Top tips for an Effective Spring Clean | Vaskehjelp
Top 7 tips for Effective Spring Cleaning
Breaking out of the winter slumber often reveals it’s time for a good spring clean at home. Here are Vaskehjelp’s top tips on efficient housekeeping to have your home spick and span in no time.
Out with the old, in with the new
We are all familiar with the feeling as spring greets us after the dark winter months and we squint as the sun shines in our living room once again. Often those sun rays start to reveal all the dust and housekeeping neglect that the winter has kept hidden. It’s easy to procrastinate by watching the latest TV series or finding some other fun indoor activity to do instead of cleaning. When springtime arrives, it always feels good to get everything in order and throw out the old, making room for the new. In the same way that we make room for the new season in our wardrobes, it makes sense to take this approach in our homes as well.
7 tips for tackling spring cleaning
It’s time to welcome in the spring with a thorough clean up. Often, it’s hard to know where to begin and the thought of getting started can be overwhelming. However, there is no need to panic. Here are our 7 best tips to get you started on your big spring clean:
1. Tidy up for a better work flow
Clear up before you start so you don’t use unnecessary time tidying as you vacuum, dust or wash, and save yourself from the distractions as you go. Sort all the recycling and take it out, place all the chairs on the table for easy access to clean around them, remove all obstacles from the floor and place things where they belong. This is the perfect opportunity to sort through everything and put your belongings in their rightful home.
2. Divide and conquer
Don’t try to tackle everything at once. Prioritize the areas in your home that are most important to you. If you don’t feel that you have the time or energy to take on the whole house in one go, break it down and tackle one room at a time. Even spread the process across a week. You will feel much better making a start to the rooms that are used the most than doing nothing at all.
3. Move to the music
Research has shown that listening to music with a high tempo can raise your pulse and accelerate your breathing, so it fits well with a physically demanding activity such as cleaning. With a wide selection of readymade playlists available on various streaming services, it’s the perfect entertainment as you work your way around your home. This can be a great way to get yourself moving and motivated and enjoy a workout at the same time.
4. Get others involved
Bring family or friends together and use your spring cleaning as an excuse to spend time with each other. It’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy time with your nearest and dearest. Make sure you reward yourselves with a nice dinner or tasty snacks, such as cake or pizza. It will be even more worthwhile when you are finished and can sit back and relax. If it’s you who needs help to the next time, you’ll appreciate it even more when you have someone to help lighten the burden.
5. Track your progress
Create a checklist of things you need to do and make sure you allow time for breaks in between checking tasks off the list. By giving yourself a clear focus and keeping track of progress, it’s easier to feel motivated and achieve a sense of accomplishment as you go. Make four to five points for each room. Start with removing the dust, then washing everything down, and finally working some elbow grease to tackle the grimiest areas. Once you make a good start and see the progress, you’ll feel motivated to finish up the rest of the room. Don’t forget to reward yourself with coffee breaks, snacks or a nice walk in between cleaning.
6. It’s the small details that count
Moving towards longer and brighter days, it is extra important to focus on the small details. Use this opportunity to pull the furniture out from the walls and wash the floor skirtings with a microfibre cloth. Do the same to the kitchen cabinets, window frames, handles and any glass doors. This is not something that needs to be done with every household clean but a thorough clean now and again will make all the difference.
7. Let spring in
Now that you have the inside of your home looking spick and span, let the light in. The windows are often neglected during winter. Spring is the perfect opportunity to wash the windows and let the rays of spring inside through dust and grime free glass. Washing duvets, quilts and cushions and hang them outside to dry. When you bring them inside they will bring a lovely smell of spring with them.
Adding a cotton or linen scented air freshener to rooms will slowly release the aroma of a fresh home. Even if you have used a dry mop or perfume-free cleaners, you can still create the illusion of freshness throughout your home. There are many allergy and environmentally-friendly cleaning products on the market if you want to choose more natural cleaning products.
Once everything is complete and your home is sparkling clean, reward yourself with a nice bouquet of flowers. Then, all that is left to do is to relax with a good conscience.
Still not Inspired to get the duster out?
Whether you choose to follow some or all these tips or tackle your spring clean in another way, all that matters is that you get the job done and enjoy the results with pride.If housekeeping really isn’t for you or you don’t feel motivated to tackle the annual house clean, you can always let someone else do the job for you. Hiring a cleaner can be perceived as expensive but it is not necessarily the case.
Vaskehjelp provide professional cleaners for individual assignments. No task is too big or small whether you are looking for a professional cleaner for one off tasks like a spring, Christmas or moving clean, or you just want your house to shine a bit extra every day. Vaskehjelp are flexible and cleaners can be easily booked, rebooked or cancelled though the app, making it easy to book whether you are at home or on the go. This gives increased flexibility in everyday life, leaving you with plenty of free time to do more of what you enjoy.
Happy Spring Cleaning!
Cleaner Profile - Meet Alicja - Vaskehjelp
Meet Alicja
Alicja is one of the very first cleaners to start working with Vaskehjelp and is now one of our top related cleaners in the app. She moved to Trondheim two years ago and has been working as a professional cleaner for over a year. Alicja highly recommends Vaskehjelp as a flexible job solution.
Profile
Name: Alicja Fraszka
Age: 37
Originally from: Szczytno in Poland
Currently lives: Central Trondheim
Work: Cleaner
Family: My brother and his family also live in Trondheim and I have many friends here that I enjoy spending time with.
Hobbies and interests: I’m passionate about interior design. I am happy to give customers styling tips in addition to housekeeping advice. In my free time, I love hiking in the mountains and walking by the sea. I also enjoy spending time in Trondheim as it is such a beautiful city.
How did you first hear about Vaskehjelp?
When I first came to Trondheim two years ago to visit my brother I was more or less working as a housekeeper for him. Then the thought came to me that I might move here on a more permanent basis. I heard about Vaskehjelp through a post that was published in a Facebook group for cleaners. I contacted them immediately and was working for them within one week. Then it was decided, I was staying in Trondheim.
I often visit the Vaskehjelp office and have received excellent service and advice from the Founder, Tonje Vanebo, when it comes to setting up my own company. Everyone who works with Vaskehjelp owns their own cleaning company which makes the logistics and flexibility easier.
What is your favourite part about working with Vaskehjelp?
In my experience the customers are always friendly and the job is flexible. A standard house normally takes three to four hours to clean and I can choose how many houses I do each week. I also like that I have repeat customers and that I often receive positive feedback from my clients with thank you messages or good praise through the apps chat feature.
What type of cleaning job do you prefer?
I like being booked to clean a home for a special occasion as the customer often appreciates it that little bit more. When I clean, it often frees up time for my customers so that they can prepare in other ways. I was booked for a pre-Christmas clean once and as I took a break and looked around me I was touched at how beautiful all the Christmas lights and decorations are in Norway.
Do people tidy up their homes before you arrive to clean?
Most people are quite tidy but often families with young children don’t have time to prioritise this. I recommend having a clear agreement with the customer on expectations in advance of each cleaning job. This can also be done through the apps chat function in advance of the booking.
Why do you think so many people want assistance cleaning their home?
A lot of people don ́t have much free time these days and I assume they would rather spend time with their families or shopping and drinking coffee with friends, just like myself.
Is it a good thing that the customers can see cleaner feedback in the app?
I am proud to receive great ratings in the app for the work I do and I think it is a fair way to justify which cleaners are doing the best work. I also like the possibility to be discovered by new customers.
Do you work daily as a cleaner?
No, I have chosen not to work as a cleaner daily because until recently I also worked in a restaurant. I am now planning to work as much as possible with Vaskehjelp. To date, I have secured some fixed cleaning assignments. People tend to book home cleaning while they are at work. This way I can be efficient and focused on the job and have therefore developed some good routines.
What are the challenges of the job?
It is rare that I come across any challenges but that is because I have learned to clarify the details of each assignment before I arrive at the house. Often, I have a large area to cover in a given time frame so this way I can give extra attention to the areas that the customer thinks are important.
Cleaner Profile - Meet Sebhat - Vaskehjelp
Meet Sebhat
Sebhat first heard about Vaskehjelp through some friends and is now one of the most eager cleaners to use the service. Like Alicja, he is one of the first cleaners to run his business through the Vaskehjelp app. He has now worked as a cleaner for more than a year and does an impeccable job, receiving fantastic feedback from his customers.
Profile
Name: Sebhat
Originally from: Addis Abeba in Ethiopia
Currently Lives: Trondheim
Work: Cleaner and Photographer
Hobbies and interests: As a professional photographer, I spend much of my spare time taking photos. I am a creative person so I enjoy writing blog posts and articles as well as travelling, reading, listening to music and visiting friends.
Where did you first hear about Vaskehjelp?
The Vaskehjelp app was recommended to me by a friend who lives in Klæbu, where Tonje Vanebo, the Founder, first started the concept. I was instantly curious and quickly got some assistance to set up my own cleaning company. I believe that this service will grow quickly and more people will know about the great service that Vaskehjelp offers.
Do you recommend working as cleaner at Vaskehjelp
Yes, definitely. The app is simple to use. I showed it to some friends and three of them quickly registered and are also working as cleaners.
Do people tidy up their homes before you arrive to clean?
I find that most people tidy up their home before I arrive as well as preparing the cleaning products and equipment that I will need on the day. I think most customers realise that this makes cleaning go more efficiently.
Do you think it is a good thing that the customers can see the feedback each of the cleaners has received in the app?
Yes, I think it’s great. I have received great feedback so I know my customers are satisfied. The app allows customers to send thank you messages, which I often receive. I was even given a Christmas presents from one customer.
How many hours do you usually spend on cleaning a standard home?
That really depends on the size of the home, how many hours the customer books the assignment for or how thorough a clean they want done. It varies greatly but often an assignment is around two to four hours.
Are there more cleaning requests around holidays?
In the summer, there are often less bookings as this is when most people in Norway are on holiday. We often have many bookings in the lead up to Christmas, and generally there are many bookings on a Friday. People like to start the weekend with a clean home.
What is your favourite part about working with Vaskehjelp?
It’s a new and modern way to find and create your own workplace. I can decide on where I work, what my fees are and how much my customers can book assignments with me through the app. It is a very flexible solution for both parties. I believe that many people are looking for a unique service such as this one.
Effective cleaning for more available time - Vaskehjelp
Less cleaning, more available time
Nowadays we value our flexibility and freedom more than ever before. When it comes to the home, 11% of Norwegians are choosing to skip housework altogether and let someone else do it.
Parents with young children often find it a struggle to balance work responsibilities, children’s commitments, such as sporting activities, and spending enough quality time together. Students living in shared housing squabble over whose turn it is to do the cleaning. Working couples try hard to meet the balance of work and social life. Whether you are house proud or not and no matter which life stage you are at, cleaning is often low down on the list priorities. One thing that͛s for sure, priorities have changed over the last few decades in relation to what is important to us in everyday life, the roles within the core family, and what we choose to spend our money on.
Changes in lifestyle and income
Today, over half a million Norwegians choose to pay for home cleaning and that number is on the increase. Paying for a firm to clean your home in Norway was relatively unprecedented until recent years. This trend has now changed due to an increase in household income and education levels. Today, 32% of households with an income of over one million Norwegian kroner hire a cleaning company.
The need for professional cleaners varies depending on the stage of life. Young adults have the least demand for cleaners and tend to tackle the job themselves. The highest demand comes from older men, and parents with children living at home. It is well known that life with toddlers is busy and hectic, with some parents reducing their working hours to enjoy a balance of work and leisure time. Hiring cleaning services can help to alleviate the pressure and free up some time. The elderly often have different reasons to bring in a cleaner to their home, especially if health prevents them from tackling everyday chores by themselves.
Traditional roles in the home have changed
Today, we are concerned with having quality time with our partners and families. In addition, roles have changed in the home. Men are more involved in their role as fathers and with spending more quality time with their children than previous generations have traditionally done. Norwegian men benefit from more paternity leave than ever before (10 to 14 weeks from July 2018) and they also have a much bigger role in caring for children today. We live in a much more equal society. Cleaning is no longer considered the responsibility of the woman and hiring cleaning services frees up more time for the whole family.
Freeing up time for those special occasions
Ordering cleaning services frees up time during the busy working week but it can also be even more valuable during the holiday season to book Christmas cleaning services. By freeing up your day, you can spend time on all the things you love rather than household chores. In doing this, you can relax and spend time getting festive by using your available time baking Christmas cookies or wrapping gifts for friends and loved ones. As you know, the holidays can be an extra busy period. Vaskehjelp doesn’t just offer home cleaning services around Christmastime but also for other holidays and special occasions. There are many cleaners happy to help out no matter what the occasion is.
Insurance and peace of mind
Through Vaskehjelp, you can benefit from affordable house keeping with insurance included, so you don’t have to worry about whether your home, objects or keys are safe. All orders booked through the app are insured by If insurance company. Vaskehjelp offers a completely unique solution with maximum flexibility for both cleaners and customers. The Vaskehjelp app also has a visible star rating so you can see each cleaner’s total star rating and who recommendations. This combined with insurance should provide you with peace of mind when inviting a cleaner into your home.
Once you have used the app a few times, you can start to rate your favourite cleaners through star ratings and reviews. This way the most dutiful and punctual cleaners will be given more assignments. For the customer, this feature means that you can select cleaners based on good feedback before you select the right person for the job. If you would like to find out more about our services, download the Vaskehjelp app from the Apple Store or Google Play for a list of all our cleaners and services. Vaskehjelp is currently available in Trondheim but the services are now being rolled out across the five largest Norwegian cities.
Environmentally-Friendly Cleaning Tips - Vaskehjelp
Tips for environmentally-friendly house cleaning
When it comes to cleaning, it’s often a challenge to know what the best cleaning products on the market are and how to choose products that are also good for the environment.
Read on for advice about how to make it easier to navigate through the wide range of available products. At the same time, learn about the health benefits of choosing wisely by limiting the amount of chemicals that you and your family are exposed to in everyday life.
How to choose the right cleaning products
Dust and dirt not only causes and aggravates allergies, it also reduces indoor air quality. A clean home simply means better health. If you suffer from allergies, it’s advisable to consider cleaning with a microfibre mop and cloth. The benefit of using these cloths instead of a standard cotton one is that they are positively charged, meaning that they attract dust which is negatively charged. Microfibre cloths are a great choice for the environment and last for years if used correctly. They are good for multi-purpose use and are also effective with using only water for cleaning. This means that you can reduce the chemical waste that may be washed down the drains during rinsing.
There are a wide range of cleaning products on the market so it pays to be aware of what chemicals each product contains when making a decision. Among these are chlorine, perfume, ammonia, solvents, preservatives and dyes. Several cleaning products can also cause allergic reactions, may be harmful when they come into contact with skin or damage surfaces, such as ammonia and chlorine based products. In Norway, look out for products with the ‘Nordic Swan’ ecolabel. This is recognised as a sustainable ecolabel used across the Nordics so you can be reassured you are choosing an option that environmentally-friendly. You can also choose products that are approved by the Norwegian Asthma and Allergy Association (Norges Astma- og allergiforbund). Allergies can be developed over time so it’s advised to keep a dust-free home to keep them at bay.
Replace the classic 'green soap'
In Norwegian homes there is still a long tradition of using “grønnsåpe” (a classic green soap made of fat and calcium hydroxide) when cleaning and many believe there is no other product worth considering. However, the Norwegian Asthma and Allergy Association recommend using dry cleaning methods wherever possible. This is because there are several additives in cleaning products that can be a strain on health and the indoor climate. Studies have shown that there is a clear correlation between increased disease rate and the use of cleaning agents in spray form at cleaning businesses so by returning to traditional methods this can be prevented.
Tricks for cleaning naturally
Often simple cleaning solutions can be found in everyday staples in your kitchen, such as salt and baking soda. There are several ways you can clean and shine items around your home in a natural way. Silver can easily be polished using a combination of salt and lukewarm water while using a cloth with baking soda and water means you can simply wipe the oven clean without scrubbing. If you are cleaning handles and taps in the bathroom and kitchen, vinegar can be a great alternative to other cleaning products to make chrome fixtures shine. For most surfaces in your home a mix of salt and vinegar can be used but be careful with some surfaces, such as waxed surfaces, marble and linoleum.
A combination of salt and soda water is ideal for cleaning the inside of a refrigerator. If you are unlucky and spill red wine on the couch or a piece of clothing, pouring carbonated water on the spot can remove the stain. Pour on the fluid letting it bubble and continue until the discoloration disappears. If the red wine stain is on a removable sofa cover or clothing that can withstand cleaning, placing the fabric in a mixture of two large spoons of baking soda and lukewarm water will help to remove the stain.
Environmentally-friendly cleaning products for the kitchen
When it comes to the kitchen, there are a few good environmentally-friendly products to consider. The Norwegian products “Sonett” and “Klar” are good natural alternatives that are as effective on dishes, if not more effective, than commonly known washing up liquids. Klar dishwashing liquid is made of 100% recyclable plastic, it carries the Nordic Swan ecolabel. It is also dermatologically tested on sensitive skin and doesn’t contain any unnecessary added chemicals. This is a great sustainable choice to ensure safe cleaning in your household. Sonett is also a product that is free of chlorine, perfume and colourant and all its ingredients are completely biodegradable.
Home cleaning will become a more positive experience if you make a conscious decision to clean with an environmental approach in mind.