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Spring brings rain, flowers, and the official start of the spring cleaning season. Spring cleaning is the perfect time of year to declutter, organize, and start fresh. This allows you go over some of your precious belongings to see which ones you will keep, and which ones you might have to chuck to the bins. To some individuals, the idea of spring cleaning may be overwhelming, but we are here to provide you with a few tips and tricks for a productive and efficient method of tidying up.

Plan Ahead

Planning ahead is a great way to fully understand the job ahead. Make a list and divide each room into its own tasks. You can write down specific things you want to complete in each room, such as organizing the towel closet in the guest bathroom or going through a child’s toy box to get rid of any items they no longer enjoy.

You could also make a list of the tasks most vital to you to complete and then prioritize them above other organizational goals. For example, cleaning and organizing the guest bedroom may be a priority if you plan on welcoming guests over the summer months. Planning ahead and dividing rooms and spring cleaning tasks can prevent the whole project from feeling too overwhelming.

Choose one room on your list and start there, and remember “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” “Better late than never,” and “Good things take time, great things take a little longer.” While these may be cliches, they still highlight the importance of taking your time, and we at Kingdom Keepers Cleaning believe this also applies to spring cleaning.

Designate a Place for Everything

Once every item in your home has a designated storage place, you’ll find it easier to regularly put everything away. Spring cleaning is a great time to consider individual items and where they should go. Before designating a place for everything, review your space. Take a walk around the room you’re working on and identify any areas of improvement.

Are there ways to increase storage or better use current storage? Do some items need to be moved to other rooms? Sometimes, adding a few shelves or organizational compartments can significantly increase your storage options. Make a drawing of the room you’re organizing, including current storage. This visual representation can make it easier to identify a place for everything.

You can also designate a specific purpose for each storage place in your home. For example, you might designate a closet in the spare bedroom for extra bedding or towels. The storage corner in the basement may be where you’ll store holiday decorations. If you can’t find a place for something, you might consider whether or not you still need it. You may also find that you need to add storage to certain rooms to accommodate items that don’t currently have a spot.

Divide Everything You Own Into Piles

Creating piles can help you make progress when spring cleaning. Organize all your items into four categories: keep, unsure, donate, and trash. You can use an empty box for each category for organizational purposes. Once the box is full, find a place to store the items, drop them off at your favorite charity, or put them out on trash day.

Place all items you want to keep in the ‘keep’ pile, but take note that you will eventually have to find a place to store these items in. Move any clothing or household items you no longer want — but that are still in good condition — to the ‘donate’ pile. Any items that are no longer usable can go in the ‘trash’ pile. The category that most people get stuck at are items they’re not yet sure what to do with. Don’t spend too much time on these items just yet; you can always come back to them later after you have made progress with the other categories.

Sometimes, moving items that are still in good condition but you haven’t used recently to the ‘donate’ pile can ease any guilt related to throwing them out. If you’re unsure if you want to keep an item, consider whether or not you would replace the item if it broke.

Flip Your Hangers Backwards

Many people find that organizing and decluttering their home’s closets is one of the biggest challenges. Ideally, you should try to remove any clothing you haven’t worn in the last six to twelve months, but tracking the last time you wore an item isn’t always easy. Flip your hangers backward. After washing any items you wear, return the hanger back to its original position.

Return to your closet in six months, and go through any items on hangers that are still reversed. These are items that you haven’t recently worn and may be taking up valuable space in your closet. Donating any clothing items you no longer wear gives you more room to organize the items you do keep.

Once you finish spring organizing, a deep clean can add the final touch and freshen up your space. Contact us today for a free estimate for professional residential cleaning services. We offer affordable, friendly cleaning services that fit your schedule.

Cleaning a vet’s office takes a little more effort than your typical business. Dirt and grime can get trapped in hard-to-reach places that are easy to miss. Take advantage of a few expert tips that will point out a few hidden spots under, behind, or around tricky areas to simplify your cleaning routine. With this inspiration, your clinic will feel so bright and refreshed even your four-legged patients will notice.

Under the Reception Desk

Not every cleaning crew includes the tangled wires under the reception desk because the area is hard to get to. It’s challenging for the workers to move rolling chairs and file cabinets on every trip, and if it’s not in plain sight, your office staff could also miss this mess.

Most of the cords from your office equipment, like the computer, monitor, and telephone, are tucked behind the desk where they collect pet hair, dander, dirt, and dust. First, unplug the equipment from the power source, then straighten the lines so you can clean every surface. Next, use a disinfectant spray (go green, if possible!) to dampen a microfiber cloth, then wipe down the cords and cables.

Bonus tip: If you haven’t already, label each plug for easy identification, loop them together, and secure the bundle with cable ties or Velcro straps. This habit makes it easier to manage the mess when you tackle this project again next month.

The HVAC System

Chances are good that the HVAC system in your veterinarian office runs at full capacity all day long. It’s an essential component for everyone’s comfort, especially for people with air quality sensitivities. However, these areas collect massive amounts of contaminants like pollen, dust mites, and mold that can trigger allergic reactions in both pets and humans.

You’ll have to wait until after hours to take care of this particular “hidden place,” as you’ll have to turn your HVAC system off. Now, take the vent covers down and vacuum inside the opening. Wash the vent covers with hot soapy water, replace them, and turn your attention to ceiling fans if your practice has them. Clean each blade carefully on both sides with a damp cloth, then use glass cleaner and a paper towel to tidy up the glass domes.

Bonus tip: If it’s been more than two years since you had your HVAC system’s ducts cleaned, it may be time to hire a professional. These areas can fill with allergy-causing components, and an expert can inspect your HVAC’s ductwork and clean or repair it if necessary. This service can vastly improve the air quality of your vet office.

Light Switches and Doorknobs

Your clinic’s staff and customers touch doorknobs, handles, and light switches throughout the day. Some surfaces may even come in contact with a wet nose or two, making these hidden places perfect for spreading germs that affect people and animals. While we see these spots a thousand times a day, it’s easy to overlook them. Use an antimicrobial wipe to clean these areas throughout the day.

Waiting Room Furniture

Whether your seats are leather, woven, or vinyl, upholstered furniture in your clinic’s waiting and exam rooms is probably pretty grungy. Give your office a polished and professional appearance and clean them periodically. Not only does it extend the life of the fabric, but it also makes a better place for your customers to lounge while they are waiting for a consultation.

Try using a solution of half white vinegar and half water. Dip in a microfiber cloth, wring out the excess moisture, and gently rub the furniture’s surface. Don’t saturate the upholstery, and remember to dry it with a fresh, clean cloth. You can even apply a leather furniture conditioner if needed.

Electronic Office Equipment

The whole staff shares the electronic equipment at most vet clinics, from receptionists and techs to veterinarians. Unfortunately, the touchpads, keyboards, and the mouse are areas notorious for harboring germs that could put your whole staff on sick leave. Encourage employees to wipe down shared office equipment like copy machines, scanners, and telephones with a 70% isopropyl alcohol wipe after each use and attend to items like lamps, paper sorters, and file baskets at least once a week.

Carpet and Rugs

While it’s unlikely your clinic has a ton of carpet, you may have a few rugs around the office for comfort and functionality. Mats can be quite versatile. However, they can also pick up plenty of dirt, especially in high-traffic areas. While it does help to vacuum regularly, that merely pulls surface dirt out of the fiber. We recommend an occasional deep cleaning to keep them looking and smelling fresh. This project will also help extend their life span, so you don’t have to replace them as frequently.

Cleaning hidden places in a veterinarian office can help keep your staff, customers, and patients healthy and happy. Your office will look and feel better, and it could lead to a few referrals. If you want the cleanest animal clinic in the city, contact us for help.

The holiday season presents ample opportunities for gathering and entertainment, but all the festivities can take a toll on your home. As you’re making your way into the new year, take some time to thoroughly clean your home so you’ll have a fresh start without any of the clutter or mess from your seasonal activities.

Deep Cleaning the Kitchen

Your kitchen works overtime during the holiday season, keeping friends and family fed with some of your very best (and perhaps messiest) dishes. At the end of the holidays, we often find our fridges overflowing with leftovers and our appliances showing some real signs of wear. Take a day to deep clean your kitchen and restore it to sparkling glory for the new year.

Begin by cleaning out your fridge. Discard anything that’s past its prime and make a dedicated meal plan for your leftovers. Freeze anything that you can’t consume within three or four days. Turkey, ham, meatballs, mashed potatoes, stuffing, breads, grains, and desserts all freeze well for future use. Date your items and plan to use them within four months for the best quality. Finish up by wiping down your refrigerator shelves and organizing all the remaining contents.

Thoroughly clean your kitchen appliances to remove any remaining stains from the holiday cooking spree. This includes the oven, microwave, and dishwasher. Pay special attention to details like the rubber seal around your dishwasher where grime loves to hide. If you can, we recommend pulling appliances away from the wall and cleaning the floors beneath to get rid of wayward pieces of pasta, rice, and cereal that like to skitter away into these areas.

Freshening the Floors and Upholstery

Your home gets a lot of extra traffic over the holidays as visitors traipse through high-traffic areas and lounge on the furniture. Freshen up your home by thoroughly cleaning these spaces. Run a rubber squeegee over the floors to collect pet hair. Use rubbing alcohol to remove tree sap from rugs. Spot treat other stains as you find them.

This is the time to make optimum use of your vacuum attachments. Clean out the vacuum first for maximum suction. To thoroughly deodorize your carpets, sprinkle baking soda over them and allow it to sit for a few minutes before vacuuming. Don’t skimp on the details, and take your time getting into the corners, along the baseboards, and under furniture.

Take the time to thoroughly clean upholstered furniture. Remove the cushions and use your vacuum attachments to get deep into the crevices and cracks. Spot clean stains with a water-based cleaner. For an all-over clean, we recommend a few drops of dishwashing liquid in a gallon of warm water. Wipe down upholstered furniture with a damp sponge and allow to air dry.

Turning Over Guest Rooms

If you had overnight guests, you’ll want to clean up your guest rooms just as a housekeeper would in a hotel. Change the sheets, launder bedspreads or duvet covers, and wash all the towels. Wipe down hard surfaces in the room, paying special attention to high-touch areas like drawer knobs, closet handles, light switch panels, and TV remotes.

Check under the bed, in drawers, and in the closet for any items left behind. Vacuum thoroughly, giving thoughtful attention to areas such as under the bed or in the creases of upholstery. For an extra deep clean, consider laundering curtains and throw pillow covers as well, so your spare rooms are as fresh as possible.

Finding Homes for Holiday Gifts

Holiday gift-giving can bring many wonderful new items into the home, but you can’t make the best use of your new finds if they don’t have a proper place. Get rid of the post-holiday clutter by diligently finding a spot for every item. This may necessitate some time reorganizing kids’ toy shelves, making space on bookshelves, or cleaning out your closet.

If your home is bursting at the seams with stuff, consider donating or selling items that you no longer need. If you have gifts that simply aren’t your style, don’t let them linger. Return these items if you can, or find a way to sell, donate, or regift them.

Make a plan for your holiday cards so they don’t gather dust or clutter your desk. You can cut out the festive illustrations on cards and store these for future use as gift tags. You might also string up prior cards as holiday decor for the following year. Make sure your holiday decorations are well-organized and thoughtfully stored so you can easily access everything you want next year.

If you could use a hand tackling your post-holiday housekeeping, we can help. Contact us for an estimate on your project. We’re happy to lend an expert touch to your seasonal cleaning routine so you can enjoy a pristine home for the new year.

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.