Professional cleaners spend up to a third of their lives cleaning a huge varieties of homes and workplaces. As a result, they’ve seen every imaginable type of mess and hygiene issue. Through sheer hard work and experience, they have devised tried-and-tested cleaning methods that deliver exceptional results.
While there’s no substitute for on-the-job experience, there are simple measures you can take to clean like a professional. You’ll often save time, and the results will leave your home cleaner than ever.
1. Change the soap you’re using
The bathroom, along with the kitchen, is usually the room in the house that requires most time and attention. However, you can cut the time spent scrubbing tiles, shower doors and baths by switching to vegetable oil-based soaps containing glycerin. These soaps can be rinsed away more easily, and don’t leave deaded soapscum behind.
2. Remove all distractions
You’ve probably read countless tips on how to make cleaning more fun or bearable. But when speed is the priority, forget all that you’ve learned. Instead, remove all temptations and distractions when it’s time to clean. Put your phone away, turn the TV off, and tell everyone you’re not to be disturbed. It’s amazing what you can achieve when your efforts aren’t being interrupted by texts and phone calls every few minutes.
3. Make the dishwasher your new best friend
A dishwasher isn’t just for dishes. Ask any house cleaner, and they’ll tell you just how many everyday items can be cleaned in a dishwasher. Unless the manufacturer’s guidelines say otherwise, it’s usually possible to clean aluminium, stainless steel and plastic items in domestic dishwashers. Save yourself time by running it while you get on with other jobs.
4. Embrace steam
There is very little in the average home that can’t be cleaned and sanitised with superheated steam. If you’re cleaning your kitchen, for example, a handheld steamer can cut through grease in your oven just as easily as it can remove nasty odours from your fridge. And if you Google “how to deep clean carpet”, the chances are steam will feature in most of the results. Everything from hanging curtains to window panes can be cleaned with the right type of steam cleaner and the appropriate tools and accessories.
5. Shake and vac
All experienced cleaners know that you work from the top of the house to the bottom — and from the top of each room to the bottom. If you work in the opposite direction, you’ll be moving dirt and dust onto the surfaces you’ve already cleaned.
But you can use gravity to your advantage. Dust raised surfaces first, and give dust and debris time to settle on the floor. Remove cushions, pillows, throws and other fabric accessories, and shake them thoroughly to remove crumbs and other unwanted substances. Once you’re finished, all that’s left to do is vacuum the entire room thoroughly.
6. Gather together the right tools for the job
To speed up the cleaning process without compromising cleanliness, you’re going to need the best possible tools for the job — and a feather duster isn’t one of them. Make sure your vacuum cleaner is powerful, mobile and has a full range of attachments. Ideally, it should have a HEPA filter or an equivalent system for trapping allergens. Bagless vacuum cleaners are easier to maintain, cheaper in the long run and are less likely to lose suction power over time.
You should have a large supply of scrubbing brushes and scourers in your cleaning arsenal. It’s also important to assess exactly what you’re cleaning in your home — and ensure you have the necessary tools. For example, look up “how to deep clean hardwood floors”, and you’ll see you need a supply of microfibre cloths.
7. Start in the bathroom… then on to the kitchen
Whether you’re using chemical cleaning agents or natural alternatives such as vinegar, you usually need to give these substances a bit of contact time. Start cleaning the bathroom by spraying the surfaces with the necessary agents, then do the same in the kitchen. Move on to other jobs, and come back to wipe-dry all of the surfaces you sprayed earlier. This saves a huge amount of time, and is one trick of the trade that allows cleaners to clean several homes on the same day.
Cleaning like a pro doesn’t just deliver results, it frees up time to do the more important things in life.
