Getting a new dog or cat is an exciting time, whether you live alone or share your home with your whole family. A puppy or kitten, or even an adult dog or cat you have acquired, can be a funny and interesting new addition to your household. However, your normal cleaning routine may be thrown into disarray by your new arrival.
One of the basic cleaning tasks that stumps a lot of people is cleaning their household mirrors without leaving smears or streaks. Mirrors, like windows, present the problems of cleaning glass, which is a very smooth surface that is prone to streaks and smudges, but due to the fact they are reflective and are something people look at a lot (after all, the point of a mirror is to look in it), streaky mirrors are far worse than streaky windows.
Keeping a dog, or multiple dogs, can be great – they offer companionship, protection, and can also be pretty cute. Sadly, another thing they generally bring with them is that familiar ‘dog smell’. The distinctive smell of dogs isn’t caused by dirt or excrement, but by the natural oils produced by their skin.
If you, or someone in your household has allergies, cleaning can become an even bigger priority than it usually would be. Allergies to household dust, pet hair, mould and other common things can make life quite uncomfortable, causing reactions like breathing problems and skin conditions.
While there are some people who are passionate about cleaning, for most of us it is simply a chore that has to be done, and which we want to get out of the way as quickly and painlessly as possible. One of the best things to have on hand when you want to be able to get through cleaning very easily, are some disinfectant wipes.
Nobody likes the thought that mould is growing in their home, but unfortunately, it is quite a common problem. Wherever there is moisture, mould spores which are in the air pretty much all around us can take hold and begin to grow. In the home, the most common places for this to happen are the kitchen, the bathroom and the basement, because this is where the conditions tend to be the most damp or humid.
Hardwood floors are really popular these days, because they look good, and are on the whole a lot easier to keep clean than carpets. With underfloor heating now also readily available, concerns people used to have about a hardwood floor making a room colder are also less of an issue.
These days, our houses tend to be full of electronic gadgets, most of them with a screen. Whether it is your widescreen TV, your computer monitor, your tablet or even the screens on things like a smart fridge, there are digital displays in most modern homes.
Silver cutlery looks beautiful, and while it may take a little more effort to take care of it than typical stainless steel knives, forks and spoons, it can be worth it for the elegant feel of real silver, and the beautiful lustre it offers. If you have a set of silver cutlery you would like to be making more use of, there is no need to be afraid of damaging it.
Bed bugs are tiny insects that feed on blood. Like many parasites, they seek out places where they can find mammals that they can bite and feed off of. They are called bed bugs because one of their prime feeding grounds is the bed of a human.
While many people now swear by stainless steel knives, forks and spoons and won’t use anything else, there is something really appealing about the look and feel of sterling silver. Silver has a distinctive lustre, and gives a real touch of elegance to every table setting. Of course, when it comes to cleaning silver cutlery, some people are reluctant.
If you have a puppy or kitten that isn’t yet house trained, or an older animal that has problems with bladder control, you may find that little ‘accidents’ happen rather frequently in your home. When you see your cat or dog urinate on a carpet or rug, it is best to act fast to soak up as much of it as possible with some kitchen roll, before using a detergent and disinfectant to take away the rest.
Rugs are a really good thing to have in your home. They can create an insulating barrier, which in winter can make your home feel warmer if you have tiled or wooden floors, and they can also be used for aesthetic reasons to separate areas of your room.
At the moment, everybody is trying to save money wherever they can. The cost of living keeps on going up, but there are certain things that just can’t be sacrificed. In most households, whether you live with your family, alone, or with flatmates, cleaning is one of those essential things that cannot be forgotten just because money is tight.
A lot of people choose granite work surfaces for their kitchens because not only do they look great, they also offer a lot of resilience. A good set of granite worktops can also actually add value to your house, so if you have them, it is well worth taking the best possible care of them.
Rugs can be one of the biggest problems when it comes to keeping your house spick and span. While they can do a great job of brightening up a room or creating a natural divide between areas of an open plan living space, rugs are prone to gathering dust and hair, and the problem can be exacerbated when you have pets who may feel that the rug is the best place to sleep when it is cold on other parts of the floor (for example if you have tiled or wood flooring).
When you lead a busy life, having someone to take care of your basic home cleaning needs can be a huge time saver. Ordinary cleaning tasks that need to be done regularly like dusting and hoovering can sometimes fall pretty low on your list of priorities when you have a lot of other commitments, and so hiring a professional to complete them for you means you have the benefits of a nice clean home without the effort of doing it yourself encroaching on your limited spare time.
Cleaning your guttering is something that needs to be done from time to time, to stop leaves shed from trees and other waste from clogging up your guttering system. It is one of those jobs nobody looks forward to, because it involves getting up a high ladder and can be quite intimidating.
Bed bugs are a major concern for a lot of people, but there are also a lot of myths about their lives and their general existence in houses. Many people get bed bugs confused with dust mites, and think that they are invisible to the naked eye. In actual fact, this is not the case.
At a time when everybody is trying to find ways to save money, using ordinary things you already have around the home instead of special cleaning products can save you a lot of money. Equally, many people prefer using natural things that are kind to the environment to using proprietary chemicals for their cleaning needs, simply because it is more eco-friendly.
