Cleaning Equipment - Part 2 of Helpful Cleaning Tips Series
Cleaning Equipment
For Health & Safety reasons, ensure that all your equipment is in good working order and safe to use. Rehearse your cleaner in the operation of any electrical cleaning equipment and other systems such as security alarms. It’s no good just telling them. Demonstrate and then watch them DO it. Machines do vary from one make to another, such as in the method of changing dust bags in vacuum cleaners. Certain equipment may merit a few minutes specialist training - such as the Kirby or Dyson.
Provide a stepladder or other equipment designed for the purpose, to enable your cleaner to reach high items. Your cleaner should not stand on chairs or other items of furniture in order to reach things. For safety reasons, do not ask your cleaner to work from a ladder above head height, unless someone else is present.
Modern equipment and materials make it unnecessary for cleaners to use old-fashioned methods in their work. For example, it is now considered unreasonable to expect cleaners to clean floors with a scrubbing brush on their hands and knees.
Cleaning Materials and Solutions
Most householders prefer to provide their own cleaning materials. Exercise care in the selection of appropriate materials, cloths and cleansers. Abrasive cloths and cleaning agents are ill-advised and can lead to scratching of modern stainless steel work surfaces, lacquered furniture and glassware. Non-abrasive micro-fibre cloths and non-abrasive cleansers are now available on the market and should be selected in preference.
Ensure your cleaner does not use solutions that might damage your surfaces. For example, even some cleaning creams that have smooth appearance, contain abrasives that can damage the surfaces of baths and wash-hand basins. Insurers are often unwilling to accept claims involving the inappropriate use of abrasive cleaning materials or cleansers, especially as the damage can accumulate over time, so our advice is not to supply the cleaner with such cleaning materials.
Continued in Part 3 more domestic cleaning tips