Ultimately cleaning apartments is fast, but they have to be done well. Attention to detail is important. Refrigerators, stoves, the inside of cup boards is paramount. The term is getting the unit “rent ready.” In another post we will talk about why this is all so important, but for right now these are some steps I take.
The best tool of all is my duster brush on a long pole. We buy them at Ace Hardware for between $15 to $20. It reaches above the window, and door frames, catches cob webs, and dusts the base boards. It’s also handy for the hard to get at areas. It’s the first thing I do so it gives the dust a chance to settle.
Number two is to use water when possible. I still get in trouble by my cleaning team for wetting everything with a damp cloth, and moving along. After getting things wet for about fifteen minutes I go back, re-rinse the rag, spray Windex and pick up as much moisture as I can. I rinse the rag as needed, but often. I finish with a dry rag. So essentially I go over the same areas three times, but it goes quick.
The baths get a generous amount of Comet in the toilet. All around the bowl gets lots of disinfectant. The shower, tub, and surrounds get lots of water, scrubbed down, and rinsed before being dried, first with a damp cloth, rinsed often, then dried with the dry rag. Again I damp mop the floors after wiping around the bowl with paper towel. We use disposable gloves, it makes the work go a little faster.
Finally the floors get vacuumed and damp mopped.
Refrigerator, and stove will get a separate post, but if the oven is self cleaning always use that instead of a chemical.
Since 1968, high school, I have worked on properties for rent and sale. My first company was formed in 1972 with a partner. Over the years the business grew. Last year in 2008 my main company A Spring Cleaning won an award for Cleaning Service by the U.S. Local Business Association.
A Spring Cleaning was my own creation. In the 1980s and 1990s we did many things. Dry rot repair, yard work, paint, pressure washing, hauling, and design. In 2000 we changed to a regularly scheduled house cleaning company with the trade name Seattle House Cleaning.
The transition was gradual. A Spring Cleaning got a boost in 2005 with a mention on a national TV show, then a few interviews in the local media, and business was very good. I was also a licensed Real Estate agent with some project properties.
In 2005 I became concerned about the housing market and concentrated on finishing my projects full time. We sold off properties in 2006 then concentrated on the Seattle House Cleaning business. Three years later the cleaning business is good.
Blogging is a part of my daily routine. Most of the time my focus has been on Real Estate and economics. To go along with that we encourage people to be in business. Our cleaning business has branched off into other cleaning businesses and we consult with other business owners.
This site is an extension of what we already do. By sharing what we have learned about the cleaning business we hope you will see it's more than just a bucket and rags that get you the fresh feeling of a clean home. These are just some tricks of the trade and some of the pit falls we experience.