Author Archives: Penny

How To Prevent Smelly Shoe Odors In Your Closet.

Austin is a great city to enjoy the outdoors in! Even if you take your shoes off at the door 🚪 your shoes still need to be stored somewhere after use. Whether it’s by the front door or a closet, they key factor to smelly shoe odors is usuallynon-circulating air and moisture. Have you ever walked into your house after being away for awhile and said to yourself “It smells 👃🏽 stuffy in here” ? Air is circulated by opening doors, windows and running ceiling fans. This however doesn’t help remove the smelly shoe odor, but it ends up circulating the air that’s trapped in the house. These three steps will help prevent the smelly shoe odors that are lingering in your closet.about:blank

Every Shoe Isn’t The Issue So Identify The Culprits.

Before you Marie Kondo Challenge your shoes, let’s identify the ones that you know straight up stank the most. 👃🏽
Odors are trapped into soft surfaces so if your shoes are hanging in a shoe organizer like this, you may want to toss it or wash it. Don’t trip on the $19.99 price you got it for at Bed Bath & Beyond. Use your 20% off coupon and buy another one. Your nose will thank you. I mean we don’t want to remove the smelly odors from shoes and house them back in a smelly home! Now that you’ve removed the shoes that smell the most we can move to step two.

How To Remove Odors From Shoes

After providing Home Cleaning in Austin areas for over 23 years, you could say we know a thing or two about removing odors. We’ve chosen to clean our clients Austin homes with a natural based approach mainly because of the facts that we know. Homes are closed boxes filled with scents that linger. So there’s no need to add more scents to cover up the odors. Natural substances that trap the odors rather than masking them are the key to removing odors from shoes.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of Baking Soda inside each insole.
Shake the baking soda around the shoe to let it get into the crevices.
Place the shoes outside on a nice sunny day (a few hours should do the trick) so that the air can mix with the baking soda.
Now shake the baking soda out of each shoe.
Don’t restore them yet! Now we have to address where they live.about:blank

How to Easily Remove Odors From Closets 

Even if your closet is open all of the time, the scents just linger out of the closet. Remembering that odors get trapped into closed spaces and moisture builds. While the shoes are out enjoying a sunny date with Baking Soda, and the shoe bins are being washed and soaked in a Vinegar and water mix, it’s time to address the floor and walls. Yes scents get trapped in floors and walls!
White distilled vinegar is a natural odor eater. You can place a bowl of white distilled vinegar in the middle of the closet on the floor. Do not mop the floors with vinegar! It is too acidic and could ruin the floor!
If your closet has carpet, sprinkle baking soda liberally on the carpet and let it set for at least a few hours. Vacuum it up and empty the vacuum bag, and or debris basket immediately. We don’t want the vacuum to hold onto the odors either!
You can also use Activated Charcoal bags that can live in the closet and continually absorb the odors for at least a month. I’ve blogged on my love for Activated Charcoal use in the fridge as well. Check it out in the archive blog list by typing How To Remove Fridge Odors.

Pennys Personal TipIf I’m using baking soda, I always add a few drops of my favorite essential oil to the baking soda bottle, shake it, then sprinkle it.
I also keep baking soda in the small plastic bottles in the closet so that it’s within sight and reach to fix the odors before thy set in.

5 Things Your HouseGuest Needs In Their GuestRoom

Hosting People Can Be stressful and fun at the same time, but if you place yourselfin your guests shoes, it won’t take long for you to be able to personalize your GuestRoom for your specific guests.

The W Hotel In Austin BackUp Plan

No I’m not suggesting you drop your guests off at The W Hotel In Austin. I am however suggesting that you take this tip from inside their guest rooms. On every toilet they have an extra roll of toilet paper in a bag called the BackUp Plan. 😂 www.ruelala.com has the cute bag for sale online. When we provide cleaning services in Downtown Austin and surrounding areas, we always add an extra roll of toilet paper 🧻 to every commode for our own Personal Touch Back Up Plan. ( I felt like Alicia Keys in the part of that song “You Don’t Know My Name” where she tells the guy 🎶 … And you always order the special, with the hot chocolate … But I always use some milk and cream for you

Fresh, Fine and Fluffy 😳

You don’t need to know everything that goes on in your guest bedroom, and you sure don’t need Aunt Louis yelling for a towel from the 🚿 shower either. Stock your GuestRoom with towels specifically for guests. You know the kind that are fluffy and fresh without being used by the entire household. The Jewel Song comes to mind 🎶 “ You were meant for me” where she randomly says Don’t leave the keys in the door I never put wet towels on the floor anymore ’cause Dreams last so long, even after you’re gone
I know that you love me💙💚

The Unspoken Truth Of Matches

Candle scents can change a mood and so can the smell of 💩 number two. Let’s keep it real and straight to the point. Keeping a set of matches and a candle in the bathroom allows your guest the personal right to hide their lingering scents. If your guests have children then I wouldn’t leave matches around for sure. It’s all about personalizing the space to make your guest feel at home and welcomed.

Sometimes Things Don’t Flush 🚽

We clean about 340 toilets a week when providing RoundRock maid services. One of the things we require clients to have in each bathroom are toilet scrubbers. It’s not sanitary for us to drag a toilet scrubber from one side of the house to the other to scrub poop 💩 Your HouseGuest May have an oops moment that won’t flush. The last thing someone wants to do is scream the toilet is overflowing tampons and 💩 🤦🏻‍♀️ Every guest bathroom should have a visible toilet scrubber and plunger.

A Personal Touch Every Guest Will Remember

If you’re inviting someone into your home, we can guess you know them pretty well. Personalizing a welcome gift 🎁 can be as simple as leaving your LSU fan a University of Texas Longhorn shirt on the bed 🛌 Now that’s memorable and will be talked about for years. Everything doesn’t have to be perfect to be right!

A Personal Note From Penny 🙋🏻‍♀️

​I’ve learned a lot from each home we’ve cared for over 23 years. Every home is as unique as the people that live there. Even if your home may be the same floor plan as your neighbors, your guests will experience a different vibe in your home for sure. Make it memorable and personal by personalizing your GuestRoom to meet your guests needs.

How To Keep Frogs Out Of Your Toilets.

Finding a frog in the toilet wasn’t the ideal way to end the first day of school, but that’s what happened to my friend Hopee and her Son Myles. When she posted it on Facebook I have to admit I busted out laughing, but at the same time I knew why it happened. Frogs like to….hop around, but not intentionally hop into your home. Frogs and their amphibious capabilities make the toilet not an odd place for them to be found. Now how they got their may be odd.

How Did A Frog 🐸 Get In My Toilet 🚽?

It most likely hopped onto the rooftop pipe and literally fell into the main vent pipe (vent stack) The Vent stack is actually the upper portion of the main drain pipe (also called the waste stack); so a quick hop down this pipe usually leads to the closest toilet. Which in this case was Hopee’s. 😳

How Did A Frog Get In The Vent Stack? 🏡

Since most plumbing vent stacks are on the roof of the 🏡 home, the 🐸 frog most likely hopped from the 🌳tree to the 🏡roof to the drain and straight to Hopee’s toilet 🚽
I knew Hopee’s home had some large older trees around it so I immediately knew how this toilet hop happened. (I’m still laughing 😂 writing this)

🌳 So it’s very important to keep all tree limbs trimmed away from the house. ✅

Some vent stacks can be found on the ground or side of the house as well. (So you can only imagine what could crawl in there as well 😑 )

How to Prevent Frogs From Getting In The Toilet?

Do: Cover the top of the vent pipe with something like chicken wire to keep critters 🐸 from hopping in. Use a material with fine wires and large holes.

Don’t use screen or even fine hardware cloth. They can clog with dirt and end up blocking off the vent. Whatever cover you use, make sure to check it when the seasons change to confirm the vent is “breathing” as normal.

A very cheap Hardware Fix, but if you’re uncomfortable climbing on the roof safely, call a Pro. Please don’t blame me for you or your hubby falling off the roof 😳 Call a Pro!👨🏻‍🔧

My Personal Experience With Rodents In Clients Homes 🏡

Home cleaning in Austin’s areas such as Spanish Oaks, Round Rock and Lakeway have taught us many things besides how to clean surfaces. We’ve connected with many other Pros who are in the know about Home Maintenance. A lot of our clients are busy Moms and traveling 🧳 professionals who barely have time or want to waste time cleaning their own homes. So when we provide Austin with detailed home cleaning services we go beyond the surface. We understand preventative maintenance and try to keep our clients in the know…… before they go 🚽
😂😂😂😂😂

Thanks Hope 💚💙for keeping it real on a Facebook so we could give you some inside scoop on how to poop without a frog distraction.
Love you 😍

The Inside Scoop On One Staycation Close To Austin

When school starts, most of us are on a financial and time crunch. So I decided to venture up the highway to find out if this Hill Country Staycation was worth it or justa place that looked pretty online. So I broke it down into 5 Facts To Know Before Booking At Horseshoe Bay Resort.

HORSESHOE BAY TOWER ROOM

This was the first time in like forever never that I’ve walked into a hotel room that I ✅would give 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️to on the cleanliness of the room. Since I own an Austin Cleaning Service, my expectations of cleanliness go beyond surface cleaning. 
There was not one single thing I could say was not clean to perfection. 
We booked The Junior Suite and I was worried about being on the 6th floor (there are only 7 floors) above the 🏊🏽pool. ✅We had no issues of noise on a night that was 100% occupied! 
✅The room was equipped with free WiFi (without annoying codes to remember)
Coffee maker
✅Office area (because of course, I worked on a staycation) 🤷🏻‍♀️
✅Our Patio was on the corner lot which gave us privacy to moon watch. 🍾 
However, they forgot to mention
✅The bathroom had great makeup mirror lighting 💡I mean the whole mirror was lit to what was needed. So the small makeup mirror was just an added benefit. 
🛑The Large Bathroom had the tiniest vent known to man, hidden in a small area by the toilet. Why? 
🛑I’m 5’6 and standing on both 🦶, I could touch the ceiling. 
🛑It took quite a while to get the room to a comfortable cool setting. So we just removed the cover off of the bed 🛌and slept with the sheets. 
🛑Small bathtub 🛀but it was still great to have a tub to soak in.

Horseshoe Bay Spa

I was leary in booking major spa treatments since booking anything ahead of time was already a headache that went from Monday to Saturday. I only booked one massage treatment for The Mr. and I took advantage of using the spa area for a small charge of $15. This included the ✅pool (resistance pool 🏊‍♀️), ✅hot tub, steam room 🛑, and sauna🛑
Onsight it looked and felt so peaceful, but then things started falling apart. Let’s just say I wasn’t mad I spent $15 because the picture alone and quiet time was worth it. 
✅Massage 💆🏽‍♂️The Mr. enjoyed a massage time of about an hour specifically for tension release. He said it was amazing and he wished it would have been longer. 5 Stars to that masseuse because he is very particular. 
🛑The sauna and Steam room both had issues. I thought it was just me at first but two other ladies were complaining. The sauna just didn’t get 🥵hot👎🏽The Steam room wouldn’t steam unless you slammed the 🚪door shut. (Which I was instructed to do so by the staff) then the knobs on the wall from the 1970s fell off the wall. Oops. At least I made the other lady laugh while we enjoyed the non-sauna. 
When I mentioned this to The Mr. Who had the same amenities in the men’s locker room, he also mentioned the sauna didn’t get hot. That was odd because the staff stated the men’s locker room sauna was shut down for months so they could fix that issue before. Maybe that’s going to be renovated in the next phase 🤷🏻‍♀️
✅The Resistance 🏊‍♀️pool was a great workout and was beautifully designed. Unlike the rusted water cooler area. 🛑yeah, please replace this y’all 🤦🏻‍♀️

Horseshoe Bay Staff

👎🏽No one really knew what was going on and where and when it was going on without looking at the Resort manual. This was the same manual they gave us when we checked in. Ummmmm, I’m going to need resort staff to be in the know. That’s how you make tips 💰
I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised because booking this stay was a headache.

  1. I called to book but they said the prices were better online than what they could offer.
  2. I booked online but couldn’t book spa services without calling.
  3. I called the spa. No answer.
  4. I called the resort and had to leave a message ( this was Monday) Then Tuesday came and I still didn’t get a response.
  5. I reached out on Facebook and left a message. It showed “read” no response.
  6. THURSDAY I GET A CALL 🤦🏻‍♀️from a very aggravated rude older lady that sounded like I felt. Mad. “Hello I’m confirming your upcoming stay and any reservations you’d like to make”
  7. I made a spa reservation but she said there were NO RESERVATIONS available at the two restaurants I wanted to dine at. YEAH IM SURE OF THAT SINCE IT WAS NOW THURSDAY👎🏽
  8. ✅Lantana staff (restaurant in The Tower where we stayed) were all amazing and friendly. Come to find out, they were mostly from programs overseas and were working towards their degree in hospitality in areas of the resort. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
  9. Shuttle Staff were friendly but didn’t know any times that restaurants opened or closed. That was odd.
  10. Management staff experience was great. I wish I would have met this lady on Monday on the phone initially. She made me feel better about the whole booking with her smile and courtesy. She was supposed to send her card up to my room but never did. I did however get a bottle of wine and chocolates 🍫delivered mysteriously on our last night. No card or anything. When I called downstairs to ask who delivered it and why, of course again NO ONE KNEW 🤷🏻‍♀️

HORSESHOE BAY RESORT FEATURES

This place is AMAZING and I’m kicking myself for not coming sooner. Especially since it’s ONLY ABOUT AN HOUR AWAY from my busy, traffic congested Downtown Austin Cleaning Service Life. 👀
🏌️🏌️I wasn’t in a Golf weekend mood but they are known for their 3 award winning Golf 🏌️courses, an exclusive member course, and a unique 18 hole 🕳putting course in miniature.

🤷🏻‍♀️360 Sports Bar: We drank here twice. The first experience was ok… pricey but ok. The second experience was interesting. The Friendly Young lady bartender admitted she pretty much didn’t know how to make the cocktails. Oh fun. 🛑

✅✅Jungle Kids Club looked so awesome. It was a huge facility with planned activities and a large play areas that would make any kid under 6 be exhausted after the fun times in here.
(We didn’t have kids with us, but this was a selling point for me for sure)

✅✅Marina Rentals. They had a great stocked gift shop with anything you need to wear for the weekend for all ages.💙💚Many options of rentals from Wave runners, stand up paddle boards, canoes, and boats. We took a Pontoon out since they didn’t have a ski boat available and it was too hot for jet skis.
Great memorable time and an awesome way to see the beautiful homes surrounding Lake LBJ.

🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️Yacht Club Restaurant was one place we didn’t get to try since we were not able to get a hold of anyone for a week for reservations. 👎🏽👎🏽👎🏽👎🏽👎🏽
✅✅Poolside outside of the Yacht Club was great. Small sand area with many seats overlooking Lake LBJ.
Beware of the Bees at the bar. 🐝

✅Largest Hot tub in Texas was what this area was known for. Since I’m big on germs 🦠while providing cleaning services in Austin, This hot tub wasn’t going to be a stop for me. It looked fun!
Great pool areas over here with less kids! They even had a pool area with seating inside of it. WIN WIN!!! 💦🍹

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Lantana: Restaurant with a big bar inside The Tower where we stayed. Great service and food. Did I mention GREAT SERVICE 💙💚
Trails: Filled with parrots 🦜that they would allow you to hold.
Waterfalls for great pictures.
Very large open area with a few games for kids to play. They were the gigantic versions so of course it attracted the kids age 7 and up.

🎾8 hard court Tennis Courts
🎾6 certified clay courts
🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️Pickle Ball Courts. ( I had to google what this even was lol)
✈️PRIVATE AIRPORT AND JET CENTER
now this was a winner for sure 💙💚 ✈️

🏋️‍♀️Fitness center that gets a 👎🏽👎🏽
The Mr. made mention that for the size of the entire resort that the fitness center should have been bigger. He felt as if the fitness center was part of an apartment community. Small and cramped packed into two small levels.

Horseshoe Bay In Room Dining

After checking the blog of A Taste Of Koko who is a very well-known blogger out of Austin, I looked forward to a great breakfast in bed. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️
She posted on her blog a picture of her in the bed with a lovely room service tray and a morning Bloody Mary. 
Ummmmmm mine was sent up in a paper bag and two plastic containers. 
👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀

Overall Experience At Horseshoe Bay

Overall I would most definitely leave Austin for an hour’s ride up  🛣to this great Resort. It was worth the 💰money. The only thing missing was the knowledge that I wish I knew before coming, so that’s why I wrote this unfiltered non-sponsored Personal Blog. 
Don’t go until you RESERVE EVERY PLANNED EVENT before check-in. 
Just don’t do it.

5 Things You Didn’t Think Need To Be Tossed Before School Starts.

The one thing that really made me mad when my Kids finally moved out and went to college was that they had held on to so many things they didn’t need for years in their rooms and our house, and I was left to deal with it. Geez, thanks. 😢 I thought we were outgrowing our space, but we just needed to get rid of things! And I mean a lot of things. Here are 5 things that made no sense to keep throughout the years.

Halloween Costumes 👻

Can someone tell Hobby Lobby to chill on their excitement of the holidays? Two weeks into August and 💥you are greeted with Halloween Decorations when you walk in the door. They get 5 Stars for always being prepared in advance. However, life outside the Hobby Lobby doors is hectic. Unless you think you can recycle a Halloween costume on another kid without them throwing the temper tantrum of “I don’t want their hand me downs” then stop by Goodwill and bless someone else.

Small 👟 Shoes/ Clothes 👕

Yep that’s me… 3 or 4 years old in Melbourne, Australia 🇦🇺
Crocks, flip flops and more, are probably all lined up by your door, but do they even fit. Save yourself a headache this school year. Picture the screaming that they wanna wear their ruby red Boots from two years ago to school that you know they don’t fit. Ditch the old shoes 👟winter jackets, and clothes now and bless another child. If you’ve
got some great gently used items, consider Texas Baptist Children’s home for donating. They have many families with children that could always use some gently used items for their new beginnings in life.

Sport Equipment ⚽️/Band Equipment 🎺

Most parents of a middle school aged child can empathize with me and this violin that My Son played for a year only. I’ll admit that he’s 23 years old and I still have this 🎻violin from his 7th grade year. I’m not perfect, I just write about perfect scenarios. 😂
Before your garage turns into a cemetery of old sports and band equipment, google your local donation place for this items. Play It Again Sports and your local Facebook neighborhood group page are the fastest way to try to at least get some of your money back from their phase of middle school.about:blank

Books/Filled Coloring books 📚

When my Kids moved out of the house I was surprised at how many books they left at home. All of those Scholastic Book Fair Times Of “Mom I just have to have this motorcycle book please” and Judy Blume series books become dust collectors. Make your kids go through their book collections yearly to save you the tears I shed when my kids went to college. I guess some books just serve purposes for some specific times in their lives and that’s it.
Filled Coloring Books
How many coloring books are just adding to the pile of books in your house. Sneak and toss them. The great thing about this throwing away situation is that most coloring books are recyclable. So you’re doing yourself and the planet good.

Socks 🧦

It’s less expensive to just toss the socks out in their drawers before school starts than to play the “find the best socks” challenge when school starts.
Academy and Target 🎯have become hip to this idea. They always have the socks in bulk on sale around back to school shopping time. Home Cleaning in a Teravista is off to a good start because one of our Moms there inspired this blog 😊. She had so many bags outside her door when we showed up to clean. When we asked her what she was doing, she said she was clearing so we could clean. Made sense ✅

This post was written in memory of Gentry Mason. The Lovely Harris Family Featured on our Blog Post was created because of Gods Plan and your existence.No matter where we end up providing home cleaning in RoundRock, Austin, Lakeway, and Spanish Oaks we notice the same thing time and time again. Moms are busy and kids are messy. It’s just life and sometimes life is happier with a little mess rather than everything being so organized. However, getting rid of what we have outgrown helps the transition into the next phase of life. Whether it’s 1st grade or Junior year, we all need to let go to grow.

4 Unsexy Pillow Talk Facts You Need To Know.

There’s nothing sexy about this pillow talk but it could save you from being sick. While no one has timeOr cares to take their pillow to a microbiologist, sicknesses usually creep up on us and make us make time for ourselves.

Most of us are so attached to our pillows and how we think our sleeping has personalized them that we are forgetting one thing. Our sleeping 5-8 hours on the same pillow for more than two years can build more than a comfy relationship. It can build a nesting ground of sweat, organic matter, bacteria mold, and dust mites.

Why Do Pillows Have Yellowish Stains?

If you’ve ever lied down with wet hair, had a sweaty night in bed or noticed your nighttime facial cream on your pillowcase then you should be washing your pillow at least twice a year (depending on the type of insert the pillow is made of)
We wash our sheets and pillowcases, but as you can tell from a mattress without a mattress cover, things seep past the sheets. So just imagine what’s seeped past your pillowcase? Bacteria and Mold grow in moist places. Our body heat on a soft surface for at least a few hours creates a very moist place. Then it’s covered and sealed by a pillowcase.

Why Does My Pillow Smell Moldy?

Have you ever taken a spare pillow out of a closet in a hotel and it just didn’t smell fresh? That would never happen at www.1hotels.com Closets can be hot boxes if not left open for air to come through. If you are storing pillows then I suggest always having them in a sealed bag with a dryer sheet.

Can My Pillow Make My Allergies Worse?

Unsealed Pillow Case equals a dust mites party central. Dust mites eat flakes of human skin and love humid conditions. If your room gets dusty, then can you imagine where the dust is settling in your soft pillow? Then you add the sweat, and non-washing and 💥 bam. Dust mites!
I suggest covering every pillow with a pillow protector. I like Suregaurd Protectors which can be purchased on Amazon. This will save you the time of having to wash your pillows and the stress of possibly getting sick from what’s sleeping in your pillows.

How Often Should I Replace My Pillows?

Pillows should always be replaced every two years, especially if they don’t have pillow protectors on them.

While providing cleaning services in Austin,TX we have noticed that most homes have about 3-4 beds. We recently did a poll on our Austin Instagram Story to see how many pillows most people had on their beds. The average pillows in Austin Homes were 5-10.
We see many different pillows, and and leave our client’s personal touch notes when we notice certain things that could harm their health. Austin’s allergies are a complete year-round struggle for most of us. Taking the time to understand, while providing home cleaning services in Austin that dirt isn’t always visible is part of our detail cleaning.

5 Easy Household Things To Do Around The House To Make Her Smile

Any kind of housework doesn’t seem like a sexy thing to do for a man, but there’s a secret to the sexy part. It’s all in….the idea of doing things that go unnoticed, but require a mans touch. Housework shouldn’t really be a sexist chore, but it can be sexy and easy at the same time. Thank me later by anonymously sending me wine to my office with a note 📝 that this blog was a winner 😉

CHANGE  LIGHTBULBS AND CHANGE HER MORNING MOOD!

Men, If you haven’t realized it already, lighting matters! Whether it’s for a selfie, or applying morning makeup, it matters to most women. Take a moment and look around your house and change the lightbulbs that are out. There’s so many different kinds and places that they are hiding, that they end up just getting overlooked. The rangetop on the stove, outdoor lightbulbs and more can get you a smile for sure if you change then. 💡

How To Make The Dryer Dry Faster Could Get You To The Bedroom Easier.

Ask her how the dryer is working lately and if you need to take a look at it. You don’t have to call a technician 👨🏻‍🔧 first if the dryer isn’t drying well when you’ve got a flashlight 🔦 and muscles.😉
A clogged vent trap and low circulation of air is a big problem in the laundry room that rarely gets detected till it doesn’t work. Check behind the dryer to make sure the flexible ducting isn’t kinked. Sometimes if flexible ducting is too long it makes the dryer work harder as it isn’t a direct line of heat out the wall but a kinked line of heat mashed up against the wall. When all else fails don’t be afraid to google it. Extra heat can damage clothes and start a fire and the only fire you want is in the bedroom between you two, not in the dryer vent.

It’s Not Just The Trash That Stinks

Taking out the trash is appreciated, but we all know that going the extra mile makes a woman smile. Take the trash cans around the house outside and spray them down with a household disinfectant. Then spray them with the hose and let them air dry. By this point she’s going to be shocked at the effort you’re putting into things around the house with your own chore list. Making her smile now just might make you smile later in other areas of the house 😉

Do You Know How Many Filters Your Home Has?

We all usually think AC air filters when someone asks have you changed your homes air filters right? There are at least 4 filters that your wife would love for you to change for her on a regular basis.
1. The Air Filters on the walls and in the Ac Unit.
2. Range top Filters above the stove that catch grease in the air while cooking.
3. The Refrigerator has a water filter that should be changed at least once every 6 months.
4. The Household Vacuum has a filter that traps dirt and smells that needs to be changed, washed and cleaned at least once a month or more depending on use.
I know it sounds silly by this point, but remember that you’re fixing problems before they exist to make her smile. When she sees you doing things routinely it makes her feel helped happy and grateful.

Hiring Help Gives You Back More Time

We can only do so much before we wear ourselves out. Don’t wait till Mothers Day, her birthday, or the day she’s thrown a grown woman fit, to realize she’s worn out and needs help. You spend a lot of time working and the free time you have shouldn’t be wasted on cleaning blinds and baseboards when it can be shared together making each other smile. Sharing household responsibilities can be appreciated but before you wear yourself out trying to show up and show out, feel free to reach out to us for help. We’ve been providing Home Cleaning Services in Austin for 23 years. Understanding every homes personal needs helps us provide a personal touch to bring your home peace.

Warning About Placement Of Essential Oil Diffusers And PlugIns

Before you place it, plug 🔌 it and smell 👃🏽 it, you need to know this expensive mistake thatwe have seen many people make without knowing. I myself didn’t even think this was a problem until we were providing a move out cleaning in Austin in The Seven Building. The resident was paying about 6k for monthly rent so he wanted to make sure he moved out and left it as clean as when he moved in. We could handle the cleaning side but we couldn’t handle the damage that his Wallflower Plug In had made on the bathroom mirror.

WHERE NOT TO PLACE AN OIL DIFFUSER

Since you cannot see the oil dispersing into the air but you can smell it then you know it is working.  Have you ever thought of where does the oil actually go? Once a diffuser is constantly running it disperses into the air in an upwards motion. So it is best not to place the diffuser in an area is close to any surface above it.  We have seen damage on mirrors, paintings, cabinets and towel holders from the placement of oil dispensers.
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Where Is The Safest Place To Place An Oil Diffuser?

Since most oil diffusers are a combination of water and essential oils of some kind it’s best to keep in mind also the surface we place the dispenser on.   If placing on any stone surface, whether it is a polished stone or not, place a protector underneath.  We recommend just not placing anything containing oil on any stone or wood surface just to be safe.  Oil Diffusers need to be in open clear areas from the top and bottom.  They do not blow sideways but they can be accidentally spilled by your cat having fun on the counter or by any human mistake in quick movement.  about:blank

Alert On A Must Have Communication to Your Austin Home Cleaning Service

One of the biggest pet peeves that I hear from people is that ” The Maid Moved My Stuff” and I can empathize with this situation.  It’s very hard not to clean thoroughly without moving things but it’s even harder to remember where every item goes perfectly in a strangers home.  When we provide maid services in Roundrock, Bee Caves, Lakeway, or Downtown Austin Apartments we make sure to add this tip to our training.  The  first tip is that if it is plugged in we don’t unplug it or move it. When we do clean rooms we clean in a very ritualistic manner so that items are not moved to other areas of the room but are dusted around or picked up and placed neatly.  
When we provide personalized estimates for Home Cleaning in Austin we walk room by room with clients to know and ask what to touch and what to clean around.  
That’s keeping the Personal Touch in clean. 

What’s The Shelf Life On Wine and Liquor?

“Spring cleaning is fun!” Said no one ever but it’s a good way to feel accomplished since New Years Goals failed. Finding a place to start Spring Cleaning can be overwhelming, but with my help, and your bar, we are going to drink our way through a spring cleaning with ease. There’s a keyword in the phrase “Aging like fine wine” and the word is Fine! So that wine that Becky got you at the company Christmas party as a white elephant gift may not be fine!

What Wine Is Best Aged and What Wine Expires Quickly?

If you’re wondering why there’s a sherry Vinegar next to this aged wine then you’ve never sipped bad wine before. Bad wine tastes like straight vinegar.
When To Pour The Wine Down The Sink Instead of Down Your Throat.
Oxygen kills wine over time but oxygen is giving humans life….interesting. Once a bottle is opened, it starts to oxidize. Just think of an apple that’s been cut open. To extend the life of the wine you need to expose it to less oxygen (put a cork in it, or if you’ve been blessed with a Coravin then use it).
Temperature is another factor in bad wine. For a fine wine to age nicely it needs the proper temperature, no light, and no oxygen.
If you understand wine’s structure, balance, and Producer then you will value how to keep it so it will be fine.
If you don’t understand what I said above and you’ve had that wine for more than a year in the pantry. Toss it.

When Does Tequila Expire

The only thing Tequila has in common with wine is that dizzy feeling you get after too much of it. So saving a bottle of tequila for years won’t make it taste better.
Tequila has an indefinite shelf life if unopened, unlike me after three shots of it and I’m done.
Air in the bottle equals faster evaporation and oxidation which makes the quality of the tequila deteriorate.
Tequila can expire if you leave it unopened because it will begin to evaporate. Don’t store it with a pourer or without its cap.

Do Liqueurs and Cordials Go Bad?

The more sugar a liqueur has the faster it will deteriorate. Many have preservatives to slow spoilage down but it all boils down to the alcohol content. A liqueur with a higher proof contains more alcohol and will last longer than a lower proof. So when my friend Ikem’s father-in-law opened his signed Grand Mariner bottle that he saved for years in the back of the pantry it was still good. Oh, he was PISSED 😡 that the seal was broken on that particular bottle for sure!
Cream Liqueurs are a different story. Even if they are unopened they will spoil after a year and a half. Cheaper ones will deteriorate faster. I guess Liqueurs have something in common with wine on this one.

Will a a Cognac, Whisky or Bourbon Expire?

Unless you’re a major Liquor aficionado then you won’t be able to taste if a dark liquor has been collecting dust on my bar. Opened bottles should be consumed in less than two years as long as it’s kept in a cool dark place. Unopened good quality bottles will not expire as long as the cork is sealing it tight. If you’ve got a bottle of some cheap stuff then you may want to give it a sniff before you give it a sip.
QUALITY DOES NOT EXPIRE 😉

When Does Vodka Expire?

The High Alcohol Content makes vodka susceptible to spoiling but it will oxidize. Clear vodkas are easier to tell if it’s time to toss it by crystallization around the cap and discoloration from what it originally looked like. Some people like to freeze vodka but that does change the taste of it and doesn’t make it last longer. Keep it sealed tight in a dark cool place to keep it strong for the long haul.

I didn’t cover Gin but I’m sure by now you’re either drunk, tipsy or you get it.
1. Keep liquors in a cool dark place.
2. Wine will go bad if opened and not at the right temperature.
3. Quality doesn’t expire 😉
4. Toss cream Liqueurs even if unopened after about a year and a half.

When we provide Apartment cleaning in Austin or House cleaning in Spanish Oaks we’ve noticed that people realize that they too have a shelf life. Why spend time cleaning, when you can hire a pro who knows how to give you back your time to enjoy drinking with family and friends.

3 Common Hardwood Floor Cleaning Mistakes

For some reason we associate shiny to….clean. Have you ever seen a woman with too much highlighter/contour and wonder why did she do that? That’s what I think when I see glossy wood floors.

How Often Should I Clean My Wood Floors?

Did you know that when you’re cleaning your wood floors you are not actualy cleaning the wood? ? Most wood floors have a chemical finish on them that acts as a protective layer on the wood. So wiping a spill quickly rather than waiting till you pull the mop system out is imperative to keeping the finish shiny. Vacuuming wood floors weekly rather than sweeping removes the dirt and debris from the cracks of the wood.

Hardwood Floor Cleaning Mistakes

The only time you want to opt for shiny wood floors is when a company is reapplying the protective coat on them.
1. Stay away from oil based floor cleaners – oil attracts and traps dirt.
2. Stay away from cleaners promising a gloss or shine – you will have to remove the build up like nail polish on your nails over time.
3. Don’t ever use Vinegar even if it is diluted! Vinegar is an acid so it will break down the finish on the floors. Vinegar can cause floors to look dull.

LET US CLEAN YOUR FLOORS FOR YOU!

Personal Confession

I’ve learned a lot of lessons over 23 years while providing House Cleaning Services In Austin and surrounding areas.
I’ve used diluted vinegar and seen floors dull over time while providing housekeeping in Round Rock.
I opted for shiny cleaners in the cleaning aisle and saw a build up form that we couldn’t mop off while providing maid services in Lakeway. ? Recently we removed a rug while providing maid services in Spanish Oaks and realized one of the fur babies was peeing constantly on it. When the rug was moved we found a dark stain on the wood. I realized that the chemical in the pee reacted to the wood floor finish ? and soaked all the way to the wood. Lesson learned to search for our fur babies pee spots and clean it with a Ph neutral cleaner quickly.
So my lessons were costly over 23 years but we’ve come to understand surfaces and that every All Purpose Cleaner isn’t meant for every surface.