Grill Master 101: The Six S’s of a Clean Grill

We’ve officially arrived at the dog days of summer, and you know what that means! It’s time for a break from standing next to the hot grill while we all wait for things to cool down a bit. Odds are you’ve built up a lot of grease and food on your grill already, so now it’s time to clean it off the right way in preparation for an autumn filled with tailgating, barbecues, and good times!

So how can you make sure you’re cleaning your grill so that it’s safe for everyone? Check out these six tips to find out!

Soak the Grates—The first thing you need to do for any grill is to remove the grates. Leaving them in just lets the grime you’ve knocked loose stick to other surfaces. If you have a big enough container, soak the grates in hot soap and water. If not, be prepared for some intense scrubbing with a steel brush! Alternatively, you can soak your grates for 24 hours in a mixture of ammonia, water, vinegar, and baking soda. But be careful! Remember that baking soda and vinegar are the erupting ingredients of the legendary classroom volcano, and use gently!

Scour the Hood—If you look on the underside of the lid, you’ll see a lot of grease build-up just waiting to heat up and drip on your food. Without removal, it will heat the metal hood up even faster, increasing the danger for burns. Take a steel brush to this as well! For best results, soak the lid with white vinegar for a few minutes before scrubbing. Vinegar is a great green alternative to soap when cleaning your grill!

Scrub the Heaters—If your heating elements are dirty, you could be losing a lot of fuel just compensating for the dirt! If you’re using charcoal, scrub the inside of the bowl with a steel brush, soaking first with vinegar. If you’re using propane, you need to be a bit gentler with the burners. Let them soak in vinegar before wiping them down with a scouring pad or rough cloth.

Stop the Rust—A few of the parts in your grill will inevitably begin to rust throughout the season. Either soak them in same mixture as the grates or, if they’re too rusted out, recycle and replace them! The last thing you need is a piece of your grill rusting out and breaking while you’re trying to use it! If you’re not sure about its quality, soak it in the mixture before deciding. It will help take off some of the rust, so if it’s too rusted the solution will simply dissolve the part, answering the question for you!

Sweep the Cabinet—If your grill has a cabinet to house a propane tank, you need to check it for leaves and other debris that has built up over time. Loose organic material can be a fire hazard when you’re operating your grill, so make sure it’s swept out and cleaned before you demonstrate your fall barbecue skills!

Stay on Top—The number one danger to your grill’s lifespan is negligence! Instead of doing a deep clean every few months, spread those out by cleaning your grill after each use! There are a number of methods out there for your consideration. Some people clean their grates with half of an onion by “scrubbing” the top after each use. Others do the same thing with a ball of aluminum foil. If you want to wait for it to cool off first, use a spray bottle filled with vinegar on the grates followed by scrubbing with aluminum foil. Your grill will last much longer with regular care!

Whenever you’re grilling, make sure you’re doing so safely. The cleanest grill in the world can be dangerous if used improperly. Keep in mind that you’re operating an open flame and could have unaware individuals around who could be hurt. The best grill master is a safe one!

So get out there and have fun this season! Whether you’re cleaning your grill, home, or otherwise, don’t forget to check out http://uswiping.com/ for the best cleaning products!

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Don’t Touch That! 7 Secretly Dirty Things We Touch Every Day

When we clean, we make sure to clean all the surfaces that we associate with dirt, grime, and food. We even clean floors, walls, and the occasional light fixtures, yet we ignore some of the most unsanitary objects in our living space! We either assume some of these things are clean after a quick wipe down or use them so often that we just don’t think about cleaning them in the first place.

Most of these are right in front of our noses and are luckily relatively easy to fix. Check out these 7 filthy things you touch every day!

Cell Phone – This first one is the one you probably handle the most! Most people use their phone so often that the thought of it being a haven for germs doesn’t cross their minds. Yet there can be more bacteria on a phone than on a toilet seat! So before you bring your phone to your face again, consider wiping it down with something that will sanitize all its surfaces, not just de-smudge the screen.

Pillow – Think about it: night after nigh, you keep your head on this one spot, yet you don’t clean it as often as the clothes you wear daily, which get thrown in the wash! Over time, dead skin cells, natural body oils, pollens, and other forms of dust build up and make your pillow one of the dirtiest spots in your living space. Be sure to wash your pillow regularly and replace it around every six months!

Money – Almost all of us handle cash and change every day. We often even hold bills less than 24 hours, receiving them from one source and handing them back off a few hours later. In that time, the bill comes in contact with multiple people and multiple other bills carrying just as many germs and bacteria. Be sure to wash your hands immediately after handling money! Extra tip: sanitize your credit cards to keep them from harboring bacteria.

Kitchen Sponge – There’s something strange about the object you use to clean the kitchen being so dirty. Yet if you read our last blog, you know that’s where the germs make their last ditch effort to spread! The kitchen sponge comes in contact with so many different kinds of bacteria that it’s a breeding ground for new growth. Be sure to swap out your sponge every few days at the absolute longest!

Showerhead – Here’s another thing that’s supposed to clean that’s a haven for germs and bacteria! While on the outside you may keep your showerhead clean, the dark, warm, and wet inside is the perfect place for germs to grow. Keeping this one at bay is a bit more complicated. You’ll have to disconnect the showerhead in order to scrub what you can reach and soak what you can’t. Use a strong cleaner to kill the germs and reattach and reseal the head using a waterproof caulk to keep it working as it should!

Restaurant Menus – When you go to a restaurant, you’re going with everyone who’s had that menu before you! Even if it looks clean, it’s like money. You know a bunch of people have handled it before you and it hasn’t been washed since. Keep a small packet of wet sanitizing wipes with you to clean the menu before you handle it! Plus, you can make sure your hands are ready to handle food as well.

Faucet Handles – Whenever you go to a sink, it’s because something is dirty. When you go to turn on the faucet, you transfer the germs from your hands to the handles but don’t wash the handles before you shut off the water. This lets the germs just sit and wait for the next person to do the same thing! So how can you keep them clean? Turn them on and off with a paper towel. You’ll keep your hands from contaminating the surface on the way in and from getting contaminated on the way out!

Bacteria and germs are around us every day. No matter how many precautions you take, you will be exposed to germs and bacteria. So whenever you’re coming in contact with a dirty object, be smart! Wash your hands after using it and keep your hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth. And don’t forget to sanitize on top of cleaning! Head over to US Wiping at http://uswiping.com/ for all your cleaning and sanitizing needs!

9 Simple Cleaning Tips to Keep Cross Contamination in Check

Whether you’re in the car, at work, or at home, cleaning is an essential part of your living routine. But did you know that conventional cleaning methods might not be getting the job done correctly? Improper cleaning could even lead to cross-contamination, the spreading of dirt and germs from one source to another. Your food contaminants from the kitchen don’t belong in the living room, but you could be unknowingly carrying them there!

So how do you prevent cross-contamination? Here are 9 tips to keep your living spaces as clean as possible!

Quick Clean – Kitchen and bathroom counters are the most important locations to hit with this tip. Setting a toothbrush, a bar of soap, a dirty utensil or dish, or food can contaminate that surface, allowing bacteria to begin growing, ready to be swept up by the next thing or person to touch it. Prevent this by wiping up any residue right away!

Germ Prevention – Keep hand sanitizer and wipes easily accessible in high traffic locations, and put down dirt-trapping rugs in entryways. Keeping dirt and germs out of the space in the first place helps keep them at bay for when it’s time to begin cleaning the right way!

Mighty Microfiber – Regular cotton towels and cleaning products don’t pick up dirt and residue nearly as well as microfiber cleaners. Because of its synthetic engineering, microfiber is meant to pick up any dirt and residue and hold on to it! Cotton towels and rags will only push dirt around and will drop it on other surfaces if used in multiple locations. So swap out those old cotton rags with some long-lasting and effective microfiber towels!

Swap Your Towels – It’s handy to have a kitchen towel on hand to clean up accidental spills and messes. Just be sure to swap it out for a clean one frequently! Especially if it gets wet, it can be a hotbed for mold and bacteria and will spread them to surfaces it touches. Throwing it in the wash and replacing it regularly can help prevent its dirt from getting on other surfaces!

Color Coordinate – Have multiple colors of microfiber towels on hand so you can organize your rooms and surfaces by color! Keep blue towels in the kitchen, red in a bathroom, white in the living room, etc. This way, you can ensure that any germs in one room won’t be able to hitch a ride on your cleaning products to other parts of your living space!

Sanitize Surfaces – It’s not enough just to clean. After you’ve eliminated all the grime on surfaces, make sure you sanitize them with something strong enough for the job! After you’ve applied it, make sure you let it air dry. Sanitizing cleaners need time to do their job, and drying them off prematurely lets bacteria and germs survive on a surface you thought was sanitary!

Touch Points – Hand hotspots such as door handles and switches can carry germs and dirt like no other spot in the living space. Wipe down those surfaces with cleaning and sanitizing agents. Be sure to do these last so you don’t re-contaminate the surfaces when leaving the room!

Keep Yourself Clean – Your own hands could be carrying germs from one space to another without you realizing it! Be sure to thoroughly wash your hands after cleaning each space to avoid cross-contamination. Once you’re done cleaning, wash out and sanitize any sinks you may have used to wash your hands to keep those clean as well!

Try New Things – New cleaners and cleaning methods are being introduced all the time that are designed with your health in mind. Using old cleaning tactics ignores the existence of germs only recently discovered. By using new products and techniques, you can ensure you’re getting the deepest and safest clean!

In order to lead a healthy and productive lifestyle, you want to ensure the spaces you spend your time in are keeping you as healthy as possible, whether it’s your home, car, or workspace! By keeping them clean, you’re doing yourself a big favor. And by using US Wiping products, you’re making sure that what looks clean really is! Check us out today at http://uswiping.com/ for all your cleaning needs – we have so many fantastic cleaning products for you to use, including color-coordinated microfiber towels!

11 Things You Should Be Cleaning But Probably Aren’t

When it comes to cleaning your home, your office, and your car, you’re a pro. You dust like a boss and dust mites don’t stand a chance when you break out the vacuum. You know how to make the kitchen floor sparkle like new and how to wash windows to let the sun shine in. But more than likely, you’re not cleaning everything that you really should be cleaning.

Here are the 11 items in your home, at the office, and in your car that really need to be cleaned but are probably forgotten:

Your Toothbrush Holder – The often overlooked, unsung hero of toothbrush holding is usually not cleaned very frequently. If not cleaned every once in a while, the toothbrush holder can get moldy and gross, especially since it’s drenched in a warm water a few times a day. Depending on what it’s made of, you can either throw it in the dishwasher for a good cleaning or clean it with a microfiber cloth and solution.

Trashcans – It’s ironic that we don’t tend to clean the very things that contain our trash. Even if you line your cans with clean trash bags, they are still covered in germs and will need to be cleaned once in a while, even the big ones outside. Every two weeks, scrub down the trashcan in the tub with some bleach and water to make it like new again.

Remotes and Controllers – Think about where your remote controls and game controllers wind up – on the floor, under your sleeping dog, wedged in the filthy cushions… these hard working devices need some extra care, for sure! To clean them, remove the batteries and use microfiber clothes and toothbrushes with rubbing alcohol. Do this about weekly to keep your remotes and controllers clean!

Your Cell Phone – Probably in greater need of a scrub-down is your cell phone. It lives in your pocket, in your bags, on the many desktops and countertops, and for many people, in the bathroom, too. Get rid of all the germs with an antibacterial cloth every once in a while.

The Car’s Steering Wheel and Buttons – Your hands, which may or may not be clean all the time, are all over the steering wheel and all the buttons that are placed in or around it. Make sure they’re clean! If your steering wheel is leather, opt for a leather cleaner. If it’s made of plastic, you can wipe it down with a disinfecting wipe to get the job done. Make sure to get everything that your hands routinely touch, including the gear shift and the knobs and buttons to your radio, air conditioning, and heater!

Pillows and Duvets – You probably clean your pillow sheets, but what about the pillows themselves? They contain a lot of really gross stuff like dead skin cells, mites, and more. Most pillows can be machine-washed and –dried – just make sure to check the label first! Set the washer on the gentle cycle and wash the pillows in hot water with a mild detergent. You can throw two regular-sized pillows in together to keep the load balanced, but you should really only wash one king-sized pillow at a time. Put them through the rinse cycle twice to get the soap out, and place them in the dryer with two clean tennis balls on low heat.

Ceiling Fans – You might not be able to see the dust that’s been collecting on the top of your ceiling fan blades, but it’s definitely there. Wipe it down with a duster or a damp microfiber cloth to prevent dust from swirling around in the air.

Bathroom Exhaust Fan – If you have one of these in your bathroom, you might not realize how dusty and dirty it gets over time. Remove the vent and wash it with warm soapy water regularly to keep it squeaky clean.

A/C and Heating Vents – Just like your bathroom exhaust fan, it’s a great idea to clean these vents frequently. You won’t just breathe easily, but you’ll also help improve the efficiency to your system!

Reusable Grocery Bags – Many of us have switched to bringing our own bags with us when we go grocery shopping, but very few of us clean them. According to a study from the University of Arizona and Loma Linda University, about 97% of us never wash our bags, and about 50% of the bags had tested positive for coliform (fecal) bacteria while 12% contained E. coli. Throw your cloth bags right into the washer and dryer after each use, and wipe down your recycled plastic bags with hot soapy water or with a disinfectant spray to keep things clean and to avoid cross-contamination.

Computer Keyboards – According to a 2008 study from the U. K., our keyboards are dirtier than toilet seats! Make sure to give your keyboard a good cleaning every few months by spraying between the keys with compressed air and lightly cleaning the keys and surrounding areas with an alcohol-soaked cotton swab.

Arm yourself with the best cleaning gear around to tackle any sort of cleaning problem! Choose U. S. Wiping for all of your cleaning needs. Check out our stock and order yours today at www.uswiping.com.

5 Steps to a Sparkling Clean Fridge

The end of May is nearing, which means you have probably already done your spring-cleaning for the year. The lights have been dusted, the floors mopped, and the stovetop rid of burnt food. Did you also know that your refrigerator is probably the most neglected part of your kitchen?

Here are some tips to getting the squeaky-clean fridge and preventing those sticky, smelly messes in the future! Remember to turn off your fridge before cleaning it out – you will save quite a bit of energy!

De-clutter your fridge

Start by cleaning the inside of the fridge shelf-by-shelf, starting from the top and working your way down. As you start consolidating, use your counter space to group similar items together. Staying organized minimizes future items from becoming expired. Be sure to check the expiration date and toss anything that’s long overdue. Check for spoilage or awful odors on any items without an expiration stamp. When in doubt, throw it out! Everything else that made the cut should be placed in ice in a cooler to avoid spoiling.

DIY Cleaners

Before you break out the chemicals to clean, there are great DIY cleaners that you can make using household items. Vinegar is great for scrubbing your shelves and eliminating bacteria. Another option is to use equal parts baking soda and water. Used all your baking soda to soak up those odors in the fridge? That’s okay! An alternative is to use salt, water, and lemon. Get one cup of salt and dissolve it into a gallon of hot water. Squeeze fresh lemon juice in your solution, and you’re ready to scrub!

Time to Clean!

Grab a microfiber cloth and start scrubbing those shelves and bins to eliminate any stickiness, dried up leaks, and any other grime that has been sitting there all winter long. Remove any drawers and shelves to make cleaning easier!

Check the seals of the fridge doors. It’s a guarantee you will find dust, grime, food particles, and even pet hair lodged in the crevices of the seals. Grab some hot water with a little bit of vinegar and a microfiber cloth and watch the gunk come out! Be sure to wash that rag once you’re done. The rag itself may need a little extra attention!

Be sure not to neglect the outside of the fridge! The door handles are full of bacteria since they are touched most often! Grab a clean rag to disinfect the handles and exterior. Vinegar is also stainless steel friendly, so don’t be timid using it on your shiny reflection.

Keep Your Fridge Smelling Fresh

Store a box of baking soda in the back of your fridge to trap foul odors. Be sure to swap out the box every three months or your remedy will become ineffective. Don’t forget to label your fresh box with a date as a reminder of when you need to swap it out. Though baking soda may be a well-known remedy, soaking a cotton ball with vanilla extract is another great alternative. If your fridge needs a little more help than an open box of baking soda, kick it up a notch by adding fresh coffee grounds to your baking soda. The coffee smell will fade in time, taking the odors with it.

Keep It Simple

To make cleaning easier the next time you tackle your beastly fridge, consider putting Cling Wrap or Press N Seal on your freshly cleaned shelves. When you clear everything out next time, just lift and pull. Toss that sticky mess in the trash and replace it with a new layer.

Don’t forget to plug your fridge back in! Now that you’re inspired to cook, avoid putting food directly back in until your fridge has reach appropriate temperatures.

Performing a deep clean on a regular basis helps remove unwanted bacteria and germs that can be a health risk to you and your family. Use the best, sturdiest cleaning materials around by ordering yours from US Wiping! Find our many products online at www.uswiping.com!

How 9 Famous Landmarks You Know and Love Get Cleaned!

Spring is the time of year when we clean our homes of all the filth and dust from the winter season. While we might be scrubbing down our homes and prepping our wardrobe for the impending summer weather, there are other important things that are getting spruced up as well, like famous landmarks, statues, and monuments. Sometimes this happens once every few years while others get a good cleaning more than once a year.

Here’s how some of the world’s most recognizable landmarks get cleaned!

Big Ben – Big Ben (or the Great Westminster Clock) requires a lot of time and patience to clean. Each of the 4 dials is 23 square feet, and there are 312 panes on each face. Time doesn’t stop marching on when the clock needs cleaning either; cleaners attached to nylon ropes are forced to dodge the moving hands with the minute hand moving about a foot a minute.

The Coliseum in Rome – Did you know that the Roman Coliseum has never been cleaned? It’s true! In fact, for the first time in its 2,000-year history, it is being cleaned of all the dirt and grime from the past. Those who are cleaning it are using toothbrushes and water to get the huge arena clean, along with larger brushes for the larger areas. The Coliseum is slated to be totally clean by 2016.

The Eiffel Tower – This 124-year-old structure that frequently adorns our walls and décor gets cleaned annually. It takes 4 tons of wipes (yes, TONS!), 25,000 garbage bags, 105 gallons of metal cleaning solution, and 10,000 doses of detergent to get this structure looking all shiny and new. In addition to its annual cleaning, the Eiffel Tower is repainted every 7 years by hand with lead-free paint in three different shades of brown, a system that requires almost 60 tons of paint. This paint job lasts up to 18 months.

The Empire State Building – How do you clean the windows of a building that doesn’t have a flat roof? That’s what window washers who clean the 102-story Empire State Building deal with whenever they clean this landmark. They tackle this problem by hooking harnesses to eyebolts that are embedded inside the building since they can’t attach ropes to the rooftop.

Lincoln Memorial – Honest Abe (or at least his inanimate doppelganger in Washington D.C.) gets a thorough power washing from a hose twice a year to keep him shining and sparkling like new!

Mount Rushmore – This well-known monument, which was completed back in 1941, had received its very first cleaning in the summer of 2005. The 60-foot-tall granite faces of 4 American presidents were cleaned by highly-pressurized 150-degree water. That causes all the dirt, moss, and grime to be wiped totally away!

The Space Needle – First opened for the 1962 World’s Faire, the Space Needle that graces the Seattle skies received its first cleaning in 2008. The same company that cleaned Mt. Rushmore worked only at night and used water pressure up to 2,610.6 psi heated to 194 degrees Fahrenheit on the 604-foot-tall structure. How did they do it? The cleaners lowered themselves by rope from the very top of the tower. Talk about bravery!

Statue of Liberty – Until the 1930s, this symbolic monument gifted from France received an annual wash but not a scrubbing. That’s because the green patina on the statue protects the copper underneath. Now we know why the statue is green!

Taj Mahal – This iconic monument in India is quite difficult to keep white and beautiful as it constantly fights the pollution in the area. When it’s time to clean it, workers use something unexpected to get the job done – mud. Mud clay is applied and left to dry over the areas overnight and is removed using soft nylon brushes and water the next morning. This has been done to the monument in 1994, 2001, and 2008.

You may not have a big task of cleaning a huge monument that graces tourists’ photos, but it can be a tough job to keep your home, workspace, or business clean. Come to US Wiping for all your cleaning needs! Check out our stock at www.uswiping.com to learn more!

5 Reasons Why You Should Make Spring Cleaning Your Home a Priority

Spring is officially here! Do you know what that means (aside from warmer weather and flowers blooming)? That means it’s time to begin your spring-cleaning, a.k.a., the act of deep-cleaning all those areas of your home that gathered dust all winter. While this may not be our favorite aspect of spring, it’s a necessary one – plus, you will feel better after it’s done!

Not sure why spring-cleaning is important in your home? Here are 5 key reasons!

Get Organized – You spent your winter moving around belongings that you never use anymore. Now is the time to pitch, donate, or sell all the items you know you won’t use again. Your storage closets and corners will thank you for it.

Good For Your Health – Do you suffer from allergies? Getting rid of dust and cleaning out those hard-to-reach places can help keep those spring allergies at bay!

Say Good-bye to Stress – When your home is clean, it gives you the ability to focus on what’s really important, not worry about cleaning! No cleaning = less stress!

Always Be Ready For Guests – Having an impromptu game night or BBQ will be much easier when you don’t have to worry about doing any house cleaning!

Change of Scenery – While spring cleaning, make some small changes with décor or move things around. This will help breath new life into the room!

If you’re ready to start your spring-cleaning, consider our great products to help get the job done right! Our variety of microfiber rags, lint-free towels, and kitchen towels can rid your home of dust and dirt! For more information or to purchase your products, please visit: http://bit.ly/1k5iLg2 Visit us on Pinterest for more cleaning tips!

Got Grease Stains? 9 Common Household Cleaning Solutions That Work!

No matter how careful you are in your home, grease stains happen. These types of stains can be pretty stubborn and tough to get out of many areas in the home, especially if you’re not quick to address the issue.

Luckily, we’ve come up with a list of 9 useful household solutions to help you get rid of those grease stains right away. Try one, a few, or all of the following solutions in your home!

Baking Soda – Are grease stains from your cooking adventures adorning your stovetop and backsplash? Get rid of them with baking soda! First, wet the spots with a little water, and then cover them with a just a bit of baking soda. Rub them off with a damp sponge or soft towel. Keep the baking soda around to help break down the grease on dirty dishes in your dishwasher as well!

Chalk – As strange as it sounds, chalk can work wonders on those grease spots in your tablecloths! Just rub some chalk on the linens and let it absorb all of the oil from the grease before you brush it off. If the stain still sticks around, just rub some chalk into it again before you toss it in the washing machine.

Club Soda – Cast iron pots are great for cooking meals in, but cleaning them can be pretty difficult. Make cleanup a lot easier with club soda! Simply pour some in the pan while it’s still warm – the bubbly soda will help keep the mess inside from sticking!

Cornstarch – Cornstarch isn’t just handy for cooking meals; it’s also great for getting stains out of the kitchen and carpets! Just sprinkle a bit onto a soft cloth and rub it into the grease spot gently until it disappears! For carpets, sprinkle cornstarch over the stains and let it sit for several hours. Then, vacuum it up, and the stain should be gone!

Kitty Litter – Have some extra kitty litter around and looking to get rid of that garage floor oil slick left behind by your car? Just blot any wet oil or grease with newspaper until the floor is pretty dry, and then spread a generous amount of kitty litter over the stains. Let it stand for 24 hours, and then sweep it up. You should have a clean floor devoid of grease!

Newspaper – Paper is absorbent, and that applies even to grease! Spread several thicknesses of newspaper over the grease spots in your garage floor, and then soak them with water and weigh them down with something heavy. When the paper has completely dried out, remove them, and the stain should be gone!

Paper Bag – When you grab a bite at your favorite fast food place, you might notice that the greasy foods leave their mark on the bags that hold them. This trick works for getting those stubborn grease stains out of wallpaper as well. Just fold a brown paper bag and hold it over the stain. Run a warm iron over the spot, which should draw the grease into the paper, and repeat until the spot is gone!

Shaving Cream – If you accidentally dropped some grease food on your brand new carpets, you don’t have to worry. Just grab a can of shaving cream and work some into the grease spot. Let it dry, and then rub it off with a damp spot cloth to get the stain out!

Vinegar – Vinegar is great for a lot of things, and one of those tasks includes getting grease stains out of your kitchen counters or table! Just wipe them down with a cloth that is dampened in a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water. It will also help reduce and neutralize any odors on the surface – double bonus!

If you’re ready to tackle those grease stains in your home or business, you’ll need some sturdy cloths to help wipe up all the liquids and grease. Let us help you with that! Find the perfect cleaning products for you at www.uswiping.com!

10 Major Reasons to Start Decluttering Your Home Today

It’s not uncommon to have a “messy” house most days. Life is busy, and there just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day to keep things looking neat and tidy before we wind down. But when does “messy” become “cluttered”?

If you’ve accumulated a lot of unnecessary items in your home, you might find that keeping your household clean can be tiring and next to impossible. If the clutter is bothering you (and it probably should) but you’re lacking in motivation, read this list of 10 big reasons why you need to take the time and start tidying up ASAP!

It Decreases Your Stress – A survey conducted by Rubbermaid found that 42% of homeowners experienced more anxiety when their homes were cluttered and in disarray. If you find that you’re more anxious or stressed out when you’re at home, chances are it’s because of your clutter. When you start clearing out the junk and unnecessary items, you’ll find that your state of mind will improve greatly!

You Can Make More When You Sell – If you plan on moving anytime soon, you might want to start decluttering right away. According to a 2013 survey by HomeGain.com, real estate agents ranked cleaning and decluttering your home as the top low-cost DIY improvement project for a home seller. In fact, the return on investment (ROI) was 403%! Remember, potential buyers like clean, organized spaces and are more prompt to buy those sorts of houses, so start clearing out unnecessary items right away.

Give Your Lungs a Break – All that stuff in your house gathers dust at best, and dust is bad news for your health, especially if you have asthma or other breathing problems. Regular house dust has also been known to contain arsenic, decomposing insects, pollen, and dust mites, and in more extreme cases, fecal matter, human skin, and even mold and other organisms. Keeping things tidy and cleaning regularly can help eliminate this, however!

Find a Parking Spot for Your Car – According to a UCLA study of home clutter, approximately 25% of garages couldn’t be used to park cars because they were too jam-packed with clutter. That’s one in four households! If your garage is packed with stuff, take the time to clear it out to shelter your car. Remember, a garage will help protect your car from the elements and help it last longer for you to use and enjoy.

You Can Save Money – Many households have the tendency to stockpile, which then typically becomes clutter. When you clear out the clutter, you may discover that you really do have enough frozen chicken, cans of green beans, toys that haven’t seen daylight in months, or all the cleaning supplies that you could ask for. This will help you to stop spending money on things you don’t need and keep your budget in check and your wallet fat.

You Can Find Money – Need money? Got a cluttered house? Take the time to clean it out and you might come up with some extra dough! Professional organizers have claimed that they have come across thousands of dollars in their clients’ homes including undeposited checks, gift cards, and even cash. Cleaning your home is like checking the pockets of old jeans and purses – you never know how much forgotten money you’ll come across!

It Will Clear Your Mind – Who can think clearly with all that clutter in the way? Apparently, not many people can. According to research conducted at Princeton University’s Neuroscience Institute, when one’s environment is cluttered with stuff, that person’s ability to focus is diminished, and the brain’s ability to process information is limited. If you’re tired of feeling overwhelmed, start small, begin decluttering, and try to keep it clean to help your mental clarity.

Improve Your Friendships – Not many people are okay with inviting their friends over to their messy homes. In fact, nearly half of homeowners said that they wouldn’t ask their friends over because of clutter, and 16% of moms with at least 3 children claimed that they won’t let their friends come over because of the state of their homes. If this applies to you, take charge and take control of your home’s clutter for the sake of your friendships.

Bump Up Your Credit Score – We know that a lot of valuables can go missing (including money) when a space is cluttered. Other important items that can vanish under piles of stuff are those pesky bills, which is bad news if you’re notorious for paying bills late. You won’t just rack up the fees – you’ll also kill your credit score. Keeping the house organized and clean, though, can help you keep those bills at the forefront of your mind, allowing you to pay them on time and keep your credit score going strong!

Have More Time for What Matters – Do you enjoy spending time with your family, reading, learning a new language, or doing crafts? Think about how much time you waste trying to find the items you need or attempting to clean up the clutter – time that can be dedicated to doing the things you want to do. According to the National Soap and Detergent Association, getting rid of clutter would eliminate 40% of housework in the average home, leaving you with almost twice as much time to do the things that really matter.

After you’re done reorganizing, throwing out unneeded items, and donating the things that don’t fit anymore, you’ll need to complete the job by cleaning your house. That’s where we come in the picture! Check out our website at www.uswiping.com to view our durable, top-of-the-line cleaning products to help get even the toughest cleaning jobs done!

7 Amazing Things You Didn’t Know Microfiber Cloths Can Do

Many of us use microfiber cloths for things like dusting and cleaning mirrors, but did you know these absorbent towels have many other uses you probably haven’t considered? The multi-purpose use, durability, and affordability of microfiber cloths are what make them a great all-around cleaning tool. The best part is that they last a long time, and they are an environmentally friendly alternative! Once you’re done with your cleaning, you simply throw them in the washing machine, and they are ready for next time!

Learn about these 7 things you might not have known that your microfiber cloths can do below!

Make the Kitchen Sparkle – Microfibers are great for removing dirt and food particles from kitchen surfaces and appliances. They are also gentle but tough enough to clean granite countertops and make them shine!

Streak-Free Window Cleaning – If you’re looking for a streak-free shine with just water, microfibers will become your new sidekick when it comes to cleaning those widows!

Sayonara, Television Smudges – TVs and touchscreen items can be damaged by using paper towels. Microfiber cloths are a safe and affordable alternative for cleaning these objects and won’t scratch their surfaces.

Tough on Stains – You know those tough stains you work so hard to remove? Next time try using a damp microfiber. They are able to pick up dirt and other particles from items, just as they can easily be used for dusting.

Eradicate Shower Residue – Next time you’re trying to remove dirt and residue from your shower walls, reach for the microfiber instead!

Swiffer’s Super Sidekick – Quit buying refills for your Swiffer mop; instead, stick a microfiber on your Swiffer next time! Using a microfiber will save you money and they are a great eco-friendly alternative.

Polishing Power – When it comes to polishing, say hello to your new secret weapon! Whether it’s jewelry or appliances, microfiber can help make it shine!

Are you convinced that microfiber cloths are the answer to your cleaning needs? If so, US Wiping can take care of all of your cleaning needs with a case! You can purchase your microfibers in a variety of colors from our website at http://uswiping.com/microfiberwipersandmops.aspx