If you’re anything like me, you might have a little trouble cleaning certain areas of your home due to a minor vertical deficiency. In other words, I’m short and can’t clean things that are high up. Here are some tips for all my short people out there!

1. Use a broom for those cobwebs in the upper corners of rooms, twisting it like you’re eating spaghetti.

2. Wrap the end of a hockey stick with a rag to dust ceiling fans. They’re the perfect shape and length.

3. Make tall friends. Casually invite them over to dinner, then put them to work.

4. Work on your glutes. The gluteal muscles are the strongest in the body and aid in standing up straight as well as jumping. Strengthen those with some squats or lunges to improve your vertical leap, and you’ll be cleaning like Michael Jordan in no time!

For more cleaning tips follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and for someone to help you clean those hard to reach areas, give us a call!

(608) 829-2444

So with all this extra time you have, since A Helping Hand is taking care of your cleaning and all, you’ve decided to work on that New Years Resolution you drop every year: getting in shape. And you drop it every year because you hate going to that boring old gym, mindlessly walking on that treadmill, or moving heavy objects. Here are some fun ways to get in better shape in 2012.

Rock Climbing

This might be one of the more difficult activities I have on my list, but also one of the most fun. And even though it seems hard, most places to go rock climbing have really simple walls for beginners, or even bouldering walls, which is basically a horizontal wall you move from one side to the other on.

Cross country skiing

This one might be the most expensive of the list, just because I can’t think of a place off the top of my head where you can rent cross country ski’s, so you might have to buy your own. I learned how to do this all the way back in gym class in middle school, and it’s a great activity if you don’t like barreling full speed down Cascade Mountain.

Ice skating

Another great outdoors, winter activity. This one is cheap, coming in at under $10 for a lot of rinks, indoor rinks included.

Take a karate class

A lot of martial arts studios have a free trial class if you are looking to try it out, and have a variety of different membership or class fees if you like it and want to keep going. This is probably one of the most fun things I’ve ever done, and coming from someone who workouts fairly regularly, and is in decent shape (just don’t ask my wife), it was one of the hardest workouts I’ve ever done. And that was just after their warm up!

Salsa dancing

This activity is very fun, and very much a cardio exercise. Make sure you wear fairly comfortable shoes, and a shirt that breathes! And men, this is a double whammy, it’s an exercise, and you’ll earn some bonus points with your lady if you bring her dancing!

You might be saying, “wait, 25% off my next cleaning, how do I get that?!” Well,  current A Helping Hand customer, it’s very simple. All you have to do is leave a comment on our Website, Facebook page, or Google Place Page, saying why you like A Helping Hand, or what you like about A Helping Hand, and if we choose your comment to be published in our next “Comments blog,” you get 25% off your next cleaning. “Wow, that IS simple!” Yes, A Helping Hand Fan, it is.

Bleach is the ultimate cleaner.

While bleach does a great job at disinfecting, it doesn’t do the best at cleaning. It can also remove stains, but it doesn’t clean dirt or residue.  Plus, you got that smell, and that fact that it can damage some surfaces and remove color.

Use more soap for a better clean.

Just because something is dirtier, doesn’t mean simply adding more soap will do the trick. Often times adding more soap makes it hard to rinse all of it off, and then the soap left behind can leave a sticky residue that dirt can stick to.

Use coffee grounds to deodorize your garbage disposal.

While it might take care of the smell, coffee grounds shouldn’t go in the garbage disposal. They can clog your pipes and drain. Try using a lemon rind or vinegar ice cubes.

For more helpful cleaning tips, and of course, A Helping Hand deals and specials, follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

So, you have all this free time now that A Helping Hand is taking care of your cleaning. What are you doing with it? If you’re not doing anything with that extra time, maybe you should pick up a hobby… but not just any hobby. Instead of knitting, playing solitaire, or collecting things, try one of these unusual hobbies!

Parkour, or freerunning: The object of this is to get from point A to point B, in the most creative way possible. This includes tight-rope walking on handrails, jumping over parked cars, leaping from building to building, or even things as simple as jumping off of a curb while shouting and throwing your hands in the air!

Noodling: This has been made famous by the show, “Hillbilly Handfishing.” Instead of using a fishing pole and a worm, you use your hand as the bait! Catfish usually hang out in holes in lakes or rivers, so all you have to do is shove your hand in one and wait for the catfish to bite it, then reel in your catch.

Appearing in the background on TV: Ever see a news van parked outside of a building, or TV reporter setting up for a live story? Why don’t you hang out for a bit, and try to get on TV. Figure out what station it is, and tell your friends to turn on the news and check out the TV star in the background! See how many news stories you can be in the background of in 2012!

Laughter Yoga: Yoga is good for your health, laughter is good for your health, why not do both at the same time?! I’ll let the video explain this one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahhN3Ryw4O4

Do you like “A Helping Hand?” Do you like discounts? If you said yes to both of those questions, then we would love to hear from you! Write a review of A Helping Hand on our Google Place Page, Facebook, or our website, and each month we’ll pick someone’s comments, and re-post them in our next “Comment Blog.” Check back, and if we picked your comments, you get 25% off your next cleaning! How easy is that?

https://www.facebook.com/madisonhousecleaning

More than just a tongue twister, it’s a common problem for us Midwesterners. It may not seem like it now, but we WILL have snow and ice this winter, and when we do, our cities will fight back with salt. Great for driving, not so great when you start to get those salt rings on your favorite leather boots. So what’s the solution? The solution, is a solution… get it? A solution made of half white vinegar and half water. Soak a rag in this mixture, then dab the salted area. Rinse with a wet rag soaked in water, then wipe with a dry towel. Don’t dry leather shoes by any heat source, as it will make the leather dry and rigid.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to our blogs to receive more helpful cleaning tips!

A Helping Hand cleans your home so you don’t have to! That gives you extra time in your life. But you may be saying to yourself, “A Helping Hand is giving me back SO much time in my life, I don’t know what to do with it all!” Well we can help you with that too. Here is an idea of what you can do with all of the time you AREN’T spending on cleaning.

Have a game night! Does your family consist of you and a couple of smaller children? We would recommend Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, or Uno. Also, there are so many classic games offered now in a “Junior” version, like Monopoly Jr., or Clue Jr.

Older kids? How about games like Apples to Apples, Cranium, or some classic card games.

Don’t have kids? Have a big group of friends over to play Battle of the Sexes, Scene it, or Loaded Questions. Or if it’s just you and one other person, some of my personal favorites are Scrabble, Chess, or Cribbage.

Need more time in your life? Give us a call and schedule a cleaning TODAY!

(608)829-2444

-or-

mike@madisonhousecleaning.net

WELCOME! Volume 1. #1

____________________________________________________________________________

Welcome to the first edition of the Madison House Cleaning e-newsletter from A Helping Hand.

Newsletter Spotlight:

• Clean Home, Health Home
• Clean Kids Craft – **FAMILY CONTEST**

____________________________________________________________________________

Clean Home, Healthy Home

Germs, dust, and allergens are the enemy of healthy families.  It’s easy to forget that your kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room are magnets for bacteria and other germs. A few simple techniques, without harsh chemicals, can keep your home clean and your family healthier.

Target the Toliet

Pour about two cups of vinegar in your toilet bowl and use a spray bottle to squirt vinegar on the rim-don’t forget the handle. Let that soak for about about 10 minutes while you spray and wipe down the outside, scrub the bowl, and flush your cares away. Vinegar also works for the bathroom floor, and it’s completely safe for your family.

Here on your Kitchen’s Island

Vinegar will also go far in keeping kitchen surfaces clean. Wipe up and crumbs or food messes immediately to avoid a household pest invasion. Don’t forget to replace the kitchen sponge frequently, about once a week. And take out the trash often, stopping to spray down the sides of the trash can with vinegar or other cleaner before replacing the can.

Wash the Washroom

Laundry rooms harbor allergens like dust mites and mold. Dust mites are the number one indoor allergen, according WebMD.com Vacuum out more than just the lint trap. Check under your washer and dryer for additional dust or lost articles. Disinfect surfaces here with vinegar also-your clothes leave clean, but come in that way.

Healthy, Happy Home

Experts agree, reducing dust,  mold, and allergens reduces the likelihood of your family getting sick. It also makes your a more pleasant place to eat, sleep, and play. Grab your vinegar and get a start on make your home a healthy and happy home.

____________________________________________________________________________

Clean Kids Craft – **FAMILY CONTEST**

Post a video or picture of your family making this craft together on our A Helping Hand Facebook Page and qualify for a $100.00 Gift Card towards your next cleaning from A Helping Hand Residential Cleaning Professionals, LLC (aka, www.madisonhousecleaning.net)

Tissue Paper Bouqet

Get ready for these no-glue flower craft. They are fun, easy, and beautiful.

What You’ll Need:

• Colorful tissue paper
• Piper cleaners
• Scissors

How To Make Them

1. Cut tissue paper into rectangles of desired size.
2. Stack about 15 rectangles of tissue paper.
3. Accordion pleat the tissue paper working from the long side.
4. Wind one end of the pipe cleaner around the middle of the accordion pleaded tissue paper.
5. Trim the ends of each side to give the pedals a unique look. Trimming the ends into a point (like a triangle), or a bump (like a half circle) will look very pretty.
6. Gently separate each layer by pulling upwards toward the middle of the flower on both sides of the stem.
7. Let you kids make a few flowers and put them in a vase, jar, or colorful pitcher. Wrap a tin can with construction paper for a customized vase.
8. Post a video or picture of your family making this craft together on our A Helping Hand Facebook Page and qualify for a $100.00 Gift Card towards your next cleaning from A Helping Hand Residential Cleaning Professionals, LLC (aka, www.madisonhousecleaning.net)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Clean Kids Craft – **FAMILY CONTEST** Rules

• The contest is open to everyone. Current customers and all others may enter.
• Only one entry per household.
• One $100.00 Gift Card will be award during random drawing.
• Contest ends August 31, 2010 11:59:59 CST
• Happy Crafting!!

________________________________________________________________________________________

Schedule Your Downtown Madison WI Student / Turnover Move Out Cleaning Now

A Helping Hand Residential Cleanig Professionals, LLC aka www.madisonhousecleaning.net 

has special times available for the week of August 9, 2010. 

We have worked with private property owners, Madison area property owners, and individuals.

Call 608-829-2444 or email us TODAY!

REFERENCES AVAILABLE