Pressure washers have become extremely popular rental options among home owners looking for fast and efficient cleans. Pressure washing your siding, deck and driveway is extremely effective if done correctly. Unfortunately, many are unaware that there are different types of equipment meant for different surfaces… and that without proper training, one can easily damage their property.

The most common mistake do-it-yourself pressure washers will run into is applying too much pressure. It is easy to underestimate the power of a jet of water, but many first-time attempts will end up carving strips out of wood decking, or etching lines into the home's siding.

Continue reading "The Dangers of DIY Pressure Washing"

Spring is right around the corner. Ahhh… The smell of fresh flowers, the joy of leaving your home without a winter jacket, and of course… spring cleaning. For a lot of you, this might make you want to go back into hibernation, but the reality is it’s a perfect time to get your home in order. There may be a few explanations as to why we as Americans feel the sudden urge to collectively purge, rearrange and restore our homes from top to bottom come springtime. Ben Franklin made us spring ahead, so who’s idea was it to spring clean?

 

Well, it’s no myth; winter causes us to be inherently less active and motivated. That’s right; your brain creates melatonin when there is less sunlight on cold dreary days, making you sleepy! Come spring, Mother Nature provides us a natural energy boost by giving us warmer weather and extra sunlight. The dreary days of snow are (hopefully) over and our natural instinct is to explore and interact with others. Although it may seem like a western tradition, cultures from all over the world have been spring cleaning for thousands of years.

Continue reading "The History of Spring Cleaning"

 

Solar panel popularity is on the rise, especially in the Southwest where solar energy is becoming more accessible and inexpensive. Also, the go-green attitude many are adopting seems to motivate a lot of homeowners to seek out cleaner energy options. Advancements in technology have made it possible for homeowners to not only power their homes with solar energy, but make it profitable while being gentle on Mother Earth. Solar panels are no longer a poor man’s dream, but what about maintenance? As long as we’ve had solar panels, we’ve had the argument over whether or not they should be cleaned. To clean, or not to clean… that seems like an odd question, huh? We are a cleaning company, so spoiler alert: we think you should have your panels cleaned if you want them to work at peak efficiency at all times. Much to our surprise, a lot of manufacturers have claimed that their solar panels are “self-cleaning” and therefore save you money, time and effort because they’re so “low-maintenance.” What they really mean is that it should rain enough for your panels to stay clean and efficient… enough. With that logic we could argue that your windows, roof, siding, deck, sidewalk and driveway are all “self-cleaning,” too. They’re outside, so if it rains once in a while… they must be clean, right?

Continue reading "Why You Should Clean Your Solar Panels"

3 Cheap and Painless Ways to Boost Curb Appeal Before an Open House

Selling a house is completely stressful from the get-go… dealing with the bank, realtors, agents, movers, family and more… but nothing compares to the day of your OPEN HOUSE. Believe me, this will be the longest day of your life. You may opt to just not attend; solid move. But if you’re hosting, prepare yourself for a day of smiling and nodding, awkwardly watching strangers poke through the home you’ve had stripped down and staged like a Barbie Dream House. While you stress-eat the cookies you’ve laid out, you’ll become bogged down with creeping doubts over the unfinished basement you never got to, the roof repairs you put off, and you’ll start to wonder if anyone will actually put an offer in anywhere near your asking price. 

The purpose of an open house is to allow potential home buyers the chance to see themselves living there. Anyone with common sense knows they can easily paint the living room a different color, or change the curtains and furniture arrangement… but the REAL red flags are things like rusty, moldy, dirty and cracked siding, decks and driveways… dirty or inefficient windows… gutters hanging off the side of the house with mosquitoes breeding in them… you know, the stuff you have to PAY to fix. With dollar signs clouding their vision, this turns off potential homebuyers like nothing else. They want to envision themselves having their morning coffee, playing with their kids or enjoying a dinner party at the new home… they do NOT want to envision themselves moving in and inheriting a mess of expensive fix-ups. 

Continue reading "3 Cheap & Painless Curb Appeal Hacks"

Windows get dirty year round. For a large part of the country this makes it very difficult to clean them three months out of the year. The most frustrating thing about this is that winter is generally the time of year when windows can get the dirtiest. Melting snow dragging dirt and debris onto windows and the helpful yet annoying salt that seems to cover everything.

What makes cleaning windows in the winter so difficult is obviously sub-freezing temperatures. Water freezing before it can be squeegeed off is infuriating. Warm water is huge no-no because it can cause your glass to crack. So what can you do? We have a simple formula that will make cleaning your windows in freezing temperatures just as easy as cleaning them on a spring day.

Continue reading "Cleaning Windows in Freezing Temps"

A clean ship is a well-run ship. Passengers on ships are naturally drawn to the windows, especially cruise ships where guests are guided along scenic points. As well, passengers will be uneasy of what is on the ship if it is dirty, and this includes the ship’s windows. Ships need to clean all their windows to keep the salt from causing damage, maintain impressions, health and ease of viewing.

Continue reading "How do they do it? Cleaning Windows on a Ship"