Category: Cleaning Tips

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.

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.

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.