The Man Maid

House Cleaning Orange County Happy!

2016-03-01T10:47:00.001-08:00

Christmas and the Holidays: the Time To Clean Your House

2015-11-19T12:21:00.002-08:00

Now Is The Time To Clean Your House

With the weather in Orange County, California always pretty pleasant, it can become easy to forget that the holiday season is right around the corner. No sooner is Thanksgiving out of the way when preparations have to start being made for Christmas. It always feels as though there isn’t enough time in the day to get the essentials done, and that includes getting your house looking great for the friends and family members that are sure to be stopping by during the holiday season. You can turn off the lights and pretend that you are not home, or you can call on a professional cleaning service to help you get the job done.

There are probably plenty of you out there who believe that hiring cleaners is something that doesn’t fit into your budget, especially at this time of year, but you would probably be very surprised to learn that a great house cleaning doesn’t have to mean that you have to dig into your Christmas gifts budget. Take a moment to think about which areas of your home needs the most attention. It may well be the family room or guest bathrooms that need a little TLC. The fact of the matter is that cleaners can make the whole house spic and span, or they can simply attend to those problem areas. Both options are incredibly affordable if you decide to book your appointment with Aloha Maids.

November and December are incredibly busy months in the professional house cleaning world, though, which is why you need to think about making an appointment now if you haven’t already. Once those Christmas ads start showing up on TV, which they have already, it makes people start to look at what needs to be done in order to be ready for Christmas. For many, that means having the house cleaned, which is why those appointment spaces start to fill up in no time at all. If you leave it too late, you may be forced to do all the cleaning yourself, which means less time for all the fun activities that the holiday season brings.

Some house cleaning companies offer nothing more than maid service, but with Aloha Maids, you get a variety of different services that can prove to be a real blessing at this time of the year. Besides cleaning, the domestic workers at Aloha Maids can help you with decorations, shopping, wrapping presents and a host of other holiday related chores that may be too much for you to handle on your own. This allows you to pick and choose the things that you like to do, while leaving the less desirable chores in the hands of the pros. The holiday season is stressful enough without having to feel as though you are doing all the preparation work on your own. There are a lot of different cleaning services available in Orange County, but few if any can deliver what Aloha Maids do all year round.

10 things you can do to Prepare for Easter

2015-04-06T13:33:00.001-07:00

There are a number of dates on the calendar that bring equal levels of excitement and panic, usually for the same reasons. Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter are times of the year when families get together to celebrate, and while that is generally fun, there is still the stress of making sure that things are as close to perfect as possible when everyone gets together. Let’s take a look at some ways that you can prepare for Easter and make things easier on yourself:

1. Determine the reason – Easter is a holiday that is very much steeped in religious overtones. That’s not to say that it a holiday that is solely reserved for people of faith. If you are planning an Easter event, make sure that what you do is suitable for everyone in attendance.

2. Determine a location – Don’t start making plans until you figure out exactly where you are going on the holiday. Even if you are responsible for hosting the Easter event every year, don’t just assume that no-one else will want to take a turn.

3. Create a guest list – Only you know how many people you can comfortably fit in your home if you do decide to host. That may mean making some tough decisions, so find out who is and isn’t available before deciding who to invite.

4. Get the invites out ASAP – While an Easter gathering is not a formal event like a wedding or anniversary dinner, you should still give your guests plenty of warning. If you wait too long, people that you want there might well make alternative plans.

5. Make it a potluck – Cooking for a large group can be a stressful, expensive chore, so think about asking for help. Asking your guests to bring food along makes everyone feel as though they are playing a part in putting the dinner together, whilst also meaning you have a great selection of food to choose from.

6. Remember the kids – Kids often have a different view of Easter than the grown-ups do, so think about having some games ready to go, or perhaps even an Egg hunt that they can take part in before everyone sits down to eat.

7. Divide and conquer – There are going to be a lot of things that need to be done in preparation for Easter, so don’t try to do them all at once or all on your own. Ask for help, and don’t leave everything until the last minute. The more prepared you are, the less stressed you will be.

8. Create a space –Easter falls right in the heart of spring, and if you live in a place that has a temperate climate, you may want to take your celebrations outdoors. Wherever you choose to set-up, make the space as fun and holiday-themed as possible.

9. Think about the after party – Even if you only have a handful of guests visiting for Easter, you are still going to be left with a bit of a mess once it’s all said and done. Asking your guests for help may be considered rude, which leaves you with another option….

10. Hire a professional house cleaner – Bringing in the house cleaners to get your home ready for a big event is always a great idea. It’s just one less thing to worry about, and if you know they do a great job, you just might consider bringing them back to help with the clean up duties. A good way to find house cleaners is to look for them on Yelp.com. We highly recommend if you live in Orange County, California to check out Aloha Maids. They have excellent reviews.

Why We Love Christmas Lights (And You Should, Too!)

2014-11-25T07:39:00.000-08:00

If you have been anywhere near the mall or your local supermarket lately, you will have likely noticed that the Christmas season is now officially in high gear. Before you know it, you’ll be shopping for the tree and getting ready to put up the decorations. While many people look at this holiday tradition as being something of a chore, there is no denying how wonderful everything looks once the lights have been strung and the stockings hung.

The fact of the matter is that everything seems to come to life once those colorful lights have been put up and their glow lights up the home.

This is the time of year when you should be getting your existing lights out to see if any need to be replaced or updated. The good news here is that some of your lights have seen better days, there are now multiple different kinds of lights available, including LED’s, which tend to shine brighter than most. This is especially good if you are planning on going all out and stringing the lights on the outside of your home, as well as on your tree in the living room.

It is actually on the tree where the whole tradition of using lights first began. There is some debate as to when lights actually started being used, but many feel it was in 18^thcentury Germany that lights started being used on trees. Of course, back then there was no electricity to draw on, so candles were used on the tree, although only by the more affluent families of that period. Nowadays, Christmas lights are affordable for everyone, and are a fun way to decorate your home during the holiday season.

You will often now see neighbors try and one-up each other by making the lights on their home more exciting and dramatic than the year before. It makes for a great looking neighborhood when everyone gets into the holiday spirit and start to hang lights in and around the home. You could even say that it doesn’t really start to feel like Christmas at all until the brightly colored lights go up. As fun as it is to have lights and decorations up in and around your home, it’s not everyone that has the time to do it properly, but now there is help to be had this holiday season.

If you live in the OrangeCounty area and just don’t feel that you have time to dress up your home the way you would like, let Aloha Maids come in and help. They are offering the HolidayHelper program, where professionals come in and do all of the hard work for youThey will put up the lights, hang the decorations, and even do a great job of wrapping all your presents. It’s just like having your own little army of Christmas Elves helping you get into the holiday spirit.

The Truth about Halloween

2014-10-22T12:21:00.002-07:00

The Truth About Halloween

Halloween tends to be one of those holidays that people either love or hate. For every household that welcomes kids in costumes to the door, there is one that has the lights off and the curtains drawn, a sure sign that Trick or Treat revelers should steer clear. Those that fall into the latter category often do so because they believe that Halloween is somehow tied to devil worship and love of all things demonic. Nothing could be further from the truth, and you might actually be surprised to learn that the holiday is actually more of a celebration than a reason to be afraid.

The origins can actually be found in Paganism, which is a very loose set of beliefs, many of which revolve around love and the worship of all things earthly. While Halloween is now celebrated at the end of October, the original celebration was put in place to celebrate the end of summer, which was known as All Hallows Eve. It was at this time that the Pagans believed that the divide between our world and that of the spirit world was at its thinnest. They would don costumes to confuse the spirits that may try to come through into our world.

The Celtic traditions were a little different, as they used this special day to celebrate those who had passed, almost like the Day of the Dead that is celebrated in Mexico. The Romans celebrated the harvest on “Halloween,” which may help explain why the pumpkin became the symbol that we so commonly associate the holiday with today. How we celebrate now is something of a mish-mash of all those beliefs, which is why people are somewhat confused about how it is we actually came to don scary masks and go begging for candy.

Each country has their own particular take on the Halloween tradition, although most follow something of a similar pattern. What is particularly odd is that the day has become just as popular among adults as it has among kids who head out in search of some tasty sweet treats. Once the kids are all tucked up in bed, parents get dressed up, get their friends over, and set about celebrating in a way that makes them feel like a kid again for a few hours. Halloween is the one day of the year where it’s acceptable for grown-ups to behave like kids for a little while.

The fun ends the moment you wake up and see the mess thathas been left behind from your Halloween celebrations. It’s not just the empty bottles, cans, and paper plates that you have to deal with, but also the decorations that you put up to help make your home look a little scarier. It’s the thought of cleaning it all about that is the true horror of Halloween, but Aloha Maids can help with all of it. Get in touch with them and ask about their Holiday Helpers. What you will find is an affordable cleaning option that will have your house back to looking its best again, and all just in time for the Christmas decorations to go up.

How to be Successful On Yelp

2014-09-22T18:00:00.003-07:00

Not to toot my own horn, but Aloha Maids has become quite successful on Yelp.

Yelp was once my worst enemy. Everyday, I cursed at Yelp. Until I discovered their secret. After gathering research by interviewing a small handful of business owners, I came up with a plan to BEING SUCCESSFUL ON YELP.

1. Market your yelp website: Page impressions actually affect how aggressively your reviews could be filtered. The more impressions, the less filtered reviews.

Share your yelp page on social media. Send bulk emails with a link to your yelp page. Link your profile or create an I-frame on a popular blog or website. Back links will also help your Yelp SEO. Do you have a Yelp deal? That will also increase your listing visibility. (make the amount around $100 and Yelpers will call you before making a purchase)

2. Have a plan for unhappy customers and a plan for happy customers. Did you know the IRS allows you to send a refundable gift for up to $35? Might as well buy a happy customer a gift card for there pleasant review, or even a fruit basket.

Aggressively offering small discounts to complainers is better than giving the complainer a chance to ask for a full refund.

3. Have the customer sign terms. The terms could say "If you have a problem with us, please contact us directly before going to social media sites like Yelp. We want you to be completely satisfied."

4. Get all your customer's email. If they are a happy customer send them a link to the yelp site to leave a review.

5. Make sure each customer is satisfied with their purchase. Contact each customer and ask "Were you satisfied with your purchase?" If they were not satisfied, do not be afraid to ask why.

If you follow all 5 steps, you will probably have more success with Yelp. Good Luck!

10 Quick Tips About Moving Out

2014-08-11T08:56:00.001-07:00

10 Quick Tips About Moving Out

Moving out of your home is something that tends to bring high levels of stress, but most of that is brought on by being totally unprepared and leaving things to the last minute. Moving can actually be pretty straightforward if you follow the 10 simple tips outlined below:

Plan Ahead – This doesn’t just mean getting things prepared on this side, it also means making sure that all of your ducks are in a row at your destination. Having cable, electricity, gas and other utilities turned on and ready to go on the day in which you arrive. If you have pets, find a vet. Make sure schools are picked out for the kids, and get your banking all set up at your new place of residence.
Get Help – Don’t be too proud to ask for help when you need it. Hire house cleaners to come in and get your old house cleanedup and your new one ready to move into. This is a chore that most people hate when moving, so leave it to the pros.
Sort Your Stuff – Organize all your belongings so that when it comes time to pack, it will be much easier to have everything that goes together in the same boxes. This will help you on both ends of the move.
Get Rid of Junk – When you are doing that sorting, toss out those items that you know you are never going to use. Taking them with you just means having more stuff and making the job that much bigger.
Buy Packing Supplies and Boxes – Once you are all organized, you will have a much better idea of what you will need in terms of packing supplies. This will save you having to make more trips to get more boxes and tape.
Pack Your Stuff – Make sure to clearly mark all the boxes so that you know what goes where when you get to the other side. Playing the mystery box game just adds time to the process.
Load The Truck – If you have hired a professional company to move you, the loading part should be left to them. If not, get some friends in to help expedite the loading, but don’t rush. Take time to properly utilize the space in the truck so that everything is well packed and free from potential damage during the move.
Unpacking – If you have properly marked your boxes, you should know where everything goes. Get to the essentials first and then take your time with the rest.
Stay Organized – It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the move, especially when you arrive at your new home. Keeps things as organized as possible, as this will prevent items from becoming lost or damaged.
Give Yourself Plenty of Time – Like we said at the start of this piece, leaving things till the last minute is often what causes the biggest problems. There are plenty of things you can take advantage of weeks before you move, so do them all as soon as you can.

How to get along with others different than you. Take BLT for instance.

2014-06-24T08:27:00.003-07:00

I know this is off topic from the usual, but it is a message from the heart.

It is almost impossible to turn on the news without hearing about some new conflict going on in the world. What makes the news all the more depressing is that the reasons for the war have long since been forgotten. It all ends up looking as though these people are fighting just because they don’t like the look of the other or because they have some mild difference of opinion that could easily have been settled by just by taking the time to talk things out. We are all prone to making snap judgments, but when it leads to hatred and war, it’s really time to start thinking about how we live.

Far too many people have it in their heads that they cannot live in the same area as people who are somehow different than they are. Straight people claim that they would be uncomfortable in a mostly gay community, while whites and blacks feel that living in an area largely dominated by the other would be a bad idea. What most folks fail to realize is that we are all basically the same. We tend to want the same things out of life, such as a good family and enough money to be comfortable, yet we all tend to zero in on the small differences.

The reality is that we can all easily get along and share the same space if we just take the time to make the effort. Let’s use an example in the animal world to see how that could happen. What do you think would happen if you put a bear, a lion, and a tiger in the same pen to cohabitate? I would imagine that a good many of you would think that there would very quickly be violence and bloodshed. After all, that’s usually what happens when we human animals with differences are dropped into the same space.

What actually happened is nothing short of amazing. The trio of animals, who have been nicknamed BLT, were rescued as cubs and taken to the Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary in Locust Grove, Ga. They were initially placed in the same pen, where they quickly started to bond and become like a family. It is now closer to 14 years since all three were rescued, and they have remained together in all that time. The three are great friends, and those who run the animal rescue facility would now never dream of keeping them apart.

This story should serve as a lesson to all of us. The reality is that hate is something that is learned. When we are kids, we don’t hate anyone or look at them as being different. It is society that teaches us that when we grow. These animals never learned to be enemies, which they might very well have been in the wild. They grew up knowing nothing but love and acceptance, which is something that the human race needs to look at of we have any hope of having a future that is peaceful.

House Cleaning Summer Time and Memorial Day Weekend

2014-06-02T08:55:00.001-07:00

The average American works very hard in order to keep their families fed, clothed, and with a roof over their head. The cost of making that happen often means that there is very little left over at the end of the month. While that can make big vacations pretty tough, there is often enough going around for a little trip to the beach on one of the big holiday weekends, Memorial Day Weekend. There are definitely no shortage of great places to go to on both coasts of the US, and numbers suggest that more and more people are taking advantage of those options, and are prepared to travel a little further to get there.

The official numbers are not yet in, but in the lead up to the Memorial Day weekend, AAA travel predicted that over 36 million Americans would travel 50 miles or more to take in the fun and festivities of the holiday. If that number were in fact to be correct, it would represent an increase of 1.5% over the numbers traveling that distance in the previous Memorial Day holiday. This is good news all around, as it would appear that the economy may be getting progressively better with each passing year.

It’s also good news for those that own vacation properties in popular spots like Newport Beach. There is nothing better than seeing your property booked throughout the year, but that also means making sure that it is kept clean and maintained year round. The fact is that many property owners don’t live in the places where they have those holiday homes, and that means making sure that a reliable, affordable cleaning company is on hand at all times. Luckily for those in Newport Beach, Aloha Maids are always ready to come in at a moment’s notice and leave the property looking fresh and clean.

Maid service is not just for those that own the home, and is actually something that renters can take advantage of during their stay. For less than $100, Aloha Maids will come out and clean the kitchen and bathroom or the common areas where everyone hangs out. This is a service that is very often needed in beach communities, as sand can very easily get tracked in after a long day of sun and fun on the beach. How nice would it be to know that your vacation doesn’t have to end with you and the rest of the family engaging in a massive clean-up of your rental space before handing the keys back to the owner?

When you think about how much it costs for a weekend away with the family, adding an extra $90 into the budget really won’t make that big of an impact. You can choose to hire Aloha Maids in advance, or you can give them a call the day before you leave, as they are usually always able to get someone out on pretty short notice. That will give you a few extra hours of time to enjoy your time away which might otherwise be spent cleaning up after the family.

Spring Cleaning Orange County

2014-05-23T08:23:00.002-07:00

There seems to be a biological need to get the house in order once the dark clouds of winter have rolled away. What we now refer to as spring cleaning can in fact be traced back through the years to a number of different practices in other parts of the world. The tradition that most fits with how we view spring cleaning today can be traced all the way back to ancient Iran, or Persia as it was known at that time. Their New Year fell on the same day as the first day of spring, which led to many “shaking the house” to have it clean from top to bottom for the start of the New Year.

There are other parts of the world and civilization that have had similar cleansing rituals down through the years, bit some of the need to clean may in fact be psychological. It is no secret that people tend to become a little depressed and moody during the winter months. When the better weather arrives in the spring months, that weight is lifted and people feel the need to get busy, usually starting by dusting away the cobwebs that have accumulated in the house as well as in the head.

Another thing to consider is that Easter arrives when the spring months finally appear on the calendar. That is often a time when families get together to celebrate the season and have a family dinner. If you are hosting such an even, you certainly don’t want your guests to walk into a home that hasn’t been given much in the way of TLC in the previous months. Whatever the reasons, spring just seems like the perfect time to start opening up the home and making it feel fresh and clean again.

The problem that many people face is finding the time to do the type of spring cleaning that they want. There is more to the process than just a little bit of dusting and vacuuming, as the old winter clothes have to be packed away and the spring clothes brought out of storage. It’s a task that can seem overwhelming when you look at the big picture, but the good news is that there is help out there if you need it. Spring cleaning is no longer a chore that has to be done alone.

If you need some house cleaning Orange County help, you need look no further than the good folks at Aloha Maids. A job that might take you days to complete can be done in a matter of hours when you leave the professionals to it. Having someone come in and clean your house means you have time to take care of all the other details, such as packing up all the winter clothes. There really is nothing better than welcoming the spring with a home that looks and smells great, except perhaps when someone else comes in and does all the hard work for you.

Black Market Maids

2013-02-18T08:01:00.001-08:00

Would you hire someone to clean your house who is already stealing money from you? If you hire someone directly without first accepting an ITIN number or Social Security number, you are participating on the black market. The black market is a cash economy that enables workers to receive an income without "paying in," to the system. Our taxes go towards maintaining public education, public health, improving roadways, safety, crime prevention, etc. etc.

What are your alternatives. In California, you have 2 liable alternatives. Find out what are your alternatives in your state.

1. You can hire a traditional maid service. If you hire a maid service, make sure that they have a business license, and liability insurance. Ask them how they pay their workers. Make sure their workers have signed a contract or a W2 form. Many companies that hire house cleaners, do not even declare their workers on their payroll. This is illegal. It is important to ask the tough questions because there are a lot of maid services that are out of compliance with labor laws.

2. You can contract a maid through an agency. If a maid agency is in compliance with the law, they will have the word "maid agency," written near their logo on their website and other advertising materials. Maid agencies are more affordable, but are unaccountable for liability insurance. If you contract through a maid agency you are directly responsible and in control of the labor. The advantage of an agency is you will more likely have to pay less money to the agency because they only have to handle advertising expenses and finding skilled labor. Legal referral agency will also have their subcontractors fill out a W9 form. Their contractors are directly responsible to pay income tax.

What is the best option? It really depends on your personality. If you want a maid service that is "stream lined," then a maid company would probably be the best for you. If the maid company is in compliance, they may bring you quality and security, but that is usually at a cost.

If you want a service that is "customizable," then it is better to hire through an agency. An agency will not bring you the same security as hiring through a maid service company, but it will be much more inexpensive.

For House Cleaning is PH a big deal?

2013-01-13T22:34:00.000-08:00

If you are cleaning your house, and you have not read the MSDS on any of your home cleaning products, there is a good chance you, or your house cleaners are depreciating the integrity of your home. Multi purpose cleaners, are not always house friendly.

I used to clean granite counter tops with "Green Works." I thought to myself, it's green, it can't be bad on granite tops. I called Green Works (Colgate) company and asked them the PH level of their products, they said 9- 11. I asked them, "If you make green products, why not have them PH balanced so that they are safe to use on stone, granite, wood, etc.?" She responded that she didn't know.

Most multipurpose soaps (surfactants) like 409, Simple Green, most dish soaps, and Green Works are in the base range from PH 8- 13. There are some acids used to treat hard water, like CLR, Lime Away, and vinegar that are in the lower range PH 2-6. Neutral surfactants, granite, stone, and wood cleaners are usually neutral PH 7.

The safe bet for multi-use cleaning is Dawn dish soap. It's cheap, you can use it to clean dishes. You can also use this product on almost any cleaning job because it is PH 7 neutral and it is a great surfactant. Dawn is also non harmful for the environment. Most people also like Dawn for the smell. There are other green cleaners, but you need to read the MSDS to know there PH levels, or call the company and ask.

Vinegar vs. Clorox What is the best cleaning product?

2012-10-11T23:20:00.001-07:00

This is straight from the Heinz Vinegar MSDS and from Clorox Bleach MSDS.

Vinegar:

Effects of Exposure: prolonged inhalation of vapors can cause irritation to respiratory tract. eyes:will cause eye irritation - smarting and reddening of the eye.

Vs.

Bleach:

Eye irritant. May cause skin irritation. Some clinical reports suggest a low potential for sensitization upon exaggerated exposure to sodium hypochlorite if skin damage (e.g. irritation) occurs during exposure.

Vinegar:
Hazardous ingredients- none specified by manufacturer

Vs.

Bleach:

Sodium hypochlorite 1 - 3%

Sodium hydroxide 0.5 - 1.5%

Lauramine oxide 0.5 - 1.5%

Vinegar Protection and Precautions

Ventilation: none specified by manufacturer.

Protective Gloves: none specified by manufacturer.

Eye Protection: none specified by manufacturer.

Other Protective Equipment: none specified by manufacturer.

Work Hygienic Practices: none specified by manufacturer.

Vs.

Bleach Protection and Precautions

Hygienic Practices: Wash hands after direct contact. Do not wear productcontaminated clothing for prolonged periods.

Engineering Controls: Use general ventilation to minimize exposure to product mist.

Vinegar Protective Equipment:
Non specified by manufacturer

Vs.

Bleach Protective Equipment: Wear safety glasses. Wear rubber or neoprene gloves if there is the potential for repeated or prolonged skin contact. In situations where exposure limits may be exceeded, a NIOSH approved respirator is advised.

Vinegar Spill Procedures

If vinegar is spilled, water may be used to dilute. neutralizing agent: none specified by manufacturer. Waste disposal methods: disposal must be i/a/w federal, state & local regulations (fp n). Handling and storage precautions: none specified by manufacturer. Other precautions: none specified by manufacturer.

Vs.

Bleach Spill Procedures

Spill Procedures: Absorb and containerize. Wash residual down to sanitary sewer. Contact the sanitary treatment facility in advance to assure ability to process washed-down material. For spills of multiple products, responders should evaluate the MSDS’s of the products for incompatibility with sodium

hypochlorite. Breathing protection should be worn in enclosed and/or poorlyventilated areas until hazard assessment is complete. Waste Disposal: Dispose of in accordance with all applicable federal, state,

and local regulations.

Can you die from drinking vinegar?

Vs.

Can you die from drinking Bleach?

Yes

The Cleaning Professor

2012-09-24T15:27:00.003-07:00

I have heard a lot of wonderful things about the Cleaning Professor. Here is a link to his website.

Why is Chlorine Bleach dangerous?

2012-09-20T00:07:00.000-07:00

2 NaCl + 2 H₂O → Cl₂ + H₂ + 2 NaOH

Chlorine

First of all, bleach can ruin your carpets, it's terrible for the environment, and it really smells bad.

More importantly, bleach is bad for your health.

The main effects of exposure to chlorine bleach include diseases of the lungs.

*Bleach causes breathing problems including asthma and allergies. The FDA suggests against using chlorine bleach to clean mold.

There is no information currently available about whether chlorine causes cancer, but when applied with certain other chemicals and household materials, chlorine releases deadly toxins.

Chlorine is especially harmful when mixed with other acidic chemicals such as ammonia or vinegar.

Chlorine bleach kills more children than any other house hold chemical.

Chlorine is relatively similar to organochlorines. Organochlorines have been blamed for many of the new cancers that have developed in modern society including breast cancer.

Our suggestion is to use vinegar. Vinegar can be mixed with other bleach free products like baking soda and dish soap and has no harmful effects.

Resources *Journal compilation 2006 Blackwell Munksgaard

How to Clean your Oven

2012-09-17T23:25:00.001-07:00

The stove and oven is the very hardest place to clean in your house. The reason is, when you cook, unless you clean your stove and oven every time; the grease and grime is literally being cooked into your appliances.

Before you start, you must wear gloves to clean this part of your kitchen. You may also want to use a mask to cover your mouth, or a towel. I usually fold a towel and put it in front of my mouth, and it works really well.

To clean your stove, the first thing you need to do is remove the burner tops or covers. Put them into the sink, later to be scrubbed and rinsed. Next you need to spray Easy- Off on the burner tops, and the top of your stove. I like to use green products, but for the stove and oven, Easy- Off seems to work best. If you have other ideas, please leave them for me. :-)

Afterwards, spray the grill racks in your oven. Take them out, and also place them in your sink. Now spray all inside your oven wherever you see grease or grime. After you are done spraying, you will need to wait at least 15 minutes for the acid in the chemical to eat away at the grease. After 15 minutes, you are ready to scrub.

Clean your stove top with a scotch bright sponge, and then wipe it down with a paper towel. Do the same with the inside of the oven. To clean the stove grill tops and oven racks, you may need a metal scouring pad. Scrub and rinse all metal items and return them into their proper places. Now you know how to clean your stove and oven.

You may have a self cleaning oven. Use that often, and you will not need to use any chemicals at all. It is safe to use pumice on some ovens. After you have done that deep clean one time with the easy off, you can keep the grill and oven clean by spraying vinegar after each use, letting it sit, then wiping it down.

After you clean your oven with easy off, best preheat for 7-8 minutes at 350 degrees before cooking anything.

How to Prepare for your House Cleaning

2012-05-16T23:22:00.000-07:00

Most house cleaners need plenty of time to good work and to prevent accidents.

They are discouraged to move anything that looks fragile and breakable. Although they have tall poles for reaching high places, their hands can only go as far as a two step ladder will take them.

If you have any valuable jewelry or valuable coins, it is best to lock it in a safe or put it into a drawer. The problem is, small valuables can easily fall to the carpet and later can be vacuumed.

If something is broken, please tell the house cleaners in advanced, so that they can know to avoid certain parts of the house. If something is fragile, please tell them not to touch it, or how it should be handled.

If you have clutter, just put it to the side. To avoid embarrassment, put dirty undergarments into your closet, drawer, or laundry hamper.

If you have pets, please clean up after them so that they can focus on their work and not have to be discomforted by the smell of pet excrement. Please put large dogs outside.

Please do not point or ask the cleaners to clean the same area more than once. Retracing their steps can break concentration. House cleaners do best when they are undistracted. Be reasonable with your workers, and they can attend to any of your needs after our work is done.

Be merciful when judging their work. House cleaning is very arduous. If it was easy, you wouldn't have hired them in the first place. It is not expected that you tip your cleaners, but they do appreciate any amount you have to offer, even if it is only a dollar.

Open communication is important, please tell them what you would like serviced and they will try to attend to it. There are only a few parts of your house that are charged extra for: inside of cabinets, inside of fridge, and the inside of the oven. Please tell them while they are making their estimate if you want any of the previously listed items attended to.

Remember, the nicer you treat your house cleaners, the better theye will treat your house!

Take a vacation from house cleaning.

The Secret is Out, Vinegar for House Cleaning

2012-05-14T09:04:00.001-07:00

The Secret is Out! Vinegar cleans and disinfects!

I have finally decided to reveal the final super ingredient that I like to use for house cleaning.
The secret is out!

The grand thing about vinegar is that it goes so nicely with all of our other products. You can make a cocktail with dish soap and water. Put a little Bon Ami on a sponge, and no worries!

You don't get any toxic fumes like you do when you mix other products. For some jobs, I spray vinegar directly onto the surface of the sponge. Vinegar has acidic properties that are useful for cutting through grease, lime, and vinegar also disinfects and kills harmful bacteria. I sometimes mix vinegar with essence of lemon to make it more fragrant. Click on the following link for 1001 uses of vinegar.

12 Facts and Myths about House Cleaning Products

2012-05-05T05:30:00.002-07:00

12 Facts and Myths about House Cleaning Products

1. Myth= You need a specific granite cleaner for your marble or granite counter tops.

Fact= You can use soap, but it must be diluted phosphate free biodegradable soap to avoid “build up.”

2. Myth= The best way to kill toilet ring is with Lysol or a heavy chemical

Fact= Toilet ring can only be cleaned easily with the grinding of pumice and followed by scrubbing with a nonmetallic brush

3. Myth= You need to use bleach to kill mold and other germs.

Fact= Bleach only kills mold on non- porous surfaces. EPA recommends that mold and bacteria can be best cleaned by scrubbing with soapy water.

4. Myth= Chlorine Bleach is not “that bad” for you.

Fact= OSHA and the EPA does not recommend using chlorine bleach for disinfecting mold. Bleach combined with other chemicals has been used in modern warfare.

5. Myth= You need to use strong chemicals to remove shower scum and lime scale.

Fact= For lime scale and most other tough jobs, you can use vinegar. T

6. Myth= If I use Bleach, I do not have to scrub.

Fact= Bleach is a whitener that defeats mold only on some surfaces. In most cases, even with bleach, you still have to scrub.

7. Myth= Chemicals make cleaning more efficient and easier.

Fact= House cleaners that use chemicals often rely too heavily on the chemicals to do the cleaning, when most jobs need attention to detail, and a good firm scrub.

8. Myth= Liquid bleach is safe to have around the house.

Fact= More children have died from poisoning by liquid bleach than any other household chemical

9. Myth= Using bleach is the best and easiest way to clean my house.

Fact= Bleach is toxic, deadly, and unnecessary.

10. Myth= Bleach can be easily removed from my carpet.

Fact= Bleach is impossible to remove.

11. Myth= Nontoxic biodegradable products do not work

Fact= People have been cleaning their houses with these products for centuries.

If you want to take a vacation from house cleaning, check out www.aloha-ca.com

How to create perfect vacuum lines

2012-03-25T15:45:00.000-07:00

The Perfect Vacuum Lines

In order to be a terrific house keeper, you must always prepare in advance. I always plug the vacuum in where I plan on finishing my lines. That way you do not have to hassle with flipping the cable over the top of the vacuum and then back around. It is best to start from a corner and at the end of the room, and work towards the door. Push your vacuum slowly towards your target, and bring it back quickly at an angle. Make sure that every time you push your vacuum forward, you are making a straight line. When you get to the door, you will probably need to make more of a rounded line. It looks kind of like a flower when you are done if you do it right. When you can move furniture easily, move it, and then vacuum in the objects place, and then place the object back where it belongs. Many of the newer model vacuums do not cut close enough to the carpet. I recommend buying a Eureka Sanitaire.

How to get hard water stains off your shower doors

2012-03-21T23:12:00.000-07:00

I used to use heavy chemicals to clean hard water stains, like CLR and Lime Away, until I learned about PH levels in cleaners. For hard water, you need something very acidic. Water is PH neutral or PH 7. The lower the PH is, the more acidic the product is. The more acidic, the more effective.

CLR and Lime away have PH levels 3-4. Pretty acidic. But not as acidic as vinegar PH 2. Vinegar is freakishly acidic; yet it is not bad for the environment and better for your health than other cleaning products. Vinegar is useful for cleaning because it kills bacteria and germs, plus it also removes hard water.

Here's how your remove hard water. Spray vinegar all over your shower doors. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Scrub with the green part of a scotch bright sponge. (Don't scrub too hard or you may scratch the surface). The hard water should come off like butter.

For professional cleaning, look for a house cleaning company with great testimonials.

The Man Maid

2012-03-13T14:48:00.000-07:00

I want to thank everyone so far for checking out my blog. I have been doing this for only a month now, and I already have over 2,000 views. Please spread the word to everyone that you only need few products to keep your house clean, and there is no reason to use anything that is harmful for your health or harmful to the environment. Also, please ask questions and give me any feed back if you would like. If you want to ask me something in person, please feel free to call me, Wyatt Chambers (949) 310- 1892

How to clean blinds the fast and easy way

2012-03-11T22:10:00.000-07:00

Shudders are the best! If you can buy shudders instead of blinds, do it. It will save you hours of cleaning time, and headache. It's so easy to clean shudders. First, you close them buy pulling the center rod up or down until the horizontal blinds make a flat plane. Then you wipe them with a damp microfiber cloth. Finally, you reach inside the shudder in order to open the shudders, exposing the window. Clean the window sill, and finally wipe down the other side of the shudder.

Most people leave the shudders open, which makes it hard to reach inside and clean each one... when it is much easier if you leave them closed.

Window blinds are a little trickier. In order to clean them, you first have to close them one way. Wipe them down, and then close them the other way. They are tricky, because sometimes they break, and if they are really dirty, you need to use a large scrub brush, and lots of soap and water. When I say soap, I mean dish soap. I know it sounds crazy, but it works! Whenever you use this method, make sure you put towels all around.

Vertical blinds are the worst. Only one way to clean them. You take two damp rags, and wipe them down from top to bottom. Squeeze each blind between the two rags while doing so. These blinds are awful to clean, because the break so easily!

Two solutions with mini blinds. You can either leave them, and clean them with a damp rag, or you can remove them, and hose them off. It's actually better to leave them. If they are really dirty, I like to use a scrub brush, and a lot of soap. Again... whenever you use this method, make sure you put towels all around.

How to clean a really dirty toilet without chemicals

2012-03-11T10:46:00.004-07:00

Do you have toilet rings? I know that this seems like it would be harmful to use, but the fact is, your toilet is made out of a material that is much stronger than the stone. Here are instructions on how to clean a toilet that is really dirty, without using chemicals.

First, clean the toilet with Dawn dish soap and a toilet brush.
Next, if their are still marks on your toilet, use a pumice stick to rub out the marks. Make sure the stone is wet before you use it.
Third, flush your toilet, and use a fragrance soap to cover up the smell.

How to become a GREEN house cleaner

2012-03-09T22:53:00.000-08:00

Are you tired of using toxic chemicals? Why not go green? There are many reasons to go green. You are protecting the environment, you're protecting your carpets and other valuables, and you are protecting your health. Let's face it, you can't afford to use chemicals, so, why use them? Especially, when there are so many great alternatives.

Let's get organized. To start, you will need a double sided bucket. You can organize it however you like. Here is what they look like.

Next, you need some Scotch- Bright sponges. This will be the tool that you will be using the most.

Third, you will need a multipurpose surfactant or degreasor. You can also use dish soap. There are many brands, try to use something that does not have any dangerous chemicals and that has neutral PH7 balance. That way you can use it on wood, natural stone, granite, marble, and other delicate surfaces.

For disinfecting, and for hard water stains, you can use vinegar. Vinegar can be safely mixed with any of these two products, and is a powerful cleaning tool that can be used for just about any job.

For scrubbing, you will need Bon Ami to scrub out mold and mildew stains and other sticky messes.

You will need some brushes different sizes are important.

You will need a small squeegie, for obvious reasons.

You need a small plastic cup to hold water and soap. Also to rinse the soap every time you wash your shower. You may also want to bring with you plastic cups with handles.

Make sure you use fresh new rags in every room. Here are my favorite kinds of rags. They are called Microfiber rags. They are in the car washing equipment section at Costco.

Now that you have your bucket, you will need a professional vacuum. Here is the vacuum that I recommend. I like the Eureka Sanitaire professional vacuum. This is an oldie, but a goodie. It has powerful suction, and they are easy and affordable to repair. The best vacuums ever made!

Now you need a mop. I prefer flat mops with microfiber adaptors. They clean well, and can be used on all surfaces. You don't even need chemicals to clean your floors, only water. Did you know that the microfiber material even kills bacteria as it cleans. For commercial cleaning, rubbermaid has the best microfiber mop.

For cobwebs located in high places, I use one of these. It's called a cob web duster.

Besides this, you will probably need step stools or a step ladder.

Lastly, for those tough jobs, or for when the toilet has those nasty toilet rings, you will need a pumice stone.

Lastly, you will need a broom or canister vacuum. If you are going to use a canister vacuum, I would choose Sanitaire, or Electrolux Mighty Mite. These are all very well designed vacuums for hard floors.

Do you have these tools? You can buy them all for around $300

Now you are ready to clean a house without chemicals. You can clean an entire house with this system, and make everything look great.

The Man Maid

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Why is Chlorine Bleach dangerous?

2 NaCl + 2 H2O → Cl2 + H2 + 2 NaOH

Chlorine

How to Clean your Oven

How to Prepare for your House Cleaning

The Secret is Out, Vinegar for House Cleaning

The Secret is Out! Vinegar cleans and disinfects!

12 Facts and Myths about House Cleaning Products

How to create perfect vacuum lines

How to get hard water stains off your shower doors

The Man Maid

How to clean blinds the fast and easy way

How to clean a really dirty toilet without chemicals

How to become a GREEN house cleaner

2 NaCl + 2 H₂O → Cl₂ + H₂ + 2 NaOH