Spring Cleaning Tips To Make The Cleaning Easier

Spring-cleaning can seem like such a chore. You spend all day, or even a few days getting the entire house sparkly clean. As a busy mom, you will appreciate some of these cleaning tips that will make the job a little easier and faster. You'll have more time to enjoy the nice spring weather outside.

Start out by taking a quick look through your cleaning supplies a few days before the big spring clean. Make sure you have plenty of paper towels and cleaning rags. If your mop or broom is really worn out, this is a great time to invest in a new one. Check all bottles and containers of cleaning supplies that you like to use and see if you have plenty of them. There's nothing worse than having to clean yourself up during your big spring cleaning to run to the store for a new bottle of Windex.

Get everyone in the family to spend some time with you the day before the big spring cleaning to pick up around the house. You don't want to spend time picking up toys or washing dishes the next day.

Make an early start to it. Put on comfy clothes that you don't mind getting dirty. Dress all the way down to your shoes and put your hair up. Take a few minutes to gather all your cleaning supplies and get going.

Do just one room at a time. This works much better than trying to do 10 things at once. It will also give you a great sense of accomplishment to see each room as it is cleaned.

Start at the top and work your way down. Use a broom or a mop with a soft cloth wrapped around it to get any spider webs and dust out of the ceiling corners. Dust the light fixtures. Keep working your way down cleaning counters, windows and windowsills, furniture. Finish by dusting the baseboards and giving the carpets a good vacuuming. Take the time to vacuum under the bed and move furniture to clean the floor under it whenever possible.

When you get to the bathrooms, start by spraying some all purpose or bathroom cleaner on all the appliances, especially anything that may have some build up on it, like the soap dish in the shower. Pour some Clorox in the toilet. Allow the cleaner to soak in while you get started on the ceiling, windows and counters. By the time you get around to the sink, shower and toilet, all you need to do is wiping them down and give the inside of the toilet a quick scrub with the brush.

Make sure you take some breaks, and drink plenty of water. Cleaning is a touch job. When you are done, enjoy a long shower, put on some clean clothes and put up your feet. Give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done and get some rest. You deserve it.

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Vacuum Cleaners For Home

There is a huge range of styles, models and manufacturers in the vacuum cleaner industry and this can make it totally confusing when it's time to get a vacuum cleaner for your home. In the following article I hope to give you a starting point and speed up your search in getting the right vacuum.

Deep Cleaning Vacuums (or steam vacuums):
Usually a deep cleaning vacuum will include rotating brushes that agitate the carpet pile and loosen the dirt ready for it to be vacuumed up. On hard floor surfaces the rotating brushes gently scrub the floor clean. The deep cleaning vacuum is great for the home because it is quite effective at removing stains in the carpet. It works by pushing hot water and the cleaning solution deep into the carpet to extract the stain. Special nozzles can be attached to make it more effective. When the job is complete you just empty the container. If you take a scheduled approach to cleaning your carpets they will look cleaner longer. Clean entrances every 4-6 weeks, bedrooms about every 8 weeks, main traffic areas every 12 weeks, clean the entire house every 15 months.

Hand Held Vacuums:
Hand held vacuums are light weight, can be either corded or cordless and most can be mounted on a wall. Cordless performance depends a lot on the charge of the battery, as the battery power drops so does the suction power. Two styles of hand held vacuums include; straight suction or suction with a power brush to agitate the carpet or upholstery for a deeper clean, this works very well on pet hair. Other available attachments include: a brush for upholstery, crevice tool, extension wand and a switch to lock the machine in the on position. If you are considering a hand held vacuum determine its primary purpose, will it be used occasionally on small jobs or part of a regular cleaning schedule? Determining this will better guide you to selecting the right model.

Broom Vacuums:
Broom vacuums or stick vacuums are ideal for small apartments, those quick clean ups in the kitchen, bathroom or family room. The benefit of a broom vacuum is its light weight, if you have trouble pushing your heavier standard upright, this may come as welcome relief. You have the option of getting your vacuum corded or cordless, allowing you the freedom to roam around the house spot cleaning. The light weight, usually just 2lbs.-7lbs, allows you to easily store the unit in the closet taking up minimal space. For quick, convenient disposal of dirt and debris most models are bagles. Broom/stick vacuums work great on those small jobs but they just don't have the power or capacity to clean larger homes, however they are a great companion to your regular size vacuum cleaner. If you have never owned a broom/stick vacuum you might be surprised at how often and useful you find it.

Wet/Dry Vacuums:
Wet/Dry vacuums are an extremely versatile vacuum cleaner to have in your home. With numerous attachments and functions it is handy appliance to have around the house. Canister sizes can vary greatly from the smaller 6 gallon to the larger 22 gallon. Horsepower ranges from about 2 H.P. up to 10 H.P. Try to match the size of unit to the size of the job and the frequency of use. Some beneficial features to look for in a wet/dry vacuum include: Auto shut-off: This sensor has the ability to tell when your vacuum is full of water and automatically turn off the motor.
Some of the tools you can add to a wet/dry vacuum cleaner include: a scrubbing brush, crevice tool, water nozzle, combination nozzle (wet & dry), extension wand, cleaning kits and some larger models have the ability to attach a leaf blower.

Upright Vacuums:
One of the most common features of an upright model is the bagles system. In addition to increased performance, there is no need to purchase any bags saving you time and money. Emptying the bagles canister can be a little dusty. Some bagged upright vacuums feature a full-bag alert which will notify you when the bag is getting to full. Both bagged and bagles styles may offer a dirt sensor that notifies you when there is a certain level of particles in the air stream indicating there is still some dirt not being sucked up into the bag. An on/off switch for the power brush is good safety feature to have in case the vacuum accidentally gets pulled over your feet or cord as you focus on using the attachments. Most upright models come with a standard set of attachments that may include an upholstery tool, a crevice tool and an extension wand. A retractable cord, manual or automatic pile-height adjustment are two more handy features. Some vacuums allow the dirt to be sucked through the bag initially before it reaches the fan, other systems have the dirt goes through the fan first then to the bag, this may damage the fan. A HEPA filter is another common feature found on upright vacuum cleaners.

I hope this information helps to narrow down your search to the style of vacuum cleaner that is best suited for your cleaning needs. Next you just need to compare the different manufacturers' models and features in your price range.

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Steam Carpet Cleaning

There are two main methods used for carpet cleaning with steam: The first method involves a traffic lane cleaner being sprayed onto the traffic lanes and then agitated into the fibers. The entire area is then cleaned by using a hot water extractor that has a cleaning solution being injected into the fibers through the wand. And the second method involves a free rinse emulsifying pre-spray being sprayed onto the entire carpet, then agitated into the fibers.

Steam cleaning procedures 1. Prepare the equipment and supplies. In a pump or power sprayer you should mix the free rinsing pre-spray. In the solution tank of the extractor, mix the rinsing agent. 2. If you have a lot of furniture to move, make yourself a floor plan. 3. If the area being cleaned has furniture, you should remove as much as possible. 4. Thoroughly vacuum the carpet. If the pile is crushed or matted, use a pile brush to loosen the soils which will make vacuuming more effective. 5. Pre-spray a good amount of the pre-spray. 6. Using a grooming tool, agitate the pre spray deep into the fibers then let it sit for 10 - 15 minutes, making sure that it doesn't dry out. 7. Extract the area using a portable, truck mounted, or automatic carpet cleaner. 8. Repeat steps 5 through 7 until the entire area has been cleaned. 9. Groom the cleaned area, replace all furniture that was removed, then clean all equipment that you used.

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Time To Clean Out And De-clutter Your Home Office

Do you get the Spring Home Office Blues? With spring in the air, warmer weather and the first hints of green outside, it's easy to feel a little depressed if you are stuck in your home office for a good part of the day. One of the best ways to tackle this problem is to give your home office a good spring-cleaning and makeover.

Rid Yourself of the Clutter.

Nothing makes you feel more trapped inside than a cluttered office. Take an hour or two and go through everything in your home office. Sort through stacks of paper, and toss or file everything appropriately. This is also a great time to ban anything that does not apply to your actual work from your home office, including children's toys, magazines, personal bills and correspondence, junk mail etc.

Time For A Thorough Cleaning

Now that the extra clutter has gone, set aside some time to give your office a thorough cleaning. Start at the top of the room (the ceiling) and work your way down. Clean any ceiling fans and light fixtures, as well as curtain rods and door frames. Clean the windows inside and out and throw the curtains in the washing machine. Remove books and picture frames from shelves, dust them off and give the entire shelf a good dusting as well. Mop the floor, or if you have carpet, consider getting it professionally cleaned (as well as the rest of the house while you're at it!). Don't forget to wipe down any pictures you have hanging and dust the baseboards. If you don't have the time, or just don't like to clean, consider hiring a cleaning service to come in and do the job for you.

Rearrange Your Office Furniture

Can you rearrange the office furniture to give you a new, fresh look? Consider moving your desk in front of a window so you can see outside. Bring in a comfortable chair that you can relax in while you read over proposals, or study the latest print publication for your industry. Buy some new pictures or more recent family photos, a different rug, or any other accessories that will give your office the look you want.

Bring The Spring Inside

Celebrate the coming of spring with a few new plants for your office and some fresh cut flowers from your garden or your local florist. Open the window whenever weather permits to let the fresh clean spring air in.

And while your office is getting this new spring clean don't forget that you need to enjoy the pleasures of spring too. Get some fresh air outside with your family. It's good for all of you, and you'll find that coupled with your fresh, clean office you'll be more productive in your business life.

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When It's Time To Get In The Professional Carpet Cleaners

You get to the day when, no matter how much care you take of your carpet, it is time for a professional carpet cleaning. Although it certainly helps to maintain your carpet by keeping it coated with Scotchgard and cleaning spills the moment they occur will keep your carpet cleaner for a long time, but eventually a time will come when your carpet will need to be properly cleaned using steaming and hot water extraction methods. You might be shifting out of a house or planning to throw a grand party and a major decision you might find yourself making is whether to clean your carpet yourself or get it done by professionals.

There are advantages and disadvantages associated with cleaning your carpet yourself. One of the most important disadvantages is that you do not know what kinds of results you will get since you are no expert on carpet cleaning and do it a maximum of once in two years. Knowing what chemicals to use and in what quantity is something that you might not be very sure of. On the other hand, hiring a carpet cleaning machine that you do not know how to operate properly might end up leaving your carpets wet and prone to molding, with the cleaning not worth the effort you've just put in.

However, if you are sure that you will be able to do the job yourself and really know how to use carpet cleaning machines, how to use chemicals, which ones to use and where, then you should go for cleaning your carpets yourself and take advantage of the major benefit of cleaning your carpet yourself extremely low costs.

One thing that you should remember when cleaning your carpet yourself is to use chemicals that are gentle on yourself, your kids and your pets. It is advised that you keep the kids out of the house for at least a day after the carpet cleaning since chemicals in carpet cleaners can bring on asthma and allergy attacks in a number of people. Make sure that you read all the warnings and precautions given on the carpet cleaner packs and follow them to a T.

Hiring a professional carpet cleaner comes with its own pros and cons too. For one, professional carpet cleaning services are generally costly and if you are somehow unlucky enough to hire the wrong kind of people, they may end up ruining your carpet and floor permanently. On the other hand, if you actually manage to hire good professional carpet cleaners, then you will not only be saved from the hassle of doing the job yourself, you will also be guaranteed a good job and a very clean carpet for months to come.

The best way to get your carpet cleaned is to save up a little and hire a reputable carpet cleaning firm for doing the job. This way, you will not have to worry about handling harsh chemicals, handling a carpet cleaning machine or getting your carpets spoiled. Make sure that you hire a company that is recommended by a lot of people instead of hiring just anybody who says he can clean a carpet and you will end up with nice and clean carpets.

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How To Remove The Smell Of Pet Urine From Your Carpet

There is nothing I hate more than the smell of cat or dog urine in the carpet. You may not be able to smell it because you are already used to it... but your guests will have no problem smelling it, believe me! If you don\'t want your four legged friend to spend lonely nights outside your house then you better learn how to remove pet odor. Since dogs and cats spend a lot of time laying and rolling on the floor, their body odors pervade into the fibers and that\'s where the whole problem starts. But it\'s when your pet\'s have an \'accident\' on your carpet that your problems really start.

When your dog or cat urinates on the carpet, obviously the very first thing that you have to do is to deal with it immediately. Pat the area dry as soon as you can, the faster the urine is removed, the less damage it will create for your carpet. Pile on paper towels and then stand on them for about a minute or so, make sure to get as much off the carpet as possible. I\'ve heard some people say that using newspaper to blot up the liquid works even better.

If you have a carpet cleaner or stain removal liquid go ahead and use that to remove discoloration. Cleaning supplies that are intended for the removal of pet odor are recommended for this job since they will have less of a chemical smell like ammonia. Ammonia plus urine doesn't smell good I'm telling you! Also, the smell of ammonia will keep attracting your pet to keep using the same spot.

What about solid waste? Just picking up the solid waste and swiping at the stain isn't enough. Give the soiled area a good cleaning. Vinegar works great for this task, it also acts as a deodorizer because of its odor eliminating and anti-bacterial properties. You can also use a mild dish soap to remove the stain and freshen up the area. Once you are done removing the stain completely, rinse it by blotting with a damp white rag or paper towel.

For thorough cleaning, you can use a wet vacuum. These special vacuums work like traditional ones except they use clean water to get rid of the stains and then the dirty water is sucked back up into a reserve bucket. If you have a steam cleaning vacuum cleaner then this is even better.

Lastly, use a neutralizing or pet odor eliminating spray to keep things fresh in between vacuuming or cleaning. You can also try sprinkling pet odor carpet powder before vacuuming to remove unwanted odors. I've tried it and the carpet is really odor-free within minutes!

The best advice on how to get dog urine smell out of carpet is to hire in a professional carpet cleaning service. Their commercial grade machines are designed specifically to work the cleaning solution deep into the carpet base and the powerful vacuums extract out all the liquid and the dirt & bacteria with it.

Christmas Is Approaching... Or Looming?

I can't believe that it's just two weeks until Christmas! Where has this year gone??

Actually, it's been a bit of a rough year for me so I'm looking forward to next year. And we've got a few adventures planned so I want to hurry up and get on to those! I've been plodding away steadily at my websites and one of the articles that I've written about is Carpet Cleaning Prices. I'm surprised at how many scams there are out there involving coupons to have your carpet cleaned. So I've written about that and the other things that could or should be involved in a carpet clean for your home.