There are many reasons that your choice of cleaning product matters. From personal safety, to cleanliness, through to environmental impact, there are a lot of reasons that matter more than the simple price of the product you are purchasing. While cost and brand trust are high factors for most people, there are other factors that should be taken into consideration. Here are the top 5
1- The wrong cleaning product can damage your property
We’re all aware of the use of soap for our personal cleaning regimes. If you’ve tried different brands you’ll be familiar with the way some dry your skin out. Some can even leave you red and irritate. Others leave a silky smooth feeling as they’re washed off. They have different scents, and some have additional features such as exfoliation and moisturiser.
It’s a similar story with your cleaning products.
While the aim of cleaning products is, well, to clean, some are just too harsh for the job. It’s why you need to be careful about which product you choose for which purpose. In some cases you may even be better off just using plain old water.
Make sure you are choosing the right cleaning product for the right surface.
2- Your choice of cleaning product will impact the effectiveness of the clean
While a simply wipe down can clear away obvious dirt, it’s plain to see what works best on marks and stains. But there is also the less obvious. The underlying layers of dirt and grime that you may not notice with a surface clean, but really sparkle when you get to that deep clean.
Nice smells are not a replacement for a truly effective clean. You want to ensure that your choice of cleaning product is removing the grime that causes bad smells, and isn’t just covering them up.
Make sure you are choosing the right cleaning product for the depth of clean you require.
3- Improper use of cleaning products can be dangerous for your health
When used improperly, cleaning products can actually be dangerous for your health. In some cases the wrong mix of products can even be lethal.
This is why it’s so important to ensure you are fully aware of what you are choosing to clean with, and how to clean safely and properly.
For instance, bleach and vinegar, if mixed together, will produce a chlorine gas that causes breathing issues, coughing, and burning, even at low levels. Likewise, bleach and ammonia, or bleach and rubbing alcohol produce toxic combinations. In fact, just don’t mix bleach with anything. Mixing two different drain cleaners together is also a bad idea. Since they are each powerful formulas on their own, there is a risk that combining them can even cause an explosion.
To be safe, always use products according to their descriptions, and don’t mix products together unless you are fully aware of the safety of doing so.
Furthermore, some products require use in well ventilated rooms. Once again, this is mostly a matter of choosing products that you can safely use in the spaces you need to clean. When you need to use products that require special attention, such as additional ventilation, follow the safety instructions.
Make sure you are choosing the right cleaning product for the environment in which you are cleaning, and can follow the required safety procedures.
4- You need different products for a surface clean than you need for disinfecting
Cleaning and disinfecting are two separate things. Cleaning gets rid of the surface dirt, grime and mess. Disinfecting takes the extra step to remove germs, bugs, and those other invisible things that have the potential to make you sick.
It is possible to choose a product that both cleans and disinfects, provided the surface does not start out visibly dirty. If you choose this type of product you need to ensure you read and follow the instructions properly. This is because a combined clean and disinfecting agent will usually require a different procedure than the one followed for cleaning, then disinfecting.
Furthermore, surfaces such as electronics, will usually require different products and procedures than more durable surfaces, to safely clean and disinfect effectively.
Make sure you are choosing the right cleaning products for the right purpose. Cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitising are not the same thing.
5- The environmental impact.
One of the factors that weighs into the choice of cleaning product is the environmental impact the product has.
While there are certain cleaning tasks that require the added punch of a chemical product, green cleaning products are becoming increasingly popular. Eco-friendly options ensure that manufacturing practices are sustainable, and that products are naturally derived, safe, non-toxic, and biodegradable. The key point being that these cleaning product options minimise the negative impact on the environment and on the health of your household.
Be aware of the environmental impact of your cleaning product choice, and consider the options available.
Be Aware of Your Cleaning Product Choices
There is more to consider than cost, brand, and smell.
You have many choices available with your cleaning options. From how well they work, to what safety procedures need to followed, through to the impact they have on the environment, each choice needs to be carefully considered for your cleaning purpose.
The cleaning tip that makes all the difference is often overlooked or hidden amongst the endless stream of cleaning tips. When it comes to cleaning there are a lot of tips, hacks and checks available. There are shortcuts that get the job done more efficiently and home supply alternatives to a professional product. You can read about 10 minute cleaning plans, easy solutions to tricky traps, and 101 ways to use a lemon. It’s all great stuff.
But do you know what really makes difference?
It’s the one simple cleaning tip that isn’t even directly about cleaning.
The cleaning tip that makes all the difference is organisation. To really get the job done it takes a little organisation. You can have all the tips and tricks, hacks or fancy products you need, but if you don’t get organised and stuck into it, nothing gets done.
Fortunately there is more than one way to be organised…
Plan and Plot It
The super organiser
If you’re great with planning AND follow through then you’ll be great with this one. You can plan and plot your cleaning needs out to the t. The tasks that get done as you go. Daily tasks. Weekly tasks. Monthly tasks. Plus the big annual super clean. Every day you have a plan that goes well beyond a surface level clean and helps ensure you are always on top of it.
Basically you’re Monica from friends and you know exactly what you’re going to do and exactly when you’re doing it. If you’re not working with food or offering your services as a home organiser, then you’re probably running a cleaning business.
Let’s be honest, if that’s you, then you’re not even reading this blog. Why are you reading this blog? Just so you can nod away and show it to Chandler to prove your point, right?
The Ten Minute Tasker
For those who find the time overwhelming, just take it in ten minute chunks
Don’t panic if you’re not super organised or struggle committing to lengthy tasks to get through those super organised schedules. By which I mean, don’t panic if you are totally unorganised. Just be a ten minute tasker. Prepare a simple organisational list with manageable chunks of time. It won’t keep your home pristine, but it will keep it liveable.
To make the most of your cleaning requirements the ten minute tasker needs 3 things:
1- A plan with an order of the jobs to get through.
This allows the ten minute tasker to tackle the first job on the list for ten minutes before going off to deal with something else. When they’re ready for the next cleaning job they move on to the second list, even if they didn’t quite finish the first. Once they get through the list then they go back to the first area listed and start again.
This ten minute tasker may never have a super spiffy home like the Plan and Plot It does, but they will be able to basically stay on top of things if they just keep working through, ten minute blocks at a time.
2- A commitment to doing at the absolute bare minimum, one ten minute cleaning chunk a day.
Now ideally they are working through several chunks a day, but on those particularly busy or challenging days it just may not be possible. It is, however, possible to prioritise doing at least one ten minute task everyday. Even if it’s the absolute last thing you get to before bed.
3- The ability to prioritise immediate cleaning needs in addition to those ten minute chunks.
If someone spills milk on the floor this needs to be cleaned up immediately. It’s a mess that can’t sit and wait until your next ten minute task, especially if the spill is in the kitchen and the kitchen floor is still 3 items down the list.
Daily Doses Doer
For the every day clean and the every day distraction
If you’re like most people then you’re probably somewhere in between the Plan and Plot It, and the Ten Minute Tasker. You can make a reasonable schedule and stick to it to a reasonable degree.
So this is what you need to do.
Put aside some time to make that schedule.
Work out what tasks are daily, what tasks are weekly, and what tasks are monthly. Set aside times to manage each type of task with specific days allocated to the weekly tasks. For example, vacuuming the lounge happens on thursdays. Cleaning out the fridge is every Monday. Then for monthly tasks make a list of what you need to get through and break them into 4 groups. Instead of trying to tackle all the monthly tasks in one go, list them out then do a different one each week.
And here’s an important tip: Don’t panic if you don’t get through it all. Make sure you tackle the most important bits first so that the least important tasks are left to manage if you are able to. If you don’t get to them, simply bring them up the priority list for the next day or week (depending on which type of job they are).
The Daily Doses cleaner understands the importance of proper organisation but also recognises that things don’t always go to plan.
Send Help!
Some tasks are just too much to do on your own.
Have you worked out which type of organiser you are? Maybe you’re a little mix of different styles depending on what else is going on around you.
Unless you really are Monica and you’re not too busy running your own cleaning business, then everyone can use an extra hand. That’s where hiring a professional cleaner on a regular basis comes in handy.
When you hire a professional cleaner, what you’re really doing is:
Keeping your own schedule needs to do the surface level requirements so that it’s more manageable
Freeing up your time
Easing your mind
Making sure those tricky bits don’t remain overlooked
Giving your home that healthy, fresh boost that you really want to shine
Stay organised and give CleaningBest a call to add that cherry on top.
It is currently impossible to go online and avoid seeing something relating to the coronavirus, COVID-19, so we thought we provide some tips to help you keep clean, disinfect and stay calm. There is a lot of information floating around about how to best protect yourself and your family, and a lot of misinformation. Some of this is because we still don’t know enough about the disease, and some is because people are just trying to find solutions to stem the fear. We do know that socially isolating yourself from others will help reduce the spread, and that practicing good hygiene, can, as it does with all infectious diseases, reduce the risk as well.
When it comes to staying as safe as possible, you need to clean by removing germs, dirt, and surface impurities, and then you need to disinfect. Disinfecting is the act that kills germs by applying chemicals to the surface that you are disinfecting. It is important to clean first, then disinfect.
Here are some simple tips to help you keep clean, disinfect, and stay calm.
Washing your hands regularly, and thouroughly, is the best thing you can do.
Wash Your Hands
This is literally the best thing you can do. It’s not a matter of quickly rinsing under the sink and running. You need to scrub your hands with soap and water. Make sure you wash for at least 20 seconds, and dry afterwards. To keep it fun a lot of people are suggesting singing various songs or verses while they wash. A very simply example is to sing “Happy Birthday” for the duration of your scrubbing.
Washing your hands is particularly important after you’ve been out in public, if you’ve touched someone or something that other people may have touched, if you’ve sneezed or coughed, and before you eat. Frequently washing your hands properly is effective.
If you don’t have soap and water you can use a hand sanitizer. Just make it is at least 60% alcohol and you cover all the surfaces of your hands by rubbing them together with the hand sanitizer.
In the meantime try your best not to touch your face with your hands! (This is SO hard to do, which is why frequent hand washing is so essential).
Clean those surfaces that you regularly touch
Dont just Clean, Disinfect The Things You Touch (and Stay Calm).
Anything that you touch on a regular basis should be disinfected as often as possible. This includes:
Door handles (think household, car, fridge, cubby house, anything that has a door).
Tables
Light switches
Desks
Phones
Keyboards
Toilets
Sinks and faucets
Handbags
The steering wheel of your car
Windows
Make sure you are using the disinfectant that is appropriate for the surface you are cleaning. As mentioned above, it is important to clean before disinfecting, in order to get the best result. When the surface is visibly dirty then you should wash it with soap and water (or an appropriate cleaning method), prior to disinfecting it.
If you are unable to get an appropriate household disinfectant, you can use an alcohol solution that is at least 70% alcohol, or create a bleach solution. To create a bleach solution mix together a tablespoon of bleach per litre of water.
Make sure you don’t use expired products and always keep the room you are disinfecting well ventilated. Also be careful not to mix together household bleach with ammonia or any other type of cleanser.
Enjoy Sunshine and Ventilation
Don’t stay cooped up inside. Open the curtains and windows to let in the sunshine and fresh air. Get outside yourself to soak it in. While we still don’t know exactly what impact heat, sun, and weather has on the virus, our general understanding of how viruses work tells us that this is generally helpful. Staying cooped up in enclosed, dark spaces is more likely to help a virus breed, grow, and live longer on surfaces.
Keep on cleaning with a smile, in a well ventilated room, with plenty of sunshine.
Other Cleaning Tips to stay clean, disinfect and stay calm.
It is best to use disposable cleaning gloves that you can throw away after you clean and disinfect.
If you are cleaning and disinfecting an area that has been touched by someone who is known to have the virus, it is important to include additional precautionary and isolation methods to reduce the risk of transfering the disease. For instance, use a dedicated bedroom, bathroom, and rubbish bin for the unwell household member. Anyone providing food or helping clean up areas relating to the sick person should use extra precautions with gloves, hand washing, and regular disinfecting of surface areas. This includes wearing gloves to handle laundry items.
No need to panic! Just follow recommendations, keep clean, disinfect, and stay calm.
Stay Calm
Panic and fear will not help. You’re more likely to do unsafe things like touch your face, touch other people, panic buy unnecessary products (or unnecessary quantities of products), and reduce your immune system, if you allow fear to take over. Take a deep breathe and read advice that is useful and manageable.
Let’s imagine Sally runs and business but while she is good at what she does, she doesn’t really understand why clean impressions matter.
How does the atmosphere impact potential clients?
Yesterday Sally had a meeting with a prospective new client- Dave. When Dave met Sally he was impressed with her knowledge and professionalism. She dressed well, was easy to talk to, and she knew her stuff. However, when he walked into her office, something started nagging at him.
It began right at the front door. It was unforgivable, but the door looked like it hadn’t been wiped down for months. If he didn’t already have an appointment booked he would not have even bothered going in, but since he’d had the benefit of meeting Sally first, he could look past that external welcome.
Unfortunately it only got worse when he went inside. It’s not that there was anything massively out of place. In fact each thing on its own would barely even be noticed. But added together, they shifted Dave’s thoughts about Sally’s business.
Mess doesn’t have to be overtly notable to have a negative impact
The reception area was noticably dusty. He could smell it more than he could even see this. Little things like window sills, stuff he would not normally notice, suddenly stood out to him because of the layers of grime that they held.
The waste basket was very full. While it wasn’t actually overflowing the sight of it left Dave imagining bits of crumpled up paper and old apple cores strewn about the floor.
The windows were letting in the light, but instead of reflecting a nice clear sheen, they highlighted fingerprints, dust, and other marks that just made the place feel dirty. When he leant his hand on the edge of the reception desk it even felt a tad sticky. He quickly lifted his hand up and carefully avoided touching anything else.
The receptionist was very friendly and kept on a nice welcoming smile. But Dave was distracted in ways he couldn’t quite pinpoint. When he sat on the couch his eye was immediately drawn to a dusting of crumbs that were exposed between the cushions. He imagined what it would look like if he dared get up and remove the cushion entirely.
While Sally didn’t make him wait too long, it felt much longer than it really was to Dave. He was too nervous to pick up the ragged magazine sitting on the coffee table to entertain clients while they waited. There were no obvious cup marks or spills, but there was a soap streak on one side, marking a hasty attempt to wipe something up.
Clean impressions matter because they make your job easier by creating a more positive and professional environment
By the time Sally took Dave into the conference room his inclination to work with Sally had significantly diminished. Unbeknown to Sally, she now had a much harder job cut out for her to convince Dave to come on board.
The state of the conference room didn’t make things any easier. It gave the same unkempt impression as the reception area had. Everything from the carpets to the whiteboard just didn’t seem quite right.
While the atmosphere wouldn’t necessarily be a deal breaker, it would make it that much harder for Sally to convince Dave that she was the right person for the job, that her business was the right choice.
Little did she know that this very aspect had been playing a big part in why she felt so drained when she did manage to convince a new client to come on board, and explained why more than a few hadn’t been brought across the line.
It was only when Sally did some research that she found out that office cleanliness was so important.
Clean impressions matter. They:
1- Give a stronger impression that you are professional
2- Show your clients and potential clients that you pay attention to the details
3- Stop people from associating your business with negative thoughts such as dirt, grime, and uncleanliness.
4- Help ensure potential clients focus on the actual business on hand and not on little bits and pieces that need attention in your office.
5- Ensure that when something is out of place it is noted as an exception rather than the expectation for your office.
6- Physically make it easier for clients to be at your office. Dust and grime can make it harder to breathe or can make your visitors feel icky or sticky.
When it comes to creating a good impression at your office, don’t be like Sally. Remember that clean impressions matter.
Contact CleaningBest Perth today, to organise your regular office clean and stay more than a shine above the mess.
Are you wondering if you need professional cleaners for commercial premises? Perhaps it would be cheaper and easier to just do it yourself or get an office junior to take a brush through the place. When you consider that Perth employees typically spend around 40 hours a week at work, and the cleanliness of your premises if the first impression that clients get, you start to understand why professional cleaners are needed.
Whether your Perth business means you’re working in an office building, a commercial premises, or a community services facility, this is a major component of your week. By diverting your attention to cleaning tasks, you’re not putting your best foot into your business. However, if you neglect cleaning requirements, you’re setting yourself up for a really big mess.
That’s why it’s a major advantage to hire professional cleaners for your commerical premises. Let’s break it down into 10 clear advantages this gives you.
Do you have the secret ingredient to the best professional clean possible?
1- Professional Cleaners Will Use Superior Quality Cleaning Materials and Equipment to Clean your Commerical Premises
When you hire a professional cleaning service you aren’t just paying for a worker. You’re also ensuring that your cleaner is properly equipped with superior quality cleaning materials and equipment. A professional cleaning firm will keep up to date with the latest cleaning technology to ensure that the equipment they use is the most suitable for your premises. That’s because cleaning is literally their life.
A local professional Perth commercial cleaner will ensure you’re being provided with the best cleaning materials and equipment for your needs.
2- Professional Cleaners are Dedicated, Experienced, Commercial Cleaners
When you hire commercial cleaners you are hiring people who are dedicated to cleaning. They are familiar with the tricky spots and the finer details that can easily be overlooked. Their education and upskilling is dedicated to upskilling their cleaning needs and taking care of any safety concerns around cleaning requirements. After all, this is literally their bread and butter. This beats doing it yourself or getting inexperienced junior staff to pitch in with the cleaning, hands down. Dedicated, experienced commercial cleaners will be more efficient, more effective, and more reliable.
You wouldn’t hire a tax agent to take point at reception. Nor would you hire a builder to prepare your website. Each job has its own special skills and needs. Hire the right people for the right job to get the best results. That’s why you need professional cleaners for commerical premises. It’s safer and more effective.
3- Commercial cleaners ensure better health for your commercial premises
Whether it’s a space just for workers, or the place that draws in the foot traffic, your commercial premises is constantly building up with dust, dirt, skin cells, germs, bacteria, and other nasties. Some of this is clearly visible, but some of it is hidden. Professional cleaners understand how important it is to provide your commerical premises with a thorough clean, leaving no stone unturned. Staff working in a healthy environment and clients visiting a healthy commercial premises, is good all round.
Perth commercial cleaners will be aware of any particular needs of the Perth area, because, as we mentioned before, cleaning is literally their bread and butter.
4- Uses Your Own Time More Efficiently
If you divert your skilled employee’s attention, or your own time, to cleaning, then you are reducing your productivity. Since cleaning is not the speciality of non-cleaners, they will spend more time figuring it out than a dedicated cleaner would. So focus your time where it needs to be and let the professional cleaners take care of the mess.
5- Improves Profitability
If you divert the attention of yourself, or your professional staff, to cleaning you are reducing your productive time. This means you’re spending more time doing things that won’t bring in the income. When you hire an efficient, professional cleaner, you can focus your time on work that is productive. This ensures you can bring in more money and ensure’s your not wasting expenses paying skill specific staff to spend time on areas they’re not properly equipped for.
And you want to do everything you can to improve your bottom line.
6- Let’s Everyone Work on What They Do Best
Less distractions enable staff to focus better on the role they are expected to do. They’re not wasting time wading through clutter or stopping to sort out random cleaning jobs. Their focus is free to remain on their productive work and the activities needed to be productive.
Who doesn’t want increased productivity?
7- Facilitates Positive Attitudes
When it looks like you don’t care about your commercial premises, why would any of your staff care? Cleanliness of motivating because it gives the impression that you care for the environment that your clients and workers are in, which in turn helps reassure staff that they are cared for. This is great for facilitating positive morale in the workplace.
Thinking positively won’t make the place cleaner. But keeping the place cleaner will help ensure people are thinking more positively.
Put your best foot forward by keeping your premises professionally clean.
8- A Professional Look
When a client works into a messy, dirty, or cluttered building, the impression they get is going to be less than professional. A perceptibly clean reception, meeting and/or service area helps enhance a client’s trust in your level of professionalism and expertise.
Whether it’s a first impression or the 100th, you want to keep up that professional appeal that helps to remind your staff and your customers that they can trust you.
9- Professional Cleaners will work around your needs
Do you need cleaners who can work outside of office hours? Are there areas that require daily cleaning, or do you just need weekly or monthly touch ups? Professional commercial cleaners can work around your needs.
When you have a good relationship with your cleaner you’re more likely to get last minute support for unexpected needs as well. A good business relationship with your cleaner is a huge stress relief.
10- Professional Cleaners for Commercial Premises Provide You With Peace of mind
It should be clear by now that you have an advantage when you hire professional cleaners for commerical premises. Ensuring you have a regular, professional, clean, means there’s one less thing to worry about. It’s good for your health, your professional appearance, productivity and cost efficiencies. This all adds up to peace of mind for you and your business.
For the best clean your commercial premises can get, contact CleaningBest. Our promise is in our name.
As 2019 draws to a close a lot of people will be coming up with their New Years resolutions, and some of these may include cleaning resolutions. Unfortunately many resolutions are made and forgotten. It’s easy to make them too big to just to hard to stick to. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Keep things simple and make resolutions that are realistic so that you can stick to them.
To help you choose a suitable cleaning resolution, here’s a list of easy cleaning resolutions that will make a big difference.
1- Effectively use the dishwasher
Run the dishwasher every night.
Empty the dishwasher every morning.
If you get into these habits then it’s easier to move onto the next step of encouraging people to wipe down and put their dishes into the dishwasher as they go.
2- Implementing a 5 minute clutter clear can be the ultimate of cleaning resolutions
Find the right time to put aside 5 minutes every day. Perhaps just before dinner or just before your bedtime routine. For strictly 5 minutes just grab anything that’s not in it’s right place and put them away. Wipe those sticky spots that have been missed. Check under the couch and cushions. Straighten up the books.
Limit it to 5 minutes so that it’s a clear and defined time. Once the 5 minutes are up move on to the next activity. This is why it’s a good idea to do it right before dinner or bed so that there’s something specific that happens next. It’s not about getting everything perfectly done. It’s about putting in a small amount of time to make a difference.
Once this becomes a daily habit, especially if it’s one that everyone pitches in with, ongoing cleaning will be much, much easier to manage. You might be surprised how big a difference those 5 minutes really make.
3- Pick cleaning resolutions that help you clean as you go.
For example, get a shower spray that you can use in your shower every single time you have a shower. Spray it down at the end of your shower to stop the build up of grime and make it easy to do that weekly bathroom clean.
4- Stop the drop and dump
Many of are in the habit of dumping things. When we get home we dump our belongings in a pile. When we get dressed we dump our clothes in a pile.
Have a space to store your bags, wallets and keys. Make the effort to put them away instead of dumping them in a pile. Take those few minutes to put anything else away that you’ve been carrying with you.
It might seem easier to drop and dump, but the reality is that it only takes a minute or two to place things in their spots. It reduces clutter piles and ensures you always know where everything is.
5- Make a food plan
Do you get stuck with wasted food and forgotten frozens that clutter your freezer?
Put aside an hour or two each month for a monthly food plan so that you know what food you need to purchase each week for your meals.
When you do your shopping don’t just haphazardly put things away. Separate your meats into meal size portions and store each portion in a freezer bag. Label them with the date. If you’re super organised label them with the meal they are intended for, or if they’re spares.
The more organised you can become, the less waste you will have. As a bonus it also makes it easier to stick to a budget. And, since this is about cleaning resolutions, of course it also makes your cupboard, fridge, and freezer cleaner because you know exactly what you need and what you have at hand.
6- Pick a space to keep clean
Choose just one space that you will keep clean.
Depending on your current situation this might be a specific bench or shelf that you can focus on, or it might be a room that you are going to concentrate on as being the clean room.
Make it a habit to ensure that this select space is cleaned on a daily basis. Once you’ve got your routine down pat for keeping that one space clean it should be easier to add a second space down the track.
Habits can be created one manageable bit at a time.
7- One small thing every morning can be the cleaning resolution you need to change everything
Pick one small thing to do every morning that makes things a bit tidier. For most people the logical choice is to make their bed. A well made bed makes even a cluttered room look better. It gives you that lift that something has been done and helps encourage you to notice the positives. This in turn psychologically increases your mental capacity for the day.
8- Add some steps to your trash routine
You already take out the trash everyday (or perhaps every second or third day if there’s not a lot of waste in your home). Make this routine more efficient by adding some steps.
Open the fridge before you take out the trash. Make a quick scan over the fridge to find any empty wrappers, old food, or expired products. Add these to the trash bag before you take it out. This reduces the potential for your kitchen to start to smell bad and your fridge to pile up with rotting or useless items. You’ll prevent containers from sitting in there getting mouldy and reduce the chance of coming across nasty surprises down the track.
9- Do a nightly wipe down
Make sure you have a cloth and some spray on hand in the bathroom. When you use the bathroom at the end of the day add in a quick wipe down of the sink and bathroom surfaces.
This way when it comes time to doing a full clean you won’t have to deal with built up layers of toothpaste, soap, hair and dust. It’ll keep things looking tidier as you go and reduce the amount of elbow grease needed to really get things shiny.
10- Change your cleaning products to stay on top of your cleaning resolutions
Do you struggle to clean because you don’t like the way your cleaning products smell? Try something new. After all, you’re much more likely to use your cleaning products if you actually like the way they smell and feel good about the effect they have on your room.
Toss away the stuff that is off putting and replace them.
If eco friendliness is a big concern for you then put in the effort to ensure that your new choice is eco friendly. There are lots of options nowadays. Many small businesses use ecologically friendly, and even locally sourced/made products. When you choose products that make you feel good about using them, you’re more likely to use them.
11- Load up your trash can with multiple bin liners
If you have multiple bin liners set up it is easier for the regular trash removal to be a simple matter of literally taking out the trash. It doesn’t have to involve the addition of finding and setting up a new liner every single time.
Pick simple cleaning resolutions that you can follow and start doing it
It doesn’t have to be the thing that most needs to be addressed. In fact, sometimes it can be harder to tackle these obstacles and you’ll give up before you get started when you go for the tough challenges first. When you pick something that is easy enough to implement so that you can actually follow through in creating the new habit, you will be encouraged and motivated to make the next change. Remember that habits take time to form. It will take an effort to make changes and a conscious decision to do that little thing every single day. Know yourself and challenge yourself in a way that’s workable. Then grow from there.
While you can tackle the daily bits and pieces, if you really do need that extra help to keep cleaning simple contact a local cleaner. If you’re in Perth them, as CleaningBest is the solution for you.
Christmas cleaning preparation needs are, well, no different to everyday cleaning needs really. However, it is a time of year when you’re more likely to be hosting celebrations and welcoming guests into your home. Get your house ready for the Christmas season to stay on top of the clutter!
Embrace the Christmas mess, just be prepared…
1- Prioritise your Christmas cleaning preparation
You know where people will be eating, sleeping, and, um, taking care of other business. Focus on these spots and shut off the rest of the house. It helps keep the sanity. After all, if you spend all your energy in preparations for the season, you wind up unable to enjoy it!
2- Declutter while you can
Christmas brings new stuff. Toys. Kitchen utensils. Loads of wrapping paper. Decorations. It’s a parade of presents. Make space now. Get rid of stuff you don’t use and things that are broken. If you don’t have time to sort things out properly then box up the excess bits and pieces just to clear it away for now.
3- Christmas cleaning preparations is not just about cleaning. It’s also about stocking up for your guests
Guests are going to use things. Toilet paper. Sprays. Tissues. Be prepared so you don’t get caught out. Have cleaning supplies and toiletries ready to go. Extra bags, buckets, or boxes will probably come in handy too. After all, everyone is going to have stuff they’ll want to cart around too.
Don’t forget those every important spare batteries. Different sizes are handy too. While this isn’t strictly a cleaning tip it is something that comes in handy!
4- Box it as you go
Christmas means presents. This means wrapping paper, empty boxes, plastic wrap, string, ties, instructions, and all sorts of bits and pieces. Have a box (or a shelf) set aside for instructions to be placed. This ensures you don’t lose them and they don’t get mixed up with the rubbish. Have two big boxes for the wrapping paper, plastic, and other bits and pieces. Once for recyclables and one for rubbish. Drum it into people to toss it in as they unwrap. Don’t let the mess build up.
5- Have a contingency plan
It’s all very well and good to make a decision to clean and maintain your home. It’s another thing entirely to consistently follow through. Emergencies come up. Kids get sick. You have last minute shopping dashes to make. You know, there’s always something. Just in case you can’t stay on top of everything as you go, it can help to have sorting buckets ready. This can be a place to plunk a bunch of dishes to soak in and keep off the bench. It can also mean having bags or boxes ready for people to stack their gifts into so that they don’t end up spread all over the floor as you go.
6- Clean clothes
Keeping your clothes clean is an endless job. Make sure you’re up to date with the cleaning before guests start arriving. If you need to ensure you’ve got extras of the essentials then get ready with them now.
Have two washing baskets. One for essentials/urgent cleans. One for cleans that aren’t as urgent. That way you can ensure that things like underwear and little Billy’s favourite t-shirt are being washed as soon as possible, even if the rest of the stuff sits there for 3 days before there’s time and room to get to to them.
7- Disposables
Don’t hang the messenger! There are two types of disposables. The plastics that you use, break, and toss, or more environmentally friendly wooden or plant based disposables. The latter one will cost you a lot more for the convenience of cutting down on cleaning requirements. But it is an option.
8- Kid distractions
Once you’ve cleaned the kids will make a mess. It’s inevitable. So plan ahead. Have a messy corner for them to colour in, paint, build, and play. Or perhaps you can stock up on fun Christmas shows that keep them dancing instead of throwing toys around. Of course every family has their own unique way of doing things and every child has their own… eccentricities. It’s all very well for a stranger on the internet to tell you to keep them distracted, it can be an entirely different story when it comes to the reality.
Whatever you do, just do what works for your family.
9- Organise a professional clean up front
The cleaner your home is, the easier it is to keep clean. When the home starts off clean people are more likely to feel the need to keep it clean. In a similar vein, as soon as mess starts to build, people will add to that mess.
In a similar way everything that’s going to get heavy use will function better if it’s had a good clean before hand. Get your oven spruced up, as well as that microwave. Ensure your amenities are prepared and get those couches crumb free.
It’s getting close to Christmas already, so now’s the time to jump in and book your cleaner.
10- Remember it’s Christmas. Do Your Christmas cleaning preparation, so that you can enjoy it!
There will be some mess. You may end up with glitter all over the floor. If you’ve got a live Christmas tree then pine needles are part and parcel of the deal. Toys will be spread all over the floor at some point. Food will be spilled. People will tread dirt through the house.
When you know it’s time to bring in a professional cleaner for your home or office, it’s inevitable to ask how often should I use a professional cleaner? Well the answer depends on a few things. It may also depend on the cleaner…
Professional cleaning with a smile. That’s what we like to see!
What matters most when it comes to determining how often to hire a professional cleaner?
1- How quickly does your space get dirty?
Got a lot of mess makers? Get that cleaner in more often.
If you’ve got kids, tradies, labourers, excercisers, or anyone else who’s likely to be tracking high levels of dirt or sweat around with them, then you need to clean more. Obvious dirt can build up quickly and is off putting to everyone. You want to stay on top of it to keep your place fresh and clean.
2- Is there a lot of foot traffic?
More use means more cleaning.
Even when the people coming through aren’t ‘obviously’ covered in muck and mud, they’re still bringing in dirt and germs. Each addition will quickly build up the ick factor and it can get out of hand before you know it. That’s why entrance ways often require extra special attention to keep sparkling clean. A home with a single person living in it may not require professional level cleaning as frequently as a home with a bunch of kids running around.
3- How important is it to give a good impression?
When impressions matter you can’t go past a quality cleaner.
People notice dust and dirt easily. That’s because we tend to see when there’s a problem. Sometimes a quick brush over may look good enough on the surface but fail to impress a new customer walking in the door. If your space needs to your professionalism, then you need to get a professional clean done more often. Stay on top it. That way you’ll never be caught out.
4- Are there hygiene concerns?
Which rooms have extra hygiene concerns?
Rental properties have a full clean and clear in between guests. The sheets are washed and changed, everything is swept and scrubbed. This isn’t just because of the obvious messes that can be left behind. It’s also about the unseen. It’s important to ensure that the place is freshly cleaned and hygenic, ready for the next family to use the place. Kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms typically create higher levels of hygiene concerns because of the way these rooms are used.
5- Do you have the time to clean yourself?
Hiring a cleaning is not just about getting that professional job done. It’s about saving yourself the time and hassle of trying to do it yourself.
If you’re able to put time in yourself them you can probably afford to space out the frequency of a professional cleaner. When you’re struggling to keep the place in check then you might want to bring someone in more often. One of the great things about bringing in a professional is that it frees up your own time to spend on the things you really want to be focusing on.
6- What’s your budget?
Your budget determines your priorities.
Let’s be real. This has to factor in. Hiring a professional cleaner costs money. After all, they’re providing a valuable service and it’s how they make their living. They should be paid properly and adequately for their time and expertise. If you can’t afford a regular clean, then just stick to using professionals for that deep clean maintenance.
7- What’s your ick factor?
Does mess cause you stress?
The final consideration may be one of the most important. If you’re someone who likes to keep things really pristine then you’ll want a more regular cleaner. (Daily cleans never hurt anyone, right?) When you can comfortably survive until the place is starting to whiff a bit, then you might prefer to space those cleans out a bit more.
Someone should have hired a cleaner…
So… how often should I use a professional cleaner?
A good rule of thumb, depending on the answers to the above questions, is weekly or fortnightly. In some cases once a month should suffice. On top of this there should be a quarterly deep clean to really get into the nooks and crannies. Or, if you’re like the average Joe, you may just wait until you can’t handle it anymore and call in for a last minute rush job. This isn’t exactly ideal, and may result in you missing out on a clean when you really need it. So let’s just avoid this option ok!
Of course if you are basically on top of your own cleaning you may only want to bring in the professional cleaner for those once off occasions or to get in that regular deep clean that truly makes your house sparkle.
Trending cleaning tips are essential because keeping a house clean is a tricky thing to do. There is literally an army of little critters (aka germs and bugs) who are fighting you every single step of the way. So prepare for battle. Arm yourself with sprays, brushes and cleaning cloth, and let’s get to work. Here’s a few super simple, totally doable, and glove wrenchingly possible, cleaning tips to win the war.
Keep my home clean
Trending Cleaning Tip #1: Never let your spouse or children enter the home
This super simple tip makes a lot of sense. Less people through your pristine doors means there are fewer of those warrior germs and bugs fighting their way over your squeaky clean floors in an effort to make a mess again. While dust may still settle, noone is dragging in full on loads of dirt or tossing half eaten crackers under the couch cushions (except you of course, but you can always blame any strays on, say, a break in).
Lock those doors to keep the germs out
Trending Cleaning Tip #2: Have visitors over several times a day
I know, I know, this seems like it totally contradicts the previous piece of advice. That’s what good advice is like nowadays though, totally contradictory advice for the perfect solution, one right after the other… Anyway, onto the point at hand…
You should have visitors more often because you never clean harder than you do in those ten minutes before a visitor shows up. Ergo, more visitors means more ten minute scrambles to scrub, scrub, scrub.
Take advantage of the frantic cleaning before visitors arrive
Trending Cleaning Tip #3: Develop a totally new personality
You’re obviously reading this because you are not one of those natural cleaners. You know the ones. They just walk into a room and it is magically all shimmer and shine. Their arms are constantly in dish gloves because they don’t spend more than a moment away from the sink. They live and breath for the clean. The only logical solution is to become one of these people.
Turn that frown upside
Trending Cleaning Tip #4: Create an artificial intelligence robot maid.
This is so on trend it’s literally ahead of its times… but not by much. I mean, have you seen the amazing things that these robots can do? We are literally thiiiiiiiiis close to having full on android machines who can put on an apron and use their laser focus to ensure every single tiny speck of dirt in your whole house is taken out with the trash.
A robot maid could be the solution to your pollution
Trending Cleaning Tip #5: Move out for a period of time and rent your house out
Ok, this might seem like a weird solution but hear me out… When someone rents out your house they are required to return it in pristine condition in order to get their bond back. So just move out, rent it out, then move back in once the lease is up. Voila, the tenant has to ensure it is all super clean and tidy before you return. (No, no, there’s absolutely no loopholes or missing steps in this totally savvy plan. It’s on point.)
Rent it out to clean it out
Trending Cleaning Tip #6: Commit a fake crime in your home
When a crime is committed the police come in and take away everything to check for evidence right? It’s a total win win. They get to chalk up an arrest to increase their credentials and you get them to do the dirty work in cleaning up your home. Don’t forget to enjoy your relaxing holiday in jail while the investigators get onto the task and figure out it was all fake. If you’re super lucky, or just hire an unscrupulous liar, I mean lawyer, then you might even end up with a nice little payout to compensate you for the “inconvenience”. Don’t think too hard about this one, I’m sure it will all work out in the wash.
Get in some extra help to keep the house clean
Trending Cleaning Tip #7: Close your eyes and wish it all away
It’s really that easy. It happens in the movies, so I know for sure that wishes work. Find the right spot in your home, shut your eyes, relax, and wish. Seriously this has got to be the most trendy tip to follow when it comes to cleaning. In fact more than 80% of people who want to clean their home default to this tip instead of, you know, physically doing something about it. That’s how we know it’s so doable! Don’t despair if your wish doesn’t work at first. There’s always some sort of hiccup before things kick in. Besides, everyone knows that if what you’re doing doesn’t work the first time you just keep repeating it the exact same way until it does. It’s called persistence. That’s a great quality to have.
Wishing for a cleaner home
Trending Cleaning Tip #8: Burn it to the ground
A change is as good as a holiday. At least that’s what they say. If the cleaning is getting you stressed, distressed and repressed, then it’s time for a total change. Out with the old and in with the new, they say. Imagine it… fresh new home. Brand new furniture. Everything totally clean and amazing. This is such a good idea… right?
Actually this cleaning tip might not be the brightest…
Bonus Trending Cleaning Tip:
Or you know, if none of these ideas will work for you, maybe you could hire a super amazing cleaning team. If you live or work in Perth, then CleaningBest has got you covered. Book us in today and see for yourself how totally doable this cleaning tip is.
Let the professionals take care of it
*Other than the bonus tip, these tips are totally not trending, or doable. Actually it is not advisable to do any of them at home. Warning notice added in on the threat that I’d be the one who got cleaned out if I forgot the disclaimer.
The value of a cleaner: A job anyone can do… right?
Do you value your cleaner? This blog post is going to be a little bit different. Let’s pull off the sales veneer and tell it like it is.
I’m not a cleaner. I do some admin and accounts work for a cleaning company, including writing their monthly blog. It doesn’t make sense for the cleaner to take time and focus out of what they do best to write up blogs. They are focusing on the cleaning side of things. That means they can get that done well. I, in turn, focus on the backend and admin side of things. It works well for most businesses who understand the importance of not spreading oneself too thin.
Being on the admin side of a cleaning business has opened my eyes to what it’s like for a cleaner trying to make a living through their cleaning business. I’ve worked, and still work, for many different kinds of businesses. This means I get to see a perspective that is bigger than just the view from within one company. It’s interesting to see how differently clients treat and approach different businesses, depending on how much value they place on the service they are recieving. Let’s look at it this way…
Using the wrong materials and equipment makes the job harder
The value of quality products & materials
Have you ever tried to paint your own home?
If you did, did you go for the cheapest product you could find, only to discover that it is really is worth putting in a little extra?
That 90c brush that fell apart while you painted was just a waste of 90c. The $15 brush made life easier.
That $2 roller that left bits of lint over the wall wasn’t just a waste, it added hassle, time, and frustration to the job. That $50 roller held more paint, made the job run more efficiently, and took away the headache.
The cheap paint that you thought was such a good deal didn’t turn out so great in the long run did it? You ended up having to do three times as many coats just to get it to look ok on the wall, and you can tell that a repaint is needed already.
Perhaps you just realised it was all too hard and paid the big bucks to get a professional out there and make sure the job was really done right.
When it comes to quality materials for cleaning your home, do you value your cleaner?
Would you pay $45 for a ten minute haircut but balk at $45 for an hour’s cleaning?
The value of a bit of skill and focus
Have you ever paid for a decent hair trim?
A $30 trim takes up a lot of your time and hardly any of the hairdressers. You have to leave your home, figure out what to do with the kids, drive to the store, find a park, wait your turn. It takes them about 10 minutes. That’s $30-$50 for maybe several minutes of their time to snip along your hair, and maybe along the fringe too.
Maybe you only go in for a longer style, colour or full treatment. This, of course, costs you more, maybe even hundreds of dollars more. It would be much cheaper and quicker to just take a pair of scissors and snip your own hair. Though we can’t guarantee that the outcome would be pleasant… At least hair grows back… I guess.
When it comes to needing some skill and focus, do you value your cleaner?
A professional job requires a professional background
The value of professional training and focus
What about a tax return? Ever paid to get your tax return lodged?
You could lodge yourself you know. It’s free to do that. Those are the sort of returns that end up with people getting fined for claiming ineligible costs such as the costs of parking at their usual place of work (sorry that’s not tax deductible), or missing out on rebates and offsets that you just didn’t know about (you have to include that remote zone offset if you want it applied against your taxable income).
Tax accountants spend years studying and gaining work experience before they qualify. They are required to maintain minimum annual education (since the system is constantly changing) and it’s what they focus on. That’s why you pay them to prepare your return for you. Plus, it’s a tax deductible cost, so win win right?
When it comes to getting a professional clean, do you value your cleaner?
Noone really wants to clean the toilets… not really
The value of a cleaner
Why are some people so reluctant to pay for cleaners?
Cleaning your home is something everyone does. Yet it’s not something everyone has the skills to do well, nor is it something everyone has the time to do.
Yet we don’t learn from the times we’ve gone for the cheaper options only to realise that actually ends up costing us more, especially in time and hassle.
We’ll happily pay $35 for a ten minute haircut and complain if someone wants to charge us $35 for a physically demanding hour of cleaning.
We recognise the value of getting in a professional to assist with our finances, yet we often don’t see that a decent cleaner, one who really knows what they are doing, can provide value beyond what you can do on your own.
I am not a cleaner. I do admin work for a cleaning company and I’ve gained some insight into the issues that cleaners regularly face with quoting jobs. We regularly see potential clients quickly become angry when they see the rates and make claims such as:
No other cleaning company charges as high as you do, can’t you do it cheaper?
My last cleaner only charged $20 an hour, why can’t you charge $20 an hour? It only takes 2 people 2 and a half hours to clean my home, I was expecting it to only cost under $100.
It takes a quality team to do a really good job, and that is a solid investment
The cost of employees
Let me put it to you straight.
A good cleaning company knows what they are doing and what products to ensure the job is done well. Behind the scenes they are investing in quality product and cleaning material, as well as focusing themselves on continual improvements through ongoing training and education. They are professionals.
When you hire a cleaning company you are not hiring a young Mum who is just looking to earn a few dollars on the side. There are laws in Australia that require staff to be paid not just for the hours they work. They must also be paid for travel time, training time, downtime, and even holidays. On top of that there is insurance, superannuation, allowances for extra icky or tricky jobs (like cleaning your toilet or working on roofs), bonuses, uniforms, staff amenities, and vehicles.
For the 2020 financial year the legal minimum wage for a fulltime cleaning employee is $20.82-$22.70 per hours for normal hours of work, depending on their skill and authority level (higher for evenings, public holidays, weekends, and overtime). If someone works on a Sunday then their minimum wage will be between $41.64 and $45.40 an hour. If they work overtime on a public holiday their base minimum wage will be $56.75. Part time workers have higher minimum hourly rates of pay starting at $23.94. Casual workers are higher again (although this is at least partially offset by not having the requirements to pay them for leave time).
Undervaluing has an onflow effect
If you expect a cleaning company to charge only $20 an hour then you are expecting to be charged rates that are lower than the lowest possible minimum hourly rate before even factoring in superannuation, allowances, leave, training, uniform, travel etc. If a cleaning company is charging you this low they are either not a cleaning company (they’re an individual just looking for some extra cash on the side and willing to work under minimum wage requirements to get it) or they are not paying their staff properly.
As a rough guide it costs a company almost twice as much as the base minimum wage rate for their productive hours of employment. (Although this can vary depending on how much down time, travel time, additional allowances, training, uniforms, additional hours etc are appropriate for the situation). When you realise that you realise that most cleaning companies make a living by working in the business themselves.
A decent clean lets you put your feet up and relax
Not to mention the actual value of a good clean
That’s just the cost side of things.
The real value of hiring a cleaner is in the value that you get from a proper cleaning job. Do you have a cleaner who doesn’t miss those nooks and crannies? Someone who uses high quality material? A company whose cleaners work efficiently and effectively? If so you are getting genuine professional value. That’s not the same thing as paying someone who basically knows how to tidy up and run a wipe over the most visible surfaces. It’s worth a whole lot more.
It saves you time and energy. Plus your home is in better shape than you could realistically keep it.
If you want a professional service then expect a professional fee to be charged. If you’re lucky enough to get a cheap rate with a quality cleaner then be grateful while you’ve got it. These cleaners are working hard to make a living for themselves. You are reaping the benefits of quality job.
Your cleaner provides you with value worth being thankful for
Thank your cleaner today!
Do you value your cleaner? If you’re someone who values the exceptional service that is provided by your cleaning then thank you! I know we’d love your kind over at www.cleaningbest.com.au
Don’t forget to let your cleaner know how much you appreciate them. I wonder if there’s a cleaner appreciation day….
