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Cleaning

How to keep your home office clean

Covid-19 has many of us working from home to stop the spread of the pandemic. Although it can be exciting to design your home office, it is also essential to understand the importance of cleanliness when deciding the layout. A clean home office is vital to ensure you and your family stay healthy and for your peace of mind. One of the most important areas in your office is your desk. You might assume that it is clean because you are the only one touching it, but if you have a family, this area can become a way to transmit viruses. The following checklist will help you make sure that your desk and home office is as clean as possible.

Source: TidyMe

Home office DIY cleaning checklist

Hiring home cleaning services when you work from home is one way to maintain a high standard of hygiene during these times. However, if you do not have one, here are some cleaning home office ideas to get you started.

One of the first things that you should do is to assemble your DIY cleaning tool kit. Commercial cleaning products are designed to eliminate viruses, but they are not always available. This list offers some natural solutions that you might already have in your pantry. Here is a list of some things that you might want to include.

Dry Products

  • Baking Soda
  • Bucket
  • Duster and dusting cloth
  • Lint Roller
  • Mop
  • Salt
  • Scrubbing sponges
  • Rags and microfibre cloths
  • Vacuum

Wet Products

  • Antibacterial wet wipes
  • Commercial disinfect products for surfaces
  • Lemon juice
  • Vinegar

How to make your own natural all-purpose cleaner

You might have noticed the list contain some ingredients that can be easily found around the home. These are great if you would like to avoid using harsh chemicals around your home. Below are two different recipes for an all-purpose cleaner you can try out at home:

Ingredients for all-purpose cleaner #1

  • Vinegar
  • Water
  • Lemon

Instructions: Mix together 1-part vinegar, 1 part water and lemon to boost your natural cleaning agent. Pour into a spray bottle for ease of use. Note: Avoid using this cleaning solution on granite as it may etch your stone.

Ingredients for all-purpose cleaner #2

  • ½ cup detergent
  • ½ cup vinegar
  • 4 cups of hot water
  • 4 teaspoon borax
  • 8 drops of essential oil

Instructions: Mix together all the ingredients until combined. Once the water has cooled down, pour the liquid into a spray bottle to start cleaning.

How to deep clean your home office space

A clean home office design is the key to making house cleaning and office cleaning easier. Everything should be arranged in a way that it is easy to wipe down quickly. This is true whether you hire house cleaning services, or you will do it yourself.

Source: Compose Visuals

One thing that you need to be aware of is that there is a difference between regular cleaning, deep cleaning and disinfecting. Cleaning means removing dirt and dust from surfaces. Organisms, like viruses, can land on dust particles and travel throughout other areas of the house. Deep cleaning is a more thorough version of cleaning. For your home office, this may mean emptying your drawers and cleaning inside them or cleaning behind your furniture.

Disinfecting involves using products that destroy viruses and bacteria. All three types of cleaning are necessary to remove viruses from the home because dirt and dust give organisms many more places to hide. Here are a few tips for antiviral sanitation of your home office if you plan to do it yourself.

Keep your electronics dust-free

Your keyboard and monitor can be kept dust-free by using a microfibre cloth. You should never use wet wipes or products that are not designed for computer monitors because it can remove the protective coating. You should also never use a wet wipe on your keyboard because the liquid can get into the keys and damage it. Using a brush attachment on a vacuum can help you get dust from the cracks and crevices of your keyboard. This will also help to preserve its life span, too.

Tips for cleaning your keyboard – You can purchase an air duster bottle to blow out dust, dirt and crumbs that are stuck deep in your keyboard.

Regularly clean your desk with spray

It is recommended that you wipe down your desk with a spray that kills viruses at least once a day. If you are sick, or someone in your household is sick, it might be a good idea to do it more than once a day. Keeping your desk clutter-free will make the job easier.

Vacuum or sweep under your desk

You should vacuum or sweep under your desk at least twice a week to keep it clean. This is particularly important if you eat at your desk as crumbs and food scraps can fall to the ground.

High traffic areas

It is a good idea to vacuum or mop high traffic areas at least once a day. Viruses can get picked up on shoes and transported into the house where they can travel to other areas of the home. This will at least reduce them and minimise their travel. It might be a good idea to mop your entrance every time someone comes in from the outside.

Tips for keeping your floor clean – Avoid wearing shoes inside your home and opt for comfy slippers to keep your feet warm indoors.

Lamp and dusting bulbs

Do not forget to dust your lamps and lightbulbs at least once a week. You also might want to disinfect light pulls and switches once a day too. These are items that are touched by many people every day, and they are an area that we often overlook when cleaning.

Keeping wires tidy

Keeping your wires tidy with cable ties or other organisers helps you keep them dust free and makes them easier to clean regularly.

Ways to disinfect your desk

In a 2018 study, it was found that desks are an area that harbours a large number of pathogens, even more than a toilet. Professional cleaning companies will often give a quick disinfecting wipe of items on the desk, but many will not move excess paper and clutter to do it. You should have a place for your files and papers that are off your desk. At the end of the day, it is a good idea to wipe the items down with wet wipes. Here is a list of things to be sure not to miss when cleaning your desk:

  • Clean under desk protector pad
  • Clipboards
  • Desk drawer pulls
  • Filing cabinets
  • Headphones and headsets
  • Message boards
  • Pens and pen holders
  • Phone
  • Printer and FAX (especially the keypad)
  • Wi-Fi routers and equipment

Supporting & hiring local cleaners

As you can see, home cleaning to control pathogens is more complicated and time-consuming than regular cleaning. Hiring a professional cleaning service might be the best way to make sure that everything is done on a regular basis. You can also hire a professional cleaner to tackle the cleaning for the rest of your home.

There are environmentally cleaning services that use green cleaning products for regular disinfect cleaning and experience in residential cleaning. Here a few tips to help reduce the spread of coronavirus when interacting with your home cleaning professional.

  • Keep your distance – When communicating, make sure that you keep the recommended distance from others.
  • Use email – Use email to transmit cleaning lists and instructions when possible.
  • Masks and glove – Make sure that your cleaners wear masks and gloves for both your protection and theirs. Leaving around hand sanitiser and soap is also a good idea.
  • Notify your whereabouts – Try and stay in one section of your home, while your cleaner is cleaning the rest of your house.

Contact local cleaners

Other things around your home to deep clean & disinfect

The focus of this article is on keeping your home office clean, but since your home office is part of your home, keeping the entire home and its surroundings clean is very important. Here are some other items that need disinfecting to prevent viruses from entering your home.

Car

Even though you should be avoiding leaving your home during this time, you need to be cautious about bringing the virus home with you and only grocery shop and run errands that are absolutely essential. Your car is one way that viruses could make their way into your home.

It might be a good idea to give the steering wheel, hand brake, and any other surfaces that you touch a good wipe down whenever you get into your car. Keep some hand sanitiser with you to clean your hands before touching your wheel. When you must go out, it is essential that you keep your car clean, too. Here are some areas of your car not to miss.

  • Carpet and seats (especially if you have pets or small children)
  • Dust between air vents
  • Indicators and buttons
  • Steering wheel and hand brake
  • Wipe off the dash and doors

Mobile phone

One of the dirtiest items that we own is our phones. We are constantly putting it down on dirty surfaces and then picking it up and putting it next to our face. Others pick it up when we show them something, and it is often passed around from person to person. You should use a special product made for cleaning phone screens. Just like your computer monitor, cleaning your phone with a regular wet wipe can remove the protective coating. It is a good idea to clean it several times a day, and as soon as someone else picks it up as possible.

Yourself

Keeping yourself clean is another essential factor. You need to keep your distance from others, wash your hands frequently, and develop an awareness of cleanliness of yourself and others. Staying home during coronavirus is essential. Keep an eye out for announcements from the government to learn more about how you can prevent exposure to Covid-19.

Categories
Cleaning

Homemade & natural cleaning products

More and more these days we are looking for safe, yet effective, natural cleaning products. With so many chemicals and harsh pollutants in the things we consume on a daily basis, this shift towards natural products makes sense. Here are our top tips for which natural cleaning products are best for particular kinds of stains.

Baking soda

Baking Soda is a natural compound commonly found in the corner of your pantry and an effective natural cleaning ingredient. The fine powder can be used to scrub your bathroom and kitchen floors. When combined with vinegar, it also does wonders in clearing drains. Baking soda is a natural carpet cleaner. Sprinkle it onto your carpet for 15-20 minutes and then vacuum. Try adding a few drops of lavender or eucalyptus essential oil to baking soda to create a carpet deodoriser.

Lemons

Lemons are amazing natural cleaning products, fresh and aromatic and great at combatting household bacteria. Lemons are the perfect addition for any bathroom spray, BBQ degreaser or odour eliminator.You can also combine 1 cup oil with ½ cup lemon juice and apply it to furniture to dissolve dirt and grime. In the kitchen, deodorise your chopping boards by cleaning them with lemon juice or freshen up your dishwasher by positioning slices of lemon on the rack.

Salt

Common salt, or sodium chloride, is a fantastic natural cleaning product that can be used in the form of a scrub, paste or solution. A saltwater solution can help to brighten coloured curtains or faded rugs, while a mix of salt, lemon and water is great for rubbing rust off surfaces.

Women with yellow rubber gloves cleaning a surface
Source: Js Bond Cleaning

Vinegar

Vinegar is an acetic acid that comes in a variety of forms –apple cider, palm vinegar and white distilled vinegar will probably sound familiar. When combined with water, vinegar is an effective window cleaner and can also be used to prevent mould from building up in the bathroom and can help soften fabrics. Have something specific you’d like to get rid of using natural cleaning products? Here are our top natural stain removers for everyday stains.

Tea bags

Not just a drink for the soul, tea holds plenty of cleaning properties including for wooden surfaces. Revitalise the appearance of your wooden furniture by immersing a cloth in cooled tea. Remove excess tea-water from the cloth and allow it to sit on the surface momentarily before wiping the area to reveal a polished look.

Essential oils

Instead of opting for store-bought air freshener, use the natural fragrance essential oils to invigorate the scent of your abode. By creating your own mixture from scratch, you give your home a personality of its own  that’s different from the familiar smell of commercial brands. Try mixing a few drops of tea tree, eucalyptus and lemon with half a cup of water in a spray bottle to freshen the air.

Natural grease stain remover

Natural Detergent: Rub the stain with detergent as a pre-wash and then chuck it into the washing machine.

Talcum powder: Sprinkle some powder on the stain and let it sit overnight. Simply brush off in the morning and wash as usual.

Hairspray: Spray some hairspray on the stain then wash as normal. Simple as that!

Sugar: To avoid getting grease on clothing after you’ve been fiddling with your bike or car, wash your hands with a mix of soap and sugar as this dissolves the grease.

Natural red wine stain remover

Salt (clothing): It is important to treat the stain ASAP as it becomes more difficult when it dries. Blot the area with a dry cloth soaking up as much wine as possible. Then sprinkle salt onto it and let it sit for 2-3 minutes. Rinse under cold water while rubbing the stain between your fingers. Repeat until it disappears. 

Water, soap and vinegar (carpet): Firstly blot the area using a clean paper towel. Then using a clean towel dipped in a vinegar/water/detergent solution – 1 tablespoon detergent, 1 tablespoon vinegar and 2 cups of warm water, clean the area until the stain disappears.

Contact local cleaning experts

Natural grass stain remover

Toothpaste: Using a wet toothbrush rub a small amount of toothpaste (paste variety not gel) onto the stain until it disappears. Then wash the clothes normally.

Natural stain remover for clothes

Depending on the type of stain there are a number of ways to approach the problem.

Ink: Use rubbing alcohol to soak any items of white clothing for 30mins, then spray with hairspray and throw into the laundry as usual.

Tea & coffee: Saturate the stain immediately with boiling water until the stain disappears. If the stain has already set into the fabric, scrub with borax and water then wash immediately.

Tomato based stains: Tomato-based stains respond well to vinegar placed directly on the stain and then put into the laundry straight away.

Source: Cq Rags To Riches Cleaning Services

Natural carpet stain remover

The best way to remove stains from your carpet naturally is with a 2:1 mix of white vinegar to warm water. To this solution to a spray bottle then add 2 teaspoons of table salt and 15-20 drops of your favourite essential oils (to mask the vinegar smell) Apply the spray liberally to the stained area and let it dry before vacuuming it up.

Natural blood stain remover

The most effective natural blood stain removal product is vinegar. Pour it directly onto the blood and blot until the stain has been removed. If you need some extra help, or if the stain has started to dry use a 1:2 solution of baking soda and water and repeat the process of soaking and blotting.

Categories
Cleaning

How to clean grout

If you have tiled walls or floors, you will have grout lines across the surface. Grout keeps tiles in place and fills in the gap between every individual piece. Grouting is made from a porous material; so dirt, mould and stains can sink into the lines. These stains make your floor or wall look dirty even after you clean the surfaces well. Tiles are baked and have a glass-like surface that’s easier to clean, so people don’t spend much time trying to clean them.

Grout requires special attention to appear clean, and ordinary floor cleaners just won’t work. You need to put in some time and effort if you want your grouting to appear clean and unstained. Thankfully, the process isn’t that complicated, and you can use homemade natural materials available in your home to clean grout. Grout cleaning is one of the most overlooked services when it comes to house cleaning.

A before and after shot of a tiled bathroom / Source: Dolphin Blue Mackay

What kind of materials do you need to grout clean?

  1. Gloves
  2. A bucket of water
  3. Baking soda
  4. Vinegar
  5. Scrubbing brush (or another grout cleaning tool, like a toothbrush)
  6. A floor-cleaning mop
  7. Tile cleaning agent

You can also use bleach or hydrogen peroxide along with baking soda if you want stronger cleaning solutions. You will require protective glasses and a breathing mask if you intend to work with these materials, as they can cause trouble with breathing and the fumes can smart your eyes.

The baking soda and vinegar method

Grout cleaning is relatively easy if you have the right tools and some time on your hands. You should mop the floor thoroughly before you begin, as that will make it easier to clean the grout. Here’s what you can do:

  1. Mix baking soda and some warm water to form a paste. You can use three parts of baking soda to one part of water to get the right consistency. Ensure you make this solution in small batches if you want to clean larger surface areas. This is because the mixture can lose its potency and effectiveness quickly.
  2. Mix a solution with equal parts of water and vinegar and pour it into a spray bottle. Shake the solution well to ensure ingredients mix properly.
  3. Apply the baking soda mixture to stained grout lines liberally with your finger. Make sure the soda is pressed into the grout lines and not just sitting on top of the surface. It’s a good idea to work in sections instead of trying to cover the entire floor or wall surface at once.
  4. Once the baking soda paste is applied, spray the vinegar solution on the lines. You should see the baking soda immediately start to bubble. This means that the soda is reacting to the dirt and debris present and has started to clean the grout lines. Wait until the solution stops to bubble before you move onto the next step. This shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.
  5. Once the solution stops bubbling, scrub the grout lines with a nylon bristled brush carefully. You can use a toothbrush or any grout-cleaning brushes available in your local hardware store. Don’t apply too much pressure as that will weaken the grout and remove any sealant applied to it.
  6. Once you’ve completed one action, repeat the process on the next section until the entire floor or wall surface is completely clean.
  7. Wipe away the baking soda, water, and vinegar residue with a damp cloth and mop the entire floor once again. Your grouting should be clean and white.
Most bathrooms and laundry’s will have grout that requires regular cleaning / Source: Sam Bathroom Renovations

How to clean grout in the shower with bleach

If your grout lines are deeply stained and require a more thorough cleaning, you should try using oxygenated bleach for the task.  This is the easiest and most effective way to clean grout without scrubbing. Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Combine two tablespoons of oxygenated bleach with two cups of warm water and mix well. Make this solution immediately before you intend to apply it on the ground as bleach won’t be as effective if you store it for too long.
  2. Bleach can leave a white cast on the tiles, so it’s a good idea to test it before you apply it to the entire floor or wall surface. Apply a small amount of it onto a less visible section of the surface to see if it causes any damage to the tiles and grout. If you don’t see a white cast, use the solution on the entire surface.
  3. Cover all the grout liberally with the bleach solution and allow it to sink into the material for a while. You can work in sections, especially if you need to clean a large surface area.
  4. Rub the bleach solution into the grout lines with the help of a toothbrush or a grout cleaning brush. Pay special attention to the corners. You shouldn’t apply too much pressure on the grout lines as that can strip away some of the seal and weaken the grout.
  5. If you still see stains, dip your brush in the bleach solution and scrub the grout lines gently once again. The stronger concentration of bleach will help remove the stubborn stains.
  6. After you’ve cleaned all of the grout, clean the floor thoroughly. You can’t allow the bleach to linger for too long as it will damage the tiles eventually. Wash the floor with clean water to remove all traces of bleach and wipe the surface dry.

How to clean floor tile grout with hydrogen peroxide

  1. Mix one tablespoon of dishwashing soap with ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide and ¾ cup of baking soda.
  2. Apply this paste directly to the grout lines with the help of an old toothbrush or a nylon bristled brush. Make sure you apply the paste evenly over the grout.
  3. Let the solution sit for around 15 to 20 minutes. You will see the chemical reaction between the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. It will clean the grout lines and eliminate all stains.
  4. After the solution has had time to complete its work, pour hot water on the floor and wipe it. This will remove all traces of the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda.

How often should you clean grout?

You should clean the grout in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry every day. This doesn’t have to be a thorough clean, but be sure to wipe the grout lines carefully when you wipe down the kitchen surfaces at the end of the day. This ensures that food particles don’t have time to settle into the grouting and stain it. Regular cleaning will also keep problems like mould and bacteria at bay.

You can do a thorough grout cleaning once a month or once every two months. Some people clean grout once or twice a year, which is acceptable if your surfaces are kept clean and the grout is sealed regularly. Always clean the grouting when it appears dirty or seems to have developed mould. If you keep delaying the task, the stains will sink in deeper and you will have to call in professionals to replace and reseal your grouting.