ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 20, 1996 TAG: 9603200019
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Marketplace
SOURCE: MEGAN SCHNABEL
If the first day of spring today inspires thoughts of dust bunnies instead of Peter Rabbits, don't worry, because you're not alone.
"For some reason, when that sun comes out nice and bright, people see all the dirt they didn't see before," says Mary Jane Wszolek, an owner of Happy Housekeepers cleaning service in Roanoke.
If you don't have the time - or the courage - to tackle spring cleaning on your own, help is out there. Barbara Baldwin, owner of Barbara's Cleaning Service in Roanoke, says cleaning crews such as hers will clean just about anything - for a price.
"We do anything and everything pertaining to the inside of the house," Baldwin says. Last weekend, her crew spent 18 hours cleaning a five-room house from top to bottom. Total cost: $475.
But getting rid of a year's worth of grime doesn't have to mean taking out a second or third mortgage. Most cleaning companies offer a basic service that includes dusting, mopping, vacuuming, changing the linens and cleaning the bathroom. Depending on the service you choose, this can cost you from less than $30 up to $80 or more for a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house.
Most cleaning companies give free estimates, so you won't be hit by an unexpectedly big bill.
But be careful when you start to ask for extras: windows, oven, blinds, floor stripping and waxing. For the most part, that's where the cost really begins to add up.
And don't expect to find many spring cleaning specials. The cleaning services are too smart for that.
"We don't offer anything special," Baldwin says, "because we never know what we're going to get into."
If you want to hire a cleaning service but don't know what you might be getting into, check the company's record with the Better Business Bureau of Western Virginia. The BBB keeps complaint files on local companies and can tell you if other consumers have had problems.
Make sure the company you choose is fully insured and bonded, says Fran Stephanz, executive director of the BBB. This will protect you from lawsuits if a member of the cleaning crew is injured on the job and will cover any damage the cleaners might do to your house.
It'll also protect you if they clean out more than just the dirt. And don't pay up front. Most of these services are squeaky-clean, but you don't want your wallet cleaned and your house still dirty. |n n| While the cleaning folks - or, if you're thrifty, your kids - are finishing up those windows, how about taking a bike ride?
If your bicycle has been in storage all winter, you may want to take it in for a spring tune-up before you hit the hills. Many bike shops offer a variety of basic tune-up packages that range in cost from $20 to $100 or more, depending on the services they include. The most basic tune-ups usually involve cleaning and lubing, as well as making minor adjustments and checking for bigger problems. Repairs usually are extra. |n n| Of course, all that pedaling will make you hungry. If you have a craving for fresh spring and summer veggies but your thumb is anything but green, consider visiting local pick-your-own farms and farmers' markets.
You can get a free guide to the state's markets and farms from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The 63-page guide was published last year, but VDACS has just released a 1996 addendum with revisions and additions.
The guide lists the state's pick-your-own farms and retail farmers' markets by city and county, and it includes directions and hours of operations. It also includes an index that's organized by product - perfect if you know exactly what you want but not where to find it.
For a free copy, write the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Marketing, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond 23218, or call (804) 786-5867. Make sure you specify whether you want just the addendum or both the guide and the addendum.
The price of a clean house
A basic cleaning job - vacuuming, dusting, mopping, cleaning the bathroom - will run you anywhere from $30 to $80 for a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house.
And then there are the extras:
Oven: $8 to $20
Fridge: $8 to $20
Windows: $3 to $8 each (not including storm windows)
Window blinds: $5 to $8 each
Laundry: $6 to $10 an hour
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: The price of a clean house. color.by CNB