How do I Clean My Refrigerator?
Your refrigerator does a lot of work. It also doesn’t get a lot of cleaning attention if you’re like most people. When the time comes and you just can’t stand it anymore, you know you’ve got to clean your refrigerator. In this article, we’ll teach you how to clean your refrigerator.
- The first step to cleaning your refrigerator is to take out all the food. Having an empty fridge makes the process of cleaning it so much easier. It also prevents possible contamination of your food from cleaning products.
- Throw out any aged, old or moldy food. Anything that is inedible should be tossed in the garbage can. You can also use this time to throw out any food items that you don’t use. If you haven’t used it since the last time you cleaned your refrigerator, then it’s safe to assume you don’t need it.
- Take out all the shelves, drawers and other removable surface items from the refrigerator. Place it in the kitchen sink and fill it up with cool water and dish-washing soap so those items can start to soak while you tackle the inside of your fridge.
- Wipe all surface areas including the doors with commercial wipes or with dish-washing soap, water and a good sponge. You don’t want little particles to break off and get set in the refrigerator. If you find stubborn stains, you can use a small amount of baking soda and water to produce a thick paste. Apply the paste to the stain and leave on for an hour before you wipe with a damp sponge or strong cloth. The baking soda is supposed to loosen the stain thereby making it easy to wipe away.
- Now, you should wash the shelves and other items that you took out of the fridge. It won’t fit in your dishwasher so just get ready to clean it by hand. Lather up a sponge with some dishwasher soap and use cool, not hot water to clean these items. Hot water can cause cold glass shelves to break due to the temperature change. Clean by hand. Be careful of stains. You can remove these the same way you did those inside the fridge. Make sure you let everything dry out completely or dry it by hand before you put it back into the refrigerator.
- Once you put the shelves and other items back in the refrigerator, you can begin to put the food back in. Then, your clean refrigerator is ready to be used again.
Of course, if you’d prefer not to clean your refrigerator, Garcia Green Cleaners can add on this cleaning to one of our service appointments. Just call 512-705-2812 in Austin to set it up.
6 More Spring Cleaning Tips
Last week, we gave you 5 spring cleaning tips. This week, we’ve got 6 more for you. Spring cleaning is definitely not an all at once kind of job. You have to break it up into chunks unless, of course, you hire us to do the spring cleaning for you.
- Clean ceiling fixtures. You should dust and clean your ceiling lights and fans. If you have the fans running for winter usage, turn them back to the summertime setting (counterclockwise) so that the cool air can settle in the room. Be careful to turn off the fixtures before cleaning them so you don’t get overheated or blow dust all over the room. You can also take this time to remove dust from air conditioners. A cloth and a vacuum with a soft nozzle attachment will get the job done.
- Update your bed linens. Spring is a great time to replace your bed linens. You can bring out the pretty, flowery comforter and sheets for a spring time rejuvenation of your sleeping space. Make sure to wash your used bed linens and put them away safely and securely for next winter. You may want to wash the new bed linens first for that crisp, clean feel.
- Protect your wooden floors. You can easily guard against scratches on wooden floors. Make sure that there are surface protectors on the underside of furniture legs. Replace any protectors that are worn or dirty with new ones. You can get them at home improvement stores. You’ll want to use the thick, padded self-adhesive disks. Remember, a build-up of grit can scratch your wooden floor.
- Clean your refrigerator. You may find this task a little daunting so we suggest you break it down into pieces. First things first – wipe up spills so surfaces don’t become stained. Throw out old food once a week, preferably on trash day. Every few months, you should wash the fridge’s interior. Wash removable shelves and drawers. You can loosen hardened spills by wetting the area with a cleaning solution and allow the residue to soften. A toothbrush can be used to scrub nooks and crannies. Twice a year, vacuum or brush dust from the condenser coils. This will keep your system from overheating.
- Reorganize your book shelves. You should consider sorting your books by size and subject. It’s easier and neater than just alphabetically by author or title. You’ll want to remove and discard any ripped dust jackets. For a quirky twist, line some of the books vertically and some horizontally. This will break up the monotony of the rows.
- Restock home cleaning supplies. Make sure you have all the cleaning supplies you need. You’ll want to have a glass cleaner and an all-purpose cleaner. You’ll also want specific products for problem spots like tile and grout. You may want natural cleansers like vinegar and baking soda. You’ll also want to stock up on sponges, rags, scrub brushes and rubber gloves.
With these six tips, we finish our basic spring cleaning tips for you. If you need help with any of this, feel free to call Garcia Green Cleaners. We’re experts at spring cleaning and 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.
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!