Wood Furniture Maintenance Tips

High-quality wood furnishings are investments that you expect to last a long time; often times wood furniture is passed down from one generation to another. In order for this to happen, it needs to be properly cared for. Well-maintained furniture can keep its appearance for decades, but when neglected it can fade quickly. Use the tips below to keep your wood furnishings fresh for as long as possible.

Prevent Drying Out

Wood naturally contains moisture, and maintaining this moisture level is a key part in preserving its appearance. Avoid placing wood furniture next to sources of dry heat such as fireplaces, radiators, and heating ducts and utilize humidifiers during winter months. If possible, refrain from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, as it can cause the wood to dry out and lose its color. Drapes and UV ray-blocking window films can help prevent this from happening.

Protect Your Tables

Nothing can ruin the appearance of a beautiful wooden table faster than scratches, burns, and water rings from condensating drinking glasses. When appropriate, take proper measures to protect the finish of your wood furniture. This includes taking precautions like using coasters for your cold beverages and trivets for your hot dishes. Investing in a glass tabletop is a great way to provide 24/7 protection for your wood surfaces.

Clean Often

Cleaning your wood furniture once per week is a good way to preserve its appearance for a long time. Weekly cleanings stop dust and other debris from accumulating and tarnishing wood surfaces. Routinely dusting your tables can prevent oily build-ups and keep your furniture shining for years to come.

Polish Properly

Wood polish can help enhance the appearance of your wood furniture and extend its lifespan, but only when used correctly. When used in excess, polishes can leave an oily residue on wood surfaces, causing them to attract dust. If you are using a spray, avoid spraying directly on the furniture; instead, spray the cloth and use that to clean the table. Buff the table twice after applying the polish to completely dry all oil residue.

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5 Tips for Vacuuming Your House

Vacuuming is a chore frequently done around the house. Most of us have already developed our vacuuming routines, and it has evolved into a mindless task that we do without thinking about. The problem with doing this is that we are not operating as efficiently as possible. Use the tips below for a cleaner, more beautiful carpet in your home.

Shoe Control

As the old adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. A great way to reduce the amount of vacuuming you have to do is by minimizing how dirty your carpets get to begin with. Place mats outside of all of your home’s exterior doors and install a strict “no shoe” policy for yourself, your family, and your guests.

Third Time’s a Charm

Studies have shown that vacuuming a spot on the carpet one time is not nearly as effective as many times. You don’t have to go overboard with this, but passing over the same spot three or four times before moving on will help keep your carpet clean for longer.

Slow and Steady

We can all list 100 things we would rather do than vacuum our carpet, but racing through the process isn’t going to help anybody. When you vacuum at the speed of a NASCAR driver, you are not giving the vacuum cleaner a chance to pick up all of the dirt and dust lodged in your carpet. Take it down a notch and vacuum at a slower, more leisurely pace.

Prep the Room

Before you begin vacuuming, it is a good idea to prep the room first. Move furniture, tables, and other large objects to give you access to the entire carpet. Do a quick scan of the floor; looking for pennies, paperclips, and other items that will damage the vacuum cleaner if sucked up.

Vacuum Often

The best way to keep your carpet looking like new is by cleaning it frequently. It doesn’t have to be every day (although sometimes it is recommended if you have pets which shed a lot), but making a commitment to vacuum once per week will extend the life of your carpet and maintain its beautiful appearance for years.

Avoid Vacuuming Altogether

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How to Keep Your Glass Shower Door Spotless

If your bathtub has a glass door, you know how much of a hassle it can be to keep clean. An unblemished shower door gleams in the light and can boost the appearance of your whole bathroom, but one ridden with water spots is an eyesore. Use the following three tips to keep yours immaculate.

Squeegee the glass after every shower

After showering, take a minute to squeegee the glass dry. It may seem like a chore, but this is the best way to prevent water and soap buildup, which lead to water spots down the road. Avoid purchasing a squeegee with metal in its frame, because contact with the glass could scratch the surface.

Clean the glass weekly

In addition to drying your shower glass door after every use, you should clean it with weekly with a soft cloth using a mild cleaning solution. Cleaners such as Windex or Lysol's 4-in-1 bathroom cleaner are perfect for this. Avoid using highly acidic solutions or abrasive cleaners such as Ajax or Comet. Not only will these products deteriorate the surface of your glass, they will also corrode the hardware such as the door handle and grab bar.

Do not put excessive weight on the towel bar

Grab bars are designed to support your weight and provide assistance getting into and out of the tub. Towel bars are not grab bars, and are not designed to handle that much weight. Do not hang, lean, stand, push, or pull on towel bars. Excessive pressure on the towel bar can lead to the towel bar snapping off or the entire glass door shattering.

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Tips for Organizing Your Home

Keeping a clean, organized home is easier said than done. If you are having trouble keeping your home neat and tidy, consider using the following tips to make your life easier. They are quick, easy, and don't require a very big budget to implement.

• Keep your footwear organized. Without a dedicated storage spot, the shoes of you and your guests can quickly take up your entryway. Mats, racks, shelves, and even baskets are all great ways to store your family's shoes.
• Bedroom nightstands can become cluttered if there is no method of organization. The top of the nightstand should only hold a lamp, alarm clock, and a resting spot for a book or phone. The drawers should hold things such as medications, remotes, and eyeglasses. If you don't use an item while in bed, it should not be in your nightstand.
• Utilize the space underneath your bed for long-term storage. Items such as sheet sets, duffle bags, and shoes are perfect for keeping tucked under your bed. Consider using a bed skirt to conceal these items if they become too noticeable.
• Dresser tops can turn into a big shelf for everything you own if you are not careful. Cosmetics and jewelry are popular dresser-top inhabitants, so buying a decorative jewelry box or cosmetic bag is a good way to keep everything neat and organized.
• Utilize vertical space in your closet to maximize storage. Stackable bins and multi-level shoe racks beneath the closet rod are a great way to take advantage of this space. Above, install shelves or cubbies to fit as much as possible.
• Leftover foods should be kept in square, stackable containers in order to make efficient use of your refrigerator space. Keep these containers at the front and center of your fridge to ensure they are always visible and less likely to be forgotten about.
• Stack pots and pans inside of each other to drastically reduce the amount of space they consume in your kitchen cabinets.
• Keep your bathroom counter clean by keeping everyday grooming supplies stored neatly in the medicine cabinet. Items which are used less frequently, such as cold medications and rubbing alcohol, can be stored in a hallway closet if you run out of room in the medicine cabinet.

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How to Clean a Glass Stove Top

Glass stove tops have become a staple in every modern kitchen due to their ease of use and sleek look. A clean glass stove practically begs to be cooked on, but owners know that all it takes is one meal to turn the stove from pristine to a dirty mess. While they are difficult to keep clean, don't go back to metal burners – just use these steps to eliminate your stove top stains.

• Act fast. The key to maintaining a clean glass stove top is to handle all messes and spills as soon as possible. When left to sit, stains can harden and become almost impossible to remove.
• But let the stove cool first. Always let your stove top completely cool down before attempting to clean it. Applying cleaning chemicals to a hot stove will cause them to burn on to the surface and add to your troubles. Most glass stoves have lights which indicate when the burners are hot, so you don't have to burn your hand testing it.
• *Apply Cerama Bryte glass cooktop cleaner to affected areas. There are a variety of commercial cleaning products specifically designed for glass stove tops, but Cerama Bryte has been the most effective for us. Place a little bit of this on the stains and let it sit for 2-3 minutes before moving on to the next step.
• *Wipe cleaner off with a Mr. Clean Magical Eraser. Stains are no match for the combination of Cerama Bryte and a Magic Eraser. Scrub the stains off using a small, circular scrubbing motion. Depending on how dirty your stove is, the Magic Eraser may become brown or black during the cleaning process. You can simply rinse this residue off in the sink and continue cleaning. Repeat this process until all stains are gone.
• Polish off with warm water and a paper towel. When all stains are completely removed from the stove top, there will probably be streaks and marks from the cleaning products. To get rid of these and really make the glass gleam, polish it off with a paper towel soaked in warm water.

*If you do not have Cerama Bryte cleaner, you can make a paste using baking soda and a few drops of water. If you do not have a Magic Eraser, you can use a microfiber cloth instead.

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Tips to Keeping a Clean Bedroom

Americans spend upwards of ⅓ of their lives in their bedrooms. Even though most of this time is spent sleeping, it is still the last room in your house that you see before you go to bed and the first thing you see when you wake up. Your bedroom also says a lot about your character – an organized room usually means an organized person. Use the following tips to keep your bedroom clean.

Make your bed every morning.

If you could do one task to make your room appear cleaner, making the bed is that task. Your bed is the centerpiece of the bedroom, and an unmade bed will make even the tidiest of rooms look messy. Get in the habit of making your bed every morning before you leave the house for work or school, this small step can go a long way in keeping your room neat throughout the day.

Put everything back where you found it.

This is the cardinal rule of keeping a house, or a room, clean. If you take a book or magazine out of your nightstand to read it, don't place it on your dresser when you are done. By putting everything back in its proper place when you are done using it, you can keep your room organized for longer and spend less time cleaning it.

Keep food out of the bedroom.

It can be tempting to bring snacks into your bedroom while you watch TV or read, but it is best to resist this urge. Dirty dishes and empty rappers can compile quickly, plus there is a risk for staining your furniture. If you must eat in your room, dispose of all garbage immediately after finishing – letting crumbs and other waste sit can quickly attract ants.

Maintenance is key.

Performing daily and weekly maintenance tasks only takes a few minutes of your time and will prevent you from spending hours on a cleaning overhaul. Every night before you go to bed, put everything in its place and ensure your items are all in order. Every week, perform a quick dusting and vacuuming routine to keep your room spotless from top to bottom.

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How to Quickly Clean Your Microwave

Anyone who has accidentally over-microwaved any food containing tomato sauce knows how dirty a microwave can get. To make matters worse, any mess which isn't immediately cleaned will turn into a hard crust that is nearly impossible to scrape off. Save yourself time and hard work by using this almost effortless method to clean your microwave.

1. Pour 2 cups of water into a microwave-safe bowl, followed by 2 tablespoons of vinegar.
2. Microwave the mixture on high for 5 minutes.
3. Let stand for 2-3 additional minutes before opening the microwave door.
4. Carefully remove the container and turntable. WARNING: These will be very hot!
5. Wipe the inside of the microwave with a wet paper towel, starting with the roof and working your way down. Don't forget the inside of the door!

Microwaving the water-and-vinegar solution for five minutes will cause it to release a great amount of steam. Over the course of several minutes, this steam will loosen the grime that has built up in your microwave, allowing it to be removed with minimal effort instead of furiously scrubbing it.

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Dusting Tips

Dusting is an inevitable household chore that is enjoyed by none. It is time-consuming, allergy-provoking, and no matter how well you dust, it will need to be done again in a week. When the time comes, use these four tips to spend less time dusting and more time relaxing!

From The Top

Like almost everything on Earth, dust succumbs to the law of gravity. That means when you are dusting, whatever you fail to collect will fall to a surface below it. Starting your dusting at the ceiling and working your way down will prevent you from having to dust the same thing twice.

Ditch Traditional Dusters

Traditional dusters (like the ones pictured above) do not actually collect dust, they just move it around. The dust from the dresser top you think you just cleaned is actually now in the air and your carpets. Avoid these and instead opt for a microfiber cloth – they are electrostatically charged, so they literally attract dust.

Fabric Softener Sheets...

… are good for more than just laundry. Television and computer screens can attract dust in the same way that a microfiber cloth does, which makes cleaning them a never-ending task. To combat this, wipe all electronic screens with a used dryer sheet to make them repel dust for the next couple of days.

Don't Forget These Areas

Dusting furniture is easy to remember because you can physically see the dust accumulating on the surfaces. However, there are some areas in every home that collect more dust than even the worst table tops, but still go uncleaned. These areas include the back of your refrigerator and stove, bathroom vents, and furnaces. All of these can be cleaned using the brush attachment of your vacuum cleaner.

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How to Clean Your Refrigerator

Your refrigerator is the hardest working appliance in your home and the only one that runs around the clock. With all of the hard work your refrigerator does for you, it does need some reciprocation every now and then. Because it stores things such as raw meat, dairy, and leftover food, refrigerators can quickly develop odors and bacteria if neglected. Use the following 4-step process every 2-3 months to keep your refrigerator clean and tidy.

1. Remove all food. Before you can get started cleaning the refrigerator, it is essential that you remove all food items from it in order to have access to the entire interior of the unit. The full cleaning process should take less than 20 minutes, so it is okay to leave your food on the counter, but if you want to be sure that nothing spoils, you can put it in a cooler.
2. Remove and wash shelves and drawers. After the food is gone, slide out all removable shelves and drawers. Wash these with warm water and a mild detergent in your kitchen sink and place them on the rack to air dry while you finish cleaning the refrigerator.
3. Wipe down the interior. With the food and shelves now removed, all you should be left with is the bare interior of your refrigerator. Use this opportunity to give it a thorough wipe down with soap and a cloth or a disposable wipe. Make sure to get every corner and crevice, and remove all visible stains and residue build up. If your cleaning cloth is not doing the trick, use a spare toothbrush to eliminate the tough spots.
4. Dry and replace. To prevent mold from growing or unpleasant odors from developing, it is imperative that you completely dry the refrigerator with a towel before replacing everything. If the shelves and drawers are not totally dry, towel them off before putting them back in. When restocking the refrigerator with your food, look at the expiration date of every item and throw away anything that has expired or will expire before you have a chance to eat it. Your refrigerator will now be clean, fresh, and neat!

For all of your other kitchen cleaning needs, you can call The Maids of Dallas at (972) 437-6253. We send teams of four to every cleaning job to ensure that your house is spot-free by the time we leave. We offer same-day appointments, one-room or whole-house cleanings, and recurring visits based on your personal needs. For more cleaning tips and advice, connect with us on social media – we are active on Facebook and Twitter.