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CLEAN UP
Professional cleaners reveal why the five-second rule is a must when Spring cleaning & the common mistakes we all make
SPRING is the perfect time to spruce up our homes and finally clear the junk and mess we've been holding on to - not to mention the dreaded chores we've been putting off.
And luckily, professional cleaners Brennan and Richard, who star in Channel 5's Filthy House SOS, have revealed some top tips to help us with our clean out - including some common household mistakes we're ALL making.
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The cleaning duo, who have decades of experience between them, have tackled some of the UK's filthiest homes on the 5Star show which sees them transform years of clutter into a space that's sparkling.
Now in its third season, which airs tonight at 9pm, there's nothing the dream team of clean haven't seen - and the results are oh so satisfying.
Speaking exclusively to Fabulous, Richard and Brennan have shared their cleaning wisdom and offered their top tips on how we can get our homes spotless too - and more importantly, how to keep it that way.
Richard says: "Spring is the time to freshen your house up. Get into your kitchen cupboards, check all your condiments are in date and clean cupboard doors. This is the opportunity to do those big tasks you don’t normally do."
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Spring cleaning tips
First thing's first, you should aim to declutter your home, because according to Richard, "hoarding and having too much stuff" is one of the biggest issues most of us face.
"It’s not just hoarding but there’s a lot of dirt under the clutter," Brennan adds. "That comes down to not having a schedule in place, and I think that’s the key to having a clean home."
But whether it's clothes, cushions or cleaning products (guilty as charged), Richard and Brennan agree on one thing, and that's that "everyone has an attachment to something."
"Nine times out of ten people realise that 90% of their belongings are not memories, they're just not items they need," Richard admits.
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Adding "it's stuff they should let go off" to help "make their home easier to maintain."
If you don't know where to start, the cleaning duo recommend doing one room at a time - starting in a corner and working your way around.
"As professional cleaners we always start at the furthest point, work your way out and shut the door as you finish a room," Brennan reveals.
He also adds that "little and often" is definitely the right approach to avoid feeling overwhelmed by a huge mess.
The pair also swear by the "five second" method, which will help you declutter in an instant - and working out "why you have the attachment" is key.
"If you’re looking at it more than five seconds wondering if you you want to keep it, you just don’t need it," Richard explains.
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Spring cleaning tips
- Create a schedule - This is the key to a tidy home.
- Do one room at a time - Start in one corner and work your way around the room so you don't miss bits. Close the door when you're done.
- Use the five-second rule - If after five seconds you're still wondering if you want to keep something, get rid of it, you don't need it.
- Sell what you can - This could make you feel better about getting rid of some things and make some extra cash too.
- Swap out your clothes - Swap out your clothes every six months - autumn and spring. Pack the rest away in a suitcase so they don't collect dust.
Brennan agrees: "That's the one thing we tell everybody - the five second rule. I think that’s probably the best way."
Selling off some items or taking them to charity is a good first step too, as "you might feel a little bit better" about tackling your mess.
When it comes to knowing what's worth selling, though, Richard recommends checking out eBay.
"I search that item to see if it’s for sale or not, and if it’s for sale I’m going to sell it. I’ll copy and paste description, make my life easy and sell it for a similar price," he says.
What's more, Richards says we should be rotating our clothes every six months - in autumn and spring.
Brennan agrees, saying: "Pack them up, put it away, keep it dust free. It will help reduce the amount of dust in your home as well as fibres do attract the dust."
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Common cleaning mistakes
Despite many of us cleaning our homes regularly, there are many mistakes we are all making, the expert cleaners reveal.
Brennan reckons too many of us are using the wrong products for certain chores, in particular using bleach on carpet.
"Not only [have I come across this on] the show and my in business, but I hear people say they put bleach on carpets and it just astounds me," he admits.
"You’re walking on bleach which is really bad for your skin, and you’re going to pull the dye out of your carpets. That really shocks me."
Instead, bicarbonate of soda and a "splash of vinegar" should do the trick.
In fact, the duo reckon these two ingredients plus some some lemon can clean pretty much anything around the home - and it will save you loads of cash.
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"We teach people how to clean properly using products that aren’t harmful to the environment or to our skin and help them do the job easily without spending loads of money," Richard explains.
"Many people have all the products in the world in their houses but it’s not about the products, you’ve got to use your elbow grease and get stuck into it."
The pro cleaners admit there are a few areas of the home many of us forget to clean too, including under the sofa and behind the bed.
"People tend to clean at eye level, they don’t go down or up," Richard says, urging people to check skirting boards and ceiling corners for cobwebs.
But they both agree that dish drainers are by far the biggest problem we're faced with, and admit people don't realise just how filthy they really are.
Common cleaning mistake
There are many mistakes we're all making, according to Richard and Brennan
- Using the wrong products - It's not about the product but about the effort you put in. Don't waste your money and don't use bleach on carpet.
- Forgetting to look high and low - Most people clean at eye level and don't check hidden places ie top of cupboards.
- Leaving dishes out to dry - Dish racks and drainers are filthy and will leave clean dishes covered in bacteria. Dry your dishes and put them away straight away. Don't leave them out to dry.
- Letting chores build up - This makes cleaning overwhelming. Do it little and often to ensure your home is always tidy.
- Using the wrong cloths - Regular jiffy cloths store bacteria which spread throughout the home. Instead, use microfibre clothes and wash them. Replace them often.
"People wash the dishes and put them on the drainer, well the drainer is absolutely filthy and that’s what I would say is one of the common things. Then they leave dishes there for days on end rather than wipe them dry," Richard says.
Instead, the pair say we should be drying the dishes and putting them away straight after we wash them - or make sure we're washing our drainer regularly.
Brennan says: "Everyone thinks cleaning is a massive task but once you’re on top of it and you have that big deep clean it’s very easy just to stay on top of it.
"Remember the end goal and use that drive to make sure you can get the job done.
"Don’t get beat down and overwhelmed about how you’re living, think about how you’re going to live [in a nice, clean home]"
Richard adds: "When I get stuck in and I clean, my mental health is better, I feel like I’ve achieved something.
"Also, it’s physical work so you keep in shape as well so you feel good about it."
Season three of Filthy House SOS will air tonight at 9pm on 5Star
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