Pre-Christmas Cleaning Ideas for Every Household

A deep cleaning of your kitchen by yourself or a professional cleaner is a must to make sure everything is neat and tidy for the additional load of special dishes for Christmas. This is also a matter of pride to show your sense of cleanliness and smart housekeeping routine in front of your guests.

Vacuum or sweep kitchen floors daily and make sure to remove the spills and stains straight away to maintain the overall cleanliness gained by professional cleaning.

Now let’s concentrate on individual areas needing more attention- Today we’ll talk about cleaning and maintenance of kitchen cabinets.

Guide to Kitchen Cabinets Cleaning

Kitchen cabinets are exposed to dirt, bacteria and grime on a regular basis. Your cabinets become greasy primarily because of the condensation that takes place from the temperature outside, the grease accumulated from cooking and your children touching the cabinets with dirty hands. It is important for you to clean them at least weekly, if you cannot do so daily.

Kitchen cabinets come in different types. For cleaning kitchen cabinets, use lukewarm water, a diluted all-purpose kitchen cleaner and a good scrubber. However, first check the surface of your kitchen cabinet so that its surface is not affected. Given below are some guidelines on how to clean kitchen cabinets that are painted and made of wood or metal.

Painted Cabinets: Painted kitchen cabinets are more durable over wooden ones. However, they need some intense scrubbing. You may use the products described above, but ensure you buy the right scrubber so that the finish of your cupboard is not spoiled. If you have grease and very deep stains, use baking soda and water. It is best to stick to lukewarm water and always use a non-abrasive scrubber. When cleaning a painted kitchen cabinet, ensure you rub the service very gently. Intense scrubbing will result in scratches.               

Wooden Cabinets: The easiest way to neatly clean wooden cabinets is to use an oil-soap wood cleaner. Many such cleaners can be purchased relatively cheap from your local hardware store. On the other hand, you could clean your wooden cabinets using everyday materials you already have at home- you may use laundry detergent, baking soda and vinegar for this purpose. Ensure you do a cleaning check on a small spot before going over the whole cabinet to ensure the finish is not spoiled. Also ensure you do not over wet the surface of the wooden cabinet as this will spoil its finish. Baking soda is the best for removing stubborn stains; use it with water to perfectly clean sunscreen grease marks off the wooden cabinets.

Metal Cabinets: Kitchen cabinets made of metal are the easiest for you to clean. However, when you are cleaning metal kitchen cabinets, it is important for you not to use baking soda. Like wooden cabinets, you should not make the cabinet too wet. The dampness will lead to rust on its surface.

If you are too busy and cannot clean kitchen cabinets at home, you may call home cleaning experts to do the job for you. They provide daily, weekly and monthly services. You may choose a home cleaning service provider that is affordable, licensed and professional.

Select Home Cleaning – Expert Home Cleaners Just a Call Away!

We provide affordable and professional services at Hamilton, Wellington Tauranga, Auckland and Christchurch. We help you clean your home or office daily, weekly or monthly or for Christmas and other special occasions. Our cleaners are background checked and have years of valuable home cleaning experience. Visit our website to know more. You may also call us for a free quote.

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!

Pre and Post Party Home Cleaning Ideas for Stress-Free Christmas Revelry

Well, the Christmas holidays are on the doorstep. Now, with our experience as a reputed house cleaning service in New Zealand and Australia, we know the last minute frantic calls from customers regarding home cleaning before and after Christmas parties.

Getting appointment of an affordable home cleaning company in New Zealand possibly with a seasonal discount for prior booking is perhaps the best option to celebrate Christmas tension-free. It doesn’t matter if you’re receiving guests/neighbours, or hosting a family party.

However, if you have decided to manage it yourself, here are a few home cleaning and organising tips for the season. You can be proud to have a clean, organised house during pre and post Christmas parties, if you pay attention to these tips. They are suggestions for how to stay in control of your housework during the holiday season.

Welcome the holidays with peace of mind. Ensure that you have all the cleaning materials in your home stock got replenished to handle the chunks of dirt, spills and grease, particularly on the kitchen floor that are peculiar to Christmas time!

Festival Cleaning Tips: Get Organised Ahead of Time

A thorough clean up before guests arrive for Christmas celebrations will make you relaxed and you can enjoy the festivities as everyone else. For this, you’ll have to decide whether you’ll do the cleaning yourself or call a professional home cleaner.

Cleaning of shower screen: 

Mixed with white vinegar and a little elbow grease, and turned into a paste baking soda will act as a good cleaning agent. Apply the paste onto the shower screen and let it stay there for a few minutes then rinse off. Dry the screen with a glass cloth.

Keeping a checklist is the easiest way to ensure that you don’t miss any vital clean up. It also helps you to be confident and well organised.

Checklist for Christmas Cleaning

1. Ensure that your oven is cleaned and functioning properly.

Take two glass of water in a bowl and heat it in the oven maintaining around 200 degree C. The steam will soften the grime and dirt. Now switch off the oven and wait for it to cool. Take a damp cloth and sprinkle some baking soda and rock salt crystals into it and scrub the oven interiors. After about two hours, clean the oven with warm water and dry the interiors using a microfiber cloth. 

2. You’ll be using some dishes, glassware, and cutlery set aside for the special occasion- so it’s time to take them out and give a nice clean.

3. To clean your non-fragile Christmas ornaments, use the vacuum cleaner with an old pair of stockings placed over its nozzle. But for the fragile ornaments, never use vacuum cleaner, instead dust them with a toothbrush or soft paintbrush.

4. Use antibacterial wipes to clean up dirty footprints, accidental spills etc. which kill almost 99% bacteria.

5. Wash your glassware in hot soapy water to get sparkling clean glasses.  

6. After the Christmas celebration, it’s necessary to keep your home and the premises clean and clutter free. When removing and packing the decorations, clothes and other holiday items, think of donating the ones you no longer require. 

7. If you are energetic and confident of a home cleaning routine after Christmas, nice; go ahead. You can still take help from family members to make an easy transition back to your normal cleaning routine. However, everybody will be exhausted and you may find it quite tedious to clean all those spills and clutter.

A reliable and affordable home cleaner will be the ideal person to help you out in this difficult situation managing the home cleaning task when Christmas comes to an end.

Easy Toilet Cleaning and Mould Removal Tips for Every Homeowner

There are lots of different methods to clean your toilet. Adopt the one that suits your interests and style.

Vinegar Toilet Cleaner

Take a quarter cup of white vinegar and pour it into the toilet bowl. Ensure that you are wearing gloves while doing it. Allow the vinegar to soften the stains for around 20 minutes. Then clean the toilet with a toilet brush and flush.

If you want total disinfection, then use chlorine bleach instead of vinegar. Another option is to use ¼ cup of Borax to clean the toilet. After scrubbing around the borax in the bowl, let it sit for at least half an hour before flushing.

Hard water scale on the toilet bowl can be removed using Oxalic acid. Sprinkle Oxalic acid powder or flakes into the toilet bowl. It’ll create a foam and interact with water scales and the dirt and stains around the spot. The chemistry here is that the alkaline hard water scales interact with the acid and get absorbed.  

Another Interesting Way to Clean the Toilet

You may be hearing it first time, but it’s a fact that Coca-Cola Coke can be used to clean your toilet. The mild phosphoric acid ingredient in the drink is very effective to remove hard water stains and other dirt. Pour the Coca-Cola in to the toilet bowl and let it rest there for an hour or so and then scrub with a toilet brush and flush to get a clean toilet!

Caution

Be cautious when you mix things that contain chemicals. There can be a problem with poisonous fumes! So, if you're going to mix things together for making a cleaner, ensure that it is safe. Uric acid consists of ammonia, and bleach has chlorine. When we mix them, it becomes ammonium chloride and it is toxic! So avoid pouring bleach into an unflushed toilet. We should always flush the toilet before using any of the above said tips. It’s also applicable for commercial cleaners!   

Cleaning and Decorating the Walls

The dirty walls can be cleaned with a mixture of lavender oil and water. Add five teaspoons of lavender oil into about five litres of water. Mix well and take the liquid as needed in a spray bottle and start lightly misting over the wall. Now scrub the dirt away using a pair of pantyhose.

 The walls can be decorated with the help of colourful fabric on canvases. As you know canvases are cheap, so it is an affordable method. Just cover the canvas with foam padding, and layer the fabric over the canvas and staple it down. You can get fabric off-cuts from most fabric stores; also try second-hand stores where it’ll be cheaper.

No More Worries About Slugs and Snails

Here’s a way to kill them, without creating a fuss:

Snails can be trapped by pouring beer into halved, hollowed out oranges and placing it where the snails appear. They love beer and get into the beer pool kept in the orange and eventually drown.For getting domestic bliss, and a clean, tidy and elegant house, you need to have the time, knowledge, and family support or the organisational skills. If you lack the above, then a reputed home cleaning service in New Zealand only can help you to have peace of mind.

Mould Removal

Moisture is the main cause of mould development in your house. A leaky roof, broken pipes, blocked drain, and water from a flood, all can cause excess moisture. Air drying of clothes indoors and using appliances such as stoves, washing machines and dishwashers with no exhaust systems and poor temperature control (causing condensation) are other causes of moisture generation.

Regular vacuuming and dusting can reduce mould formation because organic matter such as dust or dead skin cells promotes mould growth.

If you can reduce moisture in the house, especially in the kitchen and bathroom areas, you can prevent almost 90% chances of mould occurrence. This way you can avoid the use of expensive mould removal products.

First step is to vacuum up the mould if you have a vacuum cleaner equipped with appropriate filters.  Make sure not to spread the mould spores into other areas.

Second step is to apply diluted vinegar (80% vinegar and 20% water) at the affected surfaces. Clean the area using a microfiber cloth dipped in the liquid.  Cleaning with vinegar may sometimes leave streaks on surfaces – you can remove this discolouration by cleaning the area with bleach.

The Role of Professional Home Cleaners

However, if the mould attack is severe, and you noticed it late, it’s better to call house cleaning experts for professionally removing the mould. Otherwise serious health issues can arise such as hypersensitivity or allergic reactions, and asthma and flu-like symptoms.

Same thing is applicable for bathroom and toilet cleaning also. If you don't have the time and patience to do effective toilet cleaning, it's better to hire a home cleaning service in New Zealand for hygienic reasons.