What comes to your mind when you think of Swiss people? Rich? Hikers? Chocolate makers? The viral videos about how to make friends with a Swiss person or ‘Switzerland Second’? Well, somewhere in between, another strong theme emerges: Swiss and their obsession with cleaning! Now, if you are curious about how you too can have an impeccably clean house like a Swiss person or perhaps just want an insight into life in Switzerland (and/or a laugh), grab a cuppa and begin to take notes. If you are new to Switzerland, Welcome! Here is a simple, light-hearted guide to deep cleaning your house like a Swiss in Switzerland. Stay till the end for a bonus if you are living or planning to move to Switzerland.
Your 12 step guide to cleaning like a Swiss and adapting to life in Switzerland!
Plus, a BONUS at the end of the post.
Schedule a Housecleaning Day in your weekly/monthly calendar and stick to it no matter what.
2. Leave Sunday Out! Yes, Sundays are sacred.
You don’t want your neighbours to raise eyebrows and call you out on doing your laundry, using the vacuum or mowing your garden on a Sunday now, would you?
3. Stock up on Swiffer Dusters and Handy Dishwashing liquid. The more ecological products you buy, the more you might be liked by your Swiss neighbours 
And then you can join them in calling yourselves the saviours of the planet!
4. “Clean before things get dirty.”
Some sage advice out there. Definitely not something I have attempted or considered!
5. Clean the toilets extensively and boast about it.
Especially if you are a man.
From what I’ve gathered.
6. Save the spiders! Transfer them outside, don’t kill them. Remember the point about being ecological and environment-friendly?
A constant struggle in my apartment. If you live with 1 or 2 spider saviours and 1 person who is utterly scared and detests them, handle with care, my friend.
7.Don’t let guests enter your house unless they call you in advance- so you can clean before they arrive. Guests on HouseCleaning Day is an absolute No-No of course.
8. Get those House Slippers to offer to your guests, so they don’t bring in their shoes whenever they do end up visiting you after extensive planning.
Good old Switzerland home slippers!
9. Hire a professional cleaner for deep cleaning and keeping your house impeccably clean. Enquire about their health insurance, track record, etc in advance.
Or go through a reliable service like batmaid.ch to ensure that all the requirements are ticked off and the insurance is covered.
10. Clean before the cleaning professional arrives! You wouldn’t want the professional to see your house in a messy state now, would you?
11.Organize your things in an extremely ordered way. Have you heard about Extreme organizing?
12. Sit back, relax and repeat the cycle on the exact days you have set in your monthly calendar!
Congratulations! You have now learnt the basics of Swiss life and cleaning like a Swiss! Now head over to your neighbours with a bottle of Rivella and invite them over for a barbecue in your garden! Or is that out of the Swiss etiquette book? Perhaps, we’ll need to delve into the social rules in another post!
Until then, enjoy our house cleaning and Switzerland.
SPECIAL BONUS:
Get 20 CHF off on using the code ‘EUROPE-DIARIES18’ at batmaid.ch for hiring a professional cleaner for your flat in Switzerland!
I asked my Swiss friend (the same one who sent me those artsy pictures of ecological products above) for an honest review of the service. And here is what she said:
“As a busy professional, I have tried out a few cleaning services in Switzerland. But, what I don’t like is when there is a lot of hassle in booking, signing or when they keep calling you for feedback numerous times, sometimes even months later. I also like to ensure that the professional is paid well and has their insurance covered. I tried out bamaid.ch in Basel shortly after my wedding, once all the guests had left, and really liked that the booking process was hassle-free. I only had to sign one Trust Mandate document and send back. The professional was bilingual, so it was also easy for my non-German speaking husband to communicate with her. She was punctual, easy-going, efficient and cleaned in a detailed manner. Her insurance was already included and there were no hidden charges. Plus, I was asked for feedback by mail, which I really appreciate!”
Have any more suggestions or observations about life in Switzerland? Let me know in the comments below.
Interested in more of Switzerland? You might like these posts:
Check out where Swiss locals like to go skiing and vacationing in the country.
Things you can get away with if you live in Basel, Switzerland
Did you know you could hike your way through art from Switzerland to Germany or vice-versa?
5 Scenic day trips in Switzerland and Offbeat Lucerne Attractions
Cheese, chocolate and Alphorn: A typically Swiss day trip
Practical tips for planning your Europe trip
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