We are officially in the beginning of autumn. This means your home needs to go through a mini transformation to adjust and prepare for the new season. We have identified the essential steps you need to take or points to cover in this process.

1.  Deep Cleaning

First and foremost your home needs a thorough deep clean. Any clutter and items that will no longer be in use for the next several months need to be removed. You may decide to store them in the garage, cellar or shed. Or you can simply donate those items if you feel you won’t need them anymore but someone else could make a good use of them. Deep cleaning includes working on hard to reach areas like ceilings, behind heavy furniture and inside cupboards. It will refresh the atmosphere at the property, but will also prevent pest infestation and ensure you start the flu season with a germ-free, safe and healthy living environment.

2.  Carpet Cleaning

Carpets must be professionally cleaned twice a year as a bare minimum. The beginning of autumn is a great time to have one of those cleans. That’s to protect the appearance of your carpets, but also to make sure harmful bacteria, viruses and allergens are trapped inside. You will notice how much easier it is to breathe and sleep after the cleaning.

3.  Pantry Editing

Remember you edited your pantry in time for summer? Well, you’ll have to do it again to get ready for autumn and winter this time. Bring forward the herbs, teas and heavy carb load. It is a good opportunity to check any items expiring soon and replenish supplies that are running low.

4.  Closet Rearrangement

Just like the pantry, your closet needs a reset. Say goodbye to the summer dresses and light t-shirts. Bring in the cosy sweaters, jeans and scarves. Colour arrangement is always a good idea. Not only it helps you find the items you are looking for faster and easier, but it also puts you in a positive mood.

5.  Window and Air Vents Cleaning

Early autumn is perfect for window and exterior cleaning. British summer is often wet, so give your windows a glossup to maximise the sunlight penetration for as long as we are blessed to have it. If you can, arrange for gutter cleaning before the heavy rain starts and the fallen leaves cause a blockage. Don’t forget the air vents either! They will need a thorough clean before the cold weather sets in and humidity encourages more mould growth.

6.  Bug Proofing

Have you noticed the sudden increase of creepy crawlies in your garden and around the house? It’s party season for all of them. Take the necessary precautions to prevent them from joining you in your home rent-free. Deep cleaning, disinfection and decluttering will do most of the trick, but you may want to add some additional measures like window nets, filling cracks or spraying bug repellent close to the possible entrances.

7.  Introducing Warm Colours to the Interior

Ok, this last step is not necessarily essential, but certainly very beneficial. Especially to your mental health and wellbeing. Although incredibly beautiful, autumn is not the most cheerful season. You can lift up your mood and feel truly at peace in your private residence by adding more warm colours to the interior. It could be small details like an orange throw or yellow cushions, new paintings, a bowl of fruits on the coffee table, strands of wheat in a vase or pumpkin decorations. It’s up to you. Use your imagination to create your very own autumn paradise.

Time is an issue for most busy families. We totally understand this and as professionals we want to give you some tips on how to minimise the cleaning effort at home.

Frequency is Key

There’s no better way to reduce your cleaning load than doing small bits daily. You can section your house and spend 10 minutes working on a specific area every day. Or, you can have the same amount of time simply dedicated to tidying up everywhere before you go to bed. Leaving dirt and clutter pile up for a couple of days or weeks will result in bad conditions that will require much more time and energy to deal with.

Hard Floors instead of Carpets

Soft flooring can be cosy but it requires a lot more maintenance than hard floors. If you have young children or pets, vacuuming becomes a daily task, stains happen way too often and you must have your carpet professionally cleaned at least twice a year. This is to avoid the development of any possible health conditions such as allergies, asthma or other respiratory diseases, associated with dirty carpets. Hard floors only need a quick mopping and disinfection.

Bathroom Sprays

Limescale and hard water buildup is such a pain to remove. It will take you at least half an hour of vigorous scrubbing if you clean your bathroom every week. Much longer if you do it less frequently. But what if we told you there’s a way to minimise all that effort? Use a descaling spray every time after you take a shower. Then simply wipe gently. It takes no more than 5 minutes and it saves you so much hassle.

Have a Laundry Schedule

Don’t let laundry pile up. It’s stressful for everyone in the house. Instead create a laundry schedule. It could mean you wash clothes every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Depending on the size of your family and your laundry needs, washing days may occur more or less frequently. We would say the best option for bigger families is always using a professional launderette with flexible and convenient service.

Opt for More Non-creasing Fabrics

There’s nothing more frustrating than freshly washed laundry that looks terribly squeezed. In such a scenario ironing is inevitable. You can choose to buy more clothes made from non-creasing fabrics. The downfall of these is that they are synthetic and not all skin types agree with continuous use of unnatural fibres such as cotton, silk or linen. If you prefer organic fabrics, then your next best solution to minimise effort is booking a professional ironing service. Not only would your clothes look outstanding, but you will also have a layer of protection from allergens and germs.

Just Call the Cleaning Lady

Sometimes, no matter how much you try to minimise the housework, it still becomes overwhelming. If you’ve reached that point, pick up the phone and organise domestic cleaning done by professionals. It’s the best investment for your physical and mental health, as well as the wellbeing of everyone who lives with you.

Everyone knows that irregular domestic cleaning and not ironing your clothes pose a huge risk to the health of your family members and your own. Bacteria and germs multiply constantly and can make us really sick if we do not take care of our living environment and the clothes we put on our bodies. However, in this blog post, we will focus on the health risks associated with improper cleaning and ironing, instead of lack of such.

Mixing the Wrong Cleaning Solutions

Cleaning may seem like a simple job, but in reality it requires specialist knowledge. A large number of serious home accidents have happened as a result of incorrect mixing of cleaning solutions or improper dilution of bleach. For example, adding ammonia to bleach or chlorine based products creates a highly toxic solution that can severely harm your lungs and airways. Long exposure to some cleaning chemicals without protective equipment can also have a damaging effect on your health. This is why professional cleaners are always best to perform cleaning and disinfection tasks.

Vacuuming with Certain Conditions

Did you know that vacuuming is considered strenuous physical activity? It looks almost effortless when someone else does it. But in reality, vacuuming puts a lot of pressure on your lower back. If you are pregnant past the first trimester or have chronic back pains, you should avoid vacuuming. Instead ask your partner to take over the chore or book a domestic cleaning service.

Using the Wrong Detergent and Fabric Softener

The wrong detergent can surely damage your clothes, but more importantly, it can negatively impact your health. Most popular products sold in shops contain numerous chemicals that can cause allergic reactions, rashes and even permanent skin conditions. Fabric softeners have been proven to include cancerogenous ingredients. Professional laundry services have access to effective but non-toxic detergents and products that can keep your clothes looking fabulous and your body healthy.

The Height of the Ironing Board

You enjoy ironing? We do too! However, did you know that doing this chore without an ironing board or not adjusting it to the right height can cause health problems? In some households, people don’t bother investing in a good ironing board because it takes space and adds more hassle to the process. Wrong move. Ironing for a long time without a board or on a board, which has not been adjusted to the right height for you contributes to the development of osteoporosis. It can also make the symptoms of the condition much worse. So, either get a quality ironing board or arrange a professional ironing service for your clothes and bed linen. It will save you time, effort and bring you tons of health benefits.

Washing Your Carpet Using the Wrong Method

Not all carpet cleaning is the same, simply because different fabrics and fibres require different treatment. DIY carpet cleaning using the wet washing method can cause health problems. If you don’t allow the appropriate time for drying, mould will soon start growing and become trapped in the carpet. That can then lead to the development of mould allergy and if not treated turn into asthma. Always consult with a specialist before you clean your carpet or book a professional carpet cleaning service.

School is back. This means daily washes and ironing of uniforms, perhaps lunch preparations, drop offs and pickups. After school clubs and activities are expected to run as normal from this term, so that adds extra pressure to families with two working parents and little or no childcare help. To top it all up, you may have now returned to work from the office. Less time to do housework and more chores to get done. The smart solution in this case is outsourcing. Here’s what you can do to give yourself a little break and save time and energy.

Domestic Cleaning

Working families with school children often have trouble maintaining a clean and tidy home. That’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s just how fast-paced life is. However, a well maintained and clean home has a direct impact on the health of all residents. Arranging professional domestic cleaning once a week is enough to keep your environment safe, cosy and welcoming. Therefore, that’s one of the first chores you should look to outsource.

Laundry and Ironing

It’s baffling how quick laundry can pile up. Especially in families with two or more children. Just one washing day missed and everyone starts panicking because they can’t find clean clothes. This sort of frustration can be easily avoided by outsourcing the chore to a professional laundry service. Most providers offer flexible options for pickup and delivery. So all you have to do is just pick your dates and organise the dirty pile.

Ironing is also extremely important, especially in the midst of the flu season during a global pandemic. Ironed clothes not only make you look smart, but protect from bacteria, viruses and allergens that were not removed during the washing process. Nevertheless, a large number of families say they don’t iron their clothes simply for lack of time. Our advice - don’t compromise the look, comfort and health of your loved ones. Outsource the ironing to a professional company. Just like the laundry service, ironing can be flexible and organised in a way to fit your schedule.

Dog Walking

If you have pets, daily care for them can become a little overwhelming. Having to work late or being caught up in other activities that can’t be ignored sometimes means the dog won’t go on a walk. That’s not good for the animal and frankly not very fair. Instead of stressing yourself and your furry friend, outsource dog walking to a local service provider. If you are lucky, your neighbour may agree to do it for free.

Garden Maintenance

Autumn is the season of messy gardens. Fallen leaves, an invasion of spiders and other bugs, as well as lots of rain to make it all muddy. Your private outdoor space definitely needs attention, but you may not have the time or energy to do it all. Outsource garden maintenance to a professional and simply enjoy a cup of your favourite hot drink, looking at a tidy and refreshing space.