Time for a spring clean

Spring is the key time to give your bed & breakfast a thorough, deep clean before the busy summer season arrives. Bill Lumley talks to Vacuum manufacturer Vorwerk for some tips on making the clean more thorough.

The spring season is a great time to have a sort out and throw away any unnecessary items. Perhaps your cutlery and crockery are in need of a refresh, or maybe it’s time to update your accommodation with more modern bed linen.

You wouldn’t be alone either in your plans to carry out a spring clean. Domestically two thirds (67%) of homeowners and renters across the UK will be gearing up to give their homes a spring clean this year, research from Vorwerk suggests.

It is important to give your B&B accommodation a really thorough clean, covering every aspect of your business from carpets to mattresses, and sofas to sinks.

Vorwerk cleaning expert Peter Hollier tells Luxury Bed & Breakfast magazine: “We know what it means to have clean accommodation. Not only does it set the right impression, but it’s also hygienic.”

According to the company’s research some 37% of people living in the UK state they would think that a homeowner was lazy if they had an unclean abode, and 28% say they would judge such hosts negatively, so it is easy to imagine what people’s opinions would be of an unclean Bed & Breakfast.

The research revealed biggest turn-offs to be a dirty toilet (71%), strong smells (61%) and a messy kitchen (55%), followed by an unkempt bathroom (49%) and pet hair all over (43%).

Hollier says: “Who knows what you might find on your spring clean and exactly how much it really does pay off too, as nearly a quarter (24%) of households have revealed that they found missing money during their clean.

“There have been some really bizarre finds too according to the survey with people saying they found such things as a box of chocolates, medical records, a pair of secateurs and a wetsuit glove,” he adds.

Carpet cleaning

As the evenings get lighter, the survey says 45% of the nation will be reaching for the vacuum cleaner as their first port of call to give their homes a fresher feel and a new look during the spring season.

Vorwerk offers the ultimate cleaning solution with its iconic Kobold VK200 Upright Vacuum Cleaner, which is a high-tech solution to deep-clean carpets, hard floors, curtains, and mattresses.

The Kobold VK200 comes with numerous accessories including the SP600 head, which mops and vacuums hard floors at the same time, the EB400 Automatic Electric Brush head, which transitions seamlessly from hard floors to carpets, the PB440 Electric Upholstery Brush, the MP440 & MR440 Mattress Cleaning Set and the VF200 Carpet Freshener, which guarantees a unique in-depth, hygienic carpet clean.

“The majority of Bed & Breakfast owners vacuum their carpets on a daily basis but it’s important to make sure you give them a regular deep clean too,” says Hollier.

“Carpets collect a lot of dirt and dust over time, particularly in Bed & Breakfasts, from children running in with their shoes on after they’ve been to the park, to the countless times food or drink has been spilt. All of this equates to the ideal breeding ground for bacteria in your carpet.

“Regularly vacuuming your carpets will result in the top layer of dust and grime being sucked out, however, you are leaving behind worn in dirt and allergens that only a good deep clean can remove.”

In addition to regular vacuuming, your carpets and rugs need a deep clean that will last in order to remove stubborn dirt that has become embedded in the fibres.

Do not wet clean your carpet

“Many people will turn to wet cleaning their carpets for their spring clean this year as they think using water to clean their carpets will mean fresh, bright floors. However over time the repeated wet cleaning can wash out wool’s natural waterproofing, resulting in the carpet acquiring a hard, crusty feel,” says Hollier.

“At Vorwerk, we believe that dry cleaning is the best solution, with a powder-based cleaning agent that you sprinkle on the carpet, massage in and then vacuum away. It might take a little longer than other cleaning methods, but it will ensure you achieve the desired results without damaging your carpet in the process.

“Vorwerk’s Kobold VF200 Carpet Freshener, which attaches to the Kobold VK200 Upright Vacuum Cleaner, makes sure that your carpets stay beautiful for longer with a hygienic in-depth clean. By using a non-toxic conditioning cleaner like Kobosan Active Dry Cleaning Power, that lifts allergens and makes your carpet soft and fluffy, you will notice the difference by sight and smell,” he says.

Mattress cleaning

Just like your carpets, upholstery needs a deep clean once in a while too. With different guests staying over each shedding skin cells and dust, it’s important to make sure you give your mattress a regular deep clean.

Research from Vorwerk reveals that nearly a fifth of UK homes have never cleaned their mattress at all (17%). The East Midlands is the region with the highest percentage of people who have never cleaned their mattress (27%), closely followed by the South East (24%) and the South West (20%).

“To keep your mattress clean, we recommend treating it like you would your carpet by vacuuming it regularly. A specialist mattress cleaning product such as Vorwerk’s Kobold MP440 & MR440 Mattress Cleaning Set will help speed up the job and will also dry clean your mattress,” he says.

“Avoid using water to remove stains or marks on your upholstery – a moist mattress is a breeding ground for mould and mildew.

“You should also rotate and flip your mattress at least once every three months and deodorise your mattress regularly to keep it smelling fresh. We recommend a dry cleaning powder for mattresses such as Vorwerk’s Lavenia Powder to sanitise and add a fresh smell.”

Organisation is the key

Vorwerk ambassador and star of Channel 4’s Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners, Lynsey ‘Queen of Clean’ Crombie, adds: “A good plan goes a long way towards your spring clean and it can seem less daunting if you organise your routine into manageable chunks. You should take things room by room so it’s achievable and doesn’t seem like a chore.”

Lynsey’s 5 Spring Cleaning shortcuts

To deep clean your sinks, sprinkle some bicarbonate of soda over the plug hole, and then pour down some white wine vinegar. Follow this with some boiling water to flush out your drain and leave it smelling fresh.

To get rid of those stubborn water marks on shower doors and tiles, cut a lemon in half and rub it directly onto the marks.

If your glassware has stubborn water stains, gently rub over them with potato skins to remove the grime and rinse as normal. They will come up as good as new.