Kitchen Cleaning Tips

In this blog, we will be giving tips and advice on little things you can do to make cleaning the kitchen of your company/business easier.


Most business premises have a kitchen or food-preparation area. It could be a canteen area with dedicated kitchen staff, or just a small area with a sink, some cupboards and a kettle. No matter how big or small your company’s kitchen may be, it still needs cleaning from time to time. Big companies will no doubt have their own cleaner, but smaller businesses with just a few staff might not have that luxury and will have to clean the kitchen themselves whilst trying to juggle their own work tasks.

The company kitchen can get dirty and unclean quicker than the average kitchen
(Image source - myturnstone.com)

That’s why we've decided to put together some useful tips to help make the annoying task of cleaning the company kitchen easier and quicker for you.



Cleaning the microwave

Pretty much every company with a small kitchen area will have a microwave. Not everyone has the option of going out for food every lunch time, and a lot of people will get bored of cold sandwiches, so having the option of sticking some pasta or ready meal in the microwave for a few minutes is great. However, with the entire workforce constantly using it, it’s going to get dirty after a while, and who wants to be the one having to scrub down someone else’s mess?

To make it easier for you, try putting some wet paper towels in there and turn it on for a few minutes. The steam from the water will loosen the stains and dried on dirt and then, once they have cooled down, you can use the same paper towels to simply wipe off the dirt.



Cleaning the kettle

Another fixture in nearly every kitchen is the kettle. Everyone likes a cuppa whist they work, meaning the kettle is going to be used a lot, which is how limescale builds up. Kettles aren’t exactly the easiest of things to clean with a scrubber or hand cloth, so the best way to clean it is by putting some standard vinegar mixed with water in and boiling it. This will loosen and remove the built-up limescale, letting you simply pour it out with the liquid to get rid of it.



Unblock the sink

The kitchen sink is often the root of many arguments in the workplace, as some people will clean their plates and cutlery straight after using them, whilst others will just leave plates still covered in food in the sink for someone else to find. Leaving things still on the plate is one of the causes of sink blockages, as the little bits of food and crumbs left on the plates will build up over time and will eventually cause a blockage if left unchecked. 

Your company could just buy some supermarket brand bleach and unblocker, but these aren’t always that effective and are quite expensive. To save money, a simple method is to pour half a cup of salt along with a cup of baking soda down the drain and leave it overnight. The next day, the first person in for work can boil the kettle and pour the hot water down the drain, which will clear the blockage.



These are just a few tips to solve everyday issues that can arise in the kitchen. We will be back in a few weeks with more helpful tips like these, so keep up-to-date with this blog to make sure you don’t miss them.

If you feel your business’ kitchen needs a professional clean, please click here to go to our website or call 01495 308048 to hire our expert team.

Kitchen Cleaning Services

In this blog, we continue with our series of profiles of our commercial cleaning services, focusing on our kitchen cleaning service.


Hygiene in food-preparation areas is the single most important aspect of running a food-service business. We’ve all seen countless horror stories of restaurants and takeaways being shut down due to dirt, damp, mould and vermin being found not only on site, but in areas were the food is directly stored and prepared.

Although this is so important to a food business, it’s easy to understand how a kitchen could become dirty. How many times have you made a nice, filling dinner and just haven’t had the energy to clean the dishes right away? Now imagine preparing hundreds of meals, then having hundreds of things to clean at the end of the day. Not just the plates and cooking equipment, but the floors and walls as well, which can, over time, get covered with grease and dirt. In a large kitchen it almost impossible for cleaners to make sure ever single inch of the place is spotless. That’s where we can help.

Think cleaning your kitchen is hard? Imagine cleaning this

We offer a kitchen deep clean service, with our trained and experienced cleaning teams efficiently eliminating the progressive build up of grease, oils and grime on walls, floors and worktops, as well as on less accessible surfaces such as canopies, light fittings and walls behind equipment and ceilings. These cleans can be performed as a one-off or as regular six-month visits in the form of a contract cleaning service.

But that’s not all we offer. It’s all well and good to make sure the surfaces in the kitchen are clean, but what about the extractor fans? These remove the steam and air-borne vapour that cause grease and dirt to be left of walls. But over time, the filters of these fans will get blocked with all that grease themselves, which can result in steam and vapour being trapped in the kitchen; a very hazardous situation. Our kitchen duct cleaning service deep cleans your extraction systems, from extraction hood through to external fans, and will replace old filters for new ones if required.

Clean air ducts and ventilation systems are vital for a clean kitchen

For more information or to book our kitchen cleaning service, please call us on 01495 308048 or visit our website by clicking the APT logo below.

High Level Cleaning

In this blog, we will be looking at our specialist high level cleaning services.


Since the dawn of civilization, there have been buildings. In the Middle Ages, there were buildings. When the Industrial Revolution began, there were more buildings. Right now, there are so many buildings. Buildings everywhere. Supermarkets, cinemas, factories, offices; these are all buildings. And like everything else, buildings need to be cleaned. But cleaning a building isn’t like cleaning the dishes; it can be complex, different for every individual building and can be very dangerous when they start going up and up. Cleaning buildings isn’t exactly something that’s thought about very often by most people, but it is with APT.

We’ve been cleaning high level buildings for over 20 years, so we’re confident that we know what we’re doing by now. And as you can probably guess, cleaning a building isn’t just going at it with a bucket and cloth; it takes careful planning and a professionally-trained team using specialist equipment. Luckily we have all of those things, meaning we can provide excellent high level cleaning services.

Our specialist teams are highly trained to use equipment such as this
(Image source - APT-ICC)

But what are those services? What does cleaning a building actually involve? Well, there are three main types of cleaning jobs involved with high level building cleaning, which are:-



1. Exterior Cleaning

This is a very important part of building cleaning in terms of visual aesthetics. Over time, a warehouse, factory or office block is going to get dirtier, which can make them seem older and run-down; definitely not a good look if you are trying to sell yourselves as a company or present the company to potential business partners. Dirty buildings can even have a negative impact on a workforce, as having to go to a run-down, grimy building every day can start to make them feel run-down as well.

Our exterior cleaning service covers cladding cleaning, restoration and protection, graffiti removal, paint removal, general maintenance and awkward access areas including rope access cleaning. Our cleaning processes safely remove carbon, dirt, scale, micro-organisms, pollutants and UV light damage, which can help bring your building back to its original condition. Our services can be provided as a one-off job or as a regular six-month cleaning contract.



2. Roof Cleaning

Whilst the average person is not going to see the roof of a building from street level, it is still important to make sure they are cleaned. If a roof is left without maintenance, moss and algae can develop. If these organisms are left unchecked, they can block gutters, damage ventilation systems and attract insects. They can even begin to eat through the roof itself if left long enough. In the cold, winter months, the algae and moss can freeze solid, which can cause major problems due to the increased weight on the roof.

Our canopy cleaning and roof cleaning services will prevent this damage by removing all traces of moss and algae. As a professional commercial roof cleaning company we hold a waste carriers license and therefore we will dispose of any moss and dirt that is removed at our designated waste disposal sites. 

Regular roof maintenance is vital to ensure your building is clean and safe
(Image source - APT-ICC)

3. Gutter Cleaning

A lot of people have experience with blocked gutters. Usually during autumn with its falling leaves, the guttering of homes can get blocked, which most often gets sorted with a broom being poked from a bedroom window. But that method doesn’t quite work for large, commercial buildings. Blocked drains stop water from running off the roof and into drains at street level. If there is a heavy period of rain, this can lead to flooding, something that would be very damaging for a business. Did you know that 64% of flooding is caused by blocked drains, and that insurance companies can use this to blame you and deny a claim?

We offer both high level gutter cleaning and commercial gutter cleaning services as a one-off clean or at regular intervals to ensure your property doesn't suffer water damage for something so easily remedied. Gutter cleaning can be dangerous due to the height and sometimes difficult to reach position of the gutters and should therefore always be left to professional companies offering high level gutter cleaning services.


If you require any of these services, visit our website by clicking on our logo below, or ring us on 01495 308048 for a free, no-obligation quote and advice on what service would be best of your needs.

How To Prevent Graffiti

In this blog, we will be looking at our graffiti prevention products and how to use them.

In our last post, we discussed the importance of removing graffiti and how our specialist removal services can help. We also talked about how to prevent further attacks with our graffiti prevention products. Today, we will explain exactly how to apply and use these products.

After our team has removed graffiti from an area, they apply a coat of anti-graffiti paint to the surface to stop further graffiti from appearing. However, you may be worried that another area, perhaps your own building or home, could be targeted if graffiti vandals find their favourite spot is now unusable. That’s where our graffiti prevention products come in, in particular our Anti-Graffiti Paint.

Once graffiti like this has been removed, our Anti-Graffiti Paint can stop it from coming back

Using the paint to prevent graffiti on a surface is very easy and straightforward, and our guide below will explain exactly how to do it:-


1. Plan what area you are applying paint to

This might sound obvious, but always make sure you know exactly where you are going to apply the paint. If you go into it without a proper plan, you will probably end up trying to paint too much, which could result in the paint not covering the surface enough. A 5ltr bottle of paint will cover 47m2. 


2. Get the tools you’ll need

All you need to apply the anti-paint is a standard brush…and the paint itself of course. If you don’t already have it, you can buy Anti-Graffiti Paint here.


3. Make sure the surface is clean

Make sure you’ve cleaned off any surface-lying dirt and cobwebs from the surface you’ll be working on. It doesn’t have to be spotless, but clean enough so you can paint easily and effectively.


4. Apply the first coat

Once the surface is ready, apply your first coat. It applies just like normal paint, so paint evenly with straight, fluid motions, making sure the whole area is covered.


5. Leave to dry, then apply second coat

The paint dries very quickly, so you won’t have to wait long until the surface is ready for the next coat. Two coats are plenty to effectively work against graffiti, but feel free to add a third coat if you wish.



With the Anti-Graffiti Paint in place, if the surface is hit by graffiti, all you need to do to remove it is wash the surface with some warm water. No need to hire a professional cleaning team, no need to use strong cleaner to try and scrape the graffiti off; thanks to the anti-graffiti paint, all you need is some warm water!

The Importance of Removing Graffiti

In this blog, we will be discussing our graffiti removal service and how important it is for communities to have graffiti-free environments


Everyone reading this blog will have seen some form of graffiti in their life time. Whether you live in a busy city, idyllic countryside village or the suburbs, you will have seen at least one instance of it. Whilst artists like the illusive Banksy can take a run-down building wall and turn it into a thought-provoking masterpiece that can go on to sell millions, the majority of graffiti is just some kid with a spray can scribbling nonsense on a wall.

Graffiti can be an eyesore to local communities
(Image source - APT)

So why is it important to remove graffiti and make sure it doesn’t come back? Some people might find it a nuisance but might not see it as a serious issue. Well, if just a small section of graffiti is left untreated, it can attract and encourage more graffiti not just in that area, but in adjoining areas as well. Areas with high amounts of graffiti can encourage unruly people to hang around nearby; contributing to it even more and making those living in the area feel uneasy. Worse still, if an area becomes overrun with graffiti and anti-social behaviour it can reduce housing prices and can discourage businesses from setting up there. It can also drive existing businesses away, as they may not want their brand image associated with the image of a town covered in graffiti.

That’s where we can help. Our specialist cleaning teams use the latest, hi-tech methods to effectively and efficiently remove graffiti from virtually any surface without causing damage or leaving shadowing. We have removed graffiti from heritage buildings and monuments, schools, housing association projects and warehouses. Our specialist teams are trained to work at all levels, including bridges, bypasses, and high level buildings. We use a range of highly effective eco-friendly biodegradable graffiti removers, including our soda blasting technique, to remove all graffiti we encounter, from the smallest marker pen scribble to the largest, co-ordinated sprayings.

Our specialist techniques not only remove graffiti but prevent it from appearing again
(Image source - APT)

But that’s not all we do. Once we have removed graffiti from a surface, we apply out graffiti prevention solution to stop any of it from reappearing. This means you won’t have to keep calling us out and can sleep easy knowing your area or premises are safe from graffiti.

APT-ICC also sell a range of anti-graffiti products that you can buy to remove and prevent graffiti yourself, which will be detailed and reviewed in next week's blog. 

Soda Blasting - A Revolution in Pressure Cleaning

In this blog, we will be looking at soda-blasting, the revolutionary new method of removing built-up dirt that’s damage-free and environmentally-friendly.


APT have been in the commercial cleaning industry for a long time. We've cleaned all types of buildings, machinery and properties using every piece of equipment imaginable. But nothing has changed the way we look at commercial cleaning more than the method of pressure cleaning known as soda blasting.

So what is soda blasting? It is a form of pressure washing that uses specially formulated granules of natural bicarbonate of soda and controlled amounts of compressed air to remove decades of build up from pollution, residues and coatings from virtually any surface without damaging the structure or surface underneath. This is because soda particles fracture into smaller particles on impact thus providing a thorough cleaning action while softening the impact on the substrate. This is the reason soda blasting is a revolution in the cleaning industry, as it is free from the solvents, chemicals and abrasives used in traditional pressure cleaning methods that can cause damage to the building or surface being cleaned.

Our soda blasting is very effective against graffiti

(Image source - APT)

Another reason soda blasting is making such an impact in the industry is because of the speed in which it works. Because of the way in which the soda particles impact the surface, dirt and waste washes off in a fraction of the time it would take traditional cleaning methods. Also, soda blasting is extremely versatile, as it is effective on virtually any surface (including steel, glass, brick and wood), works against virtually any substance (algae, chewing gum, graffiti paint, rust) and works on both dry and wet surfaces.

All of these benefits make soda blasting stand out as the best forms of commercial cleaning, which is why it is one of our most important methods of cleaning here at APT. If you want more information on soda blasting, please visit our specialized soda blasting website http://www.soda-blasting-services.co.uk. If you are interested in hiring this service for your business, please click on our logo below to go to our commercial cleaning website.

Welcome to APT

APT offer a wide range of commercial cleaning and contract cleaning services, including including kitchen deep cleans, graffiti removal, property restoration, roof cleaning and our environmental-friendly soda-blasting service.

Our services are delivered by a skilled and dedicated team who operate throughout the UK and are available 24/7, 365 days a year. We have over 25 years experience in commercial cleaning and are fast becoming a leader in the industry.

Our workforce are reliable and are trained to the highest standards

(Image source - APT)

This ongoing blog will talk about the range of cleaning services we provide, looking at how they work and how they can be beneficial to you, along with keeping up with current affairs in the commercial cleaning industry.

For more information, visit our website at www.apt-icc.co.uk, or for regular updates on the company and our services, follow us on Twitter at @APTCCS 

If you are interested in purchasing cleaning products, please visit our sister site www.aptcleaningsupplies.co.uk 

This blog will be updated every Thursday, so come here for everything you need to know about APT Commercial Cleaning Services.