School’s Out! 7 Tips to Keep Your Home Clean
It’s almost summer, which means the kids are headed home from school to bask in the balmy weather. From sunny days playing out in the yard to splashing around at the local pool, it can be a great time to connect with your kids and make some lasting family memories.
Of course, these same summer activities can also leave your home less than sparkling, and you may find yourself secretly wishing that the school bell would ring again. To preserve your sanity, our expert cleaning professionals at Merry Maids® have come up with a few ways you can prepare your house for the summer break, ensuring that it stays clean, cool, and comforting.
Top 7 Ways to Keep Your Home Clean This Summer
1. Set up a “Bike Station” complete with cleaning supplies.
To a kid, there’s nothing like riding your bicycle through wooded neighborhoods and unexplored paths. To an adult, however, dirty bikes and dusty helmets make for a frustrating mess, especially when scattered around the yard! One way to remedy this problem is by setting up a designated “Bike Station” for kids to park, clean, and store their bike equipment. Include some spray bottles of water and vinegar, as well as buckets and sponges.
2. Turn your outdoor gardening efforts into a fun activity.
Has your prized vegetable garden started to fry in the summer sun? When your backyard is looking worse for wear, enlist your kids to help you eradicate weeds, by turning it into an outdoor game. Award prizes for whoever picks the most weeds by a certain time, or offer a free trip to the ice cream shop in return for a freshly-mowed lawn.
3. Have a strict “rinse off” policy after pool play.
Some people feel nostalgic about the smell of chlorine, but even if you’re one of them, you may not enjoy those lingering traces left on your couch cushions and sheets. Whether your kids just came from the pool or dancing under the sprinklers, it’s crucial to have them rinse off in the shower with their suits on, even if they’ve toweled off.
4. Create a special summer chore chart.
You may already have a chore chart hanging in your house – or unused at the back of your closet. But it’s worth the time to create an updated summer version, to ensure that each child has a cleaning-related task to complete each day. Getting creative with the rewards can help keep them motivated!
5. Prevent popsicle and ice cream stains with a special solution.
Summer treats are tough to beat, but the trademark red, blue, and purple stains they leave on furniture are even tougher. Luckily, there’s a simple cleaning solution that can help lift the color out. By mixing up a cup of warm water with lemon juice and a teaspoon of white vinegar, and then applying with a microfiber in circular motions, you may be able to prevent stains from setting into your lawn furniture or couch.
6. Set up your laundry room for success.
Because so many summer messes start with clothing and other fabrics in your house, it’s important to outfit your laundry room or area with the right tools. Aside from separating clothes by color, consider purchasing some additional stain-cleaning tools, and re-organizing the laundry room to account for dirty swimsuits and beach towels.
7. Keep an outdoor kit near the door.
To make sure your little ones are applying enough sunscreen and bug repellant, gather up some common outdoor essentials – and cleaning supplies – to keep in a basket near the door. By encouraging your kids to prepare for the sun before they leave, you can keep any messes down to a minimum, while still instilling good summer habits.
Take Advantage of Long Summer Days
Even if you’re confident about the challenges of summer cleaning, there’s nothing like knowing that your home is spotless after a long day outside. For more free time with the kids, why not give Merry Maids® a call? Offering flexible weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly cleaning plans for any home or budget, we can be your trusted allies in the battle against summer messes, and give you the most precious gift of all: The chance to enjoy breezy summer days with your loved ones.
Call (888) 490-4227 to request an estimate on our professional cleaning services.
