Author Archives: HSE

Tips for Combating Spring Allergies

Tips for Combating Spring Allergies

Springtime is the season of renewal… with flowers blooming and spring rains here to help things grow. Of course, that also means that the trees, flowers, weeds, and grass that are blossoming spread pollen throughout the air – which makes springtime the height of allergy season for many people who suffer from seasonal allergies. Often times, along with the rains making everything green outside, we are also renewing our homes inside with spring cleaning. This has the potential to bring out dust mites, and may cause some allergies to worsen.

With all of these factors in mind, here are some tips to help reduce allergens in your home:

Clean Air in Your Home
Keeping your indoor air clean is important so that you don’t allow more pollen to seep in through doors and windows. Keeping windows and doors closed as much as possible will help reduce the pollen inside, and the air you are breathing will be cleaner air. Be sure to change filters in air conditioning units and vents frequently.

Cleaning Rugs and Carpets
Area rugs can be washed once a week, and this will help remove any pollen brought in from outside. For the wall to wall carpeting, professional steam cleaning is best to have done mid-season. This will help to remove pollen tracked in from outside. It’s also a good idea to wash bedding once a week in hot water to remove any allergens.

Clean Surfaces in Your Home
Hiring a professional cleaning service to come in and clean, dust, and vacuum all the surfaces in your home will not only create an inviting space, it will also greatly reduce allergens. This will help keep all your surfaces that you touch on a daily basis free from dust, allergens, and pollen build-up.

Remember to follow these simple tips during spring and summer seasons to help reduce your pollen levels and any other type of allergens that are present during these months. You will be breathing a little easier! To schedule a cleaning with us, please visit our website: www.homeservicesenterprise.com

Storage Solutions to Organize your Rooms

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Whether for home or office, the possibilities seem endless for storage solutions for getting rooms organized. By now, your spring cleaning is well underway and you have cleared out some unwanted items in your rooms.

The best way to determine how to store the items you are keeping is to focus on the room and its specific function. Will the room be a private retreat room, like a bedroom, or will it be used for family and friends, like the kitchen or family room? In an existing home, getting creative with the space you already have is the best solution. Shopping for storage items can be daunting because you will encounter endless aisles of containers, both large and small. All sorts of containers and storage ideas are available and can solve most storage problems.

Choose the right furnishings – When deciding on furniture for a room, take into consideration the unused space in the room so that it does not become overcrowded with too much furniture. Not only will the room feel closed in and cramped but can also become a safety hazard for children with too many things scattered about. You might settle on foot rests, stools, and coffee tables with built-in drawers that pull out for extra storage. Cabinets and tables with lots of drawer space also work well for storing items.

Use all areas wisely – Bedrooms tend to accumulate most of our possessions, and therefore have the biggest shortages in space. Tap into the space underneath the bed by using long storage containers for clothing and other items, especially if your closet space is limited. Using storage bins in your closet will help keep shoes, handbags, belts, and any other accessories organized so they are not cluttering the floors of the closet.

Multi-functional pieces – In the kitchen area, using storage bins underneath the kitchen island will keep cooking items organized. Using kitchen drawers for all kinds of items, such as cookbooks, platters, cookie sheets, and more can help conceal some of the larger cookware items.

Getting creative with existing space and making the best use of what space you do have will give you functionality and tidiness in your home.

Freshen Up Your Environment – Spring is in the Air!

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As the spring season comes, it invites changes to your home with fresh spring decorating – changing up your decorating will brighten up your environment and lift your spirits. Spring often calls for delicate colors, fresh florals and soft fabrics. Of course, everyone’s taste is different, so always do what works for you.

The great thing about these updates is that decorating your home can coincide with your spring cleaning. This is the perfect time of year to decorate because you are probably already in the process of spring cleaning your home, reorganizing it, and hopefully getting rid of some of the clutter. Starting with a fresh clean living area, you can begin to imagine the possibilities!

HERE ARE SOME GOOD DECORATING IDEAS

Paint Walls & Trim
Freshen up your rooms with a new coat of paint. Introduce colors from the outdoors such as blues, greens, and neutral colors – bringing “mother nature” indoors.
Add Color & Patterns
An easy, inexpensive way to give a room a new look is to add a splash of color with some colorful, patterned pillows and throws. Also, adding some sheer draperies or blinds to the windows will make the rooms appear light and airy.
Have the Floors & Carpets Cleaned
A clean floor is a good base for a well decorated room. Schedule a professional cleaning for your hardwood and tile floors, and have your carpets professionally steam cleaned. This will freshen up the room, while adding some new area rugs with spring colors will give the rooms an updated look.
New Comforters, Duvet Covers & Pillows for the Bedroom
A quick and easy way to decorate and freshen up your bedroom is to add a new comforter or duvet cover in a nice, neutral color. Include some complimenting pillows for a nice touch.

Don’t forget to schedule your spring cleaning first with your professional cleaning company. They will come in, reorganize, and de-clutter your rooms for you. Starting with a clean and spacious living area will allow you to add to your existing décor or start over with new and exciting ideas.

How to Begin De-Cluttering your Life

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Spring is just starting to come in with the breezing March winds to refresh and renew us. Refreshing our lives can be as simple as spring cleaning our homes and throwing out some unwanted things that add clutter to our environment.

Why is de-cluttering your life so important? When we are bogged down with too many “things”, we may start to feel like we are losing control of our environment. A good session of de-cluttering will make you feel accomplished and give you breathing room because it will open up your living space. One of the easiest ways to get rid of clutter, of course, is to simply give it away! For most people, starting in either the bedroom or the kitchen is a good starting point. After you’ve accomplished that, you can move on to different areas in your home:

Bedroom – Changing seasons comes with changing clothes. Go through your closets, try on any clothes you haven’t worn lately and give away anything that no longer fits or that doesn’t feel good on you. This includes clothing, handbags, shoes, jewelry, and accessories. A clearer space will make it easier to begin to organize your closets.
Kitchen – Start with your refrigerator, clearing and throwing out any old or expired food items. Wash shelving and drawers with warm soapy water to clean.
Pantry – Clear out the pantry and go through all food items for expiration dates, throwing out any that have stayed beyond their welcome. Any other food items that you will not use but that have not expired can be donated to a soup kitchen or local shelter.
Basement – Basements tend to accumulate the most clutter. If you don’t know what to do with a particular item, usually it gets stored in the basement! Go through these items and hold an estate sale or give away anything you won’t be using.
Garage – Garages can also accumulate a whole lot of things. Sort through these items and either throw them out or donate anything you will not be using in the near future.

Starting with a couple rooms will make a big difference and open up your living space. Your house will feel more airy and the breezes of spring will sweep through and freshen up your home.

Easy Steps for Winterizing Your Home

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Sometimes the chill of winter can sneak up on us, particularly with unpredictable weather patterns. You may first notice it when you are sitting next to a window or door and you can feel a cold draft coming through. Or perhaps with the first heavy snowfall, your roof may spring a leak. Whether you have experienced any of these things or not, some quick and easy steps will help you winterize your home to prevent future problems from occurring during the cold winter months.

Inspect All Openings – For the typical homeowner, addressing the drafts coming in through doors and windows will be a major improvement in energy bills. Weather strip and caulk all openings to prevent drafts.

Check Your Heating System – It is very important to change air filters at least annually and check the ductwork in your basement or attic for any gaps. You can use metal-foil tape to seal any gaps so that heat does not escape.

Caulk Trim and Baseboards – Check to see if any caulk on your trim and baseboards is old or worn away. This can cause drafts to seep through the walls and floors of your home.

Ready the Roof – Hiring a roofer to caulk the roof or doing it yourself will prevent ice damming which can form on your roof after snow melts and there is insufficient drainage. This can cause serious damage to your roof and possibly leaks inside your home.

Check the Fireplace – You might be amazed to know that most people forget to close the flue in their fireplace. It will be cold in the house and people won’t know why until they go to build a fire and discover an open flue. Checking to see if the fireplace doors are energy-efficient will also help with heating the house and energy costs.

These few steps will help with heating your home more efficiently and preventing costly repairs later on down the road. For more winterizing tips or to schedule a cleaning please call us today. 301-674-9564

How Ready Are You for the Holidays?

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The answer to this question just might be, “We are as ready as we will ever be.” In other words, whatever doesn’t get done, hopefully no one but you will notice. And the truth is, that’s perfect! Who will notice if we didn’t get the garland up by the staircase, the second tree in the living room, or even the extra gift for Uncle Joe? Chances are, nobody will ever notice these things… so why stress about them?

The truth is, not stressing about every little thing is sometimes easier said than done. Many of us tend to fall into the “perfectionist” category. This is the main reason we become so overwhelmed and frazzled by the holidays. We are too busy trying to decorate the perfect tree, buy the perfect present, or cook the best turkey with stuffing that we forget to enjoy the process. Go out shopping with your friends to buy presents, have your children help decorate the tree while sipping hot cocoa, and throw the turkey in the oven. It will all turn out fine, regardless of how much time we spent on everything.

SOME QUICK HOUSEHOLD TIPS TO MAKE THE HOLIDAYS GO SMOOTHLY:

Clean Out the Fridge: Go through your refrigerator and throw out anything over a week old to make room for desserts, trays your guests may bring, and of course… the leftovers!

Clear the countertops: Make some room for platters of cookies, festive floral arrangements, and to display your holiday cards.

Freshen up the Powder Room: Spruce things up with decorative soaps and scented candles for holiday aroma and ambiance.

Stock up the pantry: Have your favorite holiday spices, candied yams, and cranberry sauce on hand. It’s also a good idea to set aside a pile to donate to a food drive or local soup kitchen.

Clean the Chimney: Have a chimney cleaning service professionally clean the chimney so you can enjoy warm fires around the fireplace with your family and friends.

Shine the Silverware: Shine and polish your silver and wash the good china so your holiday table will sparkle!

Remember, don’t worry about making it all perfect; do what you can and then surrender to the flow of the holidays. Chances are, you will have much more fun in the process! For more household tips or to schedule a cleaning, please visit our website at: www.homeservicesenterprise.com.

Check Your List Twice – Holiday Cleaning

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The holidays will be here before we know it, and the last thing you need to worry about is cleaning your home in preparation for decorating, holiday dinners or parties, and guests dropping by. That’s why it’s a good idea to get a head start on cleaning and organizing the house now. There is much to be done with shopping, decorating, and cooking meals during the holiday season. If your surroundings are clean, uncluttered, and organized, the holidays will be less stressful and much more enjoyable for you and your family!

Here is a simple checklist to follow:

Begin Early

Start your cleaning early so you can break things down into smaller tasks. This will also leave more time for the longer (and often more enjoyable) projects like wrapping presents, cooking, baking, and polishing the silver.

Make Lists

No one can remember everything! Make lists for tasks and chores around the house or errands to be run. This will help keep you on track with your schedule.

Divide Cleaning

Set aside a fixed time each day to tackle a room or an area to clean, like right after your morning coffee or after dinner. You will be amazed at how much you can check off your list in under an hour.

Spot Cleaning

Take shortcuts when cleaning certain areas when you don’t have a large block of time to do a thorough cleaning. This will tide you over till you can get to it again. Something is better than nothing.

Simplify

Instead of cleaning around the clutter, just throw it out! This is a good opportunity to de-clutter your rooms and to donate or throw out items you no longer use.

Enlist Help

Dividing chores among family members gets the entire family involved and also cuts down on the time needed for cleaning. Set aside a specific time each week, like a Saturday morning when the whole family home and they can dust rooms and help tidy up the house.

Home Services Enterprise can assist with cleaning and organizing your home for the holiday season. Visit our website to schedule a cleaning with us.

Back to School? Time to Clean and Organize!

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Home Organization

Now that the kids have gone back to school in the Rockville area and summer vacations have come and gone, the house is empty and (hopefully) quiet. This is the perfect time of year to clean and purge your home of unwanted items. Why not go through all the things you and your family members have accumulated all year long and decide what you’d like to keep, donate, or throw out?

With everyone is out of the house for most of the day, it’s much easier to go through and clean, organize, and donate things that are no longer wanted. Once that is accomplished and your home is more spacious and less cluttered, it’s time to clean and organize!

Home Services Enterprise offers a wide variety of Standard Cleaning Services and Special Services.

Standard Cleaning Services:

Dust all surfaces and under all furniture
Clean windows, ledges, and frames
Clean fans, vents, and doors
Dust and polish all baseboards, light switches, and doorknobs
Hand wash all floors
Clean bathrooms including sinks, tub and shower, toilet, and treat mildew
Vacuum all carpets and under furniture
Change bed linens
Scrub kitchen counters and sink
Clean interior and exterior of refrigerator, oven, and microwave
Load and unload dishwasher
Collect and take out trash

Special Cleaning Services:

Windows – cleaning interior and exterior
Walls – cleaning and washing
Plants – watering, dusting, and trimming
Decluttering and organizing – closets, kitchen, garage, children’s rooms, storage areas, paperwork, and offices
Exterior – cleaning garage, sweeping deck, cleaning and polishing outside light fixtures, cleaning and polishing outdoor furniture
Laundry – washing, folding, ironing
Polishing – silver flatware, serving and decorative pieces

With all the cleaning services that are offered, you can enjoy that same old-fashioned cleaning that your mother and grandmother were proud of in their day. Your home will feel refreshed both inside and out!

Go Green & Clean! – Kitchens & Bath

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Cleaning home and office

These days, most people are at least somewhat concerned about all of the chemicals that can be found in our food, cleaning products, clothing, and just about everything else. The good news is that it’s getting easier and easier to find natural products. The bad news is that these products are typically quite expensive.

The great news is that making your own cleaning products with the supplies most of us already have at home will be less costly and much healthier for both you and our planet. You may even have memories from childhood of our mothers and grandmothers using these methods. There are three natural ingredients found in most homes – vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda – that are used not only for cooking and baking, but also for cleaning your home.

How Vinegar Works as a Cleaning Agent: Vinegar’s active ingredient, acetic acid, is a strong cleaning agent that dissolves dirt, grease, and grime build-up. It also kills germs, mold, and bacteria. Use white vinegar because it’s less harsh and will not stain light surfaces.

Using Vinegar in the Kitchen: Mix equal parts vinegar and water, then pour it into a spray bottle. Spray this on your stove top, appliances, and countertops, then wipe them down. Using vinegar and water to clean tile floors in kitchens will leave them shiny and clean.

Using Vinegar in the Bath: Using straight vinegar, wipe down the bathtub, toilet, sink, and countertops. Use equal parts vinegar and water to mop the bathroom floor.

Lemon Juice and its Uses: Lemon juice is a natural ingredient that can be used to clean certain items in your home. Lemon juice can dissolve mineral deposits and soap scum. It’s also a good for cleaning and shining stainless steel, copper, and brass fixtures throughout your home. Lemon juice has the added benefit of keeping your home smelling fresh and clean.

Baking Soda: Baking soda is a great deodorizer for your home. Place an opened box in your refrigerator to absorb odors from food. Baking soda also acts as a mildly abrasive cleanser that can be used to scrub surfaces throughout your home. It will keep odors away and your home smelling clean.

Want to clean your home with eco-friendly natural products but don’t have the time in your busy schedule? You can count on Home Services Enterprise to use ecologically responsible cleaning products throughout your home. Give us a call today. 301-674-9564

Allergies and Air Ducts – Keeping Your Vents Clean

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House cleaning

Allergy season can be tough, and people try all kinds of things to keep their allergies to a minimum, from taking medicine to staying inside. Unfortunately, staying inside your home during allergy season will not necessarily limit your exposure to allergens.

All types of allergens, such as dust, mold, mildew, and pet dander can be a bothersome issue inside your home year-round. Whether you or your family members have indoor allergies, outdoor allergies, or no allergies, everyone will benefit from having all of the indoor vents and air ducts cleaned. There are air vents and ducts in every room in our households, but we sometimes forget about them and often overlook cleaning them. They tend to attract all kinds of household debris that is neatly hidden behind a cover, including allergens such as dust, mold, and mildew – and even pet dander.

Here is a checklist on what to look for when considering having your air vents and ducts cleaned:

If the components of the heating and cooling system have any visible mold, or if surfaces of ducts have visible mold and mildew on them
If the inside of the ducts are clogged with debris, dust, and/or mold
If debris and/or dust is released through the heating and a/c system registers

If you do see any sort of visible mold, mildew, or dust on any of your air vents, ducts, or even overhead fans throughout your home, it is strongly recommended that you remove all mildew and dust to prevent allergens from entering the air you breathe. Alternatively, you can have Home Services Enterprise come in and professionally clean for you. Having your air ducts cleaned may also require an air conditioning and heating service technician to come into your home and professionally clean out the air ducts for you.

Keeping the all of the vents in your home clean is crucial for reducing allergens in the air that you breathe each and every day. If you or any of your family members suffer from any type of allergies, keeping your home dust-free is an important step in maintaining a healthy, symptom-free lifestyle.