Posts

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.

Home Safety with Merry Maids of Croydon

How Merry Maids of Croydon and our staff ensure you and your home are kept safe.

At Merry Maids of Croydon, as trusted domestic cleaners, the safety of our customers and their homes is our highest priority.

Recently, our team have been saddened to hear of burglaries and home invasions that have affected their customers.

In these instances, the perpetrators have taken advantage of vulnerable people living alone, posing as service workers like electricians.

They then used that cover to enter people’s homes and steal from them.

All of our customers are dear to us, and the last thing we would want is for someone to violate your trust in us by posing as a cleaner to take advantage of you.

That’s why we have standards and practices that are in place to protect the safety and discretion of the people who trust us in their homes.

Here’s how we work to keep you safe, and what to do if you are concerned you may be being targeted.

Our safety and security practices

Scheduled bookings

At Merry Maids, we work by appointment, so you should always know when our staff are coming.

When you’ve booked with us, you will receive a prompt via text or email on the day of the cleaning to let you know when our maids will be with you.

If someone turns up at a time you don’t expect or without warning, this could be cause for concern.

We are easily identifiable

For your safety, our staff are easily identifiable. Our maids are never without their Merry Maids branded uniforms, so you know who we are.

Furthermore, they also carry ID badges on their person at all times, so that if you don’t recognise your cleaner – or are booking us for a one-off – you can verify our maids’ identities.

Our maids will also have the equipment we use to clean your home to the best possible standard. If someone comes to your door without these items, this may be a reason to be suspicious.

Should your doubts be raised by any of the above – or something else entirely – please do not hesitate to pick up the phone and call your local business.

We take our duty of care to our customers very seriously. Nor do we take the significance of you trusting us in your home lightly.

Staff safety standards

At Merry Maids of Croydon, we work with experienced professionals you can trust so you know your home is in safe hands.

We also carry out free, no-obligation quotations for your home, so you can get to know our business owner, Debbie, and maids before you decide whether you choose us to clean your home.

If something doesn’t feel right: stay safe and always call us on 020 8663 3268 and our team can verify your cleaning schedule or the maid’s identity.

Merry Maids means safety

At Merry Maids UK, we have over 30 years as leaders in domestic cleaning nationwide. That’s 30 years of expertise, 30 years of happy customers, and 30 years of trust.

To find out more, or to see if Merry Maids of Croydon is the right fit for your home, call today on 020 8663 3268.

And remember: stay safe, take care, and always call.

Merry Maids UK: Home Safety

How Merry Maids UK and our staff ensure you and your home are kept safe.

As nationally trusted domestic cleaners, the safety of our customers and their homes across the UK is our highest priority.

Recently, some of our teams across the country have been saddened to hear of burglaries and home invasions that have affected their customers.

In these instances, the perpetrators have taken advantage of vulnerable people living alone, posing as service workers like electricians.

They then used that cover to enter people’s homes and steal from them.

All of our customers are dear to us, and the last thing we would want is for someone to violate your trust in us by posing as a cleaner to take advantage of you.

That’s why, across all of our franchises, we have standards and practices that are in place to protect the safety and discretion of the people who trust us in their homes.

Here’s how we work to keep you safe, and what to do if you are concerned you may be being targeted.

Our safety and security practices

Scheduled bookings

At Merry Maids, we work by appointment, so you should always know when our staff are coming.

When you’ve booked with us, you will receive a prompt via text or email ahead of the cleaning to let you know when our maids will be with you.

If someone turns up at a time you don’t expect or without warning, this could be cause for concern.

We are easily identifiable

For your safety, our staff are easily identifiable. Our maids are never without their Merry Maids branded uniforms, so you know who we are.

Our maids will also have the equipment we use to clean your home to the best possible standard. If someone comes to your door without these items, this may be a reason to be suspicious.

Should your doubts be raised by any of the above – or something else entirely – please do not hesitate to pick up the phone and call your local business.

All of our branches take their duty of care to our customers very seriously. Nor do we take the significance of you trusting us in your home lightly.

Staff safety standards

At Merry Maids UK, we work with experienced professionals you can trust so you know your home is in safe hands.

We also carry out free, no-obligation quotations for your home, so you can get to know our business owners and maids before you decide whether you choose us to clean your home.

If something doesn’t feel right: stay safe and always call. By calling your nearest Merry Maids business, our teams can verify the cleaning schedule or the maid’s identity.

Merry Maids means safety

At Merry Maids UK, we have over 30 years as leaders in domestic cleaning nationwide. That’s 30 years of expertise, 30 years of happy customers, and 30 years of trust.

To find out more, or to see if Merry Maids is the right fit for your home, call today on 0800 021 3072 or find your nearest Merry Maids business to book a free quote.

Or, to book a cleaning online, be it a regular or one-off deep clean, visit our online shop.

And remember: stay safe, take care, and always call.

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.

Amazing results! Merry Maids of Croydon’s Food Drive

Merry Maids of Croydon have just completed a very successful food drive in collaboration with the Reedham Children’s Trust.

It’s been a busy month for Debbie Walker and the Merry Maids of Croydon team.

This Christmas, the Merry Maids of Croydon team partnered with the brilliant Reedham Children’s Trust to collect and match donations from their clients, to go to local schools and families in Croydon.

Items like tinned vegetables, pasta and pasta sauce, tinned meals, UHT milk, cereal, soap, and shower gel have been pouring in or collected from customers since the start of the drive to help people in the local community during Christmastime and the cost-of-living crisis.

As the Reedham Trust puts it:

“The cost-of-living crisis will impact the poorest households the most, many will have to choose between food or heating, and for some families, they won’t have either. By partnering with Merry Maids Croydon, we hope to provide vulnerable families with enough food to see them through the winter months.”

The result

The team have been utterly blown away by the generosity of their customers over the past few weeks. With the help of their client base, Debbie and the team donated enough items to support over 100 vulnerable families in the area.

For many Christmas is just one hurdle, and after it has passed, they still have to support themselves and their families during the still harsh months following. But due to the amount of support, the items will be able to support families after Christmas and into the new year.

 

The first set of donations, packed and ready to go

From the team

Debbie and the Croydon team, as well as the team from Reedham Trust, would like to extend a massive thank you to all of the wonderfully kind people who dug deep to help

families in Croydon this Christmas.

Families like Maya’s:

Maya and her four children – Sarah (10), Emily (8), Sam (4), and Jack, (1) * are relatively new to Croydon, they have been relocated here after fleeing domestic violence.

The family suffered at the hands of the father for many years. He was violent, controlling and emotionally abusive. It was when she realised that her life was at risk and that of her children’s, that Maya finally had the courage to flee.

The family left with only the clothes on their back, nothing else. They are in emergency housing, reliant on benefits for the first time in their lives, and are struggling immensely.

Not only with the trauma but the ability to pay for even the most basic of necessities like food.

*Not their real names.

And schools like St Elphege’s Primary school:

“Thank you for all your support and help.

All everyone would want to see is the smile on others’ faces and to bring one to theirs. With your help, that will happen to everyone.

Your help and support will help those with nothing to have everything.

Thank you.”

– Representative for St Elphege’s Primary

The team at Merry Maids Croydon say they cannot thank their customers enough for their kindness and generosity, and that the response has been humbling and incredibly heart-warming.

Jessica Ritchie from Reedham Trust says that when she went to drop off some of the items at a local school, one of the admin staff hugged her when thanking her. She says that the acts like this are a reminder to even the Reedham Trust that support like this is more impact than can be put into words.

Get in touch

And if you are local to the Croydon area, get in touch with Debbie, and the rest of the Croydon team today by calling 020 8663 3268.

And if you would benefit from regular or one-off cleaning services from one of our teams, across the UK, get in touch with your local cleaning experts today by finding your nearest Merry Maids business or book online through our online shop.

Thank you again to all of the customers who showed their support, and a very Merry Christmas to all.

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.

Merry Maids of Croydon Food Bank Drive

Merry Maids Croydon has partnered with local charity Reedham Children’s trust as part of a food bank collection drive this Christmas.

Christmas is the season of giving, but it’s also a difficult time for many, particularly as the people of the UK face increasing hardships from rising energy bills and the cost of living. That’s why Debbie Walker and the team at Merry Maids Croydon have partnered with Reedham Children’s Trust as part of a drive to support their local food bank.

Debbie Walker, the owner of Merry Maids Croydon said she was delighted to be able to work with Reedham Trust to provide support to her community during this time,

“There can be no doubt that we are living in difficult and uncertain times. But we don’t have to face them alone. By working together, we can make a real difference and improve the lives of the people in our communities.”

Who are Reedham Children’s Trust?

Reedham Children’s Trust began as an orphanage in 1844, and since then has grown into a pillar of the community in Croydon, providing support to children and schools in the local area through initiatives like the ‘Croydon Schools Engagement Programme’.

It’s no secret that Christmas is a special time for children in particular. Unfortunately, many children in the UK may miss out on the bare essentials like food and toiletries.

As the Reedham Trust puts it,

“The cost-of-living crisis will impact the poorest households the most, many will have to choose between food or heating, and for some families, they won’t have either. By partnering with Merry Maids Croydon, we hope to provide vulnerable families with enough food to see them through the winter months.”

How Merry Maids Croydon is helping

Beginning today and running until the 30th of November, the team at Merry Maid’s Croydon is asking staff and customers to spread a little extra festive charity by donating:

  • Tinned Vegetables
  • Pasta and Pasta Sauce
  • Tinned Meals
  • UHT Milk
  • Cereal
  • Soap and Shower GelNo photo description available.

Donations will be collected from clients across Croydon in our handy Merry Maids bags and distributed to children and families in need around the Croydon area by the Reedham Trust. Merry Maids Croydon will then also be matching all donations from our clients, so please give as much as you can!

Getting started

 

As you can see, the donations are already pouring in, with many of our customers from Croydon and the surrounding areas already donating what they can since the drive was announced last month on the Merry Maids of Croydon Facebook page.

Get involved

Make sure you’re following the Facebook page to keep up to date with our donations and track what items are needed the most as we get closer to Christmas.

And if you are local to the Croydon area, get in touch with Debbie, and the rest of the Croydon team today by calling 020 8663 3268 or emailing croydon@merrymaids.org.uk to see how you can help out.

And if you would benefit from regular or one-off cleaning services from one of our teams, across the UK, get in touch with your local cleaning experts today by finding your nearest Merry Maids business or book online through our online shop.

Thank you.

Merry Maids of Croydon: Celebrating staff anniversaries

Three maid staff from Merry Maids Croydon have recently celebrated significant work anniversaries.

Milestones are important, especially in the workplace. Being in one place for a long time isn’t always easy. Especially given how much can change in a single year, let alone multiple!

So, it’s no small matter when staff can celebrate significant work anniversaries, like those observed by three of the team from Merry Maids Croydon this year.

Brenda Bond, Kim Robinson, and Maxine Barker have now all been members of the Merry Maids Croydon team for between 10 and 15 years.

To celebrate, business owner Debbie Walker threw a barbecue this summer. And to mark the occasion, we sat down with each of the maids to chat about their experience, and how Merry Maids Croydon has changed over the past decade.

Getting Started

All three women came to Merry Maids wanting a change. Brenda, who has been with the business since 2007, and Maxine, who joined in 2012, saw local adverts and have worked as part of the team ever since.

Maxine knew that she wanted a job that would allow her to be flexible in her work, and Merry Maids has allowed her to have this lifestyle.

Whilst Brenda was completely new to the cleaning industry but thought she would give it a go. 15 years later, she’s still part of the team, whose friendliness she says makes it easy to work well together.

In contrast, Kim had worked for a cleaning company earlier in her working life but didn’t enjoy it. But she knew that she wanted a job after having her children, so she decided to try working for Merry Maids.

15 years later, although she admits that the work has sometimes been difficult, she has no regrets about making that choice and has enjoyed every minute of her time in the role.

The Rewards

Each maid says that they find different aspects of the role rewarding.

“I love the spring cleans and the dirtier they are the better! I love the challenge of making it neat and tidy. I also enjoy them as I like seeing the progress, and what we have done to help for the better,” Kim says.

Brenda says that what keeps her motivated to do her best is getting the reward of a grateful customer thanking her for her hard work. While Maxine says the cleaning, itself, gives her great fulfilment.

She says being able to go into a really dirty house and leave it clean and tidy has remained a high source of satisfaction during her time working as a maid.

The Development

All three women tell us how their roles have developed as they, and the company, have evolved over the years. Notably, both Brenda and Kim say that working as a maid has significantly improved their confidence.

Merry Maids Croydon owner Debbie adds that Kim has greatly improved in this aspect, becoming a confident and highly valued member of the team.

“I think Kim has grown a lot,” Debbie says. “When [she] started, she was probably a little bit shy or didn’t have as much confidence. She’s grown over 15 years and continues to grow [her confidence].”

“[Kim has] developed into a person that I look to all the time because she helps me with the team. She’s very good at understanding people [and] at pointing out when there’s a problem. When we need to do something, she tells me truthfully. It’s a real benefit, to have somebody like Kim that does that.”

The Staff and Clients

Over the years, the business and the staff like Brenda, Kim, and Maxine have had to overcome many obstacles.

As Kim says, “We’ve had a lot of challenges professionally, from COVID-19 to the petrol crisis, to the bad weather, but we have overcome them as a team.”

Maxine seconds this and adds that the safety-oriented nature and setup of the business meant that working throughout COVID-19 after the business was able to safely reopen was made smooth and easy.

Brenda also recalls a time when she and another staff member were stranded in the car for two hours during a snowstorm on the way back to the office from carrying out a quote. But throughout this, as with many challenges, the team have had each other.

Even as the size of the business has grown, with the client base growing from, “Quite small houses,” to “a variety of job sizes,” according to Maxine.

Kim says “It’s the staff that make the company.”

“The clients … are absolutely lovely – they really are, especially the older ones,” she adds. “They make the business [what] it is. The business still has the family feel of when [she] joined with only six to eight staff. It has now over twenty.”

Brenda notes how much she enjoys working with elderly clients and appreciates how the business has evolved to work with vulnerable community members, such as becoming dementia friendly as part of Merry Maids UK’s ongoing work with Dementia Friends this year.

For her, this is part of a wider change she has observed in herself, towards becoming a people person.

“I’ve become good at meeting new people. I also now know how to look after different types of clients,” she says.

The Memorable

Kim also remembers a time when she and some colleagues truly went above and beyond the call of duty. But we’ll let her tell it:

“I was in a team with two other girls, and we had pulled over for a break.”

“There was a car in front,” she says, with what looked to be a couple in it. “We thought they were having an argument. [Then he got out and] started to walk towards us, and we were a little bit nervous.”

Surprisingly, “He then passed his phone to us, which was on a call with the emergency services. His wife was in labour in the back seat of their car!” And yes, believe it or not, “With the guidance of the emergency services, we helped to deliver the baby. It was born in the car.”

Kim also remembers that Debbie then rang the client to explain why the girls were so late, and when they got to the job, he made them a hot drink.

The Service

A lot has changed in the world since Brenda, Kim, and Maxine started working for Merry Maids Croydon. But at Merry Maids, we offer consistency, even in the ever-changing landscape that is the 21st century.

With our trademark regular and domestic cleaning services, we have been able to adapt to support our staff and customers through turbulent times like the COVID-19 pandemic, and have maintained a culture where they are valued and well looked after.

Across our 30+ franchises nationwide, our network employs an ever-growing number of home cleaning specialists. Each of whom is ready and waiting to help you get the time back to do what matters most, and not the cleaning.

Contact Us

Get in touch with your local cleaning experts today by finding your nearest Merry Maids business or book online through our online shop.

And if you are local to the Croydon area, get in touch with Debbie, Brenda, Kim, Maxine, and the rest of the Croydon team today by calling 020 8663 3268.

Congratulations and special thanks to Brenda Bond, Kim Robinson, and Maxine Barker for all of their hard work over the years!

A big thanks also to Debbie and Anna Walker from Merry Maids Croydon for their help with this blog post.

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.

Merry Maids of Croydon & the menopause

How Debbie Walker from Merry Maids Croydon has been supporting her staff through a new menopause policy.

Successful Mums is a London-based organisation funded by mayor Sadiq Khan that provides support to working mums in the area. Recently, Merry Maids of Croydon has partnered with Successful Mums to develop staff policies and training after business owner Debbie Walker spotted an advert on a local notice board. Since then, Debbie has received support in business management, flexible working, and policy making.

Debbie knew that due to the nature of her staff, it was vital to draft a health policy specifically to support her staff working during menopause and perimenopause. So, with the support of both Successful Mums and Wirehouse Employer Services, Debbie has worked to take account of existing menopause policies already in law and offered a range of bespoke support to her staff. She says the goal when developing was to ensure that work undertaken by her staff is manageable and that any menopause symptoms are not worsened as a result of their work. She also wanted to continue to develop a culture of understanding and openness around menopause so that the women working for Merry Maids Croydon can ask for support and speak confidently about this issue without embarrassment, all whilst treating them with dignity and respect.

As the no-nonsense named “The Menopause Charity” highlights, “Your experience of menopause is unique to you, which is the main reason why there’s so much confusion about symptoms and treatment.” This means that providing adequate legislation and policy around it can be tricky. That’s why support from organisations like Successful Mums can be vital for businesses like Merry Maids Croydon in helping do right by their staff. As a result, of the varying experiences of menopause, the Croydon policy treats staff on a case-by-case basis whilst providing in a range of areas.

The new menopause policy provides

  • Flexible work arrangements such as adjustments to working hours
  • Hybrid working patterns
  • Adjustments to workplace procedures and processes
  • Prohibiting the need for extensive travel or manual handling
  • Facilities or areas for keeping cool
  • Fresh, cold water is available at all times
  • Providing desk fans if requested
  • Ability to take comfort breaks when needed
  • Ability to attend medical appointments in line with Company procedure
  • One-to-one support from managers
  • Deadline/task reminders from managers if requested which may include extended deadlines
  • Information and signposting to relevant organisations

Note: This list is not exhaustive

Treating workers with respect and dignity also means that this policy does not deny staff their agency, and all workers are still responsible for looking after their health and helping to further foster and maintain an open and caring work environment in which staff support themselves and one another.

Want more info?

Are you looking for more information about menopause at home and work? There are lots of brilliant resources that can help you learn more. Such as, but not limited to:

Looking for work?

If you’re interested in working as a domestic cleaner for Merry Maids Croydon, get in touch with Debbie and the team by calling 020 8663 3268 or emailing croydon@merrymaids.org.uk for more information.

If you’re outside of Croydon, you can find your nearest Merry Maids business to inquire about employment opportunities, or to book a free quote on a range of our bespoke and professional domestic cleaning services today.

 

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.

Merry Maids of Croydon: Supporting Ukrainian Refugees

We sat down with Debbie Walker of Merry Maids Croydon to find out how she’s using her business to support Ukrainian refugees.

When the crisis in Ukraine began in February of this year, people across the UK were moved to try and support the people of Ukraine in any way they could.

Debbie Walker, the owner of Merry Maids Croydon, was no exception.

How it started

Initially, Debbie and her husband wanted to take on refugees to live in their house, but when they realised this wouldn’t be a viable option, Debbie resolved to help out however else she could.

Alongside sending regular aid donations, this was (unexpectedly) through her Merry Maids business.

When, in April, a friend of Debbie’s took in Yuliia, a 25-year-old Ukrainian woman under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, Debbie brought Yuliia on as one of her maids, providing domestic cleaning services to customers in the Croydon area.

Not only did the promise of this work allow Yuliia to get a 3-year work VISA to enable her to stay and work in the UK, but it also meant she could avoid being required to remain in Ukraine to fight.

Supporting Yuliia’s family

However, this does still mean being separated from her family. Like all men in Ukraine, Yuliia’s father and fiancé cannot leave the country.

But Yuliia is still trying to help out at home as best she can and recently raised money via a Crowdfunding campaign for her father, Georgii, who is leading a battalion of 100 men in Ukraine.

“I want to help him and the other men in his regiment,” Yuliia said. “They would really benefit from practical items such as raincoats, camp beds, socks, gloves, torches, and bedding. These items may sound small, but they would make their life much more comfortable, as they live in difficult conditions. I ask you for help. Every penny is important now. Together we can help my country in a difficult time.”

Thankfully, her new community in Croydon and across the UK rallied around her, and she managed to successfully raise just shy of £1200 from 31 sponsors in under a month.

Yuliia’s training

Having worked as a maid for over three months, Yuliia has had a different training programme than the typical Merry Maids cleaner.

In Ukraine, Yuliia’s work experience had been farming to help her family.

When she came to the UK, Yuliia spoke some English but didn’t meet the English proficiency standard to work on staff.

Naturally, the extenuating circumstances meant that allowances were made for Yuliia to train with the help of Debbie’s existing team.

Debbie says that her staff have been a fantastic support to Yuliia through her adjustment process.

The array of nationalities on Debbie’s brilliant team has meant that Yuliia has received help from Debbie’s Russian, Lithuanian, Slovenian, and Bulgarian members, whom all share a degree of fluency in Russian.

This allowed Yuliia to complete her training in a combination of English and a language she was much more familiar with, which has aided her enormously in getting to grips with the more technical elements of the job.

What’s next?

Debbie, having been to a recruitment fair for Ukrainian refugees in the last month, says that the biggest hurdle is not only the shell shock that many of the new arrivals are still suffering from but also the language barrier, which makes it even harder for them to find work so soon after entering the country.

However, Yuliia now works as a maid three days a week alongside English language lessons the other two days, intending to become fluent enough to help train future Ukrainian refugees in the area who may wish to join the business.

Debbie says she has been warmed to see the support offered to Yuliia by her local community, not only by her staff but her customers.

Many of the latter, she says, can remember the Second World War and have memories of similar times themselves.

And whilst many businesses are struggling with recruitment in the wake of COVID-19, Debbie says that it is nice to see that despite the horrible circumstances, we can find ways of supporting each other.

Want to show your support for Ukrainian refugees?

If you would like to support refugees like Yuliia, LRS provides resources to help Ukrainian and other asylum seekers, immigrants, and refugees worldwide. To learn more, visit their website or call their action line on 410-983-4000.

And if you would like to help out by booking a clean from Yuliia and the rest of the Merry Maids Croydon team, give them a call on 020 8663 3268 or find your nearest Merry Maids business for a free quote on a range of domestic cleaning services.

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