Tag Archive for: maids

When to Call in the Spring Cleaning Experts

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Spring often brings a renewed sense of energy. Lighter mornings and longer days encourage many to refresh their homes. While some spring cleaning tasks are simple to handle, others can quickly become time-consuming, tiring, or overwhelming.

Knowing when to call in the spring cleaning experts can make spring cleaning more effective and much less stressful.

When spring cleaning starts to feel too big

Spring cleaning often starts with good intentions. However, once you begin moving furniture, tackling accumulated dirt, or opening cupboards that have remained untouched all winter, the true extent of the task becomes clear.

If you feel short on time, energy, or motivation, it’s usually a sign to seek support. Spring cleaning should enhance how your home feels, not create stress.

Areas that benefit most from professional cleaning

Some parts of the home require more thorough attention than a quick tidy can provide. These areas often benefit from professional cleaning.

  • Floors and carpets are covered with dirt, mud, and dust after winter.
  • Kitchens with accumulated grease on cupboards, appliances, and worktops.
  • Bathrooms needing thorough removal of limescale and grime.
  • Skirting boards, doors, and frequently touched surfaces are often neglected.
  • Upholstery and soft furnishings that trap dust and allergens.

Professional cleaners possess the tools, products, and experience necessary to carry out these tasks correctly and safely.

When time is the biggest challenge

Spring is often busy. Family commitments, work, and social plans can leave little time for a deep clean. If spring cleaning keeps getting pushed back, calling in experts helps you progress without sacrificing your free time.

Professional cleaning provides a fresh start, making it easier to keep your home in good condition as the season progresses.

When you want results that last

Spring cleaning isn’t just about making things look clean; it’s about fostering a home that feels brighter, more peaceful, and more inviting. Hiring professional cleaners ensures a deeper, more durable clean.

With key areas thoroughly cleaned, daily maintenance becomes easier and less demanding.

Support during life changes

Spring often brings changes at home, such as hosting guests, adjusting routines, or preparing for busy months. During this period, professional cleaning assistance ensures your home remains organized and comfortable.

Professional cleaners adapt to your requirements, providing either one-off deep cleans or regular support based on what suits your household.

How Merry Maids can help

At Merry Maids, we assist households throughout all phases of spring cleaning. Whether you need help with tough tasks or prefer regular cleaning to maintain a fresh home, our trained teams ensure consistent, high-quality service with every visit.

Our home cleaning services are crafted to save you time while keeping your living space clean and comfortable.

If you’re wondering whether it’s time to call in the spring cleaning experts, it probably is. Find your nearest Merry Maids business to book a clean online or call 0800 021 3072 today.

Merry Maids Manchester’s Life-Saving Cleaners

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Two cleaners from Merry Maids Manchester have been thanked by a customer whose life they saved when attending a regular cleaning at his house.

Danielle Holain and Leah Taylor, two domestic cleaners from Merry Maids North and Central Manchester, have received thanks from a regular customer and his family for saving his life while cleaning.

The Incident

Danielle Holian and Leah Taylor attended a cleaning for a regular 74-year-old epileptic customer, only to find him lying on the floor of his kitchen, where they later were told by paramedics he had been for several days.

The customer, who lives alone, receives a cleaning service from Merry Maids every four weeks and was not due to be seen at the time. But unusually, and luckily, the cleaning had been moved to earlier than usual due to a bank holiday weekend.

Danielle says she knew something wasn’t right when they first arrived, as the flat was incredibly warm, which they later realised was due to the heating being left on for days.

“Leah and I had obtained the customers’ key from the key box outside, as we always let ourselves inside,” she says.

“He usually meets us at the top of the stairs, so we instantly thought it was strange that he didn’t.”

“We walked up the stairs, and I immediately saw [the customer] lying on the kitchen floor face-first, looking at me. I made sure he was breathing and called emergency services straight away, requesting an ambulance.”

While waiting with the customer for the ambulance, Danielle and Leah found his phone to notify his family, packed a bag of essentials for him to take to the hospital and later showed the ambulance crew how to access the property when they arrived.

“It was a real shock to see him like that, as it was so unexpected. I have met him a few times, so I know what he’s like. I was aware that he is epileptic as he has told me in previous conversations while cleaning his flat, but this day was the first time Leah had been to the property,” Danielle says.

“We were just glad to get him the help he needed as quickly as possible and make sure he was okay.”

The Aftermath

Now recovering in the hospital, the customer is in good health and was incredibly grateful to Danielle and Leah for their quick thinking and help, sending them flowers to say thank you.

Back at the office, Leah and Danielle have been supported and commended by their fellow maids and business owner Theresa, who all continue to offer their time if any of them needed to talk.

Danielle says the experience has been eye-opening for her as she has been made more aware of how much their presence can mean in the lives of their customers, brought into sharp focus by how the day started as normally as one would expect.

“[Before the incident,] it was just a pretty normal day,” she says.

“We now see it fortunate that our first clean was cancelled that day because we got to him around 50 minutes earlier than we normally would. We are more aware of how important it is for our vulnerable customers who can count on us for more than just doing their cleaning, we’re always there for them. We are not just cleaners.”

Discover the value of a cleaner who cares

If you or someone you know would benefit from a professional and compassionate, regular or one-off, home cleaning service from the local experts at Merry Maids, contact Merry Maids Manchester on 0161 864 4480 for a free, no-obligation quote.

Or nationwide, find your nearest Merry Maids business or book online today.

How to remove easter chocolate stains

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

As delicious and seasonal as it is at Easter, chocolate tends to melt all over your hands, and you don’t usually realise it’s melted until it’s on your clothes, furniture and carpets!

Chocolate soaks into the fabric a bit more slowly than other liquids, so cleaning it up as quickly as possible is vital in giving you the best chance to eliminate it.

At Merry Maids, we clean so you can relax and focus on your holidays.

That’s why we’re bringing you our top tips for removing chocolate stains.

How to remove chocolate stains from clothing

Besides its magical ability to make you feel better at any given moment, chocolate also has the amazing capability to get on clothing, especially when you’re wearing a white top!

To get rid of the stains:

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

How to remove chocolate stains from upholstery

Accidents happen. They are inevitable, and getting chocolate on your upholstery is a more common problem than you’d think!

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. 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.

How to remove chocolate stains from carpet

With kids running around looking for (and scoffing) eggs, you’re bound to get chocolate everywhere not just on the carpet.

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

  • 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 carpet more), repeat until the stain disappears

If the stain remains on your upholstery or carpets you can contact ServiceMaster Clean to remove the stain for you.

For all of your house cleaning needs find your nearest Merry Maids today to book a free, no-obligation quote on our expert and bespoke domestic cleaning services.

Including one-off, regular and deep cleaning services to suit whatever shape your home is in.

How to remove mince pie stains from carpet

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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.

How to get chocolate stains out of your clothing and more

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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:

  • 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 carpet more), repeat until the stain disappears

If the stain still remains on your upholstery or carpets you can contact ServiceMaster Clean to remove the stain for you.

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

Testing 5 Popular Homemade Cleaning Hacks

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Popular cleaning myths, busted

In recent months, there has been a lot of talk online about so-called cleaning ‘hacks. Earlier this year, consumer experts Which? asked the British public to submit their favourites. Here are the results:

  1. Using dishwasher tablets instead of washing machine cleaner

A popular tactic is to use dishwasher tablets in your washer instead of a specialist cleaner. It is true that tablets and cleaners have similarities and contain some of the same ingredients. But, dishwasher tablets lack the proper ingredients and are not as suited to cleaning a washing machine. In this case, you are better off using a machine cleaner for a better result. This one is: FALSE

  1. Using bicarbonate of soda as a stain remover

If you’ve read any previous Merry Maids blogs, you know that we recommend using bicarb as a stain remover. The science behind this is quite simple. Sodium bicarbonate can form a mild alkaline solution in water – which has a pH of around 8-8.5. This acts as a buffer that increases the pH of water. This affects the charge of stains, causing them to dissolve faster. As a result, you will find that bicarb is actually a common ingredient in many cleaning products. In this case, the popular myth is TRUE!

  1. Using peanut butter to get chewing gum out of the carpet

Now bear with us, because this one sounds bizarre, but, there is actually some simple science behind it. As ‘Which?’ explains, chewing gum contains three parts: a resin, a wax, and an elastomer. The resin is the chewy part, and the wax and elastomer act as a softener, and a flexibility producer. What this means is that chewing gum isn’t soluble in water, so you need something oil-based. That’s where the peanut butter comes in. Peanut Butter contains reserves of natural oils within its main ingredient: ground peanuts. On top of this, some brands have even more and add oils like palm oil to make it smoother. So, this one is actually true, as the oils may soften the gum and make it easy to remove from the carpet. Unfortunately, the main drawback is that you end up covering your carpet in peanut butter. So, we recommend you use a colourless, neutral smelling alternative, like mineral oil. TRUE!

  1. Using laundry detergent to get rid of burn marks

This next hack is about removing grime and burn marks from the grill, oven, and the bottom of pans. In theory, you mix some laundry detergent with water to make the stubborn grime easier to clean. And in practice, this does actually work. Laundry detergent contains enzymes, along with a combination of bleaches, surfactants, and hard-water softeners. It is the enzymes that make it useful in cleaning away grime. Burnt on food will more often than not contain a combination of fats, carbs, and proteins. Enzymes can help degrade these, making them easier to get rid of. So, this myth is also true. Please note, it’s recommended that you wash your pans again as normal afterwards. You’ll want to make sure is no residue left when you’re later preparing food. TRUE!

  1. Using lemon juice and olive oil as a wood cleaner

According to this popular myth, you can use a combination of lemon juice and olive oil to create wood polish. And there is science in favour of this. Lemon juice is citric acid, meaning it can act in a similar way to the bicarbonate of soda on certain types of stains. The olive oil then acts as a varnish and aids in the removal of fat-based stains due to its hydrophobic nature. So, this one is also true. Yet, due to the corrosive nature of lemon juice – it is not advised. At the very least, use it rarely. Over time, lemon juice and similar acidic products like vinegar can corrode wood if you use it too much. So, you’re better sticking to a proper cleaner long term.

That’s where we come in. Our maids can deal with any matter of domestic cleaning tasks: from regular upkeep to a full deep clean. And instead of using harmful remedies on your wood, rely on ServiceMaster Clean. The professional carpet, floor, and upholstery cleaners from our ServiceMaster brand family.  Forget about herbal remedies and potential cleaning disinformation. Find your nearest Merry Maids business here, and book a clean with our maids today.

Introducing Merry Maids Spot Hero

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Do you want a professional stain cleaning product? Try Merry Maids Spot Hero today!

From our ServiceMaster family of brands, introducing Merry Maids Spot Hero cleaner. The cleaner is tried and trusted by each and every one of our maids across the UK. And now available to you! Safe to use on all water washable carpets, fabrics and upholstery, our Spot Hero cleaner has been developed by cleaning experts at ServiceMaster to give you a professional stain removal for you to use.

Using a spritz of this flash cleaner will have your carpets and upholstery looking as good as new in no time. Spot Hero cleaner works fast and effectively to eliminate all of the most common household stains, including:

•     Tea
•     Red Wine
•     Cola
•     Coffee
•     Mud
•     Fruit
•     Berries
•     Grease
•     Dirt
•     Grass
•     Vegetable Oil
•     Jam
•     Tomato Sauce
•    & MORE

ServiceMaster has been a trusted hero in the cleaning industry for over 55 years, and now we’ve distilled the magic of our professional cleans into a spray for you to take home. Whether you’re one of our valued Merry Maids customers, or simply looking to brighten up your home, you can call on Merry Maids Spot Hero to save your carpets and upholstery from stains for as little as £7.99!

Simply, click here to take home that ServiceMaster shine today, or find your nearest Merry Maids branch to find out more about our services.