Ask a House Cleaner

Angela Brown's top 10 scrub brushes make every house cleaning chore easier. From the Unger 2-in-1 bath and tile brush to the Homitt spin scrub brush. The HDX Iron handle scrub brush is a must for every professional house cleaner. And recommended for pros is the Drill Brush with a variety of brushes for different household surfaces. We also look at a pet hair brush and silicone bottle brushes and t...

How to break up with a client - this cleaning advice is for house cleaners and maids. If you have difficult customers who are high maintenance it may be time to end the contract. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru says write a break up script. You know that old "it's not you it's me" line? Make it about you when you drop the customer. End the working relationship with customer service and a smi...

Is it wise to have your house cleaner as a cohost for your #VRBO or Airbnb? We look at that in today's #AskaHouseCleaner with Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru. Turnover service can include cohosting duties that range from staging to managing bookings. It is restocking supplies, dealing with the customer service from the online listing and explaining house rules. The house cleaner as a cohost...

These 5 things to clean before the house cleaner comes will save you money. If you pick up and file papers, wash dishes fast, and clean the bathroom vanities you won't be paying the maid to declutter. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru says family cleaning projects can be part of a house cleaning routine. Tidy up and put stuff away as part of daily #cleaning. House cleaning is part of every day...

Spot Shot Instant Carpet Stain Remover can remove blueberry stain out of carpet. It's true, it can get cranberry stain out of carpet too. On today's #AskaHouseCleaner you'll see Angela Brown cleaning coffee stains out of carpet. Woohoo! If you've ever wondered how to get cat puke out of carpet or crayons or makeup this Spot Shot #ProductReview is for you. Not everybody knows how to clean carpet an...

Angela Brown's Top 10 Toilet Brushes introduce you to some amazing bathroom products. Toilet brushes to make the #Top10 are the Clorox ToiletWand, and the #SquattyPotty Invisibrush. Other toilet cleaning system favorites are: Libman toilet brush and Peppy Brush. And the simplehuman toilet brush and eco toilet brush are also in the mix. If you have a commode, you will at some time buy a toilet brus...

Can house cleaners wear body cams for safety? Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru says that body cameras will never replace workplace safety. A body cam won't keep you safe. It will only document what happened. Safety while housecleaning is part of house cleaner training. Every maid service needs to learn to stay alert, work safe and be aware of your surroundings. Body cams can only do so much....

How to deal with messy guests is our topic of today's Vacation Rental Mailbag. If you're a #VacationRental host or you run an #Airbnb you've probably had messy guests. And where do you draw the line with messy guests? Do you invoke an extra cleaning charge if they leave dirty dishes or break your house rules about cleaning? Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru suggests silicone baking sheets and...

How to keep your house clean with pets, pet hair, muddy paws, and dogs that shed is our #AskaHouseCleaner topic today. "How do I clean my space with a constant muddy dog? Got any pet life hacks for dog hair, cat hair and pet beds? Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru along with correspondent Britt Greenwood tackle the get rid of pet hair in home dilemma. It's not easy to clean up after pets but i...

Weiman Granite and Stone Cleaner and Polish is today's #ProductReview. Ever wonder how to clean Onyx or how to clean quartz countertops? Whether you're a house cleaner or a doing DIY cleaning, Weiman Granite and Stone Cleaner does the trick. Watch Angela Brown cleaning in today's #AskaHouseCleaner as she shows you how to clean granite. (Same process in how to clean travertine countertops.) You'll...

Angela Brown's Top 10 Dusters for house cleaning will surprise you. Yes, you know about the Swiffer Duster with the disposable refill. But do you know about the OXO Microfiber duster with a washable head? Watch Angela Brown cleaning and speed cleaning with an electrostatic duster. "Clean with me while I use this polystatic duster to remove dust." And don't forget the e-cloth that maid services dro...

Ever wonder how workers compensation works in house cleaning? In today's #AskaHouseCleaner we look at workers compensation. Your company rules and regulations for on the job injuries - OJI must be set in stone. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru says prevention comes from teaching workplace safety. And having rules for reporting on the job injuries. Consider a mandatory drug test for employees....

Need fixes for broken appliances? We've got you covered in today's #AskaHouseCleaner Vacation Rental Mailbag. #Airbnb hosts ask about a broken dishwasher and alternate solutions. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru suggests a meal credit or paper plates. Prepare for the worst-case scenario and provide a list of What Ifs. What if we have a broken washing machine? And then provide the number for a...

Powder Cleanser is it safe to use? How about on a porcelain sink? Or is the abrasive powder going to scratch it? Boss man says to use a scrub brush and a few shakes of cleanser. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru says company approved cleaning products are a sure bet. The company will stand behind the products they suggest. Any powder cleanser like Comet, Ajax, Bon-Ami and Bar Keepers Friend ar...

Want to know how to clean a moldy shower? You can with Greased Lightning Super Strength. This #ProductReview will show you how to get rid of the muckity muck in your icky shower. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru says Greased Lightning Super Strength is a degreaser cleaner. Some say the alkaline cleaning products are best for shower scum. Others argue Greased Lightning Super Strength is the be...

Check out the brands that made Angela Brown's Top 10 Mops for Hardwood floors. Today we look at different mops to clean the floor (hardwood floors, ceramic tile floors, laminate flooring etc.) Brands that made the best mops for hardwood floors are Microfiber Wholesale and Linkyo with the microfiber mop. Mopnado and O-Cedar topped the charts with their mopping system steam mops. Rejuvenate and Bona...

"I've reached business burnout. Do I need a reboot day? I'm trying to grow my cleaning business but can't afford to take a day off. What house cleaning motivation can you give me? I need to take a vacation." Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru says a reboot day is a great idea. In fact, it is part of all house cleaner training. Take a reboot day when customers cancel. It's like when you do a com...

Bonuses and Tips for housekeepers of #Vacation Rental and #Airbnb. Do they keep the bonuses and gifts given or does the entire turnover service team and co-hosts share? Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru says in hotels when you tip the maid or tip the housekeeper, they usually keep the tips. But in a short-term rental or VRBO, there may be housekeeping partners who share incentives. With turnov...

How do you clean like a cleaning service when you can't afford a maid? I want to clean my space before the guests arrive and we don't have a cleaning service. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru tells you how to cleaning like a cleaning service in 5 easy tips. Clean flat surfaces, clean glass, polish furniture, clean the floors and take out the trash. They are not cleaning hacks just simple ways...

The Clorox ToiletWand product review, unboxing, and demonstration is on tap today. Ever wonder the best way to clean a toilet? Or maybe you call it the loo, the latrine, a lavatory, the can, the oval office a water closet, the potty, or the commode. In any event, DIY cleaning is easy if you have a toilet wand. And today Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru will show you speed cleaning techniques...

Want to know the real reason you didn't get the job? House cleaning bids or job estimates often come down to price. The customer will say "You charge too much." Or, "I can't afford your service." It may be a version of "I don't make that much per hour...your price is too high." The real reason you didn't get the job is you don't know your market, or you don't know how to adjust your offer. Angela...

Here are 3 easy ways to scale back your cleaning business when life changes. Cutting back is an option if you're not ready to retire but can't run at full throttle. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru says you may have to close accounts as you restructure your business. And employee management is crucial to your business health. You will say goodbye to clients and you may lay off employees but w...

No smoking rules apply to all VRBO, Airbnb and short-term rentals. Today's vacation rental mailbag answers house rules for a no smoking policy. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru says the host should mention it in the listing. "No smoking, no vaping or there will be an extra cleaning fee." (This means extra chemicals or an ozone generator for odor removal.) You can still make it welcoming to a...

Ever toss trash in other people's dumpsters? Here's what happens if you get caught. Illegal dumping comes with fees and the fines just went up. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru wants you to know the laws about trash receptacles, recycling bins and roll out tubs. If you toss trash or are caught illegal dumping in a dumpster, they can write you a ticket. They can charge you for community servic...

How to clean many ovens in a day is a house cleaning FAQ. And if you're a solo house cleaner or maid you wonder if you should use the self-cleaning cycle. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru says before you do, get a waiver from the apartment complexes property manager.  If you're doing an end of tenant clean and using the self-cleaning oven vs. oven cleaner you have to track the self-cleaning o...