No need to wax.. Just sweep and mop on a regular basis and they stay clean and shiny.
Mop floors with clear water or just a dash of liquid dish soap. Be sure to change
the water when it gets cloudy. Too much soap or dirty water will make floors dull
or sticky. Don't use scrub pads on ceramic tile floors or you might scratch them.
Our professional cleaners wash most floors by hand, cleaning and drying a small
area at a time.
Old grout may need cleaning with a wax stripper or heavy-duty cleaner plus a grout
brush. Use a bleaching cleanser on tough spots. Once the grout is as clean as you
can get it, rinse it well. When it's thoroughly dry, apply a coat of masonry sealer
so that it doesn't absorb dirt in the future.
For mildewed grout in tubs or showers, use a grout brush with a 1:5 solution of
chlorine bleach and water. Never use bleach in combination with any ammonia-based
product and be sure the area is well-ventilated. When you've finished cleaning,
rinse the area well to remove all traces of bleach.
Clean colored grout with a heavy-duty cleaner and a grout brush, but don't use bleach
because this may remove the color from the grout. Be sure never to use a bleaching
solution on colored grout. A masonry sealer can be applied to clean, colored grout
to ward off future stains.
Hard-water deposits are alkaline, so an acid-based cleaner is the best way to clean
them. Phosphoric acid works well and is safe for most surfaces. Grocery store cleansers
with phosphoric acid contain 4 percent to 6 percent acid. You can purchase lime
scale removers at janitorial supply stores that contain 8 percent to 12 percent
acid to get the job done faster. A higher concentration of acid is safe on most
household surfaces as long as you rinse the surface to remove all traces of the
acid after the cleaning is complete. Let the acid sit for a few minutes after you
apply it to let it work. Tough hard-water deposits may take more than one application.
Scrub the applied areas with a white, nylon-backed scrub sponge. Make sure you read
any manufacturer's warnings before applying phosphoric acid solutions to surfaces
in your home.
Wipe down mini-blinds with a damp fabric softener sheet. This eliminates the static
that causes dust to stick. The same trick works for TV and monitor screens.
Regular vacuuming or sweeping is the best way to maintain the finish. Then damp
mop with plain water or add just a drop of liquid dish soap. If the floor has some
tough spots to clean, use a white, nylon-backed scrub sponge. This will keep soil
from wearing away the surface. However, if time and traffic eventually dull the
glossy top layer, you may want to add a floor finish or wax to restore the shine.
Choose any good commercial floor polish or try a self-polishing, metal-interlock
floor finish available from a janitorial supply. Traffic areas may need finish applied
more often than the rest of the floor. It's a good idea to keep doormats at all
the entrances to your home, as they will catch much of the dirt that could eventually
damage your floors.
The type and quality of the paint greatly affects how you clean a wall and how easily
dirt comes off. Generally, there are four types of paint finishes:
1. These paints are durable and stain-resistant. Dirt typically cannot penetrate
the hard finish. These surfaces can withstand scouring with mild abrasives, and
can also handle heavy-duty cleaners and degreasers. With these finishes, be most
careful of scratching or dulling the finish by using harsh abrasives, steel wool,
colored scrub pads and strong solvents.
2. General-purpose enamels.
Most often found on interior walls, especially kitchen and bathroom walls, this
surface is stain-resistant and can handle moderate scrubbing. Do not use abrasive
substances or colored scrub pads, which can scratch the finish. Use a neutral cleaning
solution and a white, nylon-backed scrub sponge. Only use heavy-duty cleaners or
abrasive cleansers when you're willing to take your chances on ruining the paint.
If you have latex enamel paints, avoid leaving them wet for more than a minute or
so. Oil-based enamels are more water-resistant. Keep in mind that gloss enamels
are the most durable and washable, followed by semi-glosses and then satin finishes.
3. Latex flat.
The most common household paint, flat latex is not as washable as enamels. Heavy-duty
cleaners or hard scrubbing can remove the paint along with any dirt. Use mild detergents
and gentle scrubbing, and don't let any solution sit on the surface for more than
a minute.
4. Exterior paints.
These paints are typically oil-based or latex and should be scrubbed only with a
mild detergent and then rinsed with a hose. Use a long-handled brush for hard-to-reach
areas or stubborn spots. Some people like to use pressure washers on the outside
of their homes, but like harsh chemicals, these can loosen the paint, so use with
caution.
To remove pet hair from fabric or upholstery, try a pet rake (a brush with crimped
nylon bristles), velour brush, tape roller or even tape wrapped around your hand.
Use light, even strokes to remove the hair. Another option is to try the rubber
bottom on a clean tennis shoe or a slightly dampened sponge (as long as the dampness
won't harm the upholstery).
To remove pet hair from carpet, use a vacuum with a good beater brush or brush roll.
Plain vacuums don't generate enough lift to remove all the pet hair from the floor.
Another option for both upholstery and carpets - especially at the edges where pet
hair tends to collect and vacuums have a hard time reaching - is a "pet sponge."
These sponges, which are used dry, are available at pet supply stores.
First, blot up any liquid by putting towels or absorbent rags over the spot and
stepping on them. Start with gentle pressure and increase it up to putting your
full weight down. Change to fresh rags or towels, until no more liquid comes up.
For fresh stains, apply a bacteria/enzyme digester from a pet store, following the
directions - it's the only way to deal effectively with both the stain and the odor.
Bacteria/enzyme digesters work slowly, so leave the solution on as long as the directions
say. Urine has probably penetrated into the carpet and pad, so use enough solution
to reach as far down as the stain. Apply the solution, put plastic over it, and
step on the spot several times until the area is well saturated. Then, leave the
plastic on the whole time the digester is working to make sure the spot doesn't
dry out.
Old or dry stains are hard - sometimes even impossible - to remove, but try the
bacteria/enzyme digester. If it's a popular accident site, the bacteria may produce
enough ammonia in the course of breaking down the stains to create a super-alkaline
situation that interferes with its own action. In this case, you may need to neutralize
the spot after the digester has been working for about four hours. Mix a solution
of one cup of vinegar to a gallon of warm water. Rinse the area with this solution
and apply a fresh batch of bacteria/enzyme solution.
If the stain or odor remains, call a professional deodorizing specialist. A complete
cure will probably involve cleaning the entire carpet by extraction and replacing
the pad underneath, if not replacing the carpet.
Since preventing soap scum build-up is a lot easier than cleaning it, squeegee water off shower walls and doors after every use or wipe them down with a towel. For tile walls or frosted shower doors, apply a light coating of lemon oil periodically to help prevent build-up. For a porcelain tub, apply a light coat of boat or car wax to the sides (never the bottom) of the tub.
If it's too late for prevention, use a degreasing agent and lots of elbow grease. Get a good alkaline soap scum remover at a janitorial supply store or dissolve a handful of automatic dishwasher detergent in a bucket of warm water. Cover the affected area completely and let your cleaning solution soak for at least 15 minutes. Do it right after a shower when the walls will be wet. After soaking, use a stiff scrub brush or a white, nylon-backed scrub sponge to clean the walls. You may need to soak and scrub a couple of times to get rid of all the build-up. Then rinse well with clear water.
The earlier you attack this problem, the easier it will be to remove the ring. A
thorough cleaning with a commercial acid-based bowl cleaner may do the trick. If
the bowl cleaner doesn't work, try using a green, nylon-backed scrub sponge along
with the acid. For an old ring, use a pumice stone. Wet the stone with the water
in the bowl and rub it on the ringKeep the stone wet the entire time you're scrubbing.
Pumice stones should only be used on vitreous china toilets - never on colored,
enamel or plastic fixtures. Once you've gotten rid of a ring, weekly cleanings should
keep it from coming back.
Vacuum and dust mop regularly to prevent dirt from building up and damaging the
surface. Any wood floor can be cleaned with a quarter-cup of apple cider vinegar
mixed with a gallon of warm water. Wood floors are best cleaned on your hands and
knees because you should only clean a small area at a time and then dry it and move
on. Never get wood floors too wet or allow them to dry naturally. Finished wood
floors often can be cleaned just with water. However, the finish will eventually
wear off, and you'll either have to re-finish the floors or start waxing them.
To remove the wax from carpet or upholstery, you will need a plain brown paper bag
and a steam iron. Paper grocery bags work well.
1. Cut open the brown paper bag so it lays flat.
2. Lay the brown paper bag on the affected carpet., with any printing away from
the carpet.
3. Set the steam iron on a moderate setting and plug it in. Allow it to warm up.
4. Once warmed up, place the steam iron on top of the brown paper bag over the wax
spot. Move the iron back and forth over the wax spot. The iron should never come
in direct contact with the carpet, only the paper bag. As the wax warms up it will
begin to absorb into the paper bag.
5. When a dark spot appears on the bag, move a dry area of the bag over the wax
spot and continue to move the steam iron over the area.
6. When no further wax absorbs into the bag, you have removed the wax.
To remove candle wax from wood, apply a plastic bag filled with ice to the spot,
until the wax is brittle enough to crumble off. If some candle wax remains, place
an ink blotter on the area and apply a hot pressing iron to the top of the blotter.
The manufacturers of Pergo recommend damp mopping at least once a week and sweeping
or vacuuming with an attachment more often if you are concerned about scratches.
Do not use soaps or detergents because they may leave a film, dulling the floor.
Difficult spots like nail polish, markers, tar and cigarette burns can be removed
with acetone or nail polish remover. Pergo floors must never be waxed, polished,
sanded or refinished.
If polished marble or granite is protected with floor finish, the finish must be
buffed or burnished and periodically replaced to keep the surface protected and
looking good. Because marble and granite are sensitive and porous, they need to
be cleaned with a neutral cleaner solution and then polished dry. Scratched and
dull surfaces can be revived with a marble restorer (available from janitorial supply
stores). Cultured marble and certain types of granite are stronger than real marble
and stone, but they do lose their luster after being cleaned for years. Clean with
a spray bottle filled with all-purpose or disinfectant cleaner and a soft cloth.
Always keep the area wet while working. Never use powdered cleansers, steel wool,
metal scrapers or colored scrub pads on cultured marble or granite. If the surface
is worn and looks dull even after cleaning, polishing compound may bring back the
glow. A little appliance wax, car wax or silicone sealer will also help fill fine
scratches and restore the shine.
Most cabinets are factory manufactured and finished, and even wood cabinets have
enough varnish or other protective coating so that you can use a cleaning solution.
The oil slick that builds up on cabinets - especially around the handles - is a
combination of kitchen grease, food smears, skin oil and hand lotion transferred
to the cabinet. All-purpose cleaners aren't equal to the challenge.
If your cabinets are plastic laminate (formica or other plastic), metal, painted
metal or glass, you can wash them all over with a strong alkaline cleaner, which
is available at a janitorial supply store. Or use a heavy-duty cleaner from the
supermarket. Mix according to directions and apply the solution with a sponge. Let
it sit a minute or two, then take a white, nylon-backed sponge and scrub wherever
necessary. Remove the grimy suds from the sponge by squeezing it into the sink or
a slop bucket, never back into your cleaning solution. Then rinse with a damp cloth
and wipe dry with a terry cleaning cloth to remove any last traces of scum and leave
the cupboards clean and glowing.
Never use acids or powdered cleansers on cabinets. A good overall washing once a
year should be enough. Keep a spray bottle of all-purpose cleaner handy the rest
of the time and spot-clean after heavy kitchen use.
On wooden cabinets, take a gentler approach. To get off stubborn dirt, wash around
all handles and any other grease zones first with hand dishwashing detergent. Then
wash the entire cabinet, including the handle areas, with an oil soap solution.
Just wipe lightly with the solution and buff dry immediately with a terry cleaning
cloth. Always wipe dry with any grain or pattern. Seldom do you need to add any
polish because the surface has its own sheen when clean. If your cabinets are dull
from wear or age, spray furniture polish very lightly once a year or so to fill
in the pores and bring back some life.
Brown, red or black deposits may be caused by iron or manganese in the water. To
remove, start the empty dishwasher on the rinse and hold cycle; while the machine
is filling, open the door and add 1/2 cup rust remover from a janitorial supply
store to the water; then allow the cycle to finish.
Cleaning the face of a fireplace is a project that demands patience. Fireplace stone
and brick may be hard, but they're also porous. This means it has plenty of tiny
holes for soil to accumulate in.
First, make sure the floor around the fireplace is well covered with dropcloths.
Mix a solution of high-alkaline cleaner and one ounce of chlorine bleach per gallon
of warm water. . Wet the surface of the fireplace well with the solution, but don't
use so much that it runs. Dirty water running down the face may cause hard-to-remove
streaks. Then scrub the solution in with a brush. You should see the suds getting
dark and dirty as the buildup comes off. Rinse well. If the surface is shadowy,
a light cleaning with a phosphoric acid cleaner may be enough to brighten it the
rest of the way. Don't use any acid stronger than phosphoric as it will damage the
brick or stone.
If the results still aren't satisfying, make a poultice of heavy-duty cleaner, bleach
and diatomaceous earth and apply it to the areas needing attention. This should
draw out any remaining residue. If necessary, repeat these steps until you get the
result you want. The color of the brick or stone determines how aggressive your
use of bleach can be. Heavy bleaching will whiten a dark surface and cause it to
look out of place. You can use a stronger solution on white or light surfaces.
If you're not comfortable taking these kinds of chances with your facing, you may
want to call in a professional chimney sweep.
Eighty percent of the dirt in your house walks in through the door on people's feet.
The right kind of mats placed inside and out of all entrances will help cut down
on cleaning time. Choose professional mats you see at the entrances of hospitals
and supermarkets, which are available at a janitorial supply store. They're called
walk-off mats because they give the dirt a chance to be walked off before it gets
in. Walk-off mats are usually nylon or olefin with a rubber or vinyl back for inside
the door, and rubber or vinyl-backed synthetic turf for outside on the step. They're
available in a variety of colors. To do their job well, both the inside and outside
mats should be four strides long. Vacuum mats regularly or shake them outside. Hose
them down and scrub with an all-purpose cleaner as needed. You can also use upholstery
shampoo or a wet/dry vacuum to clean them. It's important to always hang them until
completely dry so that moisture isn't trapped under the vinyl backing.
If there are any unsealed concrete or mortar joints, they can bleed off bits of
sand and concrete dust onto surrounding surfaces. You should also make sure your
windows and doors seal tightly. Some utility companies will inspect your home for
free to determine if you have any cracks where things could be going out or coming
in.
Keep vacuum bags, filters, seals and gaskets in good repair to prevent fine dust
from being blown back into the air as you vacuum.
Feather dusters typically don't do much but spread dirt around. If you are using
a feather duster on some surfaces, consider looking at alternative cleaning options.
The best way to clean windows, or any large expanse of glass, is with a squeegee.
It does a faster and better job.
You need a professional-quality squeegee and a window wand. If you'll be cleaning
high windows, you also will need an extension pole. The basic process is simple
- apply the cleaning solution with the window wand and pull the dirt and water off
with the squeegee.
In detail.
1. Mix a capful of ammonia or five drops of liquid dish detergent in two gallons
of water. Resist the urge to use too much detergent; that causes streaking.
2. Dip your window scrubbing wand or a sponge 3/4 of an inch into the solution,
picking up just enough water to wet the window without flooding it. Wet the entire
window then go back over it once to loosen any stubborn soil. Last, run the scrubber
against the frame on all sides of the window to pick up any dirt you've pushed against
the frame.
3. Dampen the squeegee blade before you start and wipe it with a damp cloth between
strokes. A dry blade will skip and jump on the window instead of gliding smoothly.
4. Tilt the squeegee at an angle so that only about an inch of the rubber blade
presses lightly against the top of the window glass. Then pull the squeegee across
the window horizontally. This will leave a 1-inch dry strip across the top of the
window. By squeegeeing across the top first, you eliminate drips running down.
5. Place the squeegee close to the frame in the dry area near the top and pull down
to about three inches from the bottom of the glass. Continue this way across the
window, overlapping into the clean, dry area with each stroke, and wiping the blade
with a damp cloth after each stroke.
6. Finish with a horizontal stroke across the bottom and wipe any water off the
sill with a damp cloth.
On some windows, it's easier to cut the water off the frame side as well as the
top, and then squeegee the entire pane using horizontal strokes. Large (picture)
windows should be wet and squeegeed half at a time, the top half first. Finally,
if you're cleaning both the inside and outside of the window, squeegee horizontally
on one side and vertically on the other, so you can tell whether any streaks are
inside or out.
Large (picture) windows should be wet and squeegeed half at a time, the top half
first.
Finally, if you're doing both the inside and outside the window, you may want to
squeegee horizontally on one side and vertically on the other, so you can tell whether
any streaks are inside or out.
For all odors, the first thing you should do is to remove the cause of the odor.
To remove smoke film from washable surfaces, use a solution of heavy-duty cleaner
or degreaser. A dash of water-soluble deodorizer from a janitorial supply store
added to the solution will help neutralize the odor. For smoky windows, add one
part isopropyl alcohol to five parts window cleaner to help cut the oily film.
Smoke on porous surfaces is a tougher proposition. Light smoke film on acoustic
ceiling tile can be removed by professional ceiling cleaners, but heavy buildup
usually requires painting or replacement of the tile. Upholstered furniture, draperies
and carpeting can be wet- or dry-cleaned, as appropriate, after a thorough vacuuming,
with water-soluble deodorizer added to the cleaning solution to control residual
smoke odor.
If you smoke in the home, change the filter in their air circulation systems often.
Also, make sure you let the sun in to help dissipate smoke and other odors as you
try to eliminate the cause. Try to increase air flow by opening windows, turning
on fans or even putting particularly smelly items outside for awhile. You can fill
small dishes with vanilla, vinegar or activated charcoal for an easy, inexpensive
smoke eater. Or, you can purchase odor neutralizer from a janitorial supply house
which will work more effectively.
1. Tear off a sheet of aluminum foil big enough to fit your grill. Lay it shiny-side
down and turn the grill on for 10-15 minutes. When you take the foil off, the greasy
mess will be gone.
2. Cloudy drinking glasses will be sparkling clean again if you soak them in warm
white vinegar for about an hour. Then rub gently with a dishcloth to remove the
film.
3. If your chopping board smells, wipe with water and then rub in dry mustard. Leave
it for a few minutes, then rinse and dry.
1. Get rid of toilet bowl blockages and odors by pouring in one cup of baking soda
once a week.
2. Clean your showerhead by filling a plastic sandwich bag with vinegar, and tying
it to the head. Leave overnight and in the morning, scrub with a brush.
3. Remove watermarks and white rings by massaging mayonnaise into them and leave
in overnight.
1. Slight scratches on furniture can be removed by rubbing them with a freshly cut Brazil nut or walnut.
2. Use a chunk of white bread to remove finger marks from wallpapers.
3. Use peanut butter to remove chewing gum from carpet.
1. Repel mice with peppermint, baking soda, talc or mothballs.
2. Repel moths with bay leaves, cloves or black pepper.
3. Repel silverfish with lemon juice or cinnamon.
1. Remove crayon from walls with WD-40.
2. The tannic acid in tea makes it ideal for cleaning wooden floors.
3. Lemon juice works wonders on rust and fruit-based stains on clothes.