Thursday
04Mar2010

Graffiti used to advertise petrochemicals? Come to Wales..

DateThursday, March 4, 2010 at 10:06AM

Graffiti used for advertising? Yes, it's a realityWe've talked in the past about how to remove graffiti, but we never thought to mention the innovative method that Texaco has used near Cardiff Central train station in Wales. To advertise the launch of its new Techron product, the petrochemical giant sought permission from Cardiff Council to create the largest piece of reverse-graffiti in the UK.

The 50ft long section of wall had previously been painted with street graffiti and needed painting. Texaco came along and spent 2 days scrubbing the graffiti to remove it, and then painted the wall black.

Next - and this is really brilliant - they produced bespoke stencils and placed them over the wall, and used high pressure washers to clean the paint between the stencils away, leaving amazing designs on the wall for commuters to see on the way to work.

The designs include Cardiff Castle, a Welsh dragon and the Severn Crossing.

'Reverse graffiti' has been growing in prominence in recent years as companies try to develop innovative ways to promote their products. Microsoft and Smirnoff have produced reverse graffiti campaigns in recent years and Cardiff has featured eco-friendly pavement murals since 2008.

Graffiti itself has even been used for advertising - Sony hired artists to spray paint large buildings with images of kids playing their Playstation Portables in an effort to drive sales! And in 2001 IBM had people spray paint a heart, a penguin and a peace symbol on the pavements of Chicago and San Francisco (brownie points if you know why!).

The Texaco design will be on show for 5 weeks before being scrubbed away into oblivion, so get yourself to Wales as quickly as possible so you don't miss out!

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Friday
26Feb2010

Spring clean your living room - revamp your lounge!

DateFriday, February 26, 2010 at 10:04AM

Cleaning your living room can breathe new life into your home!Of all the rooms in the house that seem to get dirty quickly, none gets filthier than the living room. Everyone dumps their stuff in there, people walk through and before you know it the focal point of your home is an absolute mess!

Spring cleaning your living room really will turn it back into a room that you and your family can enjoy. But it's not an easy task, and can take a good few hours to do properly.

If you're keen and ready, here's how to do it:

STAGE 1: DECLUTTER

  • Place all items that don't belong in the living room in a large crate and put aside.
  • Purge living room belongings - what do you actually use? Donate the rest to charity.
  • If your dining table is in the living room, place the chairs elsewhere - this will give you more room.
  • Remove cushions and place elsewhere.
  • Take down paintings and photos.

STAGE 2: DRAPERIES, CURTAINS AND WINDOWS

  • Take down curtains and draperies and dry clean or wash at home, as per manufacturer's instructions.
  • Clean around curtain poles and blinds to ensure all dirt has been removed.
  • Clean windows both inside and out. An old toothbrush can be used to clean gaps and crevices.

STAGE 3: CLEAN THE CEILING FAN

  • If you've got one, you probably know how much dust it attracts. Give it a good dust, followed by a clean with bactericidal products, to ensure it's germ-free.

STAGE 4: CLEAN OUT CHAIRS AND SOFAS

  • Check down the arms of sofas to ensure you don't lose any money (or keys!) in the hoover.
  • Use hoover attachments to get in the nooks and crannies of your sofa.
  • If you've rented a carpet cleaner, use the upholstery attachment to make your sofas look like new.
  • If there are individual stubborn marks, use an upholstery spot cleaner, although as with all products test on an inconspicuous area first.

STAGE 5: CLEAN FURNITURE

  • This can be a mammoth task so start early.
  • Remove all items from furniture, dust down and store in a separate room.
  • Clean out furniture using your bactericidal cleaner and allow to dry.
  • Replace items.

STAGE 6: CLEAN LAMPS, BOOKS AND ORNAMENTS

  • Books get especially dusty - you may want to clean them outside.
  • Be careful with sentimental or fragile ornaments.
  • Lamps can be cleaned easily with a small hoover attachment, although open the vent to decrease the flow if the lamp is made of fabric.

STAGE 7: CLEAN ELECTRONICS

  • If you haven't cleaned your electronic equipment for a while, such as TVs or HI-FIs, they're likely to be very dusty and dirty.
  • Unplug all cables and check for wear and tear.
  • Using a soft cloth and cleaner, wipe down all equipment including the inside of TV cabinets.
  • Use a gentle cleaner on screens and LCD displays as these can be sensitive.

STAGE 8: CLEAN CARPETS AND FLOORS

  • Vacuum carpets and floors thoroughly. Do it again to make sure you've picked everything up.
  • Shampoo carpets: you can hire a professional firm to do this or rent a unit yourself.
  • Mop down hard floors with a dedicated product to remove marks and kill germs.

STAGE 9: DUST PAINTINGS AND PHOTOS AND REPLACE

  • Be careful with original paintings or those on canvas.
  • Now is a good time to re-tighten screws and fixtures.

HANDY TIPS:

  • Spring cleaning gives you a great excuse to change stuff around a bit and give your living room a bit of a makeover. Research shows that regular changes help keep us happy, so why not move your sofa to the other side of the room?
  • Enlist the help of a friend, put on some music and arrange some bubbly for after - who said cleaning couldn't be fun?

If you'd like any more tips on spring cleaning your living room, just post in the comments and we'll respond!

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Friday
19Feb2010

Spring clean your bedroom - do it properly first time!

DateFriday, February 19, 2010 at 10:05AM

A variety of products can be used to effectively spring clean your bedroomSpring clean your bedroom and you'll benefit from:

  • Improved hygiene - Less germs and bacteria equals a more healthy you
  • Inner calm - Studies show a tidy room lowers stress levels and increases tranquility
  • More space - Cleaning and organising your belongings will give you more space to live
  • More time - Once you've cleaned your room you can stop spending your time worrying about it!

Spring cleaning your bedroom is not an easy task, and it definitely requires time and patience. However, if you're prepared to invest the time, you'll end up with a room that looks like it was just built.

Here's how you spring clean your bedroom like a true professional:

THE BED

  • Wash your bed linen - wash whites on a very hot wash to kill germs.
  • Remove mattress and put outside to air - spraying with an odour eliminator will also reduce unwanted smells.
  • Dust bed frame - it's probably been a while since it received some attention!
  • Remove bed from room - yes, this is a hassle, but you won't be able to clean properly otherwise.
  • Wash rugs and throws - use the hottest wash possible to kill the most germs

THE CURTAINS & WINDOWS

  • Remove and wash curtains - again, use the hottest wash available
  • Dry and iron curtains - just to make them look nice!
  • Clean windows inside and out - Don't forget to get into the gaps and crevices - they'll be harbouring lots of dirt

STORAGE SPACE

  • Have a clear-out - now is a great time to throw away anything you don't use/wear
  • Move belongings to another room - shake out clothes you haven't worn in a while
  • Clean inside and outside cupboards - use antibacterial products to kill as many germs as possible. Leave to dry and put items back.
  • Dust photo frames, ornaments, etc - this gather a great deal of dust

WALLS AND CEILING

  • Take down paintings and clean them - they are likely to be filthy
  • Wash down ceiling and walls - Make sure the paint used can handle being washed
  • Paint walls - now is a good time to add a new lick of paint to the room

FLOORS

  • Vacuum carpets - This not only picks up dirt and dust, but prepares the surface for shampooing
  • Shampoo carpets - Rent or buy a model and follow instructions carefully
  • Vacuum and mop floors - Hard wooden floors can be cleaned effectively using a mop and special cleaner

Now you just have to rehang your curtains and paintings, and you're good to go! Enjoy your newly clean bedroom.

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Friday
12Feb2010

Minimise the spread of germs

DateFriday, February 12, 2010 at 10:24AM

Reduce the impact of dangerous germs in your home with our handy guideWith all the press coverage on swine flu, you'd think we'd all be experts at minimising germs being spread around. But sometimes it's easy to forget, in the bustle of modern life, to take the simple steps that protect you and your family from germs that cause disease and illness.

Follow our handy tips and your home will be as germ-free as it can possibly be:

  • Wash your hands - after going to the toilet, before preparing or eating food, after touching an animal, after covering a sneeze or cough, after touching unbroken skin or blood, after blowing your nose. Hands must be washed properly with plenty of soap and water. Children who wash their hands hastily can be told to sing 'Happy Birthday' twice in their heads to ensure they do the job properly! You may also wish to use a hand sanitiser.
  • Avoid contact with ill people - This can be difficult when a child or partner is ill. Wash hands after coming into contact with an ill person and ensure sheets are washed and windows open to minimise germs being harboured.
  • Separate personal hygiene products - Never share toothbrushes or combs, and make sure items of clothing - particularly hats - are worn by one person only.
  • Ventilate the house - Germs thrive in stuffy, warm environments. Make sure your house benefits from open windows to allow air to circulate.
  • Clean computer keyboards - Keyboards often carry more germs that toilets. Learn how to clean a keyboard and then make sure yours is cleaned regularly to avoid family members becoming infected.
  • Clean surfaces with bactericidal products - If you want to kill germs you need a cleaner that will actually kill germs. Bactericidal products can kill up to 99% of bacteria to ensure you eliminate germs from your home and don't just spread them about.

Good luck on your way to a germ-free home! If you'd like more advice, please post in the comments below or give Click Cleaning a call on 0845 680 1955.

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Tuesday
09Feb2010

HG Hagesan - full cleaning functionality at affordable prices

DateTuesday, February 9, 2010 at 10:07AM

HG Hagesan Grout Cleaner - power and persistance to ensure your grout shinesHG Hagesan produce a range of cleaning products that aim to tackle all household cleaning tasks effectively and quickly. From bespoke leather cleaners to daily ceramic hob cleaner you'll find a unique blend of powerful products that won't fail to stand up to your own scrutiny.

HG Hagesan products are a smart choice for all houshold owners for several reasons:

  • Range - You'll find a specialist and dedicated cleaning product for just about any task
  • Power - Developed specifically to take on even the toughest cleaning tasks
  • Affordability - Cost-effective prices that won't break the bank

If you're looking to regain control over your household cleaning, consider checking the full HG Hagesan range on Click Cleaning. It may be that in the past you've found it difficult to find a specialist cleaner with the resilience needed to tackle your tough cleaning jobs, so you've left them to mount up. If so HG Hagesan can give you the answer to your problems in a powerful product that'll make light work of even the most persistant problem.

Some of the most popular HG Hagesan products include:

For more information on HG Hagesan products, give Click Cleaning a call on 0845 680 1955.

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