A-1 Cleaning Service, LLC for the second year in the row took first place for Carpet Cleaning in the Eureka Times-Standard Readers Choice Opinion Poll. The competition was stiff this year, but A-1 Cleaning excellent reputation for superior customer service helped them again to achieve this honor. A-1 Cleaning Service, LLC aka A-1 Carpet Cleaning is also celebrating 25 years in business this year, which is quite an accomplishment these days. A-1 Carpet Cleaning is a family-owned business that also provides commercial office cleaning, residential maid services, and window washing.
Thank you Humboldt County for voting us BEST in Humboldt again! This is our 3rd year in a row for Best Carpet Cleaning and for Best Cleaning Company. We also won back an old title for best cleaning company we’ve had before with the Times Standard Readers Choice Awards too. It’s been a really great year here at A-1 headquarters! We are all thrilled our team of pro’s have been recognized for their quality work. Your satisfaction has been our goal from the beginning and that will never change. So once more thank you Humboldt for giving us the opportunity to serve you for 24 years and for voting us Best Carpet Cleaning & Best Cleaning Service in HUmboldt County! We are more excited than ever to provide you with excellent service by quality people with cutting edge technology.
We always enjoy celebrating with our staff this accomplishment. Here are a few pictures from the party that the The North Coast Journal through for us besties.
Our Lady Pros Dressed for BOH 2019 Prom Night theme party.William & Dianna Hardwick posing proudly with their 2019 award.The rest of the team posing on the red carpet.
When it comes to coziness, its ability to provide a cushiony, warm surface underfoot, and comfort when coming into your home, we know there is nothing like a carpeted floor. However, if you want to keep it as new, there are some musts you should know about:
Know Your Carpet Material
If you know your materials, it will be easier to understand how to care for them. Some of the most common carpet materials are
Nylon: it’s very soft, durable, and resistant to stains and abrasion.
Polypropylene: highly stain-resistant but is prone to soiling and holding onto oils, which collect dirt.
Polyester: this is a non-allergenic fabric but prone to flattening underweight.
Acrylic: has good resistance, but it is not a very durable material.
Wool: low-grade wool is more susceptible to staining, while high-grade wool could be a bit expensive.
Cleaning
When it comes to cleaning your carpet, you should be doing some essential things once in a while. Vacuuming often and doing it correctly with the right vacuum is something that will keep your carpet clean and your family healthy. Address spills when they happen with ice cubes, vinegar, baking soda, shaving cream, rubbing alcohol, etc. Speaking of ice cubes, you might not have them ready when you do have an accidental spill on your precious carpet. Understandably, you would need to know more about how long it takes to freeze water (read up this blog on Simully to know more) and use it for the same purpose. Until then, you can utilize these techniques and opt for something that can work in the meantime.
You can also try using eco-friendly products that you know would be gentle with your carpet material.
Hiring a professional every spring cleaning to do some deep cleaning to get to those places you could not is a great way to maintain your carpets spotless. You may search for a term similar to carpet cleaning services Fernandina Beach, or one more relevant to your area, in order to find a professional to help with some deep cleaning
Caring
There are many simple things you can do on a daily basis that will maintain your carpet, like taking your shoes off indoors, having a rug on any entrance so people can wipe their feet or leave their shoes, keeping sharp furniture away from your carpet, or moving places often so it won’t leave a mark on it. Also, watch for trafficked areas and clean any dust or vacuum more often if necessary. And last but not least, don’t forget to clip or trim any loose carpet fiber very carefully.
Having a carpet can give you comfort and that cozy feeling of being home, but sometimes it can be challenging, but if you take care of it with proper and regular maintenance, you could just enjoy your soft and warm carpet for many years.
Renting a storage unit Christiansburg is an ideal option to have extra space to store your belongings temporarily. It’s an asset that’s practical to have if you only have limited space at home or your workplace. However, it’s also a responsibility that you have to deal with.
Paying to rent a self-storage space from someone like Jim’s Self Storage Melbourne is like renting an apartment; you have to maintain it yourself. You can’t have the provider do it for you because your stuff is in it, and you’re spending good money for it. An important part of maintaining is ensuring its cleanliness, particularly if you’ll use it for the long run.
Occasional cleaning of your storage units Lynchburg is essential to keep your belongings in good condition. Though you won’t be using most of what’s in it, it still makes sense to keep them clean when the time comes that you’ll need them. In this article, you’ll find some ways to keep your self-storage unit clean.
Declutter and take everything out
Regardless of if you only have a few items stored in your unit, you still have to declutter. This is all the more necessary for those whose units are full. You should also do this even if you’re cleaning yours for the first time.
Proper decluttering is done by removing every content of your self-storage. Most storage facilities are left closed and are only opened a few times annually, which causes dust and dirt to accumulate. So before you start cleaning, you should take all your stuff out first.
Remove all the items in every container or box it’s packed in. You can then group them so you can sort them in preparation for individual cleaning and return. As for the boxes and cartons that you think you won’t be needing, you could contact services similar to Rubbish Removals Clayton in your area to get those whisked away for your home and yard to look spick and span!
Dustproof your things
You can avoid dust accumulation by replacing the packing material of your belongings. Instead of using traditional boxes for packing, use plastic containers. After you’ve decluttered, removed each item, and cleaned them, put them in plastic containers before returning them inside.
Plastic containers are more durable and easier to clean. They’re also less susceptible to pests like termites, so they’re safer for books, files, and documents. Just don’t stuff them with too many heavy items, or they’ll break after a short time due to the weight it carries.
Another way of dust proofing your things inside your self-storage unit is to elevate them. The ground is normally where dust accumulates, so keeping them off is a wise thing to do. You can bring in shelves or pallets to provide elevation for your items in order to keep enough air circulation inside your storage unit.
As for larger items like furniture or hefty appliances, you should cover them with plastic wraps. In case you don’t have those, you can use old blankets as a good alternative.
Stick to a regular cleaning schedule
Lastly, you have to check and clean your storage unit regularly. Regularly means on schedule, and you should follow it religiously. It’s recommended that you should do it at least once or twice every year.
Remember that even though you’ve done everything to keep it clean the last time, it’s not a guarantee that it’ll remain that way. Maintaining it is the key for it to stay clean. It’s also beneficial to check to see if there are items that you may not need or damaged ones to decide whether to repair or sell them.
Final words
The best way to go about having a self-storage unit is to keep it clean. Do everything you can to maintain cleanliness inside for the sake of your belongings. Keep in mind that you stored them there because they still have value, so keep your self-storage dirt-free to protect them.
Author’s Bio: William Ross worked for a storage and logistics company before he finally decided he wanted to pursue his writing career. Today, he writes about the importance of storage facilities and organization, and how this will be the future of the storehouse industry.
It’s crucially important to keep your windows clean. There are many ways one can keep their windows clean. For instance, one can buy Window Shades and blinds which are known to collect dust, hair, and other dirt, thereby keeping the windows cleaner. Nonetheless, there are those who might prefer to clean their windows at regular intervals rather than buy shades.
Washing your windows regularly not only increases the lifespan of your windows (saving you the cost of glass replacement) but it lets in more sunshine to increase the beauty of your home’s interior.
Many homeowners choose to wash their windows during the warmer summer and spring months, when the weather is more forgiving. Proper cleaning is required at least once or twice a year to prevent windows from getting irrecoverably damaged. And once a window is infected, the next best step would have to be hiring professionals for a new window installation in Denver Colorado (if that is where you live). However, you need not worry if you have just missed one springtime cleaning appointment. If you’ve missed your window (no pun intended) to get your cleaning done, or feel that there’s some buildup of dirt and grime on your windows at the moment, here are some helpful tips on how to clean your windows during the winter.
Winter Cleaning Essentials
In order to best clean your windows during the cold winter months, you’ll need the following tools and equipment.
A Squeegee-this is an essential item, since it’s what you’ll be using to scrape away any dirt and grime from your window panes.
A Towel-you don’t want to use paper towels here, since they’ll easily get soaked and potentially freeze over. Instead use a thick, durable towel or series of rags.
Thick Rubber Gloves-If you want to put regular gloves underneath these gloves for added warmth, that would be a good idea. However, make sure the outermost layer is thick rubber or plastic. You want something waterproof so that your gloves don’t soak up water and turn to ice.
A Winter Window Cleaning Solution-regular cleaning solution is likely to freeze in low temperatures. To make an effective cleaning solution that will not turn to ice, add one part of warm water to two parts of windshield washer fluid you would use in your car.
Warm Clothing-a coat and hat to protect you from the elements, along with boots to keep your feet warm.
Once you’ve gotten your essentials, it’s time to get to work.
First Steps To Clean Your Windows
First you will want to prepare your winter window cleaning solution and get your squeegee and towel. Once you’ve finished that, you should bundle up for the elements. Put on your coat, hats, gloves, and boots. Once you’re ready, it’s time to brave the outdoors.
How To Clean Your Windows
Once you’ve reached the outside of your windows, you will want to apply the window cleaning solution however you see fit. You can apply it manually with a sponge or a soaked rag, or you can place the solution in a spray bottle. If you’re not so fond of doing all the dirty work, try hiring window cleaning experts from firms like Aqua Pro Company.
Either way, you’ll want to ensure that you don’t oversaturate the windows. You don’t want to have the solution dripping off from the windows and onto your window sills or the exterior of your home. Apply just enough so that the entire window is coated with the solution.
Once you’ve applied your winter window cleaning solution, it’s just a matter of removing it with your squeegee. Take your squeegee and carefully but firmly drag it down the window, from top to bottom. After each use, take your towel to wipe off any solution and dirt from the previous pass.
Continue the process until you’ve scraped the entire window. It’s okay if there’s some solution still left, simply take your towel and wipe that off.
Your windows should be clean. Take a few minutes to check the windows and see if there are any smudges, streaks, or dirt that you might have missed. If you spot imperfections, clean the windows again using the same method until you are satisfied that your windows are sparkling and spot-free.
Apparently, if you feel that some spots are too tough to be removed, the problem might be with the window panes and not your cleaning procedure. In that case, it would be wise to consult a St. Louis Window Replacement firm (or any firm nearby your house) and get those panes replaced for a new and improved look.
If You’d Rather Stay Out of the Cold, Hire a Professional
Of course, you can always save yourself the hassle by hiring licensed window cleaning professionals like you’ll find at A-1 Cleaning Service, LLC. We specialize in dependable window cleaning services to residential, retail, and commercial properties of all sizes in Humboldt County.
There may be many routines throughout the year that you engage in to keep your house looking sharp. On the inside, it may be waxing the floor, replacing torn window screens and washing upholstery. On the outside, it might be landscaping, cleaning the garage or painting the front door. Though you may think your home is satisfactory, one such cleaning routine that is important to implement is power washing. You can either purchase a pressure washer yourself to do this or hire someone like www.pressurewashingclarksvillemalachiexteriorwash.com to do it for you. A clean property not only elevates the visual appeal of your residence, it also creates a healthy environment for your family.
Power washing might sound like a demanding task, but it’s not as difficult as it seems. All you have to do is set aside an afternoon and invest in a quality machine, and the benefits will follow. Of course, if you didn’t want to do it yourself or are unable to find the time to do it, you could also hire someone like this Pressure washing Richmond Hill, GA service to come out and get the job done for you. The elements can have a serious impact on the house as wind and rain may bring dirt and stain the walls.Power washing prevents long-term damage to your property because it eliminates traces of mold that may be growing on siding, gutters or brick. Not preventing mold formation isn’t best for indoor air quality. You can do a diy mold test to see how bad the mold is affecting your indoor air. Pressure washing can blast through these tough spots and take care of grime, mildew, dust, mold and other potential dangers.
Maintaining the surfaces of the residence ensures that your investments are being protected. It’s crucial to create a solid defense against the elements and potential health concerns caused by mold and grime. By doing so, you can save money down the road by avoiding expensive, premature refinishing or repainting. If you keep ignoring these signs outside your home, in the long run, you might require assistance from experts who specialize in mold remediation in New Jersey (or similar ones in your vicinity. Therefore, protect your family and the environment in the process by using a power washer once or twice a year. For more information on which areas of the house a pressure washer can be used, take a look at our accompanying resource.
Author bio: Debisree Saha is Senior Marketing Strategist at SIMPSON, a leading manufacturer of electric and gas pressure washers. She has 10 years of experience in the industry and focuses on marketing strategy and execution.
Adding up carpets and rugs to your home decor may yield an overall transformation right away. Except when the items are full of dirt and bacteria which will just add up to your mess. Just like there are many reasons why choosing peel and stick wallpaper over painting the walls makes sense in many situations, however, when it comes to carpets, it cannot be discarded while a mess is being made. Either they need to be washed, or professional cleaners should be hired at the earliest. Adding carpet to bedrooms, living rooms, and other rooms of the house enhances the appearance of the flooring. In addition to being available in various styles, colors, and textures, they also require care depending on your preference.
Carpets are prone to dirt and dust as a result of pets living indoors, or a toddler who loves to play and eat on the floor. Those are only samples of reasons why cleaning carpets must be added to your routine. Cleaning carpets by yourself may take hours to finish and may not give your desired result. Here is a post to discuss the Carpet Cleaning Portland methods with sure quality finish as used by the professionals.
Finding a Professional Carpet Cleaning Services
The next thing is to hire a professional carpet cleaning service to do the job the better way. Morley carpet cleaning can offer you the best carpet cleaning services with the latest high-tech equipment. The detergents used are environmentally-friendly that assure the best results at a reliable price.
Five Methods of Carpet Cleaning Used by Professionals
Below is a list of carpet cleaning methods with bonus tips used by professional cleaners. Each method will surely turn your carpets dirt-free and new looking. Read on to discover carpet cleaning services’ techniques in enhancing home floorings!
1. Steam Carpet Cleaning
Steam carpet cleaning also called the hot water extraction cleaning method is commonly used by professional cleaners. If you’ve been searching for something like ‘carpet cleaning services near me‘, you probably already know this! It will take less than 3 hours to clean an average-sized carpet with this method. Drying will last for at least 5 hours, a total of not more than 8 hours to finally enjoy a clean carpet.
Getting rid of dusty carpet is best done with high-pressure hot water. It can dissolve the specks of dirt on the carpet that fast. The cleaning process involves using a natural cleaning agent while brushing off the dirt, stains, and other particles right away.
Professional cleaners in Morley make use of extreme heat of about 250-degree Celsius to destroy all the bacteria living in the carpet. High-end carpet steam cleaners were used to deep clean carpets.
2. Bonnet Cleaning
Many carpet owners still choose this method though it won’t clean carpets deeply as other methods do. It is ideal for hotels or areas accommodating visitors and guests that demand fast cleaning without causing distraction.
Bonnet cleaning is done with two processes. First is to clean the upper surface of the carpet by dipping the absorbent pad into a cleaning agent. Then, use the pad to absorb dust and other initial dirt.
The next method is with the use of high-moisturized equipment. Cleaning products are mixed with carbonated water and then sprayed onto the carpet. After a few hours, the absorbent pad must be attached to the machine to absorb the soil on the carpet’s surface. It will leave your carpet clean and hygienic afterward.
3. Dry Extraction Cleaning
Drying carpets would be time-consuming instead of cleaning more carpets. Dry extraction cleaning does not use water thus no need to dry carpets for hours. For that reason, many households prefer this method in cleaning their dirty carpets.
A cleaning powder is used rather than detergent in deep cleaning the carpet. The cleaners will sprinkle the powder on the base part of the carpet with the use of a rotating brush machine. As a result, the powder will settle into the surface of the carpet and will thoroughly clean the parts. Afterward, the combined powder and soil will be vacuumed for deep cleaning.
This cleaning method applies to commercial installations that require regular cleaning and instant drying of the floors.
4. Encapsulation
Encapsulation is also a dry carpet cleaning method with no use of water and drying process. This saves up water, as well as does not leave chemicals on the floor. Like dry extraction cleaning, carpets will be left thoroughly clean and hygienic.
An encapsulation chemical is effective in removing soil particles that live deep inside the carpet. The substance is put directly onto the carpet and then scrub with a rotary brush or cylindrical device. To get rid of the leftover chemicals, cleaners use a vacuum for deep cleansing.
5. Shampoo Cleaning
Australian cleaners mostly used shampoo cleaning methods in removing germs, soil, and other dirt on the carpet. It can also take away heavy soils, unlike the other methods.
Professional cleaners will use a cleaning shampoo and then spread over the carpet. Moisture brush is an effective tool to scrub the formula onto the carpet to create a foaming effect that will attract dust and other small particles. Vacuum the carpet to remove leftover soil and shampoo to end up with a cleaner carpet.
Dry up the carpet before the vacuuming process.
Conclusion
The services of a professional carpet cleaner (such as Phoenix carpet cleaners) could enable homeowners to restore the carpet’s beauty faster with lesser effort. Among the many methods of cleaning carpets available, these are some of the most popular.
If you are running out of good choices of carpet cleaning services, then you can look for professioanl cleaners in Morley. They provide superior service while giving advice how to extend the lifespan of your carpet after the service. We wish you a successful carpet cleaning experience ahead!
Buckingham Palace is big. Try to imagine a single residence with 775 bedrooms, 78 bathrooms, 92 offices, 19 different staterooms, 760 windows, 350 clocks, and a cash machine, and you’ll soon have an idea of how big the Queen’s home actually is.
Nowadays the Queen — and the Royal Family at large — is more of a diplomat than a sovereign. The result is that Buckingham Palace entertains more guests now than at any other time in its history — about fifty thousand people a year, it is reckoned. Piers Morgan once asked the Queen if she liked hosting so many guests. The Queen replied: “[Well Mr Morgan] how would you like 12,000 complete strangers trampling over your lawns?”
And that’s just guests and doesn’t include actual footfalls from tourists. The Queen’s comment is amusing because it begs the question: How does the Queen keep the Palace clean? At what cost? Here’s how, in five ways, Her Majesty pulls it off.
With a ‘Royal Army’ of cleaners
Things sound less daunting when you realise the Queen employs over 800 cleaners to look after the Palace. Most of them are paid a surprisingly low amount — about £17,000 a year. But they do get free accommodation and free meals in the Palace in addition to their duties, along with a pension scheme and 33 days’ holiday.
The cleaners must work hard: as the Palace has a reputation for being remarkably free of dust. Despite its titanic size, the Royal Army of cleaners quickly removes any dust before it is allowed to settle in the historic home.
The Palace’s garden also has a Royal Army, but a different kind: a legion of eco-gardeners. This Army tends to the 42-acre grounds of the palace. They recycle all the green waste and, using their advanced horticultural skills, take the droppings and straw from the Queen’s stables, start the process of rotting them, and then use them to prepare new flower beds.
A third kind of Army is drafted for one of the Queen’s legendary garden parties, but not to repair the trampled flower beds. This army of 400 staff uses all of its military capability on the grinding out of 20,000 sandwiches, over 20,000 slices of cake, and in the brewing of over 27,000 cups of tea.
With super-sized telescopic window-cleaning poles
The Queen requires her window cleaners to use 100-foot long telescopic poles to clean the near-thousand windows of Buckingham Palace. The Queen requires them because she — like any other person — has the right to a private life. In the few rooms that are off-limits to the forever curious public, these 100-foot poles rule out any possibility that anyone from the outside can effectively peer into those private quarters.
By having ‘unique’ job roles
Perhaps the greatest threat to the maintenance of Buckingham Palace is that so many roles it requires are threatened with extinction. Twice a year, to correspond with the turning of the clocks forwards and backwards, the Queen employs a ‘horologist’. But horology is studied by precious few people. The British Horological Institute only has 2,400 members, and in 2013 only 86 people in the entire country had the qualifications necessary to adequately tweak the Queen’s clocks.
Other jobs the Queen requires include the role of cleaning “historic vases and irreplaceable paintings” (a scantily paid 20 hour a week job, with a salary of under £10,000 a year); a “frames conservator” who looks after the picture frames of said irreplaceable paintings (the salary for this is a modest £27,800 a year); and a “senior art handler”. The latter role is tasked with handling over 8,000 paintings and 3,000 miniatures and is paid £30,000 a year.
The Queen even has her own in-house pot washers. With there being so many garden parties and guests each year, a handful of kitchen staffers are paid to non-stop wash pots all year round.
The most glamorous job role of all (in both stature and pay) however, is perhaps the “Master of the Household” position. At a handsome £122,000 a year, the Master has the job of ordering all of the domestic staff about in the Royal kitchens, along with any pages, footmen, the Housekeeper, and the Housekeeper’s staff.
By having a “110 percent” culture
Unsurprisingly, the Queen requires her staff members to give their all and cut no corners. For example, staffers in the dining room employ what is known as a ‘Butler’s Ruler’ to make sure each plate is exactly an inch from the edge of the table.
Folding is also important to get right. The Queen once remarked to a staffer, named Barbara Allred, that “one could cut one’s lip” on the stiff napkins that she had set out improperly. The “110 percent” culture is perhaps no better noted than in the schemes that the Palace runs for the public. Anyone can train to be a royal-standard butler if they can find £7,000 and a place to stay near the training grounds of Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire (etiquette lessons are also included). The course may take four weeks to complete but then, and only then, can one properly eliminate the fear of having one’s Queen cut her lip on the napkins.
— This article was written by Neil Wright on behalf of Thomas Cleaning.
Cleaning the house is one of those things that most people just don’t like to do. Getting out the rubber gloves, smelling all of the chemicals and spot cleaning with a toothbrush isn’t exactly the most appealing activity.
However, different areas in your house can be a breeding ground for bacteria, mold and fungus. Places you didn’t know were hazardous like your kitchen and bathroom sinks can become some of the most disgusting places.
So how often, exactly, should you clean each area of the home? We’ve got your answers!
Living Rooms
Your living rooms are naturally some of the cleanest parts of the home. However, we can track dirt in or kids and pets can make spills, so it’s best to keep up with this area fairly often. Here’s how often you should clean things in your living room.
Carpet
Once a week: Your carpet is a place where dust, dirt and allergens tend to hide. Giving your floors a weekly clean with a good-quality vacuum cleaner is super important. In places with constant foot traffic, you may want to vacuum more than once a week.
Protip: If you need to spot clean a stain, you can mix a teaspoon of liquid dish detergent with a quart of warm water and teaspoon of white vinegar. Apply this mixture on the spot and then rinse and blot dry!
Couch
Once every two weeks: Most people don’t realize how much dirt, dust, fur and oils your furniture absorbs. It can host allergens and other nasty things if left unattended. Regular cleaning can help extend the life of your furniture, which means a surface cleaning every couple of weeks using the upholstery attachment on your vacuum.
Protip: You should also plan to have a professional clean the upholstery about once a year, depending on how much you use the piece of furniture. If you develop a stain in between cleanings, put your iron on the “steam” setting and wave it back and forth over the problem spot.
Windows and Blinds
Once a month: The windows and blinds in your house can accumulate dust and dirt. To keep the mess at bay, you should try to wipe down your windows and blinds at least once a month.
Protip: When cleaning your blinds, you can use an old sock dipped in a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water. Stick your hand inside the sock and swipe it over each blind for a quick and easy clean.
Ceiling Fans
Once a month: Have you ever had dust accumulate on the blades of your ceiling fan? Since it’s so high up, many people forget that it’s up there until the dust bunnies have already taken over and interfered with the function of the fan. To prevent dust buildup, clean the top of your fan once a week.
Protip: You can prevent the dust from falling everywhere if you slide each fan blade into a pillowcase, enclose the case around it, then slide it off.
Furthermore, make sure you have a ladder that lets you reach high enough to comfortably reach the fan without pulling on it. Otherwise you may potentially break the wire fixtures, requiring emergency electrician options to fix or replace it.
Baseboards
Once a month: Your baseboards can collect dust and dirt, but most homeowners don’t see cleaning the baseboards as a priority. If you keep up with cleaning them once a month the task won’t be too time-consuming.
Protip: Use the brush attachment on your vacuum to swipe the top edge where the dust settles. If there are scuffs or spills, wipe them away with an erasing sponge.
Fireplace
Once or twice a year: If you own a fireplace, it is most likely that you would use it mainly in the winters. Cleaning it once a year, preferably just before or after the entire timespan of you using it, can be ideal. The same goes with the chimneys.
Protip: Do not try to clean your fireplace by yourself. There can be a high chance of you getting the dust and soot everywhere and not really getting anything cleaned. Instead, you can hire professionals for Milwaukee chimney sweeping services (or based on your location), and let the experts handle the job.
Bedrooms
Your bedroom may accumulate more germs than you realize. Since you spend a good amount of time here (approximately one-third of your life), it tends to accumulate germs. How often exactly should you clean your sleeping quarters? We explain here.
Bed Linens
Once a week: Bed sheets can accumulate a serious collection of sweat, body oils, dirt from outside, and more. When they get too dirty they can become a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. Those are not things you want sharing a bed with you! While most people wash their sheets only every four weeks, experts recommend washing them once a week.
Protip: If you have white sheets, toss a squeeze of lemon juice in the washer. It’s a natural brightener without the chemicals in bleach products.
Duvet Cover
Once a month: If you use a top sheet you can get away with washing your duvet cover once a month. If you don’t, you may want to wash it every two weeks just to be safe. Like pillows and bed linens, duvet covers can be a breeding ground for bacteria, fungus and dust mites.
Protip: Changing a duvet cover is on most people’s list of top annoying things, but did you know there is a simple hack to make the job easier? Use the burrito method for an easy switcharoo. Turn your duvet cover inside out and place comforter on top. Roll it up, tuck it in, and unroll it-it’s magically on!
Mattress
Every three months: Your mattress is another thing that can accumulate sweat, dust, dust mites and allergens quite easily. To keep the bacteria and fungi at bay, clean your mattress with the seasons. You can use the upholstery attachment to vacuum the mattress, and clean its cover (if it has one).
Protip: Spot clean oil stains or food spills with a mix of baking soda, salt and water. Cover the stain, let it sit for 30 minutes then wipe it away with a damp cloth.
This might not always be the best way forward, you have to know when your mattress has had enough and you need to upgrade. There are plenty of places to find a new mattress online. Perhaps it is a better bet to find some reviews of styles and materials so you know what might be best for you. Everyone has their own unique desire of comfort. Start with this interesting aldi mattress as an example of a good all rounder mattress.
Closets
Twice a year: It’s usually a best practice to do a full-closet cleaning and purge twice a year. While it can seem like a daunting task, having a clean closet full of clothes you actually wear can be a game changer for your morning routine.
Protip: When purging, keep basic, classic items and toss anything trendy you haven’t worn in over a year. You can also ditch duplicate items or things you don’t feel comfortable in. Your closet should be full of only things that make you happy!
Bathrooms
We all know the bathrooms can get pretty gross, but most people probably still don’t clean them as often as they should. Things like bath towels and bath mats can accumulate mold, while your toilet and sink can be a bacteria breeding ground. Here’s how often you should clean the things in your bathroom.
Toilet
Every day: Toilets have a reputation for being the dirtiest place in the house, but the average toilet is cleaner than you think. To make sure your toilet stays sanitary, it’s best to give it a light clean every day, then give it a deep clean once a week.
Protip: Want to keep toilet stains at bay? Pour vinegar in the top of your toilet and let that sit while you spray vinegar around the seat and clean. If you are continuing to get excessively nasty smells from your toilet it might be a sign of a plumbing issue. The Summers Plumbing Heating & Cooling – plumber website might be able to help you if you suspect this to be the case.
Bathroom Sinks
Every day: Did you know that your bathroom sink is even dirtier than your toilet seat? The bacteria travel from your hands onto the sink every time you wash your hands, so it’s incredibly important to disinfect your bathroom sinks every day.
Protip: You can use disposable disinfecting wipes daily to make sure the area stays sanitized. It’s easy, and you can throw the whole mess away afterward!
Bath Towels
Every three or four uses: Towels are tricky, because the more you use them, the more often you will need to change them. If you take more than one shower a day, or if you have multiple family members using a towel, it may need to be cleaned once every couple of days.
Protip: On the other hand, if you’re the only one using it and you shower at the gym three times a week, you may be able to get away with washing it weekly. Be sure to wash your towels in water that is at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius) so that you kill all of the bacteria that’s inevitably breeding them.
Shower Grout
Once a week: Your grout can be one of the most annoying things to clean in your bathroom. However, it can also make the most impact on how clean your bathroom looks. Nobody likes a shower with dirty grout, so keep up with cleaning it weekly.
Protip: To clean, dip a toothbrush in bleach and scrub any discolored areas. Every once in a while you will need to seal your grout so that water and mold can’t seep in.
Bath Mats
Once a month: Bath mats that have rubber backing can wear out faster if they are washed more than once a month. However, mats that don’t have a rubber backing, or that are in a frequently used or extra-dirty space like the kids’ bathroom can be washed more often.
Protip: If a rug doesn’t have time to dry out it can harbor all kinds of mold and fungi. To kill all signs of life, wash the rug on high heat. Rugs with rubber backing should be air-dried.
Bedrooms
Your bedroom may accumulate more germs than you realize. Since you spend a good amount of time here (approximately one-third of your life), it tends to accumulate germs. How often exactly should you clean your sleeping quarters? We explain here.
Bed Linens
Once a week: Bed sheets can accumulate a serious collection of sweat, body oils, dirt from outside and more. When they get too dirty they can become a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. Those are not things you want sharing a bed with you! While most people wash their sheets only every four weeks, experts recommend washing them once a week.
Protip: If you have white sheets, toss a squeeze of lemon juice in the washer. It’s a natural brightener without the chemicals in bleach products.
Duvet Cover
Once a month: If you use a top sheet you can get away with washing your duvet cover once a month. If you don’t, you may want to wash it every two weeks just to be safe. Like pillows and bed linens, duvet covers can be a breeding ground for bacteria, fungus and dust mites.
Protip: Changing a duvet cover is on most people’s list of top annoying things, but did you know there is a simple hack to make the job easier? Use the burrito method for an easy switcharoo. Turn your duvet cover inside out and place comforter on top. Roll it up, tuck it in, and unroll it-it’s magically on!
Bed Pillows
Every three months: While you should be washing your sheets (and pillowcases) once a week, you should be washing the pillows themselves once every three months. Pillows can play host to critters and debris like dirt, oil, skin cells and even dust mites.
Protip: Most down-alternative pillows can go in the washing machine, while feather pillows need to be dry cleaned. Buy down-alternative to ensure cleaning is easy and frequent.
Mattress
Every three months: Your mattress is another thing that can accumulate sweat, dust, dust mites and allergens quite easily. To keep the bacteria and fungi at bay, clean your mattress with the seasons. You can use the upholstery attachment to vacuum the mattress, and clean its cover (if it has one).
Protip: Spot clean oil stains or food spills with a mix of baking soda, salt and water. Cover the stain, let it sit for 30 minutes then wipe it away with a damp cloth.
Closets
Twice a year: It’s usually a best practice to do a full-closet cleaning and purge twice a year. While it can seem like a daunting task, having a clean closet full of clothes you actually wear can be a game changer for your morning routine.
Protip: When purging, keep basic, classic items and toss anything trendy you haven’t worn in over a year. You can also ditch duplicate items or things you don’t feel comfortable in. Your closet should be full of only things that make you happy!
Kitchens
Believe it or not, your kitchen is one of the dirtiest place in your house. This is pretty unsettling considering we cook our food here. But, that’s precisely why it’s so dirty! Germs like e.coli can stick on cutting boards, hide in your fridge and set up camp in your sink. Here’s how often you’ll need to clean to maintain a safe and sanitary cooking environment.
Kitchen Counters/Sink
Every day: The kitchen sink and counters can be another place that germs accumulate. Since you’re often cutting meat and dealing with food products, the kitchen sink can actually end up being one of the dirtiest places in the whole house. Also, while doing your dishes, make sure you don’t put food particles into the sink. Regular deposits of leftover food can end up clogging up the sink and you may have to call in a professional plumber from firms like AC Plumbing (https://www.acplumbing.com.au/plumber-brisbane/) or the ones like them in your vicinity who can fix the clogging issue. Additionally, a clogged sink can be the perfect place for bacteria and viruses to thrive. Therefore, it’s imperative that you disinfect your bathroom sinks every day.
Protip: To keep your eating area sanitary, use one tablespoon bleach in one quart of water and spray down the sink daily. You can also use disposable disinfecting wipes here.
Sponges
Every week: Unfortunately, the trend is to keep your kitchen sponges until they smell and fall apart. Letting them get this bad means that they’re teeming with bacteria, funguses and things that can potentially make you sick. You should be cleaning your sponge weekly, and replacing them every two to three weeks.
Protip: For their weekly cleanings, mix cups bleach in one gallon of water and let your sponges soak for several minutes. Then just rinse and you’re done!
Oven
Once a month: Many people think that cleaning their oven is something to save for a special occasion, but the longer you wait to clean it, the harder it will be. Keeping up with monthly cleanings is the best way to make sure your oven stays in good working order.
Protip: A trick to making the process easier is to put a bowl of water in the oven and turn it up to high for 20 minutes. This will help loosen some of the dried dirt and grease. Then, wait for the oven to cool before wiping it clean!
Dishwasher
Once a month: Most people don’t realize that their dishwasher can accumulate all sorts of gunk and grime. It cleans the dishes you eat off of so you will want to make sure you give it a routine cleaning once a month (and a deep cleaning once or twice a year).
Protip: Place a cup of vinegar inside the dishwasher and run it on a hot water cycle. This is a great way to routinely clean your dishwasher and keep it in tip-top shape.
Refrigerator
Four times a year: A clean fridge is a safe fridge, yet nobody likes to deep clean it. While it’s best to give it a wipe down daily, you should only need to give it a deep clean about four times a year.
Protip: When you’re getting ready to clean the fridge, purge it of any ingredients that are past their “use by” date. Remove and soak the drawers in warm water while you wipe down the rest of the fridge. It’s best to work in sections so that all of your food doesn’t get too warm!
Every homeowner wants only the best for their houses. From the roof to walls and floors, everything has to be perfect. One of the standard and most useful covering people use at home is the carpet. It makes any flooring surface more beautiful and comfortable. You can now choose from the different types of carpet materials and a variety of designs and colors to match every room in your house.
Homeowners often check sites like CarpetNurse.com for the best carpet brand and they get them installed in the bedroom, kids’ play area, home offices, stairs, and basements. However, maintaining the right carpet needs time, effort, and a lot of commitment, especailly if the carpet experiences heavy foot traffic. You can either hire a Scottsdale Arizona Carpet Cleaner to wash the rcarpetfor you or diligently clean it yourself.
Homeowners love the thought of having a clean carpet after some time. Although it sometimes is unfortunate when you notice that it smells differently even after washing. Then, you ask yourself how does this happen when the carpet has just been cleaned. Continue reading to know why.
What Makes a Carpet Smell Awful?
Why do carpets stink even after washing? Below are some of the usual reasons why you have a smelly carpet at home.
● Moisture
One of the leading causes of bad smelling carpets is moisture. You might not know it, but the back of the carpet may still be wet, hence giving a musty smell even after carpet cleaning. It also happens if an inexperienced carpet cleaner accidentally over wets your carpet and cannot suck up all the moisture from the fibers.
Mold and mildew may grow in the underlay. This, this part of the carpet is not exposed to air and light; it needs more time to dry appropriately. Damp carpets need immediate attention so as not to create more significant problems in the future. Sometimes, though, a musty smelling carpet could be a pointer to an underlying, likely more serious problem of water damage in the house. In that case, it might be the right time to call in NW Suburban Chicago Water Damage Restoration experts (or providers closer to you) for a thorough inspection and quick remediation.
● Old Carpet
Another reason for smelly rugs is an old carpet with the bottom part starting to break down. Therefore, it is essential to check your carpet’s underlay every so often to ensure that it is still in good condition.
● Low-Quality Carpet Cleaning
There are times when people tend to save on money that the quality of carpet cleaning is sacrificed. Cheaper carpet cleaning services may not have the proper equipment to extract the fibers’ leftover water, leaving your carpet still wet after cleaning. You may sometimes find some carpet cleaners using electric fans to help the drying process. There are also instances when the carpet cleaner is inexperienced, who tends to use too much detergent and does not rinse the carpet thoroughly afterward.
● Stains
A persistent carpet stain is another viable reason for that funky smell in the room. A stain that you forget to clean immediately thoroughly will get through the carpet’s fibers and will start to smell. One example is a spilled milk that you did not instantly clean. At some point, the spilled milk will turn sour and begin to stink. When this happens, you will need a professional carpet cleaning service.
● Other Reasons
Other reasons you might not know about are the following:
Cigarette smoking since cigarette smell can quickly penetrate all kinds of fabrics, including carpets, curtains, and even underlays.
Smoke, just like cigarette smell, can get into materials. To get rid of this unpleasant smell, you can have your carpet deep cleaned.
Untrained pets typically make a mess on your mat. Pet urine, in particular, is a nightmare to carpet owners. If the stain is not correctly removed immediately, the smell will get stuck and making it difficult to remove.
How to Keep Your Carpet Smelling Good?
If you happen to have a smelly carpet even after cleaning, don’t worry. You can always opt to go for professionals from a nearby home improvement company who can get your carpet smelling as good as new again. Although, if you do not want to go to the experts, there are some home remedies to get rid of the stench as well. Below are some of the tips you can follow to bring back the sweet scent of your flooring.
Open all windows to ensure the proper air circulation in the room where the wet carpet is.
Sprinkle some baking soda on the mat and vacuum it afterward. You can open a box of baking soda and leave it open overnight to absorb the carpet’s smell.
Combine white vinegar with equal parts of water, then apply it to the carpet using a soft brush and let the fabric air dry afterward.
Place bowls with white vinegar and let them absorb the stench from the entire room.
Use a dehumidifier in the room.
Pour Borax onto the carpet and gently scrub it in with a dry brush or broom.
Use fans to help dry up the carpet quicker. You can also rent a space heater to soak up the room’s humidity and make the drying process a lot faster.
Not to Do’s with a Carpet
Simply knowing what to do when you have a carpet at home is not enough. Being aware of not what to do is just as important as knowing what you should do. Here are some more tips on the things homeowners should avoid doing:
Placing furniture on the carpet, especially if it still wet. Carpets need to breathe to dry up, and by putting heavy stuff on it, you are preventing fresh air from circulating.
Stepping on the carpet while it is wet.
Using a home vacuum to soak up the moisture from the carpet. Instead, you can try contacting a professional carpet cleaning service, or if you want to do it yourself, use a wet vacuuming model.
If you have done everything, but your carpet remains smelly, then it is time to call the professionals. Just make sure that you choose a reliable and trusted carpet cleaning service in your area. You can ask relatives and friends for recommendations or search for cleaners with a high satisfaction rating from customers. Nobody wants to end up with a bad-smelling carpet after spending a lot of money.
Few things are more important than maintaining a clean home. Living in a clean, orderly environment does wonders for one’s mental state, but it also saves money down the road-a home left alone for too long might result in having to hire professionals to perform drastic measures such as power cleaning stubbornly stained windows or other cleaning services that cost a pretty penny.
While most agree that it’s necessary to clean their home regularly, many people, when sprucing up their home, prefer to use store-bought cleaning products. For cleaning the house in a better way, Refillable Cleaning Products can be considered as an alternative to those store-bought products. Refillable bottles could prevent you from losing out money due to the frequent purchase of new bottles. Instead, it could be much more cost-effective to buy refills. However, there might be (store-bought cleaning) products that are made with harmful chemicals and are usually sold at higher prices. Apart from costing money, these products can irritate not only the skin, but the eyes and throat as well. They can even cause headaches and other health problems.
They’re also wholly unnecessary. Using simple ingredients, you can make your own effective cleaner and disinfectant without going out to the store and without these potentially hazardous chemicals. According to Nathan Kiening, pests like roaches are most likely to be found in kitchens because they have easy access to scraps and crumbs that they can eat. If this seems to be the case, by using the contents you have lying around at home, you could create a pest control spray on your own. However, you should keep in mind that it might not always be effective, and you might need to hire a pest control company to help you get rid of them. That said, here are six simple homemade recipes for safe, environmentally friendly cleaning agents.
A Simple Homemade Glass Cleaner (h2)
This easy DIY glass cleaner utilizes ingredients you can easily find around the home. And it promises a streak-free shine!
Take the following ingredients and mix them in a spray bottle:
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
2 cups water
8 drops of an essential oil of your choice for fragrance. (This could include lemon, lavender, orange, or any scent you’d like.)
You should have most of these ingredients handy, though you might need to pick up essential oils, which you can find easily online. They’re also available at many supermarkets and health stores such as Target and GNC.
The best news about this recipe? It costs only roughly 33 cents to make a batch. Your windows, and wallet, will thank you.
A 2-Ingredient Kitchen Cleaner and Deodorizer (h2)
An even more simple, and equally inexpensive, homemade cleaner needs only two simple ingredients. For a simple way to clean kitchen countertops, appliances, and the inside of your refrigerator, simply combine the following items:
4 tablespoons baking soda
1 quart warm water
You can use these ingredients in a variety of ways. A simple solution of baking soda and water can be used to deodorize surfaces and clean counters, but you can also remove spots from stainless steel by applying a paste of baking soda and water on the steel and gently scrubbing the affected area with a damp rag.
An Easy and Safe Brass Cleaner (h2)
If you have any brass items in your home, you know that they can tend to tarnish easily. But there’s no need to go to the store and pick up a chemical brass cleaner. You can polish your brass with just three simple ingredients:
1 teaspoon salt
cup vinegar
Flour (until mixture becomes a paste)
Once your vinegar, salt and flour has acquired a paste-like consistency, rub the cleaner into your brass and leave it for ten minutes. Once you rinse it off with warm water, you should find a tarnish-free finish!
A Safe and Affordable Marble and Granite Cleaner (h2)
When cleaning stone surfaces, it’s best to avoid chemical-laden cleaners. But even natural acidic liquids such as vinegar or lemon juice can cause permanent damage to these surfaces.
Thankfully, you don’t need much to create a mixture that’ll perfectly buff and clean marble and granite countertops. Simply combine:
2 cups warm water
2 drops liquid dishwashing soap
That’s it! A little bit of dishwashing soap in warm water will clean your countertops without damaging them. The key here is to not let the wet surface air-dry, once the solution has been applied, buff it off with a dry towel or soft cloth. If you have just had new custom countertops put in, you may want to speak with the company who provided them first to see how best to clean your own. If they agree with this type of cleaning, then carry on with what you were going to do.
An All-Purpose Cleaner for Everyday Use
This recipe is similar to the glass cleaner, but cuts out the rubbing alcohol and cornstarch added to avoid a streaky finish. What you’re left with is a simple, effective all-purpose cleaner that you can use on most surfaces. Take the three following ingredients and add them to a spray bottle:
2 cups warm water
cup distilled white vinegar
20 drops essential oil (of your choice)
Assuming you’ve already procured essential oil for your window cleaning recipe, you can find more use for the bottle to help give your all-purpose cleaner a nice, fresh scent. While we would not recommend using this cleaner on glass or stone countertops, it’s a perfect cleaner for wood, plastic, and everyday items around the home.
Which finally brings us to our last cleaner recipe.
A Natural and Effective Cleaner That’s Guaranteed to Break Up Grease
Arguably the most difficult part of cleaning is dealing with built up grease and gunk, especially in the kitchen around your stove and oven. Most cleaners that can effectively break up these greasy areas are filled with toxic chemicals and fumes that can impact your health with too much exposure.
This recipe, while requiring some ingredients you might have to go out of your way to purchase, helps knock out these grease stains without any nasty chemicals. It requires orange essential oil (though lemon works in a pinch) and castile soap, which you can find at most supermarkets and national chain pharmacies throughout the nation, or you can order it online.
Either way, castile soap is a vegetable-based soap that is environmentally friendly and will help give your degreaser some disinfectant qualities. Once you’ve acquired those two ingredients, you’re good to make your cleaner:
2 tablespoons castile soap (make sure you get a liquid soap version, as castile soap comes in both hard and liquid varieties)
1 and cups water (if you have distilled water, like those sold at Golyath, it will give your cleaner a longer lifespan)
20 drops orange essential oil
And that’s it! Put those three ingredients into a spray bottle, and you’ll be able to knock out grease stains in a heartbeat. And you’ll do so without filling your home with toxic fumes. In fact, this cleaner will smell downright refreshing.
With these six natural, safe, and homemade cleaning products at hand, you’ll find yourself saving money and saving yourself from exposure to harsh chemicals. It’s a win-win!
Because of these difficult times, you probably are spending a lot of time in your room. There are two types of people. The first one, those that during the lockdown developed a love for cleaning and have everything nice and tidy. And the second, people who suddenly have a mess around them as if it were magic.
If you feel like you belong to the second group, then you might be feeling kind of guilty, but at the same time, without energy for cleaning your room. The whole pandemic situation has been a challenge, making us abandon our routines and leaving us with feelings of uncertainty.
But if you really want to start changing things, you better start by cleaning your room, and I’m serious. Dr. Jordan Peterson, a Canadian psychologist, believes that if you want to make an impact or to jump into bigger challenges, you first need to take care of your immediate environment.
Start with the fundamentals:
Make Your Bed
This is the number one thing when cleaning your room. Yes, I know you’re going to sleep in a few hours again, but think of it that way. Your day begins and ends, and you need to have that same basic logic in mind. Be ready to start your day by waking up early and making your bed right away, so you know it’s time to do all the things you have planned for. Then, at the end of the day, you’ll be ready to rest in a neat, nice bed. Not only that, ensure that the bed of everyone in your home is kept clean and maintained. In case you have a person at home with limited mobility, keeping their bed clean is even more important. If a normal bed is posing challenges, you can consider switching it to a comfortable hospital bed for home use. This is important because keeping the bed clean is the first step in maintaining a healthy home and lifestyle.
Clean Up Your Clothes
You may have a mountain of clean clothes, and another pile that’s half-dirty. And honestly, I don’t know which one is worse. Make sure to grab all your dirty clothes and clean them thoroughly. However, before you wash all your clothes together, ensure that you do not put an elastane material with cupro. They are two different fabrics, and washing them together might just damage both of them. Instead, try and understand the needs of each of your fabrics. For instance, you can learn a bit about the fabric–cupro. See if machine washing is preferable. Search for detergents that can help retain the quality of the fabric. Once you are done with all these, then take up the task of washing clothes.
Also, do not ignore your recently-cleaned clothes. If possible, take your clean clothes and fold or hang them in your closet. When you finish, you’ll probably feel relieved and relaxed.
Clear The Clutter
Remember that by cleaning your room you’re also clearing your mind. Maybe you’ve been accumulating stuff without realizing it. If there are things that have been in the same place for ages, take them away or even move them to a storage unit for a specific time period (click here to learn more). Also, don’t forget to wipe the surfaces clean. In some cases, you might notice that you don’t even need much of the stuff that has been cluttering up your room for so long. You may not need to store these at all, which means you can either sell them, donate them, or if they are too old, throw them away. De-cluttering makes you realize how many things you have been hoarding, and that it’s finally time to get rid of a lot of those things. Consider getting in touch with a waste management service to come take what you don’t need.
Vacuum/Sweep and Mop
This is the final step. Once you’ve cleaned the mess around you, it’s time to really leave your room spotless. Reach as far under the bed as possible, don’t be lazy!
Get Motivated; Turn On Your Favorite Music
Make sure to have a good time while doing these chores. Music can inspire you and maybe you won’t just end with cleaning your room; perhaps you’ll start rearranging things from one place to another or have an easier time getting rid of things you don’t use anymore.
Keep It Beautiful
You need to be happy where you are. Your room is your starting point every day, so why not wake up in your perfect happy place? Use your creativity. Think about adding scented candles, placing flowers in your window, or putting houseplants around the room. You name it.
If you can learn the basics of how to keep your room in order, your mind will be clearer for new ideas, and then you can probably start making more significant changes in your life.
