Tips for maintaining your Carpet and more
Method Two: The Hydrogen Peroxide, Baking Soda, and Dish Soap Method
Make a thick paste using a cup of baking soda, half a cup of hydrogen peroxide, and a tablespoon of dish washing soap in a bowl with some water. These ingredients all work in their own way to clean - baking soda is abrasive; hydrogen peroxide triggers a chemical reaction that has a bleaching effect, and soap removes grease and loosens dirt. Using a brush, apply the paste along the grout lines making sure you don't miss any edges and corners. Once that's done, leave it to sit undisturbed for about 15 minutes, during which time you might see some bubbling taking place. Leave it to continue until it has died down completely. Using warm or hot water, rinse off the area to remove the paste from the surfaces. Follow this up with a rag or mop to pick up any residual paste. After this, you can then go ahead and thoroughly mop your floor with cold water, as this is what will effectively carry away all traces of the paste. Change the water as required while you mop to ensure the cleanest finish possible. When To Call for Help While the above methods might seem simple enough, there are some cases where professional help will simply become a must. For example, in case: 1. The surface area is simply too large for you to handle alone 2. The degree of staining is too severe to be dealt with without the use of powerful chemicals, which must be handled by professionals only 3. Specialized machinery or techniques are required such as steam cleaners and oxygenated bleach procedures 4. The surface tiles are particularly delicate, requiring professional attention to ensure their safety In Conclusion As we've seen, cleaning grout might be a rather involving procedure, but it's one that can be tackled single-handedly should the supplies be available. If however, the scope of the job seems to be beyond your capabilities, the wise choice would be to get the professionals in there to handle it - your safety and the integrity of your tiles should always be the first priority, and there's no better way of ensuring both.
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The grout that's in between your tiles, whether in the kitchen, bathroom or wherever else, is a great help in keeping water from seeping into places where it shouldn't be. The problem is, it tends to get dirty and discolored over time, which can reduce the overall aesthetic of the area in question. Tiles are relatively easy to clean with simple soap and water, but grout can become a problem area for many who don't have much experience in dealing with it.
Well, fear not, because this is just what we're going to cover here. Below are some simple yet effective methods for grout cleaning that anyone can do using supplies that can be found in an average home. Method One: The Baking Soda and Vinegar Method The first thing you'll do here is to make a paste using the baking soda and some water. Make it a thick paste (3 parts baking soda to 1 part water). Apply the paste along the lines of your grout using your finger, wearing rubber gloves if you wish as the grout may be a bit abrasive. Next up, you'll make a solution water and white vinegar, which you'll pour into spray bottle. Spray the solution onto the baking soda lines you applied onto the grout which should immediately result in a bubbling effect, which lets you know that it's working as intended. Wait for the bubbling to die down, which should take no more than a few minutes. Once this stops it will mean that the chemical reaction is done, and so you can move on to the next step. Now you'll need to brush along the grout lines. For this, you can use any type of brush you have handy, from a nylon scrub brush to a toothbrush. Scrub uniformly along the lines making sure to reach the corners and edges of your cleaning area to ensure uniformity. Finally, take some clean water and mop your floor to remove all the baking soda and vinegar residue. You might need to replace your water with fresh one during this process to prevent spreading out the residue any more than you need to. Your grouting should be left looking as good as new. Please note: Vinegar shouldn't be used on natural stone tiles. Please note: Vinegar shouldn't be used on natural stone tiles. Installing a carpet in your home is a huge investment that any homeowner would want to see last a lifetime. It is also important that the carpet remains clean and fresh just like the state it was in when you bought it. While there are many ways to ensure that your rug maintains its appealing appearance, one thing you can do is to install carpet padding.
What is carpet padding? Carpet padding is a way of maintaining a rug whereby a soft material is laid underneath the carpet to increase comfort, protection and reduce the action of wear and tear. Carpet padding is basically made using rubber, fiber or foam and ensures that the rug remains durable while maintaining its original look. Why do you need carpet padding? There are a lot of benefits that come with having an underlay in your home. Most people, who install it, do it generally to soften the flooring. However, there are many more functions that carpet padding serves as explained below. Absorbs sound The padding under the carpet helps to absorb the sound of footsteps and this helps to dampen sound as you walk on it. In normal circumstances, the sound produced as your feet tap on the rug surface will echo off the hardwood hallways or cement floor beneath it. However, the softness of the pad does a great job of dampening this sound. Your house will have some sense of quiet with no bits of irritating sound to deal with. Makes cleaning more efficient Padding provides air space between the carpet and the subfloor which allows breathing room for the carpet. This makes cleaning your rug more efficient because the air spaces make for a deeper vacuuming. As you vacuum, the air is sucked up through the carpet and carries along the dirt and dust that is embedded within it. Vacuuming on a padded carpet leaves behind less dirt which makes your home spic and span and even reduces allergic reactions. Prevents damage Carpet padding helps to reduce damage to your rug through wear and tear. The soft material under the carpet reduces the amount of pressure applied per square inch whenever a person is walking or furniture is being moved by spreading it evenly. This ensures that there is less friction between the rug and the bare floor, allowing it to be durable and maintain its initial shape and appearance. Makes the carpet comfortable A typical carpet pad is made of very soft material like foam and rubber. Laying the padding underneath the carpet gives it fluff and makes it more comfortable to walk on. The spongy and smooth surface ensures that there is no stress on your heels as you walk on the carpet and keeps you from experiencing soreness on your feet. Makes the carpet warm Carpet padding is usually made using materials that are non-conductors of heat. This means that the padding will stop drafts from seeping through the porous rug and act as a heat insulator. This helps to keep the carpet warmer and give your feet a cozy feeling when you step on it. https://goo.gl/maps/qLnRwqYdKJS2goo.gl/maps/qLnRwqYdKJS2 Do you sneeze on a regular basis while in your living room? Is your private room giving you a case of the sniffles? If your answer is a yes to any of these questions, then the corresponding solution to your complications could be underneath your feet. It seems like your allergies won’t give you any peace and if you don’t know why, well, you need to give a fresh look at the hygiene of your carpet.
Carpets hold onto the elements that cause the allergies and rarely do these substances move into the air which you breathe. In other words, carpets act as filters, removing the materials from the air, and creates an environment that is less likely to activate hypersensitive reactions. In general, carpets have lots of excellent qualities. They look nice, feel soft beneath your feet, are the safest flooring option available on the market, and so on. However, carpets do have one troublesome quality: they can attract and retain allergens! And these allergens refer to antigens which intensify allergic reactions. Therefore, while carpets perform an incredible job, they require proper cleaning from time to time since they may hold so many particles that accumulate for an extended period. Regular carpet vacuuming will surely keep allergens at bay. Doing this more often is just the perfect way to keep the particles to a minimum. If you suffer from asthma, recent research has revealed that you not only need a carpet to control allergens but also to clean carpets regularly. Even so, everyone is prone to the asthma attack, and therefore, this practice applies to all and sundry. Why Regular Carpet Cleaning Is Essential Regular carpet cleaning keeps away allergens - period! While you may consider vacuuming your carpets, that’s not enough. Even though it can suck up and remove dirt and dust, there are other specific allergens which are more clingy and stubborn. Mildew and Mold are hard to remove and can worsen if you shampoo your carpets without thoroughly drying it afterward. In most cases, such instances can be avoided by seeking the services of a professional carpet cleaning rather than DIY cleaning. Another problematic scenario that may prompt you to clean your carpets is dust mites, and this cannot be solved by vacuuming. These tiny buggers are microscopic arthropods and are among the most persistent and aggravating group of allergens. Dust mites aren’t allergic: it’s the waste which they produce; that’s the real allergen. Overall, you can clean your carpet yourself or hire a professional carpet cleaner to do the job. Cleaning it yourself feels good because you save an extra coin and get the satisfaction of doing it yourselves. However, you may never match an experienced cleaner that will not only get rid of clingy and stubborn allergens but also guarantee value for your money. That said, its good to clean your carpet yourself, but it also feels great and satisfying to get the job done by a seasoned expert. Sick of your carpet? Well, forget about buying a new one – brighten, soften, and flux your carpet to bring it back to life! Here are 7 proven ways that will alter the sorry state of your old carpet and make it fresh and new again:
1. Ditch the Shoes While you wear shoes in your house, you increase the level of dirt and mess on your carpets. Also, you may wear down your carpet faster due to impact from the thick treads on shoes. Therefore, make it a habit of ditching the shoes as you enter your living room and encourage anyone else entering the house to do the same as well. 2. Introduce Carpet Protection Introducing a rug in an area within your house that gets stepped on often will keep your carpets clean. Although the rug will require regular maintenance as well, it is simpler to clean it than cleaning the whole carpet. You may also introduce chair mats to cushion the carpet from chair legs or wheels on chairs. 3. Before You Vacuum, Add Baking Soda Your primary goal is not only to clean your carpet but also to make it smell nice as well. The simplest trick to keep the carpet smelling fresher and for a long time is to sprinkle baking soda before vacuuming begins. First, sprinkle a small amount of the material over your carpet, let it settle for some minutes, and then vacuum as usual. 4. Vacuum Regularly and Appropriately Vacuuming is a fundamental practice to ensure your carpet is fresh and new again. Even then, better results can be realized if you consider carrying out regular vacuuming. A useful vacuuming trick is to do it a bit slowly. The more foot traffic in the area of your house, the slower the vacuum process. A quick pass may not remove all the dirt. While this is basic, most people become too busy to vacuum regularly enough. 5. Replace Bags and Filters Regularly Whether the vacuum is canister or upright, traditional or filtered bag model, maintaining it in perfect condition will go a long way into keeping your carpets fresh and new. Therefore as a rule of thumb, ensure you replace your bag or filter regularly. And if you don’t do it, your vacuum may fail to do the job effectively. 6. Deep Clean At Least Twice a Year When it comes to protecting your carpets as well as keeping them sparkling clean, nothing compares with an appropriate deep cleaning. Rather than wait until your carpet is filthy, set aside some time to carry out a thorough deep clean of your carpet at least twice in a year. 7. Tackle Stains Right Away The longer you allow stains to settle, the harder it becomes to get them out. So, the trick is to deal with any stain or spill as they occur. Conclusion In spite of displaying your best cleanliness efforts, your carpet will likely be a victim of spills, accidents, drops, and whatever is on the bottom of your shoes. However, the above 7 tricks will help you keep your carpets clean and new again.
Is your house occupied by many people? If that's the case, then the chances of your upholstery looking squeaky clean are slim... if not impossible. You may be wondering what the heck upholstery is. Simply put, they're those beautiful covers that shield your sofas, tables and other furniture from dust and stains. It's easy to avoid cleaning them because it's not a walk-in-the-park kind of task but come to think of it, it's totally necessary.
Think of how gross your sofa looks with those nasty stains. We offer a process of removing all grime and stains from your covers. If you haven't got a clue on how to do it, here are some simple tips to guide you: 1. Act Immediately If you're eating a hamburger and some sauce accidentally falls on your couch, don't let it set. This makes it difficult to clean. Use blotting to get rid of the stain. In the rush to get it over with, you may be tempted to rub the stain with a cloth. It'll make things worse. Try gently massaging the stain from the outside as you head for the middle. If it still doesn't come out, check the care label on the cover for instructions on the type of chemicals you should use on it. 2. If You Can, Vacuum the Covers This works only if you're a pro with your vacuum cleaner. It helps in removing unpleasant creases from the surface. It's also a fast way to reach those corners where dirt accumulates if not tended to. The more times you vacuum, the longer your furniture lasts. 3. Use Warm Water For Grease Stains and Cold For Non-Grease Stains It may sound obvious, but just to be clear, if treats such as chicken-fried steak fingers, pizza, and fries are your fix, using cool water to remove grease stains from them won't work. Use the right amount of warm water, depending on your furniture, to get the job done. Stains with zero grease respond better to cold water. 4. The Amount of Water You Use is Important You're doing upholstery cleaning, but that doesn't mean you should wet your furniture with water from a hosepipe. Excess water may lead to negatives such as water stains. Worse still, the furniture will take a long time to dry. Make sure that you use just the right amount of water. 5. Hire Professional Cleaners Okay, maybe you've tried but you're not getting it right. It's alright, don't beat yourself up. There's the option of giving professional cleaners a call. Some of the perks are you get enough time to focus on other duties, you can rest assured that your house is in good hands and they have the right tools for the job. This enables them to get the job done in a fast and professional way. Give us a call today if you need help with your upholstery cleaning. Summary How often you should clean your furniture depends on your lifestyle, whether you have a pet and kids, how often you're at home and eat on your couch. If you don't live alone and regularly eat on your couch, getting your covers cleaned once if not twice a year is a way to go.
Carpets are significant to the decor of a home as they provide style and great appearance combined with softness and warmth. They are also a unique way of expressing creativity as they come in many different shapes and colors. There are several aspects that go into picking the right type of carpet as mentioned above style, color but also the brand. Picking the right brand is crucial as it determines the quality of the carpet along with its unique features and its life span.
Here are some top rate carpet brands that are known for consumer satisfaction and something you should consider before buying. Mohawk Flooring: Leader in the industry, Mohawk has been revolutionizing carpets ever since 1878. As carpets evolve, Mohawk continues to impress by adjusting to demand for polyester fiber resulting in top quality carpets that are more delicate than ever. Durability is also industry standard as their lifetime warranties cover any potential accident that a family could cross which include infant and pet accidents. The company leads the industry in being environmentally conscious as they offer flooring options that are made with recycled resources. Lifetime stain warranty comes included with all carpets. Shaw Floors: Rated number #1 by many flooring publishing organizations, as they are the most innovative of all flooring brands. With revolutionary water resistance technology, Shaw carpets repel water instead absorbing it. The technology was put to test as a sample carpet was placed in a swimming pool filled with water and the carpet stayed dried throughout the experiment. Shaw carpets are built for all sorts of spills and stains with the R2X technology that allows spills to stay afloat longer for a quick swipe clean. The company offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee that allows you to switch to a new style of carpet within 30 days and also includes a 10 year non-prorated warranty. StainMaster: StainMaster is unique as it offers five different variations of carpets. Trusoft, which is engineered for ultimate delicacy and softness. The carpet constructed with fibers gives the texture of fur for the ultimate comfort. Livewell, which is carpet dedicated to healthy living and is designed to stop accumulation of dirt and allergen on the carpet. PetProtect as its name suggest is for living with animals. This carpet specializes in resisting pet hair, reducing pet odor, and is also the easiest to clean with durability to resist all paws and claws. Constructed with children in mind is the Active Family Carpet, which is resistant to all the dirt and outside that your children are likely going to bring inside. For consumers on a budget there is the absolute basic Essentials carpet. As its name suggests, its the cheapest of the bunch. However, the durability is standard for all StainMaster carpet. All carpets listed above include a lifetime warranty. Karastan: Karastan is a company based in a small town of Dalton, GA that is known to revolutionize designs not found in the market. Known for their innovation and craftsmanship, choosing Karastan means choosing style. From contemporary, tradition and even animal print, Karastan has something in store for all consumers. The company is focused on what style fits perfect with each home as the designers construct unique carpets for all potential homes and office settings. Only certain types of carpets qualify for warranties, however most of the modern carpets they offer come with a lifetime stain and pet warranty.
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Removing pet odors from your carpet can be a perplexing task. Most people have indoor pets who sometimes pee and often wet our carpets with stains and bad odors. With the improvement of local products, we have developed the skills and ways of removing the stubborn stains and odor from your carpet. The home solutions and remedies for cleaning stains and getting rid of bad odors from the carpet are explained in this article.
Baking Soda and vinegar have sought to be the common method used because it is easy, effective, and requires almost no scrubbing. Others say that they use hydrogen peroxide but even with all these, you will need more than a one-time solution which will include buying things like: - Deodorizing products and carpet cleaners. - Baking Soda-Based Carpet Deodorizer. - Deodorizing with Vinegar. - Cleaning and Deodorizing Carpets with Vodka. - Baking Soda. - - Enzymatic Cleaner (proteins that kick off natural chemical reactions at the molecular level, and catalyze their breakdown) When you are using baking soda and water, you need to combine the two to make a paste. Apply the paste to the affected area then, pour distilled white vinegar over to cover the stain. If you can still see or smell the stain you can wash again or use an enzymatic cleaner. All of this can help but if you truly want your carpet to be fresh and not have that pet odor you can call your favorite carpet cleaner to the rescue! We offer fast appointments and we promise you will love our service. Enzymatic Cleaner has become the most effective in the removal of pet odor which is sold at available local pet stores. It helps a lot in eliminating pet odors from the carpet with maximum effect. Directions: Pour the cleaner on the affected area (soaking it well will saturate the carpet), then cover it with a material. Let it stay for a while for it to work at its best because drying it quickly will still result in urine smells. For stains that have already set: - Make an effort of renting a really good carpet-cleaner from your nearest grocery or hardware store - Once you clean the area, get a good quality pet-odor neutralizer. - If the stain is still visible, use a carpet stain-remover once the area is dry, that is, after extracting and after neutralizing. Pet Stains on Carpet When it comes to pet stains on the carpet, the hot water extraction cleaning process is your best bet as well. There is no comparison with other products although spot cleaning is also a viable option. The best way to clean the stain is as soon as it happens. First, you need to soak the stain, apply the carpet-cleaning solution, and don't wash the stain while scrubbing it thoroughly. Scrubbing deeply into the stains will only drive that stain further into your carpet's fiber. The procedure of saturating, soaking, and light scrubbing, is the only way to truly get rid of pet stains on the carpet. Deodorizing a carpet When we are deodorizing a carpet the first step is to remove any remaining particles on the carpet, and this is done by vacuuming the carpet slowly to avoid missing any spot. The next step is to sprinkle a size-able amount of any type of baking soda on the affected area. Let this sit in for some hours. The longer the baking soda sits, the more likely it will deliver positive results because baking soda absorbs, smells instead of covering it. Preventing Pets From Peeing on the carpet Dog owners should learn this trick of mixing lemon juice either by using a commercial-made lemon juice or by squeezing a fresh lemon and added some water then sprinkle it on the carpets. The smell is pleasant for the people in the house but it dogs hate it, hence, they will stay away from that carpet. Its acid is also effective in cleaning and removing urine odor from carpets.
3 Quick and Easy Methods of Removing Wine Stains from your Carpets
A glass of good wine can be the perfect accompaniment to any dinner or house party. Just as your toast will always land on its buttered side, it seems like there's a rule wine follows as well - if it spills, it must spill on your pristine carpet. Frustrating. For all you fans of the good grape out there who wonder how you can clear the unsightly wine stains from carpeting, here are a couple of easy, effective methods you can use with ingredients you'll find in any kitchen. But First Thing's First... There's one thing you need to know about wine spills - the more you let them sit on your carpet, the harder they are to clean. The moment you notice a spill, what you should do is immediately get a rag or paper towel and use it to blot up as much of it as you can. Don't use a sideways motion to do this, vertically pat the area gently yet firmly to minimize the spread of the stain. Once it begins to get harder to pick up the wine this way, pour on a little bit of cold water and continue the blotting util you can't get any more wine this way. Now, on to the stain removal methods you can use to clear them completely: 1. Vinegar Solution Method Take a large bowl and mix in the following: a tablespoon of dish-washing soap, a vinegar spoonful, and clean cold water. Note that only white vinegar is to be used here as other types can leave their own stains. Wet a clean rag with your solution and use it to dab the stained area, allowing the solution to seep into your carpet. Using another rag, blot up the solution and the loosened wine stain. Alternate these two for about fifteen minutes. Now, take some cold water and yet another rag. Soak your rag or pour a little bi of the water on the stain to dilute it the blot up the solution with the rag. You can go back to the vinegar solution and run through the process as many times as necessary to get the stain out completely. Be patient. It works. Of course we all love DIY tips that will help us quick to make sure a stain does't set in. However, many times there are situations where these DIY tips don't really work as well as we would like them to and we find ourselves in need of a Surprise Carpet Cleaning Company to the rescue. Give us a call today if you find any of the following tips lacking in the final results. 2. Salt Method Cover up your stain area after doing your initial dabbing up with common table salt. Salt is a good absorbent of moisture, and will gradually draw up the moisture from the carpet fibers. Remember that this will only work if the stain is still moist, so if it's starting to dry out you can add a little bit of water onto it. Allow the salt to sit until it take son a red-pink color. You don't need to rush it, you can even let the salt sit overnight if you've got the time to spare. Once this is done, you can scoop up the salt mass with a spoon and discard it. Take a vacuum and use it to suck up any loose particles remaining in your carpet fibers. Your stain should be gone completely. 3. Hydrogen Peroxide and Dish Soap Method Note: This method might only be suitable for lighter colored carpets as hydrogen peroxide has some bleaching qualities. Mix up about half a cup of hydrogen peroxide with a healthy squirt of your dish soap. Take a rag and wet it with your solution then use it to gently dab the stain, allowing the solution to get into the carpet. Let it so or about ten minutes so that it can sink into the carpet thoroughly. Take a spray bottle containing cold water mixed in with a little bit of soapy water and lightly spray the stained area. A fresh towel will work just fine if a spray bottle isn't available. Your stain should be looking noticeably better by now. Take some warm water and a clean rag and use the wet rag to blot up the solution until there's no residual soapiness. To finish, use a dry rag to completely eliminate any moisture remaining. You're done, and your carpet should be looking as good as new. |
What you'll find hereHelpful tips about how you can maintain your carpet, tile, grout and upholstery - as well as some of our stories. Archives
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