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House Cleaning Tips for the Perfect Thanksgiving

November 21, 2021 by dialamaid

House Cleaning Tips for the Perfect Thanksgiving

House cleaning on Thanksgiving is the most annoying step of the celebration, but as in anything you can invest some time to prepare yourself and the task will feel much easier to accomplish!

About your perfect thanksgiving: something truly perfect doesn’t exist, but you can aim for perfection! Or at least comfort, the holidays are days to rest and to be with your family. Resting is necessary for your body, and nice clean home is something that doesn’t have any substitute.

Besides the food, your Thanksgiving needs to have:

Clean environment – when something is clean your brain associates it with healthy things, clutter clouds the mind, and leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

Comfy feel – this is a feeling of peace and tranquility. One of the best ways to do it is by giving your home a nice scent. I do it by burning orange peels, it also works with cinnamon.

The Before

Prep time is an art, here is where you think of everything you will need, and when you will need to start the cleaning everything will run smoothly and without problems. Every single task needs prep time, and for every minute invested here is 10 minutes less or work in the future.

You need to start your house cleaning tasks before the celebration, one or two days before for optimal results. On this special occasion, dusting should be the first thing you do, after that you should mop and the final ribbon is to clean your windows.

Dusting is a must, and you can use your vacuum for a lot of parts of your home. You can vacuum your sofa, your pillows, virtually anything can get dusty and your vacuum is your most versatile tool for dust cleaning your home.

Thanksgiving

During your dinner, you can do a couple of things, the biggest thing you need to care about is your dishes. If you have a dishwasher you could load your dirty dishes, but sometimes they are so filled with grease that it may not be enough.

Tips for cleaning and not losing time when at your party:

  • Set your sink for soaking your dishes: fill it with water, then add soap and put your dishes inside. This will make it much easier to clean.
  • Have everything ready: set space with everything you will need through the night, your kitchen utensils, and your cleaning supplies.
  • Prepare for the worst, expect the best: always shoot higher than what you will really have. If you have 15 people invited aim as if 20 people are coming over,

After the Party!

After: after there is only one step further, keep cleaning. You always need to start at the dishes. If you soaked them in soapy water then it will be much easier to clean. Given them a rinse and pop them in your dishwasher. Then you could rearrange the table. Folks are always nice enough to give you a hand, you shouldn’t capitalize on that.

To Summarize

A clutterless home doesn’t feel comfy or right, cleaning your home is the best way to create a healthy environment, there are lots of cleaning tips that will bring new life to your home, but always remember that family comes first, and any celebration is worth doing, it doesn’t matter how small it is, especially in these harsh times. Stay safe and clean!

Top 5 Reasons to Hire A House Cleaning Service

December 1, 2020 by dialamaid

Enjoying a spotless house is a dream for every family, especially for working parents. While we are living in a rapidly-changing world, cleaning comes in the backseat! However, many still think that hiring a house cleaning service is restricted to the aristocracy level in our society.

Things are changed now! House cleaning service isn’t that expensive as many people think, in fact, it’s rather affordable for most families. So, if you still have doubts in this regard, here are the very important reasons to hire a house cleaning service: 

  1. A Priority at the Age COVID-19

As successive waves of COVID-19 is continuously attack many places in the world, as along with hygiene is among the closest thing we have to a vaccine until now. So, “proper home cleaning” is a must and necessary more than any time before! You can’t ignore or delay cleaning issues because right now it relates directly to your health and your children’s health. Besides that, many of these companies depend on using Eco-friendly and organic cleaning products which means protecting your family’s health from diseases and any harsh chemicals.  

  • Creating New Memories with Family

One of the most crucial things that families miss today is having enough time with kids and family. For working parents who lock themselves in cleaning the house after a long day at work, instead of spending time with little kids. Have you imagined how badly this affects your kids emotionally! Of course, needless to say, how exhausting emotionally and physically this for parents.

Additionally, using a cleaning service helps you to create new memories during holidays and festivities. You can go shopping and taking happy photos as a family and never worry about the time you have to spend to clean the home because a cleaning company will do that for you.  

  • Incredible Cleaning Results

House cleaning companies have professional cleaning employees. The employees are well-trained to provide the highest quality with unique cleaning techniques. Also, they have strong experience and background about the cleaning products they use more than anybody else. So, hiring a house cleaning company guarantees completely clean and safe home to live in.   

  • Multiple Choices

Flexibility is one of the features that distinguish cleaning service from other industries. They provide the “fitting-service” for clients. For instance, you can choose the places at your house to be cleaned, the number of rooms and bathrooms, and whether your home needs light cleaning or a deeper one. Moreover, in professional cleaning companies, they have experts who provide you with the best cleaning package suggestions that match your house needs at the best prices.  

  • Save Time, Money, and efforts

Let’s be honest here, should we waste our time and energy between work responsibilities and scrubbing our bathroom floor! How and when will we find great moments to live in life! The only way to enjoy your life by creating one. Hiring a cleaning company will save more time and effort so you can have fun with friends or at least have time for yourself to relax. One more thing, house cleaning companies usually offer discounts and special offers as well. Therefore, keep in mind to choose the best company that suits your needs.

Thank You!

Best Hygiene Tips in 2020: How Should I Clean My House During the Pandemic.

November 5, 2020 by dialamaid

Best Hygiene Tips in 2020: How Should I Clean My House During the Pandemic.how-to-clean-house-during-pandemic

Months ago, seeing doorknobs, light switches, and countersurfaces fairly clean was enough to satisfy us. However, when the pandemic strikes every place in the world, people now are cautious to find out the best ways to keep every nook and cranny germs-free. According to the WHO, one of the most important recommendations to keep COVID-19 away from you and from your family is Hygiene. You have to take extra care of your personal hygiene and keep your house sanitized and disinfected as well. To simplify this job for you, we bring to you the best hygiene and cleaning tips in 2020:

1- It’s All About Your Hands

First of all, remember not to touch your face while cleaning home. From now on, it would be better to wear reusable gloves when cleaning your home. That will prevent germs transmission and reduce the infection possibility. Most importantly, you must wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially once you got home after being at any public place. Additionally, you need to follow the instructions that are recently issued by health organizations, for instance, ways to remove your mask and take off your shoes and clothes once you return to your home.

2-Use Spray Disinfectants

Surfaces are the most common things we touch during our day; imagine how many times you touch your doorknobs daily, or even how many people do that if you live with a family or you have friends usually come to your house. Also, contaminated surfaces pose a serious risk of COVID-19 spread so, it’s necessary to give them extra care of the cleaning. Therefore, the best way to clean surfaces, handles, knobs, and any other difficult-to-clean place is using spray disinfectant; they are easily and quickly applied to such places, cover large areas and also, very effective

3-Stop “This Bad-Habit.”

We are talking here about wiping floors and surfaces with cloths or rags! It is one of the easiest ways that might cause infection. These damp cloths are the most appropriate places for germs and microorganisms to thrive and spread infection. Therefore, the best thing to use is the disinfectant wipes.
Disinfectant wipes are adequate in cleaning most surfaces at home. Also, they are a convenient way to daily-frequent cleaning.

4-Hire A Professional House Cleaning Service Company

House cleaning service helps you to clean your home weekly or monthly perfectly, which turns your home into a safe and clean one. Besides that, hiring professional cleaning houses experts under the current circumstances reduces the transmission of COVID-19 risk and gives you the best-needed recommendations for your own home. Moreover, they can teach you outstanding cleaning hacks and tricks to use, so you can use them when cleaning your house next time.

5-Be Cautious About the Cleaning Products You Use

The ultimate purpose of using cleaning products is killing and removing bacteria, viruses, and other germs. In other words, you have to choose the “effective” cleaning product then you can look for other secondary features. Also, remember to double-check the duration of effectiveness for this product, the way you should use it, and other manufacturer’s warranty information. On other hand, too much of anything isn’t good, so avoid using harsh chemical cleaning products that cause allergy to you, or exacerbate medical problems you have. So, you have to choose an effective cleaning product but not the harsh one.

Stick Vacuums: The Pros amd Cons for Your Housecleaning

July 26, 2018 by admin

Whether it’s vacuuming the entire house or just spot checking, a lighter weight Hoover with proper attachments allows you to more gracefully handle the vacuum without the chore becoming a full workout! Here are the Pros and Cons we’ve discovered over the years:

PROS:

1) Bagless – Love the ease of emptying dirt. And no need to continually buying and installing bags.
2) Portable – Cordless, thin, light weight (weight deserves it’s own Pro! – see below) and easy to store, stick vacuums are perfectly portable. Handing hard to reach places, no problem! Also great for quick spot checks such as you’re your adorable toddler topples over bowl of fish chips onto the living room carpet.
3) Light Weight – The primary advantage is light weight! Whether it’s vacuuming the entire house or just spot checking, being able to handle the vacuum without becoming a full workout makes for more an effortless chore. I specifically look for light weight when considering vacuums for my business. If only stick vacuums had more power…

CONS:

1) Power – Stick vacuums tend to lack power. If you are vacuuming high traffic area you will want sufficient suction. Stick vacuums lack umph.
2) No Attachment Tools – Not only do you lose the weight, you lose convenient brushes and hoses for more specific tasks.

Pay more for a stick vacuum? Maybe but do your research first because price is not always indicative of being better. Sites such as Amazon offer great rating and customer feedback to discern quality. Surprisingly some of the most useful vacuums I have used at Dial A Maid were also the cheapest.

Stick vacuums are ideal for light cleaning and spot checking. They may be all you need for small homes and apartments. Less ideal for maintaining larger, trafficked homes and areas; you’ll want more of a work horse vacuum.

Either way, every home should have one.

The Best Time to Buy Anything During the Year

November 26, 2014 by admin

Happy Holiday Season! So when is the best time to buy presents. With a bit of planning you can save a ton of money if you go shopping throughout the year. Here’s your comprehensive, always up-to-date guide on the best times to buy everything this year. You probably know that certain things are cheaper at certain times. Whether you’re buying airfare, dining out, Christmas presents, there is often a best time to buy.

First Quarter (Jan/Feb/March)

Boats: Not only is it the off-season for boats, but it’s also boat show season, which means you can grab a lot of models—particularly last year’s models—at good prices (not to mention with fewer strings attached).

Computer Monitors: There are multiple times that you can grab monitors for cheap (Black Friday, anyone?), but the January and February clearance time is a great one.

Gas Grills & Air Conditioners: They’re obviously off-season (at least in the colder states), and unless you’re a serious air conditioning enthusiast, you probably aren’t itching to get the latest and greatest.

Wedding Supplies: Everyone wants a wedding in the spring, which means it’s a lot easier to find a venue and negotiate prices for a service in the winter—depending on the location, of course.

Winter Coats & Clothing: The later you get into winter, the better the prices will get, because everyone already has theirs. If you need to upgrade, try to survive one more winter with your old battered coat before retiring it.

January

Clothing: Have you ever been to a clothing store post-Christmas? It’s amazing. They’re all having mad sales after the holiday rush, so now’s a great time to grab some extra clothes if you need them. The selection won’t always be great, but prices will.

Broadway Tickets: Broadway’s slower months are in the winter and fall, so January’s a great time to seek out some discounts. You probably won’t find them for the more popular shows, but if you’re looking to branch out, this is the time to do it.

Carpeting & Flooring: Most people buy carpets at the end of the year in preparation for the holidays. Once January rolls around, prices will go down.

Furniture: Different furniture is better at different times of the year (and we’ve noted examples in this guide), but January is a great general clearance time, since most furniture companies release new products twice a year: in February and August. That means they’ll be giving some sweet deals in January to make room for the new products next month.

Linens and Bedding: Ever since John Wannamaker started the first “white sale” in 1878, January has been the best month to get bedding and other linens. Of course, just as with clothing, keep an eye out all year round, since retailers will put last season’s stuff on sale when new products come out.

Motorcycles: It’s really cold outside. Not to mention icy. It doesn’t make for great cycling weather, but if you’ve been mulling over a motorcycle purchase, get it in January and then wait to ride it when the snow melts.

Suits: Not a lot of people buy suits in January, so you may see prices drop to get you into the store. Remember, though, you get what you pay for, so don’t go too overboard with the cost-cutting.

Video Games: A lot of new video games come out in late fall for the holiday season, and they’ll go on sale after the holidays are over.

February

Broadway Tickets: February still falls into the slow season for Broadway, so grab discounts on tickets to the less popular shows.

Cellphones: Valentine’s Day may seem like a strange time for cellphone sales, but you can often find buy-one-get-one-free sales in the “theme” of the holiday.

Televisions & Home Theaters: You won’t find every TV on sale during the pre-Super Bowl sales, but you can usually find a good deal on older models before they come out later in the spring.

March

Chocolate: If you’re willing to wait until after February 14th.

Frozen Foods: It’s National Frozen Food Month. Seriously, that’s a thing.

Golf Clubs: New models are coming out for the summer, so your local golf shop is pushing the old ones out the door. Grab last year’s set cheaply and you’ll forget all about how awesome the new ones are.

Luggage: It’s in between vacation seasons, so shops are dropping prices. Grab any extra bags you might need for the summer in March.

Second Quarter (April/May/June)

Televisions and Other Electronics: Japanese manufacturers’ fiscal year ends in March, so they’re eager to get rid of old stock. This will probably be better than the Super Bowl sales, provided you’re okay with buying last year’s model.

Houses: Spring is the peak season for home buying, which means competition is fierce. Now’s a good time to shop.

Cookware & Kitchen Accessories: Graduations are coming up, so even if you’re well out of school, take advantage of the grad-based sales for everything kitchen-related.

Digital Cameras: Digital cameras start going on sale in February, after the new models have been announced at the January Consumer Electronics Show. However, if you’re looking for the best deals, you’ll find it in the second quarter of the year—as long as you’re okay with buying a slightly older model.

Thrift Stores: Spring cleaning means thrift shops will be getting a lot of new inventory, so if you like to shop for bargains at the Salvation Army and similar places, spring is a good time. Just make sure you don’t undo all the spring cleaning you just did.

Vacuum Cleaners: New vacuums come out in June. This is pretty convenient, since you can buy a vacuum for a low price beforehand and get started on your spring cleaning.

April

Cruises: Shop well ahead of your cruise date for the best deal.

Sneakers: As the weather starts getting warmer, the less serious start getting back into the swing of working out, which means it’s a great time to take advantage of spring sales at your favorite running or footwear store.

May

Refrigerators: While most big appliances go on sale later in the year, refrigerators are the big exception. New models come out in May, so last year’s models will get discounted.

Mattresses: While mattresses are generally a product that comes out year round, the Spring sees quite a few reduced prices.

Office Furniture: If you shop after tax day—when most home businesses start up—you can usually find some great deals on those office chairs and desks.

June

Dishware: Wedding season brings deals on dishes to everyone, including those not getting hitched.

Gym Memberships & Equipment: Everyone’s forgotten their New Year’s resolutions, so gyms are a bit more desperate for members (not to mention everyone’s working out outside). Haggle yourself a good price. Similarly, if you aren’t a fan of working out in front of others, you can buy gym equipment for your home at a similar discount.

Tools: It’s hard to complain about gender stereotypes when power tool prices are this low. Shop before Father’s Day for a good sale.

Third Quarter (July/Aug/Sept)

Computers: Intel and AMD start ramping up for new stuff in July, and back-to-school sales get pretty good around this time too.

July

Furniture: July is the other big clearance month for furniture, since new stuff is coming out in August. Check out the clearance sales for some good steals.

Home Decor: From table settings to dinnerware, you’ll find lots of home decor on sale for the middle of wedding season.

Tools: July is a great month for stocking up on tools if you have the DIY itch.

Video Games: If you play console games, the best you can do is usually wait until your desired games go on sale, usually a few months after they’ve been released. PC gamers can take advantage of big online sales—like the ever-popular and wallet-reducing Steam Summer Sale—around this time.

August

Linens & Storage Containers: As the kids head off to college, lots of stores have sales on new dorm supplies.

Office Furniture: Another benefit of those back-to-school sales, whether you’re a college student or not.

Kids’ Clothing: It’s back to school season, so lots of more kid-oriented stores are having sales.

School Supplies: Again, back to school sales mean good deals on lots of office supplies. You can either buy now, when the sales are going on, or later in September, when stores are getting rid of leftovers.

Swimsuits: While you can find good deals on swimwear at the beginning of spring, the best discounts come during the end of summer, when everyone’s clearing out their inventory.

September

Appliances: With the exception of Refrigerators (see May), September and October are the best time to buy big appliances, since it’s when new models start coming out. You can get last year’s leftovers for less.

Bicycles: New models come out at the end of riding season, which is around September. Look for good prices on last year’s models.

Broadway Tickets: September is the second “off season” for Broadway, so it’s another good time to find deals on tickets.

Cars: New cars usually come out at the end of the summer, so lots will be clearing out their 2013 models around this time. It should be easier to haggle down the price, too. Buy at the end of the month for extra savings. This is also a good time to lease, since it’s when the banks estimate a car’s residual value.

Lawnmowers: Stores have to make room for all their winter gear, which means summer staples like lawnmowers will be on sale. As usual, the selection won’t be as good, but that’s the tradeoff you make for good deals.

Holiday Airfare: We’ve mentioned before that you should buy plane tickets two months in advance, which means now is the time to prepare your holiday visits to friends and family.

School Supplies: As mentioned above, stores’ll be clearing out their inventory from all the back to school sales. Anything you don’t need the first few weeks of school can be bought in September for even less.

Wine: It’s harvest time, which means this is the best time to stock up on wine.

Fourth Quarter (Oct/Nov/Dec)

Cars: As we said in September, now that the new models are out, the old models are going for less. Haggle your way down to good prices on 2013 models for the rest of the year.

Cookware & Kitchen Accessories: Holiday deals start pretty early, and cookware is one of the more popular items that you’ll find on sale all quarter.

Digital Cameras: There is often a second round of new camera announcements in September, so check out the older models for a reduced price after the new ones come out.

Gas Grills & Air Conditioners: Again, as we drift into the cold off-season, and stores start to push their older stuff.

Plants: If you have a cellar or other area that can store plants until the spring, you can pick them up now pretty cheaply.

Toys & Games: Again, the Christmas sales start early at places like Toys R Us, and will continue through most of the holiday season. The closer you get to the holidays, the better the deals…but also the more stressful it becomes (we’ve all seen Jingle All the Way, right?)

Wedding Supplies: Winter’s back, which means finding a venue and negotiating those services is going to be a lot easier. The deeper into winter you get, the better the savings.

October

Appliances: The fall season of big appliances continues. Shop for last year’s models at a lower price through this month. ,

Broadway Tickets: Yet another off-month for Broadway shows, so grab your tickets now for less.

Jeans: Jeans are one of the more common leftover items after the back-to-school rush, so hit the mall in between back to school season and holiday shopping season for some mad prices.

Patio Furniture: Now that the outdoor season’s really wrapping up, you’ll find the best prices on patio furniture before it all goes away.

November

Appliances: According to Dealnews, November will net you the absolute best prices in the Fall appliance sales.

Candy: As long as you don’t mind it Halloween-themed, you can walk into pretty much any grocery store and stock up on loads of candy you didn’t even know existed anymore.

Televisions & Other Electronics: Hit the stores during Black Friday and Cyber Monday or good deals on all sorts of electronics.

Tools: Holiday sales are perfect for grabbing cheap tools, especially if you have a winter-related home repair you need to make.

December

Champagne: Again, this is one of those few times that prices drop because demand is so high. Champagne companies are all trying to compete with each other, so grab it now for your holiday celebrations.

Golf Clubs: It’s the off-season, so golf clubs are cheaper to come by.

Pools: It may seem like eons away, but if you buy a pool now, you can get a great discount on next summer’s fun. There are a few smaller sales during the summer, but you’d have to keep a sharp eye out to catch them.

Televisions & Other Electronics: The sales continue after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, usually all the way up until the super bowl.

Tools: The holiday tool-stravaganza continues.

General Buying Tips for Any Time of Year

Apart from the above time periods, there are other days of the week or year that are best for buying certain items (which is great if you can’t wait three months for a new computer). We’ve mentioned a few of these around the site before, but in the interest of being comprehensive, here are some things to keep in mind:

  • Appliances tend to be cheap on Sundays, when most people are out buying new ones. In addition, you’re bound to find great deals on any major holiday, like Memorial Day or Independence day.
  • Computers & other electronics are cheapest on Mondays, when manufacturers apply their rebates. This applies to TVs, cameras, and video games as well.
  • Entertainment venues like museums and amusement parks often have discounts during the middle of the week, when they’re less crowded. Plus, smaller crowds are always nice. Some museums might even have free admission days, so check out the venues you’re interested in for more.
  • Gas prices are higher on the weekends, hitting their peak mid-morning on Thursday to anticipate all the weekend drivers and travelers. Fill up on Wednesdays or early morning Thursdays for the biggest savings.
  • Jewelry is best bought on Wednesdays, when most people tend to shop for it. However, stay away from gift giving months like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Christmas.
  • Chocolate is great to buy after any holiday that involves chocolate: Halloween, Christmas, Easter, and Valentines’s Day, for example. They’ll be clearing out all their holiday-themed candy, so you can grab them up if your kids already ate their chocolate rabbits and Santas.

And with all things, if you find an item you like, monitor it regularly. Things go on sale for no reason all the time, whether it’s a Shell Shocker on Newegg, the end of a clothing season, or when a particular product goes through a refresh.

New Management

July 7, 2014 by admin

I am very excited to introduce Greg and his team at Emily Maids to you. Due to the possibility of relocation for my husband’s work, we decided to begin marketing the business to sell; we felt that while we may be able to run Dial-A-Maid from a different city, that it would be better run by someone close by to the customers that we care for. I was both happy and relieved whenever Greg contacted me and said that he was interested in taking on the Dial-A-Maid customers and staff into his existing business!  I have known Greg over the years that I have owned Dial-A-Maid; we have helped each other out on more than one occasion when the other is over booked, and I was always confident when referring a new lead to him that I did not have the availability to service that they would be well taken care of by Greg and his staff.

My husband Ryan and I purchased Dial-A-Maid from the previous owner, Kristy Bean, in June of 2008.  Kristy actually began the company by doing the cleaning herself, about three or four years before we purchased the business from her. She had a background in web design, but had a desire to be self-employed. So she created her own website, hired someone to create the very cute logo that we still use, and began cleaning!  As her customer base grew, she hired someone to help her clean the customers’ homes, and then eventually she hired another lady to take her place cleaning, so she could devote more time to customer service and growing the business. Kristy got married in the spring of 2008, and her husband owned a landscaping business at the time. He was spending most of his time out in the field, and had a great need for someone to run the office end of things. They decided to sell Dial-A-Maid and just focus their efforts on his landscaping business. So Kristy posted an ad on Craigslist advertising the business for sale. My husband Ryan called me from work one day, very excited about this ad he had seen for a business for sale on Craigslist and asked me to check it out.  Fortunately we were the first ones to call!

I worked in the fashion industry before my children were born, so Dial-A-Maid was very different from my previous work experience. But I had always worked for small companies in the fashion industry, so I have enjoyed being a hands on owner (I’ve been my own office staff the whole time!) so that I could work closely with the customers and employees. Whenever my husband first called me and asked me to check out the ad, he suggested that maybe it would be something that I would enjoy doing and still be able to be home with our son. He was two and our only child at the time, now he is eight and our daughter is five (Perhaps you’ve heard them in the background from time to time while on the phone with me, or maybe you’ve just heard the Sponge Bob Squarepants theme song). It has definitely been a learning experience, in taking on being business owners for the first time for my husband and I, in taking on a very different career for me, and in taking my children along for the ride since so much of their early years have been involved with Dial-A-Maid (I hope that they have learned some things along the way as well!).

I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed working with each of you, and how much I appreciate your loyalty and support over these last six years; you have been a blessing to my family, as well as to the employees families. Thank you, thank you, thank you again for your business; I hope that you will enjoy getting to know and working with Greg and the Emily Maids team!

by Julie Matthews

Best House Cleaning in DFW
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