Blog

March 29, 2013

Secrets and Shortcuts to a Ten Minute Tidy

How many times has this happened to you? You’re relaxing on the couch, ready for a quiet evening at home, and then the phone rings. Company will be over in less than an hour. Suddenly, all agendas have changed. As you survey the condition of the house, you wonder how you’re going to pull this off.

As Ottawa’s premier home cleaning service, we’re quite familiar with this scenario. We’ve also become quite good at the ten minute tidy, and we’re going to share our secrets with you!

No, it’s not a replacement for regular maintenance and the occasional deep clean, but these tips certainly help in a pinch!

Quick Ottawa Home Cleaning in Just 10 Minutes

• Identify Troublesome Areas – Before beginning to clean, take a deep breath and really think about what areas need the most attention. Guests will typically stay in the main areas of the house: the kitchen, living room, and guest bathroom. Ignore the bedrooms and laundry room for now and concentrate on the main areas.

• Gone With the Clutter – Using a box, or laundry basket, take a brisk walk through each of the main rooms. Pick up anything that does not belong in that room and throw it in the box or basket. This might include books, shoes, or toys. Put the laundry basket behind the closed door of a bedroom and leave it be for now. There will be plenty of time to sort it out and put things in their place later.

• Change it Up – Next, remove any linens that might be dirty, wrinkled, or untidy and replace them immediately with fresh, clean linen. While in the bathroom, change out the bar of soap by the sink and add a new roll of toilet tissue.

• Vacuum – Even a well-kept home will still look like a wreck if the floors aren’t vacuumed, so spend the last three minutes going over the main areas of the house. Don’t worry about moving tables and chairs right now. A quick once-over is all that is needed to ensure the carpets look their best.

• What’s That Smell? – There’s nothing that will make a house seem dirtier than a foul odor. Unfortunately, when we spend a few hours or an entire day around a particular smell, we may not notice it. A dryer sheet in the return air vent and a couple of scented candles can help take care of an odd smell.

• Walk-Through – Before the doorbell rings, take a walkthrough of the house. Close any doors that lead to areas you didn’t have time to clean and pick up any items that might have been missed.

Hiring an Ottawa Home Cleaning Service 

A quick, ten minute tidy can definitely save you from embarrassment when last minute guests are on the way, but it isn’t a lasting solution. If you don’t have the time or energy to keep your home looking its best,  Greenapple House Cleaning will do it for you. Our company is dedicated to providing our customers with safe, green, and reliable Ottawa home cleaning services.

With Greenapple House Cleaning, you won’t have to worry about the home being a disaster when unexpected guests arrive, and you won’t have to feel guilty about relaxing on the couch when you leave the cleaning to us!