Professional Home Cleaning Reduces the Health Risk of Mould

A briefing paper for the Canterbury District Health Board, said: “The housing environment (in New Zealand) is a key setting with impacts on human health. Housing factors which contribute significantly to health outcomes include temperature, humidity and ventilation, overcrowding, affordability and fuel poverty.” 

The paper further said that direct effects of cold homes on health included excess mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory disease amongst the elderly, increased respiratory problems in children, increased illnesses such as colds and flu, mental health problems and the exacerbation of conditions such as arthritis. 

Humidity level in your house is thus a decisive factor on human health. High humidity reduces indoor temperatures during winter, paving way for cold home conditions which adversely affect your health. The saturation of moisture content causes dampness, which leads to the over growth of mould and dust mites in your homes.

How to get rid of mould

Mould will grow in often neglected places such as wardrobes, under carpets, behind curtains and furniture in humid conditions. A quality home cleaning service will check these problematic areas and remove all traces of mould and mildew during the cleaning process. However, when you clean your home yourself, it is highly likely that you may overlook such matters.

Here’s a DIY method to kill visible mould: Apply methylated spirits (denatured alcohol) to the affected area, and let it remain there for half an hour. Repeat this process once more and see that signs of the mould have disappeared.  Finally, wipe the area with a clean cloth to completely remove mould spores. Throw away the cloth after use to prevent any leftover mould spores growing back.

Lemons and green home cleaning

Lemons can be used as a good natural cleaning substance, which will also leave your house smelling fresh. The citric acid in lemon makes it a strong disinfectant. It has also low pH and antibacterial properties. Harsh and toxic chemicals in many cleaning products will have negative effects on your health, so it’s good to resort to natural cleaners.

Stove cleaning: Stove gets dirty if you don’t clean it regularly. Take a lemon piece and rub it over the stove surface; then sprinkle some baking soda and using a soft sponge, begin to scrub. When hard stains are loosened, wipe the surface with a cotton cloth to get perfect clean.

Microwave cleaning: Take half cup of water into a microwave-safe bowl. Mix it with the juice of half of a lemon.  Place the bowl in the microwave and heat it for 3 minutes or until it boils. Now, let the boiled lemon water stay in the microwave for five to 10 minutes to kill all the bacteria and remove bad smell. The vapours will help to loosen up stubborn stains and any food particles stuck in the oven. Now open the microwave door and clean it with a damp cloth.

Residential cleaning

Till recently, the demand for house and apartment-cleaning services was most popular with people of higher than average wealth looking for a little more free time – especially in two-income households. Market research conducted a few years before said that married couples with college degrees, 45 years old or older, always depend on reputed home cleaning service in New Zealand.

However, the latest trend shows that people of all walks of life are inclined to avoid the cleaning chores in their daily routine because everybody can now afford reliable house cleaning services in New Zealand.

Select Home Cleaning provides professional home cleaning service in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch - dependable and affordable award winning home cleaning by fully trained owner operators. Call a home cleaner now on 0800 000 907 for a cleaning job or for a free quote on house cleaning.

Useful Housekeeping Tips for Busy Moms and Dads

Keep your bathroom & toilet germ free

Following some clever and easy cleaning techniques can restrict the spread of germs and avoid mould and mildew growing in the bathroom area.

Always close the toilet lid before flushing in order to prevent germs spreading onto other surfaces. It’s highly likely that your toothbrush and other personal items may get contaminated when germs are likely to splash onto them if toilet is flushed with open lid.    

While cleaning the toilet, also give particular attention to the toilet handle, toilet seat, taps, and door handles, which have large colonies of harmful bacteria and can easily spread the germs as these surfaces are frequently touched. If you have kept your showerheads out of use for some time and want to use it now, remember there can be large accumulation of germs there. Flush all the germs out by running the shower on full power with hot water.

Prevention of the growth of mould and mildew: bathroom surfaces are to be kept dry and the room well-ventilated. Any water leaks are to be immediately attended to.

Not carpets, but hard flooring like wood or stone is advised for bathrooms because of easiness to clean. Carpets also have a tendency to collect debris and encourage mould growth when wet.

Use of eucalyptus oil in home cleaning

Eucalyptus oil is an ideal natural freshener and also a cleaning agent (due to disinfectant and antiseptic properties) for your kitchen, bathroom and toilet. It can also be used for cleaning hard surface floors. The Eucalyptus oil helps to easily remove grease and stains from bathroom and toilet. As such it’s environment friendly too.

The oil can also be effectively used for mildewed wardrobes, stinking shoes, and smoky rooms (for clearing stale smoke fumes).

How to manage home cleaning with kids

It’s advisable to give a weekly cleaning chart to kids and thus their cleaning chores can be scheduled. It will make them more responsible kids and help to develop self confidence and habit of cleanliness in their young minds. For this you’ll have to decide which jobs children can do, and allot one or two jobs to each kid. Before proceeding you need to teach them how to do it for the first time.

Always praise the kids for their little contribution in helping you to clean the home. This will encourage them and slowly they’ll start doing the chores perfectly.

Necessity of hiring a home cleaning service

Everyone knows it’s very difficult to find some free time in today’s busy world. The time constraint of everyday life mostly affects home cleaning and maintenance. Hiring a house cleaning service is the best option to maintain cleanliness and home organisation.

A professional home cleaner is trained to do his/her job and uses the best equipment and products so the quality of work will always be better than what a homeowner does. Once you pick up a habit of hiring a home cleaner, there is no need to worry about hygiene and health issues. However if you don’t call cleaners, there are chances that your bathrooms may be left dirty and microwave soiled and germ affected for several days. 

Hiring a home cleaner means you’ll have sufficient free time to look after your kids and enjoy the life, unwinding the pressures of office job.

The first thing you want to do after coming home may be to kick back and relax, but the reality is that you’ll have to address a messy house. Attending to dirty dishes in the sink and smelly laundry everywhere will drain all your energy.

Get the peace of mind and relaxation you truly deserve in life by appointing a home cleaner in New Zealand to do general or schedule cleaning and other specialised tasks such as bathroom cleaning, oven cleaning, refrigerator cleaning etc.

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.

Home Maintenance Checklist – Get Your Home Ready for Winter

Two important home maintenance tasks you must do in the first year of buying a home are given below:

1. Recaulk your windows: 

Experts assert that 80% of winter heat loss occurs because of cracks and air leak near windows and doors.  A clean solution for this is to seal the spaces around windows with caulk and thereby preventing the heat loss. While caulking the windows, ensure that you have the right caulk and the good quality one with proper joint movement capability so that the sealing is efficient and lasting without cracking or peeling. 

Check the caulking around your windows at the end of every summer and recaulk the windows if necessary.

2. Check furnace and HVAC filters after you move in: 

Another thing that wastes energy and costs you more money is the existence of clogged filters which make heating and cooling systems run less efficiently. Remove the filters from the system and if found dark and dirty, replace them. Do this filter replacing every year. This will also help removal of any trapped pollutants and allergens.

Home maintenance checklist for winter

The adage, ‘prevention is better than cure’ is applicable for home cleaning also. If you take up the home maintenance works on time, costly damage and emergency repairs down the line can be avoided. Here is a home checklist of maintenance projects, advising which tasks are to be undertaken in the winter season. This will help you to monitor and complete all the maintenance tasks before the harsh weather peeps in.

• Clean the carpets
• Clean the garage, and oil garage door tracks
• Clean garbage disposal
• Test carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, and replace batteries yearly or as needed
• Check fire extinguisher
• Remove lint from dryer exhaust vent
• Check exhaust ducts are clear of debris
• Clean kitchen exhaust hood and filter
• Check sinks and toilets for leaks; remove showerheads and clean sediment
• Inspect hoses on dishwasher and washing machine for leaks.

How to tackle home dampness and mould problems

Houses in New Zealand need to be properly maintained to reduce moisture in your home and avoid dampness related problems.

Winter is coming, and people living in cold, damp and mouldy homes will have more health issues.  Dampness and the presence of mould can impact on our health as they can cause or aggravate respiratory infections, asthma and rheumatic fever. 

“Insulation, moisture levels and decent curtains are the three things people should focus on to stay warm and dry over winter”, NZ Herald quoted Auckland council eco-design adviser Adrian Feasey as saying.

A 2015 nationwide survey of Kiwi homes by the Building Research Association of NZ (BRANZ), showed that rental properties compared to owner-occupied homes are about twice as likely to be rated ''poorly maintained''.

Homeowners should ensure that proper insulation is maintained in the walls, ceilings and under floors throughout the winter. Winter cleaning by a professional home cleaner before the start of the seasonal change will go a great way in maintaining the room temperature at the safe limit of 18C. A reputed house cleaning company will be able to point out general issues affecting proper sealing of your house.

Select Clean Home Maintenance Tips and Property News for Aspiring Homeowners

Housing crisis in Wellington and Auckland

According to latest residential property news, new housing developments in Wellington have been lagging behind population growth and demand. The city is facing a shortage of at least 3590 dwellings as per official records.

In their efforts to solve Wellington's looming housing crisis, Mayor Justin Lester and deputy Paul Eagle announced a couple of months back that 750 units of social and affordable homes would be built in Wellington to avoid an Auckland-style housing crisis.

Wellington Mayor also declared a $5k rates discount for first-home and apartment builders. So, aspiring home/apartment owners can cash in on this discount in pricing.

Meanwhile, global investment bank Goldman Sachs said New Zealand’s housing market has a 40% chance of going bust in the next two years. It further said the housing market here is the most over-valued amongst the G-10 group of developed economies.

DIY home hacks ideas for busy homeowners

Did you know that binder clip can be used to make the following day-to-day activities more efficiently?

• Phone & Cellphone Stand
• Cellphone Stand Charger
• Watching Movie Phone Stand
• Pen Pencil Stand
• Bind Cable and Charger
• Organizing Cable
• Knitting
• Put Cloth Irony
• Cleaning Bar Management
• Tight Seal Food Bags
• Toothpaste Surrender
• Managing Money, Car keys & Cards
• Safely Razor Packing
• Securely Put Earphone

Watch a video to know how the above things are made with binder clips.

Simple and clever way to remove clothing wrinkles

You can remove wrinkles in your clothes by steaming them in the shower.

While you're showering, hang up wrinkled clothing from the shower rod. Ensure you close the doors and windows so the steam won’t escape. While you shower and do other bathroom routine activities, the wrinkles will be automatically gone from your garments. It won’t take more than 10 or 15 minutes for the steam to straighten the wrinkles.

If you have little more time and patience, here is another way of removing tiny wrinkles from clothes. While you boil water for the morning tea, hold the spout of the steaming kettle near the wrinkled area on the garment. Ensure you keep it at safe distance (say 12 inches) to avoid scorching the fabric. The advantage here is that the wrinkles are subjected to concentrated steam to get better result. The method of removing wrinkles while showering may cause your bathroom mirror fogging up. So, need not to worry about foggy bathroom mirrors with the teapot method.   

Stained TV Screens?

Make your TV screens and computer monitors stain and dust free by cleaning them with a coffee filter. All traces of grime, dust, dirt and fingerprints build up will be removed and the screens will sparkle again.

Seasonal Home Maintenance Chores

As a responsible homeowner, you need to make up your mind regarding the works you will be able to do yourself and the ones those are to be done by a home cleaning company. If you try to attempt the tasks that are to be performed by skilled personnel, it may run for some time, but you may end up with costly repairs later on. Summer and winter cleaning are important as they involve the beginning of your prime cooling and heating season respectively. Your home’s envelope and infrastructure need to be inspected and improved during these seasonal changes and only experienced home cleaners can manage it properly.    

The above points have been stated as per our vast experience in the home cleaning industry. Working for Select Clean, we have witnessed people paying extra power bills because of bad sealing, and then facing costly repairs due to moisture and leaks affecting the infrastructure of the building. Get a free home cleaning quote today from the most trusted cleaners in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton and Tauranga.

Hygiene Matters, Green Cleaning Concept, and More

How to maintain effective hand hygiene 

Know when to wash your hands – it’s not just before and after food, or when your hands are visibly dirty.  

Wash your hands properly before and/or after the following:

• Preparing the food
• Going to the toilet or changing a nappy
• Blowing your nose, sneeze or cough
• Handling pets or other animals
• Attending the sick
• Visiting a hospital or clinic.

World Health Organization experts say we need to dedicate about 30 seconds to thoroughly wash the hands, whereas normally we do it in 11 seconds.

Follow the steps below to properly wash your hands:

• Wet your hands and use sufficient soap and water to wash the hands.
• Rub the soap in the palms, back of your hands, fingers and the webbing between fingers.
• Rub with closed fingers of right hand in left palm and vice versa. Also do this for the back of the hands and fingers.
• While washing, ensure to clean fingernails and fingertips.
• Alcohol-based hand rubs can be used if soap and water are not available.

Cleanliness @ garbage disposal

Your garbage disposal needs degreasing and thorough cleaning because of the existence of harmful germs.

Use vinegar ice cubes to do this cleaning task. Pour a cupful of vinegar into the ice-cube tray and fill the rest with water. Put the tray in the freezer and take out when the mixture of vinegar and water become solid. Use these vinegar ice cubes to clean and freshen the garbage disposal.


Home cleaning FAQs

When you call a home cleaning service, you’ll have questions like: are the cleaners police checked, and are they adequately trained?

Answer from Select Clean:

To guarantee your peace of mind, and eliminate any concerns you may have regarding both the safety of your possessions and the respect of your privacy, our cleaners have all been through an intensive selection process and security check to ensure they are honest and reliable.

The SelectClean home cleaners are Franchisee owners who own their business, and so honestly care about the quality they deliver and are professionally trained to carry out all house cleaning activities using latest equipment and products.

Green cleaning concept and Select Clean

Green cleaning is “a marketplace phenomenon that is being driven by customer demand and the overall trending of the broad marketplace for environmentally preferable products and services”, according to the Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association.

Home owners as well as business owners these days are aware of the harmful effect of chemicals used in the cleaning products, and cleaning services that use non-toxic supplies and processes are becoming their favourites.  

The Select Cleaning professionals are very much conscious about these issues. They take steps to reduce the negative impact on our environment from petrochemicals and solvents. However, unlike some other service providers, they don't pretend to be perfect.  The Select Cleaners do their best by reviewing procedures and choosing the most appropriate products.

Select Clean render their meritorious service at Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch. Visit Website for detailed info, or call them on 0800 000 907 for a free home cleaning quote. 

Brilliant Cleaning and Maintenance Tips for Every Homeowner

Clogged and smelly kitchen sinks?

Sprinkle a cup of baking soda down the sink plug hole at night.  In the morning, heat a cup of white vinegar in the microwave and pour it down on top of the baking soda. The chemical reaction will loosen up any grimy sludge settled at the bottom of the drain and jolt it all loose. Finally, flush the drain with boiling water which will ensure unclogging perfectly.

The added advantage here is that the hot vinegar will deodorise the microwave also in addition to your sink.

Check your dishwasher, isn't it dirty?

Add one-quarter cup white vinegar into the bottom of the dishwasher and run a full wash cycle. Now you’ll see that all stains and dirt have gone. 

Did you know that dishwashers can also be used to clean stove vents, plastic cutting boards etc.? Place these special items carefully in the dishwasher and run a full cycle along with other dishes to get amazing result. It will remove stubborn stains and scum from the cutting board to make it as good as new.

Blocked shower heads?

This method allows you to clean the shower head without removing it from the pipe attachment. Pour a mixture of 1/3 cup baking soda and one-cup white vinegar in a plastic bag big enough to cover the shower head. Now tie the bag to the shower pipe with a tape, rubber band, or plastic thread etc. Ensure that the shower head is fully dipped in vinegar and no liquid is leaking. Let it remain like that overnight. Next day, remove the plastic bag carefully without spilling the liquid. You’ll be happy to see that all blocked holes are clear now.

Tired of trying to clean lime scale off the toilet bowl?

We know that one of the most dreaded household tasks is cleaning the toilet. But wait! Try using coke. 

Pour a cup or two of coke into the toilet bowl, and also around the rim of the bowl. Leave it to soak overnight and the acids will slowly loosen the built-up stains. In the morning, flush and lightly brush and see the difference. The dreaded job has turned out to be a simple one.

You may also use a pumice stone to clean and remove toilet bowl rings. It’s easy to use and won’t make any scratches provided the stone and the bowl are wet.  It works perfectly and gives good result.

Dirty Pans and pots

No more worries about burnt pans. Pour half a cup of vinegar to your pan and boil it to loosen the sticky burnt stuff. Now it’ll be easy to remove the stains completely by rubbing with baking soda with the help of a sponge. After removing all residues, just scour the pan normally.

Cut a piece of raw potato. Take some salt powder and sprinkle it in the pan/pot. Now take the potato piece and strongly rub the pot with salt. Then wash away the salt powder and dirt, and dry it with paper towels. Add some oil at the bottom of the pan and spread it to make a thin film of oil in the pot. Heat the pot in low temperature for half an hour to let the oil soak into the pan.

Stained Coffee mugs and discoloured old dishes

Immaterial of how thoroughly you clean, there will always be some traces of coffee and tea stains in your mugs. Remove those stubborn stains by scrubbing them with a lemon peel dipped in salt.

Clean those discoloured old dishes you kept aside in your kitchen cupboards, using a mixture of baking soda and water. You’ll be stunned to see the dishes sparkling again.  

Avail professional help from Select Cleaning

These handy home cleaning and maintenance tips are published for the benefit of our esteemed customers. Learn these simple tips to make your house cleaning easier and efficient. Call Select Clean whenever you feel the need for professional home cleaning.