How to Fix the Mess in the Microwave
There is no greater compliment to your cleaning skills than someone commenting that your microwave oven is the cleanest they have ever seen. You’ve never heard someone say that about the microwave in your kitchen? Then let’s get to work! Microwaves are known to be messy. After all, they are designed to warm up food, and usually, that involves spills, spatters, and for some food items, explosions. Who hasn’t put something in the microwave to heat it up only to hear that dreaded POP as it expanded and flung remnants all over the inside of the oven? Some of you may be diligent with covering up food you are warming, but most of us… just hope for the best. And when that fails us, here are a few practical tips to a perfectly clean microwave oven. Start smart The first step to cleaning a dirty microwave oven is to wipe up as much excess food particles you can. Spraying them just means a smeary mess. Use a dish cloth or paper towels to remove food particles, paying special attention to the inside of the door and corners, where particles can build up over time. Steam it up Nothing works better than a little preparation. Take an uncovered bowl of water and put it in the microwave and cook it for two or three minutes. The steam and heat of the water will help loosen the grease and remaining food particles for easier removal. This head start is a very smart way to clean your microwave oven. Wipe it all down It’s best not to spray the interior with just any cleaning solution. What you smell might end up in your food. Residues and odors can affect the next dish you prepare. Instead, use a cloth, hot water, and dish detergent as your cleaning arsenal. With the dampened cloth, wipe away greasy residues and food particles, repeating often until you have a squeaky-clean surface. You can also put the dampened cloth on really stubborn areas and allow the detergent to work a few minutes and then wipe it away. When you are done, dry it all with fresh towels and inspect, recleaning any areas of concern. Of course, to really get something clean in your home, do the right thing. Call your favorite cleaning company. After all, it pays to call a pro! The Often-Forgotten Vacuum Bag
Vacuum cleaners are an integral part of life for any family and a common tool used daily in commercial buildings. While the vacuum hums along doing its job, picking up dirt, grit, debris, and potential contaminants, there is a part of the vacuum we might not think about that often. You usually can’t see it… but it’s right there, inside your vacuum cleaner — the bag. The vacuum bag is the repository of all substances that the vacuum collects through the beater bar or suction assembly and hoses. Unless you use a bagless vacuum, and there are some on the market today, all air goes from the surface being vacuumed and through the vacuum bag. The air you breathe around a vacuum is partly the air that has passed through the unit. Problem detected You know you have a problem when you turn on the vacuum cleaner and notice a foul odor. What you are detecting is the result of organic and inorganic matter inside the vacuum bag that has had time grow microorganisms that create odors. A vacuum bag that has sat a long period of time without being changed or cleaned can produce significant bad odors. While your vacuum cleaner manufacturer will have recommendations on the frequency of changing the bag, those are simply general recommendations. Professional carpet cleaners recommend changing a bag when one-half to two-thirds full. Is that enough? The nose knows In addition to following a schedule, use some common sense. Remember that a vacuum bag in the dark that is stuffed with organic soils will quickly become an odor-causing source. If you vacuum every day, you may not notice it. But give it a week or two, and the odors become evident. At the first hint of an odor, change the bag. Even if you vacuum once or twice, and put the vacuum away for several days, it may be good to change the bag before using it again. Bags are cheap. Your health is not. Professionals cleaners often change the vacuum bag and clean all equipment before going from one home to the next. The do this to avoid cross-contamination. Their basic principles of equipment maintenance keep you and your family safe. When it comes to the absolute best cleaning of all surfaces, do the right thing. Call your favorite cleaning company. After all, it pays to call a pro! A Litter Help
Cats are responsible for many things, such as making you happy when they snuggle up to you, making you cheer when they rid your house of a mouse, and giving you something to do with the camera app on your smartphone. They do a lot to bring people happiness, but they also need quite a bit of attention at the same time. Besides feeding them, taking them to the occasional veterinarian visit, clipping their claws, and generally making them happy, you have something unpleasant to deal with: The litter box. Unless you have a fancy one that is self-cleaning, you have to do the scooping because your cat isn’t going to do it for you. And more than just scooping is involved with the chore. Here are a few tips to give you a “litter help” with the cat box (pun intended). The first thing to consider is a schedule. Don’t just clean the litter box when you smell it or the cat(s) start kicking out some gross objects. It’s good to do it every day, or every two days, so it stays hygienic and doesn’t start to smell. Make it a habit, the frequency of cleaning. Wear rubber gloves and use a scooper meant for the task and scoop out the waste into a plastic bag. DO NOT toss it all in the toilet, as that will just plug up the plumbing and then you have another task to handle. Close the bag up and discard it into the trash can, preferably one outside. Just adding the clumps to your regular trash can in the kitchen means you will have an odiferous situation on your hands within an hour or so. Bag it, close it, toss it. Depending on how many cats you have, completely change out the litter on a schedule as well. This should be done every 3-4 weeks. Completely empty out the pan, and carefully rinse it out, using detergent and hot water, but be careful not to make bigger mess. Remember that most cat litter clumps when wet. Finally, placement of the litter box is important. It needs to be in an area not too close to the nose, if you know what we mean. The litter will come out, either kicked by the cat(s) or tracked out on paws. Sweeping it up is part of the job. And once in a while, your cat(s) cause “accidents” and bad odors can become part of your carpet, furniture, and other textiles. When that happens, do the right thing, and call your favorite cleaning company. After all, it pays to call a pro! |