How to Clean Your Oven in 6 Simple Steps

The invention of electric ovens revolutionized the way we cook at home, with the ease of assembling ingredients into one pan, setting the temperature and letting your oven do the actual cooking. Whether you’re an ambitious baker who loves to try out new recipes or you just love the convenience of popping a frozen tray of lasagna in for dinner, your oven gets the job done!

Of course, ovens aren’t all hassle-free time in the kitchen. Keeping an oven hygienic and grease-free is notoriously difficult and time consuming, especially if you’re not in the habit, or simply don’t have time to wipe the inside of your oven each time, after it cools. Over time, the splatters and spills build up and get baked onto the oven walls and door. It may become tough to clean and unpleasant to put your food inside.

Oven cleaning doesn’t have to be a dreaded chore though. To save time and keep the inside of your kitchen appliances and cabinets fresh and clean, you may prefer to outsource these tasks to a professional home cleaning service in Downtown Toronto. If you’re up for the challenge of doing it yourself, we’ve prepared a step-by-step guide to help make your oven spic and span. Read on.

How do you clean the inside of an oven?

Follow the steps below to clean your oven without using harsh chemicals or breathing dangerous fumes.

1. Gather the following supplies:

- - Dish detergent
  - Scrubbing brush
  - Garbage bag or newspaper
  - Baking soda
  - Vinegar
  - Scrub sponge (use inexpensive ones from the dollar store)
  - Plastic scraper
  - A few old rags
  - Rubber spatula or plastic spoon
  - Rubber gloves (optional: use if you don’t want to get your hands messy)

2. Soak the oven racks

- - Remove racks from the oven and submerge in warm water mixed with 1/2 cup of dish detergent
  - If you don’t have a sink or container that’s large enough, you can soak the racks in your bathtub. Before putting the racks in the tub, be sure to spread an old towel on the bottom to prevent scratches.
  - Allow racks to soak for a few hours, then scrub with a brush and rinse

3. Prepare and apply your cleaning solution

- - Spread a garbage bag or newspaper on the floor underneath the front of the oven to catch any drips or debris
  - Mix 4 parts baking soda with 1 part water to form a thick, spreadable paste
  - Use a spatula or your fingers to spread paste over dirty areas inside the oven. Avoid getting it on the heating elements.

4. Let it sit

- - Close the oven and leave the paste on for 30 – 45 minutes
  - Don’t be concerned if the baking soda paste turns brown. This is an expected reaction which means it’s working to lift and absorb the grease and grime.

5. Apply vinegar and scrub

- - Dip the scrub sponge in undiluted vinegar then scrub the areas where you applied the baking soda paste
  - Use the plastic scraper to help loosen any stubborn spots

6. Wipe the oven clean

- - Reach in and thoroughly wipe down the interior of your oven with damp rags
  - Remove all traces of the baking soda and vinegar and clean off all the softened grease
  - Finish by wiping with a dry rag and buffing the glass on the door

Enjoy having a fresh, clean oven again!

Where can I book premier home cleaning services in Downtown Toronto?

If you want to take a break from cleaning, our team of expert cleaners are ready to tackle all your household cleaning challenges, including a dirty, greasy oven!

Since 2008, Hire A Maid has been providing clients in Downtown Toronto, Etobicoke, Whitby, Richmond Hill and other communities in the Greater Toronto Area with flexible options for one-time and recurring residential cleaning services.

Our WSIB protected and extensively trained cleaners adhere to systematic procedures that ensure effective cleaning and sanitization, including the high-touch surfaces in your home. We customize our service to meet your requirements. Fill out our online form or reach out to us via phone to request your free, custom quote today!

3 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Clean Your Home

It’s safe to say that not everyone enjoys cleaning. While most people would prefer to be doing other activities, house cleaning chores are unavoidable. For those who suffer from a chronic lack of motivation when it comes to regularly cleaning their home, this begs the question: apart from outsourcing your cleaning to an established maid service in York Region, is there another solution to this problem?

You bet there is! By planning out your housekeeping tasks beforehand and adopting a few helpful habits and motivational strategies, you can maintain a tidy home environment like a pro. Like the professional cleaners at Hire A Maid, you may even begin to enjoy cleaning your home!

How do I motivate myself to clean?

You need to think of cleaning as a marathon rather than a sprint. Dealing with a huge mess all at once shouldn’t be your goal. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you won’t be able to focus on getting things done. Try to break it down into manageable tasks that can be completed within the amount of time you have available.

By reducing the number of chores you have to tackle each day, you’ll make it much easier for yourself to find the motivation to clean. After all, it’s easier to get motivated to do something when the task doesn’t seem as difficult.

Here are 3 strategies to help you get motivated:

1. Set the mood

Listening to music that makes you feel good or catching up on your favourite podcast while you’re cleaning is a great way to make housecleaning something you can look forward to doing. Cleaning is also an excellent workout. Think of it as time well spent taking care of your home, your mind and your body!

2. Tackle one area at a time

If you only have 20 minutes to spare on a busy day, that’s not when you want to attempt to clean an entire room. You can, however, still get one chore done and feel good about it. Think of cleaning as work in progress.

Chores you can do in 20 minutes or less:

- - Gather dirty dishes and soak them in the sink or load up the dishwasher
  - Clean inside the microwave
  - Sweep or vacuum the room that needs it most
  - Empty all of the trash buckets and replace the liners
  - Wipe down the coffee table, TV stand or bookshelf in the living room
  - Put items that have been left out back in the drawers or cupboards where they belong

3. Share the work

If you don’t live alone, figure out creative ways to share the housework. We all have chores that we’re better at than others, or we don’t mind doing as much. Maybe you prefer tidying the kitchen after dinner, while someone else does laundry duty. If a member of your household is good at organizing, put them in charge of keeping the pantry or the family room organized.

This approach may be easier said than done, but establishing a routine where everyone helps out will free up time to do some fun activities together, like visiting Crosby Park. Think of it as a reward for pitching in to help get the work done.

Where can I book a dependable maid service in York Region?

Even with your best intentions, work and other responsibilities may not leave you with enough time or energy to achieve the level of cleanliness you want in your home. With the health and safety concerns of the coronavirus pandemic putting greater emphasis on the importance of sanitization to reduce the spread of germs, a professional cleaning service could save time and help you keep your home tidy and hygienic.

Hire A Maid can assist with a range of home maintenance cleaning services for residents of York Region. With more than 13 years of experience, we have the expertise to meet your every cleaning need. Contact us today to book your cleaning!

How to Speed-Clean Your Home Like a Pro

Knowing how to quickly and efficiently clean your house saves you time, provides you with a healthier living space, and prevents dust and clutter from building up to the point where finding the motivation to clean becomes a challenge in its own right.

And while booking a recurring maid service in York Region, Ontario is by far the easiest and most effective way to make sure you always have a clean and fresh home, sometimes you want the satisfaction of doing it yourself.

The good news is, there are ways to speed up your cleaning routine that do not require you to be a cleaning expert. Read on!

What is the fastest way to clean a messy house?

By preparing a good cleaning checklist and incorporating the tips and techniques below into your approach, you’ll be able to speed up your cleaning and achieve a high level of cleanliness in your home.

Here are a few strategies and time-saving tips:

1. Gather your cleaning supplies beforehand

Get an easy-to-carry bag or basket and fill it with the supplies you need before you start cleaning. This way, you will always have the right tools at hand and you’ll avoid unnecessary trips back and forth to get what you need.

2. Do the messiest rooms first

Tackling the most difficult cleaning challenges while you’re rested and motivated will enable you to clean faster. This approach also creates an impression that the cleaning is getting easier as it goes along and keeps you from becoming demoralized.

3. Top-to-bottom cleaning

Deal with dusting the upper areas first (high shelves, light fixtures, ceiling fans, etc.) and then work your way down. This way, you won’t have to reclean surfaces and all the excess dust and dirt will end up on the floor, where it can be easily vacuumed at the end of the cleaning.

4. Make it a team effort

Your efforts to lead by example may encourage other members of your household to help lighten your load. For instance, you could task your kids with tidying up their rooms. Even small children can help out by gathering their toys and putting them in a basket. If you live alone, consider asking willing friends and relatives for help.

How do you clean in a hurry?

You’ve been working and commuting all day, you’ve barely had enough time to get the items you need at the Vaughan Mills, and now you have to quickly tidy up your home before your guests arrive.

Since there’s no time to be thorough, you should focus on the areas your guests will be in. Take care of demanding cleaning problems first and leave small issues for later.

When pressed for time, here’s what you can do:

- - Tidy up the clutter. Gather toys, magazines, newspapers, remotes, game controllers, chargers, food wrappers, and put them where they belong.
  - Disinfect touch points such as door handles, light switches, countertops, TV remotes, and so on using a certified household disinfectant.
  - Quickly vacuum key areas such as the kitchen, living room, and ground floor bathroom.
  - Wash the dishes or put them in the dishwasher. The last thing you want is for visitors to see a pile of dirty dishes in your sink.
  - Remove pet hairs from furniture with a lint roller.

Where can I find a dependable maid service in York Region, Ontario?

The best way to keep your home clean is to never let it get messy in the first place. As an award-winning cleaning company in York Region, Ontario, Hire A Maid cleaners can keep your home healthy and fresh at all times. We deliver a high-quality, detailed service by following a customised checklist that’s designed to meet the unique cleaning requirements for your home.

Use our simple online form to request your free, zero-obligation quote today. You can also reach out to us by telephone if you’d like to ask questions or schedule a cleaning. We’ll make your home shine before you know it!

Cleaning Checklists 101: How to Take Your Home Cleaning to the Next Level

Knowing how to optimize your cleaning routine is crucial when it comes to creating an enjoyable home environment and protecting your family’s health. This is particularly important if you hire professional house cleaning services in York Region, Ontario to help keep your home hygienic.

In this article, we’ll help you get the most out of your home cleaning by examining the comprehensive checklists used by reputable cleaning companies. This can help you achieve excellent results and ensure your home is always healthy and clean. Read on!

What is a good house cleaning routine?

Most homes need to be given maintenance cleaning on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. This includes vacuuming, mopping, dusting, wiping down surfaces, and other regular cleaning tasks that are necessary to keep a house tidy.

The frequency of your regular cleanings may be determined by whether:

- - You have a large household.
  - Your household has active children or pets.
  - You live close to a major thoroughfare, near a construction site, or in an area that gets higher-than-usual dust and dirt buildup.
  - Someone in your household suffers from allergies (e.g. dust).

To ensure lasting cleanliness, reputable cleaning companies recommend giving your home an extensive deep cleaning during their first visit. This is a thorough cleaning service that’s designed to tackle accumulated dirt in greater detail and prepare your place for regular maintenance visits.

What is a professional house cleaning checklist?

Successful cleaning companies create detailed cleaning checklists to ensure a client’s home is cleaned to meticulous hotel-like quality. These checklists can be further customized to meet a client’s needs by including occasional services such as cleaning inside appliances, cabinets or closets.

Here’s an example of a premium home maintenance cleaning checklist:

General housekeeping

- - Vacuuming and mopping floors
  - Vacuuming floor coverings (rugs, carpets)
  - Cobweb removal
  - Cleaning windowsills, baseboards & ledges
  - Washing doors, door frames & window frames
  - Vacuuming window tracks
  - Dusting light fixtures
  - Wiping down door handles & switch plate covers
  - Emptying trash and recycling bins & replacing liners
  - Dusting shutters

Bedrooms

- - Straightening linens
  - Vacuuming upholstery & under furniture
  - Dusting furniture, lampshades, picture frames, shelving, artwork & knick knacks

Living, dining and family room areas

- - Dusting furniture, electronics, artwork, shelving, picture frames & knick knacks
  - Vacuuming upholstery & under cushions
  - Vacuuming under furniture
  - Cleaning interior glass doors

Kitchen

- - Wiping down backsplash & countertops
  - Cleaning inside the microwave
  - Cleaning the outside of all appliances
  - Cleaning eat-in kitchen furniture
  - Cleaning drains, sinks & faucets with a toothbrush
  - Cleaning cabinet & drawer doors
  - Cleaning handprints on patio door glass
  - Wiping down open shelving & contents
  - Removing build-up on surfaces

Bathrooms

- - Cleaning tile walls & grout
  - Cleaning bathtubs & showers
  - Cleaning and sanitizing toilets
  - Washing countertops
  - Wiping down door handles, switch plate covers, towel racks & paper holders
  - Cleaning and polishing chrome & mirrors
  - Dusting picture frames, shelving & toiletries
  - Washing the outside of cabinets & vanities
  - Vacuuming ceiling fans
  - Removing build-up on surfaces

Additional services (on request)

- - Cleaning inside kitchen cabinets & drawers
  - Cleaning inside bathroom cabinets & drawers
  - Cleaning inside closets
  - Cleaning inside large appliances (fridge, oven)
  - Sweeping porches or balconies
  - Washing walls
  - Replacing bed linens
  - Finished basement cleaning
  - Cleaning blinds
  - Removing heavy build-up

Where can I book dependable house cleaning services in York Region, Ontario?

Many people are simply too busy with work, caring for family members or looking after pets, and other responsibilities to clean their home as often or as thoroughly as they would like. To say that COVID-19 has further complicated things would be a huge understatement.

When dirt and clutter accumulate, it can be overwhelming and difficult to muster the motivation to clean. Hire A Maid can help solve this issue by providing you with comprehensive home maintenance cleaning services.

Let our reliable and hardworking cleaners perform a thorough cleaning of your home while you take care of other obligations or spend a relaxing afternoon at Lake Simcoe. Call us today to book your cleaning!

Top 4 Things to Look for When Hiring a Home Cleaning Service

Hiring a professional maid service to keep your home clean and fresh is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve your quality of life. By outsourcing your Durham Region house cleaning to the pros, you will be able to enjoy a cleaner, healthier home, as well as get back the time you’d otherwise spend scrubbing the kitchen or hunting dust bunnies in the bedroom.

But how do you decide which cleaning service is right for you? What sets a truly great cleaning company apart from its competition? What are the 4 most important traits you should look for when choosing a maid service?

We’ll be answering these questions in the following article. Read on to learn more!

How do I hire a cleaning service?

Successful cleaning companies understand that their clients are busy people who have things to do and places to be. In order to save you time and make the booking process as simple as possible, these companies enable you to either contact them directly via phone or request a quote by filling out a simple online form.

Needless to say, this form is available from both personal computers and phones, so you can easily fill it out on the go.

How can I find a house cleaning service that’s right for me?

First and foremost, your cleaning company of choice should place great value on your safety and peace of mind.

With companies like this, you can be absolutely confident that they will thoroughly interview and background-check each prospective cleaner to make sure they’re trustworthy individuals who have the commitment to learn and the work ethic necessary to deliver a superior standard of cleaning.

You may also want to take into account the following considerations:

1. Long industry presence

Life is too short to deal with amateur cleaners and cleaning companies. To ensure you get exactly the high quality cleaning you want, you should look for an award-winning maid service that has been in operation for a considerable stretch of time.

2. 100% happiness guarantee

Quality cleaning companies care deeply about their reputation and the quality of service they provide. One of the ways they show this is by covering each cleaning with a total satisfaction guarantee. Companies who care about your happiness will actively seek out and welcome your feedback.

If you are unhappy with the service you received, they’ll simply send someone back to your place to redo the problematic areas at no additional cost. They will even thank you for sharing your concerns because it matters to them that you are always satisfied.

3. Professional approach and dependable results

Whether they specialize in a set of services or offer a full range of diverse cleaning services, professional cleaning companies deliver dependable results. In addition to maintenance cleanings, they’ll also be able to provide you with specialized services such as post-renovation, move in/move out cleaning or home staging cleaning to prepare your home for sale.

4. Comprehensive checklists and custom options

First-rate businesses don’t leave anything to chance. In order to consistently provide a top-notch service and achieve absolute customer satisfaction, cleaners follow thorough cleaning checklists and their performance is monitored. These checklists can be updated with add-ons of your choosing available upon request.

Where can I schedule a top-notch Durham Region house cleaning?

Ideally, we would all be able to work a full-time job, raise our children, get eight hours of sleep every night, and still have enough time to keep our homes spotless. Unfortunately, for most of us, this is easier said than done!.

As a result, dust and clutter can quickly get out of hand. This can not only make your home environment less pleasant to be in, but also take a toll on your health. The good news is, Hire A Maid is always here for you.

We specialize in providing Durham Region residents with the complete range of residential cleaning services. Our thoroughly trained cleaning experts will cater to your cleaning needs while you relax with your family or take care of some much-needed shopping at the Oshawa Centre.

3 Benefits of Home Cleaning Services

House cleaning can be repetitive, tedious and outright exhausting, and you usually have to do it during your free time. And worst of all: there’s always a bottomless pit of things to do.

That is, unless you decide to outsource all that scrubbing and mopping to a reputable cleaning company that provides house cleaning services in Durham Region. But how exactly do these maid services work? Can professional cleaners really clean your home better than you can yourself?

In order to help you decide whether booking a cleaning service is the right choice for you, we’ll take a look at the 3 major benefits you get when you hire a cleaning company. Keep reading to learn more!

Why should I hire a house cleaner?

The number one reason to hire professional cleaners is that it’s the simplest way to reclaim your free time. Instead of spending your leisure time holding the vacuum, you’ll be able to pursue your hobbies or enjoy that long-overdue bike ride along Lake Ontario with your loved ones, and still come back to a sparkling clean home!

Here are 3 more compelling reasons to schedule a maid service:

1. Consistent standards of cleanliness

Professional cleaners put effort into every cleaning. They know that cleaning requires patience and they have the ability to apply cleaning supplies and techniques effectively.

For them, cleaning is not a daunting ordeal, but an actual job that they’re getting paid to do. Because of this, reputable and well trained cleaners will go out of their way to impress their clients by achieving a high level of quality cleaning.

Unless you have a background in the cleaning industry or the enthusiasm to spend a huge amount of time on cleaning, you simply can’t match this level of dedication.

2. Keeping you and your family safe

Being diligent about the cleaning and disinfection routine of your home is crucial if you want to protect yourself and other members of your household. Your home environment should be a place where you feel absolutely safe and comfortable and enjoy high indoor air quality.

For this reason, if work and other obligations make it difficult for you to find the time and energy to clean, scheduling a maid service to do it for you is the next best thing.

3. Eliminates the need for regular deep cleanings

Deep cleanings are a special type of cleaning service that aims to clean hard-to-reach areas and deeply ingrained stains that aren’t usually tackled during a regular cleaning. These cleanings take a lot of time and effort, and many homeowners have to perform them 2-3 times a year when cleaning on their own.

However, if you book a cleaning service on a recurring basis, that’s no longer necessary. The pros will perform a deep cleaning on their first visit, and then just maintain it so that additional deep cleanings aren’t needed.

Where can I book the most reliable house cleaning services in Durham Region?

Are you looking to hire an award-winning cleaning company that can make sure your home is clean and fresh at all times? If so, don’t hesitate to give Hire A Maid a call! As the leading provider of cleaning services in Durham Region, we are superbly positioned to meet all your residential cleaning needs.

Book your cleaning today, or give us a call if you’d like to ask further questions and learn more about why we’re the best!