Summer Cleaning Tips

With the sunny weather actually arriving in the UK this summer, it is time to get your home clean and ready for the many barbecues and evenings spent outside.

Cleaning Windows

Each summer, you should clean your outside windows and screens.

Always use a broom to remove spider webs and dirt before using water. Be careful of possible bee, wasp, or hornet nests.

Driveway and Deck Cleaning

The start of summer is a great time to do these once-a-year cleaning jobs. Our first tip is to not use a power washer! They are very dangerous to you, and can destroy your deck and driveway.

For outdoor decks, you can use a diluted mixture of TSP or deck cleaner, and then use a push broom or stiff brush to scrub the deck clean. Be sure to rinse well.

Grease stains can be treated with kitty litter or dry cement left to absorb the stain and then swept away.

Luggage Cleaning

It is the time for summer holidays, so chances are you’ll be dusting of your old suitcase and bags, with this you will probably notice how dirty it has gotten since you used it last year.

So here are some tips on how to clean your luggage without ruining it. Firstly, clean the outside with a diluted mild cleanser (leather should be cleaned with a commercial leather cleaner).

If the inside has developed a musty smell, clean it with a vinegar-water solution. Then let it air dry for several days.

After your holiday and before putting the luggage away for storage, toss a fabric softener dryer sheet into the closed bag, especially if you don’t use the luggage often to keep it fresh.

So now you’re set with our cleaning tips you can get your house prepared. But if you have a larger invironment that needs cleaning like an office, Total Clean Services could be just the company you are looking for.

We offer bepoke contract cleaning for businesses, for more information please click here.

Cleaning Tips for Reducing Allergies

Chemical fumes from cleaning products are among the most common allergens in the home, according to the Asthma Society of Canada.

Here are a some cleaning tips for reducing asthma and allergies, using natural products:

Avoid using commercial air fresheners, as they release chemicals into the air. To create your own natural air freshener, add 10 drops of your favourite essential oil to water in a spray bottle.

Toilet cleaners contain strong chemicals, so for a safer cleaner, use undiluted vinegar. Or even pour a can of fizz into your toilet to bubble away grunge and dirt.

Vinegar is a great cleaning product and a natural disinfectant. You can dull down the strong smell using a few squeezes of lemon or a few drops of essential oil.

Baking soda is a natural odour-absorber. To scrub dirt and clean away stains, use a microfibre cloth with a mixture of baking soda and water.

Vacuum all carpets and even curtains and your bath mat regularly. If someone in your household has allergies or asthma.

For more details about our services, please visit our office cleaning page.

Floor Cleaning Tips for Your Many Different Floors

It is more than likely your house has at least a few different types of flooring in. So cleaning all of these can be tricky, especially when they tend to need different ways of cleaning.

Here are some tips on how how to clean the most common of flooring:

– Ceramic tiling: Don’t use harsh abrasive cleaners that might scratch the tiles. Instead use a damp-mop on the ceramic tiles with an all-purpose cleaner. Then dry the floor with a soft cloth to avoid streaks.

– Vinyl floors: To wash this type of floor, use an all-purpose cleaning solution. Test any cleaner in a corner before using it on the entire floor. 

– Wood floors: The most effective way of cleaning a wooden floor applying a liquid wood-floor cleaner with a dry wax applicator on a small area at a time. Let it soak for a few minutes, and wipe up the excess. When the floor is dry, buff with a floor polisher.

– Carpet Cleaning: The simplest way to keep your carpets clean is to vacuum regularly. But for an effective deep clean it is best to have your carpet steam cleaned. 

Here at Total Clean Services Ltd we provide bespoke floor cleaning treatments for companies in London, if you would like more information please click here.

Non Toxic Cleaning Tips for Your Kitchen & Bathroom

Avoid using chemicals in your cleaning, with these useful tips:

– For a toilet, use a glass cleaner made with vinegar, water, and Castile soap and scrub inside and out. For deeper stains, use a soft scrub made from baking soda and Castile soap. For good measure, I gave my toilet brush a spray of vinegar before placing back in its holder.

– To clean the bath tub an ethical way, start with vinegar spray to kill red and green molds and other germs, then rinse and move onto a baking soda soft scrub and get out your scrub brush.

– To clean chrome drain covers, tub chains, and mixer valves, use the glass cleaner and scrub with a toothbrush.

– Soak handheld plastic showerheads in baking soda and use your scrub brush or toothbrush in crevices. Soak metal showerheads in vinegar and scrub.

– For stainless steel and ceramic kitchen sinks, baking soda works as well as conventional bleach powders. Use the vinegar spray or tea tree spray for germs.

– On sink faucets and mirrors, use the vinegar-based glass cleaner.

Wood Floor Cleaning Tips!

Hardwood floors are one of the easiest types of floors to keep clean. Protect their warmth and character with simple these cleaning techniques.

– Dirt, grit and sand are your hardwood floor’s enemies.They act as sandpaper on the finish, causing scratches, dents and dulling. Place floor mats at entrances to trap dirt and prevent damage.

– Wipe up all spills as they happen, because standing water can warp a poorly finished hardwood floor and damage the finish.

– Lift the furniture to move it – avoid dragging and when vacuuming use a brush attachment, don’t use vacuums with beater bars. 

Total Clean Services Ltd provides floor cleaning treatments for all hard floor areas.  To discuss your office cleaning requirements and a no obligation quote, please contact us or telephone 020 7935 5088.<!– –>

Cleaning Tips for Keeping Your House-Market Friendly!

With the current slow housing market, it is now even more important to keep your house clean and tidy when trying to sell.

To give you a helping hand and perhaps some well needed motivation, here are some tips to keeping your house market-friendly:

– Wash windows inside and out, after all first impressions are important. A good tip is to dry the windows with crumpled newspaper and if you can, wash the windows on a cloudy rather than sunny day, because the sun can cause it to streak.

– Clean shower, sinks and bath tubs, to remove hard water spots and scum off showers use undiluted, heated white vinegar. Put in a spray bottle, spray on and leave to soak for 15 mins and then scrub.

– Clean all light fixtures and replace lightbulbs with a higher wattage, these little things are easy to forget, but can make all the difference.

– Put non-essential items in boxes to eliminate clutter, so that viewers can see the whole space, it will also make the rooms look bigger.

A clean house will help viewers see themselves living there and will show that you take pride in maintaining the house.

Handy Cleaning Tips!

You don’t necessarily need fancy, expensive cleaning products to clean up. So here are some useful tips to cleaning up with items you have around the house:

– Use a air freshener to clean mirrors. Not only does it do a good job of cleaning, but it also leaves a lovely smell.

– Stop a fridge freezer rusting by spraying it with furniture polish.

– Use Hairspray to remove magic marker.

– Putting baby oil on shower curtains will prevent mould and discolouring.

– Use a pencil rubber to get rid of heel marks on wooden floors. 

We Hope these cleaning tips come in handy, but for a contract cleaning company with a difference see our services.

Tips for Cleaning Your Car!

The maintenance of a car can tell you a lot about a person, so why not make a good impression by keeping yours clean.

Here are some tips on how to clean your car effectively:

– Cleaning your car at home is not only the most cost effective, but it’s also great exercise. Hose the car down, then clean the car starting with the roof and working your way down the sides with hot soapy water and a sponge.

– Once the outside of the car is sparkly, you can begin cleaning the interior. Give the floor and the seats a good vacuum and clear out all those crumbs and dirt, and polish those sideboards.

– Put a waste bin in a convenient place in your car (preferably hidden) to put your rubbish in and safe your car smelling bad.

– Finally, finish of the wash by investing in an air freshener this will complete the clean and leave your car smelling fragrant.

Useful Everyday Cleaning Tips!

Here are some general tips for cleaning, because you never know…

• Permanent marker on your favourite top or shirt…The solution, a squirt of hairspray, with a wipe of a cloth and the stain has gone.
• Getting rid of those annoying window smears. After cleaning your windows wipe them with a scrunched newspaper and all smears should disappear.
• Not keen on the shiny effect on your suit trousers?…Then wipe a damp tea bag over the seat of your trousers. Preferably wihout wearing them, otherwise you might get a few strange looks!
• Remove sticky label residue effectively, by sprinkling a little talcum powder on the sticky area and rub it with a dry cloth.
• Now here’s a good one! Ever heard of polishing your shoes with fruit? You have now. Apparently a cost effective way of shining your shoes is to use a banana, yes really. Use the soft, inner skin to polish leather shoes. Wipe it softly over, then buff.
• And finally…Removing water stains from polished wood not as convenient as the other tips but effective! Smear olive oil or vegetable oil over the stain and then, using a generous amount of cigarette ash, rub to a paste with oil. Leave over night if the stain is old, otherwise wipe clean with polish!

I hope these tips come in useful to you!

Tips For Cleaning Your Work Desk!

So the chances are you are reading this whilst sitting at your wooden work desk… Now have a look, is it looking a bit dusty and a tad dirty, if so these tips are for you!

Wooden desks and other furniture require some special treatment. Take these tips on board to ensure cleaning, doesn’t ruin a good finish. 

To keep your desk dust free it is best to use lambs wool dusters or classic feather dusters.  However if you are unable to get hold of this type of duster then a dry, clean soft towel will be fine.  It is important to clean your wood from dust because it can cause scratches and abrasions. For sticky spots use soap and water, do not use cleaning sprays.

Furniture polish is a very good tool for cleaning wood, it make the surface slippery and less likely to catch dirt and dust. 

However if you choose to wax the surface, there are a lot of good waxes on the market.  Or alternatively a good homemade recipe for giving your wooden desk a deep clean, consists of equal parts olive oil, denatured alcohol, gum turpentine, and strained lemon juice. You should apply this with a soft cloth and gently buff.

Remember a clean desk environment maintains professionalism and makes yourselve and/or your company even more inviting.  So get the elbow grease going!