Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Themify::$excerpt_length is deprecated in /home1/tnairduc/public_html/Blog/wp-content/themes/themify-ultra/theme-options.php on line 131
Cleaning Countdown to the Holidays – Don’t Forget Indoor Air – Mr.B Blog
Menu

Cleaning Countdown to the Holidays – Don’t Forget Indoor Air

, ,

I have to admit I had a moment of panic when I woke up and realized it’s OCTOBER!  How in the world did that happen so fast?  It just sent my mind racing.  That means Halloween is around the corner, then Thanksgiving and, oh my word, CHRISTMAS!  The tasks that accompany all the joy and wonder of this time of year can certainly become overwhelming and seem daunting. So, since I wanted to help alleviate some of my own stress I started looking for some help.  Not the kind where you call someone say “help” and shell out loads of your hard earned money.  Nope, the kind you can look for that will break the tasks down and make them seem manageable and even make a lot of sense.

So here it is.  It’s thorough and doable and brought up some things I might not have thought of.

Clean Ideas: Countdown to the Holidays

A Checklist to Get Your Home Ready for the Holidays

Work through the list a few items a day. Before you know it, your home will be clean and ready for the holidays!

  1. Put mats and throw rugs at all entryways. This will help prevent dirt from being tracked into your home.
  2. Keep a boot tray near the door for rain or snow soaked footwear.
  3. Vacuum carpets, floors and baseboards so you won’t have to count dust bunnies among your holiday guests!
  4. Sort and discard old magazines and newspapers. Save a few interesting ones and leave them on a table in the guest room for your company’s nighttime reading.
  5. Aim high! Add a telescoping dust wand to your cleaning supplies so it’s easy to banish cobwebs in corners and around ceiling fixtures.
  6. Before the holiday rush takes over, give all the bed linens a thorough cleaning.
  7. Develop a sorting system for handling the mail so it doesn’t accumulate in piles.
  8. Analyze your scarf, hat and glove storage and develop some jumble-free solutions.
  9. If your pets prefer the furniture to the floor, cover their favorite upholstered pieces with attractive, washable throws that can be whisked out of sight when guests arrive. If you keep your most-used cleaning supplies on each level of your home, remember safety fircleaning productsst. All cleaning products should be stored up and out of reach of young children.
  10. Put a container of pop-up disposable wipes next to every bathroom and powder room sink. Encourage family members to use them every time they turn the water off.
  11. Stock up on electrostatic dust cloths for on-the-spot cleaning of your flat screen TV and other dust magnets.
  12. If you plan on doing a lot of holiday cooking and entertaining, check your stockpile of aprons, potholders, dish clothes and dish towels. Make sure they’re clean and in usable condition.clean laundry
 14.  Invest in a few small, hand-held vacuums designed for your TV, computer keyboard or gaming station (cordless or with a charger) and install them in strategic places around your home. They are perfect for removing dust and crumbs from your electronics.

15.  Flushable bathroom wipes are good for touching up surfaces between deeper cleanings.

16.  Stock up on disposable hand towels for the powder room and guest bath.

17.  Make room for guest’s gear by purging the coat closet of out-of-season items and stocking it with hangers sturdy enough for winter coats.

18.  To avoid beverage rings on your wood or glass top furniture, keep coasters out in plain sight.

19.  Clean out the refrigerator to make room for holiday goodies. Remove the contents, checking expiration dates, and discarding anything whose time is up. Clean the shelves and wipe down bottles and jars before returning items to the refrigerator.

20.  For soiled table linens, get into the soaking habit. Once the meal is over, clear the table and pretreat any stains with a prewash stain remover. Fill the washing machine with laundry detergent, warm water and bleach that’s safe for the fabric, toss the linens in, and let them soak overnight. Same goes for your fine napkins and placemats.

21.  Place tissues and hand sanitizer near doors for a quick pit-stop.

22.  If the counter tops gleam, the kitchen immediately looks cleaner. Find the best spray cleaner for your particular countertop and use it regularly.

23.  To cut down on clutter and crumbs, confine snacks to certain areas of the house.

24.  Inventory your laundry supplies so you don’t run out of anything at this busy time of the year.

25.  Give yourself a holiday present: a professional cleaning service pre- or post-holiday is just what Santa ordered!

Source: http://www.cleaninginstitute.org/clean_living/cm_novdec2010_clean_ideas.aspx

I would add one more thing to the “give yourself a holiday present” section.  Why not have the air ducts cleaned?  What good is it to keep things clean and neat when you are possibly blowing dust and debris from the air ducts right back into your clean home.  If you’ve never had it done or haven’t in the last 5-7 years it’s time.  You will breathe easier and dust less.  Give us a call or visit our site to get a free estimate for your home.

Related Posts

, , , , , ,

Love and Your Indoor Air

Well, it is the month when love is in the air. Honestly, we should always have love “in the air”. But, that is all that should be in your indoor breathing air. We should be doing our best to keep all the harmful things out of our indoor breathing air. And what could be more loving than that. How do we go about that?

First, clean often. Especially vacuuming and mopping can keep particulates from getting into your breathing atmosphere. If you use a vacuum with a HEPA filter it helps even more.

Second, take out the garbage often. The gases and odors that ruminate from the garbage can get quickly into the indoor air. Get that stuff out of there quickly.

Next, keep the surfaces in your kitchen as clean as possible. That too can affect the breathing atmosphere.

Fourth, always make sure your home is well ventilated. That may even mean opening your window even for a few minutes during the colder months.

Last, but certainly not least, change your air filters consistently. The rule of thumb is generally once a month.

All of these things will help keep your indoor air clean and fresh. And what is more loving than that!

, , , , ,

Allergy Season – How Safe Are You Indoors?

Yep, it’s spring. Most people love spring and hate the allergies that accompany it. Many, retreat indoors thinking it’s a safer place for indoor air quality. Maybe, maybe not.

At a fairly recent conference the pollution in our indoor breathing atmosphere was definitely a hot topic. Apparently what we tend to think as a “safe haven” from pollution may not necessarily be. The coverings we put on our floors, the furniture we buy, the cleaning products we use, even what certain things are packaged in can add dangerous chemicals to our breathing atmosphere. Even what and how we cook can add unwanted particles into the air. One article even said “Even the simple act of making toast raised particle levels far higher than expected,”. Really? Making toast?

All that can seem “over the top” or alarming. No one can go change everything all at once. The idea shared and the conference was twofold. One, make small changes by paying attention to what comes into your home going forward. Two, for there to be more efforts to hold manufacturers accountable for how and with what they make their products. My thought is that we need to be personally aware and responsible for what we buy and how we use things. It’s not really rocket science it’s just a matter of stepping up and paying attention.

So, if we want to take better care of ourselves and our families in the area of better indoor air quality, let’s commit to paying attention and making wise choices. Here’s to breathing better and easier!!

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jessicabaron/2019/02/19/bringing-attention-to-indoor-air-pollution/#2849c2858b3c

, , , , ,

Spring…Almost Here. Still Need To Think Indoor Air Quality?

Honestly, I’m finding it almost unbelievable that spring is just about upon us. I love spring. I love the sun and the flowers and everything green and pretty. And then the proverbial allergies. I don’t love those. Although there is not much we can do about the allergens in the outdoor air, we can do something about our indoor air quality.

For the most part our homes have been shut up pretty tight all winter long. Unfortunately, that means dust, pollen, pet dander, and general yuck have collected in our homes. The places these things collect are in all the soft surfaces in our homes. They collect in our upholstery, carpets, nooks and crannies and in the air ducts. In order to truly start spring off fresh, all of these things needs to be cleaned. You can do all of these things yourself with the exception of the air duct cleaning. Of course, you can get help with all of it but air duct cleaning is not something you should attempt yourself. Make sure you check reviews and pay attention to the way the ducts are cleaned. It is very important.

Start spring off right. Get to all those things that need your attention and don’t forget the air ducts. Give your indoor air a fighting chance!