How to Remove Nail Polish
The job of nail polish is to go onto the appropriate surface (fingernails, toenails) and stick. The problem is when nail polish gets onto unintended surfaces, especially on carpet, upholstery, or clothing. It can be nearly impossible to remove. Aggressive efforts on your part, rubbing or scrubbing, and using harsh chemicals can damage the surface while the nail polish still lingers. Removing nail polish, while one of the toughest cleaning chores, can be made easier with these tips. Let’s assume the nail polish has dried, since very fresh nail polish is fairly easy to remove with a typical nail polish removal product and white disposable towels. The right stuff Obviously, nail polish remover is the best choice for a cleaning solution. Using a non-acetone solvent product is safer for some fibers and less aggressive, but your results may be limited. Using an acetone-based fingernail polish remover will have more noticeable effect, but also will dry out your fingertips. This type of product will evaporate very quickly, so when using it realize the contact time must be limited. You can also use other solvents to remove nail polish, and most professional cleaning companies have an arsenal at their disposal. You may be limited to what you can get at the grocery store. That being said, pure acetone is usually the best solvent choice for the impact it has on dried nail polish. When applying your solvent, put it on a disposable white paper towel or cotton towel, and dab at the nail polish. You should see transfer to the towel. Keep at it, but don’t rub or scrub, and don’t spread the stain. Do your research on the type of surface you are working on. Acetone will dissolve some fibers. It will also remove paint, furniture finish, and many other finishes. Remaining color After you have removed as much of the nail polish as possible, you will probably notice some remaining color. This is where you have to be careful about your next product. Using some regular household hydrogen peroxide is safe on most surfaces, but there are no guarantees. After all, if it removes color from nail polish, it can remove other colors as well. But it is a last resort way to continue to work on the stain after other attempts. The best choice Your favorite cleaning company has removed many tough stains just like nail polish. If you want the very best results, do the right thing. Give them a call. After all, it pays to call a pro! Battling Tobacco Product Odors
For those who use tobacco products, they may not notice the lingering odors that hang around in the air and stubbornly invade porous materials such as carpet, upholstery, fabrics and more. But for non-smokers, those lingering odors are a nuisance, and many valuable hours have fruitlessly been spent on attempting to remove them. Smoke odors from cigarettes, cigars, and pipes are tough to remove because microscopic smoke odor particulates embed onto and into everything. Over time, these carcinogenic residues release odors. These steps will help eliminate, and may totally eliminate, odors from tobacco products, depending on how much time and effort is spent on restoring surfaces back to pre-smoke condition. Ventilation Fresh air brought into a home or building naturally helps remove foul odors from the air. Keeping the furnace and A/C filter clean is important. Clean Thorough cleaning and washing of surfaces is an important process. If you can launder items, that will flush out residues. Using detergent helps the water you use for cleaning to penetrate surfaces, which means better cleaning. Absorb Open containers of baking soda or charcoal are known to absorb malodors, so having them in your home will help. Be sure to refresh them by mixing or replacing every few days. There are professional grade absorption products you might obtain from a cleaning and restoration supply house. Deodorize After cleaning, applying a smoke-odor deodorizer will help destroy more odor-causing residues that you might have missed. Seal For surfaces that you can paint or seal, this will lock in odors from tobacco products. Painted walls will hold residues that cleaning may not penetrate deep enough to remove. Ozone One complete and proven method for removing smoke odors from any source (once cleaned) is by using ozone. Ozone machines remove odors by chemically changing the structure of odor-causing molecules, oxidizing them and destroying them so no more odors are released. Ozone can be dangerous if used in occupied spaces, so be sure to do your research and be completely safe if you choose to use this option to remove smoke odors. Most ozone treatments are handled by professional restoration companies, although you can buy or rent small units. Get help While smoke odors from residues is tough to remove, your favorite cleaning and restoration company has professional solutions that really work. Ask them what they can do for you. After all, it pays to call a pro! |