Your Ultimate GREEN Spring Cleaning Tips

Spring is here! Here come the flowers, bunnies and sunshine! It's also the time to open the windows and treating your home to deep spring cleaning.

Why do we emphasize the "GREEN?" It’s not because of the green grass we're going to start seeing as the snow melts and the grass grows. We're emphasizing "green" in because we encourage the use safe and natural cleaning products. Going green will clean your home naturally, while at the same time keeping you and your family safe without the use of chemicals. 

15 Green Spring Cleaning Tips

..But First: Open up the windows and let the fresh air come in!

1. Replace old pillows: Pillows that are over 2 years old can be composed of up to 10 percent dust mite feces and carcasses. 

2. Sprinkle baking soda on musty carpets: Instead of using chemical cleaners, baking soda will help get rid of odors. Let it sit for an hour or so and then vacuum it up.

3. Clean your windows with vinegar: Combine 2 teaspoons of vinegar with 1 quart of warm water in a spray bottle. Spray and wipe with a microfiber cloth. 

4. Flip your mattress and sprinkle with baking soda: Just like carpet, you can sprinkle baking soda to absorb oils and odors. After absorbed, vacuum it up. 

5. Install a clothes line: Dry your clothes naturally when the weather permits!

6. Eliminate chemical fabric softeners: Instead, add 1/4 cup of vinegar to your washing machine's rinse cycle.

7. Leave coffee grounds in the fridge: Coffee grounds absorb funky odors that may linger in your refrigerator.

8. Polish wood with olive oil: Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to 1/4 cup of lemon juice for a non-toxic furniture polish that remove dust and make the wood shine.

9. Clean the dishwasher: Fill your dishwasher with 2 cups of vinegar. Run through on a hot cycle to clean and remove musty odors.

10. Clean the toilet: Pour 1 cup of baking soda in the toilet and let it sit for 1 hour. Pour in 1 cup of white vinegar, leave for 5 minutes and flush.

11. Natural Bleach: A mix of hydrogen peroxide and lemon juice creates a natural bleach. Use it in your bathroom, or even your laundry.

12. Help the refrigerator stay cool: Vacuum the coils about twice a year to remove any dust or dirt.

13. Bathtub and shower: Warm up white vinegar and spray it on shower walls once a week and let it sit for 5 minutes. Let the shower rinse it away, or wipe down.

14. Baseboards, door frames and walls: Scrub them down with a squirt of dishwashing liquid soap mixed with warm water (magic erasers work well).
15. Dust light fixtures: Use a microfiber cloth and lightly dampen your cloth with vinegar before wiping down.

GO GREEN! 

Check out this link to learn more about the harms of chemical household cleaning products.

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/allergy-and-asthma/articles/2008/07/25/health-hazards-in-household-cleaners-exposed

Cleaned to Perfection will have your home spring and summer ready in no time!

Give us a call today and tell us about your spring cleaning needs. 631-941-4607

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.

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!

Kids Don't Just Create Mess, They Can Clean It To!

How often do you finish cleaning a room only to turn around and find your kids followed behind you and messed it up as you moved along? GRRRR! Frustrating to be sure, but hey, they're kids. Cleaned To Perfection found these tips given by Lysol which may just help. The idea is to encourage your children to help with household chores thereby instilling a sense of responsibility in them.

1. Teach By Example: Show your child(ren) the proper way to complete the task then step back and give them space so they can do it on their own.
2. Let Go: No one likes working with someone looking over their shoulder! Try not to hover and watch over their shoulder. Chances are good that they will not complete the task the same way you would, but give them time to practice and get it right.
3. Communication Is Key: If you want your child(ren) to take responsibility for helping to keep your home clean, then make sure they know what their responsibility is. Create a household chore cart and be sure to offer praise when their chores are completed.
4. Clean Routine: Choose family friendly cleaning products that are safe to use around children.

Thank you Lysol for sharing these tips with us. These tips can be useful even if Cleaned To Perfection does the cleaning in your home! Utilize these practices to straighten up; put toys, games, and clothes away; clean up after oneself in the bathroom; and so much more. Teach your kids to straighten and clean as they move through their day and enjoy a peaceful and comfortable living space!

Get Creative With These Organization Ideas!

Most of us want our homes to be organized, but find it a challenge for a number of reasons. Organizational products can be pricey and unattractive. Sometimes we just don't want to make the effort of removing an item from a storage container when we can just leave it out and readily available to us. Then of course, there are those other people we live with. No one else seems to understand how to put things away.

Sigh. It can be overwhelming and a thankless job to keep your home organized. Cleaned To Perfection is here to help! We have compiled a few creative storage ideas that are inexpensive, easy (and dare we say fun) to use and add some personality to the room. Feel free to duplicate these ideas in your home and be inspired to create your own! Share your photos and ideas with us in the comment section of the blog or on our facebook page!






Kitchens! So many items, so little easy to reach space! Here is a clever idea to stay organized and help with the dinnertime rush. Place all the ingredients needed for one meal in a translucent bin. When it's time to cook, grab the bin. No more searching for ingredients!

Genius! Measuring cups and spoons each have their own labeled hook on the inside of a cupboard door! Add a handy measurement conversion chart and adding the right amount of ingredients is simple!

Bathrooms with small spaces can be an extra challenge. Create a bit of extra space with decorative flowerpots to hold frequently used items.

Plugs! Always tangled. Never the one you're looking for. Try placing large binder clips in the edge of your desk an slipping one cord through each!

Crafty? Place all those spools of ribbon on a pants hanger! The ribbon is easy to find and easy to use. Works well for present wrapping ribbon too!







Don't forget to share your ideas with us! We'll share them as we get them!

Feeling Overwhelmed by the End of Summer?

Labor Day marks the end of long, lazy summer days. Fall brings with it a flourish of activity, changes in schedules, and colder weather forcing us indoors. Most of us feel a bit overwhelmed at the thought of  all the tasks we have to do:

• Shopping for school clothes and supplies
• Register for fall sports/activities
• School physicals
• Open school night
• PTA meetings
• Prepare college bound kids with dorm supplies, clothing, books, laptops, etc.
• Transport college bound kids to their new home

This is just the short list for those of us with school aged kids. The Fall is also a time for planning. Halloween is right around the corner and most likely the kids are already planning their costumes and making lists for you. Thanksgiving, Hannukah, Kwanza, New Year's Eve all usually require great deals of planning including travel, guests, menus, gifts, etc.

So these are the thoughts going around in our heads as we notice all of the housework we let slide during the summer. We know it makes sense to put away the beach towels, goggles, shovels/pails, boogie boards and fully clean the house before we bring out all the items we need fo the Fall, but where can we find the time? Cleaned To Perfection is the answer!

 Our staff can clean your home from top to bottom leaving you free to tackle everything else. Whether it is a one time clean, once a month, or weekly cleaning, Cleaned To Perfection can create a clean and welcoming environment for your family to spend time in. Most importantly, we give you time to spend doing things you want to do. So leave the cleaning to us and go enjoy yourself!

Creating Quality Time Costs Less Than You May Think!

Quality time to spend with friends, family, and yes, even oneself is a highly sought after commodity.  Daily life is filled with responsibilities, errands, chores, and long to-do lists. How would you feel if Cleaned To Perfection could help you create more quality time in your week?

Take a look at one of the most time consuming chores you encounter. How many hours per week do you spend cleaning?  Of course it depends upon the size of your home, the number of people and pets who live with you, and well, how neat everyone is. Let's say 3 hours per week, which is on the low side of average.  What could you do with those extra three hours?

• Dinner and a movie
• mani/pedi and facial
• 1 hour exercise class 3X/week
• Coffee with a friend 3X/week

Ok, you get the idea.  By removing the chore of cleaning your home, you gain invaluable quality time for your life.  But what about the cost?  Is this where your dream fades away? Let's take a look. The following outings are, on average, roughly the cost of one week of house cleaning:

• Movie tickets and snacks for a family of 4
• Dinner at a good restaurant for 2
• 2 games of bowling for a family of 4

By making some small changes that you probably won't even notice, you can buy yourself hours of quality time each week. Eat out one night less each week.  Rent a movie, make your own snacks and snuggle with your family to watch a movie instead of going to the theater. Invite friends over for a game night instead of going out to bowl.  Why not, your house will be clean!

Everyone seems to be living a hectic life these days. It is important to find time to slow down and enjoy yourself.  Cleaned To Perfection can help you accomplish this.  Give us a call today and start enjoying your quality time!

Why Choose Cleaned To Perfection?

With many cleaning options available, why should you choose Cleaned To Perfection?  Our name says it all. Quite simply, we clean to perfection.


The question that really should be asked is, how do we determine perfection? This also has a simple answer. We communicate with our clients.  Our president Elissa Rand, or our Client Manager Nicole meets each new client personally to discuss our services, clients cleaning preferences  and answer any questions.  Elissa also responds to phone calls and maintains contact with each client.  Unique to our service is the "Final Walk Through Checklist".  After each cleaning, a walk through will be completed and services will be checked off verifying they have been completed. This provides a great opportunity for feedback to be shared between us and our clients.


Professionalism is another trait that separates us from other cleaning services. Elissa has a keen awareness that treating people right will lead to success.  Elissa carefully chooses employees who take pride in their work and who respect the clients and their property. Employee turnover is very low. The employees are treated well by Cleaned To Perfection and in return they treat our clients well.  It is a win-win-win situation.


Communication and professionalism are the core ways we can ensure we are cleaning to YOUR perfection. Call us to learn more about the green cleaning products we use, our professional cleaning teams, our Final Walk Through Checklist, and how we have EARNED the name Cleaned To Perfection! Remember, perfection is our goal; excellence will be tolerated.