Fluffing and Cleaning up After --Overkill?

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Proud Texan

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When we clean a room after a guest has left, we wipe everything down with Clorox wipes. The toilet and area around it on the floor get wiped down with Clorox wipes and then sprayed with Lysol. The bowl is disinfected and cleaned.
We have been washing the pillow protectors after each use. After I remove the pillow protectors, I spray the pillows and duvets and mattress cover with Fabreeze. My concern is that if we are as successful as I think we're going to be (Received a glowing review from a state magazine), I want to streamline our procedures for turning over a room since we may have to do it quickly in the future. Even though the guests have commented on how clean everything is and how nice the rooms smell, would any of this be considered overkill?
Do most of you leave the pillow protectors on unless there is a noticible stain or odor?
 
I don't wash the pillow protectors after each guest, but I also don't wait until I see a stain. I only use Clorox wipes for toilet seats, flush handles, door knobs, light switches, TV remotes, and stuff like that (not the same one of course!) Everything gets thoroughly cleaned after each guest and bathroom floors get mopped, either on hands and knees or with a mop. I have a set routine now & have some products that I like.
 
We are overkill on the bathroom cleaning as well, even if you're staying over. I don't change the pillow protectors after each guest. I have them on a schedule with the blankets, quilts, duvet covers & mattress protectors to get washed every 10-14 days.
If you can skip the chemical air cleaners, I would. Only because I hate the smell of Febreeze and other 'air fresheners'. Then again, unless it's winter, I can have the windows open everyday. And I really wouldn't want to put my head down on a pillow that smelled of 'freshener'. Most of those fresheners are asthma attack in a can.
 
We are overkill on the bathroom cleaning as well, even if you're staying over. I don't change the pillow protectors after each guest. I have them on a schedule with the blankets, quilts, duvet covers & mattress protectors to get washed every 10-14 days.
If you can skip the chemical air cleaners, I would. Only because I hate the smell of Febreeze and other 'air fresheners'. Then again, unless it's winter, I can have the windows open everyday. And I really wouldn't want to put my head down on a pillow that smelled of 'freshener'. Most of those fresheners are asthma attack in a can..
Bree said:
We are overkill on the bathroom cleaning as well, even if you're staying over. I don't change the pillow protectors after each guest. I have them on a schedule with the blankets, quilts, duvet covers & mattress protectors to get washed every 10-14 days.
If you can skip the chemical air cleaners, I would. Only because I hate the smell of Febreeze and other 'air fresheners'. Then again, unless it's winter, I can have the windows open everyday. And I really wouldn't want to put my head down on a pillow that smelled of 'freshener'. Most of those fresheners are asthma attack in a can.
Not to be bandwagonesque, but "kill the Fabreze Please" that stuff is so strong.
 
We are overkill on the bathroom cleaning as well, even if you're staying over. I don't change the pillow protectors after each guest. I have them on a schedule with the blankets, quilts, duvet covers & mattress protectors to get washed every 10-14 days.
If you can skip the chemical air cleaners, I would. Only because I hate the smell of Febreeze and other 'air fresheners'. Then again, unless it's winter, I can have the windows open everyday. And I really wouldn't want to put my head down on a pillow that smelled of 'freshener'. Most of those fresheners are asthma attack in a can..
Bree said:
We are overkill on the bathroom cleaning as well, even if you're staying over. I don't change the pillow protectors after each guest. I have them on a schedule with the blankets, quilts, duvet covers & mattress protectors to get washed every 10-14 days.
If you can skip the chemical air cleaners, I would. Only because I hate the smell of Febreeze and other 'air fresheners'. Then again, unless it's winter, I can have the windows open everyday. And I really wouldn't want to put my head down on a pillow that smelled of 'freshener'. Most of those fresheners are asthma attack in a can.
Not to be bandwagonesque, but "kill the Fabreze Please" that stuff is so strong.
.
If only they could come out with a product to get rid of that febreze smell!
wink_smile.gif

 
Sounds kind of overkill. My rooms are really clean and the guests always comment on that too but I like to use the environmentally friendly cleaners. I use Shaklee disinfectant spray on the toilet, sink and shower and then wash it with Life Tree Lavender concentrated cleaner. The cleaner is one that can be used to clean the toilet, sink and shower. I wipe it all down and wipe the floor by hand. Then run the vacuum over it when the floor is dry to catch any missed hair. I hardly ever change the pillow case covers. If I must use an air freshener I only use the Lemon Mate mist which is natural and smells like lemons. I can't stand cleaners or anything with a fake scent. It just about makes me want to gag.
 
I do like the idea of scheduling the cleaning of shams, duvets and pillow protectors. We only have two rooms. I don't know how those of you with more handle the laundry load. It is a bit daunting. I told DW I'm going to buy her a new LARGER washer and dryer to handle things a little better. We are using a stackable unit that was only meant for the two of us.
I use the unscented Fabreeze and only lightly mist things to remove any lingering body odors from previous guests on the pillows and duvets. I know people lay on top of the covers before bedtime, so this is a stop-gap until things are laundered. We usually can leave the windows open(at least for short periods) to air the rooms (and Fabreeze) out; so by the time we have our next guest, things just smell fresh. We haven't had to use air freshener, but we have this stuff made with orange oil that's all natural and really really works. Our foaming cleaner is natural too.
I did see a program on TV recently talking about the areas of highest bacterial concentration in the home. Would you believe that the toilet is not on the top of the list? Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
My other concern in the bathroom is also to kill any fungi left behind by guests. Don't need mildew, don't need athlete's foot.
 
I do like the idea of scheduling the cleaning of shams, duvets and pillow protectors. We only have two rooms. I don't know how those of you with more handle the laundry load. It is a bit daunting. I told DW I'm going to buy her a new LARGER washer and dryer to handle things a little better. We are using a stackable unit that was only meant for the two of us.
I use the unscented Fabreeze and only lightly mist things to remove any lingering body odors from previous guests on the pillows and duvets. I know people lay on top of the covers before bedtime, so this is a stop-gap until things are laundered. We usually can leave the windows open(at least for short periods) to air the rooms (and Fabreeze) out; so by the time we have our next guest, things just smell fresh. We haven't had to use air freshener, but we have this stuff made with orange oil that's all natural and really really works. Our foaming cleaner is natural too.
I did see a program on TV recently talking about the areas of highest bacterial concentration in the home. Would you believe that the toilet is not on the top of the list? Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
My other concern in the bathroom is also to kill any fungi left behind by guests. Don't need mildew, don't need athlete's foot..
Proud Texan said:
I do like the idea of scheduling the cleaning of shams, duvets and pillow protectors. We only have two rooms. I don't know how those of you with more handle the laundry load. It is a bit daunting. I told DW I'm going to buy here a new LARGER washer and dryer to handle things a little better. We are using a stackable unit that was only meant for the two of us.
I know people lay on top of the covers before bedtime, so this is a stop-gap until things are laundered. I use the unscented Fabreeze and only lightly mist things to remove any lingering body odors from previous guests on the pillows and duvets. We usually can leave the windows open(at least for short periods) to air the rooms out; so by the time we have our next guest, things just smell fresh. We haven't had to use air freshener, but we have this stuff that uses orange oil that's all natural. Our foaming cleaner is natural too.
I did see a program on TV recently talking about the areas of highest bacterial concentration in the home. Would you believe that the toilet is not on the top of the list? Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
My other concern in the bathroom is also to kill any fungi left behind by guests. Don't need mildew, don't need athlete's foot.
If you clean the room you won't have fungi from guests. Lavendar is also a natural antibacterial.
Yes, those WHO DO NOT WASH HANDS and spread ecoli...wonderful. We all know them and see them when out and about. LYSOL is a good thing to have and spray and live with the scent, but it doesn't linger as long as others.
Some on this forum do not use shams. Some on this forum OVERSTUFF (ie two pillows per sham - a good way to get rid of old used thin pillows - which you don't have yet, but will) them so they are not super comfortable to lay against, and some do turn down to get the shams off the beds. I have seen those three options myself within this group. All of them work.
regular_smile.gif

 
I do like the idea of scheduling the cleaning of shams, duvets and pillow protectors. We only have two rooms. I don't know how those of you with more handle the laundry load. It is a bit daunting. I told DW I'm going to buy her a new LARGER washer and dryer to handle things a little better. We are using a stackable unit that was only meant for the two of us.
I use the unscented Fabreeze and only lightly mist things to remove any lingering body odors from previous guests on the pillows and duvets. I know people lay on top of the covers before bedtime, so this is a stop-gap until things are laundered. We usually can leave the windows open(at least for short periods) to air the rooms (and Fabreeze) out; so by the time we have our next guest, things just smell fresh. We haven't had to use air freshener, but we have this stuff made with orange oil that's all natural and really really works. Our foaming cleaner is natural too.
I did see a program on TV recently talking about the areas of highest bacterial concentration in the home. Would you believe that the toilet is not on the top of the list? Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
My other concern in the bathroom is also to kill any fungi left behind by guests. Don't need mildew, don't need athlete's foot..
Proud Texan said:
Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
we're on a septic system and have to be really careful about using bleach and chemicals ... i have had to reintroduce bacteria into the system because we killed it with cleaners. with eight bathrooms, it was too much. that was a hard lesson to learn! i use no bleach now.
i myself like the febreeze scent but rarely use any of those products because more and more am hearing guest objections.
 
I do like the idea of scheduling the cleaning of shams, duvets and pillow protectors. We only have two rooms. I don't know how those of you with more handle the laundry load. It is a bit daunting. I told DW I'm going to buy her a new LARGER washer and dryer to handle things a little better. We are using a stackable unit that was only meant for the two of us.
I use the unscented Fabreeze and only lightly mist things to remove any lingering body odors from previous guests on the pillows and duvets. I know people lay on top of the covers before bedtime, so this is a stop-gap until things are laundered. We usually can leave the windows open(at least for short periods) to air the rooms (and Fabreeze) out; so by the time we have our next guest, things just smell fresh. We haven't had to use air freshener, but we have this stuff made with orange oil that's all natural and really really works. Our foaming cleaner is natural too.
I did see a program on TV recently talking about the areas of highest bacterial concentration in the home. Would you believe that the toilet is not on the top of the list? Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
My other concern in the bathroom is also to kill any fungi left behind by guests. Don't need mildew, don't need athlete's foot..
Proud Texan said:
I do like the idea of scheduling the cleaning of shams, duvets and pillow protectors. We only have two rooms. I don't know how those of you with more handle the laundry load. It is a bit daunting. I told DW I'm going to buy her a new LARGER washer and dryer to handle things a little better. We are using a stackable unit that was only meant for the two of us.
I use the unscented Fabreeze and only lightly mist things to remove any lingering body odors from previous guests on the pillows and duvets. I know people lay on top of the covers before bedtime, so this is a stop-gap until things are laundered. We usually can leave the windows open(at least for short periods) to air the rooms (and Fabreeze) out; so by the time we have our next guest, things just smell fresh. We haven't had to use air freshener, but we have this stuff made with orange oil that's all natural and really really works. Our foaming cleaner is natural too.
I did see a program on TV recently talking about the areas of highest bacterial concentration in the home. Would you believe that the toilet is not on the top of the list? Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
My other concern in the bathroom is also to kill any fungi left behind by guests. Don't need mildew, don't need athlete's foot.
Still...kill the spray. If you are that worried about odors, you need to be more worried about the germs causing the odors. Just sniff the covers when you are making the beds. Check for 'crunchy' areas (sorry, too graphic, I know) and clean as necessary.
We scrub the drains with a toilet bowl brush and lysol. (Did I mention the overkill factor on the cleaning?) We also clean the A/C unit filters. Which we do once/year here as we have window units and they don't run that much. Don't go overboard on the bleach of you have a septic system. You don't want to kill off the good bugs!
I have a home stacking washer & dryer. But I just got the big ones. We also have a top loader for the towels. So, for 7 rooms with 11 beds, I run all the bedding thru one stacking LG washer/dryer combo. If I get backed up, I dry heavy things in the basement in the 2 dryers we have there to go with the other washer. The way you do all of that is to be organized, which will come with time and you won't notice it at all until one day you realize you have 3 spare hours you didn't have when you started. It used to take us until 3 PM (and sometimes longer) to clean 7 rooms. Now we're done by 1 and that's full strips. Fluffs can be done by 11:30 if guests leave right after breakfast and go out for the day.
The schedule is fluid, which is why I said 10-14 days. I have backup blankets, quilts, mattress pads. If I can't wash everything today, it goes in tomorrow. Having backups will save you, even tho you are talking 2 'rooms' and I have 11 beds here. Sometimes you don't find the stains until you've remade the bed. Then it's on the late side for cleaning, so that's where the backups come in. My backups are just as good quality, but a little on the 'old' side for everyday. Yes, the guest who gets the 'backup' gets a lesser quality 'product' but that's better than a dirty bedcover.
 
As others have said - don't use chemicals such as Febreeze. Yikes, if I thought I was going to be breathing stuff like that ....
Ditto for fabric softener. Bad, bad stuff.
 
I use a non-phosphorate laundry soap with vinegar for fabric softener. I also use vinegar and baking soda for cleaning. Rubbing alcohol and water for daily shower spray/disinfectant... spray surfaces and let it air dry.. except for chrome/metal and that gets buffed to shine after spraying. Vinegar smell goes away after it drys... same thing with the alcohol. I tried my own recipe for dishwasher detergent... did not like the outcome but have found good for the environment product.
 
I do like the idea of scheduling the cleaning of shams, duvets and pillow protectors. We only have two rooms. I don't know how those of you with more handle the laundry load. It is a bit daunting. I told DW I'm going to buy her a new LARGER washer and dryer to handle things a little better. We are using a stackable unit that was only meant for the two of us.
I use the unscented Fabreeze and only lightly mist things to remove any lingering body odors from previous guests on the pillows and duvets. I know people lay on top of the covers before bedtime, so this is a stop-gap until things are laundered. We usually can leave the windows open(at least for short periods) to air the rooms (and Fabreeze) out; so by the time we have our next guest, things just smell fresh. We haven't had to use air freshener, but we have this stuff made with orange oil that's all natural and really really works. Our foaming cleaner is natural too.
I did see a program on TV recently talking about the areas of highest bacterial concentration in the home. Would you believe that the toilet is not on the top of the list? Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
My other concern in the bathroom is also to kill any fungi left behind by guests. Don't need mildew, don't need athlete's foot..
Proud Texan said:
I do like the idea of scheduling the cleaning of shams, duvets and pillow protectors. We only have two rooms. I don't know how those of you with more handle the laundry load. It is a bit daunting. I told DW I'm going to buy her a new LARGER washer and dryer to handle things a little better. We are using a stackable unit that was only meant for the two of us.
I use the unscented Fabreeze and only lightly mist things to remove any lingering body odors from previous guests on the pillows and duvets. I know people lay on top of the covers before bedtime, so this is a stop-gap until things are laundered. We usually can leave the windows open(at least for short periods) to air the rooms (and Fabreeze) out; so by the time we have our next guest, things just smell fresh. We haven't had to use air freshener, but we have this stuff made with orange oil that's all natural and really really works. Our foaming cleaner is natural too.
I did see a program on TV recently talking about the areas of highest bacterial concentration in the home. Would you believe that the toilet is not on the top of the list? Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
My other concern in the bathroom is also to kill any fungi left behind by guests. Don't need mildew, don't need athlete's foot.
Still...kill the spray. If you are that worried about odors, you need to be more worried about the germs causing the odors. Just sniff the covers when you are making the beds. Check for 'crunchy' areas (sorry, too graphic, I know) and clean as necessary.
We scrub the drains with a toilet bowl brush and lysol. (Did I mention the overkill factor on the cleaning?) We also clean the A/C unit filters. Which we do once/year here as we have window units and they don't run that much. Don't go overboard on the bleach of you have a septic system. You don't want to kill off the good bugs!
I have a home stacking washer & dryer. But I just got the big ones. We also have a top loader for the towels. So, for 7 rooms with 11 beds, I run all the bedding thru one stacking LG washer/dryer combo. If I get backed up, I dry heavy things in the basement in the 2 dryers we have there to go with the other washer. The way you do all of that is to be organized, which will come with time and you won't notice it at all until one day you realize you have 3 spare hours you didn't have when you started. It used to take us until 3 PM (and sometimes longer) to clean 7 rooms. Now we're done by 1 and that's full strips. Fluffs can be done by 11:30 if guests leave right after breakfast and go out for the day.
The schedule is fluid, which is why I said 10-14 days. I have backup blankets, quilts, mattress pads. If I can't wash everything today, it goes in tomorrow. Having backups will save you, even tho you are talking 2 'rooms' and I have 11 beds here. Sometimes you don't find the stains until you've remade the bed. Then it's on the late side for cleaning, so that's where the backups come in. My backups are just as good quality, but a little on the 'old' side for everyday. Yes, the guest who gets the 'backup' gets a lesser quality 'product' but that's better than a dirty bedcover.
.
Speaking about cleaning the drains with a toilet brush and Lysol, I remember on the old board someone bringing up how to clean the shower drain. I have a problem with this in my Master Shower, seems to get dirty looking every week or so. My toilet brush is to large to fit in the hole. I've tried a smaller brush (well, a tooth brush..), but I'm always afraid it will fall down the drain
confused_smile.gif
so I usually just end of pouring a little bleach down the drain and wait 30 minutes or so before taking my shower (we have City water). My question is, do you have a smaller toilet brush or did you find some other brush to use?
 
Alcohol only disinfects in a very narrow spectrum and does little against bacterial spores or enveloped viruses. If you're adding water then you diminish any anti-bacterial effect it may have.
Vinegar's anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties come from acetic acid, itself a waste bi-product of bacterial action. In common household vinegar, the concentration of acetic acid is only 5%-8%. If diluted with water, it's even less. While home-made cleansers are certainly less toxic to humans, it appears they are also less toxic to the little critters we're trying to kill. I'll stick to Lysol.
 
I've had quite a few guests call me before getting here to remind me not to spray their room with chemicals or use any scented cleaning products. I also from time to time have people allergic to the the bedding such as down. As long as I know ahead of time I can just change it out with synthetic stuff filled pillows and comforters.
 
I do like the idea of scheduling the cleaning of shams, duvets and pillow protectors. We only have two rooms. I don't know how those of you with more handle the laundry load. It is a bit daunting. I told DW I'm going to buy her a new LARGER washer and dryer to handle things a little better. We are using a stackable unit that was only meant for the two of us.
I use the unscented Fabreeze and only lightly mist things to remove any lingering body odors from previous guests on the pillows and duvets. I know people lay on top of the covers before bedtime, so this is a stop-gap until things are laundered. We usually can leave the windows open(at least for short periods) to air the rooms (and Fabreeze) out; so by the time we have our next guest, things just smell fresh. We haven't had to use air freshener, but we have this stuff made with orange oil that's all natural and really really works. Our foaming cleaner is natural too.
I did see a program on TV recently talking about the areas of highest bacterial concentration in the home. Would you believe that the toilet is not on the top of the list? Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
My other concern in the bathroom is also to kill any fungi left behind by guests. Don't need mildew, don't need athlete's foot..
Proud Texan said:
I do like the idea of scheduling the cleaning of shams, duvets and pillow protectors. We only have two rooms. I don't know how those of you with more handle the laundry load. It is a bit daunting. I told DW I'm going to buy her a new LARGER washer and dryer to handle things a little better. We are using a stackable unit that was only meant for the two of us.
I use the unscented Fabreeze and only lightly mist things to remove any lingering body odors from previous guests on the pillows and duvets. I know people lay on top of the covers before bedtime, so this is a stop-gap until things are laundered. We usually can leave the windows open(at least for short periods) to air the rooms (and Fabreeze) out; so by the time we have our next guest, things just smell fresh. We haven't had to use air freshener, but we have this stuff made with orange oil that's all natural and really really works. Our foaming cleaner is natural too.
I did see a program on TV recently talking about the areas of highest bacterial concentration in the home. Would you believe that the toilet is not on the top of the list? Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
My other concern in the bathroom is also to kill any fungi left behind by guests. Don't need mildew, don't need athlete's foot.
Still...kill the spray. If you are that worried about odors, you need to be more worried about the germs causing the odors. Just sniff the covers when you are making the beds. Check for 'crunchy' areas (sorry, too graphic, I know) and clean as necessary.
We scrub the drains with a toilet bowl brush and lysol. (Did I mention the overkill factor on the cleaning?) We also clean the A/C unit filters. Which we do once/year here as we have window units and they don't run that much. Don't go overboard on the bleach of you have a septic system. You don't want to kill off the good bugs!
I have a home stacking washer & dryer. But I just got the big ones. We also have a top loader for the towels. So, for 7 rooms with 11 beds, I run all the bedding thru one stacking LG washer/dryer combo. If I get backed up, I dry heavy things in the basement in the 2 dryers we have there to go with the other washer. The way you do all of that is to be organized, which will come with time and you won't notice it at all until one day you realize you have 3 spare hours you didn't have when you started. It used to take us until 3 PM (and sometimes longer) to clean 7 rooms. Now we're done by 1 and that's full strips. Fluffs can be done by 11:30 if guests leave right after breakfast and go out for the day.
The schedule is fluid, which is why I said 10-14 days. I have backup blankets, quilts, mattress pads. If I can't wash everything today, it goes in tomorrow. Having backups will save you, even tho you are talking 2 'rooms' and I have 11 beds here. Sometimes you don't find the stains until you've remade the bed. Then it's on the late side for cleaning, so that's where the backups come in. My backups are just as good quality, but a little on the 'old' side for everyday. Yes, the guest who gets the 'backup' gets a lesser quality 'product' but that's better than a dirty bedcover.
.
Speaking about cleaning the drains with a toilet brush and Lysol, I remember on the old board someone bringing up how to clean the shower drain. I have a problem with this in my Master Shower, seems to get dirty looking every week or so. My toilet brush is to large to fit in the hole. I've tried a smaller brush (well, a tooth brush..), but I'm always afraid it will fall down the drain
confused_smile.gif
so I usually just end of pouring a little bleach down the drain and wait 30 minutes or so before taking my shower (we have City water). My question is, do you have a smaller toilet brush or did you find some other brush to use?
.
GeorgiaGirl25 said:
Speaking about cleaning the drains with a toilet brush and Lysol, I remember on the old board someone bringing up how to clean the shower drain. I have a problem with this in my Master Shower, seems to get dirty looking every week or so. My toilet brush is to large to fit in the hole. I've tried a smaller brush (well, a tooth brush..), but I'm always afraid it will fall down the drain
confused_smile.gif
so I usually just end of pouring a little bleach down the drain and wait 30 minutes or so before taking my shower (we have City water). My question is, do you have a smaller toilet brush or did you find some other brush to use?
Health dept rules for commercial kitchens is bleach solution. So if you have city water then I would use a bleach solution. That is the best way to kill all the icky stuff. Dilute the bleach and you should be good to go.
 
I do like the idea of scheduling the cleaning of shams, duvets and pillow protectors. We only have two rooms. I don't know how those of you with more handle the laundry load. It is a bit daunting. I told DW I'm going to buy her a new LARGER washer and dryer to handle things a little better. We are using a stackable unit that was only meant for the two of us.
I use the unscented Fabreeze and only lightly mist things to remove any lingering body odors from previous guests on the pillows and duvets. I know people lay on top of the covers before bedtime, so this is a stop-gap until things are laundered. We usually can leave the windows open(at least for short periods) to air the rooms (and Fabreeze) out; so by the time we have our next guest, things just smell fresh. We haven't had to use air freshener, but we have this stuff made with orange oil that's all natural and really really works. Our foaming cleaner is natural too.
I did see a program on TV recently talking about the areas of highest bacterial concentration in the home. Would you believe that the toilet is not on the top of the list? Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
My other concern in the bathroom is also to kill any fungi left behind by guests. Don't need mildew, don't need athlete's foot..
Proud Texan said:
I do like the idea of scheduling the cleaning of shams, duvets and pillow protectors. We only have two rooms. I don't know how those of you with more handle the laundry load. It is a bit daunting. I told DW I'm going to buy her a new LARGER washer and dryer to handle things a little better. We are using a stackable unit that was only meant for the two of us.
I use the unscented Fabreeze and only lightly mist things to remove any lingering body odors from previous guests on the pillows and duvets. I know people lay on top of the covers before bedtime, so this is a stop-gap until things are laundered. We usually can leave the windows open(at least for short periods) to air the rooms (and Fabreeze) out; so by the time we have our next guest, things just smell fresh. We haven't had to use air freshener, but we have this stuff made with orange oil that's all natural and really really works. Our foaming cleaner is natural too.
I did see a program on TV recently talking about the areas of highest bacterial concentration in the home. Would you believe that the toilet is not on the top of the list? Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
My other concern in the bathroom is also to kill any fungi left behind by guests. Don't need mildew, don't need athlete's foot.
Still...kill the spray. If you are that worried about odors, you need to be more worried about the germs causing the odors. Just sniff the covers when you are making the beds. Check for 'crunchy' areas (sorry, too graphic, I know) and clean as necessary.
We scrub the drains with a toilet bowl brush and lysol. (Did I mention the overkill factor on the cleaning?) We also clean the A/C unit filters. Which we do once/year here as we have window units and they don't run that much. Don't go overboard on the bleach of you have a septic system. You don't want to kill off the good bugs!
I have a home stacking washer & dryer. But I just got the big ones. We also have a top loader for the towels. So, for 7 rooms with 11 beds, I run all the bedding thru one stacking LG washer/dryer combo. If I get backed up, I dry heavy things in the basement in the 2 dryers we have there to go with the other washer. The way you do all of that is to be organized, which will come with time and you won't notice it at all until one day you realize you have 3 spare hours you didn't have when you started. It used to take us until 3 PM (and sometimes longer) to clean 7 rooms. Now we're done by 1 and that's full strips. Fluffs can be done by 11:30 if guests leave right after breakfast and go out for the day.
The schedule is fluid, which is why I said 10-14 days. I have backup blankets, quilts, mattress pads. If I can't wash everything today, it goes in tomorrow. Having backups will save you, even tho you are talking 2 'rooms' and I have 11 beds here. Sometimes you don't find the stains until you've remade the bed. Then it's on the late side for cleaning, so that's where the backups come in. My backups are just as good quality, but a little on the 'old' side for everyday. Yes, the guest who gets the 'backup' gets a lesser quality 'product' but that's better than a dirty bedcover.
.
Speaking about cleaning the drains with a toilet brush and Lysol, I remember on the old board someone bringing up how to clean the shower drain. I have a problem with this in my Master Shower, seems to get dirty looking every week or so. My toilet brush is to large to fit in the hole. I've tried a smaller brush (well, a tooth brush..), but I'm always afraid it will fall down the drain
confused_smile.gif
so I usually just end of pouring a little bleach down the drain and wait 30 minutes or so before taking my shower (we have City water). My question is, do you have a smaller toilet brush or did you find some other brush to use?
.
GeorgiaGirl25 said:
Speaking about cleaning the drains with a toilet brush and Lysol, I remember on the old board someone bringing up how to clean the shower drain. I have a problem with this in my Master Shower, seems to get dirty looking every week or so. My toilet brush is to large to fit in the hole. I've tried a smaller brush (well, a tooth brush..), but I'm always afraid it will fall down the drain
confused_smile.gif
so I usually just end of pouring a little bleach down the drain and wait 30 minutes or so before taking my shower (we have City water). My question is, do you have a smaller toilet brush or did you find some other brush to use?
It could be my drains are bigger. But, what you can do to get the scum off is to pour some baking soda in the drain and then hit it with vinegar. It should bubble up and scrub off the scum. Give it a try, but not when you have just poured bleach or lysol in there!
 
I do like the idea of scheduling the cleaning of shams, duvets and pillow protectors. We only have two rooms. I don't know how those of you with more handle the laundry load. It is a bit daunting. I told DW I'm going to buy her a new LARGER washer and dryer to handle things a little better. We are using a stackable unit that was only meant for the two of us.
I use the unscented Fabreeze and only lightly mist things to remove any lingering body odors from previous guests on the pillows and duvets. I know people lay on top of the covers before bedtime, so this is a stop-gap until things are laundered. We usually can leave the windows open(at least for short periods) to air the rooms (and Fabreeze) out; so by the time we have our next guest, things just smell fresh. We haven't had to use air freshener, but we have this stuff made with orange oil that's all natural and really really works. Our foaming cleaner is natural too.
I did see a program on TV recently talking about the areas of highest bacterial concentration in the home. Would you believe that the toilet is not on the top of the list? Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
My other concern in the bathroom is also to kill any fungi left behind by guests. Don't need mildew, don't need athlete's foot..
Proud Texan said:
I do like the idea of scheduling the cleaning of shams, duvets and pillow protectors. We only have two rooms. I don't know how those of you with more handle the laundry load. It is a bit daunting. I told DW I'm going to buy her a new LARGER washer and dryer to handle things a little better. We are using a stackable unit that was only meant for the two of us.
I use the unscented Fabreeze and only lightly mist things to remove any lingering body odors from previous guests on the pillows and duvets. I know people lay on top of the covers before bedtime, so this is a stop-gap until things are laundered. We usually can leave the windows open(at least for short periods) to air the rooms (and Fabreeze) out; so by the time we have our next guest, things just smell fresh. We haven't had to use air freshener, but we have this stuff made with orange oil that's all natural and really really works. Our foaming cleaner is natural too.
I did see a program on TV recently talking about the areas of highest bacterial concentration in the home. Would you believe that the toilet is not on the top of the list? Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
My other concern in the bathroom is also to kill any fungi left behind by guests. Don't need mildew, don't need athlete's foot.
Still...kill the spray. If you are that worried about odors, you need to be more worried about the germs causing the odors. Just sniff the covers when you are making the beds. Check for 'crunchy' areas (sorry, too graphic, I know) and clean as necessary.
We scrub the drains with a toilet bowl brush and lysol. (Did I mention the overkill factor on the cleaning?) We also clean the A/C unit filters. Which we do once/year here as we have window units and they don't run that much. Don't go overboard on the bleach of you have a septic system. You don't want to kill off the good bugs!
I have a home stacking washer & dryer. But I just got the big ones. We also have a top loader for the towels. So, for 7 rooms with 11 beds, I run all the bedding thru one stacking LG washer/dryer combo. If I get backed up, I dry heavy things in the basement in the 2 dryers we have there to go with the other washer. The way you do all of that is to be organized, which will come with time and you won't notice it at all until one day you realize you have 3 spare hours you didn't have when you started. It used to take us until 3 PM (and sometimes longer) to clean 7 rooms. Now we're done by 1 and that's full strips. Fluffs can be done by 11:30 if guests leave right after breakfast and go out for the day.
The schedule is fluid, which is why I said 10-14 days. I have backup blankets, quilts, mattress pads. If I can't wash everything today, it goes in tomorrow. Having backups will save you, even tho you are talking 2 'rooms' and I have 11 beds here. Sometimes you don't find the stains until you've remade the bed. Then it's on the late side for cleaning, so that's where the backups come in. My backups are just as good quality, but a little on the 'old' side for everyday. Yes, the guest who gets the 'backup' gets a lesser quality 'product' but that's better than a dirty bedcover.
.
Speaking about cleaning the drains with a toilet brush and Lysol, I remember on the old board someone bringing up how to clean the shower drain. I have a problem with this in my Master Shower, seems to get dirty looking every week or so. My toilet brush is to large to fit in the hole. I've tried a smaller brush (well, a tooth brush..), but I'm always afraid it will fall down the drain
confused_smile.gif
so I usually just end of pouring a little bleach down the drain and wait 30 minutes or so before taking my shower (we have City water). My question is, do you have a smaller toilet brush or did you find some other brush to use?
.
GeorgiaGirl25 said:
Speaking about cleaning the drains with a toilet brush and Lysol, I remember on the old board someone bringing up how to clean the shower drain. I have a problem with this in my Master Shower, seems to get dirty looking every week or so. My toilet brush is to large to fit in the hole. I've tried a smaller brush (well, a tooth brush..), but I'm always afraid it will fall down the drain
confused_smile.gif
so I usually just end of pouring a little bleach down the drain and wait 30 minutes or so before taking my shower (we have City water). My question is, do you have a smaller toilet brush or did you find some other brush to use?
It could be my drains are bigger. But, what you can do to get the scum off is to pour some baking soda in the drain and then hit it with vinegar. It should bubble up and scrub off the scum. Give it a try, but not when you have just poured bleach or lysol in there!
.
I tried that too, but nothing I do seems to work except straight bleach and/or scrubbing with a brush. I thought about buying a kitchen scrubber brush, but then again the handle's not too long, knowing my luck I will loose the thing in the drain then I'd have a bigger mess on my hands than drain scum!
 
I do like the idea of scheduling the cleaning of shams, duvets and pillow protectors. We only have two rooms. I don't know how those of you with more handle the laundry load. It is a bit daunting. I told DW I'm going to buy her a new LARGER washer and dryer to handle things a little better. We are using a stackable unit that was only meant for the two of us.
I use the unscented Fabreeze and only lightly mist things to remove any lingering body odors from previous guests on the pillows and duvets. I know people lay on top of the covers before bedtime, so this is a stop-gap until things are laundered. We usually can leave the windows open(at least for short periods) to air the rooms (and Fabreeze) out; so by the time we have our next guest, things just smell fresh. We haven't had to use air freshener, but we have this stuff made with orange oil that's all natural and really really works. Our foaming cleaner is natural too.
I did see a program on TV recently talking about the areas of highest bacterial concentration in the home. Would you believe that the toilet is not on the top of the list? Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
My other concern in the bathroom is also to kill any fungi left behind by guests. Don't need mildew, don't need athlete's foot..
Proud Texan said:
I do like the idea of scheduling the cleaning of shams, duvets and pillow protectors. We only have two rooms. I don't know how those of you with more handle the laundry load. It is a bit daunting. I told DW I'm going to buy her a new LARGER washer and dryer to handle things a little better. We are using a stackable unit that was only meant for the two of us.
I use the unscented Fabreeze and only lightly mist things to remove any lingering body odors from previous guests on the pillows and duvets. I know people lay on top of the covers before bedtime, so this is a stop-gap until things are laundered. We usually can leave the windows open(at least for short periods) to air the rooms (and Fabreeze) out; so by the time we have our next guest, things just smell fresh. We haven't had to use air freshener, but we have this stuff made with orange oil that's all natural and really really works. Our foaming cleaner is natural too.
I did see a program on TV recently talking about the areas of highest bacterial concentration in the home. Would you believe that the toilet is not on the top of the list? Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
My other concern in the bathroom is also to kill any fungi left behind by guests. Don't need mildew, don't need athlete's foot.
Still...kill the spray. If you are that worried about odors, you need to be more worried about the germs causing the odors. Just sniff the covers when you are making the beds. Check for 'crunchy' areas (sorry, too graphic, I know) and clean as necessary.
We scrub the drains with a toilet bowl brush and lysol. (Did I mention the overkill factor on the cleaning?) We also clean the A/C unit filters. Which we do once/year here as we have window units and they don't run that much. Don't go overboard on the bleach of you have a septic system. You don't want to kill off the good bugs!
I have a home stacking washer & dryer. But I just got the big ones. We also have a top loader for the towels. So, for 7 rooms with 11 beds, I run all the bedding thru one stacking LG washer/dryer combo. If I get backed up, I dry heavy things in the basement in the 2 dryers we have there to go with the other washer. The way you do all of that is to be organized, which will come with time and you won't notice it at all until one day you realize you have 3 spare hours you didn't have when you started. It used to take us until 3 PM (and sometimes longer) to clean 7 rooms. Now we're done by 1 and that's full strips. Fluffs can be done by 11:30 if guests leave right after breakfast and go out for the day.
The schedule is fluid, which is why I said 10-14 days. I have backup blankets, quilts, mattress pads. If I can't wash everything today, it goes in tomorrow. Having backups will save you, even tho you are talking 2 'rooms' and I have 11 beds here. Sometimes you don't find the stains until you've remade the bed. Then it's on the late side for cleaning, so that's where the backups come in. My backups are just as good quality, but a little on the 'old' side for everyday. Yes, the guest who gets the 'backup' gets a lesser quality 'product' but that's better than a dirty bedcover.
.
Speaking about cleaning the drains with a toilet brush and Lysol, I remember on the old board someone bringing up how to clean the shower drain. I have a problem with this in my Master Shower, seems to get dirty looking every week or so. My toilet brush is to large to fit in the hole. I've tried a smaller brush (well, a tooth brush..), but I'm always afraid it will fall down the drain
confused_smile.gif
so I usually just end of pouring a little bleach down the drain and wait 30 minutes or so before taking my shower (we have City water). My question is, do you have a smaller toilet brush or did you find some other brush to use?
.
GeorgiaGirl25 said:
Speaking about cleaning the drains with a toilet brush and Lysol, I remember on the old board someone bringing up how to clean the shower drain. I have a problem with this in my Master Shower, seems to get dirty looking every week or so. My toilet brush is to large to fit in the hole. I've tried a smaller brush (well, a tooth brush..), but I'm always afraid it will fall down the drain
confused_smile.gif
so I usually just end of pouring a little bleach down the drain and wait 30 minutes or so before taking my shower (we have City water). My question is, do you have a smaller toilet brush or did you find some other brush to use?
It could be my drains are bigger. But, what you can do to get the scum off is to pour some baking soda in the drain and then hit it with vinegar. It should bubble up and scrub off the scum. Give it a try, but not when you have just poured bleach or lysol in there!
.
Bree said:
GeorgiaGirl25 said:
Speaking about cleaning the drains with a toilet brush and Lysol, I remember on the old board someone bringing up how to clean the shower drain. I have a problem with this in my Master Shower, seems to get dirty looking every week or so. My toilet brush is to large to fit in the hole. I've tried a smaller brush (well, a tooth brush..), but I'm always afraid it will fall down the drain
confused_smile.gif
so I usually just end of pouring a little bleach down the drain and wait 30 minutes or so before taking my shower (we have City water). My question is, do you have a smaller toilet brush or did you find some other brush to use?
It could be my drains are bigger. But, what you can do to get the scum off is to pour some baking soda in the drain and then hit it with vinegar. It should bubble up and scrub off the scum. Give it a try, but not when you have just poured bleach or lysol in there!
peroxide and vinegar also make a nice foaming action in a drain. Reg 50 cent peroxide. This also works well for cleanign stainless steel (like sinks)
 
I do like the idea of scheduling the cleaning of shams, duvets and pillow protectors. We only have two rooms. I don't know how those of you with more handle the laundry load. It is a bit daunting. I told DW I'm going to buy her a new LARGER washer and dryer to handle things a little better. We are using a stackable unit that was only meant for the two of us.
I use the unscented Fabreeze and only lightly mist things to remove any lingering body odors from previous guests on the pillows and duvets. I know people lay on top of the covers before bedtime, so this is a stop-gap until things are laundered. We usually can leave the windows open(at least for short periods) to air the rooms (and Fabreeze) out; so by the time we have our next guest, things just smell fresh. We haven't had to use air freshener, but we have this stuff made with orange oil that's all natural and really really works. Our foaming cleaner is natural too.
I did see a program on TV recently talking about the areas of highest bacterial concentration in the home. Would you believe that the toilet is not on the top of the list? Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
My other concern in the bathroom is also to kill any fungi left behind by guests. Don't need mildew, don't need athlete's foot..
Proud Texan said:
I do like the idea of scheduling the cleaning of shams, duvets and pillow protectors. We only have two rooms. I don't know how those of you with more handle the laundry load. It is a bit daunting. I told DW I'm going to buy her a new LARGER washer and dryer to handle things a little better. We are using a stackable unit that was only meant for the two of us.
I use the unscented Fabreeze and only lightly mist things to remove any lingering body odors from previous guests on the pillows and duvets. I know people lay on top of the covers before bedtime, so this is a stop-gap until things are laundered. We usually can leave the windows open(at least for short periods) to air the rooms (and Fabreeze) out; so by the time we have our next guest, things just smell fresh. We haven't had to use air freshener, but we have this stuff made with orange oil that's all natural and really really works. Our foaming cleaner is natural too.
I did see a program on TV recently talking about the areas of highest bacterial concentration in the home. Would you believe that the toilet is not on the top of the list? Drains: kitchen drains, bathroom drains have the highest concentration of bacteria, i.e., ecoli, flu virus etc. So, nuke your drains with bleach or Lysol on a regular basis.
My other concern in the bathroom is also to kill any fungi left behind by guests. Don't need mildew, don't need athlete's foot.
Still...kill the spray. If you are that worried about odors, you need to be more worried about the germs causing the odors. Just sniff the covers when you are making the beds. Check for 'crunchy' areas (sorry, too graphic, I know) and clean as necessary.
We scrub the drains with a toilet bowl brush and lysol. (Did I mention the overkill factor on the cleaning?) We also clean the A/C unit filters. Which we do once/year here as we have window units and they don't run that much. Don't go overboard on the bleach of you have a septic system. You don't want to kill off the good bugs!
I have a home stacking washer & dryer. But I just got the big ones. We also have a top loader for the towels. So, for 7 rooms with 11 beds, I run all the bedding thru one stacking LG washer/dryer combo. If I get backed up, I dry heavy things in the basement in the 2 dryers we have there to go with the other washer. The way you do all of that is to be organized, which will come with time and you won't notice it at all until one day you realize you have 3 spare hours you didn't have when you started. It used to take us until 3 PM (and sometimes longer) to clean 7 rooms. Now we're done by 1 and that's full strips. Fluffs can be done by 11:30 if guests leave right after breakfast and go out for the day.
The schedule is fluid, which is why I said 10-14 days. I have backup blankets, quilts, mattress pads. If I can't wash everything today, it goes in tomorrow. Having backups will save you, even tho you are talking 2 'rooms' and I have 11 beds here. Sometimes you don't find the stains until you've remade the bed. Then it's on the late side for cleaning, so that's where the backups come in. My backups are just as good quality, but a little on the 'old' side for everyday. Yes, the guest who gets the 'backup' gets a lesser quality 'product' but that's better than a dirty bedcover.
.
Speaking about cleaning the drains with a toilet brush and Lysol, I remember on the old board someone bringing up how to clean the shower drain. I have a problem with this in my Master Shower, seems to get dirty looking every week or so. My toilet brush is to large to fit in the hole. I've tried a smaller brush (well, a tooth brush..), but I'm always afraid it will fall down the drain
confused_smile.gif
so I usually just end of pouring a little bleach down the drain and wait 30 minutes or so before taking my shower (we have City water). My question is, do you have a smaller toilet brush or did you find some other brush to use?
.
GeorgiaGirl25 said:
Speaking about cleaning the drains with a toilet brush and Lysol, I remember on the old board someone bringing up how to clean the shower drain. I have a problem with this in my Master Shower, seems to get dirty looking every week or so. My toilet brush is to large to fit in the hole. I've tried a smaller brush (well, a tooth brush..), but I'm always afraid it will fall down the drain
confused_smile.gif
so I usually just end of pouring a little bleach down the drain and wait 30 minutes or so before taking my shower (we have City water). My question is, do you have a smaller toilet brush or did you find some other brush to use?
It could be my drains are bigger. But, what you can do to get the scum off is to pour some baking soda in the drain and then hit it with vinegar. It should bubble up and scrub off the scum. Give it a try, but not when you have just poured bleach or lysol in there!
.
I tried that too, but nothing I do seems to work except straight bleach and/or scrubbing with a brush. I thought about buying a kitchen scrubber brush, but then again the handle's not too long, knowing my luck I will loose the thing in the drain then I'd have a bigger mess on my hands than drain scum!
.
GeorgiaGirl25 said:
I tried that too, but nothing I do seems to work except straight bleach and/or scrubbing with a brush. I thought about buying a kitchen scrubber brush, but then again the handle's not too long, knowing my luck I will loose the thing in the drain then I'd have a bigger mess on my hands than drain scum!
We clean the drains every couple of months. If yours are nasty after a week, maybe there's something wrong with the drain itself. Not draining properly, wrong angle, something.
 
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