The Smelly Mattress
Mattress cleaning, due simply to the bulk of what needs cleaned, is not an easy task. Yet it is one that must be done occasionally. There is nothing worse than putting your sleepy head into the mattress and be woken up. Besides the typical use of a mattress, which to everyone who loves to sleep is very important, you still want to keep things healthy. There are all types of issues with mattresses, from pet accidents, food and drink spills, dust mites, and more. So here is what you want to do. Strip the bed It makes sense to strip the bed of linens and blankets. If you have a mattress pad, even better. Do this on a weekly basis, at minimum. Keeping a mattress pad on at all times is smart. You must also consider the bulk of the material and do your cleaning accordingly. Sad to say, this may not be possible to do yourself, without much effort. One thing you can do is take the mattress outside and, on a nice day, allow the air to help refresh your mattress. Use peroxide A natural disinfectant that not only make things healthier but that removes stains, peroxide is a great solution. It adds oxygen to the surface and removes not only stains but also odors. Baking soda Some say and claim that baking soda is a solution. The benefit of baking soda is it absorbs odors, much like what you experience with putting an open box of baking soda in your refrigerator. Enzymes Enzymes are great options that can help with stubborn stains, such as blood, urine, and more. They attack substances and remove not only spots and stains but also odors. When in doubt, do the right thing. Call your professional cleaning company. After all, it pays to call a pro! Restoring Damaged Ceiling Tiles
Most of our attention is on surfaces or items at eye level or lower, such as on tables, or the flooring in your home. But when your eyes go up, you might start to notice something frightful… damaged ceiling tiles, and causing you to think “Oh, no, it’s mold!” It’s probably not. Most likely what you are seeing are damaged ceiling tiles from some type of water leak or moisture intrusion. Ceiling tiles are usually made from plants, minerals, gypsum, clay, other natural materials, so are very absorbent and show stains easily. Some are made from synthetic products and might not have as many stains from water leaks or moisture intrusion. Here are a few steps you can take to restore those damaged ceiling tiles. But remember that replacement might be a final option. Remove them Take pictures of your ceiling first, just to avoid the frustration of fitting them back, especially if some tiles are of different sizes. Vacuum your tiles, removing as much dirt and debris you can, which will be concentrated on the topside of them. Wash them You have to be careful now. Over wetting is an issue. In a typical spray bottle, use warm water and a few drops of dish detergent. Mist the tiles until they are damp and use white cloths to clean the surfaces. Use more detergent on heavier deposits of soil. Allow the tiles to dry. Bleach them Set the tiles out that still have stains. What you are going to do now is bleach away those stains. Don’t use chlorine bleach. Get some household hydrogen peroxide, easily found at a grocery store or pharmacy. Hydrogen peroxide is a safe bleach that will slowly remove stains. Mist the peroxide, using it straight (no dilution) over the stained areas of the tiles, and with a soft brush, work the solution into the tiles. The remaining stains often disappear in a few hours. If you see some progress, repeat the process. Paint them Besides replacement, painting your tiles is an option, but you may lose some acoustical ability, since some tiles are designed to absorb sound. It’s a decision you will have to make. And, of course, for any restoration work, such as cleaning of items that are damaged by water intrusion, call your favorite restoration company. After all, it pays to call a pro! The Battle Against Refrigerator Odors
It’s no surprise when you notice a nasty odor from your garbage can, especially when it’s full. But it might be a surprise when you get a whiff of a nasty smell emanating from your refrigerator, which should normally be a haven of delicious foods and enticing aromas. Your refrigerator naturally fights off offending odors because of the cold temperature, which limits bacteria growth. Most bacteria growth is pretty slow and not as offensive as others. But depending on the source (meat, milk, proteins are quick to become offensive), the resulting odors can be powerful and require immediate action. Simple and easy A complete cleaning of the fridge with hot detergent and water naturally removes some odors. Get into those crevices where liquids from food might have invaded. You might have to wet those areas with hot water and detergent and let it dwell for several minutes. Many nasty odors can come from small amounts of contaminants. For lingering odors, leaving a container, small cup or bowl, of white vinegar in the fridge will continue to neutralize bad odors. For this to continue to work replenish the vinegar every few days. Eventually, you can stop using the vinegar treatment. Some recommend wiping down all surfaces with vinegar as well. And, of course, there is the proven method of leaving a box of baking soda open in the fridge, which absorbs odors. It does this due to the ability of sodium bicarbonate to attract odor causing molecules and holding onto them. Stirring the baking soda around occasionally or replacing the box is necessary. Tough situations You must also realize is that removing odors from a fridge in use is much different from one that has been sitting unused for a period of time. If odors are severe, such as from an unused refrigerator being put back in action, you might have to resort to ozone generation. You can buy or sometimes rent the equipment. Using them is simple. Put them inside the fridge, keep the door shut as much as possible, and let it run for the recommended period of time for that generator. The odor will most likely be magically gone! Of course, the best thing to do for all your cleaning needs is call your favorite cleaning company. After all, it pays to call a pro! |