty. Little by little the dirt will bounce its way out of the crease between the wall and onto the main part of the floor.
If you have hard floors, I always make the joke that you could just take the crevice tool around the edges and call it a day because most of the dirt will float to the corners and build up there, meanwhile the main part of your floor doesn’t look too bad!
Rollers on Hard Floors
Most vacuums today come with at least two options, a hard floor setting and a carpet setting. Some vacuums even come with three settings: hard floor, low carpet, and high carpet (these are my favorite type vacuums). Please be aware that you don’t want to use the carpet setting on a hard floor, especially a hardwood floor, because it can scratch your floor. While it is generally okay to flash on the roller setting for a second to help suck up a big mess or little particles (such as kitty litter or glitter), you do not want to use this setting all the time on the hard floor.
Picking up the Cord
Have you ever vacuumed a floor, especially a hard floor as opposed to carpet, and turned about and saw more dirt where you just vacuumed? More than likely you were letting your vacuum cord lay on the floor and it caught some of the dirt as you went along vacuuming. A better approach is to loop the cord so you are holding as much of it as possible, vacuum a small area, then turn and release the cord so the cord is laying in a clean area that you already vacuumed. Then proceed to vacuum ahead of where you are walking.
Vacuuming Out of a Room
This is more of a detail but who doesn’t like seeing those neat lines in the carpet from the vacuum? In order to leave the carpet looking freshest, start on the side of the room furthest from the door and vacuum your way out of the room so there are few footprints on the carpet and you can enjoy the room looking even crisper for a little bit!
Conclusion
I hope these tips help to solve any frustrations you may have been battling with your vacuuming! If you have any additional questions or topics you’d like me to cover please shoot me an email at: alainascleaingservice@gmail.com. Until next time!
I remember when I first discovered the Magic Eraser. It worked like, well, magic! There were tough scuff marks on the bottom of the fridge in the pizza place where I worked. I had been trying to scrub them off and wasn’t getting anywhere until my boss tossed me a Magic Eraser and told me to try it. I was amazed when it worked! From then on I believed in magic!
However, over the years of using them, I noticed times when the Magic Eraser (and by Magic Eraser I am talking about any of those white, dense sponges that are intended to take spots away- not a specific brand) didn’t quite work the way I wanted it to. I used it on some laminate countertops and it looked like it had scuffed the surface. Another time I used a Magic Eraser on a painted wall to get a scuff mark off; I liberally scrubbed all around the area, wiping down the wall with the Magic Eraser. After it dried, I noticed the paint looked lighter in that area than the rest of the wall. “What in the world?” I wondered.
How Magic Erasers Work
The thing that I didn’t know then about Magic Erasers, that I now know, is their magic power comes from them containing a small amount of bleach. The bleach, in conjunction with the sponge, can etch the surface you are using it on.
When to Use a Magic Eraser
Now I am not here to bash Magic Erasers—I think they are great and, most assuredly, have their uses. You just have to have some understanding of what and how you are using them. If you have a scuff mark on a wall and use a Magic Eraser very carefully on that spot—it will take the mark away and you’ll never know it was there—just don’t get crazy scrubbing all over that wall.
If you have something white or made out of a very hard, non-porous surface, say a porcelain toilet, you’re safe to use the Magic Eraser. Another one of my favorite uses for the Magic Eraser is to scrub the textured bottom of a fiberglass shower or tub that was gray from discoloration! As mentioned above, they also work great to remove scuffs that somehow always get on the inside of fridges!
Where I Wouldn’t Use a Magic Eraser
I tend towards the conservative side when it comes to cleaning, meaning the last thing I want to do is damage anything and I’d also rather have it look slightly less clean than use it on something that it might slightly damage and cut down on the life of the surface. This is a personal preference.
I wouldn’t use a Magic Eraser on surfaces like natural stone countertops, especially quartz countertops—way too easy to etch! I have also heard about using it on glass shower doors to remove hard water buildup, but I’d be very careful if you go this route. I think the Magic Eraser will take the marks off but, again, it will penetrate the coating covering your glass that makes the water bead and roll off. If you use a Magic Eraser you will remove some of this coating allowing the hard water to penetrate deeper and potentially stain it worse if you do not keep up with it.
Final Verdict
I love Magic Erasers! I just think it is important to know the downside if you use them indiscriminately. Like anything, when in doubt always test on an inconspicuous area first to determine if it will damage the surface!
Disclaimer:
All of these cleaning tips have come from my personal experience and that of the clients whom I serve. While the information here should be applicable and safe in most circumstances if you have any doubts be sure to check with the manufacturer for the product which you are cleaning and always test a cleaning product or procedure in an inconspicuous area first!
I have seen many different kinds of cabinets in my day and, as in most things in my life, I have developed very strong opinions about what kind are best and which kind of kitchen cabinets are easiest to keep looking clean! It should be noted before we dive in that perhaps the easiest cabinet to keep looking clean may not be the cabinets that are actually the easiest to clean—by nature of being harder to keep clean the cabinet may just be showing the dirt more.
Design
From a style and design point of view I think the two classics are white and wooden cabinets.
What Is the Material of Your Cabinet?
Before we get to the many different finishes of cabinets, let’s talk about what the cabinets themselves are made of. Few cabinets today are made out of solid wood, and you will pay a pretty penny for cabinets made out of solid wood. However, these do last the longest. Many cabinets are made out of a sturdy particleboard and then overlaid with wood to form the style of front that you want. Lastly, some cabinets are made out of particleboard, then overlaid with a plastic veneer to give them the desired finish.
All of that has to do with doors—there’s the box of the cabinet too. The box of the cabinet refers to what the doors and drawers fasten into. Here again, some are made out of solid wood, and others are made out of particleboard. Wood will definitely hold up better and be easier to repair if it gets damaged (think toddler denting it by hitting it with a toy block or a puppy chewing the wood) but particleboard is much cheaper. Weigh your options and factor in how often you plan to update your kitchen when making this decision.
Finishes
Now for the finish of the cabinets. There are several different finishes including: natural stained wood, painted wood, and plastic veneer overlay.
Wood
Wood is the easiest to keep looking clean. Since wood has natural movement in it, drips and stains blend in making wooden cabinets look cleaner than they often are. You still want to still check your cabinets regularly to make sure you don’t get any marks on them that stain the wood. Wood wipes off pretty easily but often requires soap and water rather than just a one-step spray to clean.
Paint
Painted cabinets are the hardest to keep looking clean. Especially white cabinets. I know, I’m sorry but it’s the truth! All painted cabinets show dirt as there is no variation in the color for stain and marks to blend in with. If you want painted cabinets go for it! I did paint in my own kitchen but beware, you will have to spend some time wiping down door fronts in order to keep them looking pristine.
Also do not think that only white and light shades of paint show dirt—they all do. In fact, a very dark shade of cabinet shows just about as much dirt as white since few materials tend to be very light or very dark, falling rather in the middle of the color spectrum. Painted cabinets tend to wipe down pretty easily, and depending on the finish, sometimes more easily than wooden cabinets.
Veneer Cabinet Finishes
Veneers come in all colors but what I am talking about here as far as ease of cleaning goes is how easy this finish wipes down. A veneer is usually a plastic coating covering the wood (or most likely particleboard) of the cabinet. Due to the plastic coating it is the easiest to quickly wipe down. Be warned though, tough stains such as coffee drips not wiped regularly or red wine marks can permanently stain this finish easier than some of the other finishes. On the plus side, this finish tends to be considerably cheaper than wood or paint so it is much more reasonably replaced if it doesn’t wear well.
One other thing to consider with a veneer-covered cabinet is heat exposure. Will a coffeemaker be sitting on the counter sending hot steam up the front of the cabinet? A toaster? An oven? A veneer can partially melt in the heat, discoloring or even peeling it off the frame of the cabinet door. Once again buyer beware…
The Style of Your Cabinet Front
The style of your door will affect how easy it is too clean. Take the most popular cabinet style, the Shaker style, in which all the edges are raised leaving a rectangular inset in the door-front. It looks like you glued wood in a frame around the edges of the door creating a 90 degree angle for the inset. What that means for you is that there is a perfect ledge where dirt can collect. If you slide your cloth from right to left or visa-versa you are going to end up with dirt wedged in the corner of your cabinet door which is next to impossible to clean. For my cabinets I opted for an inlay that had a 45 angle and is much easier to clean.
Lastly, some cabinets have a bead board inlay. I love bead-board but think long and hard about whether you want it in your cabinet door. Why? Well, how do you feel about scraping dried spaghetti sauce out of each little line in the bead-board… I thought not too!
Glazes
Lastly, many cabinet doors can be finished with a glaze in which a dark paint is sprayed on then wiped off to leave a dark outline in any of the grooves of your cabinet. This adds some character to your door and is a great option to consider when going with a painted door as it helps to camouflage any marks your door may collect. It is usually an additional charge but I think it is well worth it!
I hope this helps give you a few things to think about when selecting a cabinet door! If you find this information useful please share it with a friend!
Disclaimer:
All of these cleaning tips have come from my personal experience and that of the clients whom I serve. While the information here should be applicable and safe in most circumstances if you have any doubts be sure to check with the manufacturer for the product which you are cleaning and always test a cleaning product or procedure in an inconspicuous area first!
I always like to mist the entire stove top, grates and all, with a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water. I let this sit for about 5-10 minutes to loosen any caked-on oil or food crumbs. It’s important not to let this sit too long, just long enough to break down the tough dirt.
The Grates:
I take a blue non-scratch sponge, please make sure it is non-scratch, and put just a small drop of soap and enough water to get some suds, but not so the sponge is dripping everywhere, and gently but firmly scrub the entire grate. I then remove the grates; I usually set them on a few rags on the top of the counter in order to avoid setting the grates directly on the countertop and damaging it.
The Stovetop:
I gently scrub each of the burner tops with my sponge, paying special attention to any stains or stubborn parts.
After I complete the burner tops, I rinse my sponge, add a little more soap and water and gently scrub the actual stove top. If your stove top is stainless steel, it is very important to scrub with the grain of the steel. If you go counter to the grain then you risk grinding the dirt into the stainless steel rather than out of it. You also risk scratching your stainless steel stove.
Rinse:
After you have scrubbed all the dirt loose, dampen a low-lint cloth and wipe all of the dirt, vinegar, and water from the stove top. Then take one microfiber towel (see my post Microfiber towels) and dry the stove top completely, so that it is shiny!
Wipe down the grates with the same damp, low-lint cloth and place the grates back on the stove.
What if You Have a Really Stubborn Spot?
If you have really tried to soak the spot and have scrubbed it with the rough side of a sponge and there are still burnt-on crumbs, sprinkle a little bit of Baking Soda on the area and use it to help scrub—again working with the grain. Baking Soda is a great option to try because 1) it’s an all-natural, non-harmful choice, and 2) it gives just enough scrubbing power to remove dirt while still being a gentler cleanser.
In Conclusion:
I hope you find this helpful! Have you any other tried and true techniques for cleaning a gas-top stove? If so, I’d love to hear them. Please send any comments to Alainascleaningservice@gmail.com. Thanks!
Disclaimer: All of these cleaning tips have come from my personal experience and that of the clients whom I serve. While the information here should be applicable and safe in most circumstances if you have any doubts be sure to check with the manufacturer for the product which you are cleaning and always test a cleaning product or procedure in an inconspicuous area first!
Chances are, if you have a walk-in shower, you have glass shower doors! More and more people are going tub-less and opting for a beautiful walk-in shower with stone or tile and sparkling glass shower doors—at least for the first couple of weeks. Then those beautiful glass doors that were sparkling can easily look dingy, streaked with leftover soap and accumulated water spots. It is at this time many people make the fatal mistake of reaching for the Windex to clean those pesky marks off of the shower door but don’t do it!! Windex, while a great option for glass, can ruin your beautiful, and likely expensive, shower doors. So instead of reaching for Windex, try reaching for a different household product.
Chemistry
I’m not the biggest fan of chemistry either but I always find it easiest to remember to do or not to do something if I learn what is behind it. All shower doors come with a coating on the doors to repel water. This coating can be harmed if you use an ammonia-based cleanser on the glass. To steer clear of harming the glass, you’ll want to select a cleanser that is acidic-based or Ph-neutral.
The Cleaner I Like
There is a great variety of glass cleaners on the market but my favorite general glass cleaner is vinegar and water. Use distilled white vinegar and mix it in a 1:1 ratio with water and pour it into a spray bottle.
For Cleaning
I like to mist the shower doors with my vinegar and water solution, then grab one of my microfiber towels, and wipe down the door. This usually only gets about 90% of the water so then I wipe down the door again with a paper towel. Using the paper towel, I feel a lot of friction but that’s how you know you’re getting the doors really well! The microfiber serves to remove any soap scum more effectively than just the paper towel would and it also conserves how many paper towels you use. I’m also a fan of using the Norwex Window Cloth to take the place of a paper towel and really polish the glass shower door.
For Stubborn Buildup on Glass
All glass doors will show wear over time, especially if you live in an area that has hard water. However, this takes a long time for most shower doors. The only shower doors that I have seen that I haven’t been able to clean are one that have had ammonia or other harsh cleanser used on them.
Sometimes there will be a lot of built-up soap. In these cases, I very gently use a wet non-scratch sponge to remove the buildup. If you go in with a brand new, dry, non-scratch sponge and scrub really hard it will still scratch your glass. Beware and use caution!
While I love the vinegar and water solution for regular maintenance, I do find that every so often I need something with a little more oomph to my cleaning and the product that I have found that I really like is Rain-X Shower Door Cleaner. This is a particularly nice product for removing any oil-based soaps that have left a residue on the glass shower door.
So there you have it! What products have you used to clean your glass shower door? Any recommendations? I would love to hear from you!
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The Most Common Cleaning Mistakes I See Being Made Everyday
I am asked by my clients, at least weekly, how I get everything so shiny! The shiny object can be anything from a stainless steel fridge to a glass stove top, to a shiny streak-free granite countertop. In each of these situations, my answer is always the same—microfiber towels!
What are microfiber towels?
Microfiber cloths are made of fibers that are split to make them up to 100 times finer than human hair! Because of this, they are super absorbent—but not just water absorbent! All the fine fibers that make up the microfiber cloth also work to absorb dust and other particles. Because of the super dense nature of these fibers, microfiber cloths can absorb seven times their weight of water! That is why when put into action, the microfiber can absorb more moisture and, therefore, leave your surface that much dryer and shinier than if you used any other cloth.
Where can you use microfiber towels in your cleaning?
So where can you use microfiber towels in your cleaning? The answer is just about anywhere! When using microfiber, I like to spray my cleanser on the surface I am cleaning, wipe the surface dry, and then polish it really, really dry with a clean microfiber towel. (This last part is where the great shine comes from.) For instance, if I am cleaning the front of a glass-front stove, I will use my glass cleaner and wipe the glass surface pretty dry and remove all of the dirt build-up; then I take my microfiber towel over it. While this extra step may seem unnecessary, it is that detail that really does the trick and makes the surface gleam.
Using microfiber but still not getting the desired result?
If you are using a microfiber towel as described above and still not seeing the desired outcome, then the most likely scenario is that you are not drying the surface well enough. If you are cleaning your granite countertop and you have washed and dried it, the countertop should look dry; you wouldn’t describe the countertop as any more than damp. That’s when you want to come in with your microfiber towel and really polish the countertop dry. I say polish because you’ll want to use a little bit of elbow grease! Feeling some friction means that you are getting it completely dry and you will get the shiny countertop of your dreams.
Where Not to Use Microfiber Towels
Have I sold you on the value of using microfiber towels? If so, you are probably ready to throw out all of your other towels and only use microfiber, but don’t! While microfiber towels are great to dust, shine, dry and polish surfaces, I do not recommend using them to clean surfaces that could have a lot of undesirable bacteria present, such as a toilet. Why not? The denseness of these towels that allows them to trap dirt and water also makes them trap bacteria and other particles you’d rather not have hanging around long term. Since microfiber towels call for gentler handling when washing, you cannot get them as clean as you can regular cloths. For that reason, I never recommend using them to clean heavily soiled areas or areas such as a bathroom or toilet.
Taking care of microfiber towels
Speaking of how to care for microfiber towels, you’ll want to make a few adjustments in how you wash these cloths in order to get the best life out of them and to keep them super absorbent.
First, never wash them in hot water. You can use warm water but it is even better if you stick with cool-cold water. Second, do not dry them in a hot dryer! Drying them on a hot cycle will cause the fibers to melt together, reducing their effectiveness. Dry them on the lowest possible setting and when possible skip drying them in the machine and hang dry them instead. Lastly, if you can, try to wash your microfiber cloths with only other microfiber cloths. This will keep them from collecting lint which will in turn keep them from leaving lint behind when you use them to dust.
I hope you find this information useful! If you have any other cleaning questions or topics you’d like me to discuss just shoot me an email at: alainascleaingservice@gmail.com and I will do my best to get back to you.
Disclaimer: All of these cleaning tips have come from my personal experience and that of the clients whom I serve. While the information here should be applicable and safe in most circumstances if you have any doubts be sure to check with the manufacturer for the product which you are cleaning and always test a cleaning product or procedure in an inconspicuous area first!
If you are here, chances are you just might like my writing. (wink) If you Drop your email address in the box below I’ll save you time by emailing you the link every time a new post comes out!
