Maintaining Carpets Between Cleanings in a Cost Effective Way

Hair. Dirt. Dust. Allergens. New stains. Old stains. How can you keep all of this out of your carpet  and upholstery without relying solely on professionals? Of course as a company that cleans carpets and upholstery we want you to use our services, otherwise we wouldn’t have a business, but we care about the wellbeing of our customers and aim to make life as easy as we can for them. Cleaning and maintaining your carpet in between our visits can help to not only keep allergins down and prolong the life of your carpet, but it can also help to expand the amount of time that can go by between professional cleaning. Here are some quick tips that can help you take better care of your carpet without breaking the bank.

1.) Window Squeegee to Remove Pet and Human Hair

Using a window squeegee that you can buy at places like Home Depot, Wallmart, Meijer or really any department store you can remove even the stickiest of hairs from your carpet and upholstery. Make sure that your squeegee has a long handle so that you are not over extending your back during the process. Simply drag/pull the squeegee across the carpet or upholstery towards you. The hair will start to clump up in a pile. When you have a ton of hair to remove it is best to pull in one direction and then move and pull across the floor in a different direction afterwards.

For even better results, spray your carpet with this home made febreeze solution that is made up of fabric softener (or conditioner), vinegar, baking soda and water. You don’t have to soak the carpet, but just give it a light spray and allow it to dry before you get started. This will help soften up hairs that tend to stick to the floor and/or upholstery and as an added bonus, make it smell better!

Staying on top of hair build up on your floors and upholstery helps keep allergins and dust down tremendously.

Window Squeegee for Pet Hair

A home that is lived simply can not avoid having spills, dirt and dust happen on your carpet or upholstery especially when you have kids and pets! Kids and pets get sick and have accidents. This can leave very foul smells as well as stains. This next solution is a great way to remove what’s left behind after someone or something gets sick all over your floor.

2.) Cleaning Up Throw Up

It is important that with any spill or accident on your carpet or upholstery that you do not rub the stain. This will only push the particles deeper into the carpet. You want to dab and apply pressure but never rub.

The first thing you need to do is remove what came up. It might be a bit gross to talk about but it happens to the best of us. If you have any chunky substances use paper towel to grab it up or even a dust pan, piece of card born or spatula to scoop it up.

After that has been removed. Take a spray bottle with cold water or club soda and  generously spray the area then blot with a towel.

Next dissolve 1 tablespoon of table salt into two cups of warm water. Then mix in about one tablespoon of laundry detergent, 1/2 a cup of white vinegar and a couple table spoons of rubbing alcohol. DO NOT USE PEROXIDE AS A SUBSTITUTE! Using a sponge, dab the solution over that area several times. Blot with a towel and then repeat the process.

After the area looks clean take a cup of warm water and a towel and blot the area a few more times to rinse any left over solution out of the carpet.

If you have a dehumidifier or even just a fan, it is always a good idea to use them to help dry up carpet or upholstery.

3.) Removing an Old Stain.

iron out a stain

This is a great tip that has been around for decades to remove old stains from your carpet or upholstery! Make a solution that consists of hot water and ammonia or hot water and clear or yellow windex. Mix it about half and half. Pour the solution on the stain until it feels like the area is well saturated. Take a towel, (not a paper towel) and lay it over the stain. Next take a clothing iron and gently rub it over the towel. You do not need to press the iron down hard, in fact you should avoid doing so. You’ll also want to keep the iron on a lower temperature. The iron is just there to help heat and break up the stain. Remove the towel and blot away the stain. Repeat this process until it’s gone. This may require using multiple towels for larger and deeper staines. It is also very important to make sure to ventilate the area very well. Ammonia is our friend for really cleaning things well, but has a foul oder and isn’t good to breath in. This can get just about any stain out of your carpet. If you come across one that it doesn’t work on let us know!

If you live in Hasting, Battle Creek, Middleville, Nashville, Vermontville, Lansing or any of the surrounding areas in Michigan we’d love to help you jump start your spring cleaning this year by servicing your carpets, floors and upholstery. Sign up for our e-mail list bellow and we will send you a free $10 off coupon!

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45 Uses for Vinegar

Keeping with the vinegar theme…

Cierra's Country Life

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Unleash the power of white vinegar―an all-purpose cleaner, brightener, herbicide and more. Just a bit of this multitasker, straight up or mixed with water, can replace many pricier products huddled under your sink. Try these tips to see how vinegar can make your life cheaper and easier.

1. Freshen up the fridge. Clean the shelves and walls with a solution of half water and half vinegar.

2. Brighten coffee cups and teacups. Gently scrub stains with equal parts vinegar and salt (or baking soda).

3. Eliminate odors. Swab plastic containers with a cloth dampened with vinegar.

4. Kill bathroom germs. Spray full-strength vinegar around the sink and tub. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.

5. Save a garment. To remove light scorch marks on fabrics, rub gently with vinegar. Wipe with a clean cloth. This technique also works on antiperspirant stains.

6. Tidy up a toilet. Pour a cup or more…

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Vinegar…Our Spring Cleaning Best Friend!

The flowers are blooming and the trees are budding… hooray! That means it’s time to open up your windows and let the freshening of your home begin. There are so many different kinds of cleaning products out there that claim to be the end all be all solution to your cleaning needs but you don’t really need to buy into all that. You can save a lot of money and super clean your home better than ever by using some of these home made solutions.

 

1.) Orange Peels Soaked in Vinegar

Do you love the way vinegar cleans your home but can’t stand the smell? We totally understand how you feel! Luckily we know the “key” to making vinegar your best friend. All you need to do is fill a mason jar (or multiple jars) with orange peels, then pour in your vinegar and leave it to soak for about two weeks. Once this is done you will have a cleaning solution that not only cleans better than vinegar alone, it also smells much better! You can even use the peels to polish your sinks and other stainless steel appliances in your home!

orange peels soaked in vinegar

 

2.) Vinegar/Baking Soda Magic Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Okay, so it’s not actually magic, but the way it cleans hard to remove rings in your toilet, you would think that it is. All you need is a half a cup of vinegar, a half a cup of baking soda, and two cups of warm water. Mix it all together and pour it in your toilet bowl. Not only does this solution remove stains and grime in your toilet, it will also remove any orders that can linger in your toilet.

3.) Microwaves Saunna that Cleans!

Cleaning the microwave always seems to be such a daunting taks and we try but we aren’t always successful at avoiding blowing up our favorite saucy meals in them. Fortunately we once again can call on our dear friend vinegar! Set a glass measuring cup in your microwave with one cup vinegar and one cup water. Microwave on high for ten minutes and your microwave will be good as new. You’ll just need to wipe down the inside quickly with a towel afterwards.

 

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