The Importance of Having a Clean Home

A recent survey that interviewed 500 New Zealanders says 46% people actively avoid cleaning the toilet, while 21% would rather have dinner with their in-laws than doing the toilet cleaning task.

Now listen carefully, about 50% of the people participated in the survey said they used to judge friends on the state of their toilet, and over half of the interviewees said they would rather hold on than using a dirty toilet, even at friends houses.

Now you know the importance of keeping your bathroom and toilets clean- it’s not only a matter of hygiene, but a social issue too.

The survey also found out that 86% of New Zealanders actually do a quick house cleaning before guests arrive. This shows that the Kiwis are still a house proud bunch giving due importance to cleanliness.

How to Avoid the Dust Menace and Allergy

Researchers have clarified that household dust contains harmful chemicals that can cause serious health hazards to your family members, such as cancer, developmental problems in babies, and, lung diseases and fertility issues in adults etc.

So, dust really isn't just a minor problem that we spend all week trying to put off. Here’s how to rid your home of these nasty chemicals and keep your family as healthy as you can.

Vacuum floors regularly, and ensure to wash your hands with plain soap and water. Cleaning the surfaces and furniture with a wet mop and dusting with a damp microfiber cloth will allow the dust to stick to the mop or cloth, rather than flying away and settling elsewhere.

At home, always try to use natural cleaning products as much as possible and avoid spraying poisons to kill unwanted insects and lawn weeds, and putting bleach down the toilet. This way we can keep the environment safe and healthy too.

How to Clean a Laminate Floor

Clean laminate flooring dry with a good quality microfiber mop- it shouldn't be wet-washed very often. At times when you wet wash laminate flooring, use only white vinegar or ammonia; avoid detergents, abrasives and wax-based products. Use doormats - longer mats inside and outside - and stick to shoes-outside policy.

Keeping Your House Clean with Pets

If you have two or more pets, it’s good to call a home cleaning service at least once in a month to do the heavy duty cleaning, taking into consideration the issues of fur, dirt, paw print, scratched sofa, dog drool, etc.

If you want you may also go with more pet-friendly upholstery, fewer rugs and less stuff generally on which pet hair can collect. Use a vacuum cleaner specifically designed to be powerful enough to deal with pet hair.

Help your dog do some outdoor activities and exercise, so it’ll not give you much trouble indoors like chewing your furniture or scratching the upholstery etc.  Also try giving the dog chewable alternatives such as a Kong chew toy stuffed with treats, when you leave it alone, so it’ll spare your furniture! And don’t forget to keep your coffee tables clear lest there are chances that the pets may knock over glasses and delicate objects.

Laundry Cleaning

Are you worried that some of your family members wanted unscented cleaners, but usually these cleaning products don't get odours out perfectly?

There is a way to keep things smelling fresh but not overpowered by artificial scents. Add one cup of white vinegar, which acts as an odour eliminator and a natural fabric softener, in the rinse cycle while doing laundry. This way you can eliminate any lingering smell of perfumes, but at the same time maintain proper cleaning standards.

Too tired or busy to clean your house? Call Select Home Cleaning Company today to get a professional heavy-duty specialised cleaning. Visit SelectCleaning website and check out what makes them much sought after home cleaners in New Zealand and Australia.

Some Useful Cleaning Tips Every Homeowner Should Know

You too can have a life of clean and ordered bliss at your home. Make a note of the following tips to clean your home efficiently.

Brilliant Bathroom Surface Cleaning

Take 1 2/3 cups baking-soda and mix it with 1/2 cup liquid soap in a bowl. Add half a cup of water to dilute the mixture and pour 2 tablespoons white vinegar also into the bowl. Stir the mixture well with a fork to form a fine solution. Transfer the liquid from the bowl to a spray bottle. Close the bottle with its cap and shake well before use. Now spray the liquid as necessary on the bathroom surfaces and scrub with a nylon-backed sponge. Once the stains, soap scum and mildew have been dissolved, rinse the area with water and see a sparkling bathroom.

You can also use ammonia for cleaning the yellowing white tiles (discoloration caused due to wax build up) on the walls of the bathroom. Use a mixture of 1 cup ammonia added into 2 litres of water. Scrub the tiles with a scouring pad till all the traces of wax are removed and finally rinse with water.

The problem with cleaning shower tiles that have lots of nooks and crannies is that some of the cleaning solution often stays stuck there. You can easily manage this situation using a toothbrush to scrub those little nooks as needed.

How to Keep Clean Your Fridges/Freezers

Get your fridge sparkling clean and smelling fresh with a solution of equal parts of water and white vinegar to wash both its interior and exterior. Another option is to try cleaning the refrigerator with a mixture of two tablespoons of baking soda and a quart of warm water. Did you know that white toothpaste can be used to clean deep stains in your fridge?

The plastic handles on the refrigerator are used frequently and sometimes they turn yellow. Try using a baking-soda paste to re-whiten the handle.

Quick Benchtop Cleaning

Sprinkle some baking-soda onto the bench top surface and rub with a damp cloth to bring back the sine and sheen.

For Burnt Black Marks on Your Iron

Scrub the mark firmly with a baking-soda paste to remove the black stuff.  You can also try to get rid of the black patches of burnt cloth fibre and dirt on your iron by scrubbing it with white vinegar and a Dobie Pad.

The baking-soda paste also can be used to slough off stains on your plastic cutting boards. Try this method also: Sprinkle rock salt on a cut lemon and rub it on the stubborn stains. 

Make a paste using two tablespoons of salt and one teaspoon of white distilled vinegar and use it for scrubbing your chrome sink to get that extra shine. 

How to Clean Mirrors and Glass Windows

Mix one part vinegar and one part water in 16-ounce squirt bottle. Add 2 teaspoons each of corn starch and rubbing alcohol into the bottle along with 8 drops of citrus oil. Close the bottle with cap. Shake it thoroughly and squirt on mirrors and windows, and scrub with old newspapers.  You are sure to get a good shine.

Tricks for Removing Dried Nail Polish from Carpet

Look for a product that is acetone free nail polish remover to dissolve and lift off the polish stain from your carpet. Apply the polish remover on to the affected area and dab at the stain with clean paper towels. That should do it for you.

The vinegar magic mentioned for fridges can be applied to clean your carpets too! Take a mixture of 2 tablespoons salt dissolved in half cup white vinegar and apply it on light stains on the carpet. You need to add 2 tablespoons borax to the mixture if the stain is deep and darker. Wait for some time for the solution to dry, and then vacuum the carpet.

Visit Select Cleaning blog or Website to keep in touch with latest house cleaning techniques. For a scheduled cleaning, you can always rely on their professional home cleaners. Get a free quote now, Phone:0800 000 907. 

How to Keep Your Home More Organized and Germ-Free

When taking the services of a home cleaning company, ensure that their cleaners are insured and they provide all cleaning supplies and equipment necessary for the job. A good idea is to ask the company whether their home cleaners are vetted and customer recommended.

The secret to happiness: Not having to clean your house thoroughly will remove a lot of stress in your life and also will free up a lot of time for you!

Tips for Mopping Timber Floors

Timber flooring is very appealing, but you’ll have to take extra care to maintain it in good shape. Avoid the use of hot water on wood floors, and wipe out all traces of water after cleaning. Wet patches will stain the wood and can even result in expanded and warped boards.

Mats are to be placed at outside and inside of exterior doors to avoid dirt and germs entering your home. If you don’t remove the shoes at the doorstep, the tracked-in dirt could spoil a wood floor's finish.

Put floor protectors under furniture and rugs in children’s play areas to avoid getting marks and scratches on the wood floor. While vacuuming, give utmost care to prevent scratches- use only floor-brush attachment to the vacuum cleaner, not the beater bar attachment. Ensure that you are using the correct mop and mopping technique while cleaning timber floors.

One should understand that the weekly dust mopping won’t remove the stubborn dirt, pet stains, oil, and grime build up and scratch marks on a wooden flooring. For this, take the services of a professional home cleaning company which uses appropriate cleaning products. Trying to clean a very dirty wooden floor yourself with the help of DIY tips using sandpaper, steel wool, or harsh chemicals will result in permanent damage to the soft finish.

Removing Germs from Your Kitchen

Make it a point to keep your kitchen tables and countertops clutter free. When cooking raw meat and fish, avoid using cloth towels as they hold more germs- keep disposable towels handy. After preparing meat and fish, it’s advisable to disinfect your kitchen sink to prevent the growth of germs and harmful bacteria.  Keep the knives, spoons and plates dry so as to avoid mould growth. 

Kitchen floor is another vulnerable spot easily infected by large colonies of germs, so daily cleaning is a must. Make use of an antibacterial and disposable mopping system to make your kitchen floors sparkling without germs. 

Lastly, clean all the surfaces in the kitchen and dispose of food leftovers after the meals. Wash the dishes or put them in the dishwasher. Once all areas including stovetop are cleaned, clean and disinfect the sink and faucet. Remember to regularly clean the sponges if you use them in the kitchen. 

Organising Your Bedroom 

Every day morning one should make the bed, and declutter the bedroom. Put away dirty clothes, and ensure that reading materials, glasses, dishes, toys, etc. go to their proper places. 

If you have sufficient time and the mood to clean the bedroom yourself rather than calling a professional cleaner, then do the following on a weekly basis: 

Dust the dressers, vanities, nightstand, picture frames, armours and chests; sweep and clean the floor- or if carpets and rugs are there, vacuum them. 

And on a monthly basis, you can do the following to keep the bedroom neat and tidy: 

Remove the curtains and wash them. Rotate and flip the mattress to prevent sagging in the areas mostly used while sleeping – for this, rotate the mattress 90 degrees and then raise it on its edge, and lower the mattress over so that the other side comes upward.  Don’t forget to vacuum underneath the bed and open the windows and doors to allow all the dust and dirty air out. 

Select Cleaning Company provides a consistent high-quality clean - regular inside cleaning of homes in New Zealand and Australia. Read more about their cost effective home cleaning by clicking HERE. Punctuality and professionalism in house cleaning are very important to them. Their cleaners always show up on time and pay great attention to detail.

How to Freshen Up Your Home This Spring?

It’s that time of the year again: Have you booked your Spring Cleaning?!

We survived yet another winter and now looking forward for a warmer weather and beautiful spring blooms. We should bring this bright and awesome feeling of spring in the nature into our doorstep and our interiors too!

The Importance of Professional Home Cleaners

As springtime is around the corner, many people are overwhelmed about having to clean their houses from top to bottom.

It’s been reported that over 50% of New Zealand families feel stressed for time, so the cleaning duties are often put on the back burner. However, you can’t do that to spring cleaning!

We know it is stressful and exhausting job to remove all the dust and dirt of the last season accumulated overtime from every nook and corner of the house. Better to go for custom spring cleaning packages that perfectly suits your needs and budget, but always remember never to rely on cheap, low quality home cleaners!

Every house needs cleaning and maintenance to keep it in good shape, but often small problems are neglected until they turn into big ones. Even though we’re spending an average of two hours on house cleaning chores every single day, our homes don’t look that dazzling!

It takes a little effort to bring spring in even after your home is professionally cleaned. The following tips will help you to give your home a complete seasonal refresh.

Bring In Fresh Air and Kick Dust and Germs Out

Soft surfaces such as pillows, carpets and rugs, blankets, mattresses, upholstery and drapes are also to be thoroughly cleaned as part of the spring cleaning task. Dust, allergens, dust mites, dander, and other unsavoury bits and pieces get accumulated in those surfaces, creating trouble for allergy and asthma sufferers.  

Make sure that the carpet cleaning company you employ removes deep down dirt and allergens. Rugs, pillow cases, duvets and drapes should be given to a professional dry cleaner and cleaned once a year to keep your house odour and allergen free.

Turn off the heating system and open up your blinds and windows on a warm spring day and enjoy the freshness and vitality of the spring. A little fresh air can remove the build-up of stale created due to the windows being shut up during the winter months.

Swap Out Wintry Decor and Linens

Ensure that all winter woollies and boots etc. are neatly packed away. If it’s noticed that you no longer use some clothes because they are out of fashion or worn out, then put it in the donation pile. Don’t keep on storing garments that you won’t be wearing anymore! Categorise your clothes into donation, throw away, and pack away so as to keep your wardrobe well organised.  

Now is the time for putting some fresh and elegant new bed-linen in place of heavy blankets. New sheets are apt for heralding spring as they smell great and also look great. And introduce some brightly hued clothes and accessories too to have the feeling of welcoming the wonderful colours of spring. 

It’s recommended that you get your home professionally cleaned every spring - don't allow any dust, steaks, or smears spoil the beautiful feeling of spring visiting your home!

Bring in Some Plants and Blooms

Once the professionals have given a great spring clean to your home, next step is to energise it with gorgeous indoor plants. Also put a bunch of freshly cut blooms next to your bed, and change it daily because spring is all about flowers and freshness- enjoy every minute of it in style!

The SelectCleaning team can deliver a consistent high-quality home clean, including spring cleaning, at a cost effective price. That’s because they won’t be supplying just a normal house cleaner, they’ll supply you with a SelectCleaning Franchisee owner – and that makes all the difference! Call now for a free quote:0800 000 907.