You do laundry every week, but when was the last time you actually cleaned the laundry room? 

The laundry room is one of those areas in the home that often gets overlooked. When you only have so much time, it seems more important to keep the kitchen and bathrooms clean.  Plus, you can always just close the door to the laundry room... and keep that dirty little secret, a secret!

But once in a while, the laundry room does need a good cleaning. MOLLY MAID, Canada's number one residential cleaning service, recommends this quick and easy plan to clean it and keep it that way.  

1. De-clutter:Collect any lose mats and shake them out outside. Collect garbage as well as random odd socks that may have been left behind. (Keep in mind that a great way to reuse odd socks is as dusters... all you have to do is slide your hand inside and the sock becomes a great duster for cleaning blinds, shutters and other odd surfaces.)

2. Clean:Put a microfibre cloth on the end of your broom handle to reach any cobwebs that have accumulated in the corners of the laundry room.  Rinse a microfibre cloth in a bucket of warm soapy water and squeeze it out... and wash the tops, sides and front of the washer and dryer. Wash all other flat surfaces in the room as well as light switches. Sweep and mop the floor, and let dry.  If there's a washtub, use the warm soapy water from your bucket to wash it out - so empty the bucket and swish the water around; then rinse everything clean.

3. Organize:To make it easier for the next time, organize the laundry room so everything has a place. Have one bin for dryer lint (it can be composted) and another bin for used dryer sheets (they are coated with chemicals and must be thrown into the garbage). But to cut down on waste, re-use dryer sheets - one is often enough to help diminish static for at least two dryer loads. Use a basket to keep your laundry soap, fabric softener and stain remover all in one place.

There you have it: three easy steps to a de-cluttered, cleaned and organized laundry room!

Some days it feels like getting through your house cleaning checklist is the most time consuming job in the world! You keep stumbling on little problems that need extra attention. Here are some really helpful tips and tricks from the cleaning services experts at MOLLY MAID for taking care of some of those little 'big' problems.

SCRATCHED DINING ROOM TABLE: Fix a scratch in your wood furniture by rubbing a walnut over it - any nick or scratch will soon be barely noticeable!

DROP THE BACK OF AN EAR RING? If you can't find a tiny object that you dropped accidentally, place a nylon over the vacuum hose - there will be enough suction to help find the item without sucking it through the vacuum.

CLEAN A SKINNY VASE: If your hand doesn't fit down a narrow vase, fill it halfway with water and drop in two effervescent antacid tablets such as Alka-Seltzer tablets to do the dirty work for you. These tablets actually contain baking soda.

Yesterday we communicated three steps to get started and tackle those larger cleaning jobs to get Mom's house sparkling; today we'll discuss those little extras that Mom will appreciate, so  she can spend her time doing something she actually enjoys, instead of being stuck inside cleaning the house.

1. How to clean the toilet bowl - Mom will especially appreciate not having to do this dreaded chore!  Pour a cup of white vinegar in the toilet bowl. A few swishes with the brush is all it takes for a natural green clean.

2. How to use vacuum parts - Those extra accessory tools that come with your vacuum actually do have a purpose! Using the proper vacuum tool can help quickly clean those crevices and fabric folds.  The dusting brush tool can be used for lamp shades, hanging light fixtures and Venetian blinds, while the narrow furniture nozzle can be used to clean upholstered furniture, chairs and draperies.

3. How to leave a lasting impression - Once the house is glistening, give Mom some aroma therapy by lighting a scented candle or gathering some flowers from the garden.  Early blooms like daffodils or tulips add a beautiful scent and a great pop of colour to brighten the room.

Imagine Mom's sheer delight of coming home to a sparkling clean house.  It's the perfect gift for Mother's Day!

Mom does so much for you all year round.  Mother's Day offers one special day to celebrate Mom for all her love and support, so what better gift than the gift of time for her to relax and take a break while you clean the house!  Before you start with the simple cleaning tips below, it's important to declutter: put clothes away, clean off countertops, take out the garbage and recycling, etc. Once you've taken care of that first step, follow the easy tips below:

1. How to get started - To tackle the tasks ahead for a sparkling clean home, assemble a bucket of supplies to clean the entire home (include an all-purpose cleaner, tile/grout cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, different colour microfibre cloths, etc.).  Having all these cleaning supplies at your fingertips will help speed up the housework and eliminate the opportunity to get sidetracked.

2. How to clean windows/mirrors - Make your windows and mirrors shine as bright as Mom's smile.  Add a drop of dish soap to a natural cleaning solution of white vinegar and water.  Spray the window and/or mirror, then dry with a microfibre cloth.  Learn more about the benefits of microfibre cloths in our previous blog post titled " Throw Away the Kitchen Sponge".

3. How to damp dust:

a. with a microfibre cloth - Dusting can instantly give a room the facelift it needs to spring back into its polished, put together state.  Spritz the microfibre cloth with water (the cloth should be just damp, not soaking wet).  Use the MOLLY MAID cleaning technique of dusting top to bottom, left to right to ensure dust won't fall in an area you've already cleaned.

b. for webs on walls and corners   - Clean those hard to reach areas for Mom so she doesn't have to.  Attach a slightly damp microfibre cloth to the end of a broom to reach high corners and between tight spaces that your hand isn't able to reach.

Now that you have the more time consuming tasks completed, watch for some more great cleaning tips tomorrow…

Clearing clutter is actually the starting point to keeping the house clean. And it's easier than you think to strike it from your house cleaning checklist. Once you get rid of the things you don't use anymore, take a second look at how you are organizing items in your closets, etc. Here are great storage tips and tricks from the cleaning services experts at MOLLY MAID.   

1. GIFT WRAP STORAGE SOLUTION:  Store rolls of gift wrap by securing two flexible wires across the closet ceiling - about 4 inches down from the ceiling should be sufficient space.

2. HANG UP YOUR SPRAY BOTTLES:  Double the storage space under your sink by installing a tension rod - and using it to hang up all your spray bottles.

3. ORGANIZE PERSONAL CARE ITEMS:  Place a magnetic strip on the inside of your bathroom vanity door and use it to store tweezers, bobby pins and other small essentials.