A Pet Owners Guide to Keeping a Clean and Tidy Home
There are many great reasons to own pets. Science has shown that owning a pet can dramatically reduce stress levels. Dogs in particular also provide security, and they help to motivate us to stay active and healthy. Moreover many animals are simply adorable. Kids often want pets and it can be hard for parents to say no – after all, owning a pet is a great way to develop a sense of responsibility. The one big downside that makes many people anxious about bringing a pet into their home is the seeming impossibility of keeping their house clean with an animal around. Here are some great tips to help relieve your worries on that front.
The Future of Cleaning
How do you envisage daily home life in the future? It is more than likely that in answer to this question your mind has conjured up a Jetson-esque scene: you relax in your hover chair while a humanoid robot takes care of sweeping the floor of your luxury space-age apartment. Tapping the interactive touchscreen embedded in the arm of your hover chair causes a panel to open and a steaming cup of tea appears. Another swipe of the interactive pad and a screen emerges on an arm, unfolding a comfortable distance from your face and displaying your favourite TV show. Whatever your vision of the future, it is almost guaranteed that it does not involve getting down on your hands and knees to clean hard to reach corners, or putting in a lot of elbow grease to remove tough stains. The good news is – your fantasy of a chore free future may be closer than you think! Here's a look at some of the most cutting edge developments in the world of domestic appliances:
Making Cleaning Fun for Kids
It can seem like a nightmare trying to get your home clean and tidy with young children underfoot and always in need of attention. The best solution: get them involved! Of course, telling kids they must clean or tidy something is unlikely to inspire cooperation – particularly if you ever moan about having to do housework or use it as a punishment. However, encouraging children to clean up by treating it as a fun game tends to be far more effective. Clearly there are some tasks that children simply cannot do – especially if they are young. Never give a child a job that involves using bleach or dangerous chemicals, and try to avoid putting them in charge of cleaning anything delicate or fragile. For general tidy ups and chores though, there are lots of great ways to get the kids involved. Here are some of our favourites:
Keep Your Upholstery Looking Brand New
Sofas and chairs are the focal points of most living rooms. We spend many hours choosing the right suite to perfectly set off our décor. Often the best look is achieved by opting for white or light coloured upholstery fabric, as this helps to open up the room and make it seem larger. A very dark coloured sofa will seem out of place in an otherwise light and airy environment. Herein lies the rub; as the main feature in the living room, any stains on upholstery fabric are on prominent display. Given the fact that sofas and chairs are also the most used items of furniture – sat upon by family members, guests, and even pets – there is a high chance of stains occurring, even in the most careful of households. Below we have put together a quick guide to keeping your upholstery looking as good as new.
Cleaning Products that can Harm our Environment
Household cleaners are sold for a purpose; they get whites whiter, remove stains, degrease, disinfect surfaces, or leave glass sparkling. While most of the products on the market cannot be faulted for effectiveness, in order to perform their advertised functions the vast majority contain chemicals that can have dire effects on our water supplies and air quality.
How to Choose the Best Cleaning Service for Your Office
It is a well-established fact that a clean office is a productive office. In order to keep the office environment clean and tidy, most business owners hire an independent commercial cleaning firm to come in after hours. This generally works out to be cheaper and more efficient than hiring full-time janitorial staff. There are tremendous benefits to be had from hiring the right professional service, but how do you choose the company of commercial cleaners who will provide the best value? Particularly in London, there are many companies that offer professional commercial cleaning services for offices. For any busy executive, it will be tempting to run a price comparison and simply go for the company that offers the lowest quote. However, this method will not necessarily land you the best deal (nor is it even very likely that it will). It is worth setting aside a little time – just an hour or two – to delve deeper and ensure the cleaning company you choose is the best match for your needs. Here’s how to go about it:
Keeping Up with the Kids
Managing a household when you have a family can seem like a daunting task. It has famously been said that trying to do clean up your house while the kids are still growing is like shovelling snow in a blizzard. Impossible as it seems – how best to stay on top of housework is a problem commonly faced by parents all over the world. In this age of digital connectedness, it is almost guaranteed that you have someone on your news feed who is always despairing about some lengthy to-do list, wondering how they are going to fit it all in. This has not gone unnoticed by the gods of the technological realm. They identified a gap in the market, realising that many people seem to need some help in making a plan to keep on top of their day to day chores. And now, there is an app for that. In fact, there are several. Below you will find details of some of the best digital tools aimed at helping you to run your home.
Commercial Cleaning can Improve Productivity
Studies have found that there is a direct correlation between cleanliness of an office or workspace and the productivity of the staff that work there. The US Center for Facilities research recently carried out a study, co-sponsored by the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA), in which it was discovered that levels of cleanliness had a significant effect on the levels of productivity and learning in employees and learners in Higher Education. It was discovered that in a sample of 1,481 people, 88% were adversely affected in terms of productivity and learning by visible signs of dirt and neglect in the office.