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The Basics of Great Floor Cleaning

Floors. You can’t avoid walking on them. You can’t avoid looking at them, either.

The condition of your floors really affects the appearance of your entire home. When you have visitors, they notice…whether your floors are clean and tidy and in good condition, and if they are soiled and dirty and in need of repair.

There are all types of flooring in homes today, from carpet and rugs to ceramic tile, luxury vinyl tile, natural stone, wood and more.

It’s generally accepted by most that carpet and rugs are easy to care for, regarding routine maintenance. Regular vacuuming does the trick. As a basic rule, vacuum your heavy-use areas once per week per occupant. Yes, your pets count as occupants. That means if you have a family of five with a dog and a cat, you would vacuum every day. Not the entire house, so don’t panic, but perhaps the living room and any other common-use areas that are trafficked each day. The other rooms can be vacuumed perhaps twice per week.

Ceramic tile is also easy to maintain. It needs swept and mopped frequently to avoid soil build-up. Use neutral cleaners and follow directions. If you notice any streaking after you clean, follow your normal cleaning with a clear water mopping and get it as dry as you can.

Luxury vinyl tile, or LVT, can be cleaned like ceramic tile, but consider a two-bucket system. One with neutral detergent and another with clear water.

Wood flooring is another matter. Be safe and obtain an approved wood cleaning product from the manufacturer, or you can inquire of your favorite cleaning service as to what you should use. After cleaning, you may need to do a light buffing with a soft cloth, especially high traffic areas. Wood is a bit more sensitive than other flooring types, but small surface scratches can often be buffed out. Larger scratches and damage might need to be professionally repaired.

There are other flooring types, of course, and each one will respond well to proper cleaning. Floor cleaning can be challenging, as well as hard work. Why not leave it to the pros and spend your valuable time doing something else you enjoy?

Call (631) 212-9984 for a professional cleaning service today! After all, it pays to call a pro!

 


 

Urine Odor Removal 101

Phew! What is that smell?

You might have uttered those words a few times, and when it happens, it is often from pet urine in carpet or perhaps some clothing attacked by a baby or toddler.

When left untreated, many problems can arise, the most noticeable being by the nose.

With carpet and other surfaces in the home, one of the toughest chores in urine odor removal is the first one — finding the location of the odor. Following your sense of smell often helps, and keeping an eye on the offending pet(s) and tracking them to the source can also work. Professionals, like your favorite carpet cleaner, have special detection devices that locate exactly where urine contamination is located.

Then you must clean and treat the area. A small spotting machine with water and a small amount of detergent can remove what’s in the carpet pile, but there’s really no way to get deep down in the backing or pad where some of the urine might have penetrated. That’s something only the pros can do. But getting to a urine spot while still damp and using lots of blotting with disposable towels is a great urine removal 101 tip. Once it dries, it becomes much more challenging.

Remember this: If left untreated, especially if the pet continues its accident-prone activities, and urine builds up in carpet, it doesn’t really dry out. Urine crystalizes and a salt-like substance forms, which attracts moisture from the air. That’s why you notice urine odors in the summer more so than in the winter because winter air is drier.

What about clothing?

If fresh, a normal laundering should suffice. You might want to wash separately from other garments. Wash with cold water if colorfastness is a concern, although hot water does clean better.

But occasionally, urine odors can persist in clothing because of the age of the contamination or other factors. When this happens, a pre-soak is necessary. Fill a sink or tub (or use a bucket if the item will fit) and fill it up with hot water. Add ¼ cup of white vinegar per gallon of water that you are using. Soak the clothes for two hours. The vinegar, being acidic, will counteract the aging urine salts that have built up.

Bottom line?

Fresh urine contamination in carpet or clothing is easy to remove. Get to it quick. Blot the carpet, rinse with a spotting machine, but never apply products to the area because that can just make it worse. Don’t be tempted by those products on the shelf at your grocery store. For clothing, put it in the laundry right away.

But if odors persist and urine contamination and related odors are ruining your day, it’s time to get some help.

Call (631) 212-9984 for a professional cleaning service today! After all, it pays to call a pro!

 


 

Why Keeping Your Mattress Clean Makes a Difference!

Thinking about the care and cleaning of a mattress may not be on everyone’s minds, but when you consider you spend six, eight or even more hours with it every day… you should take good care of it.

Some people notice that over time, perhaps just a year or two, they suffer more from allergies and other conditions. It is possible an unclean mattress could be the culprit.

This is not saying there are issues with anyone’s hygiene. Mattresses are like any other surface and they need regular cleaning — yet when you cover them up with clean sheets on a regular basis, not many give it much thought.

Dust mites (which are in every bed), their fecal matter, dead skin cells and more all add up over time and can cause a host of health issues.

  • There are many steps you can take to keep your mattress clean and healthy:
  • Change the bedding on a regular basis
  • Use a mattress cover to keep contaminants out of the mattress
  • Vacuum the top of your mattress, perhaps four times a year
  • After vacuuming, flip the mattress and vacuum again

Those are pretty basic steps, but ask yourself… “Am I doing them?” If not, start now. You will have a healthier sleeping environment that not only gives you peace of mind, but also relief from some allergic reactions and other issues that you may have been suffering from but didn’t know the source.

Don’t forget, there are professional service companies that can periodically give your mattress a deep cleaning. Just as with all your carpet cleaning and furniture cleaning needs, call your favorite professional cleaning company to care for your mattress.

And then you can do what everyone wants: get a good night’s sleep!

Call (631) 212-9984 for a professional cleaning service today! After all, it pays to call a pro!

 


 

The Basics of Spot Removal

It’s a good feeling. You have a beautiful home, you spend time keeping it in perfect shape, and your brand-new carpet is the icing on the cake. It’s soft, comfortable and clean.

Then one day, you notice (gasp) a spot right in the middle of the living room. There’s no way you can live with that eyesore. It has got to go. What do you do?

Here are a few tips to basic spot removal. Don’t forget that a spot can really be a stain, which needs professional attention.

  • Identify: Do your best to visually identify the spot. Some spots are easy; others are pretty tough. It’s not always possible to identify the spotting substance in the carpet. Yet, a little sleuthing on your part can get you close. Where is the spot? Is it near the dining room or where those in the family might eat? Odds are, it’s food related, and you might find success with a spotting solution for sticky residues. Is it in a bedroom? Could be cosmetic, shoe polish or other substance common to getting ready for the day, and you might find success with a dry solvent spotter.
  • Apply product: When you have figured out as best you can the type of spot you have, choose a reputable product for that particular spot. Some of the best spotting solutions can be obtained from your carpet cleaning company. Ask them what they recommend.
  • Blot: Next comes removal. Carefully blot the spot. Do not scrub. You will damage the tips of the fibers and there’s nothing short of replacement to fix that. Keep applying and blotting product until the spot is gone.

Remember, if you do your own spot removal, there is some danger of removing original fabric color and causing other damage. Take your time and do it right. Pretesting fiber and solution compatibility is always recommended.

And when in doubt (or when a spot stumps you) always do the very best thing: Call (631) 212-9984 for a professional cleaning service today! After all, it pays to call a pro!

 


 

How to Remove Blood Spots from Carpet & Furniture

Blood spots on your carpet or on your furniture… what a terrible thing. Hopefully, when it happens, it’s not from a very serious accident.

But when it does happen, you must remove it quickly. Blood spots can be removed fairly easily if you get to it quick enough.

Of course, if there is a fair amount of blood, more than just a few spots, it’s best not to do anything except call a pro.

For a small amount of blood, though, you should be able to handle the task of removing the spot if you follow some simple, safe procedures.

Blot. When you have a fresh blood spot, get a white absorbent and disposable towel (like a paper towel without print on it) and blot up as much as you can. Never rub or scrub. That can damage the color and/or texture of the fabric, especially furniture fabric.

There is probably still a spot remaining, even with a lot of blotting. So take about a quart of lukewarm water in a bowl, and add a drop of dish soap to it. Just a drop, you don’t want to leave any sticky residue behind. Dip a fresh, white absorbent and disposable towel into the solution and carefully blot the blood again. What you are trying to do is use the detergent solution to release the blood from the fibers into the towel.

After that, if there is still some light blood staining remaining, use a fresh, white, absorbent and disposable towel to apply a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide, the same strength you purchase at a drug store. But remember, hydrogen peroxide is a “bleach” and you must be careful with colors, especially on furniture fabrics. It’s best to test an area like on the back, bottom skirting to make sure the colors aren’t affected.

Phew! That’s a lot of work. And it might do the trick, but it might not. You could set the blood and it could become a difficult stain if you aren’t careful.

So if you don’t like to live dangerously and would rather play it safe… call your favorite carpet and furniture cleaning company. They know exactly what to do and they have the tools and cleaning solutions to do it right!

 

 

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