Helpful Hints

Don’t Panic!  Grab a white terry towel and start blotting.  (If you don’t have a supply of old white towels, buy several packages at the auto supply store.)  Keep blotting, NOT rubbing, until you don’t get any more liquid up.  Always turn the towel to have a clean area to use, and change when necessary.  You can step on a folded towel to draw a deep spill up. Once you’ve absorbed most the spill, start using carpet spotter. Spray the spot, work it in and let it sit a minute or two.  Blot as before.  Keep spraying and blotting until no more color transfers to the towel.  Rinse by spraying with clear water and blotting.  When you’ve done what you [...]

Keep Spring Cleaning To  A Minimum!  Keep a spray bottle of all purpose cleaner under each sink. Mount a small towel bar inside the cabinet door for 2 micro-fiber cloths (one for mirrors, one for sinks). Make a habit of wiping the sink and counter after each use. Keep baking soda in the bathroom cabinet. After you flush the toilet, sprinkle 1/4 cup into the wet bowl. Take your shower and then give the bowl a single scrub. Flush to rinse. Put a good-sized squeegee inside your shower and make a habit of wiping down the walls after each shower. Have your Micro-Fiber Floor Mop handy to clean kitchen and bathroom floors often. This eliminates a tough buildup of [...]

The easiest way to “spring clean” is to do a little all year long!  Sneak some little deep cleaning chore into every cleaning session.  Clean out one cupboard or one drawer; do the high dusting;  wash one set of curtains or one shelf of dusty goblets in the china hutch.  Don’t fail to act when the impulse strikes!  If an urge to clean or organize suddenly comes over you, don’t let anything stand in your way—no matter what time or season it is. How can you create the urge if it doesn't come naturally? Get into your “cleaning uniform”. Include a work apron with pockets to carry cleaning cloths and tools. Organize a cleaning caddy that is always stocked [...]

1)    Use good quality, absorbent entrance mats both inside and outside your doors.  They should be long enough to allow 3-4 footsteps to remove 95% of the soil on your shoes.  (It always helps to train husband and children to wipe their feet, too.)  Clean the mats often.  Note:  While entrance mats are a must, be careful about using scatter rugs on the rest of the carpet.  The dyes in the rug could bleed, or a latex backing may cause discoloration.  They can also be a trip hazard.  2)     Vacuum the main walkways more often;  several times a week if you have a family.  Don’t rush the vacuuming.  Move slowly so the machine can do its job.  (Change the [...]

You made a big investment in carpet.  You want it to look great for a long time.  What is the single most important thing You can do?  In a word, Vacuum!  Do you love vacuuming?  I thought not!  So here are a few tips to make your work really count… 1) Vacuum Properly: Take your time! Your vacuum will do its’ job better, and you won’t get worn out. Don’t bend over. Stand straight and take shorter strokes. Guide the vacuum, rather than pushing it strenuously. Try to develop good “vacuum posture”. Take a few more minutes to have a cleaner carpet and no sore back! Change the pattern of your strokes.   From time to time vacuum at right [...]

The best method is the one that truly cleans your carpet! Hidden soil is your carpet’s worst enemy.  Grit causes abrasion, weakening the fibers and wearing out the carpet more quickly.   Extracting that soil is the key to keeping your carpet beautiful for many years.   Shampooing and “Dry-Chem” methods only clean the surface of the carpet.  The hidden soil is not removed and a residue is left which causes rapid re-soiling.   Carpet Manufacturers will honor a warranty only if your carpet is regularly cleaned by the “Hot Water Extraction” method, commonly called steam cleaning. This method (using a van-mounted machine) applies hot water to your carpet, flushing out the soil which is then extracted by a very [...]