Blog Layout
Cleaning Hacks Debunked Part 1
Cleaning can be complicated sometimes. Not all stains are the same. Certain cleaning products aren’t so clean. And there are all these “life changing” tips, tricks, and “hacks”. Well, we’ve decided to do some digging and wanted to de-bunk some cleaning myths.
Hairspray Removes Ink Stains
This trick once worked when hairspray used to contain alcohol, the ingredient needed to remove those annoying stains. Today, you are better off applying some rubbing alcohol. Dab the fabric with a stain remover and give it a spin in the washing machine to make sure that it is gone for good.
Applying White Wine Removes Red Wine Stains
This sounds ridiculous because it is! The next time you spill some red wine, don’t reach for a bottle of white. What a waste! It does not work, and you are better off applying hydrogen peroxide to the stain instead.
Bleach is Best
A lot of people associate the smell of bleach with “clean”. Sure, it disinfects, kills germs, and whitens stains, but it doesn’t clean dirt and grime from surfaces. If you want to remove grit from your bath or shower, you will need an actual cleaning product.
Removing Chewing Gum with Peanut Butter
Another ridiculous hack. All you are doing is replacing one mess with another. If you want to remove chewing gum, try applying coconut oil or olive oil to the sticky area instead.
Feather Dusters
Contrary to the name, feather dusters don’t actually do a lot of dusting. They just spread the dust around. Instead, opt for a vacuum with a nozzle attachment or a damp cloth.
Stay tuned for Part 2!
The final part in this epic trilogy! Cleaning Solutions Act Instantly You cannot spray a product and expect instant results. After applying a cleaning solution, you need to be patient and let it soak for the allotted time, as specified on the container. Wiping it off too early can result in dirt and germs remaining and is a waste of product. You need to ad a bit of elbow grease too! Using Toilet Cleaner Removes Shower Grime If you’re running out of your shower cleaner, do not count on your toilet cleaner to do the same job. Toilet cleaners contain acids and bleach products that can destroy the finish on your tubs and tiles. Stick to the dedicated bathroom cleaning products. The More Products you use the Better the Clean Using a little product works well, so using a lot must work better, right? Wrong! When it comes to cleaning, less can often be more. Applying too much product can lead to residue build-up. Use a small amount of product, let it sit for a but, and then wipe it down. Your Dishwasher Cleans Itself Your dishwasher works very hard to clean all your dishes, but it does need a thorough cleaning as well. Begin by removing all of the debris from the tub and draining it properly. After that, run a cycle using a dedicated dishwasher cleaner. When Blinds are Closed, They Don’t get Dirty I don’t know who has been going around spreading this nonsense, but it’s not true. Dust can absolutely still settle on closed blinds, and they need to be cleaned. You don’t need to remove them. A neat trick that actually works is to attach rags, or even a pair of socks, to a set of tongs and run them over the blinds.
Baking Soda and Vinegar Makes a SUPER Cleaner Baking soda and vinegar are actually great cleaning products on their own. However, when you mix them together, all you get is water. Vinegar is an acid and baking soda is a base, so when they fizz up, they neutralise one another. People assume the fizz helps to remove the dirt, but all it does is make a mess. Fragrant Scents = Clean You probably think that if something smells nice and fresh, that it’s clean. Don’t let your nose trick you. Just because a product is labelled as “fresh laundry” or “clean spring air” doesn’t mean that it actually gets rid of germs. Air fresheners do smell great, but they don’t remove stains or germs. They don’t even freshen a room. They just make it smell nice for a bit. If you want a room to be really clean and fresh, you’ve got to do the dirty work. Dusting Shelves with Coffee Filters Using a coffee filter to dust your home might seem like a cheap hack, but it doesn’t produce any static, so it doesn’t attract dust (and it’s made for coffee!). Instead, opt for a vacuum with a nozzle attachment or a damp cloth. Wash all of Your Clothes in Cold Water Doing your washing is a little more complicated than throwing everything in a machine and pressing a button. It’s frustrating trying to figure out which colour is washed for how long and at what temperature. It’s no wonder most people just throw everything in on cold (plus it saves money). Most pieces can be washed in cold water, especially dark and bright colours, or delicate fabrics. The colder temperature is great for removing stains and making sure clothes don’t shrink. However, whites should be washed on hot, and knits and jeans should be washed on warm. Stay tuned for the third and final part!
Inclusion. Equality. Diversity. All important for a successful and healthy working environment. It is not just about ticking boxes and talking about it on a surface level. It is about making sure that employees feel welcome, valued, and included equally no matter who they are. It is about respecting your staff for their individual age, gender, race, cultural background, career experience, skills, beliefs (religious and philosophical), sexual orientation, and more. Studies suggest that people assess their social environment to understand how they “fit”. When people feel included in their workplace, they feel valued and accepted by their team and management, without having to conform. This leads to a healthy and productive workflow without worrying about personal relationships between colleagues and “office politics”. Diversity in the workplace allows for a wider range of thinking. When you get a group of different people together, you stimulate creativity and are presented with unique ideas. Everyone brings with them a different experience for a company to draw from. During the pandemic with a lot of people working from home, it is not surprising that a lot of people have felt isolated from their colleagues, especially new starters trying to find their way in new roles. It has been hard to feel included in a team. However, with programmes such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams, businesses have been able to keep communication open between colleagues and managers, for everyone to be heard and feel accepted as part of the company. Ultimately, everything comes down to acceptance. And at DC Assist Ltd that is what we do. We have a wonderful variety of people in our team, and everyone can bring their authentic selves to the table. We want our employees, both present and future, to know that whoever they are they will be welcome within the company and listened to by the team. We also offer a range of learning opportunities through Bright HR, which all of our employees have access to. Click here to to Join our team!
From 19th July restrictions are going to considerably ease up. No more mandatory face masks. So long social distancing. The changes will mean theatres, concerts, and sporting venues will no longer need to limit their capacities. Nightclubs can re-open, and people can actually order from the bar. Offices will be able to ramp up their return-to-work plans. It finally seems like everything will return back to normal. There has been a lot of success with the rollout of the vaccines and according to the gov.uk website: Research has shown the vaccines help: reduce your risk of getting seriously ill or dying from COVID-19 reduce your risk of catching or spreading COVID-19 protect against COVID-19 variants However, what is important to remember is that Covid-19 has not just disappeared. It still exists, it will still be around for a while yet, and let’s not forget that there are different variants. For some, the lifting of restrictions means the lifting of feelings of loneliness and isolation. For some, it brings about feelings of anxiety. Mental health is also an important factor to consider as we approach the 19th as we have all been through the wringer. Here is our take on the changes happening on July 19th – Restrictions might be easing up, but we are not! If anything, we want to get even more involved in keeping businesses in Cheshire clean and safe for everyone. More people mean more mess. More people no longer restricted, mean more points of contact. How many people have come up to the bar? How many people have used the same piece of equipment in a gym? How many people have touched that door handle? Do not even get me started on the sharing of office equipment. Covid aside, we are all capable of carrying all kinds of germs and bacteria. Now that we do not have to think “have I brought my mask with me?” and “that is not 6 feet”, health and safety and preventative measures should move to the forefront of our minds, so that we do not end up having to take any more steps backward. This should be particularly true for business owners, administrators, and HR managers. “How can we progress forward through this new normal safely?”. Let us be the ones to help you. We know about health and safety. We have the SafeContractor approval and Covid-19 training to prove it. We have had plenty of experience on the front lines of it all during 2020 and 2021, and we are ready to keep that momentum going forward as demand for more regular professional cleaning increases. We serve a range of businesses such as offices, gyms, schools, and all across the hospitality sector – so we can come up with a plan to fit your business’s needs. When you choose us, you get a fleet of uniformed, insured, and bonded cleaning staff with expert knowledge, experience, and provided supplies and equipment means you can sit back and know it’s no longer your problem. We are easy to get in touch with and can mobilise much faster than freelancers or untrained employees. Reliable, contactable, safe, and cost-effective. Join our Campaign to Clean today and get 10% off your first clean when you sign up for three months or more.
We are in a period of growth which means we have been seeking out new candidates to join our team. However, when you become a part of our Campaign to Clean, you do not just get a job and a cool uniform. You gain access to a library of E-learning opportunities to grow and develop your skills through the Bright HR system. You can access a range of courses from health and safety to risk assessments, to Covid-19 awareness, and plenty more (there is even one on van driving). We never stop learning and growing, and at DC Assist Ltd we want to encourage the development of all of our team members. So, if you are not only looking for work, but an opportunity to learn and add even more to your résumé, get in touch, and send your CV to Mya.tomlinson@dcassist.com. We are very flexible and provide our team with all the necessary PPE and equipment. We look forward to hearing from you!
Lots of people work from home now. They enjoy it. Companies and employees have proven that they are capable of doing their jobs just as well (if not better) from the comfort of their own home, than in the office. You can look at just about any office poll on the matter and see that the majority of people would prefer to work from home moving forwards. There are plenty of benefits to working from home. You cut out the commute time too and from work, meaning you can sleep a little longer or use the extra time to psyche yourself up for the working day. Then, once you finish for the day, you can switch off and you’re already home. The only journey you’ve got to make is from the kitchen table to the sofa! Whether you live with family, or friends, working from home allows you to spend more time with your loved ones. You can make yourself more comfortable while you work. This could be with a different chair, work desk setup, or even comfier clothes. I think we can all admit we’ve attended zoom meetings dressed business on the top, loungewear on the bottom. Being a bit more relaxed in your environment removes some of the office stresses and allows more room for productivity. Despite all of this, there are still those that would prefer to return to the office, even if only for a few days a week. Looking at the reasons, it’s not hard to understand why. Remote working means that your home, your safe space, becomes your workplace, making it hard to switch off even after walking away from your desk (or the kitchen table). Internal communications suffer a delay – Where you might have been able to walk over to a colleague and ask a question, now you need to send an email and await a response. Zoom and Microsoft Teams have been a real help with meetings, but not everyone has access to fast Wi-Fi and people end up frozen in time, missing out on potentially important information. People that are used to working together in a team can feel disconnected which impacts productivity. Sometimes you can be too comfortable in your environment and get distracted. There is a social aspect to consider as well. Offices are a place of work, but there are plenty of instances where work colleagues become friends and if you live alone, remote working can leave you feeling lonely and isolated. This group of people needs support as well, so the office needs to be ready and taken care of for when they want to go in. They need all the necessary equipment to work effectively. They also need to know that the office is clean and safe for them to return to. Just because there is a reduced capacity, does not mean that cleaning should be reduced. That’s where DC Assist Ltd comes in. With our SafeContractor guarantee, you won’t have to worry about vetting or training our cleaners as you would with individuals or your own employees. We are easy to get in touch with, with a network of skilled employees both at home and in the field that can mobilize much faster than freelancers or commercial untrained employees. We listen to your requests, so if you’re an HR and/or Office Manager implementing return to work policies we can take those on board and help plan your cleaning requirements. Reliable, contactable, safe, and cost-effective. Join our Campaign to Clean today and get 10% off your first clean when you sign up for three months or more.
People go to the gym to work up a sweat, push their limits, and most importantly, keep on top of their health. Ironically, gyms can harbor large amounts of germs and bacteria due to the number of people that use them, so clients could be leaving with some unpleasant illnesses. Gyms come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have areas that see a lot of use and need to be kept clean. Dirty shoes, blood, sweat, and even tears. They also retain a lot of unpleasant odors. We know some responsibility is delegated to the customers. Bacterial wipes, sprays, and paper towels are often left in prominent places with reminders to users of the gym to clean the equipment before and after use. Some do adhere to this request, but there will be plenty that do not. You cannot expect the clients to do the cleaning for you. There are also the more general and communal areas to consider such as the floors and the changing rooms. Some gyms put this responsibility on the instructors and trainers. However, they need all the correct protective equipment, cleaning solutions, and training so that they understand how to keep the premises not only clean, but safe too. They do not always have time for this as they are busy with clients and classes. That is why you should delegate to a professional commercial cleaning service that has the knowledge, skill, and equipment to get the job done. Enter DC Assist Ltd! With our SafeContractor guarantee , you won’t have to worry about vetting or training our cleaners as you would with individuals or your own employees. We are easy to get in touch with, with a network of skilled employees both at home and in the field that can mobilize much faster than freelancers or commercial untrained employees. Reliable, contactable, safe, and cost-effective. Don’t sweat it! Join our Campaign to Clean today and get 10% off your first clean when you sign up for three months or more.
If you run a car showroom , your focus is going to be on sales, the customer journey, and presentation. It is important that standards are maintained to give customers the best experience possible. But, while you are focusing on making the sale, who is focusing on the presentation of the space? Showrooms have multiple goods on display to draw in customers. These customers will inevitably bring in dirt and debris from the outside, marking the floors and other surfaces. Dealers do not want people to be distracted from a shiny new car by dirt and footprints on the floor. A lot of thought goes into buying a car. Would you rather buy from a well-presented dealership or a shabby-looking showroom? Let’s take into account that there are other areas on the premises that also need attention to detail. The reception desk that welcomes customers. The offices where contracts are signed. All of these are part of the customer experience, and you do not want to leave them with a bad smell up their noses. If you want to ensure a clean welcoming environment for your customers, hiring a professional cleaning company like DC Assist Ltd is the best way to get the job done. We will work with you to plan and maintain a presentation that best reflects your business. Our staff have expert knowledge, years of experience and are provided supplies and equipment. With our SafeContractor guarantee, you won’t have to worry about vetting or training our cleaners as you would with individuals or your own employees. We’re easy to get in touch with, with a network of skilled employees both at home and in the field that can mobilize much faster than freelancers or commercial untrained employees. Reliable, contactable, safe, and cost-effective. Join our Campaign to Clean today and get 10% off your first clean when you sign up for three months or more.
As we continue down the Prime Minister’s COVID-19 roadmap, Pubs have been welcoming their patrons back with open arms. And as fantastic as that is for the hospitality industry, after a year of stops and starts it might be taxing for staff to return to all their past duties. That’s where the wonderful world of outsourcing comes in. It’s a little-known secret that outsourcing on services like cleaning is actually the most beneficial to the workplace. It’s better than hiring a freelance cleaner or even training your current staff, who already have enough work to do in these times. Doing it in house? You’re going to need equipment, insurance, training, management and above all time . Do you really have the time to worry about having to provide training and the subsequent assessment of your trainees’ work? Do you want to have to ensure your trainees receive the correct equipment, supplies, and insure them too? It just isn’t very practical in a busy pub environment. Employees usually don’t enjoy cleaning , that’s a simple fact. They feel their time can be better spent, and it can, especially in the hospitality region. As an employer, you’ll save costs on either overtime spent training and cleaning or lose out on time best spent serving customers. Once you’ve trained up a member of staff or two, even hired a freelancer, what happens on a sick day or a holiday? The reliability ensured when outsourcing a cleaning company means you’re hiring a service rather than an employee, with a rotating workforce that is dealt without your worry. Hiring a company that handles professional cleaning services is by far the best way to get the job done. A fleet of uniformed, insured and bonded cleaning staff with expert knowledge, experience and provided supplies and equipment means you can sit back and know it’s no longer your problem. If you do want to get involved, cleaning companies like DC Assist Ltd offer the opportunity to fine-tune the cleaning experience to fit your needs, with flexible contracts and customisable hours. In fact, we at DC Assist Ltd have made it our mission to make sure we’re available to our clients 24/7. This means you’ll never have to worry about covering holidays or sick pay, we’ll have filled the vacancy before you know it. With our SafeContractor guarantee, you won’t have to worry about vetting or training our cleaners as you would with individuals or your own employees. We’re easy to get in touch with, with a network of skilled employees both at home and in the field that can mobilise much faster than freelancers or commercial untrained employees. Reliable, contactable, safe and cost-effective. Join our Campaign to Clean today and get 10% off your first clean when you sign up for three months or more.