A CLEAN HOME IS A HAPPY HOME

 Plan when and what to clean.  Leave work for different days.  When you clean regularly throughout the year, you can avoid having to do a massive clean-up and an explosion of filth.  If in your apartment there are also other tenants, come to some agreement about the cleaning.

Kitchen

Act immediately after use:

·          clean worktops, sink area, cooker and oven

·          wash dishes and move them to their own area

·          put foodstuffs into the fridge/cupboard

·          Make sure the cupboards are kept clean. Do not use the kitchen as a storage area

·          keep the fridge clean

·          items past “best before date”, should be placed in the recycling/rubbish disposal area

·          any strong smelling  foods should be stored in containers with lids

·          throw away all spoilt foodstuffs including that of your neighbours

·          if you notice any problems in the kitchen, i.e. dripping taps, broken surfaces etc. send a fault report 

Cell apartments

All cell tenants are responsible for the apartment’s common areas.  A cleaning schedule should be agreed with all tenants immediately when tenants change.  At the same time it can also be agreed; when visitors can come and how loud radios/televisions can be.Common areas will be checked when one of the cells becomes vacant, or when necessary.  A clean-up notice can be left for a common area.  If an apartment/cell has to be cleaned by a subcontracting cleaning company, all the tenants will be responsible for the cost incurred. 

Weekly cleaning

A weekly clean is good to do 2-4 times a month.  How frequent it is depends on the use of the space, and the amount of tenants.  Daily clean-ups are to remove the drops, organise things back to their own places and wash the dishes.  It also includes the washing of all dirty surfaces in the kitchen.

A weekly clean-up is done to maintain a high standard of cleanliness in the apartment.  This allows the apartment to remain comfortable, safe and healthy to live in.  The tenant is required to clean the apartment as stated in the rental agreement, and to look after it well.  If the apartment is not cleaned properly there can be an extra charge for cleaning when the tenant is moving out.  If the apartment has to be cleaned by a third party, this will be decided when the tenant has moved out. 

Additional Information

Take away, as soon as possible; all old newspapers and advertisements to the paper collection point, returnable bottles to the shop and glass jars to the glass collection point. Ensure that there are felt pads on all the furniture legs; this avoids any scratches to the floor when the furniture is moved.

SMOKING IN ALL OF TOAS’S INSIDE AREAS IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.

Remove any stains as soon as possible.Airing should be done quickly but effectively.   

Uninvited house guests

Insects are without doubt part of nature’s cycle.  Only when they arrive at in our homes do they become a problem.  Most common are silverfish, ants and carpet/fur beetle.  With busy foreign trade and travelling abroad, we can get more often insects from warmer climates. 

General

Harmful insects can cause problems in the home.  Although it is easy to get rid of them by ourselves, sometimes there is a need for professional assistance.  Chemicals to kill insects can be bought in chemists, warehouses, gardening shops and DIY shops. 

Report the insects

Tenants need to report if harmful insects are seen in a building.  If you discover them in your apartment or somewhere else in your building, report it to the housing manager immediately. 

Fast action to kill insects

There are about 300 different species of insects which like to be inside a building.  50 of them can be thought as harmful.  These harmful insects arrive in Finland through transportation, tourists and imported goods.  Luckily Finland is so far north that we have cold winters, and most of these insects cannot survive.  Inside the home, the insects are most often found in warm and damp areas.  If there are any insects inside the house, fast action is required immediately. It is simple to remove a few insects from sight and it does not require a major operation. If insects are found in material or food, then it has to be cleaned or destroyed immediately.  It is important to check that the insects cannot spread from the place where the spoilt materials or food have been removed to.  When the weather is warm, material is best frozen or burnt.  During the winter months, it is often enough to seal objects in plastic bags and place them outside in the bin. 

The most common beetle in houses in Finland is the German cockroach, which is quite small (8-13 mm long).  It lives in small communities in suitable warm (20-30° c) and damp areas.  It hides behind radiators and warm pipes’ holes.  They have been found e.g. behind light switch covers on the walls.  The German cockroach looks for: vegetables, meat, wheat etc. in a dark kitchen.  

Internet:

www.martat.fi   www.martat.fi/in english   Adato Energia    www.kuluttajavirasto.fi/ostajanoppaat www.motiva.fi   www.puhdaskoti.fi  www.sinunlattiasi.info