Tag Archives: cleaning

New Year, Fresh Start

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Given the busy period we have encountered, I would like to start off the New Year with a few important messages. 

First, I would like to thank all Hillson Cleaning staff who worked during the holidays to help keep our clientelle satisfied, the period went by with barely a hiccup. Your efforts and dedication are acknowledged and appreciated.

To our clients, may you have a happy and prosperous New Year. Be assured that we realise that you are our greatest asset and it is to our advantage to fulfil your every need. This is why in 2013 we will do our utmost to surpass your expectations and provide you with a cleaning service that you can rely on.

To those businesses throughout Melbourne who are disappointed with the service provided to them by their current cleaners, it is time to begin the New Year with a fresh start. We would appreciate the opportunity to give you the professional cleaning service we know you deserve. 

Finally, 2013 promises to present Hillson with as many opportunities and challenges as last year, and I look forward to working successfully with all staff to achieve our goals.

The Silly Season Has Arrived

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‘Tis the season to be jolly’… Yes, it’s that time of year again. Santa’s Ho-Hoing, whilst children count down the days in anticipation for that special day of the year. Christmas Day. 

Christmas in the cleaning industry is our busiest time of year. As we specialise in the hospitality industry our cleaners have to step up a gear.

Of course for everyone the lead up to Christmas can seem like there just isn’t enough hours in a day. There’s the obligatory christmas shopping. Trying to find those perfect presents for family and friends in the overcrowded shopping centres, with the overcrowded car parks.

There’s the office luncheons and parties where we tend to overindulge ourselves in food and drink to excess. This tends to be repeated on Christmas Day among family and friends.

Otherwise known as the ‘silly season’ this time of year everything seems chaotic, so I thought a few helpful tips maybe warranted.

  • Make a list of all the gifts you wish to buy before you go shopping
  • Try and get your Christmas shopping done early, don’t leave it till the last minute
  • If planning a Christmas luncheon at a restaurant then make sure to book early
  • Enjoy yourself at the office party but try not to be the one wearing the lampshade on the head or crying in the washroom
  • Don’t drink to excess and don’t pig out, know your limits
  • If preparing Christmas lunch/dinner at home don’t do everything yourself – delegate tasks to other family members

From everyone at Hillson Cleaning have a Merry Christmas.

Tips for the Ritual Cleaning Out of the Fridge

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I’m currently going through the motions of giving the household fridge a decent clean, so thought I’d outline the steps one takes to clean the fridge and how to maintain it leaving it hygienically clean. Considered to being the hardest working and most important appliance in the house, the refrigerator which operates around the clock, plays a vital role in the health and wellbeing of your family.

I’ve come across some sordid fridges in my time, ones that are covered in mould and grime and reeking from an awful stench. The fridge is constantly bombarded with drips and spills, together with food that have passed their used by dates, resulting in bacteria and bad odours. These come about due to normal day to day activities within the house and can be resolved by following some easy tips.

I’ve waited until the day before a big shopping day, where much of the food from the fridge has been consumed, doing it when the fridge is fully stocked after a big shop makes the job so much harder. So let’s roll up our sleeves and get started:

  1. To get started you’ll need gloves, a bucket of water with disinfectant, rags, sponge, scourer, and spray bottle of disinfectant. As a safety tip, be sure to turn off the fridge at the power point.
  2. Empty the refrigerator of all its contents, disposing of food that contain mould, give off an abnormal stench or have passed the used by date.
  3. Fill the kitchen sink up with water and detergent then remove all the shelves and compartments from the fridge. Place them in the sink and clean thoroughly using the kitchen scourer and sponge. Wipe down all food containers, where possible remove the food and clean inside the container as well as out.
  4. Return to the inside of the fridge and begin cleaning the inside starting from the very top and work your way down the walls of the fridge, cleaning all crevices and compartments making use of your bucket of water, disinfectant, sponge, rags and scourer for those hard to remove stains.  Finally it is time to mop up the bottom of the fridge with the rags before disinfecting it.
  5. Clean the fridge externally, start by removing all items that tend to accumulate on the top of the fridge. Spray and wipe clean the fridge, once again starting from the top and working your way down. Be sure to clean in and around the handle and any other crevices that can collect grime.
  6. With the cleaning complete it is time to Dry and return all shelves and containers to the fridge. Don’t forget to turn fridge back on and replace the food and drinks. To prolong shelf life make sure they are stored to allow proper air flow throughout and visit your manufacturers refrigerator manual to determine where best to store certain food types.
  7. Now that the fridge is clean inside and out it is up to you to maintain the hygiene and cleanliness of the fridge – ensure the fridge seals completely when the door is closed – check the rubber seal for any damage, seal food containers properly, dispose of unwanted food stuffs regularly and clean up fresh spills as they occur.

Follow these instructions and you too will have a fridge that is clean and hygienic, with food that is safe for your entire family to consume whenever those pangs of hunger hit.

A Few Tips For The Spring Racing Carnival

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Spring has sprung and the Spring Racing Carnival is well underway in Melbourne. With The Melbourne Cup and other feature race days like Oakes Day just around the corner its high time I gave you all a few tips… cleaning tips that is.

Tip Number 1: The Sweep – the broom of choice for professionals everywhere is made by Oates. The brand we rely on.

Tip Number 2: The Odds – Sick of washing socks and coming up with one short? Here’s the solution Nooddsocks. The no fuss wash bag that saves you time and money.

Tip Number 3: Scratchings – Annoyed by those difficult to get rid of scratches on your windows and mirrors. How to remove scratches from glass will give you the answer.

Enjoy the Spring Carnival and I hope you all clean up at the races!

Spring Time in Melbourne – So Let’s Clean!

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For many spring cleaning can be such a chore. You can approach it in a variety of ways, first of which is to just avoid getting started at all. Avoidance is the most commonly used tactic when it comes to the annual spring clean. Unfortunately, while this approach takes little of your time and effort, the results will be far from desirable. There’s gotta be a better way. And there is.

Hire a cleaning service to do the hard, laborious, painstaking work for you. Of course I would say that, wouldn’t I. In fact don’t hire any cleaning service, for a cleaning service with the best results you’ll need to hire the best cleaning service in the business. Hillson Cleaning Services comes to mind.

For those of you who are gluttons for punishment, have masochistic tendencies or one of those rare people who just get great joy out of spring cleaning we’ve come up with some helpful hints on spring cleaning in your home.

  1. Prepare for D-Day – Ensure you have all the supplies and equipment necessary to complete the job required. This is a spring clean. There’s no room for doing the job half-heartedly. Psyche yourself up, set aside time to complete the job thoroughly and ensure no interruptions.
  2. One step at a time – Spring cleaning can be overwhelming for the uninitiated. The trick is to take it one room at a time. This can even be broken down further to a closet or a cupboard at a time. Whilst the task will seem never ending eventually you will see the light at the end of the tunnel. Reward yourself by taking a long look and admiring your handy work at the completion of each room.
  3. De-clutter – But for a few unconventional people, we humans have lodged deep in our DNA the uncanny ability to hoard the most useless bits and pieces imaginable. The spring clean is that special time of year where we have to make that all important decision – ‘Do I really need that?’ Odds are if you do ask yourself that question then you don’t really need it. Toss it to the schizenhowzen.
  4. Top to Bottom – When cleaning the room one must start at the top of the room an work your way down. To begin with remove any cobwebs often found around the cornices, clean the light fittings then wipe down and remove marks from walls and tiles. Windows will need to be cleaned, ledges dusted, bench tops, cupboards – inside and out, furniture, architraves. You name it, you clean it. Spring cleaning means everything in the room gets special attention and every item that is cleaned is done so meticulously.
  5. Rest and recline – Cleaning is hard work. You have probably used muscles you never new you had and they will remind you of it the coming days. So now that the work is done it’s time to shower, relax and pamper yourself. Take pride in your work and rest easy knowing that spring cleaning comes but once a year.

Office Cleaning – Going For Gold!

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WhIle the worlds focus is currently directed firmly on London 2012, perhaps it’s time for us at Hillson to reflect on some of the ideals of our great athletes and how those ideals may in turn relate to our own business and future success.

An athlete expels blood, sweat and tears in order to reach their ultimate goal of a berth at an Olympic Games. They will toil for hours on end, year after year, determined to succeed; hone their natural abilities; maintain focus and direction; sought out guidance; surround themselves with experience; implement regimented schedules; take advantage of new technologies; compete against rivals to improve competitiveness; and visualise success to achieve the result they yearn for.

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The objective of the athletes gruelling training and preparation is designed to get the edge on their competition. To prepare for that moment in time when all they have worked on over the years will come together to enable the athlete to perform at their optimum.

It takes 20 years to become an overnight success.

Being successful in business will require many of the same attributes. Possessing that determination to succeed; attaining and enhancing our skills; guiding staff and passing on ones own experience; implement staff routines that will achieve results; search for and introduce technologies that will smooth-line business procedures or attract customers; learn our rivals strengths and weaknesses; and visualise our future success.

Let’s endeavour to do our best and become the Office Cleaning Gold Medal favourites.

The Lowdown on Cleaning Washrooms & Toilets

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So you’ve drawn the short straw and it’s up to you to clean the toilets. Good luck with that, this can be dangerous stuff. You may be facing high concentrations of bacteria (Yuck!), which have the potential to pass on diarrhea or vomiting (Double Yuck!!).

Don’t let this disturb you though. Consider the fact that regular, sanitary cleaning of washrooms and toilets are the only way to reduce bacteria numbers and prevent cross contamination.

Here are some tips for you on how to get the job done hygenically and with a minimum amount of fuss, first of all we require the proper equipment:

Rubber Gloves used specifically for the toilet – a must to form a barrier between you and those darstardly germs. Make sure you then don’t use those same gloves cleaning elsewhere, we don’t want to cross contaminate now do we.

Other products required are a toilet brush, toilet bowl cleaner, sponge, cloths or disposable paper towels and disinfectant.

So lets get started. First of all let’s don those all important gloves and wipe down the toilet with the use of a damp sponge to remove excessive grime.

Next, it’s time to enter the bowl of terror, where all those nasties are likely to reside. Reach for the toilet brush and toilet bowl cleaner, squirt the cleaner making sure you reach up under the rim. Scrub the bowl thoroughly removing any stains and paying special attention to any marks on the bowl caused by mineral deposits from the water. Flush the toilet whilst still scrubbing with the brush, thus cleaning the brush in the process. Repeat the process by again adding the toilet bowl cleaner into the bowl and scrub. This time do not flush, allow the coloured-aromatic cleaner to become diluted in the toilet bowl water.

Let’s return to the exterior of the toilet. Spray with disinfectant then wipe down with a cloth or paper towel. Make sure you get into all the nooks and crannies. Spray and clean the exterior of the bowl, under the seat to the rim of the bowl. Clean on and under the seat, top and bottom of the toilet lid and the cistern – paying special attention to the flush button (an area where bacteria is likely to accumulate). Finally, don’t forget to clean the commonly neglected front and back areas of the bowl.

The toilet is now clean, so let’s look to the surronding areas. Look behind the toilet for any hidden grime, wipe down the wall/tiles surrounding the toilet and disinfect the toilet door handle.

The washroom usually consits of a basin and mirror. Use windex to clean the mirror leaving it streak free. Clean and disinfect the basin and its tapware. Again, make sure you clean in the nooks and crannies. This may require the use of a toothbrush to scrub those hard to get areas. Finally, it’s time to clean and mop the floors.

Stand back and admire your handy work. You deserve it. Well done!

Hillson July News Update

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It’s the beginning of the new financial year so it’s time to square off the ledger, take stock and focus on what’s ahead for the business.

Hillson remains a family run business that specialises in providing that personal touch to its customers. Whilst our customer base expands It’s our faith in our highly trained cleaners, their regular supervision, the use of quality equipment and products that give us the confidence and strong belief that we will maintain our customers satisfaction and loyalty.

Whether your business be a commercial office, educational institution, medical facilty, in the hospitality or the retail industry, Hillson has the solutions to ensure high quality standards of public health and cleanliness in the workplace.

And here’s to TFU, our newest customer. Be assured our mission is to ensure yours and all our customers satisfaction. You won’t be disappointed.

Hillson June News Update

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June already… How the year has flown! Time for a recap of events for Hillson Cleaning in 2012.

The year to date has been another strong year in terms of business growth. We have seen new clients across various sectors - office, hospitality and retail. Recent additions to our list of clientelle is The Bridgewater Club (pictured left), The Woodlands Hotel and the True Thai Massage chain. It’s our company motto that ‘we clean it like we own it’ and to ensure customer loyalty we will bend over backwards to maintain their satisfaction.

Building works has been ongoing at a number of our sites, Windsor Hotel, The Carlton Hotel and Atlantis Transport. Naturally our cleaners have stepped up to the challenge. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our employees for their hard work, loyalty and dedication to their job.

Hillson May News Update

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Brrrr! Winter has come early in Melbourne. The days are shorter but do not despair, Hillson has news to brighten your day. Here is an update of current discounts for May, jobs available and items of interest:

  • May Special Offer: 33% off the initial clean to new clients in the Melbourne area. To be eligibile for this fantastic offer simply contact Kev for a free no obligation quote and advise him of this special offer.
  • We are currently on a recruitment drive and looking for cleaners in Melbourne with experience in the industry who are honest, reliable and have an eye for detail. If you fit this description email kev@hillson.com.au and supply your resume. We’ll be in contact with you shortly.
  • Just purchased a new Polivac high speed floor burnisher for use in bringing that wet look shine to our customers floors. If your interested in details on our burnishing service contact Kev for details.

Finally let’s not forget Mothers Day which is fast approaching. Forget the box of chocolates and flowers, consider a unique gift, a clean house. Pamper that special lady with a home cleaning service. Just a thought.