Category Archives: other topic related to cleaning

13 Fall Cleaning Ideas

Those lazy days of summer have passed us by, and many of us are thinking of doing a deep cleaning of our homes before winter arrives. For those of us who are completely overwhelmed and don’t even know where to begin, try to be realistic. A home that has not been cleaned in awhile is going to require much more time to get back into shape than a home that is cleaned on a regular basis. You may want to focus exclusively on only one project.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1.) Move couches, chairs, and other furniture from those hard to reach areas.  Wipe down your baseboards and vacuum where the furniture was.

2.) Clean the ceiling fans. (See our post Keep ceiling fans clean)

3.) Wash your windows.  (See our post How to clean windows)

4.) Clean the blinds. If you have a lot of blinds, you may want to hire a blind cleaning service to take care of this task.

5.) Clean the inside and outside of your refrigerator. Pull out your refrigerator and clean the coils. You can vacuum them using a crevice tool, or dust them with an extension duster.  Clean underneath your refrigerator too.

6.) Clean the stovetop, oven, and backsplash. Move the oven out from the wall and clean underneath.

7.) Declutter your home. Check out this great article by professional organizer Pooja Gugnani: We Are What We Live In: Get Organized, Get Happy!

8.) Clean the grout in between your shower tiles. (See our post How to Clean Marble Grout)

9.) Clean out your medicine cabinet and dispose of all expired pharmaceuticals.

10.) Clean out your pantry and throw away any expired food.

11.) Wipe down the inside and outside of kitchen cabinets.

12.) Clean the inside of your closets including the shelving.

13.) Clean door frames, and doors on both sides.

Have we missed any fall cleaning projects? Let us know. Not feeling motivated to do your own cleaning? We can handle it. To schedule a cleaning or for a FREE quote, give us a call at (312) 829-9600. You can also visit Maid in Chicago’s website maidinchicago.us and fill out our online form.

Change Your Furnace Filter Regularly for a Cleaner Home

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Change Your Furnace Filter Regularly for a Cleaner Home

This is the time of year when we start noticing homes with furnace filters that need to be changed. Furnaces with clogged filters spew out more dust particles and quickly make your home dusty. Particle buildup decreases the efficiency of your heater too. A general rule of thumb is that disposable fiberglass panel or electrostatic panel filters need to be changed every 1-3 months. Pleated filters last longer, from 3-12 months. Replacement filters can be purchased at stores such as Ace Hardware, Target, and Home Depot.

For more information about furnace filters, check out FurnaceCompare.

To schedule a cleaning with Maid in Chicago or for a FREE quote, give us a call at (312) 829-9600. You can also visit our website maidinchicago.us and fill out our online form.

5 Tips on How to Get a Handle on Clutter

Chicago Home Improvement Magazine recently ran this great expert Q&A guest column by professional organizer Pooja Gugnani.

Q: My house is filled with clutter, and I can’t seem to get a handle on it. Can you offer any tips on controlling this mess without discarding my valuables?

A: Here are five tips:

1. Saying is believing. Replace saying “not enough” with “more than enough.” Train your mind to be content by actually saying it out loud. Trust me, it works!

2. Make space, not mess. Instead of finding ways to create more storage to fit your clutter, think of ways to create more space by eliminating your clutter.

3. I see clutter. If the phrase “This may come in handy someday” or “I didn’t know I had this” is attached to an object, it is time to reevaluate whether or not it belongs in your home.

4. Face amnesia. When you come across an item that you had forgotten about, there’s a 50-percent chance that you didn’t miss it enough to go looking for it—and, most likely, it has lost its utility in your life.

5. Detach and donate. The toughest phase of the decluttering process is finding the heart to dispose of things you’ve owned for years, or that have memories. The best way to part with your “favorite” things is to know it will find a good home again.

Professional organizer Pooja Gugnani, pictured above, is the founder and owner of Organizing with You in Chicago.

To schedule a cleaning with Maid in Chicago or for a FREE quote, give us a call at (312) 829-9600. You can also visit our website maidinchicago.us and fill out our online form.