Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with cleaning and house

Help me clean a window.

Frasermoo — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:31:27 -0800

What is the best way to clean my window with a hose? We have a large window at the front of our house. It's too high up for me to get to it with a ladder, and I have tried extension poles and it leaves terrible streaks and really didn't get the job done. I want to use my hose to spray down the windows, maybe with an attached bottle for spraying soap as well.

Anyone done this?

How clean is your house (or small apartment)

kmtiszen — Sun, 17 May 2009 15:36:33 -0800

Can anyone recommend a good one-time maid/cleaning service in Manhattan? I want to give my soon-to-be-for-sale apartment a VERY thorough scrub down before I start showing it to prospective buyers. I was hoping someone could recommend a maid or cleaning service that will do an excellent one-time cleaning. My place is far from a disaster, but I want it to be SPARKLING!

I know some people might not want the secret of their very excellent cleaning person to get out, so if you just want to send me a message, I won't tell a soul!

If you could include a price range, or just a ballpark figure, that would be helpful too!

Thanks!

Need to improve my house cleaning skills

valannc — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 17:00:11 -0800

I want to improve my house cleaning skills... improve my speed, efficiency, thoroughness, etc. And use the best cleaning products for the task. In the past, we used a cleaning service. Now I have more time than money. It's my job to keep our house clean. I dislike these chores. It occurs to me I would like house cleaning better if I were good at it.

All I know about cleaning is what I learned on TV. "Buy Windex!" "Buy Swiffer" etc. There are many cleaning expert books and web sites. But most of them are selling a cleaning product.

Dear AskMeFi Hive,
Can you recommend resources that for good sensible advice and techniques. What are the best non-harsh cleaning products? I have a closet full of expensive products and tools that don't seem to work right.

Martha Stewart's cleaning advice makes me uncomfortable. Her instructions are so extensive and exacting. She acts as if you have all day to make a bed. (I do like Martha's recipes.)

Central vacuum?

bondcliff — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 07:53:50 -0800

I need recommendations for a good central vacuum system to install in my house. I grew up with a Sears central vac and it was the greatest thing ever. We’re hoping to install one in our house and I was hoping someone out there was passionate enough about theirs that they could recommend it and tell me why they love it so. What make/model do you have? What attachments can you not live without? Are the kick-plate inlets worth it?

It’s going into new construction and will be installed by the contractor so ease of installation isn’t so important. Cost is a factor, but we’re willing to pay for quality. Quiet is good. Suction is key, I want to be able to suck up dustbunnies at 30 paces.

Thanks.

How do I find a gutter cleaner?

languagehat — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 09:10:49 -0800

How do I find a gutter cleaner? Newbie homeowner question: we had gutters put up, the autumn filled them with leaves, and they presumably need to be cleaned, but gutter cleaning is not a profession in itself, so I've been at a loss to know who to call. My guess is that professional roofers might charge more to clean gutters, but I really have no idea. (Extra points if you happen to know of a good gutter cleaner in Pittsfield, MA!)

Tipping our house cleaner?

banjo_and_the_pork — Thu, 04 Aug 2005 17:42:17 -0800

Tipping our house cleaner? As a condition of renewing our lease, we have to hire someone to come in and clean our apartment once a month (I swear, we're not that messy, our landlord is just really crazy...but it's a great apartment and cheap by Boston standards, so it's worth the hassle). This month will be our first cleaning. Are we expected to tip for every cleaning, or is tipping just for the holiday season? If it makes a difference, our person is not affiliated with a cleaning service, she's just working via word of mouth. If you tip every time someone comes in to clean, is it generally 15-20%?

Has anyone used a Dyson, or the DC07?

carter — Mon, 05 Jan 2004 12:27:09 -0800

After living together for four years, my sig other and I are ready to take the plunge - and buy a good vacuum cleaner. We have a dog, she has allergies, I googled and quickly came up with the Dyson DC07 'Animal', which has 5 stars on Amazon but which costs $500. Simple? Well, other reviews, including some other Amazon reviews, say it's a bit of a dog, and one accuses Dyson of padding the reviews with their PR material. Has anyone used a Dyson, or the DC07? [More inside]