How to clean up your home office in a flash

Our top tips on keeping your home workspace clean.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, workers worldwide had to learn to adapt to working from home.

Subsequently, hybrid working has remained a fixture of our new work culture.

Whether commuting to a home office, kitchen table or bedroom, keeping your workspace clean benefits your productivity, mood and health.

To commemorate national organise your desk day, the cleaning experts at Merry Maids have compiled a list of simple things you can do to tidy up your at-home workspace.

Cleaning your Desk

Your desk, whether at home or in the office, is probably where you spend most of your working day.

As a result, it likely sees a lot of traffic from your hands, papers and stationery, keyboards, phones, laptops and computers, and even lunch.

With the average desk containing more germs than a toilet seat, knowing how to properly clean them is imperative. You should be:

  • Cleaning your desk frequently

We all grew accustomed to carrying out proper sanitisation and cleaning procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, you should still be sanitising your workspace regularly using antibacterial spray and a damp cloth.

Most shop-bought cleaners will do, or you could also use a combination of 1:1 water and vinegar to get rid of germs on your desk.

  • Ridding your desk of marks

Though less important from a sanitation standpoint, if you have a hardwood desk that has been marked, you can clean them with household items.

Use bicarbonate of soda and a damp cloth to scrub marks from your hardwood.

If this doesn’t work, you can also try using a clean tennis ball.

Simply rub it on marks like an eraser and watch the marks disappear! Similarly, you can…

  • Remove watermarks

Water rings from cups of tea and other beverages can be an eyesore and foster germs.

You can remove them by turning a hairdryer onto a high setting and pointing it directly at the mark; voila, water rings vanished!

Don’t eat at your desk

Working from home or in the office, it can be easy to forget to take time away from your desk to eat.

Eating at your desk can be an easy trap to fall into. Especially when working from home. For the sake of cleanliness, as well as your general health, we wouldn’t advise it.

Studies have found that you should be leaving your desk/screen for at least five minutes every hour, to benefit both your productivity and overall health.

As well as this, food can easily fall into your keyboard and foster germs and odour.

Cleaning your Keyboard

Speaking of your keyboard, how do you clean it to avoid germs and smells?

  • Turn everything off

First things first, you’re going to want to disconnect your keyboard from your computer or monitor.

If you’re using a laptop, then make sure it’s turned off before you start.

  • Flip it

Start by turning your keyboard or laptop upside down to get any initial crumbs, hair, and other debris out of the nooks and crannies.

  • Hoover up debris

Use the duster appliance on your vacuum cleaner or a can of compressed air to eliminate any remaining debris lingering between the keys.

  • Sanitise the keys

Take an antibacterial wipe, cotton bud or piece of kitchen roll and dip it into some antiseptic disinfectant. This can be purchased at most supermarkets.

Rub it between and along the keys of your keyboard.

Make sure to use a light touch, as getting your electronics too damp is an obvious no-no.

  • Wipe up

Use a microfiber cloth to clean up the remaining disinfectant and give the keys a little polish.

Cleaning your Computer Screen

Your computer screen will also likely be home to a surprising amount of dirt and grime as a potentially high touchpoint area.

Luckily, cleaning your computer screen follows the same process as cleaning a TV screen. 

Cleaning your Office Chair

Your office chair follows the same principle as your desk, but when upholstered can be even more stained and more difficult to clean.

To give it a proper clean, your best option is to start by vacuuming it to get rid of dust and hair etc.

Then follow up with a damp cloth or an antibacterial wipe to disinfect it.

You should be aiming to do this regularly, at a minimum of once a fortnight.

If your chair’s upholstery is looking tired or too difficult to clean, you can call on the ServiceMaster family of brands.

Our furniture repair business Furniture Medic offers services to repair damaged upholstery and ServiceMaster Clean offers bespoke upholstery cleaning services.

If you want to leave your home cleaning to the professionals whilst you work from home, get in touch with your local cleaning experts.

Find your nearest Merry Maids business today to book a free quote or to find out more about our services.

Simply call 0800 021 3072 or book online now.

From Merry Maids with love

Our business owners share the love this Valentine’s Day.

Happy Valentine’s Day from Merry Maids UK!

It’s a day for sharing the love, whether with your significant other, your friends and family, or just indulging in your passions.

At Merry Maids UK, we love cleaning. It’s what we do. But we know it’s not for everyone. That’s why we do it for you!

Through our regular or one-off cleans, we give you the time to focus on the things you love, not the cleaning.

And in the spirit of focusing on the things you love, we’ve been speaking to some of the cleaning experts that own and operate Merry Maids businesses up and down the country about what they love about Merry Maids.

What our business owners love about Merry Maids

Merry Maids of Croydon

Debbie Walker, the owner of Merry Maids of Croydon, says that she loves that Merry Maids is a people-orientated business, meaning that she gets to work with people all day long and within ever-changing dynamics.

She says she takes great pride in building positive relationships with staff and customers.

From celebrating life events with staff like birthdays and anniversaries to developing a rapport with clients and providing care and support to vulnerable clients with dementia and other illnesses, people are at the heart of what we do.

Through providing bespoke and top-quality services and through local initiatives like a Food Drive for a local charity, Debbie has formed a business with a heart that supports her staff and those in need and shares in the day-to-day: what life is all about.

Lynne, the Office Administrator at Merry Maids of Croydon, adds that she loves everything about Merry Maids and that it would be hard to single any particular thing out.

But she notes she loves the variety that Merry Maids brings to her routine and being amongst the company of the team’s friendly staff.

Merry Maids Fylde and Blackpool:

Having spent 30 years building a thriving cleaning business, Nicola Morris from Merry Maids Fylde and Blackpool seconds this, saying she loves working as part of a network of like-minded business owners across the UK who support one another in running their businesses.

“What I love about the Merry Maids brand is working together with a fabulous group of fellow Merry Maids owners all helping each other!”

Merry Maids Dudley, Wolverhampton and Stafford:

Tom Jackson from Merry Maids Dudley and Wolverhampton and Stafford agrees, saying what he loves about his Merry Maids business is the support from our network:

“The best thing about being a franchisee is the support and teamwork you get from the other people in your network.

Whether it’s solving a problem or just ‘how’s your business getting on?’ there is always another franchisee at the other end of the phone or WhatsApp.

Borrowing ideas from Bill in Inverness or asking Nicky in Blackpool what she is doing about a particular issue is invaluable.”

Show your home some love

Share the love this Valentine’s Day by giving your home some TLC with a clean from your local experts.

For a free quote on our services or to learn more, find your nearest Merry Maids business or call 0800 021 3072 today.

Or, book easily online in select locations through our online shop.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

The best tools for home cleaning

Five essential tools that everyone should have to clean their home.

Everyone has their preferences when cleaning. For some, the right cleaning tools could be their favourite playlist at max volume. For others, it’s a secret DIY cleaning hack.

Whatever you’re partial to, there are a few things that every household should have when it’s time to clean.

That’s why our experts at Merry Maids UK have put their heads together and devised a list of the best tools for home cleaning.

Many of these may already be in your cleaning cupboard, so we’ve included recommendations for product types in case you need a refresh or want to add to your cleaning arsenal.

  1. Microfibre cloths

If you’re a regular reader of our blog, you’ll know that we frequently recommend microfibre cloths as an essential cleaning tool.

That’s because they often leave a surface clean on their own with little more than a bit of water and elbow grease.

You’ll find that these work wonders cleaning things like windows, tellies and electronics, and bath and shower screens, as they shouldn’t leave scratches or marks behind.

And the best part? They can be purchased cheaply from most supermarkets or online retailers like Amazon or eBay.

  1. A vacuum

It’s pretty much a given that a vacuum is one of the essentials for cleaning around the house. But they have to be able to do a lot to keep your floors clean beyond removing allergen-carrying hair and dust that lingers in the dark or on the brush roll.

Therefore, many hoovers fill multiple roles and come kitted out with an abundance of extra features and attachments. But how many of these are actually up to the task?

Well, we’ll tell you. According to a recent ranking, the best vacuum cleaner in the UK this year is the Shark Anti Hair Wrap Lift-Away Vacuum.

The main draw of this vacuum is that it catches hair and dust usually missed by other models by removing hair from the brush roll and using LED headlights to illuminate hidden dust.

It’s also portable and versatile and includes many tools for a comprehensive cleaning and an anti-allergen seal to capture dust and allergens.

So, if you’re thinking about upgrading your vacuum this year, look no further than this cleaning must-have.

  1. A squeegee

You may have heard the word squeegee floating around but had little idea what it might be.

Wonder no longer. A squeegee is a helpful tool that keeps your shower free of mould and mildew.

This makes them very useful for cleaning shower screens or condensation from windows.

To keep your squeegee at its best, ensure you protect the blade from damage while you use and store it. You’ll know it is time to replace it if it leaves streaks after use.

Alternatively, you can purchase rechargeable vacuum squeegees (or window vacs) for a little extra support to defend against mould and mildew.

  1. Toothbrushes

Hear us out! Scrubbing the floor with a fine-tooth comb may seem like a medieval punishment, but toothbrushes can be very handy when you need something a little finer than a regular scrubbing brush.

You don’t even need to go out of your way to buy new ones!

Just disinfect old toothbrushes to get a helpful tool to scrub the grout, sink rims and other hard-to-clean areas.

Or, if using old toothbrushes isn’t for you, you can purpose buy scrubbing brushes online.

  1. Merry Maids

With over 30 years of expertise as leading domestic cleaners nationwide, Merry Maids UK is the most valuable tool in your arsenal when it comes to home cleaning.

We know that no matter how slick your equipment is, sometimes you really don’t want to do the cleaning.

It’s sweaty, filthy, and exhausting. Not to mention, it takes a gigantic bite out of your precious free time!

That’s where we come in. Our maids are experts in what they do. And they love to clean!

Whether it’s a one-off, intensive deep clean or regular visitation to keep on top of your day-to-day cleaning, we take care of it so you have the time to focus on what matters to you.

Whatever tools you buy, be it a vacuum, brush, cloth, or something else, they can only focus on one job. Merry Maids does it all.

Get a cleaner home today

For the best standard of cleaning, direct to your door and as often as you need us, look no further than Merry Maids.

To book your free, no-obligation quote, find your nearest Merry Maids business today.

Or book quickly and easily through our online shop in select locations now.

5 children friendly cleaning tips

Top tips to keep your home tidy, even when you have young children.

Cleaning is a chore at the best of times. But add mess created by some little tikes, and suddenly a quick tidy-up becomes a mammoth task.

But all is not lost. A little method can cut through the madness and ensure your home stays in order.

This week, the cleaning experts at Merry Maids UK have put together our top 5 tips for cleaning up around the house when you have children.

  1. Give your children a routine

Author Malcolm Gladwell coined the phrase ‘repetition is the key to mastery,’ and in this case – it’s true!

Practice makes perfect, and the best way to stay on top of your cleaning is to well… keep on top of it.

By sticking to a routine, your children will learn the value of cleaning up after themselves, and the practice will become a habit.

Establishing routines throughout the day means that your child knows when and how to tidy up the messes they make and the importance of keeping things tidy.

  1. Ensure everything has a home

Cleaning with and for your children should be straightforward and uniform.

With your routine established, ensure that everything your child needs has its place.

As with your routine, repetition will help your child to understand what you’re doing and learn to imitate it.

You to keep things organised and let your child know where to get something and put it away again.

  1. Keep surfaces clutter-free

Habit, habit, habit! That’s today’s mantra. And it applies to keeping things free of clutter too.

If your home is full of clutter, your child will struggle to know where things go and learn the benefits of organising their things.

Furthermore, mess and clutter are proven to cause stress as it signals to your brain that you still have work to do.

Keeping in the habit of ridding surfaces of clutter will help maintain a stress-free environment for you and your children.

Moreover, feeling like a failure is a common experience for many parents.

Raising children can be a hugely stressful experience and can trigger feelings of fear and stress that negatively impact your mental health.

As much as possible, your goal is to minimise opportunities where you may feel like this.

This is chiefly how to do with how you frame your own experience, your successes, and perceived failures as a parent.

But it also helps to take whatever practical steps you can, like keeping a clean and clutter-free environment.

Not only will this teach your children positive habits, but it will help to keep you feeling your best.

At Merry Maids, we regularly share tips on decluttering and organising different areas of your home. Including your desks, your kitchen, and even your garage.

  1. Rotate toys

Decluttering is one thing, but if you’re finding that you’re just constantly picking up toys, it might be time for a new system.

Thankfully, the Toy Checkout System is perfect for families who are battling against a rising tide of playthings and children who don’t want to share.

This entails having a rotating system of toys wherein a certain number are always accessible for everyone, and individual toys are under individual responsibility.

Essentially, the child who took out the toy is responsible for putting it away.

The rotation toys are organised and out of sight in a safe and out-of-the-way place.

For this to work, you’ll want a sheet of paper with two columns labelled “Name” and “Toy”.

Then think of it like a hotel checkout. When a child wants to get a toy out, they write their name and the toy they are checking out.

To get out a new toy, they first have to clean up and return the toy they checked out.

This isn’t to say that your children can’t share toys.

They can invite others to play with the toy and request help tidying, but ultimately, that toy is their responsibility.

This method keeps your home clean and tidy and teaches your children the value of personal responsibility. It’s a win-win!

  1. Stay simple!

When working with your children, it’s best to keep things simple.

Using a visual aid, as with the Toy Checkout System, works well because it’s straightforward for them to understand and stick to.

When clearing up clutter, the last thing you want to do is overcomplicate things and create mental clutter.

You might think that a 15-step colour-coded table for different toy categories is fun (we do too!) But it will just lead to confusion and inertia from your children.

Keep things as efficient as possible. Ensure you have organisational systems but keep them as simple as possible.

Don’t have time to clean?

At Merry Maids UK, we know you don’t always have the time to clean or keep things organised – especially as a parent.

That’s where we come in. For parents who struggle to find the time to do the cleaning, our top tip is to call in the professionals!

With over 30 years as domestic cleaning experts, our maids take care of the cleaning to the highest possible standard, so you have more time to spend with your loved ones and less time worrying about cleaning.

Whether it’s a regular clean or you’re just a one-off tidy-up, we have you covered. Our maids have the right know-how, equipment, and training to deliver the best standard every time.

See how we could help you by calling 0800 021 3072 or finding your nearest Merry Maids business today.

Or, for one-off cleans, you can book online in select locations for a quick and easy cleaning experience.

4 Habits of New Year’s Resolution Keepers

How to stick to your resolutions this new year.

Have you ever wondered how some people actually stick to their New Year’s resolutions? Or why some resolutions fail?

The answers aren’t as simple as, “some people are just more motivated to reach their goals.” Motivation doesn’t always yield fruitful results.

In fact, across the pond, Ohio State University psychology professor Steven Reiss argues that “there is no real evidence that intrinsic motivation even exists.”

This is to say that motivation can’t be packaged in a neat little box and sold as a one-size-fits-all.

When you resolve for the New Year, usually it’s to make positive changes in your life. And many who are successful in that endeavour are creatures of particular habits.

But if you’ve found yourself only in the third week of January and already struggling to stick to your resolve, we’ve put together a guide on how to stick to your resolution.

  1. Keep It Real

To avoid resolution failure, an important habit is staying grounded.

It’s never a good idea to set an unattainable goal or one outside your means to complete it.

For instance, if you resolve to travel internationally but are in enormous credit card debt, that’s probably not the most realistic (or financially savvy) resolution for you at this point.

Strive for something you’ll be able to achieve, like spending more time with your family, reading more books, or drinking more water.

Most significant change happens incrementally, so keeping your resolutions achievable in the short term will help you in the long run.

Remember, there are many days in the year – it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

  1. Plan Ahead… (And Back)

Poet Robert Burns coined the phrase, “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”

This means even with a there’s no guarantee of success.

However, there’s a much higher chance you’ll accomplish a New Year’s resolution when you plan in reverse.

But what does that mean?

In a 2017 study, researchers at the University of Iowa, Peking University HSBC Business School, and the Korea University Business School found that goal-planning methods amongst students were more comprehensive when done backwards.

To put things in perspective, start with your end goal.

Then, work backwards to develop a plan to achieve your realistic resolution. Make sure to set a due date if a schedule drives your goal.

Remember, reverse planning doesn’t mean you follow your steps backwards. It’s simply a way to help you map your goal if you’re unsure of your first step.

  1. Incentivise Resolutions

Keeping New Year’s resolutions can be challenging if you set your sights too high and don’t reward yourself throughout the process.

Sure, the reward is accomplishing your goal, but you deserve mini rewards here and there to keep you inspired.

Ways to incentivise your resolution:

  • Buying yourself something small anytime you reach a mini-goal
  • Book a staycation to a part of the country you’ve never been
  • Treat yourself to your favourite dessert or tasty treat
  • Invite a good friend to watch a movie you’ve been waiting to see

Whatever the incentive, make sure the reward doesn’t contradict your resolution.

For instance, if you’re working toward cutting back on sweets, the best prize probably isn’t a box of chocolates.

Your incentive should be something in line with your goal.

  1. Give Yourself Some Grace

Sometimes, resolutions don’t always work out the way you planned because various factors obstruct you or other things take precedence.

In those cases, give yourself grace.

Don’t beat yourself up about any missteps you may have. There is, quite literally, always tomorrow.

But that’s not to say you should continuously give yourself a pass on the things you aspire to achieve.

Whether you resolve to stop a bad habit or pick up a healthier routine, continue to focus on reaching your goal.

Want a cleaner home this year?

If your New Year’s resolution is to have a cleaner home, give yourself some grace by contacting your local cleaning professionals.

While you’re taking on the world and your resolutions, we’ll be here to maintain your home.

With over 30 years of experience as experts in home cleaning, all of our cleaning professionals are best equipped to take care of the everyday messes in your home while you take care of what matters to you.

To find out more about our services, find your nearest Merry Maids business or book now through our online shop.

How to declutter your desk

The best way to declutter your desk for clean your desk day.

In need of a January clear-out? There’s no time like the present!

We can all be guilty of letting our workspaces get cluttered and messy. But we can also all admit that it’s not the best way to work. Nor the most hygienic, with the average desk containing more germs than a toilet seat!

Thankfully as many get back into the swing of the work week now that the festive season has passed, today is officially clean your desk day.

At Merry Maids UK, our experts love to clean and have been committed to delivering the highest standard of home cleaning for over 30 years. So, we know clean.

That’s why, in honour of clean your desk day, we’re sharing our top tips for decluttering your workspace.

Decluttering your Desk

At home or work, a clutter-free desk is a clean desk.

Really, how can you be expected to work at your best or concentrate when you’re fighting to find your keyboard under a pile of papers and other junk?

  1. Clear the deck!

That’s why the first thing we recommend you do is clear everything off of the desk. Yes, everything.

To properly start the cleaning process, you can’t afford obstructions. You need to be able to clean everything.

So, put the contents of your desk into a box or away from you on the floor – whatever suits you the best.

  1. Sort through clutter

Now that you have all your items out of the way, it’s time to sort them.

Put the items you use a lot in a “Keep Pile”, and any important documents that don’t have to be constantly on hand in an “Archive Pile”.

If we’re being honest, we all have stuff in draws that we don’t need.

Anything you don’t want that is not in either of the existing piles can go into a “Bin Pile” pile.

To make sure you’re putting the items back onto a clean space, check out our tips on how to clean your home office.

  1. Wipe it down!

As much as we love cleaning, there isn’t much point putting everything on your desk in order if it isn’t going to stay that way.

Now that you know which items to chuck and which to donate, clean and disinfect everything you’re putting back.

  1. Organise! Everything!

Assess the layout of your desk. Are you making the best use of space? Would this be better in a drawer? Ooh, what if you moved that over there?

Think about how you can systematically rearrange everything.

For us, organising is great fun. Not because we’re sad. But because there can be great satisfaction in creating order from chaos.

It might seem like a mammoth task, but desk organising needs only follow simple logic.

Keep items you use regularly close by and store your other items in drawers and shelves. That way, they aren’t obstructing your workspace.

  1. Make use of organisation tools

Now that your desk is all clean, we want to make sure we avoid everything to a messy pile.

You can do this by using the many handy dividers, shelves, and cabinets on offer where all good organisation tools are sold.

Take it from us, it’s far more satisfying (and useful) to know what’s in what tray and to be able to see where everything is!

And why stop at your desk? Check out our list of handy organisation tools we found on Amazon.

  1. Stick to it!

Now that you’ve given everything a place, ensure you stick to your system and put things back where they need to be.

There is nothing more annoying or stressful than not being able to find something when you need it. Putting a system in place helps your desk stay clean and means you work more efficiently.

Need help cleaning?

We know that sometimes we are a little more enthusiastic about cleaning than most. Not everyone shares our passion for cleaning and organising. Luckily, we’ll do it for you!

If you’d like help and support with your cleaning from the experts, find your nearest Merry Maids business today to receive a free, no-obligation quote on our bespoke home cleaning and organisation services.

How to remove mince pie stains from carpet

The best way to remove Mince Pie stains from your carpet.

Mince Pies are an absolute festive MUST. But they’re better off eaten than coating your carpet.

Accidents happen, which is why the cleaning experts at Merry Maids UK are bringing you the best way to remove Mince Pie stains from your carpet.

Myths: BUSTED!

In the cleaning world, there are many old wives’ tales about at-home remedies that remove any stain.

One of the most common culprits is an ingredient that can be found in most kitchens: vinegar.

While vinegar can work well to remove stains on some surfaces, it’s not a surefire method to rely upon all the time.

This is the case with mince pies. Some sources may tell you to use vinegar and washing powder to lift mince pie stains from the carpet, but we don’t advise this.

The combination of vinegar and washing powder does work to remove the stain, but when mixed on the carpet can cause a chemical reaction and get hot.

Therefore, this method is a fire hazard and can cause more harm than good!

How to clean mince pie stains on the carpet

So, what should you do instead?

In cases like this, you can be tempted to act fast – which is why the at-home methods are so popular. After all, using whatever you already have on hand seems ideal, doesn’t it?

But, for the quickest and safest results, the best way to deal with mince pie stains is to use a professional cleaning solution.

When tested, our ServiceMaster Spot Hero cleaner made several mince pie stains vanish from the carpet in as little as 2 mins!

Merry Maids Spot Hero

Easy to buy and use, Spot Hero is the perfect solution to any Christmas messes.

Spot Hero is the culmination of our years of cleaning excellence, distilled into a single bottle for you to use at home, at just £7.99 a bottle. For the hands-on approach to carpet cleaning, you can’t do better than Merry Maids Hero.

Buy now and see for yourself.

Need your carpet cleaning this Christmas?

If you would like our experts to come to you, find your nearest Merry Maids business today to find out more.

Whether it’s stain removal, carpet cleaning, or repair, our teams are on hand to help you this festive season.

To learn more about our range of services, call 0800 021 3072 or book a clean online through our online shop.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Christmas Cleaning

Even though Christmas is the same time every year, it always feels like it suddenly appears and you’re completely unprepared!

With so much to think about, cleaning at Christmas can become overwhelming quite quickly. At Merry Maids, we know cleaning, it’s what we do. That’s why we’ve put together our list of Dos and Don’ts for cleaning ahead of this festive season.

The Do’s

Plan Ahead

Having a plan of action can make all the difference in your Christmas cleaning routine, including taking the stress out of the process, because you’re not rushing around at the last minute.

Focus on Organisation

Before you can concentrate on your Christmas cleaning, you’ll need to make sure your home is organised. This includes removing any clutter in the bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and other storage areas.

A lot of great home organisation solutions can be found online, too, for an extra helping hand.

Once the organisation is sorted, you can get going with your cleaning checklist accordingly.

Remember, decluttering your home will make your space feel airier and cleaning a lot easier.

Start Simple

With Christmas cleaning, you want to keep it as simple as possible. Start with the simple tasks first and work your way up to the more complicated and involved cleaning. For instance, begin with the bathroom, although it’s one of the dirtiest places in your home, it’s also one of the most straightforward.

First, clean the bathtub, toilet and sink(s). Then, you can move on to cleaning the surfaces like mirrors, cabinets and the floor. Last but not least, remove bathmats and shower curtains to throw in the washing machine.

Dust First, Vacuum Last

Have you ever vacuumed first and then gone on to dusting? Well, you’re doing it wrong! Vacuuming should be one of the last things you do, as it wouldn’t make much sense to then wipe the dust on your nice clean flooring.

The Don’ts

Don’t Rush Cleaning

We know that cleaning isn’t really anyone’s favourite thing to do, but it’s worth taking your time, as you might:

  • Miss areas and leave dirt and germs
  • Create more work for yourself
  • Use the wrong products and damage surfaces
  • Complete cleaning last minute

So, plan ahead, or turn to a professional cleaning team like your nearest Merry Maids business to support you.

Don’t Clean Alone

As the saying goes: “Teamwork makes the dream work!”

We suggest recruiting the whole family to help. Not only will you get the job done faster, but you and your family will also have a greater sense of pride, knowing you worked as a team to clean your home ready for Christmas.

Don’t Ignore Hidden Areas

Look at tackling your cupboards and cabinets as well, as these usually get missed and may be dirtier than you think.

Don’t Neglect Appliances

With constant use comes wear and tear, meaning your kitchen and washing appliances need TLC every so often.

Don’t avoid cleaning the inside and outside of your fridge, oven, stove, microwave, washing machine, etc. When the Christmas holidays arrive, you’ll be thankful you took care of these major appliances before your guests arrive.

Need Help with Your Christmas Cleaning?

With under a month to go until the Christmas holidays start, you may be thinking you just haven’t got time to fit all of this cleaning in.

That’s where Merry Maids come in!

To find out more about how we can help, find your nearest Merry Maids business to book a cleaning online or give us a call today on 0800 021 3072.

How to clean a hot tub in 5 easy steps

Our guide to making sure your hot tub stays clean and hygienic.

As the nights draw in, if you’re a hot tub owner you may be thinking about getting your tub out for one final use before it gets too chilly, or putting it away to save on energy costs. But before you send your hot tub into hibernation, it’s a good idea to give it a proper clean to avoid germs, bacteria, and mould from incubating during the autumn and winter.

  1. Drain the tub (and lines)

Draining the lines:

Hot tubs are designed to keep water at that lovely, warm temperature that makes it so inviting to sit and soak in. However, what is an inviting temperature to us humans, is also unfortunately the same for many types of mould and bacteria. That’s why it’s sometimes advisable to consider flushing out the lines of your hot tub before you drain the water, as this means you’re not just refilling the water through the same mould and bacteria-infested lines. Specialist line flushes can be bought online or from the right hardware shops to get the job done best.

Draining the tub:

For the benefit of both your tub and your hygiene, you should be draining your hot tub every three months anyway. But to give it a proper clean, you certainly need to drain it first. The first port of call, if you haven’t cleaned your lines (and second if you have), is to turn off the power to your tub. This is especially if you’re using a pump as water and electricity do not mix, and using machinery to drain the tub with the power still on puts you in danger.

Even just draining the tub through the usual means (specified in your tub’s manual) with the power still on can damage both the filtration mechanisms and motors as the pump can restart, thinking you don’t have enough water in the tub and start refilling itself. So, however you go about it, just make sure you’ve drained your tub before you start cleaning.

  1. Clean the surface and jets

Now that you’ve drained the tub, you can get to work on scrubbing the surface clean. All you need to do is wipe away any garden debris, dirt and other sediments that may have accumulated over the summer.

It’s recommended that you avoid regular household cleaning products when wiping down your hot tub, as the pH levels of these products can often disagree with the tub, damaging the shell and causing issues further down the line.

As an alternative, you can buy specialist cleaners just for this job, which protect your tub’s shell from damage that can be done by the abrasive particles in regular cleaners.

Alternatively, this spa and hot tub guide from King County details a handy DIY mixture that is similar to the chlorine cleaner which you can purchase in the UK from places like UK Pool Store. The store-bought mixture is about 50 parts per million (ppm), and the same effect can be achieved by mixing ¼ teaspoon of dichlor into 5 gallons (19 L) of water.

Or, for other handy DIY solutions, check out this list of DIY hot tub cleaners from Tips Bulletin.

Once you’ve finished, give the tub a wipe-down with a towel to restore the chemical balance of the tub and ensure that you’re not leaving a breeding habitat for mould and bacteria behind.

  1. Remove and clean filters

Removing filters:

The next step is to give your filters a clean. To do this you need to remove them from the tub by accessing the panel or cabinet around your pump. We’d also advise you to take a picture of the filter assembly before you take it apart so you know what it’s supposed to look like when it comes time to put it back together.

Spraying them down:

Once removed from your tub, wash your filters by spraying them with water. The goal here is simply to remove any lingering residue from the filter, so simply using your standard garden hose is all you need here.

You don’t need or want to use any sort of brush here, as this can just cause dirt to become trapped deeper in the filter. Then, if you made up a dichlor and water solution or have some tub cleaner on hand, use this to scrub the inside of your filter cabinet to avoid bacteria from growing in there.

Soak with cutting oil and disinfect:

Now (if available to you), give your filter a soak for a minimum of 60 mins in an oil-cutting solution.

Cutting oils are essentially a type of coolant that is designed for use in metalworking processes which help to keep the temperature, maximise the lifespan, ensure the safety of, and prevent rust on machine parts and metalwork. So, using one on your filter ensures that it is at its best once you return it to the tub.

Then, following the previous King County measurements (¼ teaspoon dichlor and 19L of water), disinfect your filter in your homemade 50-ppm chlorine solution. This should get rid of any remaining contaminants or grime that is left after the cutting solution soaking.

Or dishwash:

Alternatively, skip the oil soak entirely by cleaning your filter in the dishwasher twice over, turning it over in-between cycles. Just make sure you check your manual to see if it’s safe to put your filter in the dishwasher first and make sure you turn off the heat-dry cycle beforehand. Now just reinstall your filters and make sure everything is back in its original position and secure.

  1. Spot-clean specific areas

Once you’ve reinstalled your filters, clean around the other areas of the tub using warm water, a cloth, and specific cleaning agents (where necessary).

Key areas to clean:
  • Seat cushions (and the shell behind them).
  • The cover: Wipe down at least once a month and clean the underside by removing the cover and spraying it with a hose. Cleaners aren’t needed for this side.
  • Panels: Prevent any build-up of bacteria by wiping down the shell of your tub using a soft cloth and a neutral detergent to clean the outer panels before wiping away any remaining residue.
  1. Refill the tub

Now that you’re finished with the cleaning, you can refill the tub by running it back through the filter at first and then into the reservoir. Then turn the power back on to the tub and wait for a few moments to check for issues as the tub runs on hot.

Need a hand with your cleaning?

There’s a lot involved in cleaning a tub, just like every other cleaning job to do in around the house. By finding your nearest Merry Maids business today, you can enlist the help of domestic cleaning professionals for one-off or regular cleaning of your house, so you can get the time back to do what matters.

To find out more and book your free, no-obligation quotation on a range of professional and bespoke cleaning services, give us a call on 0800 021 3072 now.

Vinegar: The miracle cleaner!

Why vinegar is the powerhouse of DIY home cleaning solutions.

Distilled white vinegar enjoys a well-earned reputation as a cleaning superstar. But why is that?

For starters, it’s strong and it’s green. Not literally of course, but white wine vinegar can be used to clean many household surfaces and items that other DIY solutions just can’t hack. And it does so whilst managing to stay tough on grime without harming the environment.

However, it’s not perfect and does come with a few constraints and you could do some damage to your home if you go around applying it too liberally.

That’s why the cleaning experts at Merry Maids are here to give you some of the biggest “do’s and don’ts” for using white vinegar. And, to help you on your way, we’ve also provided a few DIY cleaning recipes using vinegar that can make your housekeeping a little easier.

Vinegar: The Faux Pas (or, what not to clean)

Green cleaning solutions have become more and more popular over the years. As a result, you can now find hundreds of vinegar cleaner recipes on platforms like Pinterest and Instagram. Although vinegar has many advantages over conventional cleaning products, it’s important to keep in mind that vinegar is still an acid and a chemical – and therefore has the power to corrode some surfaces. For example, it can “etch” expensive marble or granite counters, leaving discoloured and dull spots behind.

  1. Avoid delicate surfaces

Here’s a quick list of surfaces that you shouldn’t clean with vinegar:

  • Any type of stone surface (including slate, marble, granite, and ceramic)
  • Linoleum & hardwood flooring
  • Unsealed grout
  • Clothes irons
  • Electronics and screens
  • Waxed or finished wood furniture
  • Carbon steel knives
  • Cast iron cookware
  • Aluminium (often used in appliances)

Of course, this list of surfaces isn’t exhaustive: Many materials can be warped, damaged, or dulled by using an acid such as vinegar. To protect your furniture, always do your research before applying vinegar to an unidentified surface. You can also (and should) perform a small patch test before you start cleaning, ideally in a hidden spot. That way, you’ll know exactly what to expect from your vinegar-cleaning efforts.

  1. Never use vinegar with bleach

A lot of cleaning and sanitising solutions contain bleach, thanks to its incredible properties as a disinfectant. But whatever you do, don’t ever mix white vinegar with bleach products – and especially don’t mix these two chemicals in a DIY solution. When combined, vinegar and bleach create toxic chlorine gas, which is deadly.

  1. Does vinegar harm plastic?

Many repair technicians will tell you never to use vinegar in plastic compartments, such as those found in your dishwasher or washing machine. While it isn’t outright dangerous to use vinegar with these appliances, traces of vinegar can weaken synthetic rubber seals over time. However, if your plastics are made from natural rubber or a substance such as polypropylene or silicone, it’s probably safe to use vinegar.

  1. Egg?!

Vinegar cleaners and food don’t always mix. For example, vinegar can react when mixed with the protein enzymes in egg spills and cause them to coagulate. In plain English, you’ll have an even harder time cleaning up a Saturday morning omelette disaster. The same applies to pearls, which can dissolve or dull when cleaned with vinegar.

How to clean with vinegar

But don’t let all that stop you, vinegar does come in handy when cleaning many different areas of the house. And it’s inexpensive and all-natural to boot!

White vinegar is a great stain remover for certain fabrics. When added during the final rinse of your laundry, the acetic acid in white vinegar will eliminate alkaline residues from soap, which has the effect of brightening up the colours of your clothes. Not only that but vinegar can also be used as a spot treatment for yellowing underarms, as it helps to break up the leftover deodorant on clothes.

Here are a few other stains and spills that can be removed with vinegar:

  • Gum: Soak leftover sticky spots for at least 10 minutes and then launder.
  • Grass: You can loosen grass stains by giving white clothing a half-hour pre-soak with vinegar.
  • Coffee, tea, and juice: Dilute vinegar to 1/3rd strength with water before applying to a dried spot, then launder.

DIY Vinegar Cleaning Solutions

Ready to try out the wonders of vinegar on the rest of your household? Our Merry Maids cleaning experts have come up with three DIY uses for vinegar that can help with your cleaning routine. These are:

  1. Chrome and Stainless-Steel Cleaner

What you’ll need:

  • 1 cup of distilled white vinegar
  • A spray bottle
  • Microfiber cloths

What to do:

First, pour the vinegar into the bottle and spray it directly on your chrome and stainless-steel surfaces. Then, wipe the vinegar away with a microfiber cloth. Finally, buff any streaks with a clean microfiber cloth.

  1. Window and Glass Cleaner

What you’ll need:

  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Water
  • A spray bottle
  • Microfiber cloths or coffee filters

What to do:

First, mix equal parts vinegar and water in your spray bottle. Then, mist the windows with the liquid, making sure you don’t apply too much solution, or you’ll end up with streaks. Finally, working from top to bottom, wipe the windows clean using a microfiber cloth or coffee filter. If you start to see streaks, then you should switch to a fresh cloth or filter.

  1. Toilet Bowl Cleaner

What you’ll need:

  • 1 cup of distilled white vinegar, separated into halves
  • A toilet brush
  • A spray bottle
  • A clean microfibre cloth

What to do:

First, pour ½ cup of the vinegar into your toilet bowl. Let this sit for about three to five minutes. Add the remaining ½ cup of vinegar to the spray bottle, and mist the rim of the toilet. This should also sit for three to five minutes. Scrub the bowl with your toilet brush, and wipe down the rim of the toilet with your microfiber cloth. Flush when you’ve finished.

When used correctly, vinegar can be great for your household – and your wallet. Affordable, convenient, and non-toxic, it can allow you to have a cleaner home, all whilst keeping your products streamlined and eco-friendly. Of course, there’s always the risk that your vinegar-cleaning efforts will backfire, adding more time to your busiest days.

If you’re having trouble keeping up with the daily housekeeping, or run into some trouble trying a DIY solution, your local cleaning professionals can help clean up! Find your nearest Merry Maids business to book a free quote today, or call 0800 021 3072 to learn more.

How to: Organise your kitchen

A helpful guide to de-cluttering your kitchen.

Have you ever found yourself jumping back to avoid a rogue jar, container or bag of flour when you open your kitchen cupboards? Or have you ever wondered how much time you’ve wasted searching for measuring cups or food storage lids? If so, you’re probably in need of some kitchen organisation.

Organising your kitchen not only saves you time and bumps on the head from Tupperware avalanches. It also helps you keep your kitchen clean, as it’s much easier to wipe down and tidy an uncluttered space. Our home cleaning and organisation experts at Merry Maids can help. In fact, we’ve put our heads together to give you our four favourite kitchen organisation tips, all in one place.

1. Free up space with hooks and racks

Overall, the best way to maintain a clutter-free kitchen is to clear out cabinets and drawers and keep countertops clean. And hanging items to keep them off of counters is an excellent means of doing this. Here are several ways you can organise your kitchen by hanging cookware and other kitchen necessities:

Install a magnetic knife strip above your countertops to keep them free of bulky knife racks.
Use small hooks to hang coffee mugs and measuring cups under cabinets and shelves or on the inside of cabinet doors.
Hang a pot and pan rack from the ceiling so you have easy access to cookware and don’t clutter your cabinets.
Invest in a wall-mounted kitchen storage rack that can be used to hold everything from spoons and whisks to sponges and dishwashing soap.

This is a great method if you’re organising a small kitchen, as hanging items can help you maximize every square inch of the room.

2. Organise your kitchen with shelves

It may seem obvious, but shelves can work wonders when it comes to kitchen organisation, they can open up the valuable cabinet and counter space. One means of organising your kitchen using shelves is to install them to hold frequently used items. For example, you could hang a shelf with olive oil, spices, and even cookbooks over your stove so they’re handy when you’re preparing meals.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg in terms of shelving and kitchen organisation. What’s less obvious is where you can put, or even hide shelves. For example, you can add them to the inside of your cabinets as a quick way of increasing your storage space – which is especially helpful when organising a small kitchen. You can even purchase tiered shelves that make it easy to spot ingredients, eliminating the time-consuming emptying of cupboards to search for what you need.

3. Keep the kitchen tidy using containers

Never underestimate the tidying effect that containers and bins have when organising your kitchen. For starters, baking ingredients such as different flours and sugars can be poured into containers and stacked, freeing up precious space on your cabinets and counters. To take your kitchen organisation one step further you can label each container so you know what’s inside. Another great use for containers is to store items that tend to spill as a result of their original packaging, like dry beans, pasta and rice.

In addition, there are many different types of bins and containers that can be used to declutter your fridge, which can help keep it clean. These can be found online by searching for unique organisational finds from places like Amazon, or locally through a department store. You can expect to find numerous space-saving storage items including bins that dispense cans, thin water pitchers and organisers for your fridge.

4. Keep the kitchen tidy using containers

When organising a small kitchen, one thing that can really help is dividers. With that being said, they’re incredibly useful in any size kitchen.

How do they help? Well, picture the inside of your drawers. Aside from the silverware drawer, things are probably pretty chaotic in there. Measuring spoons tangled with whisks and mixer attachments. Silicone spatulas hiding under the cheese grater. Dividers can help keep all of these items separated. That way, when you open a drawer looking for something, you don’t have to rummage around to find it. It’ll be right there with similar items.

Vertical dividers can also be used to organise kitchen cabinets. They’re a great way to keep chopping boards, pan lids and baking sheets orderly.

If you’d like a little extra help with the cleaning and organisation of your home, don’t hesitate to get in touch with your nearest Merry Maids business to schedule a free quote from our of our teams of friendly cleaning professionals.  

Written by Tom Page, Digital Content Writer

Cleaning your student accommodation

How to guarantee you get your end-of-tenancy deposit back.

Keeping your student accommodation clean and tidy is vital, especially at the end of your tenancy. Not only is maintaining a clean living space better for your overall health and wellbeing, but it also means you’ll be able to get your deposit back from your letting agent.

Why should I clean my student accommodation?

Most student letting agents put the tenants in charge of cleaning their property upon leaving, hence why a deposit is usually taken. If you’re not careful and you don’t keep the property clean, you can be held liable for the spread of health hazards, pest infestation and mould within the property. And this isn’t cheap. The cost of removal of these health hazards can stack up, as letting agents have to call an external provider to remove any issues, all of which you will be charged for.

A step-by-step guide to cleaning your student accommodation

First things first, make sure you give yourself and whomever you’ve enlisted to h.   elp enough time to clean the property, and don’t make it a last-minute job. The reason we mention other people is that this is going to be a much easier job if you have help. That way you can divide and conquer, and take the property one room at a time. We’ve followed the same approach here and divided this blog up into key tips for each of the main rooms and areas that a landlord or agency will expect to be clean.

Kitchen

Starting with the communal space that probably sees the most traffic, the kitchen, Kitchens are like a magnet for stains, dirt and overall unpleasantness – especially in communal halls with a large number of residents.

  • To get started, remove everything in the cupboards from top to bottom and clean inside and outside with a dry cloth. If you run into stubborn stains you will need to use a wet cloth and an applied cleaning agent to lift them out.
  • Make sure you pull out the kitchen appliances (if you can) and clean the back of those as well, including the washing machine, microwave and dishwasher etc.
  • Clear your fridge of any food, as you don’t want this to sit a fester after you’ve left. Then clean it thoroughly: inside the drawers, in the ridges, every bit of shelving and then turn the fridge off and leave the door open. For a full guide, check out our top tips on cleaning your fridge.
  • Making sure the oven is clean can be a bit of a disgusting job, especially if it’s a shared kitchen and the other tenants have left without cleaning. Unfortunately, to ensure you get that deposit back, you’ll need to be thorough. Deep clean everything inside the oven; trays, shelving and the oven door (inside and out) switches, knobs etc. For that grimy oven door, check out our blogpost on DIY home cleaning hacks, including how to clean an oven door with nothing but a dishwasher tablet!
  • You’ll need to be just as thorough with the hob. Make sure the racks are removed and soaked in the sink, then thoroughly scrubbed and that the top of the cooker is efficiently cleaned.

Living Room

Moving on to the second of our communal spaces, the living room. With modern accommodation, a lot of kitchens and living spaces are often combined into the same room, but it’s simpler to treat them separately in this instance. Especially as with the kitchen, you’re mainly focused on key areas and appliances. But when it comes to the living room the best advice is to clean everything. And we mean everything! The coffee table, the TV, the bookshelves, any shelving and even the modern art paintings on the wall if you were feeling fancy. Get rid of everything you don’t want to take with you. Bin that chunder chart and say goodbye to that stack of empty cans and bottles of alcohol on the windowsill that you kept for ‘decoration’. Then, once the space is clear, make sure you vacuum the carpet and upholstery until there is not a speck of dust left on them! And if you run into a stain or spillage on your carpet that you can’t shift, try Merry Maids Spot Hero cleaner or get in touch with stain removal experts ServiceMaster Clean.

Bathroom

Usually, one of the most daunting tasks when cleaning your accommodation is the bathroom, because it can often take the longest time to clean.

  • Scrub everything from the toilet to the mirror. It’s a lot to clean, and clean well, so make sure you have an order of how you’re going to clean everything so that you don’t miss anything. With the bathroom, it’s best to work top-down and clean dust off of the higher surfaces before you vacuum and get any product out.
  • Clean the tiles and all of the surfaces, making sure you use a cleaner that can help you remove any limescale that may have built up over time. · Use our bath cleaning solution that can clean your tub in as little time as 15 minutes!
  • Clean the plug holes of both the sink and bath/shower, ensuring the water is draining away properly so that you don’t get pulled up and charged for damage to the plumbing.
  • If you encounter a growth of black mould in your bathroom after weeks and weeks without cleaning, get in touch with the mould removal experts at ServiceMaster Restore.

Walls

As you go around your accommodation and do your final checks, make a note of any areas where there are any scuffs or marks on the walls. If you can, wash them off. You may need a specialist wall cleaner for this. After that, if there are problems left over that you can’t tackle…

Call in the professionals

Cleaning your student accommodation can be a long and arduous process, only added to by the stress of needing to make sure the place is spotless to get your deposit back. At Merry Maids, we do the cleaning, so you don’t have to.

With over 30 years as one of the UK’s leading domestic cleaning specialists, we have to tools, experience and know-how to keep your landlord happy by carrying out an end-of-tenancy deep clean of your student accommodation, that ensures you will see your deposit returned.

Our promise

We GUARANTEE that you won’t lose your security deposit as a result of the property being left unclean.

  • All our cleaners are insured and bring their own cleaning products and equipment.
  • We’re the UK’s largest, trusted cleaning company and regularly clean for our customers whilst they’re at work.
  • If you sign up for a regular clean for the duration of your tenancy agreement, we’ll carry out an end-of-tenancy deep clean for FREE*

*We promise that you won’t lose your security deposit on the grounds of your property being left in an unclean state when you book a Merry Maids end-of-tenancy deep clean. We must be able to gain access to the property at the end of the tenancy to carry out the deep clean. Terms and conditions apply, please ask for more details.

To book a weekly, fortnightly, or one-off end-of-tenancy deep clean of your student or rented accommodation, find your nearest Merry Maids business for a free quote today.

Written by Tom Page, Digital Content Writer

The best way to clean your bath – International Bath Day

How to ensure that your tub stays spotless.

Believe it or not, there is actually an International Bath Day, and it’s today! To properly commemorate the day, we’re giving you our top tips on cleaning your tub.

Naturally, if you’re getting into a bath, the goal is to come out clean. Unfortunately, a bathtub is one of the dirtiest places in the home. Studies have even found that an average bath or shower is 100 times dirtier than a garbage bin!

Don’t let that put you off too much though, as the experts can all agree that due to the high dilution of all the harmful microbiomes from the hot water, you’re very, very unlikely to see negative health effects from taking a bath. But with all that in mind, it’s still important to make sure that your bath is as clean as possible before a soak.

Luckily, sanitising and cleaning your bath doesn’t have to be a difficult chore. Here’s how to clean your bath the Merry Maids way.

Know the biggest culprits

If your bathtub isn’t very clean, it’s likely a result of one or more of these common nuisances: hair and soap scum. Hair is pretty self-explanatory, but what about soap scum? Often confused with limescale, soap scum is a chalky white substance that collects in tubs, sinks, shower curtains & heads. Soap scum is simply a build-up of both calcium and magnesium stearate and all the other residue from your body and products like dead skin cells, oils, chemicals, and soap remnants. According to The Spruce, soap scum is formed when soap is used in hard water and combines with calcium and magnesium particles in the water and soap to create soap scum. This formation then frequently spreads when minerals in tap water combine with soap and dirt to create a layer of scaly residue on your surfaces. Thankfully, although it isn’t particularly pleasant, soap scum isn’t a form of bacteria, so isn’t harmful to you in any way.

We’ll deal with the soap scum in a moment, but it’s also worth noting that you’re going to have an easier job cleaning your bathtub if you remove any hair from the surfaces and drains now by using a duster or getting in there by hand to remove any that has clumped together.

Make up your cleaning solution

As with a lot of our other at-home recipes for home cleaning solutions like urine or wine stains, the key ingredient here is some bicarbonate of soda. Mix some bicarb with equal parts washing-up liquid (roughly a ¼ of a cup of each works best here). Here is where you may opt to add in some essential oil to create a nicer smell in your bathroom for when you’re done. If you do choose to use a couple of drops, limit yourself to only about this much, and if you can, try and choose one that contains citrus like lemon or grapefruit as the acid will give you some extra help in breaking down that nasty soap scum.

Grab your cleaning utensils and mix the solution

Now that you’ve made up your solution, it’s time to mix it well. The easiest thing to do here is simply to use whatever cleaning utensil you’re going to use to stir it all together in a bowl or a cup. But be advised that what you use to clean your tub should depend on what it is made from, as different surface materials will need different cleaning utensils. For example, cast iron, acrylic or fibreglass bathtubs all have a more delicate finish to them so you want to avoid anything that might scratch and damage this. For a more standard enamel bathtub, a sponge will do the job nicely. Make sure you mix well and remember that this recipe doesn’t keep so you can be liberal with how much you apply. And, because it doesn’t use any harsh chemicals, you don’t even have to wear rubber gloves if you don’t want to – which will come in handy later.

Get scrubbing

Note: If you’re taking this opportunity to clean your bathroom tiles as well, do those beforehand, as you want to make sure that the tub stays dry until it’s time to rinse.

If not, or when you’re done, start applying your solution to the bathtub by wiping it down with your dampened sponge or cloth. Once your tub is suitably coated in the mixture, let it sit for about 10 minutes as it works its magic, breaking down all the soap scum and germs. Then, wet your sponge to get it nice and clean once more and start scrubbing the mixture away to clean the tub. It’s best to start at the back and work your way towards the drain and the taps for the easiest clean.

As you’re not wearing gloves, you can easily check if the scum has been removed by simply wiping your finger over the surface. If it’s nice and smooth, the scum has gone. If you can still feel it there, you may have to reapply some more mixture.

Clear the mixture away and clear out the drain

Using a container of hot water, or a removable shower head (if you have one), start to wash away the bicarb solution. You can then clean and polish off the taps. If your drain is full of grime, you can also use bicarbonate of soda to clear it out. Just sprinkle four tbsp of bicarb into the drain along with some vinegar and watch this solution bubble your drain grime away. Once it’s finished bubbling, pour some boiling hot water done the drain to flush the mixture out.

And if you want more than just your tub cleaned this International Bath Day, find your nearest Merry Maids now to book a one-off, or regular spring or deep clean today.

Written by Tom Page, Digital Content Writer

How to clean your electronics

Tips on cleaning those all-important electronic items in your home.

Let’s face it, your electronics get a lot of use. Not only that, but they are very sensitive to the spread of germs and bacteria due to being ‘high touch point’ items.

Even though COVID-19 restrictions and sanitisation requirements have relaxed in recent months, to minimise the spread of various types of germs and other harmful bacteria, you should be cleaning items like phones, remote controls, and keyboards once a fortnight at the minimum.

But how? Cleaning electronics can be fiddly, with lots of cracks, and crevices and they are sensitive to too much liquid – knowing the right way to clean your electronics continues to bemuse people across the UK.

Until now.

Our Merry Maids cleaning experts have put together this guide on how to clean your electronic items to minimise germs and keep your home looking and feeling spotless.

Mobile Phones

Nowadays we pretty much all have them. No matter how much you use it, the simple fact remains that these high touch point items are unique in that they spend time pressed against your face after being touched.

Therefore, ensuring that you clean it thoroughly and often is of the utmost importance. To do so, you’ll first need to remove any cases that you have on. Underneath and on the inside of your case you’ll often likely find bits of dirt and a fairly substantial build-up of grimy bits. Give the case a brush down with a microfibre cloth and then spray the cloth with a cleaning solution and wipe down the phone itself and the case. At Merry Maids, we use SaniMaster 6 from ServiceMaster to fully disinfect this and other high touchpoint items. Remember, you only need one light squirt of spray, as you want to avoid getting your phone too wet.

Laptops and Computers

Whether it’s a personal or work laptop or computer, these items get frequent use and have many high touchpoint areas such as the keyboard – or even a touchscreen. As a result, you want to ensure that you are giving these items a clean and wipe down as frequently as you clean your mobile phone.

For laptops and keyboards, the first thing to do is flip them upside down get shake any bits and dust from the keys, and wipe it with a cleaning cloth or a cotton bud to get into the nooks and crannies of the keys. Then use a cleaning solution like SaniMaster to sanitise the entire device and your mouse or mousepad, just as you have with your phone. To avoid streaking the screen, we recommend using a dry cloth for this part or using a small amount of distilled water on the cloth.

Remote Controls

We may be watching a little less telly than at the height of lockdowns, but remote controls remain high priority electronics to clean as high touch point items. Like keyboards, these can have lots of little nooks and crevices for grubby bits and dust to get into so we recommend using a fine brush or a cotton bud to get into these corners. Then you can go back in with your cleaning solution to make sure it is properly sanitised.

For a full and comprehensive clean of your home and all of your high touch point electronics, get in touch with one of our friendly and professional Merry Maids teams today. Find your nearest Merry Maids business now to schedule a free quote, or book online for a one-off, regular, or deep clean service.

Written by Tom Page, Digital Content Writer

Home organisation solutions: Unique Amazon finds

Unique de-cluttering solutions that you can have delivered to your front door.

Whichever way you slice it – clutter is not great for you. It’s unsightly, irritating, and has been proven to make it harder to focus. Not only that, but clutter can also have real and detrimental effects on your health, as proven by this study from Nicole R. Keith from the Indiana University in the United States that found that people who kept their homes clean were healthier and more active.

But keeping your home free of clutter is easier said than done and it can be hard to stay on top of it all on your own, especially in a busy home with kids and pets running around. At Merry Maids, we know that a little helping hand never goes amiss. That’s why we’ve put together a list of items that you can buy from Amazon UK to help you organise and de-clutter your home.  

1. Over-the-door pantry organiser

Is your pantry overcrowded with unused cereal boxes, expired pasta, bags, and spices galore? Maximise your pantry by utilising the space behind the door with this handy Smart Design over-the-door organiser. Retailing at £63.94, this handy tool can help minimise the amount of disorder in your pantry with fewer things stuck at the back or not in an easily accessible place.

2. Container lid organisers

An “out of sight, out of mind” approach is typical for Tupperware organisation (or lack thereof) in most homes. If you’re like us and are tired of looking at mountains of bowls and lids that don’t match, we recommend investing in a container lid organiser from YouCopia. For £52.05, this item will free up space and eliminate the threat of a container lid avalanche every time you open the cupboard!

3. Pot and lid rack

Speaking of necessary kitchenware disarray: your pots, pans, and lids are likely overdue for a significant organisation overhaul. Luckily, the cookware you use daily will be easily accessible and organised with this heavy-duty pan rack from CAXXA. For £55.42, you can make your cabinets much more manageable. And by maximising space with this vertical storage solution, you’ll also be protecting your delicate cookware long-term.

4. Cleaning supplies holder

If you’ve been looking for a way to organise your home and keep your essential cleaning supplies off the floor and out of the way, we’ve got just the home storage solution for you. For £44.17, Commandä Brand broom grippers are perfect for securing brooms, mops, dusters, and dustpans to the wall for easy access and ideal vertical storage.

5. Cereal containers

Parents, this home storage solution is for you! For cereal-loving parents tired of having to come behind children to close cereal boxes constantly, you’ll want to get your hands onsome plastic canister organisers from Chef’s Path. At £59.97, these airtight containers keep cereal and other snacks fresh for consumption. You can finally stop worrying if your next morning bowl of cereal will be ready to eat or for a bin bag.

6. Stackable water bottle holder

No matter what you use your water bottles for, with a stackable water bottle holder from MetroDécor for £65.64, your fitness and organisation goals don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Simply keep this home organisation product on your counter or conceal it in a cabinet or pantry and voila: no more water bottle clutter.

7. Carrier bag dispenser

Do you have that one piece of kitchen space that should be used for chopping boards and bakeware but instead houses months of plastic carrier bags? We get it. To recycle and protect the planet, you’ve accumulated a hefty collection of plastic bags that are now overflowing. Our home organisation remedy is the Simplehuman carrier bag dispenser. Costing just £13.95, and with a modern, stainless-steel face, you can mount this dispenser on your wall to get it out of the way but still have easy access to it.

8. Space-saving hanger

A sometimes time consuming but necessary job to do when organising is taking stock of the clothes in your wardrobe. But one sure-fire way to help streamline the process is to rid your wardrobe of unused items before you start organising. Not only that, but IEOKE’s space-saving hanger is a clever answer to the vertical storage problem. These hangers make multifunctional magic inside your wardrobe, allowing you to save up to 80% of your space.

9. Merry Maids

For a thorough cleaning and de-cluttering service straight to your door, find your nearest Merry Maids today to book a free quote for a one-off or regular cleaning service from our cleaning and organisation experts.

Written by Tom Page, Digital Content Writer

 

10 items you can machine wash

Here is our list of 10 household items you might not know you were machine washable.

Let’s face it, if you had to hand wash every single thing you knew needed a good clean, there’d never be enough time for anything else! Fortunately, there are a variety of items, besides clothes that you can throw into the washing machine. But where to start? Our cleaning experts at Merry Maids have your guide to surprising items around your home you didn’t know your washing machine could take care of for you.

1. Small Rugs

With the amount of foot traffic in and out of your home, your small rugs are probably in need of some attention. Some rugs in your home will have varied cleaning specifications depending on the material and textures. However, generally, it’s safe to include a machine-washable throw rug or runner with a load of laundry once a month. However, you may still want to…

Consider These Tips Before Washing:

  • Shake out the rug to remove small pebbles, clumps of dirt, etc.
  • Vacuum the rug to remove any remaining dirt and debris.
  • Spot-treat any hard-to-remove stains.

Remember to wash with similar colours (as much as possible) in cold water, and air dry. For rugs with a rubber backing, please try to avoid excessive washing, as it can cause damage to the material.

2. Pillows from your bed

Have you been throwing out pillows with stains, convinced there’s no way to salvage them, and then purchasing new ones? Well, we’ve got a money saver for you! You don’t have to get rid of dirty pillows. You can throw them in the wash (unless the label specifies “dry clean only”). Ideally, this should be done at least every six months.

Consider These Tips Before Washing:

  • Remove the pillowcase (if possible) and wash it separately.
  • Use baking soda for stains that are harder to remove.

Pillows are not created equally, and neither is the stuffing. Depending on the type of material inside the pillow, you may have to tailor your washing routine.

  • For down or feather: Avoid using a liquid detergent, as it can create a residue if not rinsed thoroughly. It’s best to use a little bit of powder detergent and wash in warm water on a delicate cycle.
  • Polyester: Pillows made of polyester should be washed in warm water on a delicate cycle. Liquid detergent is okay but use it sparingly. 1 tablespoon of liquid soap should do the trick.
  • Buckwheat hulls: Before washing, start by pouring the buckwheat filling into a large container or bowl. Find a sunny spot and let the buckwheat sit to help eliminate any odours. The shell casing is ready to wash in cold water using a mild detergent.
  • Memory foam or latex: Unfortunately, memory foam or latex pillows can’t be safely washed or steamed. The best way to clean this pillow is to spot treat stains and purchase a pillowcase (that can be machine washed).

Larger washing machines can accommodate two or more pillows at a time to speed up the cleaning process. Keep in mind, that if you’re trying to remove a wet stain from your pillow, spot-treat it (and the pillowcase) first before washing it.

3. Lunch Bag

We’re sure you’ve experienced accidentally leaving a lunch bag sitting on the kitchen counter for days, not realizing there’s still food in it until a strange odour catches your attention. Before you chuck that lunch bag in the bin for its offensive smell, wash it!

Consider These Tips Before Washing:

  • Check any pockets or hidden compartments for leftover food.
  • Unzip the lunch bag and leave it unzipped (this is important before and after washing).
  • Try to stick to a bi-weekly cleaning schedule.

Most soft-sided lunch bags and other insulated bags are machine-washable. However, it’s always a good rule of thumb to check your care label to ensure the type of lunch bag you own can be laundered at home. To help knock out this laundry load fast, wash it with towels in cold water, and use regular detergent. Once it’s nice and clean, hang it upside-down (with the zipper still unzipped) to dry thoroughly.

4. Oven Gloves & Potholders

Just by their function, oven gloves and potholders tend to collect food particles and can get pretty dingy if left unwashed. To help keep these essential kitchen tools looking and smelling fresh, wash them when you do a weekly load.

Consider These Tips Before Washing:

  • Remove any caked-on food or dirt.
  • Spot-treat any hard-to-remove stains or residue.
  • Check the stitching to ensure it’s still intact.

We recommend washing oven gloves and potholders with towels in cold water. Avoid putting them in the tumble dryer. Instead, air drying is an effective option that will keep these items from shrinking.

5. Canvas Shoes

Shoes (like your household rugs) see a lot of foot traffic—literally. Canvas shoes are created from a coarse material made of hemp. Because these fashion-forward shoes can be expensive, it’s essential to take care of them and keep them looking pristine. Washing your canvas shoes is easy and safe, provided you remove any excess mud or dirt first.

Consider These Tips Before Washing:

  • Remove the shoelaces and insoles.
  • Avoid using bleach in your laundry load.

To wash your canvas shoes without damaging them, wash on a delicate cycle in cool water with a non-bio detergent. Then, as you did with the oven gloves, leave them outside (or in a secure place) to let them air dry.

6. Stuffed Toys

Your child’s first friend was probably a stuffed toy of some description, which meant they went everywhere and did everything together—eating, sleeping, and playing outside. While this toy received a lot of love, we’re guessing it also collected a lot of dirt and grime over the years. But luckily, washing your child’s favourite furry friend is as simple as popping them in the wash!

Consider These Tips Before Washing:

  • Remove any internal machinery or noisemaker (if possible).
  • Remove clothing items or accessories to avoid loss or damage.
  • Ensure there are no rips or tears in the seams or stitching.

Use a small amount of regular detergent on a gentle cycle with cold water. We don’t recommend washing plush stuffed animals, ones with embellishments on the outside, or stuffed toys that have musical machinery or battery packs sewn inside them. To avoid damage, it’s best to hand wash these types of stuffed toys.

7. Reusable Shopping Bags

We’re sure that reusable or recyclable shopping bags are a staple in your shopping routine. Because these fabric bags are high-touch items and may experience many food spills (leaving them with stains and unpleasant odours), we recommend throwing them in the wash every so often.

Consider These Tips Before Washing

  • Remove the bottom insert and use a disinfectant spray to clean it.
  • Turn the bag inside out.

When washing reusable shopping bags of different materials, follow these instructions:

  • Canvas and fabric bags: Many canvas bags come with washing instructions. However, if yours doesn’t, wash it in hot water with regular detergent and thoroughly air dry.
  • Nylon bags: Reusable nylon bags (without insulation) can be machine washed with warm water, regular detergent, and then air-dried.
  • Plastic (polypropylene) bags: For bags developed from man-made materials like polypropylene, use warm water, regular detergent, and a gentle cycle setting on your washer for thorough cleaning. Remember to air dry this type of bag to avoid damage.

8. Leather Handbags

Leather tends to be one of those materials many people have come to believe can’t be salvaged once it gets dirty. But you can wash your leather handbag safely and enjoy it for years to come.

Consider These Tips Before Washing:

  • Empty your bag by checking all pockets.
  • Take out any removable liners or inserts.
  • Use castile soap instead of detergent.

Remember, when washing any leather material, be gentle. So, set your washing machine to a delicate cycle, and use 1/4 cup of castile soap with cold water. Finally, be amazed at how brand new your leather handbag looks!

9. Mop Heads

Many cleaning tools don’t get sanitised regularly, which can render them useless. Many people would rather throw away a mop head and get a new one than go through the tedious task of cleaning it by hand. However, you don’t have to waste unnecessary energy or time hand washing—throw it in the washing machine!

Consider These Tips Before Washing:

  • Replace your mop head after 15 to 30 uses (500 uses for microfiber mop heads).
  • Make sure there are no food particles trapped between the mop fibres.

We recommend washing a mop head by placing it in a mesh laundry bag. Set your washing machine to a gentle cycle and use hot water. Once it’s thoroughly clean, remove it from the mesh bag and hang it to dry. Allow the mop to completely dry before its next use to avoid the growth of mildew and bacteria.

10. Outdoor Cushions

Your patio chair cushions have probably seen better days. With what is probably a good few summers’ worths of soaking up the sun (and being exposed to the other elements), it’s time for a good wash.

Consider These Tips Before Washing:

  • Vacuum cushions to remove debris from crevasses.
  • Add a cup of white vinegar to the load for added bacteria-killing power.
  • Double-check tags to ensure the fabric will hold up in the wash.

As an added timesaver, you can wash multiple cushions at a time, so long as your machine is large enough to accommodate them. Frontload washers are usually ideal for such a load; however, top-load washers work great, too. Use a small amount of regular detergent (with a cup of white vinegar) and run cushions and chair pads through a normal wash cycle. Set out your cushions or hang them on a line to dry in direct sunlight for a day or until completely dry.

Though we recommend that you wash each of these items fairly regularly, we also recognise that staying on top of all of your domestic chores can be incredibly time-consuming and use up a huge amount of energy.

This isn’t ideal if you have a jam-packed schedule as it is. Luckily, Merry Maids is here to help with your home cleaning needs. Whether you just need a little extra help around the house, or a more comprehensive deep clean, our cleaning experts would love to assist you.

Contact us to find out how we can help you by finding your nearest Merry Maids business or scheduling a clean online today.

Written by Tom Page, Digital Content Writer

How to remove dog urine from carpet and hardwood

With the weather getting warmer and the days growing longer, it’s becoming possible to take your furry companion out for a long walk in the sunshine. Or to let them out into the garden without the worry of them trekking muddy pawprints back into the house. But as any dog owner is aware, just because they can go outside, it doesn’t always mean that they will. But not to worry, accidents happen, and there are ways of dealing with the mess. That’s why we’ve put together a blog on the best ways to clean up after your dog.

How to Clean Urine from Carpet

Fresh Urine:

If the urine is fresh, your first instinct might be to cover the area of the stain with paper towels, and you’d be right. In the case of a fresh urine stain, the best thing to do is cover the affected area with paper towels. But, make sure you apply a significant amount of pressure rather than letting them sit on top. Applying more pressure will allow you to soak up the urine as much as possible.

If the stain is set:

If, unfortunately, you didn’t catch the stain in time and the urine is now set into the carpet, there are still ways to help. Simply sprinkle some baking soda onto the stain and let it sit for a moment. Then, decant some distilled white wine vinegar into a spray bottle and spray it onto the affected area. After that, you need to wipe it with a wet dishcloth. If the stain is still set in the carpet following this, you might need to repeat the process.

How to Clean Urine from Hardwood Floor

It is easier to deal with dog urine on a hardwood or tiled floor. Simply wipe away the urine with a paper towel and spray the area with a cleaning solution.

When buying a cleaner:

When choosing a store-bought cleaner to get rid of dog urine, be sure to use an enzymatic cleaner that is specifically designed to remove pet urine. These can include well-known brands like Vanish®, which have their own pet stain and odour removers. Be sure to steer clear of cleaners that contain ammonia such as many Flash® or Dettol® products dog urines also contain ammonia, so this may encourage your dog to mark the same spot.

If the odour from dog urine is still present after cleaning, then it may be time to enlist the help of a professional carpet and hardwood cleaning business like ServiceMaster Clean or use a carpet cleaning device. However, if you do try and deal with the smell yourself, make sure you avoid using a steam cleaner as the steam will set the odours into the carpet fibres.

For more advice and cleaning tips, or to enlist the help of our professional domestic cleaning services, stay tuned to our blog or find your nearest Merry Maids business to book a free consultation today.

Earth Day | Eco friendly washing tips

Today is Earth Day, so we thought we put together a few useful and eco-friendly washing tips for you to implement in your home.

Earth Day is today, a global initiative that’s all about raising awareness and making changes to help take care of our home planet.

To celebrate Earth Day, Merry Maids UK has put together a list of our top tips to save energy and make your washing habits a bit more eco-friendly.

1. Wash at 30°

Of course, you always need to check the care labels before loading up the washing machine. But, high temperatures aren’t always necessary and can waste a lot of energy, and considering the world we’re living in at the moment, this isn’t such a bad thing! Choosing to wash at 30 degrees instead of a higher setting can save you a whopping 40% of energy and will still leave your clothes looking clean and smelling fresh!

 

2. Use plant-based products

You can help the environment in many ways by using biodegradable plant-based products for your washing.

If you can, use plant-based products that favour biodegradable ingredients to reduce the impact of your wastewater on aquatic life. There’s a chance that on your washing up liquid or cleaning spray, you might have a warning that says “harmful to aquatic life with long-lasting effects”, if this is the case, look for plant-based products that are better for the environment

 

3. Use shorter cycles where possible

Just as colder cycles can save you energy, washing laundry that’s not stained or completely covered in dirt on a shorter cycle saves energy too and it will clean them just as well! Trust us, change to a quicker cycle for your general clothing and you’ll see absolutely no change in the quality of wash, but certainly save on energy!

 

4. Avoid chlorine bleach

Chlorine may have plenty of benefits when it comes to cleaning and disinfecting, however, once it’s released into the environment and reaches water, it reacts with other elements to form toxins that are harmful to wildlife.

 

5. Don’t do half loads

Quite a simple tip this one… Always have a full drum before you start any washing cycle on your machine. This is more beneficial as you’ll still be using the same amount of water and energy as you would if you were to only half fill your machine.

 

6. Use concentrated detergent

Water is the most valuable resource on Earth, yet every day all over the world it’s wasted by the bucket load! Try and use detergents that are concentrated, meaning they’ve used less water in the production process and a bonus they’ll last you even longer. Concentrated detergents can lead to huge energy and water savings!

 

7. Wash clothes inside-out

This quick trick will help your clothes to look new, meaning you’ll have to replace them less often. If fewer clothes are purchased then less water and fossil fuels will be used as fewer clothes will be mass-produced.

 

We hope these tips can in use, if you need your home cleaning then contact your local Merry Maids today.

How to get chocolate stains out of your clothing and more

It’s the Easter weekend, which means lots of chocolate!

However, chocolate has the tendency to melt all over your hands, and you don’t usually realise it’s melted until it’s on your clothes, upholstery and carpets!

Chocolate soaks into the fabric a bit more slowly than other liquids, so clean it up as quickly as possible and you’ll have more success of getting rid of it.

Clothing

It always seems to get on clothing, especially when you’re wearing a white top!

Here’s how to remove chocolate stains from your clothing:

  • Scrape off excess chocolate
  • Pretreat with a prewash stain remover
  • Put in the washing machine as normal
  • If the stain remains, wash again

Upholstery

Accidents happen, they are inevitable, and getting chocolate on your upholstery is a very common one!

Here’s how to remove chocolate stains from your upholstery:

  • Scrape off excess chocolate
  • Mix one tablespoon of washing up liquid with two cups of cool water
  • Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with the above solution
  • Blot until the liquid is absorbed (Always blot the stain because if you rub it you’ll work the stain into the fabric more), repeat until the stain disappears
  • Sponge the area with cold water and blot dry.
  • If that doesn’t work, use a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with a dry-cleaning solvent and blot until the solvent is absorbed, repeat until the stain disappears.

Carpeting

With kids around you’re bound to get chocolate everywhere not just on the carpet, but here’s how to remove chocolate stains from your carpet:

For all of your house cleaning needs find your nearest Merry Maids today.

Merry Maids Spring Cleaning Checklist

Here’s our very useful spring cleaning checklist for you!

The days are getting longer, the weather is warming, the flowers are slowly blooming – there’s no question, spring is finally here! For many, this is the cue to break out the cleaning supplies and give the house a proper de-cluttering and spring cleaning.

Unsure of where to start? With the whole house in need of seeing to, it can be easy to get overwhelmed with the sheer number of things to do. Luckily, the Merry Maids cleaning experts are on hand to help you out. We find that the best way to spring clean is to take it room by room and have a list of jobs for each. So, we’ve put together a list of jobs for the ten major rooms in your home, and some top tips for each.

  1. Hallways and stairs
  • Dust light fixtures
  • Sweep and vacuum floors and stairs
  • Mop hardwood floors

Have a stubborn stain or damage on your carpet or wood floor? Get in touch with the carpet and hard floor cleaning specialists ServiceMaster Clean to have them as good as new in a flash.

  • Give walls, bannisters and skirting boards a wipe down
  • Clean doors
  • Clean doormats. We recommend having two doormats, one inside and one outside, for maximum cleanliness.
  • Organise shoes and coats and make sure they’re not an obstacle or trip hazard
  1. Living room
  • Wash cushions and throws
  • Dust and polish mantles and furniture
  • Dust curtains/blinds and lampshades
  • Vacuum sofas. Spot clean when necessary.

Have a stubborn stain on a piece of furniture or upholstery that you just can’t seem to shake? Try Merry Maids Spot Hero Cleaner, used by our cleaning technicians to get rid of any persistent mess.

  • Clean sills and wash windows
  • Sanitise remote controls
  • Vacuum rugs and carpets
  • Dust TV and other appliances. Here are our tops tips for cleaning the screen of your telly without leaving streaks.
  • Untangle, sort and label wires and plugs from electronics
  • Sort through any DVDs and CDs etc. Organising them in a proper place or selling/donating ones you don’t want
  • Wash walls
  • Clean light switches
  • You may want to also get into the habit of washing and sanitising doorknobs
  1. Kitchen
  • Empty cabinets and drawers, give cutlery a clean if necessary, then clean them inside and out and sort everything back neatly.
  • Dispose of out-of-date food and drink items and donate anything unwanted. Provided food and drink items are in date and look okay, you can use this handy tool from the Trussell Trust to find your nearest foodbank.
  • While you have them out of the drawers, sharpen your knives.
  • Clean and organise your fridge. Not sure how to go about it? Check out our top tips.
  • Clean and organise freezer, pantry or larder cupboards
  • Clean the oven. For an easy way to clean a grimy oven door, and other handy tips, check out this blog post on our best at-home DIY cleaning hacks.
  • Clean microwave
  • Clear crumbs from the toaster
  • Clean and descale the kettle
  • Clean the dishwasher
  • Defrost your freezer if need be
  • Dust high surfaces like the top of the fridge and cabinets
  • Wipe walls and baseboards
  • Wipe countertops and appliances
  • Vacuum and mop the floor
  • Shake out doormats if you have them
  • Reseal grout lines if needed
  • Disinfect high touch point areas like light switches and door handles
  • Disinfect sinks and drains
  • Clean and shine taps
  • Clean dishcloths and sponges
  1. Dining room
  • Dust and polish furniture
  • Wash curtains or dust blinds
  • Sanitise tables and chairs – polish where needed
  • Vacuum, sweep or wash floors and
  • Vacuum and/or spot clean cushions. You could also machine wash these where possible.
  • Wipe walls
  • Wash any table lines
  • Dust any décor such as wall hangings or china
  • Wash windows and sills
  • Polish and shine any silverware
  • Sanitise high touch point areas like light switches and doorknobs
  1. Laundry room
  • Wash windows and sills
  • Clean washing machine and dryers inside out
  • Empty the lint trap and wash it out with soap and water to get rid of any excess build-up. Be sure you air dry it thoroughly before putting it back.
  • As in the kitchen, empty any drawers and cabinets, wash inside and out before organising and replacing the contents
  • Sanitise high touchpoint areas like light switches and doorknobs
  • Sweep and mop or vacuum floors
  1. Office
  • Organise documents, file to suit your needs and recycle and/or shred anything you don’t need.
  • Wipe down and sanitise any laptops or computers and keyboards etc.
  • Empty desk drawers, before you clean, organise and replace contents.
  • Dust and polish any woodwork and furniture
  • Sort bookshelves and donate or sell unwanted books
  • Sanitise high touchpoint areas like light switches and doorknobs
  1. Bathroom
  • Have a sort through old products and get rid of things you don’t use or need. Bring wanted items to a drop-off site. These are often in different locations or shops so it’s worth having a look around. One great resource is Toiletries Amnesty, which has this comprehensive directory to help you find your nearest facility.
  • Clean any makeup brushes that you plan to keep
  • Wipe down mirrors and windows
  • Dust surfaces
  • Vacuum and mop floors
  • Clean the bath and/or shower
  • Make your showerhead spotless using our DIY cleaning method
  • Air your shower curtain or replace the liner
  • Disinfect and clear drains and clean the sink
  • Wash and shine the taps
  • Wash windows and sills
  • Clean the toilet, both inside and out. For maximum cleanliness, you can even remove the seat and give this a proper scrub!
  • Wash walls
  • Sanitise high touchpoint areas like light switches and doorknobs
  • Re-grout tile lines if needed
  1. Bedrooms
  • Take items out of drawers and off of shelves and have a thorough organise of what you do and don’t need.
  • Dust and vacuum floors and furniture
  • Empty drawers, dust, wash, organise contents and replace
  • Empty and clean the inside of wardrobes
  • Donate any items of clothing or other things you don’t need
  • Push your bed to one side so that you can vacuum and clear any debris underneath
  • Hoover your mattress. For an extra tip, you can sprinkle some baking soda over it beforehand to make it extra fresh.
  • Wash bedding, pillows and duets and air the mattress
  • Wash windows, sills and mirrors
  • Wash walls
  • Dust blinds and curtain rods and vacuum curtains
  • Dust décor
  • Wash floors if needed
  • Dust lights and lampshades
  • Sanitise high touchpoint areas like light switches and doorknobs
  • For stubborn carpet stains, contact ServiceMaster Clean or spot clean with Spot Hero Cleaner
  1. Other

When looking outside the home, check out our compressive guide to cleaning and decluttering your garage here.

Other spring-cleaning tasks you may want to think about include replacing lightbulbs and smoke alarm batteries, cleaning air vents, and organising and cleaning bags and purses, and their contents. This could include sanitising keys, mobile phones, or tablets.

If this seems like a lot to handle on your own, we can lend you a hand. Find your nearest Merry Maids business to schedule a one-off deep clean or regular domestic cleaning service today.

Written by Tom Page, Digital Content Writer