Category: Cleaning

Steam Cleaning Upholstered Furniture

Steam cleaners remove stains, imbedded dirt and odors from most upholstered furniture, and at the right temperature, they can also disinfect sofas, chairs and ottomans. A steam cleaner relies on hot water rather than chemicals or scented shampoos, making it ideal for a wide range of fabrics and for people sensitive to fragrance. Don’t steam-clean upholstery that is sensitive to water, including leather, and always check the furniture’s care tag for specific cleaning recommendations.

Get the Right Equipment

A subpar steam cleaner makes little difference in the cleanliness and appearance of upholstery, but a unit with an upholstery attachment with stiff bristles gently scrubs the upholstery, loosening dirt and stains quickly. A medium- to large-size tank reduces refill trips, saving time; a 48-ounce tank lasts approximately 45 minutes with continuous steaming, while a small 6-ounce tank runs out in as few as 10 minutes. If a smaller unit is your only option, choose a steam cleaner that heats quickly. The temperature achieved by the device is also important: A cheap steam cleaner that only heats water to a relatively tepid temperature won’t loosen dirt as effectively or disinfect the upholstery. A steam cleaner should reach at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit to sanitize upholstery and 212 degrees to disinfect.

Vacuuming and Pretreating

Vacuum the furniture thoroughly with a soft-bristle attachment before cleaning to give the steam cleaner a head start. Pretreating stains also leads to the best results. Plain vodka removes many food stains as well as grass and ink spots, while mild detergent and water remove coffee and some fatty stains, such as those caused by cheese. Use a dry cleaning solvent on more stubborn stains. Test your chosen spot treatment in a hidden area before tackling the actual stain; not all fabrics stand up well to stain removers, and certain products may cause lightening or discoloration.

Steam Cleaning Tips

Read the directions provided by the steam cleaner manufacturer thoroughly before starting. Work your way from the top of the furniture down and spend ample time on each section. A quick once-over won’t remove dirt and stains effectively, nor disinfect the upholstery. Spend at least 1 minute per section for the best results, and up to 5 minutes per section if your steam cleaner only reaches a lower heat. Don’t add shampoo or upholstery cleaner to the tank. A traditional steam cleaner isn’t outfitted with a rinsing tank, and any shampoo will remain in the upholstery. When you’re finished, refrain from sitting on or using the furniture until it’s completely dry. Speed up the process by opening windows or setting up a box fan in the room.

Benefits of Professional Steam Cleaners

When faced with excessively dirty upholstery, hiring a professional is in the best interest of your furniture. Professional steam-cleaning companies utilize industrial-strength equipment that remove even the toughest of stains, and the technician’s experience ensures that he or she doesn’t damage the upholstery in the process. Keep your upholstery clean by steam-cleaning on your own annually, and hire a professional every other year for a deep cleaning. Depending on your lifestyle and the condition of your furniture, you may be able to do this less often or invest in yearly professional cleanings. While steam-cleaning is one of the best ways to make your furniture last for several years, over-cleaning breaks down the fabric and the dyes, wearing the upholstery out quickly. Steam-clean only when it’s necessary and keep furniture in top shape by vacuuming once a week and cleaning stains immediately with a spot remover.

THE STEPS OF CLEANING AND MAINTAINING YOUR UPHOLSTERY

Furniture stains are very unsightly and can take away from the aesthetic of even the most well designed room. Although spills are inevitable and sometimes unavoidable, they don’t always have to stain. With proper spot cleaning and routine maintenance, you can prevent unsightly stains and keep your upholstery looking and feeling like new for years to come. This brief guide will help you clean and maintain your upholstery to maintain its fresh new appearance.

Clean Spills Quickly

When someone spills coffee, soda, or red wine on your upholstered furniture, blot the spill immediately with a clean folded towel. Rubbing the spill will only cause the staining liquids to penetrate the fabric, so remember to blot gently. Before you use a mild cleaning product, test in an inconspicuous area to see if the cleaner has a negative reaction with the fabric

Vacuum Regularly

One important aspect of upholstery cleaning and maintenance is regular vacuuming. Vacuum your upholstered furniture weekly to remove surface soil and prevent dirt from becoming embedded into the fibers. If using a brush attachment, always use a soft bristled brush so you don’t snag and tear the fabric.

Turn Over Loose Cushions

You can greatly extend the life of your upholstered furniture by periodically turning over loose cushions. This easy maintenance step allows for an even distribution of wear and tear which helps the cushions maintain their shape and avoid looking dirty and worn.

Call a Professional

The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification recommends having your upholstered furniture professional cleaned every one or two years. An upholstery cleaning company can remove stains and restore fabric so your furniture looks and feels like new.

Furniture Upholstery

The only downside to upholstery is what can happen when it comes into contact with liquids. Unlike solid surfaces, upholstery fabrics are vulnerable to spills and stains and, therefore, will inevitably require occasional cleaning and care. Savvy homeowners know that not all fabrics are alike. And even more importantly, they also know that this means not all fabrics can be treated the same.

To make it easier for our customers to care for their upholstered Gabby furniture, we classify all of our fabrics under one of four categories. These four cleaning codes explain the exact methods for achieving the best results when cleaning and caring for fabrics. Every one of our fabrics and samples are labeled with one of these four codes, so referencing care and cleaning instructions is a breeze.

Here is a quick look at our four cleaning codes for fabric care.

W: Standing for “water-based only,” this cleaning code is found on fabrics that should not be cleaned with solvents. Rather, these fabrics should be cleaned, but not over wet, with water-based shampoos or foam upholstery cleaners.

S: Fabrics labeled with this cleaning code are to be treated with dry-cleaning solvents. The most important thing to remember with this code is to not use water. You do not want to saturate or get these fabrics wet.

SW: This cleaning code is more lenient. Fabrics marked “SW” can be treated with shampoo or dry-cleaning solvents as you desire.

X: Certain fabrics should not be cleaned with water, solvents, or any other cleaners. Rather, it’s only recommended that these fabrics are vacuumed and brushed lightly.

All of our Choice Fabrics and Finishes, for instance, are cleaning code “S.” This collection features some of our most popular imported designs, now available with over 17 fabrics and 5 unique wood finishes to choose from for customized transitional-style seating. Homeowners and designers love using this collection to turn visions into fabulous designs with fabrics that enhance interiors and express personal style

There are a couple of other additional tips we always offer our customers. First, we recommend keeping all covers on cushions. They may have zippers, but we urge you never remove cushion covers to be separately laundered or dry-cleaned. We also carefully instruct customers to refrain from using bleach or any tumble method cleaning service. This may damage, shrink, or destroy the backing of upholstery fabrics. Finally, most of our pile fabrics – no matter the cleaning code – can be brushed to restore their original appearance.

Care & Cleaning

Spot cleaning

Treat spills and stains as soon as possible. Test on hidden area to ensure fabric and colour are not removed. Gently scrape any soil or mop any liquid from the surface of the fabric. Use of soap or detergent with water should be approached with caution since overzealous rinsing to remove soap residue may result in over-wetting, water marking and possible wetting of substructure (this may create other stains or damage products).

For non-oil-based stains use warm water and non-toilet soaps which do not contain optical brighteners (consider Velvet soap, Lux Flakes, Softly). Mix a small amount of soap and warm water solution and apply to the stain, rubbing gently. Blot dry with a clean towel. Apply cool water (preferably filtered or distilled water) and blot dry again. Then with a hair dryer, working out from the centre of the stain, dry quickly to prevent rings forming. It is generally preferable to clean whole panels of fabric in this way rather than trying to spot clean specific areas.

For oil-based stains following the same basic guidelines as above, apply a proprietary brand solvent based cleaner and try to clean generally in panels rather than spot cleaning specific areas. A helpful industry ‘secret’ for spot removal of oil based biro marks is by the application of conventional hair spray or Glen 20.

A First Aid Kit for Fabrics

To further enhance spot cleaning results, have introduced the Halo Fabric Care Kit which includes Halo spot cleaner for most household stains, Halo fabric deodoriser to help neutralise pet and general odours and Halo fabric protector to restore liquid repellency on fabric sections that have been spot cleaned

Professional fabric servicing

Fabrics recommend that water-based ‘Fluro chemical’ type fabric protectors be applied by licensed applicators only. Check your care label first to see if a mill-applied protection was incorporated during fabric manufacture. Fabric protectors do not eliminate the need for vacuuming, routine cleaning or proper care. They will, however, make spot cleaning and vacuuming quicker, easier and more efficient between professional cleans and keep your fabric looking cleaner longer, as well as extending its life. Professionals applying fabric protectors must always pre-test to qualify fabric suitability.

Warning

Extreme caution should be taken if considering treatment of velvets and pocket weaves with stain repellent products. Some high pile velvet and pocket weave jacquards may change in surface character if stain repellent treatments are incorrectly applied. Extra care should be taken to pre-test for these fabrics.

Upholstery Cleaning for All Furniture Types

Try as you may to protect your furniture, whether you have a house full of kids and animals or it’s just you alone, spills and stains are inevitable. And even if you are careful and manage to avoid big disasters and small spills, cleaning furniture thoroughly is an important task that many people forget about. In fact, you may not even realize how much bacteria and allergens have built up in your upholstery — and which could even be contributing negatively toward your health.

Because of all this, it’s crucial that you make sure to clean your couches and other furniture thoroughly and regularly. Professional upholstery cleanings are the best way to eradicate bacteria and allergens, but proper maintenance in between cleanings is also essential. Here is a guide to everything you need to know about furniture and upholstery cleaning for each type of furniture.

What is the Best Way to Clean a Fabric Sofa?

There are a few different ways to tackle a fabric sofa, some are things that you should do regularly, and some at larger intervals or when a spill occurs:

Dry brush

Sometimes removing dirt and crumbs can be as simple as using a dry brush to loosen and sweep it off. Be sure to lay down something to catch the debris, or vacuum after.

Vacuum

A vacuum also works wonders on a fabric couch. Without having to get into water and water-based solutions, you can utilize a hand-held vacuum to clean and get into the nooks and crannies.

Wash covers

The benefit of some fabric furniture is that it has covers that you can simply unzip and wash in a regular machine. If yours has these covers, be sure to check for the specific washing instructions for that material.

Use baking soda

Sprinkling baking soda over a fabric couch can be a great way to remove odors and loosen stains, before vacuuming it up. You can also create a solution for a deeper clean or spot clean, with equal parts baking soda and water. Take care using baking soda on some upholstered surfaces like microfiber and leather.

How to Maintain Leather Furniture

Many people love the durability of leather furniture, as well as the perception that it is easy to clean. However, a great deal of attention is required when you have leather furniture, as many of the most common upholstery cleaning products will break down leather finishes and could cause permanent damage.

Here are some tips for maintaining leather furniture:

Wipe up spills as quickly as possible

Be sure to use towels or cloths that are soft and absorbent to lessen the potential for scratching the leather.

Keep it away from sunlight and ventilation

Placement of your leather furniture is more important than you think. Things such as sunlight or being placed directly next to an air-conditioning vent can age the leather much quicker.

What’s The Difference Between A Deep Clean And A Regular Clean?

Are you ready to hire a professional deep cleaning service? If so, you aren’t alone. The fact is, professional house cleaners bring quite a few benefits to the table.

However, as you hire these services, there are a few things you need to know. One of these things is what the difference is between a deep clean and regular clean. Keep reading to learn all you need to know about these two types of cleaning services.

Regular Cleaning Explained

When you hire professional house cleaners for a “regular cleaning,” this is going to include the things you would do on a weekly basis. A regular clean is designed to help maintain a certain level of cleanliness around your house.

When you invest in a regular clean (which will be what you typically receive) the home cleaner will do some of the following things:

• Vacuuming and mopping your floors
• Tidying up the house
• Cleaning the bathrooms – toilet, bath, mirror, sink, etc.
• Cleaning the kitchen – wiping surfaces, outside of appliances, taking out trash, etc.

These cleaning tasks typically don’t take that long to complete; however, they are essential to help keep your home free from dust, dirt and other debris.

Deep Cleaning Explained

Now that you know what a regular cleaning entails, it’s time to discuss a deep clean. Deep cleaning is something you are likely going to need to invest in when you first hire a cleaning service. While deep cleaning is more expensive than regular cleaning, it also only needs to be done every six months, or so.

A deep cleaning service will remove the deep dirt and grime in your home. It will cover the areas that aren’t typically covered in a regular cleaning service.

Some of the services provided when you hire a home cleaning service for a deep clean include:

• Remove scale and soap scum from shower heads, taps, kitchen tiles, bathroom tiles, etc.
• Clean behind appliances such as the oven, washing machine and cut through the grime that often builds up
• Deep and complete dusting including the baseboards and doors in all rooms
• Washing the home’s interior windows
• Cleaning patio doors and window frames
• Cleaning the interior of the oven and glass door

As you can see, a deep cleaning is much more thorough than a regular cleaning service. This is the main reason that you pay more when you hire the professionals. It also takes longer to complete.

How to Clean Your Oven With Lemons

• Fill a medium-sized, oven-proof mixing bowl with water. Cut two lemons in half and place them in the bowl.
• Heat your oven to 250 degrees.
• Once heated, place the mixing bowl inside on one of the racks. Leave for one hour.
• After an hour, turn off the oven, open the door and let it cool slightly.
• While the oven is still warm (but cool enough that you could safely touch the inside without getting burned), put on gloves, take a damp cloth and wipe down all surfaces, including the back, sides, bottom, top, door, corners and crevices. If needed, use a wet scouring pumice, microfiber sponge or other abrasive tool to target any extra sticky spots. Be sure to wipe thoroughly so that you remove all grease and grime.
• You’re done!

How to Clean Walls with Different Paint Finishes

The first thing you should consider when washing painted walls is the finish. (If needed, reference our handy guide to paint finishes.) Whether the finish is glossy or flat will determine how scrubbing will affect the look of the wall.

Flat, Satin, and Eggshell Finishes

Duller paint finishes are less durable when it comes to cleaning. Do not use harsh chemicals or degreasers when cleaning flat paint walls. When washing with a sponge, be sure not to scrub too hard. The sponge should be wrung out almost completely before putting it to the walls.

Glossy or Semigloss Finishes

Because these paints are highly durable, they’re most commonly used in high-traffic areas like the kitchen and bathroom. It’s OK to use a mild degreaser on glossy kitchen backsplashes or vanity doors. Although glossy and semigloss paint is durable, it will still scratch, so always use a soft sponge when cleaning walls.

How Often Should You Deep Clean Your Home?

If it wasn’t hard enough keeping on top of the general housekeeping chores, then you may not want to know how often you should be deep cleaning the rest of your home.

As households become busier year-on-year, experts believe we’re rapidly losing the fight against allergens and grime.

Kitchen

• Microwave: every week. Food splatters and left over moisture can become a breeding ground for germs. Giving your microwave and the turntable a thorough clean every week should remove those otherwise missed splashes.

• Refrigerator: every month. Food spills, leaky meat wrappers and rotting vegetables (hello salad drawer!) can lead to serious bacterial contamination. Removing all your food and wiping down all the shelves and drawers with an antibacterial wash shall not only prevent bacteria spreading, but also help you keep on top of expired foods.

• Oven: If your oven starts to smell of previously cooked food or smoke, it’s time to deep clean the oven. In-between cleans you can use a damp rag to remove spills and splashes.

Bathroom

• Bathtubs and showers: every week. Offering a warm and moist environment, bathtubs and showers are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and fungus that cause skin infections.

• Toilet: every week. Most households can manage by wiping over the cistern, buttons and toilet seat with an antibacterial agent; deep clean the toilet weekly with a cleaner and toilet brush to remove stains and mineral deposits.

• Showerheads: once a year. Removing the showerhead and soaking it in a descaling product will help remove internal mineral build-up and return the showerhead to its former glory.

• Bathmats: every week. Like the tub, a fabric bathmat can act like a juicy spongy breeding ground for bacteria and fungus. Use a sanitising wash to remove any harmful bugs and try to hang the mat in full-sun to dry.

Bedrooms

• Pillows: every quarter. You spend about a third of your life in bed, so it makes sense to regularly cleanse your pillows from trapped dead skin, oil, sweat, allergens, dust mites and their eggs.

• Mattresses: every six months. Like pillows, the mattress can soak up and trap body fluids, dead skin, allergens, dust mites and even bed bugs in its fibres. To keep your bed smelling sweet, get the mattress professionally steam cleaned every six months.

• Duvets and blankets: every six months. Check if your local launderette offers extra large washing machines that are perfectly sized for large duvets and blankets.

How to Clean Walls with Latex Paint

The best way to wash walls painted with latex paint is to use warm water and a nonabrasive all-purpose cleaner. Dip a clean sponge in the water, then wring it dry. Gently rub the wall. Pay special attention to areas that get touched often, such as around doorknobs and light switches. Rinse with a second sponge and clear water. Take care not to wet areas around outlets, light switches, telephone jacks, and other electrical connections. If scrubbing those spots is necessary, turn off electricity at the circuit breaker box.

For stubborn spots, such as fingerprints, newspaper smudges, or scuffs, make a paste of baking soda and water and rub the area with a nonabrasive pad. If cleaner (or white vinegar and water) doesn’t remove the grime or stain on painted woodwork, wipe the woodwork with a rag dampened with rubbing alcohol.

Easy Spring Cleaning Tips for a Sparkling Home

Nothing feels quite as satisfying as coming home to a clean house. Since cleaning your house from top to bottom can be overwhelming — not to mention, time-consuming — take it room by room (or appliance by appliance) with these tried-and-tested spring cleaning tips. No matter if you have five minutes to freshen up or an entire weekend to spare, give all your home’s trouble spots a refresh with these cleaning how-tos. And while you might not think about cleaning your reusable shopping bags or vacuum on a regular basis, spring cleaning season is the perfect time to spruce up your daily go-tos, especially since they collect dirt and grime just like everything else.

It’s up to you: Go slide-by-slide for a whole home makeover or tackle your home’s dirtiest spots (the microwave, junk drawer, you name) when you have some extra time on your hands. Either way, you’ll have a cleaner, more livable space in no time.

Your Doormats

Trap more dirt by using two mats, one outside the door and one inside. To refresh, hose off and air-dry mats. Vacuum indoor ones on both sides — going over the back will push trapped dirt out onto the floor where it will be easier to pick up.

Your Windows

Wait for an overcast day and start on the shady side of the house, as direct sun can lead to streaks. “Raise blinds or shades and wash windows with glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth,”. “Then lower the blinds and vinyl shades and dust with a duster like Swiffer and finish by vacuuming fabric shades and drapes.”

Your Kitchen Sink

Got kitchen stink you just can’t kick? Try running a couple of lemon rind slivers through your garbage disposal and follow with cold water to dispel the smell.

Steps to Cleaning Business Success!

If you’ve already opened your cleaning business and bought your house cleaning insurance, you’ve taken a huge step forward and that deserves a big thumbs up. But now, you might be wondering how to make your business grow to become a success in the industry. Your potential clients have plenty of house cleaners to choose from, so you want to make your business stand out from the rest! Here we’ll look at a few tips to help your house cleaning business flourish.

Offer Personalized Service and Fair Prices

Spend some time giving free estimates. This will help you see a potential client’s home to work out how much time it will take to clean. Don’t charge the same price for a large house and for a small apartment. Clients will go running to a cleaner they believe is giving them a fair deal. Sit with the client to find out what they want. According to surveys, customer experience with a company has a huge impact on how likely they are to be repeat customers, and that holds true for you, too. Sitting with your clients to understand what is important to them gives them this personalized service and shows that you care about them and their needs, allowing you to develop a pricing plan that is fair to them and worthwhile for you. And when you need to raise your prices? They’re more likely to understand.

Manage Your Time Carefully

To be a success, you need to fill up your schedule. Working on your time management will benefit both you and the customer, as expectations are clear and match reality. Schedule your jobs in a way that allows you to fit more than one job in each day. Slots starting around 10am won’t leave you enough time for an afternoon customer as well. On the other hand, starting at 8am will allow you to finish by lunchtime and go to another customer afterwards–or even take some much needed time off. It also means that your customer won’t have to have their entire day blocked off. Always be on time and efficient to keep to your schedule and keep your customers satisfied.

Find Your Niche

In a crowded market, it can be difficult to make a place for yourself. Spend some time looking online at reviews and social media to see what clients wants and what competitors are offering. Then, create a niche for yourself. Perhaps you guarantee all of your products will be environmentally friendly. You might be able to offer flexible scheduling, such as evening or weekend time slots. Perhaps you work more on marketing with a weekly newsletter or blog posts with free cleaning tips, introductions to your cleaning staff, and product reviews. Having a niche will give you a unique place in the market.

Use Quality Products

Cheap products may save you money to begin with, but using more expensive quality products will help you attract a unique clientele that will benefit your business in the long-run. Using non-toxic and ecologically friendly products is better for the furniture and doesn’t leave any irritating fumes or smells around the home. These safe and healthy alternatives are better for both your cleaner and the client. Keep learning about new products through suppliers, from industry publications or from trade organizations to stay on top of your game.

Deep Cleaning Service

A lot of times we don’t realize we haven’t cleaned the house until it is a total disaster (at least to us). At this point, it is almost impossible to get everything back to 100%, and if you start cleaning a few things at a time – it can begin that “never-ending cycle” of cleaning (especially if you have kids… or a husband! haha). Anyways, we all know it’s a lot easier to maintain a clean home, but let’s face it… getting it up to “mom standards” can take some serious time and it never seems like there is enough! Don’t worry though because you are not alone! This is quite common and luckily for you, Maids 2 Match is here to help with that burden!

For those of you who prefer to book your cleaning online, you can just select the “deep cleaning” add-on after you select the number of rooms in your home. The deep cleaning is a little bit more expensive, but that is due to the fact that it does take a little bit of extra time to clean those neglected areas and we just want to make sure we get your home back to 100%! After your initial deep cleaning, you can always take advantage of our recurring discounts if you would like us to maintain your home on a regular basis! We do have a few other extra services as well, such as: inside the oven, inside the fridge, garage cleaning, and window cleaning. You can always add these services to your deep cleaning service, so we can bang everything out for you at one time!

What if My Home is Extra Dirty?

If your home is extra dirty, just give us a call and let us know the situation. We have no problem with doing a little bit of extra work, but we would appreciate it if you let us know prior to the day of the cleaning to ensure we come prepared with the proper equipment and plan enough time to get the job done 100%.

What Are the Additional Charges if My Home Needs Extra Time?

First off, we don’t make any adjustments to your cleaning without your consent, but we do give you the option to add additional time if you want us to get your entire home back to 100%. Hey, we are already there, if we think it can be cleaned, we are willing to clean it if you let us know of any areas that need extra attention in advance. If for some reason you don’t want us to spend the extra time, no problem! We will prioritize your cleaning and do the absolute best job we can in the time we have.

MUST-HAVE TOOLS FOR CLEANING YOUR WOOD FLOOR

Everyone who loves their wood floor wants a clean wood floor.

A GOOD MOP HANDLE

First, you’ll need a sturdy, aluminum microfiber mop handle.  Don’t cheap out on the mop handle because you’ll need to use some elbow grease when cleaning a dirty wood floor, especially in the kitchen.  We sells and excellent telescoping mop handle here.  Here are some mop handle bullet-points to remember.

There must be at least two rows of velcro loop material on the underside of the mop and the Velcro must be riveted to the base of the mop. Don’t buy a mop handle where is attached only by adhesive as it will quickly detach from the mop with repeated use.

MOP PADS THAT PICK UP DIRT AND ABSORB WATER

Second, you’ll need at least three and preferably more machine-washable microfiber mop pads sized to fit your mop. We sells excellent microfiber mop pads here.  There are other good pads on the market, but most are not.

When you’re purchasing microfiber mop pads, don’t cheap out.  Good mop pads, like ours, don’t bleed their color when machine washed. More importantly the pads are good both at picking up dirt and absorbing water.  The reason high-performance mop pads can do both is that they are made from a balanced blend of polyester and polyamide nylon.

How to Choose Reliable Cleaners When Moving Out of Your Rental?

Moving out is a stressful experience – all the organising and packing, all the documents and the stress from the final inspection with the landlords. Because – let’s face it – nobody wants to lose their deposit. One of the main reasons for deposit deductions is the state of the rental, and particularly – the cleanliness of the property. Many people hire professional cleaners in order to make sure they will leave the place in an impeccable condition. However, not all the companies can meet the expectations.

Do the Cleaners Have a Detailed Checklist?

End of tenancy cleaning is a deep, thorough cleaning; a service oriented particularly to bringing rental homes in a pristine condition when tenants relocate. Many businesses claim that they provide this but fail to meet some essential criteria and to provide the expected results. This is why before you hire the end of tenancy service check if they offer a detailed cleaning checklist of their procedures. Normally, reliable professionals would provide you with a very thorough cleaning checklist, describing items and areas of the property that you haven’t even thought of. The more things are listed in their offer, the more certain you will pass the landlord’s inspection and get your deposit money back.

Do the Cleaners Offer Guarantee for the End of Tenancy Cleaning?

Getting a guarantee for the service from the cleaners is very import so you can be sure you will get your deposit back. True professionals are not afraid to provide compensation or re-cleaning of the property if the customer finds the results insufficient. Cleaners should offer at least a 24-hour guarantee for their. Clients can take advantage of this timeframe and pass their final inspection from the landlord before the property starts accumulating dust and dirt.

What Are the Criteria For The Company’s Pricing?

The quality of the cleaning is of great importance when you want to hire a professional company. The best cleaners offer service prices based on the contents or the size of the property, not on time spent cleaning. The results of the cleaning must help the customer to pass the final inspection with their landlord, so the cleaners must leave the property in a pristine condition. Hiring cleaning team for a certain amount of time doesn’t give you a guarantee that all areas in your rental property will be in impeccably cleaned.

Does the Cleaning Price Include the Tools and Supplies?

When looking for a professional company for your end of tenancy cleaning, ask if the products and tools are included in the price. The team must bring all the necessary supplies to do their job. You shouldn’t pay extra for common consumables or for machines, essential for the job. You should also ask if taxes are included in the final bill. Most services can give you an estimate in advance and you don’t have to pay more than this pre-arranged price.

What’s the best thing to clean windows with?

We recommend washing your windows with soapy water. Fill a bucket with a simple solution of washing-up liquid and warm water, but avoid creating too many soap suds as these will leave further marks if allowed to dry. Start washing windows using a non-abrasive sponge. Alternatively, try a specific window-cleaning fluid, but be careful that strong formulas don’t damage surrounding paintwork.

How to cleaning windows without streaks – wipe off any excess cleaner

To remove soapy water from glass, use a clean squeegee to work from top to bottom in a reverse S pattern. Periodically wipe the squeegee blade on a clean rag to avoid smearing dirt around. Remove remaining water with a damp chamois or microfibre cloth and dry the windowsill. Avoid paper towels or cloths that might leave lint on the glass. For exterior upper-floor panes, it’s worth investing in a gadget with a U-shaped pole to avoid reaching out of top-floor windows!

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST WINDOW CLEANER

MATERIALS

• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon dish detergent

TOOLS

• bucket
• scrub brush
• optional extension pole
• water hose
• optional sprayer attachment

INSTRUCTIONS

• Combine water, white vinegar and dish detergent in a bucket. Increase amounts as needed.
• Using a soft bristle scrub brush on an extension pole handle thingy, dip the brush in a bucket of the solution, and scrub it on the window.
• Before it has a chance to dry, spray/rinse it off with clean water. Be sure to rinse thoroughly. A hose fitted with a sprayer attachment is helpful.

Don’t neglect window screens

If you have metal window screens, write a number on each window in erasable pencil. Write a corresponding number on the screen before removing it from the window so you know which screen goes back where.

Remove the screens and dust the mesh and frame with the soft brush attachment of a vacuum cleaner. Scrub both sides of the screen with a stiff brush dipped in detergent solution (if you are doing this in the bath, line it with towels to prevent scratching the finish). Rinse using a shower attachment or the fine spray nozzle of a hosepipe. Leave to dry thoroughly in a sunny spot before refitting to the window.

Warnings and Precautions for Using Cleaners

Always label the contents of your cleaner bottles. Label it clearly in big letters with what is in the bottle. “Vinegar Glass Cleaner” or “Rubbing Alcohol and Vinegar Glass Cleaner” are good labels. It is also wise to add the date when you mixed the ingredients. If you aren’t getting good results, that date might tell you why. Store cleaning products separately from cooking ingredients. You don’t want to confuse rubbing alcohol with drinking alcohol or use diluted vinegar in a recipe.

Warning

Do not reuse empty cleaner bottles. Buy a new bottle for your glass cleaner. Both vinegar and alcohol act as solvents and will pick up any traces of other chemicals that were in an old spray bottle. Even if you have a degree in chemistry, it’s wise to avoid unwanted chemical interactions. With a new, clean bottle you won’t have to worry about unintended reactions. Keep all glass cleaners out of the reach of children and pets. The ingredients can be irritating, and rubbing alcohol is flammable.

Truth or myth? Is newspaper the best glass cleaner?

Get a bang for your buck with these unusual newspaper uses.

Claim:

Newspapers are an effective way to wipe glass windows clean, sans streaks.

It’s True!

Compared to paper towels, newspaper fibers are more rigid and will not separate and cause lint. According to The Daily Reporter, more than 90% of U.S. papers switched from petroleum-based ink, which caused stains and smears, to the cheaper, smear-free alternative of soy-based ink by 2000. The switch rendered the newspaper perfect for multi-purpose use!

Want to try this cleaning method out yourself? Grab your local paper and look for the official Soy Ink Seal to see whether the ink is petroleum-based or soy-based. You can also test by holding the paper  between your thumb and index finger for a minute or more. If your fingers are stained, the paper uses petroleum-based ink and is no good for glass cleaning. If your fingers are stain-free, mix equal parts vinegar and water for your cleaning solution then use the newspaper to clean the glass as you would with a paper towel. You can also use old newspapers to ripen tomatoes, deodorize food containers, kill weeds and more, according to Friends of the Earth!

Vacation Rental 101: Housekeeping

The number one cause of vacation rental guest complaints is cleanliness. When guests pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to stay in your home, they expect it to be immaculate. If it hasn’t been cleaned before their arrival, they’re understandably going to be upset.

WHAT MAKES A VACATION RENTAL CLEANING DIFFERENT

A vacation rental cleaning goes above and beyond what you’d expect from a typical house cleaning. Your housekeeper needs to be ready to provide a higher level of service, and handle tasks like

IF YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT DOING IT YOURSELF…

The first decision you need to make about cleaning your vacation rental is whether you’re going to do the work yourself or hire a service to handle it for you

Even if doing it yourself seems like an attractive option, ask yourself an honest question: Can I commit to deep-cleaning the entire property more than once a week?

In high season, you might have “quick turns” where a guest checks out at 10 a.m. and the next guest checks in at 4 p.m. In that window, you’ll need to provide a thorough cleaning. If you can’t guarantee you’ll be ready and willing to do that, you need to hire someone who can.

IF YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT HIRING A CLEANING SERVICE

Working with a cleaning service is a great alternative. If you don’t want to handle the cleaning yourself or you don’t live near your rental property, it’s helpful to have a trusted housekeeper who will visit your home on a regular basis to keep things in great shape for guests.

CLEANING APPS FOR VACATION RENTAL BUSINESSES

Despite the increasing number of travelers who are choosing vacation rentals as a more homely alternative to hotels, their expectations don’t differ when it comes to cleanliness.

Some of the most common negative reviews of vacation rentals and other alternative accommodation derive from the guest’s dissatisfaction of cleanliness standards. In other words, as a host, you need to start considering the value of professional cleaning services for your vacation rental because what you might consider sparkling clean in your own house simply won’t cut it with guests.

Short-term renting goes hand in hand with a high guest turnover – and a requirement for deep cleaning after every check-out. But, for many owners, a vacation rental business is a side hustle and not their full-time day job. So, how do you stay on top of all these rental property cleaning tasks to ensure you always meet guest expectations? You hire a vacation rental cleaner!

CLEANING SERVICES FOR VACATION RENTALS

In order to suit different owners’ needs, there is a huge variety of cleaning services that you can request for your vacation rental. These can range from simple, ordinary tasks like making the beds, changing towels and cleaning toilets to more specific and tricky ones like cleaning mirrors and fixtures or removing carpet stains.

TURNOVERBNB

TurnoverBnB allows owners to create automated cleaning schedules and enjoy completely hands-free management. In fact, thanks to its integration with major booking platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com and HomeAway, owners can automatically schedule turnovers based on bookings and available time between one guest checking out and the following checking in. Owners can easily manage and communicate with existing cleaners or use the marketplace feature to find professional vacation rental cleaners in their area. The platform also provides automated payments and record tracking of completed jobs.

How to Manage Housekeepers and Keep a Spotless Vacation Rental

Experienced vacation rental owners across the country can confirm that it doesn’t matter how beautiful, well-located, or trendy your home appears—if you don’t know how to manage housekeepers and keep a spotless rental, then travelers will be less likely to book your home

Your home should be as clean as a hotel

Sheryl Milligan, manager of Handmaid Cleaning in Walla Walla, Washington, says vacation rental guests expect the highest level of cleanliness. Handmaid Cleaning offers turnover services to anywhere between 10 and 20 vacation rentals in the Walla Walla area, and sees that most guests who choose a vacation rental do so for a more “homey” feel—but still expect a home to be as clean as a hotel.

“At our company, we can’t stress enough the importance of perfect service every time on vacation rentals,” she said. “If we fail to provide 5-star service, it reflects poorly on us and on the property owner.”

The guests, for example, might leave that owner a bad review for something they trusted the cleaning company to do. “To avoid any issues, we always send our most senior technicians to do the cleaning,” she said. “We have a list of cleaning tasks as well as any specific set up requests—like leaving a bottle of wine out or leaving certain lights on—they must check off before leaving, and we send our quality control person or property manager to double check everything before the guests check in.”

How to find your housekeeper

Like many vacation rental owners, Lee tried to use the internet to find her housekeeper. “Not being local to the area where my vacation rental is located, I began my search for a cleaning company with a Google search,” she said.

Choosing Cleaning Products for Vacation Rentals

A housekeeper’s world is a dangerous world! There are all sorts of nasty microbes that need to be eradicated from the property as it is cleaned. Having the most effective cleaning products is imperative to the effectiveness and speed of the cleaning professional. When choosing cleaning products

NO RINSING REQUIRED

The products should only need to be wiped off the surface. A product that needs to be rinsed off before the surface is dried takes extra housekeeper time.

DWELL TIME

The product should be doing all the “heavy lifting” so to speak. As the product is sitting on the surface, it should be breaking down the soap scum, hard water deposits, and oils. There should be very little elbow grease required from the cleaning professional.

DEADLY TO MICROBES

Not all cleaning products kill all microbes or kill them quickly. Some products can take up to 10 minutes to kill Staph, which is unacceptable! When evaluating a product, ask for a list of microbes the product kills and how long it takes to kill them. The product should kill the microbes in a short dwell time, if not instantly.

SUSTAINABLE

The product must be sustainable. Many natural cleaners are not effective at killing microbes and breaking down soap scum and body oils.

TOP TIPS TO CLEAN YOUR VACATION HOUSE RENTAL FAST

We all know that cleanliness is vital to the success of any Short Term Rental. But, after a while, you can start to feel like a cleaning slave, especially if you have a lot of one-nighter bookings. You wake up, clean, welcome guest, sleep, repeat.

The best way to combat the infinite cleaning loop is to find ways to speed up the process. Now, we’re not talking about doing a subpar cleaning job. We don’t want you to get any bad reviews, or worse, have your super host status revoked. Instead, it’s time to make a plan, get efficient and follow these tips to shave minutes off of your cleaning time. You know, so you can go out there and enjoy all that money you’re making on your rental.

Create a checklist of what needs to be cleaned in between each guest booking. In the beginning, you may want to write this list down until you get more familiar with your specific routine. We don’t want you stressing because you forgot an important step or waste time thinking about what needs to be cleaned next. After awhile, you will find that by doing certain chores in a specific order will shorten your cleaning time. So, experiment and look for ways that are more effective for getting your specific rental in tip top shape.

Cycle through your deep cleaning chores. Some parts of your rental only need to be deep cleaned every once in a while. For example, you may only need to wipe down your baseboards or ceiling fan every couple of weeks. The next time you clean, add only one of these chores to your cleaning list and cycle through the rest doing one of these chores every time you clean.

Set a time limit to clean your rental and then try to slowly decrease that time with every cleaning. When you give yourself a time limit, and commit to sticking to it, that small added pressure will keep you focused and moving efficiently. It will also show you what issues are slowing you down and can be improved. But don’t take this too far. Keep your expectations realistic. We’d all like to be able to clean our rentals in under 2 minutes but, for most of us, that is just not possible. If it normally takes you three hours to clean your rental, next time give yourself 2 hours and forty-five minutes to get it done.

How Do I Choose the Best Upholstery Cleaner?

There is a wide array of upholstery cleaners on the market today. It can be daunting to choose one upholstery cleaner out of this assortment. To help, there are a couple of key points to consider when choosing, including price, the type of upholstery, what type of stain is present and how old the stain is, as well as personal preferences concerning scent, environmental impact and availability.

Commercial furniture cleaner is available for a wide variety of fabrics. Leather upholstery cleaner is different, for example, than wool upholstery cleaner. It is advisable to choose a fabric cleaner based upon the type of upholstery. If an individual is unsure what fabric the item he is cleaning is made of, most manufacturers, and even professional cleaners, advise testing the cleaner on an inconspicuous spot. Testing the chosen cleaning solution in a small spot also allows the consumer to see whether or not the fabric is “colorfast,” meaning the dyes in the fabric will not run or fade

Leather upholstery cleaning can be particularly tricky, as can cotton, and for these it is recommended to use a product specifically designed for them or, if possible, see a professional upholstery cleaner. Increasingly, people are turning to homemade solutions to clean other types of upholstery, which is often seen as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to get things done. For upholstery that is particularly soiled and safe to wet clean, a steam-cleaning machine may come in handy. On the other hand, for products that are labeled as “no water” only, dry cleaning products are available commercially to help as well.

If one is unsure of the fiber content, worried about undesirable results or unsure of the best way to proceed, it’s best to consult a professional upholstery cleaner. When working with cleaning chemicals in the home, it’s always recommended to work in a well-ventilated area and to consult a doctor if side effects like dizziness, headache or nausea occur. Some chemicals may be caustic, so it’s advisable to wash the cleaning solution from any exposed skin or clothing as soon as is possible.

Tips To Choose Best Upholstery Fabric

Needless to say, no matter what furniture you buy, be it an armchair or a sofa, upholstery is always an invincible part of the big investment. Upholstery, to a large extent, determines the look of your furniture and should be chosen with great care.

Have patience and invest some time while choosing the right fabric

People make a big mistake by being in a hurry while shopping for the upholstery fabric. Won’t work! Look for each available option, check the label and ask all kinds of questions related to the durability, material and the cleaning process of each fabric. The main thing to look for is, how long the concerned upholstery will last.

Take note of the scale and the shape

One must be clear about the shape of the furniture they need upholstery for. For example- for a curvaceous piece of furniture, it is better to go with solid-color fabrics. Thus, it is important to take into account the size and the shape of the furniture

Testing and taking trials is good

The best way to decide whether you should buy an upholstery fabric or not is to actually test that, how it feels like to sit on it. The feeling of comfort is the prime concern that should be on your mind while shopping for upholstery. So, won’t it be best to try how comfortable is the fabric then and there? It helps you to make the best decision, among the various options available.

Pre-decide your budget

Well, this mantra of “Pre-deciding your budget” is applicable in every situation where you want to buy something which is costly. So, before actually shopping upholstery, you must be sure of the approximate amount that you are ready to spend on it. When you go for shopping of the upholstery fabric, it is a sure fact that you will like a lot of stuff but if you are specific on your budget, then it will be easier to choose.

Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Upholstery Cleaning Machine

Our furniture very rarely gets cleaned through more traditional approaches, building up all kinds of dust, dirt, and debris while getting the most use and utility in our spaces. It doesn’t take long for even almost brand-new furniture to start to look more than a little bit worn out, simply because it hasn’t been cleaned in a while

The best upholstery cleaning machines are going to help make your furniture (the spaces your furniture has been placed in) look better than brand-new almost immediately while cleaning and extending the lifetime of those pieces of furniture, too.

What kind of budget are you working with?

You almost always get what you pay for a when it comes to this kind of equipment, but that doesn’t mean that you have to blow your budget into tiny little pieces getting your hands on a quality upholstery cleaner.

What kind of upholstery will you be cleaning most frequently?

Different types of fabric and upholstery will require different types of upholstery cleaning approaches, and not all cleaning machines on the market today are as versatile as others.

Just how much “power” do you need your upholstery cleaner to provide?

Another consideration you’ll want to think about is whether or not you’re going to be doing a more delicate “daily cleaning” to your furniture or if you’re going to be looking to do a bit of a deeper dive with penetrating stain cleaners – or somewhere in between.

How to Choose the Best Professional Upholstery Cleaning

The need for professional upholstery cleaning is something that many people never stop to think about. The way we live our lives creates a need to have our furniture cleaned every now and then. We never stop to think about what gets on the couch or the chair on a day-to-day basis. We come from work or school and just go directly to the couch, never even considering what kind of filth and germs get on it as a result.

With this in mind, you may consider professional upholstery cleaning to be a valuable service. When you decide you want your furnishings professionally cleaned, you might be able to choose from many companies. You want to find a company that is both affordable and reliable. If you pay someone to clean your furniture, you want to make sure the job is done right. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you try to choose the best company for professional upholstery cleaning.

Determine the Cost Range of Professional Upholstery Cleaning

When you are considering professional upholstery cleaning, you would like to know how much you can expect the bill to be. The truth is that costs can vary wildly within the industry. Your price may depend on what type of furniture you are having cleaned. If you are cleaning a tiny footstool, the bill is obviously going to be much less than cleaning a sectional sofa. Though prices can vary widely, the average upholstery project costs about $200. However, if you have them complete a very large project, you could pay more than $1000. Of course, you’ll want to check with local companies to get accurate estimates for your area.

Compare Estimates from Local Companies

If you live in a large area, you will usually not face a shortage of options regarding professional upholstery cleaning. If you want to find out how much they charge, just ask. Pick up the phone book, open it to the Yellow Pages and find the section for upholstery cleaners. Explain what you want them to clean and ask for price estimates. After you’ve called several or all of the local companies, compare the prices.

Consider Other Factors

When you are trying to decide which professional upholstery cleaning company you should go with, price is a big factor. But you may not necessarily want to go with the outright cheapest service. Make sure to ask if anyone is offering special deals. Also ask how packed their schedule is and any other questions that come to mind. You’ll also want to know if the company offers good service. You’ll try to answer this question in the next step.

How To Choose Best Upholstery Cleaning Machine?

Furniture creates the style within each room of your home. This means that the upholstery of your furniture needs to be cared for in order to maintain longevity and cleanliness. You clean your carpets, so there your upholstery should be maintained the same way. When it comes to cleaning your upholstery, the cleaner you use makes a big difference. Stains can really make your furniture look dingy and dirty, therefore finding a cleaner that does the job without ruining your furniture is important.

Cleaning your Upholstery with Steam

The first thing that you should know when looking for an upholstery cleaner is that steam is the best option. This means that you need to buy a steam cleaner. Steam is most effective in getting out set-in stains. This means that even stains you do not catch right away can be removed by using this a steam cleaner. A steam cleaner works by releasing a pressurized steam on the area of the stain. There is a heating element within the cleaner that works to produce the steam. There are different models and sizes of cleaners to choose from, so you need to know which type of steam cleaner is best.

High Temperatures to Clean Deep and Disinfect

It is best to look for a make and model that offers a high-temperature option. This is the only way you can be sure that the steam will have the ability to soften the dirt in order for it to be removed. The steam cleaner is designed to do all the work and you simply will be able to wipe the stain away once the steam has been applied. This is most effective when you are using an upholstery cleaner that has the capacity to reach high temperatures. The higher temp will allow you to clean away more set-in stains.

A Compact Design Still Packs Power

You might assume that an upholstery cleaner is bulky and hard to lug around, but this is not always the case. There are plenty of new portable upholstery cleaning machines that are specifically designed to be compact and easy to store. These cleaners may be small in size, but they are still big in power and have the ability to clean all types of stains. These are also designed to be portable and easy to handle, which is something that you need to look in an upholstery cleaner. You need a cleaner that you can carry from room to room with ease.

Steam Cleaner Wand Accessory

Another feature that will really come in handy when you own an upholstery cleaner is a wand. A wand is a great accessory that comes with most steam cleaners. The use of the wand allows you to get more access to stains that might not be as easy to clean or reach. For couches and sofas this is really ideal and allows you to give them a very thorough and deep cleaning. The wand will let you reach areas that you otherwise couldn’t with a generic steam cleaner