Home Cleaning Hints & Advice
10 Tips For Keeping Your Floors and Upholstery Looking Beautiful
- Vacuum Vacuum Vacuum
Nothing is more critical than weekly vacuuming. Dust and grit will very quickly damage and wear away at floors and carpets. Thorough vacuuming with the correct and efficient vacuum cleaner is paramount. Wool carpets especially will benefit from regular vacuuming. Service The Vacuum: A vacuum cleaner is only effective if its looked after. Empty the bag when 1/2 full. Keep filters clean or replaced before they become clogged. Replace leaking hose.
- Use Door Mats
Somebody somewhere has calculated that when entering a building on a wet day it takes nine steps for a carpet to absorb the dirt and moisture!! Doors mats are therefore an effective way of trapping all this dirt and moisture before it gets onto your floors. Cotton mats are perfect for inside and can be washed in the washing machine. Or an off-cut of carpet with the edges bound is a cost effective option which will also complement your decor.
- Take Your Shoes Off
Probably the number one way of keeping floors clean is take your shoes off at the front door especially on wet days.
- Get to spills ASAP
Get to spills and stains as soon as possible. The longer they are allowed to be absorbed into the carpet the more difficult they are to remove. Have an action plan ready to mop up and treat the stain effectively. Use our Pro Spotter. You will not get a better and safer stain remover for carpets and upholstery. Our customers rave about it!!
- Keep The Kitchen Floor Clean
Ever wondered why the carpet in the hall outside the kitchen seems to get dirtier quicker than other areas. This is because when cooking small amounts of grease/oils/fats from the cooker land on the kitchen floor and then is walked onto the carpet. As these soils are sticky and greasy they soon leave dirt attracting residue. So keep the kitchen floor clean and you’ll soon see a difference.
- Close the Blinds
Direct sunlight will fade carpets, wood and even stone. On very sunny days tilt the blinds to help slow down fading.
- Move Furniture Often
Re-positioning furniture within the room every few months will help to even out the traffic wear on all types of floors but especially carpets. Even clean worn floors can still look dirty so best to try and even out the wear from the start.
- Rotate Cushions
Try and vacuum your sofas every week and also rotate the cushions around especially the base cushions. This helps to even out the wear on the fabric but also helps the cushions to keep their shape.
- Get Protected
For carpets and upholstery having a stain protection treatment applied when new or after cleaning will help keep them looking cleaner for longer and make dealing with stains easy. Even if applied when new the treatment will wear off in the traffic areas after a few years and needs to be re-applied. For natural stone floors, deep cleaning followed by re-sealing is a must. Natural stone is porous and will absorb dirt like a sponge if not treated when new and after cleaning.
- Professional Cleaning
Of course we’re going to say get it professionally cleaned!! However if you can put into practice the above tips then your floors will last for much longer but eventually they will need a professional deep down industrial clean. Flooring manufacturers recommend regular professional cleaning. How regular depends on your lifestyle. A family with kids and pets it could be twice a year. A retired couple living alone could be every three years. Ask us for advice on cleaning frequency.