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There are more benefits to a clean office than the aesthetic appeal and the sweeping effects it has on your clients and partners. A clean office could hold the key to making your employees more productive at work and improving the efficiency of your business.

Here are some of the ways the effects of a clean office can spill over and make employees more productive at work.

It gives the business a positive outlook

The look and perception of your company are vital. Your office is the core of the business and keeping it clean gives it a more positive outlook giving the employees better reasons to want to keep things rolling.

What’s more, the perception the office gives new staff members is one of a professional atmosphere filled with positivity allowing workers to feel more confident investing time and effort in the business.

A clean and tidy office increases focus and productivity

Visible mess around the office has a way of causing distraction. When looking to focus, decluttering is key. By decluttering and re-organising, you can counter overstimulation allowing the employees to focus on one task at a time for longer.

In a clean and well-organised office, there are fewer distractions which translate to getting more work done.

For a fun read check out our blog here: What your office desk says about you!

A clean office improves employees’ health

Illnesses take hours of manpower away from businesses. Most of the illnesses are communicable and can be easily avoided by maintaining high hygiene standards around the office.

Bacterial and micro-organisms that thrive in commonly used areas like the kitchen break rooms and bathrooms can be the cause of bad outbreaks and increases sick leaves.

High hygiene standards go a long way in curbing the growth and spread of such organisms. Considering employees spend most of their time at the office, this ensures that they stay healthier for longer and being more productive.

A clean office boosts morale

Employee morale is critical when thinking of productivity. You want your staff to work not only to meet the goals of the business but be optimistic and energised while at it.

A clean office plays a critical role in this because it provides the employees with a space that they can be proud of. A clean and well-organised desk provides them with a place where they feel more comfortable and great about work.

If the morale of the employees goes down, so will productivity. That’s why it’s vital to keep hygiene and organisation levels at the office high at all times.

Final Thoughts

An excellent salary package and working terms are all essential in motivating employees. But, to keep them motivated and ready to work daily, you also need to have a clean office. A clean and organised space appeals to various parts of the brain that improve productivity and enhance focus.

A professional cleaning company can help you achieve your cleanliness goals and make it easier for your employees to achieve the goals of the business. This also helps you and the employees to focus more on the company.

For help or more information on Office Cleaning Services, get in touch with our friendly team today! We also provide Retail Cleaning Services, Graffiti Removal and more!

Your desk (and its state) tells more about you than you want to share. If you’ve ever glanced at a colleague’s desk and thought, “That’s probably how he is in real life”. You’re most likely correct.

Workmates tend to judge each other based on the status of their working space. While this is often thought of as baseless judging, it could be the opposite.

The Minimalist

This is a unique breed of workers that loves keeping their desk clean. You will only find essential things on top of their desk. Like everything else in the life of a minimalist, even on their desk, less is more!

To keep the desk space neat and organised, most minimalists are rarely ever around. Breaks are their most coveted times and they take long to reply emails or even ignore them.

Most minimalists are rarely ever at their work station and they always keep the fewest things possible on and in their desks.

Just like their desk, a minimalist tries to do the least possible work. They will always jump on the reports at the last minute and are always getting other people around the office to do most of their work of them — even small tasks like cleaning dishes.

The Hoarder

The opposite of the minimalist is the hoarder. If you’re a hoarder, you will try to squeeze as much as possible onto your desk. Hoarders have to move stuff constantly to find some working space. Their desks are packed with everything from the contract they signed when joining the company to the gum they were chewing last week.

The hoarders, also known as clutterers, are the most welcoming employees in the office. They are talkative, warm, and friendly with everyone.

To survive in such a limited space needs creativity. But, while a hoarder is creative, they are often unproductive. They rarely ever throw anything away and have every missing item around the office tucked somewhere in their desk.

You might argue that you know where everything is and sinking in your own little junkyard doesn’t bother you, but other employees are always worried the junk might find its way to their desks.

Why not also read our blog 5 Benefits of Getting Commercial Cleaning.

The Techie

There’s always that one guy around the office who you can’t help but wonder if you’re in the same salary bracket. He is always aware of every new gadget in the market and happens to own most of them or have a plan to own one. This is the ‘techie.’

Techies are always eager to try out new things and spend more time getting their own things done than getting actual work done. They enjoy the spotlight and being identified as the smartest person in the room and they can be a bit impulsive at time.

As a techie, you believe that the more gadgets you have, the more productive you are. It’s evident from the number of gadget littered on your desk. You loathe anyone that tries to opt for traditional methods and don’t believe they should be able to live without a screen.

What you don’t know is that your colleagues think all that technology is actually distracting. They might come to you when they have even the slightest technical problem and you’re always their go-to guy when they need chargers for their devices. After all, you seem to have everything.

The Documentarian

The name is descriptive of the personality. A documentarian keeps records of every life event and function happening at the office the entire year. To keep up with the expansive information, expect to find photos, arts, awards, school documents, and even pictures at their desk.

Most documentarians are team players who take even the most casual of business events very seriously. They are always ready to help and make each event a memory worth remembering for them and other employees.

Documentarians hover around the printer longer than anyone else to make sure they get enough copies of the documents. Expect a documentarian to be more than willing to share all the juicy details of their recent vacation, some of which might be a little too much information.

The Personaliser

The personaliser is an interesting character to have in the office space and their desk is always the model that everyone around the office would want to have but just can’t get around it. A personaliser’s desk is filled with inspirational posters, stickers, and quotes and they are always ready to spread the optimism to other employees through their extroverted nature.

They like to make every space their own even when it’s not necessary and feel more comfortable having their items around them.

Personalisers don’t hesitate to show off their personality and are always looking for new ways to make their work desk stand out more and feel personal.

Most colleagues won’t tell you how tired they are of seeing photos of your kids and wife on your desk or the fact that you have toys and other quirky items on your desk.

Closing Thoughts

Your desk says a lot about who you are and your personality. By closely examining the state of your desk, you will conclude that this is your nature even at home. Your bedroom has largely the same feel and layout as your desk. If you’re a personaliser, your bedroom will also be filled with mementos and pictures.

There are certain habits like hoarding that can impede your productivity and make simple tasks harder for you. Identifying such unhealthy behaviours is critical in helping you become a better team player and a more productive employee.

Here at OCCO Cleaning Services, we provide Office Cleaning Services, as well as Event Cleaning Services and Graffiti Removal.

Hiring a Commercial Cleaner could be the best business decision you make. It’s an efficient way to keep the workplace clean and tidy without bogging down your employees with more work that doesn’t make your business any money.

Considering that hiring a cleaner is an added cost to running your business, it doesn’t look like a smart idea. However, it has numerous benefits. Some of them are:

1. A Healthier Working Environment

The working environment in your business should be healthy and conducive for you, your workers, and guests. With the help of a commercial cleaning company, you can keep everything around the workplace spick and span.

With quality cleaning products and professional cleaners, you not only have the surfaces around the office cleaned, but the paperwork is organised and all the surfaces disinfected.

The working space around your business is a hive of bacteria, germs, and diseases. Without a proper cleaning regime, it’s easy for bacteria to cause illnesses like cold and flu to spread, cutting down the productivity of your employees.

By hiring a cleaning service, you can improve the health standards of your office and give your employees a better chance at being more punctual and reduce sick days.

2. Appealing Business Space

Your office says a lot about your establishment and your way of conducting business. Your office is your lead marketing tool.

Having a clean and organised office is essential in guaranteeing excellent results and ensuring your customers get the right picture of your business.

If the office is dirty, it can easily turn away potential clients. It reflects poorly on your standards and work ethic. A commercial cleaning service will make it easier for you to keep things looking neat and clean around the business and help you pass on the right message about your business and dedication to guests and customers.

Why not also read our blog: How To Clean Office Carpets & Kitchens.

3. Increased Productivity

Your employees stand to gain plenty from having a clean and well-organised office. Even though having the employees clean the office space teaches responsibility, they do the cleaning on company time reducing the time they dedicate to productive work that helps the business grow.

With a professional cleaning service, you can strike two birds with one stone. You can keep the office space clean and organised and get the employees to focus more on growing the business.

What’s more, employees tend to be more productive when they are working in a well-organised space. It’s easier and faster to find items which saves time and increases the speed at which tasks are completed.

4. Flexible working hours

Unlike your employees, a cleaning company has more flexible hours. Most commercial cleaning companies understand how essential it is to ensure the cleaning doesn’t interrupt the running of the business.

Most will complete cleaning tasks after working hours. This allows employees to focus on their work during the working hours and the cleaners can come in after hours and make sure the office is ready for the next round of workers.

This is an essential benefit that ensures your business is constantly running at all times. It works like a well-greased set of cogwheels that works smoothly to ensure the business can grow.

5. Save Costs

Contrary to popular opinion, deciding to hire a commercial cleaning company can help you save money. Without proper cleaning, dirt and dust accumulate around the workplace. The carpets, office blinds, and furniture are the most affected and become a magnet for pests. This can lead to expensive repairs and replacements.

The dust is also not good for electronics, especially if you have computers in your office space. They can break down more often, which results in an expensive routine maintenance bill and in a worst-case scenario failure of equipment which can cost more.

Final Thoughts

Don’t wait to learn the hard way about how important it is to keep your business clean and well organised. You can’t run everything in your business. By delegating, you can achieve great results and ensure all aspects of your business are well taken care of.

Hire a commercial cleaning service today to guarantee a clean, productive and healthy working space that saves you money and is appealing to your customers and guests.

Here at OCCO Cleaning Services, we provide Office Cleaning Services, as well as Factory & Warehouse Cleaning Services, and Clinical Cleaning Services.

It’s always advisable to have a professional cleaning company to help you keep things in order for your business. But, if you don’t have the budget, you need to make sure the office carpet and the kitchen are the best they can be.

How to Clean Office Carpets

Without the right cleaning products or processes, you can easily damage the office carpet. It can be riddled with stained or worse yet, you might have to dig deep into your pocket to have it installed again.

There are different methods you can use to clean the carpet. Each technique is different depending on the type of results you’re looking for.

• Vacuuming – It’s vital to have the carpet vacuumed, especially in high traffic areas, to make deep cleaning much easier. Preferably, the carpet should be vacuumed daily. But, for areas without much traffic, three times a week will also suffice.
• Deep Cleaning – Once in a while, you will need to deep clean your carpet. This helps to get rid of stains and deep sitting dirt. Without deep cleaning, the dirt sitting in the carpet fibres can cause the carpet to wear and speed-up the degradation of the carpet. How often you deep clean the carpet depends on the amount of traffic. High traffic areas can be deep cleaned up to three times a year while low traffic areas can be cleaned once a year.
• Spills – With so many people in one place, expect to have a couple of spills on the carpet. How you deal with them is what makes them different. In most cases, the carpet is stain resistant, but you don’t want to take any chances. It’s vital that you don’t let the spills sit in and work themselves into the carpet fibre. The sooner you handle the spill, the easier it’s going to be to clean up. You might need to recruit the help of your employees in cleaning up the minor spills and make sure you have paper towels that can easily soak up the spills.
• Professional Cleaning – To keep the carpet in the best possible condition, it’s vital to ensure your carpet is professionally washed at least once a year. There are different methods to use in this case. Steam cleaning or a hot water extraction process can help to remove all the gunk and stains and restore your carpet. This will help to prolong the life of the carpet and also make other routine maintenance processes like vacuuming and spot cleaning much easier.

Why not also read our latest blog post here: 10 Spring Cleaning Tips for Offices.

Cleaning the Office Kitchen

The office kitchen is yet another area of concern in the office. It’s frequented by all employees, and the dishes, dirt, and grime can pile up fast if the kitchen is not properly cleaned. Again, if you can afford professional cleaning services, this would be the best approach. If you can’t here are a few tips and processes that you can use to make sure the kitchen is sparkling clean at all times.

Get everyone to contribute

If all the employees practice due diligence, keeping the kitchen clean wouldn’t be an uphill task. Before you can try other methods, it’s important to get the employees to get into the idea of using the amenities more responsibility.

If anyone makes a mess, they should clean it up. The employees should also try and replace supplies like paper towels as soon as they run out. This will make it easier and faster to clean up messes.

Have all of the supplies

You need to keep track of all the supplies needed for the kitchen and make sure you replenish the stores in good time. Even if the workers are willing to pull their weight, if there are no suppliers, it won’t work. Some of the supplies you should make sure are always there include:

• Recycle bins
• Washing up liquid
• Dish brushes
• Cloths and paper towels
• Appliances like dishwashers and refrigerators

It’s also prudent for the employees to report to management if any of the supplies run out. This will ensure continuity and a constant supply of the required tools and supplies to keep the kitchen clean.

Set up a Rota

There are duties that each employee can complete each day. However, you need to have a structured guideline. This will help the employees better understand what their roles are in the kitchen and what they are responsible for.

Alternatively, you can also delegate duties to the workers to make it easier to keep the kitchen clean. For instance, you can have someone supervise the use of the refrigerator and make sure workers don’t leave leftovers in there for too long and that it is also emptied within the right time. Such an approach can help to get the employees more involved.

Hire a professional service

At some point, you will need to bring in a professional kitchen cleaning service for a deep clean. Deep cleans are vital because they help to get rid of the gunk and build up and sanitise the kitchen. This is a job best left for the professionals.

Most businesses view hiring a professional cleaning service as an expense. But think of the time you free up for your employees so they can get work done that can make money and help the business grow.

It’s a tradeoff you might want to consider. If you’re not yet warmed up to the idea, having a professional service once every few months can go a long way in ensuring you have a healthy and sanitary kitchen where your staff can enjoy meals.

Conclusion

Keeping your office together without the help of a cleaning service requires proper planning and execution. You also need to rely heavily on the cooperation of your staff to be more responsible. Despite the planning, to ensure the office space is safe and clean enough for use, you need to bring in a professional cleaning team to work on the carpet and the kitchen once a while. This is not only for the sake of the staff but also for the appliances and finishings around the office.

Here at OCCO Cleaning Services, we provide Office Cleaning Services, as well as restaurant cleaning services and school cleaning services.

Spring cleaning is an essential part of your office cleaning routine. But, most workers prefer to stay away from it because of the hefty workload of cleaning, which in some cases goes unfinished. If you worry at the thought of having to clean the office during spring, this blog will help you come up with a formidable strategy that will make it easier and faster to complete your cleaning duties.

1. Divide the Workspace into Zones

You can’t get all the cleaning done in one day. Dividing your office space makes it easier to clean. You have better control of the areas that require less work and will take time and you can start there. If the office is shared, dividing it into zones also makes it easier to assign cleaning duties to other users in the same office.

2. Make a Schedule

Depending on the size of the office, you might need a couple of days to clean the office properly. A schedule helps you to budget time. Allocate more time to areas that need a thorough cleaning and scale back on areas that don’t need too much time.

Your schedule will help you stay focused during the cleaning process because you know where to clean next. It will also help you have a more strategic approach to cleaning the office, so you don’t keep going back and forth.

3. Grab Some Supplies

To save time, you should have all your cleaning supplies in one area where it’s easy to reach. Collecting your supplies in advance will save you the back on forth which can take up time and put serious mileage on your legs.

When picking up the supplies, don’t forget – it’s not only the cleaning detergents, cloths, brushes and vacuum cleaner you’re picking up. You also need a few safety supplies like an overall and a nose mask at least.

When using heavy-duty cleaner, be sure to read the labels and see if there’s any additional equipment you need to bring like rubber gloves to protect yourself.

4. Declutter

First on your schedule should be decluttering. Before you can go on with the deep purge, you need as much floor space as possible. Decluttering will help you with that. Empty bins and get rid of everything that’s not being used in the office.

Clutter not only makes it harder to clean. It also has psychological influences and can increase on stress level. That’s why you should declutter mercilessly.

• Organise the drawers and working areas within the office
• Look through the junk drawers and get rid of any papers and files that are unusable.
• Donate electronics you no longer use around the office

If the decluttering is done well, you should already start seeing the efforts of your spring cleaning around the office start to bear fruit.

5. Create a Designated Area for Supplies

When decluttering your desk, you need a place to store the supplies you don’t use frequently but are still useful. These include staples, staplers, pens, marker pens, sticky notes, and other items. Have a designated place where you can safely put all these items. This will clear up space in your drawer and the tabletops. Use the desk to hold items that you use regularly.

Why not also read our tip on Conservatory Roof Cleaning.

6. Work from Top to Bottom

You don’t want to clean in circles that’s why you need an effective approach to clean. When working on the different zones, starts from the top and work your way to the floor. This will save you time because you don’t have to go back and forth as the dust settles in areas you had cleaned.

When dusting, it’s best to use a HEPA vacuum. Dusting will often transfer the dust to other areas while the vacuum will suck and lock up the dust, making it easier to manage. Once you’re done with areas like the ceiling and cabinet tops, you can now get to the floor and vacuum all the debris and dust that might have fallen as you were cleaning the high surfaces.

7. The Walls and Windows

Walls and windows are often forgotten when cleaning. Some of the dust you’re chasing settles on the walls and windows. Without proper cleaning, the dust leaves an ugly coat on these surfaces. Use a damp towel to quickly wipe down the walls, blinds, and windows. Don’t forget the frames and curtain boxes if there are any in the office.

For the windows, it’s best not to use chemical cleaners. Steam cleaners and squeegee are great alternatives. They provide you with impressive results without any risks of damaging the window.

8. Clean the Furniture

Once the organisation is done, you can get down to the actual cleaning. Thus far, you’ve gotten rid of clutter and properly dusted the office. Start cleaning by wiping down the furniture. This includes any cabinets in the offices.

As usual, start with the furniture sitting highest in the offices and work your way downwards. Use disinfectant to wipe down the surfaces then polish the furniture to make sure it retains that alluring shine.

9. Clean the Air as Well

If the air in your office has been feeling a little heavy and dusty, it’s about time you changed the filters. Even after a vigorous clean, the filters are often forgotten which leaves the office with the same dense and dusty air.

If your budget allows, consider replacing the standard filter with a more robust one that is more efficient. It will keep the air in the office clean and breathable. Needless to mention, that means a better and healthier working environment for you.

10. Take it Slow

If you don’t have the time, you don’t have to tackle the entire spring office cleaning in a day. You can set aside time and areas that you can easily and efficiently clean. Eventually, you will have the entire office done without breaking your back.

These tips should make your spring cleaning challenge simpler and more effective. You don’t have to get the help of cleaning professionals to get your office in order. If your office is large, you can enlist assistance from your family or friends to get the work to go along faster.

Here at OCCO Cleaning Services, we provide Office Cleaning Services, as well as restaurant cleaning services and school cleaning services.

There’s no better way to complete a busy day at the office than sipping your evening cup of tea while enjoying the unobstructed view under your conservatory roof.

While the views are mind-blowing, you can’t avoid noticing the dust, leaves, and stains that are slowly creeping up on your beautiful roof. You need to do something about it!

In this quick guide, you will learn how to safely clean your conservatory roof and keep it in the best shape possible, even without professional help.

All types of conservatory roof need to be cleaned at least once every four months. In most cases, you will not need a lot of cleaning products. But for the finishing, the products you need depend on the material you have on your roof.

Safety Equipment

Before you jump up on the roof, you have to stock up on safety gear. Cleaning the roof is a dangerous task and you need to take utmost protection and caution while working up there. Some of the items you need before going up on the roof include:

• Helmet
• Working gloves
• Crawl board

Once you have the safety gear in place, you also need a few tips to keep in mind. These will keep you safe.

• Don’t walk or kneel on the roof. You should use crawl boards to distribute the pressure. The roof can easily get damaged if you walk on it and the repair bill can be hefty.
• If you don’t have roof access, use a tower fixed scaffolding to get to the roof. You can only use a ladder if there’s a concrete surface to support it near the top. Placing the ladder against the roof or gutters increases chances of damaging the roof and it’s also easier for the ladder to slip while you’re on it.
• Take the utmost care when working on the roof. Particularly when it’s wet. If possible use a water-fed brush and have professionals go up on the roof when necessary.

Tools you need

Now that you have all the safety tips you need to work on the conservatory roof, here are the tools you need when cleaning:

• A ladder
• Bucket
• Conservatory cleaning products
• A brush
• A telescopic cleaner with a squeegee
• A PVC cleaner for the frame

Why not also read our tip on Removing Limescale from the Toilet.

How to clean a conservatory roof

With all the cleaning tools, products, safety gear, and tips, you’re ready to get your roof squeaky clean.

Remember to be extra cautious. Conservatory roof surfaces are fragile and things can go terribly wrong fast.

Prepare the solution

Before going up on the roof, fill your bucket with lukewarm water. Don’t overfill it since you have to carry it up.

Most conservatory roof materials require warm soapy water for cleaning. But, if you have some preferred conservatory cleaning products, you can add them to the water to make a cleaning solution.

Read the instruction on the detergent box to get the correct ratio to make the solution. Only use mild detergents that will not damage the finishing.

Set the telescopic pole

It’s safer to clean the roof from the ground, especially when you don’t have all the safety gear required. A telescopic pole will make the task easier and safer.

Attach the brush and the squeegee on both sides of the telescopic pole. Position the ladder on the appropriate side of the conservatory depending on where you want to start. Make sure the ladder doesn’t touch the roof or the gutters. Since you will be up there for some time, make sure all contact points of the ladder are completely stable.

Make sure you also have your helmet and work gloves before going up on the ladder. Safety is a priority in such a task.

Washing the roof

To clean the roof, dip the brush side of your telescopic pole into the bucket. Go up the ladder and gently brush the surface of the roof. A soft-bristled brush works best and doesn’t scratch the surface of the roofing material.

Wiping the roof

Once you’re done scrubbing, switch to the squeegee side of the pole and wipe away the foam from one side to the other. Keep repeating this step until the surface is free of foam.

To guarantee a spotless roof, you might want to repeat these steps a few times, replacing the cleaning water in the bucket after a few dips. This will help to avoid dirty streaks once the roof dries.

Cleaning the frames

Don’t forget to give the frames some tender love and care for a clean look. For the frame, you need a PVC cleaner. It’s best to address the frame after you’re done cleaning the windows.

To clean the frames, use a cloth or the recommended cleaning tool depending on the type of PVC cleaning solution you chose.

Once the cleaning is done, let the windows air dry for the best results.

To keep the windows in the best possible condition, you should use finishing products. These protect the material against weather aspects like exposure to sunlight.

The finishing product of choice depends on the material used on your conservatory. For glass surfaces, use a proprietary glass cleaner and for polycarbonate, you can use a solvent-free or alkali-free household detergent.

A few tips to keep in mind

• Don’t clean the window when it’s too hot. The windows will dry quickly leaving water drop marks and streak lines on the surface.
• Make sure you only use tools and cleaning agents recommended for the type of material used to make your conservatory.
• Don’t use abrasive agents. They will damage the finish of the material. Baking soda is also considered abrasive.
• Don’t clean the conservatory on rainy days
• Cleaning is best left for afternoons when the sun is not hot, but, you still have ample natural light to work with.

After following this quick guide, you should have an excellent conservatory roof that you can enjoy your evening tea under without the nuisance of the dust and leaves obstructing the superb view.

Once in a while, you need to get in touch with a professional cleaner to get rid of the tough stains and restore the glory of your roof. But, cleaning it once every four months will save you money when the cleaner comes in.

If you are anxious about cleaning your conservatory roof, get in touch with us today. We offer a wide variety of cleaning services in Sheffield including High-Level Cleaning, Commercial Window Cleaning and more!

The porcelain toilet bowls are the unsung heroes of every home. They support us as we do the unmentionable during our best and worst time. The serenity and hygienic environment make doing an otherwise dirty task easy and straightforward.

Looking down an immaculate white toilet bowl without blemish insight can be weirdly satisfying. Unfortunately, most homeowners don’t share the same sentiments. They are left looking down a scaly yellow layer that has developed around the toilet bowl. Despite your best efforts, it just won’t go away.

You’ve tried every trick in the book and on the internet, but it still sticks around. If you finally want to rid yourself of this unsightly look, have a read at this quick guide on how to get rid of limescale from your toilet.

What is Limescale?

To get rid of Limescale, you need to know what you’re up against. Limescale, also known as calcium carbonate, is deposited on the bowl by water that has passed through soft rocks like limestone or chalk.

As the water passes through the rocks, it picks up the minerals contained in the rocks. As the water picks up the minerals, it hardens and becomes hard water.

Some of the minerals are incredibly stubborn and survive the vigorous process of purifying the water. The minerals that make it through the purification process travel through the pipes around the house depositing limescale on the surfaces like the toilet bowl, inside the pipes and taps around the house.

The deposits appear as a powdery white substance that appears on various surfaces like the walls, mirrors, showerheads and in this case, toilet bowls as well. Sometimes, limescale also appears as orange, pink or brown streaking stains.

Why should you remove limescale?

The biggest risk of letting limescale build-up is not how ugly and unsightly it makes the toilet bowl look, but the ability to restrict water flow in pipes, showerheads, and dishwashers.

For most homeowners, however, is the unhygienic look that results in the heavily stained toilet bowls. The stain issues is a much easier challenge to handle compared to restricted airflow.

Limescale removal myths

The dire need to remove limescale stains from the toilet has driven many people to try some extreme measures. There are numerous magical fixes advertised as easy and stress-free ways to get rid of limescale.

Some of them work albeit with very minimal and often unnoticeable results and others don’t work out at all. Some of the most popular limescale removal myths include:

• Cola – this is the most common myth. It claims to get rid of limescale stains in your toilet bowl by simply pouring a large bottle of cola into the bowl and letting it sit overnight. The myth is based on the acidic nature of cola dissolving the limescale. When tried out, this method not only failed but strengthened the colour of the limescale stains.
• Bleach – this is the most powerful household helper around the house. It kicks out even the toughest stains and sanitises almost everything. It’s logical why most people fall for this one because of how practical it sounds. Unfortunately, bleach doesn’t hold up to the standards. At best, it only lightens the stains. The toilet might look cleaner, but it’s still encrusted.

If you’ve tried using these methods to no avail, you must feel defeated. You’re thinking the ugly brown stains on your toilet bowl are here to stay. But, all is not lost. There are ways to get rid of limescale with the help of readily available products.

Need to clean your sofa but are wondering how much this might cost you? Read our latest blog: Professional Sofa Cleaning Cost

How to get rid of limescale with vinegar

You can buy toilet cleaners designed to remove the stains from your toilet. If you’re not willing to dig into your pockets, you can use vinegar and some elbow grease to achieve the same results.

Vinegar is acidic making it perfect for softening and lifting limescale. What’s more, it won’t cost as much as a commercial toilet cleaner.

• Flush the toilet until only clear water is left.
• Pour one litre of undiluted white vinegar directly onto the bowl. If the stains are high-sitting, you can block the toilet outlet. When pouring the vinegar, pour it around the sides of the bowl as well.
• Let the vinegar sit for about four hours
• Scrub the toilet bowl with more white vinegar
• Flush the toilet to rinse away the residue
• Repeat until you’re happy with the look of your toilet bowl

Removing limescale with sandpaper

Another budget-friendly way of getting rid of limescale is by using sandpaper. This method is perfect for those stubborn limescale stains that make you consider changing the toilet bowl.

This is usually a last resort when commercial cleaners and vinegar don’t yield any results. Before you throw in the towel, this sandpaper trick might just salvage your toilet and an expensive toilet bowl replacement bill.

The downside to using sandpaper to remove limescale is, it’s neither pleasant nor enjoyable. But it works. You need to get two grains of sandpaper: medium grains and fine grain. Medium grain removes most of the stains while fine-grain finishes the job.

• Once the toilet is adequately flushed with only clear water in sight, start with the medium sandpaper. Gently rub it against parts of the toilet bowl with limescale build-up.
• Keep rubbing until most of the stains are removed. Don’t be too aggressive or hard when rubbing to avoid scratching the bowl.
• Next, use the fine-grain sandpaper to buff the remaining stain build-up away.
• Flush the toilet to rinse away the residue scraped off
• Proceed to clean the toilet normally.

Once the bowl is clean, you might notice a few stains that stick around. Keep persisting. A few more scrubs should get your toilet sparkling.

Keeping your toilet clear of limescale

After so much time, you finally conquer the bad case of limescale. Now, you just need to figure out a way to keep the limescale out of your toilet.

Luckily, this isn’t as hard as removing the build-up. All you need to do is give your toilet a white vinegar wash once a week.

Add four cups of white vinegar to the toilet bowl and let it sit overnight before flushing the toilet. The beauty of white vinegar is it doesn’t hurt the septic tank so all homeowners can use. It also comes with the benefit of getting rid of urine smells. There you have it! Some great and cheap ways to get rid of limescale build up in your toilet. They are effective and efficient and won’t dry your finances dry!

Looking for professional cleaning services in Sheffield? Here at OCCO, we provide a variety of cleaning services from commercial floor cleaning to event cleaning.

Thinking of having your sofa professionally cleaned? You must be wondering how much that is going to cost. Professional sofa cleaning is a great idea with many benefits. However, the cost of the service varies depending on a variety of factors ranging from the type of cleaning you need for your chairs, the materials and even the design of the chair.

To help you better understand the potential costs of having your sofa professionally cleaned, here’s a quick blog about everything it entails and how each factor will affect the price.

Factors that determine sofa cleaning prices

Professional sofa costs differ from one cleaning service to the next. Other than the quality of service, there are other factors that contribute to the varying rates. Here are some of the main factors that affect sofa cleaning costs.

• Design and number of pieces – The cost of cleaning one chair, two or three chairs is not the same. The price also differs when cleaning arm-rest chairs or a four-person corner sofa. The design and number of pieces in the set you want to be cleaned are some of the main factors considered when setting the cleaning prices.
• Schedule – Choosing when you want to have your sofa cleaned could save you money or balloon the cost of cleaning significantly. This doesn’t apply to all sofa cleaning service. Typically, it will cost you more to schedule a sofa cleaning during bank holidays and other public holidays. Going for regular working hours might cost less depending on the company and their policies
• Range of service offered – If you’re looking to get your sofa a nice scrub down and nothing more, you might pay less compared to a person who wants a stain protector applied on their sofa. The more the service you need, the higher the cost of cleaning is going to be.
• Type of fabric and cleaning method – the method of cleaning differs depending on the material of the sofa. That means the cost of cleaning will also be affected. Some materials are easier to clean than others while others require more effort, time and resources. If you choose a more advanced cleaning method for your sofa, you will also pay more.
• Additional service charges – while the sofa cleaners are at your home, you might decide to have your carpet and rugs cleaned as well. The other services will add to the total bill. The more the additional services, the higher the bill.

Do you have a suede sofa? Read our latest blog: How to clean a suede sofa.

Types of Sofa Cleaning Methods

There are a few different methods of sofa cleaning you can choose for your home. Sometimes, you don’t have to choose. The experts will choose the best method for you depending on the materials of the chair. Nonetheless, it’s essential to know each of them and what to expect.

Hot water extraction

For sofas made out of wool fabrics or synthetics, hot water extraction is the best cleaning method. Hot water under pressure is forced into the fibres dislodging any dirt and soiling. A powerful vacuum is used at the same time to suck back the water.

Using the vacuum removes up to 95 percent of the moisture instantly. If you’re looking for great results and don’t mind giving your sofa some time to dry properly, this method will suffice.

Dry sofa cleaning

If your sofa is made from delicate materials that are not water-resistant, dry sofa cleaning is a more preferable method. This process involves multiple steps to get your sofa back in shape:

• The cleaners will first inspect the upholstered sofa. They will choose the best cleaning solution depending on the type of fabric and sensitivity
• Some stains will be pre-treated before the dry cleaning of the sofa. This maximises on the dirt that is extracted using this procedure.
• Once the preparations are done, a special machine applies a powerful solvent under pressure. It sends the cleaning product deep into the fabric to dislodge any dirt or soil sitting deep into the fabric.
• The machine then sucks the solvent and the dissolved dirt together.

Dry Foam cleaning

For the most delicate fabrics, the dry foam cleaning method works perfectly. The method is different from the others.

First, the upholstery is vacuumed to get rid of loose and top dirt. A conditioning spray is then applied to the sofa to dissolve the deep-sitting dirt.

Foam is then applied using specialised equipment. The cleaner pays special attention, not to over-wet the surface of the sofa. The foam is then left for a few minutes which allows it to harden. It’s then sucked using a powerful vacuum leaving the sofa dry and clean.

Leather sofa cleaning

Leather sofas will easily outlast most of the other fabrics if properly cleaned and maintained. For the best results, leave leather cleaning to the professionals. One small mistake can compromise the longevity of leather and damage it completely.

The cleaning process starts with a quick inspection of the condition of the leather and testing of the cleaning solution.

Foam leather cleaner is then applied to the upholstery and cleaned off using a soft brush and cotton cloth. A leather rejuvenation product is used in the last step to prevent future stains and improve the look.

Is Professional upholstery cleaning worth the cost?

Reading through the different methods used to clean sofas, you must have come up with your homegrown ideas of how you can achieve the same results. The truth is, you can try. But, the potential risk of damaging your sofa is not worth the few quid you will save.

Sometimes, the results of your home trial run are impossible to clean even using professional machines and you might have to replace the sofa prematurely.  Some of the risks you run by cleaning your sofas yourself include:

• Not knowing what your fabric the upholstery of your furniture is made of
• Using the wrong cleaning products for the wrong fabric
• Not using the right method, tools or equipment
• Not knowing how to treat each stain

Each mistake you make only adds trouble to your sofa and some of the mistakes have irreversible results.

Choosing a professional sofa cleaning service will definitely impact your finances. But, compared to the comfort of having a clean, allergen-free and stain-free sofa, the cost of having your sofa professionally cleaned is negligible. What’s more, you will be extending the life of your sofa and getting more out of it. If you are still unsure as to how to go about cleaning your sofa, get in touch with us here at OCCO Cleaning Services, we offer commercial cleaning services in Sheffield and are happy to help.

We also provide a wide variety of other cleaning services such as Office Cleaning, Graffiti Removal and more!

Suede sofas add elegance and timelessness to any space they occupy. They are as lovely to look at as they are too feel. They have a comfortable and fuzzy feeling which is quite relaxing.

But, their beauty is not without cost. A suede sofa can cost you a small fortune and a small stain can look hideous on this immaculate finish.

To keep the sofa in its best shape, you have the responsibility of keeping the sofa clean and tidy and getting rid of any stains swiftly before they set. But how do you clean suede sofas without damaging the fabric?

What is Suede?

The trick lies in understanding what suede is and how to clean and take care of it. Suede is a supple type of leather made from the underside of an animal. It’s commonly used to make bags, shoes, furniture and even clothes. The cosy and warm feel of suede comes from the small fibres also called Nap.

How to clean a Suede Sofa

Cleaning a suede sofa seems like a nightmare given how delicate the fabric is. Without the right information and tips, the nightmare can quickly become a reality. But, by taking some time out to know which cleaning processes to follow and the kind of care and attention to the fabric, you can just as easily have some excellent results.

Here are a few tips to get you started on the right footing:

• Only use an upholstery cleaner specifically designed for suede
• Before cleaning, refer to the manufacturer’s care instruction on both the sofa and the cleaning product
• The room in which you intend to clean the sofa must be well ventilated. Make sure all the windows are open. If there are fans, you can turn them on as well.
• If you can’t get enough air into the room, use a painter’s face mask, so you don’t inhale the aerosol cleaner
• If it’s the first time cleaning the suede sofa or you’re using a new cleaning spray, test it out on a discreet area of the sofa to make sure it doesn’t affect the suede before cleaning the entire sofa

A few things you will need

• The suede furniture cleaner
• A suede napping brush (You can find it in most shoe shops)
• A suede rubbing cloth
• A vacuum cleaner
• A brown gum eraser
• A dry sponge
• For the best results, you can use a waterproofing or stain repellent product. These are only optional.

Why not also read our latest blog: What is Spring Cleaning?

Suede Sofa Cleaning Regime

Weekly

• Once a week, spray the sofa with a suede stain repellent. To avoid missing spots, work your way from one section to the next. Applying a stain repellent will protect the sofa from accidental spills and cleaning will be much easier. For the best results, apply two or three coats of the stain repellent.
• Vacuum loose and trapped dust once a week. Make sure you remove the cushions to capture as much dirt and dust as possible
• Use the suede brush to remove hairs and other particles that might still be clinging on to the cushions.

Monthly

After completing the weekly cleaning duties, once a month, you will need to:

• Remove the cushions and vacuum up as you normally would under the weekly cleaning tasks
• Vacuum both sides of the cushion using a cross pattern to loosen any trapped dirt
• Vacuum the entire sofa after completing the cushions using the same pattern
• Use a suede cleaning cloth to wipe down the sofa and both sides of the cushion to keep the sofa looking amazing.

Removing stains from a suede sofa

For wet stains

• Moisten a cloth using white vinegar or suede cleaner
• Rub the damp cloth against the affected area in small circular motions or a cross pattern
• Let the area dry before polishing using a napping brush or a suede cloth
• Clean the spills as soon as possible to keep them from setting

For dry stains

• Remove loose dirt by brushing gently using a suede brush
• Remove the stain completely using a suede eraser or a brown gum eraser
• Use a piece of sandpaper to remove stubborn pieces of the stain
• Use a suede napping brush to restore the condition of the suede after the stain is completely gone

For grease stains

Grease rarely finds its way on to your suede sofa. But if it does, here are a few tips on how to get rid of it

• Pat cornstarch or talcum powder onto the stain and leave it overnight
• The powder helps to absorb the oils
• Use a vacuum to remove the powder the following day
• Once the powder is off, use a brown gum eraser or suede eraser to remove the remaining traces of the stain
• You might need to repeat these steps a few times until the stain is completely removed

For blood stains

• As with most fabrics, blood can be difficult to remove from suede. But, there’s a simple method you can use.
• Mix warm water and soap. Try to make as many bubbles as possible
• Using a clean sponge, gently rub the stain using the foam only in small rubbing motions so you don’t spread the stain.
• Use a clean soft cloth to wipe the area clean until it’s dry

No matter what found your way onto your beloved suede sofa, this simple guide has a solution on how you can get rid of it. From simple cleaning and maintenance methods to innovative ways to get rid of tough stains, you have it all.

Keeping your suede sofa in the best condition for many years should be much easier now with all these cleaning tips.

If you still need a helping hand OCCO offers a wide variety of cleaning services including Office Cleaning Services to keep your business in tip-top condition.