02.05.07
Cleaning Fluids
This is part of the series:
- The Ideal Maid
- Why isn’t Your Current Maid Perfect?
- Why Is My Maid So Bad?
- How to Have the Best Maid
- What do You Want From Your Maid?
- Laundry and the Maid - not
- How Often Do I Need A Maid?
- What Kind of Maid -
Cleaning Services? - Which Maid to Hire - The Family Service?
- Which Maid to Hire?
- Networking Your Way To A New Maid
- Maid Contest from Lysol
- Nannies are Not Maids
- The Interview For A New Maid
- Salary for the New Maid
- Cleaning Supplies for the New Maid
- The Maid and Her Mop
- Cleaning Fluids
- Preparing For The Maid’s Arrival
- It’s Important Not to Let Your Kids Torture the Maid
- Training the Maid
- Trash and the Maid
- Does a Maid Destroy Your Child’s Character?
- Potty Talk - Cleaning the Bathroom
- Rules for the Maid
- Penni’s Story
- Cleaning the Bedroom
- Is My Maid Stealing?
- More Trash and the Maid
- A Welcoming Bathroom
- Another Dee Story - Children Terrorizing the Maid
Most maids are set in the way they use their equipment and even the cleaning supply brands they use. Unless you own a cleaning solution manufacturing plant, go with their choice. It’s not important.
I like vinegar in water for floors, glass and cabinet cleaning (2 T/gal). I have fond delusions that it may cut down on the high incidence of asthma in professional house cleaners. No matter what your choice, if your cleaning supplies are going to be diluted in water you must tie a tablespoon or measuring cup to the container and write in dark marker the amount to be added. Each time you replace the cleaner, transfer the measuring tool and write the amount. If you don’t, maids (and others) have a universal mind-set that more will clean faster and with less work. It won’t, but it will stain or eat away at your fabrics and woods.
Proper Use
If you are supplying Comet® or other chlorine-based powder and Windex® or other ammonia-based spray:
Make very sure that your maid knows that they cannot be mixed.
Spraying a mirror liberally with Windex® above a sink filled with Comet® can produce chlorine gas that can gas your maid.
Accidental death inquiries are very time consuming and completely defeat the idea of having a maid.
All cleaning supplies are chemicals that must be handled correctly to prevent injury to the maid and damage to your possessions. Take the time to read the precautions and repeatedly check that your maid is using things correctly. For instance – tile cleaner is essentially dilute bleach. If your maid is waving the sprayer around and spritzing your cloth shower curtains, you’re going to have bleached spots. Not pretty. Worse, she’s probably breathing in much too much.
Maids should also be encouraged to well-ventilate the room they’re spraying chemicals in. House and ceiling fans should always be on. Windows should be open in the bathrooms, the kitchen and the room that is being deep cleaned.
