Bathroom and Kitchen Cleaning 101

With so much traffic, bathrooms and kitchens are two places in homes and offices that can be difficult to keep clean. Both tend to have grouted tile floors, stainless steel appliances or garbage disposals that can be tricky when trying to keep rooms looking good as new. Over the years, we at ServiceMaster by Stratos have discovered great practices to maintain the cleanliness of tile floors and appliances that you can use in your own homes. The great part is all you need is a few commonly used household items to get started.

Grouted tile floors, tubs and countertops
To put it lightly, grouted tile floors, tubs and countertops especially those that have aged a bit, can be a real pain to clean. Dirt and mold can build up in the grout, causing an unwelcomed discoloration. To clean tiles and grout, simply make a thick paste using three parts baking soda to one-part water. Rub the paste onto the grout. Then, mix equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle and spray the surface. This versatile cleaner will work with all colors of grout, but it’s important to note that vinegar can be harmful to some natural stones such as marble or limestone. If you have marble or limestone, use water in place of vinegar. Put the paste onto the grout and spray with the vinegar mixture. Scrub the tile and grout with a brush to ensure the dirt and mold comes off with ease. Rinse paste off once finished.

Stainless steel appliances
We love the look and feel that stainless steel appliances bring to a space. However, it can be a challenge to keep them looking great. Luckily, we’ve been around the cleaning block a time or two and have figured out the best method for making stainless steel keep its shine. Gather a mineral oil in a bowl, along with vinegar in a spray bottle, paper towels and a very soft or microfiber cloth. Then, determine the direction of the grain of your surface. You will want to rub in the direction of that grain. Next, spray the space liberally with vinegar and wipe it off with the paper towel in the direction of the grain. Last, dip your soft cloth in a tiny bit of oil and polish away.

Garbage disposals
After an office full of folks clean their lunch plates and coffee mugs in the sink, the disposal can develop a bit of an odor. To de-stink the sink, sprinkle a half-cup of baking soda down the disposal, followed by one cup of white vinegar. Don’t let the fizz this mixture makes scare you! That just means it’s doing its job. While letting the baking soda and vinegar work for a few minutes, bring a pot of water to a boil. Then, pour the boiling water down the drain.

Do you have other methods to keeping these three items clean? Let us know! We’re always looking for ways to improve our cleaning practices to ensure our customers are satisfied time and time again.