Cleaning Recommendations
| GENERAL | DETAILED |
|---|---|
| Dusting Surface wipe down – drs/cabinet Surface wipe down – elec devices Surface wipe down–flr bse, trim,drs surface wipe down–walls / ceilings Kitchen & bathroom cabinets wipe replace bulbs replace broken valance clips fill small holes with spackle touch-up paint @ spackle touch-up paint @ wall ding touch-up paint @ dirty wall |
Window jamb & sill Window screens Windows Horizontal Window blinds Bathroom – tile & grout Shower doors, tub, faucets & toilet Walls/ Ceiling repaint Carpet/linolium cleaning at strs(if appl) Appliances –degrease & wipe down Wood & Pergo floors (murphys) Under sink touch-up Touch-up trim/base/drs |
Here are a few of our favorite cleaning tips to easily keep your place fresh and clean.
General Cleaning – For All Rooms
Dusting
Eighty percent of the dirt in your house walks in through the door on people’s feet. The right kind of mats placed inside and out of all entrances will help cut down on cleaning time. Vacuum mats regularly or shake them outside. Hose them down and scrub with an all-purpose cleaner as needed. It’s important to always hang them until completely dry so that moisture isn’t trapped under the vinyl backing.
Feather dusters typically don’t do much but spread dirt around. If you are using a feather duster on some surfaces, consider looking at alternative cleaning options. Instead maybe use a spray glass window cleaner with some paper towels, after dusting loose dirt.
Dusting areas include any horizontal open area such as:
top of cabinets, window sills & jamb, horizontal window blinds (both sides), top of refrigerator and all appliances, top of door and window trim around door and window openings, top of valences over window blinds, built-in shelving, top of floor base, top of doors, door jambs and thresholds, door hinges and door hardware, light fixtures, ceiling fans, top of medicine cabinet, and outlet and light switch trim plates
Remove cobwebs with high dusters from the corners of rooms up high, like closets, ceiling fans, light fixtures, transoms and high shelving.
Surface Wipe Downs
Door and cabinet hardware and hinges:
Wipe down all door handles and hardware and cabinet hardware handles, knobs and
hinges, with a degreaser and paper towels. (See below for suggestions)
Electrical outlet and light switch device cover plates & remote controls:
Wipe down all electric outlets & light switch trim plates with a degreaser & paper towels (See below for suggestions)
Floor Base, Door & window trim, and doors, window sills & jambs:
Wipe these surfaces with a degreaser and paper towels (See below for suggestions)
Other recommended cleaning products:
- 409 all-purpose anti-bacterial kitchen cleaner
- 409 Heavy Duty degreaser commercial
- Fantastik all-purpose cleaner
Painted walls and ceilings
The type and quality of the paint greatly affects how you clean a wall and how easily dirt comes off. Generally, there are four types of paint finishes:
- Baked enamel (most appliance finishes), epoxy enamel and automotive paints.
These paints are durable and stain-resistant, and usually found on ovens, microwaves, dishwashers and refrigerators. Dirt typically cannot penetrate the hard finish. These surfaces can withstand scouring with mild abrasives, and can also handle heavy-duty cleaners and degreasers. With these finishes, be most careful of scratching or dulling the finish by using harsh abrasives, steel wool, colored scrub pads and strong solvents. - General-purpose enamels.
Most often found on interior walls, especially kitchen and bathroom walls, this surface is stain-resistant and can handle moderate scrubbing. Do not use abrasive substances or colored scrub pads, which can scratch the finish. Use a neutral cleaning solution and a white, nylon-backed scrub sponge. Only use heavy-duty cleaners or abrasive cleansers when you’re willing to take your chances on ruining the paint. If you have latex enamel paints, avoid leaving them wet for more than a minute or so. Oil-based enamels are more water-resistant. Keep in mind that gloss enamels are the most durable and washable, followed by semi-glosses and then satin finishes. - Latex flat.
The most common household paint, flat latex is not as washable as enamels. Heavy-duty cleaners or hard scrubbing can remove the paint along with any dirt. Use mild detergents and gentle scrubbing, and don’t let any solution sit on the surface for more than a minute.
Other recommended cleaning products:
- 409 all-purpose anti-bacterial kitchen cleaner
Kitchen and Bathroom Cabinets
Most cabinets are factory manufactured and finished, and even wood cabinets have enough varnish or other protective coating so that you can use a cleaning solution. The oil slick that builds up on cabinets – especially around the handles – is a combination of kitchen grease, food smears, skin oil and hand lotion transferred to the cabinet. All-purpose cleaners aren’t equal to the challenge.
If your cabinets are plastic laminate (formica or other plastic), metal, painted metal or glass, you can wash them all over with a strong alkaline cleaner, which is available at a janitorial supply store. Or use a heavy-duty degreasing cleaner from the supermarket. Mix according to directions and apply the solution with a sponge. Let it sit a minute or two, then take a white, nylon-backed sponge and scrub wherever necessary. Remove the grimy suds from the sponge by squeezing it into the sink or a slop bucket, never back into your cleaning solution. Then rinse with a damp cloth and wipe dry with a terry cleaning cloth to remove any last traces of scum and leave the cupboards clean and glowing.
Never use acids or powdered cleansers on cabinets. A good overall washing once a year should be enough. Keep a spray bottle of all-purpose cleaner handy the rest of the time and spot-clean after heavy kitchen use. On wooden cabinets, take a gentler approach. To get off stubborn dirt, wash around all handles and any other grease zones first with hand dishwashing detergent. Then wash the entire cabinet, including the handle areas, with an oil soap solution. Just wipe lightly with the solution and buff dry immediately with a terry cleaning cloth. Always wipe dry with any grain or pattern. Seldom do you need to add any polish because the surface has its own sheen when clean. If your cabinets are dull from wear or age, spray furniture polish very lightly once a year or so to fill in the pores and bring back some life.
Other recommended cleaning products:
- 409 all-purpose anti-bacterial kitchen cleaner
- 409 Heavy Duty degreaser commercial
- 409 Orange cleaner degreaser commercial
- Fantastik all-purpose cleaner
Storage Rooms & Garages
Provide general sweeping, replace burned out light bulbs, repair damaged drywall, doors, frames and hardware (if applicable)
Detailed Cleaning
Windows:
You may need a professional-quality squeegee and a window wand. If you’ll be cleaning high windows, you also will need an extension pole. The basic process is simple – apply the cleaning solution with the window wand & pull the dirt and water off with the squeegee with these steps:
Mix your window cleaner to the ratio as specified by the manufacturer into a bucket. Dip your window scrubbing wand or a sponge 3/4 of an inch into the solution, picking up just enough water to wet the window without flooding it. Wet the entire window then go back over it once to loosen any stubborn soil. Last, run the scrubber against the frame on all sides of the window to pick up any dirt you’ve pushed against the frame.
Dampen the squeegee blade before you start and wipe it with a damp cloth between strokes. A dry blade will skip and jump on the window instead of gliding smoothly. Tilt the squeegee at an angle so that only about an inch of the rubber blade presses lightly against the top of the window glass. Then pull the squeegee across the window horizontally. This will leave a 1-inch dry strip across the top of the window. By squeegeeing across the top first, you eliminate drips running down. Finish with a horizontal stroke across the bottom & wipe any water off the sill.
Other recommended cleaning products:
- 3M glass cleaner or Johnson – Windex window cleaner
- Clorox professional 409 glass and surface cleaner
Windows Screens:
Remove window screens. Spray glass cleaner on both sides of screen ,then wipe down BOTH sides paper towels. Then let dry and re-install. (See below for suggestions)
Other recommended cleaning products:
- 3M glass cleaner
- Johnson – Windex window cleaner
- Clorox professional 409 glass and surface cleaner
Horizontal – window blinds and control wand:
Dust both sides of horizontal window blinds, top of valence and control wand. If greasy dirt, then wipe down BOTH sides of horizontal window blinds with glass cleaner and paper towels. This eliminates the static that causes dust to stick. (See below for suggestions)
Other recommended cleaning products:
- 3M glass cleaner
- Johnson – Windex window cleaner
- Clorox professional 409 glass and surface cleaner
Toilet bowl cleaning:
The earlier you attack this problem, the easier it will be to remove the ring. A thorough cleaning with a commercial acid-based bowl cleaner may do the trick. If the bowl cleaner doesn’t work, try using a green, nylon-backed scrub sponge along with the acid. Once you’ve gotten rid of a ring, weekly cleanings should keep it from coming back.
Other recommended cleaning products:
- 3M heavy duty bowl cleaner
- Lysol disinfectant bowl cleaner
- Clorox bowl professional cleaner
Soap scum in tubs and showers:
Since preventing soap scum build-up is a lot easier than cleaning it, squeegee water off shower walls and doors after every use or wipe them down with a towel. For tile walls or frosted shower doors, apply a light coating of lemon oil periodically to help prevent build-up. For a porcelain tub, apply a light coat of boat or car wax to the sides (never the bottom) of the tub.
Other recommended cleaning products:
- Clorox Disinfecting bathroom
- Ajax chlorine cleanser scouring
- Tilex mildew remover commercial
- Tilex soap scum remover commercial
- Soft scrub with bleach commercial
- Easy off lime remover
Hard water spots on faucets, shower heads, shower doors & frames, tub spicket, stainless steel sinks, stainless steel dishwasher, tile, tubs & bowls:
Hard-water deposits are alkaline, so an acid-based cleaner is the best way to clean them. Phosphoric acid works well and is safe for most surfaces. Grocery store cleansers with phosphoric acid contain 4 percent to 6 percent acid. You can purchase lime scale removers at janitorial supply stores that contain 8 percent to 12 percent acid to get the job done faster. A higher concentration of acid is safe on most household surfaces as long as you rinse the surface to remove all traces of the acid after the cleaning is complete. Let the acid sit for a few minutes after you apply it to let it work. Tough hard-water deposits may take more than one application. Scrub the applied areas with a white, nylon-backed scrub sponge. Make sure you read any manu’s warnings before applying phosphoric acid solutions to surfaces in your home.
Other recommended cleaning products:
- Comet bleach
- Easy off grime and lime
- Soft scrub with bleach commercial
- Lime away
Ceramic tile and grout flooring
Just sweep and mop on a regular basis and they stay clean and shiny. Mop floors with clear water or just a dash of liquid dish soap. Be sure to change the water when it gets cloudy. Too much soap or dirty water will make floors dull or sticky. Don’t use scrub pads on ceramic tile floors or you might scratch them. Our professional cleaners wash most floors by hand, cleaning and drying a small area at a time.
Other recommended cleaning products:
- Tilex soap scum remover
- Tilex mildew remover
Grout
Old grout may need cleaning with a wax stripper or heavy-duty cleaner plus a grout brush. Use a bleaching cleanser on tough spots. For mildewed grout in tubs or showers, use a grout brush with a 1:5 solution of chlorine bleach and water, or grout cleaner. Clean colored grout with a heavy-duty cleaner and a grout brush, but don’t use bleach because this may remove the color from the grout. Be sure never to use a bleaching solution on colored grout. Never use bleach in combination with any ammonia-based product and be sure the area is well-ventilated.
When you’ve finished cleaning, rinse the area well to remove all traces of bleach. Once the grout is as clean as you can get it, rinse it well. When it’s thoroughly dry, apply a coat of grout sealer
Other Common cleaning products:
- Tilex soap scum remover
- Tilex mildew remover
No-wax/linoleum floors – (if applicable)
Regular vacuuming or sweeping is the best way to maintain the finish. Then damp mop with plain water or add just a drop of liquid dish soap. If the floor has some tough spots to clean, use a white, nylon-backed scrub sponge. This will keep soil from wearing away the surface. However, if time and traffic eventually dull the glossy top layer, you may want to add a floor finish or wax to restore the shine. Choose any good commercial floor polish or try a self-polishing, metal-interlock floor finish available from a janitorial supply. Traffic areas may need finish applied more often than the rest of the floor. It’s a good idea to keep doormats at all the entrances to your home, as they will catch much of the dirt that could eventually damage your floors.
Other Common cleaning products:
- Tilex soap scum remover
- Tilex mildew remover
Appliances:
Stove / Oven — Use spray oven cleaner inside and outside & under burners, and broiler (make sure to properly ventilate fumes)
Other recommended cleaning products:
- Easy-off fume free oven cleaner
- Mr. Muscle oven cleaner
Microwave — Use degreaser, paper towel or wiping rag, and clean outside and inside surfaces
(all 5 sides, and inside face of door). Use degreaser to clean filters at
underside of microwave, and sides of microwave and over light. (See below for suggestions)
Refrigerator — Use anti-bacterial cleanser, like formula 409, inside and outside, on top
& under refrigerator. Move refrigerator to clean behind & under it and remove all removable shelving to thoroughly clean.
Disposal — Use self dissolving freshener for inside the disposal (See below for suggestions)
Exhaust Fans – Dust and wipe down with degreaser (See below for suggestions)
Ceiling Fans — Dust and remove hair, cobwebs, etc. & wipe down light fixture with degreaser (See below for suggestions)
Wall heaters — Dust and wipe down all sides and top with degreaser (See below for suggestions)
Other recommended cleaning products:
- Fantastic orange action by Johnson Diversey
- 409 heavy duty degreaser commercial
- 409 orange cleaner degreaser
Bedrooms, Closets, Living and Dining Rooms
Wood floors
Vacuum and dust mop regularly to prevent dirt from building up and damaging the surface. Any wood floor can be cleaned with a quarter-cup of apple cider vinegar mixed with a gallon of warm water or Murphy’s oil and water. Wood floors are best cleaned on your hands and knees because you should only clean a small area at a time and then dry it and move on. Never get wood floors too wet or allow them to dry naturally. Finished wood floors often can be cleaned just with water. However, the finish will eventually wear off, and you’ll either have to re-finish the floors or start waxing them.
Other recommended cleaning products:
- Murphy’s oil soap multi-use wood floor cleaner with orange oil
- Murphy’s oil soap
Pergo wood floors
The manufacturers of Pergo recommend damp mopping at least once a week and sweeping or vacuuming with an attachment more often if you are concerned about scratches.
Do not use soaps or detergents because they may leave a film, dulling the floor. Difficult spots like nail polish, markers, tar and cigarette burns can be removed with acetone or nail polish remover. Pergo floors must never be waxed, polished, sanded or refinished.
Floor base and flooring
To remove pet hair and grime from floor base and trim, use broom, murphys oil and water mixture with static cling mop.
Pet stain removal from carpets on stairs
First, blot up any liquid by putting towels or absorbent rags over the spot and stepping on them. Start with gentle pressure and increase it up to putting your full weight down. Change to fresh rags or towels, until no more liquid comes up.
For fresh stains, apply a bacteria/enzyme digester from a pet store, following the directions – it’s the only way to deal effectively with both the stain and the odor. Bacteria/enzyme digesters work slowly, so leave the solution on as long as the directions say. Urine has probably penetrated into the carpet and pad, so use enough solution to reach as far down as the stain. Apply the solution, put plastic over it, and step on the spot several times until the area is well saturated. Then, leave the plastic on the whole time the digester is working to make sure the spot doesn’t dry out.
Old or dry stains are hard – sometimes even impossible – to remove, but try the bacteria/enzyme digester. If it’s a popular accident site, the bacteria may produce enough ammonia in the course of breaking down the stains to create a super-alkaline situation that interferes with its own action. In this case, you may need to neutralize the spot after the digester has been working for about four hours. Mix a solution of one cup of vinegar to a gallon of warm water. Rinse the area with this solution and apply a fresh batch of bacteria/enzyme solution.
If the stain or odor remains, call a professional deodorizing specialist. A complete cure will probably involve cleaning the entire carpet by extraction and replacing the pad underneath, if not replacing the carpet.
Other recommended cleaning products:
- WD-40 Spot shot professional carpet cleaner
- Resolve procure carpet spot cleaner
- Eliminator carpet spot & stain remover
