Laminate Floor Cleaning

If you have a laminate floor, you really do need to learn all about laminate floor cleaning. It’s always in your best interest to make sure that your home is as presentable and attractive as possible, both for you and your family and for guests who may drop by and visit from time to time. This means that you have to do all you can to make sure that it is kept clean - from floors to ceilings and everything in between. In this note, there are several ways to clean your laminate floor; here are some of them. 

The first method of laminate floor cleaning, of course, is the established way - you can try going with the commercially available cleaning fluids and cleaning solutions. There are quite a few brands of solutions and fluids available that are compatible with laminate floors; although some of them may be somewhat pricey, if a company guarantee regarding the quality of work is important to you, then this may be the option that works best. Even Windex, which is of course intended to clean windows and other such glass surfaces, can be an effective laminate floor cleaner.

Next, if you are a DIY sort of person, you may elect to create your own laminate floor cleanser from common ingredients you probably already have around the house. A combination of equal parts of vinegar and water has been found to clean these floors very well. Others have also had success with a slightly more complicated formula, involving rubbing alcohol, water and vinegar. The vinegar helps dissolve the dirt that sticks to the floors, which mixes with the water, making it easily mopped up and removed. The rubbing alcohol can make the entire mixture dry faster, making it more convenient for busy homemakers. 

Lastly, a microfiber pad is a cleaning breakthrough that enables people to clean their laminate floors without using any cleanser whatsoever. The tiny fibers that make up the pad enable it to pick up the smaller particles that elude regular cleaning pads and cloths. A few passes with a microfiber pad can be enough to keep a laminate floor clean. 

It must be mentioned that these options are far from mutually exclusive. A homemaker can elect to make use of any or all of them in order to keep one’s laminate floor in tiptop condition, and the envy of one’s neighborhood!

Cleaning Marble Floors

Marbles are a real beauty and no one can deny the magnificent beauty that they can bring.  Still, cleaning marble floors require some knowledge to maintain that shine they possess. If treated poorly, the marbles luster will just slowly fade away, leaving you with a dull lifeless floor.

But not to fear! There are a lot of means to efficiently clean marble floors without hurting them. Marble is made of calcium carbonate components and because of that its compound will not work well with any form of acid. If by mistake you use acid on your marbles, the acid will get into the cracks of the porous rock and will slowly destroy your marbles until the polish is gone. Even eco-friendly vinegar should not be used for marbles since it contains acid. Choose a product for cleaning your marbles that doesn’t have an acid substance.

When cleaning marble floors, it is best to sweep or vacuum your marbles regularly. This will also remove the daily grit the marble floor encounters. Dust coming from inside and outside of the room will also cause the marble floor to wear off.  So it is advisable to regularly sweep and mop the floor as much as possible.

Use a soft bristle broom when cleaning marble floors to remove dust and dirt. Then use a sponge mop to mop the floor. You can use soap and water for cleaning but be cautious to rid the floor entirely of soap and rinse it well with water. You can also use a commercial product meant for marbles to make your marbles shiny. Find a mild product with a neutral PH level 7. This product also works well with cleaning spillages from coffee, wine, soft drinks, tea, and milk.  Remember that when spills occur, it is better to mop them right away, especially if it is a wine or coffee spillage.

Best Carpet Cleaning Methods

Although carpets can be a great accessory to a home, cleaning them is not a fun task.  There are a lot of unavoidable accidents that can occur especially in homes inhabited by children and pets.  Carpets can be cleaned using common chemicals especially made for carpets.  These different chemicals are effective but some are unsafe.  Luckily, there are some eco-friendly carpet cleaning products that do a great job.

 

Using chemicals and products with toxic materials can greatly affect our health. It can greatly affect the environment we live in. However, since more and more people are becoming aware of the threat of these chemicals, manufacturers have been producing green carpet cleaning products plus some other household agents that are available for us right in our kitchen.

 

One of the best carpet cleaning products that is available right in your kitchen is vinegar. Make a solution with half water and half vinegar and blot your carpets to remove stains. You can also use brake cleaner for food stains, WD-40 for grease on your carpets, and club soda for red wine stains.

 

For those dirty looking carpets, the hot water extraction method is the most recommended. The dirt is forced out by a fine spray of water.  The water can then be sucked out by using a vacuum. This is an effective way to prevent the accumulation of dirt to start again and to stop humidity from forming in the carpet and thus preventing the formation of mold and mildew.

 

Finding green sources instead of using chemicals and toxic materials can really be a life saver.  Once more and more people use these simple eco-friendly alternatives, we not only save ourselves but we can also save the earth.

Complete Carpet Care

 

Carpets give such a cozy feeling to any home and come in an array of colors and fabrics.  They can also cost a pretty penny so it’s very important to take care of them and ensure that they are properly cleaned.  Also, carpets can hold many germs and allergen so knowing how to take care of them is imperative. 

The first step in carpet care is vacuuming on a regular basis; this will keep dirt from imbedding itself deep into the carpet fibers.  Vacuuming at least one or twice a week should do it in most cases, however it you have pets, you should vacuum daily or at least every two days if possible.  When you vacuum make sure to go slowly so that everything gets picked up.  Think of carpets like your lawn.  For best results, it’s better to vacuum once, slowly in one direction and then again in the opposite direction making like a checkerboard effect.

The best type of vacuum to use is one that uses water instead of dirty filters.  The water sucks in the dirt and does not spit it back out into the air.  Another good way to keep your carpets clean is with steam.  You can purchase great carpet steamers at affordable prices if you shop around.  It’s a good idea to have your carpets professionally cleaned once or twice per year.

No matter what how clean you try to keep your carpet, you will never be able to stop a stain; it’s inevitable, it will happen.  Someone will spill wine at a party or the kids, in frenzy will run in with muddy boots.  Think of carpets like your clothing, in most cases you don’t have to get it “dry-cleaned” but whatever you do…DON’T RUB THE STAIN!  When something drops on the carpet, don’t panic and start rubbing…it goes for your clothes, by the way.

Here are some tips for getting out stains:

§        Minor stains – blot club soda with a clean rag.

§        Oil – sprinkle cornstarch or baking soda.

§        Coffee or chocolate – blot with vinegar.

§        Ink – blot with rubbing alcohol.

 

***When blotting a stain, always blot in ONE direction to avoid spreading the stain.

§        If you are going to purchase a carpet cleaner, make sure you know what type of carpet you have.  Most cleaners are safe but just to be on the safe side, ensure that the cleaner is right for your carpet type. 

§        Try to purchase eco-friendly cleaners that are safe for your family and pets.

§        Be sure to avoid all type 4 spot removers. These products contain tetrachlorethylene, which is extremely toxic to people and pets.

 

Keeping your carpets clean can keep your family safe from germs and allergens.  Set some ground rules for your carpeted areas – i.e. no food or drink on the carpet, no shoes and wear socks or slippers.  Did you know that sweat can damage your carpet just like shoes?  It is vital to know your carpet and how to take care of it so you can enjoy it for years to come.