Speed-Cleaning Ideas to Get Your Home Ready for Short-Notice Guests

Quick clean guidelines

Plan your house cleaning task in advance, get all equipment and cleaning products ready and set the clock. First, declutter the entire house before you start cleaning.  Collect all the bathroom floor towels and bed linen and put them in the washing machine. Same way, load the dishes into dishwasher.  This will clear the space for you to move quickly during the cleaning process.

Now begin cleaning the rooms one by one. Don’t spend more than 10 minutes on an average in any room, even though there are exceptions. For example, your time together with guests is limited to some particular spots in the house, so spend more time there giving attention to details. These important locations can be the kitchen, lounge room, one bathroom and other areas you think the visitor may use.

Kitchen and bathroom cleaning

It’s advisable to first give your full attention onto the difficult areas that take more time to clean and make the area spic-and-span, like the bathroom and kitchen.   

Kitchen: 

Do a quick scanning of the kitchen, collect all loose items and put them in their correct place. Anything placed on the benchtop and other surfaces will go to the cabinets and refrigerator respectively. Your kitchen will look cleaner once all the clutter, including the dishes, has gone into proper place.  

First clean the sink thoroughly then wipe down the stove, microwave, and refrigerator. Walls and other hard surfaces need to be cleaned from top to bottom in order to avoid any debris dripping into already cleaned areas.  

Quick bathroom cleaning:  
Remove hair and dust by giving a quick run of the vacuum cleaner on the floor and bath mats.

Spray the shower, bath, vanity and sink with a quality cleaner, and leave it there to work for some time. 

In the mean time, you can wipe down the walls, and scrub the toilet using a brush and all purpose cleaner. Flush the toilet after brushing, and then wipe down the outside of the toilet and tank. Remember to clean under the seat and all other nooks and crannies of the toilet. Use a disinfectant spray while wiping down the toilet. 

Clean the mirror and any glass panels using glass cleaner and a squeegee. Spray the cleaner on the glass and wipe in a circular motion starting from the top corner. Give the shower and bath a quick wipe-down giving particular attention to edges and grouting. A full scrub is not required if the guests are coming within short notice.  Wipe down the vanity top and basin and also give the sink a quick wash and rinse. Lastly mop the tiles. 

Do everything swiftly, keep moving constantly once you have started the house cleaning task. Arrange the cleaning paraphernalia in such a way that you can avoid going back to rooms that you have already cleaned. This will save you time and energy running back and forth. 

Tips & Testimonials  

Marble benchtop or floor tiles can get easily stained. For removing these stains on natural stone, try cleaning them with a piece of lemon dipped in salt powder. Once the stain mark is gone, quickly clean all traces of lemon because the acid in lemon can again damage the marble surface.  

Microwave cleaning: Mix 3 table spoons of lemon juice with one and a half cup of water. Pour this lemon water into a microwave-safe bowl and run the microwave on high for 8 minutes then wipe the oven to sparkling clean.  

Use environment friendly home cleaning products which should also be kid and pet friendly. While keeping your house green using homemade cleaning products, remember one thing: there are certain cleaning ingredients that you should never mix together. 

Read all the testimonials at Select Clean website 

Here’s one from a happy customer:

Siane Ormsby wrote to us: “Just had the most amazing cleaning experience and I've been getting a bit of help from a few companies at the moment and the Hamilton crew (of Select Home Cleaning) Ray and his partner were just awesome!! They were professional, friendly, fast and left me with a huge smile and beautifully cleaned ceilings. Thank you so much, I will be recommending you to everyone I know!”

Use Natural Cleaning Products When You Do DIY Home Cleaning

Important Household Items You Should Not Clean with Vinegar

When it comes to home cleaning our precious goods and belongings, we do not like harsh chemical cleaning products. They do more harm than good. Opting for natural ingredients are not only a smart choice but economical as well. 

When it comes to home cleaning, we have vinegar stored in our kitty. It is cheap and good at cleaning stubborn stains. However, most of us are not aware of the fact that vinegar is intensely acidic in nature. Using it at home everywhere is not a wise idea. 

Given below are some of the places where you should NOT use vinegar for your home cleaning needs:

• Marble and Granite Tops- The acid in vinegar etches natural stone. If you need to get rid of a stain or mark, use a gentle liquid dish detergent with lukewarm water.
• Floor tiles made of stone- Like marble and granite countertops, using vinegar on stone tiles is not a good idea. Its acidic content will mar the appearance of your stone tiles. When you are looking for home cleaners for floors made of stone tiles, avoid vinegar, lemon and ammonia at all costs. Check the cleaning agents you buy and ensure you invest in special soaps or dish detergents formulated for cleaning stone tiles on the floor all the time.
• Egg stains or spills- When you drop or spill egg on the floor, never clean the area with vinegar. The acidic content in vinegar will coagulate the egg making it hard to remove.
• Irons- Never use vinegar to clean your iron. It will damage its internal parts. Do not pour vinegar to clean or make your iron fresh. In order to keep your irons from clogging, you should completely empty them and follow all the cleaning instructions specified by its manufacturer.
• Floors made of hardwood- There is a huge debate on whether to use vinegar on hardwood floors or not. Some users claim that it works wonders on removing stains while some say it damages the finish. We advise you to only opt for hardwood floor cleaners available in the market. They are safe. If you still wish to take a risk with vinegar, try diluting it with water and test a spot before covering the whole room.
• Stubborn marks and stains- There are some stubborn marks and stains caused by ice-cream, grass, blood etc that never can be removed with vinegar. They do not respond well to the acid in the liquid. It is prudent for you to opt for special stain or mark removers intended for ice-cream, blood, grass etc when you need to tackle with them.

Some Other Handy Cleaning Tips

Red wine stains: Wonder how to remove red wine stains on your costly carpets? You can use salt effectively to clean all traces of red wine from the carpet. Sprinkle some salt over the wine spill and wait for a few minutes. The salt will absorb the wine easily; then dust off the salt with a brush or cotton cloth.

Pet hair: While you can't prevent the hair from sticking to surfaces, you can minimise the amount. Brush your pets regularly with a good grooming tool and catch shedding hair. You can also use rubber gloves to remove pet hair. Wear wet gloves and run your hands over the surface of the furniture and also on the floors to easily pick up the fallen pet hairs.

Call Professional Home Cleaners for Better Result

For very stubborn marks, stains and dirt, we are here to help you get great results. We are a professional cleaning company having services at Hamilton, Wellington Tauranga, Auckland and Christchurch. 

Bank on us for getting a clean and fresh home at affordable rates. Our cleaners are trained experts and have the experience to tackle any small or big home cleaning task with dedication. So, if you are looking for daily, weekly or monthly home cleaners, feel free to email us or call us now on 0800 000 907.

Don't Forget to Clean Some of These Dirtiest Places in Your Home!

There are areas in your house that you never suspected hoard bacteria, dirt, allergens and nasty germs. Find out those places and items that pose easy hiding place for things that could be making you sick. 

In the Kitchen

Sponges

Large colonies of bacteria grow in the sponges you use in your kitchen. Antibacterial sponges and dish soaps can reduce the bacteria growth to a certain extent; however, you need to disinfect the sponges on a weekly basis. You may do this either by microwaving the sponges for two to three minutes or by putting it in a bleach solution for 5 minutes.

Kitchen Buttons, Knobs, and Handles

Disinfect frequently used kitchen surfaces such as counters, buttons, and knobs, handles etc. with the help of antibacterial wipes before and after preparing a meal, especially when preparing raw meat or unwashed produce. This is to reduce the bacteria level in the kitchen.

Cutting Boards

There are different opinions among scientists regarding bacteria presence in wooden or plastic cutting boards. When there are more cutting marks on a plastic cutting board, it’ll accommodate more bacteria. And wooden boards are said to be easy hiding place for bacteria. So, whether you use wooden or plastic cutting boards, it’s safe to clean them regularly, and also replace them as and when required.

Your Beloved Coffee Maker Hoards Germs

For cleaning mould particles and bacteria from the coffee maker, make a mixture of equal parts of water and white vinegar and run the liquid through the machine. Repeat it on a monthly schedule to keep your coffee drinks double healthy. While cleaning the coffee maker, run the machine with the above said cleaner and switch it off for one hour after about half of the mixture has run through it. Next switch it on till the complete cleaning mixture comes out. Finally clean thoroughly with pure water to remove all traces of vinegar.

In the Bedroom

Pillows & Sheets

Pillows can become breeding ground for harmful fungus growth, dust mites and bacteria if they are not properly maintained. Effectively laundering the bedding and using anti-allergen pillow covers can solve the problem.

Spray down the stained areas on the bed sheet and pillowcases with a solution of vinegar and water. Then wash them in hot water wash cycle to completely disinfect them.

In the Bathroom

Bath Mat & Floors

Bathroom floors and mats are mostly contaminated with harmful bacteria and other disease causing germs.  Launder bath mats on the highest heat cycle at least once every week, and clean the floors with quality disinfectant.  

Laundry Basket

Always give proper attention to your laundry bag. There’s every chance that it’ll be dirty with grime from cloths and bedding. Make sure that you wash the laundry basket also along with dirty clothes. Keep a separate bag for clean clothes so as to keep that bag fresh and neat.

Eye Makeup and Toothbrush

A recent study says around 40% of mascara tubes they tested has been found infected with allergens within just three months of use. So, it’s advisable to change your eye makeup every season.

Another unsuspected item hoarding germs is your toothbrush! Scientists again warn that if you’re keeping your toothbrush uncovered and near to the toilet bowl, then it can get contaminated when flushing the toilet.

Importance of Hiring Home Cleaning Specialists 

Expert hands know which spots in your house need the maximum attention. Go for the most preferred professional home cleaning service in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch. When you hire Select Cleaning service, we ensure that the work is completed by local, dedicated owner operators who bring everything they need to complete the job. Call us now on 0800 000 907 for a free quote!

Easy Tips to Keep Your Home Sparkling Clean & Germ Free

Kitchen Cabinet Goo & Gunk Remover

A lot of grime and grease get collected on your kitchen cabinets as time goes by. Here’s a magic solution to make your kitchen cabinets shine like new. Take one part vegetable oil and two parts baking soda and mix together using a spoon. This will form a thick paste and apply it onto the dirty spots, especially near the handles. Scrub the area with a toothbrush to get the gunk out of the cabinets!

Always remember to wipe out the cabinets as soon as spills and drips occur. This will reduce the formation of thick layers of dirt.

Dishwasher Cleaner

Make sure that the dishwasher is empty, then pour one cup of distilled white vinegar into the dishwasher and run a heavy clean cycle. Now sprinkle one cup baking soda in the bottom of the dishwasher and let it stay on overnight.

Next day morning, run an empty cycle to remove leftover food, grease, and soap scum. During cold season pour ¼ cup of bleach to the normal dish cycle to prevent bacterial infection.

A damp sponge sprinkled with baking soda can be used to wipe around the edges of the dishwasher. Do this on a weekly basis to clean all food particles and stain on the machine.

DIY Shower Head Cleaning

The idea is to soak your shower head using vinegar for about 15 to 30 minutes. Take a plastic bag (which will just fit over your showerhead) and fill it partway with equal parts of distilled white vinegar and water. Now wrap the polythene bag around the showerhead so that it is dipped fully in the vinegar. Ensure to tie a piece of string tightly around the plastic bag and the shower pipe so that it won’t fall off.

Take the bag off after 30 minutes and scrub the shower head with a toothbrush. Turn the water on and again clean with the old toothbrush.

How to Clean Shower Door Tracks

White vinegar can remove all traces of mould and mildew on tile grout. When handling vinegar, it’s advisable to wear cleaning gloves to prevent your skin absorbing the vinegar.

Spray the white vinegar on paper towels and lay them along the shower door tracks. After 30 minutes, you can remove the paper towels. Now use an old tooth brush to clean the loose grime.

Make a weekly and monthly cleaning schedule for your shower door and the door tracks respectively. And avoid soap scum build up by giving the shower door a quick wipe down after every shower.

Homemade Drain Cleaner

A mixture of baking soda and vinegar can perfectly clean the drains. First, pour two cups of boiling water down the drain after removing all water from the sink or tub. Now pour one cup of baking soda down the drain followed by a mix of one cup of white vinegar and one cup of hot water right on top and plug the drain immediately.

DIY Mattress Cleaner

Mix half cup baking soda with 12 to 15 drops of essential oils. Now spray it over the bed and rub the mixture into the bed. Leave it for one hour for the mixture to work on the dirt, residue and stains. Lastly, clean the mattress with a vacuum cleaner to remove all traces of baking soda and dirt. Now enjoy a good night’s sleep.

It’s also recommended to flip the mattress every six months to extend its life and prevent sagging.

Homemade Carpet Cleaner

Add one tablespoon of dish soap (that doesn’t contain bleach) to four litres of hot water. Then add one and a half tablespoons of distilled white vinegar and a quarter cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Your carpet cleaner is ready. To get a lovely fragrance on your carpets, you may add five to six drops of lemon essential oil to the carpet cleaning mixture.

This carpet cleaner will also work well for cleaning your mattresses.

Always keep in mind that these DIY techniques and easy tips are for assisting you with normal house cleaning chores. However, for removing stubborn stains and ensuring perfect cleaning, you should consult a licensed home cleaning company to work around your schedule for weekly/fortnightly home cleaning or one-off house cleaning.