A fireplace can take a living space from dull to cozy. Gathering around a crackling fire can be an excellent way to spend an evening. However, your fireplace must have regular cleanings so that it looks clean and stays safe. We have some tips on cleaning fireplaces to help you stay warm and safe.

A fireplace builds creosote, a chemical, tar-like substance produced from burning wood and coal. Over time, it can build to the point that it becomes a potential fire hazard. This substance should be taken away by a professional annually. In the meantime, there are things you can do on a regular basis to keep your fireplace cleaner and safer.

Tips On Cleaning Fireplaces

–Remove the dust and soot from the hearth. Vacuuming and dusting are the two best ways to do this. A shop vacuum works the best, as the filter can handle the ashes.

–Do not add much water to the hearth to clean the ashes, or else they will become pasty and difficult to clean up well. If you would like to clean up the fine layer of soot remaining after dusting or vacuuming, use damp paper towels.

-Sprinkle slightly moist coffee grounds over ashes to keep soot and dust to a minimum. This works during both times of burning and of cleaning.

-When cleaning the hearth, never use any household cleaners. They could possibly leave a flammable residue or emit toxic chemicals into the air once heated.

-Be careful not to remove any of the materials right after a fire as they could still be hot; wait at least eight hours for everything to cool down completely.

Tips For Lighting Fireplaces

-Before lighting the fireplace, look over the chimney, flue, and firebox for any creosote accumulation. If there is a lot of build-up, do not light the fireplace.

–Burning well-dried logs or special fireplace logs can help to avoid as much of the creosote buildup as possible.

–Burn a creosote sweeping log on a regular basis. This type of log breaks down creosote and can keep your fireplace safer in-between professional cleaners.

Find A Professional Who Can Help

To contact a professional for your annual fireplace cleanings, connect with Talk Local to get the best professionals in your area. Just go to the TalkLocal website and tell us what you’re looking for, your location, and your availability. We will connect you with the right professionals in just minutes.

Not much feels better than looking at your home after a good spring cleaning and knowing that you’ve disinfected and scrubbed everything until it sparkles. But what if you’re hurting more than you’re helping?

Sometimes, the unsafe chemicals in cleaning products have more of an impact than we think. Although they might take some of the elbow grease out of the job for you, these chemicals are also potentially quite dangerous.

Some of the most common unsafe chemicals in cleaning products include the following:

Household pesticides: If you have found ants, mice, or other unwelcome neighbors in your home, you may be looking for an easy way to get rid of them. Many chemical sprays and other products offer an easy solution, but you should be careful with them. Oftentimes, these household pesticides are also labeled as carcinogens for animals and even humans. Dichlorvos, for example, is found in many household pesticides, and has been known to cause tumors in small rodents during lab studies.

Alkylphenols: These are industrial chemicals you are likely to find in your detergents and hair products. They also act as endocrine disruptors in your body, and have caused problems in the mammary glands of rodents in tests before.

Mercury: Although there has been a recent movement away from mercury, it is still found in trace amounts in some thermometers and other household cleaning products. Mercury is known to disrupt natural cellular processes and has been found in most cancer cells studied by doctors.

Cadmium: This harmful chemical is used in rechargeable batteries. Until recently, it was also used in dyes for metal coatings and plastics. This chemical mimics estrogen and can cause early puberty as well as alterations in mammary glands. As these are two risk factors for breast cancer, cadmium can be quite dangerous in large doses.

Although these and other unsafe chemicals in cleaning products can pose a serious risk to your health, they only do so in large doses. You should try to limit use of products which include these chemicals and search for safer, softer chemicals, but don’t be afraid to use these occasionally. If you have small children or animals in your home, you should always check the ingredients of your cleaning products and insure that they are kept out of reach of your children or pets to avoid accidental consumption.

Need More Information?

For more assistance, use TalkLocal. We can have you talking to experts in this field in no time. Say goodbye to endless searching in the phone book!

When your busy life leaves you little time to keep up with household affairs, perhaps consider enlisting the help of a butler. But, what does a butler do?

The answer to that question is not as simple as you might think, and it is important to understand some distinctions before hiring someone for the job.

The Leading Servant Of An Estate 

In large estates, the butler is generally considered the head, highest-ranking servant. Often he (as women are not the norm in butler positions) will be called the estate manager or chief of staff. This position will require him to manage other house staff, such as maids or kitchen staff. However, the butler may still preform duties such as dinner service and valet.

Not Just For The Rich And Famous

As demand increases in homes of the middle class, the job description of a butler may change. Generally, this person will execute the tasks of a house keeper (cleaning, laundry, etc.) as well as personal assistant duties. It is becoming more common for the duties of a butler to be determined by the home owner’s needs.

Butlers Are Not Necessary For Everyone

If you are looking into hiring someone for general house upkeep, hiring a butler may not be a financially sound move for you. When determining what type of job position will fit your needs (and wallet) it is important consider the question, “What does a butler do?” If the answer is more than will fit your needs, you may consider hiring a maid, house keeper, cleaner, or nanny. Each of these professionals may better suit your budget.

Find A Butler Through Talk Local

Getting in touch with any of these professionals is fast and easy when you use TalkLocal. We will find you a qualified professional in your area for free. You can trust that our search results are based on your specific qualifications and needs. The end result is a professional that specializes in the services you need.

Need some help around the house? You may first be wondering, “How much does a butler cost?”

The answer to this question can vary greatly depending on a number of factors. When hiring a butler, you should be very aware of exactly what services you are getting at what cost. The cost of a butler service can depend on which company you choose to hire and the services that you require.

The following is a list of ways a butler service may charge.

So, Exactly How Much Does a Butler Cost?

In many scenarios, you can expect to pay anywhere from $50,000 to $120,000 a year for the services of a butler.

The easiest way to find out exactly how much a butler service is going to cost you is to contact a placement agency. The International Butler Academy is a good option. You should not expect to pay less than $40,000 to $50,000 a year for a reputable butler service.

As stated, the price can vary from location to location. It also can be affected by how you choose to be billed.

Finding A Butler Service Is Easy

TalkLocal can connect you with butler services in your local area that meet the highest of standards. Skip the art of calling around for hours. Our intuitive search engine will have professionals call YOU in a matter of minutes.

Mildew is a common household problem that results from humid conditions in closed spaces.  Mildew can be potentially harmful and you should try to get rid of it as soon as possible.  A type of fungi, mildew can be thin or thick, black or white, and can grow on a variety of surfaces.  If you find mildew in your home you should take immediate action to get rid of it and put in precautions to prevent future growth of it. This article will explain how to get rid of mildew in the house- from a variety of surfaces.

How to Get Rid of Mildew in the House

The simplest way to get rid of mildew in your house is to create a cleaning solution.

– Mix 1 gallon of water with 1 cup of chlorine bleach.  This combination will effectively remove mildew. You can also use detergent, vinegar, or ammonia if you do not have bleach.

The type of surface the mildew is growing on will determine how you get rid of it.

1. If the mildew is on a wood surface you need to get a soft haired brush.

2. Mix 8- 10 tablespoons of washing soda with a gallon of water and scrub the surface.  Use the soft bristled brush so you don’t leave scratches.

3. Once the mildew is removed rinse with water and dry completely.

Mildew will also grow on ceramic tile.

1. Wash the tiles with a solution of a gallon of water mixed with ½ a cup of ammonia, ½ a cup of white vinegar, and ¼ cup of washing soda.

2. Rinse and scrub thoroughly.  If the mildew stays, lay a paste of baking soda and bleach onto it and let it set.

3. Scrub the paste and mildew away with a toothbrush.

4. If there are stains left behind put pure bleach on the surface for 15-20 minutes and rinse and dry.

In order to prevent mildew from growing in the future you should take certain steps.  Keep the surfaces of your home clean and make sure there is no dampness anywhere.  You should also try to dry the air by getting rid of humidity.  Mildew thrives in wet humid areas so do not let your house become too humid.

Additional Help

If you have more questions about how to get rid of mildew in the house you should try to talk to a professional maid service.  The easiest, fastest way to get in contact with reliable local cleaning businesses is to use TalkLocal. Just tell us what service you’re looking for, and we will connect you with up to three high quality professional maid services in your area.

Most commercial cleaning products are made from man-made chemicals. The chemicals contained in these products are usually bad for the environment and your health. Products such as chemical drain cleaners can also damage the plumbing in your house. There are homemade and commercial cleaning products that are safer and even better than their chemical counterparts. Here is brief list of the best safe cleaning products for your home.

Lemons, Oranges, and Vinegar

Who would have thought that those orange and lemon peelings could be useful. The oil from these fruit peelings contains citrus. Citrus is great degreaser and all-purpose cleaner. Vinegar also contains acidic qualities that makes it a great degreaser and antibacterial. The citrus and vinegar mixture is a great homemade all-purpose cleaner, and it can leave a refreshing smell as well.

Corn Starch

Corn starch is very absorbent. Its absorbency is excellent for removing grease, extra polish, or other oils from tables and stoves. Corn starch mixed with soap and water is a good homemade window cleaner due to the starch being non-abrasive. Corn starch can even be used as a carpet fresher.

Baking Soda and Borax

Baking Soda and borax can be used for many types of cleaning. These cheap products are good for deodorizing, cleaning bathrooms and kitchens, laundry detergent, toilet bowl cleaner, and bug poison. However, borax can be dangerous to animals.

Commercial

There are many commercial products available to buy that use some of the same ingredients as homemade cleaners. Most of these commercial products are plant-based, biodegradable, eco-friendly, and have not been animal tested.  Seventh Generation is the best safe and eco-friendly product available. Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds, Method, Soy Clean, and Earth Friendly Products are other great, safe, commercial cleaning products.

Additional Help

Maid services also offer safe cleaning products when cleaning your home. To find a maid service use TalkLocal. We will connect you with up to three maid services in your area in just minutes!

Are you stuck wondering, “Will a maid do my laundry?” A house maid performs a variety of tasks around the home ranging from laundry, dishes, windows, dusting, vacuuming, sweeping, cleaning the bathroom, kitchen, etc. You should contact the local maid services in your area to see what services they offer as well as how much you will pay for them. Different companies will offer differing rates as well as cleaning services they will perform. Be sure to check around to see which local maid services around your area offer laundry services, because some may not offer it.

If no maid services in your area offer laundry, you can always hire a maid who is willing to do so. Just make sure that what you want done is clear with your maid, and be sure to accommodate them with more pay if they are performing a service their company usually does not offer.

After having your maid work for you for awhile, you will develop a positive relationship with them; hopefully they will be able to see what needs fixing or cleaning in your home and get to the task without you having to tell them specifically what to do.

Additional Help

If you are still having problems finding a local maid service that will perform to your standards, you can use TalkLocal to get in contact with the best local maid services available. We will connect you with up to three maid services in just minutes, so you can get the help you need.

There are few things worse than having mold infesting your home. Mold can be extremely detrimental for your health and it is disgusting to look at. Mold usually forms in damp areas, areas that are difficult to reach, and places that aren’t regularly cleaned. When not taken care of, mold can multiply and produce spores that may be harmful. Not all molds are toxic, but there are quite a few people who are susceptible to reactions when coming into contact with mold. Symptoms can range from headaches and body aches to nausea, difficulty breathing, and in some cases, death.

How to Get Rid of Mold in the House

Clearly, if you have mold in your house you will want to get rid of it, so if you are worried about mold and are wondering how to get rid of mold in the house, don’t worry – there are ways.

1. Find yourself some rubber gloves, goggles, and a facemask (especially if you know your body reacts to mold). With these equipped, it’s time to start removing mold!

2. The cleaning solution you will use to remove the mold can either be store bought, or there is a home-made solution that works effectively. A gallon of water, a cup of bleach, some soap, and some vinegar works well to remove mold.

3. One of the first places you will want to check is the bathroom, where mold can grow rapidly.

4. Start removing the mold that you can see. The mold will have a musty odor, and looks like dark fuzzy spots.

5. Once you identify the mold, use a scrubber and scrub away the mold using the cleaning solution.

6. Rinse the newly cleaned area with water and ventilate the area once you’re done.

7. To prevent the growth of new mold, ensure your home is kept clean and there are low humidity levels throughout your home. Using an air conditioner or a dehumidifier can help for this.

8. Objects like rugs and carpets that have gotten wet are at risk of mold growth so get rid of these if you want to ensure your house stays mold-free. Also, continue checking places where you know mold has grown before to ensure it doesn’t grow again.

Additional Help

If you are having problems with mold in your home and these steps don’t work for you, it may be prudent to find a professional to take care of this for you. If you are looking for a professional cleaner who can get rid of mold in your home, consider using TalkLocal to find a cleaning company for you. TalkLocal is a free service that will connect you with top-quality, reputable cleaning professionals in your neighborhood within minutes. Just enter in your specific problem, location and availability, and up to three companies will call YOU directly, saving you the time and stress of finding one yourself.

Cleaning your house by yourself is a big task that sometimes you can’t handle on your own.  Hiring a maid service is a helpful option that can relieve the burden from your shoulders.  Although it seems impersonal, a maid can really keep your home in a clean condition so you have one less thing to worry about.  Your attic is an area that you might not initially consider cleaning, but you should every once in a while.

A maid will usually only clean what you specifically ask them to and in the way you want them to.  This is not because they are being lazy or stubborn. This is actually because they are coming into your home and do not want to overstep their boundaries.  They don’t want to clean places you have not specifically said are okay for them to go into.

Can You Hire a Maid to Clean Out Attic?

If you want to hire a maid to clean your attic you will need to be very specific when looking for one.  You should also provide proper safety and cleaning materials, as this is not an area usually required to be cleaned, and they may not be prepared.  Depending on the size of your attic you may also need to hire more than one person.  Do not feel awkward that you want your attic to be cleaned.  As a busy person you may be pressed for time and want to use the space, but are unable to because it is dirty.

Things to Consider

If you find someone who is willing to clean out your attic there are a few things you should be ready for.  Make sure that you give them enough time to clean the area because otherwise you will be left with shoddy workmanship.  You will also need to provide the extra cleaning materials associated with an attic because this is not a typical home environment. There can be insulation fibers and broken down wood or rusty nails lying about. When asking a maid to clean your attic be sure to remember that they are not organizing and unpacking for you.  Do this ahead of time so that they will be able to clean easier and more in depth.

You can most definitely hire a maid to clean your attic. Just be sure to compensate them because this is an unusual request.  By providing for them and also showing them kindness you will reap the reward in a clean home.  Don’t forget that these people are hardworking individuals by sometimes giving them a little gift- a token of your appreciation.

Additional Help

If you have more questions about getting your attic cleaned you should try to talk to a professional so that you can get the best help possible.  The easiest, fastest way to get in contact with reliable local maid services is to use TalkLocal. Just put in your problem and availability and let them do all the work.  Within minutes you will be connected to someone who will be able to help you out.

Has your varnished furniture lost its shine? Do you want to avoid re-varnishing your furniture, but do not know how to bring the shine back to it? Cleaning varnished furniture is easy and simple. All you need is some cleaning supplies and the furniture once again can look shiny and clean. Here are some simple tips on how to clean varnished furniture.

Additional Help

If you’re having trouble keeping your varnished furniture look new, or if you don’t think you have the time to properly clean your varnished furniture on a regular basis, you might want to consider hiring a maid or cleaning service. TalkLocal can connect you with up to three professional cleaning services in your area who will be able to help you out!