Take Time Home Cleaning has been an ongoing contributor to Style Manitoba for nearly 15 years. Our Ask the Expert column is full of all kinds of tips and tricks, advice and general information. We have included a few articles here.

How To Make Your Bathtub Sparkle and Shine

We are often asked by clients how we make their bathrooms sparkle and shine. 

This article will focus on how to clean a bathtub.

Step 1: Remove clutter and thoroughly vacuum.

Limit the clutter (Store the other items until needed.)  Then use a soft vacuum brush and vacuum the entire room removing dust and hair.

Step 2: Use an appropriate bathtub cleaner.

Use an effective but non-abrasive cleaner to remove dirt and soap scum.  We use Dawn dish soap mixed with warm water.  Use soap sparingly.

Step 3: Spray and scrub.

To clean, spray the mixture on the entire tub.  Use a damp good quality microfiber cloth to wipe away the residue. For tough bathtub stains, let the mixture sit for 15 to 20 minutes before scrubbing.  Scrub the bottom last, then drain the tub.

Step 4: Rinse the bathtub clean.

Thoroughly rinse the tub with clean water to wash away any remaining solution.  This is also a good habit to practice after each use, so your bathtub is clean and free of residue.

Step 5:  Always Dry and Buff the Surface after Washing and Rinsing.

After washing and rinsing, dry and buff the tub thoroughly with a clean dry towel.  Do after each use, so your bathtub is clean and free of residue.

At Take Time, we dry and buff after cleaning many types of surfaces whether man made or natural.   Acrylic, porcelain, glass, chrome, stainless steel, marble are a few examples.  This method prevents water droplets from forming and drying on surfaces, causing a dull appearance.

This method has been used for decades by cleaning professionals in the hospitality industry and in private households.

We are happy to share it with you. 😊

Maintaining a Clean Office Space: More Important Now Than Ever

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, cleanliness is on our minds — the workplace included. But is your office clean? The average office has more than 10 million bacteria. If your office has multiple desks, then it’s no wonder why illnesses run rampant in the workplace.

More reasons to maintain a clean office.

Reduce employee illness. As we’re learning from Covid, illnesses spread rapidly. Germs collect on our desks, chairs, the break room, on doorknobs, in the bathroom, and in other places.

Better mood.  Do you feel better after cleaning your home? There’s a reason for this. When you’re in a clean and sanitized work environment, you’re more comfortable in your space.

Motivation? There’s a connection between a positive mindset and concentration, so your staff will feel great while getting more done.

Disorganization means you can’t find anything, you’re constantly looking at the clutter.   Time you spend trying to find things can be used toward accomplishing your work.

Extended Equipment Life.  Office cleanliness not only pertains to organized papers and clean bathrooms. Your office likely has lots of equipment, or at least a printer and fax machine. This equipment requires maintenance and even cleanliness. If your whole staff is using the equipment, be sure to sanitize them regularly.

Create a tidy culture.  Influence your staff to keep a tidy workplace and clean up after themselves. If you all tend to eat in the breakroom, enforce your staff to wash their own dishes.

Better first impressions.  Does your business attract foot traffic? No customer wants to shop in a dirty business.

Also, who knows if the next person walking through your business door is a supervisor, or CEO.

At the end of the day, your business is your image. If your office is unclean, that reflects on the public’s perception of you. Especially since there are commercial cleaning services that can easily keep a clean workplace.  Give us a call 204-770-7103.0

Choosing a Cleaning Service

This can be overwhelming.  I have limited this to FOUR major considerations.

  1. Security:  most obvious, company should be bonded and insured.  Ask for a copy of the insurance certificate.  Also ask how do you secure keys or codes, credit card information; how many people have access to my information.
  2. Transparency (Clear and Honest): Be cautious of Reviews. Unfortunately, some companies will flood their review sites with fake 5 star reviews while posting 1 or 2 star reviews on their competitor’s sites.  There are actually individuals who earn a living (under the table) by posting fake reviews for their clients.  With a variety of devices and locations their IP addresses are different and go undetected by algorithms.
  3. Service and Policies: Is service complete/customizable or are there lots of Add-Ons. Policies may be used to make more money off the account.  Required notices when more than 24 hours is not necessary.
  4. Pricing: by the Hour or the Job: This is huge. If a company won’t give you an hourly rate, stay clear.  All companies have an hourly rate even if they charge by the Job.  Pricing by the Hour Is the only Transparent method.  You know exactly what you’re paying and what your getting in return.  Pricing by the Job or some other hocus pocus method is purposely unclear.  You are very likely paying more than is necessary.