Exterior Hints & Time Savers Archives

March 13, 2012July 7, 2023

5 Quick Tips for Spring Cleaning

With warmer months just around the corner, spring-cleaning isn’t far away. Whether you want to clear some of the winter clutter or just feel like a change in scenery, spring-cleaning can make it happen. Now is the perfect time to clean out the garage, basement and/or attic. If there are any items that you don’t plan to use, this article will tell you how to get rid of them while making money doing it. As we all know, this can take a lot of work but a few simple tips can make your spring-cleaning experience a breeze.

Tip 1:

If you are storing away your winter clothes, consider using large plastic storage containers that feature snap-on lids. These can be found in the house wares department at most stores and are very inexpensive. Storage containers are very important to keeping your clothes dust and discoloration free, which may otherwise be a problem if they are left hanging in the closet from one season to the next.

Tip 2:

When packing your clothes, roll them instead of folding. This not only eliminates creases and wrinkles, but also saves a lot of space. You will be able to pack a lot more clothes with this technique.

Tip 3:

Label your clothing containers as “Spring”, “Fall” and “Winter”. This will help you to easily locate your wardrobe inside the closet.

If you have any clothing that you don’t plan to wear or simply have outgrown, consider donating them to a local goodwill or other nonprofit organization. Rather than tossing them out, your clothes can provide revenue for a worthy cause and help the less fortunate to be able to afford clothing that would otherwise be unattainable.

Tip 4:

If you are looking to clear out some knick-knacks or perhaps even some Holiday decorations in order to make room for new ones, consider a trip to the local flea market. Everyone is looking for a bargain and they just may be looking for something that you no longer wish to own. A setup fee is usually required which, depending on the location, can be $10.00 to 20.00 per day. Otherwise, you can always sell items at internet auction sites, including Yahoo and eBay.

Tip 5:

Break down your chore list so that the overall task will be easier. For the bigger outside jobs like pressure washing driveways and decks etc. hire a company to make the over job of spring cleaning easy. Then break down the inside room by room and break it down over time to make it easier.

October 24, 2011July 7, 2023

Cleaning up Antifreeze

To dispose of antifreeze and reduce the amount of damage it does to the environment, is to take your car to an auto service center that has an antifreeze recycling machine. Or a designated re-cycle facility.

If there are no antifreeze recycling machines in your area, then flushing it down the drain is the next best step, though it is illegal in some areas and can still cause pollution. You should call your local waste water treatment facility to determine if they can accept antifreeze. If they can, then you can flush anti freeze diluted with water down your drain one gallon at a time. The best time to flush the diluted antifreeze is usually during the week, when the sewage system is in full use so that the antifreeze can be passed through the system quickly. If you have septic systems do not flush down the drain.

Additionally, some landfills or garbage transfer stations accept non hazardous antifreeze, in most cases this information can be found online on the company or government websites.

If you have spilled antifreeze do you best to collect as much as possible using towels and or mop and water and dispose the collected antifreeze diluted with water as stated above.

Additional Information

Antifreeze should not be poured down storm drains, into rivers or on the ground.

Store Antifreeze in a closed container away from animals, as they can be attracted to its scent.

Do not mix antifreeze with any other waste product that is thrown in the trash.

Use only properly labelled containers to reduce the possibility of mixing chemicals.

July 17, 2011July 7, 2023

Commercial Cleaning

When should you be employing a commercial cleaning company to help with your cleaning? Certainly as a business you would hire a commercial cleaning company allowing your employees to focus on the work which makes your business successful. When would you hire a commercial cleaning company for yourself personally? There are a few scenarios where hiring one is essential for sure. As an example if you have any type of fire damage, you certainly need a trained professional in this case to evaluate and clean and repair any damage should a fire occur in your home. It may not necessarily mean it has to be a large fire, a small appliance fire and cause significant damage to a home from surfaces affected by the smoke damage which requires professional cleaning to electronics affected by the smoke etc

Another scenario where you would require a commercial cleaning company is if you have water, or mold damage to your home. A leak or burst pipe and cause tremendous damage that if not properly cleaned or accessed can cause even further damage or health issues if the leak is not repaired properly or cleaned up and dried out professionally. Even high humidity or warm, moist air condensing on cool surfaces can trigger mold problems. It is always best to have the mold evaluated and removed by a professional cleaning company.

When you have large volumes of cleaning to be done is another situation where you would require a commercial cleaning company, like a post construction cleaning. Even a very small renovation will cause enough dust and dirt to make doing it on your own a task too tough to tackle.

The last scenario where you would want to hire a commercial cleaning company is if you just want a greater quality of life, and don’t want to do the cleaning anymore. Part of it is just not wanting to have to work after you have finished work. So you can relax when you are home. Allot has to do with how neat you are in your day to day life, if you are always tidying up after doing the cooking, etc. Then maybe major cleaning is never really necessary. But if you are like me and have young children and teenagers in the house no matter how neat or on top of it you are a major cleaning is always in the cards each week. Either way, take the time to research the prospective cleaning company you hire, are they experienced in the type of cleaning you need to get done. Does the company do a lot work in the area where you need the cleaning done? This is important because if they do not do a lot of work in your area when your regular cleaner is sick, they will not be able to replace them easily. Do they have insurance? Have they done police record checks on their employees? These are all things to consider when looking for a commercial cleaning company.

May 10, 2011

Do’s and Don’ts of stain removal

General Spot Cleaning Tips

Use a clean white, absorbent terry towel.
Blot or tamp the spot.
Pretest the carpet in an inconspicuous area.
Clean the stain from the edge to the center.
Apply cleaner to the towel.
Clean with modest amounts of cleaning solution.
Adhere to product safety and follow instructions.
Remove the stain as soon as it is noticed.
Remove the dirty excess before cleaning.
Use cleaning compounds at lukewarm temperature.

DON’T

Use a dirty or coloured rag.
Rub, brush or scrape the spot using force.
Pretest the carpet in the middle of the room.
Clean the stain from side to side.
Apply cleaners directly to the stain.
Saturate the spot with cleaners.
Ignore manufacturers instructions.
Ignore the stain or leave it until later.
Wet clean before removing the dry excess.
Apply heat to the stain.

Not all stains can be completely removed, but appearances can be improved.

March 22, 2011July 7, 2023

Walls…

Dirty walls??

Here are some quick tips for wall cleaning

This is the one thing where you do the opposite of what you normally would like to do when cleaning. Normally you clean from the top down when cleaning most things. Like dusting before vacuuming, or cleaning the lights and mirrors before cleaning the washroom counter.

When cleaning walls clean from the bottom to the top this prevents the drips and streaks on the dirty part of the wall which are harder to remove from dirty walls than freshly cleaned walls. Use a cleaning solution bucket and a clean water rinse bucket. What you use will depend on how dirty your wall is. If you are cleaning before painting using a strong cleaner like TSP (found in any hardware store). For less dirty walls use a general purpose cleaner mixed with water.

Invest in a professional wall mop from your location janitorial supply store, this will save time and back strain since it is a flat mop on the end of a broom stick. This allows covering more space quickly and using greater force or elbow grease while cleaning. In addition to not having to climb on ladders to reach the top.

July 11, 2010July 7, 2023

Mildew…quick tips

You don’t need fancy mildew cleaners to remove mildew from your shower etc. regular household bleach work fine. Dont use full strength use only a little less than a quarter cup (60ml) for a little more than a pint of water (1 liter). Be sure to rinse your cleaning solution off when done. Use gloves and or work clothes since bleach will do what bleach does…bleach things. And kill germs and remove mildew. Happy cleaning.

July 8, 2010July 7, 2023

Bricks and foundation masonry

A question recently submitted:

The rocks on the lower part of our house are discolored. I am assuming that it is mold as it is along the lower part and where I have done a lot of watering.

How is this best way of cleaning this off? We don’t want to use anything that will damage the mortar.

Masonry can discolour for a number of reasons. Most masonry cleaners are acidic in nature and will remove most mildew or algae that grow on rock work. You have to be careful with bleach based products that will hurt your soil and produce some nasty effluent. Look for a environmentally friendly product such as a biodegradable cleaner that will not kill your grass. A little elbow grease and a long handled brush should do the trick.

To prevent this from happening in the future, apply an inexpensive masonry sealer to the rockwork and mortar. It will provide an attractive “wet look” if desired and prevent penetration of organic matter that can lead to mildew and algae growth.

June 26, 2010July 7, 2023

Before & After Cleaning

General Information:
Have a specific area set aside for your cleaning supplies. It will be easier and more enjoyable to clean if your supplies are easy to find and ready to go.

Keep your tools clean. Finish your job by cleaning your equipment and storing it properly. Wash out mops, sponges, cloths, etc. and hang to dry. Store your brooms and brushes off their bristles to prevent deformation. Keep your chemical products properly sealed and out of children’s reach.

Replace items as soon as they are worn or empty. Nothing is more frustrating than wanting to start a job but not having the proper supplies available.

Don’t keep around old, expired, or useless items to clutter up your supplies.

June 24, 2010July 7, 2023

Gum

This solution for removing gum from your shoe requires that you either have this product already or that you purchase it. Take a can of WD-40 and spray the area of the shoe with the gum. Allow at least one minute to pass. Use a paper towel or rag to wipe away the gum and the oily spray from the shoe. Use a clean rag or paper towel to wipe the shoe a second time to remove any additional residue.

Category: Exterior Hints & Time Savers