Perfect Clean Home

Most of us go to the store on a regular basis to buy groceries, clothes and other items. We have to go back and replace what we own because they either wear out or we run out of them. When we arrive home we have to make room to put these new things. This may mean moving around some things. It may mean throwing out a few items. We may even have to give away or sell some things to make room for the new things.

It is not always easy to get rid of some things. There are items we want to hold on to. There are things which give us good feelings and we have certain memories when we see them. There are things we feel we need to keep which gives us a sense of security. However, if we continue to hold on to everything, we will run out of room and something will have to go.

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There is a show on television which highlights certain people who can't let go of things. These people collect items which may have meaning to them or may make them feel secure but, in the end, too much of these things make them sick. We all have to clean out the things in our lives on a regular basis. Whether it is items for the house or the things we hold in our heart and minds.

Ephesians 4:31-32 "Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you."

If we don't remove the things in our hearts and minds that are not pleasing to God, we won't be able to do His will. If we don't make an intentional effort to get rid of the bad things and make room for the good things, we will soon find out we aren't doing what God wants us to do at all. We will become focused on the things or the world rather than living for God.

Right now, we need to look at the things we are doing and saying so we can be sure we are living as God wants us to. We may have begun to slack in doing what we should do on a regular basis to stay healthy. We may have created a habit where we spend too much time or money on a certain habit. We may have taken up with individuals who aren't living for God and began to live the lifestyle they are living.

Whatever the reason, we need to make room for the right things in our lives. God only knows what things we need to have in our life. We need to go to Him daily asking Him what we should remove in our lives and allow Him to replace it with what is on His list for us to do. We can't keep living the way we want and expect to be successful doing what God wants us to do.

It's time we made room in our lives for the things of God. It's time we took inventory of what we do, where we go, what we say and who we associate with to determine what we need to get rid of. It's time we went to God and asked Him to help us be strong and do as He wants us to do. We need to make room for the things of God and be ready when He calls us to take action for Him so we can make a difference.

James 1:21 "So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls."

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Along with a business plan, a mission statement is an important tool that will capture the spirit of your business. A mission statement helps to clarify the goals and objectives of your company. In just a sentence or two, the mission statement for your cleaning business will set your business goals, your underlying philosophy, and what special benefits you have to offer to your customers. A good mission statement will reflect that special niche that your cleaning business is catering to and provide a long-range vision for you to build on.

Following is a sample mission statement:

Cleaning

"ABC Cleaning Company is committed to delivering the exact services our commercial cleaning customers want, listening closely to their expectations, taking a pro-active approach in defining their needs, and building the best partnering relationship possible. We are also committed to acting with honesty and integrity at all times in all aspects of our business, to being professional in doing our job, and to delivering a consistent, high level quality of work."

A well thought out mission statement will take more than just a few minutes to develop - it takes careful thought and planning. Spending time developing those few sentences that define your business can be just as valuable as the final statement. Going through the process of evaluating your cleaning business, and then defining your customers and your services will help you to look at your cleaning business from your customers' perspective. Don't get bogged down with technical jargon. Focus on defining your company's strengths and why those strengths benefit your customers.

When you are ready to begin, sit down in an area with no distractions. To come up with the statements that will sum up what your cleaning business is all about, consider the following:

- What specific need does your business satisfy?

- What are the principles and values that guide you in the everyday operation of your business?

- Who are your customers?

- What level of service will you provide?

- What image would you like your business to portray to your customers?

To write an effective mission statement, sit down with those who are closest to your business and jot down notes to answer the above questions. Look at mission statements from other businesses and start brainstorming. Once you have a couple of key ideas draft those thoughts into complete sentences.

Once you have formalized your mission statement use it in your promotional materials. The statement will be a quick and easy way for your customers and potential customers to learn about your cleaning business. Keep your mission statement visible and live up to it everyday. This will show your employees and customers that you practice what you preach.

Copyright 2006 The Janitorial Store

Steve Hanson is co-founder of TheJanitorialStore.com, an online community for owners of cleaning companies. Sign up for Trash Talk:Tip of the Week at http://www.TheJanitorialStore.com Read success stories at http://www.cleaning-success.com

If you were to poll people, asking which housekeeping chore they liked least, what do you think it would be? What is your least favorite household chore? For me - and for a lot of others - it is cleaning the bathroom. Yuk! I use it every day; the germs in there belong only to my family, and yet I detest cleaning it! I know, however, that I cannot avoid it forever, so I make a plan to do it as quickly as I can. Let me tell you, then, step by step, how I clean the bathroom.

First, you need a bucket or some sort of container to hold and carry all the bathroom cleaning supplies: soap scum and mildew remover; surface cleaner; window cleaner; toilet bowl cleaner; rags; paper towels; sponges; scrub brushes; and floor cleaner. You certainly don't want to prolong the task by searching for supplies midway through! You might also want to create a checklist for yourself if that will help your efficiency.

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The second step requires you to enter into that frightening room itself. But you are still doing prep work. Take out all dirty clothes, towels, and rugs. Put everything that is out of place back into place. I sometimes play a game with myself. I will put the towels or the rugs into the washing machine, and try to get the bathroom cleaned before the washing cycle ends.

For me, cleaning the shower is the most time consuming. Thus, I usually clean it first - because I know that once that is done, it is downhill from there. There are quite a few products that are made specifically to clean a shower. Now, if the soap scum in the shower is really bad, you should allow the cleaner to soak for a time before you start scrubbing it. While you are waiting for the cleaner to "soften" the scum, make use of the time by cleaning the shower curtain or the shower door and track. Once you have cleaned these, return to the shower and scrub away. To finish up the shower, rinse it really well with water to get rid of any other loose dirt and chemicals.

Pat yourself on the back! You've completed the hardest part. From there, since you are feeling good, I would go directly to the toilet.

Squirt some toilet bowl cleaner inside of the toilet and let it soak. Next, clean the lid on the tank. The order of the next two steps is up to you, depending on how much soaking the toilet bowl needs. Use a brush to clean the inside of the toilet bowl. Use disinfectant to wipe the toilet seat, the rim of the bowl and both sides of the lid. Then use the disinfectant to clean the base of the toilet. Yes, it is Yucky, but you need to reach around to the back to get the whole base.

Next, clean the sink including the faucets. Any product meant to clean bathroom or kitchen surfaces is fine for cleaning the sink. Also clean any counter tops and the pedestal part of a pedestal sink.

Next step is the mirrors. Use a glass cleaner and a dust free rag to clean these. You could also use soapy water and a squeegee.

The last things to do in the bathroom are to mop the floor, empty the garbage, and put down a fresh rug, and hang clean towels.

Penelope Pettikrew is known as the Speed Cleaning Queen. She has spent over 25 years optimizing her cleaning methods so that she could spend less time cleaning and more time with her daughter and husband. In her latest book, "Speed Cleaning Secrets Revealed," she shares her techniques for getting the maximum amount of cleaning done in a minimum amount of time. If you would like more tips on cleaning a bathroom, please visit SpeedCleaningCentre.com