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22/8/2014 - Fall Sweeps Get your home set to star for the holidays by tuning in ...

So you were too busy to get around to spring cleaning, that annual rite of home purification, and now summer has come and gone. Expecting a shame-on-you from neatniks and good housekeepers everywhere?

"Fall is actually a great time to be doing the major cleaning," says Melissa Powers , owner of Impeccable Interiors Housecleaning Service in Dublin.

"You're going to be closed indoors in the months ahead and not have a lot of fresh air coming in. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out it's a lot healthier to be doing the every-nook-and-corner home cleaning (now) before we close up our windows and doors."

Spring cleaning, after all, is a custom left over from the coal-burning days when homes were covered in soot after a winter's worth of heating.

Fall cleaning makes sense for today's homes and busy lifestyles. Instead of black soot, our homes' biggest challenges are blown-in allergens and dirt of spring, summer and early fall that soon won't have an exit.

And, with the busy holiday entertaining season just around the corner, you'll save time by making your home presentable now.

The fall cleaning routine differs slightly from the spring variety, Powers says. The focus is more on web control, lighting fixtures and polishing silver.

"This is the time you really want to make your home sparkle," she says.

So what do you do to complete a fall home cleaning, and how do you do it?

This fall cleaning guide will help you make every surface in your home clean, shiny and ready for company. And, if even weekly cleanings are tough to squeeze in -- let alone the big fall jobs -- we can help there, too. We'll introduce you to cleaning professionals who handle everything from washing windows to deep-cleaning carpets and floors.

WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY For all those sparkling holiday nights ahead, you'll want to make sure your home's mirrors and glass are smudge-, dirt- and streak-free.

DO IT YOURSELF You'll need a squeegee; a clean, lint-free rag; and a glass cleaner (try 1/4 cup vinegar in 3 3/4 cups of warm water in a spray bottle for an inexpensive yet effective alternative to the store-bought variety).

Spray the glass cleaner lightly on the rag, and wash the surface; using horizontal strokes to prevent dripping, squeegee dry. For extra sparkle, polish the surface when it's nearly dry with a piece of newspaper.

CALL IN A PRO For high windows and skylights, proper equipment -- as well as courage -- is required. For that reason, this is a good time to bring in the pros. Be prepared to wait, however.

"Generally people call us in the spring and fall, and we're flooded with work," says Olivier Suzor , owner of Excellent Window Cleaning in San Francisco. "It's a good idea to have your home's windows cleaned twice annually -- once after the (winter) rain, another before the rain."

Professional window washers like Suzor's company are listed under "Window Cleaning" in the Yellow Pages. Look for companies that are insured against accident and injury. This will protect you from liability should an accident occur, including ones involving an injury to a worker.

"You'll also want to ask for a couple of references, preferably from people in the neighborhood where you live," Suzor says. "You're looking for someone who is conscientious, who is going to do a thorough job."

Establish what the service entails, and get an estimate of the cost before work begins. If your home has a second or third story, confirm that the cleaning service is willing to clean higher windows -- some won't go above a second story -- and ask whether there is an extra charge for these windows.

Most window washers charge by the hour; Bay Area companies typically charge $25 to $35 hourly. This fee usually includes streak-free cleaning of both sides of the window and the windowsills. Screen cleaning often costs extra.

Keep windows clean between visits using a squeegee ("Ettore is the best brand," Suzor says) and a home-mixed or store-bought cleaning solution.

BEST FOOT FORWARD With guests coming in a few weeks for the big Thanksgiving feast or holiday hors d'oeuvres, it's time to take a good look at your floors. Whether yours are wood, tile, marble, linoleum or slate, experts recommend an annual cleaning and refinishing if your home has children and/or pets -- about every two years if your home's floors get light use. DO IT YOURSELF Cleaning and refinishing protect the surface from dirt that could be ground in, marring it. Experts agree that deep annual or biannual cleaning should be done by a professional to assure a proper finish and minimize the chance of damage to the flooring surface, despite the multitude of do-it-yourself products on your grocer's shelves.

The danger: choosing the wrong products for the job, warns Joy Curtis, owner of Joy Curtis Hardwood Floors, a 20-year-old company specializing in wood floor cleaning and restoration.

"People have a tendency to use them every couple of weeks, and they build up and they can't ever be removed,' Curtis says. Products on her no-no list include Murphy's Oil Soap ("There's no place for the oil to go on today's finished floors") and Lysol and other harsh or abrasive products not intended for the delicate polished perfection of a wood floor.

"Our cleaning method, believe it or not, is just plain water," Curtis says. "I think the idea is to preserve the finish. If people really want to put something in their water to clean, use 1/2 teaspoon of hand dish- washing detergent. Vinegar is OK, but use it sparingly.

"I usually follow that up by putting a couple of beach towels under my feet to dry (the floor)."

CALL IN A PRO So how do you know when it is your year to call in the floor cleaning experts?

"If you're considering a fall cleaning, one of the symptoms that your finish is wearing is that you're beginning to see a little gray dullness in high traffic areas," Curtis says. A good waxing may save the finish.

Floor-cleaning experts use professional machines and buffers -- or a great deal of elbow grease -- to strip away layers of wax, polish and dirt and replace the sealer or wax. Prices, from 5 cents to $1 or more per square foot, reflect the type of surface and cleaning methods.

Look for professionals under "Floor Waxing, Polishing Cleaning" in the Yellow Pages. Ask for local references and whether the company is insured.

MAKE MATS MORE WELCOMING Fabrics that have absorbed a summer's worth of dirt, body oil and germs need deep cleaning to get ready for another year of wear -- and for that close inspection by your holiday guests. DO IT YOURSELF When shampooing carpets or cleaning upholstery yourself with a rented carpet cleaner, practice first in an unobtrusive area to make sure that you have the knack of using the machine and that the treatment won't discolor fabrics or cause dyes to run.

Save time by moving furniture only slightly, not out of the room or against the wall, and place the legs of each piece back on top of small waxed paper squares after shampooing. The waxed paper will protect your carpet and keep the furniture legs from getting wet as the carpet dries. Open the window to speed the drying process, which can take a day or more.

CALL IN A PRO If you're not the furniture-shifting and machine-renting type, call a professional carpet-and-upholstery cleaner and take the morning off. Keep in mind that companies offering carpet cleaning vary almost as much as the methods they employ.

From hot-water extraction (also called steam cleaning) and foam cleaning to absorbent compound (also called powder cleaning) and the carbonation method (in which bubbles agitate dirt particles, causing them to bubble up to the surface where they are vacuumed away), the methods will be dictated by the type of carpet you have.

To find a reputable cleaner, consult the retailer that sold the carpet. Or call the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification for three free referrals of certified companies in your ZIP code.

Ask the carpet cleaner whether the planned method is compatible with your carpet's warranty, and require proof of the cleaner's insurance. A cleaning firm should have available the toll-free numbers of carpet manufacturers so you can check before work begins.

Beware of anyone who calls you on the telephone or darkens your doorway because they are "in the neighborhood." They are rarely what they claim to be -- certified, reputable carpet cleaners. Ignore, too, such enticing sales pitches as "Any Room, $X," because charges should be based on the size of carpet cleaned.

"Some companies will come in and say they are going to charge by the room but that they have to charge extra because of how dirty the room is,' says Greg Geiman, owner of BG Chem-Dry of San Francisco. "It's your basic bait-and-switch."

While you should expect to pay more for "red dye stain, if you have gum stuck in the carpeting or wax in there," you shouldn't pay extra for a dirty carpet, he says. That is what the base rate is for, and it should include vacuuming, deep scrubbing, brightening or pile setting.

Ask friends or family for a recommendation. Or get three estimates and check references of cleaners in your neighborhood. Be sure to check the company's standing with the Better Business Bureau before signing on the dotted line.

Bay Area carpet cleaners charge 15 to 30 cents per square foot of carpeting. Virtually all guarantee the work and provide an estimate before starting the job. Many offer nontoxic cleaning methods that leave rugs safe to walk or crawl on shortly after cleaning.

UNTANGLE THOSE WEBS Cobwebs, be gone! With holiday decorations soon to drape the banister, cascade from the ceiling and waft down walls, these areas and light fixtures are front-and-center showpieces for your fall-clean home. DO IT YOURSELF Remove dust, dirt and webs from ceiling fans, heating vents and grooves of the banister all the way to the baseboards with a cleaning cloth or slightly damp cloth (to trap and hold dust and dirt) and a vacuum cleaner (use the soft nozzle attachment).

Lighting fixtures require a bit more work. You'll a need a stepladder, a sponge (plain water can get all but the most burned-on dirt and critters; for these you'll want to try an all-purpose cleaner) and a polish cloth or rag to give new light to your life and your light fixtures.

As you gently clean the glass and area around the fixtures, check carefully for frayed cords, cracks or other signs of deterioration, and replace them or have them repaired now.

If your home has skylights or tall ceilings, consider investing in a stepladder and extended-reach dust- and dirt-removal tools, all available at hardware store and home- and janitorial-supply stores.

SHINING IT UP Now is the time to pull out and begin polishing the good stuff. DO IT YOURSELF For sparking silver and silverplate, you'll need silver polish -- a commercial brand or ordinary toothpaste will work. Put a bit of the polish on a damp cloth or clean cotton sock; socks make ideal polishing cloths.

Apply polish with one side; then turn the sock over and buff with the other side. Use up-and-down rather than circular strokes to polish the item quickly and effectively in less time. Use a twisted bit of rag to get into tight places, such as between silverware tines. Finish the job with a few strokes, using a clean, dry cloth or the clean side of the sock.

Store silver behind glass, in cloth or plastic bags, or in plastic wrap to keep tarnish to a minimum. Resist the urge to bundle your silver in rubber bands. Rubber can cause discoloration.

VACUUMING TIPS A fall cleaning isn't complete until you've vacuumed voraciously to get rid of any trace of spring and summer allergens and your basic garden-variety dirt. DO IT YOURSELF There is more to vacuuming than plugging in the machine and giving your rug or carpet a once-over. To suck up all the dirt and dust hidden between the fibers, you need to spend about 20 seconds or so going back and forth over each area of the rug.

Don't waste precious time dragging every stick of furniture up against the wall before you vacuum. Instead, move big items a little to the left or right, and vacuum the area previously occupied by the furniture. Then put it back.

HELP WITH THE HEAVY LIFTING If getting around to even the weekly cleanings is a challenge, you may want to call in a general cleaning service to tackle all those other fall- cleaning chores, from scrubbing bathroom nooks and crannies to clearing out the attic cobwebs. Many charge a three-hour minimum fee, usually $50 to $75, and an hourly fee of $15 to $25 thereafter. The cost is sometimes a bit less for regular customers.

"For fall cleaning, we get behind movable furniture, sofas and chairs and get to the baseboards and those type of things that are not easily accessible during a normal cleaning," says R.G. Arneson, co-owner of Merry Maids of Marin County in Novato.

"There's a lot of people who overlook furnace and duct cleaning, and we usually recommend that. And we do windows and carpet cleaning, also usually in the spring or fall."

An average one-time fall cleaning costs between $60 and $180, depending on a home's square footage, he says.

Daniel Pardel, owner of New Dimensions Housekeeping Agency in San Francisco, says most of his clients want a full cleaning at least once a year.

"We do the windows inside and out; vacuum the furniture; clean the carpets; clean all the surfaces in the kitchens, including drawers and shelves and appliances, inside and out," Pardel says. "We can't do extremely high windows or something very dangerous, but we can respond on short notice and do the big jobs the same day."

To get your home really sparkling clean and primed for the holiday season, the experts at Impeccable Interiors Housekeeping Services do chandeliers, picture frames, silver and brass, leaving no rug unturned.

"All rugs should be taken out from under tables and anywhere else, shaken and given a real thorough cleaning before you put them back down," Powers says, adding her eye for detail came into focus during a brief tenture in the fashion world. "You really want things to be sparkly and clean, as opposed to spring, when your main focus is dust control."

ENLIST THE TROOPS You didn't mess up house yourself. So why should you be the only one cleaning it? If you've already managed to get other family members on the job, good for you. But if you find that you're constantly doing all the work, then the time has come to pass the mop.

Sharing the load is as important for others in your home as it is for you. If you constantly pick up after your children, they won't learn the basic cleaning skills they'll need as adults. What's more, an uneven workload often will cause tension between spouses or between the children and the grown-up members of the household.

While the time you spend initially in cajoling extra helpers and showing them the ropes may seem like more trouble than it's worth, you'll soon find that delegating has its benefits.

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