It makes a person wonder, with all of the lists that you made all of the planning that you did; how did things get so out of control, so fast! If you are anything like me, it really isn’t too hard to do. There are so many extra’s to take care of at this time of year that it is hard to keep up. However, even this can be organized properly and your house will look fresh and clean, in about an hour to get everything under control and the food will be ready for heating and serving on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

Just how is this going to be accomplished? Easy, go back to your little checklist and you can, get organized and your home will be clutter free in no time.

Checklist for last minute clean-up, clutter removal and meal preparation;

Christmas Cards
Put the remaining Christmas cards in a shoe box and put with your crafts or in the kids box to send ‘thank you’ cards with.
If the envelopes aren’t going to be used, add them to your envelope storage area to use later.

Ribbons, bows and wrapping paper
Although you will want to keep these handy for last minute retrieval, you don’t want these out in the open. If you don’t have a wrapping paper organizer already, you may want to purchase on at this time. The upright type works best for me. A matter of fact, I have two of them; one for Christmas wrapping and bows and one for during the year for Birthday, Anniversary etc.
Put the bows in the top part of the container and include your present tags in this area.
Add your wrapping paper and the left over bags to the bottom part.

Cooking the Turkey and Ham
An organized person always plan’s ahead and so meal preparation is added to this category. Very seldom do we put a whole turkey and ham on the table and cut the meat and serve it at the table. So, why not make it easy on yourself; and cook and carve your meats ahead of time. This way, there isn’t anymore work than to put the meat in a Nesco or slow cooker, heat and put on platters at the time the guests arrive. This will save you time by not having to wait until the last minute to wash the pans, cut the meat and take the bones out of it, another mess in your oven and extra fuss when preparing the rest of the meal.

Now’s the time to get the place shipshape in preparation, but the thought need not make you turn to the pudding brandy in panic. While it may seem like every minute between now and Christmas Eve is earmarked for shopping, freezing party nibbles and tree dressing, we have made it easy for you – by following our simple guide to sprucing up your home you’ll have it done in no time. And when all the food is eaten, every present unwrapped and your visitors have left you in peace, we have no-messing-about tips on cleaning up their mess.

Unless your house is a tip, you needn’t do more than add a few extra jobs to your regular housework routine to get your house spick and span for Christmas.

Before the place becomes rammed with decorations, presents and people, have a bit of an extra clear up. In the main living areas, you might want to put away some of the stuff that normally is on display or generally lying around – that stack of magazines won’t get looked at over Christmas and will get in the way, while precious ornaments might be best removed somewhere your friend’s crazy toddler won’t try and eat them. Your things don’t have to be banished forever, but you will be glad of the space for decorations, cards, glasses and plates. Open the windows to air the house out (just for a bit before the heating comes on), wipe down surfaces with a damp or microfiber cloth, run the vacuum round and clean the bathroom.

If you have a spare room, chances are it has been steadily filling up with clutter since the last time someone stayed in it. Your guests won’t mind a few things lying around, but try and clear out as much as is reasonable. Some hanging or drawer space will be useful, too, so free up a bit of storage for your guests. Open the windows for an hour or two while you vacuum and dust, then make up the bed with fresh linen. An extra blanket is a nice touch in case your guests feel the chill at night and provide bath and hand towels for them, too. If you are trying to make a good impression (on a potential mother-in-law for example), put some fresh flowers in a vase and provide a few pretty toiletries. If you have put guests in your bedroom while you sacrifice yourself on the sofa bed, find a place to stash the bedding by day where it won’t be in the way or make them feel guilty.

Don’t leave it until the bird is due in the oven to drag the turkey-sized roasting dish out of a cupboard and find it caked in last year’s grease. Use washing-up liquid or a cream cleaner to clean it, or for really tough burnt-on grime, clean as you would clean an oven. This goes for other once-a-year items, too, so haul out all the gravy boats, clean carafes, clean coffee makers, cheeseboards and so on now and give them a good wash.

Fairy lights and candles set a lovely festive ambience, which will not be enhanced at all by a tray of dusty or greasy crystal. It’s a mystery how glassware left in a cupboard collects so much muck, but as it just does, you will need to give it all a good wash before you crack open the bubbly. Bargain glass can be chucked in the dishwasher, but your more precious items should be washed by hand.

Our experienced team of skilled cleaners form the core of our business in the capital city. With clients spread across the Greater London area, we pride ourselves on our commitment to customer satisfaction and dedication to providing high quality solutions to all of our clients. Every member of staff is fully trained and certified before they start work on any of our numerous contracts and whether working for one of our office cleaning London clients or on an end of tenancy project, they are provided with the best equipment and materials. We offer a comprehensive range of services for private and corporate customers who appreciate our attention to detail and the professional attitude that is instilled in every single employee. It does not matter how big or small a job is, we always strive for excellence. For the very best professional carpet cleaning West London residents can trust our cleaners.

Business premises

We are happy to offer our services to companies who need a reliable firm to take care of their offices and can provide a first class service to hotel owners in the capital. In fact, whatever type of business you are running, we can probably help. Bars, health clubs, art galleries and restaurants all number among our clients. We offer professional cleaning services London company owners can depend on. In addition to our high standards of cleanliness, our staff is aware that many of our commercial clients require a confidential service that they can trust. Each member of our team is closely vetted before they are offered an employment contract and are monitored continuously to ensure that they meet our high standards on every contract. Companies looking for a great commercial carpet cleaning service as part of a one-off spring clean or on a regular basis need look no furth.

House proud

Most people like to keep their homes clean and tidy and are proud of the way that their property looks. This can take up quite a lot of time though so busy professionals often turn to a company like ours to help. We provide domestic customers with first class house cleaning services London home owners are consistently pleased with. A home is not just somewhere to sleep but a sanctuary where people like to feel they can relax when they return from work in the evening. We treat our clients’ homes as we would our own and take great care to ensure that every room is sparkling clean after we have finished for the day. Both our private house and office cleaning London teams know that they must perform to the best of their ability day in and day out which is why we are the best in the business.

A risk assessment is an important step in protecting your workers and your business, as well as complying with the law. It helps you focus on the risks that really matter in your workplace – the ones with the potential to cause real harm. In many instances, straightforward measures can readily control risks, for example ensuring spillages are cleaned up promptly so people do not slip, or cupboard drawers are kept closed to ensure people do not trip. For most, that means simple, cheap and effective measures to ensure your most valuable asset – your workforce – is protected.

The law does not expect you to eliminate all risk, but you are required to protect people as far as ‘reasonably practicable’. This guide tells you how to achieve that with a minimum of fuss.

This is not the only way to do a risk assessment, there are other methods that work well, particularly for more complex risks and circumstances. However, we believe this method is the most straightforward for most organisations.

What is risk assessment?

A risk assessment is simply a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people, so that you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm. Workers and others have a right to be protected from harm caused by a failure to take reasonable control measures.

Accidents and ill health can ruin lives and affect your business too if output is lost, machinery is damaged, insurance costs increase or you have to go to court. You are legally required to assess the risks in your workplace so that you put in place a plan to control the risks.

Households can have up to three free collections per financial year with up to five separate items collected each time.

Use sliced lemons to freshen your microwave by placing a bowl of water with three or four lemon slices in the microwave and cook on high for 30 seconds.

Clean copper by dipping a cut lemon in salt and rubbing on the copper.

Rub halved lemons on cutting boards, rinse with cold water to clean and destroy cutting board odors.

Clean scratch-prone laminate counter tops by rubbing with lemons or lemon juice for gentle cleansing.

Oxalic acid is a useful household chemical that is used as stain-lifter and bleaching agent. Oxalic acid is toxic and very corrosive when it is in its pure form that is why when dealing with Oxalic acid, safety must be the first priority. Here are some tips for the safe handling of Oxalic acid.

1. Use Protective Gears

When mixing and applying Oxalic acid you should wear protective gears such as rubber gloves, safety mask and safety glasses. The rubber gloves are necessary to prevent your skin from being exposed to the Oxalic acid. The safety masks and safety glasses are essential to avoid lung and eye irritation. It is also advisable to wear a long-sleeve shirt when dealing with Oxalic acid to prevent Oxalic acid exposure to your entire arms.

2. Work in Well-ventilated Area

When mixing Oxalic acid it is best to work in a well-ventilated area. If you cannot work outdoor make sure that all the windows and doors are open to avoid inhaling the toxic fumes of Oxalic acid.

3. Have a Pail of Water in Hand

A pail of water is very useful when dealing with Oxalic acid. If you begin to experience skin and eye irritation or spill over some Oxalic acid on the floor, immediately rinse your skin and eye with water and pour some water on the spilled Oxalic acid as well.

Paul Mather from Exeter-based PVM Supplies is encouraging businesses and organisations to carry out a quick assessment of their facilities to discover whether turning green could help them meet their important Corporate Social Responsibility targets.

‘Many companies are reducing their power consumption or making changes to their travel policies, but they are completely overlooking the significant environmental effect of the average business loo,’ he says.

‘The average business will order the equivalent of 5000 rolls a year to keep their washrooms stocked. That, plus the fact that Britons use more toilet roll than anyone else in the world, means that the sheer quantities of toilet paper and paper towels will have a big impact on the environment if they are not made from sustainable paper sources.

‘Having a green washroom is a very simple step that all businesses can take to meet their Corporate Social Responsibilty targets and we’ve already been able to help companies implement systems to get them on the right road to becoming greener. The products we supply are just as effective, reasonably priced, far kinder to the environment and more sustainable.’

PVM, which is based at Exeter Airport Business Park, has seen sales of its range of green washroom products increase by 50% in the past six months. It has recently completed contracts with a number of local businesses including Flybe, Escot House, Westpoint,Torbay Coast & Countryside and Darts Farm. Their green washrooms feature environmentally-friendly products and sustainably produced toilet paper and towels.

The toilet paper is produced by a Yorkshire company called Bay West. It is the only company in the UK in this particular market, to carry the European Eco-label, which means that every part of its manufacturing process – from raw paper pulp to the finished product – has met strict EU eco standards.

Lisa Benton from Escot says: ‘This is just one of a number of steps we’ve taken towards becoming a greener business and meeting our important Corporate Social Responsibility targets. It’s more than just using recycled products, it’s about going that one step further and using products that enhance the working environment and which have been produced to encourage long term healthy living.

‘Next time people visit our washrooms at Escot, we would encourage them to use their five minutes to consider what they can also do for the environment.’

Flybe’s Head of Public Relations, Niall Duffy, comments: ‘As an airline we champion the motto ‘low cost but not at any cost’ and are committed to operating in as green a manner as possible. This extends across our entire business and so we are delighted to have the opportunity to be part of PVM’s green washroom initiative. With such impressive credentials, we wouldn’t want to ‘loo’se’ out!’

Our window cleaning courses allow you to schedule a training programme that works towards the new window cleaning industry training and competency matrix.

Before you start to wipe the dust and polish, put all the unnecessary stuff off. Most of us are guilty of storing things we don’t really needs, so take out the old receipts, cards and notes. Put all unnecessary things in cupboards and drawers, it will free up more space for Christmas decorations.

Then make a list of everything you need to do, so you can check what has been done and what is not, and will make sure nothing has been missed.

As a general cleaning rule, be sure to start from the top down, go left to right or vice versa, to make sure nothing you have missed.

There are always a few trouble spots through, so here are our tips for those difficult to clean areas.

Blinds and windows
For thorough clean, it is best to remove any blinds and lay them on a dust sheet before using an all-purpose cleaner to get rid of dirt, dust and grime.
With the blinds removed this is a good time to get those windows clear and sparkling. Take a window cleaner, tiny microfiber clothes and then clean and polish all windows. Do not forget to clean the window frames and sills.

Bathroom
The bathroom is always a key area is cleaner -while you no doubt whizz round on a regular basis, it’s now time to empty cabinets and drawers clean within and rearrange. Shower curtains should be removed and washed. Do not forget to clean and polish the taps and shower.

Kitchen
The kitchen must of course be scrupulously clean. You must to empty cupboards and drawers, clean within and rearrange. If you notice spots on the “stainless” steel, however, be sure to avoid abrasive cleaners – a touch of baby oil on a clean microfiber cloth should do the job.
You will, of course, have your fridge, oven, stove and cupboards spotless by the time the guests arrive.

Carpets
Vacuuming might remove the dust and dirt, but not remove the spots from your carpets. You might to hire a professional cleaning company to clean your carpets. While vacuuming your carpets, be sure that you clean the places which are under the bed, sofas and around all furniture.

Make sure that all cobwebs are remove, all doors and door frames, windows, blinds, skirting boards, light switches, lights, mirrors, pictures and all surfaces are dust, clean and polish.

This is a chore, no doubt, but once your home if though clean, you can relax and enjoy Christmas!