Tag Archives: cleaning tips

Ceramic hobs

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Last week we had a desperate visit from one of our domestic cleaners at http://www.amycleaning.co.uk. She needed to do a good clean of a ceramic hob, which was full of grease and sticky food, and she didn’t know how to leave it spotless as she didn’t have good cleaning products.

Ceramic hobs are very tricky. They require daily maintenance, otherwise you can end up damaging the delicate surface of the hob.

In cases of emergency you can pour a mix of hot water and vinegar on the hob. Leave it to stand for some hours and then clean. The hot water will help you to soften the dirt and the vinegar will help you to remove the grease.

For those sticky bits that won’t come off, you can use a glass scrapper. After that just the normal cleaning will suffice.

How to clean leather sofas

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leather sofaMaintain a regular cleaning routine of your leather upholstery so it will not look dull and tired. The best thing to use is a damp cloth to get rid of soft stains and dust.

Any stain on leather has to be removed as soon as possible. If the stain is not too big you can use baby wet wipes. It will leave also a very nice smell!

For water based spills or stains, use a soft cloth to absorb the excess and allow to dry for three or four days. If the stain is still visible, you can polish the area very gently with a clean dry cloth.

For oil based spills or stains, use a mild soap and then rinse the area with clean water. Allow to dry for three or four days.

Glass, stainless steel and the lot

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glass buildingsWalking the City of London, I look at those new buildings, full of stainless steel and glass, and I can’t help but feel sorry for the cleaners.

I know! I am the first one to say how great those buildings look! How many of us have a state of the art kitchen with limestone floors, granite work top and stainless steel appliances? It is a pleasure to see the shininess and we can even see our gleaming smile reflected on the surface! But for how long?

All those new and “cool” materials are so difficult to keep clean that even the best cleaning product (and the best domestic cleaner) will not return the shine of the first day. They require a daily maintenance.

Cleaning stone and stainless steel takes time and requires constant work to keep them up to standard. If you are one of the lucky ones who can enjoy the pleasure of having those materials at home, speak with your domestic cleaner, make sure you have the right cleaning products; and if you cannot give her more time to clean them properly, be understanding with her when you find the odd finger print or mark.

Cleaning blinds

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blindsBlinds are lovely until we realize we have to clean them. Don’t worry! Cleaning them doesn’t need to be a nightmare for you!

Dusting them regularly with a microfibre cloth or a flicker will keep them clean and looking nice for longer. But still, you will have to deep clean them at least once per year. How to do this?

If you have a plastic or metalic blind, the best you can do is properly shut them and put them on the bath with warm water and soap. After one or two hours on warm water the grease and dirt will be easier to remove (using a cloth or soft brush if needed). Then just rinse them with cold water, open them and leave them to dry.

If you have wood blinds the method is different. First of all, close the blinds and wipe with a soft cloth all the slats. Then close the blinds on the opposite direction and wipe again with a soft cloth. Do not use any oils or damp cloths on wood blinds as it can leave smears.

Try this tips and your blinds will look like new!

How to organise a first meeting with your cleaner

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At http://www.amycleaning.co.uk we receive a lot of requests from our clients to organise first meetings with their new cleaners. It is understandable that, even if you know that you will be having a professional domestic cleaner, you would like to have and idea of who will be going into your house on a regular basis.

Find on this article some tips on what to look for and what to say on a first meeting with your cleaner.

What to look for:

-First things first! your new cleaner must be on time for the meeting.

-What she doesn’t say. Non verbal communication is even more important that what she says to you. So if she is yawning or looking around while you are explaining where the hoover is kept most probably she won’t do a good job.

–Pen and paper. Domestic cleaners are busy people; they tend to work for different clients on the same week. If your cleaner writes down your requirements and any other information needed she is proving to be a very organised professional.

What to say:

We expect all domestic cleaners to do an excellent job from day one. But we can always help them a little bit by just explaining our priorities and specific expectations.

-Tell your new cleaner if you consider ironing more important than cleaning, or vice versa, so she can organise the work based on this.

-Tell your new cleaner if you will leave any note with specific tasks.

-Tell your new cleaner if you do any kind of recycling in the house and where to put the rubbish.

-Tell your new cleaner where you keep the chemicals/hoover/mop/cloths and anything she may need.

-Tell your new cleaner about the alarm and the use of the keys (make sure she practice with you in case there is any special trick to open the front door!).

Finding a magic cleaner is difficult sometimes, but these tips may help you to have an idea on how your new cleaner will respond to different situations, saving you any hassle in the future.

I need a new vacuum!

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Is your hoover not working well any more? Do you feel your carpet dull and without life even after vacuuming? Think before you spend another £100 buying a new hoover!

Most of the times we do not manage to vacuum the carpet properly,  leaving behind dirt and soil particles that will damage the carpet on the long run. How do you know if you are vacuuming your carpet properly?

Hoover on different directions. This will maximise removal of particles and dust.

Change the bag regularly. A full bag will prevent the vacuum to work well. Your hoover will need good airflow, so change the bag when is half full to avoid any problems.

Check filters and clean your vacuum. Dirty filters will not let the vacuum take all the dirt. Clean your vacuum regularly.

How to remove stains from granite

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Nowadays it is easy to find granite worktops on a lot of kitchens. Here you can find some advice on how to remove stains from your granite surfaces.

The mixture to use will be different depending on which kind of stain you have, but you will always need to prepare a poultice made of paper towel or talcum powder (acting as absorbent) and a specific chemical.

If the stain is organic (coffee, tea, mustard,…), you will need to use Hydrogen Peroxide (30%-40% by volume) on the poultice.

If the stain is inorganic (ink, dirt,…), you will need to use Hydrogen Peroxide (30%-40% by volume) on a paper towel or cloth.

If the stain is from oil, you can use pure acetone on the poultice.

How to clean stains on marble

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Marble surfaces are very porous, making it very difficult to keep them clean and to avoid damages. The best treatment will always be prevention, but in case of any accident, here are some tips on how to get rid of common stains on marble floors or tops.

If the stain is acidic (e.g. from juice or vinegar), you will need to apply to the stain a paste of baking soda and water, leaving it to dry. Then, just mop and wipe the surface.

If the stain is grease or oil, the first thing you will need to do is wipe the excess with a clean cloth. Apply corn flour to the area and leave it for one or two hours. After that just wipe with a damp soft cloth.

Marble surfaces can also be damaged by water. Leaving a wet glass on top of a marble table for a while can leave a mark that will darken the surface. On these cases, you can make a paste of 2 tablespoons of washing powder and 1/2 cup of warm water. Apply the mixture to the water stain. Rub the paste with a sponge and rinse with warm water, drying afterwards.

My new house mate is a mouse!

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Last night was one of those long-open-eyes night where I couldn’t even find a position in my bed to get a good sleep. When you are in the dark, sitting on the bed, trying some self-hypnosis to go back to your sweet dreams, the only thing you can do is hear noises. Lots of noises. Strange noises.

Luckily for me, last night I was awake enough to listen to my new “house mate” trying to jump into the rubbish bag like a parachute man to start his late dinner!

Mice are a big problem. If you don’t cut it short, they will establish themselves on the warm environment of your house and soon you will have a full Mickey Mouse family of dads, siblings, uncles and so on.

First essential tip to avoid these “unwanted” neighbours: Clean, clean and clean. Sorry! There is no other way. A small bread crumb that you leave on the kitchen floor could be the start of a feast for your little house mate. And do not leave open rubbish bags during the night like I did! (I know! silly me!)

Another helpful tip: Organise your house. Leave it empty of clutter. This will avoid the creation of warm and cosy places for the little mice to stay in.

No need to say that I didn’t manage to catch my “housemate” yet. But… I am watching you!! 🙂

Wooden Toilet Seats

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toilet seatAn investigation at John’s Hopkins Children’s Centre has found an increase on skin irritations caused by toilet seats.

The comeback on wooden toilet seats, mixed with the regular use of strong cleaning products, has caused an increase on the number of children developing skin irritation which can lead to serious infections if not treated properly.

To prevent toilet dermatitis, doctors at the Centre recommend the use of paper as seat cover, the replacement of wooden toilet seats with plastic ones and avoiding the use of strong chemicals, specially those containing phenol or formaldehyde.