Cleaning Guides

Everyone knows that practising good home hygiene is vital for the health of your house. With that being said, there is an item in your property that hides many unwanted surprises like pollutants, grime, and germs. Your favourite living room carpet. So, if you: Have bought a beautiful new carpet and wonder how often you should wash it.Have never cleaned your rug until now and want to know what cleaning intervals to follow.Are just curious whether you are taking care of the carpeting in your home as frequently as required. You are at the right place. In this article, we are going to discuss how often you should deep clean your carpet depending on your lifestyle and the benefits of doing so. How often should you have your carpets cleaned? The golden rule of proper carpet maintenance is to vacuum twice a week, and have your carpets professionally cleaned at least once a year. For heavy-traffic areas or for households with children, pets or smokers, we recommend vacuuming your carpet anywhere between three and seven times a week and having it deep cleaned every three to six months. BUT... As simple and easy as it sounds, this doesn’t apply to every household on earth. In order to figure out how often you should clean your carpet, let’s take a closer look at the factor we mentioned above, plus some additional ones: [bullet_list] Are there children in the house?Do you own any sort of pet?Is there a  family member with allergies or respiratory issues in the house?Do you have smokers in the property?How much foot traffic does the carpet receive?Do you wear shoes inside the house? [/bullet_list] To make things easier, we came up with this chart that shows you how frequently you should clean your carpet depending on the foot traffic in your home and the number of family members, smokers, and pets. Traffic Soil Rating Vacuuming Spot Cleaning Deep cleaning Light Soil 1 x per week Daily or as soon as spots are noticed Traffic areas every 12 – 18 months Medium Soil (families with children, elderly) 1 to 2x per week Daily or as soon as spots are noticed Traffic areas every 6 to 12 months Heavy Soil(families with pets, smoking) 2 to 4x per week Daily or as soon as spots are noticed Traffic areas every 3 to 6 months Extreme conditions(large families, multiple pets) Daily Daily or as soon as spots are noticed Traffic areas every 2 to 3 months IICRC Standard & Reference Guide for Professional Carpet Cleaning (IICRC S100) My carpet doesn’t look dirty. What do I do then? You see, your carpet may not look dirty, but in reality, the base of its fibres are most likely soiled. It just takes a bit more time for the dirt to become visible. Note that the more heavily soiled your rug is, the less chance you have of getting its original, nice colouring and texture back. Here is some more detailed information if you have: Children Children and carpets have a very special relationship. Raise your hand if your little kiddo has spilt their juice on your rug or has left a track of muddy footsteps on it from playing in the garden, at least once. For those of you who are parents, make sure to take care of the high-traffic parts of your carpeting every six to twelve months. Also, we advise you to get your entire carpet professionally cleaned once a year. Pets Pets are awesome but they don’t have your carpet’s best interest in mind. You know what we are talking about - muddy paw prints, dog/cat hair, nasty pee, etc. In case you have pet companions strolling in your house, clean the high-traffic parts of your rugs every three to six months and hire an expert carpet cleaner to wash them twice a year. Children and pets Both children and pets in a single household mean only one thing - a very dirty carpet. We recommend getting your rug professionally cleaned a bit more often - every two to three months. Carpeting that is under a guarantee If you just bought a nice, new carpet, it most probably came with a guarantee. Check the warranty for any specific instructions, related to the rug’s maintenance. Most warranties will say that you need to get your carpet cleaned by a professional about once a year, still, to be on the safe side, take a look at yours before booking the service or cleaning it yourself. The benefits of getting your of professional deep carpet cleaning Dangerous particles are destroyed Like we said earlier, your carpet may look clean on the outside, but deep, in between its fibres, dangerous particles may be lurking. We are talking about bits of food, dirt, dust and even pet dander for that matter. All of the described can cause your rug to smell bad and to start to look bad with time. If that isn’t enough to convince you, the same particles can spread germs and bacteria throughout your house, which can lead to health issues. Get your carpet deep cleaned when needed and protect your family and pets from health risks. You prolong the life of your carpet You see, as time passes, the fibres of your carpet start to collect nasty stuff like dirt and grime. Such build-up can both affect your respiratory system and destroy your rug. If you don’t take care of your carpet, the dust and grime will slowly degrade the carpeting’s fibres, which leads, as you can guess, to a damaged carpet. To prevent this situation, make sure to get your rug deep cleaned at least once a year. The rugs will look and smell good The more time you spend cleaning your carpets, the better they will look. Vacuum them as frequently as possible so you can enjoy their nice appearance as long as possible. After all, who doesn’t like a fresh smelling, bright and fluffy carpet? Professional carpet cleaning by Fantastic Services As you can see, regular carpet maintenance plays a very important role in ensuring the health of your home. Especially if you are a parent or have allergies. To make sure you live in a clean and healthy environment, Fantastic Services offers professional carpeting cleaning solutions. Depending on the material of your rug, you can choose our hot water extraction method or our dry cleaning solution. HWE will both restore the initial state of your carpeting while killing all living bacteria in between its fibres. On the other hand, if you own a piece, made from more delicate material, our dry cleaning services are definitely the way to go. Both treatments are performed by certified and fully-insured carpet cleaning experts, who use completely eco-friendly products. [cta_info_box cta-title="more" cta-href="https://fantasticservices.com/carpet-and-rug-cleaning/"]Time to clean your carpet? We've got your covered! Click more to learn about our carpet cleaning options and to find out how to arrange your service.[/cta_info_box] Takeaways Regular carpet maintenance is vital for the health of your home.In order to choose the correct carpet cleaning method, you need to know what the rug is made out of, first.If you aren’t sure about the type of rug you own, expert carpet cleaners can consult you on site and advise you on the type of treatment it needs. *** We hope our article on how often to deep clean your carpet has answered all of your questions. Please, share your carpet cleaning experience and tips in the comment section below! Image source: depositphotos / phillyo77

Any living room can easily get cluttered if there is not a good organisational system for all items. And that can be a bit tough since we spend a lot of time in there and tend to leave a lot of items scattered around. (more…)

Have you ever stared at the cleaning products section in the supermarket and wondered what the actual difference between various window washing products is? Each promises to make your windows as good as new, but at what cost? Sometimes, information about all the different active ingredients, included in the cleaning mixture, is omitted from the product label. Some of these chemicals may cause mild irritation, while others can lead to potentially long-term health issues. Moreover, buying these detergents often takes a toll on your pocket and taking care of your windows becomes not only tedious, but also very expensive. In this blog post, you will find out how to stay healthy, save money and declutter your washing products cabinet by mixing a homemade window cleaning solution. Read on… [post_walkthrough title="Table of Contents:"] Why switch to homemade window cleaning solutions? How to make your own glass cleaner? What everyone forgets about when cleaning [/post_walkthrough] Why Switch to Homemade Window Cleaning Solutions? There are many benefits of choosing a DIY window cleaner; the most important being your health and well-being. The British Allergy Foundation estimates that half of the child population in the UK suffers from one or more allergic disorders, including skin, respiratory, drug, and food allergies. At the same time, 33 per cent of the adults are also affected by one or a combination of these maladies. That’s why it is important to keep track of the chemicals, used in detergents, as they can trigger or exacerbate an existing health problem. Although regulators take great strides in controlling solvent ingredients, there are still manufacturers and distributors, who employ various tactics to circumvent health regulations. One common method is using an umbrella term on the product label, for example: fragrance. Many different compounds can be mixed, in order to add a nice smell to the cleaning solution, such as phthalates, which are known to have a damaging effect on the reproductive system. These ingredients may also trigger an asthma attack or an allergy. Other frequently-used chemicals include chlorine bleach and ammonia, which are known to cause skin irritation, respiratory and neurological problems, and can be fatal if exposed to high doses. In addition to the health benefits you get with making your own homemade window cleaning solution, the DIY method is low-cost and easy to make. All of the recipes consist of mainly natural compounds, making them non-toxic and environmentally-friendly. As an added bonus, the homemade window cleaner can help you tackle dirt build-up, streaks from previously-used washing detergents, and in some cases - mold and mildew. This way, you won’t have to purchase a different product for each cleaning issue and you can declutter your washing products cabinet. How to Make Your Own Glass Cleaner? Depending on your window washing needs, there are various combinations of ingredients you can mix, in order to achieve the desired results. Here are some of our successfully tested recipes: The First-Time Wash Recipe [bullet_list] cup of white vinegar ½ tsp. dishwashing detergent or liquid 2 cups of water spray bottle [/bullet_list] Mix all of the listed ingredients in a spray bottle and use directly on the windows. If the windows are dirtier than usual, you can leave the glass cleaner for a few minutes, then scrub gently with a mop or a window scrubber, and rinse with water. Adding dishwashing liquid is necessary, because it helps with removing any leftover residue from commercial chemicals. [note type="tip" icon-text="true"]Always label your spray bottles![/note] The All-Purpose Cleaning Solution [bullet_list] ½ cup of vinegar 2 litres of water ¼ cup of baking soda spray bottle [/bullet_list] This homemade window cleaner uses only natural components and is perfect not only for cleaning windows, but also bathroom chrome fixtures, mirrors, and wet-room/shower screens. What makes this mixture ideal for everyday use are the white vinegar and baking soda. This strong combination deals with grease stains, mildew, and wax build-up. It also removes any foul odours, dissolves sticker glue and softens hard water. [note type="tip" icon-text="true"]Wash sills and blinds first, in order to prevent additional dirt from falling on the window glass.[/note] The Regular-Use Window Cleaner [bullet_list] 1 cup white vinegar 1 cup of water spray bottle [/bullet_list] It is as simple as that. Once you’ve tackled the first thorough wash, you only need water and vinegar to maintain your windows’ streakless appearance. [note type="tip" icon-text="true"]Always use lint-free fibre cloths! Preferably old cotton ones or microfiber cloths.[/note] The Heavy-Duty Cleaning Recipe [bullet_list] 1 cup of distilled white vinegar spray bottle [/bullet_list] If you need something strong to deal with stubborn grime, paint spots or hard-water mineral build-up, you can use warmed-up distilled white vinegar directly on the window glass. Leave it for a few minutes, scrub gently and rinse thoroughly with water. [note type="tip" icon-text="true"]You can add lemon juice and use the mixture to clear any mold and mildew.[/note] The Scented Eco-Friendly Window Cleaning Solution [bullet_list] white vinegar water citrus peels a jar [/bullet_list] If you’re worried about the strong vinegar smell, just add citrus peels! You can use any citrus fruits, but the best results are achieved by using lemons or limes. Put the citrus peels in a mason jar until it’s full (or add as many as you want). Pour white vinegar to fill the voids and cover the peels, then, seal and store in a cool and dark place for 2 to 3 weeks. Afterwards, remove the citrus peels, mix the remaining solution with equal part water and put it in a spray bottle. If you want the mixture to be stronger and more acidic, just add more lemons! If you want to skip the peeling fruits step, you can use a few drops of essential oils as an alternative. This concoction is also ideal for washing window screens. [note type="tip" icon-text="true"]You can use the peeled fruits to make a nice and cold lemonade![/note] What Everyone Forgets About When Cleaning The most important rule when it comes to any kind of washing solution is to use it responsibly. Over-cleaning, i.e. cleaning meticulously every day, or trying to maintain a sterile environment can aggravate an ongoing illness, allergies and asthma problems, because good bacteria is removed along with any harmful bacteria. This is where the homemade window cleaning solutions come in handy. And if sometimes, you find yourself unable to make a homemade concoction of your own, Fantastic Services offers professional window cleaning service performed using purified water. Who knew that looking after yourself can be so rewarding and environmentally-friendly?! *** Have you tried any other recipes? Share with us your homemade window cleaning ideas in the comments below! Images source: Depositphotos / by geo-grafika and anna.pustynnikova

If your bedroom is overflowing with unnecessary items, then it’s time to find a place for each and every one of them. That place can easily be outside of your house. Decluttering is not just something you do occasionally when it’s time to clean up your place. It’s a process. As such, you need to get into the right mentality. Starting with the bedroom. (more…)

Does the following scenario sound familiar to you? One day before the party: “Yay, we are going to have a party at my place, can’t wait for it. Life’s great!” Five minutes after the party: “Oh, nooo! There is red wine on my carpet! Oh, cruel world...” [post_walkthrough title="Table of Contents:"] Removing wine stains using baking soda Removing wine stains using salt Removing wine stains using vinegar and dishwashing detergent Removing wine stains using hydrogen peroxide and dishwashing liquid [/post_walkthrough] Even if you don’t consume wine, it can still affect your emotions, especially if your carpet is drenched in it. Don’t worry though, we are here to help you. Continue reading if you: Had a party and one of your guests spilt his glass of wine all over your nice rug Have a partner who is prone to causing mishaps Are on the clumsier side and like to knock your drink on the ground on a regular basis However, before we start with our tips on how to get wine out of a carpet, note that:[bullet_list] You need to act fast. The moment the wine hits your carpet, blot the fresh stain with a paper towel or with a rag. Remove as much liquid as you can before it sets in the rug. Don’t rub the wine stain. Use gentle blotting motions. If you rub the spot, you’ll help the wine penetrate deep into the carpet fibres, making it a nightmare to clean up afterwards. Make sure to blot the stain starting from its edge, working your way to the centre. By doing this, you prevent the wine spot from spreading. [/bullet_list] How to get red wine out of a carpet with baking soda Soak up as much of the red wine as possible. First, you need to get yourself a clean piece of white cloth. This way, you eliminate the risk of colour transfer. Carefully pad the red wine spot with the cloth. If the stain is old or has dried up, skip this step. Moisten the area with some cold water. Apply some cold water over the wine spot. This will dilute what’s left of the stain and help the blotting process. Dab the wet area until the wine stops transferring to the cloth. Cover the stain with a mixture of water and baking soda. Combine three parts of water with one part baking soda to create a paste. Apply the mixture directly over the red wine stain and let it sit there until it’s completely dry. Clean up the paste. After the baking soda paste has had a chance to do its magic, vacuum the area. You need to make sure that the mixture is 100% dry before you clean it up. Once you’ve removed the baking soda, gently fluff up the carpet fibres with your hand. How to get red wine out of a carpet using salt Cover the stain with salt. Dabbing the stain helps a lot, but most of the times, this won’t remove the whole thing. To completely get rid of the spot, you can try sprinkling some salt on it while it’s still wet. The salt particles will soak up the wine from the rug thanks to their absorbing properties. If you are dealing with a dried up stain, moisten it a bit with some water prior to applying the salt. Let the salt absorb the excess wine. After you’ve covered the red wine with salt, you’ll see how the granules absorb the moisture, giving them a light pink colour. It’s a good idea to leave the salt on the stain as long as possible before you remove it. Remove the leftover salt and clean the rug with a vacuum. Once the salt becomes dry, remove it with the help of a spoon. After you are done with that, turn your vacuum cleaner on and clean up any remaining salt grains from the rug. If you spot any particles left after you’ve cleaned the area, apply some water on top of it and repeat the vacuuming process. How to remove red wine out of a carpet with vinegar and dishwashing liquid Pat the fresh wine stain to absorb as much of it as possible. Find a clean cloth or get yourself a paper towel and carefully pat the stain. Again, if you have left the stain to dry out, pour some water on the area. Mix together white vinegar and dishwashing liquid. Pour two cups of warm water in a bowl, add a single spoon of white vinegar and a bit of dishwashing detergent. Always use white vinegar, otherwise, if you try to use apple cider or balsamic vinegar, you’ll end up with another nasty stain. Spread the solution over the wine spot. Dip a sponge into the DIY detergent and gently spread the solution on top of the stained area. After you’ve applied the mixture on the carpet, dab the treated spot with a clean towel. Go back and forth between applying the solution and soaking it up with the towel. Wipe the stain with water. Get a new piece of cloth and dip it in cold water. Then, press the rag on top of the stain to dilute the spilt wine. Get your drying towel and blot the area. Repeat the whole process, if needed. If the stain doesn’t come out the first time, repeat the cleaning procedure until you are satisfied with the results. How to get wine stains out of a carpet with hydrogen peroxide and dishwashing liquid Hydrogen peroxide has bleaching properties, so we highly advise to use it only on light-coloured fabrics. In order to prevent potential discolouration of your carpets fibres, do a spot test first on a small inconspicuous area. If you don’t see any colour changes, proceed with the described cleaning method: Combine a bit of dish soap with hydrogen peroxide. In a container, pour a good amount of dishwashing soap, followed by some peroxide. Make sure to stir your solution well. Dab the mixture on the stained carpet area. Soak a clean rag into the dish soap and peroxide solution. Use gentle, dabbing motions to distribute the DIY detergent on top of the wine stain and leave it there for a couple of minutes. Wet the spot with cold soapy water. Get yourself a spray bottle, fill it up with cold water and add some dish soap. Shake the bottle and spray the stain with the mixture. Of course, blot the treated area afterwards. Rinse the carpet. After you are done with the main cleaning part, remove the sticky soap residue with warm water and a clean towel. Again, use only patting motions and dry out the carpet at the end. You can also use hydrogen peroxide to clean blood stains from carpets. Again, use it on light coloured fabrics only and test on an invisible patch of the carpet to prevent any damage of the fibres. Click here to see how it's done. How to get red wine with white wine and baking soda Pour some white wine on the spot. The whole idea of adding more wine to an already stained area may sound absurd, but in reality, it’s an effective cleaning method. You see, white wine has the superpower to dilute red wine spots much like water. If you decide to try this type of treatment, make sure to avoid sweet dessert wines that contain sugar, otherwise, you’ll end up with a big and sticky mess. Get a sponge to soak up the liquid. Similar to the other techniques we’ve described, press the sponge to the stained carpet area and absorb the wine you’ve poured on top of the rug. Spread a baking soda paste. Remember the baking soda and water mixture from the previous tips? Prepare the same batch we’ve described and apply it over the stain. Don’t touch it until it has completely dried out. Lay a clean towel over the treated area. Place a towel on top of the stain and put some sort of weight over it, like a heavy book, for example, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will be perfect. The pressure from the weight will help the baking soda clean the red wine stain even better. Clean the rug from the baking soda. Remove the dried baking soda particles from the carpet with the use of a vacuum cleaner. If you see any residue after you are done, similar to the salt method, moisten the spot with some water and run the vacuum over it again. If you like things done the DIY way, read our post on how to clean carpets yourself. There you will learn how to vacuum, lift stains and maintain your textile floor covering. Get professional help As you’ve probably figured out by now, dealing with red wine stains is an unpleasant way to spend your time. And let’s not forget that there is always the chance of ruining your rug thanks to an incorrectly performed DIY cleaning method. Here is where Fantastic Services comes in. We offer professional hot water extraction cleaning that will revive the initial state of your carpet and save you a lot of time from cleaning it. The treatment is done by certified and fully-insured carpet cleaning technicians, who use eco-friendly & highly effective products. [cta_info_box cta-title="more" cta-href="https://fantasticservices.com/carpet-and-rug-cleaning/"]Don't let a wine stain ruin your perfect party. Click more to learn about our carpet cleaning service and to find ways of booking it.[/cta_info_box] Takeaways Don’t apply any sort of heat to the stain. It will only make the situation worse because the wine spot will just set into the carpet fibres. No matter of the method you’ve chosen, always do a spot test on a hidden part on your rug or carpet. Never rub fresh red wine stains, instead, use gentle patting motions. Know when you’ve met your match and just hire a professional. You see, there are bad wine stains that just won’t come off, especially if they’ve had the chance to settle in. When this happens, it’s best to call a professional carpet cleaning company to take care of the problem. *** We hope you found our guide on how to get wine out of a carpet informative and helpful. Feel free to share your carpet cleaning experience in the comment section below! Whichever method of cleaning or smell removal you choose, remember to always do a test on a small inconspicuous area. Depending on the size, nature, and age of the stains, some of them might be impossible to remove. We cannot take responsibility if any of the above-mentioned methods do not work on your carpets.