Being in the professional cleaning business, it’s probably no surprise that we’re interested in ALL things clean, not just your clothing, households and accessories. As another season comes to an end, it’s a great time to survey your home and clean items you’ve neglected for way too long. Your clothes are cleaned, fresh and pressed – now let’s get down to business on some of those household items!
With the help of HGTV Magazine, we’ve created part 3 of how often you should clean:
Behind the Stove – A free standing range should be pulled out and cleaned behind at least once a year. This will allow you to clean all the grease, crumbs and dropped food properly. Check your owners manual if you have a gas model because you’ll want to turn off the valve and unhook the line. Use a stiff bristled cleaning brush on the back of the stove, the wall, and the floor to remove crunchy debris. Mix a paste of equal parts baking soda and warm water and with a cotton cloth, scrub the wall, the stove exterior and the floor in a circular motion. Wipe with a damp cloth then spray with a kitchen surface cleaner.
Shower Head – To remove lime and calcium deposits that block spray holes and reduce the shower’s flow, you’ll want to clean your shower head once or twice a year. Unscrew the shower head and place it face down in a bowl filled with a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water. Let it soak for a few hours. Use a toothbrush to remove any remaining mineral deposits. Rinse the head in clean water, then reattach.
Door Knobs and Light Switches – Every week when you are cleaning a particular room, give the door knobs and light switches a rub down with a general household cleaner, disinfecting wipe, or water and vinegar. If you wash your hands as you should, they may not be as dirty as you think, but the more family members in a house, the more handling they are going to get. To cut back on germs, give them the once over weekly.
Computer Keyboard and Mouse – Many household surfaces have been swabed and tested under a microscope and by far, even more than a door handle, the computer keyboard and mouse wins for harboring the grossest stuff. Clean your keyboard and mouse weekly. Here’s a video showing you how.
Toilet Brush – To keep the brush in good shape and sanitized, you should clean it about once a month. Fill a bucket with 10 cups of hot water and add a cup of bleach and a squirt of dish soap. Let it soak for an hour then air dry.
* If you really don’t like the idea of a toilet brush laying around, there are disposable toilet brushes which have toilet bowl cleaner already on the brush. It’s good for one use but you can use it again on another toilet bowl (during the same day of cleaning)with toilet bowl cleaner to cut back on waste.
Make-up Brushes – Your make-up brushes harbor lots of dirt and bacteria so cleaning them regularly will keep bacteria from growing and spreading. Once a week is fine for brushes that you use with powders such as blush and eye shadows. For brushes used with liquids such as foundation or concealer, try to clean daily if possible. You can use a spray make-up brush cleaner and some tissue or a soft towel to wipe the brushes. Or, use a mild brush cleaner, gentle face wash, or shampoo. Stay clear of any harsh cleaners, hand soaps and bar soaps as it could strip your brushes. Rinse thoroughly removing all dirt and cleanser, squeeze dry and reshape. Do not stand your brushes up to dry. The water will fall into the handle, causing bacteria to grow and your brushes will become smelly. Hang them over a ledge so the air can circulate around the brush to dry thoroughly. Allowing your brushes to remain wet will allow bacteria to grow and make your brushes smell. And don’t forget to wipe out your make-up bag!
As a reminder, we professionally clean Household items such as table linens, drapes, pillows, and bedding. Check out our post on how often you should clean these items.
Bring your households to any of our locations or leave them for your route driver in you are part of our free pick-up and delivery service. If you haven’t signed up for free pick up and delivery service yet, click here to get started.
Happy cleaning!
-S.O.
