Spring Cleaning: 6 Tips to Keep Your Apartment Allergen-Free

Posted on April 22, 2013 by mprice

Dust is the most common cause of indoor allergies, but make sure you’re not kicking up dirt and debris when you’re cleaning.

Indoor allergies caused by dust mites, pet dander and mold trigger allergy and even asthma symptoms in millions of indoor allergy sufferers each year.

Read on to learn more about our Spring Clean Sweepstakes.

While it is impossible to make your home completely allergen-free, below are a few tips to clear most of the bothersome allergens from your apartment.

Start your apartment search today!

Dusting
Dust is the most common cause of indoor allergies, but be careful how you dust, because you can actually make your allergies worse by kicking up dirt and debris while you’re cleaning. Use a wet or treated cloth that attracts dust, minimize dust-catching clutter and clean dusty surfaces, such as ceiling fan blades, regularly so that dust doesn’t have a chance to accumulate.

Continue reading →

Robot Vacuums: Fun Floor Cleaning Technology for Your Apartment

Posted on January 30, 2013 by sharper

Consider modern-day solutions that make floor cleaning less of a chore.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a robot maid to clean your apartment for you, just like Rosie the Robot on “The Jetsons?” While cleaning technology hasn’t come quite THAT far, there are some modern-day solutions that make floor cleaning less of a chore.

We take a look at some cleaning technology for apartments that makes the robot maid seem plausible. (Who knows? You may be able to talk to your robots, someday soon, and they may complain right back!)

Start your apartment search today!

How do they work?
Robot vacs use infrared sensors and multiple motors to assess and cover the room in which they are left to do their dirty work. While the exact formula for determining how long the device should roam is unknown to all but the manufacturer, the theory seems to be that enough time spent zigzagging in a systematic pattern should allow the machine to reach every accessible inch of a room. (Sensors warn and divert the device when an obstacle like a drop-off comes near.)

Like any vacuum, the robot collects dirt and dust. The latest models return to a home base to empty themselves and recharge. Current techie wisdom about robot vacuums is that they are much improved from their early days, but still somewhat hit or miss when left to their own devices to cover an entire room.

The Roomba and other iRobots
The Roomba by iRobot is the first product many think of when they hear the term “robotic vacuum.” It was the first of its kind to market and has won a lot of loyal fans. Once the Roomba is charged, it goes to work cleaning your floors and can be programmed to clean carpet or hardwoods.

Like the idea of a robotic maid, but have more of a mobile mop in mind? Look into iRobot’s Scooba. The Scooba has a squeegee-vacuum system that washes floors without pushing around dirty water, as a conventional mop would. (This might be the way to go if your apartment is carpet-free.) The iRobot Mint is another robotic cleaner which uses microfibers to sweep and mop hard floor surfaces.

Neato Automatic Vacuum Cleaners
The Neato line of robotic vacuum cleaners share a lot of the features of their competitive counterparts. They also map a room (using their own proprietary formula), clean in a pattern and work on different types of flooring. While Neato only offers vacuums, they have come out with a special pet and allergy model for those who desire a deep level of clean.

Samsung’s Smart Tango Corner Clean
As of this writing, Samsung has just announced its new Smart Tango Corner Clean. Along with the usual functions found in robotic cleaners, this automatic vacuum has special attachments that are designed to clean corners, spots that are traditionally difficult for robotic vacuums to reach.

No matter which robotic vacuum or cleaner you want to purchase, do your homework first! Check out reviews by editors and users on sites like CNET, PCWorld, or Amazon. Make your informed choice, and then sit back, relax and let your personal robot assistant do the floor cleaning for you!

Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Jirsak

Pretend Your Apartment is a Car: Cleaning Tips for Guys

Posted on January 16, 2013 by sharper

Maintain an apartment space that’s comfortable, livable… and sharable!

Start your apartment search today!

Are you a man? Is your apartment appalling? Why not consider joining the cult of men who clean?

You owe it to yourself to investigate the mysteries of the livable apartment. A new year requires new ways of doing things, so read on for a few quick cleaning tips that will help keep your apartment presentable. (You may discover it’s not as bad as you expect.)

Pretend your apartment is a car
Many a woman has lamented the fact that her man could spend hours detailing his car, but seem blind to household grime. Why not tackle your apartment cleaning in the same way you would your car? Vacuum under all the furniture, dust every corner and surface, and scrub away every bit of mildew in the shower — all with the same single-mindedness and dedication you reserve for keeping your car clean! Once you’ve done a thorough apartment cleaning initially, the gleam will be much easier to maintain and in even less time.

Assemble your tool kit
What man doesn’t like assembling tools for a project? Apartment cleaning is no different than a workbench scheme. Get the right tools for the job, and clean-up will be a breeze.

Here are a few things you may already have on hand to gather together in your cleaning tool box.

• A squeegee for windows, mirrors, shower doors and tile.
• A wet/dry vac. Attach a soft brush attachment and you can spin away cobwebs and dust.
• Car polish. Wipe down your shower stall and door to keep soap-scum from sticking.
• Tennis ball. Spray with a general cleaner and buff away scuff marks on floors and walls.
• Steel wool (fine, synthetic). Good for scrubbing pots and counter gunk.
• Sponges, scrub brushes.
• All-purpose cleaner.
• Mop or Swiffer WetJet.
• Electromagnetic duster.

Create a plan
Guys like solutions to problems, right? So look around. Even the worst mire can be cleaned up with a bit of smart planning. Come up with your own system on your own time. If you’re a night owl who gets inspired at 3 a.m., work your cleaning magic then. Or maybe you’re self-employed and want to get your clean on first thing in the morning. Don’t fight it; go with your particular flow, grabbing any time you can get.

Multitask for success
You likely value multitasking in your work endeavors, so try double duty to clean your apartment, as well.

• Start your bathroom cleaning while you’re getting clean yourself. Scrub the shower while you’re taking one, wipe the sink right after you brush your teeth, and quickly wipe down the toilet with a flushable cloth, after giving it a scrub with a little cleanser.

• Throw on a load of wash while you’re getting dressed or undressed, and start the dishwasher as soon as you’ve finished your last bite of breakfast or dinner.

• Sweep or vacuum your kitchen floor every morning or evening, and never leave a mess in the sink or on counters overnight.

• Vacuum, dust and straighten your living room during the commercial breaks of your favorite show.

A man can take good care of his living space without giving up the image that he just doesn’t care about those things! Implement these cleaning steps, adapting them to your own schedule and needs. Remember that some effort is required – preferably, a little each day – to maintain an apartment space that’s comfortable, livable… and sharable. Your buddies will be impressed — and you can even bring home a friend without wondering where you tossed your boxers!

Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Yuri Arcurs

Don’t Forget These Five Essentials in Your Apartment

Posted on December 10, 2012 by jgrimes

Don’t forget a sewing kit when you move into your first place.

Photo Credit: iStockphoto/Nadzeya_Kizilava

As you prepare to move out of the house or dorm and into your first real apartment, you will have a long list of items you need to buy, borrow or steal. For starters, there is the furniture: a bed frame and mattress, dressers or drawers, a couch and other seating and a table. Then you’ll need staples like dishes and cookware and cleaning supplies.

In the midst of all this shopping and packing, a few things are bound to slip your mind. So before you move, make sure you have these five essential items often left out of a first apartment.

Tool Box
While setting up decorations and picture frames, making small repairs or replacing batteries, you will need a tool kit. However, these handy tools are easily overlooked when moving, especially by girls. You don’t need to make a major investment in your tools (nice and detailed boxes can cost hundreds), but make sure you have the basics: hammer, pliers, screwdriver, wrench, nails and screws. This kit will make your life much easier when a picture falls in the middle of the night or your necklace breaks as you’re about to leave.

Storage Bins
At your childhood home, you are likely to have much more storage room than in your new apartment, so finding places to put all of your stuff in a tighter space may be a challenge. After ciphering through your things and throwing the junk out, buy a few cheap but durable, large plastic bins. Use them to store off-season clothes, school and home supplies, extra blankets, sheets and pillows or books and movies. Then, move the bins to the back of your closet or under your bed.

First Aid Kit
Accidents happen, and you should always be prepared for the medical variety with a first aid kit. Whether you buy it or build it, yours should include: tweezers, ibuprofen, adhesive bandages (several sizes), antibiotic ointment, hydrogen peroxide, medical tape, gauze, rubbing alcohol and gloves.

Lighting
Since most apartments come equipped with the big lighting fixtures, the smaller ones are often left off apartment checklists. You’ll need lamps for your bedside table and desk and perhaps for extra lighting in your living room. You’ll also need a flashlight and candles in case the power goes out. Therefore, make sure you also have appropriate battery sizes and matches on hand.

Sewing Kit
You may not be the next fashion designer or expert seamstress, but you should know how to (or at least have the supplies for) re-sewing a button or quickly stitching up a small hole. Sewing kits are cheap and contain a few needles and small spools of the most common colors.

Tomboy Tools, Inc., an Entrepreneur Magazine Top 100 Brilliant Company, and provider of hands-on education and high-quality tools for women, sponsored this post.

How to Clean Your Apartment Efficiently and Quickly

Posted on October 10, 2012 by tpham

To quickly clean your apartment, arm yourself with an all-purpose, multi-surface cleaning spray and a sponge.

Sometimes, cleaning your house seems like it takes all day.. However, a few basic tips and tricks can not only save you time but also create a spotless living space. Whether you have unexpected guests coming, a get together just ended or you just need to create a more organized and tidy space, read on for our tips and shortcuts to speed clean your apartment.

Supplies
First, you’ll need cleaning supplies, but just because you’re cleaning different surfaces in various rooms doesn’t mean you need a different cleaning product for each room. Grab an all-purpose, multi-surface cleaning spray, glass cleaner, paper towels, a sponge, a garbage bag, a duster, a vacuum and a Swiffer.

Living Room
If items in this space belong in different rooms, place them in a container. This will save you time from running between rooms to place items. Next, focus on the couch. Brush off the cushions of pet hair, food crumbs and dust. Check behind the cushions for any items, and then replace the cushions and fluff the pillows. Next, dust the coffee table, and then neatly stack the items on the table. Toss old magazines, and neatly arrange up-to-date magazines, as well as books. Finally, run a vacuum through the space. Remember, this is for a quick clean. Save moving the furniture for when you have more time.

Bedroom
Gather all your dirty clothes and place in a hamper. Worry about sorting later when you do the laundry. If you have clean clothes that aren’t put away, go ahead and rehang or refold the items and put the items away. Place all trash, including old magazines, papers, etc. in a trashcan. Sort through your closet later when you have more time. Next, make the bed. The room will just look cleaner with this simple step. Straighten surfaces, including your nightstand, desk and shelves. You don’t have time to sort through everything, but if you have items that don’t seem to belong, place them in a bin to go through later. Similar to the living room, run a vacuum through the space.

Bathroom
Place dirty clothing and used towels in a hamper. Next, place all trash in the trashcan. Then wipe down the counters, sink and tub using the disinfectant cleaning spray. For the toilet, use a toilet brush and cleaner. Scrub the inside of the toilet. Use the cleaning spray for the outside of the toilet. Next, use a glass cleaner to wipe down the mirror. Return items to where they belong. Again, sort through your items at a later date when you have more time. For now, make sure your bathroom is presentable to guests. Then sweep the floor.

Kitchen
First, place items belonging in other rooms in a container to go through later. Next, clear your countertops and cupboards of trash. For dirty dishes, wash by hand or load the dishwasher. If the plates have stuck-on residue, fill the sink with warm, soapy water and allow the plates to soak for a few minutes while completing your other kitchen chores. Once the dishes are taken care of, wipe down your sink, countertops and appliances. Sweep or mop the floor. To finish, take out the trash.

Clean Green: Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

Posted on September 17, 2012 by ag-admin

Create a safer environment for you and your family by using green and eco-friendly cleaning products.

Kermit the Frog got it right. With all the dangerous, corrosive and effective cleaning chemicals on the market, it really isn’t easy being green. But it doesn’t have to be impossible. With just a few modifications, you can create a safer environment for you and your family while saving money and protecting the environment. These eco-friendly cleaning products are safe, affordable alternatives to all the dangerous chemicals stored under your sink.

Remove toxic products. The first step to clean, green living is to get rid of all the toxic chemicals stored in your home. Check with your local recycling center for safe, environmentally friendly ways to do this.

Reuse when possible. Instead of using abrasive throwaway scouring pads full of harmful cleaning agents, look for things you can use more than once or twice. Mops, sponges, washcloths and paper towels made from recycled paper will get the job done without filling the landfill.

Look for natural alternatives. There are several great all-natural alternatives to harsh chemical cleaners. Here are a few of the most basic:

Baking Soda. This simple substance has many uses around the home. Sprinkled on a damp cloth or sponge, it can be used as a gentle, non-abrasive cleaner for kitchen countertops, sinks, bathtubs, showers and ovens. Add a cup per load to your laundry to neutralize perspiration odors and chemical smells in your clothes. It also makes a great air freshener and carpet deodorizer.
Washing Soda. Similar to baking soda, washing soda is much more acidic. Wear gloves when you use it, because it is caustic. Washing soda cuts grease, cleans petroleum oil, removes wax and lipstick and neutralizes odors just like baking soda. Just don’t use it on aluminum, fiberglass or waxed floors, unless you want to remove the wax.
White Vinegar and Lemon Juice. White vinegar and lemon juice are acidic, and useful for combating scale from hard water, dissolving gummy buildup, eating away tarnish and removing dirt from wood surfaces.

Make your own disinfectant. Many essential oils, such as clove, lavender and tea tree oil—a natural fungicide—and grapefruit seed extract, are very good at killing household germs. To make your own disinfectant, add one teaspoon of essential oil to two cups of water in a spray bottle. You can make a spray from grapefruit seed extract by adding 20 drops of extract to a quart of water. Be sure to keep all homemade cleaning products clearly labeled and out of the reach of children.

Liquid Soap or Detergent? Soaps and detergents are necessary for cutting grease, but they are not the same thing. Soaps are made from fats and lye, while detergents are made from chemicals designed to not react with hard water and create soap scum. If you have hard water, buy perfume-free biodegradable detergent. If you have soft water, purchase liquid soap.

Green living doesn’t have to be a chore. By following these tips you can have a cleaner, healthier home in no time.

Photo credit: iStockphoto/diane555

Your Handy Apartment Cleaning Checklist

Posted on November 30, 2011 by ag-admin

With this handy cleaning checklist, your household chores will feel more manageable and you'll enjoy the satisfaction of a systematic approach to cleaning.

Using a cleaning checklist like this one can help you keep an apartment tidy. You can post the checklist on a dry-erase board, laminate a paper copy to use over and over again, or print out a new one each week. The important thing is to have an easy reference to walk you step-by-step through what needs to be cleaned, wiped, vacuumed or scrubbed. So prepare to get your apartment cleaning down to a fine science. Pens or pencils at the ready!

There are certain chores that you’ll want to do daily to keep control of dirt and germs such as:

Kitchen

Clean all dishes.
Wipe up kitchen surfaces – stove, counters and sinks.
Clean trouble spots on the floor.

Bathroom

Wipe up counters and clean the sink. (Disposable cleaning wipes make this fast!)
Use another wipe on the toilet seat and base. Give the bowl a quick scrub with the toilet brush.
Use a Swiffer on the floor to collect hair.
Squeegee your shower right after use and/or use a shower spray such as Method Shower Spray to keep mildew and soap scum at bay.

Bedroom

Make your bed.
Put away clothes.
Keep your nightstand and dresser surfaces uncluttered.

Living Room

Clean the clutter off the sofa, and fluff pillows.
Sweep up crumbs and dust bunnies with a hand-held vac.
Create order on your coffee table and entertainment center surfaces by putting away books, DVDs, etc.

Weekly Chores — Don’t forget to:

Dust all rooms and surfaces. Pre-moistened furniture wipes make this job easy.
Vacuum or mop (dry or wet) all floors and stairs.
Clean out the fridge and wipe it down.
Clean bathrooms thoroughly.
Change all linens.
Take out the trash in every room.

Monthly Chores — It’s time to:

Wipe down woodwork, walls and tiles in kitchen, bathrooms and other high-traffic areas.
Clean windows throughout your home.
Dust window treatments.
Clean inside appliances (and empty out toaster crumbs).
Do a deep dusting—behind furniture, in ceiling corners, on ceiling fans and on vents. Also vacuum upholstered furniture.
Spot clean carpet.

That’s not so hard, right? With your handy cleaning checklist, your household chores will feel more manageable and you’ll enjoy the satisfaction of a systematic approach to cleaning. You can adjust this chore list to your liking, of course, but it offers good guidelines on keeping a spic-and-span apartment.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock / hans magelssen

Prioritize Your Apartment Cleaning Efforts

Posted on September 22, 2011 by ag-admin

If your apartment looks like an episode of “Hoarders,” then it's time to get serious about your cleaning chores.

If the interior of your apartment looks like an episode of “Hoarders,” then it’s time to get serious about your cleaning chores.

Sure, nobody likes to clean, but if you create a plan and chip away at it during the week, you can keep cleaning under control. How good would it feel to never again have to waste a perfectly good Saturday afternoon on an intense, four-hour cleaning spree?

With that in mind, here are a few tips for developing an organized cleaning strategy you can live with.

Set priorities
When you’re in the mood to clean, you may be tempted to tackle every chore on your list: dusting, vacuuming, mopping, spit-shining, re-arranging, organizing your spice rack — the list can go on. Trying to tackle all of these chores at once can lead to an overload and subsequent meltdown. That’s why it’s important to set apartment cleaning priorities and work these tasks in reasonable chunks of time throughout the week.

The key to keeping your apartment clean is to decide which chores are the most important. First consider which chores are so important that you should be doing them every day — things like washing the dishes, putting dirty clothes in the hamper, and straightening up countertops should be on your short-list of daily chores. Next, think about weekly chores — the things you need to do at least once a week so that your apartment cleaning situation doesn’t get out of control. Weekly chores include things like vacuuming, dusting, and doing laundry.

Once you’ve got these daily and weekly chore lists established, set the tasks in order. Create a daily chore pyramid and a weekly chore pyramid that shows how important each task is. Glance at your pyramid every day, and remind yourself that you at least need to take care of the most important task on that list. When you’ve completed that task — and if you have the time that day – you can tackle other chores in their order of importance.

Apartment cleaning checklists
Creating your own apartment cleaning checklist can help you manage your time. For each chore on your pyramid, create a micro-list that details the steps to finish the task. If “clean bathroom” is on your weekly chore list, for example, your cleaning checklist for the bathroom might look like this:

Switch out dirty towels for clean ones
Scrub shower
Clean toilet
Wipe off mirror
Scrub sink
Vacuum and mop floor

If you’ve got a chore checklist like this for every task in your cleaning pyramid, you can help yourself be as efficient as possible during your designated cleaning time. You can even keep your checklists in plastic page protectors and use dry erase markers to check off the tasks as you complete them. (All right — that might be asking too much.)

Use a chore chart
If you need a little extra motivation to stay on top of your apartment cleaning, a chore chart could give you a bit of visual encouragement. If you’ve got roommates or a big family, a chore chart can be an especially effective tool for apartment cleaning. Write everyone’s name on the chart with associated chores and deadlines, and then hang the chore chart in a central location. If each person’s duties are all written down on paper, no one can say they forgot about doing their part.

Not only do chore charts foster better communication between roommates, they can also turn a boring round of apartment cleaning into a game. Assign points to the various cleaning chores and then have a weekly competition to see who can get the most points. The winner gets a prize (maybe a week off of chores?) and the friendly competition makes things a little more interesting. (Singing the Mary Poppins song while you clean is optional, of course.)

Develop good habits to stay clean
Maintaining a clean apartment boils down to keeping good habits. If your current apartment cleaning habits leave a lot to be desired, you can teach yourself to take a more organized approach — follow through and you’ll find yourself living in a cleaner space!

Photo Credit: Shutterstock/auremar

17 Cleaning Essentials for Your Apartment

Posted on September 8, 2011 by ag-admin

Clean efficiently by purchasing only the items you need to get your apartment sparkling.

Photo Credit: iStockphoto/malerapaso

No one likes to clean, especially if you’ve just moved into your new apartment and want to explore your neighborhood. But you can make it easier by arming yourself with the right cleaning supplies and tools, which will have your apartment looking spic and span in no time. Then, when you make friends with people in your neighborhood, you’ll have no qualms about inviting them over to check out your new space and have a drink. Here is a list of the 17 essential cleaning supplies you’ll need for your new home.

Cleaners

All-purpose grease cleaner – for scrubbing around the eyes of your stove, countertop and refrigerator door handles
Wood cleaner – for polishing wood furniture and keeping dust away longer from ceiling fans, vents and more
Mild abrasive bathroom cleaner with bleach – for cleaning the shower, tub, toilet, sink and grout
Glass cleaner – make your own by mixing 2 to 3 tablespoons of white vinegar with 3 cups water
Dishwashing liquid – a drop of this and a cup of water creates an instant spot cleaner for carpets and upholstered furniture
Baking soda – mix it with lemon juice for a scrub or sprinkle it on carpets before you vacuum to absorb odors

Tools

A caddy for holding all of the above items
Broom
Dustpan
Mop
Toilet brush
Microfiber sweeper (if you have pets and/or hardwood floors)
Vacuum cleaner
Toothbrush (works wonders for getting the stains out of grout)
Absorbent weave cotton dishcloths
Feather or microfiber duster
Rubber gloves

How to Make Your Apartment Greener

Posted on August 17, 2011 by ag-admin

Ashley Caderet from "Our Little Apartment" offers 10 tips for living greener in your space.

Photo Credit: iStockphoto/dem10

In honor of Earth Day’s 40th anniversary April 22, Apartment Guide sat down with Ashley Caderet, author of green and frugal living blog “Our Little Apartment,” to get her thoughts on how everyone can live more environmentally friendly in their apartments or homes. Plus, there’s a bonus: In this down economy, anyone can benefit from Ashley’s money-saving, waste-less, live-simply tips.

Since launching her blog in 2007, Ashley’s green-living methods have ranged from the sensible (purchasing local produce from a farmers market) to the more radical (using cloth toilet paper). A few ideas didn’t work out – composting in the backyard created a mice problem – while some became routine favorites, such as using one car. Mike even built a winter-hearty bicycle that he takes to work, even using it in 10-degree weather.

“It just makes sense to try to be greener,” Ashley said. “It makes me feel better and saves money. Once you become aware of the amount you waste, you feel guilty about the environmental impact. You think about carbon footprints. In my day-to-day life, just thinking about how future children and countries will be impacted inspires me to keep being green.”

To save the most money, Ashley and her husband rent their home near one of their workplaces and only use one car. Now Ashley drives the car on her 35-minute commute and Mike bikes to work, which is only two miles from their home, a duplex in a neighborhood where 100 percent of the streets have sidewalks. In addition to using one car, here are 10 other ways Ashley suggests apartment residents can be more environmentally friendly:

When you’re deciding where to live, choose an apartment that is walkable, meaning you can walk to nearly anything you need. Use WalkScore to determine a neighborhood’s walkable rating.
Choose an apartment that has good insulation so you’re not wasting energy. If you don’t know if it has good insulation, ask before you rent. If you are already renting, improve your insulation with door draft stoppers or by asking your apartment manager to add insulation to your complex.
Avoid disposable things such as tissues, paper towels, disposable dishes, disposable napkins and plastic ware. Use reusable versions of these instead.
Don’t waste food by planning meals in advance.
Eat less meat. Ashley and Mike are both vegetarians, but even eating one meatless meal a week could save your family hundreds of dollars per year.
Shop for secondhand furniture and clothing.
If your apartment doesn’t recycle, ask them to, or take your recyclable goods to a recycling center. Recycling guidelines for most cities are on the city or county website.
Wash almost all of your clothes on the cold cycle.
Try a Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA) program, which delivers local, seasonal produce to your home or a nearby pickup location. Visit Local Harvest to find a CSA near you.
Don’t buy anything unless you really need or want it. Think hard before you buy.

Related Posts

Related Posts

Related Posts

Related Posts

Related Posts

Related Posts