Always clean: 5 tips to make your home always look clean

There's no big secret to keeping an impeccable home. It just requires diligence. So we put together a five-part plan that targets the areas of your home most likely to collect dirt, grime and clutter. If this list is all you get to do in the day, consider it a major win, and know that you're making the best of your homekeeping time.

1. Sort the Mail

Nothing will take over your home faster. Nothing. First, go through today's mail and shred or toss unneeded mail into trash or recyling bins. Then take the rest, open each envelope up and – here's the important part – act on it. If you can handle it now, by writing a check or filling out a form, do it.

2. Clear the Dishes from the Sink

You know that relationship advice that suggests you should never go to bed angry? I think you should never go to bed with dishes in the sink. Wash what needs washing and clear the way for the new day.

3. Wipe Down Kitchen and Bathroom Counters

Without dishes and junk mail cluttering the counter, this should be an easy task. Grab a wipe or rag and wipe everything down, then...

4. Sweep the Kitchen Floor

You can't do one without the other. Wipe crumbs from the counter to the floor, then sweep the floor clean.

5. Organize Shoes by the Front Door

Just like mail, here's something else that always seems to multiply. Before bed every night, gather the loose shoes and leave one pair per person by the front door, and take every other pair to the closets and bedrooms where they belong.

What tasks are in your must-clean daily routine?

20% off all gift cards

Save the date!

We’re offering 20% off all gift cards starting December 1. Give yourself or a loved one the gift of a clean home. Use code: HOLIDAYS. Offer ends December 24.

At Aqua City Cleaners, we are professionally trained, licensed and bonded to assist you with your house cleaning needs in Victoria, Vancouver, and Toronto. From sanitizing your home to bathroom deep cleans, there is no job too big or small! Contact us today for a free, no-obligation estimate.

Ecofriendly Christmas trees

The age old discussion of fake versus real Christmas trees has really grown over the years especially with new ‘greener’ options surfacing for sourcing real Christmas trees.

There are many real tree options available, from visiting a U-cut farm, acquiring a license to cut down your own tree, renting or purchasing a living tree, or decorating a tree rooted in nature.

It’s important selecting your tree remains fun even when you are being more conscientious of your choices and all of these options create a sense of holiday adventure.

Here are the different options for finding your real tree this year.

Fake tree

It’s difficult to list many reasons how a fake tree can be an eco-friendly option at Christmas. Yes, it does get reused but the fact these trees are shipped from the other side of the world, made from PVC plastic (very toxic) and contain lead, really dampens the FA LA LA LA! It’s important if you’ve invested in a fake Christmas tree to get the maximum use from it. Many schools and churches love fake Christmas trees for their annual productions and would appreciate a donated tree if you’ve decided to switch to live trees.

Your local Used.ca sites are the perfect place to sell or give away fake Christmas trees. This following point is important: if you are looking to purchase a fake tree this year, buy second hand so you reduce the production stress on the earth with the manufacturing and shipping of fake trees. Use your local Used site’s search tool and search for Christmas tree.

Tree farm

Have you ever taken the crew to cut down their own Christmas tree?

Some eco-minded people find the act of cutting down a tree in it’s youth pretty tough to do, but if you think about what a local Christmas tree farm is doing, it’s more than just cutting down trees.

Farms are continually replacing cut trees, producing clean air, and supporting locals by hiring and managing a local business. Trees that you purchase cut or U-cut can be made into woodchips after the holiday season and these wood chips are used in parks as trails.

So if supporting local is important to you, visiting a tree farm and supporting a local business might be the right fit for your family.

Christmas tree permit

Many people live near vacant Crown land where, after you obtain a license, you can cut down your own tree. This option wins extra environmental points because many of these trees would be cleared eventually; space under powerlines, near roadways, forestry/logging roads.

This only works in provinces where permits are available to download. You cannot legally decide yourself where a tree can be removed. Follow these steps to keep your family safe and avoid fines:

• Contact your provincial forestry website

• Navigate to the Christmas tree permit application, complete permit application and wait for confirmation

• Contact the office directly, confirm you’ve received your permit application and find out where the exact area you can go to remove a tree

• Do not cut a tree on forest plantations in harvested areas, private property, within 30 feet of a stream, rive, lake or wetland, research areas, parks, community watersheds, or juvenile-spaced areas

A living Christmas tree

Renting or purchasing potted plants to create a living Christmas tree has become very popular. It’s a fantastic idea and working with a nursery you trust is highly recommended for this option.

We went to our local experts at Art Knapp in Vancouver and asked for tips on living Christmas trees to ensure their condition remains healthy through the holidays. Did you know the recommended number of days a potted tree can live indoors is 10 days?

Here are more tips from the nursery department of Art Knapp to help you care for your indoor tree over the holidays:

• Limit time indoors to a maximum of 10 days. Any longer and the warm indoor temperatures force the plant to think that it’s springtime and it will begin to grow. This new growth will freeze when it’s moved back outside to winter conditions

• Spray the foliage with an anti-wilt product to prevent needle drop. This is an organic wax that limits moisture loss and is safe to use on most living and cut greens (excluding potted spruce trees)

• If possible, choose the coolest location indoors. Fireplaces, for example, can throw a lot of dry heat so it’s best to avoid placing living trees near a heat source

• Use of mini-lights is safe as they don’t give off much heat and make the trees look festive. Strands of older-style large light bulbs should not be used as they heat up and can dry out the needles

• Use a large plastic tray to hold water underneath the rootball. If your tree’s roootball is wrapped in burlap, then this is really important to keep your flooring clean and dry. If you have hardwood floors, put a barrier of cork or felt between the tray and the floor to prevent condensation from ruining your floor. If your tree is very heavy when you move it indoors, it will probably need watering only once during it’s 10 days inside

Decorate an outdoor tree

If the idea of cutting a real tree isn’t appealing, decorate an outdoor tree in your yard. Lights and ornaments that are made with materials suited to local weather patterns would look magical on an outdoor tree. Children can become involved with making ornaments with pieces of nature: pinecones, leaves, etc. to keep the tree looking nature themed. A fun craft can include making bird feed ornaments with cookie cutters to invite winter birds to your outdoor Christmas tree for visits.

Halloween Party Cleaning tips

It’s finally time to throw a party for your favorite holiday, but you’re dreading the mess. That’s why we’ve compiled the following list of our favorite tricks for Halloween party cleanup so you can relax and enjoy the festivities.

Use Disposable Plates, Cups and Cutlery

For a quick, simple clean up use paper plates, cups and cutlery instead of dishes. They can be thrown away in a flash and then thrown out with the rest of the garbage so you don’t have to spend the party rinsing plates and emptying and filling the dishwasher. Disposable eating is festive as well, something your flower plates simply can’t pull off for Halloween. Get plates and cups with a spooky Halloween theme and your party’s popularity just went up a few notches.

Lots of Visible Waste Baskets

Keep waste baskets and recycle bins where guests can see them. If your bin is on the side of the house, drag it into the backyard. Have the kids make a spooky sign that designates the area as a “Soda Can Corpse Dump Site” or brainstorm other ideas to make people use the bin. If you normally keep your garbage under the kitchen sink, pull that out too. The more visible garbage receptors you have, the less likely you’ll have to pick up stray plates and cups strewn all over the house.

Send Food Home

If you have a lot of yummy leftover food and no space in the fridge, pack it up and send it home with guests. Most people are thrilled to have leftovers, especially when they didn’t have to make it. Send home extra candy, too.

Have Your Halloween Party Catered

If you really don’t want to lift a finger so you can enjoy the party along with guests, consider hiring a professional catering service that will handle everything for you. From cooking and serving the food, to cleaning up afterward, this is a sure way to keep the cleanup out of your hands.

Put Any Willing Guests to Work

We all have those friends that are always willing to jump in and help with cleaning up. Don’t turn this down. Say YES! and watch your house return to its original, sparkling clean self faster than you ever thought possible. Get the kids to help too, if you can.

Have any other tips or tricks for making the daunting task of cleaning up after a Halloween party easier and perhaps even – dare I say… – fun? Reach out to us on your favorite social network and let us know! Looking to book a professional cleaning to get that spotless clean you’ve always wanted? Browse our services and see what our team can do for you!

Pumping carving cleaning tips

Halloween is right around the corner and every mom knows that this is the time of too much candy, unpredictable weather and pumpkin carving – messy, messy pumpkin carving. The fun part is creating a pumpkin personality – maybe mean, maybe scary, maybe silly – and the not so fun part is cleaning up the mess.  But never fear, the moms on our team are here to walk you through how to keep everything tidy as you carve your Halloween pumpkin.

So let’s get started:

Materials to Gather

– Pumpkin
– Carving tools
– Plastic cover
– Paper towels

Carving the Pumpkin

Choose a flat surface outside, in the garage or at the kitchen table and lay down the plastic cover.  Carve the pumpkin with the carving tools and separate the seeds if you’d like to cook and eat them.  Place the seeds in some water to soak off the rest of the pumpkin guts. When you’re done with the pumpkin, simply wipe you hands on the paper towel and then throw it on the table. Fold everything up and throw it in the trash.

Cooking Your Pumpkin Seeds

For a healthy snack during a time when sugar is king, lightly salted pumpkin seeds will be a refreshing change for the kid’s taste buds.  To begin, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F or 150 degrees C.  Melt 2 teaspoons of butter and add one pinch of salt.  Mix the cleaned pumpkin seeds in with the butter and salt and stir, coating the seeds.  Place the seeds on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally or until the seeds are a light golden brown.  Taste.  Add more salt, if necessary, and enjoy!

Tip: This is great time to make candy apples.  Do the projects side-by-side and throw everything away all at once.  Mmmmm caramel covered candy apples, a scary pumpkin and pumpkin guts!  What a festive Halloween, indeed.

When you follow these tips for a mess-free pumpkin carving crafty adventure, there will be no scrubbing washing, or mopping – at least there shouldn’t be –  and you can concentrate on making the scariest pumpkins on the block.

Have any other tips or tricks for keeping clean when carving pumpkins with the kiddos? Reach out to us on your favorite social network and let us know! Looking to book a professional cleaning to get that spotless clean you’ve always wanted? Browse our services and see what our team can do for you!