At times you get lazy, and the house looks like a mess. But, you need to get up from your couch and start doing the dishes sooner or later. If you had superpowers, you could clean the house in one go. Sadly for us mortals, we are not born with any supernatural abilities. Therefore, one must spend time cleaning, cooking, doing the dishes, and more. All these chores can take a lot of valuable time. This time could be better utilized if you could do the work faster. Worry no more! Continue reading this article to learn practical tips to clean the house faster and better.
Compartmentalize
How do you eat a whole turkey? The answer is one bite at a time. When you have a huge task at hand, it becomes daunting. You start procrastinating and push the actual work further and further away. But, not starting the work itself can lead to anxiety and tension. Therefore, you are still thinking of the unclean rooms and the piled-up dishes at the sink; you cannot enjoy leisure. So, instead of avoiding or delaying the process, just dig into it and start the work.
Divide your work into sections and focus on one section at a time. You can start with one room, finish cleaning the room and then move to another room in the house. Or a better plan might be to divide your work according to specific tasks. For example, you can gather the clothes that need washing from all the room. Then you start dusting the rooms. Separate tasks such as washing, dusting, cleaning, and more.
You cannot take on a huge project and expect to finish the same in a short period. Do not expect to clean the whole house in one day; it is absurd. Instead, divide the workload into days. You may also distribute the work among your children and spouse. Make sure everyone completes their job, and voilà! Your job is done.
Hire Help
There are different reasons for hiring help to do domestic work. Some people are on a deadline as they expect guests soon. So, they want the house to look good before the guests arrive. Some people are not physically fit to do the work all by themselves. And then again, there are people who believe (and rightfully so) that their time may be better utilized in doing other work. Whatever the reason is, you will find help available.
Some work like cleaning the Air Conditioning needs an expert handyman. It is not physically possible for you to clean the ventilation system of the whole house. One may look for nearby expert cleaners to come over and do the work for them. For example, if you live in Arizona, you may browse Arizona air cleaners to get help.
Hiring help will allow you to receive expert service while saving your valuable time. Make a list of chores you want to be done and communicate your wants and needs to the cleaners. If there is a tough spot you want them to clean, make sure you tell them. The cleaners are always willing to work more for extra hourly pay and a generous tip.
It can be frightening to come into contact with a scorpion. Generally speaking, scorpions do not attack humans unless disturbed. A scorpion that lurks in a home or garage is likely searching for accessible food sources, a warm spot to sleep, or a place to escape the weather.
You can easily get rid of scorpions. However, before you prepare these steps for getting rid of scorpions or knowing when to hire someone to get rid of them, you must determine that there are scorpions living in your house.
Below, we have discussed the signs of scorpion infestation, possible precautions, and tips on how to get rid of them.
When is a Scorpion Infestation likely to occur?
Be on the lookout for these four common signs that Scorpions have infested your home in the summer months.
A lot of small insects around your house, such as beetles, ants, and flies, are scorpions’ main sources of nutrition.
Citrus trees provide a perfect hiding place for them, so be cautious if you have one near your residence.
Residents of newly developed buildings should stay aware as construction may disrupt their natural homes.
There are likely more if you spot one in your home.
Considerations relating to safety
When inspecting or trapping scorpions, wear long, thick gloves to prevent painful stings and pinches.
If you prefer to catch scorpions from a distance, you can use extra-long tongs and put them in jars.
Sighting, a scorpion in your home, is most probably one of the biggest signs of scorpion infestation, so you should take action as soon as you see one to prevent an infestation.
Tips on Getting Rid of Scorpions
You may want to have the foundation of your home sprayed by an experienced pest control company to eliminate the scorpion’s food source, which is small insects.
Check your yard or house for scorpions at night using a UV black light.
Use a glass jar to trap them because a scorpion cannot climb around it and bite you.
Directly spray Insecticide onto a scorpion.
You can place sticky traps in areas where you spotted scorpions or other insects to capture their food sources or the scorpion itself.
Here is a detailed outlook on the steps you can take to get rid of scorpions once you realize they are on your property.
Make sure your property is scorpion-free
When exposed to UV light, Scorpions’ bodies glow fluorescently. After dark, check your property with a black light to see where the scorpion may be hiding. Look for cracks in the foundation under windowsills, porch rails, huge rocks, or decorative pillars. The scorpion also prefers places with debris, such as woodpiles, shoe closets, or wall voids.
Remove Scorpion food sources from the property to make it unattractive to them
Eliminating their food source is the most effective way to prevent scorpion infestations. With regular pest control, other insects will be discouraged from inhabiting your property, so a scorpion will not be interested in hanging around. Keeping your garage and patio clean and free of small bugs requires regular sweeping and tidying.
Seal all the interior gaps, cracks, or holes in your house
Even a big scorpion could squeeze through even the tiniest crack. You must repair or seal the holes in window screens, foundation cracks, or gaps around cable wires with caulk. Close off the underside of outside doors with weather stripping to keep scorpions from getting in. Tighten the screens on windows and vents. Make sure to seal up any cracks or holes in your plumbing, electrical, or bathroom systems.
Get rid of their hiding places and maintain your lawn
Many pests, including scorpions, are attracted to a long, unkempt lawn. Trim and maintain the lawn to minimize insects’ access. You may also want to be cautious when stacking wood near your home, as it is their favorite hiding spot. If you plan your yard, keep all landscaping at least two feet from your house to get rid of all their hiding spots.
Apply scorpion killers and sticky traps
Insect traps, glue traps, and scorpion traps are useful tools for trapping all sorts of insects, scorpions, and rodents. Placing them in areas where scorpions are likely to enter, such as bathrooms and near windows, doors, or food is a good idea. Because of their thin legs and minimal contact with the ground, scorpions are less affected by an exterior pest control spray, but a direct spray with an insecticide will kill them.
Get rid of scorpions on your property by trapping them
You can catch individual scorpions in a glass jar if you do not wish to pick up traps or use chemicals. Wear long, thick gloves if you need to work around a scorpion. Then, once the scorpion has been placed in the jar, pull the mouth of the jar shut with construction paper or card stock and move the scorpion to a different location. In order to make sure that the scorpion will not return, you should take the steps described above to prevent it from returning.
It is best to hire a professional for this task
When it comes to dealing directly with scorpions, or if you worry about how to get rid of them, a local pest control company will gladly assist you in eliminating the infestation. Fortunately, scorpion experts are very adept at detecting even the smallest cracks in your home through which scorpions can enter. During their visit, you will be able to find out what type of scorpions are on your property and what method is most effective to remove them.
Conclusion
There are a number of factors that can make removing scorpions difficult, such as an excess of debris, food sources, or easy access into the house. It is important to follow these steps carefully to avoid being stung during the process of eradicating them. There’s nothing wrong with hiring a professional to deal with your scorpion issue if you don’t want to deal with it yourself. A professional will get the job done efficiently and give recommendations tailored specifically to your household to prevent further infestations.
There is no limit to how far an average person can go in taking care of their house. It is so much more than just four walls and a roof. It’s a place of comfort and where we take refuge when the world around us begins to become too much to handle.
However, Maintaining the house can be a challenge for a working individual. A long day at work leaves little time for cleaning. If you’re someone who is looking for simple yet effective tips for keeping the house clean throughout the year, read on.
A neat and clean house contributes to one’s health and happiness. Those who live in a messy house are more likely to suffer from physical and mental illnesses. So, it’s time to tidy up!
Cleaning becomes ten times harder when a house hangs from the rafters with excess paraphernalia. Personal belongings scattered throughout the home can cause significant impediments to the cleaning process and make things considerably harder to tackle. Think about it; the more stuff there is, the more you will have to clean.
Other than that, having a packed house generally creates a sense of disorder and gives off a very messy vibe. So take a look around and if you think you have too many belongings in too small a space, consider opting for self-storage.
If you live somewhere in Indiana, the Brownsburg storage units might be your best option as they will be closer to home. Storage units keep your belongings in clean, safe, and secure locations to keep them in the same condition when you retrieve them.
Designate chores
If you have a family or live in a flat with roommates, it would be best to assign chores to each individual so that everyone picks up their fair share of work. It is unreasonable to assume that one or two people in the house are responsible for the cleanliness and upkeep. Though that may be the case in several households, it’s time to bring a change.
Consider assigning duties to each member: one person can mop the floors, another can do the dusting, while someone else takes care of the dishes. This way, you break the tasks down into digestible doses and ensure that everyone plays their part in the entire process.
It’s simply unrealistic to clean the house every weekend. The sheer workload can make it hard to get everything done in one day, and even if you do, this is not the way you should go about things.
Close the windows
Everyone likes a good bit of fresh air, but make sure you don’t have the windows open for too long. Thirty minutes to an hour is sufficient time for you to keep the windows open. Any more than that, and you are asking for an influx of dust and insects.
You may be tempted to open the windows when there is a nice breeze, but that’s when most dust enters the house. If you want to leave them open for longer, consider buying a screen or mesh to prevent insects and dust from entering. Though they are porous and have little holes, they can act as major game-changers to prevent dust from entering the house.
Invest in robotic floor cleaner
Automated floor cleaners like the world-famous Roomba are a great way to keep the floors spick and span all the time. The best thing with the Roomba is that you technically don’t have to use it every day. Set it to work every other day, and you still have clean floors to come home to!
Other than that, these devices have sensors that prevent them from getting stuck or falling down the stairs. These cute little machines are taking over the cleaning process and making things easier for working individuals worldwide. As soon as they’re done cleaning, they tuck themselves back into place and turn off.
Clean vents and AC filters
You may want to consider thinking outside the box if you notice that you have dust all over the house despite cleaning it fairly often. The fan may be spreading more dust than you realize.
If you own an AC, you should clean the filter every two weeks to prevent too much dust from building up. The more dust on the filter, the more likely it will spread throughout the room. Vents are no different. If you have a central air conditioning system in a building, consider talking to the maintenance people to clean the ducts.
The quicker you get down to something like this, the better it will be for everyone in the house.
Use liquid cleaners
One of the most common mistakes is not wetting the surface when dusting. A dry cloth will simply lift the dust for the moment and will allow it to settle back within a few minutes or hours. Doing this defeats the purpose of dusting and can cause breathing issues for the average individual and lead to somewhat severe allergies.
If you don’t want to use water, consider using furniture polish or other cleaning solutions. Not only will the moisture take the dust away, but it will help shine and polish the surface. Not to mention that it will stay cleaner longer and take longer for the dust to settle back down.
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Add a plant or two
The more plants you have in your environment, the less dry the air will be, and therefore, less dust will exist in the air. Plants create moisture and help promote a clean and safe atmosphere for the inhabitants to breathe.
Moreover, the plants all ensure a cleaner living space. Therefore, you might notice less haze in the air and less dust on the average surface space.
The only potential issue might be splatters of mud when watering them. Other than that, plants help maintain cleanliness in the air, and you will notice having to dust less often than usual.
Conclusion
There we have it—some of the most common ways to make your house look clean all the time. From decluttering to cleaning your air supply, we have been through several options that you may want to consider to keep the house clean.
A clean house leads to a healthy body and healthy mind, so make sure you jump at these tips and get down to clean the place as soon as possible.
An effective drainage system is crucial in any household, irrespective of the frequency of waste removal. Whether it’s your kitchen line or bathroom drains, for smooth and easy operations, you need to make sure your drain lines don’t get clogged. Having a solid drainage system also helps with future plumbing flexibility and lower maintenance costs in general.
To avoid sewer system issues on a larger scale, we need to ensure that our immediate drains are not clogged. However, they do, pretty easily as well. Instead of letting it out of hand, take quick steps to make it manageable in no time. Here are five simple ways to help you tackle a clogged drain issue.
Get Immediate Help
A drain crisis never happens at a convenient time. You never know when you will turn that flush handle to eliminate waste and be greeted by overflowing sewer water. Or when your kitchen sink will start overflowing, leaving you with a pool of water around your feet. What did you do, and what went wrong? A crisis like this requires immediate help and it`s one of the 5 signs you need to call a plumber. It is always a good idea to keep the contact information of plumbers handy. However, if you cannot get immediate plumbing assistance in your neighborhood, look up online services on the internet. Household and plumbing services are often based in different states, but their professionals are readily available throughout the country.
For instance, you can get emergency plumbing Irvine Ca assistance anywhere in the country by simply visiting their website and requesting help. Once the company sends their professionals for help, save their number for future use.
DIY hacks are the cheaper alternative
DIY hacks are homemade techniques to unclog drains. You will find a list of these hacks all over the internet that will make your drain functional in no time.
The baking soda, salt, and vinegar/hot water hack is the most common one. Simply pour a mixture of half a cup of baking soda, a teaspoon of salt and a whole cup of vinegar or hot water altogether on top of the drain. Let it sit atop the gunk for some time. It usually takes about 8 hours for the concoction to break down and sift the matter into small, more manageable bits. Afterward, you can use a hose or pipe to wash away the gunk. However, make sure the water pressure is high enough.
Drain lids or filters go a long way
Drain lids come in all shapes and sizes and are also cheaply available in a wide range of materials (plastic, metal, rubber). It’s ideal for all types of needs, including kitchens and bathrooms. The tops or sides of all drain lids have minor gaps and openings that easily let water and other liquids pass through. Further, these gaps prevent solid waste, such as bones and tea bags in a kitchen, from entering the drain and clogging it.
One of the best things about these containers is that they are easy to clean. All you need to do is lift the side tabs and unscrew the lid. Dispose of the waste in a garbage can, wash the lid and screw it back on.
Use the traditional drain chemicals and plungers
You can choose from various drain openers and chemicals readily available on the market to suit your drain opening needs. However, make sure that the cleaner should be drain-friendly. Check for the cleaners with a low to mild harshness so that they won’t cause any further harm.
Mild alkali-based drain openers are recommended for ease of use, as they decompose the matter as they sit atop it. Conversely, if a very harsh method is used, it may corrode the plastic piping underneath, requiring it to be replaced at a great expense.
A plunger is another tool that is readily available in almost all restrooms and kitchens. This tool works by generating air pressure over the drain. If the suction cups around it repeatedly retract, they create a sort of vacuum. As a result, the back pressure from the water pushes gunk and waste upwards and out of the drain.
Install a P-Trap
Another branch of modern plumbing is the P-Trap or a specific piping order. The piping looks like a P facing downwards, which traps the water and any waste left inside. It is also helpful for catching any valuables that may have fallen into the drain. Using water pressure, the P-Trap creates a thorough flow that goes directly to the sewage line. Usually, the P trap is wide enough to get rid of all the clogging with water pressure. However, if this is not the case, a professional can clean it out.
Tips to prevent future drain clogging
Preventing future drain clogs is the best method to avoid them in the future. There are numerous ways to accomplish this. It is best to dispose of bulk waste separately, cover drains with drain covers, and periodically check pipes for damage, and, if needed, change to a larger size. Additionally, the homeowner should keep an eye out for any suspicious smells that indicate a clogged drain.
With the spread of the novel COVID-19 virus, the entire world is in upheaval. Some are afraid for their health, some for their loved ones stuck in foreign countries. While some for losing their jobs. Whatever so, it is a time of great confusion. This pandemic has stopped human life. Workplaces and schools are temporarily closed with the fear of letting the disease spread expansively. Flights get halted, and countries have closed down traveling to prevent the disease from becoming a global crisis.
Amid all this uncertainty, the anxiety multiplies by the need to keep everything clean and germ-free. The virus is on the spread, and since there is no vaccine for it yet, prevention is the best way to stop it.
Evidence suggests that the virus can sustain itself for hours to days on certain surfaces. That means it is critical that during the pandemic, we keep disinfecting and sanitizing ourselves and our living spaces.
First things first, CDC recommends that it is essential to clean surfaces around your house at least once in the day. Even though COVID-19 is more likely to spread through human interaction, it is still wise to rule out potential risks. Cleaning means to remove dirt and contaminants, whereas disinfecting means eliminating pathogens. CDC advises us to do both to ensure maximum protection from diseases.
Therefore, we need to disinfect all our home surfaces thoroughly to ensure no germs continue to thrive in the environment. We’ve listed a few ways in the following paragraphs to clean and disinfect the house to protect you and your loved ones from COVID-19.
Mop The Floors and Dust The Carpets
Hot water is known to kill germs and bacteria. To keep your house clean from microbes, you should make sure you wipe the floors daily. Use a mopping disinfectant by mixing it in warm water and mopping the floor with it.
On the contrary, if your house has a carpeted floor, you will have to dust and vacuum these. Carpeted floors sometimes become a hub of germs and bacteria. They should be cleaned and washed to avoid excessive dirt buildup. Additionally, if you live in areas with dry, arid, and dusty climate, such as Spokane, Cheney, or even Hayden, cleaning your carpets becomes necessary. However, it may sound a difficult task to do alone, which is why seeking expert carpet cleaning services in Spokane Valley may be the perfect choice for you.
Disinfect The High-Touch Surfaces
High-touch surfaces include doorknobs, switches, kitchen counters, bathroom faucets, etc. Any surface that is continually in use is a high-touch surface. It is most likely to get infected. Since the first things that a person touches when entering the house are the knobs and the lights, it makes sense to disinfect them regularly.
You can keep a disinfectant spray bottle in the house and spray it whenever someone is coming from the outside touches it. You should bear this in mind that there may be other surfaces in your home that may be high-touch. Just notice the most used spaces and keep them clean and disinfected.
Laundry Your Clothes
If you are going out even in this pandemic, you need to make sure that you wash your clothes immediately once you enter the home. It is because your dresses come in direct contact with numerous surfaces, and you never know which place is contaminated.
Washing your clothes in the machine can work okay in killing the germs. Just use your regular washing detergent and dry them out in the sun. It is a scientifically proven fact that sun rays help in killing diseases and germs. You can also wash your clothes in hot water if you want to be sure that they are entirely germ-free.
Moreover, you should also disinfect the surfaces that the clothes would come in contact with while drying, such as the clothing line, etc. You can clean these areas the natural way.
Clean Then Disinfect
Cleaning and disinfecting are separate, as explained before. For effective disinfection, you need first to clean all the surfaces of dirt and filth. After that, you can follow with spraying your disinfecting spray and wipe everything as usual.
Don’t Forget The Devices
Researchers from the University of Arizona have found that mobile phones carry ten times more bacteria than toilet seats. It is because we take our phones everywhere, and even though we wash our hands often, there is no way to clean our phones. However, under this situation of the pandemic, you should continuously disinfect your phone as well.
That does not mean you start washing your phone. You can keep a pack of alcohol wipes and wipe the surface of your phone at least twice a day.
Conclusion
Prevention is better than cure, and for a disease where the treatment is still not found, prevention is the only way to be safe. To counter COVID-19, maintaining a high level of personal and home hygiene is necessary. Keeping your house clean and disinfecting it at least once a day is imperative. If you are not going out and are avoiding any social contact, deep cleaning your house once a week will also be fine. However, the bottom line is still the same, and your house should say germ-free! Stay home, stay safe.
If your home can use a good thorough cleaning but you can’t really afford a professional, don’t worry. There are many cool cleaning tips pros use all the time that will make your cleaning fast and easy.
Remove clutter
The best way to start cleaning your home is to remove the things from counters, desk, coffee tables and shelves. Otherwise, you might be tempted to just clean around them or lift them and put them back on a wet surface. This can leave nasty ring marks and look like you haven’t done anything.
Do as much as you can in one take
It might seem easier, but don’t clean your living room today and leave the bathroom for tomorrow. This method actually takes more time than doing everything in one day. It’s better to do as much as you can in one take, so that you can relax tomorrow in your clean home.
Get organized
You’ll waste a lot of time running around your home to get the tool or cleaner you need. However, if you get a cleaning caddie, you’ll have everything at hand for fast and easy cleaning.
Remove distractions
Your home is full of distractions – from your TV, phone and music to rearranging figurines on the shelves and folding linen. All of these can make a two-hour cleaning job last four hours. So, turn off your electronics and leave detailed projects for another time. Concentrate on cleaning, and only cleaning, until your home is spotless.
Don’t forget the electronics
Many people forget to clean their electronics which either stay dirty, or they remember them in the end. So, turn off your electronics and wipe them with a lightly dampened microfiber cloth and remember never to spray cleaning products on the screen directly.
Invest in good cleaning supplies
If you want your cleaning to be fast and effective, don’t hesitate to invest a bit more money in high-quality cleaners and cleaning supplies. They will do a much better cleaning job, and they usually last longer than cheap cleaners. If you want your children to help you with cleaning, get products that are non-toxic and natural. There are even cleaners you can make yourself with only a few household items and they remove all sorts of stains.
Follow instructions from the label
Many people want to make cleaning easier and faster, so they tend to “overuse” the cleaning products. However, this will only result in greater expenses. So, if you really want to be effective, read the recommendations from the manufacturer, thus avoiding expensive mistakes. The instructions will tell you just how much product you need and where can you use it. Many products today are of better quality and employ more advanced technology, so they are much more effective.
Invest in good cleaning tools
Don’t use cheap knockoffs of professional cleaning tools. Of course, you don’t need industrial-quality tools, but don’t hesitate to invest in tools that are tested and guaranteed to do the job. If you opt for well-made tools they will last you a long time, and will be much more effective than their cheap counterparts. So, throw away that old sponge mop and opt for a terry-covered mop. Also, chuck or recycle your old vacuum in favor of powerful and practical Shark vacuums that are light and easy to handle, yet strong enough to tackle every cleaning job.
Vacuuming tricks
While we’re talking about vacuums, make sure you’re doing a good vacuuming job. The best way to tackle the room is to remove everything from the floors, move furniture and area rugs. Clear floors will allow you to move quickly and efficiently. Another vacuuming piece of advice is to do the dusting before vacuuming. This way you’ll get to pick up all dust particles that fall on the floor during dusting and save some precious time.
Continue with maintenance
Most households need thorough cleaning every two weeks. However, if you do a good maintaining job, some chores can be reduced to once a month!
Who needs expensive professional cleaners with cleaning tips like these? So, roll up your sleeves, grab your cleaning products and tools, and get to work. You’ll be done before you know it and your home will be sparkling clean.
