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House Cleaning

5 Health Benefits of a Clean Home

Everyone knows that you should keep your Manhattan, CA home clean.  Would it surprise you to learn the health benefits of a clean home?

Your mom probably made you clean your room (and the bathroom, and maybe even the cat litter box) growing up, as her mom probably did before her.

Today, you try to keep your home clean, but some days you wonder: How bad would it be if you pushed aside that cleaning planner you downloaded off Pinterest and just took a break from cleaning for a bit?

How important is a clean house? To answer that, today we will share just a few of the many ways that keeping your home clean can actually benefit your health and the health of the ones you love—ways that may surprise you.

Health Benefit #1: Keeping Your Bedroom Clean May Lead to Better Sleep

Have a hard time catching those beloved zzz’s? You aren’t alone.

A recent study by the National Sleep Foundation showed that 45 percent of Americans experience poor sleep. It’s a wonder, with our constant on-the-go lifestyles, that we all don’t fall into bed and conk out until morning—but that isn’t the case.

The truth is, our minds are full, and of course we think of all the things left undone as we try to fall asleep, including all of the mess around us in our bedrooms.

The National Sleep Foundation also ran a survey that clearly showed those with clean sheets and clean rooms had an easier time sleeping. Clean house, clean mind!

Health Benefit #2: A Clean, Clutter-free Space Can Improve Your Mental Health

When every surface is covered in clutter, laundry is in an unknown state—clean? dirty?—kids’ school papers, dirty cups and who even knows what lies beneath it all along with dust, crusted spills, pet hair…

It’s overwhelming and can actually contribute to stress, anxiety, and depression. While over time, parts of our brain shut off the mess and we become “clutter blind,” other parts of our brain become overwhelmed. All it sees is the untidy mess, the unfinished piles, leaving a part of your brain ticking away as it thinks about that unfinished business. A Princeton University study concluded that clutter can actually overwhelm the visual cortex, making it more difficult to process the task at hand.

That wasn’t the only study showing the effects of clutter on mental health. Many psychology studies have been performed that show an uncluttered, clean space can help us focus better and feel calmer, less depressed and less anxious in general.

 

Health Benefit #3: A Clean Home Can Lead to Healthier Food Choices

Why is cleaning important? Here’s another reason: It’s been well established that cluttered, dirty and even off-smelling spaces make us feel anxious and stressed. And it’s no secret that many of us tend to make poor food choices when we are stressed.

When you look at it that way, it’s easy to see the reverse, that a clean and tidy home may lead you to better eating habits and a generally healthier lifestyle.

Science backs up this thinking. A 2010 study published in the journal Psychological Science showed that people in a more orderly, clean environment made smarter, healthier snacking choices than those attempting to work in more cluttered, messy spaces.

A messy, grungy kitchen is no fun to cook or eat in, either, so those who have cleaner, neater kitchens may be more likely to make healthier food at home, rather than avoid their kitchens altogether and go out to eat.

This may not seem like a big deal, but it does add up quickly. The average fast-food meal weighs in at about 1,800 calories, whereas a home-cooked dinner comes in at about 550.

Health Benefit #4: A Clean Home Can Ease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Whether you suffer primarily from seasonal outdoor allergies to pollen and molds or mainly what’s considered “indoor” allergies like dust, dust mites, pet dander, and hair, keeping a clean home can greatly reduce your symptoms.

Outdoor allergens like pollen and mold can be tracked in on feet and clothing, truly “bringing the outdoors in.” If left to accumulate, dust, animal hair, and other allergens can wreak havoc on your nose, eyes, and sinuses, leaving you feeling foggy, itchy and red-eyed.

Keeping the home clean, including regular vacuuming with a high-powered, HEPA filter vacuum and paying special attention to any areas that might be prone to mold growth, specifically in the bathroom; keeping airborne dust to a minimum by dusting with a moist cloth (as opposed to a dry cloth, which will simply send dust flying around); regularly changing bed sheets; and cleaning window dressings can greatly reduce your allergy symptoms.

Health Benefit #5: A Consistently Clean and Tidy Home Saves Money

Why is it important to have a clean house? Here’s another compelling argument: Staying on top of regular cleaning tasks and keeping extraneous clutter to a minimum in your home can truly save you money in several ways.

First off, when you keep your home clean regularly, you will have less of a need for more expensive, extra-strength cleaning products, as the dirt and grime aren’t given an opportunity to get built up to the point that would require extra cleaning power.

Secondly, surfaces are more likely to become damaged if they are coated with dirt and grime. Dirt on wood or tile flooring acts like sandpaper when people walk on it, scratching and dulling the finish, making it look worn before it should. Soap and hard water deposits can damage bathroom finishes. Keeping surfaces like floors, counters and bathroom fixtures clean will help them stay looking nice for longer.

Third, keeping appliances clean will help them work more efficiently and last longer, saving you thousands.

Keeping clutter at bay can save money as well. How many times have you bought a new item because you couldn’t find one in your home, only for it to resurface a few days later, somewhere it definitely didn’t belong?

Cleaning for Health

Having a clean, well-kept space can have many benefits, from keeping germs at bay to helping you feel generally happier and less stressed. Unfortunately, for many people here in Bothell and around the country, establishing a clean home and taking the time to maintain it can be equally as stressful as the mess itself.

Hiring a house cleaning service can provide you with the best of both worlds—a clean, healthy space without the stress of making the time to clean it yourself. The benefits of a clean house without the hassle.

Clean and Simple provides affordable, high-quality cleaning services for the Bothell area. Whether you are looking for a deep clean to give you a jump start to regular cleaning on your own or you are ready for us to take the reins and keep your space sparkling with regularly scheduled maintenance cleaning, we have you covered.

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holydays House Cleaning TIPS

HOLIDAY PREPARATION TIPS

HOLIDAY PREPARATION TIPS

It’s the Holiday Season! Are You Ready?

The holiday season means great food and quality time with family. Unfortunately, when some of us think of the holidays, we imagine piles of dishes, busy schedules and pressure to entertain guests. Holidays are a wonderful reason to celebrate! Don’t let the duties of entertaining and cleaning keep you from a good time.

Use this list to organize your tasks. If possible, get everyone in the household involved.

  • Don’t procrastinate. You don’t have to set aside four or six consecutive hours to get the job done. Clean your home in little blocks of time over the next few days to spread out the workload.
  • Get everyone in the household involved, including kids who are old enough.
  • Start with the entryways, foyer and central closet area to create room for guest coats.
  • The next day, take a small block of time to clean bathrooms, hallways and sitting areas.
  • Next, clean bedrooms and any other areas your guests may encounter.
  • Consider buying a microfiber cloth and mophead.

Cleaning After the Holidays

It’s holiday party season, which means there’s plenty of time to spend with family and friends. But for party hosts, it also means a lot of cleanup after the guests have left. Give your home a fresh start in time for the new year – or maybe just your next party – with easy holiday cleaning tips!

  • Say goodbye to unwanted gifts. It’s the thought that counts, but don’t let good intentions add additional clutter to your post-holiday house. If guests insist on bringing a gift, request an edible food item everyone can enjoy. Otherwise, return gifts that didn’t work out. If it would be appropriate, consider giving those gifts to the charity of your choice. Holiday cleaning will be easier without those extra items.
  • Go through the holiday cards you got in the mail, and make a list of who sent them to you. Use this as a thank-you list or the start to your Christmas card list for next year. Then recycle cute cards by cutting the images, attaching string and using them as free gift tags. Throw the ones you don’t want in the recycling bin, and your after-party cleaning will be well underway.
  • Clean the guest bedroom. Wash the bedsheets in warm or hot water with a capful of white vinegar to ensure they are fresh. While the sheets are in the dryer, use your vacuum’s upholstery attachment to clean the mattress thoroughly, paying special attention to the seams. Replace the bedding and fluff the pillows to make your next guests comfortable.
  • When you take down Christmas lights, you’ll save yourself time next year if you put them away using one simple trick: Wrap strings of lights around a piece of cardboard or a paper towel tube to keep them organized and easy to unravel next season. This also keeps you from being the neighbor who still has strings of outdoor Christmas lights up on Valentine’s Day.
  • When is your trash pickup service collecting Christmas trees? Find out so you can get your tree curbside in accordance with the collection times. It’s easier to clean up after your party if you don’t have to worry about pine needles spreading through the house.

Tips to Get Your Home Ready for Holiday Guests

Guests and the holiday season go together. And sometimes, guests show up on short notice. It’s part of the fun and excitement of the season. Beezy Bee Maids is here to share ideas for how to quickly get your home ready when family members, friends or neighbors drop by on short notice.

  • All hands on deck! Mobilize the whole family in the kitchen, and hand out cleaning/decluttering assignments. Focus first on high-traffic, visible areas.
  • It’s the holidays, so have snacks available. How amazing would it be to have cookie dough on hand to pop in the oven? Fresh cookies straight from the oven, and the amazing smell that comes with them, are incredibly welcoming.
  • Be sure the family is presentable. Who needs a new shirt? Who has a stain on their pants? Who’s still wearing pajamas? No one expects you to be dressed up for a pop-in visit, but a hat or a ponytail holder can do wonders for unwashed hair!
  • Hit Play, and have Christmas music in the background.
  • Almost done. Finally, do a quick walk-through of the house. Do the bathrooms have clean hand towels and toilet paper? Are there any messes or tripping hazards left, like kids’ toys in the hallways? Coffee table organized? Carry a laundry basket around to quickly collect stray items, and stash the basket in a closet to address later. Lastly, check on those cookies before the doorbell rings!
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House Cleaning TIPS

HOUSE CLEANING CHECKLIST

Step-by-Step Guide to a Clean House

When you hire Beezy Bee Maids, you’re hiring a professional. One of the marks of Beezy Bee Maid’ s professional cleaning service is that we clean your home with a game plan in mind. A strategy that takes on cleaning in a systematic, organized way (while having the flexibility to incorporate your custom wishes).

Surprised we’d share our secrets? We love to clean and love to train. And, we know our customers love our service. Besides, sharing is good. Use our house cleaning checklist to clean your home efficiently and thoroughly:

  1. Before you start going room to room, pause first to put on some great, lively music. That’s better. Now pick up clutter, and as you go, feel free to second-guess your belongings. The less you have, the less you have to put away, clean, and dust: scrutinize books, magazines, newspapers, DVDs, furniture, toys the kids have outgrown, old computers you’ve outgrown, old clothes and shoes in the closets…is it time to donate and recycle? Turn off light bulbs and ceiling fans as you go for the upcoming dusting work.
  2. Speaking of closets, if you have any that you’re afraid to open, face your fears it’s time to minimize and organize.
  3. Dust (go left to right, top to bottom) with microfiber cloths. This will lower allergens and improve the air quality in your house. Dampened cloths tied to the ends of mops and brooms work great for removing cobwebs. For slatted blinds, use the string to close them one way and dust, then close them the other way and repeat…it’s effective and a lot more efficient than trying to do one slat at a time. Don’t forget to hit the tops of doors, fans, light fixtures, picture frames and yes, each of your knick-knacks (keep them in display cases to reduce dusting work). For the face of framed photos, TV screens, and computer monitors, use glass cleaner on your cotton cloth or microfiber to avoid streaking.
  4. Vacuum. Make sure your bag/compartment isn’t already full, and use the right settings and attachments. Hit the floors in the whole house, and upholstered furniture. Be amazed at all those missing items (socks, your favorite pen) that you find under your couch cushions.
  5. Sweep/mop/treat floors (except kitchen). For mopping, start at the farthest corner of the room and move back toward the entrance. Rinse mop after completing each 4 x 4 foot area.
  6. Furniture freshening. Every now and then, some wooden furniture needs a good waxing.

KITCHEN CLEANING CHECKLIST

  • Wipe down countertops and cabinets (start at immediate right of the stove).
  • Clean face of appliances (refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher).
  • Wipe down stovetop.
  • Clean inside of microwave.
  • Soak stove drip pans and knobs in sink.
  • Clean inside and around sink.
  • Sweep and mop floor (go light on cleaning product in the water to avoid build-up).
  • More kitchen cleaning tips.

BATHROOM CLEANING CHECKLIST

  • Remove rugs/wastebaskets (if you haven’t already when vacuuming earlier).
  • Remove everything from tub/shower.
  • Place bath mat in tub/shower.
  • Wet tub/shower walls with warm water.
  • Apply tile and grout cleaner, allow to sit.
  • Spray/clean everything with all-purpose cleaner except toilet, vanity, shower/tub, mirror.
  • Fill bucket with ¼ cup all-purpose cleaner and water to prep for floor cleaning.
  • Stand on bath mat and scrub tub/shower walls and door (use grout brush in-between tiles as needed).
  • Apply tile and grout cleaner to tub/shower floor and scrub.
  • Clean shower rack/soap dishes.
  • Clean shower track.
  • Rinse off walls of tub/shower and dry with cloth.
  • Vanity: spray tile and grout cleaner in sink, soap dish.
  • Spray countertop with all-purpose cleaner.
  • Scrub sink.
  • Use grout brush along faucet and drain.
  • Rinse the sink and your rag.
  • Wipe the vanity countertop.
  • Wipe down cabinet fronts.
  • Clean mirror: spray glass cleaner on soft cloth and buff.
  • Shine the faucets.
  • Wash the floor with solution in the bucket and allow to dry.
  • Replace rugs, bath mat and wastebaskets.
  • More bathroom cleaning tips.

BEDROOM CLEANING CHECKLIST

If you’ve already removed clutter, dusted, and vacuumed the house and tidied your closets, your bedrooms will be basically done. To finish up, simply:

  • Return any furniture (chairs, diaper bins, etc.) that you put up to vacuum earlier.
  • Make bed.
  • Straighten.
  • Special projects: Organize your sock drawer? Fold laundry and put in dresser? Put a mint on your pillow?
  • More bedroom cleaning tips.

WINDOW CLEANING

  • Use a streak-free glass cleaner (don’t spray on too much) and wipe with newspapers.
  • Clean large and hard-to-reach windows with a professional-quality squeegee.
  • Clean window screens by removing from frame and scrubbing with all-purpose cleaner mixed with warm water. Scrub each screen with a bristle brush, rinse with outdoor hose and insert back into window to dry.
  • More window cleaning tips.
  • Contact our sister company, Window Genie, for a professional window cleaning, inside and out!