House Cleaning Tips

Hard water stains are tough, no doubt about it. Hard water contains minerals like lime and calcium and magnesium that can stain the bathroom surfaces, faucets, the coffee pot, and cultured marble surfaces. Cleaning hard water stains is something we come up against in our client’s homes time and again. Below are a few things you can do to remove hard water stains from the surfaces in your home. Removing Mineral Deposits from the Inside of the Toilet Tank Water sits in the inside of the toilet tank so it’s not a surprise that this will be one place hard water deposits will form. Empty the water from the toilet and add only white vinegar to the top of the overflow tube. I know it’s a lot of vinegar but it’s worth it. When you’ve added all the vinegar you need, put the cover back on the tank and let it sit for 12 to 24 hours. And don’t let anyone use it! After letting the vinegar sit the allowed time, scrub the tank clean, flush, and voila! This same method can be used to clean the ins...

Removing stains doesn’t have to be rocket science or become a scene where you’re shouting expletives. If it’s summer and you have kids, you have stains. Maybe Dad’s out in the back practicing baseball with junior and he slides for home base or the kids are riding bikes or skateboards and one falls and scrapes themselves up. These things happen all too often, leaving you to clean up. Below are some easy, non-toxic ways to get some of the most common kids stains out! Blood Stain Removal First off, don’t use hot or warm water. This can lock in the stain and make it a permanent stain. Hydrogen Peroxide This handy multi-tasker works great on blood stains. Put a piece of plastic wrap under the stain, then pour the hydrogen peroxide right on the stain. Cover with another piece of plastic wrap then a towel (hp turns to water when exposed to light). Check the progress after a few minutes, repeat as necessary. Rinse with cool water. Ammonia This can be used on most fabrics and it won’t damag...

No one ever really likes to hear the word “Oops!” It typically leads to something having to be fixed or cleaned and time taken away from whatever it was you were doing. In this case we’re talking about carpet stains. Maybe someone spilled on the carpet or a stain was brought into the house from the bottom of dirty shoes, or a nice little mess one of the animals made. Removing carpet stains is essential, especially if you have little ones crawling around. A Few Tips to Keep in Mind Before Starting • Blot stains don’t rub or scrub hard. You don’t want to spread the stain further into the carpet or damage carpet fibers. • In most cases you will work from the outside of the stain towards the center. • Don’t use an excessive amount of water or cleaning solution. You want to get the liquid out of the carpet and not have it soaking through the carpet pad. • Test new cleaning methods in an inconspicuous spot first. • Use clean terry towels or white paper towels to blot up stains. • Use pr...

Most of us do a pretty good job cleaning the kitchen and some of us might just be diligent about sanitizing surfaces and saying good-bye to germs. The kitchen is one of those places in the house where germs like to hang out. Think about it; food left lying out on countertops, chopping vegetables, getting uncooked meats and other food items for the evening meal ready, the sink gets used a lot and can breed bacteria due to the moisture, and the foods we touch then get transferred to cupboard doors, counters, handles, etc. You may have heard this before but most kitchen sinks have more germs than a toilet seat. I don’t know about you but I find that a bit unnerving! Homemade Kitchen Sanitizer Here is a pretty basic cleaning and sanitizing recipe that can be used throughout the kitchen to kill bacteria and germs. In a large bowl or container, combine: • One gallon of cold water • One tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach Get your cleaning cloth, dip it in, and wipe down your ...

Glass tile surfaces are beautiful, durable, and easy to clean and care for. Many people use them as a backsplash in the kitchen and bathrooms and others use them to line the wall of their shower. Glass tiles will dazzle you with their beauty for years after you’ve had them installed. Cleaning Glass Tiles in the Shower Glass tiles are very easy to care for and because they don’t absorb water, they are resistant to bacteria and mold and mildew. But – just because they are so easy to care for doesn’t mean they don’t need cleaning. Like any other surface in your home, glass tiles do need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Clean with Vinegar and Water You shouldn’t have any problem using your regular bathroom cleaner on glass tiles surfaces. You can also clean them just as easily by taking a more natural approach – make a mixture of a 50/50 mix of water and white vinegar. Mix this in a spray bottle, spray the glass tiles, wipe down the surface, rinse well with clean water and dry. Heavy ...

Summer Gatherings and Barbecue Stains It’s that time of year, my favorite time – Summer. Longer days, talking walks, working in the yard, and being outdoors playing croquet and having a barbecue with friends and family. Having a barbecue is part of summer fun, eating wonderful foods, and ultimately getting barbecue stains somewhere. When this happens we’ll help you with the tools to get those stains out. As is true with most stains, getting to it early is key for the best chance at getting the stain removed completely. I’m not saying if you get to it later (because you didn’t notice it) it won’t come out, it can, but it’s always easier on a fresh stain. Removing Barbecue from Fabric Use a dull knife or other product to scrape away as much of the barbecue as possible. You want to be careful not to rub it into the fabric more than it already is. Run the back of the stain under cold water. This will force it back out. Use a mild liquid detergent. Blot onto the stain and allow it to s...

You spend a lot of time looking on line and walking through stores to get a piece of furniture you think will look best in your living room, family room, outdoor patio space, etc. When you buy a piece of furniture to expect it to last years, unfortunately spills will happen and furniture left outside will need cleaning. Wicker Furniture Wicker furniture is very attractive, making your space feel calm and special. It can be used in the home or outside on a patio. If you're thinking of purchasing wicker furniture , don’t deprive yourself just because you think it’s going to be hard to clean. It isn't that bad. If you have purchased some wicker furniture and it needs cleaning, here are a few tools you will need for getting the job done. * Toothbrush. * A paint brush with short bristles or you can take a regular paint brush and cut the bristles about half way. * Cleaning rag. * A medium stiff bristle brush. Cleaning Wicker Remove the dust and/or debris by vacuuming it first...