Be Ready for Any Cleaning

Did you resolve to create a cleaner house for the New Year? To accomplish that, your first step is to stock up on the correct solutions and tools to deal with any cleaning need. Here’s a PRO checklist:

The Basics

Purchase a roomy and lightweight caddy. The fill it with the following:

A pair of gloves.
An all-purpose spray that can be used as a glass cleaner and more. It should be pH-balanced, and it should be constructed to disinfect.
A pH-balanced floor cleaning solution that is “safe for any finished floor surface.” Those surfaces should include wood, baseboards, for spot-cleaning walls, etc.
A cloth that is lint-free. It is to be used for getting streaks off of mirrors and other hard surfaces made of glass.
Instead of sponges, purchase multi-colored cleaning pads that are nonabrasive. A tip from the pros is to use color-coded pads to avoid cross-contamination. For example, green can be for the kitchen; blue can be for the bathroom, etc.
Purchase a toilet bowl cleaner with a dedicated brush. If you are using one brush for multiple bathrooms, ensure that the brush is contained in such a way that cross-contamination with other tools does not occur.
Include high-quality microfiber cloths, an extendable microfiber duster, or both. A tip from the pros is to use microfiber mop-head covers. These can be washed and reused over and over, and this makes them both environmentally sound and economical.
Waffle-weave towels that are absorbent. These will be used for wiping and drying.
Purchase various sizes of brushes that are nylon and bristle. These are used for gentle scrubbing and getting into hard to reach places.
A roller for lint if you have pets that shed hair.
A high-quality vacuum with attachments. This is an essential item for keeping your house clean on a consistent basis. (Key vacuum-selection factors to consider will be covered in a future post.)

Specialty or Infrequent Cleaning

The basics are fine for when you are doing regular cleaning, or when you have professionals doing standard cleaning for you. When you keep up with standard cleaning, soap scums, molds, and mildews don’t have a chance to pile on. However, for jobs that are tougher or for cleaning tasks that are less frequent, here’s what you should stock:

A cleaner that is mildly abrasive. Use it at least temporarily until you get a regular standard cleaning routine.
A limescale remover. This is a must if the area you live in has hard water or a high mineral content.
A soap scum remover. Ensure that it has the correct chemistry designed to dissolve the chemical bonds that develop in soaps, and hard water elements such as calcium and magnesium.
A remover for mold and mildew. If you can’t find one that is acceptable, chlorine bleach will work too. This will destroy and control these living and multiplying organisms.
Purchase wood soap. This is used to clean wood floors, cabinets, furniture, etc. that is appropriately sealed. However, you can also use a mild, all-purpose cleaner for these woods. You rarely need to polish except in places where extreme etches are causing the surface to appear dull. If you have untreated or antique wood, see this post for how to maintain it best.
Goo remover. Got kids who love stickers and you can’t get those stickers off of surfaces? Got members of the family who are into crafts and hobbies where glue is used? A remover and a scraper made of plastic or a razor can remove the stickiness.
Baking soda. Did you know that baking soda is not just for baking and deodorizing? You can use it to clean ovens and cooktops. You can also use it for burnt pots and pans and as an emergency stain treatment (see below.)
Squeegee. If you wash your windows, you need a squeegee. You can also use it for cleaning mirrors and floors.

Stain Kit

Check this post (more general) for stain-treating dos and don’ts and to learn about particular stain-fighting tricks. Also, check this one (for kid-related stains). Keep this on hand for your emergency stain kit:

A dishwashing liquid that is for degreasing
Nail polish remover made of acetone
Ammonia
Strong bleach action chlorine bleach
Mild bleaching action hydrogen peroxide
Oxidizing agent
Baking soda
Corn starch
White vinegar
Rubbing alcohol
Glycerin
A dry-cleaning solution that is nonflammable

Bring in the Professionals!

When you hire a professional service to clean your house, know that the best companies, such as Dashing Maids, always carry in their own supplies instead of giving you a list of things to buy. You can trust that our solutions are always vetted and tested properly and that our cleaning team is properly trained on how to use supplies not only safely but effectively. Furthermore, you’ll free up lots of space in your house by not having to stock your own supplies.

Dashing Maids offers a full-suite of professional house cleaning services in Denver and the surrounding metro region.

Customer Testimonials

I was extremely pleased with Ashley’s team and they left my house extra-sparkling, making me look good for my in-laws’ visit. All traces of puppy fur and hard-to-remove gunk removed, and the house smelled clean, like lavender (not harsh chemicals). This is thorough, professional, fairly priced, and courteous service. All the stars!”

Stacey P.

“We are very pleased with the service we received with Dashing Maids. Their communication and customer service is superb! Ashley is professional and has great attention to detail. She took the time to take notes on all the areas in our house that I wanted to have cleaned during our first walk through, which I really appreciated. In the past, I’ve done walk throughs with other cleaning companies, explained what I wanted cleaned, they nod “yes” and then didn’t follow through. When Dashing Maids came to clean on our scheduled date, they were very efficient. Everything looked great when they were finished and I’m looking forward to having Dashing Maids return on a regular basis.”

Kara S.

“I have never had a cleaning service, but considered it often. Dashing Maids put a flyer on my door which intrigued me enough to call them. I was impressed with their initiative and enthusiasm that I hired them after our initial meeting. Now every other week I get to come home to a wonderfully clean house with their charming additions that make me smile. I’m not sure they are trying to turn my “black thumb” into a greenish one, but I haven’t killed the lucky bamboo they left as a surprise yet. I’d fully endorse them as a cleaning, Dashing Maids service.”

Maggie B.

“It’s so nice to come home to a sparkling clean house! I’ve worked with other cleaning companies in the past and Dashing Maids always provides a more thorough clean than I’ve found with other companies for a very reasonable price. Plus, they’re great with my dog and don’t mind that he’s at home when they come to clean. I highly recommend Dashing Maids!”

Miriam T.

“There is no one that cleans our house as well as Katie does! She is meticulous and genuinely loves to clean, and it absolutely shows. We love it when it is our cleaning day. I could not be happier with the services provided by her and the Dashing Maids company. They are responsive, timely, and have overall been a pleasure to work with. I would recommend them to anyone looking for a reliable cleaning company.”

Kristin W.

“I have been using Dashing Maids for several years now, and appreciate the communication and consistency with which our home is cleaned. The cleaner that always treats our home as if it were hers is Katie. Thanks Katie for your hard work!”

Michelle C.

“Hannah G was great! She even left a nice note on my countertop that said, “Have a great weekend!” I love personal touches like that.”

Katelyn Z.

“Thank you Talon! It was great to walk into my office today to have it sparkly clean and ready for a week of patients!”

Emmy C.

"We have been dashing maids customers for a couple of years now and the service is always impeccable. Most recently our cleaning team has included Katie and Hannah, and I always get excited when I see them arrive. I know my house will be clean and I’ll get the pleasure of their company while they clean it. They do a great job and give me such peace of mind!”

Stephanie B.

“Ashley and her crew are the best house cleaning service I have ever employed. So friendly and so fast, yet so thorough. My house feels and smells so clean, and that freshness lasts. Would highly recommend to all my friends."

Kellie C.

We've been fortunate to have Dashing Maids clean our home for the past several years. Ashley and her entire team have been great to work with. We'd recommend them without reservation. Most recently, Tori and Carol cleaned our home with detail and care.

Rachel L.

We really appreciate our cleaner,
Lily! She does more than just a quick “once over”. She recently found a class ring that had been missing for ages- thank you for a job well done! Dashing Maids delivers thoroughgoing service every time

Larry S.

Such a positive experience the whole time they were in my home. And the results are amazing. Very happy with the service and the staff. I knew what to expect but the outcomes exceeded my expectations. Lily, Mikayla and Alicia did so great!