Housekeeping

You’ve probably been spending a lot of time at home lately. The pandemic has made most of us afraid to go outside in fear of coming into contact with the virus. But what about the germs inside our home? Don’t just disinfect when you leave your house – do it at home, too. If you want to know how to kill the harmful germs that are in the most commonly used areas of your home, read on –  we’ll tell you how to get rid of them and how often you need to worry about doing so:

First, let’s distinguish between cleaning and disinfecting. We want to do the latter when sanitizing high-touch surfaces, so it’s important to know the difference. Cleaning is the act of removing dirt from a surface, but disinfecting is what kills the germs and bacteria on those surfaces. The difference is what prevents the spread of disease. High-touch surfaces must be disinfected using an alcohol-based solution. In place of isopropyl alcohol or other cleaning chemicals, a diluted bleach solution can be used – just double check that you’ve got the ratio right. Disinfectant wipes are another way to conveniently and quickly clean your most-used surfaces. Whichever product you prefer, make sure it is a disinfectant and not just a cleaner. You’ll need the right chemicals to get the job done properly.

Certain areas of your home see more traffic than others. It’s the everyday appliances that need to be carefully cleaned because they get used the most. Examples of high-touch surfaces include handrails, drawers, light switches, countertops, and door handles. Think of any appliance or surface in your home that you or someone in your household uses once a day, and you can consider that a high-touch point. Even electronics, like smartphones and keyboards, should be cleaned regularly – think of how often you touch your phone! Be careful not to use harsh cleaning agents on electronics because they may get damaged. To reduce your exposure to germs, it’s recommended that you clean all these surfaces regularly. 

The next question is, how often should these surfaces be cleaned? The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that high-touch points in your home be disinfected at least once a day. If that sounds like a lot, you’re not alone in thinking that – but imagine being responsible for cleaning a whole office space or hospital! Now, maybe the thought of cleaning your own house is less intimidating. It’s easy to fall behind on cleaning, but during a pandemic, this monotonous, daily routine has taken on a new importance. 

Reading about all those germs might’ve made you squirm a bit. In that case, why not get a professional to disinfect and get rid of them instead? Anago Cleaning Systems offer janitorial services in Winnipeg. They can help you stay on top of your new cleaning routine, at home and at work. Call Anago Cleaning systems – we’re here to keep you and your family safe. 

Ceramic tiles have a hard, solid surface that’s impervious to water and most stains. This makes them a popular material for wet areas like bathrooms and kitchens. Like any home surface, tiles need proper maintenance to uphold their elegance. But while tiles are beautiful and generally easy to clean, the grout in between them is not. Grout has a porous composition and this makes it prone to staining. Spills in the kitchen will stain grout just as soap, mould and mildew stain a bathroom. To prevent grout from staining permanently, you need to clean it regularly. Let’s dive in and look at different ways you can clean grout:

Cleaning with warm water and household detergent or soap

Sometimes, all the grout needs is some nice, good scrubbing. If the grout is free from mould and the stains aren’t severe, a nice scrub will bring restoration. Simply mix some detergent with warm water and spray the grout with the mixture. Let it sit in for a few minutes, then using a scrubbing brush (you can use an old coarse toothbrush here), scrub in circular motions to remove dirt. Rinse with clean water and let it dry. If you’ve been cleaning your grout regularly, mild detergent should bring back the sparkle.

Cleaning grout with vinegar spray

For heavier dirt and mild stains, a solution of diluted vinegar will bring restoration. Vinegar is a trusted old standby with many household uses thanks to its disinfecting and stain removal properties. Fill your spray bottle with half vinegar, half warm water then spray on the grout. Allow it to sit for about five minutes before giving a good scrubbing using a coarse brush. Then rinse and leave it to dry. If this doesn’t restore the grout to its original colour, try the next method:

Cleaning with vinegar and baking soda

For more stubborn stains, add some baking soda to the equation. In a bowl, make a thick paste of baking soda and vinegar. Then, using a toothbrush, apply the paste on the grout and let it soak for 15 minutes. Spray the surface with warm water and allow the mixture to stop foaming before scrubbing with a brush. Rinse with warm water and leave the surface to dry. If the stains weren’t too stubborn, your grout will be as good as new.

Cleaning with bleach

For really stubborn stains that won’t budge with any of the methods above, you might need to use bleach. Before getting down to work, first, open all your windows and doors just to keep the space ventilated. Most bleach solutions emit toxic fumes that you shouldn’t inhale. To make the application easier, you can make a paste using bicarbonate of soda and the bleach. Apply the mixture on the grout and leave it for 25 minutes before scrubbing the surface. Rinse with water and wipe with a wet cloth. Make sure you wear gloves to prevent skin irritation. A downside of cleaning with bleach is that prolonged use can corrode your grout. For this reason, use bleach sparingly and only as a last resort

Anytime you’re cleaning grout, always start with the mildest cleaning agents and progress to stronger ones as stains get more stubborn. As a way to prevent tough stains, make it a habit to clean your grout with vinegar. This will keep both stains and mould at bay. For professional cleaning in Winnipeg, Anago Cleaning Systems is here to step in. Cleaning grout in commercial spaces can be a difficult task for regular office cleaners.

One look in those adorable furry friend’s eyes is enough to melt your heart. And another look at the mess on your upholstery or carpet is enough to sink it. We all love our pets but not the stains and odours they sometimes cause. Your pet may tread on your lovely carpet after a walk in the mud while at other times they may expel a fur ball. Pet messes not only smell awful but they are also a perfect hub for bacteria to set up shop and become a health hazard. These are some effective ways to remove all evidence of your pet’s mishaps from various surfaces in your home:

Carpeted Areas and Upholstery

If you’re lucky to catch the mess as soon as it happens, you will have a chance to deal with the stains and odours before they become too stubborn. If it’s urine, use a thick layer of paper towels to soak up as much as possible. Keep doing this until the area is barely damp. You can also soak up the moisture with a wet/dry vacuum. If it’s poop, remove the solid using a dull knife or spatula.

With carpets and upholstery, you can’t use running water to remove pet stains and odour because doing so will cause moisture to soak into them and result in the growth of mould. Put a mixture of cool water and white distilled vinegar in a spray bottle and saturate the stain as you rub the area with a soft bristle brush. Then blot the solution using paper towels and allow the area to air-dry. Using a cleaning solution may remove the stain but the smell may still linger. To completely get rid of the odour, purchase a pet odour neutralizer from a pet supply store. Alternatively, you can use a natural odour neutralizer like baking soda.

Hardwood Surfaces

If your pet messes and stains your hardwood surfaces, hydrogen peroxide does a great job clearing up stains and odours. Pour some over the stain and cover the surface with a cloth. Allow this to sit for at least eight hours before removing the cloth and wiping the surface. The only downside of using hydrogen peroxide is that it can lighten the affected area. You could also use vinegar for less stubborn stains, then wipe the surface with lavender oil to eliminate odour.

Whether it’s a young pet in training or just an overly excited pet that may have less control, part of being a pet owner involves dealing with occasional pet accidents. Pet illnesses and aging can also cause your pets to mess on your home surfaces. Whatever the reasons, pet odours can be overpowering and the stains quite annoying.

The easiest way to get rid of the mess is to catch it as soon as it happens. But if you’re dealing with old stains and ongoing odours too stubborn to budge, you should use professional cleaning services in Winnipeg. Leave it to our experts who are specialized in dealing with stubborn stains. They know what’s best to use, when, where and how.

We spend so much time inside our kitchens, whether it be for eating a meal, cooking, sipping coffee, reading the paper, or more. As the kitchen is unorganized or busy feeling, it might make you feel stressed and make activities such as doing the dishes or cleaning take longer than they really should.

Follow these 7 steps to organize the kitchen in a single day.

• Organize your bowls, dishes, and cups nearest to the dishwasher. It’ll make things move faster when you’re putting dishes away.

• Use different sized bins, containers, and baskets that have labels to organize the pantry. Place items you’d need at the same time, like pasta sauce and spaghetti, together.

• Get the refrigerator organized:

• Use Bins: It’s possible to purchase simplistic bins from a dollar store to assist in organizing your food on shelves. You might have a bin for cheese, another one for drinks, yet another one for yogurt, as well as a bin for leftovers inside Tupperware.
• Keep Expiration Dates Right in Front: When you place something that has an expiration date label inside the refrigerator, face the label outward in order for you to see it each time you “scan” your refrigerator. In addition, try to keep items which expire at eye level in order for you to see them first!
• Items in the Door: Whatever you store inside the door of your refrigerator must be something which can stand up to a little exposure to warmth as these are the first to feel the impact as the door is opened. Stick with dairy, drinks, or condiments.
• Keep a List: Whether it is a tear off pad or white board, keeping a shopping list directly on the door of the refrigerator is going to make it simpler to track what’s running low. It’ll save you time to jot it down as you notice instead of taking inventory of all items in the refrigerator before a shopping visit.

• Buy a spice rack and place it close to the stovetop in which you will need it most.

• It is so simple for Tupperware to get out of hand. Try to use bins to better organize the Tupperware with likewise sized lids inside their own bins and containers stacked inside a larger bin.

• It may be difficult to find out the best method of organizing your serving spoons, spatulas, and other bigger utensils. Begin by placing your most utilized items inside a cup or jar on the counter close to the stove. Then, buy a few thin and short bins which will fit inside the drawer and divvy up the remainder of the things inside them.

• Keeping cleaning agents underneath the sink is a good idea, yet sometimes may become overcrowded. Put in a closet pole across the upper part that spray bottles may hang from by the trigger lever.

Once the kitchen is organized, you will want it to be clean and then remain clean! Visit Anago today for a free estimate.

For more information on our professional cleaning service contact Anago today!

The sanitation standards in the hotel industry are very high. As a GM, it is your job to meet and then exceed them 24/7. Your housekeeping team works hard, yet they cannot cover everything, and you cannot ask additional departments to help.

How will you bridge the gap between regular housekeeping tasks covered by staff members and the heavy-duty work which keeps your hotel in top shape?

You partner with a restoration company who offers hotel cleaning services which go beyond routine housekeeping. It is a proven option for sustaining vital cleanliness in hotels, and it is great for business.

 Why do Hotels Need Commercial Cleaning Experience?

The importance of sanitation and hygiene in hotels is one of the most important priorities for department heads and general managers. Pro cleaning services assist you in exceeding cleanliness objectives by ensuring:

• A sanitary, inviting environment for both in-house staff and hotel guests.
• Dependably clean facilities which appeal to convention and business guests.
• Back-up for times when on-site housecleaning staff members are short-handed.
• Repeat business based upon steady positive customer experiences.
• Positive comments upon review websites around all social media platforms.
• Guest satisfaction in all areas of your hotel from entrances to workout centers.

Going Beyond and Beyond the Basics of Housekeeping

As hard as your housecleaning team works, some projects are simply too big. Most semi-annual and monthly cleaning jobs require industry specific methods, heavy equipment, and specialized products. A commercial restoration and cleaning company will take care of all of it with:

• Professional care for commercial flooring such as marble, tile, and hardwood.
• Fabric and upholstery cleaning and stain removal for drapes and furnishings.
• Deep steam cleaning for carpeting with attention to high-traffic hallways.
• HVAC system air duct cleaning to maintain healthy, fresh indoor air quality.
• Industry proven options for eliminating unpleasant smells anywhere on the hotel’s property.
• Pressure washing services which keep sidewalks, parking, and entrances welcoming and clean.

Extra Advantages for All Kinds of Properties

Irrespective of your hotel’s type or size, you know the importance of cleanliness within the hotel field. Working with a cleaning company assists you in meeting the highest guest expectations and appreciate extra benefits, which includes:

• The knowledge that all work is done by industry certified, highly trained technicians.
• Customized schedule development which ensures routine visits do not disrupt day-to-day operations.
• Significant savings from not buying specialized cleaning equipment.
• Backup team that supports in-house staff with clean-up after big on-site events.

Emergency Services on Call Around the Clock

As you partner with a reputable commercial cleaning contractor, you are assured of emergency restoration services which help your hotel rapidly recover from any kind of fire and water damage. You also can count on certified mold inspections, remediation, and removal.

The importance of cleanliness within the hotel field is a priority for GMs around the clock. Working with a cleaning company gives you accessibility to expert crews 24/7 who offer professional emergency services such as graffiti removal and trauma scene cleanup.

For more information on our commercial facilities cleaning services contact Anago today!

The holidays are an extremely hectic time for most households. Between entertaining, traveling, and shopping, deep cleaning oftentimes takes a backseat to fast tasks such as wiping down tables and counters or swiftly sweeping your floors. Because the holiday season takes such a toll on cleanliness, starting a deep cleaning job in January may assist in refreshing the feel, look, and general environment of your house.

Begin the New Year on a new foot. For best results, the professionals in residential cleaning at Anago suggest that you begin your New Year’s checklist with these 3 areas:

Refrigerator

One space you absolutely have to thoroughly clean for the New Year is the refrigerator. If your fridge saw a lot of holiday leftovers and foods packed on its shelves, there is a great chance you will find a little turkey gravy lingering inside a crevice, or a bit of dried cranberry sauce stuck on the wall. Since fridge cleanliness is vital for maintaining food safety, you must address those “leftovers” immediately.

To efficiently clean the refrigerator, take out all of the food in conjunction with the interior drawers and shelves. Scrub every surface with soapy, hot water, and thoroughly rinse. Dry all shelves, surfaces, and drawers completely before you place back inside the refrigerator to decrease the risk of mold growth. Next, replace all food which hasn’t expired. Food that is expired should be tossed in the garbage.

Carpets

Carpeting is a magnet for dust, allergens, and the dirt which becomes dragged in with winter, wet weather. While regular vacuuming might assist with the carpet’s overall look, the majority of household vacuums won’t offer the deep cleaning your house requires after a hectic holiday season. Deep cleaning the area rugs and carpets won’t just keep these things appearing their best, yet also assist in reducing allergens and additional risks to interior air quality so you may begin the new year fresh.

For the best and most convenient results, utilize a pro cleaning service that deep cleans rugs and carpets and additional flooring surfaces all throughout the house. After the carpets are deeply cleaned, you will have the ability to experience a fresh-smelling house and healthier environment for you, your loved one, and your pets to enjoy.

Restrooms

Bathrooms require regular cleaning, yet they additionally occasionally require a deep, good clean – particularly at the peak of flu season. Besides cleaning your bathroom floor, tub, sink, and toilet, you will need to launder the window shades or curtains, bath mats, and shower curtain.

While dealing with the bathroom part of your New Year checklist, be certain that you scrub walls down and additional furnishings such as built-in vanities or armoires. Take some time to clean out toothbrush holders and additional containers holding soap and other types of toiletries.

The pros at Anago provide residential and commercial deep cleaning services to get your office or home prepared for 2019.

For more information on our commercial facilities cleaning services contact Anago today!

Hardwood floors can be a pricey investment that instantly makes your home feel more sophisticated and elegant. You may be able to remember what they looked like when they were first installed with a glossy finish that reflected the light and perfect coloring. Maintenance is the best way to keep your hardwood floors just as beautiful for the years ahead, but you have to know how to care for them properly.

Anago’s floor cleaning services can keep your hardwood floors looking spotless. However, there are a few things that you can do at home to help touch them up between cleanings.

Dust the floors

Just like a piece of furniture, your floors are susceptible to develop a thin layer of dust over the course of a week. You can dust mop or sweep your floors to get rid of this unattractive film. Never use a hard-bristled broom that could cause small scratches or unnecessary wear and tear to the protective coating of the wood. A soft-bristled broom or a mop with a duster attachment can be used.  

Be sure to reach all of the corners and underneath the furniture in order to prevent more dust from rolling onto the freshly swept areas later. The National Wood Flooring Association recommends doing this daily to keep hardwood floors pristine.

Vacuum weekly

If you keep up with routine dusting, you should be able to get away with only vacuuming your home once per week. Ensure that the vacuum has clean wheels and that the beater bar feature is turned off to prevent scratches to the floor. This can help to ensure that the surface is especially clean before a routine mopping.

Clean the floor properly

This is the part where most homeowners hesitate to clean their own wood floors. So many products advertise a thorough cleaning for your hardwood floors, but how do you know which one is the right bottle to use? You can look to the manufacturer for instructions or purchase a brand that is recommended as a wood flooring cleaner.

You should never wet-mop the floor or steam it with a steam cleaner. Excess water and moisture can cause major problems with the finish of your wood.

Place area rugs in high traffic areas

The best way to maintain your wood floors is to prevent unnecessary wear and tear in the first place. Be certain to put down area rugs or welcome mats in strategic areas throughout the home. These are a great way to enhance the feeling of a room, as well as to protect the beauty of your new hardwood floors. You might also consider using felt pads underneath your furniture to prevent scratches if it slides across the boards.

Maintaining your hardwood floors throughout the years doesn’t have to be complicated. With a few of these routine chores and maintenance tips, you can start to preserve your hardwood floors for decades to come. For more tips, you can ask your Anago cleaning representative for help.