It’s [almost] always beach season in Sarasota! Which really means that after you spend a day at the beach your house starts to look like one. Hello, sand, I don’t recall inviting you home for dinner! Unfortunately I don’t have tips on how to get rid of all house guests that overstay their welcome, but sand is one that Lemon Squeezy is an expert at evicting. The next time you enjoy a beach day, use these simple tips to get sand out of just about anything. Clothing I can’t be the only one that tosses my cover-up into the sand on my way to the water and regrets it later. And even when I try to keep everything sand-free, somehow those pesky grains still manage to sneak into my stuff. The key is shaking it like a polaroid picture... First, make the hike out of the sand. Then, shake out your beach bag to ensure that it’s as sand-free as possible. Take each article of sandy clothing and shake it out vigorously and far away from your beach bag, car or other items of clothing you’re trying to keep clean. When you’re done with each item, fold it and place it in your clean bag. I recommend using a beach bag that’s durable enough to go through the laundry. Then, toss it in with all of your beach clothes to remove the final bits of sand left. The more sand you can shake off ahead of time, the better. Towels Wet towels or wet clothes are nearly impossible to shake out completely at the beach, so throw those into a breathable tote like a mesh produce bag and then plop them into an open Rubbermaid container or something that will contain the sand in your vehicle. When you get home, place the Rubbermaid in your lawn or garage (avoid taking it inside if you can!) Fill the container with cold water and let the clothes and towels soak for 10 minutes to help release sand from the material. When time is up, take the items out of the container, hang them up to air dry overnight and then give them a good shaking outside the next day to release any final sand particles. Yourself In a lot of ways, sand is like glitter! It sticks to everything and no one really likes it! To keep yourself as sand-free as possible after a good day at the beach, try this: If there’s a shower or hose available, dust yourself off first! Don’t forget to shake your hair out (bonus points for bringing a comb or brush in your beach bag). Once you’ve dry brushed as much sand off as you can, give yourself a good rinse in the shower to wash away any remaining particles. Wrap yourself in a clean, dry, sandless towel before you get in the car to keep any fugitive sand from exploring your vehicle. Your To-Do List We can’t stick you in a washing machine, but the rest of it we can take care of! If all of those extra laundry steps sound like a lot of work after spending the day in the sun, surf and sand, we can take care of it for you. Skip all of the steps, stuff all your beach gear (sand and all) in a bag, and call us to pick it up! Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy!

Having a reliable laundry service like Lemon Squeezy makes a HUGE difference in your daily routine, but laundry certainly isn’t the only thing we could all use a little help with. Check out these other highly-rated, local cleaning services to create your happiest, healthiest home. 1. House Cleaning - The Maids of Sarasota. The Maids offer a wide range of interior home cleaning services, from one-time deep cleans to routinely scheduled visits and move-in/move-out cleaning. They pride themselves on cleaning for the greater health of your home, not just sparkly surfaces (but who doesn’t love that, too!). Visit them at https://www.maids.com/158/ 2. Junk Removal & Clean Up - Junk King. Junk King offers junk removal and hauling services for both home and business clients, and they are committed to recycling a minimum of 60% of the junk they collect. Hooray for you and for the environment! Plus, they can handle just about any kind of junk you’ve got - appliances, construction waste, old hot tubs, furniture, you name it. Schedule your service at https://www.junk-king.com/locations/sarasota/ 3. Window Cleaning - Fish Window Cleaning. Fish has grown to be the world's largest window cleaning company by maintaining the traditional values and customer- focused mindset they were founded on. It’s hard to beat small company values backed by big company resources! In addition to interior and exterior window cleaning, Fish also offers cleaning services for gutters, mirrors, screens, storm windows and more! View their full list of services at https://www.fishwindowcleaning.com/Sarasota-FL-3129/ 4. Sliding Door Cleaning - Patrick’s Sliding Door Repair. A good sliding door is expensive, but those of us with pets and young children know how quickly they can go from shiny and new to sticky and ew. The screens get ripped, the tracks collect dirt and hair like it’s their job, and anything that slides is almost guaranteed to go off-track. Enter Patrick’s Sliding Door Repair! They’ll have you cleaned up and good as new in no time. Check them out at https://www.patricksslidingdoorrepair.com/ 5. Power Washing - Super Clean Power Washing. In our humid oceanside climate, power washing is a must! All of the dirt and mildew that clings to our patios, roofs, decks and driveways can be erased in minutes with Super Clean. Before you replace that slimy deck or scummy-looking siding, give Super Clean a try and you just might find that a good, solid cleaning is all you needed! See for yourself at https://powerwashingservicesarasotafl.com/

Most of us are no stranger to spraying half a bottle of Febreze or Downy Wrinkle Release on an outfit when we’re running late somewhere. But, what happens when you don’t have a bottle on hand? Or worse, what if a freshening spray, which typically only covers odors and doesn’t remove them, just isn’t going to cut it? Try one of these quick hacks using items and products that you probably already have lying around the house! 1. Pass the vodka. Alcohol has a neutralizing effect when it comes to odors, and what better excuse to store a bottle in your freezer if you don’t already have one? Pour the spirit directly into a spray bottle, no diluting necessary, and spritz it on your smelliest of clothes. It will dry quickly and take odors with it as it evaporates! 2. Take them for a tumble. If your clothes are smelly and wrinkly, toss them in the dryer for a refresh. After using your vodka spray, set your dryer to air fluff or a similar setting with a couple of dryer sheets and let the clothes tumble for 10 to 20 minutes. Out of dryer sheets? We’ve all been there. Find a clean washcloth and mist it with a bit of white vinegar and a few drops of your favorite essential oil and toss it in the dryer instead. (Bonus: this option is non-toxic, environmentally friendly and just as effective!) 3. Say, “Sayonara!” to stains. Getting the smell out of your clothes doesn’t feel like much of a victory if they still look smelly. We love a good Tide To Go pen as much as the next person, but like all other pens it seems like you can never find one when you really need it! Instead, grab another trusty spray bottle and try this homemade remedy: One part dish soap Two parts hydrogen peroxide Spoonful of baking soda Mix well in your spray bottle Apply to the stain, rub it in and let sit for 5-10 minutes Blot with a paper towel and let dry (toss it into the dryer if you’re in a hurry.) 4. Make it easy, peasy, Lemon Squeezy. If keeping up with your laundry has you in a permanent cycle of relying on tips like this, let us help! We can set up the perfect schedule to keep you looking and feeling so fresh and so clean. Schedule an appointment or contact us for more information!