Four of the Best Ways to Clean Your Home With Pets

Your pet is a member of your family. Your dog is there to cuddle up while watching a movie or run around with in playing fetch. Your pet may just be your best friend.

But when it comes to keeping your house spic and span, your pet may not always agree. While you love them, you may not love their messy habits. With the shedding, the having to go outside and their wet noses pressed up against the windows, you may feel like a mess follows your k-9 friend.

Thankfully, there are some easy tips to help keep your home clean when your dog creates a constant mess! And short of beginning to look for cleaning services in Columbus Ohio, there are ways you can prepare and prevent having to follow your dog around with a cleaning rag!

Here, we share four of those important tips to clean your home with pets.

1. Containing the Hair

You take care of your pet’s coat. From frequently brushing it to using shampoo and conditioner on a far too frequent basis, you do your best to keep your pet’s coat smooth and sleek.

But when you start finding such smooth hair all over your house, your appreciation for their coat may decrease.

An article from Martha Stewart suggests to lay out an old towel wherever your dear pet loves to lay around. When they lay on the towel, rather than directly on your sofa, bed or carpet, their shedded hair will leave off on the towel. All you have to do to clean up is shake out the towel outside and throw it in the wash.

To prevent excessive shedding, keeping proper care of your pet goes a long way. Regularly brushing your pet can get rid of that excess fur. And, when you have a spot where you brush them, you can control where the hair goes and can clean up more efficiently.

When you find that you’ve got dog hair on you – from petting or curling up with your pet, or even just from the wash – there are ways you can get it picked up fast. An article from Martha Stewart suggests to use a tape roller to pick up those loose hairs you don’t want on you.

For hair on furniture, use a hand vacuum to spot clean where you see collections of unwanted hair.

2. Stop the Dirt

If your dog, or pet, is like most, he or she loves to be outside in rain or sun. They like to run around and play and explore whatever they can.

But sometimes that exploring can make your pet’s precious paws awfully muddy. You can’t prevent all that your pet tracks into the house, but there are some easy steps you can take to minimize those unwelcome messes.

An article from Clean and Scentsible suggests to keep mats in front of the doors that your pet goes in and out of. You can also keep a bucket of shallow water to make it easier to clean up those really muddy paws. Train your dog to wait on the mats before moving on into the house. Then, use a towel to get their paws sparky clean before running around your clean home once again.

This practice can be very useful in all season and whatever your dog is up to. Whether it’s just a simple stroll in the summer or running around in the mud with their fellow K-9 friends, keeping a bucket of water and a towel to clean their paws will keep your home clean.

3. Add some fresh scents

Even when you bathe and take care of your pet regularly, there’s still a smell that comes with having a pet.

Rather than masking their smell with home sprays and cleaning products, an article from Clean and Scentsible suggests other options. She writes to try lighting candles or using essential oils to improve the smell of your home.

Don’t just try to cover up the smell. That solution may work in the moment, but the odor of your pet remains. Add some fresh scents that don’t just cover up but change the overall aroma of your home.

4. Smudges on windows

When you’re on your way home, or if there’s something interesting going on outside, your pet may eagerly rush to the window to observe what’s happening. While seeing their face pressed up against the window is surely an adorable sight, it also means there’s smudges on the windows.

While you could pull out a bottle of chemicals from the store to clean your windows, there are other, more environmentally-friendly ways, to clean your windows. For example, you can get your windows sparkly clean with using a solution of one part vinegar to one part water. Put the solution in a spray bottle and wipe away those annoying smudges.

Love Your Pet, And Your Home

With these easy and quick cleaning tips, you don’t have to choose between loving your pet and taking care of your clean home.

Spend time with your pet and not worry about keeping your home clean. Use these easy steps to enjoy your pet and your home, today.

7 Benefits of Regularly Cleaning Your Home

Cleaning. From a young age, you were told to clean your room before you could watch television or play with your friends. Perhaps you dreaded the daily reminder from your mom or dad to pick up your toys, to put your clothes in the hamper and that it was your turn to vacuum.

Now, maybe cleaning your home still feels like a chore. You know it’s something you should do but you can’t always find the motivation to grab the vacuum, use some paper towels and regularly clean your home.

But engaging in a regular routine of cleaning your space comes with many benefits to help you and your family live healthier lives.

Here, we share 7 benefits you can experience in regularly cleaning your home in Columbus, OH.

1. Stay Healthy

We’ll start with the most obvious. When you work on cleaning those common household surfaces, you reduce the chances of your family getting sick. By using disinfectant on a daily or regular basis on counters, the kitchen table and other heavily-used areas, you can keep your family from harmful germs and bacteria that can build up in a short amount of time.

Not only does regular cleaning reduce germs and bacteria, it also keeps rodents, bugs and other unwelcome creatures from joining you at home. Picking up leftover food, snatching crumbs before they get lost in furniture and taking out the trash will leave unwanted creatures uninterested in what your home has to offer.

Keeping your home (mostly) dust-free also helps to reduce allergies and other harmful conditions. A clean home is a healthy home.

2. De-Stress

Have you ever tried to live and work in a cluttered and messy environment? Chances are, you struggled to focus on the task at hand. You try and work only to get distracted by the piles of clothes that have yet to be folded or the stack of dishes you’ve forgotten to wash, again. A cluttered home can lead to a cluttered mind.

But instilling a regular cleaning practice into your schedule can help reduce your stress and help you be more productive.

According to an article from A Mess Free Life, having a clean living space improves your thinking and helps you to de-stress. While you may come home from a busy day at work or running errands, you can step into a home that brings about peace and comfort.

Chaotic environments often breeds chaos. Control that chaos by regularly cleaning your home and keeping things in their place. Not only does the end result of a clean home reduce stress, the actual act of cleaning, organizing and maintaining your home can also bring about stress-relief as well.

3. Always Be Prepared For the Unexpected

Imagine getting a phone call from your in-laws. They’re coming for a surprise visit to see you and their grandkids. And they’ll be there in a half hour.

Now, if you didn’t have a regular cleaning routine, you might fall into somewhat of a panic and rush to get as much of your house clean as possible. You might be throwing coats, toys and unwashed laundry into closets to be hidden from plain view.

However, if you engage in a regular cleaning of your home, your house is ready to go for whatever comes your way. You just disinfected the kitchen counter after preparing lunch. Your kids picked up their toys after they finished playing. You vacuumed the guest room just a few days ago. Bring on the in-laws; you’re ready to go.

When you clean regularly, you’re prepared for the unexpected visit, whenever and whoever may be coming. You can rest at ease knowing that whether your friend drops by for a cup of coffee or your in-laws are staying for a week, you’re house is already in tip-top shape.

4. Find Your Things Easily

It’s easy to lose things when your house is a mess. Your car keys may be in one spot. Your house keys in another. And now for the life of you you can’t figure out where you left your glasses (which are resting on top of your head).

When you have a regular practice of cleaning your home, you’re more able to find what you need, when you need it. When everything has a place and everything is in that place, you can know exactly where you put your keys, wallet, glasses and any other things you need at a moment’s notice.

Such ability to find your essentials also reduces the stress of having to remember where you’ve put everything. Relax and be at ease in a home that’s clean and orderly.

5. Stay Active

With a busy schedule, it can be difficult to fit in physical activity on a daily basis. But, regularly cleaning your home provides you the opportunity to get your heart rate up, use those muscles and get a little exercise into your day.

Grab your vacuum and see how fast your can clean all the carpets. Use a rag and work those arm muscles to clean your kitchen floor. Race to see how fast you can disinfect the bathroom counters.

With a regular routine of cleaning your home, whether big or small, provides a great opportunity to get your heart rate up. Find out new ways you can multitask by improving your home and your health.

6. Save Time

When you choose to clean on a regular basis, you can do just a little bit each day. Otherwise, when you get to the point of company coming over or an infestation of bugs, you may spend hours and hours trying to clean everything at once. Such practice can get very tiring and overwhelming. If you ever do feel like you need an outside hand, you can contact us if you need a cleaning service in Columbus, OH.

When you clean a little each day to maintain a clean home, you won’t have to spend those hours upon hours trying to clean everything.

7. Feel Good About Yourself

With benefits like de-stressing, being healthier and exercising, regularly cleaning your home can make you feel better about yourself overall. Maintaining a clean home provides a sense of accomplishment that can boost your self-esteem.

In a clean home, you can feel you’ve conquered those messes and have control over the organization of your life. This also makes it easier to actually relax and rest during your free time, when you don’t have to worry about the messes that you should get to cleaning. Do something for you and start regularly cleaning your home.

Conclusion

Keeping a clean home doesn’t have to be a chore. With a range of benefits that support the health of both you and your family, regularly cleaning your home can be a practice in self-care. Start planning your cleaning schedule and start feeling the benefits today!

Fun Family Activities in Columbus, OH

Whether it’s summer vacation or winter break, there’s the possibility of hearing your kids say those two annoying words of “I’m bored.”

When their friends are gone or unavailable to play, when it’s raining so they can’t go outside or when your family is just looking for something different, Columbus is a great source of entertainment for all ages.

So don’t settle for hearing your kids saying that they’re bored. They can’t be bored in place where there’s so much to do and to explore. Discover activities that boost your kid’s creativity and innovation. Allow them to let loose and have some fun, and maybe even learn a little something along the way.

Here we share five family-fun activities. You’ll be sure to find one that you – and your kids – will love.

1) Check out the Columbus Zoo

If your kids are interested in animals, a zoo is a great location for some family fun activity. Visiting the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is a great idea for the all ages. Let your kids explore the aquarium and be in awe of the variety of fish. Or encourage your kids to or go visit the monkeys hanging out in trees. Some enclosures are even inside, so you can stay warm and comfortable whether it’s 85 or 8 degrees outside.

And, if you’re looking to save money, check out the deals and free days they offer throughout the year. Family fun can certainly go farther with deals and savings opportunities. Also, if you’re in the market for a home cleaning in Columbus, Olentangy Maids has given away free zoo ticket raffles in the past!

2) Visit a Museum

When you – or your kids – are looking for a more educational outing, there are several museums you can explore with your family. For history of all things Columbus, your family can check out the Ohio Historical Center. Discover an abundant of exhibits on topics such as air and space, the arts, civil war, industry and labor and many more. The Ohio Historical center also hosts events and hands-on activities for kids to provide an engaging way of learning history.

For some art education and history, you and your family can check out the Columbus Museum of Art. This museum incorporates various exhibits displaying unique and amazing art. You can even visit the Columbus Museum of Art on Sunday for free! Free admission means a family-friendly activity of learning and appreciating art.

Another museum that is dedicated to educating kids in a fun and engaging way is the Center of Science and Industry, or COSI, in downtown Columbus. COSI is a family-friendly museum that shows kids the importance of science and industry with exhibits such as for a planetarium and dinosaurs. They offer a variety of ticket pricing and deals so you can easily plan a family outing. COSI even plans kid-friendly events and programs such as Little Kidspace, camps, camp-in and can even host birthday parties.

3) Catch a Game

Whether your family is the athletic type or not, sporting events in Columbus provide entertainment for all ages. Catch a baseball game of the Triple-A team the Columbus Clippers. Watch the Columbus Crew SC play soccer. Or, sit in the arena and cheer on the Columbus Blue Jackets in hockey. Whatever sport you choose, it’ll be a fun time for all.

4) Get Crafty

If your family is the crafty type that loves making things with their hands, you can take your older kids to Clayspace. Clayspace is a fun outing that hosts classes to teach you pottery making. Their various classes incorporate various topics depending on what you want to learn. So whether you’re a newbie or looking to refine your skills, you can learn and further a new hobby.

5) Get Outside

Columbus is a great place to get outside no matter the season. With trails like the Scotio Mile, you can run, walk, bike or scooter your way to family fun. Kids can even run and splash through the fountains at Bicentennial Park. Discover the great outdoors with parks like the Columbus Commons and the Scotio Audobon Metropark. Spending time with family is a great opportunity to get outdoors and celebrate the beautiful nature of Columbus, Ohio.

Find Something For Your Family

With school, work, practices and other extracurriculars, getting time to spend with your family can fall away to the side easily. Good thing Columbus offers a wide selection of entertainment and activities for you spend that important quality time with your family.

Top 8 Things To Do in Columbus, OH During Your Weekend

Whether there’s a few inches of snow on the ground or the sun is shining brightly on an 80 degree day, there’s so much to do in Columbus, Ohio. Believe it or not, here at Olentangy Maids in Columbus, we like to spend our weekends doing stuff OTHER than cleaning! We’ve compiled this list to help now that the weather is starting to break for Spring!!

Columbus has something to offer all ages and interests.

Whether you’re planning an extended vacation or just looking for something local to do on your days off, Columbus has your answer.

Here, we share the top eight things to do during your weekend in Columbus.

1) Experience Nature

If you’re the outdoorsy type looking to soak up some nature, there are a lot of fun activities in Columbus.

Take a stroll through Franklin Park Conservatory and Botalical Gardens. This 88-acre garden includes a vast plant and art collection that stretches both inside and outside. Learn in educational, cultural and social events at the Gardens or simply take a walk on your own. Check out exhibitions featuring a variety of amazing plants and artwork. Stop by the Hot Shop to watch professionals craft hand-blown glass art. And, swing by the gift shop, green house and the Garden Café while you visit.

If you’re wanting to get a little more adventurous, the ZipZone Canopy Tours is your spot to feed your wild side. Jump on a zipline and experience nature in a whole new way. With options for different tours and adventure levels, it’ll be sure to be a top activity on your list.

Check out the trails around the Scioto Mile. This area includes 33 acres of parkland and trails that stretch from the Bicentennial Plaza to the North Bank Park. Bicentennial Park is a great location for picnics and hanging out where you can even attend concerts in the summertime.

2) Visit The North Market Farmers Market

If you have a passion for produce, the North Market Farmers Market is your spot. As one of the largest and oldest farmers markets in central Ohio, the North Market offers a vast selection of produce and other goods and food options. This market is open every Saturday at 8 a.m.

3) Learn Something New

Looking for something to feed your mind? The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) is a family-friendly learning opportunity fun for all ages. This center features interactive exhibits to intrigue all.

If you love learning about animals, check out the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Be amazed at the variety of fish in the aquarium or go visit the monkeys hanging out in trees. And, if you’re looking to save money, check out the deals and free days they offer throughout the year.

Visit the Columbus Museum of Art and stroll around the exhibits for an afternoon. This museum incorporates exhibits displaying unique and amazing art. The space encompasses both an indoor gallery and an outdoor sculpture garden. As a weekend treat, you can even visit the Columbus Museum of Art on Sunday for free!

4) See a Show

Columbus offers a wide variety of entertainment venues perfect for any age.

If theatre is your thing, venture over to the Ohio Theatre for a show. This venue features ballets, musicals, opera performances, lectures and even fun presentations.

In addition to the Ohio theatre, you can also check out shows and performances at the Palace Theatre, Lincoln Theatre or the Southern Theatre – which is one of the oldest theatres in the state.

The Wexner Center for the Arts is a internationally-known arts center part of the Ohio State University. The center features impeccable architecture, large performance spaces and a film video theater. Shop around and get a bite to eat at their store and café before or after a performance or show. And, on the first Sunday of each month, you can get into the exhibitions for free.

5) Visit a Neighborhood

Columbus has a variety of unique locations to stroll down. With shopping areas and cafés to explore, it’s a great way to spend a weekend afternoon.

The Short North Arts District has fun specialty shops, various pubs and cafés and stunning architecture.

With the influence of Europe, German Village features a little taste of Germany with restaurants, specialty shops and cobblestone streets.

7) Shop Around

The Easton Town Center is a unique and fun shopping experience. The buildings are designed to look like they’re from the mid 20th century. Shops are numerous and include spots for all ages and interests. Stop and get a bite to eat, catch a movie and shop for some new clothes, all in one place.

8) Get Crafty

If you’re more into activities that build on your creativity, Columbus has great ideas for you, too. Make your own custom candle at The Candle Lab. Here, you can combine scents to make a candle that’s the perfect aroma for you.

Want to learn how to make pottery? Learn at a class at Clayspace. Their classes include lessons depending on what you want to learn and your skill level. So whether you’re a newbie or looking to refine your skills, you can learn and further a new hobby.

Find Your Adventure

Celebrate your weekend or vacation by discovering local gems and activities perfect for you and your family. With outdoor excursions, theatrical performances and crafty classes, there’s something fun for every age.

Start planning your outing and experience Columbus today.

You could probably come up with a list of things you’d rather do than clean your bathroom. The weather is starting to break here in Columbus, OH and I know that means starting to consider a spring home cleaning. And that list might be long. Maybe start with a single room, like the bathroom.

When you think of the unwanted chore of cleaning the bathroom, you may think of spending hours wiping hard water stains, inhaling strong odors of bleach from cleaning products and scrubbing the toilet.

But turning your bathroom from messy to spic and span can actually be a quick and easy process. It’ll take some effort, but keeping your bathroom clean will not only make the room look better – you’ll feel better too.

From the shower to the countertop to the toilet to the floor, there’s a lot of areas of your bathroom that need cleaning. Here, we share six tips you can use to get and keep your bathroom clean and fresh.

1) Clear Soap Scum With Vinegar

With stubborn soap scum marks, you may be tempted to drench them with harsh chemicals. But, there’s actually a quick and easy way to remove that annoying cloudy film along your sinks and tubs with ingredients you already have.

You can make a paste by combining baking soda and vinegar to spread around the soap scummed area. Let the paste sit on the scum stains for a few minutes to allow the acid in the vinegar to work.

Once you’ve waited a few minutes, scrub away the paste to reveal your new sparkling sinks and tubs. And, to prevent further build up of soap scum, remember to wipe of excess water with a towel after showering or using water.

2) Unclog Shower Heads with Vinegar

Ever have mineral build-up on your shower head? Blocked holes may change the water pressure and make your shower uncomfortable. There’s an easy way to fix that.

According to MarthaStewart.com, all you need to do is fill a small bag with undiluted white vinegar. Then, wrap the bag over the shower head so that the holes are covered with vinegar. Leave the bag on overnight. In the morning, remove the bag and scrub the shower head with a toothbrush.

3) Use Vinegar to Clean Your Toilet

Vinegar is great for more than just cleaning your shower head. You can also use vinegar to brighten and whiten your toilet. Rather than splashing on harsh chemicals, vinegar helps clean and remove bacteria in an all-natural way.

TipHero says you can pour vinegar on the top of the toilet and spray it on the top and lid. You can also soak toilet paper in vinegar and hold it against the rim to scrub off stubborn stains.

4) Use Toothpaste to Clean Your Teeth – And Your Stains

Toothpaste is a classic bathroom staple. But did you know you can use it for more than just cleaning your teeth. You can also use it to clean up rust stains from hard water build up.

According to Reader’s Digest, simply squeeze on some toothpaste onto a toothbrush and start scrubbing away those hard water rust stains.

Just be sure you use one toothbrush to clean your bathroom and another, separate one to clean those pearly whites.

5) Get Sparkly Glass Doors

If you have glass doors on your shower, it may be frustrating to constantly see smudges and water stains on the doors.

Thankfully, there are many easy ways to get those glass doors back to sparkling. And it’ll only take you a trip to your bathroom cupboard or kitchen.

Reader’s Digest notes you can use shaving cream and a dry towel to protect your doors from further water build up. Or, use a spray bottle of vinegar and a sponge to return your doors to their former, shiny glory.

6) Prevent Stains and Build Up in the First Place

If you want to avoid needing to do deep cleaning of your bathroom, do your best to keep it clean in the first place. There are easy things you can do everyday to prevent stains and build up from forming.

To prevent soap scum from forming on your sink counters, choose a liquid soap over a bar of soap. Hang up towel rods to keep your towels fresh and free from mold. Keep your shower curtains unfolded, rather than bunched up, to prevent mildew build-up. You can also spray the liners with an all-purpose spray occasionally to keep them even more fresh and smelling great.

When it comes to stains – whether from hard water or rust – it’s best to tackle them as soon as possible. When stains sit, they can become more difficult to remove later on.

Conclusion

Getting a clean bathroom doesn’t have to take hours of back-breaking and arduous work. Rather than using and breathing in harmful chemicals to get your bathroom clean, you can use simple materials you probably already have on hand.

Use these quick and easy tips to get to cleaning today.

Winter. The change of the seasons mean time for sledding, making snow angles and drinking cups of hot chocolate. It’s a time for ice skating, snowshoeing and cuddling up with blankets with a warm, crackling fire.

It may be tempting to go into hibernation mode with the freezing temperatures and several inches of accumulating snow. But, this season actually has a lot to offer.

Don’t let the snow and cold get you down. While summer is great, fall is fun and spring is bright, winter serves up it’s own sources of fun and joy.

Winter activities in the Columbus, Ohio area are abundant. Gather up your family and friends and get ready to enjoy the weather. Here, we share eight things you can do to get out and enjoy this winter season in Columbus.

1) Go Sledding

Grabbing a sled and sliding down a hill can be a fun activity for kids of all ages – and parents, too! Columbus has many parks and local area hills that are great locations to sled down on a snowboard or tobagan. Look around your area for public nearby hills and parks where you and your kids can enjoy the snow.

2) Try Ice Skating

Channel your inner figure skater and check out OhioHealth Ice Haus. This indoor skating rink features adult skate events and activities. It’s even located right next to Nationwide Arena, where the national hockey team the Blue Jackets play. Come to skate and stay for a game.

3) Take a Stroll Through Hocking Hills

Perhaps you’ve been to Hocking Hills or other local nature preserve in the summertime, when the leaves are green and the streams are flowing.

But have you ever experienced them in the wintertime?

Each year, Hocking Hills is featured in an annual winter hike. The walk takes place every year on the third Saturday in January. Join other nature enthusiasts and be amazed at the beautiful scenery of the Hills.

This free hike is six miles long and features caves and waterfalls. You’ll also get to enjoy a break mid-way through the hike for a warm cup of hot chocolate or a bowl of soup. Bundle up and check out the event this year.

4) Check out the Columbus Zoo

Interested in animals? Visiting the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is a fun idea for the whole family. Be amazed at the variety of fish in the aquarium or go visit the monkeys hanging out in trees. Some enclosures are even inside, so you can stay warm on those cold winter days.

And, if you’re looking to save money, check out the deals and free days they offer throughout the year.

5) Visit a Museum

If you’re into history and learning about all things Columbus, OH, check out the Ohio Historical Center. Discover exhibits on air and space, the arts, civil war, industry and labor and many more. The Ohio Historical center also hosts events and hands-on activities to provide an engaging way of learning history.

If arts are more your thing, be sure to check out the Columbus Museum of Art. This museum incorporates various exhibits displaying unique and amazing art. You can even visit the Columbus Museum of Art on Sunday for free! Free admission means a family-friendly activity of learning and appreciating art.

But when you’ve got small kids at home, an art or history museum may not keep their attention occupied for long during those long winter months. Good thing there’s the Center of Science and Industry, or COSI, in downtown Columbus. Cosi is a family-friendly museum that shows kids the importance of science and industry with exhibits such as for a planetarium and dinosaurs. They offer a variety of ticket pricing and deals so you can easily plan a family outing.

6) Get Crafty

Want to learn a new skill? Columbus has a variety of classes you can take and learn a new hobby. Discover your inner chef at a cooking class at the Seasoned Farmhouse. They offer a variety of menu topics so you can find something you’ll love.

Get into making pottery through a class at Clayspace. Their various classes incorporate various topics depending on what you want to learn. So whether you’re a newbie or looking to refine your skills, you can learn and further a new hobby.

Love candles? Discover how you can make your own at a class at The Candle Lab. In these classes, you’ll get to pick and combine the scents that speak to you and come away with a candle that’s really made for you.

7) Feed Your Sweet Tooth

Ever wished you could be Charlie from the book and movie, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”? With a visit to Anthony Thomas Chocolates, your dream might just come true.

Here, you can go on a tour and see how the candy is made and the process from start to finish. During the hour-long tour, you’ll learn from the knowledgeable tour guides and you may just come away with a greater appreciation for chocolate. Feed your fascination for sweets and check out a tour today.

Conclusion

Don’t settle for staying inside all winter long. With these six easy, stress-free activities, you can celebrate the season and learn a few things along the way.

Keep Your Home Green

Keeping your home clean and green has never been more important than now. Modern technology has created a fantastic new way of life. It has also damaged the planet in ways that we are only just beginning to understand.

Owning a house in Columbus Ohio, it’s easy to get caught up in some more progressive ideas, especially when it comes to my family’s health. The main focus of keeping your home clean and green should be on you and anyone who lives with you. There are many benefits of using green cleaning products when cleaning your home. This applies both to the home and those living within it. Here are a few of the more important reasons:

• Green Cleaning Products are Beneficial to Your Health – Many artificially produced cleaning products have chemicals and other harmful additives which can affect the health of all who live in your home. These products may not give you any trouble initially and they tend to be more convenient than green products. However, in the long run, they can cause issues such as asthma, dry skin, and many other problems. Green products have the advantage of being 100% Eco-friendly meaning they will not have any negative side effects.

• The Effects of Green Cleaning Products Last Longer – Green products are designed for long and effective use. They may take longer to use than some other products but the extra effort will be rewarded by a house that remains clean longer. Artificial cleaning products tend to work fast as well as disappear fast. Within mere days you will need to use it again. Green products can last for weeks at a time, relieving that unnecessary stress that you feel when you notice your house condition deteriorating again.

• Green Cleaning Products Can Save You Money – Have you noticed how expensive cleaning products have become? These days you need to budget far more to clean up your home. It is true that green cleaning products appear to be more expensive than others. There are two main reasons that counteract this thought, however. The first is that green cleaning products are literally lying all around your home as you read this. Products such as vinegar, for example, can be used to clean floors and other surfaces just as efficiently as bought cleaning products. The other reason is the concentration difference. Green cleaning products may be more expensive, but you do not need to use as much of it in your cleaning solution as other products. Sometimes even a couple of tablespoons mixed in the water solution is enough to last you for weeks.

• Green Cleaning Products Are Safer for Pets and Babies – The common cleaning products used today have toxic properties that can be extremely harmful to infants and pets. If your pet dog was to find and tear through a cleaning product container he may get very sick or even die. The same threat goes for babies. A baby’s immune system is not fully developed and makes them more susceptible to the toxins in these products. Using green products removes this threat and allows you the peace of mind that nothing in your home could be a danger to those around you.

Benefits You Receive From Using Green Cleaning Products

The most obvious benefit of using green cleaning products is that your house will remain squeaky clean all year round. You won’t find any residual damage from toxins if you use nothing but green cleaning products.

Your plates and utensils will all benefit as well. Many people are unaware that when they wash plates and utensils with artificial cleaning products some of the toxins remain. This can cause you and others in your home to feel ill every once in a while when the layer of toxic material gets introduced into your stomach and absorbed through your system.

In short, using green home cleaning products will protect your home and those you love from damage and sickness. You won’t need to worry about dirty surfaces or water ever again.

Benefits the World Receives When We Use Green Cleaning Products

Green cleaning products are far more useful than other cleaning products. They are completely natural and do not require the use of any factory or human involvement. This means that using green cleaning products will reduce the need for people to work. Instead of building factories which further pollute the planet, people can simply use what nature has already given them.

The main advantage the world receives is the lack of toxins. Humans have created so many products designed to make life easier when we already had things which work better. Human advancement is fantastic, but the residents of this planet, us, need to be focused on protecting the environment as well.

The benefits of using green home cleaning products far outweigh the extra effort involved. This is why we at Olentangy Maids in Columbus, Oh offer it as a service! The question now is, will you be one of the first to make the change and protect those you love? I know I will!

Photos:

https://pixabay.com/en/vinegar-cleaning-cleaner-clean-768948/

https://pixabay.com/en/soap-washing-piece-of-bad-wash-2392973/

18 Places in Your Home You Forgot to Clean

Nothing compares to the satisfaction of a clean home. In some ways having a clean home is the equivalent of a long, hot shower.   You can’t help but feel satisfied and cleaned with your sanctuary. You’ve put in hours of hard work. You’ve cleaned every square inch of your house. Or have you?

All of us give our homes the best and most thorough clean possible but we still miss a few areas of our home. The germs run to these hidden areas that have become their sanctuary. Until one day, you found a checklist of germ havens. Before the germs knew it, there you were armed to the kilt in your cleaning weapons.   Once again you won the battle in having a clean and germ-free home. Below is a list of some of those germ sanctuaries:

Mop head

Your mop is responsible for keeping your floors clean and germ free. After several uses it goes from white to grey or brown. Giving your mop head a good clean in the washing machine or a soak in oxygen bleach will go a long way in keeping germs at bay while looking after your trusty mop.   If the strings are pulling out or your mop is looking ragged it may be time to retire it for a new mop.

Kitchen sink

Open up your cupboard under your kitchen sink and remove all the items. Go through your items and throw away anything that is broken, old, and irrelevant. Wipe down your cupboard with warm water and detergent or vinegar. Neatly pack your cupboard with the remainder of your items.

Now is the time to tackle your sink drain. Pour a cup of baking soda down the drain. After thirty minutes or so pour a cup of vinegar down. The chemistry of baking soda and vinegar will break down any stubborn food and grease. Rinse your drain by running hot water for a few minutes.

Wipe down the sink making sure it is grime free and shiny. Voila, a clean and fresh kitchen sink.

Sponges and cloths

Sponges and cloths can house a lot of germs if you are not careful. Make sure that your cloths and sponges are rinsed thoroughly after use. Air them out to dry. Throw away any old cloths or sponges. Finally, pop your cloths or sponges into the microwave for a few seconds to kill off any germs.

Ceiling fans

Your ceiling fans should be the first thing that you clean. Why? To keep dust from landing on your newly cleaned surfaces and household items. As with everything, use warm water, detergent or vinegar, and a cloth to wipe down your fans.   You may want to use a step ladder to reach your ceiling fan. If it has been a while since you last looked at your ceiling fan you may want to wear a dust mask to keep any dust allergies at bay.

Light switches

Light switches start off beautifully clean before brown marks accumulate all over.   Before you know it, you are looking at your light switch wondering in bewilderment how long it has been since it last got cleaned. Grab a damp sponge or cloth. Go through every room in your house and wipe down all the light switches both on the walls and on your lamps.

Computer keyboards

Apparently computer keyboards host more germs than we realize. Although we give our keyboards a quick wipe over, they often need a once a month deep clean. Sit down at your computer and gently wipe down each key on your keyboard. Go around the edges not just the top section.   Use some compressed air to blow out bits of dirt and dust that are stuck or hard to reach.

Remote controls

Remote controls often build up grime and dirt. To clean your remote controls, grab a cotton bud, some rubbing alcohol, and a damp cloth with disinfectant. Wipe down your remote. Take a cotton bud dipped in rubbing alcohol to clean between the buttons of your remote.

Baseboards

Your floor gets a regular perhaps even daily sweep, vacuum, or mop while the baseboards get left unnoticed. The old saying out of sight out of mind comes to mind when I think of baseboards. However, they do need a clean after a couple months and they are easy to clean. You will need your own homemade detergent (I like to use vinegar diluted in warm water. Don’t worry your home wont smell of vinegar plus it is cheaper than household detergents). You can also use your preferred home detergent. Grab a cloth or sponge. Gently wipe along your baseboards stopping to apply pressure to the stubborn spots.

To clean your baseboards regularly, run your mop over them whenever you mop your floor or once a week. This is a quick and efficient way to maintain your baseboards without taking up much time or energy.

Behind and under the fridge

Cleaning under and behind your fridge is not a chore that has to be done regularly.   You can do this chore every couple of months but no more than every six months. Pull your fridge gently away from the wall. Vacuum the dirt and dust on the floor. Using hot water and vinegar, wipe down the wall behind your fridge, the back of the fridge, and the floor. When it is dry push your fridge back to its original place.

Curtains and their rails

Curtains are not high maintenance; they are just heavy and bulky. Once a year, I like to wash my curtains in the washing machine. When they have completed their wash, I hang my curtains back up to dry. The weight of the curtain and gravity work together to rid my curtains of any wrinkles allowing me to avoid the chore of ironing curtains. While I’m at it, I take a damp cloth over my curtain rails to remove any dust build-up.

Knobs and handles

Go through your house and wipe down all the handles and knobs. This includes door knobs and cupboard handles.

Kitchen appliances

Personally, I like to clean my kitchen appliances thoroughly once a week. I wipe down the outside of my appliances and use a dry cloth to dry them. I find this helps give them a clean shine instead of water splash marks. I then move onto cleaning the inside of my appliances:

For the toaster, remove the bottom tray of your toaster to throw out all the residual crumbs. Give it a wipe and replace.

For the microwave, using detergent and hot water, wipe down all the sides of the microwave to remove grease splatters and other splashes. Don’t forget to wash the microwave tray.

For the fridge, remove all the items in your fridge and clean each shelf and drawer thoroughly. Dry and replace your fridge doors. Wipe down jam jars and other containers as you place them back in your fridge. Once a year, defrost your freezer and give it a good clean.

For the stove:   Spray the inside of your oven with an oven cleaner which will help break down the grease build up. While the oven cleaner soaks into your oven, take a cloth, hot water and detergent and wipe down the stove. If you have an electric oven, work at the stubborn areas and generally wipe down the surface of your stove. If you use a gas oven, remove the grates and gas plates, wipe down everywhere possible. Replace and return to your oven. Wash the inside of your oven and the oven racks. To keep your stove and oven easy to clean, I recommend cleaning your stove regularly and your oven twice a month.

Under the carpets and rugs

Regularly lift your rugs to vacuum the dust and debris collected underneath. If you have rooms that are carpeted, arrange for your carpets to be deep cleaned by professionals twice a year or the very least annually.

Vents

Every three months clean your vents. Clean vents will help ensure that the air in your home is dust free and clean. If you have a dishwasher, you can place your vents for a quick wash in your dishwasher. Alternatively, you can use a sponge or cloth with some detergent and hot water (or vinegar) and manually clean the vents.

Windows

Whether you have blinds or curtains, a clean window is beautiful to look out of. Clean the window glass with detergent making sure all the grime and smudges are removed. Wipe down the windowsills with detergent and a damp cloth. If your windows have burglar bars wipe them down while you clean your windows.

Picture frames

Although picture frames may feel the gentle touch of the duster, they do need a little bit more TLC every now and then. I remember a few summers back, the flies in our area were ten to the dozen.   I did some research on deterring flies and other pests away from my house. I stumbled upon another benefit of using vinegar as a detergent. I took all my picture frames down and using hot water and vinegar I soaked my picture frames for roughly ten minutes. I can’t guarantee that it helped however, my picture frames were well cleaned and it only took a few minutes of my time.

Mattress

Ideally, you want to rotate your mattress every six months or so. This can be a heavy task so you may need to enlist a helping hand or two. Before you flip your mattress, sprinkle some baking soda over your mattress. This will absorb any odours. After a few minutes run your vacuum over your mattress. Flip your mattress. Remember to flip your mattress top down once a year – this will help keep your mattress even preventing unevenness.

Dishwasher

A dishwasher is a household’s best friends. It often takes on the role of peace keeper when it comes to washing dishes and having a clean kitchen. For the most part, the dishwasher doesn’t require much attention but a good clean every couple of months is always great. I usually find that my dishwasher stops cleaning thoroughly after a couple of months. At this point, I know I need to make sure any build-up of dirt or garbage has been removed from the base of my dishwasher. Once I have cleared any excess dirt, I allow my dishwasher to run a full cycle while empty. Dishwasher salts come in handy for these empty cycles. Check your dishwasher maintenance requirements to see if you need to use dishwasher salts to help clean your dishwasher.

 Thanks for the read! If you have questions or want us to tackle the cleaning for you, just book here or give us a call at (614) 421-7747.