Posts Tagged ‘domestic cleaning’
Written by HomeMaid on 04 July 2010
Avoid Rogue Cleaners
Like any other business sector, there are a number of individuals, agencies and companies who are not doing all they can to protect the homes and families of their clients.
If you dont have the inside knowledge its hard for you to figure out, the good from the bad. So we produced a guide to the industry which can help you make an informed decision about who you choose to clean your home.
Dont be fooled by cheap rates, know which questions to ask and get the best value service.
Extracts from this quide have been published in Live Ribble Valley Magazine, but you can get the full “inside track” in just a few clicks….
Dont take risks with your family or your home!
Get Your Free How to Avoid Rogue Cleaners Guide
Tags: cleaning companies, cleaning quotes, cleaning rates, domestic cleaning, domestic cleaning in blackburn, domestic cleaning in burnley, domestic cleaning in clitheroe
Posted in Rogue Domestic Cleaners | 2 Comments »
Written by Tony on 15 June 2010
As experts in cleaning homes we are often faced with challenges like stainless steel and…yes ceramic/glass oven tops. I have read many posts on other blogs and cleaning sites, each with a common theme – a hatred of cleaning ceramic hobs!
Cleaning Ceramic Hobs – Made Easy
I have personally restored many unloved and abused oven tops to a gleaming shine and I’ll share my methods with you. I have tried many products, including steam cleaners (rubbish for this) that are both expensive and ineffective. However, a product called “Hob Brite” (@ £2 UK) a bottle is both fantastic value and very effective.
Keep Your Fingers & Your Shine
I shudder when I read of “metal scrapers and razor blades” being recommended or used as they can easily damage the finish and you! A razer blade in a protective “sheath” such as those sold in DIY stores for scraping paint off windows etc., is the safest way to use a blade. but be CAREFUL!
Effective Ceramic Hob Cleaning
The method I prefer is to use Hob Brite with a pan scrub, you know, the yellow and green type? Sponge on one side, scrub on the other? Dont use Brillo pads or wire wool types, they’ll damage the finish.
Draw a small ring of hob brite cream around each of the “pan ” areas and work in circular motions with the green side of the scrub pad.
You may need to scrub the burnt on areas quite hard or even repeat the process a couple of times – but it will come off!
Flip your pad over to use the sponge side and lightly wipe the top down – dont try to take all the cream off yet, we’re just checking if any more work is required. If it is, you will still see those stubborn crusty burnt on areas; add a little more Hob Brite and repeat the scrubbing!
Once you have cleared the burnt on bits, rub off as much as you can with the sponge, then wipe down with an old tea towel. You might even need a splash of soapy water as the Hob Brite cream is “greasy”.
Low Cost Ceramic Hob Cleaning
The magic finishing touch is to polish off with a micro fibre cloth, possibly with a glass cleaning product for that ultimate shine – voila – a perfectly shiny ceramic hob for less than £3 and a little “elbow grease”.
Tags: cleaning ceramic hobs, domestic cleaning, domestic cleaning in blackburn, domestic cleaning in burnley, domestic cleaning in clitheroe, domestic cleaning rawtenstall, eco house cleaning, hob brite, home cleaning tips, home services, HomeMaid, house cleaning, house cleaning products, House Cleaning Tips, micro fibre, microfibre
Posted in House Cleaning Tips | 2 Comments »
Written by HomeMaid on 09 June 2010
Safe Trader
One of our clients suggested we become a “Safe Trader” – which initially confused me, I have to confess. HomeMaid have always been “safe”, professionally insured and only use CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) cleared staff.
I went away to do some more research and it transpires that Trading Standards operate an approval scheme for local traders, funded by Lancashire County Council. The purpose of the scheme is to promote to Lancashire consumers reliable local traders with which to do business. This means you can support your local business community without worrying about cowboy or rogue traders.
Safe Trader Code of Practice
All traders who complete the approval process, must operate within the schemes “Code of Practice”, designed to minimise the risk to potential customers when purchasing goods and services.
You can read more on the Safe Trader website but a couple of things are worth highlighting quickly here.
All traders must possess public liability insurance covering a minimum of £2 million pounds liability. Where applicable, businesses must also possess employers’ liability insurance covering a minimum of £5 million pounds liability.
HomeMaid Domestic Cleaning are the only local company (so far as we are aware) that also have the added protection of “Fidelity Bonding” an extra level of insurance to protect clients and give them real peace of mind.
All Businesses approved under this scheme have a responsibility to trade fairly and provide good quality customer service. Here at HomeMaid we have always offered guaranteed cleaning services, believing that our operating methods and quality control measures give a high level of service.
Enhanced Listing
We will be pursuing an enhanced listing in the coming weeks, watch out for that announcement. Meanwhile why not get a free cleaning quote for your home? Free Domestic Cleaning Quote, you can rely on HomeMaid, a quality cleaning company.
Tags: cleaning companies, domestic cleaning, domestic cleaning in blackburn, domestic cleaning in burnley, domestic cleaning in clitheroe, domestic cleaning quote, domestic cleaning rawtenstall, domestic services, eco house cleaning, safe trader, trading standards approved
Posted in HomeMaid | 1 Comment »
Written by HomeMaid on 04 May 2010
A report caught my eye on the Science Daily website sometime back and I had intended to put together something on the subject of how smells influence our state of minds. Its little late, but here it is. Smells and scents have been used by supermarkets for years. Think how that fresh, in store baked bread makes you feel, you just want to buy some bread don’t you? Then you feel hungry and voila, you buy more! Well its now been proven that smells can make us more considerate and generous!
Clean Smells Promote Kindness
Is it because teenage boys live in smelly bedrooms, with the windows, doors and curtains closed that makes them grumpy and communicate in words of one syllable or less?! Well there could be some truth in that, Brigham Young University professor, Katie Liljentquist, led a study that found that clean scents lead to more ethical behaviour. Liljenquist said with a smile. “Could be that getting our kids to clean up their rooms might help them clean up their acts, too.”, although she gave no advice as to how we might get them to clean up anything.
In the trials, a citrus scent was used to create a fresh smell, whilst another room was left “normal”. The results were quite remarkable; both groups were given a quantity of money from a “mystery partner” They had to decide how much of it to either keep or return to their partners who had trusted them to divide it fairly. Subjects in clean-scented rooms were less likely to exploit the trust of their partners, returning a significantly higher share of the money.
Clean Smells Make You Charitable
A second test was set up where subjects were asked if they were willing to donate to a fictitious charity and those questioned in the citrus scented room were three times more likely to volunteer or donate!
Cleanliness & Morality
The report concluded that were are subconsciously influenced and that morality and cleanliness can go hand-in-hand, the spaces we live and work in, influence how we behave. Clean and fresh smelling rooms make us more generous and honest.
Further studies are being conducted into how cleanliness influences how react to people and organisations. Time for that spring clean!
Read the full Science Daily Article here
Tags: domestic cleaning, domestic cleaning in accrington, domestic cleaning in blackburn, domestic cleaning in burnley, domestic cleaning in clitheroe, domestic cleaning rawtenstall, house cleaning
Posted in House Cleaning News | 2 Comments »
Written by HomeMaid on 16 April 2010
The headline reflects the most commonly asked question when someone calls us to discuss our service – ” how much an hour do you charge?”. Of course that would seem the most logical but then did you stop to think about what it is your buying? Have you considered the safety of your home, your family and who might have to foot the bill in the event of an accident?
Choosing A Cleaning Service
There are dozens of cleaning “companies” to choose from, search the web, pick up the local paper or ask a friend, there is no shortage of potential cleaning services. However would you know the implications of each service and how that might affect you, your family and your home?
Individuals As Cleaners
This can be the best solution for many, if you have a neighbour or friend who you get along with can help you out and it will always be cheaper than any company. However if you dont know them personally it can be a real minefield of problems.
Insurance; Are You Protected?
Let me explain, whilst any registered company is legally required to have a minimum of Public Liability Insurance, however there is no such requirement for individuals and that’s just the start of the potential problems.
Your home insurance generally doesnt for accidents to employees, e.g. Mrs Bloggs, your cleaner falls downstairs and breaks her leg. Who is she going to pursue for compensation? It might concern you to know, that its you who will be sued and without insurance and legal protection, could be a financial disaster for your family.
Fidelity Bonding Explained
What happens if your cleaner is dishonest? Most companies and almost certainly no individuals will have the correct insurance cover to protect you. You need to ask if they have something called “Fidelity Bonding”, which is a specialist insurance for cleaning companies and the like. It protects you against misuse of phones, identity theft and so on. The number of companies with this added protection are surprisingly few. Just be sure to ask your prospective cleaner if they have this, or you might have a bigger bill than you ever imagined.
You, The Employer
If you employ an individual you then become the employer and responsible for filing details with HMRC, holiday pay, sick pay, health and safety amongst other things. Its around now you might be thinking that £11 an hour isn’t cheap any more?
Cleaning Products, The Hidden Costs
Most cleaning companies will include all the products used in their price, whereas individuals and most cleaning agencies provide the manpower and you provide the products. Its a massive hidden cost that most forget to factor in to their decision. Here at HomeMaid we buy in bulk from specialist suppliers and its vastly cheaper than buying from a supermarket. Still think £11 an hour is good value?
The Added Value
We at HomeMaid pride ourselves on going the extra mile both with the service but also the investment in technology; we routinely use HEPA-Flo filtered vacuums, a real boon for 25% of the population of allergy sufferers, but for those non-sufferers the knowledge that your home is hygienically cleaner. The comprehensive use of micro-fibre cloths helps reduce both the visible and invisible dirt (bacteria) and all of this, is part of the HomeMaid service.
The Price Per Hour
The hourly rate is only of interest when you compare the value and what you get for every pound spent. We’re not the cheapest but that was never the intention, there is always someone prepared to cut corners and cut the price. When you understand the hidden costs it makes hiring at £11 an hour not only quite expensive, but your are taking huge risks with your home and family. Failing to notify HMRC that you have employed someone is serious, whilst being uninsured in the event of an accident or dishonesty could be catastrophic for you.
We prefer the principals of quality, peace of mind for our clients and a loyal, happy band of customers. We are neither the cheapest, not the most expensive, but we are the most focused on customer satisfaction.
You can get a FREE HomeMaid Home Cleaning quote now!
Tags: cleaning companies, cleaning quotes, cleaning rates, domestic cleaning, domestic cleaning in accrington, domestic cleaning in blackburn, domestic cleaning in burnley, domestic cleaning in clitheroe, domestic cleaning quote, domestic cleaning rawtenstall, domestic services, HomeMaid, house cleaning, house cleaning price, house cleaning quote
Posted in General News, HomeMaid | 8 Comments »
Written by HomeMaid on 08 April 2010
There are some simple pleasures in life, places, food, smells, even sounds, that make you happy; think of the pop as you uncork a bottle of your favourite wine, the glug, glug as it pours into a glass. You can almost taste it can’t you?
A Nice Clean Bed?
Lets fast forward to bedtime, nicely relaxed after your favourite tipple and tired after a hard day, what could be better than a freshly made bed; crisp clean sheets and that fabulous clean fragrance. Folding back the duvet and slide in, absolute bliss.
Or is it? Who or what are you sharing your bed with?
What Lives in Your Bed?
If you suffer from asthma, eczema, atopic rhinitis or like me “hay fever” (it wasn’t but I’ll explain later) then what you share your bed with should be of concern. Why? let me explain.
Wherever there is a food source there will be something that feeds on it. In this case the food source is human skin and the ‘predator’ is the House Dust Mite. They live in their 10’s of ‘000’s in our homes. However you wont meet one coming down the hall, you will probably never see one at all except on websites like this.
House Dust Mite Facts
The house dust mite is about 1/3rd the width of a human hair or .3 microns. Dont let the size fool you as these tiny creatures create a powerful allergen that is thought to be responsible for a massive surge in allergy sufferers.
- Allergens produced by house dust mites are among the most common triggers of asthma.
- Allergies affect as many as 10-15 million people in the UK, 20 – 25% of the population.
- From 1982-1994, asthma increased 84% overall, and 72% for children under 18.
The house dust mite is a prolific breeder and left unchecked can literally double the weight of a mattress in under ten years!
You can deal with these invaders although you shouldnt become obsessed in their irradication, sensible regular cleaning can control their numbers and improve you and your familys health.
Controlling The House Dust Mite
The ideal environment for dust mites is warm and humid, so the first thing you can do is control the humidity. Where it doesnt pose a security risks, open windows, especially at night whilst your sleeping – you can lose 500ml of fluid in perspiration overnight – so let it escape.
Let Your Bed Breathe
In the morning roll back the sheets or duvet and leave the window open. If you have modern windows they usually have a “second” level opening allowing you to still lock the window but still allow fresh air in.
Weekly Hot Wash
Wash your sheets, mattress covers, pillow case etc., in 60 degrees every week. No need to use bleach (dust mite are unaffected by it) simply wash at a high temperature to kill them. If you can’t wash at such high temperatures you can use special treatments such as – Fabricleanse (~£12 for a 300ml bottle)- to remove allergens and denature the mites themselves.
Always Use a HEPA Vacuum Cleaner
If you dont have a HEPA filtered vacuum, consider upgrading as onlyt HEPA filters will stop the mites and their feaces escaping the vacuum and getting into the air and back into your home. If you use a cleaning company insist they use HEPA filtered vacuums, or move to one that does. Many good cleaning companies provide this as standard. We at HomeMaid changed ours about two years ago and without any price increase too!
You may also want to start with “a clean sheet” – forgive the pun – by calling in a specialist mattress cleaning company to cleanse your mattress first, then adopt the aforementioned strategies for control. You’ll need to repeat the process annually or more frequently if you have a severe allergy problem.
Always Seek Medical Advice
And finally, we’re not doctors nor are we qualified to advise on individual allergy issues, so if you’re having problems seek a qualified medical practitioner in the first instance. We can help you maintain healthier home and reduce your allergens only as part of complete control process.
Sleep well!
Tags: allergies, asthma, domestic cleaning, domestic cleaning in blackburn, domestic cleaning in clitheroe, eczema, hay fever, hepa filters, hepa flo filters, house dust mite, mattress cleaning, mattress cleaning clitheroe, mattress cleaning in blackburn, mattress cleaning in burnley, mattress sanitisation, rhinitis
Posted in Allergies & Allergens at Home | Comments Off
Written by HomeMaid on 21 February 2010
Say good-bye to aerosols and chemicals that pollute the environment, and hello to dusting in an eco-friendly way, how do we do it, well the answer is the Ostrich.
Ostrich feather dusters are designed for dusting naturally; they are the most versatile duster in the world, which is why they are used by millions in the home and by quality professional cleaners like HomeMaid. They are fast and effective, halving dusting time, heaven!
Ostrich feathers come in three different grades. At HomeMaid we only use the products with the grade one feather as this is the very best, you’d expect nothing less from HomeMaid! Beware cheap imposters, they wont last as long, so its often false economy, believe me I know.
Our ‘commercial’ dusters come with extending aluminum handles as standard which means you can use them up to heights of 2m which improves the versatility, there’s no hiding place for cobwebs with these.
The feathers are very soft and gentle. Museums and Galleries nationwide use Ostrich feather dusters, it was an obvious progression for HomeMaid to use them too as we value our customers prized assets as much as the Louvre values the Mona Lisa!
I’ve heard many people talk of oils and darker feathers are best, its all nonsense. Here’s how they work; Ostrich feathers have a plume of millions of separate, wispy filaments that collect the dust rather than just move it about. Its natures very own “microfibre” duster. The feathers have evolved as ostriches live in very dry areas and use dust baths to keep the feathers clean, During bathing the birds cover themselves with dust and then vigorously shake to remove the dust, taking dirt and parasites with them.
Although the feathers are soft and gentle they are extremely hard wearing. In the home environment you can expect years of efficient dusting. In commercial use we have found that most dusters last about a year (25 cleans a week!).
Ostriches can reach over 45mph; this duster is almost as quick! If you love dusting do not buy a feather duster because a good quality duster cuts dusting time by at least half (any cleaning company not using these is costing you extra time and money).
Another feature of Ostrich feathers is they do not leave an electrostatic charge. Most dusters, especially man made fibers and wool, leave an electrostatic charge behind, which then attracts dust to the surface just dusted. This is why glass, TV screens and computer monitors, metal and plastic items stay dust free longer with Ostrich feather dusters.
Did you know all cars that are manufactured in the EU are dusted with ostrich feather before they are painted? The dusters ensure the surface is dust free before painting, essential for a good finish.
One other thing, caring for your duster is very simple. To release trapped dust, a quick shake is all it takes, hold it near the floor so you can vacuum up the debris afterwards. The feathers can be washed in warm soapy water, rinsed and dried with a hair-drier. This should only be necessary if the duster is dirty as opposed to dusty.
That’s about it; fast, effective, good for all dusting jobs and long lasting making them exceptional value, they really are amazing, you want one now don’t you………………or maybe you’d rather hire a professional to do it for you?
Tags: domestic cleaning, dusting, house cleaning, ostrich feather dusters
Posted in House Cleaning Tips | Comments Off
Written by HomeMaid on 13 December 2009
No this isnt one of those US style motivational sales systems, its much more fundamental than that. I used to work in IT sales and I’ve endured many a motivational(?) speaker about this system and that system and how to use this “close” and that “close”, however much of it was common sense! It seems common sense to me that the best sales force any company can have is its customers. They are the people that have tried your service and are regular clients. They know your service, your staff and so on and rely on you to provide a product or service.
The Customer Is King
It is often forgotten by many companies that the customer is king, listen to their needs and desires and if you can fulfill them you will have a loyal happy customer. Easy right? No, not by a long way, it takes committment, energy and patience to turn customer wants into viable products and services. Your customer has a choice, a choice to buy from you or someone else.
I like to think at HomeMaid we listen, sure we have our systems and ExpertMaid methods, but we always visit a potential new client at home. We listen to them and talk to them about whats important, what rooms have priorities, pets, kids and even watering plants! When we have cleaned we welcome feedback, its the best quality control system in the world – just let your customers feel comfortable about communicating with you.
Customer Referrals & Testimonials
If you give a customer a good service or provide a great product, they will remember for sure. Provide that service many times and they will be amazed with your consistency and reliability. They will gladly give you a testimonial to show other potential clients. A business that can show many testimonials absolutely demonstrates that it provides a high quality AND consistent service.
We publish our testimonials on our website for everyone to see. Obviously we dont publish all their information but the originals are there for inspection. However, the words are all theirs, as they come to us.
Our Best Salespeople
Actually we dont employ any salespeople, our salesforce works for free. They spread the word by telling their friends, neighbours and colleagues about our service. They write testimonials for you to read and rely on. We know we do a great job, because our customers tell us we do; read our home cleaning testimonials for proof.
Why not find out for yourself the difference a high quality cleaning company can make to your life, restore the work/life balance in your life in just a few clicks. Give me a FREE Home Cleaning Quote
Tags: cleaning companies, cleaning quotes, cleaning rates, domestic cleaning, domestic cleaning quote, domestic services, HomeMaid
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Written by HomeMaid on 08 November 2009
You’ll see many articles and cleaning tips on the web extolling the virtues of natural cleaning products, indeed we’ve tried a lot of them!
The thing is I was confused about the difference between baking soda and washing soda, so I imagine are quite a few of you judging by how often this question is asked. So I thought I’d write a quick article about it.
For some purposes, the only difference between washing soda (sodium carbonate) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is that washing soda will consume two equivalents of acid, while baking soda will only consume one equivalent.
Washing soda and baking soda are indeed chemically different things, and there is no way you want to get them confused, especially if you’re planning to cook – it really could end in tears.
The Chemistry
Washing soda is sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), baking soda is sodium bicarbonate – the same ingredients, but with a hydrogen atom replacing one of the sodiums. Both compounds are alkaline, meaning that they can neutralize acids. One common source of washing soda is the ashes of plants and its for this reason, it is sometimes called soda ash.
Baking soda, otherwise known as bicarbonate of soda (NaHCO3), sodium bicarbonate, and, less commonly, saleratus, is a chemical salt with diverse practical uses. The most common practical use for baking soda is as a leavening agent in baking. In combination with a liquid and an acid, baking soda undergoes a chemical reaction that releases bubbles of carbon dioxide. Trapped in batter or dough, these bubbles enable the baked good to rise. Baked goods leavened with baking soda, therefore, generally have a light crumb and are aerated with many holes left by the escaping bubbles of carbon dioxide.
So whilst you can substitute one with the other for some things, for goodness sake, don’t cook with washing soda!
Tags: cleaning with baking soda, domestic cleaning, eco house cleaning, home cleaning tips, house cleaning products, washing soda
Posted in House Cleaning Tips | 1 Comment »
Written by HomeMaid on 07 April 2009
Why Sanitise a Mattress?
A normal household mattress used frequently will build up a food reservoir for dust mites. This food reservoir is the skin you shed as a natural process every day. As you spend around 6-9 hours each day in bed, its seems obvious you will shed a good proportion of the 1.5 grams a day you lose, in your bed. Now consider that the majority of dust in a bedroom is….literally a part of you….its your skin! Ever wonder why your bedroom seems to get dustier faster than anywhere else? Now you have your answer.
Add to this the fact that you lose around .5l of fluid each night, through your natural breathing process and through perspiration. You now have a the perfect dust mite breeding ground.
A regular six month mattress sanitisation keeps the house dust mite at bay and it doesnt need to cost the earth.
Read more about how to deal with dust mites and allergies such as asthma, rhinitis, hay fever and eczema in our allergy section….
Tags: allergy, asthma, domestic cleaning, domestic cleaning in accrington, domestic cleaning in blackburn, domestic cleaning in burnley, domestic cleaning in clitheroe, domestic cleaning rawtenstall, dust mites, eczema, hay fever, house dust mite, mattress cleaning, mattress sanitisation, rhinitis
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