Blog - Illinois Valley House Cleaning Services

Laundry is Backed Up? Wash It Efficiently

August 18, 2017 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

Doing laundry efficiently It happens to the best of us. Life and work become overwhelming and you keep telling yourself you’ll get to that ever-growing laundry pile tomorrow. Pretty soon, you’re driving around town in Winnie the Pooh pants and a T-shirt you haven’t worn since there was a Bush in the White House. It can be intimidating to see that massive pile of laundry and try to figure out how you’re going to get it all clean. All you need is a plan and you’ll be back in your favorite clothes in no time.

Separate Into Different Baskets

A mound is daunting. No one looks at a mountain and says, “Yeah, that’s easy to climb.” Grab as many baskets as you can and separate all the clothes by person and use. Separating the baskets by person makes it easier to fold and manage everything once it’s clean. You should also separate out by use, for example, bedding in one basket and dish towels and wash towels in another. The act not only makes it easier to eventually fold, but also makes it look less daunting. You have a quantifiable amount instead of a massive laundry mound that may or may not be harboring evil demons (depends on how long the socks have been in there)

Wash By Basket, Not By Load

You might be able to fit both your child’s basket and your spouse’s into the washing machine, but that can make things confusing. Efficiency is about more than just time, it’s also about action. If you put in more than one person’s basket, then when you dry it and fold, you’re once again sorting not only by clothing, but by person. When you go to put them away, you might be going back and forth or rummaging through to find what clothes go with what person.

Make a Plan for the Future

The best way to avoid a massive laundry glut is to keep ahead of it. Make a plan to do one load of laundry per day and keep the laundry mountain from forming. If you miss a day, then do two loads that day. The goal is to keep up with the laundry so it doesn’t get overwhelming. It’s time to put those Winnie the Pooh pants back in the closet where it belongs.

If you’re looking for someone to spruce up your home, then contact IV Clean Team. We’ll get your home looking great.

What Is Decluttering And How Do I Do It?

August 4, 2017 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

Decluttering your home What do you see when you look at your house? Is it perfect or do you see clutter and items you don’t need everywhere you look. There have been many books and news articles about the concept of decluttering not only your home, but your life. They both tend to go hand to hand, but many people don’t understand what decluttering actually is how they can do it.

What is Decluttering?

At its very core, decluttering is about taking something complex and cumbersome and simplifying it down. We live in a society of things. People believe the more things they have the better off they are. A home filled with furniture and things is better than a home without it if the minds of many people. Unfortunately, more things often fill up too much space and can be a serious detriment to your décor and how you feel about your home.

Decluttering Your Home

Everything starts by taking a look at your home and take an inventory of what you’ve got. How much of it works with the décor you want and how much of it is just stuff that’s accumulated through the years. We all do it. We get some strange attachment to that end table we got at the Goodwill when we were a sophomore in college. It’s worn and falling apart, but every time we moved, it came with us.

Much of the things we own have memories associated both good and bad. We just can’t seem to get rid of it, but decluttering it about cleaning house and cleaning out your past too. If there are things in your home that don’t add anything to it, then they should probably go. I’m not saying to throw out everything. It’s fine to keep items of particular sentimentality or importance to you, but many of us overestimate how much we really care about them.

You’ll be surprised how good you feel once everything is out and your rooms have much space and everything works together.

Decluttering Your Life

The concept of decluttering your life isn’t much different than cleaning your home. It’s about decreasing the complexity and instead focusing on what’s important to you. We all have those friends that are toxic. They live for drama or they leech off everyone. They’re like that old falling apart table from college. You have some good and bad memories associated with it, but when it comes right down to it, it just doesn’t fit in your life right now.

Decluttering isn’t easy. It means parting with things that you’ve had for a long time that are taking up space, but doing nothing for your life. Once your house is decluttered, you’ll probably need a deep clean and Illinois Valley Clean Team Inc. can help.

Top Five Places People Forget To Clean

July 17, 2017 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

Top 10 places people forget to clean When people decide to clean, they often take a regimented approach. You make a list of what needs to be done and check them off. While the obvious places are always spotless, it’s easy to forget about the nooks and crannies. The places you may not see or even just gloss over while you’re doing your regular cleaning.

The Cabinets

You spent a lot of money on those cabinets, but how often do they get cleaned? Cabinets are large and in charge, but fade into the background of your kitchen when cleaning. You’ll wipe down countertops and ovens, but cabinets hardly receive care. Over time, they get dusty and dirty too and need a good wipe down. Use a damp cloth and then go over it with a dry towel to soak up all the moisture.

Small Appliances

You’ll spend plenty of time cleaning your stove top, but don’t give a second glance to the blender or toaster. Spills and copious amounts of “toaster leave-ins” can turn your small appliances into something nasty, and you may not even notice it. Take some time to wipe them down as well. Clean out the toaster pan regularly to keep the “toaster leave-ins” from proliferating.

Under the Furniture

Few people wake up in the morning and are thrilled with the idea of cleaning their home. The last thing people want to do is pick up and move furniture and vacuum or sweep underneath them. So instead, you vacuum and sweep, ignoring the dust bunnies under your chair because who is going to see it anyway. The bad thing about dust bunnies is they procreate like…rabbits. If left unchecked, they’ll spill out from under the furniture and into your main area.

Under the Bed

The bed deserves its own heading because if moving a chair or two is a pain, moving a bed can be a nightmare. The bed also accumulates far more than just dust bunnies. There can be clothes, food and who knows what hiding down there. It may not be the Boogieman, but the beasts under your bed can be pretty gnarly. Clear it out and vacuum under the bed. You don’t want to look under your bed and see something staring back at you.

On Top of Ceiling Fans

We’ve all had it happen to us. You haven’t had your ceiling fan on for months. One day you turn it on and dust comes shooting from the blades covering you and anything underneath it. It’s a dust dive bomb of our own creation. When you’re doing your spring cleaning, take the time to grab a duster and hit those fan blades. You’ll thank yourself later.

Illinois Valley Clean Team Inc. is the area’s leading provider of home cleanings. If you’re tired of cleaning or just can’t find the time, then call us and let us do it for you.

The Art of Cleaning Delicate Art

June 27, 2017 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

Cleaning Fine Art We all have those items in our house that are precious to us? Maybe it’s an heirloom painting that’s been passed down or a glass chandelier your spouse bought you for an anniversary present. These items often cost a lot of money and you want to take care of them. Many people are afraid to clean them for fear of damaging them, but there are ways to keep them clean without causing them hard.

Follow Instructions

Many new pieces will come with directions on how to properly clean them. While the tips that follow are for general cleaning of items that lack care instructions such as second hand items and antiques, if you have cleaning instructions that come from the manufacturer, then follow them.

Oil Paintings

Whether it’s an antique find or something unique from the local starving artist’s sale, oil paintings make a wonderful addition to any home décor. Unlike prints or other mass produced items, oil paintings are one of a kind. They are delicate and one mistake can ruin them. In fact, if the artwork is worth a lot of money, then have it cleaned by a professional. If you want to do it yourself, then use fine bristled brush like a paint brush to go over the painting. Given the delicate nature of the paint, you shouldn’t use any type of cleaning products or even water. If something gets on the painting, then take it to a professional to have it cleaned.

Crystal Chandeliers

Crystal is a material that screams class and sophistication. It’s also notoriously fragile. Glass and crystal chandeliers are beautiful and a focal point to any room. If you have never cleaned them before, then wipe down the chandelier with warm soapy water and wash cloth. Be gentle and don’t use anything abrasive or else you can scratch or break the crystal. Wipe each piece down with a damp cloth to make sure there’s no soap and then wipe it down with a drying cloth. Once the crystals are gleaming, all you need is the occasional dusting.

Marble

People love marble because it’s sturdy and beautiful. Marble floors, counter tops and statues adorn houses and businesses throughout the world. While the rock may seem indestructible, that’s not the case. Improper cleaning can break down the marble, scratch or even chip it. Once again, the key is soapy and warm water. Rather than a cloth, you can use a mop or a sponge. With marble, you can be firm, but be careful not to scratch the surface. Once that’s done, go over it more with a damp cloth or mop and follow that up with a drying towel.

Illinois Valley Clean Team Inc. has many services from home cleaning to deck refinishing. If you’re looking for some work done to the inside and outside of your home, check out what we have to offer.

Independence Day BBQ – Is It Time For A Deep Clean?

June 12, 2017 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

Fourth of July Deep Clean Everyone loves a good Fourth of July barbecue and if you’re the host, then you’ve already started planning. You’re cleaning off the grill and starting the guest list, but does your house need a deep clean before everyone comes for brats and hamburgers?

It’s Not Just the Backyard

While all the fun stuff happens in the backyard, it’s not the only place people will be. They’ll come through your home to get to the backyard. They’ll need to go to the bathroom and every now and then a few stragglers will head inside for the occasional conversation. The weather may not cooperate and soon the entire party has transitioned inside until it passes.

There are a million reasons why people would be inside your home during a barbecue, so you should be prepared with a home cleaning from Illinois Valley Clean Team Inc.

The Bare Essentials

What are two of the most common rooms people are going to be inside your home? If the beer and pop is flowing at your party, then the bathroom is a revolving door. You don’t want people seeing mildew in the bathtub and a dirty toilet bowl. It’s best to do a complete clean of the bathroom including the bathtub, toilet bowl, floor, sink and any cabinets. Replace the soaps and the towels with fresh ones and make sure there is plenty of toilet paper.

Now You’re Cooking

While burgers, brats and steaks are traditionally cooked on the grill, the sides and other aspects of the meal are wither prepared in the kitchen or brought by guests. Since no one wants salmonella poisoning from the potato salad, they’ll want to stick it in the fridge until it’s time to eat. There could be some items that need to finish cooking or be reheated. What it comes down to is people are going to be in the kitchen. Get all the appliances and counters wiped down and clean and take a mop to the floor. It may not end the night clean, but it can start that way.

The Living Room – The Room Where You Live

There’s a reason why they call it a living room and not the tangential place people rarely congregate. If you have any weather or wind problems, people will likely come inside. The floors should be vacuumed and tables wiped off.

If you don’t want to handle the deep clean before the big holiday, then let Illinois Valley Clean Team Inc. take care of it for you. We’re the area’s leading cleaning service with the customer satisfaction to prove it. Contact us today for a free quote.