List of cleaning jobs for kids

During the school holidays it’s good for you kids to really start helping at home. If you make it part of your routine, you’ll be able to carry on after the holidays too. Too many kids today expect to be served and don’t know how to use the appliances around the house. I’ve written out a list for each of my kids to follow and so far, so good – they’re sticking to it.

With each age group you’ll want to include new tasks but also keep up with the old chores. You’ll find that if you have more than one child, you will be able to have younger children take over easier tasks.

Here is a list of cleaning jobs for kids between 6 and 8 years of age:

• Change bed sheets
• Load washing machine and run a load of laundry
• Wash dishes by hand
• Load and unload dishwasher
• Unpack groceries
• Pack lunch for school
• Fold simple laundry items and pack away
• Vacuum
• Sweep front step and outdoor pathways
• Prepare simple meals like salads and desserts (please ensure child is well trained with knives)
• Mop floors

You will need to spend some time showing your children how to do any cleaning jobs. It is important to remember that you don’t want to start your kids who may not have done many chores before on a complete list like this. Rather, start with a couple of things and slowly phase in more. Encourage your kids and praise them when they do a great job – they might just want to do more.

For more information on cleaning products you can use please visit www.blendwell.co.za. Blendwell Chemicals is a manufacturer of cleaning chemicals in Johannesburg, South Africa.

What are Risk Phrases and Safety Phrases?

When you are looking at your Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) usually towards the end of the document, you will find the risk phrases and the safety phrases. The risk phrases and safety phrases are part of the European Union Directive but are used internationally.

This is what they may look like on your MSDS:

These R-phrases, as they are sometimes called, give specific information regarding any risk with a substance. There is a long list of R-phrases and they cover risks attributed according to the nature of a cleaning chemical in the form it is sold in. This means that it is not measured by its individual components nor is it rated in the form it is used in i.e. diluted.

Safety Phrases, or S-phrases, give the user safety advice for using the cleaning. These are slightly different to risk phrases as they offer specific advice for handling cleaning products. A risk phrase will say irritating to skin and a safety phrase will say wear gloves.

Even if a cleaning product is very safe it may still carry risk and safety phrases. One safety phrase that should be on almost all cleaning products is S2 – Keep out of reach of children.

Risk phrases and safety phrases will give you the knowledge you need to handle you cleaning products with safety first. Blendwell Chemicals will be happy to supply you with a MSDS for each cleaning product that you buy from us. Blendwell Chemicals manufactures all their cleaning products in Johannesburg, South Africa. We are your best local cleaning products wholesaler.

What are Hazard Symbols and what do they mean?

When you receive a MSDS from Blendwell Chemicals you can expect towards the end of the document to see a small diagram in the hazard symbol section. This hazard symbol will give you information regarding how safe or dangerous the cleaning product could be to the user and the environment. This hazard symbol is created based on the information on the finished product. Although the cleaning chemical may contain hazardous components, the finished product may not necessarily carry the same hazard warning.

Some products are safe and they will not need to carry a hazard symbol.

If a cleaning product is classified as an irritant it will mean that this cleaning chemical can cause irritation if the product comes into contact with skin, eyes, hands and lungs. The cleaning product does not have to be an irritant on all areas but simply on one of them in a significant way.

Another hazard symbol that looks almost the same is for harmful products. You will notice that the little “I” in the corner of the irritant hazard symbol is missing. The harmful hazard symbol can refer to the cleaning chemical being harmful to the environment or it being harmful to people either by ingestion or contact.

The Corrosive hazard symbol will appear for a cleaning chemical that will cause burns and serious damage to the skin, lungs or eyes. If this hazard symbol appears on your cleaning product, please handle with care. It will be very important that you use safety gear when handling this product. It is always important to use safety gear but with this hazard symbol on your cleaning product, you could cause permanent damage if you allow any carelessness when handling this product.

The Toxic hazard symbol is one that is used for cleaning products that are poisonous when ingested, breathed in or with direct contact. It can also refer to a cleaning product that is known to cause cancer or other illnesses. This product must be handled with the utmost care.

The Environmental Hazard is for a chemical that will do serious damage to the environment including water. This cleaning product will require careful disposal.

Flammable cleaning products will carry this hazard symbol. These cleaning products will require special storage in a proper flame resistant cupboard or room.

Blendwell Chemicals will supply you with the information you need to handle your cleaning products safely. For more information on the cleaning products available from Blendwell Chemicals, please visit www.blendwell.co.za. Blendwell Chemicals is the best local cleaning chemical manufacturer and wholesaler in Johannesburg. We are your partner in cleaning.

4 Key Elements of Cleaning Faster and Easier

No matter what you’re going to clean you will need to know a little bit about how to clean. Sure, you may not need to know all the rules for cleaning to get the job done but knowing and applying the rules will help save you time, effort and money too.

Anything that requires cleaning needs more than one element to be cleaned. Certain items will require all four elements to be considered and adjusted.

THERMAL ENERGY means that heat may be required for cleaning to be optimum. Some items, often where they are greasy, will need heat to support cleaning. Think of cleaning and oven or grill.

CHEMICAL ENERGY is the actual cleaning chemical used to clean. Using the right cleaning product at the right dilution will definitely make cleaning easier. More is not always better. In fact, there are some cleaning products, like dishwashing liquid, where using more cleaning chemical makes it harder to get your items clean.

MECHINICAL ENERGY is the energy that you or a machine uses to clean. This is the actual wiping motion when you clean a countertop or scrubbing when cleaning the paving bricks outside.

The final element is time. Some cleaning requires extended contact time so you may apply the cleaners and then wait for 20 minutes before starting to clean (this would allow for chemical energy to do the hard work for you). But all cleaning requires time even if it is only a couple of seconds contact time.

The equation of cleaning is:

CLEANING = (CHEMICAL ENERGY + MECHANICAL ENERGY + THERMAL ENERGY) X TIME

For more information on cleaning please visit www.blendwell.co.za. Blendwell Chemicals is a manufacturer of cleaning products in Johannesburg South Africa. We are the best local wholesaler of cleaning products.

Now you are ready to get going with cleaning your car

Start with checking the headlining. Hopefully all is in order here. A quick vacuum will not go amiss. If there are dirty patches you should use a product like Blendwell Chemicals Carpet Shampoo. Here you’ll use the foam to clean any dirty patches so that the area is not left wet.

Then clean the fascia and dashboard.  It’s usually easier to have a cleaning product like Blendwell Chemicals Wac GP Cleaner. This all-purpose cleaner is ideally diluted into a spray bottle and then sprayed onto all the areas to be cleaned and wiped with a clean cloth. When I last cleaned my car, I cleaned with diluted Eco-Lyte DG Cleaner. It was brilliant on the milkshake that had spilt the day before and I had not had a chance to clean up. Because it had been so hot the mess had dried up. I sprayed the green cleaner and a quick wipe later and it was all cleaned up. It wasn’t nearly as difficult as I had imagined. Here are my before and after photo’s:

After cleaning the fascia and dashboard, you can move onto Silicone Cleaner to shine up these plastic surfaces. Please be careful not to over use a silicon product on the steering wheel or gear lever as you don’t want these areas to be slippery.

Cleaning the seats of your car will often require some spot cleaning. I recommend that you first do some vacuuming of the seats before you apply any cleaners to the seats. Whatever you happen to be cleaning, a great tip to follow is always clean dry before wet. Once the dust and dirt has been lifted by the vacuum, you can move onto cleaning with cleaning chemicals. For fabric seats, you could use the Carpet Shampoo if you are planning to clean the whole seat or you can opt for Wac GP Cleaner if there are just one or two spots that need cleaning.  The Carpets can be cleaned in the same way.

If your car has leather seats, you will want to use Blendwell Chemicals Leather Cleaner and Leather Polish. These two cleaning products are designed to work together to bring out the best of your leather seats.

For more information on cleaning your car, please visit www.blendwell.co.za/Car_Cleaning. Blendwell Chemicals manufactures all their cleaning products in Johannesburg, South Africa. We are your best local wholesaler of cleaning products

Other Areas to Clean in School Toilets

You will need to make allowances for the cleaning of all items within school toilets as a way to ensure the best hygiene standards are met. Some of these things will only require once a day cleaning and others will need even less.

Mirrors will require daily cleaning. Any stainless steel fitting surrounding the mirrors should be kept bright and shiny.

Walls and partitions should be spot cleaned as required. They should be checked daily.

Ceilings, windows, airvents, lights and fittings do not need routine cleaning but that doesn’t mean these items should be forgotten. When they do require periodical cleaning hot water and detergent is the best cleaner.

External pipework from toilets and basins should be cleaned weekly with hot water and detergent.

Feminine hygiene bins should be cleaned on the outside daily. Bins must be lifted off the floor during mopping of floor. Sanitary product disposal bins should be emptied and cleaned regularly preferably by a registered company.

Please also be aware that drinking water should not be available in the toilet facility areas.

For more information on cleaning products please visit www.blendwell.co.za. Blendwell Chemicals is a manufacturer and wholesaler of cleaning products in Johannesburg, South Africa.

How to clean low risk areas in school toilets

After assessing your school toilets and deciding on which areas are high risk and which are low risk, you would have been able to get ready for some cleaning. With your colour-coded cleaning accessories in hand, you should be able to refer to your cleaning schedule and get started.

General areas will need a minimum of a daily clean. It’s a good idea to use a general purpose cleaner and hot water with the right colour-coded cleaning equipment. All surfaces should be manually cleaned as well as dried before the space can be used again. If there is the possibility of an outbreak of infection then all surfaces should be disinfected. These areas must be properly cleaned before disinfection takes place.

Floors should be mopped at least once a day. If there have been any blood spillages, disinfection will be necessary.

Bins must be emptied at least twice a day. This may be different in other environments. If paper towels are used and only small bins are provided they may need to be emptied after each break. The outside of the bins should also be cleaned daily. If there is obvious soiling then this too may need to be more frequent. All bins should also have liner bags.

For more information on cleaning products for toilet facilities, visit www.blendwell.co.za. Blendwell Chemicals is a manufacturer and wholesaler of cleaning products. We sell our vast product range to resellers and contract cleaners from our factory in Johannesburg, South Africa.

4 Safety Tips for Cleaning School Toilets

Photo courtesy of Carlos Paes

School toilets need to be cleaned with all the highest standards of hygiene in mind. Keeping this area clean can help prevent the spread of disease and improve school attendance. Using a cleaning system similar to a HACCP cleaning system, may be useful. HACCP was developed by NASA to ensure food safety for astronauts. It has been adopted by the food preparation industry to keep food safe. The principles of HACCP ensure that germs are not spread and there is no cross-contamination of bacteria.

• Use colour-coded cloths for cleaning different areas. Toilet pans, urinals and cisterns should be cleaned with one cloth – you could make this one a red cloth. Then basins, taps and cubicle doors and door handles and locks should be cleaned with a separate cloth and this one could be green. Do not use the same bucket of cleaning products for these two cloths and do not let them lie together when not in use.
• Cleaning products should always be handled responsibly and staff must be trained about proper handling and dilution.
• Cleaning products must always be stored in a locked room that is not accessible by students. 
• All staff that clean must be familiar with their products and have all necessary safety gear including safety goggles, masks, acid-resistant overalls, acid-proof gloves and safety boots.

For more information on cleaning products for all areas of a school please visit our website at www.blendwell.co.za. Blendwell Chemicals manufactures a huge range of cleaning products in Midrand, South Africa. We are the best local wholesaler of cleaning chemicals.

Cleaning Schedules for School Toilets

Photo courtesy of Carlos Paes

Like any good cleaning system, a schedule for cleaning is the best way to be sure that all cleaning jobs are done. All cleaning staff should be trained to be familiar with all cleaning that is required for all surfaces.

A checklist should be in place where after each cleaning job is completed, the time completed and signature of the person who did the job is filled in. This person can then be held accountable for this area for a specified amount of time.

A monitoring system should also be in place to check that the work that has been signed off has been done to a satisfactory level.

There should also be a faults and repair list that includes expected completion dates. This list must be maintained regularly to ensure that broken equipment is fixed or replaced timeously.

School toilet facilities need to be maintained with the highest level of hygiene in mind. If procedures are followed correctly, the health and welfare of students will be maintained. For more information on cleaning products to use in school toilets please visit www.blendwell.co.za/Kitchen_And_Bathroom_Cleaning_Products. Blendwell Chemicals is the ideal partner to choose if you supply schools with their cleaning chemical needs.

3 tips for better school toilets

Hygiene principles need to be followed in schools. Children are often more susceptible to illness and with such large groups of people gathering in one spaces germs can spread really fast. The toilets in schools should follow strict rules to stay clean and help to minimise the spread of any germs. Children are also more vulnerable to exposure to chemicals and this should also be controlled.

Ensure proper ventilation of the toilet areas when cleaning is taking place. This will ensure safety for the people cleaning the toilets and quicker dispersal of any fumes from cleaning products so that children are not exposed.

If the toilet area does not have windows there must be mechanical ventilation. When cleaning is taking place windows must be opened or mechanical ventilation must be switched on.

Drinking water must be made available to students but it may not be situated in the toilet areas.

For better hygiene in schools follow these simple tips and others brought to you by Blendwell Chemicals. Blendwell Chemicals is a manufacturer of cleaning products and we manufacture a huge range of cleaning chemicals in Johannesburg, South Africa. For more information please visit www.blendwell.co.za. We are your best local cleaning products wholesaler.

What are the 8 control measure for HACCP? Part 1

When you have a HACCP system in your establishment that grows, prepares or packages food, you will need control measures in place to avoid contamination of your food.

• Only use approved suppliers. Suppliers who understand your commitment to HACCP will be able to support your efforts to avoid contamination. Their products should be tested from time to time to ensure quality.
• Well-designed premises and equipment. If you have the right equipment and everything is laid out well, your systems will be easier to work. When things are in their place and your space makes sense, everyone can work more comfortably.
• Prevent pest infestations. A good HACCP system will have many preventative measures. Pests are attracted to all food stuffs and making sure you have adequate pest control is vital.
• Correct cleaning and disinfection. Using HACCP compliant cleaning products in a responsible manner is going to help you to avoid contaminations in your food factory.

Blendwell Chemicals manufactures its own range of HACCP compliant cleaning products. For more information please visit www.blendwell.co.za/Food_Industry_Cleaning_Products. Blendwell Chemicals is a manufacturer and wholesaler of cleaning products in Johannesburg, South Africa. 

What's the best way to clean a toilet?

If you’re the one left cleaning the loo, best you get yourself the right cleaning products and cleaning accessories to get the job done.

Toilets need regular cleaning to ensure that any unpleasant lingering smells are kept far away. You’ll need a pair or household rubber gloves and a toilet brush. Blendwell Chemicals Wac GP Cleaner would be a great cleaning product to use. You can pour 50-100ml into the toilet. Leave for a few minutes and then brush clean. Flush the toilet to rinse.

If you need to disinfect the toilet, you can use a strong disinfectant like Killogerm. Blendwell Chemicals has made Killogerm to be used at a ratio of 1:100 parts water for disinfecting toilets.  

Blendwell Chemicals can supply you with all the cleaning products you need for cleaning toilet facilities. We are a manufacturer of a huge range of cleaning products which we supply wholesale to contract cleaners and resellers. Our factory is in Johannesburg, South Africa and you can find out more about our cleaning chemicals by visiting www.blendwell.co.za. 

Spread of bacteria stops here!

Using the right cleaning chemicals is important. Using those cleaning products the right way is vital. Using the correct cleaning accessories makes all the difference. So you think you’ve got it covered?

What about cleaning your cleaning accessories? When was the last time your sponges, clothes, brooms and mops got cleaned? This is a breeding ground for all sorts of germs and bacteria. If you’re taking the time to do some cleaning, cleaning your cleaning accessories is worth the effort.

You can put your clothes and sponges in the dishwasher when you’re running a load of dishes to expose them to some high temperature cleaning. Brooms should be brushed out and mops can be given and quick scrub. When you have washed these items, be sure to put them in a sunny spot to dry out. If they have the chance to dry out every day they will be less likely to carry bacteria.

For more information on cleaning and cleaning products, please visit www.blendwell.co.za. Blendwell Chemicals manufactures a massive range of cleaning products and is in Johannesburg, South Africa. We are the best local wholesale supplier of cleaning chemicals.

How can I HACCP clean my factory floors?

If you have a food factory and you need cleaning chemicals to clean your floors, then Blendwell Chemicals has just the product for you. Food factories and industrial kitchens need to comply with HACCP standards of cleaning. Blendwell Chemicals manufactures a range of cleaning products that are HACCP compliant. The H-range of cleaning products cover all your cleaning needs in the HACCP environment.

For cleaning floors I would recommend Alkali H. This cleaning chemical is a heavy duty cleaner and is highly concentrated. It contains caustic and is brilliant at cutting fats and proteins as well as dealing with stains.

For more information on cleaning products for a HACCP environment please visit our website at www.blendwell.co.za/Food_Industry_Cleaning_Products. Blendwell Chemicals manufactures a huge range of cleaning products at their factory in Johannesburg, South Africa. We are the best local cleaning chemical wholesaler. 

How to use your washing machine correctly

Making a few choices before each wash will help you to use your washing machine in the most effective way means. These choices can save time in the long run.

Pick the right setting for doing your washing. Most fabrics can handle a regular wash but there are more delicate fabrics that will need a particularly gentle wash. There are also some heavier fabrics that may need some more robust handling. Choosing the right water temperature will also affect your wash.

Ideally, you should try to use a low washing temperature (about 40 degrees C). This temperature is enough for most lightly soiled fabrics. If you choose a higher temperature you will be using more energy. A lower temperature is a more eco-friendly way to wash. Unfortunately not everything can be washed like this, so some dirtier fabrics will need a higher temperature. A temperature of 95 degrees C is the highest you can get. This boil wash is only recommended for very dirty fabrics that can handle this temperature. Always check labels.  Before you decide to wash at this temperature you should try washing at about 60 degrees C as this temperature can still kill most bacteria.

For more information on cleaning products please visit www.blendwell.co.za. Blendwell Chemicals manufactures a huge range of cleaning chemicals in their Johannesburg factory. We are your best local cleaning products wholesaler.

How to use your washing machine

Using your washing machine properly will also save you a lot of badly washed clothes and linen. It’s worth taking a little extra time to get it right the first time then you won’t be wasting time, electricity and water by having to redo laundry.

Don’t try to jam too much into your washing machine. When loading your machine you will need to know what load size your machine can handle. Most washing machines are around 5-6kg. If you consider that a wool jersey can weigh up to a kilogram and a duvet cover can weigh 1.5kg this load size is quickly reached. When a washing machine is overloaded, the fabrics inside do not have proper space to move and end up having only sections getting detergent and these sections are usually not rinsed out properly either. You may even find lumps of washing powder in your supposedly washed laundry.

Use the right amount of washing detergent for the load of laundry you are washing. This may change from load to load so be sure you are using enough. You may find that if you are not using enough your whites will become yellow or grey very quickly.

For more information on washing and laundry products please visit www.blendwell.co.za. Blendwell Chemicals manufactures a large range of cleaning products in their factory in Johannesburg, South Africa. We are your best local cleaning chemical wholesaler. 

Washing laundry

Before you even start to do your laundry, you’ll need to get organised. Whether you are doing your laundry at home or running a laundry business, you’ll need to stick to certain guidelines to ensure that the fabrics being washed last for as long as possible. Poor washing habits can age fabrics well before their time.

First things first: Sort your stuff

Sorting laundry should not just be about sorting lights from darks. If an item is white it should only be washed with white items. Even if a fabric is beige, the dye can transfer to other fabrics leaving whites looking dull. Wherever possible try to wash similar colours together.

Washing items with similar dirt levels is also a good idea. If there are some fabrics which are very greasy and oily in your load, it is likely that this grease will spread to other fabrics that may not be so greasy. If you have some items that are really dirty, you may want to put just a few of them in the machine together and use the most detergent that you can per load, to give them the best chance of getting clean.

Where you can, it will also save time to wash similar fabrics together. This way you can wash your delicate fabrics on a gentler cycle and your more robust fabrics can get the clean they need. This will also save you lint transfer to certain fabrics.

For more information on cleaning fabrics and cleaning products please visit www.blendwell.co.za. Blendwell Chemicals is situated in Halfway House, Johannesburg. We are your best local cleaning chemical wholesaler.

What traditional cleaners can I use for vinyl and linoleum floors?

If you are looking to clean vinyl or linoleum floors with traditional cleaning products you have many choices. You may wish to also polish or seal this type of floor and then you will need to purchase strippers as well as sealers.

First to clean you can use a product like Cleardet. This cleaning product is a great multi-purpose detergent that lifts dirt off the floor quickly and effectively. This cleaning product has no fragrance so it’s great for kitchen areas. To sanitise you can use Sanclean. This cleaning product is an effective disinfectant and kills fungi, mould, germs and bacteria.

To strip the floor of previous wax polishes or polymer coatings, you can use Stripper or Stripper NA. Stripper NA does not contain ammonia. Ammonia has a strong smell and this may not be acceptable in some places if cleaning takes place during work hours.

To replace the shine on the floor, Supershine 14 or 20 will do the job. You can choose for 14% or 20% solids. Supershine is a concentrated polymer floor coating that leaves the floor with a hard, shiny, non-slip coating. Buffable Floor Coating is another option as this cleaning product contains extra medium soft waxes for use on vinyl floors.

With so many choices for cleaning your vinyl and linoleum floors, Blendwell Chemicals is the best place to buy your wholesale cleaning products. With our factory in Johannesburg, South Africa we are your best choice for cleaning chemicals. 

Can I clean vinyl and linoleum with green cleaning products?

When you have vinyl or linoleum floors to clean and you want to go green, then choosing the Delphis Eco range of cleaning products is a great choice. Delphis Eco eco-friendly cleaning chemicals are manufactured by Blendwell Chemicals under license to the UK. Some of the cleaning products in this range carry the EU Ecolabel. This accreditation requires that products not only reach the most stringent green requirements but also perform as well as if not better than traditional cleaners.

To clean the floors you could use Delphis Eco Multi Purpose Cleaner. This cleaning product is industrial strength and works in so many different applications. It will work wonders on vinyl and linoleum floors. This green cleaning product enhances and protects without leaving streaks. It also carries SABS 1828.

Another cleaning product that you could consider is Delphis Eco Neutral Detergent. This is a gentle yet effective c leaning product that is pH neutral.

If you are looking to disinfect the floors you will want to try Delphis Eco Anti-Bacterial Sanitiser. This green cleaning product is able to stop germs and bacteria in their tracks. This anti-bacterial and anti-viral santiser is a brilliant choice for most high footfall areas. It carries SABS 1853

Delphis Eco is manufactured under license to the UK by Blendwell Chemicals. Blendwell Chemicals is in Johannesburg, South Africa and is the best local cleaning chemical wholesaler. 

How to clean your luggage

Silly season is very nearly upon us and I'm sure we're all looking forward to the holidays. If you're going away, then I'm sure you've already done a fair amount of organizing. This weekend would be a great time to get your luggage in order. When was the last time it got a clean? I know my bags are in desperate need of a good clean. Here are some tips:


If your bags are all soft and have no hard boards in them then it should be really easy to clean. These bags are normally made from thick nylon and can take some serious scrubbing. You can use an all purpose cleaner like Blendwell Chemicals Cleardet. This is an ideal cleaning product because it is able to effectively clean your luggage and does not have a fragrance so your clothes won't end up smelling like cleaning products. Mix one part Cleardet to ten parts of water and use a soft brush or cloth to clean your bag. Pay special attention to extra dirty areas and then repeat the process with clean water to get rid of any residual cleaning chemical that may be likely to attract dirt. If there are hard boards in your bag, these may be made from a type of cardboard. If these get wet then the bag will lose shape. It is best to use the least amount of water possible. Rather spray the mixed cleaning product onto the bag and work it in. Never spray too heavily, a light spray should be more than adequate. For leather products, you will need to treat entirely differently.

For more information on cleaning and cleaning products please visit www.blendwell.co.za. Blendwell Chemicals enormous range of cleaning products is manufactured at their Johannesburg factory. We are your best local cleaning chemical wholesaler.