Concern on Cleaning Industry Standard and Some Quick Home Cleaning Tips

Recent figures released by NZQA show that cleaners in New Zealand have been getting inadequate training for a long time. Out of the estimated 30,000 people employed in the cleaning sector across New Zealand, a very low percentage of cleaners had received an NZQA qualification suitable for undertaking a commercial cleaning job, including following basic levels of infection control precautions, the NZQA release said.

Actually there needs to be a National Standard for the home cleaning sector and the $1 billion commercial cleaning industry.Poor standards of cleaning affect New Zealand businesses as well as individual residences. People are falling sick because of unhygienic cleaning procedures.

We can assure you that SelectCleaning invests time and money to ensure their home cleaners have clear-cut knowledge about various surfaces such as wooden, stone, ceramic etc. They have been appropriately trained in the “SelectCleaning way” to ensure consistent high-quality cleaning. Naturally, they know the best cleaning method to be adopted professionally for all areas in your home and they do it in the most hygienic and efficient manner conforming to all quality standards.

The Select Cleaning home cleaners are chosen after conducting proper selection processes and security checks to ensure that they are honest and capable of undertaking your cleaning in a professional manner. Additionally, they are not just normal cleaners, but they are SelectCleaning Franchisee owners who really care about the quality they provide.

How to clean your house pretty fast

Allot a small amount of time each day to keep your home looking and smelling fresh. Knowing some quick cleaning tips will go a long way in accomplishing this and it will also save you hours of cleaning on the weekends or when a guest arrives with short notice.

Here are some easy cleaning tips, which will soon become a habit, if you practise them regularly:

First of all switch on some music when you do the cleaning. It’ll give inspiration and energy to do the task without boring you.  

Bedroom - ensure to make your bed each morning, and tidy up clothes and other items on the floorrather than creating piles of clutter accumulating each day.  It may take only a few minutes to do them, but will make a world of difference in your daily life.

Toilet & Bathroom – clean the toilet every few days so it won’t accumulate much dirt. Apply disposable wipes on the surfaces, including the toilet seat and handle, and use an effectivebowl cleaner.

It’s ideal to clean the bathroom everyday as you use it. For example, do a quick wipe on the bench and sink after brushing the teeth. Don’t forget to quickly sweep the floor after washing your hair.

Kitchen – never allow your kitchen to become a storehouse of dirty dishes. Here also follow the clean after use procedure. Wash or stack dirty dishes in the dishwasher immediately after everybody finishes eating. Also give a quick wipe on benchtops and tabletops after each meal. Similarly, remember to clean the stove top and sink regularly after cooking.

Weekly and fortnightly cleaning schedule - Vacuuming, dusting, and mopping the floor can be done on a weekly basis without fail. If you do it sincerely every week, it won’t take more than 30 minutes to complete the whole thing.

And strictly follow these fortnightly cleaning tasks too: wipe down the windows and mirrors. Wash commonly used surfaces such as door handles, remotes and the bin. Allot sufficient time for cleaning your refrigerator properly to wipe out all germs.

Call a SelectCleaning Franchisee owner today on 0800 000 907. Currently they service Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch.

Housekeeping Tips- How Often Should You Clean That?

  

Experts say an average household harbours more bacteria than a public garbage bin. A study related to home cleaning and hygiene said that over two hundred thousand or more bacteria could be found every 2.5 square centimetres of a floor carpet. A thing of concern, isn’t it? It is thus clear that if you don't regularly steam your floors, it’ll affect the health of your family members.

Robin Wilson, an interior designer who specialises in allergy-free homes, remarked that indoor air quality could be eight to 10 times worse than outdoor air quality. She suggested that people should at least clean their drapes and let air inside regularly if they don't clean the flooring at required intervals.

Microwave cleaning

Many of us think that the restroom in office is the storehouse of germs. However, a new study clarifies that highest percentage of harmful bacteria and dirt are present where employees prepare and eat food, not the restroom! Another such misconception is about microwave which people consider as the cleanest spot- and it turns out most are wrong after analysts examined the microwave.  

So, clean the microwave thoroughly considering the experts’ opinion. Wipe it down every week, ensuring that you also give it a deep cleaning twice a month.

Bathtub

Researchers in the home cleaning and maintenance sector have not given clean chit to bathtub too. In fact, the studies found skin infection-causing bacteria in 26% of baths tested, where as it’s just 6% with respect to garbage bins. So keep it in mind that the bathtub is more harmful than the trash – must clean it at least once in a week.  

Bed linen & bath towels

New lab tests suggest that your bed linen isn't as dirty and contaminated with germs as you may think. Euan Tovey, head of the Allergen Research Group at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, found out that you don't get as much exposure to dust mites in bed as the specialists once thought. Recommended cleaning for your bed linens is every one to two weeks; ensure you do it in hot water.

Bath towels are to be properly washed after three uses to remove dead skin cells, specialists opined. And for hand towels, wash them once in 3 or 4 days.

Refrigerator

Give your refrigerator a professional cleaning every month as hygienists revealed that the presence of bacteria in the salad drawers is about 750 times more than the safe level.  

Computer accessories

Do you believe that the computer keyboards hold five times the bacteria content found on a toilet seat? People often take lunch at their desk, making computer keyboards a haven for harmful micro-organisms.  The thing to worry here is that these keyboards normally get neglected during normal home cleaning routine.

Expert home cleaners in Auckland recommend that you clean the keyboard every week. Clean the mouse and the desk too along with the keyboard.

Mattress & pillows

Mattresses need to be cleaned every two months to reduce allergens in your bedroom. First clean any spills or other stains on the mattress. After the spot cleaning, add five drops of essential oil into baking soda and sprinkle it on the mattress evenly using a sifter. Let it stay there for half an hour or more to absorb odour and all traces of moisture.

Similarly, wash the pillows once in 3 months. Also remember to change the pillows at least every three years, and if you’re allergic they need to be replaced even on six months’ intervals.

Every person valuing health and hygiene in the home environment should give due importance to better cleaning practices. Professional cleaning by a reputed home cleaner in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Christchurch or Wellington will go a long way toward keeping germs and allergens at bay.

The Need for Creating a Workable Home Cleaning Schedule

A research about people’s housekeeping behaviour published recently said only one in three persons has a set home cleaning schedule. The rest, that is around 62%, admit that they do the house cleaning chores as and when they find time.  In the survey, about 42% said they want to do it as fast as possible because they always have other important commitments to attend to.

Today everybody leads a busy life and it naturally gets in the way of house cleaning routines too. More people thus attempt the cleaning task when they have time rather than pre-planning in advance. Also, several people now depend on a professional home cleaning service to do it most efficiently. Oven cleaning, toilet cleaning and window cleaning are normally outsourced.

A whopping 67% of people who attended the survey said cleaning the oven is the thing they disliked most. Around 47% ticked toilet cleaning and 41% stood against window cleaning as their top dislikes among house cleaning tasks.

We know that the word cleaning makes you feel a bit nervous. Try to make monthly, weekly and daily house cleaning schedules and you’ll see that it becomes little bit easier and sensible that way. 

Make a list of cleaning chores that need to fall on your daily house cleaning checklist. Making beds, managing the dishwasher, washing & ironing the clothes, bathroom cleaning etc., - say anything that could get out of control if ignored on a daily basis, should be on your daily house cleaning list.

Dusting and vacuuming the living rooms, thorough cleaning of the countertops in the kitchen and may be removing unwanted items from the refrigerator etc. can fill up the weekly cleaning schedule. Then for the monthly cleaning tasks, include closets, pantries, the fridge, laundry rooms, guest rooms and garages etc.

Economic growth hints good prospect for the cleaning industry

Westpac’s Acting Chief Economist Michael Gordon said a couple of months back that the New Zealand economy is something of a sweet spot so far this year. His introduction to the bank’s latest Quarterly Economic Overview states: “The economy has been growing at a steady pace for some time, and a strong pipeline of building work and an improvement in dairy prices will help to keep that momentum going.”

Economic experts at Westpac are hopeful that annual GDP growth will reach 3% over the next couple of years. They attribute this high growth rate to a wave of building work progresses and higher dairy prices providing the much needed relief to rural regions.

The above growth rate is also confirmed by Euromonitor international’s home care in New Zealand report published in April, 2017. It says a housing boom is expected to drive growth this year. It clarifies that home care is expected to positively benefit from the expected increase in new build houses, especially in the Auckland region, as well as the continuing strong overall population growth rate of two percent.  In accordance with this population growth and building construction growth, laundry care and home cleaning sectors will be witnessing overall growth.

Ask the Select Clean experts what cleaning schedule you should follow to maintain proper order in your home. With a bit of home organization and know-how, you can prevent the daily cleaning chore piling up.  Scheduling the house cleaning task and dividing it among family members is a great idea to work together and finish the work fast.  Call the home cleaner professionals at times and on special occasions so that any mistakes in your cleaning technique will be compensated and your house will sparkle again.

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!”

House Cleaning Made Easy- Useful Cleaning Tips and Motivation Factors

Does it look like you’re about to have a problem with home cleaning? Consider the situation when both yourself and your partner are employed but the cleaning stuff becomes particularly your job most of the time!

Once both of you are earning money, you can easily adjust your budget for taking the services of a home cleaning company. There are affordable and quality home cleaners in New Zealand who will do the weekly or fortnightly cleaning for you in addition to specialised cleaning such as Summer Cleaning, Spring Cleaning, and Oven Cleaning etc. This way you can take rest or go for an outing during the weekends and holidays.

After a heavy workweek, the very thought of cleaning the house will spoil your mood. Consider this scenario where you go for a picnic on the weekend and come back home to see the entire house neatly cleaned and shining! And it’s cost effective too with Select Home Cleaning!! You can give the keys to one of their friendly owner operators who’ll treat your house as his/her own.

Some of the cleaning services done by Select Home Cleaning, NZ are-

• Vacuuming the floors.
• Dusting all surfaces.
• Spot cleaning the marks around doorknobs and switchboards.
• Washing all the hard floors such as wood & stone.
• Cleaning the kitchen sink, countertop, dining area etc.
• Bathrooms & toilets cleaning done perfectly.
• Cleaning done inside the fridge, ovens etc.

Here are some important home cleaning tips you can rely on-

Make an all purpose cleaner by mixing 1/3 cup vinegar, 2/3 cup water, and 15 drops of tea tree oil. Use this cleaning solution and a soft cloth to clean every item in your living room such as remotes, TV stand, TV screen, glass surfaces, mirrors, showcase, etc.  Wash the cloth piece and do the same for wiping down dining table, windows etc.

Prepare another solution with 2 tablespoons of dish-wash soap, 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol, and one cup of water. Pour sufficient cleaner to another cloth piece and do the cleaning in the kitchen- the countertops, fridge, stove burners, microwave oven, dustbin surface, kitchen sink, water taps &knobs, and the entire work areas in the kitchen can be cleaned of dust, stains and dirt.    

Sprinkle some baking soda over upholstery items after removing the covers. After half an hour vacuum the sofa sets and other items and see the stunning cleaning effect. Do this every week and your upholstery will remain clean and hygienic as baking soda is a powerful natural cleaner.

For cleaning tile floors made of ceramic, vinyl or natural stone, never use a straw broom because it can scratch the floor; instead use a fluffy dust mop or vacuum to sweep the tiles. Daily vacuuming and weekly cleaning with warm water will keep your hard floor surfaces in good shape.

Spills are to be immediately cleaned. Suppose there is a cooking oil spill on the kitchen floor, do the following- apply some absorbent material like baking soda or corn starch over the oil spill and wait for 10 minutes. Now use a paper towel or similar material to clean the absorbent material which has soaked up the oil. Once it’s done, wipe the floor with bread slices to completely remove the oil traces. Finally mop the floor with warm water and dish liquid.

The professionals at Select Home Cleaning can guide you in case you have some cleaning issues at home. Get their home cleaners’ contact details in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Tauranga, Waikato & Franklin and the rest of New Zealand.  

Select Home Cleaning- 15 Minutes Summer Bathroom Cleaning Tips

Click this link to see full images: https://youtu.be/HNrWKCigB2o

A clean and fresh smelling bathroom is a joy to all. It is vital for you to clean your bathroom on a regular basis to ensure there are no germs and bad odour. 

The following are some 15 minutes summer speed cleaning tips for your bathroom that will help you to keep it free from stains, and smelling fresh all day long:

• Grab a garbage bag- Start your bathroom cleaning routine with a garbage bag. You can grab unwanted things and dump them in the bag. In fact, why only your bathroom, keeping garbage bags handy at the beginning of your home cleaning routine helps you take care of the trash for every room you clean!
• Flush and rinse - Take bleach and good bathroom cleaning products available in the market. Apply them to the surfaces of your toilet, basin etc. Allow the cleaning agents to sit for some time. This will make them absorb the dirt and stains. Next take a bathroom brush and rub the surfaces. Flush and rinse well.
• Get the shine- The last thing you want is that sparkling shine that catches your eye the moment you enter the bathroom. This shine can be achieved by taking water and vinegar in equal parts. You should take a micro-fibre towel and apply the solution onto it. Wipe away the drips of soap and toothpaste splatters on mirrors, countertops, sink etc. If you wish to impress your family members and guests, you can take this solution in a spray bottle and clean shower doors for the extra shine.                           
• Collect the dirt- Now it is time for you to flip over the vinegar and water soaked cloth and clean the dusty toilet tank and other areas usually untouched. Once you are done, toss the dirty wipe into the garbage bag and move on.
• Replace towels- Get the used towels off the rack and dump them into the laundry bag for washing. Replace them with fresh and dry towels.
• Ready for exit- Now, you have the last job- the floor! Shake out the bath mat or rug. This will fluff it up and give it a vacuumed look. Before you make your exit, take a power towel and start wiping the corners of the bathroom where dust and hair collect. Your cleaning is complete- do not forget to take the garbage bag with you when you leave!

Thus, if you want to clean your bathroom this summer in 15 minutes, the above tips will work for you. However, if you are still very busy and do not have the energy or the inclination to clean the bathrooms, trust proficient house cleaners like Select Home Cleaning in New Zealand to do the job for you. Their cleaning professionals are trained, police checked and passionate about cleaning your home at reasonable prices. 

You can contact Select Home Cleaning via mail or phone with your requirements. They clean homes on a daily, weekly and monthly schedule depending upon your personal needs. For a no-obligation free quote, contact them any time on 0800 000 907 or visit Select Cleaning Website. Also watch this YouTube video to know more about home cleaning procedures.

Opt for Only Safe Home Cleaning Services in New Zealand for Your Bathroom Cleaning

Cleaning your bathroom becomes a problem when it gets too dirty. If you check the market, you will find most of the ingredients contained in regular cleaning products are too harsh for your bathroom walls, grout and countertop. They do clean the bathroom but they damage the area. Often you need to repair them or even replace them with the passage of time.                 

There are some areas of the bathroom that are challenging to clean. Many homeowners have to resort to using a toothbrush to clean the crannies and the nooks of tiles. This needs a lot of elbow grease and can result in backache. There are accidental slips and falls that could lead to injuries. All the above things can be averted with just one simple step. If you are a responsible homeowner and looking for safe bathroom cleaning, you should opt for professional bathroom cleaning services to do the task for you.

Get a Germ-Free and Sanitised Bathroom

It is important for you to have a germ free and hygienic bathroom. We tend to spend 70 percent of our lives at home. If we do not take care of our home and especially our bathroom, we invite germs and disease to hit the family members. There are harmful bacteria, fleas, pollen, dust mites and viruses that are lurking everywhere. They lay eggs everywhere and require special cleaning methods for complete removal that only specialist home cleaners can do. You cannot obtain good results with normal cleaning. It is important for you to use professional cleaning procedures with the help of suitable products for the task. If you have elderly family members and small children at home, you should opt for proper bathroom cleaning methods to prevent your dear ones from falling ill frequently.

Professional house cleaners such as Select Cleaning use special bathroom cleaning equipment to take care of the tough cleaning needs. They know different surface types and the efficient way to clean those using appropriate products. The home cleaning products should be environment friendly and at the same time have the ability to kill dust mites, fleas and their eggs on contact. Dander and allergens can also be instantly removed. This is safe for family members in your home that have asthma or poor immune systems. The dirt removal is deep down and people who have babies can really benefit with these sophisticated cleaning methods.

Rinse Deep Dirt from Sinks

Sinks can be cleaned with the aid of water vapour machines. These units extract the dirt faster. This procedure is also used for cleaning bathroom grout and improving the quality of air indoors. When you call professional cleaning companies for taking care of your home cleaning needs, they also disinfect the whole bathroom and sanitise the area. This means you get safe cleaning done quicker. 

When you are looking for safe bathroom cleaners for your home, you should opt for professional and affordable home cleaning services like Select Home Cleaning in New Zealand. The house cleaners here are police checked and trained in the latest training technologies to ensure your bathroom is safely cleaned. They provide both weekly and monthly cleaning service packages for your home. In order to contact these skilled and friendly bathroom cleaning professionals, please visit Select Cleaning or call them on  0800 000 907.