Important Tips for a Great Carpet Cleaning Job
Here are some important tips for a great carpet cleaning job. Cleaning the carpet in your office at least twice a year is very important for many reasons like allergy control, hygiene, and carpet longevity. Make sure the carpet contractor you hire properly cleans your carpet on the first visit. If it is not done properly the first time, then you have to re-co the extraction, which means your carpet will be wet for another day.
Three reasons for finding a good, professional Carpet Cleaner:
- Cleaning your carpet regularly will increase the lifespan.
- Improves carpet’s filtering abilities to continue trapping more harmful particles.
- Reduces the number of illnesses caught from allergens.
- Most carpet warranties require a carpet maintenance program to stay under warranty.
- Helps improve the health of those that are susceptible to asthma and other allergies.
Here are three office carpet cleaning tips that all good, professional cleaning companies should do as part of their cleaning procedure.
- Pre-spray the carpet 5 minutes before it is shampooed, especially in areas where people walk on the most or where there are bad stains. This will help the tough stains come out easier and that carpet cleaners will not have to go over the carpet and shampoo it several times.
- Use a neutralizer after the shampoo. Rinsing the carpet will help the carpet stay soft and chemical free. Some Carpet Extraction Solutions are now both a cleaner and neutralizer.
- If the carpet does not dry completely, it can lose its original color and also it can get moldy. Make sure to use a carpet dryer so that this does not happen. Also, make sure the a/c setting is at 70 degrees or lower. If your office space has any ceiling fans, you can leave them on overnight as well while the carpet dries out..
Companies need to make sure to clean their carpets regularly. Carpets are like air filters. They trap all the dirt, dust, mites, allergens, bacteria, and other contaminants. Keeping the carpet in offices clean will help your employees to stay healthy. Clean carpets are not only healthy, but give your business a professional appearance.
If you haven’t gotten your carpets cleaned in over 6 months, give us a call. We can give you a free estimate over the phone or via our online portal: http://austincleaning.net/free-quote/
Austin Professional Cleaning Services also offers the following services:
Tips for Janitorial Cleaning Companies
Janitorial Cleaning Companies have to properly train their janitors (custodians/housekeepers) to make sure not to damage anything while performing their job. It is important for the cleaning crew to know what chemicals to use on different types of surfaces. It is even more important for them to know what is their dilution ratio. A weak chemical will not kill 100% of the bacteria and a too strong solution may be toxic. Here are some great tips for janitorial cleaning companies.
1. What chemicals to use for mopping floors:
It is very important to know what type of floors will be mopped to know which chemicals to use:
- Wooden floors: Use non-acid chemicals to clean them. Use very little solution to prevent warping.
- Tile or stone floors: Use acidic chemicals mixed with water. If you are cleaning the bathrooms, spray the chemicals and leave it for about 10 minutes before mopping. That will help kill the bacteria that have penetrated inside the grout lines.
2. What cleaning cloth to use on different surfaces:
Microfiber is the best type of cloth to use for cleaning. Microfiber cloths are able to penetrate cracks that cotton cloths and paper towels can’t reach. They can also absorb 7 to 8 times more liquid than other types of cloths and also attracts dust instead of spreading it. There are three different types of microfiber cloths that should be used to clean different types of jobs.
- Heavy grade microfiber: Is used to remove the tough stains and dirt.
- Medium grade microfiber: Is used to clean counter-tops, sinks.
- Light grade microfiber: Is used to clean glass, metal, and windows.
3. Learning about green cleaning:
There is more to green cleaning than just using green cleaning products. For green cleaning it is also important to know the proper disposal of chemical products and what cleaning products to use. Microfiber products are better to use than any other products like cotton cloth and feather dusters. Make sure that the green products you buy works and are certified and approved.
Austin Professional Cleaning Services buys all of their cleaning products from KIM Paper. If you are looking for a janitorial cleaning company in Austin TX that uses the best cleaning products and also offers green cleaning services call us today to receive a FREE CLEANING QUOTE.
Top 10 Cleaning Uses of Lemon Juice
I am a fan of lemon juice, not just for its tasty ability to add a twist to dinner or emit freshness in the air, but for its cleaning capabilities as well. If you haven’t tried it yet, I suggest you go to your local grocer now and grab a bag of lemons. Here are my top 10 cleaning uses of lemon juice:
In the Kitchen:
1 Need a degreaser? Add a few drops of lemon juice to your dish soap to enhance degreasing ability.
2 Have a stinky refrigerator? Get rid of odors by placing a half lemon on a saucer. Change it out once a week.
3 Dilute lemon juice to clean stains from cutting boards and kill germs. Rub the juice full strength onto the stain and let sit until the stain fades. Can be left overnight, then rinsed well and dried.
4 Remove food prep smells (onions, garlic, etc), from your hands with a diluted solution of water and lemon juice. Place in small bowl and let hands sit for 1 minute before rinsing with water.
5 Scrub grills and grates with lemon juice and salt.
6 Tired of seeing those red sauce stains on your plastic food storage containers? Soak them in diluted lemon juice to remove stains and odors. Add baking soda and scrub, rinse and dry.
In the Laundry Room:
7 Remove grease stains from clothing. Rub lemon juice into the spot and let sit overnight and then wash as normal.
8 Brighten your clothing by soaking clothes in a hot water and lemon juice mix (about a half cup per gallon of water) and then wash as normal. Works best if laundry is then dried in the sun. Lemon juice should not be used on silks or other delicate fabrics. If you are uncertain, test a tiny area first.
In the Restroom:
9 Keep your toilet bowl fresh. Place a half cup of lemon juice in the bowl and swish with a toilet bowl brush.
10 Clean hard water stains on glass shower doors with half a lemon.
Austin Professional Cleaning Services is always trying to find great cleaning tips to help people keep their houses and offices clean. Call us today to receive a FREE CLEANING QUOTE.
Professional Green Cleaning Janitorial Companies use Vinegar to Clean
Due to its high level of acidity, vinegar has the ability to clean almost anything. Many professional green cleaning janitorial companies use vinegar to clean. Here are the top 10 ways vinegar can be used for cleaning your office space or home:
1 Shine chrome and plastic sink fixtures: Use a paste made of 2 tablespoons salt and 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar. Will help diminish lime buildup.
2 Clean counter tops: Soak a cloth in undiluted white distilled vinegar and wipe clean.
3 Clean and deodorize the kitchen drain: Pour a cup down the drain once a week. Let stand 30 minutes and then flush with cold water.
4 Clean the microwave: Here is a quick solution that you can make yourself: combine 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil inside the microwave. Will loosen splattered on food and deodorize.
5 Clean the refrigerator by washing with a solution of equal parts water and vinegar.
6 Kill germs in the bathroom: Add full-strength white distilled vinegar in a spray bottle and wipe clean with a damp cloth.
7 Remove soap scum and mildew: Most often we find this in areas with very high humidity, like the tub, tile, shower curtain or door. Wipe these areas with undiluted white distilled vinegar, then rinse with water.
8 Clean and deodorize the toilet bowl: Let 3 cups white distilled vinegar to sit in bowl for about a half hour before flushing. To make the toilet bowl sparkle, pour in a cup or more of diluted white distilled vinegar and let it sit several hours or overnight. Scrub well with the toilet brush and flush.
9 Clean Windows: Combine 1/2 cup non-sudsy ammonia, 1 cup white distilled vinegar, and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a gallon of water.
10 Deodorize the air. Vinegar is a natural air freshener when sprayed in a room.
Aside from the amazing cleaning and deodorizing abilities of vinegar, it is an environmentally safe product and it is very inexpensive. Austin Professional Cleaning Services is always trying to find green cleaning products that actually work. Call us today to receive a FREE CLEANING QUOTE.
Spring Cleaning Tips
There’s something about spring that propels even the most slovenly of housekeepers into a cleaning frenzy. Perhaps it’s the crisp air or the perfectly blue skies that makes us want to replicate the freshness of the outdoors in our own homes. If you feel the urge to start sprucing things up, but don’t know where to start, here are a few spring cleaning tips sure to have your house sparkling in no time:
- Start with the clutter.
Spring cleaning is a process that requires planning and organization. We’re not talking about the kind of speed cleaning you do before your in-laws stop by; we’re talking deep cleaning. It’s not going to happen overnight, but with the right approach – slow and steady, that is—it will happen.
The first step is to rid yourself of the unnecessary clutter in your home. And I don’t just mean on the floor. This job calls for an inside-out approach. That’s right—take whatever is inside (your drawers, your cabinets, your kids’ toy boxes, and any other container in sight), and dump it out. This probably won’t feel like cleaning at first, and you’re likely to have what appears to be a bigger mess on your hands than what you started with. But, stay with me here—remember this is a process.
Start with one container at a time, empty everything out, and start sorting. Separate the items into three piles—what you want to toss, what you want to keep, and what you want to donate (or sell at a garage sale).Then, bag up everything you plan to toss, and get it out of the house. Find a storage place for items you plan to sale, and deliver any charity items. Replace the items you are keeping in a neat and organized fashion. Repeat this process for each cabinet, drawer, or container in your house. Once you have the clutter out of the house, you can start the real cleaning process.
- Focus your efforts on one room at a time.
As you prepare to give your home the kind of serious deep cleaning it’s been begging for all winter, it’s helpful to compartmentalize the process. Try to tackle it all at once, and you will likely find yourself too overwhelmed to even pick up a broom. What you need is a plan of action. Count the rooms in your home, and devote a day to each of those rooms. At the end of the day, reward yourself with a hot cup of tea or glass of wine, and celebrate your victory over dust and grime.
- Deep clean.
The concept of deep cleaning can mean different things for different rooms in your home. Let’s take a look at the top three: the kitchen, the bathroom, and the living room.
The Kitchen- Aside from the bathroom, the kitchen is the best breeding ground for disgusting germs and harmful bacteria. Here are the most important deep cleaning tips for your kitchen:
- Clear any dirty dishes in the sink and clean off the countertops to give yourself some room to work.
- Remove the burners from your oven and use a scouring pad such as a SOS pad and some hot water to scrub the spill catchers and burner covers as well as the stove top itself.
- Clean the inside of the microwave with a damp cloth and mild cleaning solution. You can loosen up the grime beforehand by heating a cup of water inside the microwave for about three minutes. Add baking soda or lemon juice to the water to eliminate smells.
- Clean out the refrigerator by tossing any old leftovers, taking everything else out of the refrigerator, and cleaning the inside with a degreaser or scouring pad.
- Clean the walls and baseboards of the kitchen with a degreaser such as Grease Lightening. You’ll be surprised at how much of your cooking grease ends up on the walls of the kitchen.
- Dust off the top of the refrigerator and any other surfaces that appear to be dusty such as ceiling fans, shelves, or wall art.
- Sweep up the crumbs and any accumulated dust on the floor. Find someone to help you move the refrigerator and any other heavy pieces of furniture and sweep under them as well. You’ll be surprised at what you might find!
- Mop the floor several times with hot water and a floor cleaner, changing the water as necessary.
The Living Room- You’re likely to need a break in between cleaning the two dirtiest rooms of the house—the kitchen and bathroom—so take a breather, and let’s work on the living room.
- Dust the corners of the walls as well as any dusty surfaces such as the top of the entertainment center, coffee table, ceiling fans, and end tables.
- Polish the wood furniture.
- Use a glass cleaner to clean any glass in the living room such as mirrors, or glass-top coffee tables.
- Remove any rugs, shake them out, and wash them.
- Remove the draperies and wash them, or have them cleaned according to the instructions on the label.
- Use the vacuum cleaner attachment to clean between the folds of the couch and chairs.
- Sweep or vacuum depending on your floor surface.
- Use a hardwood floor cleaner or steam cleaner if you have carpet.
The Bathroom- There’s a reason we saved this room for last. The most dreaded of all spring cleaning chores, deep cleaning the bathroom is not a job for the faint of heart. Put on some gloves and maybe even a face mask, and let’s get going:
- Take everything that can be removed out of the bathroom—the wastebasket, the toothbrushes, the shampoo—everything.
- If you haven’t already de-cluttered this room, throw out any empty bottles, dull razors, etc.
- Use a bathroom cleaner, preferably the foaming kind, to spray down the sink and bathtub—yep, we’re saving the toilet for last. Run the hot water in the bathtub and scrub it down with a washcloth. If you have tile, use a toothbrush to clean the grime in the crevices.
- Use a wet washcloth to clean the sink. The toothbrush may come in handy to clean around the drain and faucet handles.
- Spray the foaming cleanser into the toilet, and use a toilet scrubber to clean out the ring around the bowl of the toilet. Spray down the entire toilet, and wipe off the germy mess with a rag or paper towel.
- Clean any glass surfaces such as the bathroom mirror with a glass cleaner.
- Spray some all-purpose cleaner on the walls and wipe them down as well.
- Sweep and mop the floor as many times as necessary to make it glisten.
If just reading this article has left you tired and unmotivated, take a deep breathe and visualize your house in all its sparkling glory. Enjoy the thought for a moment, and then get up and make it happen!
Spring cleaning is of special interest to Camilo Kawas, who is the owner of a Austin Professional Cleaning Services which offers 24 hour on-call service. Call us today to receive a FREE CLEANING QUOTE.
How to Clean Different Types of Gym Floors
If you work at a school or at a fun, High-Tech Company in Austin, chances are you have a gym on site! It is very important that you know how to clean different types of gym floors. Before you start mopping it with a cleaning solution from Sams, ask yourself these 3 questions:
1) What equipment to use to be efficient.
2) What chemical to use to avoid damaging the surface (warping or mildew).
3) How often the floors should be cleaned?
Cleaning Wood Floor-Gyms
To clean the hardwood floor you have to be very careful in not using too much water or you will warp it. Make sure the cleaning product you use indicates it is safe to use on hardwood-floors. The expense to replace a gym floors is way more than a few dollars you will be saving by purchasing a cheaper cleaning solution. To clean your gym floors, apply lightly on to a microfiber dust mop the cleaning chemical. Once the chemical has been applied, quickly sweep the floors. You will need to apply more chemical once you feel the first application has been used up.
Cleaning Rubber Floor-Gyms
Rubber floors are very durable. To keep them clean you should vacuum them often. Depending on the usage, we recommend cleaning them at least once a week. Be very careful in not putting anything on top of them that is rust-prone. Sometimes these types of rubber floors can get rust stains from the equipment (dumb-bells, polls, racks, etc.) . To remove those stains you should scrub the stains with a plastic brush and water. Do it gently in a back and front motion to avoid ruining the textured top surface. If the stains are not easy to remove, clean it with a cleaner that is safe on rubber floors and that it will not discolor it.
CleaningVinyl Floor-Gyms
To maintain vinyl floors, you should use a microfiber dust mop to clean the floors daily. Any type of dirt left on the floors can scratch its surface. After removing the dust you should mop the floors as well with the same frequency. Make sure you use a good neutral cleaner s it does not eat away the wax that protects your floors.
Cleaning Polished Concrete Floor-Gyms
The best way to clean polished concrete floors is by dry mopping it with a microfiber dust mop. After dry mopping it you can mop it with a cleaner. Make sure not to over wet it or to leave it wet for a long time. That can discolor it if it’s a stained concrete. You can use a cotton towel to dry it if necessary.
Cleaning Carpet Floor Gyms
Some gyms have carpet floors, especially at elementary schools. These floors should be vacuumed every day so that they do not accumulate dirt and dust. They should also be deeply cleaned once a month since they accumulate a lot of sweat and can cause orders and bacteria. We recommend using a dry method of carpet cleaning called “bonnet carpet cleaning”, or cleaning it with hot-water extraction.
Choosing the Right Frequency to clean the floors is very important. You may not need to pay a cleaning company to come clean your gym floors on a daily basis. Cleaning them “every-other day” will save you money. Carpet Extraction will ruin your carpet if it is done more often than once a month. Mopping the Rubber Gym floors daily will keep the bottom of the floors wet which may result in unwanted odors or mold.
If you are looking for an experienced janitorial cleaning company in Austin TX to clean your gym floors feel free to contact us. Austin Professional Cleaning Services offers 24 hour on-call service. Our specialized and trained crews carry the right equipment to do a great job! We are also fully insured in liability with coverage up to 2 million dollars. Call us today to receive a FREE CLEANING QUOTE.
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