House Cleaning Tips – Greater Victoria

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Victoria BC and the Westshore communities including Colwood, Langford and Metchosin is a wonderful place to live with a very moderate year-round climate. Living by the water means there is more moisture in the air, in addition to the significant periods of rain throughout the winter. Here are some helpful house cleaning tips to keep your home fresh and clean, naturally.

Window Washing

To avoid mold build-up on your interior and exterior windows use an eco-friendly dishwashing soap such as green works with a splash of vinegar mixed all mixed in water. Start by wiping the windows with a cloth to remove any excess dust, spider webs, etc. Then clean the edges of the window first, rinse and wipe down. Next, clean the entire window, for outside applications, house off then squeegee using a microfibre towel every few strokes to wipe down the blade. Once finished wipe away any excess water with a separate towel or cloth from the windowsills to prevent further moisture build-up. For inside windows, simply take a clean wet cloth to rinse the windows after washing them, squeegee dry and wipe dry with a microfibre cloth paying particular attention to the window frame to be sure there is no moisture when completed. Washing windows regularly will limit mold build up in or outside your house and provide a further sense of openness and freshness.

If you require your exterior or interior windows cleaned, email us today for a quote!

Removing Dirt, Fingerprints and Scuff from Walls

Before using any solution including water it is very important to understand what paint is used on your walls and what the material is. Different surfaces will act differently to various cleaning methods and products – always spot test an area that is inconspicuous or out of the way first to be sure you aren’t going to change the texture, remove any paint or smear or dissolve the make-up of the wall. To spot test – gently wipe the area down with a smooth cloth, then with a clean cloth that is lint-free, make a cleaning solution from four cups of water adding a tablespoon of dishwashing soap, wet the cloth and apply to your predetermined spot cleaning area. Then with a different lint-free cloth and regular water rinse the area and finally dry carefully with a third dry lint-free cloth.

What are the best eco-friendly cleaning solutions, safe for the whole family including your pets?

Try these eco-friendly cleaning natural product solutions below:

- Vinegar and water solution – usually a few tablespoons of vinegar mixed with two litres of water

- Solvent free de-greasers can help for tougher stains such a simple green

- Eco-friendly dishwashing soap such as green works

- Natural solution for eliminating Moss on Concrete – four litres of warm water, two tablespoons of vinegar, half a pound of salt, a few squirts of eco-friendly dishwashing soap – you can also apply this with a spray bottle, be sure to not spray plants or flowers with this however. Wait a few days until moss turns brown and start to flake then scrub off.

- Natural Solution for Eliminating Moss on Roofs – sprinkle baking soda on areas of the roof with moss build-up, even it out with a rake or broom and let stand for a few days until brown and flaky, then scrub and wash away moss and excess baking soda and you’re done! Also works on concrete, furniture or other garden objects.

Suzanne Clark