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The holidays are prime time for entertaining. If you’re anything like us, you may find yourself subject to a seemingly endless parade of people coming through your home during this season. Your high-traffic areas will see even more guests than usual, so it’s important to keep them looking clean. From your front door to the quintessential gathering space in the kitchen, there are several spaces that guests tend to frequent. Use this guide to keep every area fresh and welcoming.

Entryway

Every guest will see your front door and entryway. Make sure your first impression is a great one and you’ll set the stage for a delightful holiday gathering. Start outside and give your front porch a thorough cleaning. Tackle cobwebs with a broom, sweep away leaves and twigs, and wash the front door with soap and water. Clean the glass or glazing with vinegar and warm water. Check the weatherstripping under your door and replace it if needed. This will not only look sleek, but it will also increase your energy efficiency by keeping warm air in the house where it belongs.

Shake out and vacuum all your entry rugs, both inside and out. Moving into the entryway, make sure your guests step into a clean, clutter-free space. Relocate any piles of shoes or coats that usually live here. We love wide open spaces, so don’t feel pressured to cover every available surface in decor. A minimalist approach can often provide the cleanest and most welcoming look.

Bathrooms

Deep clean your bathrooms before guests arrive so that everyone has a comfortable place to freshen up. This means scrubbing the grout, laundering the shower curtain, washing the mirrors, dusting the floorboards, and thoroughly cleaning every part of the sink, counter, tub, and toilet. Some areas, like the toilet or tub, may need some time to soak if you’re dealing with rings or stubborn stains. Start this job at least a day ahead of time so you’re not scrambling to finish on the day of your party.

Banish any clutter like hair ties and makeup so the only items out on the counter are those that a guest will use. Provide a full bottle of hand soap and a neat stack of clean hand towels. Hand sanitizer is a nice touch as well if guests want a quick pump after touching up lipstick or fixing their hair. If you’re having overnight guests, provide a stack of fresh towels for showering and a small caddy of essentials like soap and shampoo so they’ll feel perfectly pampered.

Common Areas

Your common areas are the spaces where guests hang out the most. This is typically your living room and dining room. Guests are sure to notice things like comfortable crumb-free upholstery as they’re sitting around the living room or clean rugs while they’re seated on the floor around the fire. Thoroughly vacuum every part of your sitting area including the space between cushions, underneath the couch, and in the nooks and crannies around the fireplace.

If you have a mantle or shelves with photos and decorations, guests will naturally feel drawn to these displays. It’s important to make sure your picture frames have clean glass and your knickknacks are well dusted. Wipe down baseboards and the fronts of cabinets. We suggest spending a few moments seated in all the places where guests may gather so you can look around for dust bunnies and other messes. This includes the floor around the Christmas tree and any chairs tucked in the corners, even if you don’t typically use them on a daily basis.

Kitchen

Guests tend to gather in the kitchen whether you intend for them to cluster there or not. It’s wise to give this area a thorough cleaning before your begin your holiday meal prep so it’s easier to tidy up when you’re finished. This is a great time to finally get down and clean your grout, wipe off the baseboards, clean the oven, and scour the filter under your range hood. Launder any window hangings in this area to get rid of grease, stains, and the types of food odors that tend to accumulate in the kitchen.

If you’re preparing food or drinks, clean as you go. Put dishes directly into the dishwasher when you’re done so they don’t pile up in the sink. Clean up drips, splatters, and spills as soon as they occur so food stains don’t have time to dry. A little forethought, like putting a pile of clean rags near your workspace, can help you maintain a sparkling area even as you put together your meal.

If you need a little extra help keeping things clean for the holiday season, contact us for an estimate. Our professional team can help you tackle any area and get the deep, thorough clean that you want for the festive holiday season.

Activities abound during the holiday season, from special dinners to gift-giving parties. If you’re not careful, these events can produce a lot of waste and have a heavy impact on the environment. Make your holiday season a gift to the planet with some smart strategies in place to keep things green. We have a few easy suggestions that will help you live lighter on the earth without investing too much time during this busy and bustling time of the year.

Use Eco-Friendly Wrapping

Minimize your holiday waste with wrapping products that are easy on the environment. Many traditional wrapping papers and gift bags contain plastic or toxic inks. Steer clear of these products and look for wrapping paper that’s compostable or recyclable. Simple newspaper or craft paper is a great option. Some companies even use recycled newspaper products as the base for their papers and print fresh designs on them for a splash of festive fun. Better yet, you can skip the wrapping altogether and simply tie natural cotton ribbon around your gifts.

Another eco-friendly option is reusable wrapping paper. Cloth gift bags and stretch fabric wrapping will survive several runs through the holiday gifting season. We love products like this because the wrapping can then double as a gift to the recipient, equipping them with a simple way to minimize trash as they wrap their own gifts for the next year.

Compost Your Holiday Feast

Composting is a great way to minimize the mess after your holiday meals. You can compost a wide range of food products, including:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Grains
• Nutshells
• Eggshells
• Coffee grounds
• Coffee filters
• Tea bags

You should not compost dairy products, eggs, or meat products, as these often create unpleasant odors and attract unwanted pests like insects and rodents. As you’re managing your compost pile or bin, alternate green products like those listed above with brown products such as leaves, straw, hay, twigs, wood chips, newspaper, and cardboard. Some of your holiday wrapping may count as a brown product that you can layer in with your food waste, as long as the paper is biodegradable.

A healthy compost pile won’t have an unpleasant odor. It will generate enough heat for the items to break down efficiently into a rich compost that looks and feels much like soil. You can use this compost in your garden to enrich the soil that’s already in place and reduce the need for chemical fertilizer. This means that your holiday waste this year may translate to a lusher, brighter garden come spring.

Make Natural Air Fresheners

We love a good, clean smell as much as the next person, but we’re wary of the many commercial air fresheners that get the job done by adding irritants to the air. Air freshener sprays, oils, and plug-ins often contain chemicals like toluene, formaldehyde, benzene, parabens, and phthalates among others. Many of these are known carcinogens or linked to problems like hormone disruption and reproductive toxicity.

Keep your home smelling fresh and clean for the holiday season with all-natural air fresheners instead. Taking a DIY approach is the best way to accomplish this, as there are no regulations for labels such as “all natural” or “green” on these types of products. If you purchase a commercial air freshener, you must check the label to make sure it’s really free of potentially harmful ingredients.

Fortunately, creating homemade air fresheners is quick and easy. Our favorite thing about this approach is the opportunity to customize the finished product. For a holiday scent, consider:

• Making a pomander by sticking cloves into an orange
• Simmering cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg, orange peels, and vanilla beans in a pot of water on the stove
• Placing essential oils in a diffuser; try eucalyptus, juniper berry, and sage for a cozy winter scent

Keep in mind, too, that the best way to keep your home smelling fresh is simply to keep it clean. The holidays can get busy, so you may want to consider hiring professional help for a great deep cleaning that will eliminate unwanted odors.

Ditch the Disposables

Eliminate disposable products from your holiday routine to keep things easier on the earth. Stop using paper plates and plastic silverware for your special meals. Pull out your fine china and silverware for Thanksgiving dinner and honor your guests with the rare use of your best pieces. Equip your kitchen with cotton rags in place of paper towels. Place hand towels out in the bathroom to eliminate paper towels here as well. These small swaps have a big impact on the amount of waste your household creates.

If you need a hand keeping things clean and green during the holidays, we can help. Our professional cleaning team has all the tools and know-how you need to get your home set for a fresh, eco-friendly holiday season.

Having a sparkling clean kitchen is more than just being prepared when your neighbor stops by for coffee. A germ-free home will help you and your family stay healthy. Getting to the nitty gritty of this area of your home may feel daunting if you’re unsure where to begin. Don’t worry. Our tips make cleaning the kitchen a breeze. You’ll learn how often to tackle specific areas, what products to use, and when to replenish your supplies.

Sink and Countertops

Sanitizing the sink is the first step when cleaning the kitchen. To keep microorganisms from starting a party near the drain, disinfect your sink at least once a week. First, put the dishes in the dishwasher, then use your sprayer to rinse the sink. Then, take a soapy sponge and scrub every nook and cranny. Once a month, pour one teaspoon of bleach and a quart of water down the drain.

Keeping your countertops spick and span will help reduce the risk of illness. Wipe down these surfaces with hot, soapy water every time you use them. Remember to keep household cleaners away from food prep areas, so you don’t risk spilling chemicals into tonight’s dinner. When things get really dirty in the kitchen, you might want to reach for the heavy artillery, like bleach and ammonia. While they are powerful germ fighters, they can also leave behind harmful residue. There are many available options for eco-friendly products that you can feel good about using in your kitchen.

Don’t forget that bacteria can also build up in your sponge. So before it crawls away, replace it with a fresh one. Aim to do this healthy habit every two weeks, or more often if the sponge starts to smell or fall apart.

Large Appliances

The refrigerator, range, and garbage disposal need attention weekly. First, clean out any spoiled food from the fridge, and wipe the inside with dish soap and water. Most soap products expire after two to three years, so if it’s been a while since you’ve invested in a set, it’s probably time.

Now, grab a box of baking soda from the pantry and a bottle of white vinegar. Sprinkle half a cup of powder down the disposal, followed by one cup of vinegar. Let it sit for 10 minutes, turn the blades on, and flush the disposal with hot water to keep it smelling fresh.

Make cleaning appliances like your microwave oven easier by zapping a bowl of water for two minutes. The steam will loosen stuck-on foods and make wiping down the inside quick work. Next, pay some attention to your range. You can dip a microfiber cloth into the hot water from the microwave and drape it over any hardened spills, then wipe clean.

Floors

Choosing the right way to clean your kitchen floors depends on the material, but always start with a thorough sweeping. Whether you use a classic broom or an electric version, get as many crumbs up as possible. Flooring like linoleum, vinyl, and ceramic tile can be mopped with 1 or 2 tablespoons of dish soap in a gallon of warm water.

Avoid putting too much soap and water on your hardwood floors. You don’t want them to stain or warp from excess moisture. Protect your investment, whether it’s oak, pine, or bamboo. A spray and mop product or disposable pads made for wood do well and won’t scratch or dull your floor’s surface. Don’t reach for the vinegar for this task either because it can also damage the finish. Finally, turn on a ceiling fan or dry the floor by hand with a microfiber cloth.

Trash

For many of us, taking out the trash is a daily occurrence, but how often should you clean out the can? Give your kitchen’s trash receptacle a good scrubbing at least once a month. Of course, if you eat out a lot or recycle, your trash bin might not see a lot of action, so you decide if that’s frequent enough for you.

Always start with a soapy microfiber cloth. Wash the outside of the can first to prevent smearing once you delve inside. Next, use the same cloth to clean the inside, or get a fresh one if necessary. Follow some good habits to help the bin stay clean for weeks. Don’t throw anything away unless there’s a liner installed, and avoid trashing wet or runny foods. Put those items down your disposal or contain them in a plastic press-and-seal bag first.

Don’t hesitate to ask for a helping hand from other family members, either. Chores are good for kids, and with the right approach, they enjoy pitching in. Children can start doing simple tasks around the house, like taking out the trash, as young as 3 years old.

If you’re short on time or need a few extra hands, let us help out. We’ll ensure cleaning the kitchen doesn’t get in the way of fun activities. Contact us today and see why we’re different.

Children are a source of immense joy — and a few terrible messes. So if you find yourself in the age-old parental dilemma of struggling to keep the house clean, it’s not impossible. From toys to spaghetti, kids add a layer of mess to just about every surface, but don’t fret. Here are some expert hacks to help you realize a cleaner home with kids.

Get the Little Ones Involved

Research suggests that adding chores to your child’s routine comes with many benefits. Kids as young as 3 can start helping with the household chores. Not only does their contribution help ease your burden, but it also teaches them responsibility and how to properly care for their belongings. They may even exhibit higher self-esteem than kids who don’t help at home.

Make sure you stick to age-appropriate tasks. If a chore is too difficult, it can frustrate your little ones and lead to an unnecessary struggle. Toddlers, for example, can put away toys and dust low surfaces, while preschoolers can feed pets and clear off the dinner table. School-aged kids can help with laundry, sweep the floors, and load the dishwasher.

Eventually, you’ll feel comfortable asking children to make meals, run errands, and work in the yard. Establishing an effective chore routine can take time, so stick with it and resist the urge to do the work yourself. It’ll be worth it someday, giving children a routine and a sense of accomplishment.

Optimize Your Time

Having a clean home is incredibly important. Who doesn’t love a tidy place to relax and unwind? It’s more than merely good-looking — it’s healthier, too. One proven strategy to get things shipshape is to divide and conquer. Whether one parent keeps the kids occupied and the other one cleans or you agree on a split routine, thinking creatively and having a flexible plan of attack works wonders to keep a cleaner home with kids.

Another way to divide chores is the “wet vs. dry” method. Once a week, one family member and their team of pint-sized minions can tackle the bathrooms, laundry room, and kitchen. Another team is responsible for picking up trash, organizing toys, dusting, changing the linens, and vacuuming the house.

Go a bit deeper monthly. On these occasions, pay close attention to every level of the home and remove dust and cobwebs from baseboards, corners, air vents, ceiling fans, and tops of curtains and doorways. Use an all-purpose disinfecting cleaner to wipe down light switches, door knobs, and drawer handles.

Tidy Often

Remember the days when everything was just as you left it when you came home from work? Thankfully, parenthood changed all that, right? Tidying often makes it much easier to keep the house clean with kids. With this proven tip, the mess won’t build up over time, and the first step is to embrace the concept that decluttering is never done.

As you’ve learned, kids are stuff magnets. From the family portrait they drew in art class to the box of toys grandma gave them last week, there is always something that will need a place to go. Unfortunately, the more stuff you try to — stuff — into your house, the harder it will be to find anything.

One of the best places to start tidying up is in the bathroom. You can usually get away with throwing away tons of stuff in this part of the house because it’s not jammed with sentimental favorites. Once you clear out a room and teach kids where things belong, they can put their stuff away on their own. Make sure that the “place” makes sense to everyone in the family. Start by observing your family’s habits and organizing accordingly. For example, you probably wouldn’t store coffee cups in the garage.

Consider “Green” Products

Most traditional cleaning products have harsh chemicals like bleach and ammonia. While it may seem easier to grab an old standby off the shelf, these products can also have adverse side effects. Safeguard your family and the environment and consider using eco-friendly cleaners. You don’t need to overhaul your entire arsenal, either. Simply replace harsh products with greener versions as you use them up.

Unfortunately, cleaning products are the second most common offender of childhood poisoning. Some commercial cleaning ingredients can even trigger respiratory issues or cause skin or eye irritations. While keeping all cleaning products safely out of your child’s reach is essential, natural solutions could be a safer alternative in a home with little ones.

It’s easy to create a green routine with these tips so your home shines every time. Make your own cleaning products with ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, and lemon. Try naturally freshening the air in your home by boiling cinnamon, herbs, or citrus peels.

Stop spending all your free time trying to achieve a cleaner home with kids. Call us today and finally get help getting it under control. Trust us to refresh your house, and we’ll clear away your to-do list worry-free.

If you want to learn about maintaining a clean school, we can help. It may be a bit overwhelming to think about tackling a project of this scale. However, stick with us for some expert advice. We’ll point out the key areas to focus on so you can feel confident knowing your students get the chance to learn in a sparkling environment.

Classrooms

Maintaining a clean school starts with the classrooms, whether the kids are coming back from summer break or it’s midterm. You want this area in tiptop shape because kids — and adults — spread germs to others as we touch and share various items. Having a tidy place where children can absorb information is an important step that will help set your students up for a successful year.

We recommend that you start sanitizing a week or so before students return to class if this is your first time jumping in on this task. You’ll need several absorbent microfiber cloths, a glass cleaner, and an all-purpose cleanser that’s effective against both bacteria and viruses. While a diluted bleach solution is a standard product, there are others that may be more suitable for all surfaces, like classic soap and water.

If you’re not sure where to begin your classroom cleanup project, start by disinfecting surfaces like desks, tables, and chairs. You can also wipe down other visibly dirty areas like cabinets, handles, and bookshelves. During the school year, teachers can stock a can of sanitizing wipes and enlist the help of the kids to wipe their desks at the end of the day.

Main Office

The importance of back-to-school cleaning doesn’t stop when you step into the hallway. Welcome your students — and your staff — to a new year and new opportunities with a deep cleaning of the main office. Keeping your workspace tidy is as beneficial for the office team as it is for children. Start with a clean sweep of paper to clear away clutter. Next, bring the trash out to the dumpster, then put extra supplies away in the cabinet.

Now, it’s time to tackle electronics. Sanitizing your school’s technology can be tricky. You definitely want to avoid spraying devices with a liquid cleanser. Instead, we suggest you use 70% alcohol wipes to dissolve grime from computer screens, keyboards, and each mouse. It’s a safe way to ensure your instruments are germ-free while protecting their delicate digital systems. Gently swab only the hard, nonporous exterior surfaces and use a soft, lint-free cloth to make quick work of any smudges.

Nurse’s Office

Of course, there are many rules and regulations about how to properly clean and sanitize your school’s nurse’s office. From a bloody knee fresh off the playground to the loss of today’s lunch, there are many biohazards in this particular area of the building. That doesn’t mean that you and your staff can’t go the extra mile and up your required maintenance levels.

Identify high-touch areas and clean them at least once a day, like the doorknob and the pen at the check-in station. If it’s a particularly busy day, wipe these areas more often. Remember to leave doors open or crack a window to increase ventilation for students with asthma while you’re cleaning.

Restroom Facilities

Restrooms are hot spots for germs and mess. There’s no getting around it. So be prepared for a few additional steps when faced with maintaining this area of your school. You may want to consider wearing some personal protection gear, like gloves and a mask, to safeguard yourself from the smell of strong chemicals.

The kids will appreciate a sanitary washroom on the first day of school and beyond, so pay close attention to this room. Confirm that the stalls are empty, and use this checklist to help get you started:

1. Disinfect sinks, countertops, faucets, and fixtures
2. Clean and disinfect toilets and urinals, including flush handle, seat, and outer bowl
3. Wipe any spots off the mirror
4. Empty and sanitize trash cans
5. Sweep any debris off the floor
6. Carefully wet mop, paying attention to spills and spots
7. Restock items like toilet paper, paper towels, and hand soap

High-Touch Surfaces

Another vital factor to consider when maintaining a clean school is the vast number of high-touch surfaces. We put together this list of areas to guide you down the path to less dust and germs. Ensure a healthy environment for staff and students and wipe these surfaces down daily:

• Water fountains
• Snack machines
• Interior and exterior door handles
• Lockers
• Light switches

If maintaining a clean school is too big of a project for your staff, leave it to the professionals. We’ll give you a hand ensuring your facility is sparkling clean and ready for the new year. All you have to do is give us a call and schedule today. Then you can focus on planning fun and educational activities with your student in your freshly sanitized educational center.

Fall is a tricky time for allergies. Seasonal pollen combined with dirty, dusty leaves can make for a hazardous environment for anyone who’s sensitive to these irritants. Keeping your home clean will give you a safe, comfortable haven to retreat to during peak allergy season. We’ve rounded up some handy tips to help you maintain a healthy, sparkling home.

Use the Right Vacuum

Vacuuming is a great way to remove irritants from the home provided that you’re using the right vacuum. Allergy sufferers should always use a vacuum with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter. HEPA filters capture at least 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 microns or larger. A true HEPA filter will have a serial number printed on it proving its authenticity. 

It’s important to use the right filter because a lesser product may not capture all of the allergens in your home. If your vacuum isn’t properly equipped, it could do more harm than good by simply stirring up irritants and sending them into the air. Vacuum your home twice a week to keep dust, dander, mold, mildew, and other allergens to a minimum.

Capture Dust Effectively

Dusting is another activity that can stir up allergens more than it captures them. To make sure that your efforts are effective, you should dust with a damp cloth and not a feather duster or other dry product. You can then remove large clumps of dust from the cloth by hand and take care of the rest by laundering your dusting cloths as soon as you’re finished. In the fall months, plan to dust the home at least once a week to help combat seasonal allergies.

Launder Everything You Can

Regularly laundering household items is a great way to get rid of the pollen, dander, and microbial growths that may cling to them. There are a number of potentially hazardous items around the house that can harbor these troublesome irritants. If you suffer from serious allergies, you may want to clean these as often as once a week. Some household fabrics that you need to routinely wash include:

Dry these items in the dryer when you’re finished. Don’t put them outside on a clothesline as this will simply allow them to pick up more allergens. Remember to regularly launder coats, hats, scarves, and other outerwear throughout the autumn months as well. These items will pick up plenty of allergens while you’re out and about and bring them back into the home.

Banish Fallen Leaves Promptly

Autumn leaves are one of the most troublesome culprits when it comes to fall allergies. Fallen leaves provide the ideal environment for mold and mildew growth. Children who jump in the leaves outside will come in covered in these tiny invaders that will likely cause your allergy symptoms to flare up. As soon as leaves fall, you should rake them up and remove them from your landscaping. Bagging the leaves for removal is the best option for allergy sufferers, as leaving them to compost will invite more potential allergens to your landscape.

Make sure you’re cleaning the gutters regularly in the fall as well. Gutters provide a great place for leaves to hide and grow mold or mildew that can rain down around the home when the wind blows. Routine gutter cleanings will keep leaves at bay and ensure proper drainage through autumn storms and into melting winter snowfall.

Be Careful With Your Cleaning Attire

While you’re cleaning, you should wear a face mask to protect yourself from some of the allergens that you will inevitably stir up. When you finish the job, either dispose of your face mask or wash it if you’re using a reusable product. Take off and launder your clothing when you’re finished cleaning as well. This way, you can remove any accumulated irritants from the home as soon as possible and avoid scattering them through the home as you walk about.

If your allergies make it difficult to do these tasks yourself, consider hiring help. For professional assistance with your fall cleaning, contact our team at Kingdom Keepers. We can assist with your seasonal cleaning or come to your home on a recurring schedule to help you maintain the fresh, comfortable home that you want.