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September 24 2018

Quick kitchen clean

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When you have a family and a busy lifestyle it’s hard to keep on top of things especially cleaning the kitchen. So here are some tips on how to give yourself a quick kitchen clean in around 12 minutes, to give you more time to relax.

Quick kitchen clean tips:

De-clutter:

Spend a minute or two removing clutter from the kitchen work surfaces including the washing-up. Stack the dishwasher, put items back in the cupboard and stash papers in a drawer.

Washing-up:

Remember to load the dishwasher and start the cycle, to save you time later. Having a few helping hands in the kitchen always helps but we know that isn’t always the case so to do bit by bit can always help.

Kitchen Work Tops:

Wet a microfiber cloth with all-purpose spray and wipe countertops back-to-front, brushing crumbs onto the floor. If you have a certain worktop there are certain worktop sprays you can buy to give you that extra shine/ finish you need. If you find it hard-to-remove spots on the kitchen worktops or cooker, scrape them off with an old credit card or soak with soapy water.

Appliances:

Wipe the fridge, dishwasher and cooker with a damp nonabrasive cloth to prevent any stains.

Floor:

The golden rule is to sweep or vacuum the kitchen floor before washing it. Starting in a far corner and sweep your way out. Then, give the floor a quick once-over with a water-dampened microfiber mop, again working your way out.

You should now be able to see the impact of a quick 12-minute kitchen clean!

If you require further help or enquiries regarding any of our services, don’t hesitate to contact us via:

E: contact@stanneshousekeeping.com

P: 020 3397 7495 | 0800 999 3397

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September 10 2018

Cleaning your garden furniture

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With the nice hot weather we’ve been having and still to come you may want to get the best use out of your garden furniture. Here are some tips for cleaning your garden furniture.

Wood

Wooden garden furniture can be so elegant and fitting to its natural surroundings, but it does require upkeep and some tender loving care in the form of cleaning to keep it looking its best. Most furniture made of wood can be cleaned by using the following top tips, with the exception of teak.

Clean wooden garden furniture using a warm solution of sugar soap and a scrubbing brush. For more stubborn areas, you can leave the solution on the furniture for a few minutes before shifting them with the scrubbing brush.
Then using your hosepipe (not pressure washer) rinse off and leave to dry.
If mildew is visible on your garden furniture, a top tip to cleaning your wooden garden furniture is to make a safe and effective solution made up by mixing 1 cup of any household bleach, 1 cup of washing powder and 1/2 bucket of warm water. Soak your furniture with the bleach solution and let it soak for 5 minutes (no longer). Then, simply hose off the solution and the mould, mildew or moss problem should disappear. Please take the necessary precautions when handling bleach solutions.
Try to avoid putting any oil or sealants on new oak furniture as oils tend to make the wood go black and pick up dirt, while other finishes just sit on the surface, change the texture of the wood and need frequent maintenance. The only exception to this rule is if the wood has been exposed to the elements for more than 10 years on average, the surface grain will have opened up and will need replenishing with oils.

Teak

By contrary, teak, is a popular alternative to some hard and softwood furniture due to its resistance to the outdoor elements. Teak tends not to require protective treatments that other wooden furniture may in the form of varnishes and oiling as teak is naturally resistant to the outdoor extremes. However, there is no getting away from dust and dirt, so it still requires some care!

To remove dirt and dust, hose it off with plain water – that is all that is required.
To remove stubborn dirt or bird droppings for example, use warm soapy water and a non-abrasive cloth or soft sponge.
Frequency of cleaning depends on the amount of dirt your teak garden furniture is exposed to, but washing it once a week or every two weeks is usually enough to keep it clean and look inviting.
Please be aware that it is generally not a good idea to use teak oil if your garden furniture is made from grade A teak, because it destroys its natural protective oils. Once you start oiling teak garden furniture you must continue if you want it to remain suitable for outdoor use as most teak oils are made with solvents which replace natural teak oils that maintain the wood’s resistance.

Metal

Oxidation, or rusting, tends to be the most common problem with aluminium or metal furniture. Try some of the below top tips for cleaning metal garden furniture:

Prior to cleaning, prepare the area by removing as much of the imperfection as possible using a metal polishing paste or a 1:1 solution of white vinegar and water.
Avoid chemicals such as ammonia and trisodium phosphate (TSP); alkaline cleaners can cause oxidation.
Hose down and wash aluminium frequently to preserve its natural lustre.
To remove any scratch marks, use a soft cloth dampened with a nonabrasive product.
To prevent rust, sand the rusted paint and metal down, wipe off the residue with a cloth dampened with mineral spirit. Then, use a rust-resistant primer before painting with rust-resistant paint.
In more dramatic cases, you could consider having your wrought-iron furniture sandblasted or powder-coated for added protection.
A way to protect the metal material after cleaning with water is to apply a coat or two of car wax.
To keep your furniture in good condition apply the steps above but also keep them covered and place them in the shed away from water to stop any rust appearing.

Plastic

Nobody likes the look of unsightly, dirty plastic garden furniture which has lost its inviting appeal. Particularly if it was once sparkling white! To help restore the colour and its’ shine, try the following top tips for cleaning garden furniture:

Mix 50ml of vinegar with 1L of warm water and wipe down furniture and hose off.
For more stubborn stains, sprinkle some bicarbonate of soda onto a sponge and gently wipe off the stains.
Once the furniture is dry, apply some WD-40 and polish to restore the shine. Make sure you wipe down your plastic furniture well to save yourself from staining clothing.
Then polish with car wax to form a protective layer.

If you require further help or enquires regarding any of our services, don’t hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have via

E: contact@stanneshousekeeping.com

P: 020 3397 7495 | 0800 999 3397

August 27 2018

How to tackle your laundry

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Do you find that your laundry is always pilling up? Here are some tips on how to tackle your laundry.

Buying more than one Laundry basket

Sometimes having more than one laundry basket in your home could help. Maybe having one for each colour could be too much, however, it could also help you e.g. 1 for ‘whites’; 1 for ‘dark’ and 1 for ‘coloured’. You may consider having a 4^th basket or a hanging bag for clothes that need to be taken to the dry cleaners. This can be very time efficient in the long run.

Dedicated drying area

It is useful to have a dedicated area in your home where you can dry your clothes even if you do have a drying machine or if you like to hang your clothes outside on the washing line. After all, there is nothing more unsightly than seeing everyone’s underwear or sports gear hanging from radiators.

Drying Rack

If space is limited, or if you have a large family and you wish your drying to be less unsightly, why not consider installing a drying rack from the ceiling? For a more upcycled and rustic look, paint a small ladder and hang from the ceiling to act as a drying rack. Of course, you just tackle your laundry the regular way too and use the foldable ones to dry your clothes on. And place them away right after there use out of the way.

Hangers

It’s vital to have a good supply of hangers to hand as hanging clothes, such as T-shirt and shirt., When they come out of the washing machine, you can prevent them from being badly creased by hanging them straight away, this will save you some time spent on the ironing.

Clean washing cupboard

Upcycle an old cupboard (not tall) and invest in some runners to hang plastic laundry baskets from – one labelled for each member of the family. Even better, if it has a flat top on which to do your folding and then pop it in the basket, for each member of the family to take to their rooms and tidy away.

From dryer to fold

If you use a drying machine, don’t waste the fact that when clothes have finished their cycle, they are in a fit state to be folded and fold particularly well whilst still warm. Give them a good straight brush down with your hand and fold. This will save you plenty of time you would otherwise have spent ironing.

Do it regularly

The most efficient way of doing laundry is to keep on top of it. Creating a rota could be a great way to help you if you need some organisation, for example, a day of the week for the whites/ darks/ colours. Hopefully, this will reduce the last minute washing requests!. Of course, there will be times where you may need to do a certain colour more frequently and your washing will get full quicker but this could be beneficial. Then, pop the wash on before you leave in the morning and by the time you return, it won’t take you 5 mins to hang up once you know how and where you will dry the clothes. The clothes should be dry overnight for anyone needing them the next day.

If you require further help or enquires regarding any of our services, don’t hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have via:

E: contact@stanneshousekeeping.com

P: 020 3397 7495 | 0800 999 3397

June 4 2018

Removing Dust

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Removing dust at this time of year can seem like a relentless task, but we all love a clean and tidy home! With doors and windows open for ventilation and a gentle breeze, dust can easily build up and settle on everything. Always work from the top down, just like your other cleaning in the house. Always dust before vacuuming to ensure that any dust or dirt which falls to the floor is vacuumed up.

The materials you will need

To do the most effective dusting with is a damp, clean, microfibre cloth. To dampen, hold the cloth by a corner and lightly mist with water from a spray bottle. The cloth should be just damp enough to pick up dust without leaving moisture streaks. When dusting a flat surface, move the cloth smoothly from one end to the other, stopping at the end. Don’t flick the cloth, or dust will merely be released back into the air before settling on the floor, instead of getting trapped by your cloth.

Top Tips

When dusting wall units, lift and dust each object, then dust the shelf underneath and behind. Start from the top of the unit and move to the bottom.
Never dust a warm or hot light bulb with a damp cloth, as it will shatter. Dampen a clean, soft paintbrush to remove dust from slatted doors or windows, telephones and keyboard keys and any carved furniture.
To remove dust from Venetian blinds, close the slants, dust, close the slants the opposite way and dust again. Wipe wood surfaces with the grain to avoid streaks. Treat surfaces that are flaking or cracking with care as these should be dusted with a soft paintbrush instead to avoid the cloth from snagging.

Tumble dryer sheets are great for removing dust from computers and TV screens as the attract the static electricity from the device.
Dusting lampshades can be an awkward affair, but using a lint roller can be very effective for removing dust.
To remove dust from soft toys, teddies or dolls, place them into a large plastic bag with 250ml of bicarbonate of soda. Tie together and shake the bag very well outside! The bicarb and static created will draw out the dust. Remove items one at a time, shake off the clumps of bicarb and vacuum the rest using a brush attachment.