Don’t forget your garage when house cleaning in Phoenix

Living in Phoenix, Arizona you’re outside a lot and items begin to pile up in your garage day after day at the park with kids or a trip to the pool. Pretty soon your neat, clean garage has been turned upside down and you don’t know where to turn. This is normal. Your garage is where everything from Christmas decoration to scooters are stored. However, there is a way to utilize the space you do have to the full potential and this is how.

First, plan a time to dedicate to cleaning out your garage and stick to it. A weekend would be best, but any day will do. Get the whole family involved! Everyone can have a role! Spread it out over a couple days so you are not overwhelmed.

Second, it is time to separate. You will now place items in four categories: 1) Items to keep 2) Items to throw away 3) Items to give away and 4) Other Items such as those you need to return, repair or replace. This is time consuming but once it’s done you will be so grateful and the rest is all downhill!

Third, look at the items in your keep pile to determine what you need to buy. If you have a lot of tools or sports items, you may want to purchase shelving or racks or possibly a tool wall for easy access. Here in Phoenix most people have some outdoor toys such as bikes, scooters or strollers. If this is the case, a hanging bike rack would be useful. If you have a lot of holiday decorations or small items you may consider buying bins and labeling them. Once you make a decision on what you need, get rid of your trash pile right away. Then makes sure to take a drive a return items that aren’t yours.

Fourth, go shopping! Purchase the items you need and make sure everything has a place. Label your bins and stick to that. This would also be a great time to sell your items to give away pile online. Etsy and ebay are popular sites to sell used items. You could also use local Facebook pages.

Fifth, Be sure to be safe! Do not store propane in the garage. When handling chemicals make sure to use gloves. Think carefully before placing a large heavy item, such as a ladder. It would be smart to put a ladder horizontal and close to the ground to insure falling would not be an issue. Surprisingly messy garages can lead to hazards and accidents. Keeping a clean and tidy storage space will prevent items falling and spilling and will keep you and your family safe.

Sixth, once you have put everything in its pace, it is time to tackle the floor. Use a broom to sweep the floor and use a vacuum to clean up the extra dust, spider webs and debri. Make sure to also wipe down all of the walls and corners to get rid of any bugs or webs. Be careful and watch for cockroaches! This would also be a great time to clean up any spills, paint or oil, and even refinish your garage floor.

You’re job is now done! Enjoy your clean garage and maybe the warm Arizona weather outside!

House Cleaning in Phoenix

It’s that time of year again in Phoenix, Arizona where many households are gearing up for a busy fall schedule. Kids are going to school, off to college, and work seems to always be demanding more and more time. It’s also that time of year where Phoenix experiences a lot of weather changes, from monsoons in August to the perfect weather in October. Essentials Cleaner is here to help with getting your cleaning schedule up and going to help easy the burden of your busy schedule.

Here are a few tips on building a schedule for House Cleaning in Phoenix

Home cleaning is a lot of work and it is easy to lose track and end up with a dirty home in only a matter of days. But house cleaning does not need to be difficult! If you plan out a clenaing schedule for your home, it will help you to keep the house clean without needing to put in those long cleaning Saturdays. With a cleaning routine, your house will not be perfect at once, but it will be clean most of the time. Keeping a clean home take time, repetition, and someone to complete the tasks. Here is a suggested cleaning schedule you can start with:

MONDAY [BATHROOMS]: Clean all your bathrooms. This includes cleaning the mirrors, counters, sinks, faucets, toilets, showers, and tubs. Make sure you wipe your way out of the bathroom to leave a clean floor.

TUESDAY [DUST]: Start at the top and dust your way down. It is usually best to use a microfiber cloth for the areas you can reach. For those higher surfaces, you may need an duster with an extension. Be sure to start at the top though! Otherwise, you will be creating more cleaning work for yourself.

WEDNESDAY [VACUUM]: Vacuum all the floors in your home. It can be quick and simple if you keep up on this task. Make sure you take the time to get all of the corners and crevices though.

THURSDAY [WASH FLOORS]: Wash all the floors in your home with a good product.

FRIDAY [SHEETS & TOWELS]: Wash all the sheets and towels. Put the sheets back on beds and put towels away. This will help keep your bathrooms and beds smelling clean and fresh.

SATURDAY [REAL CLEANING]: Find any areas that are “getting behind” and get to work. Saturday is often times a good day to catch up on any tasks you didn’t get a chance to complete.

SUNDAY [NOTHING]: Relax and enjoy your day.

Want an Alternative to a Cleaning? Maybe it’s time for a house cleaning service.

If you don’t have time to keep up with a cleaning schedule because of your own schedule, you can always book a cleaning online through our website or you can give us a call. You can be confident when booking with Essentials Cleaner because the cleaners are background checked, we have a 200% happiness guarantee, no contracts, no upselling, straight forward pricing, insured cleanings, instant online scheduling, easy online payment, and awesome customer service.

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How to Speed-Clean Your Kitchen

Read about time-saving tips, methods, and to-do lists for getting your kitchen cleaned quick.

Kitchen Cleaning List

When cleaning your kitchen it is often best to start with the sink.  A clean and shiny sink becomes your kitchen’s focal point for hygiene and cleanliness, help you to always load the dishwasher immediately and keep counter tops, the stove top, and refrigerator doors clean as well.

Each Day

Wipe down the sink after doing the dishes
Wipe down the stove top and the fridge
Wipe down the counters
Sweep or vacuum the floor

Each Week

Give the floor a good mopping
Wipe the exterior of your cabinets
Wipe down your backsplashes
Wash the outside of your appliances
Clean the inside of the garbage can

Every Four Months

Empty and clean the inside of the refrigerator
Empty and clean the your utensil drawers and other drawers
Clean and polish the exterior of your cupboards
Clean the stove-hood and filter

Getting Down to Shine

Stainless steel is a preferred material in kitchen appliances because of it resistance to corrosion. This popularity has also translated to it use in bathrooms. If you one stainless steel appliances you already know how well they can withstand time and use, this is of course as long as you give them the appropriate care and maintenance. Cleaning for stainless steel is pretty straight forward but we have a couple tips that will make sure your appliances look great.

If your appliances are in pretty good shape, it could be all you need is a little warm water and a clean cloth. This is by far the safest way to clean your stainless steel without the risk of ruining the finish. Just damo you cloth with warm water and clean the the steel following the grain of the finish. Once you’re done dry to the surface with a clean towel (microfiber works best) following the grain of the steel. Make sure to dry it right away as the minerals in the water can leave little water spots.

Let’s pretend for a second that your appliances are perhaps a little dirtier and you need a little extra cleaning power. For jobs like this, warm water and a mild detergent can go great ways. You can start with a little bit of detergent and gradually add more to the mix if needed. Just like with plain water make sure to rinse and dry right after you’re done; this again to avoid leaving any water marks.

One of the main concerns people have with their stainless steel appliances is how easy it is to leave fingerprints all over. When getting rid of these a little glass cleaner will do the magic. Spray a little glass cleaner on a microfiber cloth and gently scrub the fingerprints away. Alway try to follow the grain of the surface to avoid an off-looking finish.

In some cases, especially if there is scratching or staining, it is a good idea to use a stainless steel cleaner/polish. This type of products focus on accentuating that shine we relate to stainless steel. Like with any new product, make sure you go over the instructions before you apply anything on your appliances. It is important to clean the surface of the appliance before using any polish, this is to avoid scratching the finish. Just like before, make sure to use a clean microfiber cloth to absorb any excess product.

Whenever you are getting ready to try a new cleaning product or process it is always recommended to start with a small inconspicuous area, asses the results and if pleasing move on to the rest of the surface being cleaned. As with any “finished” surface it is always best to take your time and judge the quality of the cleaning job before moving on to the big stuff.

At the end the best way to keep your stainless steel looking great for longer is through cleanliness and maintenance; make sure you keep those two things constant and your appliances will keep that great look and feel you love.

Make Your Home a Dust Free Zone

Arizona is known for a couple of different things: Scenic views, great weather, but a lot of people forget about or unlimited amounts of DUST! When it comes to house cleaning jobs, it is almost always best to attack them at the source; with dust this is nearly impossible. Household dust is mostly comprised of dirt, skin flakes and textiles fibers; add to that living in the desert and you have a perfect storm. Unless you plan on getting rid of all your clothes, we suggest talking this issue in a more socially acceptable and efficient way.

First thing is to pick you tools: You’ve probably seen a feather duster before, yes they look fancy and are probably a lot of fun to play with, but they only move dust around instead of capturing it. Instead, get yourself a damp soft cloth or a microfiber duster, these will capture the dust and keep it from going everywhere. A vacuum would be another thing to have handy, a lot of surfaces are better of vacuumed than to dusted.

Now that you have your tools up and ready it is time to get to cleaning your house. It is better to go in with a plan, don’t just dust anywhere, follow a path through your home and stick to it. it might as obvious, but it is always better to go from top to bottom. Another good practice is to move through the room clockwise or counterclockwise, this way you make sure you do not miss any spots. Do not forget to get to those hard to reach places as dust likes to accumulate especially in those hard to reach spots.

The truth is that no matter how much time you spend doing house cleaning, dust will keep coming back week after week. There is no practical way to keep 100% of the dust reappearing later next week, but there is a number of different things you can look for that can keep your home dust-free for a longer time.

Your A/C not only maintains your home at a comfortable temperature but it also maintains the airflow in your home, make sure that your air filter is well maintained. A clean air filter will reduce the amount of dust that makes it back to you living spaces.

As I mentioned before, dust is made in a large percentage of skin flakes and fabric, what better place to find these than your bed. Your bed sheet need to be changed and cleaned on a regular basis, this will keep the amount of dust coming from you bed in check.

A lot of the dust coming into our homes comes from outside, a mat in your front door or just inside of your home will keep a lot of the dirt in your shoes from coming into your home. Of course make sure to clean this mat every once in a while.

Of course you can always the professionals from Essentials Cleaner help you out and handle your dust for you. Either way follow these simple tips and be sure that your home will look and feel more clean.