Upright vs. Cylinder Vacuum Cleaners

Sometimes our clients contact us for an advice on what vacuum cleaner to choose for their homes- upright or cylinder, in terms of their design as well as their brand.

In order to answer these questions, we decided to take a quick survey among our professional cleaners as their practical experience is invaluable. Every day they use different kinds and brands of vacuums ranging from cylinders and uprights to the trendy and lightweight cordless vacuum cleaners. Our survey is based on the professional cleaning specific requirements and our clients` needs as vacuuming is among the most important cleaning tasks. Our cleaners usually have to vacuum large areas for a short time and be able to deliver a good finish. We’ve looked at the most popular choices among our clients as detailed below:

How to get blood out of carpet

It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt and if you are having children in the house, you probably experience this yourself every day. It’s not too rare to have the youngsters play around the house and suddenly one of them comes to you crying with a bleeding nose. Furthermore, finger cuts and other small accidents happen occasionally, all of which can leave nasty blood stains on your carpet, something you certainly don’t want to keep.

The bad news is that blood stains are really stubborn and are not so easy to clean. The good news is that there are still ways to take care of this problem. In this post, you will learn how to get blood out of carpet, which you can try right away!

Without further ado, let’s dive right in!

Important: Before you proceed in cleaning, regardless of the chosen method or solution, you should always check if it is suitable for your carpet or upholstery. For example, some natural made fabrics, such as ones from grass and wool, can be damaged if treated with liquid solutions. If you are not sure what your carpet is made from we advise you to contact a professional cleaner.

How to do that? Take some of the cleaning solution and apply a small amount of it in out of the way part of your carpet (under the sofa for example). If you see any color change or another sign of damage, immediately rinse the area with a sponge soaked in cold water and contact a professional cleaner.

When it comes to blood:

• Blood stains should be cleaned as soon as possible, as blood is way easier to deal with while it hasn’t dried on the carpet (don’t worry we’ll cover this too).
• When you are dealing with blood you should always wear plastic or rubber gloves to prevent any possible infections.
• Use only cold water. Warm water can set the stain and make the things worse.
• Use white cloth when cleaning carpet stains, its way easier to see if the blood is lifting from the carpet to the cloth and there is no danger from transferring some dye from it to the fabric.

1. Fresh blood stains with baking soda

As you already know, blood stains should be treated immediately if possible and if this is the case this method should do the trick. It also works on dried blood but for some more stubborn stains, you might want to keep reading.

What you need: baking soda / a bowl of cold water / some paper towels / a white clean cloth

1. Take the paper towels and place them on top of the blood stain. Dab gently on them to soak up any excess blood. Don’t rub the spot because this might spread the blood on a larger area, just simply dab several times until you soak lift most of the liquid.
2. Next sprinkle some baking soda on the stain, so it covers all the blood.
3. Pour some water on top of the baking soda. Be careful here, you don’t want to pour too much, all you need is to wet the baking soda. You can take a spoon for more precise and control the spread of the water.
4. You will see how the baking soda starts fizzling, this will lift the blood out of the fibers.
5. Get the piece of cloth (a towel might be better) and blot the area until it’s completely dry. Again, don’t rub it, be gentle and take your time.
6. Let it dry and vacuum to refresh the fibers

2.Fresh blood stains with dish soap

Again this is for the best case scenario, the stain is brand new and the blood hasn’t dried yet. This isn’t so effective on old blood stains but you can also give it a try.

What you need:  some regular dish soap / 2 cups of cold water / an empty bowl / a clean white cloth

1. Take the bowl and mix inside 1 teaspoon of dish soap with 2 cups of cold water.
2. Take the clean cloth and dip it in the solution.
3. Start blotting the blood stain with the moist cloth. You will notice how the blood is lifted by the soap and transferred to the cloth. Again, don’t scrub the stain, as it might get worse.
4. Moist a clean part of the cloth and keep blotting until the whole stain is gone.
5. Let it dry and vacuum to refresh the fibers.

3.Stubborn blood stains with ammonia

If the blood stain has already dried and the two methods above didn’t do the trick it’s time to try something stronger. Ammonia is a very strong chemical that can be used when it comes to cleaning variety of surfaces around the house and also to some types of jewelry, but you should keep in mind that it can damage some fabrics, so we remind you to check if it is suitable for your carpet first, as explained above.

What you need: ammonia / 2 cups of cold water / an empty bowl / a clean white cloth/ a bowl of cold water/ a sponge

1. You might want to open your window, as ammonia is really strong and even though we need only a little for this cleaning solution it still has a pretty strong smell.
2. Take the empty bowl and mix a solution of 1 tablespoon ammonia and 2 cups of cold water.
3. Take the clean cloth and dip it in the solution (reminder: wear gloves here).
4. Blot the stain with the moist cloth until all the blood is lifted and transferred to the cloth, similar to the dish soap method.
5. Once the stain is gone, take the sponge and dip it in the clean water.
6. Rinse the spot thoroughly and gently to remove any residue of the ammonia solution.
7. Let it dry and vacuum to refresh the fibers.

4.Very stubborn and dried blood steins with Hydrogen peroxide

This is a very effective method but keep in mind it can damage or discolour some types of fabrics, so a test on an invisible area of your carpet is a must before you proceed any further. Hydrogen peroxide is really effective against blood stains because when it comes to contact with it a series of reactions are triggered which results in depigmentation and disinfestation. So, it might be what you are looking for if other methods didn’t deal with the stain.

What you need: some hydrogen peroxide / a clean white cloth / a bowl of cold water / a sponge

1. Pour some hydrogen peroxide on the blood stain and leave it for 5 minutes.
2. During this time it will start fizzling as the chemical starts breaking up the blood. As a result, the stain will discolour and should become orange or even white.
3. Once the fizzling stops take the white cloth and start dabbing gently to absorb the solution and the stain.
4. Keep blotting with the clean parts of the cloth until the whole stain is gone.
5. Take the sponge and dip it in the clean water, after which rinse any remaining residue of the solution.
6. Let it dry and vacuum it to refresh the fibers.

There you have it how to get blood out of carpet, 4 proven methods that will deal with those stubborn stains.

Still, if the blood remains or you have other stains that you need to be taken care of we at Wimbledon Cleaning Services are always here for you. Don’t hesitate and give us a call at any time!

End of tenancy or one-off cleaning? Which one to book?

We often get asked the same question – What is the difference between end of tenancy cleaning and one-off cleaning?

Although to many these two may sound the same, they are actually two different cleaning services that have their specifics.

The end of tenancy cleaning or check out/moving out cleaning is a service that will perform a thorough cleaning of your rented home at the end of your tenure. It follows certain cleaning rules and must meet the cleaning standards of the estate agencies.

The one-off cleaning is a service that covers the special requirements made by the client. Let’s say if you do not have a regular cleaner and wish to have your property, or parts of it (for example your fridge, oven, and bathrooms only) cleaned by a professional, then you can book a one-off cleaning visit.

One-off cleaning service:

• The service is tailored to meet the specific requirements of the client. It can cover the whole property or parts of it, such as cleaning of the oven/fridge/windows/kitchen only/bathroom only, etc.
• The client supplies all cleaning detergents and equipment. (We can do that but for an additional charge).
• We charge per hour per cleaner. We can arrange for one or more cleaners to attend depending on the size of the property and the tasks. We provide a receipt for the payment.
• The cleaner/team of cleaners works to complete the time when only certain hours have been booked or works to complete all cleaning tasks if that has been requested by the client.
• The client checks the work done at the end of the cleaning.
• No free re-clean is provided after the cleaning team leaves the property.

End of tenancy cleaning service:

• The cleaning follows specific guidelines by the estate agency/landlord. The cleaning is very thorough and takes many hours of work.
• The property must be empty of all personal belongings.
• We provide all necessary cleaning detergents and equipment.
• We work to complete the cleaning and meet the requirements of the agency.
• We charge a fixed, agreed price. A receipt is provided.
• The estate agency, landlord or inventory company checks the condition of the property after the cleaning service.
• Free re-clean is provided under certain circumstances.

We recommend that you check your tenancy agreement for information on how you must leave the property after the end of your contract. If professional cleaning is required, we advise you to book the service as early as possible. Should you need professional carpets and upholstery cleaning, we can assist with that too! Make sure you have all your belongings removed prior to the arrival of the cleaning team. Plan ahead at least a day for the end of the tenancy cleaning service.

For a look at our rates please follow the link https://wimbledon-cleaning-services.co.uk/rates/

Our top 5 picks for a best vacuum cleaner for 2017

Here are our top 5 pics for an efficient and comfortable to work with vacuum cleaner for 2017:
1. Miele Complete C3 Cat&Dog
2. Miele Complete C3 Comfort Boost EcoLine
3. Henry Hoover – HVR 200
4. Philips PowerPro Ultimate FC9920-69
5. Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal

Essential Cleaning Products

Q: What are the essential cleaning products that are good to have at home?
A: There is a wide range of cleaning products on the market to meet every requirement of the customers but we found a few of them very efficient and at an acceptable price.
We recommend the following:
– To clean the kitchen – Cif or Flash kitchen cleaner; any brand cream cleaner; Dettol Anti-Bacterial Surface Cleaner; Mr. Muscle Oven Cleaner
– To clean the floors – Cif, Flash or Pledge floor cleaner
– To clean the bathroom – Viakal and Harpic blue toilet cleaner/limescale remover or bleach
– To clean mirrors and glass surfaces – any brand window cleaner
– To clean mould spots– Dettol Mould and Mildew Remover or Cillit Bang Black Mould Remover
– Multi Surface Cleaner – Pledge or Flash

Mould removing

One of the most common problems in the bathrooms and washing/utility rooms is mould growing on the walls, ceilings, tile grouts and silicone sealants. Mould damages and discolours surfaces permanently and often starts growing again after the cleaning.
We found in our practice that the best household product for removing mould is Dettol Mould and Mildew Remover (please observe the product’s description before use)
The best way to keep mould away from your home is to ventilate your bathroom and other rooms regularly, use a dehumidifier if necessary and paint the wet rooms with special anti-mould paint along with a good quality silicone sealant.

I just moved in to a new property. Is it worth to think about the end of my tenancy?

All good things come to an end – and in due course your tenancy will end too.

Is the property left in a good condition so that I can get my full deposit back? How much I have to pay my rented flat or a house to be professionally cleaned?

These are the usual questions every tenant asks himself/herself when it comes to vacating their rented premises. Naturally, the first order of business is to check the T&Cs in your contract with the letting agency or the landlord in regards to the end of your tenancy and whether they require the property to be cleaned professionally at the end or not.

What state was the property in when you moved in? New tenants have a right to receive a clean and hygienic property and when moving out, former tenants need to make sure the property is just as clean as it was when they first moved in. Moving can be a very time consuming task within our already busy schedules which is why an increasing number of tenants and landlords  are turning to the service industry to fill in that role. Who has to clean what?

Tenants are in charge of daily cleaning and maintenance in the property. They can be held liable if they allow lack of hygiene to cause a rise and spread of health hazards diseases, pest infestation and mould. The removal of these hazards is costly and the renters will be charged for the bill. When doing the check in inspection, remember to confirm what areas fall within your responsibilities.

Can the landlord or the letting agency force you to hire a cleaning company

So, you already know that cleaning is the tenant’s responsibility. This responsibility dictates that when you return the keys to the landlord the property will be just as clean, as it was when you first moved in. Your landlord can request a hygiene standard equal to the one documented in the inventory agreement.

End of tenancy cleaning is something you do when your property cannot meet that criteria, but if you have been a good and caring tenant, it’s likely your home will be very close to the inventory already. In such a case, you only need to do a final sweep before surrendering the property.

Many landlords include a “professional cleaning” clause in their tenancy agreements

If the landlord agrees to have the property professionally cleaned before you move in, it’s fair to do the same before you move out. You should negotiate these conditions with your landlord before signing the tenancy agreement.

End of tenancy cleaning is vital to get back your deposit

The Deposit Protection Scheme confirms more than half of deposit disputes (56%) are the result of insufficient cleaning. This makes it the most common cause for deposit disputes. Surprisingly, inflicted damage comes second at 43% and redecoration third at 30%.

How to do end of tenancy cleaning

It is to your advantage to do a thorough end of tenancy clean and meet all the responsibilities in your tenancy agreement as otherwise, you will have a hard time winning back your tenancy deposit. Ensure that any damage caused by you or a visitor to your home is repaired or replaced. If you leave it up to the landlord to send you a bill, chances are the cost will be higher as they are unlikely to shop around for the best deal. Allow yourself enough time and energy to do the final clean and make it as near to move out inventory as possible.

How to do end of tenancy cleaning yourself

The cheapest option is to obviously do the cleaning yourself. While it’s nothing too scary, your moving experience can already be overwhelming, without any cleaning involved. On the other hand, if you have a lot of time before returning the keys, cleaning yourself is a good way to save some moving expenses.

Before you start, contact the landlord or letting agent and request their final inspection checklist. To make sure you’ve cleaned ENOUGH, you need to base your work on the checklist AND the move in inventory report. You need to match the quality you see in the report, while making sure each item you see on the checklist is cleaned.

You will need to clean at minimum the following items, if you’re to pass the final inspection:

Kitchen – Empty all the cupboards and shelves. Remove all crumbs and deposits, clean inside and out and wipe thoroughly with a dry cloth. Do your best to pull out the appliances and wash the floors beneath them and dust the walls behind them. Make sure the appliances are clean, including the washing machine soap tray and the dishwasher filter. The back of most appliances is usually dusty and full of cobwebs – make sure to wipe them with a dry cloth. After you have cleaned the fridge, if it is empty switch it off at the mains and leave the door open to prevent mould. Make sure to pull out all fridge shelves, cabinets and racks. Clean them good including the groves where they slide in the fridge. Repeat this for each appliance with similar features.

Oven and hob – There is nothing worse than cleaning someone else’s oven when moving into a new property. If not cleaned often, the oven builds up thick layers of grime, burnt food deposits, grease and household dust. It all makes for a nasty cleaning job that requires the most time, effort and harsh cleaning agents out of all other cleaning jobs. Unpleasant though the task may be, make sure it is sparkling, as the oven is often the first item to be inspected. The same goes for the hob, burners, racks, baking trays, handles, switches and all other surfaces. You really need to put in the extra effort about your oven, or it’s not worth starting at all.

Living room – You need to clean the coffee table and all cupboards, cabinets, bookshelves and TV set. Living rooms often feature extensive decorations and full bookshelves. This room is mostly about dusting extensively and vacuuming everything to perfection. There are many item and awkward surfaces to clean, as easy as it might seem, the living room is very time consuming.

Bathroom – Scrub everything in the bathroom including the tiles, sink, bath, toilet, mirror and other accessories. Ensure the drains and plug holes are clear from debris and make sure the water runs away quickly. Remove mould, soap scum and lime scale build up from all metallic surfaces like the faucets, the shower, the drain grates. If the shower head has some of its holes plugged from lime scale build up, you will have to clean it up. Detach the shower head and submerge it in white vinegar overnight. The day after, it should be cleared and working properly again.

Walls – You should look for any scuffs or dirty marks on the walls. If it is not possible to wash them off, paint them over with some emulsion of the same colour. You may find unfinished paint pots in the shed or utility cupboard you can use. This is worth doing especially if there are a lot of marks, otherwise your landlord may decide to decorate and bill you for the cost! If you hanged any pictures or decorations on the walls there are probably a lot of nail holes. You don’t want your landlord to find too many of these, or they might throw a big fuss in the way of your pocket. Fill nail holes with wall filler putty and pain over. It’s important to clean all the mould if any and to also inform your landlord about the problem. Don’t paint over the mould – let the landlord do that, but try your best to remove it. Unfortunately, bleach is the most reliable cleaning agent against mould. Use a breathing mask and gloves when you use such harsh cleaning agents.

Windows – Clean all the windows from the inside. If you can’t reach the outside yourself then arrange for a window cleaner to call. Alcohol and vinegar remain two of the best products you can use for cleaning glass and windows. If there are any cracked panes arrange for them to be replaced unless they appear on the check-in inventory. Windows make quick impressions on the general hygiene. If you make yours crystal clear, your landlord can be more likely to miss dirt in other spots.

Furniture – You want to vacuum your furniture and wash it using a dry wash solution. The upholstery needs to look pristine – no smells, no hair, no bad odour. This is especially true if you live with small children, pets or smoke cigarettes. Alternatively, you can hire a steam cleaning service to wash all your upholstery items.

For the wooden upholstery, you need to look for scuff marks, scratches and dings. Use almonds and coffee grounds to rub on the scuff marks and scratches. For minor issues, they will do well to mask of the damage. For a dazzling finish, you can buy a wood polish or use lemon oil. Rub well into the wooden parts and your furniture will look brand new.

Curtains/blinds – If the curtains are washable then follow washing instructions or take them to the dry cleaner and dust the curtain rods. Do the same with any fabric blinds in the property. Thoroughly dust both sides of the slats of venetian blinds. Repair any damage or replace if the blind has become unusable.

Carpets/Rugs – If you have a steam cleaner (hot water extraction cleaner or wet/dry vacuum cleaner), this is a great way of bringing up carpets and rugs to look like new. If not, you can hire and include various attachments and detergents to enable you to clean every part of the property including floors, tiles, windows, walls, and furnishings. The minimum thing you should do is to vacuum all carpets and scrub them with a wire brush to remove all the hair trapped in the fibres.

Staircases and hallways – These are areas with a lot of traffic and would be in need of more serious cleaning. The carpets and rugs might require steam cleaning to get all the dirt and grime out.

When should you do end of tenancy cleaning yourself

• You rent a small property or a room of a shared property
• You rent an unfurnished property
• You deep clean at least once every couple of months
• You have a lot of time between moving and handing back the keys
• You’re looking for a cheaper moving experience
• You’re an experienced cleaner

When shouldn’t you do end of tenancy cleaning yourself

• You are allergic to harsh cleaning products, like bleach
• You cannot find enough free time or energy
• You are not a good and thorough cleaner
• You need to use professional equipment you cannot operate yourself

If you are cleaning by yourself, allow enough time to hire equipment, buy the right products, have things dry cleaned, and replace/repair items. Be thorough, tick things off your list as you go, take photographs when complete, and ask a witness to sign these before the final inventory check and handing over the keys.

Hire a cleaning company

The above list is extensive, but in no way does it list everything you need to clean before you can move out with your deposit. If you don’t have the time or energy required to go through extensive cleaning, maybe hiring a company is the solution for your move.

Start organizing your move out a few weeks before the final day of your tenancy. Don’t underestimate the cleaning. As I mentioned above, it is vital part of the whole process and it is important for you to leave the property in the same condition as when you moved in. So, bear in mind a few facts:

1. End of tenancy cleaning takes many hours work. Usually the companies send a team of cleaners to work. The cleaning is very difficult and very different from usual daily cleaning that is why leave one day for the cleaning. You must bear this in mind when you book your inventory check-out.
2. Start your enquiries about hiring a cleaning company a month before the final day and make your booking at least 2 weeks in advance. The cleaning companies work with limited number of cleaning teams and usually it is not possible for them to take jobs on a short notice – on the day of the moving out or the previous day. So, if this happen then not only the money for the cleaning but the LA will deduct additional money for organizing the cleaning instead of you or to compensate the new tenants in they cannot move in because of the condition of the property.
3. When you enquire about hiring a cleaning company give them as much information about the property, as possible. Usually they don’t offer viewings in advance and you will be quoted based on the information about the size of the property you have told them. They will ask you about the number of the rooms (reception, bedrooms), bathrooms, if the property is over a few floors or one level, about any additional areas as utility rooms, storage areas, conservatory, garage, etc. that need cleaning. If you have to leave the premises with carpets professionally cleaned tell them about the carpeted rooms, sets of stairs, landings, etc. It is good to have on hand some information about the size of the rooms, some links to the property in different websites, floor plan. This information will help the companies to give you a price for the cleaning.
4. When you already have a few quotes and you are wondering who to hire don’t take your decision on the price alone. Ask them if they offer a free re-clean. Bear in mind that if it is a company who offers the service throughout the whole London probably they will not come back for a re-clean if there are cleaning issues after their work. It is better to hire a local company because they are known in the area and it is easier for them to organize a free re-clean if necessary. Also, because they work in the area they are more likely to provide a better service in order to maintaining their good reputation.
5. And at the end – about the price. If quoted over the phone (in 90% you will get the price this way) the companies will give you a price if the property they have to clean is in reasonably clean condition. Don’t be surprised when they ask you for additional payment if they find the property left in bad condition and never been cleaned properly, full with your personal stuff or with a lot of rubbish left. A way to avoid this from happening is to keep your property in a good condition and clean it regularly during your tenancy. This will save you money and you will live in a healthy environment.
6. Some tips to keep the property during your tenancy:
   • Ventilate the bathrooms and rooms regularly. This will prevent mould growing. Mould destroys and discolours the surfaces and often cannot be removed with wiping and mold removing chemicals. If the paint is damaged you may be asked to pay for re-painting the areas.
   • Keep the kitchen clean including kitchen appliances? Wipe the kitchen cupboards regularly with a kitchen degreaser, especially near the cooker.
   • If you have a dishwasher once a week or every other week (depending how often you cook) put in it the cooker pan supporters and the metal extractor fan filters to avoid the grease to build-up.
   • Wipe the oven regularly. You can put a baking foil in the oven tray to avoid burnt-on grease.
   • Dry the washing machine soap drawer and rubber after the washing.
   • Clean the bathroom once a week using a lime scale remover. Brush the toilet bowl at least once a week with a toilet cleaner or bleach to avoid lime scale and organic builds-up.
   • Dust the surfaces and vacuum properly the floors and carpets, especially the edges. Bear in mind that even the most powerful carpet cleaning machine will not restore the condition of the carpets if you haven’t vacuumed them for a long time and the dirt and dust have already accumulated deep into the carpet pile.

“My carpet is so dirty!”

How to remove limescale

Calcium carbonate – that’s limescale to you and me – is easily dissolved in a range of mild acids

The less fastidious will not be familiar with limescale. But those who like to admire their reflection in a gleaming chrome appliance will hate the milky white deposit.

It is possible to scrub off the limescale deposits. However, the minerals involved are very hard, so abrasives that will effectively scrape them off are also likely to damage the finish of the material underneath. Luckily, calcium carbonate is easily dissolved in a range of mild acids. You can buy brand-name limescale removers, but many common household substances will also do the trick. Two of the most effective substances are lemon juice and ordinary vinegar. Lemon juice is usually the best (and will also leave a lovely smell behind). Stronger pickling vinegar and lime juice are both even more acidic and can be used for really stubborn deposits.

How you clean your oven will depend on the type of oven you have.