That’s why we’ve curated a list of our best “how to” toxic-free cleaning tips to keep your office and for that matter your home, cleaner, more environmentally friendly and toxin-free.

How To Clean Glass & Mirrors Without Chemicals

Mirrors and glass surfaces are the windows to the soul of your business and home but are super-prone to pesky fingerprints, dust and oils.  Try our tried and tested method to keep them sparkly clean.

1. Mix up tap water and white vinegar to a 50:50 ratio.

2. Spray white vinegar and water solution over the entire surface

2. Rub with a towel or cloth to loosen build-up

3. Fold cloth to the dry side or use another dry-polishing cloth to wipe away the residue.

4. Let the surface dry

5. Buff out any streaks and remaining lint with a dry cotton towel

How To Clean Stainless Steel So It Sparkles

Stainless steel appliances are so essential for giving kitchens the ‘wow-factor’, but they’re often tarnished with oily fingerprints and food residue.  Although keeping stainless steel clean can be a challenge, our toxin-free cleaning tips are the perfect natural solution to keep your appliances looking their best.

1. Clean the area with a light, non-abrasive soap and water and dry with a towel

2. Dab a small amount of olive oil on to a clean, microfibre towel or rag

3. Work the oil thoroughly in the direction of the stainless ‘grain’ to achieve optimal results

4. Wipe the area over with a small amount of white vinegar for a less shiny finish.

How To Clean Wood Flooring Naturally

Believe it or not, white vinegar is one of the best natural, inexpensive cleaners for hardwood floors. Follow our steps below to clean your wood floors without harsh toxins:

1. Sweep up any loose dirt and debris using a micro-fibre dust mop or broom

2. Mix ¼ cup of apple cider white vinegar OR ½ cup white vinegar with 4 litres of warm water in a bucket

3. Dampen a mop in the mixture

4. Mop the floor and wait to dry

5. Buff the floor with a dry micro-fibre towel for the perfect finish.

If you are looking for a professional cleaner that uses environmentally friendly solutions for all their cleaning or would like more information regarding our favourite natural cleaning solutions, give GT Cleaning a call today.

The post How To Clean Your Office & Home Without Harsh Chemicals appeared first on GT Cleaning.

We have put together a list of our top 5 carpet stain remover tips to keep your carpet clean and maintain its quality over time.

Carpet is more important than we give it credit for. It is often responsible for creating the clean welcoming space, critical to first client impressions. Premium carpet can be an expensive investment, so like any investment, it makes sense to take care of it.

Tip 1: How to Remove Gum from Carpet

1.  Place some ice blocks in a zip-lock bag.
2.  Place the bag directly onto the gum stain for a few minutes to harden the gum.
3.  Gently scrape the gum from the carpet using a dull knife or scraping tool.
4.  Sponge the remainder of the stain directly with detergent.

If there is still gum left over, try the following:

– Combine soapy water and white wine vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray solution onto the area and rub until gum is removed.

– Softly blot the gum with an oil such as olive or peanut oil. This will make the gum less sticky and easier to remove. Use a dull non sharp knife to remove completely.

Tip 2: How to Remove Stubborn Stains from Carpet

1.  Combine 1/4 cup of white vinegar,1 tablespoon of dish liquid soap and water in a spray-bottle.
2.  Spray stained area liberally, letting the solution soak for 5-10 minutes.
3.  Softly blot the area with a clean, dry towel until the stain is removed.

Tip 3: How to Remove Coffee Stains from Carpet

1.  Soak up as much of the coffee as you can with a clean cloth or paper towel.
2.  Combine one tablespoon of liquid dish soap, one tablespoon of white vinegar and two cups of warm water in a bowl.
3.  Apply a small amount of the mixture to a clean cloth.
4.  Softly dab the sponge onto the affected area, blotting frequently until the stain disappears.

Tip 4: How to Remove Permanent Marker from Carpet

1.  Moisten the ink stain with either rubbing alcohol or non-oily hairspray.
2.  Lightly blot the stain from the carpet (the colour should transfer onto the towel.)
3.  Once the stain is removed, dip a towel in warm water and press lightly over the area to remove any excess ink from carpet-fibres.

Tip 5: How to Remove Nail Polish from Carpet

1.  Remove any excess spillage by pressing gently with a paper towel.
2.  Gently scrape as much of the dry nail polish as you can out of the carpet with a dull knife or utensil.
3.  Apply a small amount of non-oily nail polish remover/ rubbing alcohol to a cloth and blot the stain until removed.

If you need professional assistance with carpet stain removal or your workplace carpet needs a routine professional clean, give GT a call today.

The post Our Top 5 Carpet Stain Removal Tips appeared first on GT Cleaning.

Here are the reasons why first impressions count and why you need to invest in engaging a quality cleaning company.

Parents are sticklers for attention to detail

When a parent is considering taking their child to a childcare centre, the first thing they will take extra notice of is the cleaning. If your centre’s cleaning is sub-standard, then it’s possible parents will start to wonder which other areas of centre lack attention to detail. They will wonder if you pay proper attention to their children? Of course this is obviously not true, but you need to make sure every impression that a potential parent has is a positive one.

They wonder whether you will look after their kids health

If parents of young children notice dirty areas of your childcare facility, they are going to wonder whether you are actually looking after their children. They’ll wonder whether or not you truly care about their children’s health. If they notice dirty common areas, they may wonder whether the kitchen is clean or whether the bathrooms are clean. They will be most concerned about what you are doing to prevent the spread of illness.  You don’t want potential clients of your facility ever having these thoughts.

People may wonder where else you are cutting corners

An unclean childcare or kindergarten facility may suggest your cleaning company is cutting corners. But, the thing is, parents of potential students won’t differentiate between your facility and your cleaning company. Furthermore, if they see that your cleaner is cutting corners, they are going to wonder where else you are cutting corners. Do you cut corners in educating or looking after their child? (Of course we know you don’t, but do you really want to leave any doubt in their minds?)

We hope you can see from the points mentioned above why attention to detail is vital.

You need to pay attention to how thorough your cleaning company is, as nothing beats a first impression.

Parents of future students will notice and if they see any deficiencies in your cleaning process and your facility will suffer. Get in touch with us today to ensure you don’t face the risk of losing enrolments.  We will help you make a positive and lasting first impression on parents. We offer exceptional cleaning services over Melbourne that can be specifically tailored to your early learning/ childcare centre’s needs.

The post Childcare Cleaning & Kindergarten Cleaning – First Impressions Count appeared first on GT Cleaning.

Cleaning your business is an investment. First impressions count – you want your clients to see a consistently clean workspace.  You also want to provide an environment that is hygienic because healthy staff mean reduced liabilities as a result of sick days.

In this article, I want to share with you some important factors about why you need to see your cleaning contractor as an investment.  Sometimes spending a little more to get the right cleaner will deliver you long term value.

A better cleaner has the right insurance policies

A quality cleaning company will have the right insurance policies – to protect your premises, staff and customers, as well as their employees.  They’ll have insurance to: cover damage to property or lost/stolen property, to protect their employees and your staff or clients that may be injured as a result of their cleaning activities. Obviously, you hope nothing goes wrong, and often it won’t but you want to make sure you have that safety net in case something does go wrong.

Appropriately paid staff equals no cut corners

The cheapest cleaning company is likely to have the lowest salaries. If their staff aren’t paid well, where’s the incentive for staff to put in a proper effort when cleaning your office? Obviously, it doesn’t exist. Cleaners will want to clean your office as quickly as possible as they will need to do more jobs to earn an adequate salary. Conversely, if you invest in quality cleaning, you can be assured that staff are paid fairly and they will be more likely to do a proper cleaning job.

Superior quality cleaning products

​A quality cleaning company will have better quality cleaning products. They’ll invest in environmentally friendly products, they’ll invest in products that are safer for humans – i.e. non-poisonous. They’ll also offer a better clean that means that your office will be cleaner. And this leads on to our next point.

Healthier Staff

​As much as you’d like to have sick staff stay at home, sometimes, they do come into the office and spread germs. Only high quality cleaning products will kill germs and ensure that you have healthier staff.

Office cleaning is an important investment for your company and your most valuable resources – your staff and clients. Cleaning your office is vital, and quality cleaning is worth the extra few dollars that you will pay for it. If you would like to chat with us about how our cleaning is an investment for your business, please get in touch today.  We offer cleaning services across greater Melbourne and outer suburbs.

The post Why Investing In Quality Cleaning Is Good For Your Business appeared first on GT Cleaning.

But your families also want to make sure that the centre is clean and that their little ones will be safe from germs and harsh chemicals. So you need to make sure that you engage a cleaning company that utilises strict security protocols to protect your facility whilst also having the safest and most effective eco-friendly cleaning products — the good news is that you can have the best of both worlds.

If you want to check whether your cleaning company is up to scratch here are a number of things that you might need to consider. Find the time to ask your current cleaning company how they facilitate each of the following.

Background Checks

If the cleaning company that you currently use is not implementing background checks then you really want a new cleaning company. If the cleaning company you use has employees that may not pass a Background check, it’s time to get a new cleaning company. It’s not the highest paid profession, but if someone is prepared to submit to a background check, there is a greater probability that they will respect your security protocols and your property.

Protocol Training

What training process does your current cleaning company have for on-boarding new staff? How much training do they give new staff about the security of your facility? Check how well they follow your facility guidelines.

Cleaner Identification

The cleaning industry can be one where you have a high turnover of staff. For this reason it is important that your cleaning company has a protocol for managing cleaner identification — at the very least you should be introduced to cleaners or have a photo sent to you and should only work onsite when they are wearing their uniform and in possession of identification badges.

Handling of Facility Access

As mentioned above, the cleaning industry is one with high turnover. For this reason, you should have a clear understanding of how your cleaning company manages access to your premises. Are you absolutely confident that the cleaning company is ensuring all keys are returned when someone leaves? Do they let you know when a staff member leaves so you can change security passcodes if required?

After the safety of the children in your care, the safety and security of your premises is vital. Every day you have cleaning contractors entering your premises and you want to make sure that the company you contract has a proven protocol for managing the security issues identified above. If you are not confident that they do, and you would like a second opinion, please get in touch today.  GT Cleaning offers commercial childcare cleaning services across Melbourne and outer suburbs.

The post How Secure Is Your Childcare Centre? appeared first on GT Cleaning.

Using a cleaning company that also cares and provides the right cleaning products is paramount to protecting the health and safety of the children under your care – you don’t leave toxic products lying around and risk the safety of the children, yet these products are still so often used to clean items and surfaces around pre-school centres. We understand this and how important it is to use solutions that eco-friendly and are scientifically proven to clean your surfaces without exposing children or your staff to harmful chemicals.

Let’s look at some of the areas that need specialist cleaning in your centre.

Nappy Change Areas
Nappy change time can be messy, so it is obvious that these areas need to be bacteria free. They also need to be cleaned in a way that means that there is no harsh chemicals that could react with sensitive skin or be inhaled by the children in your care.

Bathrooms and Toilets
Similar to nappy change areas, little toddlers are not necessarily always the cleanest – especially if they are toilet training. We make sure that eco-friendly cleaning products are used to adequately clean this tricky area, most importantly in the hidden hard to reach places.

Benches and Tables
Children are pretty messy when it comes to eating. Things do not always stay on their plates, and they are often picking things up off the table, and as you sometimes know the floor. Not only do you want to make sure that these areas are properly cleaned and disinfected so that there’s no chance of illness, but you also want to make sure no traces of harsh chemicals after the cleaning has been done.

Toys & Play Areas
Younger children and toddlers like to put things in their mouths, so it is important that play areas are cleaned too for similar reasons to above. You need to make sure that no harsh chemical residue is left to harm children. Steam cleaning can be an ideal choice for cleaning suitable toys.

Running a childcare facility or early learning centre is a special gift, and it comes with great responsibility. We are living in a time when allergies are more prevalent. For these reasons, as a childcare provider, it is especially important that you engage a cleaning company that understands your cleaning needs and the expectations of parents.

If you are after a quote or a second opinion on cleaning services, please get in touch today.

The post Childcare & Kindergarten Safety – Cleaners Need to Think of the Children Too appeared first on GT Cleaning.