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When hiring a housekeeper, prioritize candidates with proven experience and solid references. Look for background checks and ask for proof of insurance or bonding to protect your home. Discuss their cleaning process, the supplies they use, and whether they have any specialized training for surfaces like marble or hardwood. These steps help ensure your housekeeper is both skilled and trustworthy.

Cleaning behind your fridge once every three months is a good goal to stick to. This helps keep messes to a minimum and ensures it runs efficiently. Seasonal cleaning will also remove dropped food and food residue that can act as pest attractants, so keeping this area clean can help keep your household healthier, too.

To neutralize mildew smell, you can use natural deodorizers like baking soda or activated charcoal. Baking soda absorbs odors; sprinkle it liberally on the affected area, let it sit for a few hours, then vacuum it up. Activated charcoal, available in pouches, works similarly. Vinegar, with its natural acidic properties, can also neutralize odors. Mix equal parts water and vinegar, spray the affected area lightly, then blot it with a dry cloth. Enzymatic cleaners are effective too, breaking down odor-causing compounds.

You can use dish soap mixed with warm water to clean just about any type of flooring, and while vinegar is a great addition to some floor cleaners, it’s not a good idea to use it on wood flooring or engineered wood flooring. Vinegar is very acidic, and it can gradually eat away at the protective finish on wood floors. If you’re cleaning laminate, tile, concrete, or vinyl floors, feel free to use vinegar and water in a 1-to-1 ratio with a few drops of dish soap. For wood floors, substitute the vinegar for olive oil.