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Lemons! The Easiest Way To Clean Your Microwave

Lemons cut in half
Cleaning the microwave is a job that usually gets left way too long. Nobody likes doing it. The inside of your microwave probably harbours the history of many meals passed. But there’s a quick and easy way to get it clean and smelling fresh and it’s as simple as heating up some soup!

All you need is that wonderful fruit that is friend to cleaners everywhere. The glorious lemon!

I promise that this method is much easier and cheaper than using any kitchen spray and has the added bonus of being a non-toxic way of cleaning a food prep area.

So here’s what you’ll need:

  • A lemon
  • A microwaveable bowl or jug half-filled with water (the wider the opening the better – so that the water doesn’t boil over the top)
  • Oven gloves for removing the bowl from the microwave
  • Kitchen towel or cleaning cloths

Take the lemon and cut it in half, squeeze the juice into the bowl of water and then drop the halves in there as well.

Microwave the bowl of water and lemons for 3 minutes on full power so that the water starts to boil. When it’s finished, leave the bowl in the microwave for an additional 2 minutes. Don’t open the door until the 2 minutes are over – you want to let the heat and steam do its work on any particularly bad parts.

Carefully remove the bowl of water. Wipe around the inside of the microwave with the kitchen towel or cloths. You might get through quite a few depending on how greasy things are in there! All the grime should come away easily but if there are some particularly stubborn bits you can always microwave the bowl for another minute to create some more steam.

Your microwave should now be looking as good as new and smelling beautiful.

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Cleaning Advice for New Parents

A yawning baby

A new baby has arrived! Hooray! But you still have to keep up with your housework – it’s now even more important than ever. Great then that you have all this energy, free time and flexibility to get it all done. Oh. Wait…

 

Now that you’re a new parent, everything, including your cleaning, has to fit around the demands of the new little person in your life. And they sure are demanding! Here are a few small but effective tips to help make your life a little easier.

 

Keep cleaning wipes EVERYWHERE

At this stage in your baby’s life (and for many years to come, in fact) having a packet of cleaning wipes within reach, pretty much at all times, is a must. In the kitchen and bathroom antibacterial wipes are fantastic for cleaning up at speed but most smudges, smears, dribbles and crumbs can be cleaned up with a baby wipe. They’re actually great for furniture and fabric cleaning, and obviously safe for baby too.

 

Invest in some tubs and buckets

For the aforementioned multitude of wipes that you’ll be getting through, you’ll need a bin for every room. The key here is to find some that are easy to rinse so you can easily throw soggy, messy bits and pieces in. Our top tip is to use the flexi-tubs with the handles that come in a range of different colours. They make excellent bins, are great for storing toys and carrying washing around AND the best part is that they’re wide enough so you don’t need to be a top netball player to throw something in from across the room.

 

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Becoming a parent is a MASSIVE challenge, and people know that. But they don’t always know how they can help, so don’t be afraid to let them know what you need. You’ll no doubt have a whole host of friends and family coming to adore your new addition so ask them to help you out with a few things. It’s a fair trade for new-baby snuggles.

 

Be relaxed about mess

Learn to live with all the clutter around your home. It’s there to help you and your family, to bring you joy and help your little one to grow up happy and healthy. As long as things aren’t a health hazard then try not to worry about them too much. With a new baby, you’ll be looking at the world completely differently and things that used to be important – like how neatly your towels are folded – will seem entirely trivial.

 

Little and often

Don’t set massive cleaning goals or schedules that you won’t be able to stick to. Accomplish small tasks when you can. If you can set and achieve little goals – even if it’s only one each day – you’ll feel much better and much more productive. As tired as the saying “little and often” is, it definitely applies to help you keep on top of things and stop your list of cleaning tasks getting out of control.

 

Outsource it

We’re not suggesting that you hire us as your nanny (we don’t provide that as a service for one thing!) but we can definitely take care of your regular household cleaning. Many of our new-parent clients like us to pop in weekly and ‘reset’ their house, getting it in great shape for the week to come. You can be happy in the knowledge that the floors are cleaned and hoovered, the dishwasher is loaded, the empty packets of baby-food are in the recycling, the bathroom is spotless, the bed is made. Everything you need to feel happy and relaxed in your home, so you can focus your time and energy on your new baby (or maybe just grab a little more sleep!).

 

Get in touch now for a chat about how we can help.

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The Hidden Benefits of End of Tenancy Cleaning

A hand with a sponge, wiping a clean surface

Of course it’s a requirement for your property to have a good standard of cleanliness before any tenants move in, especially when they are expected to leave it in the same condition. But there are greater benefits than you might think in having a thorough end of tenancy cleaning service between each set of tenants.

 

Faster lets

Have your property looking great in estate agency photos and delivering a fantastic impression on first visit and you’ll have secured new tenants in no time at all. If the photos of your property were taken before anyone moved in then make sure the cleanliness is back up to those standards before allowing any new prospective tenants to visit. You don’t want the first visit to be a disappointment.

 

Better impressions

A clean and well-presented property shows prospective tenants that you are a professional landlord and conveys the message that you’re reliable when it comes to maintenance issues.

 

High quality tenants

A clean property attracts clean tenants that will take care of their home. You can expect that tenants with high standards in their property search will also have high standards in their daily living and the ongoing condition of their home.

 

Reduced costs

A deep clean will tackle any problems that might go unnoticed during regular cleaning and build up over time. A professional clean will often mean that something can be returned to its original condition rather than replaced. For example, in one recent end of tenancy clean we saved a local landlord money on replacing all his kitchen cupboard doors. He was very happy – as you can imagine!

 

For a quote on your property for professional end of tenancy cleaning, call or text us on 07957 235574.

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What Your Mum Really Wants for Mother’s Day

A bunch of tulips

Sure, you’re probably getting her a card, some chocolates and a bunch of flowers. But, if your mum is the one who ends up doing all the housework then what she really wants is a day off just to be herself. Here are 6 things you can do around the house that will really have her feeling happy and relaxed this Mother’s Day.

 

Put things away

Go around the house and pick up after everybody in the family. Put everything back where it belongs to make sure surfaces are clear and there’s nothing lying around on the floor that shouldn’t be there.

 

Do the washing

If there are piles of washing ready to go in the machine then get them in there. It’s a good idea to separate colours and whites and some things need more care than others. If in doubt check the label and follow the guidance – just careful not to ruin her favourite top!

 

Do the vacuum cleaning

Once you’ve cleared away everything in a room, give the carpets a good run over with the vacuum cleaner. Go through the whole house and do a thorough job on high-traffic places like the hall or by the front door. If you need it here are some more tips on getting your carpets clean.

 

Make the beds

Take away all the dirty bedding, put it on to wash and replace with fresh sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers. If your mum has a favourite set then put this on her bed. Don’t tell her that you’ve done it and it’ll be a lovely surprise when it’s time for bed.

 

Do all the washing up

Collect everything from around the house that needs washing up and get to work with your rubber gloves on. Once everything is clean, dry it off and put it all away. If you have a dishwasher then get it stacked and running early in the day so that things are ready for tea time.

 

Clean the bathroom

If your mum’s the type to enjoy a long, hot bath on Mother’s Day then get the bathroom squeaky clean and smelling fresh. Put some bleach in the toilet, clean the sink, the floor and the inside of the bath. Add some candles and fresh, fluffy towels for an extra luxurious Mother’s Day experience.

 

Once you’ve done all this your house should be beautifully clean and tidy – almost as if your mum had done it! We’re sure that after all this, your mum will be relaxed during her day and appreciate all the effort that you’ve put in.

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Furnishing Your Rented Property in York on a Budget

chair, sideboard and statement vase on a wooden floor

If you’ve just moved into a rented house or flat, making it feel like home can be tricky when you don’t have any control over the colours of the walls or the type of kitchen cabinets you have. Plus, if you’ve just dropped a load of money on a deposit and your first month’s rent then you can’t afford a big trip to IKEA.

 

Snap Up a Bargain

Luckily, if you live in York then there’s the most amazing place to get some great furniture without breaking your budget. This gem is the Community Furniture Store. You can find it off James Street (behind Morrisons). All the furniture is second-hand (apart from a selection of brand new items like beds) so there’s a fantastic selection of different styles. You’re bound to find some things that will have your new house or flat feeling like home. And the best thing is that most deliveries to York are free (I imagine you’d need to pay if you were buying several heavy items).

 

I would definitely recommend having a hunt around the store to see if there are some things that suit your style. A few carefully chosen pieces that really make you happy will make a huge difference to your new space.

 

York Community Furniture Store