Category: Blog

If you’re someone who struggles to keep up with keeping your home clean, maybe you just need a new approach. Try some light cleaning techniques. By doing frequent light cleaning, you can better manage the things that need to be done around the house, without much effort at all.

Prioritizing

The first thing you need to do when you are trying to keep up a tidy home is to prioritize what needs to be done now, and what can wait. Make a list of what you would like to get done, and pick your top two or three cleaning goals from that list. Knock these goals off of your list before moving on to anything else.

Put Things In Their Place

If you have the tendency to leave things sitting places they don’t belong, try to pick something up that needs put away every time you leave a room. If you frequently pick up a misplaced item and return it to its proper place, everything will be picked up and put away in no time.

Keeping Up On Laundry

Laundry is the truly dreadful, never-ending story of adulthood. To keep this chore under control, run a load in your washer at least once a day. Make sure you are going through the whole wash and dryer steps. Fold the laundry while it’s warm, to keep the clothes from wrinkling, and make sure to put it away! Doing it and getting it over with will make you feel better and feel more accomplished!

Call The  Austin Maid Service Professionals!

A great way to feel like you have your home kept up and in check, is to call in the big guns! Having a professional maid service like It’s Cleaning Time! come in and give your home an eco-friendly deep cleaning, can give you a fresh start. Once you have that initial cleaning done, it will be much easier to keep it up, along with your other chores.

Many people forget that the thing that keeps you clean also needs to be cleaned. Being the moistest room in your home, your bathroom can mold pretty quickly. Taking simple steps to keep your shower clean can save you a lot of trouble in the future.

What Causes Mold?

The first step to figuring out how to prevent mold is knowing what causes it. Being as most people shut the door when they shower, all of the moisture-laden steam is getting trapped in one room, causing a high level of humidity. Keeping the door closed also means a lack of ventilation. With no airflow, the moisture in your bathroom is attaching itself to everything else it lands on. This provides perfect conditions for mold to grow. Damp bathmats, shower grout, and caulking that is beginning to deteriorate is also a great place for mold to form.

How To Prevent Mold

In order to prevent mold, you need to try to get your bathroom as dry as possible after every shower. Using a squeegee and a rag, wipe away the excess water in your tub. Since mold is caused mainly by humidity, making sure your bathroom is well ventilated is important. With most bathrooms being equipped with a fan, make sure you leave it on for at least 30 minutes after each shower. If you do not have a fan already installed, look into installing one. Otherwise, opening the door or windows is the next best thing. However, if you don’t want to shower with the door open, or it’s too cold to open windows, invest in a dehumidifier. Dehumidifiers can be small and inexpensive, but make sure they are set correctly – mold only needs 55% humidity to grow.

Austin Made Service – It’s Cleaning Time!

Making sure your bathroom stays dry, ventilated, your grout is replaced every six months or so, and your bath mats are washed and dried frequently can keep mold at bay. If you are ever in need of some extra help and need some house or apartment cleaners, Austin has a green cleaning company that works hard so you don’t have to.

When you’re trying to get your home tidied up and trying to complete all aspects of it at once, while done with the right intentions, it can prove to be a disaster. It can cause you to become overwhelmed, and even more stressed about what needs to be done. When it comes to getting the chores knocked out, separating the tasks of organizing and cleaning can actually make the process simpler, and quicker.

Devise An Organization Plan

Organizing is the first step you want to take when you’re trying to get things down around the house – but where to start? One room at a time, do a canvass. Look around and decide what parts of each room are messy due to clutter, or due to dirt and dust. Once you’ve gone through and decided what needs to be cleaned and what needs to be organized, you’re ready for the next step.

Give Yourself Some Rules

While going through your rooms and tackling that clutter, try to just move things from one place to another. This can be easy to do if you have the mindset that you will set it aside until you decide exactly where to put it. Give yourself rules such as “if I haven’t used something in 6 months or more, give it away or throw it in the trash.” Make sure to go through stacks of paper or mail; throw away the junk, and file away the important stuff. Make a rule that you won’t move on to the next area until the current one is completely done.

Start The Cleaning

Once you have gotten all of the clutter organized, you are free and clear to start the cleaning! By making sure all of the unnecessary stuff is out of the way, you can ensure that all the parts of the house that need to be done, are cleaned, and not just cleaned around.

The Best Austin Maid Service – It’s Cleaning Time!

If you allow yourself to clean around things, the areas of your home that are always cluttered up will continue to collect dirt and dust. Getting in a good habit of organizing and then cleaning, can help keep a happier, healthier home. If after you’ve organized, you need an extra hand in cleaning, you can give It’s Cleaning Time! a call; a green cleaning Austin maid service, dedicated to working hard for you.

Washing the dishes can be an easy chore for young children to learn. Whether your kids are older and doing a sinkful, or smaller and helping clean the plastic dishes only, teaching them early will help to ingrain great habits. Helping to promote motor skills in little ones, and teaching older kids cleanliness and responsibility, doing the dishes can help in the development of life skills. 

Preparing The Dishes

Whether you compost, have a garbage disposal or scrape your plates into the trash can, the first step is to show your little ones how to properly clear off the dishes. Explain to them how cleaning off the plate will keep big chunks of food from blocking the drain.  Teaching kids how to properly prepare the dishes to be washed can save you some mess, and some plugged up drains if you don’t have a disposal.

Setting Up The Cleaning Tools

When you are getting your little one set up to do the dishes, get out all the tools necessary to do the job: dish soap, rags/sponges, cleaning wand, etc. Explain why each one is important, and what it does. For older kids, using a rag or sponge to wash the dishes shouldn’t be a problem. Using a cleaning wand with the soap already in the handle might be slightly easier for the little ones.

Get Washing!

Now that you’re ready to wash, it’s best to start with the cleanest dishes first – ie, bowls, plates, glasses. If you are doing dishes with a smaller child, save all the plastic dishes just for them. Not only does this save you from any accidental breakage, but most of the plastic dishes will probably be the kid dishes. This gives them a sense of accomplishment when they get to wash their own.

Make doing the dishes fun. If your child is younger, bring on the bubbles! Help them out by washing and drying with them. Remember, the first few times with younger kids, you’ll probably have to re-wash the dishes. At our Austin house cleaning company, It’s Cleaning Time!, we believe that teaching habits of cleanliness is important. Teaching them young helps them get into those habits earlier, making it almost second nature.

The Most Reliable Austin Made Service – It’s Cleaning Time!

Even the most organized and routine-oriented of families need help sometimes! Contact a member of the It’s Cleaning Time! team to schedule your home cleaning today!

No matter if you have company staying with you, roommates, children, or just want to make sure you keep it tidy for yourself, keeping your bathroom clean is important. Almost every guest you have is going to see it. Keeping up on it takes ten minutes or less and can save you from sweating next time you hear the words “can I use your bathroom?”

Mini Cleaning Kit

For quick clean-ups, keep a mini cleaning kit in under your bathroom sink, or cleverly stash it in a decorative basket. Stock it with things such as a small spray bottle containing half vinegar, half water, a stack of paper towels or a microfiber rag or two, and some air freshener. Keep some extra, small-sized trash bags for the trash can stashed in there, too, so you can quickly empty the can when needed.

Quick Counter Clean-Ups

After you use the bathroom, brush your teeth, or take a shower, take a moment to do a quick wipe down of your counters. Using your vinegar spray and paper towels, spritz a small amount on the towels and wipe up your counter. Make sure to rinse and wipe down your sink to get any toothpaste left behind. Wipe away any excess water and condensation after a shower to avoid mildew and mold from growing. Don’t worry about the vinegar odor – it will dissipate in just a few minutes once it dries.

Try These Tricks

When you’re doing a quick clean-up, there are a couple of tricks you can use to make your bathroom look fresh. Shake your mats out to give them a fluffed up, freshly vacuumed look. Since most guests aren’t touching the bath towels on the racks, just make sure to straighten them. Hanging up some clean hand towels should suffice since they are the only ones your guests will use – unless they are there for an extended stay.

Austin Cleaning Company – It’s Cleaning Time!

Taking just a few minutes to clean up before you leave the bathroom is well worth it. It can save you from embarrassment when you have last-second guests. It will also help you to keep a clean, tidy bathroom on a regular basis. If you are needing some extra help getting your bathroom a fresh deep clean, call the professionals! In Austin, maid service you can count on isn’t hard to find. It’s Cleaning Time! is here to do the hard work, so you don’t have to.

Do you find yourself constantly searching through your closet, not being able to find what you’re looking for? Maybe it’s time for a new method of organization. Finding a fun way to organize your closets won’t only make it easy to find the exact shirt you want, but it can also help make it fun, and easy for your children when they are putting their laundry away. Here are some tips from your favorite Austin maid service, It’s Cleaning Time!

Warm & Cold

A great first step to getting a good handle on organizing your closets is to organize depending on the weather. Hang all of your warm-weather clothes on one side, and all of your cool-weather clothes on the other. Use the middle space to hang things such as belts, scarves, bags, etc. Separating this way will make it much easier to pick what you want to wear, depending on the temperature outside.

Color Coding

An organization strategy that is workable for everyone is color-coding. Young kids to older adults, having a fun colored-coded closet is hard not to enjoy! By organizing your closet by color, never again will you have to dig around looking for the right shirt to match those favorite wedges.

Shoe Storage

While we’re on the topic – whether you have lots of shoes, little closet space, or both, you’re going to need a place to put them all. Finding the right shoe storage for your closet can help you optimize your space. Hangers for the back of your closet door or stackable shelves are great for the shoe enthusiast.

Austin Cleaning Company – It’s Cleaning Time! 

Getting your house decluttered and organized can take some time. Making it fun can make it easier, and seem to go faster. Although, when all is said and done, sometimes the last thing you want to do is clean after doing all that organizing. That’s why It’s Cleaning Time!, is the Austin maid service that you’ve been looking for. Offering regularly scheduled cleanings, deep cleanings, and all in an eco-friendly way, make It’s Cleaning Time!, your first call.

If you find yourself struggling to keep your house cleaned up, getting yourself into a regular routine can make all the difference. Spending just minutes a day can help you to clear up some time in your schedule, making it easier to keep your weekends free!

Easy Morning Clean-Ups

Cleaning your house first thing in the morning probably doesn’t sound too exciting. If you take just a few minutes to knock some things off the list, it can start your day off right.

Since it’s the main focus of your room, start off by making your bed. Leaving your bed unmade can make the whole room look messy. Taking two minutes to knock this off your list can make you feel accomplished right off the bat!

As you move to the kitchen, you can tackle another simple task. In the time that it takes your coffee to brew (or less), empty the dishwasher. This will ensure that you have clean dishes for the rest of the day and will keep your sink from piling up with dirty ones.

Clean As You Go

An easy thing to do is clean up as you go. While making any snack or meal, put everything you use away when you are done using it, and wipe down the counters as you finish up. This will keep your counter less cluttered while you are using it, and keep you from having to clean it all up at once, later.

Daily Laundry

Popularly referred to by many adults as “the real never-ending story” – keeping up with laundry can seem nonstop. If you have children, or even if you don’t, it’s important to keep your clothes clean, and laundry kept up. Throw one load in before you leave for work, and toss straight into the dryer once you get home. Once the buzzer goes off, make sure you fold and hang right away to keep your clothes from wrinkling. Finally, here’s the kicker: put the laundry away.

Nighttime Chores

Before you sit down to relax for the night, empty any full trash cans, wipe down sinks and sweep up any high traffic areas of your home. Taking 10 minutes to do this can make taking the time to relax seem far more deserved, and you’ll go to bed knowing your house is tidied up.

It’s Cleaning Time! Professional Maid Service in Austin, TX

While it may take some time, and some determination, incorporating the simple cleaning into your daily routine can make a huge difference in your life. Contacting an Austin house cleaning service for some extra help is quick, easy, and at It’s Cleaning Time!, you can get a free estimate from a cleaning professional!

Getting your small children to help with chores isn’t always the easiest task. Sometimes they want to help, sometimes want to help make a mess as you go. Making it fun for them can make it easier and more manageable for everyone involved. As your Austin cleaning company, a lot of our clients ask us how they can get their children of all ages more involved in regular cleaning.

When you’re getting your kids to learn the importance of cleanliness, choosing age-appropriate chores is a must. While you may think your child is too young, you’d be surprised how many chores kids of certain ages can do. Don’t wait to praise when the chore is done, either. You want to build positive momentum while the chore is in progress – this is important especially in younger children.

2-3 years old:

• Put dirty clothes in the hamper
• Fill the pet’s food bowl
• Pick up toys
• Clean up spills
• Dust
• Put books back on shelves

4-5 years old:

• Make the bed
• Check the mail
• Pulling weeds in the garden
• Clear dinner dishes
• Water flowers
• Unload utensils from dishwasher

6-7 years old:

• Sweep floors
• Set and clear table
• Help make lunch
• Sort the laundry
• Rake the leaves
• Keep bedroom cleaned up

8-9 years old:

• Walk the dog
• Wash dishes
• Vacuum
• Help make dinner
• Load/Unload dishwasher
• Mop
• Put away groceries
• Fold laundry
• Put away own laundry
• Make own breakfast
• Peel vegetables
• Cook simple foods

10+ years old:

• Cook a simple meal (supervised)
• Clean bathroom
• Wash car
• Wash windows
• Take the trash out
• Do laundry
• Watch younger siblings (with adult home)
• Clean kitchen
• Change their own bed sheets

When first teaching your children how to help with chores, do it with them. Make it a game, such as “How many toys can we pick up as fast as we can.” For younger children, make a chore chart where they get to pick and place a stick every time they complete a task. As they get older, you can replace the stickers with a weekly allowance. Just remember not to expect perfection. They are young and learning, but teaching them as early as possible can set good hygiene habits that will last a lifetime.

Austin Cleaning Company – It’s Cleaning Time!

Even families who all work together to keep the house clean need a break sometimes, especially between busy work and school schedules! If you need a deep cleaning or regular cleaning of your home, contact the professionals at It’s Cleaning TIme! today!

Most people collect items. This is natural and leads to many hobbies but hoarding is a different story. Hoarding is the unnecessary saving of either specific items or any type of item. When hoarding takes place, it can severely take over not only ones life but their dwelling as well. Below are tips to spotting the signs, dangers, and how to clean up hoarding. 

 

What are the Signs of Hoarding?

Here are a few key signs of when you or someone you know may be hoarding:

• Refusing to throw away excess or multiples of items
• Experiencing various medical symptoms similar to anxiety, depression, panic attacks, etc when attempting to remove items 
• Unable to organize or filter through items
• Inability to decide what to keep or where to put things
• Possessive traits over all items regardless of condition or type
• Continually need to collect more items regardless of current quantity 
• Negative effects relating to personal or work life

What are the Dangers of Hoarding?

Once the signs of hoarding begin to show up, the dangers are close behind. Be wary of the following dangers when either related to yourself or someone you may suspect is hoarding:

• Mold can begin to grow in high density areas
• In addition to Mold, other allergy triggering bacterias can fester within the walls and surrounding area depending on the specific items being horaded such as chemicals, food, etc
• Insect infestation is a common byproduct of hoarding and can lead to a vast amount of health risk
• If animals are in the home (or find themselves inside the home from the outside) feces, urine, and dander can potentially never be discovered but slowly overtime increase health risk for all inhabitants of the home.
• The physical structure of the home can also become compromised and thus lead to structural damage that can be life threatening such as walls or ceilings caving in

Hoarding: Cleaning Up

Cleaning an area that has been continually hoarded overtime can be very dangerous and also takes an immense amount of time. Hiring an austin cleaning company to handle the clean is your safest solution. With those dangers listed above, hazmat suits are suggested as you do not want to spread any diseases or contract something yourself. When hiring an outside cleaning company, they can tackle the situation with precision and speed. This will drastically cut down on the time spent not only cleaning but properly disposing of items. Head the warning signs and educate yourself on the dangers of hoarding. To eradicate this dangerous habit, reach out to your local Austin cleaning company for the quickest and safest solution.

 

Austinites are no rookie when it comes to seasonal allergies. Austin’s cedar pollen alone has been known to cripple those from going out and enjoying our amazing city. Unfortunately, cedar isn’t the only nuisance when it comes to allergies in Austin. Another common household allergy is the dust mite. Your friendly Austin cleaning company is here to help you prevent those allergies from taking control of your life!

 

What are Dust Mites?

First and foremost, what are dust mites? Dust Mites are a tiny insect that loves to hang around any dwelling or collection of dust. These microscopic insects are drawn to dust like Austinites are to Breakfast Tacos. They tend to hang around as long as there is dust to munch on. Dust mites love a humid and hot climate,making Austin the perfect breeding ground for these pests.

 

What are the Dangers of Dust Mites?

These creatures can cause a slew of issues for anyone’s nasal passages or respiratory functions. Common side effects can be sneezing, coughing, difficulty breathing, nasal congestion, itchy nose, mouth or throat, and many more. In short, they aren’t good for your home or your body.

 

How Can I Get Rid of Dust Mites?

To rid dust mites from your home, you need to be not only patient but also consistent in your efforts. Here is what we suggest: 

• Wash and re-wash all bedding and sheets in hot water
• Vacuum regularly 
• Routinely wipe down all surfaces with a hot rag
• Lower your home’s overall temperature (higher temperature = higher humidity)
• Steam clean carpets and furniture
• Utilize cleaning products with tea tree and eucalyptus oils
• Cover your mattress and pillows with hypoallergenic covers
• Hiring a professional Austin cleaning service to regularly service your home to regularly remove dust

 

At It’s Cleaning Time!, we are no strangers to dust removal. Our highly skilled and professionally trained staff can remove the dust in your home, reducing your allergy symptoms and helping to improve your overall health!