Friday, December 16, 2011

Tips and Tricks for Painting like a Pro

One of the best ways to change things up ion your house and add new energy is to repaint! There are a variety of reasons as to why a new coat of paint serves to make things brighter, but the simple answer is that it just feels great!

Here are some tips and tricks for painting like a pro:

  1. First of all, make sure to properly tape off the sockets and everywhere that you don’t want paint to go. Most commonly, you will be taping around fixtures and on wall lines, baseboards , and ceilings. Being meticulous with this effort will pay off later.
  2. Covering the ground with plastic drop cloths is recommended. For a cheap price, you can buy enough of these to completely cover the ground of the area you will be working in. They are fairly durable and they are very versatile for meeting any needs.
  3. It is highly advised that you do a couple of layers of primer on the walls before painting. Even if the paint is a primer and a paint combined into one, it will stick better if there is a solid base, and it will look more consistent as well.
  4. Roll consistently! Going in an up and down motion wherever possible adds a smooth texture to the process and makes getting it right much easier.
  5. Two coats of paint are usually sufficient to get the coverage and color that you need.
  6. After the job is done and everything has dried, remove all of the tape you painstakingly placed. Once that is done, you can use a fine brush and the remaining paint in the pan to do fine detail work to get spots that may have been missed.

Repainting and adding new life to an area is a great way to prepare for the holidays! Adding new color to areas makes everything feel fresh and invigorating, and it is a great addition to have when you are entertaining!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Bringing Spring into Your Winter Wonderland

During the winter months, it’s pretty common for the blues to sink in because of the season. It’s cold outside and it gets dark early, so sometimes it’s hard to feel cheery. However, there is a fairly easy way to brighten things up while being a fun hobby as well!

Growing flowers indoors is a great way to brighten things up and make for a pretty setting. Getting the flowers to bloom can be tricky, because the growing conditions are not the same as they would be outside.

In order to get flowers to bloom, you usually will need to set up a planter in the house, usually made buy using a cup or container that is watertight. These planters should have layers of pebbles and soil, with every bulb having slightly different requirements. We recommend Googling your exact flower to know what to do with it. Once you have planted, douse the bulbs with water and let them react to what they have, and they will bloom!

The flowers will bloom in about six to eight weeks, letting you sit back and appreciate the results. If you have a series of them, you can have a constantly rotating series of flowers that you can grow and work on and enjoy!

Anyone have any awesome ideas for bringing spring to winter? Any experts in forcing blooms? Sound off in the comments and let us know!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Finding a Place for Every Little Thing

One of the issues we all run into from time to time is the buildup of stuff around the house that we simply don’t know what to do with. Most of the time, these items aren’t something that is pressing or important, but at the same time isn’t junk either.

Such a neutral zone makes it so that there isn’t really a good place for these items, and they tend to make clutter when they are unattended to. However, with planning and organization, it is possible to get your house into much better shape without having to be drastic by clearing things out.

Here are some simple things that you can do to help with clutter around the house.

  1. Keep it simple. By keeping a living space simple and serviceable in nature, it becomes much harder for anything to accumulate in the area. This doesn’t mean having to get rid of a lot of things, but is rather about the use of space itself.
  2. Have some place where things can go. By making an effort to have a dedicated space for everything in a room, it becomes much easier to keep in tidy. In such a situation, it becomes less about “cleaning” and more about putting things in their right place.
  3. Consolidate items by area. By designating items to have a purpose in a single location, they will usually be kept there and will be found more easily and used more often.
  4. Let some things go. This last tip is hard for some, but identifying things that are never used and getting rid of them is sometimes the best way to simplify. We know it’s painful, but it is worth it!

By making an effort to simplify and organize, your house can be transformed into great example of space and its proper use.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Successfully Finishing Your Deep Cleaning

When you want to do some deep cleaning, you have to make sure that you understand how you are going to involve your children.  As you get your children involved you will be able to clean quickly and your children will appreciate the deep cleaning more when they have a hand in it.
  1. Team up with your children so they do not feel isolated. You should be sure that you are in the same room with them and help them through their cleaning so they do not feel abandoned throughout the cleaning.  Your child can be scrubbing the tub while you scrub the toilet. They will be able to see that you are cleaning as well and they may learn a lot about cleaning from you.
  2. Make a list to ensure that your child can see everything that they need to do throughout the day. Your child can check things off on the list rather than having to listen to you nag him or her throughout the day.
  3. Let your children choose the music they want to listen to throughout the time that they are cleaning.  Dance around with your children and make the cleaning light-hearted rather than depressing.
  4. Once your children are teenagers they can then start to work on their own and accomplish bigger jobs on their own.
  5. Give a reward at the end of the day. Make sure that your children know what the reward is and be sure that you always follow through with the reward.
Always remember that if you do not want to do your deep cleaning on your own you can hire someone to come in and do your deep cleaning for you so that you know it is done quickly and efficiently.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Making Your Cleaning Bearable and Doable

 When you are trying to make cleaning a habit you want to be sure that you understand how you can be wise about establishing your cleaning methods.  There are a lot of people that have a hard time understanding how they will be smart about cleaning.

As you develop this habit a great way to start is to…

  1. Make sure that you make a schedule
  2. Dedicate twenty minutes every day for cleaning
  3. Reward yourself

You want to be sure that you take the time that you need to understand how you can create a regular schedule to ensure that, if it is followed, your home will always be clean. While you are cleaning for twenty minute each day you should be able to get through some of the chores that you have laid out for the day.

Although cleaning can be miserable, you should be sure you find a way to make it fun.  Plug in your iPod, take before and after pictures or give yourself a really great reward when you finish cleaning for the day or even for the week.

Make sure that you understand how you can clean so that you are always proud of your home.  If the cleaning should ever become too overwhelming you should make sure that you find someone to hire that will do your cleaning for you.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Tips for Being Happy with a Cleaning Staff

When you hire someone to help you clean your home, you want to make sure that you are smart about getting the results that you need.  Make sure that you take the time that you need to develop a good relationship with the company you hire so that you can be happy about the cleanliness of your home.

1.    Make sure that you take the time that you need to talk to your hired cleaning staff about the results that you want.  Be sure that you are specific so you can be sure that you are able to get the needed results.
2.    Create a schedule with the cleaning staff so that you know what to expect.  Make sure that you learn how you can meet with the staff consistently to discuss the way that your cleaning has been taking place.
3.    Do not be afraid to critique any cleaning, but you should also be sure to point out what you are pleased with. This way, you can encourage the cleaning habits to be sure that you are always getting the results that you need.

Make sure that you are wise about having your home cleaned.  Be sure that you take the time that you need to find a company that will be wise about working well with you to ensure you are always satisfied with the results that you receive from the cleaning.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Finding a Way to Have a Clean Home


If your housework is getting overwhelming you should be sure that you tackle the problem sooner rather than later.  Take time to plan your next move so you can be sure that your house is not in disarray for long.

When you know that you have the time to clean and you know you can do it, you may want to create a schedule for weekly and monthly cleaning chores. Take time to map out what you can do on a daily basis and be sure that you stick with your plan.

Sometimes, cleaning just may not be an option when your day is full of other activities.  When you find that you cannot clean and you want to hire someone to clean, be sure that you are wise about who you trust in your home.

You should find a company that is…
  • Highly Recommended
  • Established
  • Organized
  • Efficient
Talk with friends and family about any recommendations that they have.  When you find the names of some companies do your research online so that you can have a comprehensive view of the image that the cleaning company presents.

As you research a company, make sure that you know how long they have been in business and if they have ever had any lawsuits filed against them.  Learn to work closely with your cleaning staff to ensure your home looks just the way that you want it to.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Keeping your Living Space Clean for Longer

One of the most important aspects of cleaning a living space is figuring out how to keep it clean. One thing we all probably have experienced is putting in exhaustive amounts of work in order to overhaul and area, then promptly having it develop clutter soon after.

Cleaning the home is always an ongoing process, which requires time and effort from people. That being said, there are certain ways to make the experience more streamlined and ensure that the clean area stays tidy for long periods of time.

The most important thing for people to focus on is simplicity. When it all comes down to it, a lot of clutter is caused by non-essential elements building up in a room. By keeping the area completely simple with what is allowed in it, it is possible to remove many of the cluttering factors. All people have to do is adopt a zero tolerance policy for random accumulations, embracing minimalism instead. Doing so will remove much of the issues involved with cleaning.

Keeping your living space clean for long periods of time does not have to be a complex or involved process. Rather, embracing simplicity and elegance of purpose and design is the best way overall to ensure that clutter does not have the chance to accumulate.

Here at Molly Maid, we are proud to provide maid service for Salt Lake City that can supplement and complement any cleaning routine. Let us help you keep your home beautiful for long periods of time!

Friday, September 30, 2011

Using a Maid Service on a Weekly Basis

One of the best ways to benefit the most from a maid service is by contracting with it to clean your home on a regular basis. While periodic deep cleans are certainly helpful they are not nearly as effective as routine “maintenance cleaning”, which allows for the quick removal of buildup and the restoration of a great look.

These maintenance cleaning jobs can be performed on a weekly or biweekly basis, in order to ensure that things are kept clean and tidy. Essentially, contracting for maid services in this way keeps things always looking fresh and allows for issues to be addressed effectively before they ever become problematic.

Additionally, people that hire maid services to do these jobs can get on with their lives without having to worry about their homes. They can go about their day assured of the condition that their house will remain in.

Using a maid service on a weekly basis will allow us to take care of any issues before they become a problem, while maintaining standards of cleanliness and hygiene that will make your home as lovely as it ever has been. Contracting with a maid service on a weekly basis not only ensures that things look great, but actually makes the process easier and more efficient in nature.

Here at Molly Maid, we are glad to work according to client needs and schedules. Schedule us for a regular cleaning rotation according to your needs, and see how big of a difference we can make!

Friday, September 23, 2011

Keeping Things in Order with a Maid Service

One of the primary benefits of a maid service is that it can be used as often as necessary in order to keep the home a certain way. For those who are busy or are focused on other priorities, having someone4 come in and clean and tidy up is a great way to save on stress and time alike.

There is a certain peace of mind that comes with knowing that no matter how busy life gets, the home I always in good shape and is clean and tidy. People can go about their business backed by this knowledge, secure that things will be taken care of.

A maid service can make a big difference in how things are kept in order and are kept clean over time. Arranging for a maid service to come in on a weekly basis and straighten up will make it so that there is little chance of anything accumulating and making the home look unkempt.

Indeed, being able to arrange for such scheduled regality is one of the primary services that we offer, and it is something that can create pronounced results in the look of a home. At Molly Maid, we are committed to providing excellent service that meets the needs are requirements of clients.

We strive to help you keep your house exactly the way you want it and make it always look amazing. Give us a call, and see how our scheduled cleaning work can make a big difference for you!

Friday, September 16, 2011

Cleaning Your Wooden Furniture

Wood furniture can be particularly touchy when it comes to cleaning. While you will want to make sure that the surface of your wood furniture gets clean, you will also want to make sure that you do not use chemicals that could damage the paint or stain.

There four things you can do to safely clean your wood furniture without damaging it. Here are the four things you will want to keep in mind:

  1. For dust: use a damp sponge and or washcloth. These things can easily mop up any dust that may have collected on your furniture. A little water will not damage your furniture.
  2. For mildew: use a cup of white vinegar mixed with two cups of warm water. This will remove the mildew without removing the paint on your furniture. Let the solution sit on the furniture for a few minutes before removing it to make sure that the mildew has been killed.
  3. For scratches: re-apply the same color of stain on areas that receive scratches. This will allow for a smooth, new look.
  4. For smudges: use a dry washcloth. Smudges are easy to remove and they do not require any type of cleaner to get off.

Another option that you may want to consider if you get tired of trying to keep your wood furniture in pristine condition is hiring a cleaning service from Salt Lake City. If you request that they maintain your furniture for you, they should be able to do it quite well.

Most cleaning services have extensive training in what chemicals to use when and on what. In addition, they often have extra tricks up their sleeve when it comes to getting things off that are particularly hard to remove.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Taking Care of Your Kitchen

There are many different ways that you can clean your home. One way to clean your home is to do it yourself.
If you clean your home yourself, there are many things that you will want to keep in mind. Here are several tips for when you are cleaning your kitchen.
  1. Start at the top and work down: Any dirt that falls down from cupboards or shelves will go onto the floor, before you have cleaned it
  2. Realize that sometimes you have to make a bigger mess to take care of the mess: Sometimes in order to organize everything you will need to take everything out of the cupboards and then put it back in after they have been cleaned
  3. Do the dishes every night: Then they will not build up and become an overwhelming task. In addition, your kitchen will appear that much cleaner every morning
  4. Get in the habit of putting food in sealed containers: This will discourage pests from invading your kitchen, which will make it a much more pleasant place to be
  5. Sweep regularly: Then things will not get smashed into the floor and the floor will look cleaner and need to be washed less often
Of course, you can also hire a company who provides housecleaning from Salt Lake City to help you. Although these services are often too expensive to receive on a regular basis, you can hire them to help you get things in order so you can manage it on your own.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Hiring a Maid Service You Can Trust

A maid service can be very helpful when you have a very busy schedule and when you are trying to keep your house clean. There are many maid services in Salt Lake City that would be willing to help you.

However, you will want to make sure that you research the company so that you can make sure that they are trustworthy and reliable before you hire them. Here are several tips for making sure that you are hiring a reputable company:

  1. Ask friends and relatives for recommendations: If they had a good experience with a particular company it is very likely that you will as well.
  2. Look at online review sites to see what others have to say about the company: While these can sometimes be tampered with by the company, they are usually pretty accurate in describing the services that the company has to offer.
  3. Ask for letters of recommendation from other clients: These may provide the confirmation that you need.
  4. If you are still suspicious, ask for the phone numbers of previous clients: Talking to previous clients may help you put your fears aside.
  5. Consider asking for the phone numbers of previous clients who were not pleased with the work: By talking to these clients, you may be able to hear stories about the worst things that could happen by hiring this company. Every company has clients who were not satisfied with the work, but consider whether it was for nitpicky reasons or for legitimate reasons.

As you consider these things you will be able to pick the best service for your family. When you can trust your cleaning service you will be able to be a lot less stressed.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Using a Maid Service to Maintain the Home

Maid services can be highly effective at helping people to maintain their homes and keep them in lovely condition. By scheduling with a maid service on a regular basis, people will find that their houses are cleaner and shine more, and that it is much easier to keep them up as a result.

Maid services are effective in this way because they are a dedicated force that can quickly come help at a scheduled time. Families that want to have a dedicated time slot for the service to come by need simply ask, and then they can come home to a beautiful home.
  1. Scheduling with a maid service on a regular basis makes cleaning much easier, because there is less time for anything to accumulate and pile up.
  2. Consequently, maintaining the home is much easier as well for people, because they simply need to tidy up instead of having to deep clean.
  3. Maid services can be used to save time and energy, allowing people to be freed up for other pursuits.
All in all, maintaining a home with a maid service helps to remove a lot of stress and strain from the cleaning process, and makes it to that people don’t have to worry about keeping things up as much. The process allows for freedom of time and energy.

Molly Maid is happy to schedule our services at any time, on an ongoing basis. We are happy to come help out while you refocus your energy on more enjoyable endeavors. We save time and energy for busy people, and we get it done fast, so give us a try.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Keeping a Clean Home with a Maid Service

A maid service can be a very useful thing for busy people to have in their lives. Maid services allow people to take a break and enjoy their lives, without having to spend their spare time cleaning.

Maid services offer a wide range of benefits to clients that make them indispensable in nature. It is the purpose of the service to alleviate the chore load placed on people and allow them to relax!
  1. Maid services will come to the home of a client on their time schedule, allowing them to establish a good working time for both parties.
  2. Maid services also can be scheduling to come in ion a regular basis, in order to keep things maintained and spotless. This function allows for more precise and effective cleaning, since there will be little time for anything to accumulate.
  3. Maid services are composed of professionals who will perform effective jobs that focus efforts effectively and can take care of any kind of concern that might exist.
All of these things make maid services useful and dynamic when it comes to keep things spotless and looking beautiful. When one weighs the benefits associated with the services provided, it is easy to see how it is an effective investment.

Maid services are so useful because of their utility and their ability to regularly keep a home clean through scheduling work. Molly Maid is proud to offer some of the best services and satisfaction in Salt Lake! Our customers come first, and it shows!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Cleaning Your Living Room in Less Than 15 Minutes

Keeping a house clean is no easy task. However, when guests come over you will want to be able to whip your house into shape in no time.

Even if you cannot get to the whole home, you will want to make sure that the areas where the guests will be are clean and inviting. Here are a few tips for making your living room sparkling clean in only a few minutes:
  1. Place a large, empty box and trash can in the middle of the room
  2. Collect all of the dishes and take them to the kitchen
  3. Begin moving around the room and throwing the trash into the waste basket and the items that need to be put in different rooms in the box
  4. Then, put the wastebasket away and empty it if necessary
  5. If you have time, put the items in the box away, but if not, hide it in a closet
  6. Use a damp washcloth to wipe down the furniture  and pictures and a dry one to dry them off
  7. Stack all magazines and books nicely
  8. Check the decorations to make sure they are straight
  9. Use an air freshener
  10. Quickly vacuum
With all of these things on hand, you should be able to have a straight, clean living room that you will feel comfortable entertaining in, in no time. Of course, later you will need to empty out the cardboard box or you will run out of closet space.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Creating a Schedule for Your House Cleaning

When you are struggling keeping your home clean you can start to institute a cleaning schedule.  Being more organized about the cleaning chores in your home is a great way to learn how you are going to keep your entire home clean on a consistent basis.

When you make your schedule you should include…
  1. Daily cleaning chores
  2. Weekly cleaning chores
  3. Monthly cleaning chores
  4. Yearly cleaning chores
For example, it is not necessary that you are cleaning out your attic on a daily basis.  But, it is important that you are wiping down your countertops and cleaning them off on a daily basis.  Write down everything that needs to be done in your home and figure out how often that chore needs to be done.

When you wake up in the morning try knocking out a few chores. Many people avoid the cleaning because it is not something that they enjoy doing.  Even if you do not enjoy doing it, try to knock it out as soon as possible.

When you can knock out the chore early, you will improve the quality of your day.  If you have hired someone to help you with your cleaning you may want to sit down with whomever you hired and go over this list of expectations so that you both understand what needs to be done in your home and when it needs to be done.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Reducing the Number of Allergens in Your Home


If you suffer from spring and summer allergies, reducing the number of allergens in your home is essential to your health. Regular cleaning of your home can greatly help with this problem, so that you can feel allergy-free and healthy.

Believe it or not, allergens come in many different forms—they can settle into your carpet, your upholstery, your pillow, and more. When you clean your home on a regular basis, you can stop these allergens from accumulating, and causing allergic reactions in you and your family.

When it comes to specific cleaning tips, make sure that you wash your bed linens on a weekly basis, in hot water. Vacuuming your mattress regularly can help as well. Be sure to vacuum your carpet and rugs at least twice a week. These surfaces are the quickest to accumulate unwanted substances! Try vacuuming your upholstered furniture regularly, and wipe down all your surfaces with a warm, wet rag. Do not forget the blades of your ceiling fans! They spread dust mites and particles all over the room when they are on.

If you are careful to do a thorough cleaning of your home at least once a week, you may find that your allergies improve significantly. If you do not have the time to do a thorough clean, try enlisting the help of a home cleaning service. They can help to keep your allergy bases covered, even when life gets busy.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Using Household Items to Help You Clean

If you are tired of buying expensive cleaning products full of chemicals, try some of the natural ingredients that you have lying around your house. Some of these more natural products can do wonders on the surfaces of your home, at a fraction of the cost.

When it comes to cleaning and deodorizing surfaces, baking soda still gets the job done right. You probably have an old box in your cooking cupboard already—why not put it to good use? Use it to soften water, scour surfaces, and get rid of nasty odors.

Lemon is another great tool to use when it comes to getting rid of household bacteria. The acid levels quickly degenerate the substances that you want to get rid. As an added bonus, it makes your home smell fresh and clean.

White vinegar is another great household substance to put to use. This is a great product for getting grease off of surfaces, getting rid of hard water buildup, and even killing mold. It has even been known to take out the occasional hard to clean stain.

Believe it or not, cornstarch can be used to clean windows, and even polish furniture. Want to shampoo an area of your carpet? Try cornstarch.

Do not waste any more time and money buying expensive cleaning products. Put some of your natural household ingredients to use, or call a professional house cleaning or maid service today.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Choosing to Hire a Professional Cleaning Service

If you are tired of spending hours trying to keep  up with the cleanliness of your home, only to be left with a sore back and sore feet, it is time to call in a little extra help. After all, hiring a professional cleaning service can make your life much easier, and your home much cleaner.

Between working, taking care of a family, running children to and from school and practices, and the day-to-day hassles of life, keeping up with house work can be a huge trial. Let a professional team come in and give your home the attention it deserves, so that you can give your life the attention it needs.

One of the great benefits of having a professional cleaning company come in and work on your home, is their professional grade supplies. Your maid service will be able to work with supplies that can be much more effective than what you would buy at your local grocery store. Their attention to detail can greatly cut back on allergens and dust mites in your home, and make your living space a safer and healthier environment for everyone there.

With a team of experts, their work is able to be much quicker and more efficient. What would take you ten hours to do, can take them only one or two hours. Why spend time half your day slaving over areas of your home that could be cleaned while you are spending time with your children, or getting to that long to-do list of yours?

Simplify your life and make the change today. By hiring a professional cleaning service like the Molly Maids, you can take control of your life, and leave the cleaning to the experts.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Keeping an Orderly Home

Most people like to live in an area that is clean, well-kept, and organized. It is easier to find items and work in areas that are kept orderly.

Unfortunately, keeping a particular area clean and orderly is often much easier said than done. There are many things you can do to improve your organization skills though. Here are some things that you may want to consider doing in order to keep a particular area clean:
  1. Keep your cleaning priorities straight and do one thing at a time
  2. Create a list so that you do not get distracted
  3. Keep a piece of paper on hand so that when you think of a great way to organize things you can write it down
  4. Do one thing at a time
  5. Do not put it off, do it now
  6. Be sure to throw things away when you do not need them anymore
  7. Make sure everything has an appropriate place
  8. Simplify the cleaning process
  9. Use organizational tools such as file folders, bins, and shelves
  10. Control your time and priorities carefully
  11. Start with the source of the problem and work outwards
  12. Color code various tasks and items
  13. Do not dwell on past failures to keep things clean
  14. Keep fewer things
  15. Delegate various tasks out to other family members or helpers
By doing several of these things you will be able to keep a cleaner and more organized home. In this organized home you will have the space to work on projects and to relax.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Understanding the Benefits of Maid Service

Maid service is an option that is taken by many people to take care of their home cleaning needs. This service is one that can save people a lot of time and effort, making the investment well worth it!

Being able to call up a service and have them clean your home is both convenient and efficient. Sometimes, life comes up and gets in that way of all of the little things, and it can be overwhelming at times. A maid service can effectively assist during these times, doing the job and letting people focus on their other concerns.
  1. Maid service allows for people to take their minds off of cleaning
  2. Maid service is effective and efficient, getting things done quickly with minimal impact.
  3. Services provide trained cleaning professionals who are able to make things sparkle.
  4. The investment is well worth it when you consider the time and effort that are saved by contracting the job out to someone else.
Maid service is great because it is efficient and convenient in nature. By having a cleaning service come by on a regular basis, your home can sparkle all of the time!

Maid service is worth it because when the job gets done, it gets done quickly and it gets done well. Being able to perform a quick and great task is what we do!

Molly Maid is proud to be the provider of some of the best maid service Salt Lake City has seen!