Category: Cleaning

Guide to Upholstery Cleaning

carpet cleaning always seems to get all of the attention but it’s time to show your furniture some love too! With all of the traffic that comes through your house, your upholstery items go through a lot of wear and tear, making your furniture lose its color and vibrancy over time. No need to fear! Here is a guide for your upholstery cleaning needs!

Upholstery Items Need Attention Too!

It’s obvious that something will last longer when it is taken care of, so it shouldn’t be a secret that your upholstery items need a regular cleaning! With all the people that use the furniture in your home, it is recommended to have your upholstery items cleaned about every 6 months. Getting a cleaning this often will lengthen the life and help keep the natural color of your upholstery items. Giving the needed attention to your upholstery items will help your home look cleaner and feel healthier!

Fight Lingering Stains

It seems to be almost impossible to prevent any stains from getting on your carpets or furniture. You might even have an internal stain that just won’t come out! Don’t let that stain keep embarrassing you every time you see it

Upholstery Cleaners Tips

Upholstery Cleaning Tips, DIY and Service

spend the majority of our free time in the heart of the home: the living room. Whether you’re entertaining, or just relaxing, the last thing you want to see is a big water ring on your sofa, or smell a foul odor coming from the spot where your dog usually sleeps

Furniture and Couch Cleaners

You have that favorite chair or couch, and you don’t want to get rid of it. It is like an old shoe, worn out but comfortable.  Is there an alternative to replacing it with something new?  You bet there is

Upholstery has to be maintained regularly because the furniture is soiled so frequently. Body oils, bacteria, germs, dust mites, mould spores, allergens, and bugs lurk in places that we cannot see.

services job is to thoroughly clean, sanitise, deodorise, remove stains, and protect your furniture. It’s our job to make sure your furniture is clean and safe for you, your family, and your guests! Dirt, grease, and dust will build up over time and soil your furniture.  Regular vacuuming helps, but there comes a time when this no longer fits the bill.  It is time to call in the professionals to give that worn piece of furniture a new lease on life

Upholstery Virus & Bacteria Disinfection Clean

Capable Truck mounts hot steam cleaners kill and removes viruses, bacteria, germs, dust mites, and other pathogens from interior car upholstery if the steam is over 70C hot.

Pre-spraying your mattress and mattress bed with an FDA approved antiviral disinfecting sanitise treatment. Before performing Hot Water Extraction on your mattress beds to eliminate risks from Sars COVID-19 corona viruses, bacteria germs, bed bugs, dust mites, and other pathogens.

A Guide to Upholstery Fabric

Upholstery fabric can be made from a variety of materials. It can be natural, man-made or a combination of the two. Each material has its pros and cons. To get the right fabric for your look and lifestyle it is important to compare them.

Here is a list of the most common fabrics for upholstery:

Cotton is soft and durable, but it is also susceptible to wrinkling and can be easily soiled. If exposed to direct sunlight, cotton may begin to fade.

Linen is made from the flax plant. It is a good upholstery fabric for both casual and formal spaces. It naturally resists pilling and soiling, but it can wrinkle easily. Some linen slipcovers can be dry-cleaned.

Synthetic (or man-made) fibers such as polyester are more resistant to fading and staining than natural fibers. Many upholstery fabrics blend natural and synthetic fibers to offer the best of both worlds. For example, a cotton-polyester blend has the soft feel of cotton but with greater resistance to fading and wrinkling. There are many different synthetic fibers, but the following three are the ones most commonly found in upholstery fabrics.

Acrylic is lightweight and soft. It also resists wear, wrinkling and fading. This is a great choice for furniture in bright sunlight or near a window. Most acrylics require special cleaning.

Nylon, one of the strongest fibers you can find, is incredibly durable. Manufacturers might combine a delicate fabric like velvet with nylon to help prevent the nap (the raised surface) from getting crushed. Its big downside is that it is sensitive to light and usually needs to be cleaned with solvent-based cleaners.

Polyester is strong and durable and is commonly blended with other fibers to reduce fading (it stands up well to sunlight), provides wrinkle resistance and adds resilience to napped fabrics.

Stain-resistant fabrics. There are many fabrics that are stain-resistant, either because they are made from a fiber that inherently repels moisture and stains or because they have a treatment applied to them.

Slipcovers have a slightly more casual look, which some people might not want, but you should strongly consider going with a slipcover if you have young children or you are choosing a white fabric. White is hard to keep clean, no matter how hard you try.

Durability

When you research upholstery fabric you often come across the term double rubs. This refers to a test of a fabric’s durability. The double-rub test is done with a back-and-forth motion, similar to the wear that occurs when someone sits down and gets up again. The number of double rubs before the fabric shows visible wear provides the rating. The higher the number of double rubs, the more durable the fabric

Texture

Many fabrics may look great, be stain-resistant and have the durability you need but then fail on the most important test: texture. Nobody likes a piece of scratchy furniture. Your hands may not pick up on the roughness, so when you’re looking at fabrics, make sure to touch them to your face or arm. This is especially important for a piece you’re likely to lounge on, such as a sofa in front of a television.

Upholstery Cleaning Guide

There is a huge array of fabric and vinyl upholstery options available for casino chairs and attempting to list them all as well as how best to clean them, is an impossible task. Stains do happen and removing them from the upholstery can be difficult.

As a general rule of thumb, you should treat stains immediately before they become permanent. Use white towels, roller towel or an absorbent cloth to ‘blott’ the spillage. Keep blotting and changing the absorbent material until no more of the spillage or coloured matter is being removed.

VINYL upholstery

Vinyl upholstery should always be cleaned with clean water using a damp cloth to wipe away stains or spills. Solvent-based cleaning materials should never be used as they may damage the vinyl causing it to crack and peel. Cotting Esprit vinyl cleaning instructions.

FABRIC upholstery

Always follow the manufacturers’ cleaning instructions. If none are not available, then use the general guide to cleaning everyday stains on fabrics as suggested by Materialised. Pre-test all solutions on an inconspicuous area. When using liquid cleaners work from the outer ring of the stain toward the centre.  Always rinse with clean water and blot dry to finish as detergent residue tends to attract soiling.  If in any doubt, contact a cleaning specialist.

Standard & Reference Guide for Upholstery Cleaning

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Upholstery Cleaning (IICRC S300) is a procedural standard. It has been written using reliable principles, research and practical experience, plus consultation with and information obtained from numerous sources.

For many years furniture manufacturers have used colorfastness codes to assist consumers in determining safe cleaning solutions (e.g., dry solvents, water) to use on their upholstered furniture.  Over time these “colorfastness codes” evolved into “cleaning codes” for professional cleaners as well.  However, upholstery cleaning technicians have always determined the appropriate cleaning method for individual furniture based on fiber content, fabric construction and careful inspection, rather than “colorfastness” or “cleaning” codes.  One of the primary purposes of IICRC S300 is to clarify the way in which appropriate cleaning methods are determined

IICRC S300 provides a specific set of practical standards for all methods of dry and wet upholstery cleaning.  It does not attempt to teach comprehensive upholstery cleaning procedures; rather, it provides the foundational principles for proper cleaning practice.  There are numerous programs available in the industry to teach the specific details of upholstery cleaning.

IICRC S300 is presented using a two-part format: the Standard itself, and a supplementary “Reference Guide.”  The procedural Standard is featured in the first section of S300.  This Standard is supported by the Reference Guide in the second section.  The intent is to use the information outlined in the Reference Guide as a tool to better understand and apply the Standard itself.  However, the Reference Guide is not considered a part of the Standard.

The Best Way To Clean Up Post-Construction Dust

If there’s anything that can take away from the joy of a newly renovated bathroom, it’s the dust that lingers after. No matter how well your contractor seals off the construction area from the rest of your apartment, dust always seem to find its way through and settle on everything. Fortunately, there are a few simple steps you can take to clean everything up and finally enjoy your new space.

It’s not just unsightly to leave the dust lying around. Left unattended, it can end up in your air ducts. So, it’s important that you clean up the dust up as soon as possible.

Start at the Top

With that in mind, the first step you should take is to vacuum up as much of the dust as possible. Vacuuming it will remove most of the dust, particularly the loose material that’s more likely to shift around if you tried to sweep it up. Don’t vacuum in random directions. Instead, start from the ceiling and work down towards the floor, moving in long sideways movements as you go. Take care of the ledges at the top of window and door frames at the same time. Light fixtures and ceiling fan blades could also use a bit of vacuuming while, closer to the ground, lamp shades and electronics should be similarly taken care of.

Once this part of the process has been completed, you’re in a good position to start cleaning with soap and warm water over the same spaces. Damp towels will allow you to clean up the remaining dust without merely spreading it around. Any section you’ve vacuumed over will need to be cleaned in this manner, too. That goes for the air vents as well. Don’t be afraid to remove the vent covers and get right in there.

Careful with the Floors

Cleaning the floors will depend more on the type of floor surface. A carpeted floor will typically trap much more dust in it and can be handled with a vacuum, plus a dust brush extension. If you like, you can even use a steam cleaner to more vigorously clean up the ingrained dust. An added bonus that comes with steam cleaning is that less dust will be kicked up into the air.

If you’re cleaning a hard-surfaced floor, vacuuming or sweeping is a necessary first step. Don’t go straight to cleaning up the dust with a damp mop. You risk scratching the surface with the fine grains of dust you’re moving around. A treated dust mop is another option you can use to safely remove the fine particles. Along the baseboards, used dryer sheets are very effective at getting into the nooks and crannies, gathering up dust.

Once the floor dust is gathered up as well as possible, a damp – not wet – mop can be applied to the floor, using a cleaner appropriate to the surface material.

Don’t Forget The Ducts

After all these parts of your home are cleaned up, the next thing you’ll want to do is vacuum inside your air vents and check your air filters. After all the construction and cleanup, there’s a good chance they’ll need to be swapped out.

With all these tasks out of the way, you’ll now be able to enjoy your new bathroom with the comfort that comes with knowing all remnants of the construction process have been cleaned away.

POST CONSTRUCTION – THE CLEAN UP

Post Construction CleaningWhether you are building a new home, commercial building or industrial park, it will need a full cleaning before it can be used on a regular basis. This means cleaning the entire facility from top to bottom, dust, residue and windows are only a small part of the entire cleaning process.

This is a cleaning that requires professional care. Common house cleaning, floors and carpets and the like are not at the same level as post construction cleanup. Extra care is necessary beyond what most people would consider clean because of the nature of the debris.

Some think post construction cleaning professionals are not necessary, and they can do the work themselves without worry. This is not the case. This is a cleaning that can take several days of full time work, time that many do not have because of their own jobs. This is our full time job at Imperial One Cleaning. So while you are working, we are taking care of the cleaning work.

There is often dust and debris left behind that can be hazardous to a family or employees. Correct cleaning standards and techniques are necessary and often mean special clothing, all of which a professional cleaning company will own and know how to use.

Post construction cleaning often means working for long times in awkward positions. Paint, for example, can land in any number of spots. Paint landing behind a toilet needs to be cleaned up and reaching the spot can be very difficult if not uncomfortable. Paint spills on the floors, carpet and such also needs cleaning – all with special equipment and chemicals. Imperial One Cleaning can do it all.

Outside needs cleaning as well since home sites are notorious for nails, left over wood, siding, bricks and more are left behind. More often than not, the waste materials are scattered across the site and will have to be collected. Most professional cleaning services bring in large trailers to haul volumes of trash to recycling centers or appropriate trash locations.

Three good ways for cleaning concrete dust

You can find quite a few tips for concrete dust removal on various forums that you might want to try.

1. Tea towel

When the cement dust is still quite fresh you can try cleaning the concrete dust with a tea towel. Rub the surface of the tiles quite hard with a dry tea towel. This may remove the cement dust, but it is rather hard work and also takes quite a long time.

2. Scrapers

You can also try scraping tools. You must be very careful not to damage the tiles if you choose this method of concrete dust removal.

3. Vinegar mixture

Mix equal parts of vinegar and water (50/50). This acidic mixture works well for cleaning concrete dust. This mixture can damage your tiles, so we recommend that you test it on a surplus tile first. Also be cautious with acids on marble and other calciferous natural stone. Consult an expert for advice if necessary.

What Steps You Should Take Before Sucking Up Drywall Dust

Be sure to switch off your central heat and air circulation. Doing so will cut down on the dust being collected in your home.

If at all possible, position a powerful fan near your windows within the area you are busy working on. Ensure the fan blows excess dust out of the room. Most of the dust will be sent outside.

Take out as much furniture as you can, especially ones that are upholstered. The last thing you want is having to suck up drywall dust from your upholstery. If there is no other way, then cover your couches or other furniture with painter’s plastic and secure the end with bungee cords or strong tape.

Be proactive by cleaning drywall dust during your remodeling project daily. Do not wait around until all the sanding work is done. You may view it as a big waste of time. But, if you leave the dust to settle, then it will be so much harder to get rid off.

Before you start cleaning, be vigilant, and put on a dust mask. The last thing you need is to deal with a runny nose or red eyes. Another issue is facing damaged lungs. Instead, do the right thing and play it safe.

Restore Fresh Indoor Air after a Home Renovation

Check out the following tips to maintain good-quality air inside your home during and after renovation:

1. Observe worksite containment at all times.

Renovating a house can be an exciting time for any homeowner. But it can also be a stressful one. During the entire process, contractors could be coming in and out of your house, bringing in a huge amount of dust and other pollutants.

A great way to lessen the amount of indoor air pollution during home renovation is to contain the worksite. This can be done simply by installing plastic barriers. You can find some in a local home depot. You can also use a tarp but a clear plastic with zipper is a more convenient use.

2. Use air purifiers and scrubbers.

You might consider renting a commercial-grade air scrubber during the renovation. This might be an additional cost but is definitely worth the price. Air scrubbers can effectively get rid of dust and other pollutants in the air, keeping your home interiors smelling clean and fresh.

This tool is specifically designed to draw in construction dust. Place one air scrubber inside the worksite and another outside and leave them turned on the whole time until the renovation is complete. You may need to change the filters from time to time to unclog dust and other particles. You should also run air purifiers in your bedroom and other areas where no renovation work is being done. Dust can easily travel to different places so it is a smart idea to purify air throughout your home.

3. Clean daily.

It may feel like an added task but cleaning your house every day during the entire renovation project is necessary to maintain quality air. You will require some high-level disinfection especially if you and your whole family (kids and pets included) are staying in the house while it’s being renovated. You can use disinfecting wipes for kitchen surfaces and items like forks and knives. Sweep the floor and vacuum carpets. Don’t forget to change or clean the filter of your vacuum after each use.

Contractors recommend using HEPA vacuum filters which exhaust much less dust back into the air. Cover air vents and clean your HVAC air filters regularly as well. You may need in-depth duct cleaning service especially after the renovation has been completed to ensure that your HVAC system is clean and remains functional.

4. Ventilate your home.

You want to ensure proper ventilation around your home during and after the renovation, especially when applying paints or finishes, installing floors or carpets, or doing any other tasks that eliminate toxic fume or gas. After the renovation work is done, open doors and windows to allow fresh air in and polluted air out of your house.

5. Employ proper storage and disposal of VOC-containing products.

If you have remaining paints and other construction products that contain chemicals, make sure to store them properly in sealed containers. If you don’t think you will need them soon enough, consider selling or giving them away.

What is post-construction cleaning?

Post-construction cleaning is done after remodelling, renovation, commercial construction or residential project to prepare the property for its new residents оr for further interior touches. Post-construction cleaning can be done for all kinds of buildings, such as restaurants, hotels, education, government and manufacturing facilities.

Post-construction cleaning is done by a team of professionals that carefully inspect the property and clear out anything left from the construction process. Here is a handy post-renovation cleaning checklist to help you sort through the mess and get your house looking great again. 

Why is post-construction cleaning important?

Post-construction cleaning is done mostly for safety. Construction dust contains toxins and carcinogens that can be dangerous to the new residents of the building.Also, there might be nails, sawdust and broken glass and other material leftovers waiting to poke someone’s feet. If you’re not well equipped, if you lack the knowledge and the experience needed, better don’t try to tackle this job alone. Being unaware of the risk and hazards from a poorly-handled construction cleanup can be very dangerous.

Relax in Your Renovated Home Faster with These Post Construction Cleaning Tips

Before you can relax in your newly redesigned home, there are some steps you need to take to finish off your remodel to perfection.

Remember: if you have sensitive lungs or respiratory problems, consider wearing a mask for the cleaning process. This will prevent you from discomfort caused by breathing in dust and chemicals.

1. Open the Windows

Even if it’s the middle of winter, open your windows. This will create an airflow to draw out dust, reduce smells from cleaning products, and minimize the strange odors of plaster dust and sawn wood.

2. Sweep First

It’s tempting to dust surfaces as the first step of cleaning, but don’t. Instead, sweep the floors first.

Sweeping often causes dust to settle on surfaces. Unless you want to get stuck in an endless cycle of dust, sweep, repeat, try sweeping first to minimize the additional dust clouds.

3. Dust Everything (We Mean It. Everything.)

Get out the microfiber cloths and wipe down everything in sight. Old rags won’t do the job properly: you want to use proper dusting cloths designed to attract dust particles.

Remember to clean between blinds, window ledges, the tops of door frames, shelving units, cupboards, and any other surface. Start in one corner of the room near the exit and work your way back around to the same doorway.

4. Leave the Room

You can put your feet up for a few minutes. Leave any dust particles that have been caught in the air to settle down again.

If you have other rooms that need cleaning, now’s the time to start sweeping and dusting. If your remodel was only for the one area, sit back and relax for half an hour.

5. Now It’s Vacuum Time

Start with the carpets and migrate to the nooks with the additional vacuum tools after that.

Run the vacuum cleaner over your carpets slowly. It’s tempting to go at full speed to get the job done more quickly, but a slow approach will ensure you pick up all of the dust. If you miss a spot or don’t clean thoroughly enough, dust will continue to fluff out of the carpet when you walk on it.

6. Check Your Air Vents

Often forgotten during a post-remodel clean, air vents are a magnet for dust.

Make sure you dust and vacuum inside your vents as well as the external grills. This will prevent any clogging in your air conditioning or heating system, and stop any dust from recirculating back into the room you’ve spent ages cleaning.

7. Wipe Hard Surfaces (and Dry Them, Too)

Wipe down any hard surfaces like kitchen counters with disinfectant to make sure your home is as clean as possible.

Prevent any musty smells or mold problems in your newly remodeled home by drying off all areas that you’ve cleaned, too. Remember to leave cupboards open to dry out, for example, otherwise you risk some less-than-pleasant damp smells.

8. Vacuum Again

When you think you’re all done, run the vacuum around the area again. A lot of the dust in the air will have settled by now, so a final clean will help to minimize the risk of ongoing dust problems.

Methods for Removing Dust:

Dust needs to be trapped rather than spread into the air or it will just land in a new location. With the high levels of dust produced during construction, it will take several cleanings to remove it all. Here are a couple of methods to get rid of dust for good.

1. One of the first lines of defense against dust is the air filters in your home. They trap dust, but they can also add it to the air if they are not cleaned and replaced regularly. Check your air filters first and replace as needed. For more information, see How to Clean Your Homes Air Filter.
2. If the dust is still heavy in the air, you can rent an air scrubber from a major hardware store to remove the bulk of the dust. This can be helpful while cleaning as well to remove the dust that you kick up.
3. Wearing a face mask is important to prevent inhaling the dust. These can be purchased at a hardware store.
4. Vacuuming is the first step for removing the dust. It will remove the most amount of dust and is the easiest to do. Put an upholstery brush on the vacuum wand. Start at the top of a room and work your way down. That means to vacuum the top of the wall first. Work in sections, moving the wand sideways across each section. (If your vacuum has a filter, be sure to monitor it and clean as needed.)
5. If there are vents present, remove the covers and vacuum inside of the vents as thoroughly as possible.
6. Vacuum the top ledges above window and door frames.

How Contractors Can Keep Your Home Clean During A Remodel

Remodeling can be a dusty and dirty process. Unfortunately, it’s just a part of the undertaking. When it comes to deciding to remodel and choosing a contractor, make sure you pick one that will respect the cleanliness and organization of your home.

Hang Up Plastic Walls

Often times our crew puts up plastic walls to keep the dust in the project area only.

Lay Cardboard On The Floors

Cardboard is put down to protect the floors from tools, fixtures or other items that may inadvertently fall onto the ground.

Cover Vents

Covering the intake and exhaust HVAC vents helps prevent the any dust or dirt from circulating in the house and getting into other areas of the home not being worked on.

Put On Shoe Covers

Shoe covers are sometimes necessary when hauling in equipment and products from the outside to the inside of the home to stop unwanted dirt from being tracked into the client’s house.

Watch Out For Pets

For most of us, our pets are part of your family. A remodel can be a disturbance in your pet’s usual day to day habits. Respecting pets and their needs is something we pride ourselves on.  We’ll feed them, let them out to go to the bathroom, and keep them out of harm’s way. Choose a contractor that will make sure your pets are a priority and wont’ be lost in the construction around them.

Lead Safe Work Practices

In 2010 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) required remodeling and construction contractors to be certified in order to remove lead-based paint from homes built prior to 1978. The contractors need to discuss lead safe practices with the homeowners before works starts. Be certain to choose an EPA certified contractor.

Clean Up Each Day

A professional contractor will clean up after themselves after each work day ensuring you don’t come home from work to a disorganized and dirty space. The last thing you want to do is spend money on a remodeling project and have to clean up after the crew that you’ve paid to keep things tidy.

POST-CONSTRUCTION CLEANING CHECKLIST

1. Vacuum Carpets & Upholstery

It’s all too easy for dust and dirt particles to embed themselves in curtains, upholstered furniture and carpeted floors. If allowed to settle after construction, the result can not only look filthy, but also cause itchy, irritating reactions for friends, family or guests. Vacuum all soft surfaces, paying close attention to the details. Remove and vacuum each furniture cushion, and the underlying frames. Try vacuuming twice if you feel any residual dust after the first round.

2. Wipe Down Hard Surfaces

Clean surfaces from the top down. Start by wiping the dust off your walls – yes, even your walls collect dust during construction. Dry dusting is the safest way to remove the particles without damaging a wall’s surface, but a damp cloth can also be used depending on your type of paint or wall covering. Refer to the paint or wallpaper manufacturer before using any moisture, and test a small area before proceeding. Moldings and cabinets are another favorite resting spot for dust particles. Take a duster to these areas next. Clean the interior shelves of all cabinets, paying special attention to those hard-to-reach corners. Wipe off countertops and any other flat surfaces before tackling the dirt and debris that’s on or near the floor. Then, sweep out any visible dust, and mop your hard floors from wall to wall.

3. Clean Air Vents & Replace Filters

In a large home renovation project means, dust and debris will mingle with the air itself, making its way to your vents. Even if you only renovated one part of your home, treating the air vents and filters in that space is critical to reduce the amount of dust that can spread through the rest of your home. Remove the vent covers from the surrounding walls and ceilings, clean each one with soap and warm water, and let them dry thoroughly. Replace any exposed air filters with fresh ones before replacing the vent covers. Breathing dusty air can lead to allergies and respiratory issues, so remember not to skip this step!

4. Don’t Forget About the Little Things

Clean any other furniture or items in the renovation zone for a fully dust-free living space. Here’s a quick list of commonly overlooked areas:

• Ceiling fan blades
• Light fixtures
• Lamp shades
• Electronics
• Small appliances
• Decorative items

Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Upholstery Cleaning Machine

Nothing is going to help brighten up a room, making it look – and smell – a whole lot cleaner than using a high-quality upholstery cleaning machine on all of your furniture.

Our furniture very rarely gets cleaned through more traditional approaches, building up all kinds of dust, dirt, and debris while getting the most use and utility in our spaces. It doesn’t take long for even almost brand-new furniture to start to look more than a little bit worn out, simply because it hasn’t been cleaned in a while.

What kind of budget are you working with?

You almost always get what you pay for a when it comes to this kind of equipment, but that doesn’t mean that you have to blow your budget into tiny little pieces getting your hands on a quality upholstery cleaner.

It is important that you establish your budget ahead of time, however. It’s very easy to spend more money than expected on this kind of specialized equipment, particularly if you get sucked into the marketing or advertising of these machines that promise all kinds of bells and whistles.

Different types of fabric and upholstery will require different types of upholstery cleaning approaches, and not all cleaning machines on the market today are as versatile as others.

If you’re going to be purchasing an inexpensive unit without a lot of flexibility or versatility, you’ll want to be sure that it can clean the majority of your furniture pieces and the right kind of fabric and upholstery before you pull the trigger. If you have a little bit of extra money, it may be advantageous to get a set up more flexible and adaptable to different kinds of upholstery

How to Choose the Best Professional Upholstery Cleaning

The need for professional upholstery cleaning is something that many people never stop to think about. The way we live our lives creates a need to have our furniture cleaned every now and then. We never stop to think about what gets on the couch or the chair on a day-to-day basis. We come from work or school and just go directly to the couch, never even considering what kind of filth and germs get on it as a result.

With this in mind, you may consider professional upholstery cleaning to be a valuable service. When you decide you want your furnishings professionally cleaned, you might be able to choose from many companies. You want to find a company that is both affordable and reliable. If you pay someone to clean your furniture, you want to make sure the job is done right. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you try to choose the best company for professional upholstery cleaning

Determine the Cost Range of Professional Upholstery Cleaning

When you are considering professional upholstery cleaning, you would like to know how much you can expect the bill to be. The truth is that costs can vary wildly within the industry. Your price may depend on what type of furniture you are having cleaned. If you are cleaning a tiny footstool, the bill is obviously going to be much less than cleaning a sectional sofa. Though prices can vary widely, the average upholstery project costs about $200. However, if you have them complete a very large project, you could pay more than $1000. Of course, you’ll want to check with local companies to get accurate estimates for your area.

Compare Estimates from Local Companies

If you live in a large area, you will usually not face a shortage of options regarding professional upholstery cleaning. If you want to find out how much they charge, just ask. Pick up the phone book, open it to the Yellow Pages and find the section for upholstery cleaners. Explain what you want them to clean and ask for price estimates. After you’ve called several or all of the local companies, compare the prices.

Consider Other Factors

When you are trying to decide which professional upholstery cleaning company you should go with, price is a big factor. But you may not necessarily want to go with the outright cheapest service. Make sure to ask if anyone is offering special deals. Also ask how packed their schedule is and any other questions that come to mind. You’ll also want to know if the company offers good service. You’ll try to answer this question in the next step.

How To Choose Best Upholstery Cleaning Machine?

Furniture creates the style within each room of your home. This means that the upholstery of your furniture needs to be cared for in order to maintain longevity and cleanliness. You clean your carpets, so there your upholstery should be maintained the same way. When it comes to cleaning your upholstery, the cleaner you use makes a big difference. Stains can really make your furniture look dingy and dirty, therefore finding a cleaner that does the job without ruining your furniture is important.

Cleaning your Upholstery with Steam

The first thing that you should know when looking for an upholstery cleaner is that steam is the best option. This means that you need to buy a steam cleaner. Steam is most effective in getting out set-in stains. This means that even stains you do not catch right away can be removed by using this a steam cleaner. A steam cleaner works by releasing a pressurized steam on the area of the stain. There is a heating element within the cleaner that works to produce the steam. There are different models and sizes of cleaners to choose from, so you need to know which type of steam cleaner is best.

High Temperatures to Clean Deep and Disinfect

It is best to look for a make and model that offers a high-temperature option. This is the only way you can be sure that the steam will have the ability to soften the dirt in order for it to be removed. The steam cleaner is designed to do all the work and you simply will be able to wipe the stain away once the steam has been applied. This is most effective when you are using an upholstery cleaner that has the capacity to reach high temperatures. The higher temp will allow you to clean away more set-in stains.

A Compact Design Still Packs Power

You might assume that an upholstery cleaner is bulky and hard to lug around, but this is not always the case. There are plenty of new portable upholstery cleaning machines that are specifically designed to be compact and easy to store. These cleaners may be small in size, but they are still big in power and have the ability to clean all types of stains. These are also designed to be portable and easy to handle, which is something that you need to look in an upholstery cleaner. You need a cleaner that you can carry from room to room with ease.

Steam Cleaner Wand Accessory

Another feature that will really come in handy when you own an upholstery cleaner is a wand. A wand is a great accessory that comes with most steam cleaners. The use of the wand allows you to get more access to stains that might not be as easy to clean or reach. For couches and sofas this is really ideal and allows you to give them a very thorough and deep cleaning. The wand will let you reach areas that you otherwise couldn’t with a generic steam cleaner

Professional Upholstery Cleaning: Which Fabrics Need It?

There’s nothing better than lying on a plush couch in the middle of a lazy day. A good couch provides a place to nap, watch the big game, or cuddle with a loved one. But a good, well-used couch can also hold onto odor and harbor harmful allergens and germs that can make you and your family sick

Keep Your Upholstery Looking Great

Having your upholstery cleaned by a professional will both extend the life of your fabrics and keep your home and household healthy. Professionals recommend that homeowners have their upholstery cleaned every one to two years

However, if your furry friend has made your loveseat her favorite napping place, you should have that area cleaned more often—at least every six months. In between professional cleanings, homeowners are encouraged to properly care for their fabrics.

Keep an eye out for stains, and clean spills as soon as they happen. It’s important to refer to the furniture’s care instructions to make sure you’re giving your upholstery the proper care.

Below are some common and specialty fabrics along with pieces of furniture that can greatly benefit from professional upholstery cleanings:

Common fabrics and materials: cotton, polyester, linen, wool, leather, chenille*, chintz*, rayon, nylon, microfiber, and suede

Specialty fabrics and materials: Haitian cotton, jacquard, mohair, silk, damask, and velvet

Commonly cleaned furniture: Sofa, recliner, ottoman, chaise lounge, dining chair, barstool, window treatments, headboard, office chair, and mattress

Picking the Perfect Upholstery Fabric

If you are new to the world of upholstery, choosing the right fabric may seem like an arduous process. With all the fabrics (not to mention the colors and designs) available, how do you choose the one which is right for you? Here is some information on various fabric to help you select the right fabric for your furniture.

Durability

If you are planning to upholster something that will experience everyday wear and tear, durability is important to consider. Upholstery fabric’s durability is determined by how it rates on the manufacturer-administered double rub test, which is a back and forth motion that mimics the wear and tear of someone sitting on an upholstered seat over time. The higher the number of double rubs, (for example 100,000 vs 10,000) the better the indicator of quality and durability. In addition to higher double rubs, look for upholstery fabrics treated for performance, like stain resistance, water repellant, or UV resistance.

Fabric Care

Upholstery fabric is often not suitable for traditional washing or dry cleaning once applied to furniture; therefore, you must follow the manufacturer’s instructions and look for stain repellent fabrics for heavier-use pieces. Our recommendation for dry-cleaning is intended prior to upholstering, if cleaning before use is desired. Once upholstered, use spot cleaners intended for upholstery fabric, or upholstery cleaning services. Using a fabric protectant spray over your finished furniture is highly recommended.

Chenille – Excellent fabric choice for home usage, primarily heavier use pieces. Similar to velvet, it has a cut pile that aids in abrasion resistance and comfort.

Faux suede / Microfiber / Ultrasuede – Typically a polyester multi-weave fabric with a surface abrasion treatment giving it a fuzzy, sueded pile to mimic suede, this fabric is an excellent choice for heavy-use family rooms and pets. It’s very strong, abrasion resistant and easy to clean.

Get Your Deposit Back: A Move-Out Cleaning Checklist

The last thing you want to do before you leave one home to start another is clean out the old place. But alas, it must be done, so just throw on some tunes, grin and bear it. If your place is just surface dirty and not damaged, how well you clean could be the difference between getting back your deposit money that has been held hostage for years or not. So here is a checklist of things not to forget as you prepare your home for its next inhabitants

Everywhere:

Take all nails and screws out of the walls and ceiling and putty them smoothly.

Dust the ceiling fixtures.

Dust all ledges.

Clean the windows.

Clean the door knobs and doors.

Clean all light switches and outlets.

Clean the walls and baseboards.

Vacuum (get any stains out of the carpet, or get the carpet professionally cleaned).

Get rid of all cobwebs.

Bathroom:

Get soap scum off the bathroom tiles and tub/shower and bleach the grout.

Clean out the bathroom drawers and vanity, making sure you get all the hair out (and remove any liners).

Clean the toilet, sink, countertop and finally the floor (sweep and mop). If the toilet seat is unsavory looking, replace it.

Clean the mirror.

Vacuum out the surface of the exhaust fan if super dusty.

Kitchen:

Clean out all cabinets and liners.

Wash the front of the cabinets.

Clean and disinfect all countertops.

Clean and shine up the sink and faucet.

Scrub the refrigerator inside and out. Remove all shelves and clean separately if necessary.

Scrub the oven inside and out. Remove shelving, drip pans and burners. Use steel wool, it is your friend.

Clean out the dishwasher if you have one.

Clean exhaust fan if needed.

Remove all appliances and sweep behind them

The Ultimate Moving House Cleaning Checklist

If moving house tops the list of stressful experiences people go through in life and cleaning house tops the list of loathsome experiences people face on a daily basis, then cleaning for moving should be a truly nightmarish experience indeed. The mere idea of scrubbing floors and washing windows after the long weeks of laborious moving preparations and exhausting moving tasks may be enough to put you in panic – after all, you have only just finished organizing the myriad details of the relocation process, putting all the required paperwork in order and packing all your earthly possessions, so you are highly unlikely to have any energy left to spare

you will want to leave your old home in top-notch condition in order to be able to get your security deposit back or to make your property more desirable for potential buyers;

you will want your new home to be spotless when moving in.

So, no matter how tired and how impatient to close the relocation chapter of your life you may be, you need to take the time and the effort to clean your old property before moving out and your new one before moving in. Luckily, the task may not be as difficult as it seems at first – especially if you follow our simple, yet highly efficient cleaning tips for moving house

Get hold of appropriate moving cleaning supplies and keep them at hand. There are certain cleaning supplies you can’t do without when preparing your home for moving – disinfecting cleaners, glass cleaners, baking soda, white vinegar, cleaning cloths, dusting cloths, plastic or nylon bristled soft scrubbers, different kinds of brushes, furniture polish, fabric protectors, a mop, a vacuum cleaner, a broom and a dustpan, a bucket, a step stool, rubber gloves, etc. Make sure these items don’t get accidentally loaded on the moving truck with the rest of your possessions – you’re going to need them when the movers depart from your old home and then again, before they arrive in your new property

Reasons To Hire A Professional Move Out Cleaning Service

Whether you’re moving out of a rental or planning to put your old home on the market, your old place needs a thorough cleaning. To save money, you’ve probably considered DIY cleaning. But have you considered a move out cleaning service?

Reduce the Stress of Moving

If you’ve moved out before, you know just how stressful things can become. Packing up your life, hauling your belongings, and juggling your normal duties – all of which take a lot of time and energy.

Get Your Deposit Back

Outside of property damage, hiring a move out cleaning service increases the likelihood that you’ll get your full deposit back. Landlords are very meticulous and will jump on every chance not to return your deposit. From every corner of the kitchen to the carpet, every inch of your space must be clean so you can get your security deposit back.

Positive Impression from Potential Buyers

If you are trying to sell your previous home, hiring a move out cleaning service will help make your property move-in ready.

Customized Cleaning

Do you want just your kitchen cleaned? Or perhaps, you need a more complete and in-depth cleaning? Do you also want your cleaning service to clean the inside of your cupboards and refrigerator?

How to Find The Best Cleaning Company When Moving Out of Your Rental Home?

There are many pros and cons of doing the end of tenancy cleaning by yourself when moving out of a rental property. However, when the property is too big, or when you have limited time to relocate, the DIY approach is not an option. There are many companies that provide this service and choosing the one that suits your needs can be an overwhelming task. This is why we are sharing some useful tips to help you recognise the quality end of tenancy cleaning service

Ask for an End of Tenancy Cleaning Guarantee

Do the end of tenancy cleaners provide a guarantee for their service? If the answer is ‘Yes’, then you are probably dealing with reliable business. Reputable companies are not afraid to offer their clients a financial compensation or second cleaning of the property if the clients find the result insufficient. Professionals are certain they provide outstanding service, this is why the best cleaning companies offer a 24-hour guarantee for their job. Inviting your landlord for a final inspection during this period gives you an advantage – if he is happy with the result you can have your deposit back, if not you have enough time to ask the cleaners to deal with the problematic areas at no additional costs.

Find Out if the Company Has a Detailed Cleaning Checklist

End of tenancy cleaning service is a thorough, deep cleaning service. It is done when people relocate. Many businesses claim they provide this kind of cleaning job but fail to understand their customers’ requirements and to provide the wanted result. This is why it is crucial to make sure the end of tenancy cleaners offer a thorough checklist of procedures and areas cleaned before you hire the company. Usually, trustworthy businesses provide very detailed cleaning list, consisting of areas and items in the property that you even haven’t thought of. When you get a detailed offer you can be certain you will pass the final inspection and get your deposit money back

Find Out What Are the Cleaners’ Criteria for Pricing

The quality is of great importance when hiring a professional cleaning company. The best businesses offer a cleaning service based on the contents or the size of the property, not on time. The cleaning result must help you pass the final inspection and get your deposit back, so the cleaners must leave the property in an impeccable condition. Hiring the service for the particular amount of time doesn’t mean all areas and items will be as clean as they need to be

Check What Does the Final Price Include

When hiring a professional team for the end of tenancy cleaning you must ask if the cleaning supplies are considered in the price. The cleaners must bring all the necessary machines, tools, and products to deal with the task. Usually, you don’t have to pay more for consumables. Don’t forget to ask if VAT and other taxes are included in the final price. Reputable companies provide an estimate in advance and there is no need to pay anything more than this pre-arranged price.

Reasons Move Out Cleaning Services Will Make Your Life Easier

Buying a new home or moving into a new rental can be an exciting yet stressful time. Life never seems to slow down as you’re juggling work, family, commitments, and packing for a big move

Focus on Unpacking in Your New Home

Unpacking, organizing, and getting settled in your new home is a challenge in itself. It may take a week or more to unpack your boxes and feel settled in your new place.

Deep Cleaning Takes Time and Energy

The task of deep cleaning of dirt and grime in corners, cabinets, under furniture, and high on shelves is not for the faint of heart. It requires scrubbing, reaching high and low, and can take a significant amount of your precious time

Move Out Cleaning Is Essential for Out of State Moves

The truck is packed, you’re hitting the road, and there’s no time to clean up what’s left behind. No problem. Before you move, schedule move out cleaners to deep clean your home behind you. When time is of the essence, professional cleaners offer the relief you need.

Offer the New Occupants a Fresh Start

There’s nothing worse than arriving with excitement to a new place to discover you need to clean before you can unpack. Give the new tenants the gift of a fresh start by hiring professional moving out cleaning in Colorado Springs. This offers goodwill to the new occupants and you’ll have more time and energy to focus on your fresh start.

What should I look for when choosing a housekeeper?

Look for good maids first

It is important to find out whether or not the house cleaning service you are considering is certified and insured. Certification ensures that the housekeeping service’s staff is fully trained and will provide you the best quality service, while an insured company will be able to compensate you in the event of any mishaps or accidents. It is highly recommended that the service you hire vets the maids that it employs. By performing background checks on its employees, a house cleaning service ensures that the people entering your home conform to a strict set of criteria. In short, you can be sure you’re not unwittingly allowing a criminal into your home.

Find the right range of housekeeping services

A full housecleaning service should provide dusting, vacuuming, dishwashing, changing bed linens, cleaning and disinfecting your kitchen and bathroom, and sometimes laundry (washing, drying, and ironing). The range of services that each housekeeping company provides varies. If washing and ironing clothes is a service that you require, you’ll need to make sure the company you’re hiring provides it. On the other hand, you’ll want to make sure you are not paying for services you don’t need. If you put the dishes in the dishwasher every night, you might not want to include that service in your cleaning contract.

The cost of maids and house cleaners can be expensive. Be sure to find a price that reflects the range of service you require that still fits into your regular household budget.

How To Choose A Domestic Cleaner

Use only vetted cleaners

No matter what option you are going for, you should always make sure the cleaner is vetted and checked. Cleaning companies offer checked and vetted cleaners and it is always safer to use an agency when it comes to letting a stranger into your house. If you use a cleaner through recommendation you can also feel safe that the person who comes to your house is not a complete stranger Choosing a private cleaner from an advertisement or other online recourses is a bit tricky so always make sure you do the necessary checks beforehand.

Insured cleaners

Insurance is the second most important thing you should ask for when you hire a cleaner. Accidents happen and you want to be protected. Most cleaning companies offer insured service. Make sure that either the cleaner or the cleaning company they are sent through are insured so you can have a peace of mind. If you hire a cleaner through a cleaning company always read their terms and conditions to check what exactly their insurance cover and if there is one in the first place. Some cleaning companies may have appealing rates and flexible terms, but their service is actually not insured at all.

Cleaning standards

When it comes to performance and results, there are different expectations and you can’t always define which service is good and which is excellent. Some people prefer the cleaner to be more initiative, while others want the cleaner to do only what they ask them to do. However, there is a big difference between good and excellent cleaner in terms of execution of the service. The excellent cleaner will always move any items to clean underneath and will always mop or hoover the floor even if it looks clean.  While the average cleaner can clean around objects, not moving everything and simply do a good job without paying special attention on each and one single detail. The house may look clean and can smell fresh in both cases, but you can always tell if the cleaner has touched every single inch of the house or have simply cleaned the visible parts only. Different people have different visions of cleanliness so how good or bad a cleaner is depend really on the client’s personal standards and expectations

Replacement cleaners

Being left without a cover while your cleaner is away is not the best option for you so always make sure there is a replacement cleaners available for these cases. Cleaning companies will always send a replacement when your cleaner is sick or on holiday. It might not necessarily be the best cleaner, but at least you will have someone to take care of the household chores.

With private cleaners the situation is slightly different – usually the private cleaners arrange friends to cover them while they are away. You can also skip a couple of weeks and do the cleaning yourself. This will definitely make you appreciate the fact that you are not doing the household work all the time.

How to Choose a Cleaning Service That Works for You

There are many different cleaning services available across the United States. Some people choose to hire a national company, others choose a local company, and still others simply hire a college student or someone else who cleans on the side. Because there are so many different cleaning services, it can be difficult to narrow down your search, but there are some clear steps that will help you decide.

Determine exactly what you want cleaned

There are housekeepers (sometimes also called maids), as well as cleaning services. You shouldn’t assume that a housekeeper will do particular jobs, or that a bigger cleaning company won’t offer those services. Although there are different terms, the terms are often used interchangeably, so it’s best to ask. Before you call anyone or ask for an in-home estimate, first you should make a list of what you want done in each room. It helps to have all the specific tasks you want completed written down.

Ask for recommendations

Because most areas have multiple people and companies offering cleaning services, it can help to ask for recommendations from friends and family. Once you have a few names to start with, you can make your calls. Otherwise you will simply be picking from the phone book or an online search engine. Also, if you ask around and you hear positive remarks about the same company or person over and over again, this can help you avoid hiring someone who may not do a good job. You also can find out more about cleaners who are ideal for your stage of life: some cleaning places really focus on deep cleaning, whereas others focus more on maintenance, and some companies charge more if you have pets or children.

Read reviews

Reviews are the next best thing to personal recommendations. Sometimes they are even better, if you prefer to just read about what strangers have to say. Either way, it’s easy to find reviews online. You can simply use a search engine to find reviews of cleaning services in your area. Yelp is a good place to start. There are several different websites that offer reviews as well. Reading reviews can help you to narrow down your search, and may even give you an idea of considerations that you hadn’t thought of before. Even if you don’t actually read the reviews, most websites give different service providers stars (or mark them in a different way), so you can quickly see how a specific business is doing.

Get the details

Once you have a list of four or five (or less if you prefer) different businesses that you want to call, it’s time to get an estimate. Most companies prefer to send someone to your house to give an estimate, as the estimate can depend on many factors. Some companies will give you an estimate over the phone based on the size of your house, as well as other factors.

If you do have someone come to your house, the visit is a great time to ask about other details that are important to you. You can ask about the types of chemicals they use; you should also ask if the company is bonded and insured; find out how many people will be in your house and for how long (and how they get in and out if you are not there); also, you should ask what their policies and charges are for one-time cleaning versus regular cleaning. If you choose to hire an individual rather than a company, they may not have the same policies, but you might receive more personal attention; it just depends on the individuals and the companies you consider

How to Choose a Professional House Cleaning Service

In today’s world many people have fast paced lifestyles and the last thing they want to do with there downtime is clean their home. Professional house cleaning service is an option that is being used by more households in an effort to save time for more important things. That being said the old adage “good help is hard to find” is still true. These simple reminders can assist with the task of finding the right cleaning service for you.

Responsiveness – This is one of the first indicators of a good professional house cleaning service. If you have difficulty in getting in contact with them for information about their services, then it is most likely going to be difficult to contact them once service has begun. The time in which it takes them to respond to your questions in regards to service details or getting a quote can give you an idea of how reliable they will be in the long term.

Licensed bonded and Insured – This may be the most important thing to look for when it comes to choosing the best maid service to clean your home. Most individuals or independent contractors do not offer insurance, so while their prices may be lower it puts you at risk when they clean your home. Reputable companies have policies in place that cover any damage that may take place during the cleaning as well as any missing items. These policies offer both you and the company protection and peace of mind. When calling for quotes it is important to ask the service if they are licensed and bonded

Look at reviews – Social media and online review websites have made the task of finding the right cleaning service easier than it is has ever been. When trying to determine which service might be the right fit take the time to read reviews on a variety of platforms. Reviews will give you a good idea of the type of quality you can expect from a professional cleaning service

Ask about equipment – Some professional house keeping services bring their own supplies while others expect the homeowner to provide them. When looking for a maid service it is best to find one that uses products that fit the needs of you and your family. For example if you have children or pets it may be best to go with a company that offers a green option. This will help prevent exposure to harsh chemicals.

How To Choose A Maid Service Company

Researching and hiring a maid service company doesn’t have to be a daunting task with a few helpful tips on how to choose a maid service company. If you know the right factors to look for, you can easily find a maid company that meets your house cleaning needs and your company expectations. You have invested a large amount of time and money into your home and its cleaning should be left to a reputable agency. Simply prioritize the five items below during your search to feel confident and secure when you select a maid service company.

Bonding And Insurance

Your home is your domain and it is paramount to find a cleaning team that respects this. Only trust a maid service company that is bonded and insured to protect yourself and your home.

Complete And Responsible Cleaning Services

A reliable and responsible maid company will be able to competently clean your house without you having to be at home to oversee or manage them. A professional team experienced in the cleaning field will be able to map out your house and productively tackle tasks. If you plan to have your house cleaned on a regular basis, ensure that the maid service company’s policy is to provide the same cleaning team to service your house regularly to avoid issues of inconsistent house cleaning. The team will be able to give you a cleaning timing estimate over the phone based on the services that you require.

Pet Friendly

You may not be at home when a maid service company visits your home but your pets may be and a proven cleaning service will accommodate your pets. A good maid service company can make arrangements with you either about cleaning pet areas or where you prefer your pets to safely be while cleaning occurs. A pet friendly maid service company will make you and your much loved furry friends feel at ease.

English Speaking

Communicating your cleaning needs to a maid service company is important. Pick a company that can easily understand and communicate with you to ensure that there are no misunderstandings about expectations or house cleaning rules.