Asthma Day: 5th of May

Leave a reply

Next 5th of May will be World Asthma Day. It will be a trivial day for most of us and you may think why you should celebrate it!

The fact is that more than ever people are encounter a big health problem that can be generated in our work places or our homes. 5,4 million people in the UK are currently receiving treatment for asthma.

The charity Asthma UK is warning professional cleaning companies as well as the public in general about the chemicals used to clean offices and homes.

Substances like air fresheners, aerosol sprays, certain cleaning chemicals or dust from insects and animals can damage our health and can cause fatal asthma attacks.

Living with asthma is a constant battle to avoid substances that can trigger asthma (such as dust, chemicals, fumes or perfumes). As Asthma UK advises, we can always do our bit by using environmentally friendly products and keeping good levels of hygiene around the house.

Tips to make your home dust-free (almost!)

1 Reply

Here you will find some easy to follow tricks to fight the dust problem in your home. With these tricks, you are not going to be able to make your house dust-free, we know that is impossible; but it will help you improve the situation and tackle the dust issue quicker.

Dust in our homes comes mostly from us (yes, us!) and fabrics. Our sofa, our clothes, our bodies… all shed very small particles that float on the air and settle on different surfaces around the house. Just by sitting on the sofa or opening a door you are creating a storm of dust that flies around the house settling on the most unreachable areas.

Let’s see what you can do to prevent the accumulation of dust around your home!

1- Dusters and cloths:

Tell your domestic cleaner to use a damp cloth when dusting. Although dry cloths or feather dusters are good and will retain part of the dust they tend to move dust around the house, which is not good. Damp cloths will retain dust more easily.

2- Bedding:

We have said that we humans also create dust. Just imagine the amount of flakes that we shed when we are sleeping and we turn around on the bed! Avoid asthma and allergic reactions by changing the bed linen every week and vacuuming the mattress regularly.

3- Wardrobes:

Wardrobes are the most common place where dust is generated. All clothes, towels and linen inside them will shed a mountain of fibres when you open the wardrobe doors. To make sure you keep your wardrobes properly dusted, avoid keeping the floor of the wardrobe cluttered; this way it will be easier for your domestic cleaner to hoover, thus avoiding build up of dust.

Keep clothes and other items inside boxes or plastic storage bags. This will protect your clothes and will help with the cleaning duties.

4- Shake and beat!:

There are some items around the house, such as cushions, duvets or rugs, that can become a dust heaven but we cannot afford to take them to the dry cleaner on a weekly basis. On this case, give them a good shake every week (on the outside is better). A good beating can remove dust better than vacuuming.

You can put in practice this easy tips and start enjoying your (almost) dust-free home!

Cleaners of the month (March)

Leave a reply

Last March, the new cleaners of the month were nominated at http://www.amycleaning.co.uk. This time is the turn of Dorina and Sarnai.

Dorina was nominated last month by several of our colleagues. Due to the high number of customers sending positive feedbacks about her job as well as her attitude we have decided that it is time to give her the recognition for her hard work.

Since Sarnai started working for us she has been amazing, with customers ordering regular cleanings after their one offs and praising her for the excellent service she provides.

It will always be great to work with you! Thank you for the hard work!

 

Cross cultural communication (3)

Leave a reply

Do’s and don’ts to avoid a fight with your foreign domestic cleaner:

1- Do not think that there is only one right way (your way!) to communicate.

2- Learn from generalisations about your cleaner’s culture, but do not use these generalisations to creat stereotypes.

3- Practise, practice and practice!. If you don’t, you do not learn.

4- Do not think that communication problems happen because other people are on the wrong. Always search for new ways to make that communication work.

5- Listen actively and empathetically. Put yourself on her shoes and you will improve your communication skills.

6- Try to look at the situation as an outsider. Analysing the situation as a “third person” will give you more in depth and will help you to resolve the problem quicker.

7- Remember that cultural norms might not apply to the behaviour of your particular domestic cleaner. We are not only shaped by our culture; the ethnic background, the family or the education influence how we grow as individuals.

Cleaners of the Month (February)

Leave a reply

The Cleaner of the Month Award has been up and running for quite a while already at http://www.amycleaning.co.uk. From this month we will be updating the blog on this matter as a big thank you for these cleaners that always go the extra mile to help the customers. So here they are, the Cleaners of the Month for February!

Margarita. She has been with us for a while already. The feedbacks from the customers are great and we even had a new client recommending his friend to join because of Margarita’s outstanding service.

Maricela. She started several months ago. Since she got the first job she has proved to be a really good cleaner (and person!). Customers are very happy with her services and she also kept some holiday replacements as permanent clients.

Cross cultural communication (2)

Leave a reply

On this post you will find some explanations about why your cleaner does not act and react on the same way as you do. Please, do not learn them by heart; as with all researches regarding culture and human behavior it is impossible to decipher the truth. Use them as a way to start knowing and understanding your cleaner with open mind.

1- Communication styles. Cultures use language on different ways. A yes in one part of the world can mean a no on the other side; this can create communication problems. Non verbal communication is also important. A gesture can be rude in one culture or a sign of friendship in another. For example, it may be that on the first meeting with your domestic cleaner you will consider appropriate to keep a physical distance between you two, but in some cultures, such as African or Hispanic, people tend to get closer from the beginning as a sign of friendliness and acceptance of the other.

2- Attitudes toward conflict. Some cultures consider conflict as something that has to be avoided; other cultures think that it is a positive thing. In a lot of European countries, conflict is consider embarrassing and needs to be tackle quietly, avoiding discussion. So, there are more possibilities of an east European domestic cleaner accepting quietly your concerns or complains regarding her work than someone from a Latin culture, who will try to speak with you to find a common solution. Again, this is a general idea and does not mean that there are cultures that will find conflict at any cost leaving their work on one side.

3- Approaches to completing tasks. Asian and Latin cultures tend to consider more important to develop relationships at the beginning on a new job, leaving the completion of the task for the end. European Anglo-Saxon cultures tend to concentrate on the task first. An Asian or Hispanic domestic cleaner would tend to speak with you more often, not because they do not want to do the job, but because they consider essential to get to know you better. This does not mean that domestic cleaners from different cultural backgrounds are more or less keen to do their job or value relationships more or less; it just means that they do their tasks differently.

 4- Attitudes toward disclosure. In some cultures, they consider that being honest about your own feelings or thoughts is not appropriate. Keep this in mind when you are talking with your domestic cleaner regarding a complaint or any other issue of her work; be aware that your domestic cleaner may not be comfortable revealing some information and a question that is so common or natural for you may not be for her.

Hope this helps a little bit on your way to understanding your domestic cleaner. Do not use these cultural differences to create prejudices but to create a better relationship with her.

Keep checking the blog for some tips on how to positively develop your cross-cultural communications with your domestic cleaner!

How dirty is your computer keyboard?

Leave a reply

I have recently red some researches regarding the effects of dirty keyboards and telephones and I got quite surprised!

Do you know that your computer keyboard can contain more than 3000 different kinds of germs? Do you know that listeria or salmonella can sit on your keyboard, mouse or telephone for up to 24 hours? This will, in theory, make your electronic appliances even dirtier than your toilet bowl!

These findings are quite alarming, but still people do not really see the cleaning of their keyboards as a priority.

However, having your phone or keyboard or electrical appliances regularly cleaned could have important advantages. A proper clean will limit the spread of infection as well as extend the appliances lifetime.

So, next time you organize the deep clean of your fridge or oven with your domestic cleaner, do not forget about the deep clean of your computer and telephone!

Cross cultural communication (1)

Leave a reply

Knowledge is the key for an effective cross cultural communication with your domestic cleaner.

How many times did you have issues with your domestic cleaner because she did not react on the way you expected? Do not worry! It is not the end of the world! It does not mean that your cleaner does not listen to you! It is just Culture.

In the UK there are a lot of domestic cleaners from all over the world, from East Europe to South America. At http://www.amycleaning.co.uk there has been a lot of issues regarding cross cultural communication. Recently, a customer called us concerned about her new domestic cleaner. She considered her too loud and invasive while on the first meeting. When talking with the cleaner, from a Mediterranean origin, she was confused; she did not understand what went wrong!

Communication between people of different cultures can cause anxiety. Yes, it is your cleaner, but most of the times you do not know a lot about her; sometimes you cannot even locate her country on the map! This “knowing nothing” cause a lot of uncertainty, thus making you scared and destroying the bases of your relationship.

Therefore, to avoid uncertainty and problems with your domestic cleaner you will need to know what the differences are between your culture and hers.

Culture differences can be found on:

1- Communication styles (how people talk and interact with others).

2- Attitudes toward conflict (how people resolve problems).

3- Approaches to completing tasks.

4- Attitudes toward disclosure (how people express opinions).

Would you like to know more? On the next post I will explain a little bit about each of them. Don’t miss it! It may give you the answer you were waiting for!

The benefits of the economic crisis

Leave a reply

Everyday we are bombarded with news regarding the economic crisis and the deteriorated labour market. Thousands of people are loosing their jobs regularly, increasing the percentage of job seekers and thus, debilitating the once strong welfare system.

As everything in life, there is always people that loose and people that gain from a crisis.

At http://www.amycleaning.co.uk we have seen a huge increase on the number of applicants looking for a domestic job. While this could be overwhelming, it can strongly benefit the business.

For instance, the percentage of experienced applicants is very high. This means that during the recruitment process we can put more emphasis not only on tangible skills (e.g. domestic cleaning experience) but also intangible qualities (e.g. willingness to work hard, flexibility with travelling or loyalty). So we are taking on board the best of the best.

The quality of the domestic cleaners working with us has always been very high. But at this moment of economic crisis their quality of work and customer care is even higher, hence the high number of positive feed backs we are receiving from our customers.

Recipes for home-made cleaners

Leave a reply

Here are some recipes for home-made chemicals that will help you keep your home sparkling clean!

ALL PURPOSE CLEANER

1 teaspoon borax

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoon vinegar

1/4 teaspoon washing up liquid

2 cup hot water

Mix all ingredients and use on multiple surfaces when needed (you can use lemon instead of vinegar to leave a nice fragrance).

MICROWAVE CLEANER

2 teaspoon baking soda or lemon juice

1 cup water (on a microwave-safe bowl)

Heat for five minutes or until the liquid boils and condensation builds up inside the microwave. Wipe down.

GLASS CLEANER

1 litre water

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon washing up liquid

Mix all ingredients and add to a spray bottle. Use when required.

FURNITURE POLISH

1 cup vegetable oil or olive oil

1/2 cup lemon juice

Put ingredients in a spray bottle, mix well and apply a small amount to a cloth.

OVEN CLEANER

1 cup baking soda

Water

1 teaspoon washing up liquid

Sprinkle the oven with water. Cover with baking soda. Sprinkle with some more water. Let the mixture work for a while. Wipe with a cloth and finish cleaning the oven with a little bit of washing up liquid and a sponge.