Maybe your dog just couldn’t hold it any longer, or there’s a remnant of that green beer from St. Patrick’s Day decorating your living room carpet. Or, perhaps a splash of red wine escaped from your glass. Sound familiar? We’ll walk you through how to get stains out of carpet, since visible stains could prevent you from getting your full security deposit refund when you move out of your apartment. These carpet cleaning tips and tricks will help you get your carpet into great shape again—and get you that full security deposit back. Read the rest of this entry »

As cold winter weather rolls in, people shut their windows and prepare to hibernate indoors for a few months. Unfortunately, closing up your home also means trapping dust inside with you, which can be miserable for allergy-prone people. If you struggle with wintertime allergies, try these preventative measures to combat common allergy symptoms like a runny nose, scratchy throat, and itchy eyes. If you’re already suffering, we’ve got home remedies to help those aches and itches too! Read the rest of this entry »

Depending on your style, an apartment with hardwood floors can feel cozy, swanky, or vintage. While hardwoods look good and certainly feel good under your bare feet, what about cleaning them? Here are some quick cleaning tips for apartment dwellers who want to make their hardwood floors shimmer and shine! Read the rest of this entry »

What could be a better way to start off 2015 than with a spotless living space? Although plenty of those pesky New Year’s resolutions may fall by wayside, cleanliness shouldn’t be one of them. Keep your apartment spick and span throughout the year with these easy yet effective apartment cleaning hacks. Read the rest of this entry »

It is not always necessary to use abrasive chemicals for every day cleaning in apartments. With proper use, some eco-friendly sources can get the job done just as well. You may have heard of people who have used natural ingredients that have yielded mediocre results. Our apartment living blog team has done the research for you, and we have experienced first hand some inexpensive and natural ways to clean common surfaces in apartments. The key is using the right solutions for every cleaning need.

What you will need:

• Spray bottles (You can find them in the gardening section of most big box stores)
• Vinegar
• Baking Soda
• Castille Soap (Can be found in health food stores. A little goes a long way and must be diluted!)

Vinegar Solutions: It is the safest, most readily available, cheapest and closest to an all purpose cleanser that you can come by. Mix half and half of vinegar and water in a spray bottle to clean shiny surfaces. Think of this as your own natural windex spray, sans ammonia. You can also use the half and half solution for tile or linoleum floors. For a good grease cutter (read: kitchen counter tops) cut the vingar solution to 1/3 of the bottle, fill the rest with water, and mix in a capful of castille soap to boost your cleaning power. An important note: Do not use vinegar on marble, granite, or any other kind of stone. Use manufacturers cleaners and consult other sources for natural ways to clean these materials.

Baking Soda Solutions: This is another must have for apartments. Baking soda acts like a natural scouring powder, akin to Commet (again, without the ammonia). Sprinkle baking soda on toilets, tubs, tile, and even tough to clean pots and pans. Splash a little water on the powder dusted area, let it dissolve for a few minutes, and use a clean rag to scrub the surface. You can make a concentrated solution for even more stubborn dirty surfaces. Mix baking soda with a bit of castille soap to form a thick paste and use to combat soap rings or dingy grout.

For other surfaces and different types of odd cleaning jobs, you may want to consult an eco-friendly cleaning guide. If you have any other tips for us, let us know on our Facebook and Twitter pages. We will be sharing natural cleaning tips for apartments all week!