Have you heard the Christmas songs being played in malls and even at the office elevators? Well the Yuletide season is definitely here and with it the planning for parties both at the office as well as in our homes. Everyone is thinking about when the party is supposed to be held as well as what party food they’ll be bringing. You on the other hand are probably planning everything from invitations to, your menu, to cleaning before the party and sadly our least favorite task cleaning after the party or worse if there are accidents, cleaning during the party.

These party spills and stains are carpet cleaning challenges which can be faced head-on with either commercial products or homemade ones. Choices these days are abundant and give options to different lifestyles! Some do prefer the store bought products like the Bissell OxyPro which can be used on carpet stains while they are still damp as well as when they have dried up 24 hours later. It is great for spaghetti, red wine, coffee and a whole host of other food and drink spills. From the homemade end you can use inexpensive hydrogen peroxide to remove stubborn stains. While the OxyPro is $6 for a 14 ounce aerosol can a 16 oz bottle of hydrogen peroxide is just $2.80. You must not forget however to try any cleaning product on a sample of the carpet first just to make sure the components do not fade the carpet.

If not being earth friendly is one of your concerns then the Weiman Carpet Cleaner is not only biodegradable it is well priced at$5 for a 22 ounce container. You can of course utilize white vinegar which is not only a stain remover but also a deodorizer and sanitizer. There are many options available to you and with a little research you’ll find one that will best suit your lifestyle.

In life we all want to simplify matters. Due to the fast pace of our modern lifestyles we are forever trying to organize our life and cut corners to make more time for the important moments like spending time with our family. In carpet cleaning it is actually the simple steps that can make a great deal of difference and save a lot of time and money as well.

One of the simplest and to me an action that can make a substantial difference in a carpet’s cleanliness is the use of door mats. It may seem incredibly silly to some but it does work beautifully. Make sure to use two door mats per entrance to your home. One mat has to be placed just outside the door; this one needs to be coarser in order to scrape of the soil, dust or mud from shoes. Another mat has to placed just inside the door, this has to be more absorbent as it is there to attract finer particles as well as moisture. These two working together will definitely keep your carpets cleaner as most of the dirt and grime will not make in onto the carpet fibers at all. Also keep the mats clean otherwise they won’t be effective.

Our next tip is for you to vacuum twice a week. I have often observed that embedded dirt takes longer to vacuum. I would need to pass that particular area around 4 times and from different directions just to first loosen the dirt and ultimately whisk it into the vacuum cleaner. If I am able to vacuum more frequently the dirt would not have become too embedded and vacuuming becomes quicker and easier.

Carpets give not only color but it also adds comfort to any room. The colors and designs brighten any space up and they are so comfortable to walk on. This enjoyment for our feet does not end there, it also contributes to the insulation of the room as well as muffles sounds. Unfortunately all goods things have a sacrifice attached to it and that is that it’s not the easiest flooring to keep clean or to maintain. This season is particularly challenging as snow will almost always will bring mud not only to your doorstep but also on your carpet. There are however simple steps you can take to minimize mud ending up on your carpet and even if they do how to remove them and keep your flooring looking vibrant and new.

In order to mud-proof stain your carpeting a simple but very effective technique is to use door mats. These low-tech items can drastically lessen the amount of mud that will touch your carpet. For best results use two per door that leads to the outside. At the outer side use a rough door mat to scrape off the coarser mud pieces and immediately once you have crossed the door’s threshold another mat which is made of absorbent material to take care of the finer mud particles and moisture.

When mud does make it into your home and onto your carpet pick up the big pieces of mud, then use a spoon to scour the bits that are easy to remove from the fibers. Note that this needs to be done cautiously so as not to spread mud more. After that let the remaining elements dry making sure no one else steps on the area. Once the mud has dried utilize a brush to carefully loosen the dirt and remove them by using a vacuum cleaner. If their is still a stain spray a small amount of gentle dishwashing soap and water on it then blot dry with paper towels. Repeat this till stain fades. Finally rinse the spot by spraying it with water and once again blotting the area with paper towels to dry.

More and more people are actively searching for ways to be more environmentally friendly. We are all trying to preserve the earth and make it more environmentally safe. Most of us have grown up with commercial products that include chemicals which not only harm our environment but could also hurt our health. However these days because we are so busy we sometimes become fond of cleaning with toxic chemicals even for carpet stains because it is faster. This habit however may prove risky for your children and pets because not only might they inhale harmful fumes but the chemicals used for cleaning can stay intact in the carpet and rub off on your child or pets’ skin.

You can lessen the risks posed by these chemicals by utilizing the following two ingredients.

Baking Soda-Baking on Carpeting

Baking soda is an ingredient that is in the cupboard of a majority of people and has been used for generations to help keep the house clean and yes even our carpets clean. Mainly this is used on carpeting to get rid of odors. To use this is quite simple, spread the baking soda on the carpet then leave it for a couple of hours. It will then absorb the unpleasant smell, finally vacuum the soiled area. This technique is often used when the family pet has had an “accident” on the carpet.

Vinegar Solutions

Another eco-friendly carpet cleaning practice is to make use of vinegar. Vinegar is considerably cheaper than carpet stain removers as well as being non-toxic. Vinegar is mixed with water for carpet cleaning but the ratio of water to vinegar differs depending on how serious the stain is. Some use one part vinegar to 4 parts water while others as strong as one part vinegar and one part water. Vinegar is also a disinfect so it kills germs as well as remove stains.

If you want to sell your house quickly then maintaining its cleanliness is crucial. The prospective buyers are of course looking for houses that are well kept and maintained and one of the hallmarks of a well maintained home is how clean it is. The buyers will make it a point to notice the condition of the walls, flooring and carpets. These are actually hints to buyers that the owners were able to satisfactorily retain the integrity of the house, repairing damages and that no hidden leaks will sooner than later reveal itself once the house is purchased.

When selling a house, the floor can definitely impact how a buyer views the property. If a room has carpeting then you must vacuum the area and take out as much dust and grime as possible. If you can manage it use one with a beater bar and brush. Remember to replace the vacuum bag and set it to the proper distance from the carpet pile. A good technique is to vacuum the carpet and to change directions every so often to pick up as maximum dust and soil. Also keep an eye out for the places where spot cleaning is needed. After vacuum cleaning use a spot cleaner to remove stains and clean high foot traffic areas.

For coffee, grease, ink or chocolate stains an easy fix is to apply a dry cleaning solvent or alcohol then blot the spot till it is almost dry. You may air dry the area or use a hair drier. If you have light colored carpets and dark stain on them first soak the stain with water. Then blot the spot, afterwards put hydrogen peroxide it then blot.

Sometimes carpet cleaning is not able to take away a stain or perhaps a tear in carpeting. If that happens and if the area is small enough a good option might be to replace that small area instead buying carpet for the whole room. When done the right way this method repairs torn or stained area with little or no visible traces.
Locate leftover pieces of the carpet from the initial installation so that the coloring and perhaps light fading is the same. Should this not be available you may cut out a piece from a place that is not normally visible like the inside of a closet for your repair piece. Next, cut the piece to the correct size by positioning an empty can on the repair pieces’ nap side. Then press down hard, the rim will make an impression and you can cut around it using a utility knife. Do not forget to indicate the nap’s direction by using a tape. Place an arrow marking the nap’s direction on the repair piece. Also note the direction of the nap in the damaged spot. It is important to align the directions of the repair area and the piece to be inserted. If this is not done the repaired area will become obvious.
It is now time to outline the damaged spot by utilizing the exact can you used to trim the repair piece. You will then see the impression it (the can) left and you will be able to cut along it with a sharp knife. You may now insert the carpet tape. It is noteworthy though to cut the carpet tape 2 to 3 inches wider than the diameter of the spot so that it does not come out of the opening.

Use two or more tape strips if needed to cover the opening properly.

Next, now that the tape is in position place the repair piece on it noting the direction of the nap. Press the piece firmly into position. Make sure you put press extra hard around the edges to work the fibers of the replacement piece into the carpeting around it. Finally when the piece is in place observe if any carpet fibers are not the same height, after all there is extra tape under that spot and it might be slightly higher than the surrounding area. If this is the case flatly lay scissors across the repaired area and slowly trim the area just so it is even with its surroundings. Then to fully set the repair piece place heavy books on it for a day or two.

Cats are known to have urine that smells stronger than other household pets. For this reason cat lovers who have carpeting at home are constantly looking for better methods or products for deodorizing and carpet cleaning.

If you see where your pet urinated then you are lucky as you can immediately start the clean up process. Unfortunately we do not observe our cats 24/7 so more often than not we can smell an accident occurred but will not be able to pinpoint its location. This is when a black fluorescent light comes in handy. Don’t worry it is not hard to use and even easier to purchase as any Wal-Mart or Home Depot outlet sells them. When looking for the spot on the carpet where the urine was deposited, instead of using the regular fluorescent bulb, use a black fluorescent one instead. When this light is turned on the soiled areas will appear as yellow splatters.

Now that you have identified the areas where the cat accidents happened then carpet cleaning can begin. If you were able to witness your cat relieve himself, then as soon as possible blot the area with paper towels. Keep blotting and replacing the towels with dry ones whenever the towels become wet. If you identified the soiled area with the black light and the urine has already dried moisten the spot with water then proceed with the blotting process. Next use 1/2 cup white vinegar mixed with a cup of warm water then place the mix in a pail. Wet a clean rag in the pail and use it to blot the stain on the carpeting. Let the solution air dry then rinse away any residue using different rag moistened in water. After that blot the area again with a dry rag and let the area air dry.

Sometimes when we see that our carpet has lost its vibrant nature we usually think that all it needs is a good carpet cleaning by professionals and that will do it. Although this may be the case for more than 80% of carpet cleaning issues another factor could be the reason why your carpets are losing their color faster than most.

Do not automatically assume that only dirt can change the color of your carpet, another factor that could be accelerating the aged look of your lovely flooring could be sunlight. Fading can be caused by ultraviolet light, visible light from our sun and even heat. Awnings, shade from trees and overhangs can help because they either block or diffuse the sunlight.

Another tactic one can use is controlling the light that the carpet is exposed to by blocking the sun with curtains or shades. The drawback however is the loss of natural light. Recently a new method has been used, window film tints. These are thin and feel like plastic. It is installed to the inside portion of the window. They reflect heat, block UV rays and reduce visible light minimally.
These tints are now easily bought at the Do it yourself corners of a hardware store or home improvement centers. They come with instructions and are quite easy to install using only a soapy solution. Note that these come in different gradations of tints from the low-e films to the darker ones, those however block more visible light.

Thanksgiving and the Yuletide season are just around the corner and despite the fact that everyone can agree that we love this time of the year, it also causes us stress. We adore getting together with close friends and family as it recharges our spirits and brings us joy, what causes us tension is the planning, “accidents” during parties and of course the clean up afterwards.

Increase in carpet foot traffic is definitely going to happen with the celebrations and surprise visits to your house. Accidental spills, dirt and grime on your carpet will also increase. So below is part 2 of our helpful tips on carpet cleaning in order to make your holidays a little less stressful:

During The Party Candle Wax Spill

You can only effectively remove wax when it is dry so just blow out the candle and go ahead and party.

After The Party Candle Wax Spill

Lightly scrape off as many solidified wax as you can. If the candle was colored then you can also sponge drips with a solvent-based dry-cleaning fluid. Be careful to blot it dry not rub. Position paper napkins on top of and under the carpet stain and press with a warm not hot iron, replace towels again and again till no more wax can be absorbed. Lastly, fluff fibers when done.

During The Party Chocolate Spill

With a spoon scoop up as much melted chocolate as possible to keep it from soaking any further.

After The Party Chocolate Spill

Apply dry-cleaning solvent using a sponge or spray it on and then blot it off with a clean white rag, a sponge or paper towels. Afterwards, rinse and then blot dry. Keep blotting and replacing the paper towels once they are wet with new ones till the carpet is as dry as you can make it.

The Holidays are almost upon us and although almost everyone would agree that we love Thanksgiving and the Christmas season it is also quite stressful. Although it is true that getting together with relatives and friends lifts our spirits and brings us joy it’s the clean up after the party that fills us with dread.

Carpet traffic definitely increases during this time of the year and with the parties and unexpected guests so does accidental spills, dirt and grime. In order to keep your sanity this season the following are helpful tips in case of accidents during and post party:

During The Party-Red Wine

Immediately blot off as much of the wine with a clean absorbent white cloth or paper napkin. Then spray with a mixture of water and detergent. Spray/Rinse with cool water and keep blotting till you take out most of the water then let dry. If you are also the host and you don’t have time for the lengthy remedy, cover the area with a pile of salt and allow it to absorb the wine. You can cover the salt pile with a small container or box to keep guests from walking over it.

After The Party-Red Wine

If you took the salt route vacuum it off. In 2 cups warm water mix a tablespoonful of gentle dish-washing liquid and white vinegar. Then sponge on the mixture to the area. Next blot it on until stain disappears. Rinse with water and blot dry.

During The Party-Gravy Spill

Scrape up off the carpet any remnants of the gravy. Spritz the area with a gentle dish soap and water solution then blot off with a clean white cloth. Rinse with water and blot it off with a clean white rag or paper towels then let dry.

After The Party-Gravy Spill

Sponge with a dry-cleaning solvent till you see the stain disappear; blot dry afterwards.