Posted by Stephanie Webb on Mon, Jun 29, 2009 @ 09:02 AM
Here at Carpet Tech we are professionals in ALL areas of cleanliness from the floors and vents in your home to everything you own. We know how important it is to keep your home a clean and healthy environment, especially when our kiddos are involved!
If your children have stuffed animals, it can be alarming just how easily they can become laden with allergy-causing dust mites. However, it is just as easy to kill all the dust mites in stuffed toys without having to constantly be washing and drying them.
To kill dust mites in stuffed animals, simply wrap them in plastic - such as placing them in a Ziploc bag - then just pop them in the freezer for a few hours. Freezing will kill the dust mites living within the fluff and stuffing.
This tip also works on pillows, too! Just make sure you wrap them well in plastic, and place them in the freezer a bit longer since they are so much larger than stuffed animals.
Do this every week or so to keep the toys dust mite free. It is easy to just pop them in right before going out and running errands, that way you don't need to worry about your child wanting the stuffed toy while it is being de-mited!
Posted by Stephanie Webb on Thu, Jun 25, 2009 @ 09:32 AM
Talk about ironic: We'd never take a pass on washing our bed sheets. But what about our furniture? Some of us spend as much time crashed on the couch as we do in bed. We sit, nap and eat there. We even invite the pets to join us.
Despite the fact that many of us log an overabundance of sofa time, equally as many of us will admit that we're not nearly as good about regular cleanings when it comes to our couches. This article may change that because we're going to reveal a big secret: When you ignore regular upholstery cleanings, you're doing exactly what furniture manufacturers want you to do. Neglect having your upholstered furniture sanitized on a regular basis and the fabric will wear out fast. Before you know it, you're out shopping for a new couch or a new recliner. As we said, that's exactly what furniture makers are banking on.
If you'd rather not be out shopping for furniture more than you or your budget would like, take time to care for it by getting rid of small spots, stains and spills as quickly as they happen, then make regular appointments with us to ser-vice your furniture. Our technicians will know where to look for the manufacturers "secret code" (the tag that IDs fabric as cleanable by (S) solvent, (S/W) solvent and water, (W) water or (X) "can't be cleaned"). Because your carpet tech is a professional, he may even know of new products on the market that can tackle fabric in the X category.
Regardless of the cleaning method recommended, you can be sure your Carpet Tech technician will test the material in an inconspicuous place, then give you the whole story on what it will take to clean that particular piece of furniture. In the interim, vacuuming sofas with the same regularity as you tackle your carpet will go a long way toward removing the everyday grime that "magically appears" on your upholstered pieces.
Posted by Stephanie Webb on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 @ 10:57 AM
The best way to keep your carpets cleaner longer is simply to vacuum on a regular basis. Particles of dry soil get tracked in to your home on shoes, clothing and even gentle summer breezes through open windows. If not removed, they'll settle deep into the pile of the carpet, actually damaging the fibers and making it look dull and dingy... as well as dirty!
To do all you can to keep your carpet fresh and looking new, keep these tips in mind:
1) Go the extra mile when shopping for a vacuum. Cheap vacuums don't reach down deep into the carpet fibers, so a great deal of soil is left to accumulate deep down.
2) Use the correct vacuum tools to care for your floor covering. Thick, loop pile, if brushed the wrong way, can shorten a carpet's life. Combination beater/brush bars agitate pile and loosen it down deep for removal. Describe your carpet type to your vacuum salesperson for the right fit.
3) Many vacuums today offer bagless technology, which is downright convenient when it comes to disposing the dirt you've trapped. However, paper bags tend to do a more efficient job trapping particles. If you find bags that trap particles smaller than two microns in size, you've got a winner. Don't forget to replace bags when they're between one-half to two-thirds full for maximum efficiency.
4) If your vacuum has an adjustable height mechanism, start at the highest setting then lower it until it just touches the pile. Your vacuum should slightly vibrate carpet. If the brush is set too low, you'll wind up overworking the motor and possibly needing to purchase a replacement vacuum sooner than expected.