While we may be doing an excellent job of maintaining our living areas, occasionally we need to do more than maintenance. Take the time to review what goes into a living room spring clean up. Find a list of supplies along with step-by-step instructions to do a thorough spring cleaning in your living areas.
Difficulty: Hard
Time Required: 45 minutes - 1 hour
Here's How:
Begin with a 15 Minute Living Room Cleanup. This will clear out the clutter and give you room to do the actual spring clean up. Don't worry about cleaning the floors in the 15 minute clean up. We will do this later.
Dust down the ceiling and corners of walls.
Determine if the walls need washed in dirty spots. Spot wash, remembering air vents, doorknobs, doors, and switch plates.
Dust and clean all art and photographs along the wall.
Be careful when cleaning framed art and photographs. Never spray cleanser or water onto the frame. The liquid can seep behind the glass and damage the pictures. Instead lightly wet a clean cloth to wipe the frame and glass.
Dust and clean the ceiling fan.
There is nothing more embarrassing than turning on a ceiling fan and having large chunks of dust fall down on your guest's head. Use this spring cleaning time to dust down the fan and fan blades. You may need to use a gentle cleanser like Murphy's Oil Soap. Take down any light fixtures and gently wash and dry them before replacing.
Take down draperies, curtains, and blinds to wash or have cleaned according to the manufacturer's directions. Vacuum and clean windowsills and corners. Wash the insides and outsides of the windows. Take down and rinse off screens, before replacing.
Dust and clean out the couches and chairs.
Use a vacuum cleaner with attachment to clean out couch crevices. Check to make sure none of your missing items have found their way into the abyss of the couch. Clean slipcovers, accent pillows, etc. Use an upholstery attachment on a rug shampoo machine to clean soiled couches and chair surfaces if needed. If a light cleaning is needed use upholstery spot cleaner. Test in a hidden area first.
Dust down and clean all accent lamps and knickknacks.
Use a vacuum attachment or duster to clean the lampshades, lamps, and any extra decorative items.
Remove books from bookshelves.
Dust down the books and the shelves.
Dust down accent tables and the entertainment center.
Unplug and dust down all the electronics. Check cords for fraying and wear. Dust down the television screen.
Clean the carpets and rugs.
If your carpets and rugs are heavily soiled it may be time to call a professional. You can also rent cleaning machines to use. Be sure to ask for one with an upholstery attachment. If your carpets are only lightly soiled vacuuming and spot treating may be all that is necessary.
Take the time to clean the doormats inside and outside your doorways. Wipe them down. Dust them off. Whatever needs to happen so that shoes don't transfer the dirt of your mat to your home.
Tips:
Listen to music, an audio book, or a foreign language tape. The time will pass a lot more quickly if you have an enjoyable atmosphere. This is a great time to commandeer the stereo for what you want to listen to. If anyone objects, offer to let them have a turn with the stereo and the spring cleaning.
Partner up with a friend or relative. After you get done spring cleaning your living room, help her do hers. Misery flees when company is around.
Gather all of your supplies together first thing. Trying to sort through the pantry cabinet for your dust cloths might make you frustrated enough to de-clutter the cabinet. It's easy to forget what your initial goal was.
What You Need:
Dust mop (preferably with a long handle)
Step-ladder
Cleaning cloths
Small bucket with handle
Sponges
Vacuum with attachment
Gentle cleanser
Rug shampoo machine with upholstery attachment (optional)
Spot remover for upholstery or carpets (optional)
This information was found HERE.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
DINING ROOM
Whether your dining area is used only on Thanksgiving, or seven days a week, spring cleaning is a great time to get the room in pristine condition. Take the time to review what goes into a dining room spring clean up. Find a list of supplies along with step-by-step instructions to do a thorough spring cleaning in your dining areas.
Difficulty: Hard
Time Required: 30 minutes - 1 hour
Here's How:
Dust down the ceiling and corners.
Consider if the walls in your home need to be washed. Check here for information on how to clean different wall surfaces. Don't forget air vents and switch plates.
Dust and clean all wall art.
Be careful when cleaning framed art and photographs. Never spray cleaner or water onto the frame. The liquid can seep behind the glass and damage the pictures. Instead lightly wet a clean cloth to wipe the frame and glass.
Clean the Ceiling Fan.
You know what's worse than a fly in your soup, a large chunk of dust from your ceiling fan in your soup. Dust the fan and fan blades. You may need to use a gentle cleanser like Murphy’s Oil Soap mixed with water and a cleaning cloth. Take down light fixtures and gently wash and dry them before replacing.
Take down draperies and curtains to wash or have cleaned according to the directions. Dust down any blinds and other window treatments. Dust down and wash window sills and corners. Wash the inside and outsides of windows. Take down and rinse off screens, before replacing.
Wash down the dining table, chairs, and any other furniture thoroughly. If you have wood furniture that needs to be oiled or waxed, do this now. If your chairs have an upholstered seat, spot clean the seats.
Clean the carpet and rugs.
You can choose to use a carpet professional, rent a cleaning machine, or vacuum and spot-treat according to soil level.
Tips:
This room will probably be one of the easier rooms in your home. With the uprising of eat-in-kitchens many of us find our dining rooms not used. Save this room for a day when you don't have a lot of time or pair it with another task.
Using music can motivate you to stick with a job. Throw on some tunes and dance while you dust. Although you might want to wait until after you've shut the blinds.
What You Need:
Dust mop (preferably with a long handle)
Step-ladder
Cleaning cloths
Small bucket with handle
Sponges
Vacuum with attachment
Gentle cleanser
Rug shampoo machine with upholstery attachment (optional)
Spot remover for upholstery or carpets (optional)
This information was found HERE.
Difficulty: Hard
Time Required: 30 minutes - 1 hour
Here's How:
Dust down the ceiling and corners.
Consider if the walls in your home need to be washed. Check here for information on how to clean different wall surfaces. Don't forget air vents and switch plates.
Dust and clean all wall art.
Be careful when cleaning framed art and photographs. Never spray cleaner or water onto the frame. The liquid can seep behind the glass and damage the pictures. Instead lightly wet a clean cloth to wipe the frame and glass.
Clean the Ceiling Fan.
You know what's worse than a fly in your soup, a large chunk of dust from your ceiling fan in your soup. Dust the fan and fan blades. You may need to use a gentle cleanser like Murphy’s Oil Soap mixed with water and a cleaning cloth. Take down light fixtures and gently wash and dry them before replacing.
Take down draperies and curtains to wash or have cleaned according to the directions. Dust down any blinds and other window treatments. Dust down and wash window sills and corners. Wash the inside and outsides of windows. Take down and rinse off screens, before replacing.
Wash down the dining table, chairs, and any other furniture thoroughly. If you have wood furniture that needs to be oiled or waxed, do this now. If your chairs have an upholstered seat, spot clean the seats.
Clean the carpet and rugs.
You can choose to use a carpet professional, rent a cleaning machine, or vacuum and spot-treat according to soil level.
Tips:
This room will probably be one of the easier rooms in your home. With the uprising of eat-in-kitchens many of us find our dining rooms not used. Save this room for a day when you don't have a lot of time or pair it with another task.
Using music can motivate you to stick with a job. Throw on some tunes and dance while you dust. Although you might want to wait until after you've shut the blinds.
What You Need:
Dust mop (preferably with a long handle)
Step-ladder
Cleaning cloths
Small bucket with handle
Sponges
Vacuum with attachment
Gentle cleanser
Rug shampoo machine with upholstery attachment (optional)
Spot remover for upholstery or carpets (optional)
This information was found HERE.
Monday, March 15, 2010
KITCHEN
Cluttered cabinets, dusty drawers, and a refrigerator with things behind it you haven't seen since, well, this time last year, are not the components of an ideal kitchen. Revive this important room in your home with a step-by-step tutorial on Spring Cleaning the Kitchen.
Difficulty: Hard
Time Required: 1-2 hours
Here's How:
Begin with a 15 Minute Kitchen Cleanup.
This will clear out the clutter and dirty dishes, and give you room to do the actual spring clean up. Don't worry about cleaning the floors in the 15 minute clean up. We will do this later.
Dust down the ceiling and corners of walls.
Determine if the walls need washed in dirty spots. Spot wash, remembering air vents, doorknobs, doors, switch plates. Walls will likely need to be washed more often in this room than in others. You may not have noticed that the hand mixer or blender sloshed goop all over the wall. Take your spring cleaning time now to clean the grease, grime, and spilled food from your walls.
Dust and clean all art and photographs along the wall.
Be careful when cleaning framed art and photographs. Never spray cleanser or water onto the frame. The liquid can seep behind the glass and damage the pictures. Instead lightly wet a clean cloth to wipe the frame and glass.
Dust and clean the ceiling fan.
You may need to use a gentle cleanser like Murphy's Oil Soap. Take down any light fixtures and gently wash and dry them before replacing.
Take down draperies, curtains, and blinds to wash or have cleaned according to the manufacturer's directions. Vacuum and clean windowsills and corners. Wash the insides and outsides of the windows. Take down and rinse off screens, before replacing.
Apply oven cleaner to the oven and clean the refrigerator.
Leave the windows in the kitchen open to avoid the overpowering smell. Don't forget to vacuum the coils of your UNPLUGGED refrigerator. This is a great time to sweep and mop underneath it too if you can find some help to move it. Be careful of scratching your floor.
While the oven cleaner works, begin sorting through the freezer and refrigerator. Throw out any expired food, mostly empty containers, and items that you bought and never used. Put the stuff to keep on the counter. Take out the refrigerator shelves and drawers. Wash them down, being careful with glass shelves. Wipe down the entire inside of the refrigerator and freezer before replacing shelves and food. Wipe down and clean out the oven according to the directions on the oven cleaner.
Take the knobs, burners, burner covers, and spill catchers off of the stove.
Follow your stove/oven owner’s manual for information on proper cleaning methods for your model. (The one you carefully filed, when you bought the stove, just for an occasion like this.) Some stove tops lift up to allow easy access to spills and crumbs. Wipe down the entire stove.
Wipe down and clean the toaster, blender, and other small appliances.
Wipe down and clean the microwave. If the spills in the microwave are fossilized, try bring a water-filled glass cup to boiling in the microwave. The steam should help loosen the gunk. If the microwave smells, boil lemon juice. Unplug all appliances first. Don't forget the turntable.
Clean out kitchen cabinets.
Reline if needed. Remove mismatched lids and bowls. Take out anything that isn't being used on a regular basis. Reorganize and wash down the insides and outsides of cabinets.
Run the dishwasher empty.
Try adding vinegar or baking soda to the empty dishwasher before running it. If your dishwasher has a food trap in the bottom, clean it out. Wash down the outside of the dishwasher.
Wash down the counter tops in your kitchen.
Don't forget back splashes.
Wipe down and clean out any drawers.
Organize your flatware. This is a great time to install drawer dividers to better organize your kitchen drawers.
Wash down the sink.
If you have a garbage disposal now is the time to pour baking soda with warm water and/or a lemon peel down the disposal to freshen the drain. Put ice cubes through the disposal to sharpen the blades.
Sweep and mop the floors.
Don't forget baseboards. One of the best ways to get a floor REALLY clean is to use a rag or towel while on your hands and knees. If this is not an option try going barefoot and scooting a large towel around the floor with your feet. It provides more contact and pressure with the floor. Press gently, and be careful and slow. Even though this is the last step, the floor is not the best place to rest.
Tips:
Gather all of your supplies together first thing. Trying to sort through the pantry cabinet for your oven cleaner might make you frustrated enough to de-clutter the cabinet. It's easy to forget what your initial goal was.
Reward yourself by ordering in for dinner tonight. Forbid anyone to touch your spotless kitchen at least until breakfast the next morning. Any longer is probably cruel, but they can handle it overnight.
Listen to music, an audio book, or a foreign language tape. The time will pass a lot more quickly if you have an enjoyable atmosphere. This is a great time to commandeer the stereo for what you want to listen to. If anyone objects, offer to let them have a turn with the stereo and the spring cleaning.
What You Need:
Dust mop (preferably with a long handle)
Step-ladder
Cleaning cloths
Small bucket with handle
Sponges
Vacuum with attachment
All-purpose cleanser, dish soap, or mild cleanser of choice
Oven Cleaner
Shelf or cabinet liner and drawer dividers
Broom and mop or towel
This information was found HERE.
Difficulty: Hard
Time Required: 1-2 hours
Here's How:
Begin with a 15 Minute Kitchen Cleanup.
This will clear out the clutter and dirty dishes, and give you room to do the actual spring clean up. Don't worry about cleaning the floors in the 15 minute clean up. We will do this later.
Dust down the ceiling and corners of walls.
Determine if the walls need washed in dirty spots. Spot wash, remembering air vents, doorknobs, doors, switch plates. Walls will likely need to be washed more often in this room than in others. You may not have noticed that the hand mixer or blender sloshed goop all over the wall. Take your spring cleaning time now to clean the grease, grime, and spilled food from your walls.
Dust and clean all art and photographs along the wall.
Be careful when cleaning framed art and photographs. Never spray cleanser or water onto the frame. The liquid can seep behind the glass and damage the pictures. Instead lightly wet a clean cloth to wipe the frame and glass.
Dust and clean the ceiling fan.
You may need to use a gentle cleanser like Murphy's Oil Soap. Take down any light fixtures and gently wash and dry them before replacing.
Take down draperies, curtains, and blinds to wash or have cleaned according to the manufacturer's directions. Vacuum and clean windowsills and corners. Wash the insides and outsides of the windows. Take down and rinse off screens, before replacing.
Apply oven cleaner to the oven and clean the refrigerator.
Leave the windows in the kitchen open to avoid the overpowering smell. Don't forget to vacuum the coils of your UNPLUGGED refrigerator. This is a great time to sweep and mop underneath it too if you can find some help to move it. Be careful of scratching your floor.
While the oven cleaner works, begin sorting through the freezer and refrigerator. Throw out any expired food, mostly empty containers, and items that you bought and never used. Put the stuff to keep on the counter. Take out the refrigerator shelves and drawers. Wash them down, being careful with glass shelves. Wipe down the entire inside of the refrigerator and freezer before replacing shelves and food. Wipe down and clean out the oven according to the directions on the oven cleaner.
Take the knobs, burners, burner covers, and spill catchers off of the stove.
Follow your stove/oven owner’s manual for information on proper cleaning methods for your model. (The one you carefully filed, when you bought the stove, just for an occasion like this.) Some stove tops lift up to allow easy access to spills and crumbs. Wipe down the entire stove.
Wipe down and clean the toaster, blender, and other small appliances.
Wipe down and clean the microwave. If the spills in the microwave are fossilized, try bring a water-filled glass cup to boiling in the microwave. The steam should help loosen the gunk. If the microwave smells, boil lemon juice. Unplug all appliances first. Don't forget the turntable.
Clean out kitchen cabinets.
Reline if needed. Remove mismatched lids and bowls. Take out anything that isn't being used on a regular basis. Reorganize and wash down the insides and outsides of cabinets.
Run the dishwasher empty.
Try adding vinegar or baking soda to the empty dishwasher before running it. If your dishwasher has a food trap in the bottom, clean it out. Wash down the outside of the dishwasher.
Wash down the counter tops in your kitchen.
Don't forget back splashes.
Wipe down and clean out any drawers.
Organize your flatware. This is a great time to install drawer dividers to better organize your kitchen drawers.
Wash down the sink.
If you have a garbage disposal now is the time to pour baking soda with warm water and/or a lemon peel down the disposal to freshen the drain. Put ice cubes through the disposal to sharpen the blades.
Sweep and mop the floors.
Don't forget baseboards. One of the best ways to get a floor REALLY clean is to use a rag or towel while on your hands and knees. If this is not an option try going barefoot and scooting a large towel around the floor with your feet. It provides more contact and pressure with the floor. Press gently, and be careful and slow. Even though this is the last step, the floor is not the best place to rest.
Tips:
Gather all of your supplies together first thing. Trying to sort through the pantry cabinet for your oven cleaner might make you frustrated enough to de-clutter the cabinet. It's easy to forget what your initial goal was.
Reward yourself by ordering in for dinner tonight. Forbid anyone to touch your spotless kitchen at least until breakfast the next morning. Any longer is probably cruel, but they can handle it overnight.
Listen to music, an audio book, or a foreign language tape. The time will pass a lot more quickly if you have an enjoyable atmosphere. This is a great time to commandeer the stereo for what you want to listen to. If anyone objects, offer to let them have a turn with the stereo and the spring cleaning.
What You Need:
Dust mop (preferably with a long handle)
Step-ladder
Cleaning cloths
Small bucket with handle
Sponges
Vacuum with attachment
All-purpose cleanser, dish soap, or mild cleanser of choice
Oven Cleaner
Shelf or cabinet liner and drawer dividers
Broom and mop or towel
This information was found HERE.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Spring Cleaning
Well, Spring Time is coming sooner than we think, and with that comes the dreaded Spring Cleaning.
Since homes are our specialty, we decided to dedicate all next week to helping you clean out the gunk, room by room.
But, just to kick things off, here is a little spring cleaning checklist to get you in the mood.
Friday, March 5, 2010
What is a Short Sale?
By: Roby Pagong
Most homeowners today are turning to short sale in order to avoid foreclosure. This gives them the chance to pay off their loan and move on. However, how does one apply for such? What are the things they need to prepare and what happens if the lender rejects the short sale proposal?
A short sale takes place when the property’s value is lower than the remaining mortgage balance. The homeowner at this point can present a short sale package to the lender and see if he gets an approval. The approval of the lender is necessary because he will surely lose at the arrangement. Approving the package would mean that he will accept a discounted payment for the amount owed.
If you want to get an approval, you need to have a very good package. You should first have a hardship letter. This should indicate the reason why you are no longer able to make the monthly payments. It could be because of growing medical expenses. You may also have encountered death in the family. You can also indicate that you lost your job. Make sure that you attach the supporting documents.
In addition to that, you should also present an offer from the buyer. Make sure that all the requirements needed for the package is complete. Call your lender ahead of time to ask about the other requirements. You need to be familiar with all your documents so that you can convince the mitigating officer during your meeting. For most lenders, short sale is the last option. If they could earn more if they foreclose your property, then they will.
Most lenders will reject short sale package because of the offer made by the buyer. If the lender thinks that your property is worth more than what you claim, he will send a broker to check the property. If he is right about the value, your package will surely be rejected. To prevent this, make sure that the value presented is reasonable. Make sure that you are there when the broker checks your property. You can walk him through the house and present the documents concerning the repairs made on your property.
What happens if the lender rejects your proposal? Well, try again. However, this time, make sure that you have better offer. Ask your buyer to make a higher offer. If your buyer refuses, look for another buyer who can offer a better value.
For buyers, bear in mind that foreclosure is a tedious process and may take months before the closing takes place. This is why you have to be very patient. You can help by making a good offer. See to it that the value you are offering is suitable for the property.
Short sale is a good option if you are in threat of foreclosure. However, you have to make a good short sale package to convince the lenders. If your package gets rejected, try it again. This time around, talk to your buyer to increase the offer. If not, look for a buyer who can make a better offer.
Article From Real Estate Pro Articles
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Minimize Electric Bills
By: Fredrica Smith
Economic recession and environmental degradation are the two issues most individuals and families face today in any country. You can deal with these issues by starting right in your own home. You have to focus on your home essentials that they are working efficiently. For one, you can start by evaluating the efficiency of your air conditioner, regardless of its type.
Recent studies reveal that the biggest chunk of electricity consumption in many households can be attributed to heating and cooling costs. This can be brought about by the poor maintenance of the HVAC systems and facilities. Dirt that is accumulated in the equipment can affect the proper circulation of cool or hot temperature indoors. Such condition pushes your equipment to work doubly hard. And for it to do that, it has to consume twice as much as the total wattage per meter reading. This is the common case experienced in areas with hot temperatures. The tendency of most homeowners living in such areas is to operate their AC units almost the whole day non-stop. This then would lead to sky-high power bills. In order to have some savings, here are some suggestions in making your air conditioner units function efficiently:
Filters should always be cleaned. This component is found in a different part according to the AC type. Room air conditioners have the filter in the grill facing the room. Central air conditioning systems have filters along the ducts. Check if your unit has replaceable filters. These can be bought from AC wholesale and retail stores. Remember that the longer time frame the unit is turned on, the more dirt it can accumulate. Changing the filter at least once every two months would do your unit good. Reusable filters should be dusted weekly.
Other components that collect dirt are the evaporator and condenser coils. These components would only work well depending on the maintenance of the filters. Therefore, if the filter is dirty, the coils would be in that condition too. An annual checking of the coils would be preferable for its safeguarding. If you have air conditioner units that have outdoor condenser coils, you have to make sure that these are free from dust particles, leaves and other debris. This is because the unit itself is exposed to outdoor environment. Moreover, aluminum fins in the coils are further components that gather dirt easily. A fin comb can be used to clean this area.
The condensate drain should also be evaluated that it is not clogged. This component contributes a lot to manner of the whole unit how it reduces humidity inside the room. And there will be excessive moisture once its channels are blocked with dirt. You might face problems of staining on your walls or floor due to the dripping moisture. A thin stiff wire can be used to poke the drain channels for you to be able to see if there is any formation of blockage. If such is the case, you can use a wet dry vacuum to free the drain from any dirt.
An easy alternative through replacing your present air conditioner would save you a great deal of effort and time. There are newer energy saving AC types that promise lower electric consumption and even minimized absorption of dirt. Upon purchase of this unit, you can also take advantage of tax benefits awarded to homeowners who use energy efficient appliances and equipment. Inquire in your local area whether such remuneration is available.
Some homeowners may deem that the air conditioner is just a miscellaneous home item. But the benefits it can give you when it is efficiently working are massive. Try out the above said tips. You can surely enjoy lowered electric bills and even help improve the condition of the environment.
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