When it comes to home maintenance, there are lots of tricks of the trade that our property management team know all about.
And it turns out that professional cleaners take a slightly different approach to home maintenance and cleaning than the rest of us.
Below we have pulled together some hints and tips for cleaning your home. !
- Separate cleaning fluids
We’re dealing with chemicals, so be careful. Bleach and ammonia will release a toxic chloramine gas – a mustard gas that’s deadly if inhaled. Mixed drain cleaners combust and literally explode if not handled properly so treat cleaning with respect.
- Use gloves
Wear quality rubber gloves to protect your skin from these chemicals. They can dry out and seriously burn your skin.
- Ventilate
Open windows and doors so you don’t breath in chemical fumes. Pop the ceiling fan on, too. If you’ve ever used bleach in a closed bathroom, you’ll know how the fumes hit the back of the throat, and that’s not good.
- Bleach breach
Bleach isn’t an all-purpose cleaner. Keep it away from leather, glass, cloth and wood as it strips these surfaces of their natural finishes. It doesn’t cut through grease, either. It’s fine for disinfecting toilets and showers but should not be used in living areas.
- Go paperless
Who hasn’t used kitchen paper roll to clean glass? For a better result, use a micro-fibre cloth or specific cloth for glass because paper is abrasive. The scratches build up over time and cloud the glass.
- Spray skills
Professional cleaners don’t spray on surfaces but directly on their cleaning cloth. It’s the most efficient approach.
- Sanitiser sense
Use sanitising wipes on high-touch areas such as light switches, door handles and handles on kitchen cabinets and the fridge. The most common mistake is to forget to clean them at all.
- Breath of air freshener
You’d think this should be used last, but no. The chemical residue will settle on shelves and furniture, so spray before you dust and clean those surfaces.
- Separate rags
Don’t mix rags or cleaning cloths for the bathroom and kitchen, or you could smear food over your vanity, toothpaste on your toaster and much, much worse!
- Hair of the dog
Pet hair is a significant issue in homes with cats and dogs. Investigate vacuum cleaners that have specific cleaning heads to pick up that hair and fur. A mix of bicarbonate soda and vinegar can help remove the smell of other pet-based messes.