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Fixing Common Cleaning Mistakes

June 13, 2016 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

Cleaning isn’t fun. If it was, then people like me would be out of a job. It’s hard work and time consuming, so when you’re doing a home cleaning, make sure you’re doing it right. There are many common mistakes people make that end up making cleaning less effective.

Vacuum Smart, Not Often

We know people that vacuum every day. It’s part of their daily routine, but vacuuming only really needs to be done once a week if done correctly. Start by vacuuming first horizontally and then vertically in each room. This gets the carpet lifted so you get as much dirt as possible. This is especially imperative if you have pets. Ugh, who hates cleaning out cat and dog hair?

Careful of Cross Contamination

When you clean the kitchen, the goal is to make it clean enough that it’s not considered a level 4 biohazard. Nothing makes you lose your appetite faster than people in plastic suits spray painting “Quarantined” on your front door. What’s that an outbreak monkey? Nope, just a cat. The reality is that many people actually end up cross contaminating when they clean.

When you clean a surface, people generally wipe over the same spots over and over again. If you’re cleaning up a spill or going over an area that had raw chicken or meat, then you could be spreading the bacteria rather than cleaning. Instead, start at the top and cleaning left to right. This keeps you from going over the same spot. Also, it’s important to change out microfiber and dish clothes to keep bacteria from growing on it. You’re not cleaning anything if your cleaning instrument is covered in bacteria.

Let Cleaners Sit for a Bit

How many people out there are the spray and wipe kind of people? That may be fine on windows, but let cleaning agents sit for a little while in the kitchen and bathroom. Soap scum and other cleaning nightmares can be tough to get out, but letting cleaners sit and work their magic can break them down. They might just wipe away or come off with a little elbow grease.

Clean Your Garbage Cans

When was the last time you cleaned out your kitchen garbage can? We’re not talking about just taking out the bag and replacing it. Garbage cans need occasional cleaning as well. They can build up odors and bacteria and that translates to a stinky kitchen and the biohazard suits…see above. An easy way to stop this is to take the trash can out and spray it an all-purpose cleaner. Let it sit for about 20 minutes and then spray with a hose.

If you are looking for some help with home cleaning, then feel free to give us a call at 815-228-5273 or visit here to get a quote.

The Ins and Outs Of A Dishwasher

May 31, 2016 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

Are you tired of spending a long time hand washing dishes? Would you rather spend that time with your family or getting a little “me” time? A dishwasher might be the answer for you. It’s an investment that gives you more time and saves your hands from dish soap and dry skin. Here are some tips and tricks when using your dishwasher.

To Pre-rinse or Not to Pre-rinse

Your mom or grandmother may mention that your dishes need to be rinsed before they’re put into the dishwasher. Others argue that it’s not necessary and they only need to be scraped of chunks i.e. don’t stick half a meatloaf into the dishwasher and expect it to get clean. The first few generations of dishwashers did require a pre-rinse, but people got annoyed of washing their dishes before washing their dishes. Manufacturers heard this and designed better dishwashers. With modern dishwashers, just scrap them off and put them in the dishwasher. They’ll be clean as a whistle.

Loading the Dishwasher

Some people believe loading a dishwasher is part art and part science. It’s like playing Jenga while dodging blocks from Tetris. Thankfully, it’s not as complex as that. The key is to make sure the dirty parts of the dishes aren’t blocked from the dishwasher jets. Look at your jets and see where they are. The dirty parts of the dishes should always be pointed in those directions.

The bottom rack is where the bad boys go. Put your dirtiest dishes here. Keep the taller items on the edges to keep blocking the jets. The top rack is more for more fragile items such as glasses, etc. Don’t let glass touch other glass. Try to put a plastic cup between them just to be on the safe side. When it comes to the silverware tray, it’s best to keep knives pointed down just for safety. Forks and spoons can be put in right side up.

Caution

Dishwashers are great for many dishes, but not everything. Wooden utensils, softer metals and cookware should be done by hand. The detergents used in dishwashing can be pretty abrasive, so don’t ruin your finest flatware because you didn’t want to wash them.

We hope you enjoyed this little guide to dishwashing. If you’re in the need of a good deep cleaning in your home, contact us or get a free quote.

Choosing the Right Cleaning Company

May 23, 2016 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

You look around your house and it’s just not as clean as you want it. You’re overworked, stressed out and there isn’t enough time to do everything you need. It’s time to get a little help by using a cleaning company, but you don’t know how to go about choosing one. It’s important to not choose a house cleaning company willy nilly. You’re letting them into your home, so make sure the one you choose is reputable.

Shop around

Open up the Yellow Pages…ok, we’re joking who actually has the Yellow Pages anymore. Do a Google search and see what cleaning agencies are in your area. Pick several and start looking at their websites. Find out what they do, how long they’ve been around, any certifications and licensing that they have, etc. You should be able to whittle down your list to a few prospects after this.

Give them a call

Many services allow you to set up appointments or get quotes online, but if this is your first time, it’s a good idea to contact them directly and talk to a real person. You can find out exactly what they do in a cleaning, what they don’t and if what you need requires an extra added service. While general cleaning is understood, cleaning services often differ on what exactly does into a home cleaning. The last thing you want is to have a cleaning that doesn’t accomplish what you want.

Ask for references

By now you probably have it narrowed down to very few companies and are ready to make your decision. The best gauge of the quality of a company comes from previous customers. If the company has a testimonial section, then take a look. You can also check out online reviews and ask for references. The reputation of the company is very important and should not be overlooked.

Book the cleaning

Once you have made the choice, book the cleaning and ask if there is anything else the company needs from you or if anything should be done prior to the cleaner’s arrival. Once the job is completed, fill out any customer review sheets and give your honest opinion of them. A good company is constantly improving and your analysis helps them make important changes.

Illinois Valley Clean Team Inc. is positive that following these steps will lead to an excellent experience. We are happy to provide you with any information you need, so feel free to contact us.

Getting Children Involved With Home Cleaning

April 29, 2016 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

It’s hard to get children to lift their head up from tablets, smartphones and videogames, but if you want them to become more responsible adults, then it’s a necessity. We love coming to clean your homes, but one of the biggest questions we get is how can I get my children to help out.

Giving kids responsibilities and making them help out around the home not only helps reinforce the bond between parent and child, but also prepares them for adult life. It’s up to you when you believe a child is ready for this and what they will do.

The Right Time

The right time for a child to begin doing chores and cleaning depends on their maturity level. One person’s 3-year-old can be more mature than another’s 6-year-old. When you believe your child is ready, start small. Have them clean up their room. You can be with there with them at first, but after a few times let them do it on their own. Don’t be afraid to get them involved in other chores in the house such as vacuuming and doing dishes. Don’t get frustrated if the children have a hard time concentrating or doing the job properly and steer them in the right direction.

Make it Fun

The key to keeping children involved with cleaning is to make it as fun as possible. You might ask yourself, “How do I make cleaning fun?” First of all, don’t call it a chore. A chore makes it sound like something difficult and burdensome. Instead, tell them they are getting more responsibility. Children want to impress they’re parents and adding responsibility is one way to do that. You can make it into a game by seeing how fast they can get it done. If they’re cleaning their room, then time them on how fast they can put away toys, put clothes in the hamper, etc. If you find way to make the cleaning fun, then they’ll be less likely to rebel against it or complain.

What it does

Sometimes it can seem so much easier to just do it yourself. You have a certain way of doing things and a level of expectation. Kids take forever. Kids mess up. Kids fight and complain. As much as you want to take over, let them do it themselves. They will get better and learn so much from the experience. You’re preparing them for adulthood when mom and dad won’t be around to help. Skills such as washing dishes, cleaning the house and doing laundry are important. You’re also teaching them independence and self-reliance.

If you need some help with cleaning, visit our quote page and let us take care of your home cleaning needs.

The Magic of Floor Mats

April 26, 2016 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

We all love it when people come over to visit, but sometimes they leave behind dirt and debris that gets stuck in our carpet and floor. Uncle Ted is a hoot at parties, but we just wish he’d leave his boots at the door. The first line of defense against a dirty floor and carpet is a floor mat. They’re inexpensive and can keep the bulk of the dirt where it belongs. A home needs to have one mat outside the door and one mat just inside to door to effectively keep dirt at bay.

The outside mat

It’s tempting to make the outside mat something cutesy or homey to welcome visitors into your home, but this is the workhorse of floor mat system. It’s the one that picks up all the dirt and debris when people come to our home. They walked through mud and puddles to get there and you don’t want that on your floor. The mat needs to be durable possibly with bristles that can get between the grooves of the shoes to dig the dirt out. Just make sure that anyone with bare feet avoids it. Kids love going out barefoot in the summer and the bristles could hurt.

The inside mat

The inside mat is the opposite of the outside. Its job is to absorb any liquids and excess dirt the outside didn’t get. It’s not designed to be bristled, but softer and absorbent. For example, if it’s raining and people come over, then the outside mat gets off the bud and the inside mat absorbs the water and wet dirt on the bottom of their shoes. When you put the two together, the shoes are cleaned of dirt and debris and dry when the first step onto your floor. It’s not 100 percent effective, but it’s much better than having muddy footprints everywhere.

Cleaning the mats

A mat is only effective as long as it’s clean. The mats need to be cleaned weekly during heavy rain periods. The plastic bristled mat for the outside can be rinsed out with a hose. It’s not a good idea to wash it and put it in the dryer as the plastic may melt. The inside mat is a different story. It can likely be put into the washer and dryer and come out looking brand new. If you don’t clean the mats regularly, dirt and grime will build up on them. The outside mat won’t be able to get the dirt out and you can actually make the shoes dirtier if the inside mat isn’t clean.

If you’re looking for home cleaning services, then contact us for a quote.

Fixing Common Cleaning Mistakes

The Ins and Outs Of A Dishwasher

Choosing the Right Cleaning Company

Getting Children Involved With Home Cleaning

The Magic of Floor Mats

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