Pollen season is upon us, at least for us in the south! The weather is beautiful, the flowers blooming, and  icky greenish clouds of pollen can be seen from a distance. You all know what I'm talking about, especially when we don't any rain to help wash away the blanket of pollen that settles on everything!



Keeping that pollen out of your home can be almost impossible, I've got some tips to help with that.

Giving your home a good Spring cleaning, (or as we call them Deep Squeaks) once the pollen season is over, well help rid the hidden pollen that's hiding behind and under items.  I know, who has time for a super duper deep cleaning right?  That where a great maid company comes in!  

       


Proudly serving the Griffin/Spalding county GA for 22 years
770.468.9475

When was the last time your oven was cleaned? I know, who has time between work, kids, and life. Simple, just push the self cleaning button and it's done right?  Only if you don't mind using all that electricity or gas, heating up your kitchen to unbearable temps, or actually like the smell the self cleaning ovens create. And it really doesn't get it all clean!   There are easier and eco-friendly ways, that don't tie up your oven, or you all day!
We call it the quick down and dirty method, but don't let the name scare you, it's really simple! In no time your oven can be Squeaky Clean!



You'll need;

puppy pee-pee pads (to protect your floor, you know, the ones with absorbent top layer, plastic type bottom layer)
white vinegar in a spray bottle
baking soda
putty knife/scrapers
razor blades
heavy duty scrubbers or steel wool
cloths

Quick, down and dirty method;
Pre heat oven to 175, then let cool to the touch. Remove the oven racks to the bathtub. It's much easier to these in the tub than the kitchen sink, especially for rinsing. Go ahead and scrap with putty knife/scrapers to remove large debris, now go over with steel wool. Rinse with warm water. Spray the racks with vinegar then sprinkle baking soda over them. Don't get to mesmerized by watching the chemical reaction between vinegar and baking soda, we have a job to do!

 Attack the interior of the oven with a scraper/razor blades and remove loosened debris.  Place the puppy pads in front of oven, gotta protect the floors! Now spray vinegar, and apply baking soda on spots and let sit. Grab a quick cup of coffee, or go ahead and do the cook top while waiting.  Grab your scrubbers or steel wool and using good ole' fashioned elbow grease, scrub scrub scrub!  Wipe out with damp clothes following with a final rinse with a clean cloth. Don't forget that bottom broiler/drawer, usually the whole thing can come right out for cleaning.   Do the same with the racks sitting in the tub, rinsing with the shower or a cup filled from faucet in tub.

Before putting the oven back together, go ahead an pull out to get behind. Clean sides of oven, cabinets, wall, and floor with warm soapy water. Scrape with scrapper the heavy stuck on grime. Don't forget the edges of the counter tops. Replace the oven, and put back together. All done!


                 HINT; Wiping out spills as soon as possible will help to keep the oven clean all the time! 

  Proudly serving the Griffin/Spalding County GA area for 22 years!  Give us a call 770.468.9475 or drop us an email at info@SqueakyCleanInc.org

   Remember those bins used in the de-clutter post? Grab them again,a "keep" bin, "give away", and 'storage' bin. Don't forget  the trash/recycling bin and the timer! ... << MORE >>

Spring Clean Time-Assignment #1

We are going to begin spring cleaning. Ready to join me? Let's talk about your first cleaning assignment! As a cleaning service it is hard for us to actually "clean" your home unless you have picked up all that clutter prior to our arrival. By the way .. this is a fun way to get kids to help too!

You’ll need;

* two bins (laundry baskets or boxes work perfect!)

*timer (microwave, oven timers are great)

Pick one room. Set the timer for 5 minutes. First five minutes you do nothing but put everything in that bin that does NOT belong in the room. This is not garbage, this is stuff that has collected here that belongs somewhere else. ONLY FIVE MINUTES AND GO FAST! No thinking .. just pick it up.

Ok .. second 5 minutes. Grab that second bin ... set the timer ... collect all the trash .. newspapers, pop cans, you name it -- old knick knack. GARBAGE -- no thinking .. if your first impulse was that it is garbage.. it is ; )

Now the last part of this is VERY important. Set the timer again for 5 minutes and now put everything in those bins away! Trash -- and it's home. You will be surprised at how fast this goes if you focus on the five minutes.

Continue this five minute exercise with this room until you have it uncluttered. You can un clutter an entire home in a short period with this process.

Done with that room? room #2... GO!

I would love before and after pics... the best unclutter job? I would guess there is a prize in there... it is Squeaky Clean! ; )

Stay tuned next week for spring cleaning tip #2... time to get dirty!

Visit us at http://SqueakyCleanInc.org or give us a call at 770.468.9475

Adapted article from by Stephanie Nesseth at  http://www.AbsolutelyClean.org

Keywords; spring cleaning, deep cleaning, tips, organizing,

It’s your day!  Coming home to a clean house after a long day at work is an awesome feeling, keep the good vibe going by following these few tips.


*pick up items; toys dirty clothes, and such.
Most (not all) maid companies do require that the home be at least picked up prior to service (check with yours if your not sure).  The picking up and putting up can take up valuable time instead of cleaning time. And really, do want others seeing your dirty underwear?

*put away valuables; money, jewelry, small techie gadgets.
More than likely, nothing will ever happen to those items, as a company, anyone working for them has had background checks, and are very trustworthy, or else they wouldn’t be in your home.  Having these items out in the open can make the crew assigned to your home very uncomfortable. Err on the side of caution, it’s much easier!

*entry; if you leave a door unlocked, or hide a key make sure this done before leaving for the day.
While this method is HIGHLY NOT RECOMMENDED for your safety and the cleaning crew, if that is the agreement between you and the service provider, then so be it. Just remember, a locked home can’t be cleaned! Most companies do have extra fee’s for this situation, and it could take weeks to get back on schedule.

*leave payment; some companies will leave an envelope for payment, others don’t.
What ever your payment agreement is, do make sure to follow, to avoid extra fees, or worse, your home not being cleaned at all. A real bummer when you have been at work all day, excited to come home to a clean home that wasn’t serviced at all!

*put away pets; put them in a kennel, garage, or yard, especially if they are known to bite!
Check with your providers policy concerning pets, and make sure if you insist on keeping the pets loose in the home that the provider knows if Spot is allowed out or not!
Personally, we love pets, but they do have a tendency to get in the way. While fun, the first few times, a playful kitty attacking dusters and bed linens while trying to work becomes aggravating quickly. Not to mention the doggie that likes to leave his paw prints on the just mopped floors!

*vacuum cleaner/equipment; here again, different strokes for different folks or companies rather.
If the service provider uses your vacuum, or any of your equipment, make sure it is in working order prior to service. Keep belts/bags in same location and make the maid service aware of their location.

It doesn’t take much to prepare for the cleaners, good ole’ common sense goes a long way in this area.  Remember that communication is the key!

Squeaky Clean proudly services the Griffin/Spalding county area in GA.
contact us SqueakyCleanInc.org    Info@SqueakyCleanInc.org

Your office; Did I just hear a collective sigh from the masses? How many times did you come in to work after the cleaning service was there only to find that, once again, your desk area wasn’t touched? Instead of getting in a huff and complaining to your boss, try these tips to get your desk organized and cleaned the next time they come in.

1. Put away, or at least stack neatly, papers onto a corner of the desk, or even better, put away in a drawer.

2. Scale down your personal items. We all do think your kids are the cutest in the world, but honestly having more than 3 pictures becomes redundant, not to mention making for a very cluttered desk.

3. Knick knacks, you know you have them, we all do. Here again, keep a limit on these items in your office, this is a place of business, not your living room!

4. Always put away important paperwork!

5. Put away the wide assortment of pencils and pens, and other items scattered across your desk.

6. Make sure you are ringing the trash can when disposing of items. If your not, move the trash can!

7. Keep a bottle of disinfectant handy. Wipe the phone receiver, key pad, keyboard, mouse and other frequently touched items frequently.

Most cleaning company’s have guidelines concerning cleaning of paper cluttered desk tops, and that is to not touch the papers. If not a glimpse of the desk top can be seen, guess what, there is nothing the cleaning company can do with it! If you follow the steps above, and your desk top still isn’t being cleaned, by all means, get in huff!

Squeaky Clean Inc serves the Griffin/Spalding area in GA with pride.

Visit our website at

http://SqueakyCleanInc.org 770.468.9475

  You've interviewed and consulated several cleaning companies, have done your homework on the chosen one and are on their schedule. Your a virgin maid service recipient and have no idea what to do!  While this short list isn't about what to do in your home prior to service (that post will be next) this one is all about communicating with the company. Sounds pretty "Duh" right, you'd be surprised the number of times improper communication happens.

Do's;
*Contact the company through proper means. Usually this information will be provided, office phone, email. If you aren't sure, give them a call and ask.
*Let them know how they did. A little appreciation goes a long way towards boosting moral.
*Direct questions/comments/concerns to the proper person. Leaving notes or talking with the wrong person about your account can cause confusion, not to mention the message never being received to the right person. If you are not sure who to talk to, ask!
*Participate in events the company is holding. A lot of thought and time go into planning these events, client participation is needed to make them successful. More than likely, you'll have fun anyway!
*Talk them up to your friends and family. Word of Mouth is the best advertising!  Many companies have a referral program where you earn free or discounted cleanings, recommend one if your provider doesn't have one!
*Make sure you understand their policy and fees. Keeping everyone on the same page makes for a successful relationship between you and your service provider. Don't be afraid to ask questions either.


Don'ts;
*Contact your company by posting  questions/comments about your service on their personal social sites like FaceBook or twitter.  Personal is personal, business is business. While many of my clients are my friends on these sites, it's not the proper outlet to talk business.
*Wait to make a complaint. While no one likes to hear a  complaint, waiting to make one is worse. Most companies do have policies in place for amending problems in a timely manner.
*Ask them to do more than pre-agreed at the last minute. Maid service schedules can run tight, and while most request are easily granted, to prevent confusion within the team, always contact the company at least 48 hours prior to service to talk about add on's so that time can be scheduled accordingly.
*Talk with team members about important account information. Usually team members are trained to do the cleaning and do not know all the details of your account.

While very limited, these is a general outline when dealing with a service provider. Of course, each company is different and will have different methods and a different policy, making sure those methods and/or policy is understand and followed goes a long way to a long, happy relationship!

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