Why a Clean House is The Perfect Father's Day Gift

What Dads Enjoy, with Chris.

I know that cleaning the house might sound like an odd Father’s Day gift, but hear me out.

As a family man with two wonderful children and a wife I’m lucky enough to also call my business partner, I, like many dads today, spend time doing household tasks. Alicia and I share everything 50/50, which means a lot of my time goes towards performing chores around the house. On any given day, you could expect to see me washing dishes, doing the laundry, cleaning the car, or doing anything else that might need attending.

So on Father’s Day I really appreciate it when the kids take the time to help out around the house rather than getting me the customary beard trimmers, leather wallets or chocolate. After all, how many leather wallets does a dad really go through in a year? What I value most is the time they give me to relax, recharge, and enjoy the day with the family.

So, if you’ve landed on this page looking for a thoughtful gift for your dad, let me give you a few tips and methods we use to clean our house that you can use to help your dad out, just like my kids do for me. And as a big bonus, these ideas are all eco-friendly too!

CLEANING THE GRILL

Most dad’s love their BBQs! I take pride in having a clean grill when we have guests over, but the truth is I really like a clean grill because it’s healthier for my family. Below are four tips for cleaning a grill that will make your life that much easier.

• A warm grill is much easier to clean than a cold grill, but be careful. I heat up our grill, then let it cool down a bit before I begin cleaning, as it’s much safer, and I’ll avoid any accidental burns.
• Onions are my secret weapon. If you have bits of food stuck to your grill, try slicing a large onion in half and rubbing the flat sides up and down the metal grates. You’ll find that a lot of the dirt loosens and comes off. Trust me, give it a go. It requires a lot less elbow grease than some other methods.
• Soaking is also your friend. If your grates are removable, take them out and soak them in a large tub of water with a splash of dish soap. The bathtub tends to be a great idea here, so long as you give it a quick rinse afterward.
• For a deeper clean, I would recommend you try our Natural Oven and Stove Top Cleaning Kit. This is my go-to process: 
  Start by spraying the Natural Kitchen Cleaner, sprinkling on some Super Scrub Powder, and letting them sit on the grill for 10 minutes. I then wipe away grease and dirt easily with a Microfiber Cloth. It’s an effective clean, without the harsh chemicals you get in other traditional oven cleaners.

CLEANING THE COMPUTER OR LAPTOP

Many of us today work, shop, study, plan, and unwind on our devices, and your dad is likely to be no exception. His laptop or desktop is not only essential for his work but also for his hobbies. This could look like researching the next hike, watching tutorials, managing photos, or reading the news… yes, we still do that!

Cleaning a computer may be daunting, especially if you want to avoid leaving behind any streaks on the screen. I think we can agree that your dad might not thank you for leaving the computer in a worse state than you found it.

So let’s walk through the best way to give a computer/laptop a thorough and effective clean, without any streaks.

1. Start by turning it off. Simple but important.
2. To clean the keyboard, turn it over gently and shake it. This will remove any crumbs and dirt hidden beneath the keys. Then wipe the mouse and keyboard with a microfiber cloth, lightly sprayed with some All-Purpose Cleaner. 
   Top Tip: Never spray anything directly onto a computer, laptop, keyboard, or screen. Always spray the cloth and then wipe it away. Doing so will ensure that no moisture gets into any places it shouldn’t.
3. When you’re cleaning the monitor or screen, this is where you need to be careful not to leave streaks. When I’m cleaning, I use our Natural Glass Cleaner & Microfiber Cloth Kit. It’s so easy to use and incredibly hard to leave streaks behind with it. Give it a try and let us know how it goes!

CLEANING GYM CLOTHES

I like being active; it’s one of my biggest passions in life. Whether it’s at the gym or hiking in the mountains, I like to feel fresh and ready for the fun. However, as you can probably guess, it can be tough cleaning gym clothes. Sweat, odors, mud, and stains all tend to stick unless the right products are used.

This is where my inspiration for our Natural & Non-Toxic Laundry Detergent came from. Alicia and I didn’t like the thought of having to use harsh chemicals to achieve the thorough clean that these types of clothes require. So I set to work experimenting with different natural ingredients and finally came up with an excellent alternative to the traditional cleaners on the market.

The detergent we created works at all water temperatures and with all washing machine types, including high-efficiency (HE) machines. We’ve also designed it as a concentrated liquid, making it last longer. From just one bottle of laundry detergent, you get approximately 64 clean loads of laundry!

But the real test was whether it cleaned and left clothes smelling great. Spoiler alert: it worked! We carefully handpicked and tested all of our ingredients to make sure they get out the toughest stains while leaving you smelling and feeling fresh. Can you tell I’m really proud of this product yet?

If you want to take things one step further beyond a load of laundry, you could also clean your dad’s gym equipment. Some All-Purpose Cleaner will do the trick here. It works on any washable surface; just spray and wipe away the dirt with a matching Microfiber Cloth.

CLEANING THE CAR

My kids work well as a duo to clean the car. They know how much I love our Toyota SUV, so it means a lot to me when they take the time to clean it properly and carefully.

I’m going to save you some time and money with this next part. Your dad will appreciate both, I’m sure. You’ll find that many superstores and auto shops today are full of car-cleaning products, but all you really need can be found in your at-home cleaning supplies. So save yourself a trip to the shops, and save yourself a lot of money.

The kids start by removing all the rubbish. There’s always some friendly debate as to who is responsible for the lion's share. They then take out all the floor mats, which get put back after the interior has been cleaned.

Next comes the vacuuming. This will help remove all the loose dirt and smaller bits and pieces they couldn’t grab by hand. A quick tip is to make sure you not only vacuum the floors, but also the seats and upholstered areas. It’s easy to forget just how many places dust and dirt can accumulate in a car.

Once you’re done vacuuming, this is when the soap comes into play. We use a big bucket filled with water and some dish soap or Natural All-In-One Concentrate. Then get a cloth and use the solution to wipe the inside of the car first, then the outside. Make sure you get everything, including the dashboard, steering wheel, and cupholders. For any tougher stains, give them a spray with some All-Purpose Cleaner to help break them down.

The last stage is cleaning the windows. For this, you can use the same Natural Glass Cleaning Kit as I mentioned earlier for the computer/laptop cleaning.

BOOK A PROFESSIONAL HOUSE CLEANING SERVICE

There are times when you simply don’t have the time or willpower to start cleaning every area of your home. And honestly, that’s okay. Sometimes the best Father’s Day gift is giving dad a truly clean home without anyone having to spend the day scrubbing. So why not book a cleaning and get AspenClean’s team in and give the house a much-needed service?

Here are just some of the reasons why you should book a house cleaning:

• Professionally-trained teams
  
• All equipment and cleaning products are provided
  
• A Team of 3 cleaners for faster, more efficient cleaning
  
• An all-natural clean for a fresh and healthy home

You can also give him a gift certificate for an all-natural home cleaning. That way, he can enjoy all the benefits outlined above on a date and at a time that suits him.

For me, that’s the kind of Father’s Day gift that stands out above the rest. It is not only thoughtful and practical, but it gives your dad something we could all use a bit more of, and that’s time to enjoy our days!