A recent survey suggested that, on average, Brits spend around 20 hours per week cleaning and maintaining their homes. That’s the equivalent of a part time job! There’s no wonder, then, that more and more people are outsourcing these chores to fully trained professionals. Bespoke cleaning services like Poppies provide a unique service, one that allows busy people to take a bit of this time back for themselves and their families. We’d all rather be binge watching Netflix than doing the ironing, right?

A lot of people ask us why their homes feel so much cleaner after we’ve been round than when they do the jobs themselves. And, much like restaurant food is always a notch above anything you could make yourself, there’s something special about having a service performed by someone who really knows what they’re doing. Every cleaner has their own set of tried and tested tricks, but here are a few secrets we’re willing to share.

Dwell Time

Most people underestimate the amount of time it takes for cleaning products to really get to work, especially when it comes to limescale removers and disinfectant. Rather than spraying and wiping immediately, our cleaners know that they’ll get the best results when they leave the product to sit for a while before scrubbing it away. If you’re looking to replicate this yourself, 30 seconds is usually long enough to get a really deep clean on your surfaces.

Perfect Products

TV ads will tell you different, but professional cleaners will rarely use all-in-one or multi-purpose products. That’s because different materials require different treatment to get the best results, so a quick wipe over everything with the same spray just won’t cut it. If you don’t want to keep a cupboard full of sprays for every possible occasion, here are some of the essentials:

  • A good wood polish is incredibly important, as many catch-all cleaners can damage wooden furniture and floors.
  • When it comes to mirrors and windows, soap and water is often just as effective as glass spray. Which cloth you use, however, is vital. After spraying and wiping down, be sure to buff the glass with a dry, fluffy duster for that perfect shine. Better still, use a special glass microfibre cloth. Remember: tiles and glass can be buffed to a shine in the same way.
  • Cream cleaner is not so easy to get hold of today but is incredibly useful to clean soap scum from ceramics in the bathroom or stains from your stainless steel sink in the kitchen.
  • Only a product with slight acidity will be strong enough to get stubborn limescale stains off baths, sinks and taps.
  • Finally, every good cleaning cupboard has a liquid cleaner such as Flash or Stardrops for washing down paintwork etc.

This sounds obvious, but it’s amazing what a big difference that energy, enthusiasm and extra bit of care and attention will make to your home. When we’re strapped for time and cleaning our own homes, we’re unlikely to get down on our hands and knees to dust the skirting boards – but that’s exactly the high standard that makes professional cleaning worth it!

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