Tag: residential cleaners calgary

9 Simple Bathroom Hacks to Keep Your Bathroom Sparkle
The bathroom can often be our haven from the busyness of the day. The one place where we can get mere minutes of some much-needed alone time.

But, when it becomes overrun with dirty mirrors from toothpaste splashes, rings appear in the tub and sink, and you find yourself in a hover over the toilet seat for fear of what’s on it, your haven can quickly feel like a horror movie!

Below are nine easy bathroom tricks to help you keep your bathroom a sanctuary of calm, not a space to fear.
Hack: Hardwater Removal

In Calgary, hard water builds up very quickly. When we first clean a new client’s home, this is often one of the main things we find in the bathroom that we use some extra elbow grease to remove. However, once it’s cleaned properly (and regularly), removing any hard water spots is a breeze. All that’s needed is a bit of dish soap and vinegar on a wet SOS pad to clean water stains – especially those on glass shower doors.

Once you’ve removed the hard water stains, simply wipe down the surface with a damp microfibre cloth, then dry with a dry microfibre cloth.

Items needed:
- SOS pad
- Dish soap
- Vinegar
- Water
- Two microfibre cloths
Hack: Sparkling Faucets and Area

It can be common to have a brown or pink ring build up around your faucet. Because this often looks daunting, many people tend to use a lot of product to remove the ring. In reality, all that’s needed is a little dish soap and possibly a blade. The blade – similar to a blade you would use on a flat-top glass stove – will not damage your faucet or counter. Rather, it removes hard water build-up in tight spaces and flat surfaces. One note of warning – be sure to use the blade on the counter only and not the faucet itself.

For the faucet, simply use a bit of dish soap and water to remove any water stains. Then, polish it up with a glass cleaning cloth for extra sparkle.

Items needed:
- Dish soap
- Small blade
- Glass cleaning cloth
Hack: Toilet Tutorial

Like it or not, this is the most used seat in the house. At Clean Club Calgary, we recommend that this home throne should be cleaned at a minimum of once per week. The good news is you don’t need fancy cleaning products to make it shine. All you need is a toilet brush, a bucket of clean, hot water with a dollop of dish soap and a splash of bleach, and two microfibre cloths – one damp and one dry. If you prefer, we recommend you wear rubber gloves here, especially if you add bleach to your water/soap solution. For full details of a deep cleaning of your toilet, read here.

For maintenance rather than a deep clean, a simple swish of the cleaning solution with your toilet brush in the bowl (including under the lip) and a wipe down of the exterior with the damp and dry cloths will suffice.

Items needed:
- Toilet brush
- Bucket of clean, hot water
- Dish soap and bleach
- Two microfibre cloths
Hack: Bathtubs and Showers

The bathtub and shower often see a build-up of soap scum due to, well, soap and shampoo and conditioner. When there is a build-up of soap scum, we need to test if the dish soap will be enough on its own to remove it. The reason is that soap scum build-up is very greasy and oily and the best product to break it down is, funnily enough, dish soap. If it doesn’t work, then some good ol’ fashion elbow grease and an SOS pad add the little extra oomph needed to remove the scum.

Items needed:
- Dish soap
- Water
- SOS pad
Hack: Tiles and Grout Goodness

Grout can be the bane of your existence when trying to relax in a quiet bubble bath. Seeing once-white grout with a tint of grey can turn relaxation into an all-consuming thought. To avoid this unsightly distraction while you’re trying to find your peace, we recommend using a toothbrush to scrub the grout. Before you scrub, though, pre-treat it with either dish soap or Kitchen and Bath CRL. CRL tends to require dwell time to activate it. The specific dwell time is indicated on the label of the product. Once it’s pretreated, scrub with your brush, and rinse with water.

Items needed:
- Toothbrush (unused…not your own toothbrush!)
- Dish soap
- Kitchen and Bath CLR
- Water
Hack: Light Fixtures and Vents

We can sometimes forget about our lights and vents, particularly vents that are on the ceiling. From time to time, take the light cover off and remove any dead bugs and dirt that have landed there, then simply wash the fixture with dish soap and water. Dry it with a microfibre cloth and put it back. If you want to give your light fixture a little extra shine, we recommend polishing it with one of our glass cleaning cloths.

For vents, if able, remove the vent and vacuum off any dust that became stuck in it. Once you’ve removed all dust particles (sometimes big clumps), wash with dish soap and water, dry with a microfiber cloth, and then put it back.

Items needed:
- Dish soap
- Water
- Vacuum
- Microfibre cloth
Hack: Baseboards Below

Baseboards can collect dust and dirt, along with random bathroom splashes. Before you wipe them down, simply give them a quick vacuum to remove any dirt. If you don’t do this, then you’ll spread the dirt when wiping it “clean” with a cloth.

Once you’ve vacuumed, wipe the baseboards down with a damp cloth. If they are dirty – simply use water and dish soap to remove any spots, then dry them with a dry microfibre cloth. Note that baseboards typically only need to be cleaned once per month.

Items needed:
- Vacuum (or duster)
- Dish soap
- Water
- Two microfibre cloths
Hack: Bathroom Door and Cabinet Fronts

Much like other aspects of the bathroom, the door and cabinets tend to collect dust and grease build-up. While these don’t need to be cleaned every week, we do recommend once a month. All you need is a bit of dish soap in water on a microfibre cloth, then wipe down the door and cabinet fronts, removing any spots. Then, dry with another microfibre cloth.

Items needed:
- Dish soap
- Water
- Two microfibre cloths
The best way to mop your floors
Hack: Floors that Shine

Floors quickly become dirty from bath splashes, toilet splashes, sink splashes, all the splashes! To avoid having perpetually sticky, splashy floors, mopping the floor once a week with soap and water is your best bet. The best type of mop to use is one that you can attach a microfibre cloth to, not the type that you insert into a pail and strain the water out of the mop head.

Note that different flooring materials can require different products. Depending on your bathroom floor, you may require different materials – which can be found in this post.

Items needed:
- Bucket of clean, hot water
- Dish soap
- Mop with velcro mop head
- Microfibre cloth
Bonus Hack: Counter Space and Storage

There is nothing we love more than storage baskets under the sink. As much as having all our products out on the counter lets us know what we have, they add clutter and increase cleaning time because we have to remove all the products and then put them back when done. All you need to do is purchase a storage basket – the dollar store has excellent ones – put your items in the basket and hide the basket under the sink, pulling it out when you need it. This will help to keep your counters free of clutter.

Items needed:
- Storage basket
These quick cleaning hacks for your bathroom will help to keep your bathroom a place for you to enjoy, not fear!
If you’re looking for support in deep cleaning your bathroom so you can get started with your easy maintenance, simply connect with us for a quote to take care of the really tough scum.
September 21, 2023
How to Have Gorgeous Interior Design that Cleans with Ease

The beauty of cleaning people’s homes? Seeing the creativity that went into designing it.

I love interior design. The concepts; flow; personality; and aesthetic. BUT every now and then, the Clean Club Calgary team comes across a gorgeously designed interior that is next to impossible to bring its original sparkle back.

Confused about why something would be designed so beautifully, but so difficult to maintain, I connected with my colleague, Jacqui Loucks of Jacqui Loucks Interior Design, to get into the mind of a professional interior designer.

The first thing Jacqui shared?

“Great design must be able to function first. Interior design is always function first. Always.”

Even the most well-designed home, if not easy to maintain, quickly loses its allure.

Function First. Always!

Just like cleaning, there is always a method to the madness. “Before we even start figuring out products, heights, colours, etc., we have to start at the MACRO level of the design’s purpose, and then move into the micro details from there,” Jacqui shares.

This means digging in and understanding your lifestyle, your expectations for cleaning and maintaining your home’s design, and how you actually function within your home. In other words, will the new elements installed in your home cause you headaches, or improve your life as you move through your home?

Consider this…if you are drawn to stonecast or granite composite sinks (lovely!), it’s not simply a matter of finding, and then installing, a stonecast sink. This type of sink is touted as having great durability. Its surface, however, is textured and pitted, making it harder to clean. It also tends to show water mineral stains – especially in hard water cities, such as Calgary. Knowing this, are you prepared for the effort and maintenance to keep the same awe and beauty you had, before first use?

Should you still want that stonecast sink, Jacqui recommends two additional installs: install a water softening system and a pull-out spray nozzle on your kitchen tap for rinsing/eliminating particles after each use. There are also other excellent sink choices for high-task areas, such as the kitchen. Knowing your lifestyle helps the designer direct you to options that are the best fit for you.

Glass Can Be Our Friend!

It’s no surprise that I love seeing glass spotlessly sparkle and mirrors magnificently reflect. This is something I take pride in and have invested in products for my team’s use. We love adding sparkle back into our clients’ lives.

Yet, untreated glass or anything with a high sheen surface – such as stainless steel or glossy cabinet doors – can quickly become a source of frustration. When function, maintenance, and long-term expectations are not discussed prior to ordering and installing the products, there can be regret knowing that there were better options.

Passionate about this very thing, Jacqui states, “As designers – we MUST address what to expect when it comes to the later maintenance of the products installed POST construction…This comes down to understanding what materials and finishes would be best suited for the occupants using the space.”

So, what can you do if you love the spotless glass look but hate the smudged glass look?

“There is tempered glass that has these sealants and applications. These sealants, however, must be applied at the factory prior to the installation,” shares Jacqui.

The applications, known specifically as hydrophobic or oleophobic sealants, help limit fingerprints, smudges, and watermarks. Knowing that there’s an option for this BEFORE shower glass walls or glass railings are installed, the client can make more informed decisions about products that can significantly reduce the upkeep or maintenance when they are consistently used daily.

Design Today for Tomorrow’s Expectations

An interior designer like Jacqui ultimately saves you time, creates functional design solutions (that you likely didn’t even know existed!), and will recommend beautiful finishes within your budget to receive that gorgeous house you’re so proud of. The up-front planning and decisions made within the design process are critical paths for the best outcomes when renovating or building new.

Understanding your long-term commitment to maintaining the design, helps you receive the right product or material choice for your budget. This allows for better expectations for what to invest in cleaning – either in personal energy and time or budgeting for a residential cleaner.

An interior designer should be there to support you in creating the home you want for the budget you have. This also means aligning with the right contractors who have the experience and knowledge to correctly build and install the intention of the design while engaging you in the decision-making process. An interior designer’s role is not only to project manage these details for a beautiful outcome; it is to present the best products, materials, and design decisions that reflect your priorities, lifestyle, and budgets.

There is so much more to interior design than what most people think. As Jacqui stated, good interior design should always prioritize function first. Then when combined with a commitment to maintaining the beauty and the function, your house will become – and stay – the home of your dreams.

If you are beginning your interior design journey, I highly recommend connecting with Jacqui to make it that much easier. Start a conversation on what to consider over and above the look. Send her a message right here.

If you’ve already designed the functional home of your dreams and require support to make it sparkle again, message me for a quote! Cleaning is one of my favourite topics!

December 17, 2020
How to properly kill all dust bunnies invading your home
You would think that scrubbing grime from toilets would be a cleaner’s least favourite job. But, I’m here to tell you that in reality, it’s dusting.

Dust – our sworn enemy. Our never-ending foe. Every time we think we’re finished, there’s always more. It’s so seemingly simple to remove…but the truth is giving a quick wipe down does not, in fact, provide a quality dust nor clean. Now that you’ve got me started on this topic, we’re going to dive even further into the hidden world of dusting.

DUST: YOUR HOUSEHOLD PET “BUNNY”…OR ENEMY?

Be aware – knowing what is dust, is not for the faint of heart. Yes, dust is dirt. But, it is also a mixture of sloughed-off human skin cells (and animals if those are in your home), hair, bacteria, dust mites and their feces, teeny bits of dead bugs, soil particles, pollen, clothing fibre, and even microscopic specks of plastic.

It gets worse. All of these organic items attract a number of the pollutants and chemicals we use in our homes. So, in addition to the soil from our shoes, we also have a concoction of pollutants, metals, chemicals and more…all adorably called a “dust bunny.”

Calling it a bunny does not make it any cuter, nor something to keep as a pet. The only way to get rid of the microscopic grub is to grab your microfiber cloth and vacuum and dust.

HOW TO ACTUALLY DUST YOUR HOME

As much as they accompany the Halloween “maid” costume, feather dusters do not work. They merely stir up the dust, allowing all those microscopic organisms to settle back onto furniture and other objects in the room.

Now that’s out of the way, let’s continue, shall we?

1. Dust top to bottom

Start at the top and work your way down. First, dust your ceiling fans and vents, working your way down to furniture tops, bookshelves (including the items on these), and furnishings. Finally, end with the floor.

Top to bottom dusting tip: if you have a lot of dust and pet hair already on the floor, I recommend doing a quick vacuum to start.

2. Dusting standing furniture

Use a damp cloth soaked in water with a bit of dish soap. This will remove any contaminants over and above the dust. For Clean Club Calgary’s dusting protocol, we make sure to remove all trinkets from the furniture prior to starting. We then wipe both the shelf and the individual items separately. After everything is free of dust, we put them back right where they belong!

Furniture dusting tip: do not forget to dust the top of cabinets and other shelving units. Dust LOVES to hide up there.

3. Dusting upholstered furniture

Beneath every soft, cushiony surface lies those dust mites and lint collectors. While it is recommended to have your upholstery cleaned once or twice a year, the easiest way to maintain a dust-free couch is by washing it with a damp microfiber cloth. This is for either fabric or leather furniture. However, with leather furniture, be sure to apply a specific leather protector solution a couple of times of a year to keep it from drying out.

Upholstery dusting tip: use the furniture tool that came with your vacuum to get in the nooks and crannies of the sofa and other seating surfaces.

4. Dusting electrical appliances

I know – you wipe the dust off your screen and it’s almost as though it never happened. So frustrating!

To have a slightly longer dust-free screen – from your television to your laptop – wipe your screen with a good quality, slightly damp microfiber cloth. Afterwards, wipe down with a dry microfiber cloth to polish the surface up. Check out our own personal favourite cloth for polishing up screens, mirrors, and glass surfaces.

For items such as keyboards, you can remove dust by using a can of compressed air. The same can be done for remote controls (including game controllers) where itty pieces of dust particles get stuck within the keys.

Electrical dusting tip: tell your professional cleaners what should not be unplugged. It is our job to ensure we always dust 100% and part of this is unplugging all items to clean around them. If you have modems, alarms, or other crucial items that must remain plugged in, always include this direction for your cleaners.

5. Dusting houseplants

Dust traps. Extremely large dust traps. That is what houseplants are. And, they are inefficient to dust.

For live plants, the most effective way to dust them is to put them in the tub and bathe them, gently removing dust and grime from their leaves. In the summertime, take them outside and wash them down.

If you have fake plants – these are even worse dust collectors. The best way to remove the dust? Take them down once a year and soak them in warm water with a bit of dish soap. When done, lay them down on old towels to dry.

Houseplant dusting tip: If you choose to wipe the leaves of your plants, DO NOT use a cloth containing a chemical cleaner when wiping down live plants. This will kill them.

6. Dusting the floor

Last, but not least, we come to dusting the floor. This is best completed by vacuuming. If able, pull beds, cabinets, and other furniture away from the wall so you can access the hair and other dust clumps hiding underneath. For uncarpeted floors, once vacuumed, wash the floor. The type of product to use depends on the floor material itself. However, when in doubt, use warm water with a small amount of gentle dish soap.

Floor dusting tip: Every three months sprinkle your carpet with baking soda. Let it stand for 2 hours, and then vacuum. This helps to kill dust mites hiding in the carpet threads.
DUSTING IS A HEALTH MATTER

Knowing what is in dust, it’s no wonder why it makes us sneeze, cough, have our eyes water, and so much more. This is why dusting is crucial to every single cleaning job.

Dusting is a key element for ensuring a true quality clean.
- Frequency matters
  
  Not all homes need to dust the same amount. That said, a good rule of thumb is to dust once a week. However, if you have allergies, live with pets, tend to track a lot of outdoors inside, and so on, you may need to up your frequency.
- Vacuum type
  
  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: a central vacuum is the best vacuum AND the most effective way to remove dust. The suction power on a central vac is typically 70 – 100% higher than that of handhelds, ensuring that it removes dust mites and feces responsible for allergies. Of course, not all homes come with central vacuums. To learn how to vacuum so it doesn’t have to suck, visit our blog on vacuuming.
- Dust cloth material
  
  As I said above – DO NOT use a feather duster. Rather, the best type of material to dust with is either a microfiber dusting cloth OR a non-synthetic dusting cloth. If using the non-synthetic cloth, you may have to soak this in water with a dab of dish soap and then ring it out prior to using it.
The thing about dusting is that, no matter what, it will always be a cleaning chore to be done. The best we can do today is know how to properly dust in a way that minimizes its impact on our individual health and make peace with our “house bunnies.” After all, they’ll be removed once a week!

Want some help staying on top of your dusting? Contact us for a quote today!
November 12, 2020
Professional Home Cleaner or Independent Contractor: Who Has Your Trust?
Whether this is your first experience having your home professionally cleaned, or you’ve worked with residential cleaners for years, finding the right cleaner for your home boils down to trust.

I’m a tad biased when it comes to deciding between an independent cleaner or a licensed residential cleaning business seeing that I run Clean Club Calgary, a professional cleaning company. However, having first started in this industry as a solo cleaner myself, there are clear benefits to working with a cleaning professional over an independent cleaning contractor.

EARNING YOUR TRUST IS A PROFESSIONAL’S TOP PRIORITY

Cleaning is more than scrubbing and removing grime. It’s letting someone into your home, your safe haven, to transform it into a place in which you can simply relax. This requires trusting someone with your personal property. While there are plenty of good independent cleaners out there, who are typically more cost-effective than a professional cleaning company, there are clear differences that impact the type of cleaning experience you’ll receive.

This starts with having a professionally vetted and trained team, guided by a leader. This leader should be someone who is actively motivating, growing, and improving their cleaning team, setting up their client, the business AND their employees for long-term success. This translates to the quality of work because the cleaning team feels cared for and that they have an impact within the company. The result is a motivated, committed and professional team going into your home to enhance your home life.

DELIVERING MOTIVATED, RELIABLE AND CONSISTENT CLEANING

An independent cleaner is just that – independent. They typically do not have a backup cleaner to fill in for them should they be unable to make your appointment, often leaving you high and dry for cleaning services. Such events can include getting sick, having to care for a sick child at home, getting stuck in traffic, etc. From there, rescheduling may become a hassle if you are not able to have them clean your home when you want.

With a professional cleaning company, you typically have a cleaning team of two people. At Clean Club Calgary, we work to have the same team clean the same house so there is consistency in who is in your home. Should one individual not be able to make their shift, the other team member will still go, bringing another trained team member with them. This regular team member knows the house and client preferences, allowing them to guide the other cleaner, ensuring the quality of clean remains, without missing our promised cleaning date. Plain and simple, with a professional cleaning company, you are more likely to receive a team who will always show up and have a clear understanding of your expectations.

BUILDING AN EXPERIENCED, PROFESSIONAL WORKING RELATIONSHIP

Your home is not where your cleaner should get their emotional needs met. Unfortunately, time and again, I hear tales of cleaners who share all the details of their personal lives with their client…whether the client wants to hear it or not. In my eyes, this is incredibly unprofessional. When you hire a cleaning service, regardless of whether they are a freelancer, incorporated company, or close friend, they should be there to do one thing: the work you are paying them for!

A professional cleaning company understands this and equips their team accordingly. This translates into how we act and show up at your house. For instance, we have a clear pre-cleaning checklist identifying the next day’s required cleaning and specific client requests. This gives our people the knowledge they need to immediately start cleaning when they arrive rather than using the first 10 – 20 minutes of your time understanding what needs to be cleaned that day. There are a number of checks and balances, internal communications, and other policies in place to ensure our customers receive the specific cleaning they require that day. With an independent cleaner, often your cleaning needs are not identified until the morning they arrive and you have to use your booked cleaning time going over what needs to be done.

Another differentiator is ensuring the team appears as a united front. This shows up by wearing our company uniform and name tags over sweats, uniting us as a cleaning team while letting you know who is in your home. This is crucial for building trust in our people, our company, and our industry.
INVESTED IN GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED INDUSTRY-TRAINING

Anyone can clean. However, a professionally trained cleaner does so much more. Cleaning becomes a knowledgeable artform, using science to create fresh spaces.

One reason we focus on proper training with our team is as simple as understanding what products can be used on what materials. For instance, natural stone cannot come into contact with any acid. This means you cannot use any cleaners – including vinegar – that could damage the stone. If your cleaner is not properly trained in understanding what products can be used on what materials, you run the risk of having your home accidentally damaged. What’s more, a professional company will have the proper insurance to repair this damage should it occur. Chances are, an independent cleaner will not. What’s worse – and this is not always the case – but if they’re not aligned with your values of taking responsibility for their actions, a solo cleaner may just leave and never come back. Then, you’re out a cleaner and on the line for fixing the damage.

At Clean Club Calgary, we ensure we’ve provided our team with the right training and tools to ensure a quality clean. These items were developed based on my IICRC Technician certification, a globally recognized cleaning and restoration certificate. Two of these items we provide are:
- Solvent Usage List: This list provides insights into what solvents can and cannot be used on specific materials. We ensure our team can access this 24/7, ensuring they can easily review should they need to when supporting our customers.
- Cleaning Training Manual: Our training isn’t a simple, “Read this and you’ll be ready to clean for our clients.” We require new cleaners to review and learn a specific section of our manual and then watch the in-house training videos we’ve developed showcasing our client’s expectations of cleanliness. From there, they go with a cleaning lead to our client’s home and implement what they’ve learned. The leader then looks over their work and guides on how to improve (if needed). The process continues until the new team member successfully meets all criteria within our manual.
SUPPORTING HOME BUSINESSES WITH CLEANING WRITE-OFFS

An independent or solo cleaner will most likely have lower pricing than a professional company. However, this lower price actually limits you, the client, in the long run, particularly in relation to cost savings and tax write-offs.

As more companies introduce Work-from-Home Policies and home offices are the bread and butter for numerous entrepreneurs, clients have the opportunity to write off a portion of their cleaning service as a business expense for their home office. A professional company will have the proper invoicing system, allowing you to properly track payments and provide official receipts for Revenue Canada for writing off a portion of your cleaning as a business expense.

Solo cleaners tend to work with cash payments only (not all!) and are not able to provide the appropriate paperwork for the CRA. In addition, cash payments are “under the table,” and these individuals are not paying taxes on the income they’re earning. This lowers the reputation of our industry and minimizes the training and dedication that other companies have invested in.

PROTECTING BOTH CUSTOMERS AND OUR TEAM IMPROVES SERVICE

A cleaning company’s goal, other than providing a quality clean, should be to retain customers and work to resolve issues together. This is quality service in action. If there are any issues, such as not meeting cleaning expectations, the professional company should come back to rectify these because they have more ability to do so. A solo cleaner may simply not respond or come back.

A professional cleaning company must also have insurance, be bonded, and have WCB to ensure clients and their team are protected. In addition to these non-negotiable pieces, running background checks on potential hires is crucial for ensuring we are doing our due diligence in protecting ourselves and our clients. The worst horror story I have come across is an independent cleaner here in Calgary who stole from the client. When the client contacted the police, the client was informed that the individual was in the country illegally and they were trying to locate this individual. Needless to say, this client was never compensated for their loss.

PROFESSIONAL AND CLEAN SHOULD GO HAND IN HAND

Clean Club Calgary is building the bridge between the cleaning industry and a professional standard. Of course, there are solo cleaners who are reputable, honest, and there to provide the best service they can for their clients, but not always. By focusing on proper training, customer service, and empowering our team to take ownership of their role, professional cleaning is our client’s reality. It comes down to supporting the client ahead of their cleaning time; protecting them and the company through proper channels; and focusing on honest, open, relationships dedicated to providing a higher quality of life.

Regardless of whether you’re looking to work with a solo cleaner or a professional cleaning company, do your due diligence before letting anyone into your home. Ask questions, learn their process for scheduling/rescheduling, hiring, and cleaning your home. Sometimes, the benefits that go with a professional cleaning team can save you headaches and even money in the long run.

Have a cleaning horror story that scared you? Perhaps a cleaning company that pleasantly surprised you? Please reach out and share your insights – we are always here to learn more about the industry and what you’re looking for in cleaning services. Connect today!!
March 12, 2020