Professional Housekeeping & Cleaning Tips Blog

Getting Your Partner to Help With Cleaning

by: Jamie | February 2, 2023

Watching Morrisville, NC, house cleaning services work their magic in your home is an amazing sight. The professionals you hired are highly motivated and enthusiastic about their duty. You might share the same passion for home upkeep, but what about your partner? You may have a hard time getting them on board, but we’ll help you solve the problem.

Read on for the 5 best tips for motivating your partner to help you clean.

Should couples share household chores?

Sharing household chores as a couple is one of the best ways to improve your relationship. It can elevate your intimacy and bond, allowing you to connect with your partner in a new way. Plus, the more people doing the housework, the less overwhelming your chores are.

How do I ask my partner for help with cleaning?

The best thing about today’s cleaning industry is that you no longer have to rely on simple and ineffective supplies used back in the day. These were often unnecessary housekeeping products that slowed you down. If you still have such products, it could be one of the reasons your partner isn’t willing to clean.

There can be many other culprits for their lack of motivation, but the following tips should help you make them pitch in:

Voice your frustration

You can’t make your loved one pick up the slack if you don’t tell them you want them to do so. Therefore, discuss your frustrations and inform them you’d like them to help you clean the house.

Don’t ask at the wrong moment

Asking your partner for help after a fight can only make things worse. They may be even more reluctant to clean, so leave the discussion for when your emotions aren’t riled up. You’ll be able to solve the problem and increase the chances of recruiting your spouse for your housework.

Create a specific plan

Once your partner is on board, divide your responsibilities clearly to keep them motivated. Chores will be easier for both of you, and there will be less uncertainty as to who should do what.

For example, you could ask your spouse to clean up the kitchen after you’re done cooking. They could also do the dishes while you scrub the floor.

Specific responsibilities allow you to cooperate and minimize stress. Whatever schedule you develop, it should be suitable for your family’s dynamic.

Adopt flexibility

Some chores are harder than others. Furthermore, your partner might have had a hard day at work. Burdening them with additional chores could make them think you don’t care about their feelings.

To avoid this, postpone the job for another day when they feel better or do the work on their behalf. They can return the favor when the roles are reversed.

Don’t micromanage

When asking for help, keep in mind that your spouse might not perform the chore up to your standards. Let it go for the time being. See if your partner improves, and if not, tell them what they’re doing wrong.

Why burden yourself and your partner when top-rated Morrisville, NC, house cleaning services are here for you?

The last thing you want is for you and your loved one to spend your day off cleaning your Morrisville home. You’d much rather have a romantic walk by Lake Crabtree.

If you think your home will still be a mess by the time you come back, no worries – Dust and Mop can take care of it for you. Our specialists use robust sponges and top-quality mops to remove even the most stubborn stains. A thorough service is guaranteed.

Book your cleaning today!

The Evolution of Housekeeping Tools & Chemicals

by: Jamie | February 2, 2023

The best thing about hiring house cleaning services in Morrisville, NC, is getting a pristine home in no time. Professionals have years of experience, allowing them to tackle even the dirtiest areas routinely. They also have access to highly effective equipment and chemicals, but these supplies weren’t always around.

This begs the question – how did home upkeep look like before modern chemicals and tools? Let’s go on a quick trip through housekeeping history!

How did people clean before chemicals?

Modern home maintenance is worlds apart from the old ways, but there could be a few things in common. For instance, people may have had trouble getting their partners to help with housekeeping throughout history, not just today. They might have also had to use poorly-designed supplies that did more harm than good.

But what did they use to sanitize their homes when they didn’t have chemicals? Besides water, the only product people used was vinegar. Their homes were polished up, disinfected, and odor-free all at once.

When were cleaning products invented?

The first cleaning products were invented around 2800 BC by the ancient Babylonians. They combined water, wood ash, and animal fat, creating the world’s first soap inadvertently.

Other nations used similar recipes to form soap, with some adding oils to improve the efficiency of this product. This included the Ancient Romans and Greeks.

For thousands of years, soap used to be a luxury product, and countries often taxed it. When they made it more affordable, people had easier access to an effective cleaning product. In the middle of the 1800s, many scientists studied and enhanced soap chemistry. Its usage spread, and costs were further reduced.

At the end of this century, B.J. Johnson created the first liquid soap formula to revolutionize the cleaning industry. He combined olive oils with palm, and his mixture was an instant hit. It allowed homeowners to clean more easily and keep up with their hygiene demands.

Another event that increased the popularity of soap and liquid soap was the invention of the washing machine in the early 20th century. There were also a few advancements in the chemistry of these products, which eventually led to the creation of detergents. In fact, detergents became even more popular than soap after World War II.

Nowadays, most things you refer to as soap are detergents.

Although soap is the most important product ever created, modern cleaning wouldn’t be possible without the following equipment:

Mop – Thomas W. Steward invented the mop in 1893. It was made of yarn and was quickly used for industrial and household cleaning.
Vacuum – Huber Cecil Booth developed the first vacuum in London in 1901.
Microfiber cloths – Little is known about the invention of microfiber cloth, but it’s certain that Swedes first marketed the item in 1990.
Feather duster – Susan Hibbard developed the feather duster in 1876, paving the way for other women to patent inventions.
Sponge – Otto Bayer created the first kitchen sponge in 1937.

How do you hire the best house cleaning services in Morrisville, NC? Just give us a call!

Keeping your Morrisville home dirt-free is hard. It’s an energy and time-consuming task. Plus, it’s hard to stay motivated to scrub for hours since there are better ways to spend your day, such as golfing at Prestonwood Country Club.

Luckily, you don’t have to sacrifice your free time to do housework. The professionals at Dust and Mop are eager to take over. Give us a call, and our industrious maids will scour your home using effective tools made of durable materials. Tell us what areas you want us to place special emphasis on, like your bathroom or kitchen, and we’ll deliver a breathtaking service.

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3-Step Kitchen Countertop Cleaning Guide

by: Jamie | December 29, 2022

You can’t cut corners when cleaning and disinfecting the kitchen. Every part of the room needs to be addressed, especially the countertops. However, this is often easier said than done because not all countertops are made of the same materials. This means you need to use appropriate techniques to preserve the finish.

Your go-to Holly Springs, NC, maid services will help you do just that. Keep reading for a comprehensive 3-step guide to cleaning kitchen countertops!

How do I clean and disinfect my countertops?

Like scouring your fridge using the right technique and getting rid of stains on your oven, scrubbing your countertops is an essential kitchen chore. It contributes to the overall cleanliness and can take the look of the room to a whole new level.

The key to cleaning and disinfecting your countertops properly is to use a suitable method. The process involves three steps with some variation, depending on the material:

Step 1 – Clean

The first step is to remove light dirt from your countertops. Here’s what you can do for some of the most popular materials:

Laminate – Apply a mild liquid detergent and water with a cotton cloth. Don’t use harsh products based on acids, steel wool, and scouring pads.
Stone – Wash your engineered stone countertop with water and mild soap.
Stainless steel – Wipe stainless steel countertops with water and soap. Buff the surface with microfiber towels and cleaners specifically designed for your product. Also, avoid steel wool and scrubbing pads because they can leave scratches.
Granite and marble – Combine mild dish soap and water into a spray bottle and shake it. Apply the mixture to the surface and clean using a microfiber towel. Again, acidic and abrasive cleaners are a no-go.

Step 2 – Remove stains

Now’s the time to get rid of stubborn stains on your countertops:

Laminate – Pour some water into a bowl and add baking soda. Stir the ingredients to form a paste and apply it to stains. Let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes and rinse using a microfiber cloth. Avoid scrubbing because baking soda is mildly abrasive. Repeat the process if necessary.
Stone – You can handle most stains on stone countertops with water and soap. For more stubborn stains, apply some glass cleaner with a non-abrasive sponge.
Stainless steel – Contrary to popular belief, stainless steel attracts lots of stains. To remove them, apply a mixture of baking soda and dish soap to the stains. Rub them with a microfiber cloth until they’re gone.
Granite and marble – You can combat stains on granite and marble countertops with hydrogen peroxide and baking soda if the stains are water-based. Oil-based stains should be addressed with water and baking soda. Apply your paste, cover it with some plastic wrap, tape the edges, and let the mixture sit for a couple of days before rinsing.

Step 3 – Disinfect

Many people disinfect their countertops with bleach and even mix it with other cleaning products, which can be a major mistake. The substance is highly abrasive and can damage most materials. Rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol is a much safer option:

Combine equal amounts of rubbing alcohol and water into a spray bottle.
Dampen the countertop with a moist rag.
Wipe your counter with the alcohol solution.
Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes and clean with a damp cloth.
Allow the countertop to air dry.

Need help cleaning your countertops? Get in touch with blue-ribbon Holly Springs, NC, maid services!

Even if your countertops are forgiving, achieving the perfect finish can take a lot of time. Once you’re done, you might be too tired to enjoy the fresh air at Bass Lake Park. But what if you could have impeccable countertops without wearing yourself down? That’s where Dust and Mop comes in.

Reach out to us, and we can make light work of your countertops. We’ll go above and beyond to restore their old sheen before proceeding to scrub and make your kitchen cabinets shine. Our hard-working maids are here for you. Book today for in-depth cleaning!

How to Keep Your Kitchen Cabinets Spotless

by: Jamie | December 29, 2022

You may often hire trustworthy maid services in Holly Springs, NC, to clean your living room and bathroom. After all, this is where you and your visitors spend most of the time. However, you can’t ignore the kitchen if you’re concerned about the look of your place. Each part of the room can make or break the appearance of your home, but the cabinets require the most attention.

If you’re struggling to deal with dust and dirt on your kitchen cabinets, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll give you a few tips to make the job a lot easier.

How do you get grease and grime off wood cabinets?

Cleaning your cabinets is just as important as other kitchen chores. This includes making your fridge look good as new and tackling stubborn stains on the oven. But what’s the secret to getting a spotless finish?

There are a few ways to get impeccable kitchen cabinets. Since most people have wooden units, let’s see how you can rid products of this material from grease and grime:

General cleaning

If you’re looking for a natural way to clean your cabinets, you can use vinegar:

Combine equal amounts of warm water and vinegar in a spray bottle.
Apply the solution to your cabinets.
Let the mixture rest for 2-3 minutes and wipe the cabinets with a microfiber cloth.
If the cabinets are extra grimy, repeat the process but add a couple of drops of dishwashing detergent into your vinegar solution.

Another option is to use olive oil and white vinegar:

Find a 16-oz spray bottle.
Pour 4 tablespoons of white vinegar, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and add water to fill your bottle (around 2 cups).
Shake the bottle to mix the ingredients.
Spray the solution onto your cabinets and let the mixture sit for a couple of minutes. Shake the bottle before each spray to make sure the oil is mixed in.
Scrub the cabinets with s microfiber cloth to get rid of dirt.
Buff the surfaces to make them shine

Deep cleaning

You can again use vinegar to give your cabinets a deep cleaning. However, you’ll need to combine it with something more potent than olive oil. Here’s a great technique:

Combine salt and vinegar into a paste.
Dip an old toothbrush into your paste and gently scrub the cabinets. Scrubbing too hard may scratch the wood.
Rinse your paste with water and dry the elements using a clean towel.
If this doesn’t do the trick, put some baking soda onto a damp sponge and clean the stains. Apply it with a soft toothbrush to avoid scratching the surface.

Once you’re done cleaning, you can protect the cabinets from stains by buffing them with a mixture of vinegar and oil in equal amounts. Rub the solution into the cabinets with a soft cloth and buff until shiny.

What is the best cleaner for kitchen cabinets?

Kitchen cabinets are relatively forgiving, but you can’t use just about any cleaner. Here are the safest and most effective options:

Regular vinegar
Distilled white vinegar
Olive oil
Baking soda

What’s the most effective way to shine your kitchen cabinets? Schedule top-quality maid services in Holly Springs, NC!

Even if you’re a detail-oriented Holly Springs homeowner, finding the right approach to cleaning kitchen cabinets can be hard. Different materials require different methods. Mastering them takes time, which you’d rather spend watching your kid’s soccer game at Parrish Womble Park.

Thankfully, there’s no need to rack your brains – reach out to Dust and Mop. Our highly accomplished professionals can thoroughly clean your entire kitchen, not just the cabinets. They can remove dirt from your marble and stone countertops, scrub the fridge, and do a lot more to breathe new life into the room. Give us a call today to witness our expertise and commitment!

How to Clean Up an Oven Like a Pro

by: Jamie | December 2, 2022

You rely on your oven every day to help you cook delicious food. Besides being one of the most useful appliances, it can also collect piles of grease and dirt. You often hire Holly Springs, NC, house cleaning services to take care of the mess, which is a great decision. After all, even the most skilled homeowner can’t clean the appliance as well as the professionals can.

But what if you needed some DIY tips to clean your oven in an emergency? If so, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll discuss the most efficient way to scrub your oven when you’re not a professional cleaner – keep reading!

What is the best way to clean the inside of an oven?

Like with any other kitchen chore (e.g., dealing with the mess inside and outside your fridge), you need to be thorough when cleaning the oven. Here are a few tips to point you in the right direction:

Take proper safety measures

You should first make sure you don’t get injured when cleaning your oven. To do so, turn off the appliance and wait for it to cool down.

Mix a DIY cleaning solution using water and baking soda

There are many commercial products that are purpose-made for oven cleaning, but some of them are expensive. Others don’t do nearly as good of a job as advertised. Luckily, you can stick to natural homemade cleaners, such as baking soda and water.

Combine half a cup of baking soda and a couple of tablespoons of water in a bowl. Stir with a spoon until you form a paste. You can replace baking soda with ammonia to produce the same effect. It’s just as effective, if not more effective, than sodium bicarbonate.

Cover the appliance in your paste

Put on rubber gloves and dip your fingers into the bowl with baking soda. Take a generous amount and spread the paste all over the inside of the oven. Apply more mixture on grimy sections. If your paste turns brownish, that’s completely normal.

Don’t forget to apply the paste to your glass door too. It might have heavy grease build-up due to all the food preparation.

Let your paste sit overnight

Allow your baking soda combination to rest in the oven for about 12 hours. Additionally, take out the racks and dip them in soapy water. You can also let them sit overnight.

Wipe down your oven and spray some vinegar

After your oven has soaked in the paste for about 12 hours, wipe down the inside with a moist dish cloth. You can use a spatula to scrape off the dried paste in hard-to-reach areas.

Afterward, pour white vinegar into your spray bottle. Spritz the substance inside the oven to get a sparkling finish. And don’t be alarmed when the baking soda reacts with your vinegar. It’ll foam up, which is perfectly normal.

Give it another wipe-down

Perform one last wipe-down inside your oven with a moist cloth, making sure to get every corner and get rid of any lingering baking soda. If necessary, spray some more white vinegar and wipe until the appliance is shining.

Return the racks

Once your interior is clean and dry, wipe down your oven racks with a clean cloth. Dry them and place them inside the oven.

Why waste energy on chores when superior Holly Springs, NC, house cleaning services are readily available?

Deep-cleaning your oven can be a hassle, especially if you’re busy or want to enjoy a leisurely walk by the Leslie-Alford-Mims House. You can avoid getting your hands dirty by booking Dust and Mop – the finest cleaning professionals in Holly Springs.

Reach out to us, and we’ll scrub your oven quickly and efficiently. We can also clean stubborn stains from your kitchen cabinets and shine them before scouring your countertops, regardless of the material they’re made of. We guarantee an impeccable kitchen. Book our qualified cleaners today!

Quick 7-Step Fridge Cleaning Guide

by: Jamie | December 2, 2022

The kitchen is one of the most beautiful parts of your home. However, it can also accumulate a ton of grease due to all the food preparation. The fridge is especially notorious for collecting dirt, and you often need house cleaning services in Holly Springs, NC, to deal with the mess.

But what if you decided to tackle it on your own? We’ll help you do so correctly. Read on, and you’ll find out the 7 steps to cleaning your fridge properly.

How do you deep clean a refrigerator?

You can clean your kitchen elements in any order. For instance, let’s say you’ve removed stains and grease from your oven. You now want to move onto your fridge. Here’s how to deep clean this appliance:

1. Ensure safety

Before you start cleaning, make sure your circuit breaker or fuse leading to the socket is switched off. Unplug the fridge to ensure safety whenever you use water around your fridge. You should also place a towel on the floor to absorb any spills, especially if it’s made of wood.

2. Remove food

Cleaning a fridge works like cleaning any other surface or room – you can’t do anything if there’s clutter. In this case, the clutter is the items inside the fridge. So, remove food and place it in a cooler while you scrub the appliance.

3. Wipe the interior

Use the following method to wipe the inside of your refrigerator:

Slide out bins and shelves.
Clean the interior of your appliance with a mixture that consists of one-quart water and two tablespoons of baking soda.
Rinse using a moist cloth and dry the surfaces using your towel.
Soak any removable section with the same baking soda mixture.
Scrub vigorously to remove stains.
Rinse and dry.

4. Clean the drip pan

Remove your base grill and locate your drip pan. If there’s water, use paper towels to mop it. Extract and wash your pan with soapy water. If the pan is fixed, put a cloth on a long brush, dampen it with soap and water, and clean the item.

5. Dust the coils

To make sure your unit runs efficiently, clean your condenser coils with a crevice attachment on the vacuum or coil brush. You should do this at least once every six months.

6. Replace the items inside

Wipe down the tops of lids and other elements to get rid of anything sticky before putting them back inside. Seafood, meat, and similar items should be placed on the bottom so that any spills don’t spread. You can also put a paper towel under liquids and in drawers to keep the appliance extra clean and free from condensation. Baking soda can absorb odors too.

7. Scour the exterior

Once you’ve taken care of the inside, you should now wipe the fridge doors using water, mild soap, and a cloth. Pay special attention to the area around your handles since they often have fingerprints. If you have a stainless steel exterior, apply a commercial spray solution and follow the direction of your grain when wiping. Finally, dry to avoid streaks.

How do you get a spick-and-span kitchen? You hire the leading house cleaning services in Holly Springs, NC!

Cleaning the refrigerator is just one step to getting a spotless kitchen in your Holly Springs home. You also need to make your cabinets look good as new and scrub your granite, marble, or stone countertops to perfection. These chores can be fun, but they can also be time-consuming.

Fortunately, you can outsource them to Dust and Mop. Let us scour your kitchen and other parts of your abode while you go to a baseball game at Ting Stadium. The results will amaze you! Schedule our top-rated services today!

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