New Home Survival Guide
October 22, 2022
Moving into a new home or apartment is a lot of work! Use this list to help make move-in day and the days after survivable. Listed are some items that will help you keep your home functional and clean.
- Moving Day Essentials
- Be sure to pack a kit filled with items that will help make move-in day a little easier.
- Bottled water and snacks
- Napkins or Baby Wipes
- Phone numbers for your Property Management Company as well as the address to pick up keys.
- Phone numbers for a local Pizza or take out restaurant (no one wants to cook after a long day moving boxes)
- Cleaning Essentials
- Scrub Free Clean Shower Daily Cleaner (helps to keep soap scum from accumulating)
- Toilet bowl cleaner and brush
- Magic erasers (works great for showers and sinks as well as scuffs on walls, use a light touch on painted surfaces so as not to mark the paint) Read precautions
- Window cleaner (use on mirrors and outside of appliances)
- Paper towels
- Sanitizing wipes
- Kitchen garbage bags/ Trashcan
- Broom and Dust Pan
- Mop and bucket (Swiffer wet jet is a two in one system, just use their disposable cleaning pads)
- General purpose cleaner or Vinegar, Baking Soda and a spray bottle for the recipe below.
- Rubber kitchen gloves
- Other Essentials
- Toilet Plunger and soft bristle scrub brush
- Hair trap for bathtub (helps to prevent costly bathtub clogs)
- Toilet Paper
- 2-9 Volt batteries (use in smoke detectors, when needed)
- Flashlight W/extra batteries
- Basic Tools (hammer, flat and Philips screwdriver, 1-inch nails for hanging pictures)
- Pencil and Pad for notes or shopping list
- Oven Mitt’s / Potholders
- Kitchen towels and washcloth
- Dish Soap/ Dishwasher Detergent (Remember not to put liquid dish soap in the dishwasher)
- Frying Pan/Sauce Pan
- Laundry Detergent/ Basket
Remember, it is much easier to maintain a clean home and not play catch up later.
The following are a few tips to help you.
Soap residue, minerals, dirt, oil, skin cells and bacteria…… the scum coating bathroom fixtures worldwide is more than just soap. It builds up shower after shower, bath after bath, and becomes increasingly difficult to remove if you don’t deal with it. For easy solutions to this sticky situation, consider the tips below.
Preventative Measures
– Most liquid bath gels are detergents rather than ‘real’ soaps, so they are less likely to cause soap scum. Ditch the bar and lather up with a liquid instead. Avoid oily bubble bath products, which are notorious for causing ‘ring around the tub.’ Finally, purchase a shower squeegee to help dry shower walls and doors. This will help to prevent soap scum build up as well as get rid of mold-inducing moisture.
Store sanitizing wipes, toilet cleaner and brush under the bathroom sink. Keeping these items handy is the key to doing quick cleanups.
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Having trouble with your garbage disposal or other items in your home? Watch our Maintenance Virtual Tour YouTube videos! These videos are designed to help save you a possible service call fee. Find videos on our website here https://www.mallardproperties.net/maintenance-virtual-tours/ or, Mallard Properties YouTube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW34oe3wHrTVta5nZJO_ihg One of the most common preventable maintenance items we face is mold and mildew clean up. Your help with this is appreciated and very necessary! To help prevent the growth of lifestyle mold use fans in kitchens, laundry areas and bathrooms, especially when showers are in use. Leave interior doors open as often as possible to allow air and heat to circulate. Good air circulation will help prevent lifestyle mold from forming. Leave a few inches of space between the walls and your possessions. Eliminate sources of moisture, such as aquariums, and wipe down windows and window sills. Raise blinds off of the window sill by an inch or two to help air movement. Periodically check to make sure that the dryer vent hose is connected. This helps pull moisture out of the building as well. Keep your thermostat for heating set on at least 60 degrees to help dry out moisture in the air. To eliminate existing lifestyle mold , Use a mold abatement product, such as Benefect Decon 30 (as with all cleaning products use only as directed and do not mix cleaning products). Here is link a YouTube video explaining prevention and cleaning of mold.
Carpet Basics Q. How often should carpets be vacuumed? A. At least once a week, more often for high traffic areas. Frequent vacuuming prolongs the life of your carpet by preventing a buildup of gritty particles that can cut carpet fibers. Q. How long should it take to vacuum my carpets? A. Take your time vacuuming. Quickly vacuuming your carpets will get the surface debris. However, the dirt and dust that damages carpeting will still be down low in the fibers. Go over each section of carpeting several times. This will raise the pile of the carpeting allowing small particles to be extracted. Q. Are there areas of the carpet that should be vacuumed more than others? A. Yes, high traffic areas, as well as areas where people sit and move their feet. Vacuum these areas using crisscross patterns overlapping strokes. Also be sure to use crevice tools to clean around baseboards and hard to reach areas. Stain Removal When living with carpeting, it’s not if something gets spilled on it, it’s when will it happen? As tempting as it is to move furnishings to cover spills, it’s really not the best solution. Besides, it may look a little strange with your ottoman placed in the middle of the room with nothing else around. Many items spilled on carpet are not that difficult to remove. The most important thing to remember, clean spills up immediately after they occur! Q. Should I rub or dab carpeting while cleaning a spill? A. Don’t rub the spill! Rubbing can spread the problem to a larger area. It can also fray carpet fibers, causing a spot that looks worn. Q. Should I use commercial carpet cleaning products? A. Commercial cleaning products should be used sparingly if at all. These types of products can leave behind a film that will attract dirt in the future. Always be sure to test a small inconspicuous area of the carpet prior to use. Q. What type of rag should be used for clean up? A. Use a white towel to avoid bleeding of the color of the towel onto carpeting. You may need more than one to remove excess moisture. This can be done by stacking a few towels on the wet area and putting something heavy on top. Q. What can I use if I should stay away from commercial cleaning products? A. That is a good question! Here are some tips for some of the most common spills. Many stains like Gravy, Salad dressing, Urine and Coffee can be cleaned up using a mixture of 1 tsp. mild detergent, 1 tsp. white vinegar and 1 qt. warm water. First wipe or soak up as much of the spill as possible. Apply the solution to the spot. Soak solution and stain up with white towel. If the stain remains, repeat. Let the carpet dry and vacuum. Candle Wax & Chewing Gum: Press an ice cube against the stain. After the wax or gum harden, gently pull it off of fibers. Red Wine: When red wine is spilled on your carpet, dilute it with white wine, then clean the spot with cold water and cover with table salt. Wait ten minutes, and then vacuum up the salt. Mud: Allow the mud to dry completely and then lightly brush or scrape off as much as possible. Use the above mentioned solution to clean the mud. Repeat as necessary and dry thoroughly with white towels. Vacuum gently after carpet is dry. Tip for odors Vacuum up a small amount of baking soda into the bag of your vacuum cleaner. This will help absorb odors that could cause the air to smell stale after. Keeping your home vacuumed will expand the life of your carpeting as well as keep down dust and allergens. Happy Cleaning!
Well…you do! Renters insurance is a must for anyone who is a resident in someone else’s property. A landlord’s property insurance covers damages to a building due to flood, fire or other types of damage. This insurance doesn’t cover the resident’s personal belongings. That is what a renter’s insurance policy does. What does Renters Insurance Cover? Who pays for your stolen lap top when your home or apartment is broken into? If you don’t have rental insurance, you do! With this coverage you could receive replacement value for this item. What if the building is damaged by a fire? Your belongings are wet, covered in smoke and building debris. Renters insurance will not only pay to repair or replace personal positions, some policies will pay for a place to stay. Your cell phone and luggage are stolen out of your vehicle. These may also be covered and replaced. How much does it cost? Usually this type of coverage is inexpensive. Coverage for $15,000 of personal property coverage and $100,000 of liability coverage, could run approximately $15.00 per month. This will vary depending the type of coverage you chose and the area you live in. Talk with your insurance agent or look for quotes online.
