White Glove Elite Founder and long-time house cleaner Jim Ireland shares the following advice to help you on your (hopefully short and successful) journey to find your next home cleaner.
I usually suggest that people book a cleaner for four or five hours every other week, but if you have pets or a large house, you may want someone more often. It’s important to choose a cleaner that charges hourly; a lot of housekeepers will rush through the work if they’re paid a lump sum regardless of how long it takes them. You should spend between $18 and $30 an hour, depending on where you live—but no more.
Consider a Service
The best way to find a housekeeper is to ask friends for recommendations. However, if it doesn’t work out with your friend’s cleaner, you’re back to square one. A major advantage of working with a cleaning service is that you can test their cleaners one by one—they can easily send a few different people on different days—and you can choose whoever did the best job. I also think it’s important to change people about once a year because over time, a cleaner will figure out how to cut corners. If you’re using an agency and want to switch, you don’t have to fire anyone; you just tell the service to send somebody new.
Protect Yourself
It’s always a good idea to have homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. Store personal papers in a locked drawer, and password-protect your computer. If you hire a service, make sure it is bonded and insured. That way you’ll have recourse if anything valuable is broken or damaged.
Express Yourself
Do you prefer a self-starter or someone who follows directions? If you’re home all day, you may want a housekeeper who shows up on time and finishes quickly. If you’re at an office, you may not care when he arrives. Explain these preferences when you meet with a cleaner.
Enjoy it
Once you’ve established a routine, give your housekeeper an additional project to do each time, like scrubbing the kitchen cabinets. A good cleaner will pay attention to what people touch frequently, like the doorknobs and faucets, and will take the time to untangle the hair-dryer cord. After your cleaner leaves, you should always notice something that makes you happy.
The above tips were originally featured in Allure, in an article entitled “How To Hire a Housekeeper”.The original article may be found here.
We hope the knowledge on this blog helps you treat your home with care. However, sometimes it’s great to have help – otherwise we wouldn’t be in business. Book service online today or call us at 212-684-4460 to schedule an appointment with New York City’s top-tier housekeepers.
Keeping your children’s rooms clean may be simpler than you’d think! Here are 3 simple fixes for helping your children maintain their rooms.
Containers, containers, containers.
Containers give everything a place while still letting your kid be a kid by tossing things in. Separate stackable containers for crayons, colored pencils, paints ,and markers. Bins hold a lot more than open shelves so find bins that fit on any shelves in your kid’s room. Under the bed is another good place for bins. My boy has a bin for “guys,” a container for small vehicles, a container for space stuff and a container for small toys that don’t fit into any of those categories. If you have Legos, get a tackle box, a make-up kit, or a bank of small, hardware drawers of varying sizes. Have your kid keep her Legos in drawers corresponding to their size. Show her how great it is to be able to find the piece she needs because of the order she keeps.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
If a kid has a second toy in his hand then he is done with the first one. He will try like mad to convince you that he isn’t done with it because he feels like away means no play. Assure her that he doesn’t have to be done with it, but show him how it is just as easy to retrieve it from its “away” spot as it is to find it on the floor where he left it. Show him how, if you’re going to put something down, it’s often just as easy to put it down where it belongs than to drop it on the floor. (This goes for clothes too!)
Throw a bunch of toys into a box.
This doesn’t apply to the current favorite toys, but rather a lot of the other ones. Put the box into some out-of-the-way storage spot (closet, garage, attic). If she asks for a toy from that box, try telling her to play with something else and assure her that you haven’t tossed the toy out. In a couple of months, break out the box. It will be like Christmas all over again! Fill the box with a new set of toys and repeat. In each stage of the process, try to identify toys that are no longer played with and try to get her to agree giving them to a specific friend or relative. It’s much easier to get her to part with something if she thinks it has a good purpose elsewhere and won’t go to waste.
If all else fails, you can always free up your time by booking weekly or bi-weekly services from a reputable cleaning company in your area. White Glove Elite serves many NYC parents who don’t regret investing the money in order to have more time to spend with their children.
This article originally appeared on NYMetroParents.com and can be found here.
Every New Yorker knows that living in such a vibrant, happening, and culturally-rich environment comes with a cost. Per square foot. While your apartment may be tinier than your dreams, heart, or family – that doesn’t mean should you put up feeling cramped or disorganized. These simple tips from our founder should point you in the right direction.
Getting Started
From storing kitchen and bath items to streamlining your closets and organizing your bedrooms and living rooms, it can be difficult to find a place for everything. “Shelves and containers are cornerstones to organization, so if your home is not designed with enough cabinet or closet space just create your own,” says Jim Ireland, owner of White Glove Elite, a cleaning company, who recommends buying a portable wardrobe to store clothing and using a shoe rack to keep shoes off the floor.
Cute Cubes
Storage cubes, which are available in a variety of colors, patterns and materials, can be a quick and stylish storage option around the house. Canvas containers fold flat when not in use. Use them to store anything: seasonal clothes, toys, papers around your home office and more. Ireland suggests using fabric bins for under-the-bed storage, saying they provide “a softer, more elegant look.” Another option: consider building your own cube shelves, typically made of laminate or plastic. They can be used alone or stacked together to create a modular shelving unit. Those canvas foldable cubes can be stored inside these shelving units.
The above tips were originally featured in the Glen Clove Herald Gazette, in an article written by Kristen Castello.The original article may be found here.
We hope the knowledge on this blog helps you treat your home with care. However, sometimes it’s great to have help – otherwise we wouldn’t be in business. Book service online today or call us at 212-684-4460 to schedule an appointment with New York City’s top-tier housekeepers.
Home renovations require a lot of planning, coordination, and frankly, headaches. It’s generally not as smooth sailing as the professional home-flippers on TV make it look. Once your renovation project is finally coming to an end, one of the last major steps for homeowners is getting your home cleaned so you and your family can move in and get back to life in your newly upgraded accommodations.
Having cleaned thousands of apartments in post-renovation cleaning jobs over the past 3 decades, White Glove Elite can give you some pointers to keep in mind, to keep this process as smooth and low-stress as possible.
Expect Renovation Delays Until the End.
As amazing and well-intentioned as your contractor is (if you are so lucky to have a great one), never believe them when they give you an end-date. Doing so will turn your renovation headaches into migraines, and could cost you a lot of money. Having waited weeks, or sometimes months, to have all renovation work completed, homeowners are often impatient to get it all over with and aim to schedule cleaners and movers as soon as the construction work is done. Over half of our scheduled post-renovation jobs are rescheduled due to a contractor who has taken up residence in your residence. So nod your head and smile when your contractor gives you their out-by date… and then double it as you enter it into your calendar. It’s often a great idea to ensure the work is finally done, and equipment is removed, before sending in a cleaning crew.Despite the best intentions of all involved, we’ve seen countless examples of cleaners arriving on the job to find both construction workers and heavy tools still on the job (preventing cleaning from beginning), or situations where for homeowners have needed to cancel appointments the day of, due to unexpected contractor delays. Both of these scenarios would contribute to costs and time overruns…and the migraines.
One of the most frustrating realizations for affluent New-Yorkers is that bigger money can lead to bigger delays. “With the amount of money I’m paying my contractor, believe me, they are not going to be late.” are famous last words spouted by many a New-Yorker before being carted off to Belvue in a catatonic fit of rage. We once had cleaners arrive at a multi-million dollar renovation where the contractor was putting boards in places meant for windows in the master bedroom so that the client could sleep there that night having exhausted all other reasonable possibilities. To not allow for contractor delays would be like driving to a wedding in LA without leaving any time for traffic. You’d be right. It wouldn’t be your fault. You’d be late because of traffic.Fault would lie 100% on traffic. But when you miss the vows, you are going to be extremely upset… and traffic will not have a care in the world as it seeks out its next victim.
Expect More Cleaners and More Time.
Post-renovation cleanings are consistently the most labor-intensive jobs booked by cleaning services like White Glove Elite. The nature of renovation dust leaves it airborne for an almost inconceivable amount of time. In the same way that COVID has offered new awareness to the flight of water droplets, construction will leave you shaking your head at the presence of new settlements on surfaces hours, days or even a week after your contractor has left the building. It is not uncommon to schedule cleaning crews for an additional appointment after a complete and thorough cleaning. In fact, we recommend scheduling a “second clean” if you have the luxury of time before your stuff arrives.
If you plan on having your “stuff” in your home during construction, do anything you can to plan otherwise, especially in regards to all porous or intricate belongings like upholstery, tchotchke, drapery and blinds,. We have removed plastic covers from furniture in a “sealed” room, and found visible “plumes” of construction dust when we fluffed the cushions. So any arrangement you can make to pack stuff up and put it in storage would be highly advised. The “sealing” of rooms promised by contractors has limited effectiveness. Buildings have drafts and the air will exchange from under the floorboards if it must. Everyone’s tolerance for this infiltration of dust can vary so you should go over all details of the job thoroughly with your cleaning service to set appropriate expectations and ensure you have allotted enough time for your home to be satisfactorily cleaned. For the sake of your own peace of mind, it’s very important to do a walk-through both before and after the clean. Otherwise you may feel ripped-off. If you don’t see how much dust was on a surface pre-clean, you may think that surface was missed when you find a smaller amount of re-settled dust later.
Expect to Use a lot of Supplies.
Again, as construction dust tends to require numerous passes to sufficiently remove, expect to go through a large quantity of cleaning supplies. Cleaning waters must be changed ultra-frequently. Spray & wipe methods with disposable towels should be chosen over rag & bucket methods wherever possible. Ensure there are sufficient rolls of paper towels, spray cleaners and garbage bags available. There is no better tool for this job than a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter, so be sure there is one with plenty of replacement bags on the job, whether using your own supplies or relying on those provided by the cleaning service. Ensure you have a buffer of these extra products. Running out of supplies mid-clean is often a recipe for delays and paying for additional cleaning time.
For the green-minded: Exorbitant amounts of paper towel use can be a tough pill to swallow in these days of conservation-minded behavior. You can start by patting yourself on the back for choosing paper towels over micro fiber cloths and dusters, which are leaking those synthetic microfibers into our eco-system. I always recommend the most thorough HEPA vacuuming as possible as the first line of defense. In fact, with the luxury of time, I’d recommend the first day spent with only a vacuum, getting all surfaces drawers, cabinets, closets and walls, hitting every inch of everything with a vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter. This would also greatly reduce the number of paper towels needed. For additional green-ness, ask your cleaners to work only with water as much as possible and just use chemical detergent and sprays where needed.
Expect to be Needed in a Pinch.
When large cleaning teams are being coordinated this is not an ideal time for building access issues or a technical hitch in the apartment to prevent the cleaning from proceeding. Over the years we’ve seen numerous issues ranging from Doormen missing a list of cleaner names, to lights not turning on in the apartment, or the power outlet for the vacuum not working. There are literally thousands of possible complications, so it’s a great idea for you, the client, to be available in case there’s any issues. Either plan to be “on call” or designate a trusted point person to be around in case you will be traveling or unavailable on the cleaning date(s).
While there’s plenty of work to be done to make sure your post renovation cleaning is a not a nightmare, one of the easiest things you can do is to hire a cleaning service or agency that is well reviewed, has years of experience with these types of jobs, and provides the best cleaners in your area. If you happen to live in New York City and can provide your own supplies, White Glove Elite can’t be beat..
Book service online today or call us at 212-684-4460 to schedule an appointment with New York City’s top-tier housekeepers.
White Glove Elite has provided housekeepers to New York City households and businesses since 1992. The Covid-19 infectious disease has raised many questions and concerns regarding best practices to maintain a clean home, proper disinfection techniques, and what products are best suited.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has produced numerous guidelines and recommendations addressing these concerns, however the information is spread between multiple sources – so White Glove Elite has created this blog to simplify and consolidate the relevant information in one place. Providing the knowledge necessary for maintaining a clean home, while also prioritizing safety and sanitation, is the primary goal of this article.
*WGE Editor’s Note*: Of course the easiest way to clean your home is to hire someone else to do it for you. 😉 If that is your inclination, skip to the last section on a few important safety tips when hiring a cleaner.
When doing the cleaning yourself, wear reusable or disposable gloves for routine cleaning and disinfection. Disposable Gloves should be discarded after each cleaning. If reusable gloves are used, those gloves should be dedicated for cleaning and disinfection of surfaces for COVID-19 and should not be used for other purposes. Clean hands immediately after gloves are removed.
Wear facial coverings and follow proper prevention hygiene, such as washing your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds and using alcohol-based (at least 60% alcohol) hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.
Additional key times to clean hands include:
After blowing one’s nose, coughing, or sneezing
After using the restroom
Before eating or preparing food
After contact with animals or pets
Before and after providing routine care for another person who needs assistance (e.g. a child)
General Cleaning and Disinfecting Guidelines
Normal routine cleaning with soap and water will decrease how much of the virus is on surfaces and objects, which reduces the risk of exposure. Coronaviruses on surfaces and objects naturally die within hours to days. Warmer temperatures and exposure to sunlight will reduce the time the virus survives on surfaces and objects.
Disinfection using EPA-approved disinfectants against COVID-19 can also help reduce the risk. Frequent disinfection of surfaces and objects touched by multiple people is important.
High touch surfaces to disinfect include:Tables, hard-back chairs, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, tablets, touch screens, remote controls, keyboards, toilets, faucets, sinks, etc.
The virus that causes COVID-19 can be killed if you use the right products. EPA has compiled a list of disinfectant products that can be used against COVID-19, including ready-to-use sprays, concentrates, and wipes. Each product has been shown to be effective against viruses that are harder to kill than viruses like the one that causes COVID-19.
For disinfection, most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective. Keep surfaces wet for a period of time for adequate disinfection (see product label – often 5 to 10 minutes)
Take Precautions such as wearing gloves and making sure you have good ventilation during use of the product.
Cleaning Soft (Porous) Surfaces
For soft surfaces such as carpeted floor, rugs, and drapes.
Clean the surface using soap and water or with cleaners appropriate for use on these surfaces.
Launder items (if possible) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Use the warmest appropriate water setting and dry items completely.
Soft Surfaces may also be disinfected with an EPA-registered household disinfectant, if appropriate.
Vacuum as usual.
Laundry
For clothing, towels, linens and other items.
Launder items according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Use the warmest appropriate water setting and dry items completely.
*WGE Editor’s Note*: Regardless of how much quarantines, shutdowns and joblessness have got you down, DO NOT stick your head in the dryer.
Wear disposable gloves when handling dirty laundry from a person who is sick.
Dirty laundry from a person who is sick can be washed with other people’s items.
Do not shake dirty laundry. This will minimize the possibility of dispersing virus through the air.
Clean and disinfect clothes hampers according to guidance above for surfaces. If possible, consider placing a bag liner that is either disposable (can be thrown away) or can be laundered.
Cleaning Electronics
For electronics such as cell phones, tablets, touch screens, remote controls, and keyboards, remove visible contamination if present.
Consider the use of alcohol-based wipes or sprays containing at least 70% alcohol to disinfect touch screens. Dry surfaces thoroughly to avoid pooling of liquids.
The efficacy of alternative disinfection methods, such as ultrasonic waves, high intensity UV radiation, and LED blue light against COVID-19 virus is not known. Therefore, EPA cannot confirm whether, or under what circumstances, such products might be effective against the spread of COVID-19.
White Glove Elite cleaners do not travel with cleaning supplies or equipment, and will make use of the cleaning products you make available, so please ensure you have the recommended products.
Additional CDC Resources
The above information is largely culled from the following official resources. More information about cleaning and disinfecting your home can be found here:
Perhaps the most challenging and important safety precaution when hiring a cleaner is to exercise social distancing. Here are a few tips:
Wear a mask while sharing your home with your cleaner.
Try to schedule your cleaner at a time when you will not be there or a time when you can show them in and leave.
If #2 is not practical, try to schedule errands to run to get you out of your home while your cleaner is working.
If #2 and #3 are not practical, coordinate time and space with your cleaner so that they are not cleaning in the same room you are occupying. Ventilate rooms as much as possible (windows and fans) and close doors between you and your cleaner whenever possible. Remember to close doors gently and save the slamming for any housemate(s) you may have. 😉
Refer to above section on Recommended Cleaning and Disinfecting Products so that you can set your cleaner up with proper products.
Wipe down with disinfectant any shared equipment (such as your vacuum) before your cleaner arrives and again after they leave. Or better yet, ask them to put it away and don’t touch any such equipment until their return. 😉
Tip your cleaner well 😉
Should you need a good cleaner for your home, some of the most excellent cleaners in the city work with us. Call us at 212-684-4460 or click here to book service online.
Keeping your home clean requires (unfortunately) TIME and EFFORT. Now, the last thing we would want is your time and effort going to waste through self-defeat actions that, sadly enough, are quite common. Instead, wisen up with these tips from White Glove Elite founder Jim Ireland. Identify these 6 mistakes and their tried-and-tested solutions so you can beat the dirt instead of it of it beating your best intentions.
Mop & Bucket?: Even the most progressive homeowners are not in favor of the re-distribution of dirt, which is all you are doing as soon as you rinse that dirty mop in your bucket of cleaning solution. Solution: Dilute your floor cleaner in a spray-bottle and spray-mop, rinsing your mop frequently under running water in the nearest tub or sink.
“Washing” Baseboards: So many people take a bucket of water and a wet cloth or sponge to their baseboards. A wet cloth will cause dirt to settle into crevices, highlighting all your carpenter’s mistakes and making your baseboards look even dirtier than before. Solution: Vacuum baseboards with a brush attachment and save the washing for when baseboards are scuffed-up.
Steam-Cleaning Carpets: Ever spill liquid on a new carpet? If so, you found that the water beads-up before eventually soaking into the rug. This is because unwashed carpet has a natural seal from the production of the fabric in even many hand-woven rugs. Once you shampoo or steam-clean that carpet even just one time, the seal will be broken and your carpet will become a sponge for all future spills making stains harder to remove. Solution: Put off that first clean as long as you can stand it. Spot clean with seltzer water for as many years as you can take it. Once you do give in and steam-clean, you might want to buy that machine since your next cleaning will not be far behind.
Don’t Mop Post-Renovation Dust!: Most of that dust is from plaster and wetting it will turn it right back into plaster which, at best, will spread a film across your walls and floors which will not come off without hand-drying the surface. At worst, it will settle between floor-boards and in the grain of your floors, which, if you have dark floors, can be very unsightly. Solution: Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum! Use a vacuum with hepa-filter and change the bags often. Use a brush attachment or Swiffer Dry mop for walls. When you feel confident you’ve effectively busted the dust, then mop to your heart’s content.
Toilet Pills Are Addictive!: Toilet pills in your tank leave residue which causes odors where clean water used to reside. These substances contain harsh chemicals which can cause your toilet’s internal organs to shut down prematurely. Withdrawal from these substances will leave a resin that will have your tank smelling worse than your bowl, sending you back to The Man for another fix. Solution: Say it with me…”Just say ‘no’ to pills!”
Smelly Sponges: I expect that a scientist could better explain this and I wish I could better-document this report with a rhyme or reason as to WHY this is true, but the day that you say goodbye to anti-bacterial dish soap and say hello to any brand of natural soap with no dyes or perfumes is the day you can also say goodbye to that stank-ass sponge! No more need for hacks like putting your sponge in the dishwasher or microwaving it to nuke odor-causing aliens. Solution: What seems like a sponge is actually vital to the diverse community of organisms in your kitchen. Be nice to the sponge in your system and protect it from the modern trend of chemical warfare. Trust me, this is not fake news!
We hope the knowledge on this blog helps you treat your home with care. However, sometimes it’s great to have help – otherwise we wouldn’t be in business. Book service online today or call us at 212-684-4460 to schedule an appointment with New York City’s top-tier housekeepers.
Stop filling the land and sea with Swiffer disposables! Most “Swiffer homes” I’ve gone into have a plethora of plastic dusters (because the stores are so often out of refill-only boxes) which they feed with an endless supply of microfiber disposables. And those who have bought into the Wet Jet craze are using batteries, plastic refillable bottles, unwanted chemicals and many replacement pads.
Try breaking with tradition and dusting with your vacuum. Use the soft brush attachment of your vacuum for dusting blinds, window sills, lampshades baseboards and, if your vacuum has a HEPA filter and adjustable power setting, you can even use it for your finer dusting needs! Most new vacuums have excellent emission ratings and even the worst have at least good emission ratings when tested with fine flour particles.
Are you ready for innovation at it’s finest? Even if you’re not religious, I’d bet anything you have a hole-y t-shirt in your home. Take it, run your hands under water a few times, drying them on the almighty shirt and safely dust your finest furniture and decor. Worried about sacrificing convenience? Take that crew sock who’s lost it’s better half and introduce it to a slender amount of water, inserting your dusting hand and go to town without leaving your home… convenient AND cozy. The damp cloth holds dust particles as well as any disposable microfiber and then I toss it in my laundry. Make sure to not use fabric softener with your dusting cloth of choice – while fabric softener is GREAT for your skin, it makes fabrics worse at capturing moisture and dirt, which can lead to streaking (and not the fun kind, either)!
To replace the Wet Jet and it’s plastic, batteries, chemicals, and disposable pads… get ready… I’m going rogue on you again…use a mop! It’s a radical idea, I know, but is it really easier to replace the pad (and batteries and refill the fluid) than to give a quick rinse under running water? If you forgot to pick up replacement pads at the store then you’re out of luck. Recently a White Glove Elite housekeeper was using the Wet Jet for a client and the batteries died AND it ran out of fluid. He had enough pads, but used them down to the last one, so hopefully someone will get to the store before the next cleaning and fill Procter & Gamble’s coffers while accelerating the arrival of our coffins. Being stuck mopping the floor with Windex in one hand and the Wet Jet in the other is a cruelty you should never need to inflict upon your cleaner, especially when the time for 2-armed elbow grease comes around.
Do you know the #1 cause of film on your floors? It’s cleaning product residue! Why are we putting dirt and chemicals back on our floors by rinsing in a bucket when we have clean running water to give us a fresh mop with each rinse? Try it. That’s right. Mop your wood floors with just warm water. You might have to add a little more elbow grease, but that’s cheap and it never runs out (and might just burn some calories.) For kitchen and bathroom floors, dilute your product in a spray bottle and spray on the floor as you go. Your product will go ten times further before you run out. I like the old school cotton hair mop, feel free to use a sponge mop that you can ring without getting your hands wet.
Are you paying to dust and clean your floors? We love the Swiffer duster and Wet Jet, just don’t be fooled into thinking they’re a necessity.
We hope the knowledge on this blog helps you treat your home with care. However, sometimes it’s great to have help – otherwise we wouldn’t be in business. Book service online today or call us at 212-684-4460 to schedule an appointment with New York City’s top-tier housekeepers.
As the thermometer slowly works its way downwards, the best of us are already thinking ahead to frost filled mornings! Not to savor in flushed cheeks and shivers (unless you’re into the sort of thing) but rather to ready their home, making the transition to winter more comfortable, enjoyable, and easier on the wallet. At least when your in doors!
Familiarize yourself with these tips ahead of time and put them to use when winter calls.
The good sheet. Now’s the time to swap-out those sexy silk sheets with cozy flannel… or at least change your sheets to a higher thread count.
Don’t get cold feet. Break-out the mats! Make sure you have cozy-warm mats in front of your sinks! Your kitchen and bathroom floors are about to get chilly.
Go old school. Change the accents in your home to include candles. If you have a favorite autumn or winter time scent, such as pumpkin spice or apple cinnamon, knock yourself out.
Rub a dub dub. Give a little more time to your regular tub cleaning. A nice clean tub my entice you to take a hot bath over your regular shower.
Free Your Fridge. The first cold day is a great time to defrost your fridge and run that self-clean cycle on your oven. Pack the contents of your fridge into a bag and set it outside. In New York City, I’ve hung a bag of cold goods from my window!
Hot air. Save money and energy by disconnecting the exhaust of your clothes dryer and covering it with a stocking to filter the lint. It’s already shooting out a ton of heat- that, unlike in summer time, you want to KEEP the HEAT inside.
Missing moisture. If you have radiant heat, invest in some decorative ceramic bowls, fill them with water and place on the radiator in each room. This will keep the humidity in your room at a comfortable level and prevent those lips from chapping.
Daft Police. Now’s a good time to replace the weather stripping around any window A/C units and get a cozy cover for the front of each unit.
We hope the knowledge on this blog helps you treat your home with care. However, sometimes it’s great to have help – otherwise we wouldn’t be in business. Book service online today or call us at 212-684-4460 to schedule an appointment with New York City’s top-tier housekeepers.
We all know about laundering pillow cases… but think there’s nothing to be done about the pillow itself? WRONG!
Get a cheap bottle of vodka and a spray bottle. Mix 1 part vodka to 3 parts water. (You could splash for the nice stuff…but that means less to celebrate with later!)
Spray the pillow liberally and let dry (ideally in the sun – solar power is totally green). Fluff and repeat. Use a stronger solution for tougher odors. Plan to do this about once a month.
PRO TIPS Avoid drenching pillow and definitely do not submerge it into water!
Why does this work? Well there’s no chemists here at White Glove Elite, but the following IS true:
Alcohol is a powerful sterilizer and antimicrobial.
Vodka, as opposed to other spirits, has little in it beyond ethanol and water – by watering it down further, its as close to odorless (and colorless) as you can get in a cleaning solution.
Provenance of advice (given White Glove Elite founder, Jim Ireland’s, adjunct career as a stage actor) : Did you ever notice that dry cleaning does nothing for odors? Theaters across the country prefer this solution over dry cleaning to launder delicate, odor-rich costumes.
We hope the knowledge on this blog helps you treat your home with care. However, sometimes it’s great to have help – otherwise we wouldn’t be in business. Book service online today or call us at 212-684-4460 to schedule an appointment with New York City’s top-tier housekeepers.
We all know the feeling when we are SO GLAD to walk into the room and appreciate the clean, organized, and packed away aesthetic beauty of mess-free environment. Sometimes that reflects the hard-won fruits of your labor, or sometimes that of someone else! Either way, time, energy, and effort went into achieving this. Invariably, that hard work will fade due to the realities of life – but that doesn’t mean you should give up your space’s beauty so willingly.
This mistake is an easy one to understand, but not the easiest to implement, especially when you often find yourself exhausted or in a rush! But if you can embrace this mindset as a lifestyle, you’ll be ahead of the pack, and will thank yourself (and impress any guests/roommates.)
Simply – Don’t break the ice! Once you have a clean surface, keep it perfect as long as you can! As soon as you put one piece of clothing on that empty chair or one cup on that clean counter, you will think it’s okay to put another and they each will have six friends before you can say “clutter”.
To help you on this journey, embrace White Glove Elite founder, Jim Ireland’s 7-Second Rule, especially in the evening. When you remove your clothes for the day, ask yourself “do I have 7 seconds to…hang up, fold this, or put it in the laundry?” The answer is invariably yes and will lead to astonishing results for those who so easily accumulate the dreaded pile of clothes.
The 7-Second Rule works with everything: cups on the counter, dishes not in the dishwasher, shoes on the floor, bags on the chair,mail on the table (okay, maybe you’d have to apply the 7-MINUTE rule to the mail.)
We hope the knowledge on this blog helps you treat your home with care. However, sometimes it’s great to have help – otherwise we wouldn’t be in business. Book service online today or call us at 212-684-4460 to schedule an appointment with New York City’s top-tier housekeepers.
