Is Hot Water More Effective Than Cold Water?

When it comes to cleaning, water can aid you in a variety of ways. We use it when we’re dishwashing and doing laundry. But there’s one question everyone seems to be asking and that is: is hot water more effective than cold water? Let’s take a look.

It aids in removing bacteria

Hot water doesn’t exactly kill bacteria but it does aid in the removal of it. It gets rid of potential hosts for bacteria by working together with detergent to attack oil and grime. It’s best to soak things in a bucket or a bowl of hot water and detergent for at least 30 minutes to make this method effective.

It helps cut food on your dishes

Can’t get that hard stuck on food off your plate so you can throw it in the dishwasher? Hot water is great for cutting stuck on food off of surfaces. And going back to the first thing we said about aiding in the removal of bacteria, that comes in handy here too. Running your dishwasher with hot water and detergent helps sanitize your dishes for a better clean.

But here’s the catch…

Cold water is better for your laundry

Though hot water is better for the majority of household cleaning tasks, cold water is better for your laundry. Using cold water for your laundry can prevent stains and odors from setting further into the fabric. Hot water only increases the chance of them settling into the fabric and makes it harder for you to remove them.

Spekless House Cleaning

Our professionally trained house cleaners can proactively take care of the bacteria in your home so you don’t have to. And so you have more time to do the things you enjoy. Call (571) 882 2712 or click here to contact us for a free estimate. We were maid for this!

4 Mistakes That Can Slow Down Your Household Cleaning

We know that when you are cleaning your home, you to get your household cleaning done as fast as possible. No one wants to spend their entire weekend cleaning. But are there things that you’re overlooking that are causing you to work harder than you should? Here we’re lining out four mistakes that can actually slow you down when cleaning.


1. Forgetting the top to bottom rule

So many people forget the top to bottom rule when it comes time to clean. If you vacuum before you dust you’re just making more work for yourself in the long run, which is inevitably slowing down your household cleaning. Work from the top of the room to the bottom to prevent having to go back and re-clean what you just cleaned. 


2. Failing to clean your supplies

Dirty mops and cloths are used to clean up dirt. So it’s only rational to clean them when you’re finished in order to prevent the spread of bacteria from one cleaning to the next. You can clean a dirty surface with dirty supplies. It only slows you down.

3. Not rinsing your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher

Many homeowners will swear that you don’t need to pre-wash your dishes before putting them into the dishwasher. While that may be true, you still need to scrap off the leftover food and give them a quick and thorough rinse. Otherwise, you’re just making more work for yourself when you end up having to wash them when they’re done in the dishwasher.

4. Cleaning without a routine

Cleaning routines are such a vital part of household cleaning. If you don’t have an adequate cleaning routine each week you could end up spending more time cleaning than you would like on the weekends. This will help you clean faster and more efficient without slowing you down in the long haul.

5 Genius Household Cleaning Hacks That Will Blow Your Mind

Looking for some new and fresh ideas to help you spice up your household cleaning routine? Look no further.

Here are five genius household cleaning hacks that every homeowner needs:

1. Freshen up your sink with baking soda

Is there a bad smell coming from your sink or garbage disposal? Have you tried every chemical in your cleaning closet to get rid of it? Try sprinkling a little bit of baking soda down the drain. Baking soda is a natural odor eliminator and it will help get rid of any bad smells coming from the sink.


2. Soak your burners in ammonia 

Having trouble cleaning the burners on your stove? You’ve soaked them in every cleaner imaginable and they’re still not coming clean? Try soaking them in ammonia (which you can find in the cleaning supply aisle at the store) for a couple of hours. Once they’ve had a chance to soak in ammonia for a few hours they should wipe away completely clean. 


3. Get those baseboards with a dryer sheet

Baseboards are everyone’s least favorite household chore, we get it. But that’s only because it’s a pain to clean them, until now. Stick a dryer sheet on the end of your broom and run it along the edges of your baseboards. Not only will this help you dust them, but it’ll also help fresh things up a bit too.

4. Pop a bowl of vinegar in the microwave to clean it

This is possibly one of our favorite household cleaning hacks out there. Take a little bowl (one that is microwave safe) and add a half a cup of white cleaning vinegar to it and then pop it in the microwave on high for 3-5 minutes. Once the microwave goes off, let it sit for 2 minutes before removing the bowl and wiping the microwave completely clean. No more scrubbing away hard, stuck-on food.

5. Run vinegar through the coffee pot

The coffee pot is probably one of the most neglected household appliances in your house. Of course, you use it every day, but how often are you actually cleaning it? Fill the pot with vinegar and run it through the coffee machine at night before you go to bed. This will help with the mineral build-up inside the coffee pot and it will make your coffee taste better.

Bonus Hack


6. Contact Spekless for help

Behind every squeaky clean home is a professional house cleaner that helps them make it happen. Whether you need help with once a month deep cleaning or routine weekly cleaning we’ve got you covered. Contact us today for a free estimate and to see how our professional house cleaners can help you achieve the goals of your household.

Why Professional House Cleaning Could Mean a World of Difference

Many homeowners aren’t aware of the benefits that a professional house cleaning service can provide to them. They spend a lot of time stressing out about their dirty homes and trying to clean it themselves only to fail in the end. So they hire an individual cleaner to help them and end up unhappy with the results.

Here’s why a professional house cleaner could make a world of difference in your home:

Professional house cleaners have been trained

Having a professional house cleaner come to your house is better than paying an individual housekeeper. This is for the simple fact that professional cleaners have been fully-trained to do the job. Now we’re not saying all individual housekeepers don’t know what they’re doing. But instead what we are saying is that professional house cleaners have been taught how to clean your house from top to bottom. It can make a huge difference in the outcome of the service.

Most of the time they’re bonded & insured

If you’ve properly done your due diligence on a cleaning company before hiring them, the company you hire should be bonded and insured. Professional house cleaning companies are often structured to protect both the employees and the clients. Which means if personal possessions are damaged or the cleaner is injured on the job, the company is liable and not you.

Taxes can be a pain

Paying an individual house cleaner can often times be a pain when tax season comes. If you hire outside help, you may be considered an employer by the IRS. That means that you’ll need to file an I-9 for your cleaner and submit information yearly. You can easily avoid this mess by utilizing the help of a local cleaning company.

Spekless professional house cleaning

Want to hire a professional cleaner for your household? If you’re looking for help you with your home, look no further. We can help. Fill out the form on our website today to get a free service estimate.

Tips & Tricks to Help You Keep Your Kitchen Counters Clutter-Free

Having trouble keeping your kitchen counters clean and clutter-free? Consider the following tips & tricks to help you stay on the right track and keep things organized in the kitchen.

Use wall space to hang things

The wall is a great place to hang utensils, pots and pans, and even kitchen decor. It’s also great for decluttering the kitchen counter. Consider hanging things on the wall instead of leaving them lying on the counter to take up space.

Place appliances under the counter

Once you’ve finished with the blender go ahead and stash it under the counter in a cabinet so it’s out of the way. This will provide you with more counter space and leave you with a clutter-free kitchen. You can do this with like toaster ovens, coffee pots, and again the blender.

Have a junk drawer

Another way to keep your kitchen counter clutter-free is to have a junk drawer. A junk drawer is good to put miscellaneous things in including old papers, mail, stationery, and virtually anything else that can be found floating around on the counter. Just throw it in the junk drawer.

Don’t decorate too much

Decorating is fun, but sometimes it can cause more harm than good. Too much decor can often leave your space, in this case, the kitchen, looking more cluttered than clean. Do yourself a favor and limit the decor for a clutter-free kitchen.

Spekless House Cleaning

When you have a family and a career we know it can be difficult to keep things clean and organized the way you would like it to be. That’s why here at Spekless we offer the most extensive housekeeping service in the area. Contact us today for a free estimate and see how we can help.

The Importance Home Cleaning Routines

Having a home cleaning routine is important for many reasons. It provides order and structure in your house. It gives you a sense of accomplishment. And most importantly, it keeps your home nice and clean.

Why having a cleaning routine is important

It’s important to create a home cleaning routine so that you can have a schedule that works for you and not one that works you. Learning to establish this routine early on will help keep your house clean and keep you on track with your busy life. There are also some really good benefits to having a clean home like reducing daily stress, living in a healthier environment, and increasing your physical activity.

How to build a cleaning routine

Building a home cleaning routine is easy. And just like any other routine, it gets easier the more you practice it. There are a couple of different ways you can build your home cleaning routine such as creating a chart/cleaning calendar and hiring a professional cleaning service to help.

When building your home cleaning routine you want to look at each room individually. Get out the pen and paper and make sure that you list all of the needs of each room so you don’t forget anything. You can always go back later and organize your cleaning routine on a calendar or on an Etsy printable.

Once you’ve done that you can begin cleaning your home. The more you practice your cleaning routine, the faster you’ll get at cleaning your home.

Overview

As you can see, having a home cleaning routine is something that everyone should have. A cleaning routine not only helps you get in the habit of cleaning, it gives you the chance to build a better mindset with a clean home. All it takes is a little bit of planning and maybe a checklist or two before you’ve created the perfect house cleaning routine for your house.

Professional cleaning service

Do you need help with your home cleaning? Our professional house cleaners can help. Here at Spekless, we have trained our cleaners to provide you with the utmost excellent housekeeping experience to fit all of your household’s needs.

Why Safe Cleaning Should Be Your Top Priority

Cleaning essentially plays an important part in our daily lives. From cleaning ourselves to cleaning our houses, it’s something we just can’t avoid. That’s why it’s important to do it right and to practice safe cleaning habits.

Safe cleaning 101

Safe cleaning in a household is important for many different reasons. Cleaning chemicals can at times cause burns, skin irritation, and allergic reactions if not used properly. They can also cause damage to any surface your using them to clean. In order to prevent any of these occurrences from happening it’s imperative that you practice safe cleaning.

Always read the directions first

One of the most important ways to practice safe cleaning is to get in the habit of reading the label on any chemical product you plan to use before you use it.

Use rubber gloves

Rubber cleaning gloves are another great way to practice safe cleaning. These prevent any chemicals from getting to your hands and causing any chemical burns or allergic reactions.

Consider green cleaners

Green cleaning products are the best option for families with children that are looking to adopt some new safety habits. Green cleaners are generally less harsh than typical house cleaners and they are environmentally friendly.

Don’t mix products

One of the most dangerous things about cleaning is mixing chemicals together. Mixing chemicals together can cause chemical burns, damage to the surface, and even explosions. Check out MSDS for more information on mixing chemicals.

Clean in a well-ventilated area

Whenever you’re using a strong chemical to clean you need to make sure there’s enough air the room for you to breathe. Open up the window and make sure there’s good airflow before beginning that task.

Overview

At Spekless we understand and value the importance of safe cleaning. Contact us today to see what our professional house cleaners can do for you. As a professional home cleaning service, you can count on us for safety and quality.

Living Room Cleaning Checklist

Living room cleaning checklist

1. Declutter

To start off your living room cleaning checklist, the first thing you’ll do is go through and declutter your living room. Make sure the space is free and clear and easily accessible.

2. Dust

Now go through and dust everything using a cleaning cloth and a dusting spray. For high places, you can use a hand duster. And for the blinds, you can use either a hand duster or the brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner.

3. Sanitize

Once you’re done dusting the entire living room you can start to sanitize any surfaces that need to be disinfected. Surfaces include but are not limited to any remote controls, buttons on the entertainment system, a home telephone, and any handles on drawers or doors.

4. Upholstery

After you’ve sanitized everything now you can go through and clean all of your upholstery. Start by vacuuming the surface using the brush attachment on your vacuum. And if you have any covers on your upholstery you can go ahead and throw them in the washing machine. After you’ve vacuumed the surface you can wipe it down with a damp cleaning cloth or by using the recommended cleaning regime specified by the manufacturer.

5. Shelving

If you have any shelves or drawers in your living room nows the time to clean them out. Wipe down any shelves and pull everything out of the drawers before wiping them down as well. Just take your cleaning cloth and spray it with antibacterial dusting spray before wiping down the surface.

6. Windows

Now it’s time to break out the window cleaner and your microfiber cleaning cloth and clean all the windows in your living room. For this step, you could also go the old fashion route and use newspaper if you don’t have a microfiber rag.

7. Floors

The last thing for you to do in this living room cleaning checklist is to sweep, vacuum, and mop the floors (if applicable). Once you’re done with that you can kick your feet back and relax. You deserve it!

For more living room cleaning tips, check out this post.

Overview

Did this living room cleaning checklist work for you? If so, be sure to check out our blog for more house cleaning tips. Or if you’re interested in getting help cleaning yourself, go ahead and contact us today for a free service estimate. We are here to help!

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