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2018 CLEANING ARTICLES
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Art-MZ Article – Cleaning – December 2018

Making Better Decisions

Imagine…
You are shopping for new carpet, perhaps just a few rooms. Two of the rooms are bedrooms, which don’t get as much foot traffic as the entryway, living room and hallway you also need to replace. It’s been nearly 10 years since you had new carpet.

You go to a local carpet retail store. The carpet salesman has a great deal for you: A virtually stain-proof carpet with vibrant colors and also soft to the touch. You put your fingers into the carpet pile and love how it feels. You order the carpet for all the rooms you need to replace.

In a week or two, on the scheduled installation day, you remove all the furniture from the rooms and the installation pros show up and remove the old carpet and pad and put in the new.

It looks great!

A year later, when you decide it’s time to have the carpet cleaned, your carpet cleaning pros show up and do a great job removing the dirt. Even the spots come right out! However, there is a “worn” area in the living room and down the hallway, but not in the bedrooms. You ask your carpet cleaning pro why that is. He performs a fiber identification test and informs you that you purchased polyester carpet, which tends to matt down and look somewhat soiled just because of wear. He then kindly informs you that if you had purchased nylon, a more durable carpet fiber, this likely wouldn’t have happened.

You are upset. Don’t you hate it when you purchase something and it doesn’t perform as promised? But remember, carpet salespeople may not be your best consultant when it comes to fibers.

So before you go looking for new carpet or furniture, give your carpet and furniture cleaning pro a call. Ask which fiber is best for each application in your home. Yes, polyester may be soft and colorful, but it may be best to keep it in the bedrooms and use durable fibers, like nylon and wool (which is expensive), in the high trafficked areas of your home.

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Art-MZ Article – Cleaning – November 2018

The Myth of the Vacuum

You would be hard pressed not to find this noisy, electrical and often-underused mechanical device in any home, apartment or business.

What is it? The vacuum cleaner. You know, that silent sentinel in your closet that comes to life when you plug it in and push the power button, and it buzzes all over the carpet as you chase it around the house.

The problem with the vacuum cleaner is we trust it too much. No, we’re not saying you shouldn’t vacuum your carpet. You should vacuum once per week per occupant, on average, for the main areas.  You might vacuum the bedrooms less frequently. We all know that proper vacuuming is important in caring for the carpet.

But some feel that vacuuming the carpet is equal to carpet cleaning. That’s a myth and it is simply not true. Professional carpet cleaning removes so much more than a vacuum can remove. Yet it has been reported that consumers feel that frequent vacuuming removes the dust and grime from their floors and they can either skip or prolong regular carpet cleaning.

That’s not the case.

A good vacuum, no matter how powerful or advanced, removes only dry soil. The stuff that is tracked in every day and should be removed every day, as well. Vacuums don’t remove the sticky, greasy soil stuck to the carpet fibers. You need professional cleaning to remove those soils.

Compare this to washing your car with a dry rag… or brushing your hair and skipping the shower and shampoo… or — well, you get the point. You need quality cleaning, deep carpet cleaning, to get your carpet thoroughly cleaned.

Do yourself a favor. Keep that vacuum cleaner working, use it all the time, but also use your professional carpet cleaning pro. He knows what it takes to remove ALL the dirt!

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Art-MZ Article – Cleaning – October 2018

Fabric Protection that Really Works

DID YOU KNOW that one of the best ‘feel good’ experiences you can enjoy is having freshly-cleaned carpet or furniture?

And one of the most frustrating experiences you won’t enjoy is when, within just a few days, something like red wine, coffee or tea is spilled on that freshly-cleaned carpet or furniture.

This is not good!

So you feverishly apply all kinds of household cleaning products and scrub in desperation. That spot does look a little better but it is still there. You have an important appointment so you give up. When coming home a few hours later… it has grown! (This is another mystery and you might want to ask your carpet cleaning pro why this happens.)

All of this drama could have been avoided if you had asked for fabric protection when you had your carpet or furniture cleaned. You know, like Scotchgard or Teflon or some of the other products available to consumers.

Yes, fabric protection does cost a little bit more but… it’s worth it!

How does it work?

Fabric protection is quite a mystery to many, but basically what it does is act as a kind of invisible shield that repels most substances that are spilled.

You might compare this to waxing a car. You are providing protection to your paint job by applying an invisible shield, and you know it is working because you can see water beading up on the surface.

Carpet and furniture fabrics need the same type of protection.

Besides the obvious immediate benefit of cleaning up fresh spills, you can rest assured that a protected carpet or piece of furniture is going to last longer because when something is clean, it performs better and increases the lifetime of the fabric.

This doesn’t mean you can skip regular cleaning. Anything that is dirty will wear out prematurely. Fabric protection enhances a good cleaning. It’s an added step that you want for your carpet and furniture in your home.

So you want peace of mind? The next time you have your carpet or furniture cleaned, ask for protection. You will like it… and so will your carpet and furniture.

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Art-MZ Article – Cleaning – September 2018

A Weekend Lost

You work hard all week and look forward to the weekend, a time to relax and enjoy family and friends (but you still have to mow the grass!)

You work hard all week and look forward to the weekend, a time to relax and enjoy family and friends (but you still have to mow the grass!)  

But, sometime during the week, you look down. You aren’t happy with the condition of the carpet. So you make a decision to rent a do-it-yourself carpet cleaning machine from your local grocery store. That’s right… you are going to clean your own carpet. Your goal this weekend is to create a nice, fresh and clean carpet and enjoy a healthier home.

Friday evening arrives. Off you go to your grocery store and you find yourself in front of a bunch of do-it-yourself cleaning machines and the various cleaning solutions available. There are products to put on the carpet before you clean it. There are products to put in the machine with the water. There are other types of products for all kinds of spots and stains. Still others for pet odors. You aren’t sure which ones you will need, so you grab a selection of them and take them to the front of the store to pay.

At the register, while paying for the daily rental of the carpet cleaning machine, you discover the cost of all those cleaning products is about what you spend on food for the family for an entire week. But you aren’t deterred!  You are going to clean your carpet. Nothing will stop you.

So you go home with all your cleaning stuff and get started. It takes all your Saturday and, sad to say, part of your Sunday as well. It’s backbreaking work. You had no idea what sweating was really like. Yet… it looks pretty good when you are done. The bad part is it takes a few days to dry and you yell at the kids to not walk on the carpet. Maybe you thought they could float over it?

Within two weeks, though, the carpet starts to look worse than before it was cleaned. Uh oh… what happened?

You didn’t call your carpet cleaning pro! You know, those who have the training and the very best equipment and cleaning solutions to get the job done right.

Don’t ruin another weekend. Do the smart thing and hire a professional to do what he does best: Clean your carpet.

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Art-MZ Article – Cleaning – August 2018

How Long to Dry?

DID YOU KNOW that when you have your carpet professionally cleaned it can take as little as one hour to dry — and, according to some reports, as long as THREE DAYS to dry?

 According to the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification, or IICRC, the certifying body for professional carpet cleaners, carpet should take about six to eight hours to dry, and never longer than 24 hours to dry because after that amount of time, microbial growth (like mold and mildew) can begin to grow.

 No one wants that!

 This is why you need a complete carpet cleaning system that guarantees your carpet is dry fast. How fast? It depends on the carpet type you have and also the weather conditions the day you have your carpet cleaned.

 Sad to say, some experience really long drying times when they have their carpet cleaned. Who knows why this happens, except that it never should happen!

 One thing is for sure, having your carpet cleaned should be a pleasant experience and after it is clean, you should be able to get back onto the carpet and back to a normal family routine quickly. Some companies don’t have the powerful cleaning machines necessary for doing the best work, and some don’t have the training they should.

 When you have your carpet cleaned, or your furniture or hard floors like wood, granite, marble and all the different surfaces you may have, you deserve complete satisfaction and the best cleaning you will ever see.

 Remember: Clean and dry – that’s the goal!

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Art-MZ Article – Cleaning – July 2018

Dust Mites and You

No matter who you are, no matter where you live, you never sleep alone.

But don’t panic…those sleeping with you are somewhat peaceful. And not really that noticeable, until the “Welcome” sign goes up and they start inviting a bunch of guests over. Once the invitation goes out, there can be millions that end up in one mattress alone!

Yes, we are speaking of dust mites, those super-tiny eight-legged creatures that live in every house and take up residence in virtually every pillow, mattress and other comfortable abodes in the world.

Commonly called the “house dust mite,” (there are a couple of different types known to inhabit various parts of the world) this little creature feeds on flakes of shed human and animal skin and known to be a cause of asthma and allergic reactions.

Dust mite feces contain a powerful digestive enzyme that causes all kinds of breathing problems — if there are enough of the creatures in your home.

Some people are highly sensitive to dust mites, while others never have a reaction.

What can you do?

First of all, like we already said, don’t panic. Dust mites are everywhere, and there’s nothing you can do about that.

What you can do is keep things clean. Dust mites reproduce quickly in mattresses, beddings, pillows and other areas because these absorbent items take up moisture, such as saliva, perspiration and blood, from body contact. Dust mites prefer those warm, moist environments created by sleeping bodies.

Besides moisture, they need food. Dust mites are like any living creature. They need to eat. The skin flakes, dander and other protein sources are food for dust mites, so regular vacuuming is smart, especially using one with HEPA filtering. And running an air cleaner in your home with HEPA filtering will help, too.

Professional cleaning is a good investment for your home. Deep cleaning all fabrics on a regular basis means you are taking food away from these unwanted tenants. Logically, this equates to fewer dust mites coming over to party at your house.

So be a smart homeowner. Keep things clean and keep some of the pests away! Call your cleaning pro today.

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Art-MZ Article – Cleaning – June 2018

Guilty! (but it will be OK)

DID YOU KNOW that the devastation of spilling something like grape juice, Kool-Aid and other fruit drinks doesn’t have to be that… devastating?

So you have kids, grandkids, or some other kids come over, and they want something to drink. They surely don’t want water from the tap. That’s pretty boring stuff. They want something fruity, sweet, and with lots of color. Like deep blues, or reds. You know, the stuff that can really stain a carpet or piece of furniture.

And the inevitable occurs. The kids enjoy what you give them, but after all, they are kids. So something gets spilled. For some weird reason, this never happens on a hard, tile floor. It happens right on the carpet.

What to do?

Step #1
First of all, don’t panic. Gather your senses and realize this isn’t the end of the world.

Step #2
Start blotting. You want to use white cotton or paper towels, with no print or dyes, and blot – blot – blot! Most of any spotting or staining substance will come right out because the towel you are using is more absorbent than the carpet the drink was spilled on.

Step #3
It may be appropriate, with some coaching from your carpet cleaning pro, to do some spotting. Use a spotting product, like a mild neutral detergent spotter, recommended by your carpet pro. Apply a small amount to the spot and keep blotting. Never scrub. Scrubbing can damage the carpet fibers and you can’t fix that. Keep blotting.

Step #4
Did we say keep blotting? Keep it up! You may need to apply more approved mild detergent spotter. One thing you do not want to do is apply too much moisture, as that gets into the backing of the carpet and into the padding, creating additional problems.

Step #5
Once the spot is gone, it’s time to dry the carpet. How to do this? Keep blotting, of course! But also aim a fan on the spot and let the air current remove more moisture.

Is the spot still there? It may be a stain, very tough to remove. It is definitely now time to call your carpet cleaning pro!

Best case scenario
When anything happens, like spilling grape juice, red wine, mustard or other tough-to-remove substances, call your carpet and furniture cleaning professional. He has what it takes to get the job done right the first time.

Make that phone call especially for pet “accidents.” Your carpet cleaning pro knows exactly what you need to keep your home spot and stain free!

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Art-MZ Article – Cleaning – May 2018

Your Rug Deserves Some Pampering

DID YOU KNOW that a valuable area rug in your home is virtually crying out for some comfort?

When people start installing more hard floors in homes, the first thing many of them do is cover those floors with soft area rugs. Some of these rugs cost thousands of dollars, and they need their own special protection.

A rug pad designed and sized specially for your area rug (or rugs, if you are fortunate enough to have several in your home) is the protection they need and deserve.

Why go with a quality rug pad? Because they:

1.    Add cushioning and comfort for you

2.    Can add years to the life of a rug

3.    Protects the flooring beneath the rug

4.    Prevents the rug from slipping and you from falling!

Besides a rug pad, your area rug needs regular cleaning.

Don’t wait for your rug to cry out, “Please help!” It needs a pad of its own, right now. Give it the protection it needs, and enjoy that rug for many years to come.

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Art-MZ Article – Cleaning – April 2018

Cleaning Wool Carpet and Rug: Good News? Or Baaaad?

DID YOU KNOW that choosing a wool carpet or rug for your home is both good news… and sometimes bad?

The good news is choosing wool, which is a high quality fiber but not really that popular because of the higher price, means your carpet or rug will last longer, look better and retain value.

The bad news is choosing wool means you won’t see as much dirt on it, and so you may not vacuum or clean it that often — which means your nice, wool carpet or rug may prematurely wear out.

Why is that?

Most consumers base their cleaning frequencies on appearance. That can be dangerous for any carpet or rug, or any surface, for that matter. With wool, the physical makeup of the fiber has the characteristic of hiding dirt, especially those tiny, gritty particles that wear on the fibers. You might compare this to putting sand on a piece of Plexiglas and walking on it. The sand will act as an abrasive, damaging the surface.

While wool fibers won’t damage as quickly as other fibers, such as nylon, polyester or olefin, any type of dirt or soil on them isn’t good news at all.

What you should do is talk to a cleaning professional about cleaning based on frequency, not appearance. Get your cleaning scheduled on a regular basis, and remember that not every situation is the same. Your home may not need as frequent cleaning as another; that’s why a professional opinion is smart.

Yes, wool is good… or baaaad… depending on how you treat it.

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Art-MZ Article – Cleaning – March 2018

Commercial Facilities and Vacuums

Often under specified and misunderstood is a commercial office vacuuming program.
 
If most of the soil in the carpet can be removed by vacuuming, whose responsibility is it to remove that soil? Should it be done by the outsourced carpet cleaner or the in-house facility provider? With what frequency should it be performed? What type of vacuum should be used?
 
Professional cleaners have the information necessary to ensure optimum appearance and life of the carpet in a commercial building.  
 
The plain fact is that most buildings’ RFP (request for proposals) may include how often the carpet needs to be vacuumed, but little is stated or defined about how it is to be performed. If you are a facility manager in a commercial building, this is information that should be spelled out in advance.
 
If fact, rarely do RFPs specify different CRI (Carpet & Rug Institute SOA Green Label Program) approved vacuums for different types of carpet or traffic areas in facilities. This is because little is known by the average property or facility manager about the difference between a backpack vacuum, counter rotational brush machines or beater bar vacuums.
 
The problem with the vacuum cleaner is we trust it is being used properly. No, we’re not saying your facility is doing something wrong. We are merely pointing out the facts.
 
Depending on traffic and the type of commercial building daily, weekly and monthly vacuuming using several different types of vacuum cleaners may be necessary. You might vacuum the cubical or offices less frequently than a high traffic area or an entrance area.  
 
We all know that proper vacuuming is important. Removing soil from your carpet improves indoor environmental air quality, protecting occupants from potential harmful contaminants.
 
Specifying the proper vacuuming frequency and vacuum machine is very important to the success of your integrated carpet and building maintenance programs. 
 
Talk to your commercial cleaning professional. They have the answers you need!

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Art-MZ Article – Cleaning – February 2018

How to Keep Dust Out!

It’s one of the most frustrating things… moving an item on a bookshelf only to see a clear outline of where something was sitting. 

Or how about moving a piece of furniture and discovering a herd of “dust bunnies” has taken up residence.

Dust happens to everyone, even those who attempt to keep their homes spotless. While you can’t keep every last speck of dust out, you can greatly reduce the amount of dust that finds its way into your home.

Here are just a few ways to create a healthier (and more dust-free) home.

Run the HVAC

While you may enjoy having open windows when the weather is nice, using your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system is actually better for keeping dust out. As long as you make sure your filters are changed on a regular basis.

Door mats

While dust can become airborne, most soil comes into the home from shoes. Having quality door mats to catch the dirt means less build-up of soil and debris in the home, reducing dust particles as well. Leaving shoes on the door mats or at the door is another smart idea.

Cleaning

Yes, you clean on a regular basis, but some extra effort with the details will help keep the dust out. When dusting tables, desks, bookshelves and other surfaces, use microfiber cloths to better grab the dust. When sweeping the hard floors, follow up with a damp mopping. It will really grab the dust sticking to the floor. Be sure to vacuum not only the top of your area rugs, but also turn them over and vacuum the backs. And for your wall-to-wall carpet, vacuum several times a week, especially in high traffic areas and entryways.

For cleaner homes, call your cleaning pro!

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Art-MZ Article – Cleaning – January 2018

Carpet: It's Just Good for You

Everyone is concerned about better health. We shop for healthy foods. We take our vitamins. We visit our doctor on a regular basis. We drink filtered water. What we might not appreciate is the value of filtered air.

How do you effectively filter the air in your home? You are right… changing the filters in your furnace system on a regular, scheduled basis. If you wait too long, you know it because the filter is just so darned dirty. It makes a mess when you change it. So you vow to do it more often, and maybe you even put it on your wall calendar so you don’t forget. You might even pick up a better quality filter, such as one that uses HEPA standards.

  But what about the biggest filter in your home? Wonder what it is? Just look down… if you have carpet, that’s the filter that often gets ignored. If you don’t have much carpet, odds are you have area rugs covering those hard floors. Those area rugs are filters, too.

Carpet in a home is a protection for you, because it traps all kinds of allergens that can be the bane of asthma sufferers. Carpet is a filter and, like all filters, has to be either changed or cleaned. It’s not practical to change your carpet every year or so (heck, no one could afford that!) but you can — and should — have it cleaned.

Remember, allergens are very light and float in the air, and are respiratory concerns, especially for allergy and asthma sufferers. Carpet helps to keep those particulates to a minimum.

There are many documented studies about how homes and facilities, such as schools, are healthier because of carpet and regular cleaning schedules.

  So enjoy your carpet… and have it cleaned by your favorite carpet cleaning pro!