Category: Cleaning

Ultimate Carpet Cleaning Guide for Every Homeowner

Do you wish to give your home a fresh and inspiring feel, this New Year? Are you on the lookout for ways to ensure a welcoming environment in your home? If so, seeking professional carpet cleaning services is necessary to maintain good hygiene standards and ensure inviting ambience. Clean carpeting creates a great impression and enhances the appeal of your interiors.

Grubby carpets have an opposite effect, creating an unhygienic and cluttered impression. Whilst carpets age from the moment they are laid, you can maintain their appearance with a few key steps. Carpeting is often the breeding ground for microorganisms like mould, mildew, dust mites and other pollutants. Maintaining the clean and fresh appearance of your carpeting is essential to creating a hygienic and clutter-free impression

Vacuum Your Carpets Regularly

Do you know that whenever you walk on a rug, you transfer particles of dust and dirt onto the carpet fibres? This debris quickly degrades your carpet fibres and makes them look grubby with time. In case you have kids or pets in your home, vacuuming thoroughly on a regular basis is important. And, even if you live alone, vacuuming a few times every week is important. This will make a difference in the appeal and life of your carpet a few years down the line.

Remove Your Shoes

The quickest way your carpet will age prematurely is to walk over them with your shoes on. Also, it causes soiling. Outdoor footwear traps dirt in the treads and deposits it onto your carpet. This dirt will act as an abrasive agent to the carpet fibres. Not only does this cause them to wear out, but also lose their original quality.

Hire Professional Cleaners

Specialist carpet cleaning will preserve the attractive look of your carpets and ensure they last many years to come. Clean carpets tend to last for numerous years longer than if they are neglected. While vacuuming can remove some of the debris from the fibres, expert cleaning can clean deep down into the base. Also, it can remove stains even before they become permanent stains.

CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE

What You Need to Know

The beauty and life of your carpet depend on the care it receives. Proper cleaning will keep it looking great for its full lifetime, help improve your indoor air quality, and keep your carpet warranties intact.

Cleaning your carpet properly is easier than you think. All it takes is a little knowledge about how to select the right carpet cleaning products and the right way to clean your carpet.  The Seal of Approval Program helps you easily identify effective carpet cleaning solutions, equipment, and service providers that clean carpet right the first time, without the fear of faster resoiling, stains reappearing, or damage to your carpet or the environment.

Steps for Proper Carpet Care

Carpet cleaning is all about developing a routine. If you get into a good routine and keep it up, you will see great results. Products that rate highly on Seal of Approval (SOA) program are your assurance that you will clean correctly the first time (more on the SOA program below).

Here are four simple steps to keep your carpet clean and looking great:

Vacuum regularly and more frequently in high traffic areas, and everywhere according to a vacuuming schedule, using a Seal of Approval-certified vacuum.

Clean spots and spills quickly with products that do not damage the carpet or cause it to resoil quicker. SOA-certified solutions to clean effectively and maintain the life of carpet.

Professionally deep clean your carpets every 12 to 18 months to remove embedded dirt and grime. SOA-certified cleaners are recommended and sometimes required by the manufacturer.

Stop dirt at the door by using mats outside and in, taking your shoes off when you enter the house and changing your air filters to reduce airborne dust particles.

Basic Rug Care

Rugs deserve the same care as wall-to-wall carpet and, in some cases, require special attention.

Washing rugs — If your rug is small and the label says “machine washable,” shake the rug outside first and then put it in the washing machine at the recommended temperature. Use warm water (90 to 105 degrees) and a mild detergent. Tumble your rug dry on the lowest heat setting.

Beating larger rugs — If your larger rug is easy to pick up, shake it outside first; then put it over a clothesline and beat it. Next, take the rug inside and vacuum it. Many carpet cleaning professionals have rug cleaning expertise as well, but, if the label says dry clean only, your best bet may be to roll it up and take it to a dry cleaner. Save time by calling first to see if the cleaner does rug cleaning — many do not.

Vacuuming area rugs — Area rugs with fringe require special technique. Use gentle suction and start from the center of the carpet, vacuuming toward the fringe, and being careful not to catch the strands in the beater bar. Lift the carpet edge to vacuum beneath the fringe.

Caring for Oriental, Turkish, or Persian rugs — Clean imported rugs according to your carpet manufacturer’s specifications or bring in a professional cleaning service. Be gentle with fringe. For heirloom-type rugs, you need to hire a professional.

Carpet Cleaning Instructions

Whether you are having a big party or it’s just time for a thorough house cleaning, these carpet cleaning instructions will provide you with the knowledge to get the job done right.

Carpet Cleaning Instructions

When cleaning your carpet, follow these carpet cleaning instructions to make sure stains are removed as well as leaving your flooring feeling clean and fresh.

Vacuum

Vacuuming is the first step in cleaning your carpets. You want to remove as much loose dry dirt as possible so that it will not be set into the carpet while cleaning. Vacuum the carpet from several directions (horizontally and vertically) to fluff up the carpet fibers and remove the most debris.

Inspect For Stains

Crawl or walk around the entire carpeted area looking for stains. Determine what type of stains you find or what caused the stain and use the cleaning method best for that type of stain.

Treat the Stains

It is best to treat stains as quickly as possible after they occur, to prevent the stain from setting into the carpet fibers. If the stain occurred sometime in the past, you should still try to remove it. Different types of stains require different treatments.

Taking Care of Your Carpet

Cleaning your carpet is easier than you think. All is takes is the right vacuum, cleaning products, and a little know-how. Here are a few tips on removing common stains the right way:

Always treat the affected area immediately. The longer the spill sits there, the harder it’ll be to remove the stain.

For a food spill, gently remove as much solid material as you can with a spoon, or a dull knife. Add water and blot, using detergent sparingly if needed. Then, using the highest suction function, vacuum back and forth, adding more water to the stain as you go until completely clean.

If you need a spot removal solvent, use a product approved by The Carpet and Rug Institute of America. Apply several drops to a clean white cloth and blot the carpet in an inconspicuous area. If you notice a change in the carpet color, consult a professional carpet cleaner.

If stains remain after cleaning, moisten tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide and let stand for one hour. Blot and repeat until completely clean.

Keeping Your Carpet Beautiful

Follow these simple tips to keep your carpet’s color and texture looking fresh.

Vacuum your carpet regularly to prevent soil from embedding itself in the pile.

Depending on the type of carpet you have, you’ll want to use a vacuum with a rotating brush, a beater bar, or suction only.

Keeping traffic and other use factors in mind, consider professional cleaning every 12 to 18 months.

Use scissors to clip sprouts and snags. Don’t pull on them—you might damage the carpet.

If your carpet is burned, simply remove the tops of the dark, burnt fibers with curved fingernail scissors. If the burn is extensive, you may need to patch or replace it.

Remove heavy furniture dents by stroking the dented area with the edge of a coin. You can also use a hair dryer or a steam iron, but be very careful not to touch the carpet with the iron.

For extensive water damage, consult professional cleaners to dry your carpet from the front and back.

Tips for Soft Carpet

Adjustable Height — Use the highest setting where appropriate.

Efficient Airflow — Avoid vacuums with very concentrated or sealed suction.

Large Wheels — A vacuum with large wheels is easier to move across soft carpeting.

How to Clean Carpet Like a Pro for Floors that Look Like New

Carpet has many merits and advantages as a flooring material, but spills can leave stains and daily traffic takes its toll. Learn how to clean carpet with methods for vacuuming, deep cleaning, and stain removal that will help your carpets look better and last longer.

Carpets warm a home by adding color, pattern, and texture. However, keeping your carpets looking fresh requires a different cleaning method than an area rug or hardwood floors, for example.

Frequent vacuuming provides the first line of defense against dirt and grit that damages carpet fibers, but carpets also need regular cleaning to keep them looking their best. Plan to deep clean your carpet every 12 to 18 months (or more often in high-traffic areas). If you have light-colored carpet or kids or pets, consider a deep clean two or three times a year.

Refer to the carpet manufacturer’s guidelines before cleaning your carpets. Then use our instructions below for the best carpet cleaning tips. We’ll show you how to clean carpet with various methods such as water extraction, dry extraction, rental carpet cleaners, and more.

How to Test for Colorfastness

Before you begin cleaning carpets, the first step is to test its colorfastness. Colorfast carpet will not bleed, fade, or change when you are cleaning it or removing stains. The colorfastness will help you decide the best carpet cleaning method, products, or machines to use.

House Cleaning Tips And Household Hints

House cleaning tips and household hints are some of my favorite things to talk about here at Household Management

That is because cleaning is a natural part of life, but there is no reason it has to take over our lives. I like to use cleaning tips like the ones you see below

Higher resale value when you sell your home, because everything has been kept in good shape, with minimal wear and tear.

A cleaner home saves money. You don’t have to replace furnishing, carpeting, etc. as often because you take good care of it.

This reason for cleaning your house actually has several parts to it. It improves your family’s health and safety in the following ways:

Fewer accidents, because there is less tripping over clutter or slipping on spills;

Breathe fresher air, without as much dust (and if you use homemade cleaners less chemical fumes too);

Disinfecting surfaces and removing germs and pathogens lessens illnesses for your family;

Being able to cook at home because your kitchen is clean allows you to cook healthier food than eating out (and saves you money too!).

How to Professionally Clean a Home

You have decided you want to start a house cleaning business and clean homes professionally. Cleaning your own home and cleaning someone else’s home professionally is a whole different ballgame.

You have to be very thorough when cleaning professionally. Clients are paying you for a luxury service and they expect and deserve top notch cleaning. It takes quite awhile to learn how to clean a home professionally.

The best thing to do when starting out is ask some friends and family members if you can clean their homes for free or at a discounted rate. I know the thought of cleaning for free is not appealing but you will not only gain much needed experience but you will get some good testimonials and references (which you will need when you obtain those first clients).

When first starting out don’t worry about how long it takes to clean a home. Always do an initial thorough cleaning on the first cleaning. After you have been cleaning for awhile you will become more efficient and will be able to do a through cleaning in a lot less time.

Start at the top of the home and work your way down. This cleaning routine is for a one person cleaner just starting out. Of course the routine changes with more cleaners. When you have more cleaners in the home each person is responsible for different tasks

You Can Spring-Clean Your Entire House In a Day—Here’s How

For those seeking a useful way to spend their time during social distancing—or anyone simply interested in forging a deeper connection with their homes—HB has launched Home Love, a series of daily tips and ideas to make every minute indoors more productive (and gratifying!). We’ll be sharing a new one every day until April 1st.

When the weather starts to warm up, it’s a sign to bust open your windows—and, perhaps less exciting, your cleaning supplies cabinet. And as much as we appreciate the concept of spring cleaning, you’d be well advised to regularly tidy up year-round to prevent the deepest of deep cleans come March. Not sure where to start your spring cleaning project? Use this to-do list, which includes all the spots you’ve most likely been neglecting and instructions on how to tackle them like a pro. Here’s to spring cleaning (or just deep cleaning in summer, fall, or winter) the entire house in one day

Your Cabinets

Over time, build-up can collect on your kitchen cabinets — especially if you don’t run the exhaust hood over your range while you cook to keep grease from settling. To remove, use Parker & Bailey Kitchen Cabinet Cream to cut through the dirt and leave wood moisturized.

Your Windows

Instead of just wiping down the inside, make sure you take to the outdoors with Hope’s Perfect Glass Cleaner during spring cleaning season to remove spots and smudges you don’t usually have time to tackle. Pro tip? Wash them on a cloudy day to ensure that the sun won’t dry the cleanser before you’re done wiping

Your Countertops

The first step to preventing granite stains: Seal your countertops as soon as they’re installed, says kitchen designer Florence Perchuk. You’ll know they’re sealed properly when water beads and forms droplets on the surface. To maintain, have them sealed again a year later and make sure you wipe up accidental spills as soon as they happen.

House Cleaning

Set Up a Cleaning Plan

Choose a weekly, biweekly, or monthly cleaning plan. We schedule your recurring bookings to make things easy – but don’t worry, you can always reschedule if things change.

Manage Everything Online

Rescheduling, contacting your professional, and tipping are just a tap away.

Sit Back and Relax

An experienced, fully-equipped housekeeping professional will be there on time.

Reliable

When you schedule a cleaner or maid service through to come to your home, you can rest assured knowing that someone will be at your home ready to go at the time you specified. They’ll help return your bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, living room, and more to the like-new condition that you remember from when you first moved in!

Convenient

Late nights at work preventing you from keeping your apartment tidy? Too busy taking the kids to school, practices, and playdates to vacuum the floors? We know life can be crazy and unpredictable, and when you’re tired and overworked, the last thing anybody wants to do is clean their home. Whatever the reason you’re looking for home cleaning help, Handy has you covered.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE CLEAN WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE TIME

There are never enough hours in a day, or even minutes within the hour, to accomplish everything a busy person needs to get done. Sometimes, we find ourselves needing to look like we have it all pulled together and that we are managing it all well, despite the stress.

Let’s talk housekeeping; this is one area where when we get busy, the house is usually the first thing to go. By going, I mean it can turn into a hot mess in a matter of hours. Multiply that by a few days of non-stop going and you have a recipe for disaster.

TIPS TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE CLEAN

There is a better way, though. A few simple tricks really, that can save you the headache of having your domestic palace fall apart at the seams while you are busy doing life. Follow along and see just how to keep your house clean, even when you don’t have time to clean. 

CATEGORIZE

Feeling overwhelmed at the mountain of clutter your house can become in a short time can increase anyone’s anxiety. Therefore, categorize.

Pick an area of your house that you can do a quick 20-minute intense cleaning on daily. Start with the kitchen, maybe the next day the bathroom, and then the living room, you get the picture.