Luckily, we’re here to take a very big to-do off your holiday checklist and to remind you about the glorious one-time professional cleaning. In one phone call, you can get your house in tip-top shape for that big dinner or party. And even if you’re planning on using this time to snuggle up and watch movies, isn’t it so much nicer in a clean house?

We swear chores that you usually do yourself are that much more enjoyable when somebody else does them. So we say pour yourself some egg nog and make a snowman and enjoy the same five movies replaying on TV. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.

If you spill your (red) wine on carpet, blot it up, and then spray hydrogen peroxide followed by a sprinkle of baking soda. Let it sit for a bit, and then rinse with water. If you spill it on your clothes, try club soda.

Or shock everyone and pour some white wine over the red wine stain. Blot it up and throw down some salt or club soda to help the process.

If chewing gum or candle wax from all those decorative candles spills onto any upholstery or carpet, rub the spot with a freezer bag filled with ice cubes until the stain hardens. Shatter it with a spatula and vacuum up the pieces.

See? Just like that, you can look like a rock star host and the party can roll on. We can’t help you with any unruly guests, though. That’s on you.

As a fire burns, smoke goes up the chimney. Some of that smoke condenses into creosote on the flue, the inner surface of the chimney. A build-up of creosote can cause a house fire.

To get rid of a creosote build-up, you need to get your chimney inspected and cleaned by a professional once a year. If you haven’t done it since the last fireplace season, do it before you fire it up again this year. Ask that they clean the furnace flue, as well. Creosote builds up slower here, but it’s still worth the time.

Get this taken care of, and any home intruder you actively invite into your home in a month or so will be ready to go with a clean scene of the crime. Not a bad deal.

So be kind to our plumbing brethren. Make sure to not grind any of the items mentioned above, as well as no ice or bones. And we hope this goes without saying, but no sticking hands down there to fish anything like that out, either. If you really want to try to fix it yourself, turn it off and try to declog from underneath the sink.

But if you keep the contraband out of there, you should be good to go. Which will be good for you because you don’t want to get between a plumber and his stuffing. Trust us.

Happy Thanksgiving.

From all of us at Cal Pro Construction Inc.

Now is the best time to test your heating system. Here’s what we will look for during an annual inspection:

• Test for deadly carbon monoxide fumes
  
• An accurate thermostat
  
• Mold and allergens in the air filter
  
• Fire hazard from soot buildup inside the flue
  

If you let a us take care of that stuff, all you need to do is turn it on for a few minutes before it’s cold to make sure it’s all working correctly and check that the filters are clean.

Taking care of your furnace now will keep you out of long lines after that first really cold night. Not that you’ll notice with your new winter wardrobe and working heat. Suckers

Call us about our new premier heating and air conditioning home service plans.

There’s no time like the present to get started on that new kitchen. The comfortable temperatures make it easy, and if you want to go away for the holidays. First, though, you need to plan. Lucky for you, we have a plan for your plan.

-You’ll need to pack everything from your cabinets and a place to store the boxes.

-You’ll need a space for us to park.

-You’ll need to move out any furniture and make a convenient path for us to come in and out.

-You won’t have a functional kitchen for awhile, so think ahead. You’ll be eating out more, but can also make a makeshift kitchen in another room. And buy paper plates unless you like to wash dishes in your bathtub.

This may seem like a lot, but the inconvenience is a small price to get the kitchen of your dreams. Just don’t blame us when everyone wants to cook Thanksgiving or holiday meals in your house next year. We warned you.

Plus, you’re probably going to be spending time out there for your Labor Day festivities. In the world of outdoor BBQs, we’ve heard that Labor Day puts Memorial Day to shame. And, no, we’re not willing to tell you the source of that stat.

To prep, you need to get it cleaned and sealed. Use bleach water to remove any water damage. Pressures wash to remove stains and residue. Apply stain and sealant.

This is the equivalent of putting sunscreen on your deck and protecting it from the elements – something that needs to be done every three to five years. Now get out there and show your Memorial Day party whose boss!

You think Tom Cruise could have gotten that kind of sliding power if he hadn’t kept up with his hardwood floors? We don’t think so.

Now we don’t know if you’re trying to recreate any iconic movie images, but we all know sliding on hardwood floors is kind of fun – if you avoid the days right after waxing. If you do that you’re just asking to faceplant.

To keep your hardwood floors tip top, consider just a few quick things:

You have to keep it clean. Most minor scratches come from tracked-in dirt. So put a mat at doors that lead to the outdoors and make sure to vacuum or dust once a week.

This goes twice for any spills or tracked in water. Liquid can hurt the finish, but also warp the wood.

Put felt on the bottom of furniture legs and pick stuff up when you move.

Do all these things and you can slide around with ease and even with clean socks. It’s the little things.

It’s a popular time of year to start taking on a remodeling project, so if you’re thinking about your bathroom, there are some things you need to consider.

Sure the cabinets, tiling, and shower get all the attention, and maybe rightly so. But there are a few smaller details that you might be forgetting that can make or break your day-to-day operations.

Storage. Sure, that pedestal sink might look sleek, but did you account for storage somewhere else? Keep in mind, even a small cabinet can offer great storage.

Bathroom heater. Having a heated towel rack, heated tiled flooring or a bathroom heater, will surely make you happier in the winter. Guaranteed.

Double sinks. Just trust us.

Before you start talking to bathroom pros, make sure you know if you’re doing a remodel or just upgrading a few smaller parts of your room. You could save a lot of money and time by hiring the right pro from the beginning.

Just keep in mind that if you get a steam shower or heated floors, your holiday guests might not want to leave. It just comes with the territory.

Keep your kitchen clean. Just like us, the bugs love food. Especially anything sticky or sitting in your sink.

Get rid of standing water. Mosquitoes love it. A place you might not have checked is in your gutters.

Set traps in the right places. If you’ve noticed them congregating in a certain area, set a trap. This could be an insect remedy you can buy at the hardware store or something more natural if you’re wary of chemicals. White vinegar with some lemon dish soap can work, so can essential oils on a cotton ball like lemon or eucalyptus.

Fill and seal gaps where they might be getting in. Making sure everything is sealed tight around doors and windows should help.

Get rid of garbage.

If you do all this and they persist, it might be more of an infestation which means the guys with the hazmat suits. But these pros will know more about your local bugs and will have that patience that you’ve probably exhausted in the War on Bugs ’11.

Win this one for all of us. Plus, come on. Look at that guy. You can take him.