Curtains get dusty quickly for a reason – they divide the outdoors and the inside of your house. As the air shifts in and out of the house, the dust in the wind get caught and build up in the curtains over time.  Read on to learn how to clean dusty curtains.

Cleaning your curtains using liquid and chemicals would surely clean off the dust off, but such tidiness comes at the cost of wearing out your curtains. So it is generally recommended that you dust off the curtains by using a vacuum cleaner, feather/static duster, etc.

When dusting off your curtains, start at the top of the curtains; this is so that the dust won’t fall into the parts you have cleaned already. You may also want to take out the curtain and take it outside to clean it. Dusting the curtain inside of your house could mean that the dust from your curtain is going to float around your house.

Concentrate on the folded areas in your curtains when dusting; these are the particular areas in which the flow of air gets trapped in, leaving the dust buildup. Straighten out the folded areas and dust carefully as to not get the dust on yourself. You might want to consider wearing a mask.

If you feel like you need to use water to get some of the larger dust particles off, make sure that the general area is dusted first – smaller particles of dust can smear into the curtain with water, leaving a mess.

Of course, don’t forget to clean both sides of your curtains. Dust can easily migrate between the rooms in your house, spreading out the mess. Take special care to clean out all curtains together if anyone in your house is allergic to pollens or dust.

Additional Help

If you feel like you need professional help to clean dusty curtains, TalkLocal can help with finding the correct local experts in this case, saving you time and energy in what may be a stressful situation.

You’re having an unexpected visitor coming by within the next hour. Your house is a mess, and you need to figure out how to make it look presentable before they arrive. Here are some tips of how to make your house look clean fast:

– Are there random objects lying on your floor and coffee tables? Take a quick sweep through all your rooms with an empty basket. Place all the unwanted items and clothing in this basket, and throw the basket out of sight (in your bedroom closet, for example,) until your guest leaves. You can put them away later.

– Complete a quick dusting of all surfaces in the living and TV rooms, dining room, or any other rooms you use regularly.

– Go into the bathroom: throw all your sprawled out appliances, lotions, bottles and any other objects under the sink. Take a dampened paper towel and clean the mirror to get rid of dust and toothpaste spots. Take out the trash, make sure you have toilet paper on the roll, and make sure the toilet is flushed. Spray some air freshener.

– Do the same in the kitchen. Put your clean dishes away and throw the dirty ones in the dishwasher. Take out the trash and put all food away in the cupboards. Take a Clorox wipe and clean off all your counters.

– Go through your house and spray some air freshener, or open a couple windows to get a nice, clean breeze blowing through.

– If you have time, grab your vacuum and do a quick run over all your visibly dirty floors. Go into your doorway and put away all shoes, umbrellas, coats, etc.

– Lastly, make sure you look presentable. Wash your face, brush your hair, and make sure you’re wearing clothes that aren’t covered in cleaning supply stains or food stains. Put on some deodorant and perfume, and you’re good to go!

If you have some time, and you’d rather leave the cleaning to a professional who can make your house spotless, try using TalkLocal to find some local maid services. TalkLocal is a completely free service that will connect you with top-quality, reputable cleaning specialists in your neighborhood within minutes. All you need to do is enter your specific problem, location, and availability, and TalkLocal will contact multiple cleaning companies, who will then call you ready to help.

If you’ve noticed that your tile floors have looked a little dirty lately, it may be because of the dirt on the grout.  Learn how to clean grout between kitchen floor tiles with the tips we’ve provided below.

General tips

– Treatments for various tile grouts are all similar despite the slight differences in the various locations/causes.  Whether it be a food grout on the kitchen floor or a mildew grout on the bathroom floor, the general idea is to apply acid to dissolve the buildup.

– Applying acid should be done moderately.  Always apply the least acidic of all the acidic solutions initially when trying to get rid of tile grouts to minimize the damage to the tiles as much as possible.  Sudden application of an acid that is too can eat away at the tiles, calling for a much more extensive and expensive repair.

– Vinegar is a popular acidic solution used to clean up your grout.  To minimize the damage to your tiles, dilute the vinegar with water first before applying it on the grout.  More acidic solutions, such as Coca-Cola, can be applied to the grout as well if need be.

– Gradually move into more acidic solutions when the milder ones are not effective.  When using vinegar, you will want to lessen the ratio of dilution to just using straight vinegar.  You may want to heat up the area/air around the grout so that the dissolving process can be more effective.

Extensive Tips

– If household items do not work, consider purchasing a commercial tile and grout cleaner to do the job.  Follow the directions on the labels.

– For even more extensive work, there are even stronger products available, such as chlorine bleach and hydrogen peroxide.  Make sure to dilute these products before you apply them to your tiles.  Don’t forget to follow these directions as well.

If you feel like you need professional help, TalkLocal can help with finding the correct local experts in your area, saving you time and energy in what may be a stressful situation.

There are some screens that either cannot be removed or are a hassle to remove, making their maintenance and cleaning a pain. Fortunately, it’s still possible to clean them. The steps provided below explain how to clean outside windows without removing screens. You’ll need a large spray bottle, some dish detergent, and a water hose.

1.   Pour detergent and water in the large spray bottle, and then mix thoroughly.

2.   Close and lock the inner window. Make sure that any possible cracks in the window are stuffed with rags or taped over securely with waterproof tape. Put some paper towels or rags on the windowsill too, as this could possibly get messy.

3.   Spray through the screen with the water hose from outside. Most loose debris will be removed this way.

4.   Use the large spray bottle to coat the outside screen with dish detergent. This way, any grease on the outside screen is removed, and you also get a clean outside window as well.

5.   Wait 10 minutes to let the detergent take action, and then hose down the screen and window from the outside again.

6.   Open the interior window, and be careful of any trapped water. Wipe off the window and possibly the screen as well.

If your windows are too high up, or there’s another reason preventing you from cleaning your windows yourself, use TalkLocal at no charge to find you professional cleaning help today.

Groundwater often contains higher concentrations of dissolved minerals that will collect on your shower door over time. This mineral can be extremely tough to clean, especially when it builds up over time. Even many of the special mineral deposit cleaners that can be bought in stores aren’t effective at removing the white spots off your glass doors. Luckily, there are cheap home solutions that help with cleaning mineral deposits from glass shower doors.

The mineral deposits on your glass door most likely consist of lime. Vinegar is a fantastic solution to any lime problem. Let vinegar soak on your door for a few minutes, and then scrub it off with a Scotch Brite pad, or something similar. The lime should come right off, but if you’re having difficulties, a higher concentration of vinegar may be needed. Some grocery stores sell highly concentrated vinegar, which is cheap and should get the mineral deposits right off.

After getting the mineral deposits off your shower door, you should take preventive measures to make sure that this situation doesn’t repeat itself.  Rain-X is a popular glass protection spray that prevents mineral buildups. Apply it to the inside of your shower door; your door should stay mineral free from then on. Make sure the room is well ventilated when you’re applying Rain-X, as the fumes could be dangerous in high concentrations. If you can’t apply a protective coating to your glass for whatever reason, make it a habit to regularly dry the inside of the door after showers with a squeegee.

If you really just can not get your shower doors to sparkle, ask a professional maid for help. Getting local professional with years of experience is easy with TalkLocal, the super fast and free site that will connect you to businesses in minutes!

When allergy season comes around, we often run indoors in an attempt to escape from the allergens outside. However, our allergies might actually get worse while we’re indoors due to trapped allergens within our house. By taking the right preventive measures, you’ll be able to make your home a safe zone for those who suffer from allergies. Try the following tips on how to get rid of allergens in your home:

– Dehumidify your home and keep it cool. Mold and dust mites thrive in hot and humid areas.

– Your heating and cooling system should have a small-particle filter that is cleaned or replaced often.

– Exterminate cockroaches and mice that bring allergens into your home.

– Use dehumidifiers and air conditioning, in addition to closing your windows and doors during hot weather in order to prevent mold.

– Clean surfaces that are often exposed to allergens every week, such as windowsills, the sides and tops of doors.

– If you have carpet, vacuum at least twice every week. Carpets are notorious for trapping allergens, and if possible, you might consider switching to wood or linoleum floors.

– Don’t smoke indoors, as cigarette smoke can trigger allergies.

– Keep pets outside if you’re allergic to pet dander and brush them often to get rid of excess hair so they won’t shed all over your house.

– Wash your bedclothes at least once a week at high temperatures.

– Roller type shades are better than horizontal blinds. Curtains made of synthetic materials or plain cotton also trap less allergens.

– Dry the bathtub and enclose the bathtub after use to prevent mold.

– Remove the obvious mold that’s already there, usually located in moist areas like near the faucet, in the bathtub, and around the toilet.

– Repair leaks as soon as you find them.

– Upholstered furniture tends to trap more allergens than plastic, leather, or synthetic types.

– Avoid potted plants indoors.

– Install an exhaust fan in your kitchen.

– Make sure there’s no food left out for long periods of time, including dirty dishes.

– Throw away old food in the refrigerator often.

– Take out the trash every day.

Maintaining a clean household is the key to preventing allergens from taking over your home. Not everyone has the time for this, so use TalkLocal for free to hire a professional maid who will keep your home allergy-free for you.

Keeping your dryer vent system clean is important for the lifespan of the dryer as well as the safety of your home. Therefore, learning how to clean a dryer vent system is very important as well. In a clogged dryer vent, the lint accumulation along with the reduced airflow can work together to start a fire. In order to prevent fires and extend the lifespan of your dryer, remember these simple tips every time you’re doing your laundry.

The most important thing to do regarding keeping your dryer vent clean is to keep your dryer as lint-free as possible. This will both reduce the fire hazard and make your dryer run more efficiently. Use a lint brush on the removable vent to make sure its cleaned properly, or even use a vacuum with an attachable hose to remove lint that has accumulated under the vent and in surrounding areas.

In addition to cleaning the vent system on your own, it is smart to have your dryer professionally cleaned out every few years. To do so, hire a service technician to take apart the dryer and clean it thoroughly. Use TalkLocal to connect you to a highly rated professional in your area within minutes.

All of these things will contribute to both your dryer’s performance and your safety. Remember to clean the lint trap after every load, and take the proper precautions when running your dryer such as never running it when you are out of the house or asleep.

A good question to ask is “how often should an apartment be cleaned?” This depends on many different factors. Outlined are some useful tips and practices to keep your apartment clean. For more fun tips about cleaning your apartment and kitchen, check out this apartment cleaning article.

How often should your apartment be cleaned by task and time frame?

Once a week:

– Vacuum the carpets and mop the non-carpet floors

– Clean your dirty laundry

– Freshen up your food selection by taking a trip to the grocery store

– Do a clean sweep with a moist towel over the kitchen counters and stove

– Dust throughout your apartment

 Every day:

– Sort through the mail and throw out junk mail

– Clean the dirty dishes

– Place your shoes in a logical place after you take them off your feet

– Place trash in the trashcan, recycle the recyclables

– Place dirty clothes in a basket

– Place your jacket in an appropriate

In addition to these weekly and daily tasks, you should consider getting your apartment’s carpet steamed. Steaming your carpet helps kill the spores and dust mites that contribute to allergies. Steaming your carpet not only keeps your apartment clean but also reduces the intensity of your and your guests’ allergies. Try doing this at least once a year around the same time so it becomes a routine.

If your schedule is tight and you would rather spend your free time out with friends, a professional cleaner might be the right choice. Use TalkLocal to connect you to highly rated maid services in your area within minutes.

More households are hiring maid services as our lives get progressively busier. However, not all houses need an intensive cleaning every week, and many people want to find the perfect balance between a clean home and their budget. A common question asked amongst homeowners is “how often should a maid come?” Most maid services offer a great deal of flexibility in their cleaning services, so you can find a schedule that works for you. Read on to learn more about how often you should hire a maid service.

Factors to consider

Houses with smokers, pets, and children will need to be cleaned more often. If there are individuals in your home who suffer from allergies, more frequent cleaning will also be needed, especially during allergy season. You should also hire a maid after any renovation or remodeling is done in the house.

Weekly

This is a good frequency for households with a lot of children, pets, or hectic events. If your household is extremely busy, this might be the option for you.

Bi-weekly

Many households choose this plan, as it isn’t excessive and still manages to keep the house looking good.

Monthly

When the house is just starting to get out of control, call a maid in to help suppress the mess. The maid will give your house the intensive cleaning that it needs. This is a good schedule for homeowners that take trips frequently and do not spend a great amount of time in their home.

One Time

If you need your house cleaned before or after a big party or vacation leave, this is the option for you. A maid will come take care of the one-time mess and be out of your hair.

If you want your house cleaned, TalkLocal can help you find local maid services in a matter of minutes. Just go to TalkLocal’s website and submit a service request stating your service need, location, and availability.

Smoke not only smells bad, but when it lingers in your home, it can permanently ruin your carpets and furniture with its pungent odor. Learn how to remove smoke odors from your home by reading the tips provided below.

– There is a good chance that the odor has settled into your carpet, curtains and even the upholstery on your furniture. Try sprinkling baking soda over the surfaces of your furniture and carpets, and let it sit for a couple hours or even overnight, then vacuum it up. You may even need to steam wash your carpets.

– Be sure to wash or dry clean your curtains frequently. Try washing your walls and ceiling as well.

– Air out your house frequently. Open all doors and windows for an extended period to make sure a breeze is coming through.

– Place small bowls of vinegar or boxes of baking soda around your house to absorb the odors.

– You may need to resort to more expensive solutions, like repainting your walls, reupholstering your furniture, and/or recarpeting your floors.

– Lastly, try to avoid smoking in the house. It can make a huge difference.

If none of these suggestions are working, you may want to locate a maid or cleaning service to scrub your house clean. Check out TalkLocal, a free service that can connect you to high-quality, reputable cleaning services in your neighborhood within minutes. Simply enter your specific problem, location, and availability, and TalkLocal will find local companies who will then call you directly, ready to help.