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How to Keep Your House Clean Year-round

Household Cleaning No comments

Spring cleaning time is over and with summer in full swing, you might notice your house gradually getting dirtier again. Keeping your house clean can be tricky. There are so many spots that go unnoticed. Only once spring cleaning time rolls around again, do you notice how grimy these areas are. Spring shouldn’t be the only time you get to enjoy a clean house, though. Summer is one of the best times of the year to have a clean house. Here’s how you can keep your house clean all year round.

How to Manage Cleaning Tasks

The easiest way to keep your house clean is to regularly clean different areas. Conversely, letting cleaning chores pile up before you do them leads to the house slowly becoming messier and dirtier.

Once your space is clean, maintenance is a lot easier than letting chores pile up and cleaning from scratch again.

Get into the habit of cleaning as you go. It will save you a ton of work later and make your yearly spring cleaning so much easier.

Setting up a Chore List

Setting up a chore list is one of the best ways to ensure you don’t forget to clean any areas in your house. Have a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly list for cleaning different areas.

For instance, your daily list can include doing dishes, wiping down counter tops and sweeping the floor. The weekly list can add dusting, vacuuming and washing the floors. On your monthly list, add things like cleaning your windows, cleaning out your fridge and repacking your grocery cupboard.

When listing each chore on the list, break it down into smaller sections whenever applicable. So, when you list dusting, list areas in your home that need to be dusted so you know you got all of them. When listing laundry, list bedding, towels, light colors and dark colors separately.

Having a checklist of this nature will help you break big tasks down into smaller sections. Add one or two of your weekly tasks to your cleaning schedule each day and you’ll manage to knock off all the items on your checklist quite easily.

On your yearly list, include home maintenance tasks and special cleaning tasks.

Make a Habit out of Keeping Your House Clean

The best way to keep your house clean is to get in the habit of cleaning as you go:

When you used something, put it away straight after, or do a daily tidy up session.
When you spill something, clean it straight away. Don’t wait till later to clean it.
When someone else leaves an item where it doesn’t belong, put it away as soon as you see it.
Don’t leave garbage laying around. If you sat eating a bag of chips on the couch, throw the bag in the bin as soon as you get up.
Include chores like doing dishes or washing the laundry into your schedule to ensure it doesn’t pile up.

Teach everyone else in the house to have the same mindfulness and keeping your space clean will become much easier.

Clutter Makes Cleaning Much Harder

If your house is cluttered, there’s a good chance it’s also dirty. That’s because it’s just so much harder to keep a cluttered space clean. Cleaning as you go is easy if you can wipe countertops down without having to clear a ton of things from them first. Vacuuming floors is easier if you don’t first need to move a bunch of things too.

When your house is cluttered, you’ll spend twice as much time cleaning things than if it weren’t. One half of your cleaning time will be spent shuffling your clutter from room to room as you clean, while the other half will be spent on actual cleaning.

Avoiding Clutter in Your House

The best way to manage clutter, is to make sure everything in your house has its own space. Make sure that the place you store each item makes sense. If you use an item regularly, don’t put it away where it’s out of reach.

If your broom is hard to reach, for instance, you’ll get to a point where you just don’t put it away at all. Either that, or you’ll leave it stored away and neglect sweeping your floors. You use your broom every day, so make sure wherever you store it is accessible.

The same rule applies for everything else in your home. If an item is hard to reach, you either won’t put it away after using it, or you won’t use it all. Because of this, you shouldn’t store things you want to use regularly in hard-to-reach places.

Reserve hard-to-reach storage spaces for storing things you only expect to use occasionally. Things like camping gear or seasonal holiday decorations can be put away in hard-to-reach storage places, as you’ll only need to go through the effort taking these items out and putting them away again a few times yearly.

The more you expect to use an item, the easier it should be to put away after using it. Also store things where it makes sense to have them.

It makes sense to have your coffee and sugar close to your kettle in the kitchen, for instance. That is, after all, where you make your coffee. It also makes sense to have storage for kids’ toys where your children usually play. If your children play in the lounge, put down some baskets to collect toys. This will make it easier for kids to clean up after themselves.

What if There isn’t Enough Space to Store Things?

Hoarding can make it much harder to manage clutter. While some homes are cluttered because there aren’t proper designated spaces to store items, some homes have more stuff than can realistically be stored.

Getting rid of clutter is an important part of keeping your house clean. Try not to buy more things than you can store. Be realistic about how much space you have for things. Just like you need to stick to a financial budget to live within your means, you must live within your means when it comes to your space.

You only have so much space available to you, which means you must use it wisely to get the most from it. Like financial debt, getting more things than you can store in your space will cause stress and lower your quality of life.

Be honest with yourself about what you need. There are a lot of clever gadgets available for different things nowadays, but you probably don’t need most of them.

If you struggle with a small space where you don’t have enough storage for everything you need, try to look out for some clever ways to maximize your storage space, such as a bed base with drawers, or a coffee table with storage underneath.

How to Keep Your House Clean on the Outside?

It’s easy to get so focused on the inside of your home, that you forget to clean the outside too. You don’t need to clean the exterior of your house as regularly as the inside, but you will need to do it occasionally.

Pressure cleaning is one of the best ways to keep the exterior of your home in good shape. You can call a pressure washing professional to clean various different areas of your home exterior. The following exterior areas of your home can be pressure washed:

Sidings
Roof
Driveways
Patio or deck
Garage floor
Walkways
Outdoor furniture
Picket fencing
Gardening equipment (wheelbarrows etc.)
Outdoor play areas

Booking an annual session for your home will ensure that the outside stays clean. This will improve your home’s curb appeal and make a good first impression with people visiting your property for the first time.

Cleaning your house on the outside is also necessary if you want to repaint it soon. The same applies for when you want to redo the finishing on your patio or deck.

Kleanway Pressure Cleaning offers pressure washing and window cleaning services in Miami. Get in touch to book a cleaning session at your property.

House Cleaning Tips to Keep Your Home Cleaner This Year

Household Cleaning No comments

Keeping a house clean can be a difficult task. Often times, all the occupants in the house are so busy with work and school, cleaning isn’t very high on the priority list. Before you know it, dishes are piling up, the laundry basket is overflowing and countertops are dusty. A lot of homeowners struggle to know how to keep a house clean, especially if everyone in the family have busy schedules. There’s no doubt that maintaining a cleaner house is on many New Year’s resolution lists. Luckily, there are some general house cleaning tips to help families keep their homes neater and cleaner.

House Cleaning Tips for the Family

In families where everyone is busy at work and school daily, it’s important that everyone also contribute their part to keeping the place clean. Here are a few house cleaning tips that could help busy families:

Give every household member their own personal glass and coffee mug. Whenever anyone wishes to enjoy a beverage, they’ll need to use their own personal mug. If the mug or glass is dirty, they’ll have to rinse it out beforehand. This might seem like it won’t make a difference, but you’d be surprised how much cups and glasses contribute to dirty dishes.
Allow each family member to fold and iron their own washing. On washing day, sort the piles of clean laundry by who owns it and leave washing in their rooms so they can put it away.
Give everyone a specific chore, even if it seems small. For instance, one person can be responsible for feeding the pets, while another is responsible for dusting surfaces.
Set up an exact schedule for cleaning so that the whole family can know what to expect. If everyone knows which days are laundry days, they’ll be prepared for the extra task of packing away their clothes.
Teach everyone in the family to clean up after themselves. When they spill something, be sure they know to wipe it clean. If they used something, make sure they put it away.

The Benefits of Family Teamwork

Cultivating habits of cleanliness is beneficial for the whole family. Especially children, who are still learning new life skills every day. Parents won’t always be around to clean up after their kids, so it’s important that children learn how to maintain a clean space from a young age.

Although many parents feel like they should be solely responsible for cleaning, both parents work full-time jobs in many families. If children are old enough to clean after themselves, it’s good to set guidelines for them.

When everyone contributes to cleaning according to a schedule, parents are also able to teach their kids the importance of teamwork. However, it’s best to cultivate clean habits from a young age. This is why even younger children should be encouraged to help with small, easy tasks.

General House Cleaning Tips

A lot of homeowners struggle to keep their house clean even if they don’t have a family. The demands of a full-time job combined with personal obligations towards friends and family can be challenging to balance with housekeeping tasks. Here are some general house cleaning tips to help keep things manageable.

Do Small Things Daily

Set a list of easy daily cleaning tasks. Things like washing the dishes, wiping countertops and putting away clutter can take less than an hour each time if you do them daily.

Doing some basic cleaning every day saves time as opposed to letting things get worse. Once cleaning starts piling up, it takes much longer to get even basic tasks done.

Create A Schedule

Create a cleaning schedule to break cleaning tasks down into manageable portions. Have set times during the week for doing laundry, cleaning floors and other tasks.

Spring Clean over Weekends

Set aside two to three hours every weekend to do some spring cleaning. You won’t have to spend all your time off cleaning. If you simply wake up at 7 on a Saturday morning to clean, you can be done with everything before eleven. This means you still have a large part of the day all to yourself to relax.

Find New Ways to Save Time

Find ways to save time in other areas of your life so you’re able to clean. For instance, if you find ways to save time cooking by making only meals that take 30 minutes or less, you’ll free up some time.

If you’re allowed to work flexi hours at your job, consider going into work at about 6 a.m. This will allow you to skip traffic and leave earlier, so you’ll be saving time that’s normally wasted on the frustration of being stuck in traffic.

Find Ways to Speed up Cleaning Times

Find ways to get great cleaning results without spending as much time. For instance, you can spray you shower with a cleaning solution right you arrive home from work. Later in the evening when you go take a shower, simply use a scrubbing brush to clean the shower out while you’re busy.

The benefit of this is that you can stand in the shower with the water running while you’re busy cleaning, so rinsing will be easy.

You can also avoid a lot of ironing by simply hanging t-shirts out on clotting hangers straight after washing them.

Lastly, you can save time cleaning around the house by avoiding clutter. It’s much easier to wipe surfaces and clean floors when you don’t have to move a whole pile of stuff every time beforehand.

Even if it takes a bit of time, sort through your things and throw out what you don’t need. Make sure that all the things you keep have a designated storage place packed away.

Always Clean up after Yourself

Cleaning up after yourself is an easy way to build positive habits that make your life easier. Practice being more mindful about cleaning things at home sooner rather than later.

Simple things like looking inspecting the contents of your fridge every time you open it help a lot. Not only does this enable you to use all your food before it goes off, you completely avoid the unpleasant task of having to clear out spoilt foods every month or two.

Every now and then, do small things. If you notice your mirror is full of marks while getting ready for work, just take a minute to wipe it. Doing so doesn’t take long and it helps maintain the overall cleanliness of your home.

House Cleaning Tips for Outside

A lot of homeowners think about the inside of their homes much more than the outside. However, the outside of your home also gets dirty over time.

If you have a deck or patio, be sure to sweep it every now and then to get rid of debris. Make sure you also wash the deck surface after having a barbeque there. Use a damp cloth to wipe your outdoor furniture from time to time. After a while, a lot of dust accumulates on outdoor furniture, which makes it appear duller.

But it’s not just your deck and outdoor furniture that need cleaning. The windows, sidings and roof of your house also need to be kept clean.

The good news is that you don’t need to do all this work yourself. Hiring a Miami pressure cleaning company can help you keep the outside of your house clean with minimal effort. You can simply schedule to have your sidings, driveways, roof and windows cleaned regularly. A lot of pressure cleaning companies also offer windows cleaning, so you don’t even have to work with multiple companies.

5 Reasons to Keep Your Roof Clean Year-Round

Pressure Washing, Roof Cleaning, roof maintenance No comments

With spring drawing close to an end, now is the perfect time to do some spring cleaning if you haven’t gotten around to it yet. From the contents of your cupboards to the mess in your garage, now’s the perfect time to sort it out! One essential part of your spring cleaning this year that you might’ve forgotten about, however, is your roof.

Keeping your roof clean can go a long way in making your house look nice for summer. Keep in mind, however, that there are a lot of other benefits to keeping your roof clean all year round that you might not be aware of.

1. Improve Your Home’s Curb Appeal

One of the first, and most obvious reasons to keep your roof clean throughout the year is to improve its curb appeal. Whether you’re planning to sell your house, or you simply want to make a good impression on neighbors, keeping your roof clean will go a long way in making your house look great.

If you’re planning on selling your house, getting your roof cleaning can be an inexpensive way to increase the perceived value of your residence. Remember, even if your roof is still in great shape, a dirty roof will scare off potential buyers. Most people looking for a house to buy aren’t roofing experts, so a dirty roof will cause potential buyers to assume that the roof may need to be replaced. Replacing a roof costs a significant amount of money, and buyers will likely subtract this amount from your asking price.

Depending on the value of your house and other factors, getting a buyer for your house might take up to a year. Keeping your roof in tiptop shape throughout the time you’re looking to sell is an excellent way of ensuring your house sells for its full worth.

2. Roof Cleaning is an Important Part of Maintenance

You may think that the only benefit to cleaning your roof is that it looks better, but this is far from the truth. In reality, roof cleaning is an important step in prolonging the lifespan of your roof and keeping it in an overall good condition.

When left too long without being cleaned, your roof can start to show signs of serious moss and algae growth. Left uncleaned for too long, this unsightly problem can develop even further, causing lichens to form on your roof.

This will not only make your house look completely dilapidated, but will also cause a significant amount of damage to your roof tiles or shingles. Lichens contribute to general wear and tear on your roof. When left over winter, these growths can freeze, causing them to expand and induce frost damage to your roof’s surface.

3. Protect Your House Structures

As mentioned, keeping your roof clean is an important roof maintenance step. By keeping algae, moss and lichens at bay, you’ll help to keep your roof in good condition for longer. Your roof is your first layer of protection against the outside elements, meaning damage to your roof can spread once your roof is no longer in good condition.

Some problem roof damage that are caused by lichen and moss growths include:

Moisture damage: Seeing as lichens and moss attract moisture to the surface of your roof, they can eventually cause moisture damage if left for too long.
Separation of shingles: When lichen penetrates your roof exterior, it can start to grow between your shingles, causing them to separate. This can lead to roof leaks, ceiling damage and other structural complications
Shingle damage: Besides causing shingles to separate, moss on lichen growths will lead shingles to bend and look misshapen.

Once your roof is compromised, other structures in your home will be completely vulnerable to the elements. Rain, hail, wind, UV rays from the sun and other weather elements will start to damage your home rapidly. This can lead to roof leaks and moisture seeping into your walls. When left unattended, these new problems will eventually lead to mold growths inside your home, which can have multiple adverse effects on your health.

4. Save Money on Roof Maintenance and Repairs

When you keep your roof clean, you’re preventing a lot of roof problems that could drastically shorten the lifespan of your roof. The cost of getting your roof clean might not be cheap, but compared to replacing your roof, it’s very reasonable. By keeping your roof clean, you can expand its lifespan quite a bit, which will save you a lot of money on roof maintenance, repairs and replacements.

To give you an idea, the average cost of roof cleaning in Miami is approximately $250-750, depending on the size of your roof. Roof replacement, on the other hand, tends to cost between $5000 to $15,000. Whereas the cost of roof cleaning is largely dependent on the current state of your roof, as well as its size in square feet, the cost of roof replacement will depend on the size of your roof, the contractors you use and the quality of your roofing shingles.

What’s clear, however, is that the price difference between cleaning and replacing a roof is very big. Spending $5000 to $15,000 on replacing a roof isn’t something anybody wants to do more often than necessary.

5. Save Money on Insurance Installments

Many insurance companies place a lot of value on how well you maintain your property. Often times, insurance companies can send out inspectors to take note of the overall condition of your property. If an inspector drives by your house, only to see moss, lichen and dark lines on your roof, chances are your insurance company will assume you aren’t investing enough into maintaining your property. This can cause your premiums to go up, which will keep costing you unnecessary money in the long-run

Keeping your property in good condition can go a long way in enhancing your quality of life, meaning it’s an investment you’ll benefit from. Rather than spending extra money on insurance costs, it’s better to maintain your house and get the most out of your money spent.

Choosing a Roof Cleaner in Miami, FL

Now that you know the benefits of keeping your roof clean, it’s important to choose a good roof cleaning contractor to clean your roof. While your could try to clean your roof yourself, it’s a risky job with a high risk of falls and injury. Hiring a professional to clean your roof can also help you get a better end result.

When hiring a roof cleaning company in Miami, FL, it’s important to ensure you’re hiring trained professionals. Be sure to ask any contractor you’re considering whether or not they have insurance, as well as whether their employees undergo training to ensure they adhere to safety regulations and offer quality services.

Also find out about the different roof cleaning services offered by different companies. Some companies will provide a pressure washing service to clean your roof. Other companies will make use of a sprayer (much like a garden sprayer) and other equipment to clean your roof. A few companies might also be willing to offer both pressure washing or alternative roof cleaning methods depending on what you prefer.

Do your research about different methods of cleaning a roof to make sure that the company you choose uses a roof cleaning method that you’re comfortable with. In some cases, it can also be beneficial to contact your insurance provider and ask what roof cleaning methods they believe is best, as some insurance companies might penalize you for using roof cleaning methods they believe to be potentially harmful.

Even though spring is almost over, it’s not too late to book a professional roof cleaner to take care of the dirt and grime on your roof. Call Kleanway Pressure Cleaning today to learn more about our roof cleaning, pressure washing and window cleaning services.

Cleaning with Baking Soda: Benefits and Uses

Household Cleaning No comments

Baking soda is gaining popularity thanks to its multi-purpose usefulness around the house. Cleaning with baking soda is simple and offers a great alternative to traditional detergents. But what exactly is baking soda?

Baking soda is an alkaline compound that produces carbon dioxide when combined with an acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice. It’s mostly known as a rising agent used in baked goods such as cakes and scones. However, this is changing, as baking soda has been discovered to have various uses for hygiene and health. It’s now a popular choice for household cleaning.

What’s the Hype around Baking Soda?

Contemporary cleaning trends have given way to the rise of minimalist, natural and eco-friendly products to substitute commercial chemical-laden products. The growth in demand for eco-friendly products has, however, lead to “greenwashing” (a situation where ecolabels are overused and misused) by detergent manufacturers.

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency has expressed uncertainty over some ecolabels in determining what products are truly eco-friendly. Consumers can’t be guaranteed safety simply by buying products that claim to be eco-friendly.

What better way to counteract all this uncertainty than to resort to home-made cleaning products? It’s in this scenario that baking soda finds itself emerging to the top as both an effective and healthy alternative for cleaning.

Cleaning with Baking Soda: 14 Ways to Use Baking Soda in Your Home

Baking soda is that one magic ingredient that’s simply got to be found in every kitchen cupboard. Apart from cooking, there are so many other ways baking soda can be used around the house.

1. Baking Soda for Cleaning the Oven

After roasting that delicious turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, all the sticky grease left behind can be cleaned out by simply using baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice. In a spray bottle, mix 1 cup of vinegar with ½ a cup of lemon juice and spray the bottom of the oven. After 10 minutes, sprinkle some baking soda and wait another 10 minutes before wiping it clean.

2. Stove and Kitchen Surfaces

Sprinkle baking soda directly onto your greasy stove top and wait for 5 minutes before scrubbing gently with a damp sponge. Mix it with water to clean microwaves, stainless steel sinks and cooking utensils.

3. Washing Fresh Fruits and Veggies

Soaking your fruits and veggies in a mixture of baking soda and water for 15 minutes removes up to 96% of most pesticides.

4. Clean and Refresh a Smelly Refrigerator

Wipe away old food residues from inside your refrigerator with a mixture of baking soda and water. To keep it odor-free, place a small container of baking soda inside the refrigerator to absorb any lingering strong smells.

5. Refresh and Clean Dish Cloths and Sponges

To remove strong smells, soak your dish clothes and sponges in a mixture of 4 tablespoons of baking soda and a liter of warm water overnight.

6. Make Pots and Pans Sparkle

Baking soda makes restoring the original sparkle of pots and pans possible. Mix 3 parts baking soda with 1 part water and scrub your pots and pans with a scourer before washing as usual.

7. Remove Coffee, Tea and Rust Stains

Baking soda gets rid of those ugly stubborn coffee, tea and rust stains from your mugs, cups and baking trays. Simply soak them in a mixture of 4 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 liter of warm water for a couple of hours or overnight before washing as usual.

8. Deodorize Trash Cans

Sprinkle some baking soda into a fresh bin bag to absorb any unpleasant odors. Keep the trash can itself in good condition by washing it with baking soda and water once a week.

9. De-clogging Drains

Pour half a cup of baking soda and half a cup of vinegar down the drain and let it fizz for a while, then pour 6 cups of hot water down the drain.

10. Remove Soap Scum

Sprinkle some baking soda onto a wet cloth or sponge and gently scrub on sinks and bathtubs to remove soap scum and grime buildup.

11. Clean Shower Grout

Brush a paste of baking soda and lemon juice on grout lines with a toothbrush and let it sit for a while before wiping it off clean.

12. Clean the Toilet

Pour 1 cup of vinegar into the toilet and let it sit for a minute. Sprinkle 1 cup of baking soda and add a further 2 cups of vinegar, which causes a fizzing action. After 10 minutes, use the toilet brush to sweep the mixture all over the bowl so it can reach stains above the water line. Wait for 30 more minutes, brushing occasionally until all the stains are gone and then flush the toilet.

13. Freshen Drawers and Closets

Place an open box or glass jar of baking soda on a closet shelf to keep musty odors at bay. For drawers, fill an old sock with baking soda and place it inside the drawer to absorb unpleasant odors.

14. Deodorize Mattresses and Carpets

Vacuum the mattress or carpet first and then sprinkle baking soda generously over the surface. Wait for 30 minutes then vacuum thoroughly.

Cleaning with Baking Soda: Bonus Recipes

Cleaning with baking soda can be fun. You can follow different recipes to create your own baking soda cleaners.

Baking Soda Washing Powder

Adding ½ a cup of baking soda to the rinse cycle helps freshen clothes and boost color.

Baking Soda Air Freshener

A mixture of baking soda, water and a few drops of your favorite essential oil can be used in the place of store-bought air fresheners.

Toy Cleaner

Wipe your little one’s toys with a sponge dipped in a baking soda and water solution to make them look new again.

Wall Cleaner/Crayon Mark Remover

Scrubbing those crayon-covered walls with a damp sponge sprinkled in baking soda not only cleans the walls but also leaves the paint intact.

Shoe Freshener

Generously sprinkle baking soda into your sneakers and let it sit overnight. Toss it out in the morning or the next time you wear them. The baking soda will absorb the foul odors and sweat residue out of your shoes.

These are some ways baking soda can be used to clean around the house. A lot of people are turning to natural ways of cleaning their homes. Even though it requires some good old-fashioned elbow grease, baking soda is an excellent mild ad abrasive “wonder cleaner”.

Benefits of Cleaning with Baking Soda

Baking soda is an ingredient that’s found in almost all households. It is cheap in all grocery stores and using it to clean your house means you don’t have to stock up on numerous cleaning products.

It’s an all-in-one, multi-purpose household cleaner that works for every room in your house. This means massive savings in the long run.

Baking soda is edible, non-toxic and odorless. It can easily be used with bare hands by most people without causing any health issues.

It can easily and inexpensively be mixed in your own home and guarantees you safety from all the toxic chemicals found in commercial cleaning products. You don’t have to sacrifice your health on the altar of hygiene.

Are Commercial Cleaning Products Harmful?

According to the American Lung Association, most household cleaning products usually contain harmful chemicals. This includes products advertised as “natural” which may cause health problems like respiratory illnesses, headaches, sore eyes and cancer.

These chemicals are not only harmful to human beings, but also to pets and the environment. Some ingredients in chemical cleaners are not biodegradable and end up in our water system, affecting the quality of water, harming fish and wildlife.

The plastic bottles used to package cleaning products pose another environmental problem in that they contribute to the mounds of solid waste, most of which cannot be recycled.

Also, most cleaning products are made of petroleum-based chemicals leading to its depletion and increasing America’s dependence on imported oil.

Baking soda is a safer cleaning alternative as it is good for scrubbing out stubborn dirt, deodorizes, cleans and freshens most utensils. It is even more effective when combined with vinegar, which is also a natural cleaning ingredient.

Should you need the convenience and added power of commercial cleaners, choose products with the lowest impact on your health and the environment. This can be done by avoiding products bearing signal words such as Danger, Warning or Caution, as they are highly toxic.

The Homeowner’s Guide to Pressure Washing A House

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Pressure washing is a great cleaning option for homeowners who want to remove loose paint, mold, dust, grime, or mud with little effort. Instead of scrubbing away at unwanted dirt on the exterior of your home, it’s faster and more effective to target hard-to-reach areas with pressure washing.

There are also numerous other benefits associated with pressure washing your house, office or parking lot. You can find a lot of reasonably priced pressure hoses on the market for anyone who is interested in DIY pressure washing a house. But if you’ve never used a pressure cleaner before, you may be unaware of which one to purchase and what water velocity is required to adequately wash the area concerned. If this is the case, follow the tips below before you attempt pressure washing your house.

What You Need to Know About Pressure Washing

Gas or Electric-Power Pressure Cleaner?

A gas-powered pressure washer is more ideal than an electric-powered one because it has a higher flow rate (GPM), which means that it’ll be much quicker to clean the area than using an electric-powered one. Although gas pressure cleaners are more expensive, they are worth purchasing if you don’t want to spend twice or sometimes three times as much time cleaning the same area. You will want the flow rate of your gas pressure cleaner to be at least 2.3 GPM.

Keep in mind, however, that higher flow rates will mean more pressure and too much pressure isn’t ideal. If you use a pressure washer that’s too heavy duty for the job, it might actually end up damaging your home’s exterior surfaces. Unfortunately, this means you might have to settle for a pressure washer with a low to medium pressure intensity. While this would be more versatile, you’ll find it challenging to clean areas like your driveway and sidewalk.

Which Nozzle Should I Use on My Pressure Cleaner?

Your pressure cleaner should come with numerous different colored nozzles which all serve different functions. Nozzles are often color-coded, so this is something you can look out for to understand your equipment better.

The red nozzle is the highest velocity nozzle that can cause damage to most materials. This nozzle is usually used to remove weeds from cracks in driveways. Next is the yellow nozzle, which is used to strip paint and clean concrete. The green nozzle is good for removing dirt from patio furniture and decks but the pressure is too low heavy duty jobs. The pressure of the white nozzle is even lower, so if you are unsure of the water velocity you’ll need, this is a good place to start and then work your way up from here.

The black nozzle is used to dispense soap or detergent, water is released at a 65-degree angle. Finally, there’s the turbo nozzle, which usually is either blue or black. It’s much larger than all the other nozzles and like the red nozzle, should be handled with extreme care.

Detergents and Brush Attachments

It’s recommended that when using a pressure cleaner, you use detergent as well. This can be used in conjunction with the black nozzle attachment. Using detergent will make cleaning easier because it’ll require less time to clean the area than it would if you were just relying on water pressure. It will also pose less of a safety risk because using soap or detergent means that you require a lower pressure to clean the area. Just make sure that you use the right detergent for the materials you are cleaning.

Using a brush isn’t required but it’s useful for cleaning malleable materials where you don’t want to risk using a higher pressure nozzle. You can also purchase an extension wand for hard-to-reach areas.

Pressure Cleaning Safety Tips

Practice great caution while using a pressure cleaner, as the high velocity at which the water is released from the pressure cleaner could damage certain less durable surfaces and items, or even cause bodily harm.

It’s recommended to use safety goggles at all times when using a pressure cleaner because if you end up on the wrong side of the hose for whatever reason, it could cause extreme damage to your eyes.

Another tip is to avoid using ladders while using a pressure cleaner, as the push-back from the hose could cause you to fall. For cleaning hard-to-reach places, rather use an extension wand to avoid any injuries.

It’s also important to clear the area of anything besides what requires cleaning. This is important because if you are pressure cleaning the exterior of your house you would use a nozzle that’s pressure is higher than the one you would use to clean patio furniture and may end up damaging it.

Checking if your property was painted with lead paint is also something you should determine before attempting to clean the area. If your house is really old, i.e. it was built before lead paint was banned in 1978, then chances are that it still has a coat of lead paint on it, even if it’s hidden beneath layers of modern paint. Lead paint is extremely poisonous, so it’s important that no animal or human ingests paint dust or chips by accident.

The Benefits of Pressure Washing A House

Pressure washing a house offers many benefits. It’s the fastest way to blast away dirt from exterior surfaces. Maintaining the cleanliness of your home is about more than just a clean appearance.

It Increases The Market Value of Your Property

When buyers look at the a property, they take in the whole property holistically. Houses that stand out are ones that are in pristine condition, exceptionally well-kept. Even if you home is in perfect working order, an unclean appearance will decrease its value in the eyes of potential buyers. Remember, buyers aren’t won’t know your home is up-to-date with all its maintenance, so the cleanliness of your property will serve as a good overall indication of how well your maintain other things.

It Prevents Damage to Your Property

While the cleanliness of your home might not be an accurate indication of how well-maintained it is, home buyers who judge overall property value based on cleanliness aren’t too far off! The exterior of buildings continually face harsh weather and man-made elements, all of which all contribute to an ill-kept looking property, but there’s more to it than just looks.

Moss, algae and mold growth can all cause permanent damage to your property if left unattended. Not to mention the fact that small cracks or other structural damages might be hidden under a layer of dirt.

It Reduces Allergies and Improves General Well-Being

The general upkeep of your residential or commercial property also helps to protect the health and well-being of the inhabitants of the building. By removing health risks such as mold or mildew, you minimize allergies and improve the air quality. This is especially beneficial if there are any asthma sufferers living in your house, but anyone can benefit.

It Helps Prepare Surfaces

When considering repainting or varnishing any surface, it is important to ensure that the surface is clean and free of any dust, dirt, or residue. This includes those hard-to-reach places such as cracks and crevices. Pressure washing will prevent your beautifully repainted surface from being tarnished as a result of painting over particles of debris. Without thorough preparation, your newly painted home exterior or deck simply won’t look renewed and the paint won’t last nearly as long. Painting over an unprepared surface is worse than not painting at all. Pressure washing is a great way to ensure the surface is clean. After pressure washing, you can continue to sand down and prepare the surface as necessary.

It’s recommended to pressure clean your property once or twice a year and while pressure cleaning equipment is available for hire, in the long run, it is often cheaper and safer to hire a pressure cleaning service to take the hassle out of doing it yourself.

The Ultimate Guide to Pressure Washing a House

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It’s safe to say that pressure washers are one of those tools that everyone needs every now and again. Thanks to the elements, your home’s exterior succumbs to dirt, buildup over time. When this happens, a pressure washer is your best bet. They are great at removing dirt, even of the most resilient nature. With so many different pressure washers in the market, you certainly want to take the time to find out exactly which pressure washing equipment works best for you. If you’re considering to buy a pressure washing machine and do some of your own pressure washing, then there are a few things you’ll need to know about pressure washing equipment.

Pressure Washing Equipment: The Technical Terms

When you start shopping around for a pressure washer, it won’t take long before you come across two very important abbreviations – PSI and GPM. Understanding what they mean will assist you in choosing the best pressure washing equipment for you.

PSI (Pounds per Square Inch)

This number simply expresses how forceful the water is during cleaning. The higher the PSI, the better the cleaning power – but the greater the probability of damaging delicate surfaces like wood. Generally speaking, a PSI of around 2000 is good enough for most cleaning around the house.

GPM (Gallons per Minute)

GPM tells the volume of water dispensed per minute by the pressure washer. This is very useful because it lets you know how fast it will take the pressure washer to complete the job. You might think that a lower GPM is the way to go, however, it’s typically the other way around – the higher the GPM, the quicker your surface will be cleaned.
Now that you know what these are, you’ll be ready to learn more about pressure cleaning.

Gas vs Electric Pressure Washers

The pump that a pressure washer uses to increase the water pressure can be powered by either electricity or gasoline.

Gas Pressure Washing Equipment

Gas pressure washers have the ability to clean surfaces quicker and more efficiently compared to electric pressure washers. This is because they have higher PSI and GPM levels, which means that if you want a machine that has power, a gas pressure washer is great – you’ll have no problem getting through even the toughest dirt.
You also don’t have to worry about portability issues. Gas pressure washers rely on gas and are therefore cordless.

However, one thing to take note of is that gasoline engines require a lot of maintenance. The oil needs frequent changing. If you want to store the machine for a lengthy period of time, you’ll have to use the correct fuel additives to prevent damage. In addition, they are louder and produce emissions. They are, however, ideal for cleaning siding, decks, patios, fences, boats and vehicles.

Electric Pressure Washing Equipment

Electric pressure washers, as the name suggests, are powered by electricity. This means that you don’t have to worry about keeping up with oil change maintenance. There also aren’t any harmful emissions, so electric pressure washers are safe to use in poorly ventilated areas.

The downside to electric pressure washers is that they don’t have the capacity to clean large or excessively dirty areas. This is mainly because they don’t typically have the same power as gas pressure washers.

In other words, cleaning a large area would take a long, long time. Even after a long time cleaning, you might end up with unsatisfactory results. What’s more, since they need a power outlet to work, portability can pose a problem.

However, they are ideal for washing your car, outdoor furniture, plastic play sets and grills. They can also work for small decks and patios.

Pressure Washer Engine Size

You’ll have to choose an appropriate engine size, regardless of if you’re buying and electric- or gas-powered pressure washer. Remember, the total power of the machine is determined by the engine size. Engines can be categorized in four ways.

Light-duty

This pressure washer produces water pressure levels of less than 2000 PSI. You can use a light-duty electric pressure washer for cleaning your small patio or deck, or some outdoor household items every now and again. They are designed for light cleaning work.

Medium-duty

This pressure washer can produce water pressure levels of 2000 to 2800 PSI. Its higher pressure makes it ideal for cleaning your driveway, walkway, fencing and siding.

Heavy-duty

A heavy-duty pressure washer is perfect for removing stubborn dirt on large, hard areas. It can produce pressure levels of between 2900 and 3300 PSI, which makes if very powerful.

Professional-grade Pressure Washer

If you’re planning to do hours and hours of pressure washing, a professional-grade pressure washer is what you need. With a PSI of 3300 and higher, this pressure washer is the best choice for big pressure washing jobs like cleaning parking lots.

Pressure Washing Nozzles

The angle at which water flows when sprayed out is determined by the nozzle. Different angles affect how the water stream hits the surface you are cleaning.
For example, a narrow-angle spray is a lot more powerful compared to a large-angle spray. Choosing the right nozzle doesn’t have to be complicated though, because nozzles are universally color-coded based on how narrow and forceful the spray pattern is, making it easier for you to know which one to use.

Red: 0-degree Angle

Red nozzles are the narrowest nozzles, which makes them very dangerous if misused, since the narrow water stream can cause a lot of damage to surfaces, even metal. Never use a red nozzle close to any surface. This tip is mainly suitable if you want to get rid of weeds in cracks on your driveway or walkway.

Yellow: 15-degree Angle

Yellow nozzles emit a 15-degree spray and are a good option for washing concrete around the house or for stripping paint. Again, be careful with this nozzle since it can cause damage to wood and other softer materials.

Green: 25-degree Angle

A green nozzle gives you a 25-degree spray. It’s great for general pressure washing around the house. Use this tip for washing your car, boat, fence, deck, siding, or outdoor furniture.

White: 40-degree Angle

With a 40-degree spray, the white nozzle is probably the most user-friendly nozzle you could use. Choose white if you’re planning on cleaning your windows or siding. Generally, this is the nozzle to choose if you’re unsure of the right one, then you can work your way up to narrower tips.

Black: 65-degree Angle

Black nozzles (aka soap nozzles) are the gentlest due to a spray angle of 65 degrees. The pressure is so low that it can’t actually remove dirt,. Instead, black nozzles are used for making a surface wet before cleaning and to dispense soap.

Take Note

When it comes to choosing a nozzle, it’s better to use the broadest, lowest-pressure nozzle that can clean the surface you’re working with. Avoid using a nozzle that’s too narrow. The narrower the nozzle, the easier it can cut into and damage the surface you’re cleaning. One way to help you make sure you’re using the right nozzle is to test it by spraying on a discreet area before spraying the rest.

Pressure Washing Detergents

Lastly, as powerful as pressure washers can be, you may still need to use soaps and detergents for a perfect clean.
The importance of only using detergents that are meant for your pressure washing equipment cannot be stressed enough. Using the wrong products, like bleach, will damage your pressure washer.

Furthermore, you must select a detergent based on the surface you want to clean. Different detergents are meant for different surfaces. For instance, the detergent you use to clean your garage floor can’t be the same one you use to clean your car, as cars need something milder.

Many pressure washers come with detergent tanks, making the application simple with just the push of a button.

Ready-to-use Detergents

These detergents are premixed and all you have to do is add it into your detergent tank.

Concentrated Detergents

These detergents should be mixed with water until the correct ratio is achieved. Read the instructions carefully to ensure you get the measurements correct.

Getting Started with Pressure Washing

These are just the basics of pressure washing equipment for the beginner pressure washer. No matter the type, all pressure washers do a good cleaning job, but like so many things, it’s not a one-size-fits-all. You must source the equipment that best suits your needs and make sure you use the right techniques so that you don’t cause damage to your home, or even yourself. Wear protective gear like gloves and goggles to guard against any flying debris.

If learning how to pressure wash seems like too much hassle, why not call a professional to help? Professionals have all the right equipment and years of experience in cleaning various types of surfaces.

Miami Restaurant Hood Cleaning

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Kitchens are always a challenge to keep clean. With so much commotion and people constantly working, it’s no wonder kitchens get dirty over time. Restaurant and commercial kitchens are especially prone to buildup of oil, grime and other debris. This is why it’s essential to arrange a proper clean once or twice every year for all commercial kitchens. Many parts of the restaurant, such as the floors need to be checked and cleaned thoroughly, but there are parts that aren’t as visible. Commercial hood suppression systems are important for safety, when they get dirty, they pose a fire hazard and air quality in the kitchen may be negatively affected. Restaurant hood cleaning is something that some commercial kitchen managers either neglect or forget, but it’s a necessary part of keeping your commercial kitchen safe.

What is a Restaurant Hood Suppression System?

The restaurant hood suppression system helps to keep restaurants safe by controlling fire hazards. Whenever there’s a risk of a gas fire, the suppression system will kick in and cut off gas supply to stoves. Restaurant hood suppression systems can also control grease fires by dispensing a specially-formulated extinguishing agent from nozzles if a fire is detected in the kitchen.

Another important function of restaurant hood suppression systems is ensuring air quality. During cooking, a lot of smoke, water vapor and other particles get released into the air. By ventilating the air in the kitchen, the hood systems help to keep air safe to breathe and comfortable to work in.

There are different types of restaurant hood suppression systems, so it’s important that every restaurant owner know what functionality is built into their system.

While restaurant hoods are common in restaurants, they can also be found in other commercial kitchens at catering companies, cooking schools, fast food outlets, grocery stores and movie theaters.

Why Clean Your Restaurant Hood System?

The National Fire Agency, requires you to maintain your restaurant hood system. Maintaining your system means you’re responsible to see to it that the restaurant hood is functional, and clean. Looking after your restaurant hood system means having it inspected regularly by a qualified technician and cleaned according to schedule by professional cleaners.

If you fail to comply to the guidelines set out be the NFPA, you will be held fully accountable if a fire starts in your commercial kitchen. The cost of keeping your hood system clean shouldn’t stop you from complying to safety guidelines.

Because maintaining air quality is an important function of hood suppression systems, restaurant hood cleaning will make the kitchen space more comfortable. Ventilation of smoke from cooking means unpleasant smells won’t travel from the kitchen to where your customers are. Lowering the amount of water vapor in the air from steam means that the kitchen won’t become a damp, hot, uncomfortable working environment.

Restaurant hood cleaning is important because is manages fire hazards while also ensuring your commercial kitchen is a good environment for employees and customers alike.

Restaurant Hood Cleaning and Safety Tips

It’s essential that you make a good choice when choosing professionals to help you maintain and clean your restaurant hood. Be sure to work with a company that fulfills all the necessary legal requirements. This normally means you’ll have to hire a company that has some insurance in place. Working with insured service providers means you’ll have some form of cover in case of accidental damage to your property during service delivery, for example.

Another way to make sure your restaurant hood system is helping you keep your commercial kitchen at its peak is to train staff on the functionality of the system. Hood suppression systems often have useful features built-in, but to take advantage of them, staff must know how to operate the equipment properly.

When training employees, also ensure you cover basic cleaning of the equipment. The restaurant hood should be wiped down daily in the same way counter tops are wiped.

Filters also need to be cleaned regularly by your staff. Read the instructions from your supplier on where to locate filters and how to clean them. Often cleaning filters is as simple as putting them in your washer for a clean. For kitchens with high output, grease extractor filters must ideally be cleaned weekly or bi-weekly. Be sure to read any instructions provided with your system to identify other filters that need to be cleaned. Filters will generally differ from one system to another, which is why it’s important that you know your specific hood system well.

How Often to Clean Your Hood Suppression System?

How often you’ll need to book a restaurant hood cleaning will depend on your commercial kitchen. The kind of cooking you do and volume of food your produce will all influence how often your hood suppression system will need cleaning. Guidelines set out by the NFPA are as follows:

Commercial kitchen operating at high volume require quarterly cleaning
Moderate production kitchens require cleaning about twice a year
Kitchens with low output can function with an annual clean

High volume kitchens typically operate hours on end each day. Restaurants that are open for 12 hours or more daily are likely to qualify as high volume kitchens. Commercial kitchens where deep frying, pan frying and other messy jobs are performed daily are also likely to be high volume.

Moderate production kitchens can include kitchens at restaurants that are only open in the evenings, for instance. Low output kitchens are ones that only operate occasionally, such as seasonal restaurants, churches and campsites that are only visited occasionally.

Booking a Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning: What is the Process?

Before booking with a company to clean your restaurant hood system, be sure to ask if they have adequate experience cleaning commercial kitchen equipment. A lot of the cleaning process will require the cleaner to have some knowledge on how hood systems typically work and what parts need cleaning.

You should realize that your hood suppression system comprises of more than the parts you see in your kitchen. Apart from the hood, your suppression system also has ducts, filters and a fan. When hiring a professional, each part of your hood system must be cleaned meticulously, ensuring it’s clean enough to fulfill safety standards.

One of the best and most common ways to clean a restaurant hood is through pressure washing. Pressure washing restaurant hoods is an effective way to remove tough dirt and grime from grease, particles of foodstuffs and more.

Process of Pressure Cleaning Restaurant Hoods

Before cleaning, cleaners will typically disconnect certain parts and fix protective plastic covers where necessary. During this phase, filters will also be removed. Once contractors start cleaning, everything from the roof and ducts down to the kitchen should be cleaned.

Cleaning the a restaurant hood takes a lot of work, inspecting every corner for dirt and buildup. Certain parts may also need replacement, so it’s important to work with cleaners that know what to look for when inspecting the hood system. While some contractors might be able to replace parts, replacement of parts can also be done by a qualified technician after cleaning.

Be sure to have the system inspected by a qualified professional immediately after cleaning. A technician can check for leaks, replace parts and perform a general service on your equipment. Ideally, your service technician and cleaning contractor should work together when after cleaning to ensure everything is ready for operation.

Keeping your equipment clean for operation can seem like a large expense, but it’s worth the cost when you consider the benefit. Always have your equipment inspected by a qualified technician after cleaning. This will ensure it remains safe for operation. Servicing technicians can also assist by training staff on handling equipment and general safety guidelines.

While hiring contractors to clean your commercial kitchen hood system, you can also call in cleaners to help remove grime in other areas of your premises. Windows, floors and other areas of restaurants often have buildup that’s best removed through pressure washing.

How Much Does Pressure Cleaning Cost?

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It’s nice when your home exterior or storefront is spotless from top to bottom. A clean building echoes a unique sense of finesse, pride and professionalism: a certain quality that’s distinctly lacking if your place is overdue for a clean. If you cringe a little when you see the dirt buildup and grime on your property exterior, it’s a good time to book a pressure cleaning. But how much does pressure cleaning cost in Miami? Having a rough idea of pricing could help a lot when you’re getting quotes from power cleaning companies.

How Are Pressure Washing Services Priced?

Pressure washing companies can use different pricing types for their services. While some companies will charge per hour, others might opt for a pricing system based on the size of your property. Other pressure cleaning companies will forego individual pricing altogether in favor of flat rate prices.

Different approaches to pricing among service providers can make it difficult for you to effectively compare rates. If you decide to get quotes from several companies, you’re likely to run into this problem.

However, standard industry rates should remain roughly the same for your property. Each company should be able to give you a good estimate of what the work will cost from start to finish.

Another thing to remember is that pricing isn’t everything. Unfortunately, the old saying applies and you often get what you pay for. The cheapest company isn’t always the best, so be sure to choose a reliable business with a good reputation to pressure clean your property.

How Much Does Pressure Cleaning Cost: The Average Cost of Pressure Washing Services

According to Homeguide, the average cost of pressure cleaning a house is approximately $0.40 per square foot. Prices can range between $0.35 and $0.77 per square foot, with both ends of the spectrum still considered reasonably normal.

When you call out a pressure washing company, you can expect to pay around $173 to $358 in total for house sidings. The actual amount will depend on the size of your property, of course, as well as how much work is involved in cleaning it. On average, homeowners spend approximately $211 for pressure cleaning their property.

If you’re looking to have your deck or driveway pressure washed, you can expect to pay between $108 to $262. Once again, pricing will depend on the size of the property and work involved.

Here’s what you can expect to pay, on average, for pressure cleaning different areas of your home exterior:

Decks and patios range from $119 to $244
Roofs range from $250 to $600
The house, or siding can cost between $173 and $358
Fences cost approximately $155 to $290

Although this should give you a good idea regarding the cost of pressure cleaning services, there’s still more to know before you settle on a pricing agreement.

Pressure Washing Cost Factors

There are a few things that can influence what you pay for pressure cleaning services. Factors that can affect pricing include:

Where you stay
What kind of property you own
What kind of pressure cleaning service you require
What area of the property you want to clean
The company you choose to hire

If you want to clean an area of a property that’s soiled in tough dirt, you can expect to pay more than if the area you want to clean is already quite presentable. Companies might also charge more based on the demand for their services.

In most cases, pressure cleaning companies won’t charge extra to travel to your property. Most companies service specific areas, as long as your property falls within the given service area of the company you choose, no additional travel fees should apply. If your property is outside of normal service areas, be sure to ask how much companies will charge extra for travelling to your location.

Location and Pressure Cleaning Cost

As a rule, goods and services are more expensive in metropolitan areas than rural towns. The demand for services and good will increase the larger the population of the city or town where you stay.

Even so, demand for pressure washing services in your area will be unique. The amount of pressure cleaning companies available can play a role in the pricing of cleaning services. Too many companies in a saturated market, and you can score yourself a bargain. Too few companies servicing a large area, and you’ll need to reach a bit deeper into your pocket for a pressure washing session.

Property Type and Pressure Washing Cost

While homeowners get a good average of $211, commercial property owners won’t always be as lucky. Some commercial properties, like small storefronts, can cost roughly the same as residential properties to clean.

Big properties, like commercial parking lots, can cost quite a bit more than the average home. While the price per square foot for commercial properties is often lower, with $0.05 to $0.30 all being well within the average price range, the properties are usually much bigger.

Commercial property owners should be more vigilant than homeowners when choosing a service. While some pressure cleaning companies are much lower in price, the work quality is also often lacking – not because these companies can’t provide good service, but because the property owners are paying for a lower grade service than they ideally require.

Pressure Cleaning Service Options and Pricing

Not all pressure cleaning is the same. Most consumers are unaware that pressure cleaning and power washing are, in fact, two distinct services.

Power washing is like a form of pressure washing. What distinguishes power cleaning from pressure washing, however, is the use of hot water in a power cleaning machine. This makes power cleaning a really good choice for removing tough dirt, degreasing surfaces and even killing fungi, like algae or mold.

Pressure washing is done with normal cold water as you’d get from a garden tap. While it’s still effective for a wide range of purposes, the lack of heated water means that high pressure is what makes pressure cleaning effective.

Power cleaning is typically a bit more expensive than pressure washing, but it can also be more effective sometimes. Because of this commercial property owners should insist on power cleaning for tough-to-clean areas like parking lots and commercial garages.

Save with Pressure Cleaning Special Offers

While you shouldn’t always choose a company based on low pricing, there’s one instance where you can take advantage of low prices without missing out on quality – special offers.

Pressure cleaning services won’t always have special offers available, so it’s important to put yourself in a position where you can see specially offers whenever they’re available

To stay up-to-date regarding special offers you can contact local services in your area and ask about annual special offers. You can also follow pressure cleaning companies on social media so that you’re first to see when there’s a special available.

Just keep in mind that not all special offers would necessarily be helpful to you. Some might apply specifically to decks and patios, whereas others might focus on driveways, for instance.

Choosing a Pressure Washing Service

When you hire a pressure cleaning service, the cleanliness and protection of your property should take priority. Always hire a company that fulfills all the necessary legal requirements to operate.

Any company you hire should have some form of business insurance and be a licensed service provider for your area. Without these two qualifying factors, you shouldn’t even consider hiring a company.

Additionally, it’s good to work with a company that has experience in the pressure cleaning industry. While it isn’t an absolute must, pressure cleaning mistakes are likely to leave damage on your property. Working with experienced professionals is your best bet if you want to avoid any unwanted mishaps.

Miami Cleaning Services: What Should You Outsource?

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A clean business property is fundamental for doing business. Despite this, many businesses face unique challenges in keeping their commercial property clean. When it comes to outsourcing Miami cleaning services, there are a few things your business should consider. Deciding what cleaning tasks to outsource will depend on your budget and business type.

Cleanliness in Business: How Does it Affect Sales?

When thinking about your company’s cleaning requirements, it’s important to realize that every business is unique. Cleaning an office building isn’t the same as cleaning an automotive workshop.

When establishing a cleaning schedule for your business, maintaining cleanliness standards is a priority. You should be asking yourself how often each part of your premises must be cleaned to ensure it’s presentable. If your company deals with edibles, or you operate in a medical industry this is even more important.

How Much Do Customers Value Cleanliness?

Cleanliness is essential to pass health inspections and attract new keep customers happy. But just how important is it, really? Would customers choose a business with an inferior product or service based solely on how clean the business property is?

The answer is yes. First impressions matter. Cleanliness is one of the fundamental things your business needs to compete. Consumers place high value on the way your business presents itself. Before considering whether your business is any good, people will look at whether you’ve got the basics right – such as a presentable business premises.

According to research conducted in 2017, approximately 9 out of 10 Americans say that the cleanliness of a business is an important factor when deciding whether they’ll return.

Areas of importance can include the cleanliness of public spaces, such as lounges, store fronts and restrooms – but can even extend to areas such as the parking lot and garden. Presentability matters on every level in business. Customers can overlook if one or two things aren’t entirely in place, but overall you must represent a sense of professionality in your company space.

Creating a Clean Brand

Another benefit of a clean business premises is that it helps your branding stand out. When it comes to branding, a polished appearance is fundamental. As mentioned above, customers notice when a business space isn’t up to snuff. As a result, not having a clean business premises will detract from your branding efforts.

If you’ve invested into creating a beautiful space for your company – you should do everything in your power to ensure your branding efforts aren’t lost under dust and rubble!

Outsourcing vs In-House Cleaning: When to Hire Miami Cleaning Services?

A lot of companies struggle to decide between outsourcing vs in-house cleaning. The amount of cleaning you outsource at your company will depend on a variety of things – the size of your company, your budget and your unique cleaning requirements, to name a few.

However, almost all businesses can benefit from certain commercial cleaning services. Even if you have full-time employees for day-today cleaning, there are some cleaning tasks that tend to fall through the cracks. Your business should consider outsourcing the following:

Window cleaning: Whether you have a high-rise company building, or a simple storefront on the street, you need to keep your windows clean. It’s easy to forget to clean your windows, seeing as they’re literally meant to not be seen. You visit your commercial property every day, so if your windows gradually become dirtier, you might not notice the difference, the change isn’t profound enough to be noticed. But your customers visit your site every day. As a result, they’re more likely to notice if your windows are dirty.
Pressure cleaning: There are different areas of your commercial property that might need pressure cleaning. Parking lots, concrete floors, warehouses and pavements are just a few of the areas that need to be pressure cleaned.
Tough dirt buildup: If you have any area on your property where there’s tough dirt buildup, it’s a clear sign that your regular in-house cleaning isn’t effective in this area. Difficult areas could include greasy oven hoods in restaurants and even grease-stained walls in automotive shops.

Of all the cleaning tasks at your company, you’re most likely to need a cleaning service for the above. Booking regular scheduled cleanings with a Miami cleaning service is the best way to ensure your commercial property stays clean. You won’t need to remember when your windows or concrete floors need a proper clean again. The pressure cleaning company will keep track on your behalf and remind you when each appointment is due.

Should You Outsource All Your Cleaning?

As mentioned, there are some cleaning tasks that are best to outsource by scheduling appointments in advance. But what about routine cleaning? Unlike washing your windows and pressure cleaning, the choice of whether to hire a cleaning service is completely up to you.

There are several benefits to hiring a commercial cleaning service to clean your company space:

Lower cost: Overall, it’s cheaper to hire a cleaning service to come in only as often as required. Some cleaning companies are also cheaper than others, so to some extent, you can shop around based on your budget. Hiring a full-time employee to clean means you’ll incur HR costs and accept responsibility for their workplace safety etc.
Professionalism: Staff at cleaning companies are often trained and monitored, enabling them to deliver flawless results.
Availability: An employee might take leave of absence for several reasons, such as illness, bereavement or a vacation – leaving you without a way to clean your business premises. When you hire a cleaning company, they will ensure they always have enough staff to clean your space.

If you avoid contractually obligating your business to a single cleaning company, outsourcing also offers the advantage of choice. There are countless cleaning companies to choose from, so if one doesn’t live up to your expectations, it’s easy to hire another instead.

On the other hand, there are instances where outsourcing your cleaning isn’t a good idea. Hiring a full-time employee can offer some advantages:

Confidentiality: If you often work with confidential documents, or openly discuss restricted information at your premises, hiring an employee provides a better sense of security.
Workload: There are instances where the cleaning at your company requires full-time staff. While a cleaning company could provide full-time cleaners, the cost might rapidly increase with workload. This is especially true if the cleaning at your company is so much, it would require multiple full-time cleaners every day.
Special cases: Your company may have unique needs and require an individual who’s trained in cleaning certain things. For instance, hospitals and laboratories might need cleaners that are educated in maintaining superior hygiene standards and understand how to stay safe in these environments. Businesses where certain types of dirt and grime can be an issue, such as automotive workshops may also prefer to hire cleaners that are skilled in cleaning certain spaces.

One of the biggest concerns in hiring a cleaning service is quality control. While some cleaning services are much cheaper, you’ll often get what you pay for. That said, pricing doesn’t always determine little the quality of work a cleaning service will provide. When you hire fulltime employees, you can train your staff to deliver the results you expect.

How to Choose a Miami Cleaning Service?

When hiring a pressure cleaning company or window cleaning service, choosing is easier. Seeing as you can call in these services whenever you need, hiring a cleaning service once doesn’t mean you need to make use of them again. If you aren’t satisfied with the results of a pressure cleaning service, you can simply hire another next time around until you find one you like.

But it’s unnecessary to shop around in this way. It’s better to hire a reputable service than to try different pressure washing companies. Looking at online reviews is one way you can improve your chances of finding a good cleaning service in Miami.

For pressure cleaning and window washing services in Miami, you can rely on Kleanway. Call today to get a quote for your business.

How to Clean a Wood Fence the Right Way

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Painted or varnished, wood fencing is timeless and can add a lot of character to your garden. To keep your wood fence looking as good as new will require some maintenance though. Some of the most important maintenance tasks for wood fencing include cleaning and repainting every once in a while. While fence maintenance might seem easy, you should know how to do it properly. Using the wrong cleaning techniques for a wood fence could cause the wood to crack or warp, so it’s important to know how to clean a wood fence the right way.

Wood Fence Problems: Maintaining Your Wood Fence

Unlike plastic or steel, wood is a plant-based material. The fact that it’s derived from an organic source makes it prone to rot and other forms of decomposing. After all, in nature decomposition of dead organic matter is necessary and helpful. This doesn’t mean that wood isn’t durable, but it takes extra effort to preserve its condition when compared to other materials. Wood can rot, mold, crack and fade quickly when not cared for properly.

When dealing with warm, humid climates (which are often found close to the sea) it’s especially important to clean your wood fence regularly. Cleaning will prevent mold growth and rot.

But while humid weather can cause rot, excessively dry conditions will make your fence to crack and become dusty more quickly. Dust is a sore eye and can mask more serious problems, like cracks.

Hot, sunny conditions also tend to be an issue for wood fencing. UV damage can cause your wood and finishes to fade more rapidly. To fix this, you’ll need to redo the finish on your fence annually or bi-annually. If you’re wondering when you need to repaint, simply check if your current finishing is faded, scratched, chipping or coming off.

When your finishing starts to create bubbles, it’s sign that the wood underneath has absorbed moisture. Don’t leave your fence if you see bubbles in the finishing. Waiting will only cause the wood to start rotting more, in which case you might need to replace your fence all together.

The best way to keep track of the condition of your fence is simply to clean your wood fencing regularly. You’re sure to spot potential issues during cleaning that demand your attention.

How to Clean a Wood Fence Yourself

To clean your wood fence yourself, you will need a wire brush, fence cleaner, garden hose and a soft plastic brush.

For a wood fence cleaner, you can use a commercial product specially designed for cleaning wood decks and fences. Alternatively, you can use oxygenated bleach (dilute according to manufacturer instructions) for a homemade solution. If you want a more natural solution, you can dilute vinegar in water, although this is unlikely to be as effective as other options.

Step 1: Preparing Your Fence

To start cleaning your wood fence, use your wire brush to remove large dried clumps of mud and other debris. Be careful when brushing. Don’t apply too much pressure, as this can scratch and damage the surface of your fence.

Once there are no more clumps of debris on your fence, use your garden hose to rinse it well. Also check for spiderwebs during this stage and rinse them away where possible.

Step 2: Apply a Wood Fence Cleaning Solution

Now that your fence is ready, you can apply your fence cleaning solution. If you’re using oxygenated bleach, apply it all over your fence with a large paint brush. Wait 15 minutes for it to work.

If you’re using a specialized wood deck and fence cleaner, use according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. You should be able to buy a specially formulated wood deck and fence cleaner from your local hardware store.

If you opt for the eco-friendly vinegar and water option, you can make your mixture with half a cup of vinegar diluted in a gallon of water. Use a larger ratio of vinegar to water if your fence is particularly dirty. To wash your fence, apply the mixture using a sponge. Wait 15 minutes.

Step 3: Brush the Fence Down

After waiting for 15 minutes to let your cleaning solution work, it’s time to scrub it. Use your plastic bristle soft brush and thoroughly scrub your fence all over. You can use a bucket of water to dip your brush occasionally while you scrub.

Check your fence for mold, stains and other dirt while scrubbing. Focus on these areas to make sure your fence is properly clean.

To protect yourself, always wear a protective mask while cleaning mold. A gas mask will work best, as it will ensure you aren’t breathing in any spores. Some forms of mold can be very dangerous to your health.

When working with bleach and other harsh chemicals, you should also wear protective gloves. Wear your protective gloves throughout the process, both while applying your solution and while scrubbing the fence.

Step 4: Hose Down with a Hose Pipe

Once you’re satisfied that you’ve covered all the different areas on your fence, it’s time to rinse it down. Rinsing will remove the cleaning solutions and dirt that remain on your fence after scrubbing.

Simply use your hose pipe with an adjustable nozzle that allows you to control the water pressure, or a spray gun attachment. Just make sure you have high enough pressure to properly rinse down the residue left on your fence.

After the final rinse, check your fence again for any remaining stains or mold. Spot treat problem areas with more cleaning solution and repeat the process for these areas.

Pressure Cleaning a Wood Fence

If manually cleaning your wood fence seems like too much effort, why not try pressure cleaning? The benefit of pressure cleaning is that pressure washing your wood fence will blast away dirt quickly and effortlessly compared to manual cleaning. A downside of pressure cleaning is that it can be dangerous. The water beam from the pressure washer nozzle is powerful enough to injure you or damage your fence.

To avoid injury or damage, it’s best to call in a professional power cleaning service to clean your wood fence. Professionals are quick and efficient. As an added bonus, you won’t need to spend your free time doing maintenance work. If there are any other areas around your house that need cleaning, such as your driveway, deck or sidings, you can have the pressure washing company clean them too.

Ask your power cleaning company what cleaning solution they use. If your fence is close to your garden or grassy areas, you’ll need to prevent cleaning chemicals from damaging your garden. One option is to cover your garden with a waterproof plastic cover, although this might not entirely prevent damage to your plants. Another way is to ask your power cleaning company to use eco-friendly cleaners that aren’t damaging to your plants.

Cleaning a Wood Fence before Repainting

You might’ve heard that it’s important to clean your wood fence or deck before repainting it. This is true. Once your fence is clean, you need to sand down the current finishing to remove it before you paint again.

You can also remove paint using a paint remover. Ask an assistant at your local hardware store for a paint remover that’s best suited for wood surfaces. To use paint remover on wood, apply a thick layer of remover with a large, inexpensive paint brush. Wait for about 20 minutes, or until the paint begins to bubble, then use a scraper to gently scrape it off without damaging the surface of the wood.

Another method of removing finishing is with a heat gun. For this method, you will need a heat gun. Follow the instructions of the heat gun manufacturer for how far you need to keep it from your fence. Once you’re done with the heat gun, you’ll need to scrape the fence. Unfortunately, this method is dangerous, so you’ll have to be careful to avoid burning yourself.

Even if you use a paint remover or heat gun, you might still have to sand down some of the finishing that remains once you’re done.

There are multiple ways you can clean your fence for great results. While one way isn’t necessarily better than another, there are ways that are certainly easier. When deciding how to clean your wood fence, consider factors such as how much time you’re willing to spend and your budget. When deciding what cleaning solutions are best, consider the state of your fence. If you have lots of mold, a bleach solution or wood deck and fence cleaner is best. However, if you have a garden, you’ll need to protect it. Consider using a cleaner that’s not damaging to your plants.