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Find the right cleaning company for your business

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You wouldn’t hire just anyone to clean your house. Similarly, if you’ve decided to contract out cleaning and janitorial services at your office, it’s important to thoroughly review your options.

A cursory search online will unearth numerous cleaning companies in your community. Which one you choose will depend on a variety of factors, including your own personal preferences, cost and the cleaning needs of your workspace.

To help narrow down the field, Goldstar has compiled this handy list of questions to ask yourself when comparing the services of different cleaning companies.

How frequently do you need cleaning done?

Your answer will depend on numerous factors, including the nature of your business, the number of employees and what facilities (kitchen? bathrooms?) are present in the office.

What do you need cleaned – and what can you handle yourself?

Most cleaning companies provide a checklist of services they can perform. Once you’ve hammered down a routine that works for your office, make it clear to your employees that personal cleanliness is still their responsibility.

Who are your cleaning company’s references?

Don’t settle for online testimonials. Ask to speak with references from other companies that hired your cleaning service. Ask your references what the cleaners do well, what they can do better and whether they’re satisfied with the quality and cost of service.

Do you have special cleaning requests? 

If you have cleaning requests that go above and beyond what’s on a cleaning company’s checklist, ask whether they will accommodate you and request a quote for the extra work. Training, health and safety laws and insurance may inhibit some companies from performing non-standard cleaning jobs, so be realistic in your expectations.

Is green cleaning important to you?

Some cleaning companies specialize in using products that are hypoallergenic, biodegradable and low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, these eco-friendly plans will likely be costlier than normal service.

Office tech: 6 tools to increase office productivity

For all its amazing uses, sometimes technology can feel like an impediment to getting things done, rather than tools to increase productivity in the office. But fear not! Goldstar has scoured the Interweb for apps and online platforms that actually do work, rather than create more of it. Give these six productivity tools a spin and you’ll wonder how your office ever got along with them.
iPad-Maplist-enhanced
Image courtesy mindmeister.com
MindMeister: Brainstorming sessions, long the realm of the dry erase board, get a 21st century makeover with MindMeister. Record and alter flowcharts via a shareable online platform that makes creative use of icons, flowcharts, links, collapsible lists and other tools. Free. mindmeister.com Evernote: A storage app for all your bright ideas, musings and stray thoughts, Evernote seamlessly syncs your personal notes across devices and can store audio, video, notes and photos on a single searchable database. Free. evernote.com
Image courtesy dropbox.com
Image courtesy dropbox.com
Dropbox: This cloud-based folder is the answer to the age-old question: “How am I going to send you this huge file?” Organize and upload files and share those files with whoever you choose. It’s easy to use, and the free version comes with a huge memory cache. Free. dropbox.com ScanBizCards:  With this time-saving app, simply take a picture of a business card and it automatically records the information in your phone’s address book. ScanBizCards can also sync with other devices and send you reminder emails to follow-up with your new contacts. Perfect for networking events ad first-time client meetings. $4.99. scanbizcards.com
Image courtesy square.com
Image courtesy squareup.com
Square: Take your business on the road with Square, an app that turns your iPhone, Android or iPad into a mobile point-of-sale (POS) machine. With a small (free) attachment, customers can swipe their credit or debit cards and complete a transaction directly on the phone’s screen. The app will even text message a receipt to the buyer’s phone. Bonus: You pay just 2.75% per swipe for Visa and MasterCard, with no other fees or charges. squareup.com TaskForce: Feeling overwhelmed by an inbox full of requests? Take control of your to-do list with TaskForce, an app that converts email messages from various providers into tasks that can be accessed via your computer or smartphone. Set deadlines, share work with co-workers and organize tasks from most-to-least important with the click of a mouse. Free. taskforceapp.com  

5 ways to stop dirt in its tracks

Image courtesy J & M Home Fashions LLC.
Image courtesy J & M Home Fashions LLC.

It’s your home’s dirty little secret: much of the grime in your house comes from outside, trekked in on shoes that don’t appear to be either muddy or dirty.

Fortunately, a bit of smart planning can keep those messes from ever getting inside. We run down the top five ways to stop dirt at the door.

1. Choose the right doormats

Ideally, your house should have doormats at every entrance and exit. The mats should be as wide as the door’s width, and long enough to cover the length of a typical stride – that way, people will walk over the mats as they cross the threshold, depositing dirt into them as they go.

When selecting an outdoor mat, choose a durable material like rubber that can withstand the elements. If your area is prone to wet conditions, consider installing an outdoor wire rack to scrape off mud.

Indoor mats come in a variety of materials; look for mats that can be easily cleaned with a vacuum cleaner or shaken clean outside. Clean your mats at least once a week.

2. Keep pets from bringing their messes inside

Let’s face it: dogs and cats are less than diligent about wiping off their paws before coming inside, which is why you need to be ready to clean up after them. Keep a rag or towel handy near the door to wipe off dirt, water and mud. Brush your pet’s coat regularly to keep hair from accumulating indoors. Most importantly, do these things outside – there’s no sense unleashing tumbleweed-sized hairballs in your home.

3. Use floor mats indoors

Use indoor floor mats to catch dirt in high traffic areas like the fridge, the kitchen sink, the toilet and the bathtub. Be sure to choose non-slip mats to keep your dirt-catchers from becoming tripping hazards.

4. Prevent dirt from traveling through your house

Open doors and windows are an invitation for all kinds of particulate matter to occupy your home. Keep screens on windows and doors leading outside. Keep doors inside closed. You can also install door sweeps to keep dirt and debris from sneaking under entranceways.

5. Keep outdoor shoes outside

It can be tempting to hop outside in your loafers to grab the paper, but be sure to take off those shoes (or at least wipe off the soles) before you walk around the house. If your home doesn’t have a mud room, consider designating a garage, closet or shoe cubbie as the place to put outdoor footwear. If it was worn on your feet outside, it should stay outside.

 

How to tackle grass stains on clothing

You can be sure these clothes are going to have grass stains on them by the end of the day (istockphoto.com)
You can be certain this kid’s outfit is going to have grass stains on it by the end of the day. (istockphoto.com)
 

If you enjoy spending time outdoors in the summer, you know that nature inevitably leaves its mark on your clothes in the form of unsightly, hard-to-clean grass stains.

You can blame chlorophyll, the chemical that gives plants their green hue, for ruining your favourite pair of jeans. In addition to being a strong dye, chlorophyll binds well with natural fibres, making it notoriously difficult to remove.

While delicate materials like silk or wool should always be handled by a professional dry cleaner, denim and cotton clothes can benefit from grass cleaning solutions you can make at home. The basic steps are similar in each case:

Note: Some cleaners can fade or discolour clothing. Always “spot test” cleaners on an inconspicuous location before applying it to the stain.

Step 1: Give the stain a hot water bath. Run the stain under hot water, preferably using a high-pressure nozzle. This will remove any solid grass pieces and loosen the stain. For best results, you should clean the stain as soon as possible to keep it from setting.

Step 2: Scrub the stain with detergent. Any liquid detergent will do. Use a scrub brush or a toothbrush and thoroughly scrub the affected area, then rinse.

Step 3. Apply a cleaning agent. There are literally dozens of products that claim to remove grass stains, but the simplest and most cost-effective home remedy is a mixture of baking soda and white vinegar. Sprinkle baking soda on the stain, then pour the vinegar over top and scrub the mixture while it fizzes.

Step 4: Launder in warm or hot water. Most denim clothing can handle your washer’s hot water cycle, while cotton clothes can be washed in warm water. Just in case, you should always follow the washing instructions on the label. Wash with detergent as normal.

If the stain persists after step 4, don’t put the clothing in the dryer – this will cause the stain  to set. Instead, repeat steps 3 and 4 using “harsher” cleaners, starting with rubbing alcohol and then progressing to chlorine bleach. You can also try natural digestive enzymes, which are available at most health food stores. Mix the contents of several enzyme capsules in lukewarm water until you get a mixture with the consistency of toothpaste. Scrub the mixture into the stain and let it sit for 20 minutes, then repeat step 4.