Cleaning guides for Toronto and GTA homes
Practical answers from PavMa Cleaning: what each kind of cleaning covers, how to prepare your home, and what to expect on the day.
Cleaning a small shop: before opening, during hours and after closeSort the work by when shoppers can see it. Glass and floors before the doors open, the entrance and washroom through the day, the deep work after close or once a week.
How to clean walls and ceilings after drywall and paint workGet the dust off dry first, then wash once with a cloth wrung almost dry, and leave new paint alone until its cure time has passed. Wet gypsum dust on a wall turns into streaks.
Cleaning a home before you list it: a plan counted back from photo dayClear the home first, do the heavy clean about a week before the photographer comes, and keep the last two days for touch-ups. Listing photos last for the whole sale, so they set the date.
After a party or family event at home: what to clean before bed and what can waitPut the food away, blot the spills and check candles and ashes before bed. The rest of a post-party clean can wait for morning, in an order that saves you from washing the floors twice.
Janitorial service or office cleaning: what the words mean and what to put in writingFor a small office, janitorial usually means the recurring visit and commercial cleaning is the wider label. The words matter less than a written list of tasks, timing, supplies and access.
Getting sticky grease off the range hood, backsplash and cabinet doors safelyStart with hot water and dish soap, work from the hood down to the toe-kicks, and let the filter soak while you do the rest. Anything stronger gets tested on a hidden spot of that finish first.
How to get road salt off your floors this winter, floor by floor, and track less of it inSweep or vacuum the grit while it is dry, lift the residue with warm water and a pH-neutral floor cleaner, then dry the floor. The finish under the mark decides how much water and which cleaner it can take.
What to clean in an empty home before the moving truck arrives, and what can waitCabinet interiors, closet shelves and the floor under the bed are reachable only while the home is empty. Clean those first, top to bottom, and leave mirrors and the last floor pass for after the boxes.
Why GTA bathrooms collect limescale, and how to lift it without harming the finishThe white crust on taps and shower glass is calcium and magnesium left behind when water dries. A mild acid lifts it, the finish decides how, and a dry cloth keeps it from coming back.
Setting up a Toronto short-term rental so the cleaner can turn it over between guestsA cleaner can only turn a unit around with what the host has arranged. Most of it is set up once: entry, times, spare linens, a supply cupboard, a checklist and one person who answers the phone.
How often a small office needs cleaning, and what Ontario's washroom rule asks forThe washroom and the staff kitchen set the number of visits; desks, floors and glass follow. Ontario law also asks employers for a clean washroom and a record of its two most recent cleanings.
Renovation dust: what a post-renovation clean can and cannot fixFine dust, small debris and accessible paint specks come off in a post-renovation clean. Scratches, missed paint and anything involving lead or asbestos do not.
How to get your home ready the day before the cleaners comeClear floors and counters, a plan for pets and entry, and a short list of details to pass on when you book: what to do the evening before a house cleaning.
Deep cleaning or regular cleaning: which one should your first visit be?If no cleaner has been through the home in months, start with a deep clean. A side-by-side of both checklists shows why, and when a regular clean is enough from day one.
Moving out of a rental in Ontario: how clean is clean enough?Ontario's tenancy law asks for ordinary cleanliness and treats damage as a separate question. What that means room by room, and how to time the final clean.Need a cleaner, not a guide?
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