Hotel maids share their best secrets for cleaning. See how you could apply these to your own home.
1. They remove the clutter first.
It is always preferable to start with a blank slate. So empty the trash, remove the linens, towels, and anything else left behind. Inside the bathroom, clear the towels, bathmats, bottles, and everything on the counters or toilet tank, so you don't need to wipe around them or pick them up and leave ring marks.
2. They choose microfiber cloths
The secret to efficient dusting is a proper cleaning cloth and microfibre is the best for this job, according to a houekeeping expert.
3. They know the trick to a quickly made bed is in the tags.
Making a bed that’s larger than a twin can be time-consuming; no matter which corner you start with, you almost always realise you put the long end of a fitted sheet on the short end of the mattress. An important hint here is that tags always go on the bottom. With king sheets, the tags are on the left. With queen sheets, they’re on the right. Also another suggestion is to mark the inside seams with a fabric marker to denote right or left corners.
4. They give drapes a good whack in between deep cleanings.
Dust particles can multiply around the room over time. The best way to dust drapes is to whack them with a hand towel, which is heavy enough to make a good impact, but light enough that your arm won’t tire. Simply knock out all the dust on to the floor and then vacuum it up.
5. They vacuum before mopring
Always vacuum — or sweep — before you mop. This will save you from unwanted hair on the floor that will be difficult to remove afterwards. When it’s time to mop, start from the far corner and make your way to the door.
6. They leave the bathrooms for last.
This is to minimise any bacteria transfer from one room to another.
7. They let cleaning products work before removing them.
Let your cleaners do the work for you. Spray the shower walls and the toilet and leave them to do their job for several minutes. During that time you can clean mirrors, windows, the cabinets, and anything else arround the room. After some time you may go back and wash off the surfaces with the cleaner.
8. They vacuum the opposite way than you think.
Vacuum into the room over the high-traffic areas and then vacuum yourself out, so you hit the most walked-on spots twice.
9. Their favourite cleaner is homemade and easy to make.
You may think that hotel maids have some crazy secret weapon up their sleeves, but the best thing they have is white vinegar and water. It cleans well and even clears cloudiness from residue left behind by other cleaners. Fill a spray bottle with one part vinegar, three parts water.
10. They always have a toothbrush with them.
Several small brushes are ideal for the hard to reach spots in the bathroom. Especially around the bottom screws of a toilet, which are the hardest parts to get.
11. They keep together their tools.
Housekeepers keep everything they could possibly need on their handy carts. Make yourself a mini version of the cart by adding to a bucket or bin all your cleaning supplies and tools. That will save you time and effort.
(www.goodhousekeeping.com)
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