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Cleaning

What To Expect From A House Cleaner And How To Prepare.

In our last post, we talked about how to find a cleaning lady you can trust, I hope you found some useful pointers to get you started in your search for a cleaning service. In this post, we’ll talk a little more about what to expect from a house cleaner, how you can prepare your home and what a house cleaner should do. We will give you a detailed house cleaner checklist so you know what to expect when you are getting your house cleaned for the first time.

Getting a cleaner for the first time is not easy and it can be quite daunting having a cleaner come into your home to clean around all your personal belongings. This post will ease that worry and let you know what to expect from a cleaner and how to prepare your home so you and your house cleaner can enjoy a long and fabulous working relationship built on trust and respect.

  • Always arrange a walkthrough of your property so you can explain what house cleaning you’d like them to do, and they can explain the service they provide.  Consider where you would most benefit from, not having to clean yourself.  Consider the amount of time you are paying your cleaner for and be reasonable with your expectations. Think about how long it takes you to clean each room in your house and bear in mind that you are hiring a professional cleaning company who will be cleaning places you don’t usually clean, and they’ll be cleaning them much more thoroughly, so, with that being said, expect it to take a lot longer! Remember how long it takes for you to do your spring cleaning!
  • If you notice something small that wasn’t cleaned after the first time clean don’t panic!  Your cleaner will be aware that they’ve not had the time to get to it and should make sure they get it done on the next visit.  If however, you notice it is getting missed each cleaning session, a gentle reminder is the best way to deal with it.  Cleaning houses is hard work, and it takes a while to get into a routine when you first start cleaning a house. Your cleaner will not be able to deep clean your whole house each week in two hours. So unless you’re paying for a deep clean, your cleaner will get as much done as they can in the allocated time.

Questions to ask when hiring a cleaning lady.

  1.  Are you and all your employees CRB checked. this is important as the cleaning company will be working around valuable possessions, possibly children or vulnerable adults and pets. they may also be responsible for keys.
  2. Do you have liability insurance? This is a huge factor to consider due to breakages, damages, spillages or loss of property.
  3. Do you bring your own cleaning products and tools? I discuss this in more detail later on in the post but it is definitely something to consider.
  4. Can you provide references?  It’s good to know that your cleaning company comes with five-star reviews and good references from clients.
  5. What should I do with my pets?  some house cleaners like me love every kind of pet and think its a perk of the job to work around animals. However, this is not true of everyone. Your dog may be the softest, cutest little bundle of fluff ever, but that will not matter to someone who is terrified of dogs. Some companies also have a policy to cover their employees from potential dog bites, so it’s always a good question to ask.
  6. Do you have a cleaning services checklist I’ve included a cleaning lady checklist below to give you a better understanding of what to expect from a cleaning lady, be sure to ask what services will be included in your house clean.
  7. How long will you be here? This is a question that needs to be asked . if you are paying by the hour your house cleaner should be there for the full amount of hours they are contracted for. If you are paying for a job then the cleaning team will leave when the job is done. If you are paying hourly for two hours and there is a team of two then you should expect the team to leave after an hour because they have compleated two man hours of work in one hour!
  8. How will you gain access to my home I have keys to all my client’s homes just in case they are not home when I call, however, some people may not like to make you a keyholder and may prefer you to clean when they are at home.
  9. Will you be cleaning solo or in a team?   both options have their benefits depending on the client as explained in my post here ,  but its good to know from the start who will have access to your house and as explained above how long they will be in your home.
  10. Do you have a contract for me to sign?  This will help you, in the long run, should there be any disputes or discrepancies about the work.

 Cleaning lady checklist.

Typically in a weekly maintenance clean, these are the jobs you would expect your cleaner to cover, however, bear in mind every cleaner is different and will work differently so this is just a guide on what to expect from a house cleaner! Try to remember that you are employing cleaning services not a maid service or a housekeeper, so there will be certain things the house cleaner will not do such as laundry, shopping, pet care, meals unless otherwise agreed upon as a separate service.

Maintenance cleaning

Cleaning the kitchen

  • Sanitise all surfaces
  •  Wipe down cupboard doors,
  •  Wipe down outside of all white goods,
  •  Wipedown outside of cooker and oven
  •  Sanitise all eating surfaces
  • Degrease all tiles, splashbacks and cooker hood.
  •  Wipedown woodwork doors and handles.
  • Clean and disinfect floors
  •  Clean windows
  •  Clean cobwebs.

Cleaning the family room

  • Hoover and mop
  • Dust
  • Clean windows
  •  Clean mirrors.
  • Feather dust doors, skirtings and blinds.

 Cleaning the bathrooms

  • Sanitise all surfaces
  • Empty bins
  • Sanitise door handles and light switches
  • Clean and sanitise shower, bath, toilet, and sink.
  • Clean the windows
  • Sweep and sanitise the floors
  • Wipe down the tiles
  • Cobwebs

Cleaning the bedrooms

  • Dust
  • Hoover
  • Clean windows
  •  Wipedown woodwork
  •  Sanitise light switches and door handles
  • Cobwebs.

Cleaning the entryway and porch

  • Sweep
  •  Mop
  • Clean windows and doors
  • Cobwebs

Cleaning the hall, stairs and landing

  • Sanitise bannisters
  • Hoover stairs and landing
  • Cobwebs
  • Clean windows

Deep Cleaning

Deep cleaning lounge and family room

  • Move furniture and hoover underneath
  •  Clean under the sofa cushions.
  •  Move heavy furniture to clean underneath.
  •  Clean light fittings.
  • Wipe skirtings

Deep cleaning the kitchen

  • Clean on top of kitchen cupboards.
  • Clean Oven.
  • Wipe down skirtings and kickboards

Deep cleaning the bedroom

  • Clean underneath beds.
  • Clean woodwork,
  • Clean light switches and door handles
  • Wipe woodwork
  • Clean windows
  • Clean cobwebs

Other deep cleaning jobs

  • Any windows missed.
  • Anything not completed in the last session
  • Brush stairs
  • Wipe skirting boards
  • Wipe radiators
  • Wipe any missed woodwork
  • Any jobs requested by the client
Communication is the key to getting things right and making sure any equipment the cleaners need is on hand and in good working order.
 
 
  • Broom
  • Dustpan and brush
  • Bin bags
  • Hoover
  • Mop & bucket
  • Stepladder ( we can’t reach unless we can get up there ! )
  • Telescopic brush if you’ve got very high ceilings!

For inspiration, read about the products and tools  I keep in my professional cleaning kit, in this post.

 

 I prefer to bring all my products as I know which cleaners are best for each job, some house cleaners prefer to use the client’s products, and this is something which is discussed during the walkthrough.

 



 

 

 

Decluttering before your cleaner comes

If you want to get the best bang for your buck, make sure your home and surfaces are clutter free to allow your cleaner to speed around your house efficiently. I can’t begin to tell you how many hours I waste in a week moving my client’s unnecessary clutter.  If you’re struggling to start decluttering, read my post  How To Declutter When You Have No Motivation

Tidying up before your cleaner comes

Clutter is one thing, but a general mess is another, tidy up before your cleaner comes so they can get more cleaning done!

 

Cleaning products

I prefer to use all my own products and cloths as I know exactly which cleaning products are safe and achieve the best results in the quickest time. however it is ok to ask your cleaner to use your own products but it will be at your own risk, it would be wise to check with your cleaning company to check whether using your cleaning products will invalidate their cleaning insurance.

Green Cleaning

There are many cleaning professionals who offer a green cleaning service including oven cleaning services. you may also find that your cleaner offers this service too as well as the usual cleaning products. if you prefer a green clean mention it to your cleaner on the initial walk through.

 

 

 

 

 

Frequently asked Q&A

 

 

 Do I need a cleaner to clean my house?

Hiring a cleaning lady will enable you to spend more time with your family, free up weekends, and keep your house visitor ready. it will enable you to focus on maintenance cleaning and general day to day jobs rather than deep cleaning windows, skirting boards etc. If you work full time, suffer from an illness or are elderly hiring a cleaner can make a huge difference to your quality of life.

 

Should I leave a checklist list for the cleaning lady?

On the initial walk through your cleaner should advise you what they will be able to achieve in the time allocated.  They may even bring their own checklist to let you know what has been cleaned. I would recommend leaving a list if you’d like a slight variation from your normal maintenance clean, for instance, if you’ve got guests coming or you’re having a get-together and have special cleaning needs,  but other than that there should be no need to, as your cleaner should know where they’re up to in your cleaning schedule. If you feel unhappy with the standard of your weekly clean it is always best to have a face to face meeting with your house cleaner to iron things out.

Should I be at home when the cleaning lady comes?

If you want an honest answer, no! As much as we love our clients and love to chat, we can get twice as much done in an empty house. If you want your house cleaner to get as much done as possible in the time you’ve paid for then get out of the house and leave them to it!

we love to stick our headphones on and whizz through the dirt without worrying about someone tripping over a lead or try to work around kids watching tv.

What should a house cleaner do?

If you’re not sure what a cleaner should do this is something that you need to discuss on the walkthrough with your cleaning lady.  Ask your cleaner if they have a checklist to follow or provide them with a list of cleaning duties or housekeeping you would like done regularly and ask them if it is included in their service.

Where do I start looking for a cleaning person?

Word of mouth is a good place to find a person who cleans houses. Ask around the parents at school or your friend on social media to see if they know anyone. you may find all the best cleaning ladies have a long waiting list!

Should I tip my cleaning lady?

Your cleaner does not expect tips and I am of the view that you shouldn’t feel pressure to leave them a tip,  however, some people like to give a small gift at Christmas time or other holidays. Some of my clients leave gifts for my kids at Easter and birthdays as a way of thanking me for my services throughout the year, this is really appreciated by me and my family and is a nice way to show that you care.

 

 

 

Writing a thank you note for the cleaning lady

If you have a reliable, trustworthy cleaner who is worth their weight in gold, it’s always nice for them to hear that you’re happy with their services. Christmas and holidays are a great time to drop them little a note to let them know how much you appreciate them.

 

 

Related products

If you’re looking for a fantastic vacuum for your cleaning lady to use, I recommend the shark duo clean.  It allows you to get right under and between furniture, you can see it reviving an old carpet and producing some fantastic carpet lines here on my youtube channel, you can click on the photo link below to buy it from Amazon.

what to expect from a house cleaner

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small fee from qualifying purchases which helps with the running costs of this blog.

 
 

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Cleaning

How To Find A Cleaning Lady You Can Trust

Anyone who has ever used a professional house cleaning company knows that it can be complicated finding cleaning professionals you can trust, and it’s even more challenging to hold onto them once you’ve found one.
In this post, we will discuss how to find a cleaning lady or house cleaning company you can trust!

A cleaning company  may help

  • Elderly customers who struggle to keep up with daily tasks
  • Professionals who work full time
  • People who have chronic pain or depression
  • People who have just compleated building work
  • New mums who struggle to find time  to clean
  • People who dislike cleaning
  • People who are moving into or out of a property.
  • Landlords and end of tenancy.
  • Offices, shops and other commercial buildings.
  • The medical profession

What are house cleaning professionals?

Professional house cleaners are people who are paid to come and clean your house as often as you require.

  • They may be a  house cleaning professional run by an individual cleaning lady who cleans solo with no team members or staff, often referred to as a cleaning lady or cleaner.
  •  They may be a house cleaning company who employs various team members who rotate your house clean often referred to as a crew.
  • They may offer end of tenancy cleans, post construction cleans, move out cleans,  move in cleans, weekly, bi-weekly and monthly cleans.
  • There is a  difference between a cleaning service and a housekeeper so be sure you know which service you require before hiring! Housekeepers often live in and do jobs such as meals, laundry, beds, childcare and many other jobs a professional cleaner does not.

The benefits of hiring a cleaning lady.

It can be difficult to know how to find a good house cleaner when you find a cleaner you can trust the benefits are huge:

  • The routine of having the same person cleaning your home is attractive to the elderly, people who have small children, and dogs, as the family get used to seeing a familiar face each week.
  • Working relationships between house cleaner and client often get stronger the longer, the cleaner works for the client.
  • Often clients say how they enjoy the convenience of having someone they are familiar with in their home as it allows them to feel relaxed.
  • Continuity of cleaning increases, the more times a cleaner cleans your property.
  • Flexibility from both client and  house cleaner increases as the solo cleaner becomes a valued member of the client’s circle
  • Solo cleaners often come via word of mouth and with personal recommendations.

The benefits of having a cleaning service

  • Less time is spent in your house, as there are twice as many cleaning professionals,  which may be better for busy households.
  • Because the house cleaning company employ lots of staff, there should be someone to cover sick days, school holidays, and illness, therefore, there should be fewer cancellations to affect your home cleaning schedule.
  • Weekend and evening cleaning services are often available if there is a crew to cover these hours.

How to find a cleaning lady you can trust.

Finding someone you can trust around your family pets and possessions can be somewhat overwhelming. It’s essential to follow specific procedures before you let anyone into your home, primarily if they are working with children and vulnerable adults.
 
 
  • Decide which type of housekeeping service you would prefer to have in your home, a team of cleaners or a solo cleaner.
  • Decide how many man hours you’d like to spend on cleaning your home.
  •  Ask the cleaning company to do a walk-through of your home before you agree to hire them.
  • Explain to the professional house cleaners, precisely what you’d like cleaning and how often you’d prefer them to come. run through any items in your house which need special care taken when cleaning such as granite surfaces or family heirlooms.
  • Ask if they have a checklist, most cleaning companies offer a deep cleaning service and a maintenance cleaning service, and both priced very differently. It is essential to study this thoroughly, so you know precisely what you’re paying for and to eliminate any misunderstandings.
  •  Double check the rates of pay, some cleaners charge by the hour, some have a flat rate per job. A professional cleaner paid hourly should never leave early if they say they’ve  “done all the work”. If you’ve paid them for two hours, they should stay for the full two hours.
  • The cleaning team should be able to tell during the walkthrough how much they can clean in a specific time. If you want more to be cleaned, you will need to book for extra hours. It’s common to assume, that a professional would be able to whizz through your house in no time, but remember, housecleaning is hard work. They are cleaning professionals, and they will thoroughly clean the places you wouldn’t clean each week. To enable the job to be done to a high standard, you will have to allow them plenty of time!
  •  If you are hiring a solo lady for cleaning, you may need to be flexible with your days around school holidays.
  • Tidy up and pick up your stuff! If your house cleaner is having to spend precious time moving your clutter from one place to another or pick stuff up off the floor, she is also losing lots of cleaning time! Clear surfaces, a tidy floor and a clutter-free home are a professional house cleaners dream!
  • Wash the dishes!  My clients would prefer me to clean under the bed or wiped down the woodwork rather than spend half an hour washing last nights dinner plates!  Utilize your cleaner so they can spend the time doing the spring cleaning for you instead of the dishes!
  • Keep kitchen and bathroom surfaces free from clutter so they can be sanitised quickly and effectively.
  • Make your bed! Don’t waste your house cleaner’s time on making beds, that’s a job for a maid! Some cleaning ladies will, however, change your bed linen if it is agreed beforehand, but remember changing beds is time-consuming!
  • Agree with your house cleaning lady beforehand whether they will be using their products or if you will be providing the products yourself. Personally, I  prefer to bring my own products as I know what works and what doesn’t work, however, it is ok for you to ask your cleaner to use your products if that’s what you prefer.  Many house cleaners, don’t like to use bleach,  so it’s always good to check beforehand.
  • Ask for references. CRB security checks are essential when working in a home where there are children and vulnerable adults.  Don’t skip this step; you need to know who you are letting into your home and that they’ve had the correct background security checks, especially if you are expecting them to be a key holder and enter your home when you are not there!
  • Recommendations are another great way to find a cleaner and be sure to you get trustworthy cleaning lady services. It’s always good to go by word of mouth!
  • Ask for insurance details, because no matter how good your house cleaner is,  accidents will happen and you need to make sure the company is covered for any breakages or spills!

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

How much does a cleaning lady cost?

Cleaning lady rates vary drastically depending on which country and state you live in.

Do some research in your area for an average price before you commit to a company and get several different quotes.

Move out, and post-construction cleans are notoriously challenging, often require specialised equipment and take up a considerable amount of time so be prepared for a hefty bill if that’s the service you are looking for.

A deep clean may be required the first time you hire a cleaning company, so that they can get it to a standard that only needs a maintenance clean each week, discuss these details at the walkthrough.

If you decide to book a monthly clean, it will probably cost you more than a weekly or bi-weekly clean; this is because the clean is no longer a maintenance clean as it will get dirtier than if it was scheduled to be cleaned each week!

 

In my next post, I  will be talking about what to expect from a house cleaner and how to prepare your home for them coming,  don’t miss out, subscribe to our updates today and you’ll get access to our exclusive secret resources library!

Do you have any questions you’d like to ask before hiring a professional cleaning company, drop us a line in the comments!

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Cleaning

How To Clean A Toilet Without A Brush

It’s not the most exciting topic in the world, but it’s a question I’m asked a lot! There are a vast amount of products on the market which promise to keep your loo smelling fresh and clean, however, without the correct tools and technique, your toilet can harbour up to  50 bacteria per square inch and three times as many bacteria on the floor of the bathroom.  In this post will discuss how to clean a toilet without using a brush or bleach.

For many years my cleaning company cleaned end of tenancy properties, so you can imagine some of the toilets I’ve had to clean. Some toilets should have had a flame thrower rather than a cleaner to get them spotless! on each of these properties we cleaned we brought the toilets back to new without using a toilet brush or bleach. In this post I’m going to show you how!

How To Clean A Toilet Without A Brush

To clean a toilet bowl without  a brush, you will need:

Most people assume that using a multipurpose bathroom cleaner is enough to clean all surfaces. However,  this may not be the case, depending on the ingredients of your spay.

An all-purpose bathroom cleaner will clean the gunk but will not kill any germs; there is a good chance you may remove some bacteria as you’re wiping but not all of them. So, effectively after you’d cleaned using an all-purpose bathroom cleaner, you’d need to respray it with a disinfectant to kill the germs after you’ve removed the dirt.  However, there are products which do both jobs, and it’s important to understand that you can’t just spray a disinfectant and expect it to work straight away. Most disinfectants have a dwell time of between five and ten minutes, so it’s a good idea to spray thoroughly covering the whole surface, then walk away and clean something else while it’s killing all those pesky bacteria!

How to clean a dirty toilet without a brush

Now you’ve got your cleaning kit, the big question is: how do you clean a toilet without a brush?

  1.  Start on the outside and remove any hair or dust with a dry cloth. Don’t skip this step as it is probably the step which will save you the most time in the long run. I prefer to hoover the whole of the bathroom before I start cleaning to remove any hairs and dust which would stick to all the surfaces if they got wet.
  2. Spray down the outside of the toilet,  the floor around the toilet, the seats and the insides of the lids,  with the cleaning disinfectant, spray the floor around the toilet bowl and leave it for the specified dwell time according to the manufacturer. Don’t skip the dwell time as this is the bit which kills the bacteria.
  3. Start by cleaning the outside of the toilet, starting from the top down to the bottom and then wipe the floor and walls around the toilet.
  4. Change your cloth.
  5.  Use a dry cloth to dry and polish the areas you have just cleaned.
  6. With another new cloth, clean the lid, toilet seat,  underneath of the seat in that order to ensure you are cleaning the most contaminated parts of the toilet last,  make sure that the bit at the back of the seat is also clean.
  7. Clean the upper rim of the toilet.
  8. Remove any hard urine stains from under the seat with your scrubber and some cream cleaner.
  9. Squirt a liberal amount of cream cleaner into the toilet bowl.
  10. Get your green scrubber and scrub hard underneath the rim, and inside the toilet bowl. It is easier to get the bowl clean if you remove the water from the bowl first.  You can remove the water from the bowl by bunching up some paper towels and soaking up the water then throw the paper towels away.
  11. When you’re finished cleaning the toilet bowl, flush the chain and use a toilet brush or cloth to rinse away any residue.
  12. With a clean, dry cloth, dry and polish all the surfaces you’ve just cleaned.
  13. Check for dust or hairs and remove or buff if necessary.

How to clean a toilet without scrubbing

A lot of areas have hard water, which can stain toilet bowls quite severely, and you might need something that will remove hard water stains in the toilet. If you’ve tried the steps above and you’re still struggling with toilet bowl stains, you may need to try using a pumice stone.

There is a particular pumice stone available for use in the toilet; you can find one here Pumice Cleaning Stone with Handle, Cleaning Block Deep Stains and Hard Water Ring Remover for Loo
It’s important to go for natural pumice rather than a manufactured one and always to use it wet. It’s very important that you try it on your toilet in an inconspicuous place as it may scratch depending on what your toilet is made from and always follow the manufacturer’s instructions before using.

Which is the best toilet brush to use?

Eww, toilet brushes are the most horrendous of items to keep in your bathroom especially when you’ve got little kids who want to stir it in the bowl before they’ve flushed!

I do not clean with a toilet brush because I don’t feel that it cleans the bowl as well as putting your hands down with some glove on and scrubbing with a green scrubby and some cream cleaner.

Toilet brushes can be huge germ collecters especially when they get full of soggy loo roll and other unmentionables! I was hugely thrilled when I found a solution to this gross problem in the shape of a rubber loo brush; nothing sticks to it, there are no screws to go rusty and its super easy to sanitise!  You can find a rubber toilet brush here  Double sided Strong Decontamination Toilet Bowl Brush with Holder

How to keep your toilet fresh and clean every day.

Ok, now you’ve got your loo super sparkly and squeaky clean you’ll want to keep it that way. There are two ways you can keep your toilet pristine

  1. Don’t let anyone use it
  2.  or give it a quick swish every day after everyone has used it!

Obviously, number one is impractical, so you will have to get used to swishing it every day.

  • Wipe  off the hair and dust with a dry cloth first
  • Spray a tiny amount of disinfectant cleaner on the seat and underneath the seat and allow to sit.
  • Wipe the seat and underneath quickly.
  • Using a loo brush, squirt some cleaner into the bowl and swish quickly around the bowl and under the rim.
  • Wipe down the front of the loo and around the floor
  • Quickly dry with a dry cloth

The whole swish process should take less than two minutes, it’s not a deep clean remember but a maintenance clean, you’re just stopping it from getting manky again, so next time you’re cleaning the bathroom, it’s not a huge task. If you are looking for tips on how to clean faster please click here

If you’re struggling with finding the motivation to clean read more here

Please note do not mix cleaning products, especially bleach and vinegar based cleaning solutions as this will create potentially fatal toxic fumes.

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Frequently asked Q&A

What is the best bathroom cleaner?

Well, I’m afraid you’re not going to like the answer to that question, the best bathroom cleaner is by far good old fashioned elbow grease, it’s not enough just to throw some vinegar or bleach down the loo and walk away, you’ve got to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in.

 Should  I use paper towels or cloths to clean a toilet?

Cleaning cloths seem to be a big debate among professional cleaners, and it’s one which boils down to personal preference.

The benefit of using paper towels is they are disposable. However, I find that I get less lint, less waste and it works out much cheaper using cloths to clean your toilet.

As long as you ensure that you sanitise your cleaning cloths after cleaning, and you use a specific colour cloth for the toilets and bathrooms, you will be ok to use cloths.

How do I remove a toilet ring without scrubbing?

The best way to remove a hard water toilet ring without scrubbing is to use a pumice stone as discussed at the start of this post. Use the pumice stone wet and test on an inconspicuous area.

What are the alternatives to using a toilet brush?

if you’re what to use instead of a toilet brush you can follow the steps above for cleaning a toilet without using a brush. There are no quick fix DIY toilet brushes you are probably going to have to get your hands dirty!

What is the best no scrub toilet cleaner?

Many products claiming to be a no-scrub toilet cleaner often just bleach the stain but still leave it sitting on the toilet (if you felt it would feel rough rather than smooth and clean) this can lead to a build-up of hard water stain and calcium deposits which are very hard to remove after build up. The best thing to do is make sure you are cleaning your toilet every day to avoid build up and deposits.

How do you clean a toilet brush?

There is nothing grosser than a dirty toilet brush! the best way to clean a toilet brush is to firstly rinse off all the gunk underneath the flushing toilet. Once it has been removed fully you can then sanitise your toilet brush, this can be done by filling up your toilet brush holder ( if it is watertight )  with a bleach solution and standing your brush in the solution for a few hours, then rinsing if you do not have a watertight toilet brush holder you could use a sealed plastic zipper bag. follow the link above to order a rubber toilet brush which is much easier to sanitise and keep clean!

How do I keep the toilet clean?

The secret to keeping the toilet clean is to schedule it into your daily routine every day as outlined above. This will keep your toilet guest ready and smelling fresh follow the steps above for a sparkling loo!

How do you clean urine on the outside of a toilet?

The best way to keep the outside of your toilet smelling fresh is to wipe it down every day especially if you are teaching little boys how to use the toilet! I encourage my little boy to sit down at home and to stand up when he’s using the toilet anywhere else! I’ve found the best thing to take away the urine smell from around the toilet and floor is the Dettol Original Liquid Antiseptic Disinfectant for First Aid 750 ml,   it does a great job of odour neutralising and leaves a beautifully fresh clean smell.

What are some good ways to clean under the toilet rim without touching it?

The best way to clean under the toilet rim without touching it is to use a very small crevice brush such as these ones from Amazon

how to clean your toilet without using a brush, with Oxo pack of two crevice brushes.
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How often should I clean my toilet?

Ideally, you should give your toilet a thoroughly good clean roughly one a week. You should  give your toilet a maintenance wipe down every day your toilet to keep it clean. If you are not doing a maintenance wipe down every day you may find you need to do a thorough clean more frequently than once a week.

What do I need to clean a dirty toilet bowl?

You will need:

  • A good cloth, both microfiber and a glass cloth to polish.
  • A green scrubby or toilet brush if prefered
  • Toilet cleaner,  cream cleaner or bleach if prefered
  • Rubber gloves
  • Cleaning disinfectant
  • A small crevice brush or old toothbrush

To check out the products I keep in my cleaning kit, read this post

How do I use vinegar to clean a toilet bowl with stubborn stains?

Mix 15 drops of essential oil of your choice into  2 cups of white vinegar and spray into the toilet bowl and allow to sit for a few minutes. Next, sprinkle baking soda into the toilet bowl and scrub thoroughly with a green scrubby, then flush. For stubborn hard water stains use a pumice stone.

How do I clean my toilet after a sickness bug?

Cleaning your toilet after a sickness bug is a huge priority if you don’t want the germs to spread, follow the steps in this post to keep you and  your family safe from bugs

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For more tips on implementing  routines and cleaning  schedules check out Flylady

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Cleaning

How To Clean When You Are Overwhelmed with Housework

Feeling overwhelmed with housework is really common and there can be many reasons you may be struggling to keep on top of things at home . in this post we will discuss simple steps to take to help you with the struggle of everyday chores. We will give you some simple tips to follow to even make a tiny dint in your todo list.

If you are feeling overwhelmed with a messy house and are wondering how to clean a very messy house in one day, stop right there! It didn’t get messy in one day so you’re sure as heck not going get it tidy in one day. Drop the perfectionism and let’s get real about your expectations!

Jump in where you can,  just start, every little bit helps!

It’s ok not to have a show home,  and we will show you how just the simplest of jobs can help you stay on track.

You don’t need to be perfect or get it all done at once just do what you can!

 

What to do when you have no motivation to clean.

There can be many reasons you can’t get motivated to clean your home and get overwhelmed by housework.

  • Financial stress
  • Family problems
  • Ill health
  • Depression
  • A busy job
  • A new baby
  • Lack of help and support
  • Busy social life
  • After school activities
  • Demanding hobbies
  • Working away
  • Disabilities
  • Illness in the family
  • Chronic pain
  • Overwhelm
  • Dislike of cleaning

Finding cleaning motivation when you are in one or more of the above situations can be very frustrating and it is easy to get overwhelmed by housework and cleaning.

How to stop being overwhelmed with housework.

The first thing to do is to recognise what is holding you back and making you procrastinate.

Take a piece of paper and write down the thoughts which spring to mind when you decide you don’t want to clean.

We all have inner voices which make us procrastinate and destroy our motivation to do housework and clean.

  • There’s so much to do
  • I don’t know where to start
  • It’s not my mess
  • I haven’t got time
  • It’ll just get messy again
  • I hate cleaning
  • I won’t get it all done
  • I’m exhausted
  • I can’t put the baby down

If any of those seem familiar to you, you’re not alone.

 

 

I have no motivation to clean because there is always too much to do.  This is a common excuse and one which is destroying your motivation to clean.

Yes, there is too much to do, it didn’t get in a mess in one day and it certainly isn’t going to get clean in a day, and, it definitely won’t get any cleaner unless you start to clean, today!

 

I’m overwhelmed with housework and I don’t know where to start.  There’s no correct place to start cleaning but there are areas which are a higher priority to keep clean

  • Food preparation areas
  • Communal areas
  • Anywhere small children and babies play and eat

 

It’s not my mess I’m not cleaning it.  Sure it’s tough living with a bunch of messy people, I’m the first person to understand that with my messy lot!

However, you need to weigh up whether you’d rather prove a point and wait for whoever made the mess to tidy it up or deal with it now and enjoy relaxing in a clean environment.

Everyone has different standards of cleanliness, you included, and if their standards aren’t as high as yours, you might just have to suck it up and deal with it. I’m guessing that you would prefer your house to be tidier because you’re reading this post!

It’s always wise to start your kids tidying up after themselves, it teaches them self-respect for themselves and respect for other people in the house, it teaches them that you are all part of a team and everyone has a part to play within that team. click here for an age-appropriate chore chart for kids.

 

 

I haven’t got time for housework We all have 24 hours in each day, its what you chose to do with those hours that really counts. There are the important hours you spend on things  like;

  • Work
  • Family commitments and family time
  • Sleeping

and there are leisure hours which you might spend on

  • Hobbies
  • Socialising
  • Social media
  • Television
  • Gaming
  • Reading

Take a pen and jot down how many hours you spend on the first three items above. If you’re committed to  30-60 hours a week at your job, you’re probably going to need to draft in some help with the cleaning chores. Ask the family to chip in with more jobs or consider hiring a cleaner if your budget allows you to.

If you’re spending all your time running around after your family there may be very  little time for you to find time to clean, sometimes swapping childcare with another mum in the same boat can help so you can each get some time to clean, but more often than not mums of small children find time when their kids are sleeping to do their cleaning routine.

After you have established how much free time you have got left you can jot down how many hours you spend doing activities on the second list.

If you have a hobby which takes up a huge amount of your time you may have to devote at least one hour a week to clean your house and establish a routine to keep on top of the daily chores which need to be done,  the same would apply if you spend a vast amount of time socialising.

If you are spending a huge amount of time on social media, gaming and TV you can read my post here about switching off and getting things done!

Social media really can be a time drain, try to limit your social media intake to a set time every day after you have done your chores you’ll be amazed at how much time you save and how much you can get done in that time.

 

It’ll just get messy again and I don’t like cleaning!  That’s no excuse to procrastinate, get up and get it done!

 

I’m so overwhelmed with housework and  I don’t know how to start cleaning my house.  Start with a little at a time, by following the steps listed below and you can beat that procrastination!

 

I don’t know how to motivate myself to do housework. Nobody ever gets it all done, because as your clearing up one mess someone else is probably making another one somewhere else! Establishing a solid routine which you can follow every day will be better than expecting to clean it all at once.  Be realistic about the size of your house and the amount of free time you have,  be kind to yourself and stop beating yourself up about getting it done in one go.  Remember that even a professional cleaning company would have to send in a crew of cleaners to get it clean before the end of the day!

 

I’m too tired to clean the house. If you’re suffering from ill health, are working long hours or are looking after loved ones with no time to yourself this will be a reality for you. Just do what you can, concentrate on self-care first, make sure you’re looking after yourself and try to create a basic routine to keep on top of the important jobs.

 

I can’t put the baby down to get cleaning Having a new baby or toddlers in the house is a huge challenge, spare time can be non-existent. Concentrate on creating a routine that will cover all the essential jobs first and don’t stress if you’re not getting as much done as you need to, it’s just temporary!

 

 

Depression and housework

If you are suffering from postnatal depression or have been diagnosed with depression please seek help from a medical professional before following any advice in this post.  If you feel you are too depressed to clean, try to ask for housework help from family and friends. When you have depression housework can make you feel even more overwhelmed, try to keep on top of the basics such as dishes and tidying up so you are not having to too much in one go. Worrying about how to do housework when depressed can make you feel worse, try not to put too much focus on being perfect and just keep up with what you can, whenever you feel you can manage it.

 

Housework motivation

If you’re a stay at home parent and all your children are all at school full time , use that time to think about  housework as your job , commit to working in your house for a few hours a day, getting organised and on top of the household chores before you spend time on any social media activities. Learn how to manage housework by creating routines.

 

How to get motivated to clean when overwhelmed by mess.

  •  Get organised and establish routines, having a good routine is the foundation for keeping your house clean. It can be very easy to be overwhelmed by a disorganized house. I have written a few posts about how to create a good routine, to get you started you can  read how here, then you can have a go at creating your own routines to fit in with your schedule and commitments.
  • Write a list and start. I find that having a list allows me to prioritise the jobs I need to get done and makes it easier to know where to start cleaning, I use my list as my personal motivator to end procrastination and get some motivation for housework!
  • Set a timer, there really is nothing better than a timer to give you the motivation to clean your house. the beauty of setting a timer is that you can set it for as short or as long a  time as you can spare, you can set it as many times as you like for as many jobs as you’d like. I usually set mine for 15 minutes as I find that this gives me enough time to make a difference to the task I’ve chosen without giving me burnout and overwhelm. If I want to carry on after the timer has ended I just set it for another 15 minutes.
  • Listen to music. You can really get motivated when listening to your favourite tunes, put on the earphones and get cleaning!
  • Listen to an audiobook this is one of my favourite things to do whilst cleaning, as I don’t have any time to read anymore since the kids have come along, so I like to listen to self-help, motivational and classic books whilst I’m working and cleaning, learning while working kills two birds with one stone an makes for a productive couple of hours!
  • Listen to a podcast. Podcasts are another fabulous way to pass the time when you’re cleaning, just search for your favourite subjects and listen to the hundreds of free podcasts waiting for you.
  • Make your own cleaning products. Often the cleaning products we use can be full of chemicals and can be bad for our health when used over a long period of time. I like to make my own cleaning products using essential oils, this allows me to chose my favourite scent such as peppermint or lavender to make beautiful cleaning products at a fraction of the cost of shop bought products. To download our free cleaning recipes click here to sign up for our updates and access to our soap scum remover, and peppermint glass cleaner recipes.
  • Use the best tools. If you want to cut down on your cleaning time you need to get savvy with cleaning techniques. Using the correct tools for each job will help you whizz through the dirt in a fraction of the time, read which tools I keep in my cleaning kit here. I  talk you through the tools and products I use to cut through the crud in a whizz!
  • Concentrate on one room only to clean, put the radio on, listen to some music and decide to clean two things in the room. Don’t stop until you’ve done those two jobs, next time you set the timer,  choose another room to do two jobs in. Choosing one room to clean unburdens the guilt of not being able to clean the whole house. It allows you to prioritise the important jobs and helps you to only pick jobs you’ve got time to finish. Switching rooms stops you from getting overwhelmed by the mess in one room. if you feel like doing more than two jobs, carry on but be careful not to burn yourself out!
  • Keeping the kitchen, living room and bathroom clean and tidy can have the biggest impact on your home. If you are choosing one room to clean then these rooms should be your top priority. These are the rooms which have the highest traffic and are ones most often seen by visitors, so if you are feeling overwhelmed, try to prioritise these rooms first.

 

 

 



 

 

 

How to keep up with housework while working full time.

How to clean a messy house step by step

  1. Clear the trash. Grab a bag and go through the room throwing out any rubbish, papers magazines and junk.
  2. Tidy the toys, use clever storage to hide away toys such as large baskets or chests.
  3. Get rid of any laundry, fold and put away any laundry hanging around. For tips on how to keep on top of the laundry click here.
  4. Clear the floor, pick up everything off the floor ready to vacuum or mop. Put away anything that doesn’t belong in the room.
  5. Clear the surfaces as much as you can and put everything away. declutter where you can.
  6. Clean the surfaces starting clockwise move around the room
  7. Clean the windows 
  8. Vacuum or mop the floors
  9. Put away any dishes
  10. File any paperwork.

I hope you’ve now got some new motivation for housework and are ready to clean!

Do you struggle with procrastination? Leave us a comment below!

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How to clean when you’re overwhelmed with housework
Cleaning

How To Get Sparkling Clean Windows And Glass

How do I get streak free windows?  This is one of the questions I get asked all the time as a professional cleaner, the good news is, you’ll find all the answers right here in this post!

Getting sparkling clean windows and glass can be time-consuming and frustrating in this post, ask a professional cleaner! I’ll show you how to get streak free windows in seconds with my window cleaning tips!

Any dog owner or mum to a toddler would probably tell you that trying to get shiny windows is the bane of their lives.

As a mother of little kids, two cats and as a  professional domestic, commercial cleaner and organiser I’m here to tell you that it’s the bane of my life too!

There are tons of products which promise a streak-free windows and streak free chrome, I have tried a vast amount of products both store-bought and professional products, and I have to say I’ve been bitterly disappointed with nearly all of them!

If your glass cleaning technique isn’t correct, you can end up working really hard for hugely disappointing results, and you may find yourself cleaning the area a second time finding the same thing happens again!

There’s no great trick to getting sparkling clean windows; it’s all down to the tools you use and your technique, just ask a professional cleaner!

 

 

The best glass cleaning cloths for sparkling clean windows.

 

Glass cleaning cloths are probably the essential tool in your quest for streak-free window cleaning and streak- free chrome.

If you’re trying to get streak free windows and are using a standard everyday cloth, rag or microfiber, then you’re going to be polishing for a very long time to remove the lint and streaks.

I wouldn’t even attempt to polish glass or chrome without using a special glass cloth.

Glass cloths are designed so that they can be used just with water; they work brilliantly well with just water. However, there are times when you may need a little boost to remove dried on toothpaste, if you’ve got small kids, or to remove the marks on your glass from your pets.

The glass cloth I recommend for shiny windows is the e-cloth, it is lint free and does not leave any residue on the surface of your glass or chrome.

 

Sparkling clean windows glass E cloth
Glass cloth for sparkling clean windows

How to get streak free windows!

 

When it comes to getting streak-free windows, its pretty simple, just ask a professional!

  • The drier your cloth, the better your shine,  most people, soak the surface they are cleaning with so much product that it can be almost impossible you clean and dry. What happens then, is that the product air dies onto the glass and that’s what leaves the steaks!

A tiny amount of water on your cloth is all you need,  if you have a heavily soiled surface increase the wetness of your cloth but do not over soak.

  • Spot clean, for mirrors and windows, try to deal with the heavily soiled areas first before cleaning the whole area.  If you soak the entire area, you will be smearing the dirt onto the clean areas. Spot clean the caked on dirt first, then polish at the end.

 

  • Don’t over spray, after removing the crud you should now only need the tiniest spray on the area you are cleaning, the more product you use, the harder it will be to clean off and the more time-consuming it will be.

 

 How to make a streak free window cleaner

 

There are hundreds of glass cleaners on the market, and some leave horrendous streaks!

I like to make my own DIY  no rinse window cleaner because it is cheaper than shop bought products, smells amazing and never streaks! 

You can make a vinegar based no scrub window cleaner by using one part white vinegar to two parts distilled water.

I prefer to use rubbing alcohol for sparkling clean windows.  If you’re wondering how to make streak free window cleaner that also smells amazing here is the recipe for my peppermint window cleaner which is perfect for bathroom windows and shower doors!  

 

 

 

Best window cleaning solution for streak-free windows

 

sparkling clean windows, streak free windows recipe.
DIY glass cleaner for sparkling clean windows

 

 

You can replace the peppermint oil in your spray bottle with your favourite essential oil, to make window washing smell even better!

  • To avoid the build-up of watermarks on shower doors, try using a squeegee to wipe off all the drips every time you shower, it only takes seconds but saves so much time cleaning!
  • Remember to use a step ladder when cleaning windows out of reach!
  • If you’re cleaning windows after home improvement remember to remove all the builder’s dust before spraying your cleaner to avoid streaks and smears!

 

I have tried every product in the book over the years, for both professional and domestic window washing, and there is one product I keep returning to, as  I find it never streaks, Xanto Power Active window and glass cleaner 650ml  £5.24,  is by far the best streak free glass cleaner I’ve tried. I usually get it in the bargain shops here in the UK, but you can order it below from Amazon

 

 

Ask a professional, streak free windows

 

I also use the same cleaning solution on glazed tile and all other high gloss surfaces like kitchen cabinets.

 

So now you should be able to put your feet up and admire the views through your sparkling clean windows!

 

Want to ask a question or need advice about streak free windows? Leave us a comment below!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information read:

How To Supercharge Your Cleaning Motivation

How To Create A kids Chore Chart That Gets Results!

How To Stop The Spread Of A Sickness Bug

Speed Cleaning, How To Become A Speed Cleaner.

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For further reading about cleaning you’ll like Flylady

 

 

 

 

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How to get sparkling clean windows every time.