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Housekeeping

how to keep your home clean when living with pets

How to Keep Your Home Clean When Living with Pets

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Yes, pets sure are really cute! But the mess they leave behind is far less cute. But don’t worry, because after reading these tips you will know how to keep your home from becoming a mess.

 

 

#1: Make sure you’re brushing your pet’s hair regularly.

Prevent your pets from leaving their hair everywhere by making sure you’re brushing their hair on a regular basis; the brush will catch most of their hair.

The easiest brush to use is a rubber glove brush.

 

 

 

 

#2: Use lint rollers!

Lint rollers are not always to be only used for your clothes – you could also use them to get rid of loose fur on your pillows and curtains for example. It’s a fast way to remove these annoying little hairs from your small furnishings.

 

 

 

#3: Use the vacuum cleaner on your dog

There are a lot of pet-friendly attachments such as the Dyson Groom, which is designed to remove loose fur without hurting the dog’s delicate skin. If your pet doesn’t like to be vacuumed, you can try to hold the brush 5 centimetres away from their fur.

 

 

 

#4: Wash their toys in hot water

You can easily clean your dog’s hard plastic or rubber toys in your dishwasher. Add some vinegar instead of detergent and turn on a full cycle.

 

 

 

#5: Clear up urine stains

Even pets suffer from having accidents from time to time. If something like this happens, treat it by blotting with a clean towel to absorb as much as possible. After that’s done, mix up a solution of 50% white vinegar to 50% water, then pour it onto the stain and scrub it with a brush. Pour over some bicarb soda to create a bubbling mound. Let it absorb for a few minutes and then wipe and vacuum up.

 

tips on how to do your laundry

Tips On How To Do Your Laundry

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Washing your laundry can take away a lot of your free time.  And there is a big chance you even may be doing it wrong!  But with these few tips we wrote down below, we can help you to make your life a lot easier.

 

 

Tip #1: Don’t add too much soap!

 

A lot of us do not realize that too much soap can not only hurt the fibres of our clothes, but can also make our clothes even dirtier – soap contains a lot of fat and if you impact the fibres with too much fat it will attract dirt. So it is important to realize that too much soap will cause your clothes to get even dirtier, and we are pretty sure it is not your intention to do so.

 

 

Tip #2: Add two tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda and two tablespoons of white vinegar to each wash

 

If you want to achieve the best results possible, then we suggest you to definitely add two tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda and just two tablespoons of white vinegar to each wash.

 

 

Tip #3: Skip fabric conditioner – it can add oil to your wash

 

Fabric softener is mostly oil based and all it is actually doing is just sticking some oil in the wash – which is something you definitely do not want to happen after you read Tip #1.

 

 

 

Tip #4: Use less detergent than it says on the box

 

Always use way less laundry detergent than the amount they are telling you to use on the box; in many cases, your wash is way better off when you are using less than is suggested on the box.

If you want to have no smell left at all, you should put some vinegar in the fabric conditioner slot.

 

These methods will help you to cut your drying time by a third.

 

 

 

 

 

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remove stains from Halloween

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Trick or treat!

How to remove stains from Halloween :

So it’s that time of year again, when we all done costumes for office parties and our children are ready to go trick-or-treating. The tradition in the UK for All Hallows’ Eve may not be as strong and as celebrated as our American friends, yet when the celebrations are over and normal services resume to start November, you’re left with all the mess to clean up. Here are some tips on how to remove stains from Halloween.

Pumpkin stains:

If you’re partial to a few sculpted pumpkins around the office, you’re probably aware of the nasty stains they can cause. A common mistake is leaving them out for too long. Until they start to get mouldy, or placing them in areas where they are easily knocked over. Either way you’re going to end up with a stain so you’ll need to be prepared to clean it up. The polyphenolic pigments in pumpkin, which give it the all familiar bright orange exterior, are also responsible for producing very stubborn fabric stains. Unfortunately there is no magic solution once a stain has been embedded in carpet or any other fabric. However, a combination of stain pre-treatment, soap-free laundry detergent, white vinegar and rubbing alcohol should do the trick. Remember, as with any fabric stain, always test a small area first and if successful, carry it out across the whole stain.

Eggs :

The act of egging is prominent in the form of protest, so it’s not surprising that it’s the bane of many people’s lives when it comes to Halloween, when children are determined to throw them at any surface they’ll stick to. They may seem harmless, but when left to dry they can actually corrode paint surfaces and can continue to cause damage when being cleaned.

To best way to remove egg that is still wet, is to get a pressure washer. However, when dry, the better approach would be warm water. And in the spirit of environmental cleaning – one part vinegar and a little bit  of washing up liquid will give great results without the use of powerful chemicals. Always remember to remove shells so they don’t scratch any surfaces and be careful to loosen the egg before scrubbing away to avoid further damage to paint and facades.

 

 

Foam:

It may not be the type to leave a stain, but on certain surfaces and left too long. You don’t want to be left with any surprises.  Grab a power washer or an abrasive sponge along with some environmentally-friendly multipurpose cleaner.

Fake Blood :

If you find any fake blood that you’ve used from any Halloween outfit, don’t worry. Simply rub alcohol will remove any dye from fabrics as well as hard surfaces.

 

Chocolate stains:

If you find any chocolate stains left on your sofa or furniture then start by scraping it off the fabric with a dull knife or plastic spoon. Use 1 tablespoon of liquid dish detergent mixed with 2 cups of cold water to gently wash the area. Change out your cleaning cloth as it becomes dirty. It can take quite a while to finally remove the stain. As a last resort, test dry-cleaning solvent on a hidden area of the sofa.

 

We hope these tips on how to remove stains from Halloween, will help you get back to a clean home and in the condition it was in, leaving you with a treat!.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you require further help or enquiries 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

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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

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