Tag Archives: domestic cleaning agency

How to clean leather sofas

leather sofaMaintain a regular cleaning routine of your leather upholstery so it will not look dull and tired. The best thing to use is a damp cloth to get rid of soft stains and dust.

Any stain on leather has to be removed as soon as possible. If the stain is not too big you can use baby wet wipes. It will leave also a very nice smell!

For water based spills or stains, use a soft cloth to absorb the excess and allow to dry for three or four days. If the stain is still visible, you can polish the area very gently with a clean dry cloth.

For oil based spills or stains, use a mild soap and then rinse the area with clean water. Allow to dry for three or four days.

Glass, stainless steel and the lot

glass buildingsWalking the City of London, I look at those new buildings, full of stainless steel and glass, and I can’t help but feel sorry for the cleaners.

I know! I am the first one to say how great those buildings look! How many of us have a state of the art kitchen with limestone floors, granite work top and stainless steel appliances? It is a pleasure to see the shininess and we can even see our gleaming smile reflected on the surface! But for how long?

All those new and “cool” materials are so difficult to keep clean that even the best cleaning product (and the best domestic cleaner) will not return the shine of the first day. They require a daily maintenance.

Cleaning stone and stainless steel takes time and requires constant work to keep them up to standard. If you are one of the lucky ones who can enjoy the pleasure of having those materials at home, speak with your domestic cleaner, make sure you have the right cleaning products; and if you cannot give her more time to clean them properly, be understanding with her when you find the odd finger print or mark.

Cleaning blinds

blindsBlinds are lovely until we realize we have to clean them. Don’t worry! Cleaning them doesn’t need to be a nightmare for you!

Dusting them regularly with a microfibre cloth or a flicker will keep them clean and looking nice for longer. But still, you will have to deep clean them at least once per year. How to do this?

If you have a plastic or metalic blind, the best you can do is properly shut them and put them on the bath with warm water and soap. After one or two hours on warm water the grease and dirt will be easier to remove (using a cloth or soft brush if needed). Then just rinse them with cold water, open them and leave them to dry.

If you have wood blinds the method is different. First of all, close the blinds and wipe with a soft cloth all the slats. Then close the blinds on the opposite direction and wipe again with a soft cloth. Do not use any oils or damp cloths on wood blinds as it can leave smears.

Try this tips and your blinds will look like new!

Cleaner of the month: May 2010

medalThis month Elena  is the cleaner of the month. She started in January and since then she has been doing an amazing job!

Some of her clients’ feedback:

“We’re very happy with Elena. She’s very thorough and probably the best cleaner we’ve had!”

“We have concluded that we are happy with Elena, she does a good job and is very trustworthy.  We would like her to continue cleaning the flat”.

“All going very good with Elena, thanks!”

Thank you Elena for your great job!

Cleaner of the month: April 2010

This month Lily is the cleaner of the month. She started in January 2010 and since then she has been amazing with customers and agency!

Some of her clients’ feedback:

“I’m really happy with Lily. I met her last week and she came to clean for the first time last Thursday. She did a great job and it was so nice to come home to a clean house.”

“Everything is fine, thanks. Lilly is great!”

“Lily did an excellent job today! Please pass on my thanks”

Well done Lily!

Saving time and money with your domestic cleaner

Domestic cleaners are always keen to provide great customer service. It is part of their job! A regular cleaner will always start cleaning your house with dedication and with time will start doing extra tasks around the house without you telling her anything, such as watering the plants.

This “going the extra mile” that some domestic cleaners show is a really good thing for customers that are expecting their cleaners to do extra tasks around the house when they come around. But if you just want to have your house clean, then seeing your domestic cleaner “wasting” time doing trivial things may be very upsetting. Imagine: you are happy with your cleaner but you end up letting her stay longer and paying her more because she cannot finish on time trying to make your house spotless!

When you hired a domestic cleaner you have to be very specific about what needs to be done in your house. This will help you organise the cleaning properly on the time available without the need to pay for extra hours.

Usual tasks that will take a lot of time would be:

–          Picking up clothes or toys

–          Picking up dirty dishes/glasses around the house

–          Organising dirty clothes/linen

–          Special requests such as deep cleanings.

So think about your priorities. It may be that you are happy for the cleaner not to dust the rooms one day if that means having the oven deep cleaned. Or maybe you do not want your cleaner to pick your “undies” from underneath the bed and instead you can do it yourself on the day before, allowing her to concentrate on the cleaning.

The list of tasks when talking about house cleaning is endless. This small list will give you some food for thought and hopefully may help you organise the cleaning on a more effective way.

Vetting my house cleaner

passportThese days we have been flooded with news about the Home Office and employment rules regarding immigrants. It is always a tricky issue on the domestic cleaning sector and people are very concerned about their domestic cleaners and their right to work in this country.

Checking passports and documents is part of what you should do when having a domestic cleaner working for you. On the interview it is important to make the correct checks and the necessary photocopies to avoid any future problems.

This week at http://www.amycleaning.co.uk we have had calls from some clients asking about our vetting procedure. Luckily we are on the top in terms of vetting and checking documents for our domestic cleaners! Because we know the importance of vetting, we have make it our priority when interviewing applicants; and let me tell you, it works!

Would you like a quick tip? It is never too late to vet your cleaner, so do it as soon as possible. If you are not sure on how to do it, rely on the experience of a domestic cleaning agency, it will save you a lot of hassle.

House hold dangers

We arrive every day home and we feel safe, without thinking that the majority of Health and Safety accidents happen in our own lovely shelter.

Check on this article some unknown dangers in your house and what to do about them.

Kitchen sponges: Let’s be honest, we do not sanitize our sponges every day after doing the washing up. Do you know that our kitchen sponge can have more bacteria than our floor or toilet bowl? Germs grow in humid areas, so what better than your sponge and cloths to start a living! At http://www.amycleaning.co.uk we advise domestic cleaners to sanitize sponges and cloths after every visit; but often that is just once per week. So you can always do your bit by cleaning the kitchen sponge after your evening washing up.

Dirty Air conducts: We usually remember to clean the bathroom and dust the furniture in our house, but always forget about the air conducts or air conditioning. These conducts hold a big amount of dust, mould and bacteria that can cause serious allergies if not cleaned and maintained regularly. Always check that the air conditioning is one of your domestic cleaner’s monthly task.

Mould: It is very easy to see bathrooms with moldy corners on the shower and we tend to get used to it. Mould, especially black mould, can be very dangerous for your health, causing serious health problems such as pneumonia. Tell your domestic cleaner to clean and disinfect the area; as well, check if there is any broken pipe that is causing the humidity problem.

Mice and cockroaches:All of us have suffered this problem before. These animals can carry with them diseases such as salmonella or E-coli. You need to prevent them from coming into your house: explain your domestic cleaner when, where and how to dispose the rubbish; do not leave food around the house; do not leave any pile of newspapers, boxes, etc; look for any hole that could be an entrance for these animals and seal them with kitchen foil (apparently it is the only material that mice do not eat!).

Air fresheners: They are perfect to cover up some nasty smells around your house, but they are thought to cause asthma and other health problems. Strange odors in your house? Open windows!

Carpets:A lot of new carpets emit what is called VOCs (volatile organic compounds) which can be dangerous to your health (breathing problems and allergies). What is more, chemicals used while cleaning, like air fresheners, will be collected in the carpet, creating a health hazard. When doing your weekly cleaning, or when your domestic cleaner is in, make sure the carpets are well hovered and no corner is missed.

Do you think you are in danger? Speak with your domestic cleaner and organize a battle against hazards in your home and you will see the difference!

Cleaners of the month (May)

Congratulations to Emilia and Rebecca for their hard work and loyalty from http://www.amycleaning.co.uk

Emilia started working for us at the beginning of May. Since she started she has been very professional on her job and customers are extremely happy with her.

Rebecca has been with us since last year. Customers are happy with her service and she always calls the agency in case of any problems, proving to be very reliable.

How to keep your home odor free

It is always nice to come back from work and find that your domestic cleaner has done a great job! Your house is clean; it feels and smells different! But, for how long? At http://www.amycleaning.co.uk we know how important it is for our customers to have a regular domestic cleaner that can keep their homes clean without losing their personal touch… and scent.

Let’s see what you can do to keep bad odours out of your home.

1- Rule number one would be to clean. Make sure your domestic cleaner keeps a good routine and organise with her deep cleanings (such as fridge and oven). If your house is clean you will have more chances of keeping it odour free.

2- Carpet and upholstery. We know from other posts that any soft material will retain bad odours easily. It is important that you clean them regularly to avoid the built up of dirt that would create funny smells around your house.

3- Pets. We love them! They are cute and funny… and smelly too! Make sure you clean any “accident” quickly and wash them regularly. At the same time tell your domestic cleaner to hover carpets and upholstery thoroughly and regularly.

4-Baking Soda. For those “green products lovers” baking soda is like magic when doing domestic cleaning around the house. You can put it in the fridge to trap bad odours; sprinkle it around the carpet to absorb any strange smells; and it will freshen up any room or cupboard around your home.

5- Herbs. Do you prefer to add a more exotic touch to your home? Try boiling some cinnamon, clove and ginger and your house will smell like a Moroccan market. Are you more of a Mediterranean type? Then put some dry lavender or rosemary and basil in your cupboards to give them that freshness of the sunny coast.

6- You can always make your own air freshener. You just need a spray bottle, some essential oil (like vanilla or lemongrass). Put about five drops of your preferredoil on half a bottle of fresh water. Shake it and ready to use!

If the odour in your house is not what you expect when you open the door, try some of these tricksand you will see an improvement on your house!