General Home Cleaning Tips
House Cleaning Motivation Hack
Many people have an aversion to cleaning, procrastinating the task until their home is incredibly dirty and takes even longer to clean. T&M Cleaning is happy to share a few tips and tricks for maintaining a clean home. A popular life hack for getting past your brains refusal to begin an overwhelming task, like cleaning your house or going to the gym, is to concentrate on just one thing. If you think about everything you have to do (like clean every facet of every room) you’re likely going to become stressed, sapping your motivation to get things done.
To keep your motivation going strong, simply concentrate on the very first thing which needs to be done. For home cleaning, pick just one thing – plug in the vacuum or fill up the sink with dishwater. Once that’s done, you can slowly decide what to do next. Once you start, you’ll be able to keep working through until the chore is completed.
Cleaning Safety Tip
Do not mix cleaning products like ammonia and bleach. They can be toxic.
Cleaning Carpets
- If a spot is wet, blot it, don't rub. Rubbing spreads the soil.
- If a spot is dry, loosen soil and vacuum away prior to moistening it.
- Always rinse cleaned area thoroughly. If not removed, cleaning products may cause the cleaned area to attract soil.
- When taking out stains, always use a white cloth.
- Clean spots and stains immediately. You will have much better chance of removing them.
- When using any cleaner, dilute according to direction. A mixture that is too potent may cause damage.
- Not every stain can be removed. Consult your T&M Cleaning Services professional for cleaning options.
- Always pre-test the surface to be cleaned. Apply cleaning solution to an inconspicuous area of the same material. If, after five minutes, the material's color transfers to towel, try another product.
- Carpet shampoo is good to have on hand and is available at most hardware stores.
- A mild mineral spirit solution is useful for many household cleaning applications.
- For wax dropped on carpet or upholstery, set a clean, absorbent cloth over the wax stain and hold a hot iron on it. Lift cloth away and the wax should be removed with the cloth.
Doors
If company is coming, clean and wash the doors in your house for an instant home uplift. Scrub the door from top to bottom with a rag and soapy water, using a scrub brush for especially tough spots. Wipe down the top edge of the frame. Along with the blades of ceiling fans, the top of the door is one of the most missed spots in the home.
Wood Floors
It's always a good idea to check with a flooring specialist for information on cleaning wood floors because certain treated flooring requires specific cleaning methods. However, general wood-floor cleaner is a solution of 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar in 1 gallon of warm water. Use a slightly damp soft cloth and wipe the floor without getting it wet. Then buff with a soft dry cloth to bring out the luster.
Vinyl Floors
Regularly sweep and mop your vinyl floors using a gallon of water and a dash of dish washing detergent, to keep abrasive soil off the surface. Scrub as needed with a white nylon backed sponge to loosen stubborn, ground in soil.