My Marvelous Maids

The Ideal Checklist When Hiring House Cleaners

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House cleaning can be tough as it is time and energy-consuming. Both your mind and body would feel exhausted after doing the task. And this is the reason why homeowners opted to hire professionals to take care of the cleanliness of their space on their behalf. However, in reality, there are instances that hiring someone to clean their house is not a good experience. But on a lighter note, this is not always the case.

In this day that we’re heavily influenced by social media, we often rely on reading reviews first before trying it ourselves. This is the same when we’re looking for a house cleaner. Let’s be honest, we want to have a good experience if not the best.

In this blog, we aim to help you in finding the most suitable candidate when you’re searching for professionals to take care of your house.

Set Your House Cleaning Standards Accordingly

It is ideal to set standards when you’re hiring house cleaners. On the other hand, before you raise it to the maximum you should know that ‘perfect’ is just a word. If you’re looking for ‘perfect’ professional house cleaners then you might as well end up disappointed if you’ll just heavily rely on the reviews you read.

Each house cleaning experience is different. There are people who easily get satisfied while others don’t. In short, you cannot please everyone. So our advice is you’ll only learn when you get the first-hand experience of it. We’re not saying that reviews don’t matter, what we wanted to point out is that you have to have an open mind to certain situations.

You’ll find the ‘perfect’ professional cleaners who can take care of your home according to your standards if you build a good relationship with them. Just like what the saying says, it takes two to tango.” It’s not just them who will adjust according to your demands in terms of cleaning your house. You should also do your part.

Have An Open Communication With The House Cleaners

Although you’re hiring a house cleaner to clean, it doesn’t mean that they’ll technically take care of everything for you. You should prepare your house first as there are certain tasks that are not covered by an outsourced house cleaner. You should know how to declutter the things that are too personal for you before they arrive.

If you’re unsure whether your house needs regular cleaning or deep cleaning, you can always ask. There are even some of them who can give an estimate so that you’ll know what to expect. Knowing what services they provide as what services you need are both important. This will help build trust for both parties to communicate well. Most importantly, this will help them to deliver the best service possible to meet your expectations.

Identify What Special Requests You Want

As mentioned previously, you should communicate openly with the house cleaners or the company to avoid miscommunication. You should know what the services they offer and their limitations. If you have special requests (like a specific part of the house that needs attention on cleaning), inform them if they can meet your demand.

Also, be clear with them if those requests come with an additional charge.

Get To Know Them

Don’t just rely on the reviews you read about the house cleaners or the company. It is best to ask them. Get to know them in the sense that you’ll get the idea of their punctuality, reliability, and how they can be at your service. It’s good also if you ask about the cleaning products they use. Taking this step helps you determine if their equipment may cause damage to the materials of your house.

Be Respectful And Professional

Even if you’re the house owner, it doesn’t mean then the house cleaners are the ones who should respect you. Respect should come from both sides. Don’t treat them lower than you.

Be professional in the sense that if both parties agree and set the time and date when the house cleaning will commence, honor it. If in case an emergency happens and you need to cancel or reschedule the clean, communicate it with them. Expect that an additional fee for cancellation or rescheduling may occur.

Give Feedback Fairly

After the house cleaning is done, giving your feedback or reviews matters. If for example there’s a problem that arises after the clean, reach out to them first. Don’t rant immediately on social media. We understand that you might get carried away with your emotion if, for example, you’re not satisfied with the clean. But please take note that the house cleaners are not perfect cleaning machines. They’re also human.

Our advice is to communicate with them if there’s something you’re not satisfied with. Talk with them and settle it accordingly whether they will do a re-clean or give you a discount to aid the situation.

If you need professional house cleaners in Aurora, IL, and its surrounding areas, you may contact My Marvelous Maids. Our cleaners are highly trained to take care of the cleanliness of your house.

Cleaning Tips After The Holidays

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First of all, Happy New Year! 2020 has been a roller coaster ride for everyone. But despite what happened last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re all still able to celebrate the holidays. And holidays can do a number on our house yet there’s no denying that it’s a happy time. Before we know it, the holiday season is over and it’s now time for us to get things back in order.

When you need to work on some post-holiday house cleaning, you may read some of our tips so you won’t miss a thing to clean your house.

Consider Doing Deep Cleaning

Hey, it’s New Year. It means new beginnings for most of us. And the best way to kick-start the beginning of the year is by making your house sparkling clean. Use this time to attend to those heavy cleaning tasks we often set aside due to our busy schedule.

Clean Up Your Holiday Decors

Make sure to not just put back the Christmas tree and holiday ornaments to the storage without organizing them. Remember that several months from now you’ll be unboxing and taking it out again from storage to display. So, the best way to do this is to organize it on how you will store it and avoid it from accumulating dirt and cobwebs from the storage.

Clean The Carpet Floor

It’s no surprise that after storing away your Christmas tree the pine needles have scattered and buried themselves on the carpet flooring in your living room. Because of its size and shape, using a broom is not enough to get rid of it. Using a vacuum is good but pine needles may clog and the tube. In this matter, what you may use are a rubber broom and a lint roller.

Take Care Of The Upholstery

Like carpets, upholstery maybe one of the most used during the holidays. You may have noticed yet but it’s not impossible if the curtains, couches, and carpet get stained. There are many options on how to clean it. What matters is that the earlier treatment to remove the stains, the better to avoid making them permanent.

Clean The Fridge

Believe it or not, you probably have stocked many foods in your fridge over the holidays. And before you know it, it might have accumulated a mixture of smells already. So the best way to do this is to clean your fridge thoroughly.

Freshen Up The Bathroom / Powder Room

If you had guests who came over during the holidays, the bathroom and/or powder room should be cleaned also. Learn the tips on how to successfully clean the bathroom floors.

Need Help To Clean Your House?

The truth is, with or without the holiday season, your house needs to be cleaned. And we understand if you probably don’t have time to spend on this. But the good news is, My Marvelous Maids offers house cleaning services in Aurora, IL, and its surrounding areas. We have highly trained professional cleaners who can clean your house. Our aim is not just to clean but to make sure that you’ll be comfortable in your own home.

Take Time To Clean Your Kitchen Countertop

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You may or you may have not noticed yet but your kitchen is one of the busiest areas in your house. But more than that, the one area in your kitchen that is mostly used is the kitchen countertop. And with this being said, did you know that your kitchen countertop harbors dirt more than what your eyes can see?

You Use Your Kitchen Counter Everytime

With or without your knowledge, you’re using the kitchen counter even if you’re not cooking. This is the area where you put a variety of items such as mails, newspaper, bags of groceries before and after unpacking, your cellphone, and other things while waiting for your coffee to brew. In short, you use the kitchen counter too often and probably harbors dirt too.

So, you might say that you wipe down your kitchen counter before and after you cook. But is that enough? The truth is when we say dirt, it’s more than just what our eyes can see. And we know that you’re not intentionally dirtying your kitchen, who does that? However, the point is dirt can always occur. We always have to be vigilant in maintaining the cleanliness in our private space for our health safety, especially that there’s still COVID-19.

Healthy Kitchen Habits To Start From Now On

  1. Sanitizing Kitchen Counter

Regular cleaning and sanitizing are two different things although both have one ultimate goal which is to eliminate viruses, germs, and bacterias. But you must consider having the time to sanitize your kitchen counter aside from regularly cleaning it.

According to Dr. Charles Gerba (also known as Dr. Germ), a typical kitchen counter is dirtier than a toilet seat. He also added that people do not clean their kitchen counters as often as they should.  Dr. Gerba is a microbiologist and professor at the University of Arizona in Tucson. 

He also pointed out that, ‘in most cases, it’s safer to make a salad on a toilet seat than it is to make one on a cutting board.’

So in order to clean your kitchen counter, you should wipe it down with a disinfectant kitchen cleaner and paper towel, and then throw the paper towel away after use.

  1. Change Sponge, Scrub Brush, and Dishcloth Often

A sponge helps the dishwashing liquid soap thoroughly clean the dishes, a scrub brush gives more force if a visible residue needs to be removed, and a dishcloth helps dry the dishes. In short, they are cleaning tools. But these cleaning tools also harbor dirt if not washed thoroughly. Also, they get worn out too overtime. So, replace them often.

  1. Clean Your Kitchen Sink

Splashing water and rinsing the sink is not enough to drive the dirt down the drainage. You should sanitize your sink also to eliminate the dirt. You may read our recent blog about how to clean your kitchen sink.

  1. Don’t Let Your Pets Walk On the Kitchen Counter

We all love pets. And prohibiting them from walking on the kitchen counter doesn’t mean we don’t love them anymore.

Cats carry pathogens that cause toxoplasmosis from their litter box. It is not harmful to them but can hurt us, people, especially pregnant women which can cause birth defects.

Need Help On House Cleaning?

If you need help cleaning your home whether it’s on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis, you can always reach out to us. My Marvelous Maids has been providing quality house cleaning services in Aurora, IL, and its surrounding area.

Should You Hire A House Cleaner For The Holiday?

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It’s officially the holiday season already. While others only prepare a week before Christmas and New Year, many are already preparing without them knowing. There are those who have been ready and preparing for the ‘ber’ months while others are after Halloween. But the main point is, we’re all excited about these two particular events annually.

Even if we’re not expecting guests coming over for the holidays, we are still sure that our home is clean. With or without the house party or guests coming over, you’re somehow challenged with the idea of cleaning your home.

On the other hand, why not consider hiring people to do the cleaning for you?

Hire A House Cleaner And Focus On The Holiday

Hosting Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve dinner party is fun. It’s a memorable experience as you plan the menu, cook for holiday dishes, and gather around after in the living area of your home to chit chat and open gifts. However, it’s not all about the fun as pressure also comes along while doing the preparation, and still exists after the party is over for the reason that maintaining cleanliness is a must.

Before the main event, you suddenly might have to clean everything at home before the guests arrive. And after the party, you’ll take care of and re-clean the place. When was the last time you wiped the surface of your kitchen, cleaned the guest room, or vacuumed the flooring of your place?

In this matter, let cleaning professionals handle these things for you so you can just focus on holiday shopping, putting on holiday decorations, and cooking the best dishes you want to eat! Letting someone clean your house would at least take out the stress you feel. Plus, they will ensure a cleaner, healthier, and comfortable home for you.

When To Hire A House Cleaner To Come Over?

Actually, holiday cleaning varies. The decision is up to you but at the same time on the availability of the house cleaning professionals. You must consider that aside from the fact that many homeowners hire them during peak season, they also have their lives too and want to spend a private moment on the holiday. So, it is best to reach out to them and discuss until both parties reach an agreement on when to come over to clean and what type of house cleaning service you want from them. Do you need regular cleaning or deep cleaning? Perhaps, a custom house cleaning for the holiday is needed, right? So communicate with them.

But the one thing you must consider and very important is to book early. Also, consider a post-holiday cleaning too. Remember that after the big event, your house needs to be taken care of again.

The Benefits Of Hiring A House Cleaner During The Holiday

One of the benefits you will get when you hire a house cleaner is that you can save time. Like what we mentioned before, while the house cleaning professionals are doing their work at your home, you can focus on other things to prepare on the holiday.

You will also save your energy on other pressing matters for the holidays such as to think of dishes or meals to prepare for the family or guests, buy gifts for them, and relax, relax, relax before the clock hits 12 midnight (for Christmas or for New Year).

You can save money. Yes, it is true that hiring someone or people to clean your house is not for free. But the truth is you are also saving money instead of buying cleaning materials as the house cleaners are often bringing their own cleaning equipment. Plus, what they have are the right cleaning tools.

Lastly, they are professionals who are trained and have the knowledge to properly take care of the cleanliness of your home. We, at My Marvelous Maids, have a team who are not just ready to clean but also know how to. Our house cleaners are well-trained to do the cleaning tasks to ensure you have a cleaner and healthier space in your house.

House Cleaning Tips This Holiday Season

There’s no denying that Christmas can be the main highlight season of the year for many people. And for some, it can be the time where their house becomes the busiest — present shopping and gift wrapping, time for decorating, cooking foods, family members coming home or visiting, and having parties. Furthermore, a week after this, New Year follows.

Basically, this is the time of the year that the majority of us choose to spend time at home, right? However, before Christmas day comes, it’s better for us to have our home prepared for this event by having our private place clean — with or without guests coming — for our own comfort.

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How To Make Your House Holiday or Christmas-Ready?

Before you start putting your fabulous tall Christmas tree and ornaments, it is much better to have your house cleaned first. Why? It is because most of the time when you’re putting your decor it may require some home rearrangements. And because of this, it’s much better to take this opportunity to do some house cleaning. This will help you have the holiday spirit shine in a cleaner and comfortable space.

We know saying, and planning it sounds easier than doing the tasks which is why we’re giving tips on how to make your house cleaner to have a great and stress-free holiday.

Clean Your House Thoroughly

Let’s get to the point without any filter. You might have not noticed it, but once you start moving things in your living spaces like a couch to have an area for your Christmas tree you will start to see corners that might have not been given enough attention before. This is the reason why you need to clean your house first before you start decorating for the holiday.

It’s also good to put attention to your kitchen. It would actually be going to be the busiest area once you start cooking meals during Christmas Eve. It is important to have your kitchen clean and ready before cooking.

Prepare the guest room(s) and closet for guests coming in if you invited them for the holiday. For sure, you’d want them to have a great stay in your home, right? Make sure that you have the guest essentials needed considering that most people don’t want to travel with a lot, especially if they’ll just stay over for a few days.

Clean Your Holiday or Christmas Decorations

There’s no denying that the reason why you want to start decorating is to make your house have a holiday vibe. On the other hand, the decorations you’ll be using have been stored for about a year in the storage. This means that dust and cobwebs started to build up to your decors. And you don’t want to display dirty items, right? So it’s better to have and make sure that they’re clean first.

On the other hand, if you’re purchasing new decors, please be sure to clean and disinfect the items first. Especially, that we are in a situation of cleanliness really matters because of the pandemic. It is better to be safe than be sorry.

Declutter

Since you’re going to start to take out holiday decorations from the storage or purchasing new ones, it means that there’ll be additional things going to be present in the areas of your house. And sometimes, it can make your living spaces congested.

So what you need to do is to declutter some stuff to accommodate the decorations you’ll be bringing in.

Our Best Tip

Either you can do speed cleaning, regular cleaning, or deep cleaning to remove the dust, cobwebs, and stains. The main idea is for you to have a clean house this holiday season.

If in case you don’t have time or need a helping hand to do this, you can always count on us to provide you our house cleaning services. My Marvelous Maids are offering regular and deep cleaning services ( but there’s more) in Aurora, IL, and its surrounding areas.