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Do You Charge By the Hour?

2/5/2021

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NO, I DON'T! I am heavily involved in the cleaning industry as a mentor and consultant. I literally see this question playing out so many times.

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How Do You Raise Prices?

1/15/2021

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I love answering questions about my cleaning business and the industry in general. This question is an important one! I've been a business owner for nearly 20 years and a consumer for over 30. I completely understand the need for price increases, but there is a right and wrong way to do it. I've noticed 5 methods over the years as a consumer and business owner.

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How Do You Do Price Estimates, Ken?

1/1/2021

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This is a question I love answering! Many families assume that they can't afford my cleaning services, but that's not true. In this article, I will share my entire sales process for housecleaning.

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What Do You Move, Ken?

12/18/2020

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I've conducted hundreds of house cleaning estimates over the years. Inevitably, this question is asked every time the homeowner and I encounter a china cabinet stuffed with decor, bookshelves booked solid, or a playroom with no place to play. I say this with humor as most homes are well kept and the homeowners just want to know what I'll move and what I'll clean around. However, there are some homes where there is more stuff on the floor than the floor itself

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Which Cleaning Services does Carfagno Cleaning Offer?

12/4/2020

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Carfagno Cleaning has literally done it all in over 15 years of cleaning. Before I share the main services offiered, let me refresh you on a few other commonly asked questions.
  • How much do you charge for cleaning, Ken?
  • How much can you possibly clean alone, Ken?
  • What is meant by "Cleaning Specialist" or "Presentation Cleaning"?

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How Can you Possibly Clean Alone, Ken?

11/20/2020

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I love the illustration in this image. When you tear the word "impossible" in two, you get "I'm possible". It's the same letters emphasized differently, but the change makes all the difference in how our brains respond. In this article, my goal is to share the common misconceptions of solo cleaning. I will break down each perceived negative and show you the "possible". Let's get started!

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Let's Talk Warts!

11/6/2020

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You're probably wondering how warts are remotely tied into cleaning! I had no idea until meeting our family podiatrist, Dr. Liliya Kalyan. At first, it was just my daughter (see picture above). These warts started showing up on the boys causing my wife to make weekly appointments for all 4! A few weeks ago, I took my daughter and was able to ask some questions as I was very curious. ​

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Will You Take Cash?

10/16/2020

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It was early 2007 when I was asked this question for the first time. The person asking me was a local business owner and friend. He wanted me to clean his rental unit. Now, he didn't ask to pay me under-the-table. He implied it and I knew it. This was a difficult place to be. First of all, we really needed the money. I didn't want to say no to the cleaning job or offend him. Plus, I didn't want to do something that I knew was wrong. It took me a few seconds to respond. "Yes. I do take cash as well as checks. Just to be clear and you're probably not even asking me this, but I am required to charge sales tax on all cleaning services."

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What Happens when you Break or Damage my Property, Ken?

10/2/2020

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In my article, "5 Tips for Selecting your Next Cleaner", I stress how critical it is to hire an insured cleaning service. You will have tremendous peace of mind knowing that you, your family, and your property are covered if any bodily harm or property damage occurs due to my cleaning. This sounds great when you see it written, but it's vague. I've been cleaning for 15 years. In this article, I will share a few short examples of how I broke or damaged property and how we dealt with it.

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How Much Do you Charge for Cleaning, Ken?

9/18/2020

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I highly encourage you to read my previous article first, "Did you Know Cleaning has a Specialist too?" I was recently asked what level of a cleaning specialist I was and I had to really think about it. In the article, I concluded that I was a Level 3 Cleaning Specialist. However, I have changed my position and now consider myself a Level 4.

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20 Moving Tips from a Realtor and Cleaner

9/4/2020

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I have a realtor friend from one of my local networking groups who shared this presentation a few weeks ago and I LOVED it! I asked Mary Ann Alig of Berkshire Hathaway if I could share her presentation and her answer was simple. "Ken, you can share it ONLY after you finish it with the cleaner's perspective!" It's a deal Mary Ann! I have been in the cleaning industry for over 15 years and have worked with a ton with families, their realtors, and movers to help them transition to their new home. So here you go Mary Ann, I've added my two cents to your list to make it an even 20 tips! (Note: Mary Ann wrote #1 - #17)

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Are You Locking Your Windows?

8/21/2020

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I've been cleaning homes since 2006 and have noticed a dramatic increase in home security as technology improves. Alarms have gone from wired to wireless. Cameras surveil various angles and locations of the home. Garages have keypads. Families are more secure than ever and they can do so at an expense less than it used to cost. This happens so predictively that economists give it a name.

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Did You Know Cleaning Has A Specialist Too?

8/14/2020

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​We admire and respect doctors as they save lives, especially in 2020! They deserve this admiration. Doctors invest hundreds of thousands of dollars and 11 to 15 years of their life to earn their title as a medical specialist. Within the medical community, there are various levels of specialization. Each additional level requires more time and monetary investment.

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How To Communicate With Your New Cleaner

8/7/2020

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​This is the final article in my series in finding & retaining a great cleaning service for your home or office. Make sure to check out these articles when you are faced with finding a new cleaning service: "5 Tips for Selecting Your Next Cleaner", "How to Break Up with your Cleaner", "How to Build Trust with your New Cleaner". I hinted at the end of the last article that communication is so vital that it deserved it's own lesson. Here are 3 tips you can incorporate to create a professional, trusting, and corrective cleaning service that you will keep for a long time.

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How to Build Trust with your New Cleaner

8/3/2020

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This article is part 3 in a 4 part series in finding & retaining a great cleaning service for your home or office. I covered "5 Tips for Selecting Your Next Cleaner" in my first article and "How to Break Up with your Cleaner" in the second. My goal in this article to show you how to nurture your new cleaning relationship to build trust so you can be partners in the upkeep & cleaning of your home or office for years to come. Does that sound like a great goal? Trust me... it is. It's stability for your new cleaner and peace of mind for you.

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How to Break Up with your Cleaner

7/27/2020

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In my last article, I covered "5 Tips for Selecting Your Next Cleaner". I lay out an analytical and emotional approach to selecting the right cleaning service for your home or office. But what if you have a cleaning service now and they don't exactly meet the criteria of a legit company or they're not COVID prepared & educated? Don't fret! I have this follow-up article for you on how to break up with your current cleaner.

First off, let me make this disclaimer. I don't want any cleaning service to lose their job. We are not competitive with each other as most of us in the industry realize that there are way more houses and offices than cleaning companies. Secondly, if you're happy with your cleaning service, please ignore this advice!
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5 Tips for Selecting Your Next Cleaner

7/17/2020

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As the summer ends, many will start considering a new house or office cleaning company. Use this checklist as a tried & true way to interview potential candidates! I've been in this industry for 15 years and have served as an industry consultant for the last 4 years. This will help you!​

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State Of Cleaning In A Post-COVID World

7/10/2020

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I was asked by cleaning industry leaders to give a state of our industry talk on a virtual summit. I completed the talk today and thought some of the takeaways would be useful for my own community.

COVID-19 has raised the bar in our industry. Prior to COVID, the typical house or office cleaner had no governing body to report to other than the Departments of Labor and Taxation. There was also no formal licensing requirement in our state, nor was there an obligation for cleaning providers to be insured against liability. Cleaners had the right and freedom to self-select their own standards of excellence. Thus, the industry has been flooded with uninsured, unskilled, and unprotected cleaners.

During COVID, the Department of Health and Governor Wolf threw their hats in the game by qualifying our industry as "essential" under personal services to home and small business owners. By allowing our industry to operate when others could not, a microscope was placed on each of us. The post-COVID client is ultra concerned about germs and containing them. They want to minimize the spread of the virus and other pathogens. They want cleaning companies that are fully insured, fully protected, and implementing a COVID-19 disinfecting protocol.

Therefore, the leaders in my industry believe that cleaning company owners will start making the shift from teams to solo cleaners in your homes and offices. This is a WIN-WIN for the client and the company. The company achieves more efficiency and higher profits with solo cleaners for their clients. They are also providing safety measures to protect their cleaners and train them in the science of cleaning & disinfecting to better service their clients. The clients get the same single cleaner in their home EVERY time. They will never wonder who will clean, how many cleaners will be in their home or office, where they've been, and who they've been in contact since the last visit.

As you bring your cleaning services back to your homes and offices or as you screen companies to hire, please keep these trends in mind. The government is still NOT regulating us. However, there will be many companies reported and I personally believe that many of the cleaners I mentioned above with low standards of excellence and safety will be shaken out. This is a good thing as it gives you, the consumer, more trust when you search for a cleaning service to know that if they're still standing, they've probably fought to do so.

I operate my company, Carfagno Cleaning Incorporated, as a solo (or single cleaner). My COVID-19 Disinfecting Protocol is outlined on my website. As always, feel free to email me if you have any questions on the cleaning industry or have questions about your specific cleaning need. 
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Cleaning Science IV: Ken's Secrets to Cleaning Kitchen Sinks!

7/1/2020

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I've been teaching a series on cleaning science these past 4 newsletters. Last week, I gave some examples of how to think through the cleaning of soap scum and glass etching in showers. This week, we're going to share my biggest secrets... "Ken, how do you get the kitchen sink so clean?"

Tarnish on Stainless Steel – This is formed through chemistry (oxidation and mineral ions in hard water). The tarnish layer is acidic and requires only A & C to clean. You need a product like Bar Keeper’s Friend™, which has an acidic pH of 1.5 to 2.5. It eats the tarnish instantly, thus temperature and time are not relevant. With the soft part of a sponge or cloth, you can use light agitation to remove the tarnish. For stubbornly tarnished sinks, use more product and more agitation like a scrub pad or light steel wool.

Discoloration on White Ceramic or Stone-Based Sinks – These surfaces are very porous and react with food and the metal in wet silverware. The reaction that occurs discolors the white to a yellow, blue, or orange (rust) color. The most effective solution requires C & T. Use a heavy alkaline like ammonia or bleach with a pH of 11-13. Allow the chemistry to work with a 2-5 minute dwell time (from experience). The stronger the alkaline, the less time is needed.
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Cleaning Science III: TACT in the Shower

7/1/2020

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​Now that you understand what dirt is and how to suspend it with TACT, let's cover some common usages of this TACT formula. Everyone asks me about soap scum and spots on shower glass. Let's dive into those today!

SOAP SCUM ON SHOWER WALLS
- Soap scum is a substance chemically formed when the calcium & magnesium ions in hard water mixes with the fatty acids from the soap and dirt & oils from the body. It is carried in the steam to the walls and settles in the tub. Once cooled, it hardens and over time it layers. Soap scum has a slightly basic pH. You will need all 4 dials to effectively clean soap scum. Spray an acidic multipurpose cleaner onto the surface and allow to dwell to the product instructions. Then use agitation and hot water to complete the suspension to clean it. Scrub through the dirt. You can feel when the surface is clean. Your cleaning tool starts to glide. Then rinse with hot water.

HARD WATER ON GLASS SHOWER DOORS – “Etching” is a chemical process or erosion on a porous surface. It happens most commonly on glass shower doors. The hard water droplets have TACT. The pH of the hard water is acidic. Over time, they erode the surface of the glass and harden beneath the surface. You can clean the water spots off the glass surface with T, A, C & T, but the spots in the valleys of the etched glass are very difficult to clean. Once a glass shower door is etched, by definition, it is ruined. Teach your clients & prospects how vital it is to squeegee the droplets off the glass EVERY time, otherwise be prepared to budget for new doors every 5-10 years. This solution is education-based and impresses them.
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Cleaning Science II: Learn Some TACT

6/17/2020

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​In this video, you will learn a basic system for efficiently suspending soil (aka 'dirt') so you can remove it! TACT is an acronym that will give you the knowledge to remove the guess-work from cleaning as there really is a science!

T – Temperature – The dial goes from cold to hot.

A – Agitation – This dial goes from wiping to steel wool and blades.

C – Chemistry – This dial goes from 0 to 14 on the pH scale.

T – Time – This dial goes from immediate up to 10 minutes, typically.

Keep TACT in mind and fully understand each letter. This allows you to clean difficult & layered soils quicker without damaging any surfaces! Once you understand how to remove dirt, you can begin to clean more efficiently without damaging surfaces. I'll share some examples on upcoming newsletters!
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Cleaning Science I: What is Dirt?

6/17/2020

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​Before you can effectively remove dirt, you need to understand what it is! This video is part one for this month's newsletter theme of "Cleaning Science Tips". You will absolutely be disgusted, but it's for the best... I promise!

Dirt or soil varies greatly depending on which part of the home you’re cleaning. At the macro-level, get ready to deal with:
  • Hair (human, cat, dog, etc) – Primarily in the bathroom
  • Soap scum & the byproducts of the body – Primarily in bathrooms
  • Grease – Primarily in the kitchen
  • Foot traffic material from clay, soil, grass, etc – Primarily on floors
  • Food & the byproducts of food – Primarily in the kitchen and floors
  • Dust – This includes dead skin, furniture & carpet fibers, outdoor soil, pollen, mold, fireplace coal & smoke, construction-related, household chemicals, and other allergens.
  • Cobwebs – Primarily in basements, wall corners & ceilings during the “spider season”. This season is different depending on where you live.
And you’re dealing with pathogens at the micro-level, which are bacterium, viruses, and other microorganisms (like mold) that can cause disease. These are found throughout the house. Make sure to check out my educational series, "The 9 Mistakes in Disinfecting", to learn more about this.

Once you identify the DIRT you're dealing with, you need to suspend the DIRT to remove it. We'll cover this next week in our "Cleaning Science Tips: How to Use TACT".
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How to Disinfect Properly Introduction

4/10/2020

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Over my 15 years of professional cleaning for home & small business owners, I have seen that 90% of people DO NOT disinfect correctly. This video serves as an introduction to the 5-part FREE video course "How to Disinfect Properly", where I break down the "9 Mistakes of Disinfection".

Click here to access your FREE course!
​[You will be directed to subscribe to our newsletter mailing list first.]
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Disinfecting Tips for COVID-19

3/18/2020

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​This is not a step-by-step guide to killing Coronavirus (COVID-19). The CDC doesn't even have that yet. This month's newsletter is a DIY on how to reduce the potential of the virus in your home. I am NOT an expert in disinfection, rather a cleaning professional that learns & relies on the CDC, NIH, and WHO as they publish new guidelines. They are the experts. I am a practitioner. Therefore, this article contains 4 useful tips to safeguard your family with links to the experts. Get educated and be safe!

"Even though the CDC has said on their website that contracting the new coronavirus from surfaces has yet to be seen, the agency and the World Health Organization (WHO) have strongly suggested cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces daily to limit the spread of the virus." [Full Article]

Here are some general tips!

(1) CLEAN FIRST, THEN DISINFECT -- Check out this article from the CDC on how to clean surfaces and especially the importance of cleaning BEFORE disinfecting. This strategy also applies to hand disinfection... Clean with soap and water for 20 seconds and then use hand sanitizer to be most effective.

(2) WHAT TO USE -- There are many effective ways to disinfect surfaces. Alcohols (ethanol 95% and isopropyl 70%), bleach (diluted), peroxide, and many more. The CDC has a recommended list on the above article. Choose one!!!

(3) READ THE INSTRUCTIONS -- The chemical or alcohol you choose requires TIME to break down the protein/lipid outer shell of the virus to kill it entirely or make it less harmful to the body. Don't just spray and wipe! Every disinfectant has a contact time to do it's work! In general, 10 minutes covers most chemicals, bit it has to stay wet for that time. Some are less like alcohols.

(4) USE THE 80/20 RULE -- It's not feasible to disinfect 100% of the germs in your home or place of business, but you can hyperf0cus with the 80/20 Rule. 80% of the germs reside on 20% of the surfaces. Focus on those 20% and you'll significantly reduce your risk! Here's a list of the 20% for offices.

(5) DO IT OFTEN -- Yes, hire a cleaning service to do this thoroughly as most are trained to do such. But 80+% of the responsibility falls on you to follow the recommendations of the CDC and WHO to disinfect daily.
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Dirt + Disorder = Overwhelm + Anxiety

1/31/2020

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​Emily is a working mom that I'm sure many of you will relate to. I cleaned for her family for a year as they were transitioning to having twin girls and job changes for her husband. Emily battles stress and so much of it revolves around her sanctuary, the place where she lived, worked, and connected with each of her family members. In one conversation, I brought up a science correlation between clutter and stress in women. Emily related so much that it opened the door to some great conversations of how my cleaning service was de-stressing her life.

Emily would see the dirt and disorder around her house and it would create overwhelm and anxiety, causing her to get less done. "When my house was clean, that stress was gone and I could function better." The other intriguing point Emily made was this. "Knowing the cleaner was coming, forced me to organize my house and pick things up before you showed up." I was scheduled biweekly, which created a 14-day cycle of accountability to "clean before the cleaner" by picking up, straightening up, eliminating stuff, clearing counters and desks, etc. Emily shared something powerful. "A clean house improved my emotional state every time you left". I am not a psychologist. I'm a cleaner that has seen the story of Emily year-after-year in every household that hired me to clean. Let's dig into the science of clutter and dirt, so we can help the women in our lives to DE-STRESS!

Sherrie Bourg Carter wrote a powerful article in Psychology Today on March 14, 2012 entitled, "Why Mess Causes Stress: 8 Reasons, 8 Remedies The mental cost of clutter". I would like to extract the 8 points that Sherrie makes about clutter and add my own comments. 
  1. "Clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli (visual, olfactory, tactile), causing our senses to work overtime on stimuli that aren't necessary or important." This hits the nail on the head for Emily. She works in a corporate recruiting role from home while caring for 3 little girls. She is home all day and has the time to see, feel, and smell every single stimuli. The dirt and dust has a distinguishable smell and texture that makes her squeam and emotionally tighten. It's easy to see how impactful a recurring house cleaning service can be!
  2. "Clutter distracts us by drawing our attention away from what our focus should be on." Emily said this exact comment above. Her mind and emotions would wander to the dirt and clutter, causing her to be less productive during work hours. This point alone proves how vital it is to hire a presentation cleaning service that knows how to help you create space in your home office and business office. Can you imagine how much more time we would all have with our families if we had less distractions during work hours?
  3. "Clutter constantly signals to our brains that our work is never done." This one is deep! It's more science to back up Emily's comments.
  4. "Clutter inhibits creativity and productivity by invading the open spaces that allow most people to think, brainstorm, and problem solve." Emily's quote above echoes this exactly!
  5. "Clutter frustrates us by preventing us from locating what we need quickly (e.g. files and paperwork lost in the "pile" or keys swallowed up by the clutter)." These last two further prove the priority and importance of a clean work space. If you work from home like Emily, hire a presentation house cleaning service and get on a regular schedule. Or if you work at a business office, make sure you stress the importance to your office manager or boss the need for an excellent office cleaning service so you can perform at maximum productivity. Personally, I've been cleaning both houses and small offices for years and I see the same things in work spaces. For example, there are 2 offices I clean every Thursday night and the employees clean their desk clutter before every cleaning visit so I can clean their desks. There is no doubt these workers are more productive the next day.
  6. "Clutter makes us anxious because we're never sure what it's going to take to get through to the bottom of the pile." I've been married for 16 years and have 5 kids. I rarely see the laundry pile empty and have seen first-hand the stress it adds on my wife. And that's laundry, where we all have a plan to clean it on a regular basis. Clutter just keeps piling up. If hiring a cleaning service is all it takes to get you to attack the clutter, do it!
  7. "Clutter makes it more difficult to relax, both physically and mentally." We talked about the working hours part of our day. What about the relaxing part after a long day? We have the kids to bed and just want to veg! I, like most husbands, am totally fine. But the women out there like Emily are seeing and smelling the dirt and clutter. Although they are trying to relax, they feel unable.
  8. "Clutter creates feelings of guilt ("I should be more organized") and embarrassment, especially when others unexpectedly drop by our homes or work spaces." This is the one Sherrie! Thanksgiving and Christmas are the two times of year where these feelings of guilt and embarrassment are at their peak. Emily pointed out that they have guests come over during the holidays and at other times throughout the year. Sometimes these visits are even "unexpected". Knowing they have a cleaning service takes one more thing off their list and reduces their overwhelm on the guests. Prior to having a quality presentation cleaning service, Emily and her husband would literally get out of bed and clean the house for these unwelcome, er... I mean, unexpected guests. When Emily told me this, she sighed and said. "Now, we just relax and then go to sleep in peace."
How do you FEEL when DIRT and CLUTTER rule your home? Do you feel like Emily? Stay tuned! My next newsletter will dive into "3 Tips to Finding Your Next House Cleaning Service".
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    Ken Carfagno is a presentation cleaning specialist serving the Indian Valley, PA.

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