Top Safety Accreditation for Spotless Cleaning

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Spotless Cleaning has been awarded accreditation from Alcumus SafeContractor for achieving excellence in health and safety in the workplace.

Alcumus SafeContractor is a leading third party accreditation scheme which recognises extremely rigorous standards in health and safety management amongst contractors.

It is used by thousands of organisations in the UK including SMEs and FTSE 100 companies. Employing 45 people, Spotless Cleaning is involved in the commercial and domestic cleaning sector.

Managing Director of Spotless Cleaning, Magdalena Lamming, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this important safety accreditation. It gives our clients the confidence that we adhere to all health safety standards at work and that they can trust us to perform a professional and safe level of service.”

Spotless Cleaning’s most recent clients have included Ede and Ravenscroft, Arcam and Carter Jonas. The company’s application for SafeContractor accreditation was driven by the need for a uniform standard across the business.

Choosing a Cleaning Company for your home

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Choosing the right cleaning company for your home is an extremely important task. It’s important to know what to look out for, what questions to ask and what to expect from a cleaning company before using their services.

We’ve listed the 10 main things a customer should look out for when choosing a cleaning company.

Choosing a good cleaning company – Probably the best way to find a good cleaner is to ask friends and relatives who already use a cleaner or cleaning company. If you don’t know anyone already using a cleaner then go online and search for a local cleaning company who will be much more likely to be able to provide references from existing customers in your area. Look out to see if the cleaning company has a Facebook page or use other social media platforms where you can look at customer feedback and testimonials.

Home visit – A person who represents the cleaning company should always offer you a visit at your home even if you do know what your requirements are. This home visit will allow you to meet a representative of the company face to face and it will give the person visiting an insight into how long it should take to clean your home.

Your budget – It’s your decision to use a cleaning company and it’s your money paying for the service so make sure they work around your budget. It’s very easy for a cleaning company to suggest you need a large number of hours every week for your house to look clean, but the truth is that a professional cleaning company and a good cleaner can work around you and give you the help you need for the money you can spend.

The same cleaner – We can’t stress enough how important it is to request the same cleaner to come to you on the regular basis. It takes at least two visits by the time a cleaner get used to your house and is able to get into a routine of cleaning your home. There are lots of cleaning jobs that only need doing every two or three weeks, not weekly, so having the same cleaner is very helpful as they will know what needs doing on a weekly basis. You may also work full-time and need to give your cleaner a key so they can gain access to your home when you are not there, but we wouldn’t advise allowing lots of different people you may have never met before into your home in your absence.

Missed cleaning sessions – A good, well established and professional cleaning company should always be able to offer you a replacement cleaner while your cleaner is off sick or away on holiday. This is very important, and you should clarify this with the cleaning company you are choosing before you sign the contract otherwise you could end up paying their agency fee but missing out on cleaning.

Good communication -You should be able to contact your cleaning company or their manager at any time, so make sure they provide you with all their contact numbers as well as your cleaner contact details.
A cleaning company should always make a point of informing you in advance of any changes to your cleaning arrangements, for example, if a cleaner is running late or not coming to work that day. Agree a day and time for your cleaner to arrive at your home and ensure this agreement is kept. If your cleaning company needs to send a different cleaner to your home then this should be agreed with you prior to the new cleaners arrival.

References – All cleaners should be uniformed and reference checked. You can request a cleaner with a CRB check and you should be able to request references for your cleaner from their existing clients.

Contract and T&C – As with any small print, make sure that you read the company Terms & Conditions carefully before you sign the contract and check the company has valid Business Liability Insurance. DO NOT agree to a contract that ties you in for more than one month with the cleaning company. Be wary of cleaning companies with 6 months contract requiring 3 months upfront payment or a long notice period. A professional cleaning company won’t tie you into a contract by charging 3 months payment up front as they will have every confidence in providing you with a good service and keeping you as their client for a long time.

Changes and cancellation – Avoid additional charges by being aware of the required notice period should you need to cancel your cleaner or change the cleaning day. A 24 hours notice period is usually required, however, a good cleaning company should be flexible as we all know that there can be last minute situations which we can’t help sometimes.

The right cleaner – The last, and probably the most important thing, is that you feel comfortable and happy with the cleaner assigned by the cleaning company. If there are any issues or the cleaner is not reaching your standards you should be able to request a change of cleaner without causing complications. The main thing for a good cleaning company is to meet their client’s requirements and keep them happy for as long as they are providing them with their services.

National Improve Your Office Day

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Did you know that on Friday, October 4th, 2013, it is national ‘Improve your Office Day’? Staff and employees in offices all over the world are being encouraged to make their work environment a better place to be by making it more interesting, exciting and efficient. I guess it’s all being done with an aim to making you feel more like going to work and enjoying it while you’re there.

So, surely a clean and tidy office workspace must play a role here?

I definitely prefer it when my desk is clutter free and my bin is being emptied regularly or when the office smells clean and fresh, it definitely makes it a nicer place to work and I’m sure staff are much more productive.

Here are a few simple tips that anyone can do to make their office workspace a better place to be.

  1. Desk organisation: I personally hate working on an untidy desk and I find it very distracting and annoying. If you work from a computer, (as most people in an office do), then get rid of notepads, scrap paper, diaries etc, we don’t need them anymore! A computer will allow you to take notes, plan meetings and even play Hangman! Sync all your notes using something like Evernote and, as long as you have your phone with you, everything is at hand when you go to an important meeting or entertaining at a business lunch.
  2. Timeout: Spend ten minutes at the end of the day organising your desk and planning your work for the next day. Not only does doing this make me go home feeling relaxed it means I come into the office the next morning feeling ready to start the day straight away. It also means the office cleaners can properly clean your desk for you every day.
  3.  Pot plants: Offices can be very dull and boring places sometimes so I liven up my own desk with a nice flowering plant. I especially liked doing this when I worked in a previous job where my desk wasn’t anywhere near a window and the only light was from fluorescent tubes as it gave me something natural and real to look at.
  4.  Clean drawers: There’s nothing worse in my opinion than opening a drawer and not being able to find anything because is looks like a small bomb went off in there. Get a drawer organiser and keep things easy to find when you need them in a hurry.
  5.  Cables: Clean up untidy and messy cables by using those little sticky square things with cable ties to neatly tie cables along the underneath or back of your desk. The area under your desk should be clear to allow your legs and feet to move and stretch out and shouldn’t mean you are in danger of pulling your laptop across the desk every time you need to stand up.

We hope you find these little tips helpful. I guess they won’t work for everyone but they work for me and they make a tough day at the office a little bit more bearable.

About the author – Magda Lamming came from Krakow in Poland to Cambridge, at the age of 17 in 2002. Magda started Spotless Cleaning in 2004 and has never looked back. Spotless Cleaning started out as a house cleaner in Cambridge but now provides a range of different services including Office Cleaning, Window Cleaning and Carpet Cleaning. Magda’s favourite thing in the world is eating out in Cambridge with her husband and 2 girls, Emily and Olivia, as well as looking after the 3 house rabbits and guinea pigs.

Top 8 Germ Busting Tips

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With Winter fast approaching we know we will all get a share of the inevitable bugs, coughs and sneezes that will be doing the rounds so I thought this would be a good time to write a blog on keeping tight control over those nasty little germs that can so easily get spread around the home.

Obviously we will never have a germ free home and I guess doctors and such like would say it’s probably better for us all that way but when we start to get coughs and colds it’s very easy to start spreading germs so I would like to give you a few simple tips to help stop the spread of germs around the home.

 

Step 1: Cleaning products

Let’s start with the cleaning products. Owning a cleaning company means I am buying cleaning products all the time and my Cambridge cleaners are using them so with this in mind I like to make sure the cleaning products we use are environmentally friendly and free from harmful chemicals. As well as using these types of products I also find that some of the natural remedies that people have been using for years work really well.

Step 2: Clean the important areas

While cleaning the whole home can be a very lengthy job it is relatively easy to concentrate on the areas that get used the most. Things like door handles, toilet brushes, kitchen sinks and worktops, chopping boards or remote controls and computer keyboards can all be wiped down with a vinegar/water solution which is a great natural disinfectant killing more than ninety percent of bacteria and more than 80% of mould and germs.

Step 3: Where germs hide

Kitchen cloths and cleaning rags are one of the worst places for harbouring germs, but they are the things you use the most to clean with. Ensure you always thoroughly wash and dry cleaning sponges and dishcloths between uses otherwise you will only be transferring germs from one place to another.

Step 4: Wash your hands

An easy one that we are all taught from a young age, always wash your hands! Cleaning your hands before handling and preparing food, after going to the bathroom or when you get home from work or a shopping trip will drastically help to reduce the spread of germs around the home. Don’t forget to teach the kids to do the same too.

Step 5: Quarantine

If someone does get sick and has a bad cough or cold you could try getting them to stick to only using the bedroom and bathroom for a few days. This could help reduce the spread of germs and an adult might even be glad of the peace and quiet of staying in a room away from the rest of the family while they are feeling under the weather, but I can’t see the kids sticking to this rule.

Step 6: Keep it clean

I keep antibacterial wipes close to hand at work and at home just in case somebody needs to quickly wipe their hands.

Step 7: Around the house

Wash bed linen, cushion covers and rugs and blankets on a regular basis to help prevent the build-up of germs.

Step 8: The bathroom

I’m Polish and I had never seen a carpet in a bathroom or toilet until I came to the UK. I don’t see it quite so often these days but if you do still have a carpet in your toilet or bathroom consider replacing it with floor tiles or vinyl flooring that can easily be cleaned with an antibacterial cleaning agent.

So, that’s my eight steps to helping you keep the home germ free. I hope you find the tips useful and if you have any tips of you own please let me know. Happy cleaning.

Magda.

Carpets and Coffee Stains

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What’s the one thing most people in the office couldn’t do without? The thing that keep the team working late into the night to hit that deadline and the one thing that gets everyone going in the morning?

You guessed it, it’s coffee!

Whether it’s a nice little coffee machine sitting in the corner of the office or there is a Café in the main reception area, we can all grab a much-needed coffee at any time of the day during work. We drink it sitting at our desk and we grab one whilst sharing notes in a meeting but what’s the best thing to do when we accidentally knock that cup of hot, brown, liquid over and it spills all over the office carpet?

Coffee can be one of the hardest stains to remove but if treated quickly using the correct techniques you may not have to have a constant reminder of that time you knocked your coffee cup flying across the room in front of your boss every time you look down at the carpet!

There are a few different ways you can try to remove a coffee stain from the office carpet but always be extremely careful if you do decide to clean the stain yourself, as it can be possible to permanently damage the carpet. If you really don’t want your boss to have a constant reminder of what you did, especially around the time pay rises are being discussed, then it is always best to seek the advice of a professional carpet cleaner in Cambridge. That said, if you follow these steps carefully you stand a good chance of removing the stain yourself and keeping in the bosses good books.

The secret to removing any carpet stain caused by a spilt cup of coffee is to act fast and waste no time in dealing with the accident.

Step 1: Clean it up fast

You will need a white cloth, either highly absorbent kitchen towel or a clean white dishcloth. It’s important to make sure that whatever you use is white, as any other coloured cloth could transfer the dyes in it to the carpet.

Step 2: Soak it up

Use the selected kitchen towel or cloth to soak up the coffee that is sitting on top of the carpet pile. Most office carpets will have been pre-treated with stain guard so some of the coffee will just sit on top of the carpet forming a brown puddle. Resist the urge to rub, just lay the cloth on top of the puddle of coffee and let the cloth do all the work.

Step 3: The cleaning solution

Now it’s time to remove any liquid that has found its way into the carpet pile using a cleaning solution.

Step 4: The cleaning product

Hopefully, the office manager or a colleague has had the foresight to ensure a purpose made carpet cleaning solution is always kept in the office kitchen in case of emergencies and all you need to do now is follow the instructions on the can.

Step 5: No purpose made carpet cleaner, no worries!

It is possible to make up a carpet stain cleaner of your own but admittedly it is probably not going to be possible when in the office but if you did have all the ingredients this is what you would need to do.

Step 6: The homemade carpet cleaner recipe

Mix a dash of white vinegar with a couple of scoops of washing powder in a bowl with some cold water from the tap.

Step 7: Grab a soft brush

Using a soft brush, gently apply the solution onto the stain. You may wish to try this on a small hidden area of the carpet first (under a sofa etc) just to make sure it doesn’t make things worse.

Step 8: Wait a while

Leave the mixture to work into the stain for a few minutes and then gently scrub using the brush to get the solution deep into the carpet pile.

Step 9: Damp sponge

Take a damp sponge and carefully blot the area until it looks like the stain has gone. Be careful not to soak the carpet.

Step 10: If all else fails, call the professionals

Now use a dry sponge to absorb any dampness. If the coffee stain hasn’t been completely removed it may be necessary to repeat the process a few times. If you are not completely happy with the results then call a carpet cleaning specialist who will be able to use the correct equipment and methods to completely remove the stain once and for all.

Magda.

Office Washroom Hygiene

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A study has found that we are likely to spend around forty-one hours a year in the office washroom facilities! That’s more than the average working week spent in the toilets every year rather than being at our desk. The findings, which were taken from a sample of over 6000 office workers into their hygiene habits, also found that believe it or not, men are more likely to spend longer in the washroom than women. Now who would have thought that!

It was also revealed that nearly 10% of office workers use their mobile phone for searching the web and using social media when on the toilet and 4.6% admitted to studying and reading through work documents.

But the most worrying fact we found was that over a quarter of UK employees openly admitted to not washing their hands every time they visited the office washroom facilities, meaning they could be passing on germs every time they shake hands with a client or colleague or touch office equipment, door handles or work surfaces.

After reading this, we think it’s time for people to clean up their act (see what we did there) and start applying the recommended practices to help stop the spread of germs and viruses within their office environment.

Here are a few helpful hints and tips to office washroom hygiene to help you stop the spread of nasty bugs and viruses in your workplace this winter.

 

Step 1: Hand Wash Signs

Place signs in washrooms asking people to ‘wash their hands’. It may sound obvious, but studies show that people are more likely to wash their hands if they see a sign telling them to.

Step 2: Clean Hands

Ensure there are plenty of hand wash stations at the hand washing areas and the hand wash dispensers are checked and replenished on a regular basis.

Step 3: Keeping clean

Clean surroundings generally encourage people to think about their own hygiene so ensure the washroom facilities are kept spotlessly clean at all times.

Step 4: Hygiene Maintenance

Creating a washroom inspection plan with your office cleaning company in Cambridge can help to eliminate or prevent hygiene threats from getting out of control.

Step 5: Plenty of Bins

Ensure there are enough bins in your office stopping people from walking across the office to dispose of dirty tissues or other infected items.

Step 6: Sanitise

Place sanitising dispensers in close proximity to shared office equipment such as printers, photocopiers and faxes.

Step 7: Clean Expectations

Consult staff members and ask if they feel the washroom facilities are up to their expected standard or could more be done to keep up levels of hygiene.

 

Over 40% of UK office workers rated their office washrooms as only average or below average, even though most spend a significant amount of time in there every year and 39% believe that with better office hygiene their job satisfaction would be greatly improved.

Looking at it from an employers’ point of view, there is a lot to be gained from keeping high levels of office and washroom hygiene. The issues and problems raised can very easily be addressed either by following our simple guidelines or ensuring your commercial cleaning contractor understands how to implement a good office and washroom hygiene management plan.

To talk to us further about how we could help you with your office and washroom cleaning and hygiene management please either;

• Call our office on 01223 502664
• Drop us an email at info@spotlesscambridge.com
• Visit our website at www.spotlesscambridge.com

Have a great day,

Magda

Homemade Glass Cleaner

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Why would I make my own glass cleaner when I can go to any supermarket or multinational hardware store and buy some off the shelf?

Good question and my honest opinion is that you don’t have to, but next time you pick up one of those branded glass cleaners, why not have a think about what actually goes into it.

Quite often the label doesn’t actually need to list all the contents of the bottle, it will just say it conforms to EU regulations, or something similar. But a bit of searching online will bring up the typical list of chemicals used in your off the shelf glass cleaner;

As well as water, glass cleaners can include:

  • Isopropyl Alcohol
  • 2-Hexoxyethanol
  • Videt EGM
  • Sodium C14-17, Sec-Alkyl Sulfonate
  • Ammonium Hydroxide
  • Propylene Glycol
  • Mirapol Surf S-210
  • Fragrances (this could be another whole heap of chemicals)
  • Dyes (and this could be more chemicals)

Owning a Cambridge cleaning company and using cleaning products in large amounts means I like to use chemical-free products wherever I can. It is possible to buy good cleaning products that contain little or no chemicals, but they can be expensive to buy if you are not in the trade, so making your own glass cleaner using everyday items which can found in most homes can be a cost-effective and an environmentally aware alternative.

How to make your own glass cleaner

You will need:

  • 1 x plastic spray bottle
  • White vinegar
  • Water

Making your glass cleaner

  1. Unscrew and remove the lid/nozzle from the plastic spray bottle
  2. Fill the plastic spray bottle with equal parts water and white vinegar
  3. Replace the lid/spray nozzle on the plastic spray bottle
  4. Shake bottle to ensure solution is mixed

There is another alternative to this and that is to add equal amounts of water, white vinegar and Isopropyl alcohol.

I find this combination of ingredients can be slightly more effective, but not everyone has Isopropyl alcohol at home or wants to go out and buy it.

I hope you find this recipe helpful and if you have any homemade cleaning products that you find useful please let me know, I would love to try them.

Streak Free Mirror Cleaning Tips

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At Spotless Cleaning Cambridge, we have cleaned for thousands of clients over the years, but it doesn’t matter how clean we leave the house if we don’t leave the mirrors looking streak free. A streaky mirror, even if clean, doesn’t look good, so it’s important to know the correct techniques and products to use to get a great looking mirror every time you clean it.

We have tried many different mirror cleaning techniques over the years, but this is the one that works for us. Give it a try and let us know how it works for you.

What doesn’t work when cleaning a mirror

I’m going to start off with what doesn’t work. When I first came to Cambridge from Krakow, Poland and started cleaning, people used to tell me to use newspaper to clean my windows but, believe me, I’ve tried it and it doesn’t work very well. My Mum used to use this technique years ago but the ingredients used in the ink have changed since then and the cleaning products and materials we have available have got better so I really wouldn’t recommend this technique. I found that using newspaper, with a good quality window cleaning product, just left the mirrors looking streaky, no matter how hard I tried to clean them. The ink from the newspaper can also get left behind on plastic surfaces, so read on for a much better tried and tested alternative to this method of glass cleaning. Anyway, who has a newspaper lying around the house these days!

It’s also important to use products or solutions that are designed for the job, not just any old cleaning product as these will leave streaks and create a haze effect over the mirror which is definitely something you don’t want.

Tools of the trade

As with any good workman (or workwoman), it’s important to have the right tools and equipment for the job. If you want your mirrors to be looking sparkling clean and streak free then you will need the following items.

A cleaning cloth – But not just any cleaning cloth, you will need a Microfiber cloth, but not just any Microfibre cloth, you will need a split fibre Microfibre cloth. Basically, there are 2 types of microfiber cloths, flat weave and split fibre. The flat weave cloth is actually designed to repel water and is great when used in clothing such as sports apparel, but when it comes to cleaning cloths, you want the split fibre cloths that are made up of very fine threads of polyester and nylon that combine to form a single microfiber thread. These threads are over one hundred times thinner than a single strand of human hair and when woven together they are extremely absorbent and great at cutting through dirt and grease and leave a streak free finish.

Rubbing alcohol – Isopropyl Alcohol, also known as rubbing alcohol and often used on cuts and stings, can easily be bought online. This is your secret ingredient when it comes to having streak free mirrors in the home.

Cotton pad – Cotton Pads can usually be found in any store of Boots or Super Drug. The cotton pad is used in conjunction with the rubbing alcohol.

Cleaning solution – Either a good quality glass cleaner found in your local supermarket or make your own with vinegar and water.

How to clean a mirror

  1. Tip a small amount of rubbing alcohol onto the cotton pad and starting top to bottom, remove any foreign objects from the mirror, think toothpaste, hairspray, soap etc. You will need to work quickly as the rubbing alcohol dries fast.
  2. Next spray a fine mist of glass cleaner over the mirror, covering the entire surface. Don’t totally soak the mirror with glass cleaner as this will only make the job in hand harder.
  3. Now take the microfiber cloth and fold it into quarters, giving yourself 4 clean surfaces to work with that can be flipped around when needed to ensure you are always working with a clean surface.
  4. Starting at the top left corner of the mirror, drag the cloth across to the top right corner and swoop down and back across to the left side of the mirror. Keep doing this zig-zag motion until you have reached the bottom of the mirror and all areas of the mirror have been covered. I always clean surfaces in the way as I find it means I never miss anything and it helps eliminate streaks.
  5. Check at different angles to ensure no streaks can be seen or you haven’t missed anything. This technique helps sheds extra light on the surface of the mirror and highlights any streaks you couldn’t see before. If there are any spot marks left on the mirror give them a quick spray with your glass cleaner and quick wipe and buff to remove any streaks left behind.
  6. And that’s it, the quick and easy way to a clean, streak free mirror, every time.

This really is a quick and easy way to clean a mirror and get great results every time. I have used this method for years and I teach it to all my cleaners so they can make sure our clients always have a Spotless (see what I did there!) and streak free mirror too.

Getting the Most From Your Cleaner

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Everyone wants value for money and getting the most out of your cleaner is no exception. Cleaning the average family home from top to bottom shouldn’t take that along, especially something like a Victorian terrace home such as the ones found off Mill Rd in Cambridge. But there are certain things you can do before your cleaner arrives to make their job easier allowing them can get on with the job in hand from the moment they arrive.

Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your cleaner.

Tidy Up

Items that haven’t been put back in their place or left lying around on the floor are only going to get in the way of the cleaner and they will spend as much time going around picking up these items and putting them away for you as they do with the actual cleaning.

Ensure all surfaces are clutter free, children’s toys are not left on bedroom floors and dirty washing and laundry is placed into baskets.

Paperwork and Post

Documents and post, as well as containing important information, can easily be mistaken for unwanted rubbish or paper if left lying around on the kitchen table or worktop or underneath an old newspaper. Ensure all post and paperwork is hidden away in a drawer or filed away in your office to ensure it isn’t disposed of by accident. Alternatively, you could leave a ‘do not disturb’ note on top of a pile of paperwork.

Be Prepared

If you supply all the cleaning products and equipment for your cleaner to use then you could make sure all the items are readily available for the cleaner when they arrive. Take the vacuum, mops and dusters out of the cleaning cupboard and leave them in an easily accessible place and put cleaning products, cloths and dusters on the kitchen worktop. It will only take 5-10 minutes for you to do this but it will be 5-10 minutes extra the cleaner can spend cleaning your home.

Pets Away

There is nothing worse than vacuuming a room and continually moving a dog out of the way or tripping over the cat, it slows the cleaner down and its very annoying. Cleaners will often open doors and windows while cleaning to let fresh air in but this is also a perfect time for a pet to make an escape out of the house.

Make sure all pets are put away prior to the cleaner’s arrival and the cleaner is aware there are animals kept in the house.

Valuables and Electronic Equipment

It’s always best to put valuables and expensive equipment as well as cash into a locked drawer. Items can easily get lost or mislaid around the home and it can be very easy to accuse the cleaner when something goes missing or can’t be found. Thefts do occasionally occur, but a good cleaning company will always perform a CRB check on all employees before hiring them so it’s important to be sure your cleaner has been through this process before thy enter your home. If you get into the habit of locking valuable and expensive items away before the cleaner arrives then in the unfortunate event of something going missing you will know it wasn’t the cleaner.

Damages and Breakages

Take time to make an inventory of broken or damaged items around the house so that the cleaner isn’t mistakenly blamed for having damaged an item that was already broken. Likewise, make it clear to the cleaner that you wish to be informed immediately of they damage or break an item, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem.

Access

There is nothing worse than the cleaner turning up on time only to find they can’t get into the house they need to clean. Most people are happy for the cleaner or cleaning agency to hold a key but if this isn’t your preferred choice then make sure a key has been left somewhere safe and secure and well hidden so the cleaner can gain access to your home when they arrive. There are all sorts of products available that are designed to blend in with surrounding areas and keep keys safe when left outdoors, some of which can be found here http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/key-hide

Extra Help

By following all the tips given, you might find your cleaner finishes ahead of time. If you pay your cleaner for a set amount of hours each week then leave a laundry basket out full of clothes that need ironing. That way, if a cleaner finishes cleaning early, they can spend the time constructively and you can come home to a clean house and a nice neat pile of freshly ironed clothes.

Is it possible to be too clean?

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I heard on the radio this morning yet more claims that the rise in allergy cases, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and asthma, is down to the fact that we are too clean and no longer have sufficient exposure to dirt and germs.  This theory has been circulating for some time and has become known as the ‘hygiene hypothesis’: supposedly, we no longer have the capacity to fight off certain illnesses and allergies as our bodies are unused to exposure.  In short, we are too clean.

However, it would appear that it’s not quite as cut and dried as that. According to Medical News Today (MNT), humans in the western world are no longer exposed to ‘old infections’: non-pathogenic microbes from the environment or parasitic worms that reside in the gut. Such ‘old infections’ evolved to remain in the body for long periods of time and were important in helping humans to develop their immune systems; now that we are no longer exposed to them to such a great degree, we have lost that protection against inflammatory disorders such as IBS and asthma.

Far from suggesting that we are too clean, these researchers suggest we undertake increased hygiene regimes to prevent exposure to modern contagious, as well as recommending increased exposure to rural air.

It is true that children need to get dirty and that exposure to dirt increases their immune systems. I’m sure many of us remember the old ‘chicken pox parties’ when children were encouraged to mix with other children infected with the virus in order to ‘get it over and done with’ in childhood. For adults, however, such viruses carry a lot more risk and should be avoided.

It is for this reason that hygiene is important, at home and in the workplace.  No one wants to accept a cup of tea from someone whose home is visibly dirty, and none of us wants to spend day after day working in a shabby environment. One of the quickest ways to become ill is through using a telephone covered in someone else’s germs, yet many offices don’t realise that this might be why they have a high sickness rate.

The trouble with cleaning, though, is that it takes a lot of time – and it’s never finished, is it?

That’s why having a professional cleaner is a good investment. When you add up all the hours – and arguments – that go into keeping your home clean, you might become depressed about what you could have been doing instead.  When you’re running your own business, this is even more important as your time is money. Who wants to spend time washing dishes/ cleaning the loo/ ironing when they could be making money doing what they do best?

So, why not spend your time doing something you enjoy, and which you’re good at, whilst someone who’s good at cleaning (and yes – some of us do enjoy it!) does the stuff you hate?

Even if you break even financially, your improved quality of life means it’s definitely worth it. And who knows? You might actually be healthier too!