9 Common Poor Cleanliness Habits and How to Fix Them

How Clean Are Your Cleanliness Habits?

We are always thinking about cleaning the obvious things like sinks, toilets, countertops or the shower but there are many other places that we need to consistently clean, as well. When we do these non-regular chores, we eliminate grim build up and germs that are easily spread due to their lack of proper cleaning. Germs and grim build up allow for illnesses to spread easily and can cause other health problems. Prepare for the cold and flu season by breaking out of your bad habits. Here is a list of poor habits and what you can do to fix them. 

1. Not Changing Your Sheets Regularly

Sleeping in your bed every night for 8 hours adds up over time. Wash your sheets every two weeks.

Tip: Make sure to put them in the washing machine on normal to kill the germs that are building up on the sheets.

At Errund.com, our cleaning professionals can wash, dry, and fold laundry on top of doing the house cleaning. Laundry is typically not included but can be added under extras, if people wish. This accounts for an additional hour of cleaning at $26/hr.

2. Don’t forget the pillows

You may wash your pillow cases, but do you actually was the pillow? Wash every six months and replace when they loose shape.

Tip: Use feather pillows because you can put them in the wash.

3. Not Cleaning your Mattress

Cleaning your sheets and your comforter is something we all know we should do but grim and germs build up on the mattress over time and most of us do not realize this. Vacuum and spray every your mattress every few months.

Tip: Sprinkle baking soda on mattress, leave for 15 mins, then vacuum. If you want, you can even spray Lysol over the mattress to get rid of odor creating bacteria.

4. Using your Loofah

Replace it frequently – honestly, you should not even have one. You’re better off using wash cloths. Loofah’s attract mold and mildew. Who wants to rub that all over their body?

Tip: Soak the loofah in diluted bleach solution every week.

5. Leaving a shower curtain up when it should be taken down

People might not think to clean the shower curtain but this wet and warm place attracts mold and mildew. Whenever you see mildew, wash it. 

Tip: Make sure to let the curtain dry out.  When you get out of the shower, keep the curtain open, open the windows or doors in the bathroom, or turn on the exhaust fan.

6. Cleaning with a dirty sponge

Your sponges are there to clean and scrub surfaces, don’t spread dirt and germs around. Replace the sponge every 2 weeks.

Tip: Soak the sponge in a gallon of water that is mixed with ¾ cups of bleach for 5 minutes every week. It will last longer than 2 weeks.

7. Drinking coffee out of a dirty coffee machine

Many people drink coffee on a daily basis. Some people cannot even go through the day without a cup. After the daily use of a coffee maker, minerals build up and make the coffee less fresh. Wash removable parts after every use and decalcify, the removal of mineral build up, every month.

Tip: Run a vinegar solution through the machine to prevent build up.

8. Not changing the Keurig filter enough

Similarly to the Coffee Maker, the grim will build in here too. Water that sits in the machine can lead to mold build up. Clean removable parts after every use and replace cartridge every month.

Tip: Swap out the water filter every 3 to 6 months.

9. Leaving the vacuum bag on too long

People often do not change the vacuum bag frequently enough. Not only will this lead to not sucking up all the dirt, but it can cause machine malfunction. Remove the vacuum bag when it is ¾ full.

Tip: Regularly clean the canisters and filters to improve machine function.

Deep House Cleaning VS General House Cleaning

Many customers often ask whether errund provides deep house cleaning and general house cleaning? Our answer is always yes and then we try to explain deep house cleaning vs general house cleaning:

General House Cleaning

All Errund cleaning professionals routinely clean according to errund.com/cleaningchecklist:

Bedroom(s)

  • Picture frames dusted
  • Floors mopped and/or vacuumed
  • Furniture and accessible surfaces dusted
  • Baseboards dusted
  • Reachable vents dusted
  • Trash can emptied

Bathroom(s)

  • Showers/bathtubs cleaned
  • Toilets cleaned
  • Countertops wiped
  • Sinks and faucets cleaned
  • Cabinet exteriors dusted
  • Mirror and glass fixtures wiped
  • Floors mopped and/or vacuumed
  • Baseboards dusted
  • Reachable vents dusted
  • Trash can emptied

Kitchen

  • Sinks and faucets cleaned
  • Dishwasher with dirty dishes loaded
  • Microwave exterior & interior cleaned
  • Exterior of stove, oven and fridge wiped
  • Countertops and backsplash wiped
  • Cabinet exteriors dusted
  • Floors mopped and/or vacuumed
  • Furniture and accessible surfaces dusted
  • Baseboards and reachable vents dusted
  • Trash can emptied

Living Room

  • Floors mopped and/or vacuumed
  • Furniture and accessible surfaces dusted
  • Reachable vents dusted
  • Trash can emptied

Deep House Cleaning

For deep house cleaning, we tell our customers to add the following extra services:

Extra(s) (Upon Request Only, and Additional Time Will Be Required)

  • Inside Refrigerator (+1 man hour)
  • Inside Oven (+1 man hour)
  • Inside Cabinets (+1 man hour)
  • Interior Windows (+1 man hour)
  • Laundry Wash, Dry & Fold (+1 man hour)

Deep House Cleaning VS General House Cleaning. What’s the difference?

So as you can see above, there are two main differences between a deep cleaning and a general cleaning – the amount of labor required and the tasks covered in the cleaning.

Deep cleaning includes a general cleaning and more. Often deep cleaning is requested during move in/out or if a home has been vacated for a long time. At Errund, deep cleaning can be up to 6 man hours longer than a general cleaning.

Best way to clean your shower head

Over time, minerals in the water supply deposit themselves on your shower head. The deposits eventually block the water flow and cause a less desirable spray. In worse cases, water from the shower head will squirt all over the place. So what is the best way to clean your shower head and how often do you clean it?

Cleaning your shower head once every 6 months or a year is recommended to ensure a comfortable shower. However, using household chemicals may damage your shower head and harm your health. We offer you the most natural and best way to clean your shower head in 3 quick and easy steps. We think this way is the best because it’s safe, effective and environmentally friendly.

1. Detach your shower head

Carefully detach your shower head often by rotating it anti-clockwise to dislodge it from the water hose. Use a dry rag to help you if you need more friction or to prevent damage to the shower head if you are using a wrench for even more friction.

2. Place the shower head in a pot of vinegar

Make sure that the vinegar covers the entire shower head. Being slightly acidic, the vinegar will soften the minerals for easier removal. Leave the shower head in the pot for 1 hour or more depending on how much mineral deposits are on your shower head. The easiest way is to leave the shower head overnight after you have taken a shower for the night.

3. Brush and wash away the clog

Use an old toothbrush to brush away the mineral deposits and then rinse the shower head. Viola! You should have a clean shower head now. Put the shower head back on and take a nice long shower!

To summarize, here’s what you will need to clean your shower head:

  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Pot or other container
  • Cleaning rag
  • Old toothbrush
  • Wrench (optional)

Read also what is green cleaning.

Should I tip my cleaner?

If you have used a cleaning service or are in the process of getting a cleaning service, you have probably asked yourself should I tip my cleaner? How much do I tip? Our customers have asked us these questions many times as well.

Cleaners work harder for you than your waitresses and hairdressers. So if you usually tip your waitress and hairdresser, then we recommend tipping if you are happy with the cleaning. At Errund, tipping is not mandatory but we offer the option to tip. A majority of our customers tip their cleaner in cash after the cleaning is completed. Some of our customers do the tipping online.

However, not all cleanings require a tip.

Should I tip my cleaner for a recurring service?

If you have a cleaning professional who comes in weekly, monthly or regularly, then you don’t really have to tip. In this case, we recommend that you tip during the holidays to show your appreciation for their past weeks of good work. Think of this tip as a year-end bonus.

Should I tip my cleaner for an occasional service?

If you have a one-time or occasional cleaning, then we certainly recommend tipping your cleaning professionals. The tip represents your gratitude to the cleaners for getting rid of the accumulated dirt and dust from your personal space and making your place spick and span. It also increases the likelihood of their willingness to return to your place to clean or serve as your dedicated cleaning professional.

How much to tip?

While tipping your cleaners are encouraged, there’s no known tipping standard such as the 10-20% tip you usually leave for your waitress. But we recommend a tip between $5 and $25 depending on the length of the cleaning and how satisfied you are. That being said, we have had many cases where generous Errund customers tip in excess of $50.

What is Green Cleaning?

Green cleaning has generated some buzz lately. It has various definition depending on who you ask. For some, green cleaning means using natural substances such as baking soda, vinegar and lemons to clean a place.

At Errund, our professionals see green cleaning as using environmentally and human friendly products to clean your homes and offices. Green cleaning is not so much how you clean but what you use to clean. Green cleaning minimizes the potential harm that regular cleaning chemicals may cause to your family and environment. Here’re 3 ways you can identify green cleaning products:

1. Natural/Organic Cleaning Products

Often, natural/organic cleaning products are safe for the environment and members of your household. These products are considered by most as green cleaning products. Often, they are also mild on your skin and do not leave a harsh chemical smell in your house or office. The only down side is such products are often 30-50% more expensive than regular cleaning products. But for your health and the environment, the extra cost may be worth it.

2. US Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice products

The Environmental Protection Agency launched the Safer Choice program in 1992, which was originally called the Design for the Environment (DfE) program. The program aims to reduce the overall human health and environmental impact of a product. A product is only allowed to carry the Safer Choice label if each ingredient is among the safest in its ingredient class.

3. “Green” labeled products

Many cleaning products use the word “green” to label their products these days. These labels are often more expensive than regular household cleaning products but cheaper than organic cleaning solutions.

Errund will soon offer Green Cleaning products for an additional $8 instead of the the $5 regular supplies fee. Our customers can also opt to not pay any supplies fee if they have their own supplies for the cleaning professionals.

 

Dust or vacuum first?

One common question that our customers and professionals ask us is should I dust or vacuum first? Another way of asking is will dusting or vacuuming last result in a cleaner home?

Many cleaning experts have mixed answers and so we attempt to provide you a clearer one based on the feedback from our cleaning professionals.

Dust First.

If you have a good vacuum that does not kick up a lot of dust, then dust away first. Depending on how you dust, dusting can push all the dust onto your floor and into the air.

By vacuuming last, you are able to clean the dust in the air and the floor. This way, you won’t be surprised by dusty surfaces shortly after you cleaned your place.

Vacuum First

If your vacuum is not effective and often takes you multiple times to clean an area, then vacuum first. After you vacuum, dust your furniture and take a wet microfiber cloth and clean the surfaces and fixtures.

This is because a mediocre vacuum can create a more dusty environment by kicking up a lost of dust than the act of dusting itself.

Dust or Vacuum First For Errund Professionals?

Because majority of our professionals have decent vacuums, they report that they dust first and then vacuum the place. Later on, the professionals often use a wet microfiber cloth to clean your fixtures and surfaces in order to ensure that any settled dust gets wiped up.

How often should you dust and vacuum?

This question depends on your tolerance for dust. Some of our customers get a cleaning once a month and some 4 times a month. As a guideline, we recommend dusting and vacuuming your place at least once every 2 weeks if you are home daily.

To clean your place less regularly, read also our 3 guaranteed ways to make your home cleaner.

3 Guaranteed Ways to Make Your Home Cleaner

One of the most common questions we get from our customers is how can I make my home cleaner? We always answer with 3 guaranteed ways to make your home cleaner:

1. Don’t wear outside shoes around the house!

Perhaps the most important of 3 guaranteed ways to make your home cleaner is to not wear outside shoes in your home. Wearing shoes in the home seems commonplace in the United States. In certain countries like Japan and Canada, it’s considered rude to wear shoes around somebody’s house.

This is actually one of the surest ways to dirty your home as our shoes carry a lot of bacteria, dirt, and all sorts of other dirty stuff picked up from walking the streets and yet people have little qualms wearing them around the house. Imagine stepping on someone’s spit and later bringing it around your home.

So loose the shoes once you get home! Put them in a shoe rack or at the entrance and have your guests do so! If you are worried about your feet getting cold in the winter, have shoes specifically for the house.

Try this even if you ignore the two other advice below.

2. Clean common areas regularly

The second most important of 3 guaranteed ways to make your home cleaner is to clean the frequently used areas of your home. These commons areas include dining area, kitchen counters and sink. They get dirty faster than other parts of your house because they are more frequently used. Cleaning them briefly after each use can go a long way in making your home cleaner. As the saying goes, three foot of snow does not accumulate from a night of winter, a dirty house does not happen overnight too.

If you don’t have time, consider our cleaning service. It’s only $24/hr for a minimum of 2.5 hours so that’s $60, if you do it monthly. 2.5 hours of cleaning are good for a studio and sometimes a 1 bedroom apartment.

3. Don’t let the dishes pile up

I think many of us are guilty of this – letting dishes pile up mountain high. Eventually, we grow to resent washing dishes because we have to do so much at once. But if you minimize the dishes you use and clean them whenever you use a few, you won’t hate doing dishes as much as you do now.