If your cat, dog, or any animal you have pees on your carpets, removing the urine stain must be done immediately because not only will it stink, but it will most certainly leave a stain! Cat urine is the worst—its smell is very potent, and if you neglect to clean it up, the smell will linger for a while!
Removing a pet stain in your carpet works the best if you clean it up immediately! This way there will be less time for the urine to sink into the carpet causing permanent stains or damage to your carpet.
Immediately after noticing the stain and urine you should attempt to remove as much liquid and solids as possible with paper towels. Also, try not to spread the stain; you should work carefully from the edge to the center. You should take note that it is vital to not use any cleaner that has ammonia in it because most animals have a very strong sense of smell. Why is this important? Your pets may smell the ammonia (it smells like urine) and this could cause it to pee in the same vicinity all over again!
If you have a stain that has been soaking in your carpet for a few hours, these ones can be, and often are, incredibly hard to clean. However, white vinegar can be used to clean stains that have been lingering Also, carpets that have stain resistant finishes will give you more time to blot up the stain before it completely soaks into the carpet. However, don’t “over-wet” your carpet with water when you clean, use club soda (if you have it) for cleaning up the mess as quickly as possible (if it has been sitting.)
When the weather gets warmer, and the sunshine peaks through, nothing feels better than starting fresh with some Spring cleaning. Remember, it is more than just dusting and decluttering, so don’t be afraid of throwing out the old, and bringing in the new. This process can be an enlightening experience to freshen up your home, and it will benefit you as well!
Here are 8 eco-friendly Spring cleaning tips that will get you on the right track:
1. When tackling the annual cleaning rampage, make sure you are willing to let things go. This will be an important factor in having a successful spring cleaning.
2. If you are considering going green, you need to start with the basics and remove all the dust, dirt, as well as any lingering chemicals from previous cleaning products. This will prevent adding any more harmful toxins into your home.
3. Don’t throw away old t-shirts or socks, use them as cleaning rags. This allows you to save money on your cleaning expenses. Why go buy new rags when there are perfectly good ones lying right under your nose?
4. Before the dusting begins, decide what items you rarely or don’t use, and set them aside for trash, resell, or give away. This way all of your unwanted items are organized and set for their future destination.
5. Another tip you could do is face all of your hangers in the closet away from you. After each use of the article of clothing, place the hanger back in the right way. After 6 months, you’ll see what clothes you have not worn. This is a big indicator of what you should get rid of. Problem solved.
6. Now it’s time for a little bit of elbow grease. Start by using natural/non-toxic cleaners such as baking soda, distilled vinegar, detergent, and washing soda. You can tackle most of the dusting and wiping down by using these natural cleaners.
7. Now that you’re in full swing of the spring cleaning mindset, freshen up your home by simply opening your windows to air everything out. Also, take it to the next step; get rid of old household cleaners that contain chemicals and toxins.
8. Do you have any indoor plants? Having some greenery indoors improves air quality, so consider having a spider plant, Azela, bamboo palm, and even Peace Lilies, this will allow your spring cleaning to last even longer.
Spring cleaning should be about freshening up your home and life. With these eco-friendly cleaning tips, they are sure to get you on your way to having a great Spring and Summer!
Most of the time, a marble floor needs very little maintenance. However, neglecting it will tarnish the way it looks even though neglecting it does not usually affect how long it lasts. Therefore, if you take care of your marble floor and perform habitual maintenance, any other type of flooring you may buy in the future will not compare to the radiance and timeless beauty of your well-maintained marble floor.
1—You should perform standard maintenance with a natural detergent in water
When it comes time to gathering your cleaning equipment it should include a mop or a floor polishing/scrubbing machine. If you want to use a machine, the pads should be of the synthetic type and never metal fibers, as splinters may disconnect and cause rust marks to show up on the surface of the marble floor.
2—A good approach to preserving marble floors is to make the use of a program similar to that of taking care of regular tile floors
When it comes to stripping, a conventional stripper is ideal. Any pads you use for stripping should be placid scrubbing pads. The black pad generally utilized for stripping may scratch marble surfaces.
Although not required, a sealer may be applied to protect the grout. The surface may then be finished with an acrylic polymer metal-linked polish. If your cleaning equipment includes a team of easily-applied products, you will save time, and when the floor finish is buffed/burnished, the maximum beauty of the marble floor will be there to enjoy.
3—For daily maintenance, a neutral type of cleaner should be used on the finish or the marble itself.
A polished marble floor can be gorgeous and long lasting, but only with suitable care and maintenance procedures.
Due to its level of acidity, white distilled vinegar can be used as a household cleanser. Also, white distilled vinegar is effective in killing most mold, bacteria, and germs because of its acidity.
Cleaning with white distilled vinegar can be considered an ingenious way to stay away from using harsh chemicals that could cause damage to your home amenities and your health. White distilled vinegar is also environmentally friendly and very economical.
Following are some tips and suggestions on how you can use white distilled vinegar as a cleaning agent within you home:
Make Your Own Window Cleaning Solution
Combine 1/2 cup non-sudsy ammonia, 1 cup white distilled vinegar, and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a gallon of water.
Make Your Own Scouring Cleanser
Combine 1/4 cup baking soda with 1 tablespoon liquid detergent. Add “just enough” white distilled vinegar to give it a thick but creamy consistency.
To Make An Economical And Environmentally-friendly Floor Cleaner
Blend together a solution of 3 drops dishwashing liquid to 1/3 part white distilled vinegar, 1/3 part alcohol, and 1/3 part water. Spray it in moderation and mop for a fast clean-up.
Clean and Deodorize A Drain
Pour in 1 cup baking soda, then one cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let the concoction rest for about five minutes and then pour hot water down the drain.
Deodorize the Toilet Bowl
Let 3 cups of hite distilled vinegar rest in your toilet bowl for about a half hour before you flush it.
Remove Some Carpet Stains
With a paste of 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and 1/4 cup salt or baking soda. Rub into the carpet stain and let it dry. Twenty-four hours later, vacuum up the residue the next day—this should help in removing the stain. (Make sure to always test on a hidden part of the carpet first)
Not only is dusting essential for you to have a clean home, but eradicating the dust produced from pet dander, pollen, and other substances can actually help to reduce the possibilities that you or a member of your family will have allergies. So, as you dust, remember this tip—left to right—top to bottom—no backtracking!
Dusting Tips
You can make the use of used fabric softener sheets for dusting as opposed to using the more expensive cloths. Remember to look up at the ceiling, in the corners and overhead light fixtures, and skylights for those irritating cobwebs that may sporadically come falling down when you have guests over! Also, don’t forget to dust you ceiling fans—lots of dust regularly accumulates on them!
On Fighting Hidden Dirt…
When it comes to dusting baseboards, you can put on old socks, spray a bit of cleaning fluid on them, and then slide your feet along the baseboard (sticking your toes into corners to get the hard-to-reach dust!) Besides cleaning, this method is also good for getting some exercise!
Pleated Shades, Miniblinds, and Louvered Doors…
To eradicate dust, wipe a new paintbrush over the slats vertically, then horizontally. After you are done, clean your brush.
Skylights…
Realistically, most of the time you cannot get your vacuum to reach these areas, so you can use a mop, broom handle, or a fishing pole and cover it with an old shirt to clean them.
Air vents…
Fuzzy dust and cobwebs stick to heating and air conditioning vents. Make sure that you vacuum carefully to suck up any dust.
Dishwasher…
Yup, the inside of your dishwasher gathers dirt, dust, and gook! To remedy this you can pour a cup (more or less) of household vinegar into the bottom and run the cycle to clean.
Finally, make sure to remember this vital tip before you start!
–Work left to right—top to bottom—no backtracking!-
Most of us feel an urge to deep clean our houses when spring rolls around. In fact, the “Spring Cleaning” custom is basically engraved into the minds of many of those who own a home.
But consider this spring cleaners…why use most of your time cleaning when the weather finally turns nice? Why not clean now, when you’re stuck inside all winter anyway?
Snow and rock salt is tracked indoors by your family every day, the heater is always running, and because your windows are closed—all that dust sits inside your home!
Having a thoroughly cleaned home can do wonders for your psyche, and doing your cleaning in the winter is a good change of pace for many people—mainly if you follow a set cleaning schedule every week. There are a number of ways to keep you home cleaned, but here are two ideas/tips to help get you started on your “winter cleaning.”
Check Your Furnace, Make Sure It Is Clean!
Make sure that you change your furnace filter every month. This action aids in making your home more energy efficient, and keeps your air much cleaner. Also, don’t forget to make sure your furnace is in good condition. If it is covered in soot and dust—or if there are dust bunnies moving around below it, make sure to clean it out immediately!
Be Wary Of Dust That Occupies Your Home
Due to the warm and dry air that circulates throughout your home during the winter, your home may get very dusty. To remedy this, you should dust surfaces from top to bottom to help manage the amount of dust circulating inside your home. Also, don’t neglect dusting your ceiling fan blades and the tops of window moldings (both of which are usually disregarded and can gather dust quickly) Lastly, if you clean your home’s air ducts, you will not only decrease the amount of dust, germs, and allergens circulating throughout your home, but it may also help your furnace in operating more efficiently.
