Illinois Valley House Cleaning Services | IV Clean Team, Inc.

Home cleaning, window cleaning, gutter cleaning, pressure washing service in Peru, LaSalle, Oglesby, Ottawa, Spring Valley, Utica, Mendota, Illinois

Easy Ways to Declutter a Home Office

by

home office cleaningThe home office is your space. It’s not family space, significant other space, “our” space, etc. It’s one place that is completely yours…and it’s usually a mess. Home offices are supposed to be a place of creativity and management, but instead they become magnets for trash, papers and everything else.

It doesn’t matter if your home office is its own room or a desk cordoned off to the corner of the bedroom. You can take care of your space.

File Away School Papers

I’m pretty sure schools could end deforestation by going paperless. Children bring home tons of papers each and every day that parents have to go through and where do they usually end up? They’re stacked up on top of your home office like kindling until the mound gets so high it falls. Instead of just putting them on your desk, file them into a filing cabinet or even throw some away. We all love that little Jimmy got a B+ on his math homework, but they’ll be plenty more assignments in 12 years of schooling.

Keep Up With The Trash

When you sit down to pay the bills or write the next great American story, you might take a drink with you. You know, the 64-ounce Big Gulp and maybe some chips too…you have to eat. A week goes by and there are three Big Gulp glasses and a Power Ranger’s Morpher, darn kids, on top of a pile of potato chip crumbs. Try to make it a point to clean your office at least once a week if not every day or two. This is especially true for offices that are an entire room.

Shelves Are Your Friends

Home offices have a lot of stuff.  You have books, office supplies and everything else from porcelain unicorns to aromatherapy oils. You can’t keep everything on your desk. Actually, your desk should be mostly clear, so you can use the computer, write down ideas, etc. It’s not very productive if you’re constantly rearranging your Funko Pop collection so you have room for your laptop. Shelves are the perfect way to display your collections. You can look around admiring them and gaining inspiration. Cubbies are also a perfect way to keep office supplies out of eyeshot.

If you’re looking to declutter you home, then start with a home cleaning. Illinois Valley Clean Team Inc. can make your house sparkle. Visit here for a free quote.

 

Clean Bath Toys Means Cleaner Kids

by

bath time Rubber ducksImagine spending 20 minutes making sure your child is clean as a whistle in the bath tub and you sit back to enjoy the sounds of laughter as he plays with the rubber ducky grandma gave him. Just as the laugh hits a crescendo, he squeezes ducky and a blob of green goo shoots out all over him. Blech!

That’s mold and a common occurrence in bath toys if they are left to sit and water accumulates on the inside. It doesn’t have to be a rubber ducky. There are countless toys with little water pooling nooks and crannies that can turn your clean kid into a science experiment. If you have bath toys for your children, then it’s important to keep them clean and slime free.

Mold is a nasty character. Besides, the ick factor of being covered in mold slime, mold can wreak havoc on allergies and create respiratory problems. Here are ways to keep your toys clean.

Holes are the problem

The biggest culprit for mold growth is those small holes on the bottom of bath toys. They’re what make the squeaky sounds that kids love, but when you squeeze the toy, water sucks back into it. Pretty soon the inside looks like a Petri dish.

The best thing to do is plug it up prior to use. Just take some superglue and cover the hole or purchase sealed bath toys. Plugging up the hole keeps it from letting water in and prevents mold growth.

Boil it, bleach it, vinegar it

If it’s too late and the toys have been used, then you’ll need to kill the mold. Place the toys in boiling water and squeeze out any mold using tongs. Let them cool and dry. Bleach kills just about everything, so letting toys soak overnight will take care of the mold. Mix a gallon of water with ¾ cup of bleach and let them soak, but make sure to thoroughly wash them the next day.

If bleach is too harsh, then white vinegar should do the trick. Mix one gallon of water with ½ cup of vinegar.

Keep them dry

Once the mold is gone, you’ll want to keep it that way. Don’t let the toys sit in pooled water in a bin. When you’re putting them away, find something that will let the excess water drain. Place them in front of a fan or open window to help facilitate drying.

If you’re bathroom needs a good cleaning, then feel free to call us or get a free quote.

How do I make my patio homier?

by

patio concrete cleaningUnless you’re going for that “industrial” look, you’ll want to make your outdoor patio a little homier. No one can be comfortable relaxing in a patio that looks more like a factory floor. It’s supposed to be a place you enjoy and not one that makes you cringe. Have no fear, we’re here to give you a few tips that will turn your factory floor into your favorite area.

Plants

A patio is traditionally on top of a concrete pad and that doesn’t do much for aesthetics. The rest of the backyard may be landscaped beautifully, but the patio tends to look sparse. You can fix this with potted plants. You can turn your patio into a concrete jungle if you want to. They don’t need to be massive trees or shrubbery, but flowering and green plants can add color and comfort to an area.

Get comfortable outdoor furniture

There are many different kinds of outdoor furniture from plastic and rattan to metal and even concrete. Choose furniture that goes with the décor and is comfortable. It’s hard to spend a few quiet hours in the patio if it leaves your body feeling like a 90-year-old nursing home patient. Don’t forget about rocking chairs either. Outdoor rockers are inviting and just scream relax.  A few Adirondack chairs, rockers and picnic tables can transform your patio.

Pergolas are perfect

You may not want to completely enclose your patio, but adding a pergola adds to the hominess and gives you options for decorations. A pergola is an open enclosure that helps separate areas of the patio, add space for hanging décor including lights and provide shelter.

Clean your concrete

Over time, the sun, traffic and weather ages the concrete. It loses luster and takes on a dull gray appearance. This makes it look drab and depressing. Who wants to spend hours on that? Concrete cleaning can help bring that luster back and brighten up the entire patio area. The concrete covers the entire patio, so a change makes a significant impact.

A proper patio can add years of enjoyment, but only if it’s a place you want to be. These tips will go a long way to making the patio your own. If you would like to learn more about Illinois Valley Clean Team’s concrete cleaning services, then feel free to contact us.

Ways to Organize Your Kitchen

by

organize your kitchenWe spend a lot of time in the kitchen not only for meal preparation, but also potentially for eating, family meetings and more. It, along with the living room, is the major hub of the house. It’s easy to let the room get disorganized. We’re constantly taking things in and out of drawers and cupboards and they don’t always make it back to the proper place. Here are some ways to keep the kitchen tidy.

The silverware caddy

Silverware is so easy to misplace. How many times have you gone to grab a spoon or a fork and found them all in the sink or disappeared into the black hole along with socks from the dryer. We’re getting up over and over again during dinner because someone drops their fork or you need a big spoon for the green beans, etc. What you need is a silverware caddy.

The caddy itself can be wooden or metal and they can be found at most craft stores. The design is up to you, but it needs a handle, cubbies for the forks and is tall enough that the silverware stays in it. The most common configuration is one side is a single long area and the other is split into three. The long section is perfect for napkins. For the cubbies, you’ll need glass jars small enough to fit in the holes. If you want to keep the knives away from sticky little hands, use two of the holes for spoons and forks and the other for something like straws. Place it on the kitchen table and the silverware is at your fingertips. The handle lets you easily take it outside for picnics, barbecues and more.

Get rid of those paper towels

Paper Towels are pretty standard. The downside is they don’t look great. They’re basically military grade toilet paper. While they clean up spills, they’re also wasteful. We’re throwing away a ton of paper towels every day. Instead, think about using bar mop clothes. They’re thin, attractive and sturdy. Buy a few dozen and place them inside a container such as a mason jar. When you need to clean spills, then take one out. Toss them on a rack to dry and then put them in the laundry. They can last hundreds of washings.

You’re not only helping the environment, but also brightening up your kitchen.  They don’t streak and clean better than paper towels.

Don’t Want To Get Overwhelmed Then Create A Cleaning Schedule

by

cleaning scheduleHow many times have you wanted to get that garage cleaned out or dust your overhead fan, but never got around to it. You know there are things you need to do throughout the year, but it’s hard to fine time.  What you need to do is create a cleaning schedule that last the entire year or at least month to month.

Why do I need a cleaning schedule?

You probably have no problem doing the day-to-day or weekly cleaning that has become routine. You vacuum, sweep, etc., but when it comes to the things that don’t happen regularly, they often fall to the wayside. Cobwebs may start to gather in corners and the carpet hasn’t been cleaned in two years. You don’t need a schedule for everyday cleaning, but for the cleaning you tend to put off.

Sit down and make a plan

The first step is to sit down with a planner and make a plan for the year. Write down what you do on the weekends and choose dates to take are of those pesky tasks that are so easily forgettable. Make sure to include all the tasks for the year no matter how big or how small. Give yourself multiple days if the task is large and needs extra time.

Use it as a guideline

The plan for the year should be adhered to as best as possible, but don’t get discouraged if life gets in the way. If you’re scheduled to clean the bathroom on Saturday, then grandma calls and says she’s got tickets to Disney on Ice, don’t blow off grandma. Instead, enjoy the activity, but make sure to reschedule the cleaning.

Call in the professionals if needed

When the going gets tough, the tough call a professional. If nothing is getting done or you’re feeling overwhelmed, then feel free to contact us. We’ll swoop in and take care of the cleaning, so you can focus on some of those other projects.

Join Our Newsletter List!

We will never share nor sell your information!

Check Us Out On:

  • Facebook
  • Google +
  • Blog

Let’s Get Scrubbing!

Get My Quote!

Give Us a Call!
1-815-228-5273

How Did We Do?

Tell us and be entered into our monthly drawing! Click here!

We're proud to serve the Illinois Valley, including the communities of Arlington, Cedar Point, Cherry, Dalzell, Grand Ridge, Granville, Hennepin, Ladd, La Moille, La Salle, Mark, Marseilles, Mendota, Naplate, North Ottawa, Oglesby, Ottawa, Peru, Princeton, Spring Valley, Streator, Utica and Tonica.
© 2023 Illinois Valley Clean Team | Privacy Policy