Guide to Keeping Your House Clean

If cleaning the house seems like one big chore, you’re probably doing it wrong. Before you put off cleaning for yet another month, here are some ways to make housework a comfortable and even enjoyable part of your daily routine.

Start small

If you begin and end each day with a little picking up, you’ll never get swamped with housework again. Keeping a clean house begins with good habits like making your bed every morning and cleaning the dishes while you cook. Nobody wants to navigate through a minefield of yesterday’s mess to make coffee, so never allow yourself to fall asleep with dirty dishes or a disheveled living room

Enjoy yourself

Even the most reviled of household chores can be enjoyable if you have some headphones or a portable speaker. Truth be told, cleaning the house is a hidden source of me time that you’ll eventually learn to love.

For example, if you think vacuuming kind of sucks, listen to an energetic playlist of your favorite songs and sway to the music like nobody’s watching. If you haven’t had much time to read lately, listen to audiobooks and podcasts while you do the dishes. If you’re a parent and miss watching movies and shows without singing princesses, prop up your phone or tablet and use some wireless headphones to do a little binge-watching. Yay for chores!

Simplify your chore list

Rather than making a never-ending list of unattainable projects, break it up into manageable, bite-sized pieces. Get a blank sheet of paper and make four columns: Daily, Weekly, Monthly and Yearly. Everyday chores like making the bed, picking up the house and doing the dishes can go in the Daily column. Chores like vacuuming and dusting can go in either the Weekly or Monthly column, depending on what’s realistic for your lifestyle. Reserve the Yearly column for big projects like cleaning the oven, shampooing the carpet and wiping down the fan blades.

 

THE LAZY GENIUS GUIDE TO CLEANING YOUR HOUSE

It feels easier to burn it down than to clean it sometimes. So much dust, so little time. Necessary arson, you guys. But even so, in the fire, we’d lose the charts we never checked off and the homemade cleaner that smelled of Easter eggs and sadness.

Know your angles.

Right now, your perspective towards cleaning is likely volatile and antagonistic. Dirt is the enemy, and it’s winning the war. Sometimes, I feel like the dirt in my house is toying with me; it’s a psychological predator.

It feels like we can’t win, so what’s the point? Just pseudo-clean when people are coming over, and let that be the routine, right? Maybe. But if you aren’t in the habit of inviting people over, you might reach arson mode quicker than you’d like

We see cleaning as a utilitarian drudgery, but if we shift our perspective to keeping the home instead of cleaning the house, we allow ourselves the chance to recognize the good parts. Decide what clean means for you, redefine cleaning as replenishing good things, and keep in mind why home is a place you love to be. Those principles along with seven others can reignite an appreciation for the domestic without turning you into June Cleaver.

Prioritize the emotional.

The bigger your house, the more there is to do, but even if you live in a studio apartment, a robust list of cleaning tasks are vying for priority. What do you do first? What’s the most important use of your limited cleaning time?

 

A Guide to Tipping House Cleaners

If you hire someone to clean your home, you may be wondering: How much should I tip my house cleaner? What about at Christmas? Should you tip even if you’re not happy with the work? These and other questions you may have about tipping house cleaners will be answered in the rest of the article.

What does it cost to hire a house cleaner?

If you hire a house cleaner through a company, you may pay between $20 and $45 per hour. It’s a good idea to investigate more than one cleaning company to compare prices. An individual house cleaner may charge less an hour because they don’t have the overhead that a large company does

How Much to Tip House Cleaners?

To decide how much to tip house cleaners depends partly on the way you employ them in the first place. You might hire a house cleaner directly, or through an agency. Some agencies pay minimum wage, while others pay more and don’t allow tipping.

If you hire a cleaning person directly for a one-time cleaning or if you want them to clean infrequently, tipping between $10 to $20 a cleaning is fair. But, if you hire your home cleaner directly and use them year round, a cash bonus or a gift at the end of the year is appropriate. The bonus should be the equivalent of one week’s pay.

If you hire through an agency and they only pay minimum wage, a tip for cleaning is appreciated. This is how the house cleaner makes a little extra money. The general rule is to tip between $10 to $20 per service. In fact, most agencies rely on people paying a house cleaner a tip to get them over the minimum wage hump.

 

Tips & Tricks for Clean Hotel Rooms

Forget uncomfortable beds, poor service, or itchy bathrobes: hotel guests are most likely to be put off by poor housekeeping. guests never expect to be greeted by dirt, hair, or dust in their room, and complaints or negative reviews are understandable if this does happen. And, given that the majority of customers will read online reviews before booking a hotel these days, that can pose a real threat to your business.

Clearly, an effective housekeeping strategy needs to be a top priority for any hotelier. In this guide, we’ll show you how to properly clean your rooms and bathrooms, as well as share some tips for impressing your guests

This guide will cover:

What are the duties of housekeeping in a hotel

Creating a housekeeping strategy

How to clean a hotel room: a step by step guide

How to clean a hotel bathroom: a step by step guide

Cleaning products, equipment, and supplies

What are the duties of housekeeping in a hotel?

Good housekeeping is an invisible service, in that guests only really take notice of it when your team fails to deliver the expected standard of cleanliness. A hotel room could play host to hundreds of different guests each year, but no guest wants their room to feel used, which is why it’s the role of your housekeeping staff to ensure that there is no evidence of any previous occupants, and that every room is completely clean from top to bottom

Creating a housekeeping strategy

If you want your guest bedrooms to be as clean as possible, you’ll need to have an effective housekeeping strategy in place. That means working out how many staff you need to employ per shift and creating a checklist for them to follow in each area to ensure cleaning standards are met.

 

Point checklist when booking home cleaning services

Deep cleaning your home from time to time is important. Many people opt for these services before a major festival, such as Diwali or Christmas, or a big family event, such as a wedding. And with the festive season coming up, you too may now look to avail of such a service

Expense: While everyone likes to get the best service on offer, the price may at times become a constraint. Different people have different budgets to work with. So, you must take out your calculator, do the math and see exactly how much you want to spend on cleaning activity. House deep cleaning prices depend on several factors, such as the number of rooms to be cleaned, number of cleaners required, type of equipment used and cleaning products or chemicals used. As a result, different home cleaning service providers offer varying rates. So, take some time and compare the best deals available to you.  Do speak to at least three cleaning service providers to find the best deal.

Services offered: Next, and very importantly, you have to see what services are on offer. You may have a specific requirement, like deep cleaning beds and couches, or you may need to go in for a complete deep cleaning of the entire house. Check to see what services are offered by the cleaners of your choice. For example, if you are opting for a bathroom cleaning service, you must look for the exclusions and inclusions. Check the fine print to see whether or not the tub cleaning services are included. If you are not satisfied with the package or the individual home cleaning services offered, look for a different service provider.

Time: Next, you should ascertain how much time the cleaners will take to complete the job. You may need to ask them to spread the job over a couple of days if it takes too long or you can choose to have it done all in one day. So speak to the cleaners beforehand to understand exactly how long the service will take. You may need to plan your own schedule accordingly and make the necessary arrangements to fit in the cleaning service in your busy schedule. For example, if you are also planning to get pest control done, the cleaning job will have to be completed prior to that. So, check whether the timing is correct before booking a home cleaning service.

Safety: You must check whether the products used in cleaning the house are safe for your children and pets. Speak to the service provider and ask them about this. These days, most of the products used are safe and free of harmful chemicals. However, there may be a few cleaners who use industrial chemicals to do the job. Be clear about these things and if needed, move your pets and kids to a neighbour or friend’s house for the time being. Also, if any member of the family is allergic to any specific item, inform the cleaners or ask the family member to vacate the house for the duration of the cleaning. If, however, the service providers promise to use only natural and safe products to clean the house, you can have every one stay in the house while the cleaning takes place.

Vacation Rental Housekeeping Professionals and Vacation Rental Management Association Introduce New Cleaning Guidelines

The new guidelines are part of the VRMA & VRHP SafeHome campaign, which empowers members to adopt and execute safe travel standards that conform to—and, in many cases, exceed—those that are mandated nationally, statewide or locally. The SafeHome initiative encourages all vacation rental management professionals to openly communicate with guests and employees about the precautions they are taking to help keep them safe and healthy.

The guidelines include recommendations for augmenting existing cleaning programs to account for COVID-19, including:

Disinfection and sanitization techniques

Proper use of personal protective equipment

Recommended products, cleaning agents and equipment

Updated cleaning and inspection processes for soft surfaces, upholstery and linens

Trash removal and maintenance processes

Communicating expanded cleaning processes to guests

“Cleaning a vacation rental is no small task, even when we are not faced with a global pandemic,” said, executive director of VRHP. “Housekeepers are responsible for completely resetting properties and creating a like-new experience for arriving guests. These new guidelines are intended to enhance the safety of properties, and provide more peace-of-mind for property owners and guests.”

Because guest and employee safety is paramount, VRMA and VRHP will continue their efforts to educate and inform members and the professional vacation rental management community overall of evolving guidelines and recommendations so that they are always able to provide a safe and enjoyable environment to guests, staff and the general public.

“Vacation rental professionals have historically set the standard for cleaning within the travel industry, and these guidelines memorialize an enhanced level of care in a COVID-19-impacted industry.” said, president of VRMA. “The COVID-19 pandemic makes proper and thorough cleaning methods, specific training, appropriate supplies and a systematic process even more vital to our industry. We can count on our professional community to rise to this occasion and restore confidence within our local governments and guest populations that staying in a professionally managed vacation rental is the safest way to enjoy travel.”

 

Cleaning Policies & Procedures

We know that there is heightened uncertainty around travel with the coronavirus (COVID-19), so we want to proactively share the steps we’ve taken to ensure your health and safety. Our Housekeeping Team has received proper training and instruction based on CDC cleaning guidelines.

Utilize CDC approved sanitizing and disinfecting products approved for killing the Covid-19 virus will be followed

Housekeeping teams will use fresh, laundered cleaning rags for each property to avoid the spread of germs from one home to another

Sheets and towels, where provided, are cleaned in industrial grade washer(s)/dryer(s) using appropriate chemicals and dried at proper temperatures.  Bed coverings are sanitized using a sanitizing spray that is distributing on the bed coverings.

Housekeeping and Maintenance staff will adhere to social distancing guidelines while working in homes and will wear appropriate face masks and gloves

Particular attention shall be paid to the disinfecting of high touch or hot spot items in between rental turns using CDC approved disinfecting products. Such areas include, but not limited to:

Appliance Buttons/Handles

Cabinet Knobs/Handles

Lamp Switches and Wall Switches

Door Knobs/Handles

Remote Controls

Electronics Controls

Phone Receivers

We strongly suggest that you also bring your own preferred cleaning supplies with you in order to keep your rental home sanitized and disinfected during your stay.

 

Cleaning recommendations, including 24 hours between rentals

Corrections & clarifications: A previous version of this story indicated some of Airbnb’s new cleaning guidelines were required. They are required only for Airbnb hosts who participate in an optional program.

The home-sharing service, under pressure from the coronavirus crisis, said Monday that it is establishing a new recommended “cleaning protocol” with the goal of reassuring both rental property hosts and their guests.

Airbnb said in a statement that the optional protocol will offer guidance on the best and safest practices for cleansing a residence’s various rooms. It will include a manual more than 40 pages long establishing the standards, as well as specifying particular chemicals and other products to do the job.

The protocol, for those hosts who choose to opt in, will also require a minimum 24 hours between rentals to reduce the chance a guest might encounter any residual viruses. Potential guests will be able to see whether hosts have opted in.

A top company official said Airbnb knows from surveys that cleanliness is a high priority with guests. “It was clear they wanted to know what you were doing to make sure the place itself would be clean,”

 

Airbnb Releases New Cleaning Protocol Program in Wake of Coronavirus

As Airbnb wants their guests to feel comfortable and at ease when travel ramps up again following the coronavirus pandemic, the home-sharing company has released a new set of standards when it comes to cleaning and sanitizing.

includes a certification program for hosts and specifically follows CDC sanitation standards in the wake of COVID-19, according to an announcement on Monday. Users will be able to filter searches for hosts who have earned the certification under the new protocol, aptly named The Cleaning Protocol.

With guidance of how to specifically clean each room, the protocol also complies with many CDC recommendations including a rule requiring a 24-hour vacancy period between guest reservations.

“Homes have become a place of shelter, and the future of travel will also rely on a new comfort zone, with the privacy and benefits of a home away from home, without crowds or high turnovers,” “We are working with leading experts in health and hygiene so that our community’s trademark hospitality can incorporate official guidance and fulfill new personal preferences, with hosts and guests uniting to offer, manage and enjoy cleaner accommodations.”

Hosts who do not opt into the Cleaning Protocol are able to participate in a “Booking Buffer” program that requires a 72-hour vacancy period after each stay when homes will be empty, except for cleaning.

 

[COVID-19 FAQ] What Should I Tell Short-Term Rental Operators?

While there may be less demand for short-term rentals during the COVID-19 pandemic, many hosts are still renting STRs to guests. This may be illegal in places where government leaders have suspended STR ordinances amid the crisis or residents have been ordered to remain home. In other places, government leaders are discouraging nonessential business.

For communities without traditional lodging options like hotels or where hotels have closed, STRs may be able to offer necessary lodging for sick and stranded travelers when others cannot. In places requiring sick travelers stay where they are, STR guests may be extending their stay past their scheduled booking.

Whether that means STRs in your community need to suspend operations or not, you will need to communicate with hosts about key COVID-19 messages. Good news! We have your communications to hosts covered. Read on to find letter templates and tips for communicating to hosts during this public health crisis.

How Do I Communicate With Hosts About STR Closures?

Should your community suspend the ability for hosts to rent out their STRs, you will need to communicate with hosts quickly and effectively. Our experts at Host Compliance, now a part of Granicus, recommend the following language.

If you have received this message in error, and you do not have a short-term rental, then please accept our apologies. If you do have a short-term rental, please read the message below.

Reasons To Hire A Professional Move Out Cleaning Service

Whether you’re moving out of a rental or planning to put your old home on the market, your old place needs a thorough cleaning. To save money, you’ve probably considered DIY cleaning. But have you considered a move out cleaning service?

How much do you enjoy cleaning? Do you have the right cleaning supplies? Are you capable of in-depth cleaning for an inspection?

Reduce the Stress of Moving

If you’ve moved out before, you know just how stressful things can become. Packing up your life, hauling your belongings, and juggling your normal duties – all of which take a lot of time and energy.

Get Your Deposit Back

Outside of property damage, hiring a move out cleaning service increases the likelihood that you’ll get your full deposit back. Landlords are very meticulous and will jump on every chance not to return your deposit. From every corner of the kitchen to the carpet, every inch of your space must be clean so you can get your security deposit back.

Positive Impression from Potential Buyers

If you are trying to sell your previous home, hiring a move out cleaning service will help make your property move-in ready.

 

Helpful Carpet Cleaning Tips When Moving In or Out

Hire a Certified Carpet Cleaner:

Hire an IICRC Certified firm that uses modern, truck mounted equipment for your move out carpet cleaning. This will help ensure you hire a reputable company that knows what they are doing. These firms should also have the equipment to do the job well

Ask for Hot Water Extraction:

While there are many ways to clean carpet, hot water extraction (AKA Steam Cleaning) is regarded as the most thorough method and provides a deep, restorative carpet cleaning. Whether you are moving out, or you want move in carpet cleaning prior to taking occupancy, you want hot water extraction for a thorough, deep clean.

Schedule your Carpet Cleaning Properly to Coincide with the Movers:

If you are moving out, schedule your move out carpet cleaning once the movers have finished their work. If you are moving in, schedule your move in carpet cleaning for the day before the move.

Dealing With Carpet Pet Stains and Odor When Moving:

If you have carpet pet stains or odors that you can’t pinpoint, the last thing you want to do is put furniture on top of them. Pets often mark areas along walls. You don’t want to move a couch or a dresser on top of that odor and then always wonder where the smell is coming from. Odors become far more intense in warm months, so you won’t realize there are pet odors until it gets hot outside.

The Carpet Has a Wrinkle That Needs to be Stretched or a Repair to be Done:

Over time, carpets can develop wrinkles or bubbles in them as the carpet ages, or due to poor installation. This can usually be fixed by stretching the carpet. You can’t do a good job of stretching carpet when it has furniture weighing it down.

 

Best Tips for Home and Apartment Cleaning Between Tenants

One aspect that’s not so great: cleaning and preparing rental properties for new occupants after past tenants leave. As a new landlord or property manager, you’ll find that this is one of the toughest parts of the job. Even if you’re well-versed in the business, you probably find preparing for a change in tenancy a constant challenge.

Attend the move-out inspection

The move out is an important part of the rental process, so make a point of being there. This is the one time tenants can dispute property damages; attending helps you avoid paying for false claims submitted in writing.

Your presence also facilitates important conversations such as stipulating exactly which remaining damages or repairs are the tenants’ responsibility, and which are yours. It’s also a good time to hand over any associated move-out rebates and avoid possible haggling later on.

Maintain photographic records for all properties

Visual evidence is the best way to defend your position should any disputes or additional charges arise after a tenant moves out. Photographs aren’t always taken as absolute proof, but they are a good way to clear matters up, as well as maintain a record of what the property looks like over time.

Check utility accounts

Don’t assume that tenants will switch utilities off or close their accounts when they move out.

 

Your Guide to Keeping a Clean House

It is always important to keep a clean house. It is even more important now, to keep your surfaces in your home disinfected.

With everything going on in the world, it’s easy to become distracted. If you are now working from home, you still need to be productive and get your job done. Luckily, it times of uncertainty, accomplishing tasks can give you a feeling of control and normalcy.

For people who do not have time off from their busy schedule and time to clean their home, then cleaning of the home and working on other tasks at home can be overwhelming. Most of the people coming home from a stressful day at work make them spend their time lazing around without any craving to do some cleaning work at home. After your busy weekdays when you come home makes you feel terrible to find a messy house. To make the task easy, you can schedule or divide chores over several days. So it is time to do home cleaning.

If you’ve ever used a “magic eraser” around your home, then you know just how effective they can be in removing stains, dirt, and grime from all kinds of surfaces. But have you ever taken the time to really consider how these amazing little sponges work? By having a better understanding of how magic erasers work and the best ways to use them, you can make the most of your purchase.

Nowadays, new cleaning innovations for making life easier hit the market almost every day. This constant innovation makes today’s cleaning products and tools better than they were before. However, there are also people who get enticed by numerous hacks and tips online that promise better and easier cleaning. Most of these “helpful” tips and life hacks are not based on pure science and may cause you more harm than good in doing simple cleaning tasks.

 

Tips for Cleaning Your Home When Moving Out

If you’re moving out of your current apartment or home, you need to clean the space.  Truth is, though, you probably won’t be as enthused about cleaning as you were when you first moved in.  Still yet, even though you won’t be living in the space anymore, it’s best to leave the space sparkling clean. For those of you who are renting, you can raise the likelihood of getting your deposit back by cleaning up before you leave.   If you’re selling your home, it needs to be clean so you can get top dollar from a buyer.

Empty and Defrost the Refrigerator and Freezer

Wipe down all shelves and walls inside the refrigerator and freezer.  If you can pull the shelves and drawers all the way out, run them through the dishwasher with some type of bleaching agent

Scrub the Sinks, Appliances and Countertops

No one wants come into a home to see food residue left behind by the previous renter or owner. Your goal should be to make the kitchen totally grease-free zone before moving out.

Wipe Down the Kitchen Cabinets

This tip is really simple.  All you need is a damp rag and a water of hot soapy water.  Wash down the cabinets and let them dry

Clean the Stove and Oven

If you’re lucky enough to have a self-cleaning oven, there’s no excuse for leaving behind a dirty oven.  If you have to clean the oven yourself, make sure to follow this helpful guide.  And don’t forget to clean around the burners on the stove, as well.

Carpet-Cleaning Secrets From the Pros

Blot Stains, Don’t Rub Them

When a stain or spill first occurs, resist the urge to immediately start scrubbing. That’ll only drive the stain down into the carpet. Instead, gently dab stains with a cleaning solution and a clean cloth, paper towel, or sponge.

The Club Soda Process

First, pour club soda onto a clean cloth and blot the stain. If the stain appears lighter, repeat with more club soda. If that doesn’t work, mix a one-to-one ratio of white vinegar and water, and pour it into a handheld spray bottle. “Spray the solution onto the stained area, then wait 10 or 15 minutes for it to soak in. Next, press a clean, dry sponge down onto the saturated area to soak up the cleaning solution and the diluted stain, too,” says Tarbox. Repeat this process, if necessary, until the entire stain is gone.

Try Shaving Cream

Tarbox says the best carpet cleaner for general stains is—believe it or not—ordinary shaving cream. “It will remove just about every type of stain. Apply the shaving cream directly to the stain and let it sit for about 30 minutes,” Tarbox says. Once the shaving cream has set, blot it up with a dry white cloth.

Freeze-Dried Gum

Here’s an all-too-familiar scenario: You step in chewing gum out on the street, but don’t realize it until you track that gross, sticky mess into the house and onto your carpeting. The trick to removing gum from carpeting can be found in your freezer

Dish Soap Cuts Grease

Greasy spills are some of the most difficult to remove from carpeting, but again, the secret is to use the proper product and technique: Place a few drops of grease cutting dish soap, such as Dawn, into a cup of warm water. Gently mix the solution to dissolve the soap

 

How to Clean Carpet: Cleaning Tips for Long Lasting Carpet

Dirt is like thousands of little blades that cut carpet fibers. When you walk across a dirty carpet, you grind sharp dirt particles against the yarn, making tiny nicks in the fibers. All that fuzz mixed in with the dirt in your vacuum cleaner bags is your beautiful carpet headed out the door one bag at a time. When dirt scratches the fibers, it dulls the sheen, which is why high-traffic areas appear duller than the rest of the carpet. Over time, grinding dirt wears away the fibers too, which mats them down and makes them stain more easily. Follow these how to clean carpet tips to keep your carpet as dirt-free as possible.

Vacuum often

To protect your carpet, vacuum entrance areas and high-traffic areas twice a week and the rest of the carpeting at least weekly. Oily soils attract oily soils, and frequent vacuuming will reduce soil buildup

Start with a clean bag or filter

A dirty bag, dirt cup or filter can cut a vacuum’s suction power in half. The main reason bagless vacuums stop working is that the filters aren’t changed often enough. Replace or wash (if possible) the filters on bagless vacuums every three months. Replace vacuum bags when they’re three-quarters full

Vacuum at the right speed

Vacuum slowly enough to get out as much dirt as possible. Make one quick pass over low-traffic areas and two slow passes over high-traffic areas. Two slow passes removes ground-in dirt more effectively than several fast passes

Use walk-off mats

Use walk-off mats inside and out to keep dirt off the carpeting. Coarse-textured mats outside your doors remove soil and will make a how to clean carpet project easier. Water-absorbent mats inside prevent wet shoes on the carpeting.

 

Tips on Choosing the Best Carpet Cleaning Service

Less is NOT Necessarily More

It’s common to look for the most affordable option when choosing any sort of cleaning service. However attractive saving a few Euro might seem, going for the least expensive option for your carpet’s maintenance might actually do more damage than good.

Know the Process

No two cleaning services are identical, and that means that you’ll want to know how each company that you’ve shortlisted for the job goes about their business. Some companies might use stronger detergents, while others might use gentler products that are safer for your carpets and for the environment too

Do a Competitive Analysis

This tip is simple: do your research. This entails everything from talking to friends and family, checking review sites and asking for recommendations on social media. Some of the best services are found through word of mouth, so do the research and leverage your network for trustworthy recommendations.

Ask About Additional Services

Ask as many questions as you possibly can before hiring a carpet cleaning company. You want to know exactly what you’re getting with no hidden surprises.

Keep it Local if Possible

A local carpet cleaning company with a vested interest in your community will likely be a good choice for many reasons. As local companies provide services for local residents, it is in their best interest to offer a high quality service at affordable costs to ensure customer retention.

 

Things to Look for When Choosing a Carpet Cleaning Company

Over the years, we’ve had countless phone calls from people panicking and upset after receiving a service from a carpet cleaning company that didn’t produce the results that they promised. It’s always frustrating for us to hear that another local carpet cleaner has taken the money of a customer that trusted them with their property, only to then leave them back at square one, out of pocket and stressed.

Are they professionally trained through the IICRC or NCCA?

Don’t feel embarrassed to ask. If they’re trained professionally, they’ll be more than happy to show you their certificates

Are they insured?

This one is important. Find out if the carpet cleaner is insured and if they have Treatment Risk as part of their cover. If not, they’re not covered to service your property and you should look elsewhere for a carpet cleaner

Do they have past testimonials?

If the company has testimonials and reviews from past clients, it’s worth taking a look. Most good companies will have a Facebook page, Google Business page or website where you can find reviews to look at.

What equipment do they use?

A professional carpet cleaning service requires professional carpet cleaning equipment. Look on their website for pictures of large, shopping trolley-sizes machinery. A lightweight machine that can be easily carried is not going to be enough for a thorough clean.

 

Tips for Choosing a Carpet Cleaning Company

When was the last time a service person visited your home? Was this person on time? Careful? Was pricing clear up front or were there surprise costs in the final bill? How did you feel about the results of the work? Was your home treated with respect? In the end, were you left with a bigger mess to clean up than when you started? Carpet cleaning is like any in-home service. The experience can be positive, or it can be a headache all around.  Some cleaners make carpet problems worse. In those cases, customers end up paying twice. They pay for the original service and they pay for a more trustworthy carpet cleaner to fix the damage.  But what if you could avoid the hassle and make the best choice the first time around?

Make a short list of local carpet cleaning companies.

It only takes a little “home-work” on the front end to save you time, Ask friends about their cleaning experiences. Call local carpet retailers and ask who they recommend. Then search carpet cleaning companies on the internet.  However, be wary of the first results that come up on a search. These are ads paid for by the business to put their listing at the top of the page. In short, first doesn’t mean best.  Click on each company’s website. Is it professional and easy to navigate? Does it provide helpful information? More specifically, is the carpet cleaning company you are considering a franchise or a local business? Is it a member of the Better Business Bureau? What testimonials are you finding online

Call and ask each company “Are you licensed & insured?”

The only acceptable answer is “yes.” Admittedly, it is rare for a professional company to make mistakes.  Still, should there be a mishap while on your property, the cleaners can set things right if they are licensed and insured. So ask to see proof of insurance because a trustworthy company has nothing to hide.

Ask if their technicians are certified in carpet cleaning.

Want to know a secret? The average employment span for a technician in the carpet cleaning field is around 6 months. Obviously, that’s not much time to learn all the ins and outs of the profession. It takes training to understand the cleaning needs of all carpet types and conditions. A reliable company makes sure their employees are fully certified.  On the whole, the most respected carpet cleaning certifications are awarded by the IICRC, the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification. When companies are dedicated to the ongoing education of their teams, they tend to keep their technicians for several years. Clearly, those are the folks you want in your home.

Ask what cleaning methods they use.

The carpet cleaning industry includes a variety of methods. However, the big-name carpet manufacturers like Stainmaster, Mohawk, Shaw and Couristan prefer hot water extraction. The primary alternative to hot water is a dry chemical cleaning. This can be harsh on carpet fibers. What’s more, dry chemical substances can leave behind a sticky residue.  Extraction, in contrast, uses a milder detergent. Plus, this method flushes out both the detergent and the dirt buried deep in the fibers at the same time. Done correctly, extraction does not leave any residue and it does not over-wet the carpet.   So ask the cleaning company to talk you through their process.  Their website should provide this information too.

Fast & Efficient Vacation Rental Cleaning Tips

Keeping a spotless vacation rental is important to impress your guests. As a vacation rental host, you want to be sure you are properly cleaning and presenting your home in the best possible light. Here are some helpful fast and efficient cleaning tips for your vacation rental.

1. Make a checklist

Whether you are doing the cleaning or hired a cleaner to clean your vacation rental, making a checklist ahead of time is very beneficial. With your busy schedule, it is easy to forget to take care of some important tasks for cleaning. Making a set checklist for your cleanings will solve this issue. If you have hired a vacation rental cleaner then a checklist is very important so that the cleaner knows exactly what you would like done for your property.

2. Set time limit per room

Setting a time limit for cleaning each room of your house is a good way to ensure a fast cleaning process. You can base the time spent on each room based on what you have on your cleaning checklist for each room.

3. First, start high!

A smart place to start is with tall pieces of furniture. This way when you dust tall furniture, the dust does not dirty your previously cleaned floor.

4. Vacuum

When it comes to dusting tops of drawers and dressers: We recommend you do this step before you vacuum, this way you can vacuum any dust. The cleaning tasks you wish to be completed in your home can be compiled on a checklist for your cleaner on TurnoverBnB. Vacuuming does not take long but it is an important task to complete after each guest.

5. Carry your cleaning caddy

While you are cleaning each room, carry around your cleaning caddy! This is a simple way to save time having to stop cleaning to retrieve different cleaning products. Having all of the products you need with you at once will save you this time and prove to be a good way to make for a fast and efficient Airbnb cleaning.

6. Ice cubes to remove wrinkles

A quick fix for wrinkled sheets is ice cubes and some heat. By putting sheets in the microwave with ice cubes for about 5 minutes, you will have perfectly steamed linens.

7. Tell Airbnb cleaners to follow checklist

If you yourself are not completing the cleaning and you hire an Airbnb cleaner, make sure the cleaner knows to follow your checklist or of any time constraints. Find your perfect Airbnb cleaner on the TurnoverBnB marketplace!

 

WHAT MAKES A VACATION RENTAL CLEANING DIFFERENT

A vacation rental cleaning goes above and beyond what you’d expect from a typical house cleaning. Your housekeeper needs to be ready to provide a higher level of service, and handle tasks like: test

• Cleaning the linens that were used by previous guests
• Sanitizing surfaces after previous guests check out
• Checking that the next guest has sufficient quantities of toilet paper and cleaning products
• Keeping an eye out for damage
• Checking for missing items and taking pictures of any damage
• Testing various items in the house to be sure they work

In other words, your housekeeping service isn’t only cleaning. It’s also going to make your home guest-ready

 

Establishing standards for cleaning

Good, bad, or otherwise – guests know exactly what to expect when booking with brands on both ends of the spectrum, from Hilton and Hyatt, to Motel 6 and TravelLodge. You are a brand as well, whether you manage one home or 1,000, and that brand should carry a standard, too! What can your guests always expect, without fail, when they book a stay with you?

If you want to guarantee the crispest linens and sparkling silver – say so, and commit to it. Your guidelines should address regular, and seasonal or periodic, procedures.

Your brand standard sets the bar for what you consider acceptable…while still always aiming to over-achieve. But keep it realistic. Don’t promise to slap up a fresh paint job between each stay when this is certainly not a task you can accomplish in the typical window of a couple hours between back-to-back guests.

Even if you’re not seeing bookended bookings now, you have to prepare for the scenario and give your cleaners a reasonable task list to meet in the allotted time. In the interest of accountability and transparency, detail your standards clearly for your staff and your guests, including specific expectations for a presentable, rent-ready home.

 

How to simplify cleaning in your vacation rental house

Everyone is looking to keep their vacation rental cleaner and more inviting but without putting in too much time and effort.

How can you do so?

Here are a few tips that simplify the cleaning and maintenance process of your home while still ensuring that the house is as clean as possible.

• When the house is not being used, cover furniture with sheets or special furniture covers to eliminate excessive dust
• Store mats and area rugs where they won’t get dusty or stained
• Have pest control add a barrier around your home so bugs and spiders won’t take over the unused property
• Remove all food from the house that could attract mice or other uninvited guests
• Keep lawn/patio furniture indoors and covered to protect it from the elements

 

Think like a hospitality professional

If you don’t have a background in the hospitality industry, it can be a switch to think like a professional hotelier instead of a homeowner who’s letting guests have temporary use of your property. But once you make the switch to paying guests, you also have to switch to that hospitality mindset. Think about when you’ve stayed at hotels. What made an impression on you or convinced you to choose one property over another? Then, figure out cost-effective ways to duplicate those aesthetic or experiential extras for your guests.

What to Clean Before You Move In

Your dream home sure looked spotless during the open house. But gird yourself: No matter how clean the place seemed, it’s likely there are some dirty surprises in store for move-in day.

Sanitizing the bathtub’s a good place to start (you bought someone else’s house, not their bath grime!), but don’t stop there. Before you unpack, buy some rubber gloves, stock up on your favorite cleaners, replace your vacuum’s HEPA filter and hunt down these not-always-obvious dirt hotspots that old homeowners often leave behind.

Heads up!

Step into the dining room and inspect the chandelier. If you find spider webs or dust, use a cleaning system that includes a soft microfiber cloth on an extendable, bendable handle to wipe that mess into submission.

The crown molding throughout the house may be gorgeous, but you should check to see whether dead bugs and dust lurk between the wall and the molding itself. A microfiber cloth or the nozzle attachment on your vacuum works well here. You’ll need a step ladder, of course.

Keep your chin up and check out the ceiling fans; clean the blades before they spin all that dust into the atmosphere. If you’re binge-cleaning at midnight and run out of clean microfiber cloths, remember: An old sock (worn on your hand) or dryer sheets double as dusters.

Hmm, what have we here?

Scan the main living areas of the house for unexpected cleaning projects. Did the former residents keep a sofa strategically placed over a huge scuff on the hardwood? Work your magic with cleaners designed to restore specific surfaces.

Did pets precede you? Don’t just clean the carpet — de-flea it (ideally before you move in). Wipe down the doors (knobs, too!), paying close attention to the lower half, where pets may have pawed or scratched.

The refrigerator vent is probably screaming for some cleaning, too. Don’t skip this one; the dusty buildup is a fire hazard. Vacuum away (bet you’re feeling good about that new HEPA filter now).

Inspect the dishwasher. Any gooey gunk in the food filter? Eww. Give it a good white-vinegar rinse, and deodorize the garbage disposal while you’re at it.

Appliances (sadly) don’t clean themselves.

You didn’t peek inside the furnace during the inspection, did you? Clean or replace the filter, and if you feel comfortable doing so, clean the fan and blower assembly — or call in a pro: The expense may be offset by your energy savings.

Scheduling a professional cleaning for ductwork is a smart move. And now’s the time to replace air filters and clean out dusty water-heater closets.

Investigate the laundry area. Sterilize the washing machine (there are cleaner tablets for this job). Then, turn to the dryer and clean out the lint trap and its cavity; wipe it down with a damp cloth before replacing the trap.

It may take some elbow grease to get these messes out of your way, but you’ll be glad you did — then, you can entertain fearlessly when you throw your housewarming bash.

 

How To Deep Clean Your New House Before You Move In

House cleaning in a new-to-you home will seem like a breeze next to your everyday chores to keep a lived-in house clean and organized. There’s no bric-a-brac to dust around and no furniture to move. Just go room by room, and scrub everything down.

Hopefully, the previous owners left everything at least broom-swept. Just how much house cleaning you do will depend on whether the previous owners had pets or kids, and how clean is “clean enough” for you.

How to Clean Your New House

Some cleaning experts say they spend the most time cleaning their kitchen. Between refrigerators and stoves and cabinets, it’s no wonder! The following cleaning tips will make it easy.

Kitchen

Oven: Remove oven racks and place them in the sink filled with soapy water. If you’re using an oven cleaner, spray it first and let it sit while you clean the rest of the kitchen (except the floor, which should be last in every room). When you’re ready to proceed, scrub the oven down well. It’s safe to clean the racks with steel wool. You can also use a paste of baking soda and vinegar to get your oven clean without using chemicals.

Sink: It’s safe to use steel wool on stubborn stains in a stainless steel sink, or use a paste of baking soda and vinegar. After you’ve removed stains, a solution of water and lemon juice will really make the sink shine.

Cabinets: Dust and wipe down cabinets with a soft cloth all surfaces, inside and out. Don’t forget the tops of cabinet doors.

Countertops: Use a solution of 1 part water and 1 part vinegar to get countertops (except marble) squeaky clean.

Refrigerator: Pull the refrigerator away from the wall and vacuum or dust behind it. Clean the refrigerator inside and out: top, back, and sides. This will probably be the best cleaning your refrigerator gets, so take advantage of an empty, warm fridge to do the best job possible. Place removable racks and drawers in warm soapy water and scrub well.

Bathroom

A number of chemicals are available to clean your bathroom, but a paste of baking soda and vinegar also works well; it even dissolves soap scum. Use this on the tub and sink. Clean glass shower doors with 1 part vinegar and 1 part water in a spray bottle. Use undiluted vinegar in the toilet and scrub with a scrub brush. Some people like to replace the toilet seat in a new home.

Floors

It pays to rent or purchase a steam cleaner, or hire someone to steam clean for you. Steam cleaning removes tough stains and provides a deep clean, even getting rid of pet odors.

You can also steam clean sealed hardwood floors if you have the right equipment. Do not steam clean hardwood floors that have not been sealed, as water could seep in and ruin the floor. Murphy’s Oil Soap also does a great job cleaning hardwoods.

Walls

One thing you’ll probably never do again, unless you have young kids, is wash down the walls in your new home. But it pays to do it once, unless you plan on painting immediately.

Wash walls with a solution of water and vinegar, which is safe on most surfaces. Pay close attention to corners, where dirt and cobwebs collect, and areas up to about waist-level if the previous owner had kids.

Remove tough stains or crayon marks with a Magic Eraser-type product.

Move In Cleaning

When most people move, they’re so wrapped up with packing and move-out cleaning that they forget their future house or apartment needs to be cleaned, too. However, you want your new home to be comfortable and tidy, so it’s important to do some move-in cleaning before you unpack all your boxes.

The following move-in cleaning checklist can make settling into your new home a little easier.

1. Keep Cleaning Supplies HandyIt’s crucial that you’re able to find your cleaning products and tools when you arrive at your new home. Keep them separate from your other packing by putting them in your car rather than loading them on the moving truck. At the very least, make sure they’re in a clearly labeled box and are one of the first things you unload. Then, put them in a place where they won’t blend in with the rest of your boxes, such as under your kitchen sink or even in a bathtub. That way, when you’re ready to start your move-in cleaning, you know exactly where your supplies are.

2. Have a Game Plan

Move-in cleaning is much easier when you’ve decided which rooms you’ll address first. For the best results, clean one room at a time. Start with essential rooms, such as the bathroom, kitchen and main bedrooms. To make this easier, consider placing all your boxes in common areas, such as living rooms or dining rooms. That way, you can do a thorough cleaning job in your essential rooms without having to work around crates and piles of boxes.

 

Organize as You Unpack

Hopefully, you’ve already taken the time to dust and wash items before packing them away. Keep in mind that some things — like dishes — may need to be cleaned again before you use them. As you unpack your boxes, take the time to organize areas that are prone to chaos, such as closets, pantries, and so forth. When you do this up front, you don’t have to worry about coming back at a later date to more or less tackle the same chore again.

Enlist Some Help

Cleaning a new house before moving in can be a beast of a task, especially if you’re still working on move-out cleaning or have a tight squeeze in terms of move-out and move-in dates. If you’re looking to ease this stress, it’s not a bad idea to call in some reinforcement from friends and family members. Ask them to come over and help you in exchange for pizza and beer once the task is done, then put on some music and get to work. And don’t forget to return the favor when others need help moving.

Call in The Professionals

If you know you won’t be able to take care of move-in cleaning due to logistics or because you’ve relocated to a new city where you don’t have family and haven’t made friends yet, do yourself a solid and call for backup. The housekeeping professionals at Merry Maids offer a range of specialty services, including move-in and move-out cleaning. When you enlist their help, you can focus on loading and unloading that moving truck without having to worry about moving into a dirty home or losing a security deposit because you ran out of time.

It can be a challenge to take care of a move-in clean while packing and cleaning your old house or apartment. However, the time and effort will be well worth it once you get to kick your feet up and relax in your new home. And remember, if you need help with your move-in cleaning, give your local Merry Maids a call. They’re more than happy to lend a hand so that you can get settled in a little more quickly.

 

Moving in? Read Our Easy Move-In Cleaning Checklist

Start fresh in your new home by following our professional move-in cleaning checklist. Plus you’ll learn how to make your home chemical and allergen-free from the beginning, and get our top tips for preventing mess build-up in living areas and the kitchen.

Should you clean your house before moving?

Your place is brand new or freshly vacated, so it should be clean, right? Not necessarily. If the house has just been built a whole home clean is necessary to remove any remaining dust or chemical residue that comes with construction.

If you are moving into a previously occupied space, a whole house deep clean is even more crucial. Even if the move out requirements of the property include a move out clean, you can never be sure that the space was cleaned deeply to your standard.

This is particularly important for people with allergies and chemical sensitivities. You’ll want to be sure that your new home is free from any hidden dust build-ups, and if the space was cleaned, it could have been done using synthetic chemical cleaners that can aggravate allergies.The only way you can be sure that a fresh start in your new home is to your standard is to oversee the clean yourself.

How to clean a new bedroom

Cleaning bedrooms thoroughly before you move-into a new house is important as you’ll be exposed to any lingering allergens here when you sleep. As with all rooms, we would recommend working from top to bottom so you can easily keep track of what areas you have already cleaned and avoid transferring dirt to previously cleaned areas.

Pro tip: If there are multiple bedrooms in your new home, dust and clean them all and leave the floors until last. This way you can quickly move from room to room with the vacuum cleaner or mop without having to prepare your floor cleaning tools each time.

Cleaning a bathroom before you move-in

Old bathrooms can be problematic to clean if the previous tenants didn’t clean regularly. It’s a good idea to closely inspect your bathroom for mold, damp areas or damage (eg. holes in grout) before you move-in as it will be easier to address these issues while the bathroom is empty. It’s also worth remembering that conventional bathroom cleaning products tend to rely on harmful chemicals such as bleach to work. So it’s worth washing and wiping all surfaces with natural cleaners to remove toxic residues left by other cleaners.

Kitchen Cleaning in a New Home

Kitchens are sensitive rooms as the risk of exposure to toxins and irritants isn’t just by contact, but also by ingestion of things that our food is in contact with. Therefore, it is important for kitchens to be cleaned and prepared prior to daily use.

Pro-tip: After your kitchen has been washed and wiped, you should also put in preventative measures such as drawer and cupboard lining to help minimize future mess and cleaning.

Cleaning New Living and Common Areas

Thoroughly cleaning living rooms and dining rooms before bulky furniture is moved in will ensure you don’t cover up mess and leave dirt to fester.

It’s also a good idea to thoroughly clean hallways, entryways and landing areas as these can be easily forgotten. Starting with a deeply cleaned slate in common areas will help them stay clean for longer.

Cleaning Tools Needed for a Move-in Clean

Your move-in cleaning toolkit should include a HEPA vacuum cleaner; cleaning sprays for the kitchen, bathroom, glass and general surfaces; a scouring powder or concentrated cleaning liquid for tough cleaning challenges; floor cleaner; plenty of microfiber cleaning cloths (they are better than regular cloths at picking up dust and absorbing liquid); a microfiber mop; scrubbing brushes; a squeegee; and protective gear such as gloves.

To minimize risk to harmful chemicals during cleaning you should use natural cleaning products. A high-quality natural solution will work as well as (or even better than) conventional cleaners without using toxic synthetic chemicals.

Pro-tip: Baking soda is an inexpensive natural deodorizer. Have some on hand while you do your move-in clean in case you come across any smelly areas. Sprinkle baking soda over the affected area and leave it to absorb the smell while you clean or even until you move-in.

Hiring a Professional Move-in Cleaning Service

The sooner your new home is cleaned, the sooner you can Move-in and enjoy it. Hiring a professional move-in cleaning service will save you time and allow you to focus on other important tasks such as packing and paperwork.

Moving Into a New House? Do These 7 Things First

There are some things you don’t want to forget to do before moving into a new house, like giving the place a good deep clean. Here’s a cleaning checklist to help guide you through the process, plus six other vital things to do before moving in.

Moving into a new home can be daunting. You are already changing so much and parting ways with a home where many memories were made.

The fun part of moving day is thinking about what should go where. But before you unload the moving truck and start arranging furniture, there are some important move in things to check off the list first. If you forget to do any of these before unpacking, you will likely regret ffit later.

 

Here are seven things to do before moving into a new house:

*Renters: This list applies to you, too! If you’re moving into an apartment, your landlord may have some of these steps covered. It’s best to check with them to make sure!

1. Double check the place.

Once the keys are in hand, head over to your new pad and check over all the rooms. Make sure everything that was agreed upon in the sale is still accounted for once you’re the new homeowner. You will want to be sure everything you expected to be there is still in the house.

2. Change the locks.

There is no way to know how many sets of keys to your house may be floating around. Give yourself peace of mind — hire a locksmith and have a set of new keys made.

3. Give your new house a deep clean.

While your new space may have had a cleaning prior to sale, you will still want to give it a good deep cleaning so it’s up to your standards. You never know what went down there before you moved in!

Not sure what to clean?

QUICK TIP: Pack a box of essentials and deliver that first to your new home. Fill it with cleaning supplies, paper towels and toilet paper along with the other essentials you’ll need to make it through moving day (lots of snacks, a set of clean sheets so you can sleep after a long day of unpacking, etc.).

Need help? Hire a pro to get your new house ready for moving day.

If you are trying to save some time on the unpacking process and you don’t want to worry about the deep cleaning yourself, hire someone to get to the grime for you. At least hire a professional company to clean your carpets and grout. There is no telling what may be hiding in those carpeted floors, especially if the previous owners were pet people.

Also, during the moving process, furniture may have shifted and scrunched your wall to wall.   Often times a professional company can stretch and clean carpets in one visit and give you a fresh, clean floor.

4. Change the toilet seats.

This may seem like a silly one, but the toilets are probably the grimiest spot in a house. Rather than spending your time cleaning them, remove them, clean under there and replace them with a brand new seat. You will have serious peace of mind, sitting on the brand new seats, knowing your family has christened them.

5. Pest control.

Make sure you and your family are the only ones moving into your new house. Hire an exterminator to come by and check for unwanted guests, plug holes for all pests and spray to deter any future uninvited home invaders.

6. Change your air filters.

Since you can’t be sure when they were last changed and you don’t want extra dust clouding up your newly cleaned home and carpets, it’s best to just start with fresh filters. Mark the date you installed them on the filter and your calendar so you can keep track and change them regularly.

7. Safety first!

While conducting that deep clean, take some time to make sure your home is safe. While in the laundry room, vacuum out that dryer vent. As you are clearing dust from walls and ceiling fans, change the batteries in your smoke detectors. When you clean out your kitchen cabinets, find a proper place to store a fire extinguisher.