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How A Site Survey Could Help Your Business

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Looking for a Commercial Cleaner – Book a Site Survey First!

When considering outsourcing the cleaning of your commercial space be sure to book a site survey of your premise first. The opportunity to walk through your space with your professional cleaners is an invaluable step in ensuring a successful partnership before the work begins. And could save you the loss of time and money in the future from miscommunication and unmet needs.

office cleaners

What Do We Look at In Our Site Surveys?

With almost 20 years in the industry, we at Goldstar know that each client partnership and each cleaning job is unique. So, we use the site survey of your commercial space to make sure we are on the same page from day one and that your facility’s unique needs are met. And continue to be met. During our site survey you can expect us to assess the following when looking at the areas to be cleaned.

  • The Types of Surfaces
  • Volume of Traffic
  • The Types of Soils Present
  • Current process and methods for Cleaning/Maintenance
  • Goals and needs for Cleaning process
  • Improvements to current cleaning process

Next: A Right Plan of Action

Once the above is assessed and discussed, you want to make sure your professional cleaners also have the right products and the right equipment to fulfill your goals and needs. Not all cleaning products are the same and a site survey will allow an accurate assessment of the soils in your workspace that needs to be addressed. The right product or purpose cleaner for your area will provide your establishment a higher quality clean, in the most time-efficient manner. Having the right equipment for the job is also essential in making this happen. Different types of flooring and the size of your premise may require different plans of actions.

office cleaners

Let’s Work Towards the Same Goal

Our years of expertise in commercial cleaning has given us a great understanding of many different environments and solutions for tackling daily and long-term cleaning goals. We use our site surveys to tailor a unique and comprehensive cleaning plan for your commercial facility. By working closely with you we will determine what your goals are and what works best for you. A site survey will help us find the best solution for your facility which will result in improved results. So, your business can focus on its business!

Call Goldstar Cleaning Services Group at +1 (250) 423-4029 now to inquire about a site survey of your commercial facility to see what we can do for you!

How to Participate in Earth Day During a Pandemic

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Celebrate Mother Nature on April 22!

This week, on Thursday, April 22nd marks the 51st EARTH DAY since its inception in 1970. As cleaning is our business, we wanted to share with you some fun, safe and educational ways you and your loved ones can still celebrate Mother Nature.

Plan a Solo or Family Clean-Up Run/Cycle

While global and community-organized clean-ups will not be happening this year due to health precautions, you can still make a clean-up event happen for your household by creating your own. Switch up your regular family or solo outdoor activity by combining it with a littler pick-up as its main intention. Chose an area in your neighborhood that you love that could use a little more love, in the cleaning department. Combining your activity with a clean-up is good for your health and the health of the planet, and a fun way to get younger kids involved. Another option is to commit to picking up one piece of litter every day for the year. Seeing the problem of waste firsthand in our own ‘backyard’ will open up the curiosity to how to reduce your daily impact on the environment.

vegetable plants  

Start to grow your own Vegetable Garden!

While our travel and social gatherings are limited, this is a great spring/summer project that your whole household can be involved in. Growing your own vegetables decreases the carbon footprint in the exportation of food and decreases the packaging used to carry it, which ends up in our landfills. Its benefits of gardening are many, not the least keeping you fed, but also helping to build a stronger connection to the earth and its wonders. Working with the soil does instill a deeper responsibility in us to protect and preserve it. For young ones, it’s a great educational tool for both nature and nutrition.

Start to move your Household to the Zero-Waste Movement 

Did you know that Vancouver has a commitment to become the first zero-waste Canadian city by 2040? We at Goldstar think the Elk Valley can definitely follow suit. You can start small and continue to educate and adapt your lifestyle to this movement by first reducing the amount of single-use plastic your family uses. Look at what you use for grocery shopping, family social gatherings, home organization. Change over to reusable cups, straws, bags, and containers. Say no to free giveaways and pamphlets. The less demand there is for plastic – the less demand there is for production.

Commit to One Year of Not Buying Non-Essential Items

Another option to celebrate Earth Day and to start to feel good about your commitment to protecting her is to reduce your consumption of non-essential products. With all the birthday parties, anniversaries, and milestone events that we celebrate annually with our friends and loved ones; we can produce a lot of stress on our environment. Our Goldstar Owner, Jill Barclay, has taken on this challenge with her own family this year. Look at up-cycling gifts creatively or exchanging/teaching a skill in place of a birthday present. For example, if a family member is located in another city, think of giving them a cooking class of your favorite meal over zoom as an alternative to sending a card and a present. Sometimes your time is the most precious gift of all. And most of our playrooms, both kids and adults, are bursting at the seams already. A year off can be a really fun and fulfilling way to do your part. Other areas to consider are clothes, books, and gift wrapping paper. Make sure whatever you chose, you add an element of creative problem solving to it, so the fun of it can help keep you motivated when inconvenience perks up.

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Make Your Own DIY Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Products

In our last post, we talked about the many benefits Vinegar had as a cleaning alternative to your laundry cycle that was also an environmentally friendly option. There are many other options for other household cleaners over commercial cleaning products, which may already be in your pantry or cupboards. Generally, the ingredients needed are; white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, Castile soap, Magic baking powder, water, vegetable or olive oil, fresh herbs, citrus/citrus peel, essential oils, and salt. This can be a supervised craft project with young ones or a solo project to create an environmentally friendly cleaning basket for your home, to celebrate Earth Day.

However, you chose to participate in Earth Day, remember that all it takes is a little awareness and involvement every day that can make the biggest difference. So don’t get overwhelmed or discouraged, just take the first step, so we can continue to enjoy this beautiful natural playground we call home. For more ideas and digital events on Earth Day and how to get involved this year be sure to check out www.earthday.ca

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The Difference Between Cleaning, Disinfection and Sanitization

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Cleaning up – The 3 Sisters

Understandably cleaning, disinfection and sanitization may have just been words to you over a year ago but have now become very significant topics. Even with their common usage in daily public messaging there can be a tendency to group the them together as the same thing. What is the difference? And how can they help you keep your workplace safe?

House-Cleaning-Supplies

Meet the Three Sisters (Our Fernie Pun) of a Healthy and Clean Environment

Cleaning: The Older Sister

The one you have probably known the longest. Simply put, cleaning is the removal of dirt, germs and impurities from surfaces and objects. It alone, does not kill germs. But fewer germs on surfaces can decrease the spread of bacteria. Tried, tested and true, but for deeper cleans and to stop the spread of viruses and pathogens, she needs to call in her sisters.

Sanitizing: The Middle Sister

Sanitization of surfaces and objects, especially high touch areas, kills and reduces the number of germs and pathogens to a safe level that is determined by public health standards. And is a requirement to operate by making sure surfaces are ‘touch-safe”. But it does not kill all germs.

Disinfecting: The New Kid

Disinfecting is the application of specific and stronger chemicals to kill ALL germs and pathogens on surfaces and objects. In our current health crisis, it is the most effective means to stop the spread of illness causing germs and infections.

How can this help your business? No matter what type of commercial facility you have, keeping it clean and germ-free, so that it can continue to operate successfully and safely is crucial to its success and a community responsibility.

A commercial cleaning service provider has access to the most up to date disinfection technology and equipment necessary to provide you the most effective clean and help reduce the spread of illness causing germs. Putting both you, your employees, and customers mind at ease, knowing their well being and safety is being professionally taken care of.

employees at a board table

Let us do our job so you can do yours!

Have questions about our methods of cleaning, sanitizing, or disinfecting for commercial facilities? Need COVID-19 cleaning help from professionals?

Want to set up regular cleanings or project services to improve your commercial facility?

Contact us at Goldstar Cleaning Services Group today!

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How Janitorial Cleaning Can Improve Employee Morale

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Is Cleaning Related to Morale?

As Businesses continue to operate in COVID times, the focus on a healthy workplace is at the forefront of everybody’s mind. Especially your employees. The return to workspaces as the economy tries to regain its footing has a lot of emotions swirling around.

employees at a board table  

Here are a few ways hiring professional janitorial services for your premises can help contribute to create not only a safe, but positive work environment for your people.

1) Increase Company Morale

Appreciation breeds appreciation. By ensuring your employees’ well being you are actually creating more connection among your team, especially during a time period when isolation and distance has been at the forefront of messaging. Increasing your employee’s confidence to work for a company who values their time, energy, and health. This act of care will have a ripple effect in staff morale and will show in the way they show up each day for their job and their coworkers.

2) Increase in Productivity

There are numerous studies that have concluded that a cleaner space leads to happier, more productive employees. By allowing your people to focus on what you hired them to do, their attention and focus can solely be placed on your business. The extra training and responsibility placed on your employees for new DIY cleaning protocols will not only exhaust them emotionally and physically, its time and energy away from your own product being produced.

3) Reduce Absenteeism

Now more than ever its important to maintain a high level of cleanliness, disinfection, and general hygiene throughout the workplace. Prevention through proper cleaning and disinfection by professionals is your best chance at reducing the spread of bacteria and germs in spaces that people share.

janitorial cleaning team

4) Reduce Staff Turnover

People who feel valued, appreciated, and safe are less likely to look for another form of employment. Research has shown that a positive work environment is more important to job seekers than higher salary, excellent benefits packages, or more vacation time.

5) Improve Company Image

By putting your people first, you earn their trust. Word also spreads fast across industries about which companies are leading the way in leading their people. By building your employees’ trust in your business leadership during challenging times, you have also improved the image of your company and its culture, helping to create a legacy that will also increase your profit line.

Choose Goldstar Cleaning Services Group as your commercial cleaner and access COVID-19 cleaning from professionals in the industry. With Goldstar you can choose from deep cleaning services, sanitation services, and disinfection services that fit your needs.  Call now for a quote on daily or weekly janitorial services for COVID-19 and more at +1 (250) 423-4029.

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What Is Electrostatic Disinfection and How Does It Work?

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Electrostatic Spray Comes in Handy …

Most people consider dry and wet dusting enough to clean their surfaces or objects. Yes, they are ideal for cleaning most areas, but they spread the filth around, that’s unless you wash the rags regularly. With dry dusting, you will remove the resting particles and kick them into the air before they rest on other surfaces.

Wet dusting, on the other hand, involves the use of harmful cleaning chemicals. It’s also tough to reach certain objects or spots. Sensitive areas such as R&D labs, clean rooms, healthcare facilities and schools require more effective methods for removing dust, dirt, and germs. That’s where electrostatic spray comes in handy since these areas need specialized sanitation practices.

commercial disinfection services

What Is Electrostatic Disinfection?

It is the process of spraying an electrostatically-charged spray mist on objects and surfaces. Electrostatic spray includes specialized solution atomized by an electrode and combined with air inside the sprayer bottle. The solution contains positively charged particles that can adhere to objects and surfaces aggressively. As such, they will cling and coat the surface they are sprayed on.

For the hard to reach places or objects with weird shapes, you only need to point and spray. The solution will coat on these surfaces evenly and envelope any objects, even when sprayed from one side. After applying the spray, the sanitizing agent can now disinfect the covered surfaces. That’s why electrostatic spray is the best solution for handling areas ridden with germs and contaminants.

How Does Electrostatic Disinfection Work?

The spray is usually electrically charged allowing solutions of disinfectants, mold preventatives and sanitizers to coat and wrap around different surfaces evenly. Once the solution leaves the sprayer, it gains a positive electrical charge. The droplets are attracted to the negative surfaces covering the backside, the visible area, and the underside evenly. Surfaces that are already covered with the solution will repel the mist, so the application method is very efficient.

  covid 19 corona virus

Can You Use Electrostatic Spray Disinfection for Your Business?

Do you have areas in your business sensitive to germs and grime? Whether it’s clean rooms or R&D facilities, you need electrostatic spray when cleaning the surfaces and equipment in these areas. It might sound like a very aggressive cleaning method for commercial cleaning, but it’s actually the best choice. The benefits and features of disinfecting your surfaces using electrostatic spray includes:

  • It reduces the time required to disinfect and cover all the surfaces, including the areas that are hard to reach, by at least 50%.
  • It improves control of infections and the spread of viruses such as HIV, MRSA, influenza, coronavirus and many more.
  • It applies the solution in a controlled and efficient method thereby avoiding overusing of the substance.
  • It helps prevent the costly expenses associated with contracting contagious infections.

You should use electrostatic sprays when cleaning floors, desktops and walls. It should also be used for equipment and areas that are had to reach. If any equipment is trafficked heavily, you should consider this cleaning method to remove dirt and germs effectively. It’s a huge benefit to your organization in the ways mentioned above and many more.

Don’t Fight Coronavirus on Your Own

As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps across the globe, it’s a great idea to be prepared. You can get the best help from cleaning experts. You should hire deep cleaning professionals and sanitization experts to disinfect your office and business effectively. Your life and everyone around you is very important!  For all of your cleaning needs, contact us at Goldstar Cleaning Services, we’d love to help.

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Tips for Making and Using DIY Hand Sanitizer

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The Benenfits of Hand Sanitizer

Health organizations and experts all over the world have constantly been reminding people to wash their hands properly with soap to prevent COVID-19 infection, but hand sanitizers prove to have many benefits that make them a more appealing solution. The National Hand Hygiene Initiative has listed some of them as follows:

-It takes less than 30 seconds to clean your hands with a sanitizer, although it does not kill all the microbes like soap and water.

-Most hand sanitizer formulas are less irritating, and unlike soap and water, you do not need to use paper towels to complete the job.

-Also, there are places or situations where water and soap are not readily available such as meeting rooms.

In this article, we are going to take a look at how you can make your own hand sanitizer with readily available ingredients.

Alcohol is obviously the primary ingredient when it comes to making DIY sanitizer, as it’s pretty effective in killing various types of bacteria and viruses. However, the conventional vodka you may have at home may not be quite effective as an alcohol concentration of above 60% is required. Most alcoholic drinks usually have a 40 to 47 percent alcohol concentration, proving them ineffective. So, you’ll want to head out to the local pharmacy or hardware store and buy some isopropyl alcohol.

man using hand sanitizer

For Gel Sanitizer, You’ll Need:

-1-part aloe vera gel

-Three parts of isopropyl alcohol

-Several drops of tea tree oil

For Spray Sanitizer, You’ll Need:

-1 and 2/3 cups of isopropyl alcohol

-A tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide

-Two tablespoons of glycerin or glycerol

-1/4 cup of distilled or cool boiled water

Keep in mind that both iterations should be mixed using clean instruments, bottled, and left to sit for 3 days in order to kill any germs from the preparation process.

When & How Should You Use the Sanitizer?

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, you should use sanitizer as per the following:

-Only when water and soap are not readily available

-If the hands are soiled, use towelettes to get rid of the soil, prior to applying the sanitizer

-Ensure the hands are dry as wet hands will only dilute the hand rub.

-Apply enough to cover your fingers and the surface of your hands.

-Rub the hands together until the hand rub completely evaporates.

hand washing

Situations to Wash Your Hands

It’s advisable that you wash your hands with water and soap not less than five times a day, including times when you wish to use hand rub. According to the Center for Disease Control & Prevention in the United States, you should wash your hands with soap and water in the following situations:

Before, during and after meal preparation

-Before eating food

-After using the restroom, cleaning up kids who have used the bathroom and after changing diapers

-Before and after treating a wound

-After coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose

-After touching an animal including your home pet

-Before and after being in contact with a sick individual

-After touching garbage

-After being in contact with any touchpoints such as buttons, handles, doorknobs, etc.

-If your hands are dirty, soiled, or greasy.

 With these tips, you should be able to increase your chances of staying safe from the virus.

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Best Practices for Maintaining Hotel Cleanliness

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Hotel Cleanliness is Key

Hotel cleanliness is key when it comes to making visitors happy. Travelers of all types expect hotel rooms to be top notch, and that goes for the common areas too. Even owners of beach hotels featuring a tropical setting in paradise know that the rooms need to be clean for the guests. Dirty hotel rooms are a distraction from the other amenities, and they are a nuisance to guests paying hard-earned money to stay somewhere nice. The hotels that promote cleanliness are the ones that win awards, get good reviews and are highly regarded by travelers.

hotel-room

Here are the areas that Goldstar Services focuses on when cleaning hotels and common areas.

Clean Floors

When the floors are clean, it’s noticeable, and the room smells better. Keeping the floors clean requires that the proper care methods be in place. For carpeting, not only vacuuming but frequent shampooing is necessary. These rooms are high traffic areas. Hardwood floors are going to need to be buffed from time to time and not just regularly cleaned.

Clean Bathrooms

Bathrooms are always subject to mold. If there is even a spot of mold, there are going to be guests that ring your bell over that one. This includes corners and crevices, the shower drain and well, any place that a person’s eyes might take a gander. You want to show your guests that the bathroom is spotless. Clean the bathrooms well, and always provide a finishing touch that shows them that paying attention to detail is important to you.

Clean Walls

People spill drinks, especially if kids are present. These spilled drinks end up hitting the walls. Collectively, the walls may appear clean, but they need as much attention to detail as the bathrooms and the floors. This is especially true when it comes to walls by countertops and dinner tables.

 Clean Fridge

Any fridge and mini bar needs to be spotless. People love the fact that they have a nice fridge and mini bar at their disposal. If they are not clean, however, you’re going to get complaints. Be sure that everything is clean and well-stocked.

Clean Windows

People love to check out the view, and those windows need to be spotless. The windows shouldn’t just be cleaned every once in awhile. They should be cleaned every time a guest checks out. Remember, pay attention to detail.

Guest satisfaction is tied to cleanliness in many ways. You want your visitors to have a great impression of your hotel. When they do, they are more likely to return, and they are more likely to recommend your hotel to other people they know.

Goldstar’s friendly and well-trained staff specializes in cleaning hotel rooms, common areas and strata complexes. 

Contact us today for all of your cleaning needs.

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How to Keep That Hockey Bag and Gear Fresh

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largehockeyword

There it is again. Sitting, lifeless. Dropped off again right beside the washing machine. Its been there for three whole days. Left to fester, left to seep, left to marinade. The dreaded hockey bag, consequently full of sweaty equipment you’d rather forget about. It belongs to your roommate, your kids, your significant other, but honestly, it doesn’t matter who’s it is, you just want it to stop wafting through the entire house. So let Goldstar guide you. Here are four helpful hints to keep that hockey bag winners circle fresh.    

1.Air it out; don’t let the wet gear sit.

First of all, don’t let it sit! The worst thing you can do is let the wet sweaty equipment sit. An indoor clothing rack will become your best friend. They’re easy to find and you can purchase at your local housewares stores. Somewhere like Fernie Home Building Center is sure to have what you need. Add a heater, a fan, or a dehumidifier to help speed up the process. On those bluebird days, lay it out on the deck. The cold temperatures will surely kill any smelly bacteria that may be lingering.  

2.Wash what you can, regularly.

Aside from airing it out, it’s important to wash our hockey equipment to keep it fresh. A lot of hockey hockey equipment equipment is safe to add right to the washing machine! Both front or top loading machines will do the trick. (make sure you leave enough room for equipment to move once it’s in the machine. A washing machine overfilled will lead to tears in equipment.) Here is a list of the hockey equipment you CAN and CANNOT wash in the machine.   WASHING MACHINE FRIENDLY
  • Socks, Jerseys, and base layers.
  • Jock (don’t forget to remove the cup as it cannot be washed in the machine. Fasten the Velcro so it doesn’t attach to anything else in the wash.)
  • Shin Pads*
  • Hockey Pants*
  • Elbow Pads*
  • Shoulder Pads* and
  • Gloves*
DO NOT use bleach; white vinegar CAN BE added to the wash is a great alternative, as it will kill odor-causing bacteria.
* DO NOT put equipment in the dryer. Allow it to air-dry.
  NOT WASHING MACHINE FRIENDLY
  • Goalie Pads
  • Goalie Mitts
  • Skates
  • Helmet
If you’re not sure about any items, you can drop anything off at our dry cleaning depot and we’ll take care of that for you.  

3.Don’t forget the inside of the helmet.

In addition to our body equipment, an important piece of equipment that we never forget to play without, but sometimes we sometimes forget to wash, the helmet. To effectively clean the inside of your helmet you will need to follow these simple steps.
  1. Mix a bowl with hot water and no tears kids shampoo.
  2. Dip the sponge in water/shampoo mix, ring well, and scrub inside of the helmet.
  3. Repeat process with only water and dry out.
(With sweat commonly built up in the helmet, it is especially important that you use no tears shampoo. If there is any chance that soap hasn’t been properly rinsed out and drips into your eyes while playing, this will save you from a tearful accident.)  

4.LAST BUT NOT LEAST, Those smelly skates!

Finally, our most dreaded piece of equipment… the hockey skates. Though they may seem like the most daunting task, they are actually the easiest piece to clean. All you have to do is sprinkle some baking soda in those stinky blades, let them sit overnight and dump it out in the morning! You’ll be amazed by how effective this simple trick is.

Cleaning tips for crafting with kids

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Mom and Daughter CraftingFrom paper mâché to play dough, crafting is a great bonding exercise for parents and children. Age-appropriate arts and crafts projects also give kids to the chance to unleash their creative energies in a constructive way.

As much as we love crafting, the clean-up afterward can definitely be a chore.  Fortunately, there are ways you can prepare your work space to make cleaning up easier and deal with any accidents that may occur.

Cover up!

Protect any areas that will get messy during craft time – this includes the workspace, any cleaning/drying stations and yourself.

Cover tables with a vinyl table cloth or shower curtain. These can be easily washed. (Avoid using newspapers, which can allow liquids and glue to soak through).  Wear a canvas apron to protect your clothing. For some crafts, it may be advisable to wear rubber or latex gloves.

Keep cleaning products handy

The best way to limit the spread of messes is to keep cleaning products close to your work surface.  For painting projects, keep a tub of water nearby, placing paint brushes, sponges, stencils, and other items in there as soon as you’re done using them.

Consider keeping a container of baby wipes or disinfectant towels near your craft area. These are handy for quick clean ups.

Be prepared for stains and spills

-Use a lint roller with disposable adhesive panels for all sorts of tiny objects, like glitter.

-To remove ink pen stains from clothing or walls, try using hair spray. You can also try blotting the area with rubbing alcohol.

-To remove glue stains on fabrics, wash article in warm, soapy water. To remove stuck-on glue from hard surfaces, try dabbing on a little vegetable oil, let sit for a few minutes and rub off gently.

-Acrylic or tempura paint stains should be cleaned while they’re still wet. To remove paint from clothes and carpets, dab the fabric with a damp cloth to soak up as much paint as possible. If the stain persists, dab with rubbing alcohol. For paint on walls and hard floors, wash the surface with warm, soapy water.

-For crayon stains on fabrics, try spraying a little bit of WD40 (a spray lubricant) onto the spot and dab clean with rag, then wash the area with liquid dishwashing soap and water.

Get the kids involved

Clean up is an important part of crafting, and kids should lend a hand. Assign your child chores appropriate to their age level, such as putting away supplies, cleaning the work station or throwing out any garbage. When all is said and down, don’t forget to display your child’s masterpiece somewhere everyone can see it!  

5 iPhone apps to help you clean your home

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A screenshot from “Chore Hero.”
You can do pretty much anything with your iPhone – everything, perhaps, except clean your house. Until Apple designs and iMaid, check out these five apps designed to make household chores more manageable.
Custom Hypnosis: House Cleaning Edition ($1.99) Using “specialized audio,” this app promises to turn time-consuming chores into hours of hypnosis-induced entertainment! HomeRoutines ($5) Like the gentle prodding of a parent, HomeRoutines helps you keep track of your cleaning goals. Create routine checklists, receive reminder notifications and create a “gold star” reward system for completing tasks. Clean Freak Cleaning Schedule ($.99) Designed by working parents, Clean Freak uses the “divide-and-conquer” approach to cleaning, breaking chores into 15 to 60 minute rotations. Green Shine ($1.99) Using a database of recipes based of household items, this app provides environmentally friendly solutions for more than 100 everyday housekeeping tasks, from simple window cleaning to stain removal. Chore Hero ($2.99) Is your family competitive? Chore Hero turns cleaning into a contest by allowing you to assign tasks to various members of your household. The app awards awarded points for each completed chore, with the winner being crowned the “Chore Hero.”