Got Chlorine On Your Floors?

For all intents and purposes, chlorine is a protector from bacteria when we're inside the pool. However, when it makes it way inside the house. That can be bad news and could very well happen when the kids are home during the summer. American Cleaning and Restoration offers the following tips to get rid of those stains if that does happen:

Chlorine Stains on Acetate, Acrylic Fabric, Burlap, Cotton, Linen, Modacrylic, Nylon, Olefin, Polyester, Rayon, Silk, Spandex and Wool:

Apply a stain remover immediately to loosen the chlorine and then flush the stain with a mixture of 1 teaspoon sodium thiosulfate and 1 quart water. Use caution while handling the sodium thiosulfate to avoid inhaling it, contact with eyes, or digesting any. Once the stain is neutralized, flush with water to remove the chemicals.

If the stain is still present, combine 1/4 teaspoon Rit Color Remover in 1/2 cup cool water and with a sponge use light strokes, working out from the center then flush with clear water.

Chlorine Stains on Acrylic Plastic, Asphalt, Cork, Linoleum, Masonry Tile, Plexiglas, Vinyl Tile:

This chlorine stain must be treated immediately because it will bleach the color out if left. Wipe up immediately and using a damp, sudsy cloth, sponge the surface. Rinse with clear water and wipe dry.

Chlorine Stains on Leather, Suede, Vinyl Clothing, Vinyl Wallcovering:

Any chlorine on these surfaces is permanent and cannot be removed. If you are not successful with any of these removal tips, call a qualified carpet cleaning service like American Cleaning and Restoration immediately. We have equipment and products as well as proven methods to remove most stains or dye the carpet almost to its original color.

Kids Are Home For Summer – House Is A Mess!

During the summer, it’s pretty normal for a family's home to get a little messy. The kids are home all day with friends in and out. They stay up late and get up late. Things just seem to pile up and nothing is cleaned. The floors are often the first thing to show this activity, or lack thereof, especially the areas that have a lot of traffic. American Cleaning and Restoration knows this all too well and offers a few suggestions to help get things in order now and keep them that way till school starts.

Make Cleaning Fun!

Okay, that may sound like something that just isn't going to happen, but if you can get the family in in team mode with each team having 15 minutes to complete their task, it can be fun! Winner gets choose what's for lunch and losers have to fix lunch!

De-clutter!

If your home is like every other family's, your den is probably the most used common area by everyone. Overnight the clutter just appears, or so it seems. When you just need to “tidy up” the area, vacuum only the areas of floor that have a high volume of traffic every day and do the whole floor just once a week. The same goes for dusting and wiping down the hardwood floors. Vacuum first then mop so you get the dust and lint that are stirred up by vacuuming.

Freshen the throw blankets and throw pillows off the chairs and sofa with a dryer sheet in the dryer on the air cycle setting. Take that stack of mail that's been piling up and throw away the piles of junk mail (after checking for valuable coupons!) and do a quick straightening on the coffee and end tables.

Family Chores!

Once you have the house cleaned and back in order, give each member of the family a daily chore. By doing these little things each day, you will have a clean house without bogging down the summer time fun! The week before school starts, call American Cleaning and Restoration and schedule a deep down carpet cleaning as well as your drapes and furniture! Getting the house freshened up before winter sets in will be one step to a healthy and clean home.