How to Enjoy Entertaining in Your Home

Do you want to do more entertaining in your home, but procrastinate with the mere thought of getting your home guest-ready?

Do you find you spend more time catering to your guests than enjoying them?

In our ongoing effort to help bring more quality time in to your life, here are few helpful tips:

• There is no need for guests to wander through every room of your house. Focus your cleaning time and energy on the rooms you want your guests to spend time in and close the doors to the rest. 

• Get your surface clean on. Put clutter away, dust, vacuum, mop, and fluff cushions.

• Make room for trays of food and drinks by putting away some of the room/table decor normally on display.

• Put effort in to the guest bathroom. Clean the toilet, sink, and floor. Make sure you have everything that they may need. A nice touch is to fill a basket with extra soaps, disposable hand towels (less germ-spreading) and air freshener.

• Candles can catch the eye and help focus your guest's attention to the areas that you want them to see. Candles also bring a welcoming, warm and pleasant-smelling environment.

• Plan foods that can be prepared in advance and just need to be heated or pulled from the fridge. 

• Set up a "bar" area where you will be sitting so that you, (or you can designate someone else), can keep guests drinks fresh without missing the conversation.

• Don't forget the one thing you absolutely want your guests to focus on ..... YOU! Leave time to rest and dress, then put on a smile and ENJOY!

Cleaned to Perfection loves to get our client's homes party-ready!

Book Now or give us a call to find out more! 631•941•4607

Mother's Day Gift Special

Cleaned to Perfection loves our clients, and loves moms. We wanted to give back to you for being such wonderful, dedicated clients so we have come up with a Mothers Day special.  We have teamed up with Nirvana Yoga to bring to you a deal like nothing you have seen before.

When you buy a Cleaned to Perfection gift certificate, you will receive a FREE, certified, 45 minute yoga lesson. This is a never before done opportunity. Moms can relax with a clean, sparkling home, and then enjoy an in home yoga lesson.

The green, natural way of life has always been something we strive for at CTP, we feel that offering this free gift of a yoga class goes hand in hand with our philosophy.  We have created a Pinterest board with some helpful yoga tools including beginner flows, instructor hints, products guides, meditation guides, myth busters, and much more. We urge to to take a look at the board and follow us on Pinterest as well.

 Happy Mother's Day and come on down and give your mom the gift of clean, and receive your free yoga class!

Simple & Easy Green Cleaning Resolutions

Did you make a resolution this year to keep up with housework? We commend you, but we also know it can be hard work, especially when you're already knee-deep in work, social life, and other distractions. Living in a clean house can make you feel so much happier, but it's not always feasible, especially if you plan to go the extra mile and clean the green way...or is it?

Here at Cleaned To Perfection, we believe that when it comes to home improvement and making positive changes in your life, anything is possible, and we're here to help. If you've got a green cleaning resolution for 2014, we're right behind you with cleaning supplies and rags in hand, and a plan for helping you achieve your goals. Starting with this: you need to break your cleaning up into small, discrete tasks for a few minutes each day, rather than trying to tackle the whole house once a week or at the end of the month.

If you keep up a steady momentum, all of the house will start to feel cleaner most of the time, and you'll have more room for special projects like scrubbing out the oven (which we can also do for you), finally cleaning the grout in the bathroom, and finding out exactly what's lurking under the fridge. Set up a cleaning schedule that works for you, and if you're lucky enough to have child labor...we mean, kids who want allowances...in the house, break up chores so many hands make light work.

Build larger cleaning projects into the overall schedule, so every potential problem area in the house gets hit on a regular schedule, instead of when your disgust reaches critical levels and you have to stop everything and clean. If the idea of getting your house whipped into shape is daunting, consider calling  Cleaned To Perfection to give the house a thorough going-over so you can start with a sparkling clean home and maintain it from there.

Get Your Home Ready For the Cold Months!

Fall is here. Take the time now to prepare your home for the colder months ahead. Cleaned To Perfection will concentrate on the cleaning, you concentrate on the maintenance!

• Clean gutters and downspouts. Especially if you have a lot of trees on your property, you know how quickly the gutters can become clogged. Waterfalls are nice, but not when coming off of your roof!

• Now's the time to paint! Cooler temperatures and lower humidity make this the ideal time of year to paint the exterior of your home.

• Head to the roof! Avoid snow and ice getting inside by checking for gaps or leaks in the shingles. 

• Keep the ice in your freezer, not in the pipes. Turn off the valves to the exterior hose bibs and ensure all the water has drained from the pipes.

• Feel the heat. Clean and replace filters in your furnace or heating system. Have the chimney cleaned and wood burning fireplace cleaned. Check windows and doors for leaks and drafts.

• Pets, not pests. Pests love to cozy up in warm attics. Check for any openings where unwanted pests can make their way in.

• Sound the alarm! Well, make sure the alarm can sound if needed. Replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

The fall is a fabulous time of year. Spend the days outdoors enjoying hikes, corn mazes, and pumpkin picking, then head indoors to snuggle with warm cocoa and good company. Take care of the home maintenance now so you can enjoy the rest of the fall. Don't forget to call Cleaned To Perfection to schedule your house cleaning too!

Clean the Halloween Mess to Perfection!

October is a fantastic time of year. The weather has cooled down and it is enjoyable to be outdoors. The leaves begin to change color and look beautiful. Everyone has settled into the routine of a new school year. And of course, Halloween is coming!

Pumpkin picking, corn mazes, haunted houses, scarecrow making and more are enjoyed all month long culminating in the big day of costumes and candy! As fun as the day is, it can leave quite a trail of mess behind. Cleaned To Perfection has some tips to share to help make the Halloween clean up simple!

If any little pranksters decide your trees would look better with toilet paper draped from them, here's what you can do. First of all, wet toilet paper is much more difficult than dry to remove. If rain is predicted, get to it right away. If not, wait a little while for the morning dew to evaporate and they paper to dry. Begin at the top of the tree and use a rake to pull the paper down or a leaf blower to blow it out of the tree. Be sure to pick all of the paper up off of the ground so it does not smother the lawn.

Eggs thrown at your house is another favorite of pranksters and can be a doozy to clean up. You want to get to the clean up as soon as possible! If the sun has time to bake the yolks, it can stain the siding. Use a hose to wet the siding below the egg and then gently spray the siding above the egg. The water should wash away the mess without splattering the egg and making more mess.

Do you decorate your home with creepy candles? The spooky effect is awesome, but wax dripping the carpet is not. Wait for the wax to cool or you risk spreading the wax and of course, burning yourself. Use a dull edge such as a popsicle stick or dull knife and break the wax into pieces. Remove what you can then cover the remaining wax with a rag. Press a warm iron on the rag and the wax will adhere to it. Change the rag frequently or the wax can spread.

Love the touches makeup adds to costumes, but not to furniture or carpet? There are plenty of cleaners on the market, but be cautious. Test the cleaner on a hidden spot of the carpet first to be sure it will not remove the color from the carpet. Remember to blot, not rub and work from the outer edge into the middle.

Oh no! Was there a shaving cream fight on your driveway? No worries. Hot water and laundry detergent will remove the stains from the concrete and even the siding of your house.

So relax and enjoy all the fun the month will bring. Any messes can be cleared up with a little bit of know how. As always, Cleaned To Perfection is here to help make cleaning simple and give more time to enjoy!

Cleaned To Perfection Cleans For A Cause

Are home cleaning services a luxury? While many people believe they are, here at Cleaned To Perfection we do not. The days of mom staying at home cooking and cleaning while dad works a 40 hour week are long gone. It is much more typical for each parent to work one or two jobs. Children's schedules are busier than ever with after school activities and weekend events. With so little opportunity to spend time together, or even to spend a moment alone, do you want to sacrifice any of it to spend time cleaning your home? 

Cleaned To Perfection can provide you and your family with a clean home allowing you to fill the time with quality moments, all for a reasonable cost. So, the hectic pace of our daily lives is one reason why we feel home cleaning services are not a luxury, but there are others. Cancer, for one, affects all areas of a persons life including the environment they live in. A person should be able to expend their energy on fighting the cancer rather than cleaning their home. This is why Cleaned To Perfection is proud to partner with Cleaning For A Reason.

Cleaning For A Reason provides the gift of a clean home while a person undergoes treatment for any type of cancer. The patients home is given a general cleaning once per month for four consecutive months at no charge. As a small local business, we are greatly committed to our community and are honored to be given the chance to offer some comfort to our neighbors in need. 

If you know anyone who is fighting cancer and could use our help to keep their home clean, please share our information with them. You can help too by making a donation to Cleaning For A Cause. For more information, please call us at 631-941-4607.

Storing Summer Belongings

The final days of summer are upon us. Take the time to enjoy the warm air and light evenings. For those of you counting down the days until school starts, take a moment to enjoy your kids before the pressure of the school year settles upon you both.

Objects of summer are plentiful and can be dirty. Think beach chairs, coolers, tote bags, sand toys, and more. When the time comes to put these away for the cooler months, take a few extra minutes to prepare them for storage. A little bit of time and effort now can save a lot of time and effort later.

• If it can get wet, hose it down! Get all of the sand and dirt off and out of creases. Do this early on a sunny day and leave it to fully dry in the sun. 

• Carefully inspect the items. If it is broken or worn, throw it out. It won't magically fix itself over the winter.

• Straighten out the shed or garage and make a place for summer items. Rotate the shovels and sleds to the front and place the sand toys and beach chairs in the back. 

• Store items in like groups so you can easily find what you are looking for. For example, items that you take to the beach can be placed together or items you take to the soccer fields can be placed together.

• Make a list of discarded items that you want to replace before next summer. This way you can throw items out and not worry that you will be caught unprepared next summer.

Cleaned To Perfection is just full of simple tips to help simplify your life and give you more quality time. Want more tips? Call us at 631-941-4607!

Keep the Beach Out of Your Home!

Does it seem like it is more difficult to keep you home neat and tidy during the summer months? Do you find your home filled with neighborhood kids leaving their mess behind? If so, you may think that an outing to the beach will keep the mess out of your home, but sadly you will find that the mess typically travels home and enters the house right along with you.

At Cleaned To Perfection we pride ourselves on making life easier for our clients. While we may not  be able to follow behind all the mess makers in your life to clean up as they move through your home, we like to offer tips to help keep things as neat and clean as possible for your comfort between your cleanings. So here are some tips to keep the beach out of your home!

• Removing all the sand from your family members is one of the biggest challenges you face. Accept that they will in fact bring sand home with them, but there are steps you can take to limit the amount. Of course, if a shower is available at the beach, have each person rinse as best they can. Shake out hair and put long hair up in a ponytail or bun. 
• Before entering the car, use the baby powder trick. Sprinkle baby powder on your body and watch the sand fall off like magic! Have everyone sit the car and stick their feet out so they can remove the sand and not have to step on the sandy ground again.
• Mesh bags are a fabulous tool! Hopefully, your family will wear waterproof shoes to the beach like flip flops. Place them in a mesh bag and rinse them off at a water spigot. Sand will be removed while the water is able to drip right out. This works great with sand toys as well!
• Give each person a fresh towel to sit on in the car. Once home, have them place the towel on the floor of the shower, then stand on the towel while they remove their sandy suit. The towel will collect the sand that inevitably collects in the suit. Carefully wrap the suit in the towel, bring outside, and shake the sand free from the towel and the suit.
• Place all dirty beach towels in a plastic bag or a washable bag before placing in the car. 
• Place a sheet in the trunk of the car to catch all of the sand from chairs, coolers, etc.
• Make sure everyone knows the rules! Have a spot where all items returning from the beach are placed to minimize the mess. Have a spot where people returning from the beach can wait until their turn to shower. 

The best way to keep things neat and clean is to plan and organize. You know your family best. Think about their habits and do what you can to limit their messy impact on your clean home (without sucking all of the fun out of the day of course)! Remember, mess happens. Enjoying life typically means there will be something to clean up. So go ahead and enjoy life. Your Cleaned To Perfection team will be along soon!

Welcome to the Perfect Clean Rotation System!

Spring Cleaning comes just once a year, but Cleaned To Perfection is here for you all year long! Our “Perfect Clean Rotation System” is designed to ensure that all areas of your home receive extra attention.

Our regular cleanings leave your home sparkling and fresh. The added touches of the Perfect Clean Rotation System focus on those fine details within each room that really makes it pop and shine!

Here’s how we do it: In addition to your regular clean, each month we will rotate through different areas of your home giving each of them their own extra special attention. Not all areas of your home require extra attention during each clean. For example, high dusting is not always done. Since we do not live in the upper parts of the rooms, the dirt settles down low on our living area. The Perfect Clean Rotation System will ensure that high dusting is done on a regular basis. Some areas of your home require just light, dry dusting during the regular clean, but will be cleaned with a damp wipe during it’s turn of the Perfect Clean Rotation System. Do you have a collection in your home, such as frames or figurines? These will also get extra attention during their turn in the rotation!

Have questions? Ask your cleaning team or give our office a call!

YOU Can Enjoy Your Pool Too!

Summertime! Long, hot days lounging by the pool.  Listening to music and sipping cool drinks. Wait a moment. That doesn't sound like your days? Oh, that's right. While others swim and relax, you are the one fetching drinks, towels, sunscreen, pool toys, etc. Well, Cleaned To Perfection has some suggestions to help you enjoy the pool too!


Keep things simple. Think about the time spent at the pool and the things most often needed. Is there anyway to keep these items handy and accessible to everyone? For example, towels are used in abundance. Keep a bin near your dryer. As the the towels come out of the wash, place them in the bin rather than putting away in the linen closet. Rotate with a bin kept poolside for wet towels.

Keep a covered bin with cups, plates, and napkins handy. Bottled water and single serving packets of lemonade, punch, and iced tea mix allow for drinks to be made fresh and on the spot. If you wish, just bring a bucket of ice out so they can be served chilled. Add some bags of chips, pretzels, ect. to the bin as well. Once snacks and towels become self served, there is so much less for you to do!

Place hooks around the pool area people can easily hang their wet towels, coverups, t-shirts and more. You can even designate one or two hooks per family member so that everyone should know where their stuff is without having to ask you!

Make a first aid kit to keep poolside too. It can contain sunscreen, band aids, tissues, hand sanitizer.

The idea is to think ahead and keep as much poolside as possible. Not only will you cut down on the number of times you need to get up and retrieve something, but you will also limit the number of times wet people track throughout your home!

We hope this gives you some good ideas and you can finally relax and enjoy your pool!

Work - Life (UN)Balance

Rat Race. Whirlwind. Chaos. All good descriptors of most Americans daily lives. The days of single income families are gone. You know, like in Happy Days? Smiling Dad leaves for work in the morning for a short commute to his 9 -5 job. Smiling mom stays at home and cares for the children and cleans the house. The smiling family reunites at a reasonable hour to enjoy a meal together followed by hours of quality time before they head off to bed. 

Wow! Does this sound like any family you know these days? More likely it is two harried parents rushing out of the door even before the kids have had breakfast and left for school. Long commutes and long hours have the harried parents returning home at different times each one hoping the other has already arrived and started dinner. If lucky, there will be enough time for homework checks, showers, and tuck ins. 

Where did the quality of our lives go?  According to the updated Better Life Index from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the U.S. ranks 9th from the bottom among developed countries when it comes to work - life balance! There just aren't enough hours in the day for us to balance all of our demands. 

This is why, at Cleaned To Perfection, we talk about freeing up your quality time. We know how important it is to find time for yourself, your relationships, and so much more outside of work and chores. Our job is to free up your time so you can enjoy quality time in your clean home. Schedule an appointment to learn about all of our services and devise a plan to keep your work - life in balance!

#residential cleaning, #commercial cleaning

Showcase A Special Spot In Your Home

We are fortunate to go into many beautiful homes each week and we enjoy the unique character each home has. Cleaned To Perfection would like to showcase the special space in our client's homes.

If you would like to share a photo of your home, we would be honored to upload it to our social pages. Tell us why the space is special to you or why it is unique. It can be a room, a wall, an accessory .... anything that is special to you and you would like to share. Email the photo and information to info@wecleantoperfection.com.   

Here is a submission from a long time client. This wall is special to her for many reasons. It has showcased her children's art work for many years, the chalkboard has been used for fun games, but also to announce all celebrations such as birthdays and anniversaries. The wall itself was a gift designed and created in secret by a close friend. Unaware that her friend was doing this, she arrived home one day and found that the ugly wall she hated and been replaced by this beautiful one. Our Cleaned To Perfection staff enjoy looking at the wall each week to see what has been added! 

We would love to hear your special story and share it with our Cleaned To Perfection family. We look forward to your submissions!

 

Creative Storage Ideas for Garden Tools!

According to the weather man, Spring has finally sprung! Take a deep breath of the warm spring air and get ready to tackle some yard work! Now, some people love the feel of dirt on their hands and the smell of the grass while others dread any type of yard or garden work. Everyone can agree though, that outdoor work is less frustrating when you can find the tools and supplies you need!

We say it all the time, Cleaned To Perfection is here to help you find more quality time in your day! From cleaning your home for you to offering organization tips, we help you get rid of clutter and stress and find some free time. So here are some unique storage ideas for your garage/tool shed:

• Tired of tangled hoses? Don't know what to do with sprinklers? Bolt a bucket to the wall! Wrap the hose around the outside and store the sprinkler inside.

• Does your ball of twine ever unravel and trail around the shed? Nail a funnel to the wall and reign it in! Place the twine into the funnel and pass the twine through the spout!

• Do you have an old bicycle basket laying around? Go green and re-purpose it! Hang it on hooks and keep all of your gardening tools in one handy place. Gloves, twine, spade, and more conveniently fit inside. Best of all, the basket is portable so it is easy to bring your supplies with you!

• Be magnetic! So many tools have metal areas on them. Attach magnetic bars to the walls and quickly have a place to hang hand tools, paint brushes and more!

Before throwing items away, take a second look and think if you can find a unique use for it. Save money and save the planet! Be creative with storage and organizational products. Thinking outside of the box can create fun and simple storage ideas.

Are Green Cleaning Products Really Safer?

Reduce, Re-reuse, Recycle! Save Our Planet! Go Green!

Yes, we hear it everyday. We are bombarded by pleas for our help in protecting our planet and with suggestions on just how we are supposed to do this. No more plastic water bottle! Instead, use refillable bottles. Save the trees by buying recycled paper! Ok, protecting the planet is good. Making a little bit of extra effort for the cause is fine, but does any of this affect us personally?

The answer is yes! Many of the products we use in our daily life not only harm the environment, but can be harmful to us, and our pets, as well. Since we are Cleaned To Perfection, we are going to talk about cleaning products.

Now, many people will say that "regular" cleaning products must be safe since they are allowed to be sold. According to Live Science, part of the problem is that the products are over used. A cleaning product may be relatively safe if used by itself in small amounts. However, most people go cleaner happy and use a specialized cleaner for everything. The repeated exposure to the chemicals in all of these products add up and can be quite harmful.

Then, of course, there is the matter of the effect the chemicals have on the planet. The trouble comes when the chemicals are washed down the drain.  Live Science reports "Volatile organic compounds, used to enhance the performance of a product, can impair neurological functions, while other chemicals can act as respiratory irritants, carcinogens or reproductive toxins, depending upon the extent of exposure, according to the National Environmental Trust and other environmental groups."

Green Cleaners should not contain these harmful products and are becoming easier to find in mainstream stores. Cleaned To Perfection uses only top quality cleaners to ensure our clients, and the planet, are not exposed to harmful chemicals. Call our office to learn how you can purchase cleaning products by Better Life directly from us!

Is It Laundry Day Already?

Laundry. The chore that is never done. That feeling of accomplishment you get when you see the empty laundry basket and know that all items have been washed, dried, folded, and put away lasts only as long as it takes to throw the next piece of dirty clothing in it, which is usually about 10 seconds later. And let's face it, we rarely have everything washed, dried, folded, and put away. 

Laundry is one chore we hear people complain about on a regular basis so in our quest to help you find more quality time in your life, and clean better and smarter along the way, we have some laundry tips to share:

• Preparation takes time so enlist your family for help. Provide each family member with their own laundry basket and make it their responsibility to have their clothes wash ready.

• What is wash ready? Zippers zipped, snaps closed, velcro secured, pockets emptied, socks unfurled, cuffs unrolled, and delicates turned inside out.

• Oh no, a stain! It's best if you catch the stain early and treat it before it sets. Scoop up solids with a dull edge and blot liquids with a clean white cloth from the outside. Treat stains before washing. Carefully examine the clothing after the wash cycle to be sure the stain is fully removed before placing in the dryer.

• Which cycle? We love technology with lots of settings and gadgets because we feel it must be capable of doing an amazing job, but if we don't know the proper way to use the settings and gadgets, they're useless. The regular cycle on the washing machine is best for sturdy and dirty clothes. The permanent press cycle is fine for the average load and the delicate cycle should be used for lacy and loosely woven fabrics. Use hot water for whites, warm water for the average load and cold water for bright colors.

• Fresh, fluffy towels! Wash towels every three to four days and do not use fabric softener which can actually cause the fabric to stiffen. Wash white towels in non-chlorine bleach on the hottest setting.

• Dryer settings are simple. Most machines have automatic settings that let you choose how dry you want the clothes instead of setting the machine for a specific time. The permanent press setting has a cool down cycle at the end to reduce wrinkling.

Organize the laundry area and create a routine with other family members. Again, give each person as much responsibility as they are capable of.  From all of us at Cleaned To Perfection, happy washing!

Tips For Keeping a Clean Desk

Everyone wants a neat and tidy desk.  It makes it more enjoyable to sit and do your work, makes you look more professional, and keeps you organized.  If you're one of those who always have trouble keeping the desk organized, here are some tips:

1. Get Organized:  Go to your local office supply store, invest in folders, storage and trays.  Clean out the drawers, throw out anything you don't need and organize the items you do need so you can find them quickly and efficiently.

2. Go Paperless:  We live in a digital age now, and with smart phones and tablets we can truly go paperless on the cloud.  Take a look at the great features Google provides with Google Drive, invest in an app like Evernote.

3. Get rid of the Post It notes:  Can you not see your desk through all the yellow paper?  It's time to invest in a digital to do list.  Once again, take a look at Evernote, or the built in apps on your phone.

4. Calendar Desk Blotters:  Handy? Yes. Ugly and a mess? Yes.  Once again, look to Google, your apps, or perhaps invest in your own personal Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to keep you on track with your appointments.  ZOHO is a free CRM that can keep you organized.  Most people will admit that the desk calendar is their largest coffee mug coaster they own.

5.  Keep it clean:  Invest in a small compressed air canister to clean your keyboard.  Get rid of all those dust bunnies and small potato chip crumbs that collect in the QWERTY.  Don't leave items on your desk when you leave at night, take two minutes to put everything away in it's place.  

6. Cut the cord:  Don't actually cut the cord, but cut down on the amount of cords on your desk.  Many people still have computer towers, along with their phones and monitors on their desk.  You can purchase a handy cord organizer to cut down the clutter. 

If you have the need for clean in your house, please visit Cleaned to Perfection.

Introducing Better Life Cleaning Products

Cleaned to Perfection is always working hard to make your life Cleaner, Greener and healthier. We are now pleased to announce that we have partnered with one of the safest green cleaning companies Better Life.  Better Life uses only the safest cleaning solutions that are plant derived, non toxic, and independently verified as safe and effective by Whole Foods' Eco Scale. We have eliminated all paper waste in our cleaning process, and have reduced our environmental impact wherever possible. We have the best and most durable tools that withstand years of use, that way less of our tools end up in the waste stream. Lastly we use HEPA, microfiltration vacuums in our green home cleaning processes. These vacuums are proven to reduce indoor allergens and other airborne pollutants.

Happy Holidays!

How to Clean Oil Splatter and Candle Wax

What a joy it is to celebrate a holiday for eight nights! Hannukah puts smiles on faces of the young and old as they share in gift giving, candle lighting, and latke eating. Unfortunately, the smiles can falter when the time comes to clean the latke oil from the stove and the candle wax from the menorah. Don't lose your smile! Here are some easy cleaning tips to help you keep your happy Hannukah spirit going!

• Homemade latkes are a delicious holiday treat, but can can create quite a mess while cooking on your stove. First, reduce the amount of oil to splatter by placing a splatter guard over the pan while the latkes are cooking. If oil does splatter, clean it as soon as possible. The faster you get to it, the easier it will be. A little dish detergent and warm water is often good enough to remove fresh oil spills, but for tough dried on spots, try using a baking soda/water paste. The trick is to let the paste sit for a little while and give it time to work. Then use a non-abrasive scrubber and elbow grease. 

•  Flames flickering on candles in a menorah is a beautiful sight especially on a cold December evening, but wax drips onto the menorah itself and the table it set upon. Protect your table by placing a sheet a wax paper under the menorah to catch the wax. Cleaning the wax drips and the candle holders on the menorah can be time consuming and frustrating. Spray a light coating of cooking spray on the menorah before placing the candles in it and the wax should come off easily. If that fails, or if you didn't use cooking spray, try freezing the menorah. Once the wax is frozen, it should pop right off!

Happy Hannukah from all of us at Cleaned to Perfection!

Ready Your Home for Company in Just a Few Minutes!

Oh, tis the season to be busy and tis the season for frequent house guests! With all of the extra shopping, cooking, baking, charity work, etc. that you do this time of year, a clean and organized home can fall to the bottom of your to-do list. Don't fret! Cleaned To Perfection has some simple tips to help make your home company ready in just a few minutes!

Your time is precious and should be used for the most special moments in your life like sipping hot cocoa in front of the fire with your family, not with your arm in a dirty toilet trying to remove the ring around the bowl. Hiring a cleaning service is not just a luxurious privilege. Many families have two working parents and people work crazy long hours. It becomes difficult to to find quality family time and/or quality "me" time. Consider using a cleaning service, such as Cleaned To Perfection of course, to free up quality time in your life. Even if it is just a once month good cleaning, it will make the other 3 weeks of the month a bit easier and faster to do.

Ok, that's the down and dirty clean, but even with good weekly cleaning the home still needs some TLC during the week. Here are some tips to help keep your home neat and ready for guests to pop in:

• Keep a laundry basket handy and once per day travel throughout the rooms of your home picking up items that do not belong and bringing them back to their spot. If guests call and ask if they can stop by in a few, grab that laundry basket and pick up misplaced items.
• Wipe down the guest bathroom every other day so that it is always company ready.
• Put a pan on the stove with water and cinnamon sticks to simmer. The house will smell welcoming and delicious!
• Bright lights can make a room look more welcoming, so don't be shy!

Remember, the holidays are meant for you to enjoy as well!