Five Eco-Friendly Upholstery Cleaning Tips
Eco-friendly upholstery cleaning is something all homeowners are interested in, and it’s a service that A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning provides to its customers. If you’re looking for reasons why a “green” approach to your furniture is the way to go, here are five tips to consider. Weekly Vacuuming Dust is ubiquitous in every home, and dirt and debris aren’t far behind, especially if you have kids. These materials enter your house every time someone comes in from outside and each time a door or window is open, even for a brief moment. Left unattended, dust and the like can become ingrained in your upholstery and prove difficult to remove. Get the upper hand in this perpetual fight by vacuuming your upholstery once a week at minimum, and 2 – 3 times for furniture that sees a high amount of usage, or is located close to a window/door. Defeat Spills Promptly Spills don’t require toxic chemicals for removal, as long as you deal with them right after they happen. First, dab the spill and remove any excess moisture from the couch cushion or chair arm where the spill happened. Then tackle the spill with water and hand soap – or, if the spill is from something with a high acid content (i.e. red wine, juice, coffee), use a combination of cornstarch and salt. For spills that leave a bad smell, sprinkle some baking soda over the area, let it sit for 10 minutes, and then vacuum it up. If after all of your hard work there is still a stain left behind, try a combination consisting of one-part distilled white vinegar and three-parts water. This solution works well on most stains, and it’s a much greener, eco-friendly option than store-bought chemicals. Steam-Clean Without Detergent Assuming you’re vigilant with your weekly vacuuming, when it comes time to steam-cleaning your upholstery, you won’t need anything more than water. A steam cleaner heats water to a very high temperature, making it easy to loosen ground-in dirt and dust. Moreover, the hot steam kills bacteria thanks to temperature alone, so a chemical-based detergent isn’t necessary. If you’re cleaning especially dusty/dirty upholstery, feel free to add some white vinegar to your steam cleaner’s water tank. The smell will disappear in less than 24 hours. Only Use Plant-Based Cleaning Products Even the most cleaning-focused homeowner should have some cleaning products on-hand in case of emergency – but instead of buying toxic products, opt for plant-based detergents instead. There are lots of effective green carpet-cleaning products on the market, so just read the label and confirm that yours are 100% organic. Work With The Pros As evidenced by the above, there’s plenty that homeowners can do on their own to ensure a clean house. However, it’s still a great idea to contract an upholstery cleaner serving Littleton once or twice a year for a professional cleaning. With our green products and decades of expertise, you’ll enjoy fresh, clean upholstery for a long time. Get Clean Today A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning is a local upholstery cleaner that also specializes in carpet repair, spot removal, and pet damage. Call us today at 720.344.2870 or use our online contact form to request your free estimate. Remember at A Personal Touch, “We don’t cut corners, we clean them.”
Tips for Removing Simple Rug Stains
Stains happen, and when they do we hope that they’re easy to remove. For simple stains, that don’t require the carpet cleaning services of an expert, a variety of DIY solutions exist. Here we cover a variety of methods, some well-known and others not so much. Solutions for Simple Rug Stains Note, we do not recommend these solutions for fragile or antique rugs. Be also aware that colors could bleed if the treatment is not done properly. Ammonia Pour one cup of clear ammonia and mix it with a ½ gallon of warm water. Then take a sponge and apply the solution to stains in your carpeting or upholstery. Let the spot dry completely and then reapply if necessary. Shaving cream Not only does shaving cream work on simple stains like food and dirt, it’s also a good option for oil and grease stains. First, blot the stain with a damp sponge and pat it. Then squirt some shaving cream on the stain and wipe it clean with the damp sponge. For tougher stains like oil and grease, apply the shaving cream to the stain and work it in as much as possible. When you’re finished, let the area dry and then rub it clean with a soft cloth. Salt Red wine stains will send most homeowners into a panic, but if you act quickly and have a bottle of salt and a bottle of white wine handy, you can get the stain out. While the red wine is still wet, pour some white wine on it until the color is diluted. Then grab a sponge, wet it with cold water, and clean the area. Once the area is clean, cover the area with salt and wait 10 minutes. Then vacuum the area and prepare to be impressed with this unusual but effective stain-removal trick. WD-40 WD-40 has an established reputation as a multi-use product, and you can add carpet stain removal to the list. Spray WD-40 on the stain, wait two minutes, and then apply your household carpet cleaner to the stain/WD-40 combo. You can also use a sponge and warm soapy water. Scrub the area until the stain is 100 percent removed. Baking Soda This is the mother of all household carpet cleaners, and has been a trusted solvent for generations. The aftermath of puppy accidents and upset stomachs are well-addressed by baking soda. After cleaning the area as best you can, cover the spot in baking soda and pat it into to the damp rug. Let the area dry and then vacuum the spot. Baking soda not only cleans the stain, it also deodorizes and sanitizes the affected area. When combined with salt, baking soda can remove grease stains. Mix equal parts of both substances and sprinkle the mixture on the stain. Then use a rigid brush to work the solution into the rug. Wait five hours and then vacuum the area. When It’s Time to Call a Professional A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning is all about helping our customers save money. There are plenty of DIY opportunities for various household needs, including simple stains. But for more complex matters like carpet stretching, carpet repair, and bed bug eradication, make sure to contact our expert team. Remember at A Personal Touch, “We don’t cut corners, we clean them.”