Tag Archives: domestic cleaning

Winter cleaning

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We are all familiar with term “spring clean” and surely everyone will agree that a deep clean is a must in each household at least annually. But how about preparing your house for winter?

Living in a region with changing seasons, like Britain where winters get cold, it is very likely that your home will be closed up all winter long therefore winter clean is just as important as spring clean. First reason is of course health. The second reason is because with the holiday season, you will most probably be a host to lots of parties. Last but not least, for most people Christmas season brings more stuff into the house; presents as well as dirt and germs. Clean now to prepare for these unwelcome additions and keep your mind at rest.

We have listed a few of the “musts ” for winter deep cleaning.

1. Clean your skirting boards. We always vacuum, steam clean our carpets, sweep and mop floors, scrub tiles…but often neglect the skirting boards. It is easy enough. First vacuum the area with your attachment, or rather the hose, then use a mild solution to wipe them down.

2. Clean the air vents. Those will give you unnecessary dust if neglected. Unscrew them from the wall if you can, remove, clean them well and put them back on. Makes a big difference. Remember you will have a sealed house for the winter and the heat on almost constantly.

3. Dust ceiling and freestanding fans. Dirty fans will blow dust around once heated so please pay attention to them. Turn the ceiling fan off, stand on a chair or small ladder, and wipe the blades down with whatever solution is appropriate for the material the fan is made of. Wipe the top of the blade, and not just the edges. Take apart a freestanding fan by unscrewing the cage around the fan if needed. Reassemble and resume use after cleaning carefully.

4. Vacuum your upholstery. If you have pets, perhaps you do this regularly, but for those of us who don’t, we sometimes neglect this. Take the cushions off after you vacuum those, and clean underneath.

5. Sanitize the trash cans. Scrub and rinse them inside and out. Doing this outside with the hose works well, if you’re still able to go outside and not freeze your fingers!

6.Twice a year (summer and winter), you should clean all of the mattresses in the house to keep dust mites under control. Vacuum the top of the mattress, move the mattress and vacuum the box springs, then flip the mattress and vacuum the new top of the mattress. For further protection add an allergenic mattress pad and wash your sheets in hot water.

Pay extra attention to humidity of your house. Perhaps it’s worth investing in humidifier now or using alternative methods such as bowl of boiled water. The air will get very dry with your windows shut through the winter and that heating on.

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.

Christmas wishes

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xmas treeWe are two days away. Only two days to Christmas! The winter started last evening and it looks as we are going to have a proper white Christmas.

“Tis the time of jolly!” they say… of Christmas trees and present wrapping. People concentrate on decorating their homes, cooking the best turkey ever and enjoying a family reunion. Oh! lovely Christmas…

So where does cleaning stand in all this? Who dares to take a feather duster when they can light some candles and sing a Christmas carol?

This is for the domestic cleaners. The goddesses of cleaning who fight wind and snow to clean your house on the morning of Christmas eve; who clean, unnoticed, every single Christmas decoration to make them shine like stars; who battle the laziness of a warm and cozy family home to arrive at your house at the agreed time.

For them, who give you the opportunity of having a Happy and Clean Christmas.

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Cleaners of the month (July)

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This July we had two new cleaning awards at http://www.amycleaning.co.uk.

Corina started with us last year. From the beginning we have received great comments from the customers that she clean for and she is a very honest and hard working person.

Anna has been with us for two years already. She is working for several regular customers and her job is excellent. She is also very willing to take on replacement jobs when needed thus helping us to organise the holiday replacements more easily!

Congratulations and a big thank you to both of them!

House hold dangers

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We arrive every day home and we feel safe, without thinking that the majority of Health and Safety accidents happen in our own lovely shelter.

Check on this article some unknown dangers in your house and what to do about them.

Kitchen sponges: Let’s be honest, we do not sanitize our sponges every day after doing the washing up. Do you know that our kitchen sponge can have more bacteria than our floor or toilet bowl? Germs grow in humid areas, so what better than your sponge and cloths to start a living! At http://www.amycleaning.co.uk we advise domestic cleaners to sanitize sponges and cloths after every visit; but often that is just once per week. So you can always do your bit by cleaning the kitchen sponge after your evening washing up.

Dirty Air conducts: We usually remember to clean the bathroom and dust the furniture in our house, but always forget about the air conducts or air conditioning. These conducts hold a big amount of dust, mould and bacteria that can cause serious allergies if not cleaned and maintained regularly. Always check that the air conditioning is one of your domestic cleaner’s monthly task.

Mould: It is very easy to see bathrooms with moldy corners on the shower and we tend to get used to it. Mould, especially black mould, can be very dangerous for your health, causing serious health problems such as pneumonia. Tell your domestic cleaner to clean and disinfect the area; as well, check if there is any broken pipe that is causing the humidity problem.

Mice and cockroaches:All of us have suffered this problem before. These animals can carry with them diseases such as salmonella or E-coli. You need to prevent them from coming into your house: explain your domestic cleaner when, where and how to dispose the rubbish; do not leave food around the house; do not leave any pile of newspapers, boxes, etc; look for any hole that could be an entrance for these animals and seal them with kitchen foil (apparently it is the only material that mice do not eat!).

Air fresheners: They are perfect to cover up some nasty smells around your house, but they are thought to cause asthma and other health problems. Strange odors in your house? Open windows!

Carpets:A lot of new carpets emit what is called VOCs (volatile organic compounds) which can be dangerous to your health (breathing problems and allergies). What is more, chemicals used while cleaning, like air fresheners, will be collected in the carpet, creating a health hazard. When doing your weekly cleaning, or when your domestic cleaner is in, make sure the carpets are well hovered and no corner is missed.

Do you think you are in danger? Speak with your domestic cleaner and organize a battle against hazards in your home and you will see the difference!

How to keep your home odor free

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It is always nice to come back from work and find that your domestic cleaner has done a great job! Your house is clean; it feels and smells different! But, for how long? At http://www.amycleaning.co.uk we know how important it is for our customers to have a regular domestic cleaner that can keep their homes clean without losing their personal touch… and scent.

Let’s see what you can do to keep bad odours out of your home.

1- Rule number one would be to clean. Make sure your domestic cleaner keeps a good routine and organise with her deep cleanings (such as fridge and oven). If your house is clean you will have more chances of keeping it odour free.

2- Carpet and upholstery. We know from other posts that any soft material will retain bad odours easily. It is important that you clean them regularly to avoid the built up of dirt that would create funny smells around your house.

3- Pets. We love them! They are cute and funny… and smelly too! Make sure you clean any “accident” quickly and wash them regularly. At the same time tell your domestic cleaner to hover carpets and upholstery thoroughly and regularly.

4-Baking Soda. For those “green products lovers” baking soda is like magic when doing domestic cleaning around the house. You can put it in the fridge to trap bad odours; sprinkle it around the carpet to absorb any strange smells; and it will freshen up any room or cupboard around your home.

5- Herbs. Do you prefer to add a more exotic touch to your home? Try boiling some cinnamon, clove and ginger and your house will smell like a Moroccan market. Are you more of a Mediterranean type? Then put some dry lavender or rosemary and basil in your cupboards to give them that freshness of the sunny coast.

6- You can always make your own air freshener. You just need a spray bottle, some essential oil (like vanilla or lemongrass). Put about five drops of your preferredoil on half a bottle of fresh water. Shake it and ready to use!

If the odour in your house is not what you expect when you open the door, try some of these tricksand you will see an improvement on your house!

Carpet cleaning tips (2)

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In this post we will explain you how to remove different stains from your carpet, from candle wax to coffee and more.

– Alcoholic drinks: Dilute the stain with cold water. Absorb the excess liquid (remember to blot, not scrub). Mix warm water with one teaspoon of mild detergent and apply to the stain. Let it dry.

– Candle wax: Take an ice cube and press it against the stain so the wax will get harder and you will be able to remove it easily.

– Wine: If it is red wine you will need to dilute it with white wine, then blot with cold water and cover the stain with table salt. Wait about ten minutes and then you can vacuum the salt.

– Blood: Blot the stain with paper to absorb as much of the blood as possible. Mix warm water with one tablespoon of mild detergent and another of white vinegar. Apply this mix to the stain and let it dry afterwards.

– Chocolate: Rub as much of the chocolate as possible. Mix warm water with one teaspoon of mild detergent and another one of white vinegar. Apply the mix, rinse and let dry.

– Chewing gum: Take an ice cube and press it against it. The gum will then harden and you will be able to take it off easily.

– Fruit:You need to be quick with this one otherwise the stain will not desapear. Rub as much of the fruit as possible and absorb the liquid with paper. Mix warm water with one teaspoon of mild detergent and another one of white vinegar. Blot the stain with this mix and let it dry afterwards.

– Coffee: Blot the stain with paper. Mix warm water with one tablespoon of mild detergent and another one of white vinegar. Apply the mix to the stain and let it dry.

Carpet cleaning tips (1)

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Everybody has experienced the dreadful coffee stain on the living room carpet. It always happens on the worst possible moment! No time to take care of it and worst of all: don’t know how to clean it!

At http://www.amycleaning.co.uk we always have customers asking us for help on how to remove certain stains from their carpets. So here we are with some tips to help you remove those stubborn stains!

1- Clean the stain as soon as possible. Quick action is needed to avoid extra damage to the carpet and a stain for eternity!

2- Do not scrub the stain. Unless you want to change the color of your carpet from a soft cream to a deep red, never scrub the stain, only blot it! If you scrub it you will be pushing the stain deeper into the carpet and then it will be impossible to remove it.

3- Warm water. Always thought that you needed to buy a multi-super-ultra-magic-carpet-cleaning-chemical to clean your stains? You don’t! Most stains can be cleaned with warm water.

4- Work inwards. Always clean the stain starting on the outside and working inwards not to spread it around the carpet (unless you feel inspired that day and you have decided to create a state of the art modern carpet!).

5- Mild detergent. Only if the stain is very stubborn, you may be able to use some mild detergent. So do not get crazy and do not run straight to the bottle of bleach because you will make things worst! Mild is mild, so think about washing up liquid, shampoo,…

Do you want to know what to do with your coffee stain? Your child has just left some chewing gum on your new carpet and you cannot take it off? On the next post we will be giving you some tips to clean specific stains, so do not miss it!

Carpet cleaning on recession

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Recession strikes again, but this time for the better! A new survey from the National Carpet Cleaners Association (NCCA) has revealed an increase of business on the carpet cleaning sector.

There are different reasons for these. The main one is the fact that more and more clients are less willing to buy a new carpet when an accident happens; there is a tendency to restore carpets instead of replacing them due to the amount of income available.

This economic crisis has forced a lot of people to change their expending habits. Money is now spent on important and essential items. As well the downfall on the housing market has meant fewer houses built, therefore less carpets are needed.

At the same time that the carpet cleaning business experiences an increase in sales, customer behaviour is changing and we can find more clients expecting good value for money.

So the message for the cleaning industry, and specifically for carpet cleaning, is very clear: now more than ever we need to proof our expertise and provide high level of service to increase customer satisfaction.

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

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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!