Carpet cleaning sure fire tips

Carpet Cleaning : Sure-Fire Tips
By John Murray

There's no question that your daily or weekly vacuuming makes your carpet look fresh and newer but it's not enough to protect your carpet from dirt, debris, and oily film deposits that go with this debris. You can't avoid the oily debris. It comes from cooking vapor, the air, the bottoms of your feet, your pets, and a host of other places. So you'll need to clean your carpets regularly. Follow these carpet cleaning tips to get the best job done.

Clean Frequently

Carpets should be cleaned every 12 months. This ensures that the oil film doesn't get so thick it discolors your carpets. If you live by yourself or there's just two of you then every 18 months will probably be suffice. If there is more than 5 of you then you'll probably need to do your carpets every 6 months.

Hiring A Professional

You should consider hiring a professional to clean your carpets. A professional cleaner is trained, that's why he or she is a professional and they will know which type of cleaning is best for your carpet. The professional will come with a heavy duty hot water extraction system which will be used to spray your carpets with water and detergent and then to suck back the water and oil into a tank in their vehicle.

Do It Yourself

If you decide to rent a steam cleaning machine and do your own carpets you need to realize that the rental equipment is not nearly as powerful as the pro's equipment so you won't get as deep a clean. You also need to realize that some of these machines can damage your carpet so be sure you know what you are renting.

Powerless Retail Rentals

Choose your retail rental carpet cleaner carefully because many of these lack power meaning you might land up with a carpet that's too wet and not enough power to suck the water up. This could end up damaging your carpet. Make sure you do your research and that you know what you are renting

Easy On The Water

Pretend like there's a water shortage and use water sparingly. If you use too much water and your carpets are wet for more than 24 hours you can develop mold and mildew growth which is bad for your health. Never mind those interesting odors that seep out of the carpet.

Leave No Trace

Choose a solution that leaves no or little residue behind. The PH of the cleaning solution should be around 9 and it should always be less than 10. If you are left with that sticky residue your carpets will pick up more residue and pick it up quicker.

Wool Carpets

Wool carpets are different than the synthetic blends. They require a special solution that is designed for wool and the natural fibers. Make sure the solutions PH is no higher than 8 and no lower than 5.

Stop The Stains

If your carpets are already treated with a stain resistant treatment you need you use a cleaner that's designed to work with this treatment. Any other cleaner will destroy the stainguard treatment already on the carpets which could cause discoloration and void the warranty.

Less Dry Time

After you've cleaned your carpet places fans around the room to push air across the carpet. This will reduce the time it takes to dry the carpets and the risk of mold and mildew. If you have a dehumidifier use it to pull the moisture out. An air conditioner will also pull moisture out. Your carpet should be dry in 12 hours or less.

Following these carpet cleaning tips will have your carpets looking fresh and clean and it will extend their life. Carpets are expensive so the longer you can make them last the better!

John Murray makes it easy to go through the carpet buying process and provides tips to keep your carpet lasting long. To learn more and receive your free mini-course visit the carpet rugs website.

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House Cleaning Tips

Simple, Organizational Tips For Cleaning Your House by Joy Jackson

Cleaning your house can sometimes feel like a full time job. Once you finally finish the last room it seems like its time to start right back over again. To end this nerve-wracking cycle, it is important to have an organized plan.



Start with a system. The most effective system seems to be one that breaks down all of the cleaning jobs over a period of a week. With this system you can assign different jobs to different days and spend less time cleaning your house and more time relaxing in it.



To use this system, you need to break down your cleaning jobs into three categories, light cleaning, daily cleaning and deep cleaning. Light cleaning jobs include dusting, sweeping, vacuuming and laundry. These jobs can be done just once each week and completed on different days of the week. Always schedule the dusting first so that any dirt that is knocked to the floor will be picked up on vacuuming day.



Daily cleaning jobs are the jobs that need to be done often when you are cleaning your house. These jobs include tidying up; doing the dishes and wiping down counters and other highly used surfaces. By spending at least fifteen minutes each day on these jobs, you will keep them from building up into a large mess and also enjoy the feeling of a clean house even when the other chores have not yet been done.



Deep cleaning jobs such as cleaning the bathroom, mopping and wiping down the walls and appliances, should be done once a week. Most people like to schedule these jobs for the weekend when they have more time to devote to cleaning the house. By spending an hour or two doing the big jobs on the weekend, you can enjoy a fresh clean week ahead.



After your system is in place, use the list to assign chores to all of the members of the family. If each person takes on just one or two jobs then cleaning your entire house can take no time at all.



Joy Jackson is a full time mother of 4 children and Cleaning Tip Wizard. Her website offers inforamtion, articles and resources so your time is better spent than cleaning your house. http://www.theonlinemaid.com



Article Source: 100% Free Article Directory at ArticleJoe.com

Pet Stains? My Carpet Is Cleaner Than Yours!

Pet Stains? My Carpet Is Cleaner Than Yours! by Anne Willis

Pet stain removal depends on a few common sense factors. Understand that older stains demand lots of effort. Fresh stains, by definition, are totally curable. Stop torturing yourself if you consider your pet stain situation is incorrigible. Maybe you won't have success in totally removing the pet stain. But you can always improve its condition. Let's start with the basics. When applying a detergent go from the outside to the inside. Avoid making the common mistake of scrubbing circularly from inside to outside. Do this and you'll save yourself another big headache.



Don't despair no matter how scary and big the pet stain seems. Use the force of nature in your advantage. Think about how temperature manipulates the physical realm. When something gets hot it melts, making it easier to move around and eliminate. Methodically heat up the pet stain in careful fashion. Just don't burn the whole carpet. An industrial incinerator is not the ideal tool for this job. Start with towels soaked with hot water. Apply the towels on top of the stain. The pet stain should transfer from the carpet to the towels. Repeat several times.



When you finish cleaning, never forget to quickly dry the affected area. A high powered fan can take care of the details. Have one handy during the pet stain removal process. When you finish you might notice that remaining solids stiffen up. Treat these a bit differently. Smash the remaining solids apart and after pick up the pieces. If appropriate, use a vacuum to suck up these little crumbs. When finished, rinse the affected area with water. A little soap never hurts. Finally, let your carpet rest for a few days. It should then look as good as new.



Anne Willis has won numerous battles against all types of stains. Check out her latest exploits at stain removal tips and be sure to read her featured article: pet stain remover.



Article Source: 100% Free Article Directory at ArticleJoe.com

7 Window Cleaning Tips

7 Window Cleaning Tips For That Special Sparkle by Joy Jackson

A sparkling window is the desire of everyone. Clean, bright shiny windows add a new look to every house. Like furniture, windows require their own cleaning methodology to keep them looking new and tidy. Here are 7 simple ideas to give your windows a marvellous shine.



1) Ensure that you dry your windows in one direction - leftwards or rightwards. Mixing the direction will leave unpleasant streaks on the glass and make it look untidy.



2) Before you wipe the window glass, remove all dust from the windows so that in applying a wet cloth, you do not leave mud on the window. Water and dust will form mud.



3) If you are cleaning window sills, rub the whole surface with a damp cloth sprayed with alcohol so that all the spots will clear off for a beautiful shine.



4) Windows are very sensitive to dirt. You should therefore apply only clean water in cleaning windows and in cases where you use damp cloth, use only clean cloths.



5) If the glass is greasy or smoky, apply some vinegar to the water before you clean the window. Vinegar removes grease without leaving streaks or stains.



6) When cleaning windows which are beyond the reach of you hand, use a step ladder if the height is medium or use a regular ladder if quite high. Always ensure that the safety clip is on and if possible, get some one to hold the base of the ladder for safety reasons.



7) Sprays are convenient to use than buckets of water. In cleaning windows of considerable heights, try to use sprays instead of buckets of water as they can spill and you will have to do everything again. The sheer weight and burden will get you tired easily.



Getting a window to shine is an easy task. All you need is the above window cleaning tips.



Joy Jackson writes extensively and gives tips and advice chats on quick easy and simple house cleaning. HEr tips and advice, article and resourcces are on her website: http://www.theonlinemaid.com



Article Source: 100% Free Article Directory at ArticleJoe.com

Helpful Tips On Hardwood Floor Care

Helpful Tips On Hardwood Floor Care by LeeAnna -

Just like anything else in today's times, if you can't find it on the internet, then it can't be had. That being said, if you have spent the money to buy a good hardwood floor, then you are going to want to learn good hardwood floor care to protect your investment, and it is an investment since it can bring the resale value up on your house by at least 10% if not more. Hardwood floors are beautiful and depending on what type of hardwood used, how much of an up keep and maintenance on your hardwood floors. Here are some general tips on hardwood floor care.



Solid hardwood flooring, like all solid wood, is a natural insulator. The cleaners used in your hardwood floor care will also help keep the natural insulation in the wood. It's made of microscopic hollow cells and these air spaces produce high insulating values. It would take 15 inches of concrete to equal the insulating qualities of just one inch of wood. Appearance alone can often determine the grade of each hardwood flooring piece. All grades are equally strong and serviceable in any application. Flooring generally free of eye catching blemishes is known as "Clear", though it still may contain burls, streaks and pinworm holes. "Select" is almost clear, but this grade contains more of the natural color variations and characteristics such as knots and other marks.



The "Common" grades, No. 1 and No. 2, have more markings than either of the other two grades and are often specified because of these widely varied natural features and the "strong" character they bring to floors. Grades are sometimes combined (i.e., "Select & Better"). Product combinations, such as short pieces or specific grain direction, Quartered and/or Rift, may also be separated by the manufacturer. When you purchase your hardwood floor, be sure to ask them about this specific hardwood floor care, for the type of floor you are getting.



It's the surface finishes that are very popular since they protect hardwood floors, their durable, water-resistant and require minimum maintenance, a good finish will determine how tough or easy your hardwood floor care will be. Most are made of synthetic resins and are often referred to as urethanes or polyurethanes and give hardwood surfaces a protective coating. These resins come in high-gloss, semi-gloss, and satin finishes. In order to keep your hardwood floors looking beautiful for years, your floor needs to be dust mopped, swept, or vacuumed regularly. Only use a manufacturer's recommended cleaner and sand, buff, and recoat your floor when the surface no longer shines after cleaning. Depending on the amount of traffic your floor gets will decide how often it will need to be refinished. As long as you use good hardwood floor care techniques your hardwood floors should last a few good years before you need to refinish.



Leeanna is an expert author who writes for Hardwood Floor Care



Article Source: 100% Free Article Directory at ArticleJoe.com