Tag Archives: cleaning tips

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!

Mastering the art of organising your home

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1260926_beach_house_indoorsThe day of the moving is getting closer and, honestly, I am dreading it. You know that you throw away thousands of silly and useless stuff when you move house, but it is always difficult to get rid of that teeny weeny porcelain toy from your trip to Italy or that jumper you got as a present last Christmas and never wore.

When you decide it is time to organise your home and give it a good clean up you have to be brave and get on with it as soon as possible. Ask yourself these 3 simple questions and your life (and home) can change for ever!

– Do I use it? You have to be honest on this one. If it has been more than one year without using that item, the chances are you will never use it.

– Do you like it? Well, if you don’t use the item but you love it, there’s not a lot we can do… but you have to find a place it to keep it; if there is no place at your home, it may be better to throw it away.

– Does anyone like it? This could be an option if you find problems space wise. Think about a family member or a friend that would be happy to have that old jacket or that repeated copy of “Cooking for dummies”.

Be strict when cleaning up your house and don’t faint! sooner or later your home will become a paradise of organization and cleanliness!

House cleaning workout

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With this rainy days we are having, it looks like the footing on the park and “outside gym” are already out of the equation. We are getting closer to Autumn with its dull weather… but we still need to put those biceps to work!

Do not worry! What could be better than a “cleaning workout” to burn those stubborn calories? It is amazing how many calories you can actually burn when cleaning a house; here are a few examples:

  • Fast hoovering can help you burn around 120 cal.
  • Mop the floors for about an hour and you can end up burning about 110 cal.
  • Gardening is a tough one: do it for one hour and you can burn about 200 cal.
  • Hate ironing? think about the 100 cal that you could burn in an hour.
  • Cooking (yes! cooking) will help you burn between 40 and 50 cal.

To make it work we obviously need to make an effort, so organize your house work so you are forced to go up and down the stairs; be creative in the kitchen! you won’t burn calories by heating a ready made soup on the microwave; dig and plant in the garden (cutting some flowers for a bouquet is not enough workout).

What do you think? Can you burn calories and get fitter while cleaning your house? Fancy a try?

Bed bugs

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1038456_roach“Good Night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite” is a saying that has become so common in our evening routines. Bed bugs have been around for thousands and thousands of years. Previously on a strict diet of body fluids of animals they have recently found another target – us.

Normally bed bugs are found in places where overall cleanliness is not of a high standard. However, it is a common problem everywhere and probably each and every one of us will have to face it sometime. Getting even a couple of these visitors can complicate things enormously as one bug can reproduce 3 times during its life laying 500 eggs at the rate of 5 eggs per day. It is therefore very important to know how to avoid them and how to act if they have already made a home in your bed.

Keep the room clean and well dusted at all times. Wash with a proper floor cleaner regularly. Change your bed linen often and meticulously clean rugs and mattresses. Consider buying mattresses and pillow covers that are bed bug proof. Inspect. Look for brown, rusty looking spots of bug excrement on your mattresses or bed boards and if you spot any, act immediately!

Prepare the area

• If the infestation is severe, things like stuffed animals, soft toys or blankets or even laptops should be removed, cleaned with a vacuum cleaner, and bagged for a couple of days.
• Where possible dismantle bed frames. By doing so you can expose additional bedbug hiding sites.
• Remove drawers from desks and dressers, to inspect and clean all hiding spots.
Inspect
• Look in any place that is dark and isolated. Inspect adjoining rooms where an infestation is found.
• Most popular hiding places for these bugs are cracks and crevices in head and foot boards and attached side railings and supports. They can also hide in tears on mattress.
• Stand up the box spring and shine a flashlight through the gauze fabric to expose bed bugs.

Treat

• Vacuum along baseboards, nearby furniture, bed stands, rails, headboards, footboards, bed seams, tufts, buttons, edges of the bedding as well as the edges of the carpets(particularly along the tack strips).
• Scrub infested surfaces with a stiff brush to remove all eggs.
• Discard vacuum cleaner bag in a sealed plastic bag when finished.
• Seal all holes where pipes and wires penetrate walls and floor, and fill cracks around baseboards and moldings to further reduce harborages.
• Caulk cracks and crevices in the building exterior as much as possible as those can also become alternate hosts for bed bugs.
• Garments and bed linen can’t be treated with insecticide therefore they will need to be laundered in hot water (120°F minimum).
• Spray affected areas with insecticide sprays

Be aware that most of bed bug sprays will need more than one application so do not punch the air in celebrations if you do not seem to find them after first treatment. It will take more than that to get rid of them fully.

Spring cleaning checklist

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901029_mopSpring has arrived and there is no better time for deep cleaning your home than now. Everyone knows the term “spring clean”. For most it means torture, for few it means joy or for the lucky ones it may mean few extra pounds for experienced, agency trained cleaner who will carry out all the hard work for you.

To help you or your cleaner out we have set up an “Amy Cleaning checklist for spring clean”.
Before starting, you must remember that spring clean is all about reaching out for those places that you would normally miss on a regular clean so keep your eyes wide open and roll your sleeves up.

Kitchen: Defrost and thoroughly clean fridge and freezer. Place a dish of bicarbonate of soda in the fridge to remove odors. Clean oven and microwave. Reach out not only inside but also the top of your kitchen cabinets. Clean surface of your kettle and descale it; get rid of breadcrumbs in your toaster.
Bedroom: Strip the bed and launder winter bedding ready for storing; vacuum and flip the mattress. It would be ideal if you would give your bed a preventative treatment against bed bugs to avoid any possible future problems. Reorganize and de-clutter your wardrobes; store winter clothes; shine and protect wood furniture.
Living room: Declutter and organize your shelves; clean fireplace and electronics.
Bathroom: Throw out expired hygiene and cosmetic products, wipe surfaces and frames of mirrors; give a thorough clean to bath tub, toilet basin, sink. Make sure you reach out hidden sides and behind where possible.

Clean windows and cob webs everywhere. For eco friendly window cleaner, fill an old spray bottle with half vinegar and half water. Clean and change ventilation filters, wipe down dirt from doors, light switches, pendants and shades.

Open all windows to allow spring air in and save your air fresheners. Essential oils such as tea tree or eucalyptus are great for purifying the air too and also act as a natural disinfectant. Dab some on a piece of tissue and leave it in the bottom of your rubbish bin.
Donate your clutter and help others too or if that cleaner is charging extra for spring clean why not sell all the unnecessary things in car boot sale?

A cleaner house will give you a boost of positivity even when those rainy days will come back.

What to expect from your cleaner

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935633_heroA domestic cleaner is always a great help and sometimes a real savior but she is never a superwoman.

If you want a good and lasting relationship with your cleaner be realistic with your requirements and treat her with the respect that she deserves. You are paying her for professional service and for her knowledge so trust and listen to her. Perhaps your domestic cleaner does not always have perfect English but she will always, especially if you choose her through a reputable agency, have plenty of experience and will know her job. Try not to take this as invitation to fill her task sheet with never ending duties though. Your role must not be diminished as well. No job will be done well if you will not find time to buy suitable cleaning products. Ironing will not be finished to high standard if you will leave piles and piles of it. Allow plenty of time if you want the job done to good standards. Miracles do not happen, mostly they are just the result of very hard work.

Be realistic. We, at Amy cleaning agency normally advise that it can take up to 1 hour to iron 5 shirts. It can take even more if they are over dried or have not been pressed the correct way previously. For example it is nearly impossible to take out creases from your shirt sleeves if they have been pressed with creases in before. It will take more than a few washes to achieve this. Change water in your iron as old water will leave lime scale marks on your clothing. Clothing stains should also be left for the dry cleaner, not a domestic cleaner to deal with.

Be careful with stains on surfaces. Some stains such as lily pollen, glue, mustard, blood or ink are nearly impossible to remove. Do not expect your cleaner to be a magician. Bear in mind that scrubbing stains on carpet carries heavy risks of damage and discolouring to material. Same goes for wood, marble or any stone surfaces. Invest in good products. Avoid the so called cleaning “shortcuts” as bleach or abrasive cloths. They will cause more harm than good.

There is always a reason why a cleaner is saying “no” to your request. Listen to her advice and you will have someone who will clean for you to come.

How to clean silver

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1218128_silverThe beauty of silver is also its curse. Although we love silver items for their ability to withstand time, we find ourselves disappointed when after opening that expensive box of silver cutlery we are greeted with stains and discoloring. There is no need to invest in expensive products and silver polishing creams. The contents of your kitchen shelve will do just as well.

You will need: sink or glass pan, hot water, baking soda, salt, and aluminum foil.

• Line the sink or a glass dish with foil.
• Fill it with hot water.
• Add 2 table spoons of salt and 2 table spoons of baking soda.
• Place the silver items into the dip. Position the so that they are touching each other and the foil.
• Allow up to 5 minutes for heavily tarnished items.
• Rinse the silver with water and dry with a soft towel.

Do not forget to store your silver in a low-humidity environment. You can place a piece of chalk in the storage area to minimize future tarnish. Only clean silver when needed as over cleaning may cause damage. And use it…it is not mean to stay locked in boxes.

Disinfect or not to disinfect?

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1147668_question_iconThere is a lot of debate at the moment about the importance of disinfectants in cleaning and whether they are used correctly. Here at Amy Cleaning we noticed that clients always request for the obvious: clean and disinfected toilet bowls, sinks, kitchen surfaces. Every professional cleaner will know the bearing of these, however not everyone is aware that things that may look like they need less attention are actually the biggest hot spots for bacteria.

For example, we all know that dangerous bacteria can be present in toilet bowls and therefore these must be disinfected regularly. However, we fail to realize that the only people that will come in contact with it would be those doing the cleaning itself and they will surely use protective gloves to avoid any possible risk of cross contamination. It may not be necessary to use strong chemicals for this type if cleaning.

On the other hand, how many of us would look twice at the products we use for cleaning our chairs, tables and kid’s highchairs? These are the items that are used by numerous people throughout the day and can easily become covered with dangerous bacteria. The best approach to cleaning such items and areas would normally be disinfectants and conventional cleaning products. Unfortunately these are normally very dangerous to the environment and unless labeled as “eco friendly”, will always leave toxic footprint.

Disinfectants are normally evaluated by their performance in cleaning germs and not by their friendliness towards environment so do avoid using them where it is not necessary. There are ways to disinfect without chemicals and new products are pushing their way through to the market, but it will probably be a while until it will reach domestic sector. Until that happens, think twice before reaching for disinfectant spray and be sure that it really is necessary. This does not mean skipping cleaning of our toilet bowls just because they are not touched but that we should have a second look around the house and decide what places and things attract the most bacteria and carry the biggest risk of contamination and then use disinfectants accordingly.

Know the difference between disinfectant and sanitizer too. Disinfectant is designed to completely destroy all organisms on surface while sanitizer reduces bacteria on the surface to a safe level. Do not mix these two and make the right decision about where and when each of those should be used.

How to fight mould

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496826_mouldMould is a common problem in Britain mainly due to weather conditions, the number of rented properties that are not being looked after properly and simply lack of awareness on how to deal with it.

It is caused by humidity, poor heating or ventilation and water leaks. Mould cannot exist and grow without moisture. Therefore you must first find and eradicate the source. Be careful though as mould spores have been related to various health problems including infections, asthma, allergies and sinusitis. It may be worth considering getting a professional company to do the cleaning especially if you have existing health problems. If you do decide to take this on single handedly then make sure you use all the precautions: rubber gloves, eye goggles, overalls and dust mask. Avoid eating, drinking or smoking in the contaminated area as well.

Most of the cases of mould will appear or become worse after major leaks, floods or other water damages in house. It is very important to clean up and dry-out the property immediately if you want to prevent this. Open windows, use ventilators or dehumidifiers. Avoid using fans if mould damage is visible as this can spread the bacteria more easily. Pay extra attention to ventilation after cleaning as although current equipment will dry your carpet up to 90% you still must have air circulation in the house afterwards to dry it out properly to avoid condensation.

Propionic acid is the most effecting mold remover as well as Borax and borates although these will not remove the staining from mould. Use phosphoric acid for that instead of bleach. Vinegar is a good green alternative too.
Borax and borates can be effective but will not remove the staining from molds – phosphoric acid can do this in preference to bleach. In some cases staining can only be covered by painting, but it is very important to dry area out first.

Make sure you also clean things that were affected, not only surfaces. If anything has been affected by mould, it is best to get it removed where possible. If this is not possible, dry them out (make sure you move things away from walls first), clean and disinfect. For badly affected items begin by using a high suction industrial vacuum cleaner then damp-wipe. Dispose of your wipes and rinse water frequently – as they will be contaminated with mould quickly. Scrub all contaminated surfaces thoroughly with stiff brush, hot water, and a non-ammonia soap/detergent or commercial cleaner. Collect excess cleaner and cleaning water using a vacuum cleaner, a mop or sponge. Finally, rinse the surface or items with clean water and dry everything out as quickly as possible.

It is unlikely that any home will be completely free of condensation, but adjusting your lifestyle and knowing how to fight mould off will make enormous changes. Clean more often, ventilate and make sure you dry any major spillages and leaks quickly and efficiently.

How to get rid of bad odours

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180344_sourpussA nice smell is the sign of a clean house. Read on how to determine where the bad odours are coming from, what to use to remove them, and how to prevent them from showing up again.

It is easy to eliminate bad odours if you know what is causing them and where they are coming from. It is trickier if you don’t. Leak in your refrigerator may cause metallic smell of Freon. Overfilled basket of dirty laundry in the bathroom, blocked pipes outside your open windows, kids sneaking in food in their bedrooms or dead mouse stuck between your floor boards can all be blamed for unpleasant smells.

Most deodorizers although popular only cover the smells, but do not eliminate them. Choosing the right type of cleaner with a touch of smell makes a big difference though, so do not discard these.

Lemon based cleaners eliminate bad smell and clean the kitchen. Grapefruit or orange cleaners tend to work best to break down the bacteria causing smells around the toilet. Use floral cleaner for the cigarette odor in the car or light an oriental candle to cover smells caused by pet stains.

Leave an open box of baking soda in your kitchen shelves-this will absorb bad smell and prevent it from spreading. If spray air freshener is not effective, try neutralizing odours by mixing it with one teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and one teaspoon of lemon juice in two cups of hot water and use this as a spray.

As usual, the best way to eliminate odours is to prevent them in the first place. Change your kitchen cloths regularly, don’t overfill your bins or laundry baskets, deal with mildew in your bathrooms as soon as it appears and try to ventilate your house as much as you can, even during winter months.