5 Tips for Cleaning Vinyl Flooring:

1. Leave a doormat in front of any entrances into vinyl rooms. A doormat will help rid your vinyl floor of it’s two greatest problems: dirt and chemicals. Tracked-in dirt requires extra sweeping, and grit will act like sandpaper, removing the finish from your floor. And although you can’t see them, chemicals from outside your home can stick to your shoes and then to the floor, causing possible discoloration.

2. Proper maintenance. The key to keeping any floor in good shape is to keep it clean, and linoleum or vinyl is no exception. Try to remove any dirt before it gets ground in, and your vinyl will remain in better shape for a longer time. Clean (sweep and mop) the floor frequently; it is a good idea to quickly run a broom across the kitchen or bathroom floor daily.

3. Soap away sticky substances. If you have sticky substances (such as a spilled drink) on your vinyl floor, quickly mop it away before it can settle. Combine a squirt of detergent (one approved to clean vinyl flooring) with a gallon of warm water. Mop, then rinse with a damp mop.

4. Never attempt to spray away dirt with heavy-duty cleaners; clean your vinyl floor using the mildest possible method. Sweep or vacuum it routinely, and soak up any spills right away. To clean dirt that a broom or vacuum cannot, use a mop dampened with warm water.

5. Use the correct product. If you have no-wax vinyl that requires cleaning, wash it with a cleaner made specifically for no-wax floors (and always follow the directions on the bottle). If you have any questions regarding what product to purchase, never hesitate to ask the worker at the store you are buying the product in.

Handy Home Cleaning Tips:

Kitchen:

• Mop and “Swifter” wood floors
• Sweep then Mop vinyl floors
• Occasionally change shelf liners in drawers and cabinets.
• Organize items in drawers and cabinets periodically
• Wipe down cabinets prior to organizing

Bathrooms:

• Clean windows inside with a squeegee and clean cloths
• Dust window sills
• Windex windows after cleaned and wipe down sills with an approved cleaner

Window treatments:

• Use the hose attachment on your vacuum to vacuum drapes
• Launder the blinds

Furniture:

• use an approved furniture polish to polish wood furniture
• Vacuum cloth upholstery. Use leather wipes to clean leather upholstery
• Vacuum between cushions to remove accumulated debris
• Clean behind and under furniture when possible

Closets:

• Vacuum closet floors
• Dust then wipe down closet shelves

Four tips for hiring a Maid / Cleaning Service:

1- Always hire a service that is fully licensed, bonded, and insured and is able to provide you with a current certificate of insurance.  An individual may be able to clean your home slightly cheaper then a professional company, but will he or she be able to replace the $5000 vase they broke cleaning your home?

2- Ask for references.  Ask the cleaning service for references for the particular cleaner they plan to send to your home.  Any reputable service will be able to do this as no one wants an inexperienced or poorly trained cleaner to clean their home.

3- Read Reviews.  Read Reviews of what others have said who have had their home or office cleaned by the company.  A great place to do this is google places (http://maps.google.com/maps/place?cid=10190679028105888571&hl=en is our review page) or yellow pages.com.  There may always be a bad review written by a disgruntled former employee or the like mixed in, but an established company will have multiple reviews over time that allow you to establish an overall picture of the company.

4- Old-fashioned references.  If a client likes your cleaning service enough to refer you to their friend, there is no better testament to the company!

-http://collegegirlcleaningservice.com/