If you're changing furniture around in a carpeted room, you may notice that 'dents' have been left by heavy pieces in the carpet. Here's a simple trick from the cleaning experts at MOLLY MAID to remove these problem spots!

1. Place one ice cube in carpet dent. If there is a longer or larger dent, multiple ice cubes may be required.
2. As the ice cube melts, the carpet should begin to fluff back up and reduce in size.
3. Check the results after the ice cube melts and remove any excess water with a cloth. If there is still a dent, use a fork to gently lift the carpet fibres and give it a fluffy appearance.

Do NOT use this method if your carpets are hand dyed, antique or delicate, such as silk carpets.

NOTE: It's always a good idea to test this method on a small area before you begin. Place an ice cube on top of your carpet in the corner of the room. Once it has melted, check that that the water hasn't damaged the under flooring by lifting the corner of the carpet.

Cleaning out your clothes closet - packing away warm clothing and hanging up spring and summer items - is one of those must-do chores at this time of year. The cleaning experts at MOLLY MAID recommend this simple way to streamline the process. Get three containers (bins or bags) and label them: 'Keep', 'Donate' and 'Toss'.  Then, follow these rules of thumb to help you decide where each piece of clothing belongs:

1. Keep

• Keep all 'favourite' items of clothing that you've recently worn within the last few months.
• Keep items from last spring and summer that are in good shape and that you look forward to wearing.
• If any of the clothes have been hanging in the closet unworn for a long time (they may even still have price tags but have passed the return/exchange date at the store), maybe it's time to reconsider keeping them. Perhaps they should be put into the 'donate' container.

2. Donate

• Donate clothes that you didn't wear last year. 
• If you keep the same clothes in your closet year-round (regardless of the season) then shorten this to a six month rule. If an article of clothing hasn't been worn in six months, it's time to let someone else enjoy it instead.

3.    Toss

• Toss any items that are full of rips, holes or stains.
• Consider re-using some of the tossed pieces of clothing as rags for cleaning. Examine the pile and consider if any items would work cut up as cleaning rags, especially for those outdoor projects that include dirt or grease (think: cleaning the BBQ or lawn mower).

Are you planning a delicious Valentine's Day dinner with your special someone?  Make sure you know how to wrap up the leftovers!  

Storing food properly prevents food contamination and helps to preserve the food quality and taste. The experts at MOLLY MAID recommend these do's and don'ts:

Do:

• Do put the food in an air-tight container. The rule of thumb is to eat leftovers within two days.
• Do let warm leftovers cool down for at least 90 minutes before you package them up and put them into the fridge. If food is still hot when it is placed in the fridge, it can heat the temperature of the fridge and that can increase bacteria.
• Do store meat in a container at the bottom of your fridge so that it can't leak onto other food.
• Do freeze meat and fish before the use-by date.
• When defrosting meat, do keep it in a plastic bag placed in a bowl - in order to prevent leakage.
• Do clean the fridge regularly in order to keep it hygienic and prevent bacteria growth and to maintain its condition.

Don't:

• Don't store food in an opened can because metal from the can may transfer into the actual food. Instead, empty the contents of the can into an air tight container or a bowl, cover it and place in the fridge.
• Don't refreeze meat or seafood once it has been thawed.
• Don't keep food in the freezer indefinitely. Date packages if possible so you always know what's in the freezer (and fridge) and try to plan meals accordingly.
• Don't reheat food more than once. Once defrosted and heated, eat food immediately and only defrost as much as you can eat. The more times you reheat food, the higher the risk of food poisoning. 

Keeping the house clean is an on-going job... and that job is so much easier when you can space out chores throughout the day and get the whole family to help.

The expert house cleaners at MOLLY MAID provide this daily task checklist and suggest divvying it up amongst your family (or tacking it in various areas in the house).

If everyone can commit to these chores, the house will sparkle - and your deep clean spring clean will be a lot easier to manage.  

1. Keep the toilet clean by swishing the toilet brush around the bowl and rim.

2. After each shower, squeegee/wipe shower door and walls.

3. Put dirty laundry in hampers and clean laundry in dressers/closets.

4. Pick up clutter and either recycle/toss it or put it in the proper place.

5. Sort garbage and recycling as you create it.

6. Wipe up all spills and splatters immediately.

7. When you're done with dishes, put them into the dishwasher, or wash them by hand after dinner.

8. Wipe down sinks, counters and the kitchen/dining room table.

9. Change kitchen dishcloths and hand/drying towels.

10. Clean up after your pets in the yard and always wipe their paws when they come inside.

When unexpected company calls and tells you they're just 15 minutes away... you may have to scramble a bit to put the house in order. The guest bathroom, for sure, needs a quick clean. 

Here are 7 swift cleaning tips to help make the guest bathroom presentable in a time-crunch:

1. Remove any towels (put them right into the closest laundry hamper) and put out fresh hand towels.
2. Close the shower curtain or spray visible shower walls with a bathroom cleaner and run a dry squeegee down the walls.
3. Clean the mirror with glass cleaner and shine the faucet and taps.
4. Wipe down the counter and sink and de-clutter the counter space (but make sure there's still soap for hand washing).
5. Swab a toilet brush around the bowl, and wipe the toilet seat and outer rim.
6. Sweep or vacuum the floor and spot clean any noticeable spots.
7. Place a new roll of toilet paper on the holder to ensure it doesn't run out while your guests are visiting.