Declutter your home and recycle

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closet_clutter_monsterI think one of the best cleaning tips I’ve ever heard is to de-clutter your home. Getting rid of items that have been forgotten at the back of our wardrobe is as essential as the cleaning itself to freshen your house.

But then, what do we do with all that stuff? We empty our closets, we throw away old clothes, boxes, toys… and then we leave them to dust in the corner as if waiting for them to walk out the door by themselves.

Here is an original solution for your clutter agony:

www.makingfriends.com/recycle.htm

This lovely website will give you ideas on how to reuse your clutter while having fun with the kids.

If you try any of these ideas, let us know!

What would be the cleaning product you can’t live without?

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For us it has to be Kilrock descaler gel. It even comes with a small brush! Wipe it around tricky places, such as a shower head or the tip of a tap, leave it for some minutes et voila! magic! no more limescale.

It is OK to use on stainless steel, plastic and ceramic, but be careful with enamel.

Try it and let us know what you think or share with us your best ever cleaning product!

Christmas here I come!

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christmas_treeI don’t know you, but I can’t wait for Christmas this year! There is still one month to go but I can already hear the singing of Christmas carols and the smell of cinnamon and cookies!

If you are like me, here is a very simple recipe of a Christmassy air freshener that will put you in the mood in no time!

Just bring to the boil a cup of water, a cup of white vinegar, 1 cinnamon stick, a tsp of cloves and a tbsp of vainilla extract. Simmer on a low heat for a couple of minutes and leave to cool. Take the cinnamon stick and the cloves out and put on a spray bottle.

Professional carpet cleaning

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We all know how important it is to keep our carpet clean at home. A carpet’s life can be reduced due to dirt, grit and oil residues, so prevention is essential to keep it nice.

Always remember to remove your shoes when arriving home; regular vacuuming is also important; as well as cleaning any stains as soon as they happen.

But eventhough we try our best to keep our carpet clean, we always need to think about cleaning it professionally on a regular basis. Here is a table to help you decide how often you need to call the professionals. Take it only as a reference and remember that every household is different:

How often should I clean my carpet: A house with:
Every  year 1 or 2 people

No pets

Non smokers
Every 9 months Children

or, Pets

or, Smokers
Every 6 months Children and Pets

or, Children and Smokers

or, Pets and Smokers
Every 3 months Children and Pets and Smokers

“Home fever” or indoor allergy

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Indoor Allergy Week runs from 14th November to 20th November. As the new research from charity Allergy UK shows, “home fever” is on the increase, with an estimate of over 12 million people in the UK allergic to their own homes.

The common symptoms of “home fever” or indoor allergy is a runny nose and sneezing, easily mistaken for a flu or cold.

As the research says dust mites, mould and pets are the major cause of allergic reactions. But over 35% of allergy sufferers react also to chemicals in cleaning products.

With these results, it is even clearer the need for a clean home. The work a professional cleaner can do at your home is invaluable and will put your mind at ease leaving your house free of any allergens, but here are some easy to follow tips to avoid any allergy reaction:

– Dust regularly with a damp cloth.

-Ventilate your home every day, at least for 10 minutes.

– Wash bed linen once a week at 60C.

– Buy new pillows every year.

– Replace your mattress every 8/10 years.

– Hoover your carpet regularly and steam clean it once or twice a year.

Are you an allergy sufferer? Check http://www.allergyuk.org/ for more advice.

Upright vacuum or canister vacuum, that is the question

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vacuum_cleanerWith so many vacuums available on the market it is always difficult to decide which is the best one for your needs. If we then need to decide between an upright vacuum or a canister then things get more complicated. Both of them have pros and cons and asking yourself simple questions such as: do I have hard to reach points in my house that need to be vacuumed? or Am I strong enough to carry the vacuum around the house? will help you choose the correct one.

What are the positive points of an upright vacuum?

– People who have difficulty bending over to use the vacuum will find the upright vacuums quite useful.

– An upright bag will hold more debris than a canister bag.

What are the negative points of an upright vacuum?

– These vacuums are less able to reach corners, underneath upholstery and tight places.

– An upright vacuum will take more space on the cupboard, which some people may find annoying.

– It is a heavy vacuum, so it can be a mission to take it up and down the stairs.

What about the pros of a canister vacuum?

– The main positive quality: maneuverability, you can vacuum anything you can think of (under sofas, corners, inside cupboards,…)

– These vacuum are quite compact and generally light weight (useful when you have to carry it around the house).

– Space storage: canister vacuums are smaller than upright vacuums, so it is easier to find a place to “hide” it when the job is done.

And the negatives of a canister vacuum?

– There is actually a lot of people complaining about damages on furniture legs or skirting boards as you pull the vacuum around, not to mention the damages on our selves (that is, Achilles tendon and so on).

When buying a new vacuum, you have to assess your needs and/or preferences. Both types of vacuum can be good as long as they are used appropriately. If only the dust would disappear with a tweak of the nose!

Baby safety

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baby_sleepingThose with children will understand the need to keep our homes safe from hazardous chemicals when cleaning. The safety of our babies come as a priority on everything we do.  Many cleaning products contain ingredients that, if inhaled or ingested can cause serious problems. Chemicals such as bleach or air fresheners are the most dangerous ones and they have been linked to and increase on childhood asthma.

To keep your baby’s nursery (and your house!) up to standards you can always turn your head to the so called “green products” you have on your cupboard, that is vinegar, baking soda and tea tree oil. But if you don’t have time enough to make magic concoctions then check on your local supermarket for non-toxic, bio-degradable chemicals.

I can think about some easy steps that you can follow to keep your baby’s room pristine:

– Check the crib/bed regularly: wash the bed clothing and wipe the waterproof mattress when changing sheets.

– Wash toys: warm soapy water will be enough to keep them clean and get rid of the grime.

– Air the room daily: about 10/15 minutes will do; the breeze coming in will get rid of any odours.

– Dust the room regularly: no chemicals needed, just a damp cloth; and you can use some drops of lavender oil to make the room smell lovely.

These are just a few examples of how to keep you home clean when there are babies around. Let us know if you have any other ideas!

Caring for your wooden floors

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wooden_floorLast week we had a query from one of our clients here at https://www.amycleaning.co.uk regarding the cleaning and care of their wooden floor. Their oak flooring had an oil finish and they found a little stained mark that wouldn’t go away no matter what they did. We recommend them to clean the spot with a little bit of baking soda mixed with oil (e.g. olive oil); you just need to rub it slightly until the surface is clean.

Wooden floors are amazing, they light up a room and make it cosy and warm like no other type of flooring. But you need to care for them appropriately so they can stand the time.

If  you have wooden floor that is lacquered, it will always be better to buy a specific polisher for this type of wood flooring to avoid any damage.

Bamboo flooring is softer than oak, so be aware of any scratches made by shoes or furniture; if it gets dirty, just rub a slightly damp soft cloth until the stain is gone.

There are a lot of chemicals made exclusively to clean wooden floors, but be careful which ones you buy; make sure you don’t use any product that will leave residues as this can damage the floor. For this same reason, you will also need to avoid ammonia based chemicals and oil soaps.

Wooden floors will look great with regular hoovering and a micro-fibre cloth mop for a shiny finish.

The mystery of client-cleaner relationships

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friendshipMost of us, when we think about employing a cleaner, we have the image of a happy human being who will polish every corner of our lives and leave our home silently on a trace of fresh lavender and citrus cents. But the reality is not as sweet as it looks. A major part of people employing a regular cleaner find the relationship difficult.

I recently red an article from psychologist G McMahon regarding this issue and found that there is, somehow, an explanation for this uncomfortable relationships with our cleaners :

-You feel guilty: Most of us have been taught by our parents and grandparents to clean up our mess. Having a cleaner to do that can make us feel like not only couch potatoes but guilty couch potatoes who know we should be the ones scrubbing the lime scale in the bathroom.

-Cleaner = Mother relation: Sometimes we tend to see our mum on our domestic cleaners, specially as cleaners are usually older women. This makes us feel judged when we see a cobweb on the ceiling or the bed not done.

-Standards discrepancy: We all have different ideas on how things should be done; that includes cleaners. They are human beings as us so they have their own opinion on how to clean, and this can clash with clients.

-Where is my privacy?!: Your cleaner will have access to the most private areas in your home; some people does not like this idea and feel uncomfortable if their cleaners do the laundry or find some dirty pants underneath the bed.

-Loss of control: The job of a regular cleaner is to organise the mess you have left, to put right what you did wrong. This can make some people feel vulnerable, thus losing the control of the relationship.

After what it looks like a little bit of psychoanalysis, the answer to a more positive relationship with your cleaner is simple:

From the beginning, estate what you want to be done at your home and how you want it to be done. At the same time “re-visit” these points if you feel your cleaner is not following your requirements.

How to clean your washing machine

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washing_machineCleaning your washing machine is as important as doing the weekly laundry and it should become a regular task in every household.

The inside of the washing machine goes through a lot of dirty water, detergent deposits and limescale; every time you wash your clothes there is a build up of residues on the washing machine making it work harder and reducing its ability to perform adequately.

The best option to leave your washing machine ready for hundreds of more washes is to run an empty cycle on hot water along with two cups of white vinegar (to remove lime scale).

You will also need to remove the detergent dispenser and soak it on hot soapy water. for those hard to reach corners on the dispenser, where mould easily builds up, the best thing to use is a small brush (like one of your old tooth brushes).

As a way of preventing any leakage, check the water hoses regularly for any sign of wear.

Also, do not forget to clean the door and outside of the washing machine with a soft cloth and a little bit of vinegar with water to leave it sparkling!