How To Clean Floor Tiles

The tiles that you have determines on the type of tiles you have on your walls or floors. In most cases, they are put so that they can be decorative. Secondly is that they are much easier to maintain. You have to do the maintenance cleaning. The other thing is that you have to wipe any kind of spills immediately. Carpets are whoever important in one's home and should be cleaned regularly.

Sweeping

For the tiles cleaning, they are easily covered by dust and if you let it to accumulate, it easily turns into fixed dirt. It is important to keep regular sweeping. This way, you are able to get the loose dirt off before it turns fixed. If you have a vacuum cleaner, it is advisable for you to sweep with it. It should however be without a beater bar because it scratches the tiles. It also cleans dirt in between the tiles. A vacuum cleaner is also used to clean wool carpets. This must be done in a through way.

Moping

If your house has tiles, they should be moped after they are dusted. The moping should be done using a mop, which should be damp. If there is a spot with accumulated dirt, then you should concentrate the cleaning to that spot, using a sponge and remember to use detergents that are recommended.

For the carpet cleaning Melbourne, you should use some lukewarm water. The size of your carpet should determine the amount of water you use. Take one corner of the carpet and dip a cloth into the detergent and wipe that corner. When the stained is finally dumped, you can now use a scrubber to remove the stain gently. Avoid harsh scrubbing and also avoiding placing iron on the area with stains. This weakens the fibers of your carpet leading to the carpet wearing out fast.

Thorough cleaning

The tiles that are textured may at times need mild scrubbing. This is often done using a scrubber or a soft brush. The tile cleaning should be done using a mild detergent. After you are through with the cleaning, make sure you rinse the soap off well and then make a second rinse using warm water. Fir the perfect shine, you can as well wipe off the excess water using a cloth. This ensures that there is no film left.

Some of the stains are stubborn and they just do not come out. Most of our kids are responsible but you turn responsible for cleaning it. The best way for carpet cleaning Melbourne to remove stains is by using a carpet cleaning device. Then there is the recommended liquid detergent that goes along.

Remember to always cover the carpet after cleaning. This can be done by the use of old bed sheets or the old towels. If you have cleaned the whole carpet, make sure you take it outside for sunlight. If by any chance the water you are using is soft, make sure that you use an all-purpose detergent cleaner. Rinse off and the freshness will be restored. Keeping your home clean is the greatest thing for it brings along comfort. Avoid a dirty home for it also keeps you out of diseases.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com

About The Author:

If you are looking for more detailed knowledge on carpet and tile cleaning you can find it on steamys.com.au.


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3 Ways to Help Your Nanny

Source : http://www.mysupernanny.com.au/blog/article/129-3-ways-to-help-your-nanny

We have a nanny one day a week. I do contract work which means I either have a lot of work on, or none at all. The kids go to pre school two days a week and daycare one day a week, but don’t provide the flexibility I need to add another day if I need it or cancel it if I don’t.

So a nanny was the best option. And Lauren has been part of our family on Wednesdays on and off since July.

And here are 3 ways I have learnt to make her life a tad easier.

1. Be Stocked Up
I always make sure there is a full bowl of fruit, stacks of snacks, the fridge is packed and there are some pre-made frozen food options available. This means Lauren can just open the fridge and get on with it rather than scavenging around.

2. Go Label Crazy
I recently bought a labeller. I am in love. If it doesn’t move in our house, it gets labelled. Everything has a place. And a label. The toy cabinet has labels on the shelves so it’s clear what goes where. This makes it easier for Lauren to oversee the cleaning up of toys. The pantry has labels with it so she can easily find food.

3. Write it Down
The mornings Lauren comes over are a bit nutso at our house. I am up early getting ready for work, packing laptop bags, getting my lunch sorted and I normally do a quick whip around and clean-up of the living areas so Lauren can actually see table and bench surfaces.

I am normally out the door by the time she arrives and it’s my husband (who works closer to home) that meets and greets her. And while he’s a great dad, sometimes he’s not so great on detail and forgets to pass on information to Lauren that I’ve asked him to. The solution?

Inner-B’s Babysitting Notes. I’ve used them for ages and now Lauren goes looking for them. I fill the page out and leave it on top of the kitchen dresser, so she knows where to find it.  It has detail around contacts, emergency contact, doctors information, when Mum or Dad will be home,  routines for the kids, allergies, lots of info that the nanny can have at her fingertips if she needs it. All you have to do is fill in the blanks.  And it’s only $5.95.

Head to www.inner-b.com.au  to buy online.

What are your obligations when you employ a nanny?

Source : http://www.careforkids.com.au/articlesv2/article.asp?id=40

The CareforKids.com.au team receive many enquiries from parents regarding their obligations for employing a Nanny.

The guide below offers information on your key responsibilities and includes a sample employment contract and a Nanny/Parent Diary which you may find helpful for keeping the lines of communication open.

A Note About Cost
People who use nannies are not automatically eligible to receive the Child Care Rebate (CCR) or the Child Care Benefit (CCB) the two government payments available to help families manage the cost of child care.

To be eligible to receive both the CCR and the CCB you must meet certain eligibility requirements and use approved care such as a long day care centre or a family day care service.

The other type of care is registered care which can be provided by preschools, kindergartens, outside school hours care services and in some instances nannies. Registered care providers are not considered CCR approved providers by the govenment as they choose not to, or don't meet the minimum operating hours or participate in the government's National Quality Framework.

However, families who use registered care may, in some instances, be eligible to receive the CCB as long as they meet certain eligibility requirements.

In order to receive CCB your nanny must apply to the Department of Human Services to become a registered provider.

To become a registered child care provider a nanny needs to:

• apply to the Department of Human Services using a Registered Child Care Provider Application form
• be 18 or have a recognised qualification that makes them eligible for approval as a registered child carer. This includes evidence of a recognised qualification such as; nanny, child care or home based care certificate
• have a tax file number
• meet and maintain state/territory licensing requirements
• meet any requirements set by the Minister for Early Childhood and Child Care.

To receive the CCB you will need to take your nanny's child care receipts to the Department of Human Service and complete the Claim for Child Care Benefit for Registered Care form.

Your nanny can not claim the CCB on your behalf. The governemt will pay the CCB straight into your bank account.

Eligibility Reqiurements for Child Care Benefit

Families who satisfy eligibility requirements for Child Care Benefit may receive payments if they use registered child care, such as a preschool, registered nanny or kindergarten.

To be eligible for Child Care Benefit for registered child care you need to meet these requirements:

1. Eligibility - you or your partner (if you have one) meet residency requirements or have an exemption.
2. Immunisation - Children under the age of 7 must meet the Australian Government's immunisation reqiurements or have an exemption.

3. Responsibility for child care payments - You or your partner (f you have one) must have paid your child care costs..

4. Work, training, study test - You (and your partner, if you have one) must pass the work, training, study test, or have an exemption. For registered child care, you only have to participate in work related commitments at some time during a week or have an exemption. No minimum number of hours is required.

The Work, training, study test looks at whether you and your partner need child care for a work-related commitment. A work-related commitment is one or more of the following activities:

• paid work
• self-employment
• setting up a business
• looking for work, study or training
• voluntary work to improve your work skills.

If you meet these requirements, you may be eligible for the registered care rate of a maximum of 50 hours of Child Care Benefit per child, per week. Your income does not affect the amount of Child Care Benefit you receive for registered care.

Hiring a nanny
We recommend that you take a business approach to the hiring of a nanny, at the core of which is establishing a contract of employment. Such an agreement should limit misunderstandings regarding employment conditions, making sure that all parties are on the same page now and in the future. Areas covered in the employment contract can include salary, benefits, hours of work, main duties and responsibilities, sickness and holiday entitlements, notice period and performance reviews.

Salary

• Set down the agreed salary including $___ pay per week/month/hour
• What is the pay period and when will your nanny be paid?
• What is the method of payment for example cheque, cash or into a nominated bank account?
• What is the overtime rate that will apply?

Hours of Work

• Set out the expected hours of work. Days and times for example Monday to Thursday 7:30am to 6:00pm
• Agree on Public holiday entitlements. If the nanny is expected to work on public holiday's agree on the rate of pay or whether it is time off in lieu

Reference & Background Checks

We strongly recommend you conduct a background check on any prospecitve nanny to ensure he/she is suitable to provide care for your child.

For further information please see our article Working with children checks which outlines the various legal requirements and resources available to you in each state and territory.

The decision and responsibility of hiring any carer rests with you. Be sure you have the facts regarding previous employment, criminal records, driving records, immigration and visa status so that you can make the most informed decision possible.

Duties / Parenting Philosophy

Ensure you are specific about the nanny's responsibilities. Provide clear information about routines, including nap and feeding times, weekly activities and so on.

Include plenty of information about your parenting philosophy, including information on disciplinary measures, TV time, sleeping methods, nutrition, hygiene and safety. Spelling it out beforehand will minimise the potential for misunderstandings and disagreements down the track. Ensure you are available to discuss any changes with your nanny as they come up

Leave Entitlements

• Determine the Annual leave entitlement. All full time employees are entitled to a minimum of 20 days annual leave or pro-rata for the hours/days worked. Part time employees receive the same entitlement on a pro-rata basis
• The standard sick leave entitlement is eight days sick leave in the first year or pro-rata for the hours/days worked
• Set down notification times for when the nanny is to contact you by if they are sick and conversely set down a procedure in the event of you being delayed

Income Tax

The contract of employment is one of an employer and employee. Register with the ATO to allow for income tax deductions.

For further information visit ato.gov.au or call the ATO on 132 478

Superannuation

If the nanny works for more than 30 hours a week they are entitled to superannuation. This is currently 9% of the employee's gross wage so take this into account. For more information visit the ATO or contact the ATO's Superannuation Hotline 131 020.

Payroll Services
If you are a little unsure about how payroll works, consider a payroll service to assist you in paying your nanny's salary. There are many available in the market here are a few you may wish to consider Easypayroll.com.au or Epayroll.com.au

Domestic Work Cover Insurance
Insurance to cover your nanny in the event of an accident is a further consideration. Legislation on insurance requirements vary between the different states and territories.

For information on the insurance requirements in your state or territory click on the links below:

New South Wales
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia
Australian Capital Territory
Northern Territory

Automobile and other insurance
If the nanny has use of your car, make arrangements to include them under your policy. Check to ensure that compulsory third party insurance also covers third party property damage and if your nanny is under 25 years of age, you should check what additional provisions need to made to cover them under your policy.

You may also wish to request that your nanny have additional insurance. Policies available for nannies can be obtained from Altiora Childcare who specialise in all forms of Child Care Insurance or Nannysure (underwritten by QBE).

For further information visit altiorachildcare.com.au or nannysure.com.au

Additional Expenses
Any additional out of pocket expenses should be agreed upon. It's a good idea to set aside an additional cash amount each week to cover outings, snacks, excursions, swimming classes etc.

If the nanny will be using their own car for work related tasks then an allowance to cover fuel costs and additional wear and tear on the car should also be set down.

A log book should be established to record kilometres travelled in the course of their duty.

Ask your nanny to check their insurance policy to ensure appropriate cover for transportation of your children.

Notice Period
Agree on a notice period including any arrangement for payment in lieu of notice. The standard notice period is generally two to four weeks.

Probation Salary & Performance Reviews
Conduct regular salary and performance reviews. Set down the times for a performance review. For example after the 3 month probation period, have another review at 6 months followed by a 12 month salary and performance review.

Consider a mediation procedure for any issues or grievances that need to be raised throughout the period of employment.

Contract Review and/or Amendments
In the event of the birth of another child, both parties should discuss the continued employment arrangements, including a review of the current employment contract.

Communication
Many nannies cite poor communication as a reason for leaving a post, so take time at the beginning and the end of each day to discuss the children. If this isn't possible, introduce a diary system which allows the nanny to record the events of the day including appointments, meals, social outings, sleep times and medications as well as the child's developmental steps.

Consider a weekly review which involves an informal discussion allowing both parties to give and receive feedback.

Provide positive feedback and praise for a job well done; conversely, if you are unhappy in any way with the nannies performance, discuss this immediately.

Click here for an example of a diary system you could introduce.

Confidentiality
It is also important to consider a confidentiality agreement to ensure that the affairs of the household is kept confidential.

Here is an example:

The employee shall keep the affairs and concerns of the household and it's transactions and business confidential. It is a condition of employment that except as required by Law, the employee shall not disclose confidential information to any persons whatsoever without the consent in writing of the employer. This provision shall apply for all time and survives expiration or earlier termination of this Agreement. The operation of this clause shall not apply to information disclosed to medical or other health professionals in the course of obtaining treatment for the child(ren).

Other Benefits
Look at longer term benefits to make the job as attractive and enjoyable as possible.

Benefits you may wish to consider include:

• Good living quarters (if applicable)
• Use of a car
• Occasional late starts and early finishes
• Cash Bonuses
• Health cover
• The occasional token of gratitude such as night out, movie tickets, pamper pack

All of the research about early care and education leads to one overriding conclusion - quality matters.

To get started and put your Nanny Employment Contract together click here for an example contract you can use as a guide.

If your nanny is a trusted and valued employee whom you wish to retain, then these incentives can go a long way in improving staff retention.

Other Useful information from CareforKids.com.au:
Help to keep lines of communication open with your Nanny - print out this useful daily diary

Many Jobs in Nanny Economy, Few Qualified Applicants

Source : http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-09-07/many-jobs-in-nanny-economy-few-qualified-applicants

It’s tough to find a decent job these days, but if you’re a hard-working college graduate who can swim, play golf and tennis, make macaroni and cheese and clean up the kitchen afterward, who can deal with chaos and changing plans, devise games for a four-year-old and is cool enough to be adored by a teenager, there may be a position for you. The parents who posted this job description on sittercity.com have six high-energy kids, but you’d work just weekends and earn between $2,400 and $3,200 a month.

Here’s another possibility. Care for two adorable, creative girls; feed them fresh, healthy meals without sugar and bad carbs; guide them to good and polite behavior; have conversations with them about what’s going on in their lives; empty the dishwasher, wipe the counters and sink, and store leftovers appropriately. Also: You have to be able to swim and to stay overnight when necessary. Salary commensurate with experience.

Brace yourselves, job seekers: The high-end nanny (and manny) economy is thriving. “In the past six months, we’ve done extremely well,” says Cliff Greenhouse, president of the Pavillion Agency, which places all kinds of household staff. “Summer is usually quiet in this industry, and we had a really busy summer.” Pavillion serves New York families and New York-type families around the country, says Greenhouse. If you’re not familiar with the breed he’s referring to, here’s a description: “We have very high standards. We’re not easy to please. We recognize that what we’re looking for is hard to find and we’re prepared to reward those who can please us.” Greenhouse says his nannies’ average salary is between $65,000 and $75,000 a year, and some earn well over $100,000.

If, that is, you have a college education. “Parents are really focusing on candidates with a strong educational background, degrees in education, law, engineering, computer science,” says Greenhouse. “Before, that might have been looked at as a threat or a red flag that the nanny wouldn’t stick around long. Now families are seeking out highly educated people and giving them incentives to make nannying their career.” The fact that “nannying” is a word should tell you something.

Nannies also must have demonstrated “a history of passion for kids,” says Greenhouse. “I’m working with someone who was laid off from an investment banking job. She’s not going to cut it as a nanny. I have to tell her: ‘Come to me five years from now after you have some experience.’”

Some busy parents want to delegate all sorts of responsibilities, and they want to delegate to someone who has been through it all before. “In the past year, we’ve seen families searching for a nanny who can make the decisions for them,” says Greenhouse. “They have to be qualified to make decisions about pediatricians, nutrition, discipline, schools. Parents only ask that the nannies keep them in the loop.”

A specialization helps, too. “The top earners have an education degree or experience working specifically with infants or twins or big families,” says Ingrid Kellaghan, founder of the Cambridge Nanny Group in Chicago. A nanny can’t just speak Mandarin, she has to have a proven ability to teach a child how to speak Mandarin. ”Some parents may have specific milestones, such as their kids being able to read before they enter school. A nanny has to show she has done that before.”

Nannies, like their employers, have to work longer hours. Five years ago, the typical day was 10 hours. Now, it’s not unusual for nannies to work 14 to 16 hours a day. Ads regularly mention the need for a flexible schedule, staying overnight, working weekends, sometimes traveling with the family.

If you’ve got all of that, you’re golden. Greenhouse says he has a candidate with a degree in theater and 15 years’ experience as a nanny. She is so highly sought after that she’s already turned down a few of the jobs he’s presented to her. They didn’t pay enough. She’s expecting to earn more than $100,000. And she probably will, he says.

Kellaghan says her agency rejects 95 percent of all applicants. Greenhouse says that in the past two weeks, Pavillion has received 50 requests for nannies. It’s screened more than 100 candidates. It’s accepted 12.

Berfield is an associate editor for Bloomberg Businessweek. 

 

A Nanny Who's Always on Vacation

When Lisa Molvar headed to the Cayman Islands last year with her husband and then 3-year-old daughter, Mia, she knew she wanted some grown-up-only time, too. But she didn't feel comfortable handing Mia off to one of the resort's baby sitters. And she didn't have a regular nanny who could come along on the trip. So Ms. Molvar hired a travel nanny.

In exchange for all travel expenses and a daily or hourly rate, a travel nanny can parachute into a family trip and turn it into an actual vacation for parents, too. Unlike with most hotel baby sitters, parents can personally vet—and try out—a travel nanny in advance, easing anxieties about leaving a child with an unfamiliar sitter. Some travel nannies offer vacation-specific skills: an ace skier or swimmer, perhaps. Flexibility is a major upside. When child-care is literally in the room next door, parents don't have to say no to that impromptu spa treatment or sunset cocktail.

"We were able to go golfing and spend time with friends who don't have kids," says Ms. Molvar, a 34-year-old real estate developer from Boston. "We just preferred to pay the added expense and to have the peace of mind that [our daughter] was with someone we really trusted." Indeed, Ms. Molvar's travel nanny, Tiffany Chapman, had occasionally baby-sat for Mia since she was a newborn.

As more families choose to bring young children to luxury hotels and resorts, a growing number of services are being unrolled to make it easier to have adult-time. Elaborate daytime children's program are nearly de rigueur, but now, hotels are expanding evening programs for kids, responding to demand from parents who want to sneak out for a romantic dinner. About a year ago, after seeing a growing number of families traveling with nannies, the Four Seasons Resort Vail extended its "Angel" program for families to nannies. Upon check-in, the "angel" (one of the hotel's managers) contacts the nanny to arrange for any needed baby gear (bathtubs, toddler beds, etc.) and to plan activities.

Sensible Sitters Inc., a New York-based firm, specializes in referring college students and recent college graduates to families looking for travel nannies or temporary baby sitters. The company charges $250 per day for up to two children for the services of a travel nanny and $300 for three children. Families also pay all travel expenses, food and lodging. (Nannies usually end up sharing a room with the kids). Nannies are supposed to work no more than 12 hours in a day. Vanessa Wauchope, Sensible Sitters' founder and chief executive, recommends first having a potential travel nanny do a few short baby sitting stints before a big trip to make sure of a good fit.

Read more at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324556304578118973898281096.html