This may sound like a weird subject to write about, but it is a question that I get asked regularly.
Well, does the furniture have to be moved?
I’ll answer it this way. The first thing that I notice is that some people think I come in and become the Lord and Master.
Now I might have enough equipment to make it look like I am trying to take over the house, but I am a guest in your house. You have the right to kick me out at any time, even before I finish the job.
So, when the subject of moving furniture is mentioned, my answer is, “You move what you want to move. I will work around what you want.”
To help you figure out what is normally moved, most people don’t move their TV. Modern televisions are large, heavy and are plugged into around 14 other appliances using approximately 87 separate leads and cords. They take about five hours to pull apart and the rest of the month to put back together. Most people look at their TV and just walk away.
The same goes with wall units. When we moved into our current house, it came with a free wall unit, because it was too big to move. So if professional removalists can’t move it, when I clean the carpets, I don’t move it either.
Large dining tables are another item I usually work around. After all the chairs have been moved, the table is moved to one side of the room to allow as much of the room to be cleaned in one pass. Then the table gets moved over to the clean side to allow the other half to be done.
Couches and recliners are treated the same. Push them to one side of the lounge room, clean and then push them back.
There is only one question that I have when pushing furniture around during cleaning and that is “Does it have wooden feet?”
Although I take care with my machines, accidents can happen. If you have a particular item that is fragile or valuable (or both), then it might be a good idea to put it in a safe place. The little bit of time you spend shifting those special items might save you hours of heartache if I accidentally bump them and damage them.
I have insurance, but as a volunteer firefighter, the saying
Prevention is Better than Cure
certainly applies in this case.
I hope this helps you next time I call and visit your house.
