November News 2017
Submitted by RonHanson on Thu, 11/16/2017 - 11:43
Happy Thanksgiving
We are excited that the holidays are upon us. It’s been a prosperous and busy year and we are deeply grateful for all of our clients, partners, and colleagues.
The holidays can be a hectic time of year but starting early and taking a little action everyday toward preparation and maintenance can help you be ready for unexpected company or last minute chores. So to help you enjoy this season we’re including tips for quick house cleaning, Thanksgiving day hacks, and smoke detector info! Nothing ruins the holidays more completely than a house fire.
Quick House Cleaning Tips
You and family are lounging around the house on a Saturday morning when those special family friends call and ask if you’d like to get together. You’d love too! BUT the house - yikes! Now you and the family have to scramble around for the next two hours to get the house presentable. Not a fun use of your precious Saturday morning.
These quick house cleaning tips are good rules to follow all year round, not just during the holidays. But now is a good time to start - and you’ll all be ready for anything the holidays have to throw at you!
Create a schedule
The key to a successful schedule is actually sticking to it and completing the jobs on the list!
Make it as enjoyable as possible
When you rush through a task thinking only how awful it is you won’t be motivated to stick to it. Put some pleasant thoughts in your mind, a gentle smile on your face, and some upbeat music on the radio.
Keep cleaning supplies organized
Simplifying your cleaning tools (sponges, rags, brushes) and supplies (cleaners) is the first step to organization. It’s much easier to grab two rags, one spray cleaner and one window cleaner to clean the bathroom than it is to grab multiple tools, and specialized cleaners (like soap scum remover, single use toilet scrubbers, sink cleaner, toilet cleaner, etc.) Professionals simplify the number of tools and supplies they need for organization and efficiency. It’s a good rule to follow.
Stay focused
It’s easy to become distracted when you’re cleaning with other jobs. Don’t switch to descaling the coffee maker when you’re in the process of wiping down the counter tops. Stick to your list, and if something extra comes up add it to the list for after or another time.
Leave no mess behind
Always pick up before you leave a room. Take your dishes with you back to the kitchen, throw away the wrappers from your snack, put away the magazine, put the pillows back on the sofa. The two seconds it takes to religiously pick up after yourself saves the fifteen minutes it takes to come back hours later and straighten it all up at once.
Pick up before you clean
When everything is already picked up you don’t have to take this step. You can run right to the utility closet and grab your cleaning supplies and get your task done!
Include everyone
Everyone who lives there can contribute some form of help. Give everyone age/ability appropriate tasks from your schedule. It feels good to be part of team and it feels good to have a clean house!
Thanksgiving Hacks
For a stress free Thanksgiving! Hosting Thanksgiving can be a big job and a lot of work but here are few hacks we found around the web to eliminate some of the hassle!
Before your guests arrive
- Run and empty the dishwasher
- Clean the bathroom one last time and light a candle
- Line the trashcan with triple bags (when one fills up, pull it up and there’s a fresh one right underneath!)
Cooking
- Line cooking pans with foil for faster cleanup
- Wash as you go - Keep the sink filled with hot soapy water and wash your prep dishes as you go
- Serve in storage containers - NO not the plastic tubs, there are many containers that you can use to store leftovers and are pretty enough for your Thanksgiving table. So the dish goes from table to fridge in one step and eliminates the need for extra dishwashing.
Cleanup
- Soak roasting/cooking dishes in hot soapy water as soon as possible after cooking.
- Fill the turkey roasting pan with hot soapy water and put it in a 250 degree oven while you eat - this will soften up the baked on food for easy cleanup.
- Wash pots, pans, wood, and larger serving platters by hand and fill the dishwasher with plates, glasses, and silverware
- Use a few teaspoons of vinegar in the rinse water to help cut grease.
- Wait until bedtime to run the dishwasher.
Smoke Alarms
Properly installed smoke detectors can and will save your life. This time of year we use extra candles and we have decorations hanging high and low. Let’s make sure our alarms are functioning properly! Here is everything you need to know about smoke detectors their care and operation.
There are two different kinds of smoke detectors: photo electronic and ionization. Photo electric are best for most homes and businesses they are best at detecting smoke, usually caused by a smoldering fire. Ionization detectors work best for detecting actual fire where there's not much smoke but lots of flames. An ionization detectors would be effective in the kitchen, for example.
Smoke detectors may be battery operated or hard wired with a back-up battery. Hard wired smoke detectors are connected to your electricity. They are also connected to each other. If one goes off the others go off as well. No matter where you are in the house, you'll know if an alarm is going off.
Clean your smoke detectors every four to six months. Never dip it in water and don't use chemicals or solvents as they will damage the smoke detector making it inoperable. To clean it simply use a dry dust cloth or rag wipe to off dust and debris. Take it down and clean the back as well. You can also use compressed air to clean out dirt, dust and debris inside (compressed air no solvents or chemicals). Take the opportunity to test it before putting it back
Change the batteries every six months. Even hard wired smoke alarms need new batteries regularly. To change the battery in a hard wired smoke alarm pull it away from wall or ceiling to access the back or side panel where the battery compartment is. Just because it's hard wired doesn't mean you can forego this step. Batteries should still be changed twice a year.
Testing your smoke alarm - each alarm is different. Read the users manual how yours works specifically. There is a button that says push to test. Push and hold the button until you hear the beep. Do not test it with smoke by lighting something on fire near it.
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