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Where are germs hiding in your home?

Germs. They’re lurking on the subway, on ATMS, and in public restrooms, but they’re also just as prevalent within the safety of your home. No matter how clean or healthy you think you are, your home isn’t immune to dangerous germs. 

Germs are likely to lurk all over your home, but certain areas are more likely to spread harmful germs than others. 

Your kitchen, for instance, is a place where germs like salmonella and E.coli can thrive. It’s important that you not only regularly disinfect countertops, but that you’re disinfecting the fridge and your sink too. According to Reader’s Digest, there are more germs lurking in your sink than in your toilet.

It’s a good idea to clean your fridge a couple of times a week, according to Healthline, and your sink should be disinfected every day, according to Web MD.

That can sound a little overwhelming, especially considering that the kitchen is just one of the many infectious areas of your home in need of cleaning. So why not hire a maid service like So-Neat! to do the heavy lifting for you?

In addition to your kitchen, germs lurk on places like doorknobs and light switches. Bathroom light switches, in particular, are found to have more germs according to Healthline. All door handles and lightswitches should be disinfected in your home at least once a week.

Among the most surprising places where germs linger, is your washing machine. Wet laundry left in a machine, even if only for 30 minutes, causes germs to multiply. 

If you leave your laundry in the washer for over 30 minutes, Healthline recommends doing a second wash then transferring your clothes to the dryer immediately afterwards.

Electronics are also a culprit in germ spread. Your tablets, phones, remote controls and keyboards are littered with germs. The National Science Foundation found that 68 percent of families have yeast and mold on their keyboards and 59 percent had yeast and mold in their video game controllers. 

It may not be surprising that pets are another big source of germ spread. Healthline recommends wiping your pet’s paws before they come inside and bleaching water and food bowls once a week.

Keeping your house germ free can be difficult for someone with a full-time schedule, but maid services like So-Neat! are here to make it easier on you and your family.

Disinfecting your home could keep you safe from coronavirus

Across the United States and the world, families are hunkering within the safety of their homes to escape COVID-19. The highly contagious virus has been proven to infect fewer people when societies practice social distancing. However, even within the cozy confines of your own home, the virus can still lurk. It’s important to stay vigilant, especially if you or someone you live with is still venturing out into the world.

The virus can live on the surface of your phone or stick to your clothes, or even to packages your order.

Research indicates that the virus could stick to common surfaces for up to several days according to research done by the National Institute of Health.

It’s important that you regularly sanitize your home. In particular, you’ll want to disinfect areas you or your family spend a lot of time in and surfaces you touch often.

Your home office, in particular, could be a breeding ground for the virus. It’s where you spend all your time touching your face, typing on your keyboard, and coughing without covering your mouth. 

Door handles and nobs, kitchen counters and coffee tables could also be riddled with contagions. It’s important to sanitize these areas as frequently as possible especially when they’ve been exposed to an individual who could have been in contact with the virus. To make sure your home is as clean as it can be why not call in a weekly maid service?

While you and your family escape to the backyard or your local state park let So-Neat! disinfect your household.

They’ll use CDC recommended cleaning solutions with enough alcohol and bleach to effectively kill the virus.

A maid service will do more than just sanitize your home; they’ll be sure to disinfect it as well. Sanitizing your home is a quick clean that reduces the number of germs on a surface while disinfecting usually takes about 10 minutes and kills germs on the surface, according to Good House Keeping. Both disinfecting and sanitizing are less effective on a dirty surface, meaning your home will need a deep clean before it’s ready to be disinfected from the coronavirus. A maid service will make sure your home is spic and span in a timely manner and get straight to disinfecting.

This latest pandemic may seem scary, but the best thing you can do is keep yourself and family safe, let So-Neat! help.

The importance of having freshly cleaned carpets when selling your home

To sell your property quickly for the best possible price, a little sprucing up will no doubt be in order. Yet when you’re mopping the kitchen floor or scrubbing your bathroom tiles, don’t forget that your carpets will also be in need of a deep clean.

Having nice, clean and fresh carpets could make a big difference to the look and feel of your entire property, helping you to secure that quick sale. Here are some of the many benefits of getting them cleaned before moving home.

1. It will help create the best first impression

Spotless carpets that smell great will give buyers a great first impression of your property: that it’s clean, has been well looked after and lovingly cared for. If your carpets aren’t clean, buyers will assume the rest of the property isn’t either.

2. It will eliminate any odors

It’s surprising how much carpets can hold odors. Strong smells from pets, cigarette smoke or even food can linger in your carpets and will be instantly noticeable and unpleasant to someone who has never been in your property before. Carpet cleaning is therefore so important when moving home because it eliminates odors and will leave your property smelling fresh and clean.

3. It removes stains

Maybe you dropped your dinner plate on the dining room carpet, or perhaps your kids had a bit too much fun with the finger paints. Either way, you simply can’t leave that stain just sat there in plain view when trying to sell your home. Cleaning your carpets will finally remove any stubborn stains once and for all.

4. It will brighten the place up

It’s amazing how much dirt can accumulate on carpets over time. You may not have noticed your carpets slowly changing color, but with a thorough clean you’ll be surprised at how much brighter they, and in turn each room, will look.

5. It’s one less thing for buyers to think about

Cleaning your carpets will help entice buyers who are looking for a low-maintenance property they can move straight into. It will eliminate the need to buy new carpets, which can be costly and may put some buyers off.

This article was written in conjunction with home and office removalist Hire A Mover

The Benefits of Cleaning your House for the Holidays

‘Tis the season to be cleaning. With the holidays right around the corner, you’ll want to get your house in tip-top shape. Rather than scramble at the last minute, give yourself an early holiday present and invest in a cleaning company. You can rest easy knowing your cleaning needs will be handled—and you can do something else with the time you save from not having to clean. Whether you’ve hired cleaning companies in the past or this is your first time, it’s helpful to know a few advantages of asking for help with your holiday cleaning sessions.

Saving Time

This time of year is notorious for getting extremely busy. One day, you’re organized and feeling like superman. Next thing you know, you’re buried under a pile of to-do lists. When it comes to deep cleans, it’s measurably more efficient to have professionals do the job for you. That’s what we’re here for. We do this all the time! For us, it’s what we love to do, whereas for you, it’s probably a chore. There’s no need to take on extra hours of responsibilities—a cleaning company can work some magic for you while you tackle your other tasks.

A Job Done Well

You’ve cleaned your home hundreds of times, but doesn’t it feel more satisfying when a professional service does the job for you? We have all the tools and products to take your home from “lived in” to “brand new.” When you have company over, your house will be spotless—and you can even take the credit for it!

Additional Services

Unless you have a steam cleaner on hand and all the tools ready for a true deep clean, you probably won’t be able to clean your home at the same level that a professional cleaning company can. We offer standard cleaning sessions that last up to 4 hours as well as deep cleaning sessions that last for 7 hours. We can cover everything from dusting your baseboards to steam cleaning your carpet.

Should I call?

If you’re looking around at your home feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry! That’s completely normal. Chances are you may have guests over at least once or twice for the holidays, so a good cleaning job will be high on your priority list. In between buying gifts, cooking meals, and running all kinds of errands, you deserve to give yourself a break. Cut yourself some slack, give us a call, and kick back with a glass of eggnog while we do the dirty work for you. Looking forward to getting your house ready for the festive holiday season!