Top Carpet Cleaning TipsIn life, accidents will happen, and most can be easily resolved, and in most cases, you would even need to request help from a professional. First of all, no matter the type of spill, the process of how to clean and remove carpet stains remains the same. Thankfully, it’s easy! Just follow these simple steps. If something is spilled onto your carpet, no matter what the circumstances, prompt action is required to prevent staining, so be prepared.

1. Be prepared and remove the excess

Immediately brush off any excess substance with a spoon or a knife, so your cleanable spill doesn’t soak up anymore and turns into a permanent stain. Gently but swiftly, Blot away the excess liquid with a clean, absorbent, white cloth, work from the outer edge of the stain to the center to prevent spreading. Never rub as this can permanently damage carpet fibers. Always blot and repeat until the cloth no longer picks up any color.

2. Treat with a cleaning agent

Now that you have soaked up as much as you can from the affected area, spray the remaining stain with a cleaning agent of your choice, it recommended to use a cleaning agent that deal with and specifically matches the type of substance spilled. Both a store-bought stain remover and a handy homemade formula work equally as effective.

It is the recommendation to have the following items and solutions on hand for dealing with the most common spillages as soon as possible:

· Clean white absorbent cloth or towel

· Dry cleaning solution or a potent surgical spirit (check your local chemists)

· Detergent Solution – With the ratio of one teaspoonful of a well made mild dishwashing detergent ordinarily used for washing woolens to 300ml of warm water

· Detergent vinegar solution – With the ratio one to one ratio of one teaspoonful of white (avoid malt) vinegar to the detergent solution

· Ammonia Solution – With the ratio of one teaspoonful of branded and reliable household ammonia (should be available from local supermarkets or hardware stores) to one cup of warm water

Take plenty of time; it is worth the extra effort as over-wetting the stain can cause further damage to the backing of your carpet. Then let sit for at least 10 minutes.

3. Blot the stain away

Reach for a new clean, super absorbent, white cloth again. Start blotting from the outside to the middle of the stain repeatedly until the stain no longer transfers to the cloth. Follow by blotting with cold water, ensuring not over wet the affected area, and then gently blot dry. Once complete you may leave the affected area to dry overnight to see if the results are pleasing, repeating this process again if necessary.

4. Speed up the drying process

This handy tip works if you want to dry thoroughly your carpet as quick as possible. Cover the dampened area with a 1/2-inch-thick layer of paper towels or thick cloth, weighted down by a heavy object, swapping out the paper towels or cloth until dry.

You can also hire a professional carpet cleaner in your local area to do all of this for you for a very nominal fee while you focus on what matters most to you. We recommend hiring a professional, with good reviews, that knows what they’re doing. There are many review based sites out there, and most (good) companies have a presence on these sites. A professional carpet cleaning solution that we enjoy doing business with is Andrew Thompson, founder of VT Mobile Carpet Cleaning, and we found him through review sites like Yelp, Google My Business, and Angie’s List and made a comparison of all of them.

Take a look at one of our favorite carpet cleaning tips from our fellow friend at YouTube:

Here are the most common carpet stains solutions

· Chocolate, Blood, Sweets, Ice Cream, Glue, Milk, Egg, Soft Drinks and Vomit

Apply cold water immediately or club soda if you have that conveniently nearby, and then blot repeatedly with a clean, colorless cloth until the stain is gone.

· Fat-based stains (margarine, butter, gravy, etc.) Ointment, Oil, Solids, Shoe Polish and Tar

Use a spot carpet cleaner of the dry solvent variety and categorically follow the label instructions.

· Chewing Gum

Extract as much gum as you can without damaging your carpets’ fibers. Harden the remaining jammed gum pieces by placing a plastic bag of ice cubes over it. Chip gum away with a dull knife or spoon, followed by thoroughly vacuuming. If there is a lingering stain, clean with a dry solvent carpet cleaner, following the instructions on the label.

· Urine

Apply an enzymatic cleaner solution that you can usually find at a local pet supply store and other natural retailers.

· Alcohol, Tea, Coffee, Liquid Foods and juice

Lightly spritz with club soda, ensuring not to soak the carpet. Blot with a colorless, clean cloth repeatedly until the stain has vanished.

In addition to these methods, in the modern market there are several spot removers available; but remember before you try one, ensure you always test for colorfastness on an inconspicuous corner and leave it for a few days just to make sure it doesn’t discolor your carpet.

This stain removal tips and guide should help prevent or restore your carpet from some quite common and ultimately expensive staining damage. Of course, the complete removal of every stain can never be a guaranteed unfortunately, but the quick action and applying these simple procedures will give your professional cleaner the best possible chance of success of restoring your carpet to its former glory.

Pressure Washing HoustonAre you worried about how to pressure wash your driveway this weekend? If yes, then don’t worry as you are in the right place. There are many pressure washing equipments available in the market but without proper knowledge of how to use them, the less experienced face a lot of problems. Now the big question is, how to pressure wash your driveway effectively? As mentioned before, pressure washing tools like water broom, stiff brush, pressure washer, detergent, spray degreaser, 50 feet garden hose pipe, safety gloves, Plastic sheet to cover the completed area, paint tray, roller cover and handle, extender pole etc are the required stuffs to complete the washing activity with perfection. Before starting, you need to learn the following steps to clean your home and driveway properly.

Exteriors and Walls

Pressure washing is a quick way to clean your home’s exterior. It is an inexpensive way to improve the look but if you are not repainting the walls, then be sure not to damage the paint. As the first step, cover the doors, frames and windows with plastic sheet and painter’s tape. This protects the area from debris that falls off during pressure cleaning and accidental paint stain while repainting. Secondly, if there are oil or grease stains, remove them using degreaser spray. Make sure you stay away from the surface at least by 6 inches. If the dirt hard and stain is deep, chemicals, cleaners, and detergent need to be added to the water. Once the equipment is arranged as per the manual, hold the spray handle down and then start. Work your hands in a controlled way back and forth overlapping strokes by 8 inches. The detergent needs to sit on the surface for a while before getting power washed with pressurized water. Use the correct nozzle as per requirement. Once the walls dry, you can repaint the walls.

Washing Driveway

Now do you want to know how to pressure wash your driveway? Driveways can accumulate more dirt, oil and grease stains that are a bit hard to clean with just a stream of pressurized water. Nozzles like, rotary turbo releases water into a fine stream and also rotates this stream to cover wide area thereby helping to clean concrete bricks and pavers quickly. If you wish to cover more volume in less time, use a water broom that has nozzles across a bar cleaning more area in one pass. First, sweep the driveway with a broom to remove simple dirt that becomes messy with water. Once swept clean, apply degreaser spray on oil, grease or antifreeze stains. Now power washing helps to evacuate the dirt and stains to the maximum extent. Use the 25-degree nozzle and your hands must move in back and forth regular movements with enough overlap that avoids zebra strokes. It is a good practice to apply a waterproof sealer after the driveway dries.

Removing Hard stains

Anyone visiting your home notices the driveway first. Hence, hard stains like antifreeze, oil, tire marks, etc. need special cleaning skills. It is best practice to target a fresh stain immediately. Oil grease gets cleared immediately if absorbents like baking soda are poured on the stain. This can be allowed to stay for some time and after that power wash with detergent for good results. Hot tires leave a black mark on sealed concrete driveways. Chemical solvents along with heavy scrubbing are needed for removing such stains. Once this stain is gone, pressure washing maintains the driveway’s neatness. Resealing after a round of good cleaning helps to protect your driveway for a long time. Let the driveway dry for some time before applying resealing paint.

Safety Tips

Learning how to pressure wash your driveway and home becomes easy if you follow these safety tips;

· When activating the nozzle of the pressure washer keeps a close watch on the direction of the nozzle. Make sure you keep it away from fellow people, windows, hanging frames, doors, and screens. Always point water jet at the ground while pulling the trigger first as it is a safe practice.

· Check the wind direction as it can blow the stuff back at you and can hurt you. Also as water conducts electricity, be careful when you are near electricity service panel or meter boards, etc.

· If you are using a gas-powered pressure washer remember not to touch the muffler.

· Check if the cleaning system is attached properly. Once activated the system is under pressure and if any item dismantles and pops it can be brutal, and you are the one to face its wrath first.

· Not every cleaning job requires highest pressure setting. Cleaning the home and walls require less pressure but efficient nozzle variants like water broom or rotary nozzle must be used. A driveway with dirt and grease requires high-pressure setting and pointed nozzle for quick dirt evacuation.

· Know your machine’s limits and do not push it too much. Stains like oil spots, fertilizers, rust, and acorn are impossible to remove and hence don’t strain yourselves.

· Inspect your home and driveway once you have completed the washing around doors, windows, and trim area to check for paint peel off or visible damage.

· If it’s a big house or a huge driveway you should call for professional assistance as the work is too large and complicated. Do not overdo yourself as you need your precious time for your family and friend.

Following these simple yet useful tips on how to pressure wash your driveway, you can easily learn the art of pressure washing and can perform well even at your first attempt. Learn how VT Mobile can pressure wash your drive in Sugar Land by visiting their pressure washing in Sugar Land page.