How to Clean Up After a Party
Last week, we went over how to clean up before a party. Now, we’re going to tell you what to do to clean up after a party. If you follow our suggestions, it shouldn’t be too bad. However, know that you can call Garcia Green Cleaners to clean up before and after a party. We’re happy to do both.
The first tip that we suggest is that you clean up your kitchen before the party. Make sure the dishwasher, countertops and sink are empty. This way you can fill them up easier when after a party is done.
Go through the party rooms with a garbage bag, a laundry basket and a dish tray. Collect all the items that are out of place. Put the trash in the garbage bag, things that belong in other rooms in the laundry basket and non-paper dishes and silverware in the tray. Of course, if you use plastic and paper for the party, you’ll have an easier cleanup, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have no dishes to wash. Think of all the items you used to cook stuff in and contain stuff.
Put the items you collected where they belong. If the trash is overflowing, take it out. If the sink is overflowing, put some items into the dishwasher and, when that’s full, start it. You may have to do more than one cycle of dishes, but that’s the price you pay for an excellent party. It’s not very steep. Also, remember to recycle what needs to be recycled.
Clean the floors. When you go through the rooms a second time, bring your broom and a mop if you have laminate or hardwood. Sweep up the dust and debris off the floor and put it into the trash. If you need to mop, do that too. If you’ve got carpets, you might want to vacuum.
Pick up any streamers or balloons or other party items as you go through and toss them in the trash or recycling bin. We suggest you make it easy on yourself and don’t use these items, but, if you must, make them paper products that are easy to take down and clean up.
You may want to spot clean the bathrooms in case people have messed them up. It couldn’t hurt. Just take a quick microfiber cloth and clean all areas. Sweep if you have too as well. Just make sure you don’t have any leftover party ‘debris’ in your bathrooms.
Voila, you’re done and it didn’t take as long as you thought. Remember, if you dread the after-party cleanup so much you want to delay it as long as possible, we suggest you call Garcia Green Cleaners. We’ll take care of your party cleanup for you. We can be reached in Austin at 512-705-2812.
What to Look for in a Maid Service
Garcia Green Cleaners is very confident in its maid service. We are a good company with good cleaners. If you choose us, you won’t have to worry about receiving a good cleaning for a good value. However, what should you look for in a maid service? Here we give you some things to contemplate.
Are the maids bonded and insured?
You want to make sure that the maids have had a background check and, if something goes awry, you will be compensated. You want them to be insured in case they break something or get hurt in your home. That way you won’t have to use your homeowner’s insurance.
What types of services do you provide?
Some maid services don’t do windows or laundry. You should know that up front. Garcia Green Cleaners does indoor windows and laundry for an added fee. We put that on our web site at www.garciagreencleaners.com. Please contact us for services offered and to get a quick quote.
What are my payment options?
You should know if you are allowed to pay with cash or check or if you must use a credit card. Garcia Green Cleaners prefers credit card payments. We don’t charge you until the service is complete. Checks are accepted but for services that are under $100. Cash is accepted and it goes directly to the maid. Tips are also appreciated by our maids, but they are not mandatory.
Do the maids have their own supplies or will they be using mine?
Our maids have top of the line supplies like Method hardwood cleaner and Meyers glass cleaner. We use Dyson vacuum cleaners, and also soft head mops. You can also request for the maid to use your products by providing them yourself. We are happy to work with your products if that’s your preference. We do charge a $5 materials fee per maid so, if you’re using your own supplies, call the office at 512-705-2812 to see if you can get that waived. It shouldn’t be a problem.
Are your maids punctual and professional?
Yes, our maids are punctual and professional. They are on time and ready to work. They will leave your house very clean. Remember, the first one to two appointments should be longer than subsequent appointments because they’ll be more thoroughly cleaning your home. If you are not satisfied, remember that we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
We hope that these questions have helped you decide to choose Garcia Green Cleaners as your maid service. We’d love to help you keep your home clean.
Green Products We Use
We’re Green at NO Extra Cost to You.
If baking soda and lemon juice aren’t your thing but you’d still like to avoid cleaners with a) mysterious chemicals you can’t pronounce and b) warning labels that cover half the bottle, then you’ll appreciate the products we use to clean.
Below is a list of the ten green cleaning product lines and companies that we at Garcia Green Cleaners use- and why they’re good for you, your pets and your space:
Why it’s good: Bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic, ingredients are taken from renewable plant-based materials, no animal testing, 100% people and pet friendly, and B Corp certified.
Products: Product line ranges from household cleaners (multi-surface, bathroom, floor, wipes, and dish) to laundry detergents to hand and body wash… and even baby products.
Why it’s good: Products, batches, and formulas are third-party reviewed by Berg Environmental, Content Verified, and the EPA’s Design for the Environment. Ingredients are made from natural extracts, biodegradable, non-toxic, non-corrosive, non-flammable, non-reactive, and non-carcinogenic.
Products: Biokleen offers products ranging from laundry detergent to multi-surface cleaners and degreasers that utilize active enzyme cultures. They also have a line of soy-based products, a first in the green cleaning industry.
Why it’s good: Their products are Green Seal certified and contain higher-than-average levels of non-toxic active ingredients, making them stronger than other green products on the market. They use a biodegradable organic acid solution which is non-irritating, hypoallergenic, and safe for use around all humans.
Products: Options offers professional grade green cleaning products as well as household cleaners like disinfectants, surface cleaners, floor finishes and cleaners, and deodorizers. They also offer lower-cost concentrate sets that you simply add water to.
Why it’s good: Attitude products are Eco-Friendly certified, biodegradable, non-toxic to humans and animals (including aquatic animals), made from renewable plant-based resources, and carbon neutral (all of the greenhouse gas emissions related to the products and the company are analyzed, and then either reduced or compensated for).
Products: Air purifiers, dishwasher detergent, all-purpose surface cleaners, laundry detergent, hand soap, and even baby diapers.
Why it’s good: Shaklee’s “Get Clean” line of products are made from sustainably-sourced, biodegradable, natural ingredients; contain no VOCs; are non-toxic; not tested on animals; and packaged in 100% recyclable materials.
Products: Their products are typically sold in concentrate form and include laundry and dish detergent, surface cleaners, disinfectant wipes, scouring paste, and water filters. They also have “healthy home” cleaning kits and starter packs.
Why it’s good: There are no solvents, no petroleum distillates, no bleach, no phosphates, and no harsh fumes. All packaging is recyclable and made from 25% post-consumer recycled materials. Products are not tested on animals and do not contain animal-derived ingredients. Whenever possible, materials are obtained from renewable plant resources and all liquid products are biodegradable. Safe for use around children, pets, and pregnant women.
Products: Surface scrubs, wipes, and sprays; toilet bowl cleaners; bath and shower; dish, dishwasher, and laundry detergents; glass cleaners; and air fresheners.
Why it’s good: Each product has a minimum of 90% natural plant-based ingredients, is biodegradable, ammonia and phosphate free, contains no animal-derived products (and is not tested on animals), and is packaged in 100% recyclable materials.
Products: Countertop, glass, and multi-purpose cleaners as well as dish soap.
Why it’s good: Eco Concepts has seven third-third party certifications(including U.S. EPA Design for the 
Environment, Green Seal, U.S. Green Building Council, and PETA Cruelty-Free, amongst others); is made entirely of readily biodegradable components; contains no carcinogens, sensitizers, teratogens or mutagens; has low or no toxicity to human and aquatic life; is made from renewable ingredients; and contains no phosphates, NTA, chlorine bleach, or harsh solvents.
Products: EcoConcepts offers janitorial, automotive, and marine care products as well as household cleaners (such as bathroom, kitchen, and stain removers).
Why it’s good: Beyond their certified, non-toxic products, Seventh Generation is pushing for real social change through their complete transparency and involvement with coalitions and institutions dedicated to positive change.
Products: They offer a complete line of non-toxic household products, including: non-chlorine bleached, 100% recycled paper towels, bathroom and facial tissues, and napkins; non-toxic, phosphate-free cleaning, dish and laundry products; plastic trash bags made from recycled plastic; chlorine-free baby diapers, training pants, and baby wipes; and chlorine-free feminine care products, including organic cotton tampons.
Why it’s good: Vaska uses advanced botanical solutions derived from herbs and is U.S. EPA Design for the Environment Certified. All products are non-toxic (for humans, animals, and aquatic life) and environmentally safe. Their containers are made from 50% post-consumer recycled materials.
Products: Laundry detergent, fabric softeners, and spot cleaners.
Garcia Green Cleaning means we use methods and products with environmentally friendly ingredients designed to preserve human health, pet health and environmental quality.
Our green cleaning techniques and products avoid the use of chemically reactive and toxic products which contain various toxic chemicals, some of which emit volatile organic compounds causing respiratory, dermatological and other conditions.
We’re looking out for you and yours; and so should you!
How do I Clean a Toilet?
In this article, we’ll teach you how to clean the toilet. No one likes to clean toilets, but it’s necessary. A clean toilet doesn’t smell bad and it prevents bacteria from spreading. To correctly clean the toilet you’ll need both a toilet cleaner and a disinfectant. In fact, we recommend the following materials:
- Gloves,
- Toilet brush,
- Toilet bowl cleaner,
- And disinfectant spray.
First, you should take everything on the toilet off. If you have pictures or books or tissue boxes on the top, take them off so you can clean the toilet. You can clean these items later before you put them back on. Keep them somewhere safe where they won’t get sprayed with the toilet cleaner and disinfectant or water while you’re cleaning the toilet.
Take the clean gloves and put them on. We suggest that you use a dedicated pair of gloves for the job. You don’t want the bacteria from the toilet being spread to other household cleaning tasks. If you must, buy your toilet-cleaning gloves in a different color than your other rubber gloves so they don’t get confused.
Next, you should wipe down the toilet with a damp sponge. Give it a once-over with hot water. You should wet with water and wipe around the tank, lid, seat, base and exterior of the bowl. This might be enough to remove the dirt without specialty cleaning products. If not, you can clean with a disinfectant or toilet bowl cleaner later on.
Now you can apply with a toilet cleaner to the inside of the bowl. Toilet cleaners help eliminate stains, rings and mineral deposits in your toilet. Squirt the cleaner on the inside rim of the toilet bowl, allowing it to drip down the sides of the bowl and in the water. Read the instructions on the cleaner because some cleaners require time to sit for maximum cleaning effect. If so, take a short break and then continue.
It’s time to scrub the bowl with a toilet brush. You should use a brush with firm bristles. Scrub the bowl thoroughly and pay attention to any mineral stains that have accumulated at water level or the back of the bowl. The more thoroughly and firmly you scrub the bowl, the cleaner it will get. To get the most out of your toilet bowl cleaner, dip the brush in the toilet water and grab some suds to clean the bowl. It will give you extra cleaning power.
Once the bowl is scrubbed and clean, you should flush. This rinses the bowl. You should continue to scrub as water drains from the toilet because the motion of the water alone might not be enough to rinse the dirt away. If you have persistent stains, repeat the process of applying toilet cleaner through rinsing the bowl. Do it as many times as you need to to clean the toilet bowl.
Now that the bowl is clean, you can clean the rest of the apparatus with disinfectant. Clean the bottom, the top and all around the toilet. Don’t forget the handle because it has bacteria on it too. Once it’s sparkling, wipe up the residue with a dry cloth and then you’re done.
All you need to do is clean the items that were on the toilet before you started cleaning and then put them back where they belong.
If you need help cleaning your toilet or don’t feel like doing it yourself, Garcia Green Cleaners can help. Give us a call in Austin at 512-705-2812. We’re happy to take care of this for you!