A moment to thank my clients!

With school children soon returning to the classroom, we find ourselves tip toeing back towards more familiar pre-covid routines. Before everyone moves onto the "next stage", I wanted to take this time to thank and acknowledge my clients for their support.

Many of you continued to pay my cleaning fees even when lockdown meant I couldn't clean your homes. Wow! I can never fully explain how this helped me. In very practical terms, it meant that I managed to keep a roof over my own head! Emotionally, it made me feel safe.

Clients sent kind messages of support and asked about my own wellbeing. You did this even when you were struggling with your own sadness and loneliness. I don't have family in the UK. Your words made me feel connected and seen.

As I returned to cleaning homes, you made sure that I was safe to work in your house. You asked me what I needed. You gave me space. You cared for me.

This pandemic was truly rotten.

Londoners lost their livelihoods, their sense of safety and, in some cases, their friends and loved ones.

In all of this, you stuck with me.

I will never forget that.

Thank you,

Justyna.

Top reasons for home cleaning services in East and North London

We've cleaned homes across North and East London for over ten years. From gorgeously tiny flats to busy family homes, we've supported couples, families and houseshares in all shapes and sizes.

Here are five top reasons why our clients love our work!

#1 Time saving

We know that Londoners are super busy people who are juggling work, family and travel responsibilities. Treasured free time is better spent with family or friends rather than that cleaning toilets or vacuuming hallways. That's right - we clean your home so that you can relax and unwind in your spare moments.

#2 Better relationships

A common source of household friction is cleaning. Many households have endless discussions about who should clean and how regularly. A cleaner saves arguments and helps you maintain good relationships.

#3 Thorough Clean

Cleaning is an art and it takes time, skill and energy. You'd be surprised by how many people are amazed by their first professional clean. Our cleaners have had years of experience. We know the areas of your home that need extra care and attention! Better still, we know how to make surfaces shine and gleam.

# 4 Improved Wellbeing

Cleaners do more than make your house feel like a home. Cleaners give you space to dream and room to rest. We create order and calm so that your mental wellbeing is maintained and protected. Recall that feeling you get with fresh clean sheets- it makes you feel good, doesn't it? Now imagine that feeling as you walk through every part of your home. Cleaning is a physical activity with emotional and even spiritual benefits.

# 5 Better Health

Dust mites, pet hair, bacteria and mould. Regular cleaning helps create a healthy and safe environment for your family which, in turns, helps you manage things like asthma, allergies and illness.

If you would like a chat about how our team can support you and your family, then contact us! We are here to help!

Top Tips: Preparing for your cleaner's return

There is talk of lockdown easing! Busy Londoners know that a clean and ordered house is essential for maintaining a happy work-life balance so that means that our cleaners are getting ready to return to work as well. Many of my clients have contacted me asking how they can prepare their home. Here are some of my top tips:

1. Check your store cupboard. You have been cleaning your own home so that means that you may have run out of cleaning products. Carry out an audit and place an online order so products are available for your cleaner. Think about descaling products, toilet cleaners, kitchen cleaners, limescale removers and so on. 

2. Check the vacuum cleaner. Vacuums get full very quickly and full bags just won't clean as well as empty bags. Do this ahead of time because some clients have already told me that they are finding it hard to locate bags online.

3. Look at your cleaning tools. Dustpans, mop heads and dusters do not last forever, so make sure they are fit for purpose.

4. Provide hand-sanitisers, towels and gloves. We still want to look after each other's wellbeing so make sure that you have products available for personal hygiene. Our cleaners will be washing their hands when they arrive at your house and they will be observing all distancing social requirements - so please, let's make this as easy as possible. 

5. Talk to us. After so many weeks in lockdown, it may feel strange having a cleaner in your space even though you are desperate to have a clean house again. The more we understand each other's needs, the more we are able to build trust and ultimately a happy work environment 

Food banks and safe families

With the lockdown in full swing, cleaning has become a part of your daily ritual. It may be annoying but, let's face it, cleaning also helps structure your day. And structure is a key way to feel empowered during times of hardship.

Cleaning helps you maintain self-care and your family’s well being.

Caring for your family is what motivates so many of us - and I know, because I've been helping families cleaning and tidy their beloved homes across North and East London for many years!

However, if you want to take that "happy feeling" a step further, please consider donating cleaning products to Food Banks. It's so rewarding to know that you have helped other families feel safe and clean.

Remember, if don't feel like going out and physically giving, you can donate online. Your money will buy essential items like washing up liquid and washing powder.

I promise that my team will be back cleaning your home as soon as we can. Until then stay safe and stay connected. We all need each other and that means caring for each other too :-)

Cleaner Justyna

A pause in our service

Hello. After recent Government advice, it is with a heavy heart that I must pause our home cleaning services across East and North London for a short period. This is to keep you and your loved ones safe as well our cleaning team.

This is a difficult time for everyone. I truly wish that I could continue cleaning homes - I know what a difference it makes to mental health and wellbeing. Along with all Londoners, I hope that we find a vaccine soon.

I want to acknowledge my clients, many of whom have been with me for well over ten years. I have felt welcomed into your homes and seen you and your families flourish. You have made me feel appreciated for my work and I am grateful for the loyalty you have shown me over the years. As soon as I can, I will be back with you.

We are socially distancing but please let stay connected. You can find me on Facebook or please read our blogs to keep in touch. I wish you all the very best.

Justyna Cleaner

5 Things to Clean Before Christmas for a Stress-Free Holiday

Clean Up the Windows

Of course, if you followed our Autumn cleaning plan, you have already done the in-and-out window cleaning. However, if you love decorating your windows for the holidays, you might want to wipe up the glass with rubbing alcohol one more time. It will be significantly more precise to spray snowflakes and easier to stick paper decorations on the glass when it’s clean.

Take Care of Dust and Cobwebs

Christmas decorations usually stay until the begging of the New Year, and sometimes – even a few days after. This is why it is wise to quickly dust around the house one more time, before putting everything together. The same applies for cobwebs on the ceilings and walls corners – it will be easier (and more pleasant) to decorate if you get rid of them before the holidays.

Clean up and Organise Guestroom and Closets

If you are going to invite over friends and relatives for the holiday it will be wise to clear up some space in the closet. They will be bringing suitcases, bags, and jackets and you don’t want them to block your hallway or your rooms. Also, it is a good idea to clean up the guest room a little. Run the vacuum, dust the surfaces and prepare a set of clean linens to make sire your houseguests will feel cozy and comfortable during their Christmas stay at your home.

Clean the Kitchen

Winter is the season when we spend a lot of time preparing meals, especially on holidays. This is why it’s a good idea to make a quick check and see if your kitchen is ready for some heavy duty Christmas cooking. Clean up the fridge and cupboards, and throw out old products. You can also rinse the dust from special cutlery, glasses, and dishes. Check the condition of your oven – if there are scorched cooktops, and burnt food, make sure to clean them. This way you will improve the work of this appliance and get better results when preparing the Christmas meal. If your oven hasn’t been cleaned in a while, it is probably easier to call a professional oven cleaning service.

Clean the Bathroom and the Toilet

Cleaning the bathroom is one of the things that you definitely don’t want to do during the holiday. Pour some heavy duty cleaner into the toilet bowl and let it do its magic. Wipe the tiles with all-purpose cleaning product after you take a shower. The hot vapors will loosen the dirt, making it easier to make your bathroom shine. Wipe the mirrors with glass cleaner, or simply use rubbing alcohol, to remove all toothpaste splashes, fingerprints, and water rings from the surface.

10 Autumn Cleaning Tips For Your Home

Wash Your Windows:

Surprisingly it has been suggested that rain water is good for cleaning windows, due to containing fewer contaminates than tap water – and you may have the temptation to leave the cleaning of your windows until the spring.

De-Clutter Your Cupboards:

We are all guilty of storing items which we no longer have a need for, and over time such objects can begin to clutter up the home.

Use the big autumn clean as the perfect time to de-clutter your home, removing all those items which have been sat collecting dust on your shelves or in your cupboards and aren’t going to be used again, along with any summer (and winter) clothes which no longer fit or you want.

De-cluttering your home doesn’t mean you need to fill your bin up with unwanted goods either. Instead donate any items which are still in good quality to a local charity shop, or consider how else you can recycle them in and around your home.

Clean Behind & On Top of Furniture:

When running the vacuum around the home on a weekly basis, very few of us will move the couch, wardrobe or sideboard out of the way to clean behind. A top house cleaning tip when carrying out a big clean, is to clean on top, behind and underneath your furniture.

By taking the time to clean behind, underneath and on top of furniture will help to ensure all dust, dirt, debris and allergens are removed – providing you with a healthier and cleaner home.

Remove All Cobwebs:

Autumn is spider season, and following the warm but damp summer we’ve experienced – which created the perfect breeding climate for house spiders – this year will be no different. But, despite the cobwebs adding to the Halloween experience it’s recommended to remove them from your home.

Clean &  Test Chimneys / Smoke / Carbon Monoxide Alarms:

Wood burners and real fires have seen somewhat of a boom in popularity over the last few years, and with the temperatures starting to fall, they will soon be put to use – providing warmth and comfort on those dark, wet nights.

But, before you begin using your wood burner / real wood fire we recommend you have the chimney professionally cleaned, ensuring it’s free from any dirt, debris and bird nests.

Tied in with cleaning the chimney, you should also test your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms, making sure they are in full working order. Doing so will make all the difference in an emergency situation, providing you with those vital extra moments of warning and enabling you and your loved ones time to get out.

Don’t Forget Your Light Fittings:

With darker mornings and nights becoming a common feature of autumn, now is the perfect time to give your lights, lamp shades and lamps some extra attention.

These are areas of your home which often become victims of dust, but are also overlooked when the home is being cleaned. With your lights becoming even more important over the coming months, it’s important to make sure they are cleaned and free from any dirt.

Easter Holiday Preparation & Cleaning Tips

The Easter Holidays are underway, so there’s never been a better time to start preparing for the weekend celebrations. Whether you need to do some thorough dusting around the house or just come up with some decorative ideas for the event, you can make the most of our advice here at Apple Clean to make your Easter a fun, bright and uplifting occasion.

Start by cleaning your upholstery, especially if you are expecting guests for the Easter weekend. Next, get to work on the carpets and curtains before carrying out a thorough dusting of all the tables, desks, shelves and mantelpieces. A traditional Easter egg hunt throughout the property is something many families like to do, so make sure that every nook and cranny around the house is dealt with to protect the younger ones from dirt and dust particles.

Try and arrange the home to represent the Easter festivities. You could incorporate some colourful flowers to represent the spring season or create baskets of decorated eggs to symbolise the start of new life. The decorating process might also involve a little bit of reorganising to make the home look great for any potential guests, so make sure you’ve dedicated some time to carpet cleaning, vacuuming every last piece of originally covered carpet.

Once Easter Sunday arrives, the atmosphere may well resemble that of a standard family gathering. However, you’ll have plenty of other things to deal with once the weekends over, including the vast amounts of chocolate wrappers and even chocolate stains on the floor and upholstery. Getting rid of tough stains can be quite a nuisance, so if chocolate does melt after being trapped underneath cushions, try and deal with it as soon as possible.

Also consider outdoor Easter egg hunts and children bringing mud back in from outside, especially on rainy days. To combat this, place a mat at the entrance to the back door for children to scrape their shoes on. Finally, if you plan on making some Rice Krispies or Cornflake cakes with your child, you might need to clean the kitchen thoroughly before you start. You’ll need to use the oven hobs to melt the chocolate, so make sure these are thoroughly cleaned before use.

Guy’s Guide to Cleaning for Valentine’s Day

Hey guys… did you invite someone special to your place for Valentine’s Day? If your space looks like you rented it out to a fraternity, you’d better learn to clean up the mess for a chance to impress. 

• Cover Up that Foul Odor – The first thing she is going to notice when she walks through the door is how your place smells. If it smells like a gym bag, try combating odors by sprinkling coffee beans in a plate or bowl and top it off with a vanilla candle.

• Remove Beer From Carpet – Moving on to the living room, where she’ll be waiting while you put the finishing touches on the night’s main course. You don’t want that beer stain from Super Bowl parties past to catch her eye. To remove, mix a half cup hydrogen peroxide with one teaspoon household ammonia and apply to stain. Place several white towels on the stain with weight on top and let stand for two or three hours. Repeat the process until clean. Blot dry with white paper towels.

• Clean a Dirty Stove Top – In the kitchen, don’t let her see the gunk caked on the stove from all those times the pot boiled over. Just mix some baking soda in a small bowl with enough hydrogen peroxide to make a paste. Scrub with the rough side of a sponge and the gunk will come right off. Also, the top of most stoves lifts up for easy cleaning. Since you’re already there, why not use this time to clean up all the pieces of food that have been there since before you moved in?

• Prevent Beard Hair from Going Everywhere – Avoid a hairy situation and clean the bathroom prior to your lady friend’s arrival. If you just trimmed that sweet Manuary beard, don’t wash it down the sink because it’ll clog. Clean it up with a damp rag and cleaning solution made with a quarter cup of water and vinegar and two tablespoons of olive oil. Not only will it pick up the little bits of hair, but you will have sparkling sink too.

Tips to keep your house super clean with pets!

If you share your home with a furry friend, the good news is studies say you're probably happier and healthier. The bad news? Your house quite possibly isn't.

But fear not! I've compiled our top tried and tested tips to keep your pet-friendly home feeling fresh.

1. Keep your pets clean

If Buster looks like he's run a Tough Mudder after every walk, it's time to set up a pet grooming routine. It sounds obvious, but dirt removed through grooming is dirt not lying around the house. While you shouldn't use pet shampoo too often, a quick wash down with plain water can make a world of difference. Keep damp dogs confined to one area, preferably with an easy to clean floor e.g. laundry room, kitchen. Better yet, thoroughly dry them afterwards to avoid any eau de wet dog. From time to time you'll need to give them a proper wash with pet shampoo. Depending on the breed they may also require trimming or de-shedding; use a professional dog groomer for a thorough job.

2. Buy a quality vacuum cleaner

Look for a pet appropriate vacuum cleaner to pick up pesky hairs and help banish odours. You'll need an extra strong suction, quality filter and a good brush action to pull hair out rather than glide over the surface. Consider the type of flooring you have in your home and if your pet goes on the furniture, look for one which can tackle upholstery too. If you've got yourself a shedder, you'll need to vacuum daily to keep on top of things. Be sure to regularly clean out the filter too as a hair and dirt clogged filter will spread the smell of pet hair wherever you vacuum. Ah, pet ownership!

3. Set up a dog cleaning station

Your Danish console table and fiddle-leaf fig might look like the perfect entranceway, but not when you're armed with a muddy dog. Of course, if you have a laundry room, set up your dog cleaning station there. But if not, simply tweak your entranceway. We're talking a heavy duty doormat, easily accessible dog towels and wipes and a water spray bottle to clean muddy paws. Maybe a couple of treats, too.

4. Regularly clean your pet's things

Pet beds, toys and even leads pick up that strong dog odour and all need to be cleaned regularly. Check if they are machine washable, otherwise you can wash by hand in the sink. Save this chore for a sunny day and allow them to dry outside where the sun will help kill bad odours.

Halloween Cleaning Tricks to Get Your House to normal!

They only ring the doorbell once a year. Ghosts, goblins and witches on the front porch always bring Halloween fun. You’re ready with sweet rewards for their make-believe magic journey around the neighborhood, but sometimes, treats aren’t enough to discourage tricks.

If you wake up to toilet paper in the trees or eggs on the house, do you know how to make the mess disappear?

BLOT OUT PUMPKIN STAINS

Pranksters don’t cause pumpkin stains on the carpet, but it just takes one dropped Jack-o’-lantern to lay down a splatter of permanent spots. Pick up scattered pulp with paper towels, but be careful, and don’t rub it into fibers.

Blot the area with white vinegar, sprinkle with baking soda, let dry for several hours, and then vacuum.

Power Tip: Insist that all pumpkin carving fun takes place outside the house.

BE PATIENT WITH CHOCOLATE CLEANUP

Removing a chocolate Halloween treat squished into the sofa can be tricky. Start by scraping it off the fabric with a dull knife or plastic spoon. Use 1 tablespoon of liquid dish detergent mixed with 2 cups of cold water to gently wash the area.

Change out your cleaning cloth as it becomes dirty. It can take quite a while to finally remove the stain.

Makeup Stains

Sometimes, all you need to perfect a costume is a little bit of regular makeup, but what happens if you accidentally wipe your sleeve across your wet mascara, or find remnants of foundation on your collar? There are many tricks for removing makeup from clothing – here are a few of the best:

Apply a colourless shaving foam to eyeshadow stains. Shaving foam is really just a well-lathering soap at its core, and works to effortlessly clean any dirty marks. Again, always test any product in a small area first, and read the directions on the care label.

Use a stain remover or liquid laundry detergent for oil-based makeup like foundations, lipsticks, cream eyeshadows, and anything that claims to be ‘long lasting’. Following the instructions on the label, just apply a small amount of stain remover or detergent directly to the stain, before washing as normal.

For lipstick stains, apply a small amount of hairspray onto the area and leave to dry – this should take around 10 minutes. Then tackle the stain with a stiff-bristled brush for instant results. Again, always test any method in a small, inconspicuous area of your garment first – and always read the care label for advice.

Face Paint Stains

Zombies, ghosts, the devil… whatever we’re dressed at on Halloween, chances are we’ve used some face paint to help give us a really authentic and scary look. While face paint can really complete a costume, it does come with two problems – getting it off your skin, and getting it off your clothing. If the face paint is water-based, then removal from the face, and from the clothes, is relatively straightforward:

For the face, good old soap and water should do the trick nicely. You could also use makeup remover or face wipes – just follow the directions on the label.

For clothes, simply washing in the machine with your favourite laundry detergent can be enough to flush the colours from the fabric. Again, pre-treating the stains can make a big difference.

Oil-based paints are a little bit trickier, as they don’t react to water in quite the same way. To remove from your face, try using a makeup remover designed for waterproof or long-wearing makeup. For clothing, pre-treat before washing as normal.

How to get kids cleaning this Half term?

Half term for schools is looming around the corner. While teachers may be looking forward to some much-needed relaxation time, for parents, it can often be the opposite.

As well as finding activities for the children to do, you will probably find that the house gets ten times messier, as toys come out more frequently and they finally want to try out that new painting kit they got for Christmas. The cleaning and washing can feel like it just never ends.

The best way to tackle this issue is to create some fun activities for the kids to help you with the cleaning. The activities listed will vary depending on age, but you can adapt each activity and tailor it to convince your children to grab that dustpan and brush!

Role Play

If your child likes drama and dressing up, using role play is perfect for getting them cleaning around the house — and there are a few creative ways you can use role play to get them active.

One is to have them dress up as their favourite characters and make them clean like that character, such as Harry Potter (you could even put some magical music on as well!). Another, more adventurous idea is doing role play for an advert while cleaning. If the little ones are wiping down kitchen surfaces, tell them they have to advertise the sponge at the same time. Let them know afterwards if you would buy the sponge based on the advert.

The Colour Game

This simple idea is great when you’re trying to do some washing. Call out a colour and the children have to find all the dirty clothes of that colour and put them in the washing machine. See how quickly they can do it for each colour; you could even give them a prize for each colour. For example, if they find all the white clothes the quickest, give them some white chocolate.

Chore Chart

Creating a chart for the kids’ cleaning and tidying progress can be a lot of fun. Add your own name to the chart so they can monitor your progress, too! List different tasks such as making the bed, washing up and putting away toys or books. Each time the children do a task, they get a star. When they get ten stars on a task, they get a prize. If they get ten stars on each task in one week, they could get an extra special prize, like a trip to the cinema or a takeaway pizza. If it’s a good prize, you might be surprised at how quickly they do all of the tasks!

International Women's Day

International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8 every year It commemorates the movement for women's rights.

While the first observance of a Women's Day was held on February 28, 1909 in New York, March 8 was suggested by the 1910 International Woman's Conference to become an "International Woman's Day." After women gained suffrage in Soviet Russia in 1917, March 8 became a national holiday there. The day was then predominantly celebrated by the socialist movement and communist countries until it was adopted in 1975 by the United Nations.

Housekeeper Confessions

These cleaning pros are dishing some dirty little secrets! Here, they reveal the strangest, hardest, and funniest things they've ever experienced on a job. Enjoy...

"You get (wrongly) blamed for many things."

"After working for nearly eight months for this one family, the wife accused me of breaking her mini blinds. I reminded her that they had been broken since I started, but she didn't believe me. She said I had to pay for new ones or she was going to dock my pay. I said it was unfair but she didn't care — she fired me on the spot." – A full-time house cleaner from Bethesda, Maryland

"You have to make the most of crazy requests."

"I was once asked to match up more than 500 pairs of slightly different black socks. It was a beautiful day, so I spent four hours sorting socks on the backyard picnic table." – A professional organizer from Salem, New Hampshire

"Sometimes, the men are worse than the cleaning."

"I've had husbands outright flirt with me. Some have even offered me money — clearly hinting that they'd hope to get something in return. I've had guys hire me and then call me to ask me out. I do consider myself an attractive woman, I just didn't realize how desperate some guys are." – A full-time house cleaner from Lawrence, Kansas

 

"The tiniest jobs can be the most ridiculous."

"My very first client asked me to wash the paperclips we were using. We were organizing a home office that hadn't been used for a while and everything was covered in dust. She, understandably, didn't want to use the dusty paperclips, and simply brushing them off or getting new ones was not an option for her." – A full-time organizer from Columbus, Ohio

Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day, also called St. Valentine’s Day, holiday (February 14) when lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts. The holiday has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, held in mid-February. The festival, which celebrated the coming of spring, included fertility rites and the pairing off of women with men by lottery. At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I replaced Lupercalia with St. Valentine’s Day. It came to be celebrated as a day of romance from about the 14th century.

Although there were several Christian martyrs named Valentine, the day may have taken its name from a priest who was martyred about 270 CE by the emperor Claudius II Gothicus. According to legend, the priest signed a letter “from your Valentine” to his jailer’s daughter, whom he had befriended and, by some accounts, healed from blindness. Other accounts hold that it was St. Valentine of Terni, a bishop, for whom the holiday was named, though it is possible the two saintswere actually one person. Another common legend states that St. Valentine defied the emperor’s orders and secretly married couples to spare the husbands from war. It is for this reason that his feast day is associated with love.

Formal messages, or valentines, appeared in the 1500s, and by the late 1700s commercially printed cards were being used. The first commercial valentines in the United States were printed in the mid-1800s. Valentines commonly depict Cupid, the Roman god of love, along with hearts, traditionally the seat of emotion. Because it was thought that the avian mating season begins in mid-February, birdsalso became a symbol of the day. Traditional gifts include candy and flowers, particularly red roses, a symbol of beauty and love.

The day is popular in the United States as well as in Britain, Canada, and Australia, and it is also celebrated in other countries, including Argentina, France, Mexico, and South Korea. In the Philippines, it is the most common wedding anniversary, and mass weddings of hundreds of couples are not uncommon on that date. The holiday has expanded to expressions of affection among relatives and friends. Many schoolchildren exchange valentines with one another on this day.

CHINESE NEW YEAR COMING AND CLEANING BEFORE IT!

The 2018 Chinese New Year Day is on Friday, February 16, 2018 in China's time zone. This day is the new moon day of the first Chinese lunar month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar system. The exact new moon time is at 05:06 on 16-Feb-18 in China's time zone.

Chinese calendar combines solar, lunar and 60 Stem-Branch counting systems. The 60 Stem-Branch calendar uses the names of Yin Yang Five Elements (Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth) and 12 animals to rank the sequences. Five ...elements are connected to five colors - White, Black, Green, Red, and Brown. So Chinese use the color animal name to count the year. The name of 2018 is the Yang Male Earth Dog. Brown is connected to Earth. Therefore, 2018 is also called Brown Earth Dog Year.

What Do People Do?

Many people clean their homes to welcome the Spring Festival. They put up the red posters with poetic verses on it to their doors, Chinese New Year pictures on their walls, and decorate their homes with red lanterns. It is also a time to reunite with relatives so many people visit their families at this time of the year.

In the evening of the Spring Festival Eve, many people set off fireworks and firecrackers, hoping to cast away any bad luck and bring forth good luck. Children often receive “luck” money. Many people wear new clothes and send Chinese New Year greetings to each other. Various activities such as beating drums and striking gongs, as well as dragon and lion dances, are all part of the Spring Festival festivities.

TO ALL MY CLIENTS :)

WISHES FOR MY CLIENTS AND FOLLOWERS :)

Dear Clients,

Thanks for giving me opportunity to serve you.

I look forward to working for you again in 2018.

I wish warm Christmas holiday and all the best in New Year.

JUSTYNA

LET'S GET YOUR HOME SPARKLING CLEAN FOR CHRISTMAS

With friends and family coming to visit throughout the festive season, it's your time to shine and show off what a lovely home you have. One of the keys to a stress-free Christmas is preparation.

We've gathered our top 7 ways to get your home sparkling clean this Christmas, leaving you time to relax with your loved ones.

1. TREAT YOUR CARPETS

It can be all too easy to take your carpets for granted, but it's worth remembering that they deal with an awful amount of footfall right from the moment they're installed.

No matter how hard you clean your carpets, some dirt and dust will still linger. That's why it's worth investing in or hiring an industrial carpet cleaner to get your carpets looking brand new. Professional carpet cleaners normally come with a cleaning agent so that the material is shampooed while the dust is being sucked up.

2. CLEAN ALL SURFACES

Your counter tops will be in constant use over Christmas so ensure you make time to give them a good clean both before the big day and while you're cooking. It's vital to wipe surfaces after preparing your Christmas food as uncooked meats can leave germs and bacteria behind.

It's also worth giving your shelves, chairs and furnishings a once-over to remove any stains or build-up of dust. The same goes for your dining table. A good polish can go a long way.

3. ORGANISE A PROFESSIONAL OVEN CLEAN

In preparation for the gastronomic delights that are going to be created in your kitchen this Christmas, it's worth hiring a professional to come and give your oven a thorough clean. That way you can focus on the sumptuous snacks you're going to serve your guests rather than going into battle against the grime and grease that have built up over the year.

4. HAVE A CLEAR OUT

It may not be the traditional time to have a clear-out but a thorough clean-up can provide much-needed space for your Christmas tree, presents and guests. It also lets you enter the New Year clutter-free.

Think to yourself, 'Have I used this within the last six months?' If not, consider throwing it out or donating it to charity. You'll be surprised how much extra room a quick clean-out can give you.

5. POLISH THE SILVER

We've all got that nice set of cutlery or dining set that only makes an appearance on special occasions. Now is their time to shine – literally. Set the time aside to clean and polish your lovely kitchenware and make your Christmas meal even more memorable.

While you're on a cleaning spree, don't forget to give your reflective surfaces and decorations, like mirrors and candlesticks, a good polish too.

6. GET YOUR GLAD RAGS READY

You've no doubt organised your presents, guest list and Christmas meal already, but make sure you leave time to think about what you are going to wear on the big day.

Your home shouldn't be the only one dazzling your guests this Christmas. Plan your outfits for the festive period and make sure that they are spick and span and ready to show you off. If there's enough time beforehand, you could always get your party attire dry-cleaned to give you a picture-perfect outfit.

7. CLEAN YOUR DECORATIONS

Christmas decorations spend most of their time hidden away in cupboards or dusty attics waiting for their five minutes of fame. But there's no point getting your home spick and span for the festive season and then hanging up dirty and dusty decorations. Put aside some time to give them a good clean before hanging them up and they'll soon look as good as new.

When going through your Christmas decorations, make sure that everything still works. Fairy lights, for example, have a certain shelf life and if one bulb goes the whole set sometimes won't work. Test them before you decorate your tree to see if you need to invest in a new set.

9 Simple Steps to Get Rid of Ants and Keep Ants Out

How To Get Rid of Ants
 

1. First, understand the ant colony and its queen. 

To solve an ant problem, you need to first eliminate the ones you don’t see to get rid of the ones you do see.

It sounds strange, but it's true. This is because the queen -- the one who lays all the eggs -- never leaves her nest. She just stays there, being fed by the workers (the ones you see) and continuing to reproduce more ants. So you can spray and spray the ants you see, and she'll just keep making more to take their place.

2. Watch the trailing ants.

So, although it may sound silly, the first step in controlling ants is simply watching the ones that enter your home to see where they are coming from and going to. An ant will seek food, but once it finds food, the ant will return to its nest with the crumb, leaving a scent trail behind it. By doing so, the ant leaves a trail for its fellow worker ants to help in gathering the food.

3. Don't spray the ants! 

As discussed in #1, the ants that you see are worker ants. Their job is to find food and take it back to feed the queen and her young, who are being groomed as the next generation of worker ants.

Because of this, these worker ants are your ticket into the colony. If you spray and kill these ants, the colony will simply send out more workers, and you'll never reach the queen. So what do you do? See #4:

4. Set out ant bait.

Instead of eliminating the worker ants, use them! Following all label directions, place ant bait stations along the trail you identified (in #2).

The workers will find the bait, carry it back to the nest, and feed the queen, eventually killing her and eliminating future populations.

5. Hold off on cleaning

Although it is good to eliminate other food sources, you don't want to mop away the ant's odor trail yet. The trail will now lead the workers to your bait instead.

6. Be patient.

The ants will carry the insecticide bait back to the nest, but it can take several days to eliminate the colony, or even a few weeks if the colony is very large or it has several queens. (Some ant species do.) You may even need to replace the bait station if they empty the food or liquid bait.

7. Know when to spray.

If the trailing ants have led you to an outdoor, below-ground nest -- now can be the time to spray. Drenching the nest with an approved insecticide spray (following all label directions) can be effective.

8. Keep it clean.

Sanitation is critical for the prevention and control of any pest. Like all living creatures, ants need water, food, and shelter for survival. Ants will leave the shelter of their colony to seek food and water. Don't make it easy for them! Keep foods sealed, floors swept, and all surfaces cleaned.

9. Keep ants out.

Ants are tiny creatures and can enter homes and buildings through minute cracks and crevices.

To minimize this, seal around windows and doors, and all cable, pipe, and wire entry points.

A brief summary of the 9 steps:

The ants you see trailing in your kitchen are workers looking for any crumbs you've left behind. When they find the crumbs, they carry them back to the nest leaving a trail for other worker ants to follow. These ants feed the queen who makes the baby ants - and never leaves the nest. So ... to get rid of ants, you need to get rid of crumbs the ants want, then put down ant bait so they carry it back to the nest instead; feed the queen, and eliminate the entire colony.