Monthly Archives: June 2020

Whether you use a traditional drip machine or a fancy espresso maker with a milk steamer, this
contraption is our daily link to sanity. I use a Keurig® with my own grounds and let me tell you,
that thing gets pretty messy and I only drink 2 cups a day! Keeping it clean helps the coffee not
only taste better but can prevent some oogie-boogies from forming…it is a warm moist
environment after all. Just sayin’.

All coffee makers have a water reservoir, so let’s start there.

1. If you can, remove the water container and empty it. Take a sniff. Does it smell like
pond water…a little green, maybe? This is mold. Not all mold is “black” mold…so don’t
worry.

It’s just a moist setting and it’s normal for mold to form. That’s why we’re cleaning it.
Get some hot soapy water in there to soak for a minute. Add a little white vinegar to the
water to kill the mold in nooks and cranny’s you may not be able to get to. If you did
nothing else to your machine, this would help the flavor tremendously. Get in there with
a clean dishrag and wipe down all the sides and bottom areas. Use an old toothbrush
for tight spots. Rinse thoroughly and let air dry.

2. Remove the filter basket or grounds cup. Under hot running water and a clean used
toothbrush (no soap), remove the residue in and around it. I don’t recommend soap as
any remaining deposits can immediately be tasted in your next cup. Plastic, as most of
these parts tend to be, is notorious for absorbing whatever it comes in contact with, so if
you do use dish soap, super-duper rinse it well. If you’re unsure, soak it with a weak
vinegar and water solution. It is likely that this part will be stained, as coffee does, but
don’t let that bother you.

3. Now the area where the filter basket fits into and where the water is streamed into the
ground coffee. Using a clean wet rag (but one you don’t mind getting stained,
because…coffee, wrapped around your finger or the toothbrush, dig all around in that
area changing spots on the rag often. Places you didn’t know the coffee got to, right?
Rinse and repeat until the rag comes out clean when you wipe it.

4. While the carafe (if you have one) seems obvious, if you only rinse it out between pots,
the oils that naturally occur in coffee will coat the glass. Hold it up to the light…does it
seem cloudy? You can put this in your dishwasher if you like, but if you’re washing by
hand, add a little baking soda to the soapy water. This will help remove that residue.
Rinse thoroughly.

5. The trays. Whatever your machine, there is usually a removable drip tray sometimes
with several different parts. Take this apart and either put in the dishwasher (top rack) or
with soapy water again. It doesn’t matter if you don’t rinse this super well…none of
these affect your drinkable cup.

6. Last, we have the parts that we can’t scrub. The pump and lines that get the water from
the reservoir TO the coffee. Add 1 cup white vinegar to your reservoir or carafe and fill
with water, like you’re making a full pot or multiple cups of coffee. Run this through a
complete cycle. If you use a Keurig® like mine, keep making cups until the tank signals
it needs more water. Run another full pot or tank of plain water through until you don’t
smell vinegar in the brew anymore. This could take a couple more full cycles.

This thorough of a cleaning should be done about once a month if you use your machine daily.
It will extend the life of your coffee maker and give you that great cup of “ahhh” every morning.

Pandemics and protests and politics, OH MY! Our lives seem exceptionally more crazy these
days, don’t they? Trying to create a new normal is a full-time occupation. Every time I think I
have a routine started, something else seems to get thrown into the mix and I have to start over.
Life was fast before all this and it’s like warp speed now! Who can keep up?

You probably don’t need 10 reasons to get a housecleaning service, especially now, but in case
you or your family may be on the fence…

10. This is what we do. And we’re good at it! It’s our passion and goal to help you! We can get
it done faster, more thoroughly, and more regularly.

9. Fur babies…we love ‘em, but man! This time of year it’s a wonder they’re not bald, right?
And if you have cats…their <ahem> digestive issues can be problematic.

8. Less fighting…with the kids and the partner about who is supposed to do what. And the
enforcement. Research shows that household chores are a close 2 nd to financial issues when it
comes to family discord. Call it a “day off” for everyone when the cleaners visit. Namaste.

7. Less guilt. In today’s world, we are expected to appear to have it all together. To do more
and more without breaking a sweat. Delegation is the new “word of the day”. Some things are
worth paying for.

6. Drawer and closet syndrome. Since we have recently had more time at home, perhaps this
scenario will seem familiar:

You start cleaning in your kids’ room. You think, “Maybe I should sort through their clothes.
They’ve grown a lot lately!” Ideas start popping into your head about maybe a new coat of paint
or rearranging the furniture. Before you know it, two hours have flown by and the rest of the
house is untouched. This rabbit hole is not a problem for a cleaning service! We get the
cleaning done so you can sort out drawers and closets. Win-win!

5. When was the last time you emptied your vacuum? Or changed the filter? Or the belts?
Have you ever cleaned off the brush roller? Most homeowners use their vacuums and then put
them away. We clean ours out daily. This makes them the most effective, like new, in your
home.

4. Go look around your house and count how many different cleaning products you have. 3 or
4 for the kitchen, another 2-3 for the bathroom, dusting products, floor cleaners, air cleaners,
cloths, brooms, and trash bags. Does making space appeal to you? We bring ours and then
take them back out. Yeah baby!

3. Time. Because of the pandemic, perhaps your hours were cut at your previous job and you
had to go get a 2 nd job to fill in. With the family being home even more now, it seems that the
house is never clean. You can buy time…and you will be glad you did!

2. You’ve been cooped up for a long time. You need to get OUT OF THE HOUSE! Go outside
and enjoy the summertime with your family…or your friends, maybe? Let us transform your
home for your return. You might even cry tears of joy!

1. You’ve fantasized about what it would be like to have someone clean for you. To come
home and bling! it’s done! You imagine kicking off your shoes and sinking into your favorite
chair with a beverage and relaxing after work and smelling all the cleanness. It’s done. (cue
fairy music).

Call us for a quote!

Your kitchen is where all the magic happens.

Breakfast, lunch, and family dinners; it all happens in the kitchen. But, with everything going on, a mess can quickly make itself at home in your kitchen giving the room a dirty and unwelcoming feeling. Your kitchen should be a welcoming place, not something that is neglected, especially because you make food in this space.

Let’s cover where these messes commonly arise and what you can do about them.

1) Clean As You Go

This is one of the easiest things you can do to keep your kitchen clean, plus it keeps you from feeling stressed out with all the dishes you need to clean up later. As soon as you finish making your food, clean up after yourself. Then, when you’re finished eating, clean your dishes and put them in the dishwasher; it’s as easy as that!

2) Regularly Wipe Down Household Items

Whether it’s refrigerator handles or condiment bottles, everything in your kitchen will need to be wiped down at some point. You’re making breakfast, lunch, and dinner in this room, so things will get messy (especially if you have young kids).

Starting with condiment bottles, over time, they will develop a congealed mess from the overflow. Not only is this gross, but it can quickly create a sticky mess if it gets out of hand. To keep your condiment bottles fresh, and less of a gunky mess, wipe them down after each use. By doing this, you prevent the overflow from hardening and getting out of hand.

Aside from bottles, we also recommend wiping down handles and countertops. Your kitchen is used for cooking, so things will inevitably get dirty. Simply using a damp microfiber towel or paper towel to break up any gunk is a great way to keep your kitchen looking and feeling clean.

3) Organize Your Fridge, Cabinets, and Pantry

With everything that is kept in the kitchen, it can quickly become a cluttered mess if you’re big into cooking. To keep things simple for you and your family, try organizing things with bins, labels, and dividers so you don’t go on a scavenger hunt anytime you need something specific.

For example, to avoid the day when you accidentally put salt in your tea when you were actually wanting sugar, try labeling things that look similar. This along with the general organization of your pantry and fridge can make your life so much easier as you’re working in the kitchen.

4) Clean The Dishes Before Bed

No one likes waking up in the morning to the sight of a dirty kitchen. To keep things easy in the morning, start cleaning the dishes before you go to bed. If you do it by hand, this should only take 10 or 15 minutes; not to mention, if you have kids, get them involved as well to get things moving even quicker. Then, when you wake up, you don’t have to worry about it.

In fact, you’re actually making the job more difficult if you leave the dishes dirty overnight. While those dishes sit there, the food on them hardens making it more difficult to get them clean. Plus, depending on what you ate the night before, it may get a bit stinky, which isn’t the best thing to wake up to.

Sneezing, itchy eyes, sniffling, blowing your nose, it’s not fun and can really drag down your day.

This is especially the case when your allergies follow you into your home. But how does that happen, you’re not outside any more, why are they persisting? Well, allergies are caused by a number of different things such as dust, pollen, pet hair, and more.

This issue can be exacerbated when the home isn’t frequently cleaned. Dust, pet hair, outside pollen, and more build up on surfaces, ruining your home’s air quality.

To help prevent this situation in the future, let’s look at five ways you can reduce allergies inside your home.

1) Wipe Down Fans, Vents, and Other Active Air Flow Areas

Probably the most important tip on our list, you need to be consistently wiping down fans, air vents, and other areas where air is being stirred up.

Fans especially get really bad when they haven’t been used in a while. When when you finally use them, that dust which was collecting up there gets thrown around the room. This is the case for air vents as well; dust builds up on the vent, then when the AC kicks on it blows that stuff all around the room.

We highly recommend that you quickly wipe down any of these areas at least once a week. If they aren’t used frequently, maybe even twice a week. This is easily one of the largest causes of allergy flare-ups because that dust (which is made up of pollen, hair, skin cells, and more) is just accumulating every day.

2) Wash Pillow Cases, Sheets, and Covers

When it comes to allergies, one place people don’t think about much is your bed. Dust mites, which are commonly found on covers, pillows, mattresses, carpeting, and furniture are also contributors to your indoor suffering.

But, don’t worry, there’s an easy solution! All you need to do in order to reduce the allergens in your bed is to frequently wash your pillowcases, sheets, and covers.

Regardless of allergies, it’s a good idea to wash these things because you’re sleeping on or in them every night. Our tip is to wash your bedding at least once a week in hot water. This kills any germs or allergies that have been living in your bed.

3) Wash Your Pets Frequently

Pets, in most cases, love being outdoors, but that means they are carriers for allergies that you’d prefer to stay outside. As they’re running through bushes, rolling around, and digging they are picking up all kinds of no good allergies and bringing them inside.

The solution? You should be washing your pets once a week to clean off any allergies that are still stuck to your pet’s fur. While it may be a little more work for you, it will reduce the chances that your allergies flare up one day.

4) Vacuum Regularly

Vacuuming is a great way to control areas that accumulate a large amount of dust. To see the best results, try vacuuming once or twice a week to avoid any meaningful accumulation. We know it’s some more work, but in our opinion, it’s best to put in the extra work rather than suffer from allergies.

Just remember, not all vacuum cleaners are made equal. We highly recommend spending some extra money on a high-quality vacuum that can get the job done properly. Try and find a vacuum that uses a HEPA filter, these will catch more allergens than other types of filters, preventing further allergies.

5) Keep Windows and Doors Closed

Finally, cut off the allergies before they enter your home by keeping your windows and doors closed as much as possible. Even if you have a mesh screen behind your window, those were designed to keep out bugs and not small allergens, so you aren’t totally protected.

If the pollen count is high, keep your windows and doors closed (even if the weather feels great).

As a rule of thumb, it is generally a good idea to keep your windows and doors closed in the morning, more specifically between the hours of 5 am and 10 am – this is generally when plants are letting off the most pollen and other allergens.

For those that have workout equipment at home, how many of you regularly wipe them down? Probably not too many.

But, of all the things in your home, this should be one of the first things you focus on cleaning. As you’re working out, you’re probably getting sweaty, then when you’re finished, that sweat (and other germs) sits there until your next workout. This is prime real estate for germs and bacteria to set up shop, which isn’t the best thing to happen.

Let’s cover a few of the ways you can quickly clean your gym equipment and clothes so they are clean each and every time you workout.

1) Wipe Equipment Down With Disinfectant Wipes

This one is pretty simple. After you finish your workout, quickly do a once over with a disinfectant wipe to kill any existing or new germs that are living on what you use to workout. Though, if you have a number of different pieces of equipment, then we would recommend using a few disinfectant wipes. This way you aren’t wiping things down with a dirty wipe.

When it comes to disinfectant wipes, you won’t need anything special. Almost every common name store should have exactly what you’re looking for.

2) Cleaning Clothes, Mats, Pads, and Gloves

To take care of mats, pads, and gloves it won’t be as simple as just wiping things down. What you’ll need to do in order to kill germs and odors is to soak them in a liquid composed of cold water and one cup of white vinegar. White vinegar is great at disinfecting surfaces, fabrics, and other commonly used items. It also does a really good job of eliminating odors so they don’t stick around.

This can also work for gym clothes as well. Just use the same mix of cold water and white vinegar and let your clothes sit inside out in the liquid for around 15-30 minutes, this should kill any bad odors. Then once they’ve soaked, immediately throw them in the washing machine to do one final rinse.

3) Quick Tip For Gym Bags

Gym bags are a different story. You can’t really throw them in the washing machine or wipe them down with a disinfectant wipe, so we recommend getting a spray that can achieve the same goal. These as well, will likely be found at any common name store, so keep an eye out.

Wrapping Everything Up

At the end of the day, the goal is to keep yourself healthy. Letting sweat, germs, and other types of bacteria grow on your equipment is not the best way to stay healthy. Once you finish working out, all you need to do is wipe down the handles and weights you used to ensure that nothing is left untouched.

If you have any further questions about disinfecting surfaces, please feel free to reach out! Our team is always happy to help someone seeking to improve the health of their home.

No one likes dirty, grimy sinks. But, it can be difficult to clean them when the stains have embedded themselves deep within the surface.

In this quick article, we’ll talk about three ways you can get that dirty sink back to its original condition. 

1) Use White Vinegar Against Limescale

If you’re looking for a good surface cleaner, white vinegar is great! It can help get rid of dingy limescale build-up that is hurting the look of your white sinks. While white vinegar is great at removing limescale, it also works as a disinfectant as well.

If someone in your family was sick or your sinks haven’t been cleaned in years, running by them with a sponge and spray bottle of white vinegar can quickly kill any germs.

How does it work? The acidity of vinegar is what makes this such a good cleaner. It can dissolve soap scum, brines, and glue (from stickers).

Here’s how to use white vinegar against limescale and other grime (It’s Easy):

1. Fill a spray bottle up with pure white vinegar.
2. Spray it on the area in question.
3. Immediately use a non-scratch sponge to begin scrubbing.
4. Once you’re finished, rinse the sink with water to remove any leftover vinegar.

2) Baking Soda and Dish Soap

One simple way to address dirty sinks is to use baking soda and dish soap. These are very common household items, that most people will have lying around somewhere.

Why is this so effective? This is because baking soda causes dirt and grease to dissolve in water, while also becoming a mildly abrasive material that can help break away grime.

Here’s how to use it against stains:

1. Dry up any extra water in your sink before you sprinkle the baking soda.
2. Sprinkle the baking soda throughout your sink, primarily on the spots you want to target.
3. Add a healthy amount of dish soap, both as a lubricant and a cleaning agent, to help in the scrubbing process.
4. Finally, start scrubbing! You should begin to see some of those stains coming up.

3) Hydrogen Peroxide or Lemon Juice

If you’re up against tough stains that have embedded themselves deep within your sink’s surface, then it may be time to pull out the big guns. By “big guns,” I mean hydrogen peroxide and lemon juice.

For most stains, you can put a few drops of either one onto the spot and immediately start scrubbing, but for tougher spots, you’ll need to let it sit for a short period of time. This lets it really do its work in breaking down the stain.

Just be sure that once everything is finished, you rinse your sink with water to avoid letting leftover hydrogen peroxide or lemon juice sit for a long period of time.

Wrapping Things Up

Stains can be tricky, there’s no doubt about it. Please, if you have any further questions, feel free to send us an email (americanmaid@comcast.net). Our trained team would be more than happy to help you!