Wet wipes, handy wipes, cleaning wipes. Whatever you call them, they should be essential in your daily cleaning routine as well as your yearly spring cleaning routine. If you don’t have a professional cleaning service following you around every day, having this convenient cleaning tool around will help you battle the germs and bacteria lurking around you. 

Keep them in every bathroom – very handy when unexpected guests drop by, or more, for the expected messes of children, spouses and colleagues.

Keep them in your kitchen – a very good way to finish you daily cleaning. Use a fresh wipe for your countertops, all of the handles you touch (fridge, microwave, cupboard), quick shine of your sink and faucet

Keep them in your car – when was the last time you wiped down your door handles or steering wheel?

Keep them in your office drawer – with a quick wet wipe, you can clean your mouse, telephone and keyboard because your janitorial service may not be spending the time on each and every item on your desk that you touch frequently.  A professional office cleaning service should be taking the time to do a thorough cleaning of things like banisters, doorknobs and light switches regularly.

Keep them in your purse – many times we touch things that we have no idea what we touched, having cleaning wipes in your bag would be very useful! Plus, get in the routine of wiping down your cell phone or tablet.  Those hand-held devices get pretty dirty you know.

Buy them or make your own – There are so many different brands out there to choose from, different sizes and scents too.  There is also lots of information out there to make your own handy wipes.

It becomes up to each individual how clean and sanitized they want their surroundings.  My advice is to keep those handy wipes handy as you never know when you may need them.  Life is messy – embrace it, but be prepared to clean it up too!

Mobile phones have more bacteria on their surfaces than toilet seats, says Charles Gerba, a researcher in microbiology at the University of Arizona in the United States. These bacteria include a number that have been associated with gastroenteritis, diarrhoea, and similar stomach upsets. Pathogen levels on a typical mobile phone handset can be up to ten times higher than those found on toilet seats, according to this research.

Bannisters and Railings, Light Switches and Door Knobs have so many people touching them day in and day out, are we cleaning them regularly?

Vehicle Steering Wheel It is a good idea to keep moist wipes in your vehicle so you can regularly wipe down your steering wheel, your door handles and your knobs and switches.

Vents and Air Quality Change your furnace filter regularly as the particles trapped in the filter has many hidden germs that are being blown throughout the house!

Fridge, Microwave and Stove and Cabinet Door Handles  Just think about how often you move around the kitchen while you are cooking, transferring bacteria, or even just food particles that could cause bacteria to grow.

Where is your janitorial service cleaning?  Where is your health care facility service focusing it’s efforts? Is your post-construction clean up really cleaning up before the tenants move it? Is your cleaning service finding all of the hidden germs in your facility?

It is important for regular, quality cleaning services for all of these high touch areas of your home, office or vehicle.  Be aware that these items harbour pathogens that could make you sick.  Again, this brings up the idea that you encounter hidden germs multiple times a day which serves as a reminder that we should be WASHING OUR HANDS multiple times a day!  Keep the moist wipes and hand sanitizer in our office drawer of glove compartment of your vehicle to help combat the spread of infections and viruses.

Whether it is your home, office or building, spring cleaning is an excuse to focus on things you haven’t thought about in a year!  Here are some things you may not have thought of. Need some ideas on what to spring clean?

1 – RAGS/SPONGES – replace rags, sponges, cloths – we can only clean them so much - time to get new ones

2 - MATTRESS – flip and rotate your mattress – use this time to clean and sanitize with borax or baking soda or even Febreeze!

3 – REFRIGERATOR – Purge your fridge, freezer and deep freeze.  If  expired or you don’t rememer buying it – throw it out!

4- OVEN – Clean your oven – hopefully you have a self-cleaning oven.

5- BATHROOM – toss your toiletries – new toothbrush, loofah, expired beauty products

6- GARBAGE CAN – clean and sanitize your garbage bins! – take them outside and hose them off wtih some soap.

7- LOOK DOWN! -  keep your carpets fresh and clean with some professional carpet cleaning!

8- LOOK UP! – look at your walls and celing fan - vacuum and/or wipe clean with microfibre cloth and hot water.

9- LOOK OUT! Clean your windows as well as remove and clean your window screens – help your windows sparkle!

10- FEEL FRESH! – freshen up your fabrics – take your rugs, blankets, comforters  outside and shake them out, air the out.

11- OUTSIDE! – don’t forget about sweeping the garage, powerwashing your walkways and driveways and de-mossing the roof! Check out our Building Maintenance Services!

Sounds like a lot of work!! Remember, this is a necessary evil to mainain cleanliness and order in our home or office.  This is not everyday.  These are things that need to be done, but does not need to be done in one day or one weekend.  If you want your spring cleaning done quickly - find a way to enjoy it.  Wait for a sunny day, open the windows, turn up the music, get the kids involved.  You will be surprised, you might actually have fun!!

What is microfiber and why is it so important in cleaning and janitorial services?  Here are the Five Facts you need to know about Microfiber.

1. What is Microfiber?

Microfiber is a fine synthetic fiber that is 1/100th the diameter of a human hair. These synthetic fibers are usually polyester or nylon, or a combination of both. Microfiber is often used for furniture and cleaning cloths as it is lightweight, wrinkle resistant, absorband and does not stain very easily.

2. Why use microfiber for cleaning and janitorial services?

When high-quality microfiber is combined with the right knitting process, it creates an extremely effective cleaning material. It can hold eight times its weight in water, it can absorb oils and it leave no dust or lint behind

3. How does it clean better than regular cloths?

Microfiber cleaning tools also absorb fat and grease and their electrostatic properties give them a high dust-attracting power

4. How are they a “green” material?

Microfiber cleaning cloths and mops can clean without using chemicals because of their makeup – they have an amazing ability to pick up more dust, dirt, bacteria without “spreading” the dirt around the surface. Plus, they last a lot longer therefore do not need to be replaced often.  Master Care janitorial uses Microfiber Cleaning materials to promote their janitorial service as a green cleaning company.

5. How do you clean microfiber cloths/mops?

They may be washed in regular detergent in the washing machine, but no softeners! These fabric softeners plug up the fibers making them less effective.

For the most effective and thorough cleaning that ensures no cross- contamination – our professional janitorial services in Metro Vancouver use color coded cloths for bathroom, kitchen, mirrors/walls etc. By using professional, state of the art cleaning technology, Master Care Janitorial Services is what you are looking for to make your office, building or residence as green and clean as it can be.

MOVING IN

You have just found your dream home, perfect location, perfect layout, perfect yard. You purchase, pack and finally get the keys.  But, when you walk through the door, the house does not look like your perfect space.  The last owners have done a marginal job of cleaning and suddenly the excitement of moving into your home feels like a burden.  Do yourself a favor and ensure that home is perfectly cleaned, sanitized and ready for your family to make memories there. Hire a company that offers professional janitorial services to help make your home dreams come true.

MOVING OUT

You need to sell your home, the market is down and you have already moved out, leaving you with  TWO mortgages while your house is still on the market.  Don’t underestimate the importance of a clean home.  A good first impressions is essential so make that great impression with a spotless home. If you live in Vancouver, call professional janitorial services in Vancouver to get all of those cob webs, dust and ground in dirt in the carpet.  It will be worth every penny! 

REALTORS

Forget the gift basket, give the gift of a perfectly clean home to all of your customers.  Taking care of their needs and ensuring their complete satisfaction is truly a move towards excellent customer service, something they will surely never forget. Even better, get a green cleaning business to clean their home!

NEW CONSTRUCTION

The house is built, landscaping is complete, the trades people have all packed up and left.  Now, it is time to get the house sold – but first it is time to clean.  There are specific cleaning requirements when it comes to post-construction cleaning.   There is dust in the heating ducts, caulking on the carpet, dirt in the corners.  Hire a professional cleaning company to come in and make the new house look it’s best!  When it comes to the new construction of a building, either residential or commercial, don’t forget the importance of  hiring a professional building maintenance service as well.

• All carpets – Steamed or Dry Cleaned
• Dusting of all Window Coverings
• Stove and Oven Cleaning
• Bathrooms Scrubbing and Cleaning
• Exhaust Fans Cleaning
• Cupboards Cleaning
• Floors – Cleaning & Restoration
• Windows & Windowsills cleaning

Improving the appearance and appeal of your home, whether it is for yourself or for the next owner or renter is essential for selling, and moving day.  Let your home speak for itself and call in the professionals.

1)    Worker Health and Safety

Workplace safety is one of the top concerns for commercial cleaning and janitorial workers.  This is because most industrial cleaning products contain a misx of toxic chemicals that can easily affect the health of your employees.   Many commonly used chemicals can result in blindness, burn the skin, negatively impact reproductive health, damage the kidneys or liver, and even cause cancer.

Making the switch to less toxic, environmentally sensitive cleaning products isn’t just good for the health of your employees (which should be reason enough); it can also reduce costs in the long run. Green cleaning products have the potential to reduce on-site injuries (and subsequent sick days), decrease workers’ compensation claims and ultimately lower your insurance costs.

2)    Cleaning Products from Concentrate

If you look around you will notice that there are green cleaning products for everything from windows to disinfectants to degreasers. You will also notice that green prpoducts are typically sold in concentration (meaning they must be diluted prior to use) with minimal packaging. Hence, good for the environment in both waste reduction with less harsh chemicals.  This can save you money on the raw materials and shipping costs, the concentrated cleaning products last longer so reordering less frequently, and third, because of minimal packaging, they take up less storage space.

3)    Hazardous Chemicals: Protection and Disposal

Most conventional cleaning agents are highly toxic.  As a result, you can’t simply throw these materials into the trash. You must instead follow strict regulations regarding the disposal of hazardous waste. By using these chemilas, you also leave behind rags, absorbent pads, brushes and gloves that need to be disposed of properly. They also the need  for additional employee safety training and personal protective gear.

By making the switch to non-toxic cleaning products, you can ultimately reduce hazardous waste disposal costs, decrease money spent on employee safety training (or perhaps allocate it to another facet of training) and minimize the need for personal protection equipment.

So, not only it is morally responsible to make the switch, going green is actually good for business!  Check our our Master Care Janitorial Green Cleaning Certification and call us today for information on how our green cleaning company can help you make the switch!

 Based on an article in the Environmental Leader

According to Feng Shui practices, clutter is a frustrating, stagnent and confusing energy that constantly drains your energy.  It is also refered to as “visual polution“!  So why are we so prone to having clutter?  Is it because:

 a) we put something in a pile to deal with later 
 b) we don’t know where to put it
c) we don’t want to throw it out, cause we may need it at a future date or time. 

For me, all of the above!  But all of this “hoarding” in turn means that one day, I will have to sit for a hour and go through piles upon piles of paper, envelopes, coupons, bits and pieces of toys, batteries, hair ties, hot wheels, receipts, clothing tags, etc… 

Here is an interesting quote from the Dalhi Lama:

“You should see all the external dirt and dust around you as basically a manifestation of the faults and stains within your own mind.  You should see that the most important aim is to purge these stains and faults from within your mind. 
Therefore, as you cleanse the environment,  think that you are also purifying your mind“.

Here are 5 healthy benefits of having a clean space:

1)  Healthy Romance – no nagging one another to get things done, by keeping out the clutter, you have a happier relationship not built up on the things that DIDN’T get done around the house!

2) Healthy Finances – by having uncluttered spaces, you will have an organized mail system for all of the incoming bills, and you won’t miss those payments!

3)  Healthy Leisure Time – You are able to enjoy that book, or that drink with friend, or even that vacation without the guilt of thinking you should be taking this time to clean!

4) Healthy Family – You are likely to have less issue with things like asthma and colds and flu if you house is dust free, uncluttered and tidy.  There is also less chance of accidents in the home if things are in it’s place!

5) Healthy Social Life – wouldn’t you invite your friends and neighbours over more if your house was clean and neat?  You would be proud of your clean space, and therefore more social

Hopefully this should motivate you to keep a clean space.  As my mom always tells me, everything has a place, so just put it in its place.  Don’t let it sit around and pile up.  Take those 5 minutes to go through the mail, go through your kids bags, pick up two things before exiting a room, clear the counter before bed.  Those little actions will make your “decluttering day” a thing of the past!

Don’t forget to reward yourself on your amazingly neat and tidy home by having a professional cleaning service come in once and a while and give your space a thorough cleaning!  Having a quality cleaning company come in and do carpet cleaning and window cleaning will help make your space shine!

Are you aware of your infection control procedures at work? Do you know how to clean up AND protect yourself when cleaning up an infected or contagious environment?

Our Vancouver Cleaning Company  recently had a scare in the building… our property managers wanted our daycleaners to clean a public bathroom that had recently been visited by an infectious, contagious individual.  The infection control procedure we put in place and our cleaners dealt with the situation.  I thought this would be good opportunity to share some important information about what these procedures are.  

1 – Protect Yourself! – the first step should always be to protect yourself if you have to clean up biohazard, body fluid or any other highly contagious maerials.  A mask, goggles and gloves are essential!

2- Use Disposable Towels – this way there is no chance of cross-contamination.

3- Use Germicide or Bleach- the area must be decontaminated with an approved germicide or a 1:100 solution of household bleach (that is, dilute 1 part bleach with 99 parts water).  (I do believe we used a slightly stronger solution)

4- Wash and Disinfect all equipment, spray bottles, mop handles used to clean the area.

5- Dispose of the used towels, gloves and other soiled cleaning materials in a leak-proof plastic bag, and according to the local public waste disposal regulations.

6- Do not mix infectious waste with regular garbage or trash.

7 – Wash hands! – Don’t forget to use proper hand washing techniques, including lathering and scrubbing for 15 seconds, on all fingers, cuticles and under nails.

If you work in a  health care setting, please ask your supervisor or infection control officer for more information.  The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety is a great resource for procedures to follow as well.

There is a time and place to call in the professionals and this would be one of the times.  Quality cleaning and janitorial professionals will have both the knowledge and the tools when dealing with infection control.

1. Handy Wipes – keep these premoistened wipes at or near your desk.  At the beginning of end of every day (or week if you are the only one touching it) wipe down your keyboard, your mouse and your telephone hand set.  This simple task will reduce the amount of germs that get transferred.

2. Common Area Cleaning – ensure your professional cleaning staff is doing its job and get them to wipe the light switches, bannisters, door knobs and elevator buttons regularly.  Even the water cooler handle should be cleaned.  Think of the amount of people touching it every day!

3. Reduce Dust – make sure you have a good entry way mat at your door.  This will reduce the dirt entering your office, reducing the dust that settles around the office.  Make sure you dust your computer equipment, doorway and ledges regularly.

4.  Wash your Hands frequently - Put a Hand Washing reminder sign in your bathroom – can you believe people STILL don’t wash their hands as much as they should

5. Hand Sanitizers – Install hand sanitizer dispensers in your office.  By having these installed in your office or building, it shows that you care about the health and well being of your employees and customers!

A question one may ask is why do people come to work sick? Is it because you think we can’t function without you for a day?  News flash… we can function better if you are not there than if you were here spreading your germs!! But, since it is hard for people to admit that they should stay home, we do have to do some preventative maintenance around the office regularly.  These five steps should help you get through cold and flu season happy and healthy at work.