Messy Kids Alert: Trick Or Treating Tips for Parents

Messy Kids Alert: Trick Or Treating Tips for Parents

It’s basically a guarantee that if you’re a parent, you have messy kids. Like, what kid isn’t messy? But on Halloween, the mess can get to a whole new level. You’ve got kids hyped up on sugar and excited about the holiday brandishing melted chocolate bars and gooey caramels and sticky lollipops, oh my!

But don’t feel like you have to be the wicked witch to avoid disaster. Instead, be prepared before messes happen. Catching messes and stains as soon as possible is one of the keys to removing them.

While you’re trick-or-treating, bring Lysol wipes and hand sanitizer (germs, am I right?) as well as paper towels. If stains happen while you’re trick-or-treating, dab or scrape as much of the offending sweet off the clothing as possible. This will help prevent the stain from setting and help you remove it more easily when you get home.

And when you get home with that pillowcase full of candy, make sure it doesn’t get dumped out on the carpet. Instead, clear a safe space for candy, and lay down a garbage bag or old towel, so nothing gets stained.

Candy Stains
They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors: candy stains! They’re sticky, and they’re gross, but don’t let them defeat you.

Pick off as much of the candy as possible and dab with a paper towel. Get all the candy and colour off that you can before moving to the next step.  Mix vinegar with warm water and rinse the stained area thoroughly.  If you have a stain remover or pre-treater solution, soak for five minutes.  Wash in cold water as you normally would.  If your garment is still stained, soak in oxygen bleach for 30 minutes, then rewash in cold water.

Mud Stains
So your kids and their friends tracked mud all over your carpet after trick-or-treating. What the heck do you do now?!

Wait until the mud is dry. Then vacuum over it thoroughly, removing as much mud as possible.
Make a solution of one part dishwashing soap and two cups of warm water. Sponge the stain with your cleaning solution and blot until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat this step until the mud is gone.  Sponge with cold water to remove any excess mud and cleaning solution.  You can even use these tips for your little dog, too… when they track mud all over your new rug.

Red Wine Stain Removal
So maybe the adults at your Halloween party are a little messy too. You’re going to need to know how to get red wine out of a carpet, just in case.  Blot the stain with a paper towel, absorbing as much wine as possible.  Pour a small amount of club soda over the stain, just enough to cover.

Clean Up After A Party
Cleaning up after a party can feel overwhelming. So before the party starts, remember that preventative measures are essential.

Put out SO MANY COASTERS. More coasters than you have people coming. Cover your entire home with coasters! OK, maybe don’t go that far, but having ample coasters available will encourage your guests to use them, which could save you from dealing with drink rings on your furniture. If you do end up with dreaded wet rings check out our article on Wood Furniture Cleaning Secrets.

Have paper towels handy to deal with any spills on the spot. And remember, the biggest part of cleaning up will probably be dirty dishes, so make sure you have an empty dishwasher at the beginning of the party. Then, if you have time, load your dishwasher throughout the night, saving you some clean-up in the morning.

Looking for a BETTER & EASIER Way to Clean Your Home?  Using our cleaning service in Kansas City, you can count on our skilled staff to take care of any loose ends throughout the week. Call us today to our teams of professional cleaners are ready to take care of the hard work for you. Book a clean today and leave the rest up to us – Treat yourself and your home! Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.

What about those summer chores?

What about those summer chores?

You know all about spring cleaning, but what about those summer chores?

Summer is for outdoor recreation, cocktails on patios, scenic dog walks, waiting in unreasonably long lines for ice cream, crashing pools and catching free music in urban parks. Summer is for camping, fireworks, BBQs and sunburns. Summer is for watermelon, salt water and road trips.

Summer’s not for cleaning, but summer is for maintaining! Summer happens fast. There are dandelions, pollen, ants and crazy thunderstorms that strike with little warning. There is still lots to clean during the summer, especially when you’re out of town for long stretches of time. Your house isn’t going to keep itself up. You’ll still have to put in minimal effort to ensure you’re not totally overwhelmed once your tan fades and the days grow shorter and it’s time for your annual fall cleaning.

The more you maintain during the summer months, the less tedious the next seasonal deep clean will be.

Kitchen summer cleaning
Clean your microwave monthly.
Clean out your fridge and freezer weekly.
Wipe out shelves, drawers and handles.
Clean out and organize your pantry monthly.
Disinfect high-touch areas weekly.
This includes cabinet handles, light switches, sink faucets and countertops.
Wipe down countertops daily with a multipurpose cleaner or a DIY solution.
Clean out your garbage disposal monthly.
Toss a few ice cubes and fresh lemon peels down the drain and let ’er rip.
Sweep, dry mop and/or vacuum the floors weekly.
Clean your kitchen blinds monthly.
Wash the windows monthly.
Wash the trash and recycling receptacles monthly.
Clean your dishwasher by running it on an empty cycle with Cascade Dishwasher Cleaner monthly.

Time-saving tips for summer cleaning
Keep your drains (and especially your garbage disposal!) mold and bacteria free during the warm weather months by pouring some boiling water down them, followed by a dollop of baking soda and dash of white vinegar. Finish with more boiling water to flush.

Dry brush outdoor couch cushions (or hit them with your vacuum’s upholstery attachment) to remove pollen and pet hair before hosting company.

Clean and reverse your ceiling fan blades each summer, so they’re not just aimlessly swirling dirt and pollen around in your home. By reversing the blades to turn counterclockwise, the fan will push cold air, rather than warm air, downward.

Invest in a few inexpensive brooms and dustpans to stash on each porch, patio or deck. These are handy for spot cleaning all your window treatments, screens, railings, ceilings, window boxes, etc.

Buy a new summer shower curtain liner, and pretreat it by running it through the washing machine on the cold, gentle setting with ¼ cup of white vinegar. This will prevent mold and mildew from forming on the shower liner during the warmer, more humid months.

Give your gas grill an exfoliating spa treatment in between uses to keep the grates fresh.

Just turn it on high, and let the grates get hot (or use this technique when you’re done cooking, while the grill is still hot).

Hold a cut lemon with long-handled tongs, or stick it on the end of a long-handled fork (either way, be careful!).

Dip the lemon into a bowl of salt and then rub it across the grates from front to back. The lemon’s acid will cut grease, while the salt is a scrubbing agent.

Crush grass stains by pretreating them with a DIY solution of 1 part white vinegar and 2 parts water. Let the solution sit for 5 minutes before machine washing stained items with an enzyme detergent on the hot setting.

Your free time is precious. For an extra hand around the home to help with all your spring cleaning – our teams of professional cleaners are ready to take care of the hard work for you. Book a clean today and leave the rest up to us – Treat yourself and your home! Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.

Tips to Keep Your House Clean in the Summer

Tips to Keep Your House Clean in the Summer

1. Tackle Clutter One Room at a Time
One of the best cleaning tips is to tackle clutter first. Organizing one room a day shouldn’t take too long, but it can have a big influence on how your living space feels. After you eliminate clutter, your house will feel much less claustrophobic.

2. Use the Right Tools
Cleaning doesn’t have to be so labor intensive if you have the right tools on hand. Instead of scrubbing, use a cleaning agent that breaks down grime as it sits. Instead of using a small dust rag, use a Swiffer to cover more surface area and lock in dust as you swipe.

3. Master Summer Cleaning by Creating a Schedule
If you have a big house to clean, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and not know where to start. Take some time to create a schedule that divides all of your chores equally into different days of the week. When you have smaller tasks to do, you can feel much more motivated to clean.

4. Prioritize Big Chores
Although everyone should strive to have a spotless house, some chores are more important than others. For your health and the appearance of your home, you should focus on handling the biggest chores first. After you tackle those, your smaller chores will feel less intimidating.

Laundry, dishwashing, vacuuming, sweeping, and clutter maintenance are tasks that should be done the most often. Other tasks like dusting and sanitizing the bathroom and kitchen can be done once a week. You can get away with doing deep cleans a few times a year.

5. Clean Top to Bottom
Have you ever swept the floors then wiped your counters only to realize your floors were dirty again? Although it may sound obvious, tons of people make more work for themselves by cleaning in the wrong order. The best way to clean is top to bottom so you never miss a spot.

6. Clever Tips for Clean House: Give Yourself Rewards
Having a hard time sticking to your cleaning schedule? Give yourself something fun to look forward to as a reward for your hard work. If you know that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, your chores will feel more bearable.

Your free time is precious. For an extra hand around the home to help with all your spring cleaning – our teams of professional cleaners are ready to take care of the hard work for you. Book a clean today and leave the rest up to us – Treat yourself and your home! Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.

Kitchen Cleaning Services

Kitchen Cleaning Services

Any home cook or large family knows that the kitchen gets dirty faster than any other room in the house. Cooking one big meal often means a long night of cleaning after enjoying the fruits of your hard work.

This high-traffic area of your home requires special attention, which a professional kitchen cleaning service can provide. Molly Maid housekeepers thoroughly clean your kitchen to remove all dirt, debris and grime that may have been left behind.

  • Dusting
  • Table and chair cleaning
  • Appliance surface cleaning
  • Vacuuming
  • Stove drip pan, burner gate and control knob cleaning
  • Mopping
  • Microwave cleaning
  • Cupboard knobs
  • Countertop cleaning
  • Cupboard and knob cleaning

Your kitchen will be left professionally cleaned and smelling fresh. Our team even empties your trash cans and straightens the chairs as a final touch. Throughout the entire process, we ensure breakable items are treated with care and we take all your personal cleaning preferences into account.

Professional House Cleaning You Can Trust

These are just some of the tips we have for keeping a kitchen clean and smelling fresh.

House Cleaning Help When You Need It

Your free time is precious. For an extra hand in the kitchen – and around the house our teams of professional cleaners are ready to take care of the hard work for you. Book a clean today and leave the rest up to us – Treat yourself and your home! Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.

Best Way to Clean Your House

Best Way to Clean Your House

For some, cleaning is the most relaxing thing in the world — an activity you look forward to every day, week, or month. For others, it can be incredibly stressful and exhausting, especially when you have a million other things on your plate. Either way, there are probably times when you can see the dirt and dust piling up around the house, but little time to get rid of it. That’s when knowing quicker ways to clean your house can come really in handy.

Dividing your cleaning tasks into daily, weekly, and monthly ones can also make a world of a difference.   Once you’ve got your cleaning schedule down and decluttering out of the way, it’s time to start cleaning.

The Best Way to Clean Your House

The biggest mistake people make is cleaning room by room.

For each task, start at the highest point in the room (if dusting, this might mean high shelves), and move from left to right across the room. This way, you don’t miss anything, and you won’t accidentally knock dust onto already-cleaned lower shelves.

Step 1: Dust Your House

Dust each room, including the topsides of all the furniture, undersides of shelves, and all handrails, as well as picture frames, TV screens, and knickknacks. “When it’s possible to dry-dust, I do — getting something wet makes it harder,” Romero says. To get rid of fingerprints, dampen a microfiber cloth with warm water.

Step 2: Clean Furniture Fabric

Go through the house and strip and remake beds; neaten any pillows or furniture blankets. Brush furniture surfaces with a vacuum extension as needed.

Step 3: Clean Mirrors and Glass

Wipe down mirrors and windows throughout the house.

Step 4: Clean Surfaces

Wipe down all surfaces and counters throughout the house, disinfecting as necessary.

Step 5: Clean the Kitchen and Bathroom

Walk through and spray cleaner on tubs, sinks, and toilets. Return and scrub. Then, in the kitchen, wipe down the inside of the microwave, and cabinet and appliance doors.

Step 6: Clean Floors

Sweep, then mop or scrub the bathroom and kitchen floors, and any other floor that needs it.

Step 7: Vacuum the House

Vacuum your way out the bedrooms, down the stairs, through the living room and out of the house.

Treat yourself and your home!  Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.

 

Clean Your House by Thanksgiving! Things You Have to Clean Before You Host Thanksgiving

Clean Your House by Thanksgiving! Things You Have to Clean Before You Host Thanksgiving

It’s easy to clean your home in a hurry—the regular cleaning, that is: vacuum, mop, laundry, dishes.

But cleaning your home when you host Thanksgiving is a little different!

You use dishes and linens you only pull out once a year.
You have overnight guests.
You need to use rooms you’ve been using as storage areas or clutter catch-alls.

Things You Need to Clean Before Thanksgiving

  1. Wash and iron tablecloths and cloth napkins.

  • Tablecloths stored all year will smell dusty, and stains you didn’t notice when you stored them are still there! Pretreat, soak, and wash your tablecloths and cloth napkins, and iron them right out of the dryer.
  • Don’t wash them with other items, because tablecloths and napkins attract hair like a magnet.
  • Remember to wash and iron a few extra napkins to line bread baskets and put under pitchers or wine bottles to keep the kitchen counter and tablecloth clean.
  1. Wash all sheets, blankets, and mattress covers.

  • Overnight guests deserve a freshly made bed.
    1. Mattress cover
    2. sheets
    3. blankets

Close the guest room door to keep pets off the bed, and vacuum yourself out of the room.

  • If guests will be using your kids’ beds, go ahead and wash everything today, then re-wash the sheets and blankets a few days before.
  1. Wash all your china, silverware, and stemware.

  • Most holiday dishes and glasses have to be handwashed. Do it now, not on crazy-busy Thanksgiving morning!
  • Dry everything to a shine, and stash it all in an out of the way place, like on a card table in the corner of the dining room. (If you put the dishes on the dining table, you’ll have to move them again when you set the table!) Cover it all with a clean sheet to keep the dust off.
  1. Detail the bathrooms. All of them.

  • Don’t assume guests will only use the guest bathroom—of course you’ll show your guests to another bathroom if there’s a line!
  1. Detail the Kitchen.

  • Clean the faucet covered in months of grime and hard water deposits
  • Clean your oven.  Plus, self-cleaning ovens are notorious for breaking after they run a self-cleaning cycle. If you clean the oven now and it does break, better now when you have time to get it repaired than on Thanksgiving morning.
  • Clean all of your cabinets inside and out—cleaning lower cabinets is a perfect job for kids, detail the stove, clean the outside of the dishwasher, and pull everything off the counters and scrub the nooks and crannies.

Taking the time to clean ahead of time will help you enjoy the cooking and socializing without being stressed or embarrassed about your housekeeping.  Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you get ready for Thanksgiving guests, contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.