As we launch full force into the holiday season, we’ll be kicking our kitchen time into overdrive. Food is huge part of the holidays and many people spend more time in the kitchen during the next six weeks than they do all year. From the pies to the cookies to the homemade stuffing and Aunt June’s green bean casserole, our kitchens are exhausted by the end of the year.

We spend a lot of time worrying about air quality – pollution, ozone levels and carbon monoxide emissions. But we don’t pay near as much attention to the quality of the air inside our homes. From the cleaning products we use to the dust settling in the air vents, our indoor air quality can be just as icky as the smog settling over Los Angeles.

“Sleep tight – don’t let the bed bugs bite.” We’ve all used that rhyme in jest, but the truth is bed bugs are very much a real threat. In fact the prevalence of bed bugs is on the rise in all 50 states.

With the holiday season just around the corner, it’s time to spruce up the house for the family Thanksgiving dinner, holiday parties and New Year’s Eve festivities. That probably also means it’s time to whip out the good china and silver. Of course, you’ll want to add some luster to your silver serving utensils and platters. (You want people to think your family dines in style all year, right?)

When it comes to protecting ourselves against the flu, we can’t control the cleanliness of the school, the grocery store, public restrooms and shopping malls, but we can control the cleanliness of our homes. So, just in time for flu season, Castle Keepers is offering a Flu Shot for Your Home one-time cleaning service.

When it comes to men’s participation in house cleaning, our guess is many women want to see more involvement and most men think they do plenty.

Probably many of us would admit our houses would fail the white glove test thanks to a dusty shelf or coffee table. And definitely don’t look behind the refrigerator or under the couch. Dust just seems to find a home on almost every surface.

Charleston area residents who follow Castle Keepers on Twitter will have a chance to win a free chemical-free house cleaning each Friday in October as part of Freebie Friday.