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Memphis Maids House Cleaning Tips and Company News

Post Fourth of July Party Cleaning Tips

July 8, 2022 by memphismaids

Hello! We’re back with another article right after Fourth of July to give you some after-party cleaning tips. We hope you had an amazing Fourth of July surrounded by your friends and family. But, after a nice reunion and backyard party, there’s a lot to clean in your home.

After hosting this event, you’re probably exhausted and busy with the rest of your week. Of course, you can contact our cleaning service in Memphis, but if you prefer doing this on your own, then it’s time for you to grab your cleaning supplies and get some cleaning done!

You probably have a lot of areas to cover, and in this article, we will run through each one and give you tips and tricks to work smarter and not harder.

Without further ado, let’s get your home ready before the end of the week!

Start By Grabbing Your Cleaning Supplies

Of course, you can’t clean unless you have all your cleaning products and tools ready!

This will depend on the task and activities that you did during Fourth of July. If you had a nice outdoor barbecue, then it probably means that your backyard and your grill need some cleaning.

Or, if you decided on a quiet dinner with your family, then your kitchen and dining area should be your first priority.

No matter the case, you will probably have a lot of mess to get rid of. First, get rid of the large items that will go to the trash. Make sure you have enough garbage bags and that they are big enough to fit your items.

If possible, get a trash can that is large enough for your bags and that has wheels or is otherwise easy to transport and move around each room.

As always, always keep DIY cleaning agents as well, such as white vinegar (which we’ve talked about before), some baking soda, and mild dish soap. According to research, vinegar is effective for killing common household germs such as E. Coli and Salmonella.

Besides, you will need all your essential tools such as non-scratch sponges, microfiber towels, and cleaning brushes. Don’t forget about your broom and dustpan for your floors.

If you have plenty of time, grab your handheld or regular vacuum cleaner so you can vacuum your floors and furniture and get rid of dust and small crumbs. The same goes for your mop if you do have floors that need to be mopped.

These are al the essential tools, but keep in mind that you might need to include other tools for specific items or surfaces. For example, if you’re going to clean your grill, you might need a wire brush or a grill brick.

That’s pretty much all you need so get ready for some post-fourth of July deep cleaning!

Take the Trash Out

It’s always a good idea to declutter as much as possible after you’ve had a party or reunion. Large pieces of trash won’t let you do your job comfortably.

With your trash can and garbage bags, start to grab your disposable cups, dirty napkins, used fireworks, and empty soda cans from your backyard. Don’t forget about your bathroom and your kitchen too.

If possible, make sure to sort your items into recyclable bags and disposable bags.

Cleaning Outdoors

It’s likely that your backyard or patio is not looking great after Fourth of July. Here’s what you can do.

If you didn’t mow your lawn last week, it’s probably a good time to take care of your grass now. If you have flagstones or cobblestones on your patio, they might be needing a nice wash with a pressure washer. The same goes for your deck if you have one.

If you are going to use a pressure washer, remember to apply using a slight angle, instead of pointing straight to the surface. This way, you won’t hurt the surface directly.

As for your outdoor furniture, make sure you reorganize your items back to place.

A very important step is to take care of your grill. After a nice barbecue, it’s probably a bit messy.

A really easy and quick solution is using grill bricks. They are made of pumice stone which makes them free of any harmful chemicals. Just rub them against your grate or griddle until you notice the area is clean. Rinse and wipe the surface with a paper towel and you’ll be good to go.

If you have grates, take your time to soak them in a bucket with hot, soapy water. Leave them for at least an hour, although two or three would be better. Then, use a wire brush to carefully remove any crumbs or grease that has been building up.

Treat Stains Quickly

If you just had a Fourth of July party at home, (or even if you didn’t) it’s more than likely that any of your guests spilled drinks or food inside. Depending on the area, this can bring you a big headache when you think about removing that stain.

For example, stains on fabrics, upholstery, or carpet floors can be challenging to remove. If this is the case, the priority is to treat stains quickly. However, this can be hard to achieve if you noticed the stain later in the week.

Don’t worry. It’s better later than never! Make sure you treat the stain slowly and use harmless cleaning agents. A great combination that works for most surfaces is to mix white vinegar, mild dish soap, and warm water. This combines degreasing and surfactant properties, while still being gentle enough to apply to many different materials without making the situation worse.

The trick is to blot with a white absorbent cloth or towel. Don’t scrub because you will only spread the stain even further. If this stain comes from a particularly dark or “strong” color, such as coffee or wine stains, you might need a different approach.

If the white vinegar and soap mix didn’t work, you can try mixing three parts of hydrogen peroxide and one part of dishwashing liquid. Hydrogen peroxide is a well-known, oxygen-based bleach, which means that it will be helpful to remove stains without decoloring materials.

If you have mud stains or dropped food, use a butter knife to slowly scrape as much as you can.

Vacuum and Deep Clean Your Floors

Following that same train of thought, your floors are probably a bit messy after Fourth of July.

It’s highly likely that they have food crumbs, someone might have spilled their drinks or just regular dirt and dust that slowly builds up in your home.

Pretty much all floors are safe to be vacuumed, and they should be in order to remove bacteria, dandruff, dust, and any other allergens or dirt particles.

Depending on the type, you should mop your floors as well. A nice trick is to add a few drops of essential oil to give it a nice fragrance. Citrus and floral touches are always good choices for essential oils, and you will associate that room with cleanliness right away.

As for the actual cleaning agent, either vinegar or castile soap work great, but not together. Make sure you do some research or try in a small, inconspicuous area and wait 30 minutes after applying. This way, if you see any stains, you’ll be able to act quickly.

If you are using the vacuum cleaner, take this opportunity to use your handheld vacuum cleaner or upholstery cleaner. If you notice any pieces of furniture that are dirty or stained, take the time to run your vacuum cleaner on them.

Take Care of Your Kitchen

Your kitchen is right now probably filled with dirty dishes and cookware, as well as crowded countertops and messy-looking appliances.

As always, start by decluttering and removing garbage first. Place your dirty dishes and cookware in the sink or the dishwasher, depending on where they belong.

If you have food that is stuck on, add some hot soapy water until you cover the bottom of your pot or plate, and leave it for an hour or two. This way, you will only need to scrub softly with a non-scratch sponge until your item is squeaky clean.

Make Your Countertops Look Shiny Again

As for countertops, it really depends on the material. If it’s a natural stone (granite, quartz, marble) it’s best to use a specialized cleaning product or just warm water with mild dish soap. Avoid anything too acidic or capable of causing stains, such as vinegar, bleach or lemon juice.

For laminate countertops, you can try a DIY solution that is a bit more abrasive, because the material is resistant enough. Usually, mixing equal parts of white vinegar and warm water is more than enough. If you have the chance, add one or two tbsp of lemon juice to add even more degreasing action to your cleaning.

If you notice any particularly stubborn stains, you can try mixing baking soda and dish soap until you form a paste. Apply on the stained area and let sit for 15 minutes. Then, scrub with an old toothbrush.

Deep Cleaning Your Oven

It’s not uncommon to hear that you’ve cooked something delicious in your oven for Fourth of July. In this case, you might need to deep clean it.

If you need to clean your oven, start by removing any trays and leaving them soaked in hot, soapy water. Then, fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil, or skip this step if you have a steam cleaner.

Create a DIY oven cleaning solution in the meantime. Just mix ¼ cup hydrogen peroxide, ¼ cup dish soap, and ½ cup of baking soda. Apply the solution inside your oven, let sit for an hour and then wipe everything out with a steam cleaner.

If you don’t have one, place an oven-safe pot or casserole in your oven. Run your oven for 1 hour to let the steam work by itself, and then wipe with a microfiber cloth.

Final Tips

By now, your home should be looking put together. The last areas that are now waiting for being cleaned are probably your bathroom and your guest bedroom (if you had any guests staying over).

A really good way of tackling both areas is to start with your bathroom and let cleaning agents act for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, while they are acting, work on your guest bedroom. Or even your regular bedrooms if you need to clean them.

The most essential tasks would be to replace your bedding, and wipe and declutter surfaces (TV stand, nightstand, libraries, or shelves). And, of course, vacuum and/or mop your floors if you haven’t done so already.

Conclusion

Here you have all the cleaning tips you needed after Fourth of July! As always, make sure to adapt this to your current needs and your household.

And if you’re busy this week and you still weren’t able to clean up your home after Fourth of July, remember to check our cleaning services in Memphis.

Good luck with this cleaning guide and we’ll be back soon with another article!

What to Clean In Every Room Before Guests Arrive

June 24, 2022 by memphismaids

It’s not uncommon to find yourself in a situation where guests are arriving soon, and you still need to clean your home. Everyone wants to impress guests and make them feel at home. So, how do you go about it?

Thankfully, nowadays it’s more and more frequent to invite guests or have them over unexpectedly.

If you are running your household without the help of a professional cleaning service, it’s completely normal to have a relatively untidy home sometimes. Between work, family, and leisure time sometimes take over our lives and the last thing we want to do is mop our floors or clean our bathroom.

We usually have very little time to tidy before our guests arrive. Sometimes less than an hour!

Cleaning schedules are very popular for taking care of your home regularly. If you don’t know how to create one, you can follow many different ones on the internet. For example, you have this one from Dallas Maids to know what to clean during the week.

But if we are talking about guests coming over, the situation is different. You have a very little time schedule, and different priorities for the areas that you will need to clean. Guests might probably hang out in your living area, and they might stay or not in the guest room, depending on the nature of the visit.

Here’s a little guide to keep track of your priorities in each room to clean before your guests arrive!

First Things First: Plan Things Out

Even if you have 30 seconds to plan your cleaning, it will be worth it. By jumping straight to cleaning, you will create the opposite effect, because you won’t have a clear plan of where to start, and you might waste time jumping here and there instead of taking a methodic approach.

Depending on the time you have left, you will act accordingly. It can be overwhelming to decide what or where are you going to clean.

Instead, it might help you to think: what are my guests going to do when they visit? Are we going to hang out in the kitchen? Are they just going to sit in my living area? Or are they staying overnight in your guest bedroom? (and if you don’t have one, they will probably stay in the living area). They will most likely use your guest bathroom as well. Based on that, you will have a quicker way of deciding where you will focus.

Besides the areas, you also have to think about the tasks you will achieve in this short time. Some tasks will need extra time, even if it’s just to let them “act” on their own while you do something else. For example, cleaning dishes by hand or disinfecting your toilet or your shower.

Some cleaning tasks will have a more significant effect than others, and make you take the biggest leap from “messy” to decently tidy.

Don’t worry, your list won’t have to be too detailed, but it will give you a clear understanding of where to start. If you’re in a hurry, you can use keywords such as “vacuum” and “dishes”.

Now, let’s go through each room and find the best tasks.

Time to Begin Cleaning: Start with Your Entryway

The entryway, no matter how big or small, is the first impression your guests will have as soon as they walk home. If you have little time and your guests are coming in less than 10 minutes, don’t think twice! If possible, take your time to quickly sweep your floor, and wipe any surfaces you have such as a console table, a coat rack and/or a mirror.

Talking about coat racks, don’t forget to leave some empty space for your guests to hang their coats and scarves.

Here’s a pro tip: Don’t forget to add something that smells nice. Let’s say you will mop quickly: add a few drops of deodorizer or essential oil. Your guests will immediately associate the nice fragrance with your home being clean.

If you have a welcome rug, make sure you use your vacuum cleaner or just even a cleaning brush.

Second: Your Living Area

Your living area is probably the next immediate area your guests will be hanging out. This is important because if other areas are still messy you can just ask them to wait for a few minutes while you finish tidying the rest of your home.

Make sure your throw pillows and blankets look nice and balanced among the sofa and seats. Strike the top of your cushions hard and fast to make the middle section look plump and full. Place your throw blankets so they fall nicely on a side of your couch or just fold them.

If you have a handheld vacuum or an upholstery cleaner or even a lint roller, quickly run that through your sofa. If you have an end table or coffee table, make sure it looks uncluttered and with free space.

Next: Clean Your Guest Bathroom

Now we have your guest bathroom. At this point, you might be thinking about your guest bedroom as well (if they are staying overnight), but we will leave that for the fourth step, in a way.

If they are staying overnight and you haven’t prepared your guest bedroom, the most effective use of time is to take care of the bathroom for a second, let your cleaning agents act and, in the meantime, quickly freshen up your guest bedroom and then go back to your bathroom.

This is because bathroom cleaning products will pretty much do the job for you while you are busy doing another cleaning task. The order will end up being: bathroom (only to let products act), then bedroom, then back to the bathroom to finish scrubbing and wiping.

A good strategy is to pour white vinegar into a spray bottle and apply that to the sink. Add some toilet cleaner to your toilet as well.

If you have time to clean your shower as well, sprinkle some baking soda and then spray hot soapy water on your shower floor. Let it all sit for 15 minutes and then scrub quickly with a clean broom. Then, let water run for around 2 minutes until it’s nice and clean. Keep in mind you might not have time to clean your shower so it’s best to skip this step unless it is absolutely necessary.

Get back to your sink and toilet and scrub your surfaces using a cleaning brush and toilet brush. You might also need a small old toothbrush for your sink faucet.

Because you want your guests to feel at home, it’s best to replace toilet paper and other toiletries, a toothbrush, and even maybe a small candle or décor piece. Replace your towels as well.

If you have very frequent guests, you might want to find a 50-pack of hotel-sized soap bars. They are very affordable and such a nice detail.

Your Guest Bedroom Is Next

Of course, in the bedroom, the priority is to have clean bedding. Make sure you check our Wash Bedding Guide to count clean sheets all the time.

The reason why your guest bath and bedroom are not the first priority is that, unlike your entryway, you can ask them to give you 5 minutes to freshen up the guest bedroom and bathroom before they come in.

Just like you did with your living area, make sure your pillows look nice and fluffy, lay a throw blanket and, if you have time, prepare quickly a breakfast table or a small tray with some flowers in a small vase, perhaps some sweets, souvenirs, and/or a candle.

Don’t worry, this won’t take you more than 2 minutes! Just keep all items nearby (perhaps on a nightstand) and lay them on the breakfast table right before they come.

This will impress your guests. Talk about hospitality!

Next Step: Cleaning Your Floors

Choosing the priority of this cleaning task is not easy. On one hand, your floors will create a big impact once they are clean, but they might take significant time.

Think carefully about the areas and the cleaning tasks that you will carry on regarding your floors.

A cleaning device such as a vacuum cleaner or an electric mop will make a huge difference. If you don’t have the device or the time, just sweeping you will have a positive impact, especially if you have pets.

As for the areas, follow the same train of thought as you did for cleaning. Floors in your entryway and your living area are the top priority, and if you have time, you can clean the floors in your bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen.

Just like you did with your entryway, if you have time to mop quickly, add a few drops of essential oil or apply a deodorizer with a spray bottle to give it that extra fresh fragrance to your areas.

If you have carpet floors, you can check our Carpet Stains Removal Guide to get rid of them fast and easily.

Kitchen and Dining Area

This is the last step because, unless you have a specific cooking plan with your guests, they may not even enter or see the kitchen (unless your house has an open concept). It’s just easier to avoid our guests from entering our kitchen.

In your kitchen and dining area your biggest priority will be flat surfaces: countertops, your dining table, and kitchen islands. Start by organizing and “clearing out” surfaces. If you have any small appliances or ingredients that are out of place, get them back where they belong or at least place them back in a corner.

If you have wooden, laminate, or aluminum countertops, you can use a 1:1 white vinegar and water mix and a microfiber cloth to wipe all surfaces. This will quickly remove any stains and small food crumbs.

For natural stone surfaces such as granite and marble, you need to use a specialized cleaner or just warm, soapy water. However, you might need to wipe 2 or 3 times with a clean cloth to remove any soap residues.

Last But Not Least: Let Some Fresh Air

Unless it’s a really cold winter, it’s really important to let some air flow into every room.

Our nose gets used to the air we breathe in our homes, so it can be difficult to detect if the air is not nice and fresh. Some areas such as Memphis have really high humidity during certain times of the year, and this can give your home the typical “moisture” smell in the air.

Make sure you open up a window, preferably two windows on opposite sides to let new air come in.

On a similar note, if possible, add a nice fragrance. Perhaps a nice, soft incense stick or an essential oil diffuser. Even an air purifier will improve your air quality, reduce allergies and neutralize any unpleasant smells, especially those related to moisture.

Now that your home looks tidy and clean, don’t forget to hide your cleaning tools! The last thing you want is to have your broom, your cleaning brushes, and your vacuum scattered around your home.

Conclusion

We hope these tips improve your home quickly! We know that having unexpected guests will have you running around and trying to fix your home.

And if you need a helping hand, don’t hesitate to contact our cleaning service in Memphis. Don’t forget to contact us if you have any questions!

Unconventional Hiring Tactics for House Cleaning Services

June 9, 2022 by memphismaids

Unconventional hiring tactics for house cleaning services

Hey guys!

Since we are all feeling the crunch of trying to bring on new teams right now, I wanted to repost an older thread I started here in the hopes it can bring you some new ideas on where to find your next great team.

I work with dozens of local businesses in all different niches and so we get a really good read on what is working for hiring around the nation. Below are a selection of our favorite ways we help our own clients hire more help:

1. Use Thumbtack to Find Amazing Teams*

Instead of using Thumbtack to only find customers flip it around and use it to find great teams too. Go onto thumbtack.com and put in a bid for the industry you are in. It doesn’t matter if it’s painting, tutoring, cleaning or even resume designing Thumbtack has it all locally.

If you can, try contacting them off-platform once you find them there. Otherwise, be honest and tell them you are looking for extra help in the quote. Don’t pretend to be a customer. Obviously, only choose people with awesome ratings to contact. Read their reviews and see if they are consistent, on-time, polite etc. The advantage here is you are getting to pre-vet all candidates before you even contact them, and better yet the ones interested will reach out to you!

*If they are not interested we always offer to send them the fee charged for a quote. Since they are on Thumbtack themselves to find new business we have typically found this to be a win-win.

2. Get In Touch With Your Spanish-Speaking Community

They have been a kind, loyal and immensely valuable resource that I have been able to tap into over the years, and I have rarely been disappointed. You’ll see that becoming friendly with your Spanish speaking community will yield benefits in every way you can think of. You are able to provide genuinely good jobs to hard workers and they will reward you with consistent work.

And later on when you’ve grown and need even more teams they often know someone else in their community they can vouch for.

This can be a powerful one because you are tapping into a local community who can do the job but that often is restricted by a language barrier, and so you often get your A teams here.

3. Post on Next Door (if you are in the US).

Neighbors LOVE giving referrals on Next Door, so if you post asking them to refer you to whoever does the service for them, they are happy to send you their way. Oh, and sometimes others end up seeing you and hiring you there. Nice little bonus.

I have a template we use for this. You may use it, too:

Subject: Reliable House Cleaner Wanted. Looking for a Reliable House Cleaner

Hi all,

As some of you may know, I run a local cleaning company here called [company name] in [neighborhood name] and we are growing fast. We have been serving the [service area name] for [X years] now, and have loved contributing to the community in such a positive way.

Right now, we are on the lookout for great cleaners that have a proven track-record of success and are consistently reliable. While we do service many of your homes in our neighborhood, I know many of us here are already very happy with their current cleaner. If you currently have or know an amazing house cleaner and they are looking for extra work we would love talk to them.

Could we post on Indeed or Craigslist to find a new team? Yes, we could. But there is nothing like that personal feedback from neighbors and we value that immensely. Ultimately it is everyone in our neighborhood here that we and our new teams will be serving.

I would be truly grateful if you can connect us with them. them. Please comment here or send me a message. You can also send them my phone number xxx-xxx-xxxx and email support@yourcompany.com.

Thank you so much!

4. Check Local Job Boards In Your Area

The old, physical ones that you have to put up with a pin and blue tack. Lots of old school techs and service providers who have been doing this forever still put up for-hire signs. This is a great way to find experienced teams who may be struggling to find work with the advent of technology, but are nonetheless just as deserving of a great job. We can give that to them if we take the time and patience to meet them where they are.

5. Ask Current Employees If They Know Anyone

It’s been my experience they often do. Sometimes that person doesn’t pan out but you should always ask.

6. Post In Local Facebook Groups

Post in mom groups. Post in for hire groups. Post in local business groups. Post in other local groups you are in for your area. Post in flea market groups. This works well.

And here are a few more advanced ones to consider:

Put up a targeted local Facebook ad. Spend a few bucks on it – it’s worth it if you can snag a team that will go on to generate $10,000s per year for you.
Put up a dedicated hiring landing page and drive traffic to it with Google Adwords. Worth a shot. Again, spend a few bucks on this because once you find a good team from it they will go on to earn WAY more than what it cost you to find them.

Notice none of these are your typical job sites like Indeed.com – that is because we are looking for people we can pre-vet or get on a personal recommendation. So you don’t have to sift through hundreds of people applying to your job application.

The key to this whole approach is to be more proactive than just posting a job application form on one of the major job boards.

That’s it! If you have any questions about any of these just let me know

Do you have your own unconventional hiring strategies you have been successfully using this year?

I hope this helps you find your next A team.

Article by Chris Schwab, founder of Think Maids.

Wash Your Sheets and Bedding: The Ultimate Guide

June 6, 2022 by memphismaids

Hello, we are back after some time! Today we have an article about washing your sheets and other bedding items. There are so many different bedding items: everything from sheets, pillows and pillowcases, comforters, and of course, it’s all sitting on top of your mattress.

Many people, especially young adults, do not know exactly when or how to clean their bedding. In fact, people tend to wash sheets and other bedding items less than they should.

In this guide, you will read the suggested frequency for cleaning your items, and why it is so important to keep them nice and clean.

Why Should You Wash Bedding Items?

We spend close to 8 hours a day sleeping in our beds. That’s a third of our entire day!

When we sleep, there’s a lot that happens without us realizing it.

First, we sweat, which of course is natural, especially on hot, humid days. For example, if you live in Dallas, you know there are times when humidity is extremely high (over 90%) as well as temperature, so there’s a big chance you will be sweating while you’re sleeping. As a natural response, body sweat evaporates and that cools down your body.

Second, we drool sometimes as well, particularly when we snore and/or when we have a good night’s sleep. And third, there are millions of dust mites and bacteria living in our beds, pretty much all the time. You will notice them fast if you have allergies. If you start sneezing as soon as you lay on your bed, it’s a good sign that you need to clean your bed.

Also, your skin will look and feel better as well. As we mentioned, you might find germs, dust mites, dirt, and residues of skin cells, sweat, and saliva. You can take good care of your skin with a daily routine, but it won’t work as nicely if your face and body are in contact with a dirty bed.

Your bedding items have different suggestions for frequency of washing because you are not in contact with them the same way, and the materials are also different. A down comforter won’t absorb moisture and sweat the same as a bed sheet or a pillowcase.

How to Clean Bed Sheets

Bed sheets are the basic bedding item. Pretty much wherever you live, you need at least a pair of bed sheets.

These will be in contact with your entire body and are usually quite thin, which means they will absorb sweat quickly. You also find dead skin cells and just dirt that was present on your skin or your clothing.

Dust mites are present in bed sheets and can cause a slight skin rash or irritation. They reproduce at prolific rates and feed on dead skin cells.

Now, a good rule of thumb is to wash your sheets weekly. This will keep a nice balance between not overdoing it (and tearing your sheet’s fibers down too quickly) while still keeping it clean and free of bacteria.

This frequency can be increased to 2 or 3 times per week if you have pets or small children that hop up to your bed.

Washing and Drying Bed Sheets

As for the actual washing, it’s quite simple. Your bed sheets (most likely) do not need too much detergent, because they are hardly ever stained or greasy. What they do need is a process that kills bacteria and removes moisture and other residues (skin cells, sweat, saliva).

This means that, besides detergent, hot water will be your main ally to wash your bed sheets. The right temperature can depend on the type of material.

Most bed sheets are made out of cotton or polyester. Cotton tolerates hot water, which is perfect because it can really get into the fibers and kill bacteria. That being said, you might want to alternate the temperature between hot and warm water to prevent your sheets from shrinking.

Polyester should be washed with warm water. If you are not sure about the material or if you don’t have the care tag of your sheets, it’s best to play safe and use warm water.

A good rule of thumb for all cleaning is to let products on the surface or material. In this case, letting your sheets soak in hot water for at least 30 minutes will help loosen up the dirt and sweat.

If you have stains, you need to treat them before washing them. If you don’t, hot water will help set the stain, and it will be even worse if you dry them using high heat in your dryer.

Your detergent should be gentle and there’s no need to use fabric softener. Fabric softener is extremely contaminating to the environment, especially to aquatic life. You can use a much simpler product: white vinegar. Just add ¼ cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle.

Washing Pillows and Pillowcases

These are one of the dirtiest bedding items you can find. It’s common for us to snore and even drool a little bit directly into our pillows. Besides, our hair has dead skin cells, even dandruff, and bacteria.

First, of all, we need to take care of pillowcases, because they are in direct contact with our bodies.

For cotton pillowcases (which are the most common) make sure you search for any yellowing or discoloration, especially around the area where your head will be.

Use liquid detergent and a stiff brush on that area until you notice the stain disappearing. By doing this, you will avoid setting stains when you wash and dry them.

If the stains won’t come out, you can mix soap with white vinegar, or baking soda (this will form a paste) and let it sit for 15 minutes before brushing. By now, you already know the benefits of baking soda. As always, test first in a small, inconspicuous area.

For the washing process, choose a long cycle and the highest heat setting (again, this is for cotton pillowcases).

For silk pillowcases, you will have to be more delicate. Make sure you use cold water and mild soap that is formulated for silk.

If you’re washing them by hand, start by turning them inside out. Soak your pillowcases in a bowl filled with cold, soapy water. Remember to use silk detergent. After 30 minutes, press gently without wringing or twisting. Remember silk is a delicate material.

After pressing softly to remove soapy water, place a towel on a table or flat surface and then spread your pillowcase on the towel. Start rolling your towel with your pillowcase inside and then squeeze the towel. It will further absorb water. By now, it should be slightly damp and you can let it air dry away from sunlight.

If you are washing them in the washing machine, you need to place them in a mesh laundry bag. This will protect the silk yet still allow detergent to do its job. Choose cold water and a delicate cycle.

How to Wash Pillows

Even after washing pillowcases, sweat and bacteria get through and reach your pillows. For some reason, people don’t wash pillows. In fact, you should wash your pillows at least three times a year.

If you can’t see the care labels, the safest route to go is to soak them in hot, soapy water for a while. This can be done in either a large bowl or directly in your washing machine. Add mild soap and bleach and let sit for 30 minutes. This is ideal for cotton pillows, but other materials such as wool and microbead are better with cold or warm water.

If you have memory foam pillows, you can only spot clean and air dry them. Use soapy water and spot clean your desired area, rubbing lightly. After you’ve covered the entire surface, with a clean, moist cloth, press firmly to absorb excessive soap. Repeat the process with a dry towel to absorb as much moisture as possible. Don’t forget to air dry! You won’t be able to use your dryer, so make sure you are cleaning your pillow on a sunny morning. You want it to absorb as much sunlight as possible, several days if necessary.

Washing Down Comforter

A down comforter is not easy to wash at home, mainly due to its size. Make sure you do need to wash it to begin with, and that there’s no other choice. Try laying them out in the sun so they can get some fresh air.

Similarly to pillowcases, you want to use a mild detergent and a delicate cycle. Don’t use fabric softeners, because this will coat the feathers and it won’t be as “fluffy”.

If you notice stains, make sure you treat them before washing them.

If you do use a washing machine, it’s best to use a front-load one because the comforter will be able to bounce and spin inside. This will prevent clumping.

As for drying, you need to use low heat or just no heat at all if possible. Because it will take longer to dry, you can throw some wool balls or tennis balls which will help it dry faster.

Vacuum and Maintain Your Mattress

Last but not least, we get to the foundation of your bed. The mattress!

Now that your pillows, sheets, and comforters are getting cleaned and dried, you need to make sure the mattress is nice and clean as well.

The first step is to remove your bedding items, of course. Now that your surface is clean, you can vacuum using an upholstery attachment. Ideally, you would use an upholstery cleaner if you have one.

Make sure you clean the sides as well, and, if possible, turn your mattress around because the back will have dust and bacteria as well that needs to be removed.

Once everything is vacuumed, it’s time to tackle other common issues such as stains and odor.

If you have biological stains, it’s best to use an enzyme cleaner. The rule of thumb for stains is to blot instead of scrub in a circular motion because you want the liquid to be absorbed, not spread further. Replace your cloths regularly with damp, clean ones until the stain is removed.

As you know, we recommend microfiber cloths because they are cost-efficient and reusable.

For other stains, you can try using cold water with just a squirt of dish soap. Additionally, you can add one or two tablespoons of white vinegar. Repeat the steps above (blotting with damp towels and then let dry).

Besides regular cleaning, you want your mattress to receive direct sunlight and fresh air. This will help to remove odor as well as mold or mildew.

Conclusion

There you have it! By now you have all your bed sheets, your pillows and pillowcases, your comforter, and your mattress.

Remember to take care of your bed to ensure you are safe when going to bed, and you’ll even sleep better. Your allergies will drop a notch if you have a bed free of germs and mites.

And if you are busy with life, work and family, you can always contact Memphis Maids. Our professional cleaning service in Memphis will take care of your home, including your bedding items!

Reasons Why Pressure Washing is Worth It

December 20, 2021 by memphismaids

When was the last time you saw your home or business with that “new” look? Chances are, you can’t remember, it’s been too long. Cleaning the exterior is a critical part of maintaining the property’s curb appeal and healthy environment. And it’s not just pretty face value; there are plenty of practical reasons why washing is super important.

Pressure washing is the perfect method to get rid of years of built-up dirt and revive the look of your property. It’s eco-friendly, cost-effective, and time-efficient. If you’re still on the fence about pressure washing, here are five reasons why it’s absolutely worth it.

1. Best Technique to Clean the Exterior

Imagine trying to scrub a deck with a brush and soap. It would take forever, and you’d probably only manage to clean a small patch at a time. Pressure washing does the work for you and does it quickly. The high pressure stream of water gets into all the nooks and crannies of your home, scrubbing away stubborn stains and dirt.

Compare the water usage with garden hose-based methods, and you’ll see that pressure washing is an incredibly efficient and eco-friendly method. A typical garden hose use around 5-10 gallons of water a minute, while a pressure washer only uses 2-4 gallons a minute. There is no elbow grease and no fuss. In fact, it’s a pretty relaxing and oddly satisfying activity. It’s a great way to clean exteriors with minimal impact on the environment.

2. Restore and Maintain Curb Appeal

Your home exterior constantly takes a beating from rain, winds, chemical pollutants, and sun damage. Over time, the dirt accumulates, and then mold takes hold, leaving your home looking depressingly dull. A pressure wash will restore your home’s color and luster and help keep a nice crisp streak-free look. Not to mention the value and satisfaction a well-maintained exterior adds to your property.

Maintaining curb appeal is critical for both residential and business properties. Many sellers today choose to have their property deep cleaned before putting it on the market, and pressure washing is the best method to impress potential buyers.

3. Maintain a Healthy Environment

Not only do dirt and mold look bad, but they also harbor various allergens and pollutants. If anyone in your family is asthmatic or has allergies, you’ll understand the hard way about the importance of keeping these contaminants away. Triggers like pet hair, pollen, smoke, and dust forgotten in hidden crannies can set off a chain reaction that can result in days of misery.

Pressure wash with chemical treatment eliminates all such allergens. It will also kill any mold, mildew, or algae spores that might be lurking in the cracks of your exterior. So, your family can breathe easy and enjoy your home or business free from allergens.

4. Prevent Future Costly Repairs

It’s a sad fact that many expensive repairs are the direct result of not cleaning your property regularly. For example, water damage, roofing problems, and paint failure can all be traced back to a build-up of dirt and mold.

Your deck will lose luster, the siding will crack, and paint will chip if not maintained. Even fences and gutters can be damaged over time by neglect. Pressure washing is a cost-effective way to prevent all these problems from happening.

Roofs are also prone to damage from the accumulation of mold and algae. They cause the roof to age prematurely and lead to leaks. Generally, it is not recommended pressure wash roofs, there is a new technique called soft washing, that has been proven to be very effective for delicate materials. Soft washing combines low-pressure streams with special chemical cleaners to kill the mold, remove the build-up, and restore the roof to its original condition. It’s a quick method too. According to Chicago Racoons when utilizing soft washing, you can clean a roof twice as fast compared to utilizing pressure washing.

5. Saves Your Precious Time and Money

When you tally up all of the time you spent scrubbing, repairing, and maintaining your exterior to get it into a presentable state, you probably spent several hours and thousands of dollars per year. Pressure washing makes the job quick and easy, allowing you to get on with more important things.

If you have ever done exterior cleaning by yourself, you may come to the following conclusion. When you tally up all of the time and effort you put in cleaning and maintaining your exterior to achieve that proper clean look, most likely than not, you’ll find out it takes too much effort and time.

You can hire professional pressure washing services to do the job for you. They bring the tools, skills, and experience necessary to get the job done quickly and safely. You won’t even find one speck of mildew after they’re done.

All in all, a pressure wash session every year or two will keep your property looking great and reduce the chances of expensive repairs down the road. If you are not confident that you’ll get the job done, make sure to use a professional cleaning company with the experience and equipment to do the job right. Do your homework, get a few quotes, and you’re sure to find one that fits your needs and budget.

Why Should You Hire Cleaning Services for Your Home?

October 13, 2020 by memphismaids

hire-a-house-cleaner-dirty-floor-broom-dust-pan

Cleaning can be a daunting task, especially if you are not trained for it. We understand if you want to save cost by DIY cleaning, but guess what, that is why we have professional cleaning agencies. Hence, to avoid the challenge of making out time to clean, you can always hire someone for it.

Five reasons why you should hire a cleaning service

They are trained for it

Cleaning services have the experience that is needed to achieve a sparkling result that you desire. Not just this, they have a trained workforce backed with years of on the job experience. Hence, they know how to clean and what to use to achieve the desired result. Not just this, cleaning services pay keen attention to details, even the smallest ones, and have the best equipment to handle the task. By implication, instead of making time to sort for cleaning supplies that you don’t know anything about, you can let someone else do it for you.

An effective way to say time

In an economy where the currency is time, you should do all you can to save time and spend it on something else. Undeniably, cleaning takes a lot of time. However, if you don’t do it yourself, it means you can invest your time at something much more productive. If you want, you can spend time away with your family and friends while you let a cleaning service do their thing. Apart from this, it reduces stress. You can cut back on stress and focus your attention on other essential activities.

No blind spots

It is tempting to leave blind spots when you attempt to clean by yourself. When you are lazy to get things done, chances are that you will miss spots. Instead, by hiring professionals, you know what you are paying for, and they do as well. Since you are paying for the services, you can ask questions and demand a perfect job. Look at it as shifting responsibility onto someone else. Instead of wasting time doing what you obviously suck at, you can let someone else do it.

Cleaners have a functional system

House cleaning is more than selecting an area to clean and wiping them clean. No, you can’t randomly make your way through your home. On the other hand, professionals have a system that includes a comprehensive checklist of what to do and how to do it. Thanks to these lists and systems, they will do a better job and take less time.

Professionals are known for quick project turnaround

Cleaning services are always on schedule and promise quick results. They also ensure that no harm comes to your valuables, and allows you to relax as you should. Apart from this, cleaning yourself increases the risk of exposing your family members to germs and bacteria. To avoid an ugly scenario like this, you can let a professional give you the perfect cleaning with less risk or doing a lousy job or spreading germs.

Conclusion

If you only need three reasons to hire a cleaning service, think about time, freedom, and quality results. You will have more time to do what you want, avoid the stressful part of doing something you don’t appreciate, and get value for your payment in the form of an excellent cleaning job.

Memphis Maids Recognized as One of the Top Home Cleaners in Memphis by Expertise LLC

February 19, 2020 by memphismaids

Best House Cleaners in Memphis

Memphis Maids has been recognized as on of the Best House Cleaners in Memphis, Tennessee by Expertise, LLC! They looked at 161 home cleaning services in Memphis area and picked the top 15 for this honor. On their website, they state:

Our goal is to connect people with the best local experts. We scored house cleaners on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best house cleaners in Memphis, TN.

On the award page of Expertise.com, they describe Memphis Maids:

Memphis Maids is a house cleaning business serving clients throughout the Memphis, Tennessee, metro area. It assists with moving in and out of new properties, offers deep cleanings, and can schedule weekly or bi-weekly cleanings as well as one time visits. Clients receive various rates based on the amount of rooms and bathroom they need to have cleaned and the frequency with which they want the services conducted. All Memphis Maids cleaners undergo background checks for client safety.

We are very proud to be recognized by Expertise, LLC for our hard work and dedication to making our customers 100% satisfied with our services. Order your award-winning Memphis Maids service now!

Voted Top 3 House Cleaning Services in Memphis!

December 17, 2019 by memphismaids

Memphis Maids - top 3 best house cleaning services in Memphis by ThreeBest Rated

We are thrilled to have been voted as one of the top 3 best house cleaning services in Memphis by ThreeBest Rated®. A local business must pass a 50-point inspection criteria to be considered as per their website. According to ThreeBest Rated:

Expert recommended Top 3 House Cleaning Services in Memphis, Tennessee. All of our house cleaning services face a rigorous 50-Point Inspection, which includes customer reviews, history, complaints, ratings, satisfaction, trust, cost and general excellence. You deserve only the best!

Memphis Maids absolutely appreciates this recognition for our hard work and dedication to providing the best maid service in Memphis, Tennessee. Book our award-winning maid service in Memphis now, online in 60 seconds. We would love to clean your home!

We Are One of the Top 3 House Cleaning Services in Memphis! Woohoo!

We couldn’t be happier about this award and we are so grateful to our customers for their reviews and feedback. We hope to offer even better service with time. Hearing from ThreeBest Rated or any other business directory makes us humbled and honored.

The best part of this is that you don’t have to take our word for it. Both professional reviews and user reviews are the best proof of our service. We love making people’s lives easier and happier!

Once again, thanks to ThreeBest Rated® for recognizing our hard work. We hope to keep our position next year!

We’ll be back soon with more cleaning tips!

Memphis Maids Cleaning Hacks to Make Your Life Easier

August 28, 2019 by memphismaids

. Cleaning Hacks

Cleaning and dusting are tasks that usually feel like they take forever, there is always that stain that won’t come off or those inaccessible areas that give you a hard time, so many people come up with cleaning hacks that can make your life easier. You’re probably asking yourself, “if only I knew about them” right?

That is what I’m here for, to talk to you about some of the most popular cleaning hacks there are out there. This will make the whole cleaning process easier for you.

Cleaning Hacks Part 1: Dusting

It is a fact known by many that dusting should be the first step when cleaning a house. But what happens if I don’t have that fancy gadget I see every night on infomercials? Well, a great replacement is to use a chenille sock. Just put it on your hand and get to dusting, not only for blinds but this can be used to get the dust off your floors after or even to dust your ceiling fan!

Softener sheets are a great product to avoid dust from accumulating. After you finish dusting just go over different areas with a sheet and ta dah! No more dust for a longer period of time.

It can be used on the baseboards, floors or some furniture. Appliances, as much as we hate it, get dust all over them as well, the easiest way to prevent it is to apply wax after cleaning them which will make the process easier next time.

Cleaning Hacks Part 2: Sanitizing

I believe it to be the most important task of keeping a house clean, it prevents germs from spreading everywhere every time you touch a different item.

Here are some effective cleaning products to sanitize your home:

Vinegar and Baking Soda

The two most popular ingredients to always have in your house are vinegar and baking soda. Why? you ask. Well, for example, a simple hack for when you want a clean dishwasher is to set a bowl halfway full with vinegar.

Leave it in there for the first cycle (make sure the water setting is on hot). In the next cycle, you spread baking soda on the bottom of the dishwasher and let the cycle run, once this is done your dishwasher should look brand new!

If you have not cleaned your dishwasher in ages and you can tell there is some mold starting to grow. Then, run one more cycle and add one cup of bleach this time in the bottom.

If the dishwasher is stainless steel on the inside, this step is not recommended, as it can damage the appliance permanently.

Another great option is to vinegar to clean the inside of your microwave without scrubbing and just wiping instead. What you’re going to do is put a glass cup or bowl with vinegar and water, throw a wooden spoon in it so it can prevent it from overheating, set it for 5-10 minutes and the steam from the water and vinegar will help loosen up any old splatters and spills making it easier to wipe them off without any scrubbing!

Cleaning With Borax

A very common ingredient that I also want to talk about is Borax. Borax can be used with just about anything, to remove dust, scrub showers, tubs, toilets and tiles without damaging them and has great anti-fungal properties.

It is also used for carpets, just add half a cup in a gallon of water and use that mix to clean them.

Any rust stains can also be cleaned easily. Just mix one cup with ¼ of a cup of lemon juice, rub the paste over the stains, then rinse with warm water.

Did you know that a very important item to clean is your garbage disposal?
I bet not… well, I have an easy solution for you. Throw 3 tablespoons of borax in the bottom of the garbage disposal and let it sit there for at least an hour, then rinse with warm water.

Two extra cleaning hacks for the use of borax are: how to remove odors from a trash can and a mattress. With a mattress you have to damp the area with a bit of water. Then, add the borax covering it completely, wait till it dries and remove all the excess with a vacuum.
To completely eliminate odors from your trashcan, just fill it with water and add a big scoop. Let it rest for an hour at least, then rinse and clean.

Create your own DIY Cleaner

Making your own disinfecting cleaner is also pretty simple, make it using 1 cup of vinegar,1 cup of water, 25 drops of lemon essential oil and 25 drops of tea tree oil, pour the mix into a spray bottle and give it a good shake before using. This is a quick way to spray any household item and disinfect it.

Another alternative is reusable disinfecting wipes. Combine in a large glass jar 1 cup of water, ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol and 2 tablespoons of dawn dish soap. Then, place the kitchen cloths in there and you have yourself disinfecting wipes for everyday use.

Cleaning Hacks Part 3: Sweeping/Mopping

Sweeping can be so frustrating especially if you have pets or you have a lot of hair to deal with. The reason is that you have it flying everywhere. An easy solution to this problem is to add tape to the bottom of your broom where the adhesive is facing down. Go over your floors after the first sweep to get any excess hair or even trash so the tape can pick it up.

Mopping is another task that requires attention if you don’t have the right products for every type of floor. If you are in your kitchen and you notice any grease marks it can be so hard to remove but with a mix of dish soap, baking soda, vinegar and warm water together it can create an amazing solution (just do not use it on wax floors).

Are there scratches on your linoleum or laminate floors? Just use club soda to make them disappear use very soft steel wool and buff it lightly on the spot where the scratch is at. Now, if there’s a spot that won’t come off, I mix together hydrogen peroxide and lemon oil drops. This works better in a well natural lighted area. It’ll basically gently bleaches away the stain without damaging the floor. So awesome!

Carpet Cleaning

If I use club soda to get little stains out of shirts, why not off carpets?
If it’s a white carpet you have though, just use club soda, vinegar and/or ammonia, and spray on the carpet. Cover with an old t-shirt or any cotton cloth and iron the area.

Let’s say you have one of those mystery stains that you have no idea how to get rid of. Well, this trick has worked for me every time. Just simply soak a cloth in the solution mentioned above instead of just spraying the area, and iron it over the carpet.

We hope these life cleaning hacks help you out because they sure help me! And remember, there are many benefits when hiring a professional cleaning service. Make sure you check our booking page if you need professional maids in the Memphis area!

How To Dust Your Home

August 15, 2019 by memphismaids

How To Dust Your Home

Dust is sometimes hard to clean, being a complex material that not always behaves in the same way, which is why we wanted to give you the best way to dust your home. What do you need and how to do it. First, let’s talk about the tools. Which ones work the best and how to use them. So we arranged an awesome guide and tips for you!

First, we need to talk about what tools are good for the job. Some of the best ones are DIY solutions. So don’t panic if you are in a pickle. First let’s talk about tools, you can make your own or buy one.

Cleaning Tools to Get Started

Traditional dusters: These after a while they stop being useful. They don’t trap the dust and just disperse it all over the place. You should avoid this kind of device, it will give you more headaches and allergies than any other.

Regular cloths: Old clothes you have can act as a cheap substitute for a cleaning cloth. An old shirt that is too damaged to donate to charity can be cut into pieces and be used to clean your place. Old kitchen clothes are really good to clean the place. They are reusable and could last you a long time. They are not the perfect solution but they are practical, cheap and really good.

Socks: These are a good fit when they are so old that they have holes in them. You put it on your hand like a puppet and clean every surface that you can reach. This is an effective method and overall cheap.

Microfiber cloths: The single best way to clean dust is with a microfiber cloth! They trap every little mote of dust well and you can wash them and reuse them for a very long time. They are very cost-efficient because of this perk. You can

Vacuums: These are good for large quantities of dust. You need a good one with great quality with long-lasting capabilities. You really need to use all the accessories to use the full range of your vacuum. If you stick to the basic one you won’t see much improvement over your cleaning. Use it heavily on carpets, cushions and even plush toys could benefit from a good cleaning once in a while.

Universal cleaners: If you live in a humid area the dust can become more of a paste. This paste is quite hard to remove most of the time. You need some kind of liquid to remove it and here is where it comes these universal cleaners. Put some on any kind of clothing you have in your home and rub it on the dusty surface.

Vinegar: This one’s a classic. Vinegar is an acid that you can dilute a little in some water and put it on your cleaning cloth and clean with it. This is a great cheap substitute of the universal cleaner. It can be helpful in a pinch.

Cleaning Tips to Dust Your Home

Our best tip for dusting is to do it regularly. Change your sheets once per week or once every two weeks. Keep your closet tidy. Your closet is one of the places where dust builds up the quickest, you spent a great deal of time there and your clothes and shoes release particles that create dust. So keep your things tidy and your home clean.

* Change your sheets once a week. While you’re asleep you release skin cells and this skin gets together and create dust. Your sheets get so much dust in them. That you wouldn’t believe it. So change them often so you don’t clean as often the dust in your room. Is way easier to change it than to clean the dust. You can read our Cleaning Sheets and Bedding guide for more tips.

* Use air purifiers. Air purifiers trap the dust particles floating in the air. This way you would see a great diminution in the dust accumulation in your home.

* Don’t use carpets on every room in your house. Carpets are dust magnets and dust accumulators. They trap every single dust particle that floats and cleaning them is hard and expensive. Deep cleaning a carpet should be done.

* Clean your shoes when you get home. Set a little cleaning carpet in your home to shake your shoes when you arrive. A large percentage of the dust that is inside your house comes from the outside.

That’s it! We hope you enjoyed these cleaning tips to dust your home fast and efficiently. Remember to check out our booking page if you need a cleaning service in Memphis.

Good luck with your cleaning!