Holiday tips from MaidPro will make the season bright

Posted on December 04, 2007 by Bill Dube

(Boston) When was the last time you actually used that Jell-O mold? Or the last time you broke out the fancy wine goblets? Unless you’re a serial socialite, chances are you haven’t used most of your holiday dishware all that often. Here’s a rundown on how to use everyday items to clean off that stuff you only use once or twice a year:

• A mixture of one tablespoon of vinegar, one cup of isoprophyl alcohol and one cup of water makes a quickly evaporating spray cleaner that serves as homemade solvent to eliminate the ugliest smudges and dust on vases, punchbowls, mirrors and more.

• To clean silverware, make a thick paste with ¼-cup of baking soda and two tablespoons of water. Apply with a damp sponge and gently rub, rinse and buff dry.

• If candle wax gets stuck on your tablecloth, place a brown paper bag over it and iron the spot vigorously. As the wax melts again, the bag will absorb it, leaving your tablecloth blemish-free.

Of course the toughest part of any holiday gathering is the clean-up after everyone goes home. For a comprehensive tidying, call MaidPro. But to tackle the easy stuff, here are some of our best suggestions:

• Spray every pan, pot and piece of bake ware with cooking spray ahead of time to eliminate the need to scrub to get them clean.

• Keep a sink full of hot, soapy water and immediately put dirty dishes in there to soak.

• Keep a micro fiber flat mop on hand to clean up spills.

MaidPro is a Boston-based franchisor of housecleaning services with more than 90 offices in 27 states plus the District of Columbia. The company, franchising since 1997, takes pride in its strong owner community, cutting-edge technology and creative marketing. It has been honored with the Franchise Business Review’s Four-Star Rating and Franchise 50 awards in 2006 and 2007 for owner satisfaction. MaidPro is a proud member of the International Franchise Association and the New England Franchise Association.