Posts Tagged ‘house cleaning’
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 Tony on 20 May 2010
Blocked or Slow Running Sink/Bath Plughole
Its a common problem especially in a heavily used shower or shower/bath that over time the soap build up begins to restrict the water flow. You may also notice a rather unpleasant odour coming from your sink or shower drain too.
You can use this method even if the drain still runs freely as those who you use baking soda regularly know, its a great deodoriser.
If your bath or sink drain is severely clogged or blocked with something other than accumulated soap scum, then this method might not be strong enough or may need repeating until the blockage is cleared. If you are in doubt, better to get a plumber to take a look first.
You’ll need 3 tablespoons of baking soda and upto 3/4 cup of white vinegar. To flush you will also need a freshly boiled kettle of water. Take common sense precautions when handling boiling water.
Baking Soda & White Vinegar
You’ll need to fish out as much of any hair or detritus that may have collected there before starting the unclogging process. Use some tweezers and/or rub a sponge or cloth across the drain plug which should lift out any hair etc. I will smell pretty bad, so best flush it down the toilet as quickly as possible!
Once you have removed any hair, then sprinkle in 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda – carefully push any that collects around the plughole into the drain. Now slowly pour in 1/2 – 3/4 cup of white vinegar, you will immediately see a chemical reaction taking place as the vinegar mixes with the baking soda which gently fizzes and bubbles. Keep pouring in the vinegar till the fizzing subsides.
Odour Free Unblocked Drain
Once the fizzing subsides, pour a 2-3 litres of freshly boiled water from your kettle – but please take precautions when handling boiling water.
Once flushed you should have a free flowing, odour free drain plug. Fantastic!
Tags: baking soda, cleaning with baking soda, cleaning with white vinegar, eco house cleaning, house cleaning, house cleaning products, House Cleaning Tips
Posted in House Cleaning Tips | 7 Comments »
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 27 April 2010
We have now installed to wonderful technology that posts our blog straight to both our Twitter account and onto our Facebook page! We need everyones help to increase our followers so please visit and subscribe to the blog – there will be a growing list of things to help you around the home, such as “Stain Removal Tips” and “Eco-Cleaning Tips” to name but a few. We’re not suggest you read every post we make, but come back when you need some advice with a cleaning problem.
If you can find the answer, let us know, we probably know someone who can help or we’ll do some extra research on your behalf if we can.
Tags: cleaning blog, domestic services, house cleaning
Posted in General News | 1 Comment »
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 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 30 January 2009
Beautiful, black . shiny ceramic hobs are becoming increasingly popular in many of our clients homes, including our own. They are brilliant to cook on, look fantastic but can be a pain to clean. It was an area we were having trouble bringing some ceramic hobs upto the “HomeMaid Clean” standard.
Ceramic Hob Cleaners Tested
Having researched the products available we are going to trial four of the best. These products should be similar in the ‘end result’ but their prices range from £1.90 to a staggering £7.20, it doesn’t always follow that the more expensive is naturally the best but, always keen to get the best product, we’ll give it a go, we want to be able to provide the very best cleaning solution for our clients.
Ceramic Hob Trials
This was an interesting trial, all the products had some good points and some bad ones too, one didn’t work at all no matter how many times I read the instructions and used the cleaner exactly as instructed, this one went in the bin immediately!! Its worth noting having just fitted a lovely shiny ceramic hob at home, the initial trials were done in our own kitchen.
Ceramic Hobs Cleaned
The other three were pretty much on par. After using all three on separate occassions it became clear that one was harder to remove the residue and left a white powdery smear on the ceramic, a lot of polishing with one of our Microfibre cloths did the trick but it was time consuming and hard work!
The Winner
So that left two and the clear winner was Hob Brite, it does exactly what it says on the tin, it can be used on ceramic, electric, halogen and induction hobs. Hob Brite is also recommended by some of the top brands such as Baumatic, Zannussi, Creda, Belling and Neff amongst others. I guess this should’ve have been our one and only choice, but hey, if you don’t try you don’t know for sure!
No wonder it is already billed as the UK’s No 1 hob cleaner, the powerful formula cuts through the toughest burnt on food leaving the hob sparkling clean. If used regularly it even builds up an invisible film that protects against staining.
There it is then if it’s good enough to be the UK’s No 1 then its good enough for HomeMaid’s clients!
Tags: domestic cleaning, domestic services, home cleaning tips, home services, HomeMaid, house cleaning, house cleaning products
Posted in Domestic Service Updates | Comments Off
Written by HomeMaid on 29 March 2008
HEPA-Flo Filters
The scientists say that HEPA filters, by definition, remove at least 99.97% of airborne particles 0.3
micrometers (µm) in diameter, who are we to argue! Infact we have been so impressed by the claims and information’ printed about these filters that we just had to trial them ourselves.
What is HEPA anyway?
HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air, and a true HEPA filter is widely regarded as the ultimate filter.
There are many types of air filters, but any filter that is labeled “HEPA” has a very specific rating. The HEPA standard states that a HEPA air filter must trap 99.97% of all airborne contaminants that are 0.3 microns.
This means that for every 10,000 air particles that are 0.3 microns, the HEPA filter will only allow 3 of them to pass through. Pretty effective filtration, you’d have to agree!
Healthier Homes
In a nutshell, our homes and offices are teeming with microscopic contaminants that are making us sick. This is especially true of modern airtight buildings with insufficient ventilation. A HEPA filter can help to improve the indoor environment by removing these contaminants before we breathe them in. This is vitally important – our lungs absorb gases and solvents and they pass into our bloodstream. When sufficient amounts accumulate in our bodies we can become sick with serious allergies and allergic reactions (hay fever & asthma for instance).
Unless airborne particles are removed from the air with a HEPA filter we will breathe them in. Our bodies are built to withstand a certain amount of these particles but not the levels that are increasingly found in indoor environments. (did you know the air indoors can be FIVE times more polluted than outdoor air?)
HEPA-Flo Filters Help Asthma & Hay Fever
HEPA vacuum cleaners are ideal for allergy sufferers because they contain microscopic allergen particles which are otherwise disbursed back into the air with traditional vacuum cleaners.
HomeMaid now routinely use HEPA-Flo filtered vacuums on all our service cleans; cleaning is about more than you can physically see; so even if you don’t suffer from dust mite allergies, hayfever or asthma, you can be assured that HomeMaid are not recirculating your dust, dust mites and other allergens: nor are we recirculating dust mites or dirt from any previous cleans.
Insist on HEPA-Flo Filters
You should insist on HEPA filters from your cleaning service and trade in any non HEPA vacuums you have for a full HEPA one; it can make your home cleaner and healthier.
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 mite, dust mite allergy, eczema, hepa flo filters, house cleaning, House Cleaning Tips, rhinitis
Posted in Domestic Service Updates | 2 Comments »
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