Yes, gutter cleaning is not a job anyone would want to do. It’s stressful, can be dangerous, and isn’t much fun. But if anything, it’s a very necessary evil. Without periodic gutter cleaning, you stand the risk of drainage, landscaping, and roof damage to your home.
But as much as it is nobody’s favorite chore, cleaning your gutters doesn’t need to be a dreaded task. In this article, we'll dive into the importance of regular gutter maintenance and provide you with essential and simple tips to keep your gutters in top condition.
Clogged gutters can spell disaster for your home by causing water backup, roof leaks, and exterior and interior damage. When debris accumulates in your gutters, it impedes the flow of water, leading to overflow and seepage into your home's structure. By regularly cleaning your gutters, you can mitigate the risk of water damage and preserve the integrity of your property.
Gutters play a crucial role in directing water away from your home's foundation. Without proper drainage, water can pool around the foundation, leading to erosion and compromising the structural integrity of your property. By keeping your gutters clean and free of debris, you ensure that water is effectively diverted away from your home, reducing the risk of foundation issues and costly repairs.
When it comes to gutter cleaning, safety should always be a top priority. Here are some essential safety precautions to keep in mind:
Before you start cleaning your gutters, make sure to equip yourself with the necessary protective gear. Wear sturdy gloves to protect your hands from sharp debris and bacteria. Safety goggles are also essential to shield your eyes from any flying debris. Additionally, opt for non-slip footwear to ensure stability and prevent falls while working on the ladder.
Proper ladder safety is crucial to prevent accidents and injuries. Before climbing up, inspect your ladder for any damage or defects. When positioning the ladder, ensure that it's on a level surface and securely stabilized. Consider using ladder stabilizers or stand-offs to provide additional support and prevent the ladder from slipping. Always maintain three points of contact while climbing and avoid overreaching to minimize the risk of falls.
Having the right equipment and tools can make gutter cleaning much more efficient and safe. Here are some recommended tools to aid in the cleaning process:
A gutter scoop or trowel is essential for removing debris from your gutters quickly and efficiently. These tools are designed to fit perfectly into the gutter channels, allowing you to easily scoop out leaves, twigs, and other debris. Make sure to periodically empty the scoop into a bucket or trash bag to prevent clogs and ensure smooth water flow.
Cleaning gutters can often involve reaching high and hard-to-access areas, especially if your gutters are attached to a tall roof. If you plan on using water pressure to clean your gutters, an extension wand can be a lifesaver in such situations, allowing you to clean gutters from the safety of the ground. With an extension wand attached to your garden hose, you can reach distant gutters without the need for climbing on the roof, minimizing the risk of accidents.
Cleaning out your gutters can be a dangerous job, one you shouldn’t be doing alone. Always work with an assistant who can help with things like keeping the ladder steady, picking up tools, and other menial but important tasks.
Begin by visually inspecting your gutters for any signs of clogs, leaves, or debris. Walk around your home and carefully examine each section of the gutter system, paying close attention to areas near trees and overhanging branches where debris accumulates.
Armed with a gutter scoop or trowel, remove the accumulated gunk from the gutters. Begin near the downspout and work your way outward, scooping out leaves, twigs, and other debris. Dispose of the debris in a bucket or trash bag as you go to prevent it from falling back into the gutter.
B. Flushing the Gutters
Once you've cleared most of the debris, it's time to flush out the remaining dirt from the gutters. Attach a garden hose to a spigot and turn on the water. Starting from the opposite end of the downspout, run the hose along the length of the gutter, directing the water toward the downspout. Don’t use very high pressure so you don’t damage your gutters.
As you flush the gutters, keep an eye on the flow of water. Ensure that water flows freely through the gutters and downspouts without any obstructions. Pay attention to areas where water may be pooling or overflowing, as these could indicate blockages that need to be addressed.
In addition to regular inspections, homeowners should clean their gutters seasonally. It’s best to clean before and after leaf-fall, and after heavy storms. Seasonal cleanings help prevent the buildup of debris and ensure optimal gutter performance throughout the year. If trees surround your home, you might have to clean out your gutters up to four times in a year.
Consider installing gutter guards to help prevent debris from entering the gutter system in the first place. Gutter guards can significantly reduce the frequency of gutter cleanings by blocking leaves, twigs, and other debris while allowing water to flow freely.
Regularly inspect gutters for signs of leaks, rust, or damage. Look for any cracks, holes, or loose seams that could compromise the integrity of the gutter system. Promptly repair any damage to prevent water from seeping into the home's structure.
Professional gutter cleaning services offer efficiency and expertise. Instead of spending hours cleaning gutters yourself, you can entrust the task to professionals who will complete the job quickly and efficiently, allowing you to focus on other priorities.
Regular gutter cleaning is essential for preventing costly water damage and maintaining the structural integrity of your home. You can avoid expensive repairs and ensure long-term durability by prioritizing gutter maintenance as part of your overall home care routine. Remember, a little maintenance now saves you from major headaches later. Keep those gutters clean and your home safe!
Clean Tu Casa is the team to call for any cleaning service in Atlanta. We offer Atlanta residential cleaning services and corporate cleaning services. We provide commercial cleaning services in Marietta, Buckhead, and Brookhaven areas. Whether you want a one-time, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cleaning, simply reach out to us for your free quote today.
Coffee is a tasty beverage but more than that for most people. It offers that caffeine hit you need to start your day and keep you going for the rest of it. Approximately 400 million cups of coffee are consumed daily in the United States, so it is safe to say that it forms an essential part of our daily routine. The Keurig coffee maker is a household staple for most coffee drinkers, with 45% having it as their preferred brewing method.
And why wouldn’t they? Forgive our love for convenience, but it is so easy to pop a fresh pod into your Keurig and have a cup of joe whenever you want. However, if you don’t take proper care of your Keurig, mold, bacteria, and limescale will build up and affect the taste of your brew, or worse, your Keurig will break down. It is, therefore, vital that you learn how to clean and descale your Keurig regularly.
Every appliance should be cleaned regularly to continue serving you optimally; your Keurig coffee maker is no exception. Here are a few reasons why cleaning your Keurig is essential;
With constant usage, splatters and fingerprint smudges are inevitable. Dust and dirt can also begin to accumulate on your machine. It’s advisable to wipe it down quickly after every use.
To clean the exterior, use dish soap or a mild vinegar solution with a microfiber towel to prevent scratching. Simply mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle for your vinegar solution.
This is simple;
PS: It is easy to forget to clean your needle, but you shouldn’t. A dirty needle can affect the brewing process and leave coffee grounds clogging your machine or floating around in your brew. This part might seem tricky, but it is straightforward. For this, all you need is a paperclip.
This is important so your coffee always remains fresh. You should descale your Keurig quarterly if you brew coffee daily. If you brew coffee a couple of times a day, then you need to descale every 6-8 weeks.
For this, you simply need a Keurig descaling solution. If you don’t have this, distilled white vinegar will do the job superbly.
It is essential to have a regular cleaning schedule for easy maintenance of your Keurig. Some simple daily maintenance tasks are removing used pods and cleaning the exterior surfaces of your Keurig. Other maintenance tasks are;
Always using a filter to reduce mineral deposits within your machine is essential. You should change the filter every 2-3 months with these easy steps;
Needles can get clogged over time because of the buildup of excess coffee grounds. This could lead to coffee grounds floating around in your brew or other problems, such as incomplete brewing. Thankfully, this problem is easy to fix. Simply clean the needles with the guide above. Remember to do it carefully to prevent injuries.
If the strength of your brew is weak, it means that your machine needs a thorough cleaning. Residual coffee grounds and limescale build-up heavily impact the taste and strength of your coffee. Use the already-mentioned tips to clean your Keurig efficiently. Some other tips to help with your brew strength are;
Every coffee lover’s nightmare is terrible tasting coffee or to have their machine breakdown on them. With the maintenance tips in this article, you can easily avoid that and always count on your Keurig to deliver.
Make sure to share this article with your friends and any other coffee lovers you know.
Clean Tu Casa is the team to call for any cleaning service in Atlanta. We offer Atlanta residential cleaning services and corporate cleaning services. We provide commercial cleaning services in Marietta, Buckhead, and Brookhaven areas. Whether you want a one-time, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cleaning, simply reach out to us for your free quote today.
The days are becoming longer while the nights are getting shorter. This could only mean one thing. Spring is here!! And with the arrival of spring comes the inevitable spring cleaning. Spring cleaning is important as it allows you to give your house the thorough cleaning it needs for a fresh start. This, however, doesn’t take away from the fact that it can be daunting, so the first question on everyone’s mind is usually, “How long does it take to spring clean?”
Understanding the possible time frame needed for your spring cleaning will help you organize yourself, manage your time better, and expend energy only where necessary. If you want your home to be as good as new without having to sacrifice your entire month, this is just the article for you.
Related: 10 Essential Tasks For Your Spring Cleaning Checklist
Spring cleaning can be overwhelming, especially since the average person already has a lot of things to juggle daily. Having an idea of what exactly you do during spring cleaning is a great way to start when thinking of a timeframe.
Spring cleaning is not your regular daily or weekly cleaning. It typically involves:
You can’t just wake up one morning and decide to dive head first into your spring cleaning. You need to sit back, evaluate what you have on hand, and decide a course of action. This ensures that you don’t get drained while doing your spring cleaning.
In the past, spring cleaning was usually one day of back-breaking labor. That is no longer feasible as the average person has a lot they have to do in a day. This has necessitated planning to spread the chores over a sensible period of time.
Proper planning for spring cleaning involves evaluating what you’re working with (the size of your space), how much time you have on hand, possible help, tools needed, and a detailed checklist. With the right strategy, you can break up your spring cleaning over the course of a few days or weeks or even decide to outsource it completely.
Setting unrealistic expectations when it comes to your spring cleaning can lead to burnout and fatigue. When planning a course of action, you must set realistic timelines.
What are your current obligations, and how can you plan your spring cleaning around them? Given your typical daily routine, how many hours a day can you give to house cleanup? How fast do you typically clean? That last question is necessary because you shouldn’t expect yourself to suddenly fit in five hours of cleaning into two hours. Plan at your average pace, and don’t forget to include your family members.
Assuming you’re focusing on cleaning throughout the day, spring cleaning generally takes anywhere from two to three days for an average two-bedroom apartment (1,138 sq ft), up to five days for a four-bedroom apartment, and definitely more for houses with more rooms. However, there are a number of factors that will affect your spring cleaning timeframe:
You need to create a detailed checklist and schedule during the planning process. The checklist contains everything that you need to do. It would be a bummer to finally relax after a stressful few days of spring cleaning only to realize that you forgot to do something. A detailed checklist prevents that from happening.
A schedule, on the other hand, details how you plan to tackle your spring cleaning. It focuses on the time frame. Yes, your checklist says you’re going to clean the baseboards. So the schedule answers the ‘When.’ We’ve provided a week-by-week schedule below to spread your cleaning tasks across four weeks of spring to prevent overwhelm. If you want to strongman the whole thing in just one week, you can still adapt our easy-to-use schedule for it.
This week is dedicated to decluttering. This is when you’ll go around your entire house, taking stock of what needs to go, what needs to be replaced, and what needs to be added. During the week, you can take inventory in your free time then the weekend will be dedicated to the actual decluttering process.
This includes the living areas, bedrooms, and closets. You can dedicate one day to deep cleaning one room. For example, on the day you decide to deep clean the living room, you’ll clean every inch of the living room. This includes the fireplace, windows, fans, cushions, floors, ceilings, fixtures, decorative items, etc. Move things around in order to clean each room thoroughly. On the days that you clean your rooms, don’t forget to wash the bedding and deodorize the mattress.
This includes the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, garage, attic, and basement. Like in week 2, you can dedicate each day to one room. These areas of the house need a little more time and effort, so make sure to pull out the big guns when tackling them. You’ll need baking soda, distilled white vinegar, heavy-duty gloves, stiff-bristle brushes, glass cleaner, microfiber cloths, detergent, sponge etc.
This week will be dedicated to maintaining special things around the house. This includes taking care of outdoor equipment, washing your carpets, sealing hardwood floors and marble countertops, fixing any broken fixtures, etc. This is also the time for a routine safety check. Check your smoke detectors and fire extinguishers to ensure they still function optimally.
Spring cleaning is usually daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. It is possible to thoroughly deep clean your home without feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or burnt out. We’re sure that with this article's tips and practical steps, you will be pumped to tackle your spring cleaning once and for all.
Clean Tu Casa is the team to call for any cleaning service in Atlanta. We offer Atlanta residential cleaning services and corporate cleaning services. We provide commercial cleaning services in Marietta, Buckhead, and Brookhaven areas. Whether you want a one-time, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cleaning, simply reach out to us for your free quote today.
No one likes a smelly environment, and in the corporate world, it doesn’t just affect your nostrils. Unpleasant odors in the office space can chase clients away and negatively impact the employees' health. The pollutants and odors in the air can dampen productivity and even lead to sick building syndrome. On the other hand, a simple, DIY office air freshener can lift the spirits and soothe the senses, creating an ideal office environment for everyone.
There are a lot of chemical air fresheners on the market. Most of the time, these artificial air fresheners don’t last long, have cloying scents, and contain irritating chemicals.
However, if you’re looking for natural, low-maintenance air fresheners that smell wonderful, eliminate odors, and have therapeutic benefits, this is the article for you.
Related: How To Care For Your Office Plants
Natural DIY air fresheners have a ton of benefits. They are cheaper than the alternative, eco-friendly, and free from toxic chemicals. Some other benefits include;
Indoor air quality can affect the well-being, comfort, and productivity of a building’s occupants. Improved indoor air quality results in higher productivity and fewer lost work days due to sickness.
Significant contributors to poor indoor air quality are pollutants and odors. Improving the air quality with an effective DIY office air freshener is no big deal. They absorb and get rid of odors while ushering in a sweet-smelling fragrance.
A huge benefit of a DIY air freshener is the ability to create your own unique scent. You can customize your essential oil or herb sachet mix to create the ideal fragrance and vibe for your office.
With the right essential oil or herbal mix, you can create a scent that makes your office smell nice, has health benefits and also elevates your working experience. Essential oils like lavender and peppermint have excellent anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. They also boost the mood, relieve stress, and fight fatigue.
Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts. They are used in aromatherapy as they have tons of benefits. They can boost your mood, reduce stress, increase attentiveness, fight fatigue, and relieve headaches. All of these invariably affect your productivity in the workplace.
Essential oil diffusers can be store-bought. However, you can easily make your own to create a unique scent that can help the overall outlook in the office.
DIY RECIPE
Materials:
Instructions:
Recommended essential oils for office use are lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, and citrus. These oils fight fatigue, ease pain, relieve stress and anxiety, support memory, and lift your mood.
Odors in the workplace can easily get out of hand, creating an unpleasant environment and posing a health risk to workers.
Natural odor absorbers such as activated charcoal, baking soda, and coffee grounds can help eliminate unpleasant odors in the office. These items have an absorbent structure that allows them to trap odors and remove them from the air. You can put coffee grounds into fancy containers and use them to decorate the office space. This will neutralize odors as well as release that sweet coffee scent into the air.
Baking soda and activated charcoal work more topically. So you can apply them directly to the odor-prone areas. For example, you could dust the bottom of the office trash can with baking soda before lining it with your trash bag.
Herbs and spices are great as office air fresheners. They smell pleasant while lending a cozy vibe to your office space.
They are pretty easy to make;
It is necessary to use properly dried herbs for longer-lasting sachets. You can dry fresh herbs by hanging them upside down in a well-ventilated area or with a dehydrator. You could also consider vacuum sealing.
In everything, it is necessary to consider the safety of yourself and your teammates.
Nothing lasts forever. The same goes for your excellent office air freshener. You must maintain them regularly to ensure that your office continues to smell pleasant.
Some maintenance tips include;
These DIY office air fresheners improve indoor air quality and have therapeutic effects such as relieving stress, fatigue, and anxiety while enhancing clarity and focus. Creating your own unique office air fresheners, with the help of the tips in this article, will tremendously boost morale and productivity in your workplace.
As you try your hand at any of our tips, ensure to give us an idea of how it goes in the comments.
Clean Tu Casa is the team to call for any cleaning service in Atlanta. We offer Atlanta residential cleaning services and corporate cleaning services. We provide commercial cleaning services in Marietta, Buckhead, and Brookhaven areas. Whether you want a one-time, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cleaning, simply reach out to us for your free quote today.
When you hear the term ‘spring cleaning’, what automatically comes to mind is the home. While spring cleaning (for the most part) is considered a home affair, it is essential not to forget to extend the refreshing cleanup to your office space as well. This is the perfect time to spring clean your office!
After your home, the next place you spend the most time is at the office. It is inevitable that dirt, grime, and clutter accumulate there. This will, in turn, affect your performance and general well-being. Decluttering and organizing your office space is important as it will help eliminate germs that could lead to illness while significantly impacting your workplace satisfaction, productivity, and aesthetic appeal.
You are probably already dreading your annual home spring cleaning, and adding your office space to the list might be the last thing on your mind. However, we have very simple office spring cleaning tips that will help you do the job in no time.
If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail. Proper planning before embarking on any venture increases your chance of success. Your office organization for spring is no different. Here are a few tips to help you with planning your office spring cleaning:
You need to plan ahead and schedule when you are going to be able to do your office spring cleaning. Look at your calendar and pen down when you will be free to tackle your office space. This way, you don’t have to worry about how to juggle your spring cleaning with any office deadlines. And also, you can be able to be adequately prepared.
There are two things to consider while determining the exact time to carry out your spring cleaning.
Considering these two things, the best time to spring clean your office is early in the morning before people start coming in. Any downtime in between should also be maximized.
In the office, you definitely have a lot to juggle. Your to-do list is definitely not empty, and you’re wishing for the universe to increase the number of hours in the day. Office deadlines and spring cleaning might seem like a lot to handle simultaneously. Therefore you need to break down your tasks.
You mustn’t do everything in one day (unless you happen to have a very slow day). You could set aside 2 or 3 days to handle everything. Or you could dedicate 30 minutes every day for a few days until you’re done. This will help prevent you from feeling overwhelmed in any way.
This is why planning is essential. Once you have your set time to tackle your spring cleaning, you need to gather supplies in advance. It would be a bummer if, midway through your cleaning, you realize that you’re missing cleaning cloths. Some supplies you might need include; microfiber cloths, glass cleaner, multipurpose cleaner, vacuum for your desk and drawers, a can of compressed air, disinfectant wipes etc.
Set a spring cleaning goal for yourself. This way, you won’t be tempted to procrastinate. Setting a goal will help you tackle it once and for all so you can focus on other important things. Make sure that, looking at your schedule and deadlines, you set realistic goals for yourself.
This is a critical step. You absolutely need a checklist. Writing a checklist days in advance will ensure you don’t forget anything important. There are a few essential tasks, such as decluttering, cleaning, and disinfecting, that should be on your checklist.
Here is an example of a simple office spring cleaning checklist;
This could be a bit hard if you’re a hoarder. If you need help deciding what has to go and what needs to stay, this is a simple strategy;
Sort your items into three piles; to go, to keep, and to put away. The put-away pile is for important things that don’t have any immediate use. You could put them in a bin and keep them in your office storage area.
This is the main part of your spring cleaning. Your office might be cleaned regularly, but a deep clean will go a long way. If you need a guide on how to clean office space, here are some step-by-step Instructions;
The workplace houses a plethora of disease-causing microorganisms. The average office desk houses 400 times more germs than a toilet seat.
It is, therefore, important that you disinfect all surfaces with a disinfectant spray or disinfectant wipes. The major focus of your disinfecting exercise should be high-touch surfaces such as your desk, door knobs, keyboards, mouse, phones, etc.
Refreshing your workspace increases your productivity, comfort, and workplace satisfaction. This is because creating a warm, welcoming, and inspiring environment keeps you relaxed and focused and gets your creative juices flowing. This looks different for everyone. You decide what makes a happy workspace.
Here are a few tips for adding fresh touches to your workspace;
While personalizing and refreshing your workspace, be careful so that you don’t end up creating clutter.
When you’re done with your office spring cleaning, it is easy to give yourself a pat on the back and revert to the habits that left your office a mess in the first place. This would just end up in a vicious cycle of deep cleaning and then disorganizing again. Spring cleaning is a necessary evil, but it can get easy if your workspace is tidy and manageable.
Importance of Regular Office Maintenance Routines
Tips for Establishing Organization Systems and Habits
You could decide to add maintaining an organized office space to your already long list of resolutions. However, it won’t last long if you don’t establish organizational systems and habits.
Here are a few that might help you along the way;
It is essential to spring clean your office. It has a lot of benefits, such as improving your productivity and workplace satisfaction. It might seem like a lot to handle, but it is quite easy once you get to it. Plan ahead, prepare your supplies, break down tasks over time to avoid feeling overwhelmed, and set goals to prevent procrastination.
These tips will guarantee a smooth and hitch-free office spring cleaning experience. Remember that a good cleaning exercise will leave you with a clean office, but regular maintenance will ensure your office stays clean all year round.
Happy spring cleaning 😉
Clean Tu Casa is the team to call for any cleaning service in Atlanta. We offer Atlanta residential cleaning services and corporate cleaning services. We provide commercial cleaning services in Marietta, Buckhead, and Brookhaven areas. Whether you want a one-time, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cleaning, simply reach out to us for your free quote today.
Everyone wants a clean and tidy home, a home with aesthetic appeal. That’s why the patio, pantry, kitchen, living room, bedrooms, toilets, and bathrooms are always kept clean and tidy. You probably already know the importance of clean bedding too, so you know to wash your bedding every week. But do you know you are also supposed to clean pillows and mattresses?
Pillows and mattresses are most often neglected. Many people don’t know how to clean pillows or mattresses because they’re genuinely unaware that it’s a thing. This article will educate you on how and why you should clean your pillows and mattresses for a better sleeping area.
Related: How to Make a Bed And Other Bedroom Cleaning Tips
Washing your bedding bi-weekly is not enough. Over the course of a day, sweat, oil from our skin and hair, dirt, and dust mites settle and make a home in the pillows and mattresses. Over time, disease-causing bacteria, mold, mildew, and fungi make a home there, which could lead to a host of things. Allergens can easily settle on these items and cause allergic reactions like sneezing and coughing when lying on your bed, making your sleep restless and uncomfortable.
When left unwashed for a very long time, funky smells and odors could also develop with time and irritate your nose when you lie down. These odors can easily saturate your entire bedroom. Additionally, unsightly stains from liquids, food, and other things will typically build on your mattress over time until you decide to wash it.
Dirty pillows and mattresses could also cause and even exacerbate skin conditions like rashes, acne, and eczema. In this time when adequate skincare is becoming a norm, it would be counterproductive to use dirty bedding, pillows, or mattresses after investing in skincare products.
The importance of cleaning your mattresses and pillows can’t be overemphasized. Cleaning them is simple and easy to do. Your entire sleeping area and your skin will thank you for it.
The first step in knowing how to clean a pillow is reading the care instructions. You must check the care instructions so that you don’t end up ruining them.
Washing pillows are generally easy as most can be washed with a washing machine. Foam and latex pillows, however, need to be hand-washed. When using a washing machine, you’ll need a gentle detergent, a delicate wash setting, and cool water. While cleaning pillows with a washing machine, you should put two pillows at a time so the load is balanced and effectively washed.
You should dissolve the detergent in the water before putting your pillows into the washing machine. This is so the detergent doesn’t form clumps in your pillow. You can also add hydrogen peroxide to the washing machine to whiten your pillows.
Air drying is preferable while drying pillows. Drying with a dryer could ruin your pillow, except if your care-label says otherwise. If you are drying your pillow in a dryer, fluff it out a few times while it is still drying so that the stuffing doesn’t clump together. If, on the other hand, you aren’t using a dryer, hang it outside to dry on a clothing line. A plus is that the sun is your ally in the fight against mold, mildew, and bacteria.
If there are stains on your pillows even after washing and leaving them out in the sun, baking soda is your next bet. Lightly dampen the area and sprinkle baking soda on it. Scrub it with a stiff brush, and you can use a toothbrush if the area is small. After scrubbing, spray with distilled white vinegar. It will bubble and foam up. After the reaction, wait for your pillow to dry and then brush or vacuum off. Leave it to dry in the sun, as it also helps fade stains.
Cleaning mattresses can sometimes seem like an arduous task because they are bigger and heavier than pillows and can’t fit into your washing machine. Also because knowing how to clean a mattress involves collecting dust mites and allergens, as well as treating mattress stains and odors. However, we will make the job easier by giving you a step-by-step guide.
First off, you’ll need to strip the bed of its sheets. Vacuuming the mattresses is the next step. Use the upholstery attachment on your vacuum cleaner. This will collect dirt, particles, allergens, and dust mites on the mattress.
For simple stains, dilute some detergent in a spray bottle and spray on the stained area. Leave it to soak for 5-10 minutes, then blot it with a microfiber towel. Mix baking powder, salt, and water into a paste for tough stains. Rub the paste over the stained areas, leave it for 30 minutes, then wipe it off with a damp cloth.
To neutralize any odors, sprinkle a thick covering of baking soda and leave for a few hours before you do your vacuuming. Mix half a liter of water with two teaspoons of eucalyptus oil in a spray bottle. Spray this mixture on the mattress and leave it to dry if you want to get rid of dust mites.
It is also essential that you disinfect your mattress as it could be home to some disease-causing bacteria and fungi. To disinfect, mix two cups of water, half a cup of white vinegar, a quarter cup of alcohol, and 10-20 drops of tea tree oil. Spray this mixture and leave for 5 minutes, then wipe away.
You could invest in mattress protectors to keep your mattresses fresh in between deep cleans, especially if you have children. It’s also a great idea to ensure you’re not trailing in mud or allergens before lying on your bed.
With time, all sorts of dirt accumulate on your pillows and mattresses. Sweat, oil, dust, and even stains from make-up, blood, mud, and so on build up on them, forming a breeding ground for bacteria, mold, and fungi. You’d assume they are always protected by your beddings but they are not. It is, therefore, essential that you clean your pillows and mattresses often.
The cleaning frequency for mattresses is twice a year, while the cleaning frequency for pillows is about four times a year. These numbers are not fixed as they can be affected by other situations like seasons. Hence, your pillow might need to be washed more than once in the summer, compared to the winter, because of the hot and humid climate. You’ll also have to clean pillows and mattresses more often if you have children, as they can be messy.
However, always ensure to follow the care instructions so you don't reduce the lifespan of your pillow.
Cleaning your pillows and mattresses is important as it creates a healthy sleep environment. It ensures that your sleep is not disrupted by allergens, dust mites, and odors; and that your skin is safe from any irritants that will cause a bad reaction. It will also ensure that your mattresses and pillows have a long lifespan.
Our step-by-step guide will help you maintain clean pillows and mattresses. It might seem like a lot of work at first, but our tips will make the work even more manageable, and once you start, you’ll be happy you did.
Clean Tu Casa is the team to call for any cleaning service in Atlanta. We offer Atlanta residential cleaning services and corporate cleaning services. We provide commercial cleaning services in Marietta, Buckhead, and Brookhaven areas. Whether you want a one-time, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cleaning, simply reach out to us for your free quote today.
Flowers deserve all the recognition they can get. And annually, March 12th is that day. 12th March is National Plant a Flower Day! This day is to bring awareness to the importance of flowers and plants as a whole and celebrate them worldwide. Aside from their beauty, flowers have ecological, medicinal, cultural, and religious significance that is appreciated globally. And office plants aim to bring all that natural goodness to your workspace too.
If you’ve ever owned, and most likely killed, an office plant, this is the post for you. In this blog, we’ll outline all the choices you need to make to ensure you have plants that thrive in your workspace and give you all the benefits they can.
There are a few factors to consider when choosing the right office plant for you. You need to consider the size of your space, lighting and above all, you need a low-maintenance plant.
You most definitely don’t want a delicate, needy plant in your office. This is because a number of things can cause you to be unavailable for a period of time to care for your plant. For example, you probably won’t be around on the weekends, and sometimes you might have to take a few days off from work. When rushing to meet up with deadlines, you might forget to water your plant.
But this doesn’t mean you are doomed to be tossing your office plant in the trash every week. A few beautiful but low-maintenance plant options are;
Before purchasing an office plant, you need to consider the lighting available in your office. Some plants, such as pothos, lucky bamboo, ZZ plant, African violet, etc. require indirect sunlight but can thrive under fluorescent lights. Other plants, such as jade, cacti, and aloe, require lots of sunlight.
You also need to consider the space you’re working with. For a cubicle or small office space, you need plants such as; cacti, jade plants, tillandsia, miniature African violets, and snake plants. Plants such as peace lilies, spider plants, pothos, and English Ivy require a bit more space.
Office plant care is important so that the plants can thrive and live as long as possible. Here are some plant care tips;
Conclusion
Caring for plants is really important as they are an integral part of our world. Invest in an office plant today. It will improve the state of your office, mood, and productivity. And with the guidelines and plant care tips above, taking care of your office plants should be a piece of cake.
Clean Tu Casa is the team to call for any cleaning service in Atlanta. We offer Atlanta residential cleaning services and corporate cleaning services. We provide commercial cleaning services in Marietta, Buckhead, and Brookhaven areas. Whether you want a one-time, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cleaning, simply reach out to us for your free quote today.
Today is National Organize Your Home Office Day! After the lockdown of 2020, working remotely has gone from being a rare phenomenon to an everyday occurrence. More remote jobs mean more home offices, so now you have to figure out how to organize your home office to avoid distractions and maximize productivity.
Before COVID, only 7% of total paid work days were spent remotely. However, by September 2023, this increased to 28%. By August 2023, 13% of employees were working fully remotely, while another 30% had a hybrid arrangement. Expectedly, this shift made us much more aware of the possible distractions that could keep us from doing our best while working from home. Ranging from kids, pets, your favorite shows, and of course, good ol’ sleep.
In this blog, we will focus on the different ways you can organize your home office to make your workflow smoother and less prone to distractions.
Related: Winterizing Your Home Office
Before organizing your home office, you must assess the space. You need to fully understand what you’re working with so you can better arrange your space. For instance, if your desk is placed facing the door, that can cause a lot of interruptions to your workflow. It’s the same case if your desk is looking over your bed.
Also, it would be good to consider an ergonomic setup for your comfort if you don’t already have one. It’ll surprise you the amount of difference a good chair can make to your work day. Depending on how much work you do, you might also have to consider possible storage solutions.
If you already own a workspace, check for how you might improve it. If you are at the beginning stages of creating your dream home office, you need to put a lot of thought into your layout to ensure you experience a sort of zen whenever you step in.
Having clutter in your workspace is extremely counterproductive. An organized environment makes you feel in control and allows easy access to any tools or items you might need.
Here are a few tips that might help you;
It can be difficult to set a clear boundary between work and home life when working from home. Office work should happen only in the office. Once you leave your office, leave everything related inside it. If your home office is part of a major space like your bedroom or living room, consider using a physical divider like a curtain or partition board to make it clear where work starts. You could also differentiate the area with wallpapers, paint, or your decor.
Within your office, you can also create different zones for different tasks. If you’re someone who does a lot of research that requires you to read, you can have a cozy reading nook. You can have an area for sorting your files and a paper shredder in that same spot.
This is a key home office organization tip, especially if you don’t have a lot of space to work with. It is important that you maximize your storage so items are handy and you don’t have to waste a lot of time looking for a specific thing. It also leaves your office looking clean and organized.
Organizing your home office doesn’t need to end on the physical level. Take your arrangements to the digital side of your work as well. Here are a few tips;
Your workspace is your second home and needs to feel like it. A warm and cozy workspace will inevitably increase your productivity.
Personalize your workspace by adding pictures of you or your loved ones, and decorating as you see fit. You can add a house plant, aquarium, or surround speaker according to your tastes. You can also add things that will make your life easier, such as a mini fridge or coffee maker. As long as it keeps you focused and doesn’t get in the way of your ventilation and air quality.
On average, people spend about 30% of their waking hours at work during their lifetime. This is about 8-9 hours a day, whether from an office or remotely. Since so much time is dedicated to working, it is important your office space is set up ergonomically.
Office ergonomics is a key part of office organization concerned with designing and arranging your workspace to maximize comfort and efficiency. Effective office ergonomics reduces the number of musculoskeletal problems by 61%. These musculoskeletal issues appear in the form of carpal tunnel syndrome, lower back injuries, tendonitis, and muscle strain. Poor ergonomics, on the other hand, makes up about 33% of all workplace injuries.
There are different items on the market that can help you set up an ergonomically correct workstation in your home. However, if you’re not looking to get new office equipment, there are a lot of ways you can improvise. For an ergonomic setup, the general rules are as follows;
It is also important that your office contains a lot of natural and artificial light so that you don’t have to strain your eyes. Natural light is especially important for your daily dose of vitamin D and dopamine.
There are a lot of factors to consider when creating the perfect home office. Your office must be not only aesthetically pleasing but also well organized for productivity. Make sure to implement the home office organization tips in this article as you create a workspace that supports your productivity.
Clean Tu Casa is the team to call for any cleaning service in Atlanta. We offer Atlanta residential cleaning services and corporate cleaning services. We provide commercial cleaning services in Marietta, Buckhead, and Brookhaven areas. Whether you want a one-time, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cleaning, simply reach out to us for your free quote today.
Passover, also known as Pesach, is an important Jewish holiday commemorating the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt. This year, it will be celebrated from the evening of Monday, 22nd April to Tuesday, 30th April. Many rituals and traditions are observed during this holiday, including Passover cleaning.
This article will explore the significance of Passover cleaning, the associated traditions and rituals, and some practical tips for properly cleaning and preparing for this important holiday.
The importance of cleaning before Passover cannot be overstated. It's a time-honored tradition that dates back to biblical times when the Jewish people were commanded to remove all chametz (leavened bread and other products) from their homes. This practice symbolizes the removal of arrogance and negative traits and the embracing of humility and kindness.
Cleaning before Passover is not just about getting rid of chametz. It's about creating a clean and pure environment conducive to spiritual growth and meaningful celebration. It's a way of physically and spiritually preparing for the holiday.
In Jewish tradition, cleaning before Passover is known as "bedikat chametz." It involves thoroughly searching the home for any chametz that may have been missed during the initial cleaning. Traditionally, this search is done on Passover eve with a candle, a feather, and a wooden spoon, but most Jewish homes start cleaning long before that night.
Once the chametz has been removed, the home is "kosher for Passover," meaning it's free of any chametz and ready for the holiday. This is essential in ensuring the holiday is celebrated properly, with respect and reverence for its traditions.
Now we know you've most likely not started your Passover Cleaning for this year, so you might want to save these easy-to-follow tips as a guide for when you do.
Before you start cleaning, it's crucial to have a plan. Make a checklist of all the areas you want to clean and organize and set a schedule to complete each task. This will help you stay on track and ensure that you have enough time to get everything done.
Remove any chametz you find in every room you enter during your cleaning. Search your home for chametz products, including bread, pasta, cereal, and crackers. Remember to check in pantries, cabinets, and drawers. Remove all chametz products from your home before Passover, either by consuming them or disposing of them in a way that complies with Jewish law. You can also sell your chametz to a non-Jewish person with the help of your rabbi.
Remember to recite the nullification prayer on Passover eve to renounce any chametz that may remain in your possession. This helps you relinquish ownership over any chametz you might have missed while cleaning.
It’s wise to start here so that if any chametz crumbs fall from the pantry shelf to the counter, you can clean them while cleaning the entire kitchen. One day is enough to clean both your kitchen and pantry. Remove all chametz products from your pantry. This is also an excellent opportunity to check the labels on all products in your pantry to ensure they are certified kosher for Passover.
Consider donating any unopened chametz products to a local food bank or charity. Wipe down all pantry shelves with warm soapy water or an all-purpose cleaner (Dawn soap is one of our best cleaning products at Clean Tu Casa). Remember to clean the corners and edges of the shelves!
Next up is the kitchen. Remove all chametz products from your kitchen. Clean the oven, fridge, and stovetop thoroughly to catch any leftover crumbs. Food particles typically build up on the sink and counter, so pay attention to those areas too.
All dishes and utensils used for chametz must be thoroughly washed and cleaned. It’s best to use separate plates and utensils for Passover. After cleaning the surrounding kitchen areas, clean your floor thoroughly to remove any fallen crumbs.
Wash any linens in your dining room, including tablecloths, napkins, and placemats, to ensure they are chametz-free. Check all your plates, silverware, and glassware to ensure they are chametz-free. If necessary, kosher your dishes according to Jewish law. Use a damp cloth or all-purpose cleaner to clean all surfaces, including your dining room table, chairs, and any other furniture. Pay special attention to corners and edges, where dust and crumbs can collect.
This room wouldn’t take as long as the others we’ve listed above. Use a damp cloth or all-purpose cleaner to clean surfaces like coffee tables, end tables, and shelves. Pay special attention to corners and edges, where dust and crumbs can collect. Vacuum the floor and use a duster to remove any dust or debris from your living room furniture (don’t forget to empty the vacuum bag!)
Wash any linens in your living room that might have cpme in contact with chametz, such as couch covers and throw pillows. You should also check your bookshelves for any chametz crumbs that may have fallen between the pages of your books.
Remove chametz crumbs from your closet and drawers, and wipe them down with a damp cloth. Ensure also to check any pockets or crevices where chametz crumbs may have collected. It’s a good idea to select the clothes you’ll be wearing for Passover ad ensure they are washed and 100% chametz-free. You should also change the sheets and blanket covers as close to Passover as possible.
Passover cleaning is not spring cleaning. It is a religious tradition that Jews worldwide undertake and take immense pride in. These easy tips above will break down the chores to make sure you don’t get overwhelmed by the cleaning and lose sight of the joy of the season.
Happy Passover!
With all the talk of macro and micronutrients, it is obvious that there has been an increased awareness of what we eat and their contribution to a healthy life. Therefore, the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based produce has increased. But with eating more fruits comes the major question: how do you keep fruits from spoiling and getting wasted?
Around 45% of fruits and vegetables worldwide go to waste each year. And food waste costs about $2,500 per household. This wastage impacts the environment massively, as over 11.8% of greenhouse gas emissions globally are caused by food waste. It equally affects the global economy as the current level of food waste costs about $940 billion a year.
The highest cause of food waste at home is improper storage. This article will teach you how to store fruits properly to ensure that they remain fresh and nutritious for as long as possible.
This might not come as a surprise to you, but most fruits will last a lot longer if they’re stored in the refrigerator. The cold environment prevents them from ripening quickly. You can keep unripe fruits on the counter only if you plan on eating them as soon as they ripen, which will happen quickly in that environment.
If your fruits ripen and you change your mind about eating them, move them to the fridge to buy some extra days before eating. The only fruit that should always be kept on the counter are tomatoes (It’s technically a fruit, so… yea, we are right). Even if they ripen, leave them on the counter as they lose flavor when chilled.
Despite your best efforts to keep fruits from spoiling, having overripe fruits on hand is unavoidable. However, instead of tossing them out, they can be salvaged and used in making other fruity delights.
There are a lot of things that you can do with your overripe fruits;
Preserving your fruits is a surefire way to ensure that they remain fresh, nutritious, and delicious till you’re ready to use them. The best DIY fruit preservation methods for longevity are;
The canning method that works best for fruit is water bath canning. The fruits are placed in a sealed, sanitized jar and boiled in order to kill off any bacteria. Canned fruit can last months.
Here are some common mistakes to avoid while storing your fruits;
Fruits are loaded with nutrients and antioxidants that help to keep your body in tip-top shape. Hence it is important always to have them on hand. In the past, you had to worry about spoilage but no more! You have been armed with the best tips to keep fruits from spoiling, so it should be easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy from here. Enjoy your delicious health journey 😉
Clean Tu Casa is the team to call for any cleaning service in Atlanta. We offer Atlanta residential cleaning services and corporate cleaning services. We provide commercial cleaning services in Marietta, Buckhead, and Brookhaven areas. Whether you want a one-time, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cleaning, simply reach out to us for your free quote today.
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