Tag Archive for: Christmas Cleaning

Your Christmas Morning Cleaning Survival Guide

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Christmas morning is filled with excitement, wrapping paper, and the delicious aroma of breakfast cooking. However, along with all that joy comes a significant amount of mess. Between unwrapping gifts, preparing a big meal, and ensuring everyone is happy, cleaning on Christmas morning can feel like a full-time job.

Here’s your Christmas Morning Cleaning Survival Guide:

1. Prepare Before the Big Day

A little preparation on Christmas Eve makes a significant difference.

  • Empty the bins and recycling beforehand so they’re ready for the surge of wrapping paper.
  • Clear the kitchen counters and run the dishwasher to start fresh in the morning.
  • Prepare one bin bag for paper and another for plastic to make tidying up easier as you go.

2. Contain the Wrapping Paper Chaos

Wrapping paper seems to multiply the moment presents are opened.

  • Assign someone to be responsible for cleaning up the wrapping paper. This keeps the living room looking neat and saves a significant clean-up effort later.
  • If you’re feeling eco-friendly, save reusable ribbons and gift bags before they get crumpled.

3. Keep the Kitchen Under Control

The kitchen can easily become the busiest room in the house. To stay organised, clean as you cook.

  • While food cooks, wash dishes, load the dishwasher, and wipe down surfaces between tasks.
  • If you are hosting, don’t hesitate to ask for help. There’s always someone willing to dry dishes or put things away.

4. Tackle Spills Straight Away

With drinks flowing and excitement high, accidents happen.

Keep a cloth and a bottle of Spot Hero from our sister company, ServiceMaster Clean, handy to wipe up spills immediately, especially on soft furnishings or carpets. Quick action stops stains from setting.

5. Christmas Morning with Young Families

If you have young children, mornings can be even busier. Toys, packaging, and excitement fill every corner of your home.

Try these small steps to help keep things under control:

  • Prepare a box or basket to store new toys, keeping the floor tidy and clear.
  • Be sure to collect the packaging immediately to prevent it from being stepped on or mixed in with the gifts.
  • Always keep wipes and a damp cloth nearby for cleaning sticky hands and spills.
  • Establish a small play area where children can use their new toys without spreading them throughout the house (easier said than done, we hear a few of you saying).

These simple habits help you maintain a sense of order while still enjoying every moment with your family.

6. Make a Midday Reset

Once presents are opened and breakfast is done, take ten minutes to reset your home.

  • Fluff the cushions
  • Empty bins
  • Give the kitchen a quick tidy.

It allows the rest of the day to feel relaxed and organised.

 

Find your nearest Merry Maids business to book a free quote today, or call 0800 021 3072 to learn more.

Merry Maids Lincoln Spread Festive Cheer with Personal Touches This December

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Merry Maids Lincoln has brought a strong festive focus to every clean this December. Not only are they committed to giving you a sparkling clean home, but they have gone above and beyond to add some seasonal touches to every home that shows how much the team care about their customers. This approach has helped the service stand out in the local domestic cleaning market, especially as more households prepare their homes for the festivities throughout December.

The team have added thoughtful extras to each visit. Customers received a personalised Christmas card, a handwritten note from their cleaner, and a small treat of chocolates. These touches create a warm experience for their customers and their families. The team also kept the theme alive through the homes with clever details. Toilet rolls become snowmen, and towels are folded into simple bows. These touches help their customers’ homes feel ready for the busy season.

Feedback from customers has been positive, with many customers calling ecstatic about the touches Merry Maids Lincoln has made. Many calls and emails have come in to thank the team. Two comments shared this week include:

“Thank you for the lovely card and chocolates.” Mrs T.

“The fancy festive toilet rolls are a lovely touch. My kids love it when Merry Maids have been.” Mrs H.

What Makes Merry Maids Lincoln Different? 

Merry Maids Lincoln focuses on consistency, trust, and simple service. You get a professionally trained team, clear communication, and a cleaning plan that fits your routine. You also get the same standard at every visit. Your dedicated team works with care, respecting your time and space. This helps you feel confident that your home is in safe hands.

Merry Maids Lincoln Committed to Customer Care

Merry Maids Lincoln puts customer care at the heart of how they work. The team take time to learn what you need. They pay close attention to your home and any requests you raise. This helps you feel comfortable, especially if you prefer a hands-off experience.

You also get regular check-ins from the office team. This lets you share feedback and adjust your cleaning plan when needed. Many customers say this support helps them feel calm about letting a cleaner into their home.

Merry Maids Lincoln delivers Celebrity Service in Every Clean

The team describe their cleaning approach as celebrity service. Merry Maids Lincoln is committed to rolling out the red carpet for every customer. This means they go above and beyond to make sure their customers feel valued from the moment you book through to the moment your cleaner leaves your home.

This focus helps you enjoy peace of mind. You know your home is clean, cared for, and ready for guests. The approach also supports strong customer loyalty. Many clients stay with Merry Maids Lincoln for years.

Looking for a festive clean?

If you want your home ready for the festive season or need help with hosting, Merry Maids Lincoln can support you. You can book a festive clean, a deep clean, or set up a regular domestic clean. If you live outside Lincoln, you can use the postcode search tool to find your nearest Merry Maids provider.

Cleaning your TV Screen Ready For Christmas TV

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Ever tried to clean your TV screen and been left with more streaks and marks than when you started? This is for you.

It’s not long now until Christmas, and one thing we can look forward to with the holidays drawing closer is, of course, Christmas telly. But it’s no good if a streaky flatscreen ruins your festive viewing. So how do you clean your TV screen without leaving streaks and pesky marks?

Turn the TV off at the mains

This part speaks for itself a bit, as you need to see what you’re doing and avoid damaging yourself or the TV. Using any liquid to clean a powered-on LCD TV screen can leave streaks due to heat, making it more prone to marking.

Use a dry, clean, and lint-free cloth

Be sure that any cloths you’re using to clean your screen are dry. Perhaps rather obviously, your electronics don’t mix well with water, and the screen will benefit from a lighter touch; preferably, use a lint-free cloth.

You could even use a feather duster or a microfiber cloth if you have one – but definitely give the kitchen roll a miss at the dusting stage, as this will only scratch up the screen. At this stage, use as light a touch as possible, and clean in a slow, circular motion to remove dust from the screen without leaving a mark.

Get rid of existing marks

If lightly dusting your TV screen still leaves you with many marks, you probably have existing ones that need to be removed.

These stubborn markings will likely be too strong for a microfiber cloth, so your best course of action is to get a new cloth and use some distilled water.

We recommend moistening your cloth with distilled water and never applying any cleaning solution directly to the screen. This can cause moisture to enter the seal around the screen and damage the electronics. Dampen the cloth very slightly so you can wipe away any stubborn streaks – then follow up with a dry cloth to remove excess moisture.

Worst-case scenario: You’ve done everything up until now, and the markings are persisting.

But remember, whatever your gut instinct might be, this is not the time to be reaching for cleaning chemicals, as they, particularly those with an ammonia base (commonly found in popular brands like Dettol, Flash, and Cif), can break down the protective layers on LCD flat-screen TVs and severely damage the screen.

So what can you do instead?

Use antibacterial wipes

Something we’ve all become more accustomed to having around and using in the COVID-19 pandemic is alcohol-based cleaning wipes. These might even now be the first port of call for cleaning a grubby flat-screen; however, we recommend using a little distilled water alongside it to reduce the alcohol’s strength and avoid damaging the screen. Do this with a very light touch, and it should do the job nicely and safely.

Note: As you are still using water, all of our previous advice about turning off electronics and drying the screen afterwards still applies.

Try some DIY Remedies

And no, these aren’t urban myths like your Gran might’ve recommended back in the day. Our cleaning experts can suggest some effective DIY home solutions to this decidedly modern problem.

The first one you might want to try involves using the materials you should’ve already attempted, along with another food product that most will already have at home.

  • Combine 50% white wine vinegar with 50% distilled water
  • Combine DIY remedies like this in a spray bottle and then spray it onto a lint-free cloth
  • Again, wipe in a circular motion to avoid any more streaks, then wipe away excess mixture with a dry cloth to prevent vinegar from sticking to the screen or seeping behind it.

You could also try using a minimal amount of dish soap at a significantly lower ratio, as bubbles can easily get out of hand. Follow the same process: combine distilled water in a spray bottle, spray onto a lint-free cloth, rub in circles, then dry off with a dry cloth.

Call in the Experts

If you would rather leave all of your domestic cleaning needs to the professionals, find your nearest Merry Maids business to book a clean or call 0800 021 3072 today.

Pre-Christmas Cleaning Guide

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Christmas is approaching! So, here’s our pre-Christmas cleaning guide.

Are you planning to host a Christmas party or spend Christmas Day with the entire family? If so, you might want to tidy up before the guests arrive. However, with so much to do, Christmas cleaning can feel overwhelming.

That’s why we’ve made a list (and checked it twice) of useful pre-Christmas cleaning tasks to ensure your home stays in order during this festive season.

Guest Bedroom Pre-Christmas Cleaning

If you have a spare or guest room, the temptation may be to use it for… “storage”.

However, around this time of year, make sure your spare bedroom(s) are cleaned in case of unexpected overnight guests.

Just in case a white Christmas or an extra glass of sherry makes driving home for Christmas inadvisable.

When cleaning your spare bedroom, remember to:

  • Change the sheets/bedding & duvets so they are clean and fresh for your guests. A quick tip to make them even fresher smelling is to wash them separately from any clothes
  • Vacuum and polish the guest room to ensure the room has a welcoming scent

If your guest room isn’t used that often, it may not be as welcoming as other rooms.

  • You can potentially get a few paintings or photos up in the room, maybe a houseplant or anything else you may feel is welcoming

Your guests are likely to be staying more than one night. Therefore, they’ll need space for their clothes and other belongings. So:

  • Empty the wardrobe and drawers of all your summer clothes, or the “I’ll take these to a charity shop one day” clothes. This will ensure your guest has sufficient space and will feel more at home instead of living out of their suitcase

Kitchen Pre-Christmas Cleaning

The kitchen is usually the centre of the action at Christmas.

Especially with mulled wine brewing on the stove, it feels warm and festive!

First, your oven should be clean to ensure it’s ready for the juicy turkey or tasty nut roast!

  • Buy an oven cleaning product and follow the instructions on the label, as there are lots of different products you can use
  • A clean oven will make your food taste better and won’t produce smoke that floats around the house, making it smell unpleasant.

You’ll probably have to put LOADS of food in your fridge and freezer, so it’s time for a clear-out.

A clean, less cluttered fridge will allow space for all the pigs in blankets, wine, and pudding!

  • Have a clean fridge for all of your Christmas food
    – Remove all food, drawers and shelves
    – Soak drawers and shelves in washing-up liquid
    – Use warm water and washing-up liquid to wipe the interior
    – Wipe outer surfaces and dry inside with a kitchen roll
    – Dry and return the drawers/shelves
    – Wait until the temperature has returned to 5°C

Bathroom Pre-Christmas Cleaning

Wintertime is when people get horrid colds they can’t shake.

That’s why pre-cleaning the bathroom and maintaining cleanliness throughout your guests’ stay are vital.

  • Clean the bathroom from top to bottom, including the bath, shower, sink, toilet, carpet, cupboards and anything else you may have in there.
  • Tidy up your bathroom to leave space for your guests’ toiletries, or if you have two washrooms, move all your toiletries to the bathroom your guests won’t be using. This will again make them feel at home.

Living Room Pre-Christmas Cleaning

Your living room is the social and board gaming hub, with the fire roaring in the background and the smell of Christmas all around. Lovely!

  • Vacuum your living room carpet before your guests arrive and during their stay, depending on how long they’re there for
  • Vacuum all of your upholstery and cushions before guests arrive
  • Have a general tidy-up and, if you have time, a bit of a declutter of things you don’t need during the winter period

Home Exterior Pre-Christmas Cleaning

Ensure the outside of your house looks welcoming to your guests and any neighbours who might pop by to wish you a Merry Christmas.

  • Clean your outside decorations just by wiping them with a dry cloth
  • Clean your windows on the inside and outside
  • Ensure that, if you have a drive, you’ve left enough space for your guest’s car (s) or, if it’s on-street parking, there is enough space for them. If necessary, remember to sort out their on-street parking permits.

A bit much?

All this cleaning might seem like a bit much, especially with all the extra Christmas prep.

We provide all the services listed above and more, so you can focus on what matters at Christmas without worrying about cleaning.

If you would like to learn more about our services and how we can help you, find your nearest Merry Maids business to book a clean or call 0800 021 3072 today.

The 12 Cleans of Christmas (Part Two)

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Twelve things around the house that you probably aren’t cleaning regularly, but you should be.

Following Part One of our 12 Cleans of Christmas last week, we’re bringing you the final six items to be cleaned regularly this Christmas and New Year.

If you missed the first six items, you can find last week’s blog detailing them here.

  1. Sink P Traps

‘A what?’ I hear you exclaim. Fear not, it’s rather simple. A p trap is that curved portion of pipe that sits beneath the drain of your kitchen or bathroom sink – named for its ‘P’-shaped curve. If you’ve ever noticed an unpleasant smell coming from a sink in your home – this is probably the cause.

To clean it, clear some space under or around the sink to work with, and then all you’re going to need is a wrench, and a bucket to catch any runoff trapped water and mess inside the trap.

Loosen the bolts connecting the trap to the main pipe and then remove it.

Flush and/or clean out the trap with some water, a brush or wire and viola – a clean sink p trap.

After you’ve reattached the trap, you’ll want to make sure you’ve screwed it back on tightly and then run some water through it for about 30 seconds to check it for leaks.

  1. Bathroom fans and Shower Holders

Staying in the bathroom for this one, another thing on your Christmas cleaning checklist should be the bathroom fan.

This can have several benefits, such as ridding your bathroom of smells and odours, removing airborne contaminants from cleaning products, and reducing moisture in the air.

As well as this, a clogged-up and dirty fan is less efficient and not as effective at protecting your bathroom from the build-up of mould and dampness.

To clean it, first remove the vent cover by gently pulling it down and exposing the fan.

Some fans may have screws or spring clips that you’ll need to undo first.

To clean the cover, fill your sink with warm, soapy water and let it soak for a bit – then give it a good scrubbing down. You can then let it air dry whilst you get on with cleaning the exhaust fan.

To be safe, unplug the fan or turn off the power to the bathroom at the mains.

Once this is done, you can give it a good vacuum or dusting and wipe it down with warm soapy water or anti-bacterial wipes. When you’re done and everything is dry, replace the cover and you’re all done!

If your shower has been humid because of an ineffective fan, you are likely more susceptible to a dirty shower storage container/caddy.

You should be cleaning any containers in your shower, at a minimum, once a month.

For a DIY solution to a dirty caddy, you can soak them in water and 1½ cups of vinegar for 20 minutes, then scrub and rinse it with fresh water. Mix some baking soda with water to form a paste scrub the container with this and pour on another cup of vinegar.

The reaction from the baking soda and vinegar will bubble and fizz – but this is good, it means the solution is breaking down any dirt and scum.

Then rinse with clean water and dry with a clean towel to stop any spots developing.

  1. Lampshades, Lightbulbs and Light Switches

Lampshades are another thing in the home that we all have, but don’t necessarily clean that often, as it’s often easy to forget they’re up there.

Well, consider this your reminder.

Lampshades can accumulate quite large amounts of cobwebs and dust throughout the year, so cleaning them is important.

For fabric lampshades, you can easily clean them with a duster or brush attachment on your vacuum – just use a gentle touch and make sure the lights are off.

For glass lampshades, you can use the dishwasher; simply unscrew the shade, put it on the top rack and pop a cycle on.

You probably haven’t ever given much thought to cleaning your lightbulbs either – we don’t blame you.

But these can also attract dust, making them potentially hazardous when hot, and also dimmer!

Just wipe them down with a cloth when they’re switched off to make sure they’re dust and grime-free.

Something you may have considered more recently is, however, light switches.

These are considered high touch point areas, and can be a hotbed of germs and other bacteria transferred from hands – so it’s good to get into the habit of disinfecting them regularly (if you’re not already doing so). You can easily do this by giving them a quick wipe down with some anti-bacterial wipes.

  1. Pillows, Duvets and Mattresses

If you have company coming to stay for Christmas, children returning from university, or whatever it is: you might want to give some thought to cleaning your bedding.

And we don’t just mean the sheets either – we mean what’s underneath.

Now, it’s worth checking the specifics of your bedding, as most of it can be machine washed, but some of it may need dry cleaning due to size or product-specific specifications.

You obviously can’t machine wash a mattress – but it is still worth giving it a hoover and spot-cleaning it with stain remover regularly to rid it of any bed bugs, dust, and grime.

You can also try bringing out the baking soda again to absorb and break down odours and moisture – though this will need a light sprinkling left overnight and hoovered up again.

Be sure to also flip the mattress and clean both sides thoroughly.

  1. TV remotes

Whether you call it by its name, or whatever amalgamation of random syllables comes to mind when you ask someone to pass it to you, you can’t have Christmas telly without the remote.

Research performed to study the cleanliness of a hotel room found that remote controls were the most germ-infested item in the room.

And they get a lot of use over the holidays – making them another high touch point item to disinfect regularly this Christmas.

Fortunately, rubbing alcohol can sanitise your remote quickly and easily. Pour a bit on a paper towel, or use an antibacterial wipe, and scrub every inch of the remote to ensure it is thoroughly disinfected.

  1. Houseplants

You might not think it, but houseplants need cleaning too.

A surprising amount of dust can settle and accumulate on the leaves of houseplants – real or fake.

You can also place smaller ones in the sink before watering and give the leaves a rinse to get rid of pests.

Then let them drip dry out of any sunlight.

Well, that’s all folks! With that, we have reached the end of our 12 Cleans of Christmas.

Be sure to stay on top of cleaning these 12 items over Christmas and into the New Year, for a lovely clean home. But that’s not all, keep your eyes on the Merry Maids blog throughout the holiday season for more festive cleaning content, including some top tips on cleaning in winter.

And if you want to leave your winter cleaning to the professionals, why not get in touch with us? You can give us a call and speak to our cleaning experts on 0800 021 3072, or find your local Merry Maids UK here.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Christmas Cleaning

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Merry Maids’ top tips for premium Christmas cleaning. 

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.

Cleaning your TV Screen for Christmas telly

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Ever tried to clean your TV screen and been left with more streaks and marks than when you started? This is for you.

It’s not long now until Christmas, and one thing we can look forward to with the holidays drawing closer, is of course: Christmas telly. But it’s no good if your festive viewing is ruined by a streaky flatscreen. So how do you clean your TV screen without leaving streaks and pesky marks?

Turn the TV off at the mains

This part speaks for its self a little, as you need to see what you’re doing and don’t want to damage yourself or the TV. But beyond that, using any sort of liquid to clean the screen will leave streaks if the TV is turned on as LCD TVs produce heat when they’re on which makes them more susceptible to marking easily.

Use a dry, clean, and lint-free cloth

Be sure that any cloths you’re using to clean your screen are dry. Perhaps rather obviously, your electronics don’t mix well with water, and the screen will benefit from a lighter toucher – so preferably use a lint free cloth. You could even use a feather duster or a microfiber cloth if you have one – but definitely give the kitchen roll a miss at the dusting stage as this will only scratch up the screen. At this stage, use as light a touch as you can, and clean in a slow and circular motion to remove the dust on the screen without leaving a mark.

Get rid of existing marks

If lightly dusting your TV screen still leaves you with a lot of marks, then you probably have existing ones that you need to get rid of. These stubborn markings will likely be too strong for a microfiber cloth, so your best course of action is to get a new cloth and use some distilled water. HelloTech.com recommends that you moisten your cloth with distilled water and never apply any kind of cleaning solution directly onto the screen. This is because this can cause moisture to get into the seal around the screen and will damage the electronics. Simply dampen the cloth very slightly so you can wipe away any stubborn streaks – and then follow up with a dry cloth to get rid of excess moisture.

Worst case scenario: You’ve done everything up until now and the markings are still persisting. But remember, whatever your gut instinct might be, this is not the time to be reaching for cleaning chemicals as they, particularly those with an ammonia base (commonly found in popular brands like Dettol, Flash, and Cif) can break down the protective layers on LCD flat-screen TVs and severely damage the screen.

So what can you do instead?

Use antibacterial wipes

Something we’ve all become more accustomed to having around and using in the COVID-19 pandemic is alcohol-based cleaning wipes. These now might even be the first port of call for cleaning a grubby flat-screen – however, we recommend using a little bit of distilled water alongside it to decrease the strength of the alcohol and avoid damaging the screen with it. Do this, and use a very light touch and it should do the job nicely and safely.

Note: As you are still using water, all of our previous advice about turning off electronics and drying the screen afterwards still applies.

Try some DIY Remedies

And no, these aren’t urban myths like your Gran might’ve recommended back in the day. Our cleaning experts can recommend some effective DIY home solutions to this decidedly modern problem.

The first one you might want to try involves using the materials you should’ve already attempted, along with another food product that most will already have at home. Combine a mix of 50% white wine vinegar with 50% distilled water. The Kitchn recommends combining DIY remedies like this in a spray bottle and then spraying it onto a lint-free cloth. Again, wipe in a circular motion to avoid any more streaks, then wipe excess mixture with a dry cloth to stop the vinegar sticking on the screen or seeping behind it.

You could also try using a very small amount of dish soap – but at a very very small ratio as the bubbles could easily get out of hand. Simply follow the same process of combining distilled water in a spray bottle and spraying on a lint-free cloth and rubbing in circles, before drying off with a dry cloth.

Call in the Experts

If you would rather leave all of your domestic cleaning needs to the professionals, get in touch with us. To find your nearest Merry Maids, click here.

5 Top tips for cleaning in winter

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When you think about cleaning, your mind might immediately jump to the spring. But the warmer months aren’t the only time you should be focused on cleaning. Winter is fast approaching, and with it are a host of season-specific cleaning considerations.

If this seems a little daunting, don’t worry. We’ve compiled a list of five things that you can do to get a head start on the housework this winter.

  1. Give your radiators a good seeing to

One of the most important things in the home during the winter is, of course, the radiators. We depend on them for warmth when the temperature starts to drop. So why not make sure you’re giving them the best treatment possible? During the year, dust will have accumulated around, and possibly even in your radiators, which will mean that they won’t be working to their full potential.

To combat this, there are a few things you can do:

  • Use your everyday cotton cleaning cloth and give the radiators a good wipe down. Make sure you get all around the radiator, including the top and bottom areas.
  • Take a long-distance brush, like a duster (if it’s extendable, that’s even better). Then move it in and out of the top vent to be sure that you’re getting as much of that pesky dust as you can. 
  1. Clean off that computer

Due to the COVID19 pandemic, something we are all more aware of is the process of cleaning and disinfecting our personal items like laptops and computers. With many still working from home, they have become more crucial in our day to day lives than ever before. But even when not working over the festive period, it’s important to remember to keep up the practice of thoroughly cleaning your devices – even if all you’re doing is snuggling up with a hot drink and a Netflix series.

Beyond wiping down your screen and keyboard, here are a couple of other things you can do to give your laptop/computer a good clear out:

  • Vacuum all of the visible air vents.
  • Spray a can of compressed air into your keyboard slots and vents to get rid of any dust and grime. As well as keeping it clean, this may also alleviate the stress on your computer’s fan and help stop the system from overheating.
  1. Shield your floors from mud

We’re all familiar with the fickle winter weather in the UK. The last thing you want is to get caught out by a surprise turn and end up trekking mud, or even snow, throughout the house. If you don’t already have them, we recommend investing in a few doormats in order to avoid bringing any germs, mud, and other debris into the home and onto your floors.

If you already have some, great! Another thing you can do is make sure you have somewhere off of the floor to store your shoes like a box or shoe rack. Or you could put down an old bit of carpet, some sheeting, or a shoe rug, and place them on there to create a barrier between any muddy soles and the floor.

  1. Clean out that ‘Chim Cher-ee’

When you think of a festive scene, one of the first things that comes to mind might be chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Whilst keeping your home nice and cosy this winter is a top priority for most, if you plan on doing this with an open fire, we recommend clearing your chimney – if you have one. This is because the dirt and chemicals that will have built up over the past year could turn into a fire hazard and potentially cause an influx of smoke into your home.

And no, don’t worry, it won’t be Dick Van Dyke coming round with his peaked cap and long brush to do it. The methods have improved since the Victorian era! Nowadays, technology and equipment are far more efficient.

  1. Keep your supplies clean

After all your winter cleaning, your house is likely looking spotless. But remember, to keep getting the same results every time, it’s important to make sure that you’re keeping your cleaning supplies in good nick too.

To do this, here are a few things you can do:

  • Fill your sink with hot, soapy water and put any sponges and cloths you might have used in for a good soak. Be sure to properly disinfect them too!
  • Vacuum any debris from your brooms or sweeping brushes, and disinfect your mop.
  • When this is done, give your vacuum a wipe down and empty it out or change the bag if you need to.
  • If your duster is detachable, you might want to pop it in the wash along with your cleaning cloths.

And if this all seems like a lot of work, but you still want to keep your home looking clean and pristine this Christmas, why not get in touch with us? Find your local Merry Maids UK here and get that same spotless shine every single time!

Planning a Stress-Free Christmas Dinner Party

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Whether you’re hosting a large group of friends and family at your house or cooking up a feast for your immediate family, it can be stressful to plan for a holiday dinner party – especially if you’re acting as head-chef, sous-chef and server throughout the event. After all, these meals most probably involve multiple courses, your best silverware and china you only get out for Christmas, and a whole lot of decorations: It’s enough to make anyone go mad!

Christmas Dinner Party

With the right planning, however, you’ll be well on your way to a more stress-free and satisfying Christmas. In some cases, your planning process may even include delegating out the cleaning chores and kitchen tasks to the rest of the family or housemates, so that you can focus on being the perfect party host for your guests.

Below, we’ve put together a few Christmas party ideas to make your planning and Christmas dinner easier.

Define your menu

Christmas dinners are always based around one thing – you guessed it – lots and lots of delicious food, it’s important to start here before you plan anything else, and see if you can cut back in any area.

If you’re cooking all the food yourself, you should first consider enlisting a few elves to help, or if you can’t find any elves, friends or family to help in the kitchen.

While it can be fun to go all out for this kind of event, make sure that your menu doesn’t put too much stress on your own plate and is simple enough to produce.

After you put together a holiday dinner menu, ask yourself these questions:

  • How many guests will I have, and what are their dietary needs and restrictions?
  • What recipes do I plan to use?
  • What’s the timescale to make this meal from beginning to end?
  • Can I make any dishes ahead of time?
  • Am I comfortable using these recipes?
  • Do I want it to be a potluck dinner and have guests bring unique side dishes? – This can give you more time for you to be the perfect host, as you won’t be in the kitchen as much.
  • Will there be young children there, and if so, will they have a separate menu?

Once you have the answers to these questions, go back to the drawing board and eliminate anything that will add unnecessary time to your meal preparations. Pretty soon, you’ll find that your menu accurately reflects the needs of your group and plays to your individual strengths as a cook, making it easier to get ready.

It’s also a good idea to create your ingredient shopping list early on, so you won’t be running to the shops to grab anything later.

Put down the cocktail shaker

For a lot of us, a seasonal cocktail is just as important as the Christmas dinner itself. However, you don’t have to practice your bartending skills all year round and play bartender to give your guests an amazing time. It’s much easier to make cocktail batches in advance, which you can include on a decorated bar cart with ice, napkins, garnishes, and other essentials. Don’t drink? There’s always some alcohol-free punches that taste heavenly as well!

Some of the best holiday cocktail recipes to make in a batch include:

  • A delicious apple mocktail, like a Caramel Apple Mocktail
  • One for the bah humbugs to get them in the Christmas mood, a Grinch Punch
  • Classic hot drinks, like Martha Stewart’s mulled wine
  • One for all the lovers out there, a Mistletoe Margarita
  • A festive winter sangria, like this one from Joyful Healthy Eats

Whatever you make, be sure you and your guests drink responsibly.

Pre dinner party cleaning

Whether you’re picking up the duster yourself or delegating the cleaning to someone else, it’s critical to include pre-party cleaning time in your schedule. Unless guests will be wandering throughout the house, focus on high-traffic areas like the kitchen, living room, and dining room. In general, the cleaning should be completed no more than two days before the guests arrive.

Get the right ambience

You don’t need to go mad with decorations to make your home feel cosy and welcoming. After all, a dinner party is primarily about one thing: food!

As long as your house is clean and your tables are ready to go, you’ll be well on your way to holiday bliss.

That being said, we’ve got a few easy tricks you can use to boost the ambience in your space:

  • Set the mood with the right holiday playlist. Just use Alexa or Google Home to put on some Christmas favourites and your home will instantly feel Christmas party-ready.
  • Make space for shoes and coats. Don’t have a coat or shoe rack? No problem: Pick out a designated closet and be sure there are enough hangers for coats. Then lay down a mat or a rug for guests to place their shoes. Alternatively, if no one is staying in the spare room, put the coats neatly labelled on the bed.
  • Open the windows before your guests show up. It may be a bit chilly outside, but it’s a good idea to give your dining area a blast of fresh air right before guests arrive. You’ll eliminate any lingering odours from all of the festive cooking, and the room will warm up again in no time.
  • Light up a few scented candles. Candles are a great way to communicate warmth and comfort to your guests. They may even think you’ve been baking for hours if you choose the right one!

Need a Helping Hand This Year?

At Merry Maids, we provide top-notch cleaning services so that you can rest a little easier before your dinner party. By delivering a detailed clean we can guarantee, our cleaning experts will let your home’s natural beauty shine through. From entryways to bathrooms to staircases, your guests will be wowed by your home!

We’re wishing you a very happy and stress-free holiday season! Find your nearest Merry Maids to get your home sparkling for your dinner party.