Orange County, Costa Mesa, Balboa, Newport Coast, Corona Del Mar

7 Tips on how to Protect and Clean Travertine Stone

Travertine, marble and limestone are all very similar in physical and chemical composition, so cleaning and care procedures are practically the same for all three types of stone. Let’s focus on travertine for a moment. Travertine is less dense, than granite for example, and is sensitive to acidic liquids such as wine, juice and coffee.

A lot depends on the type of finish applied to the travertine. When a honed or tumbled finish is used, it is more susceptible to staining and dulling by “etching.” Because of its porosity it needs a sealer to guard against staining. Polished travertine is practically stain-resistant.

Following are 7 tips to help clean and protect your travertine architectural stone:

1. Test and seal the stone — If your home has travertine installed in the bath, kitchen, dining room, etc., and it has a honed or tumbled finish, check with your designer to make sure the stone was sealed. This will help in the event of a spill of red wine, cranberry juice or another aggressive agent, especially on countertops and floors.

2. Wipe-up spills immediately — The stone is sensitive to things like tomato sauce, ketchup and certain carbonated beverages. It is best to clean up quickly using hot water and a stone cleaning product. Do not use vinegar, lemon or orange cleaning agents, bleach, ammonia or store-bought products that containacids, alkalis or other chemicals when cleaning travertine stone.

3. Dust mop a travertine floor — Use a clean non-treated, dry dust mop regularly and then once a week use a wet mop with hot water and a specially formulated stone cleaning agent. It is best not to vacuum stone flooring as the machine can create chips and cracks.

4. Protect and cover — Door mats and carpet runners should be used to help keep foot traffic from bringing in dirt and elements that will damage the travertine. For countertops and baths, use coasters for all drinks and decorative trays to protect the travertine from cosmetics and bath products like colognes, perfumes, oils, soaps and other toiletries. Prevention is the best remedy when it comes to maintaining travertine stone.

5. Poultices for stubborn stains — If the travertine gets stained and you can’t fix the problem through the normal cleaning procedures; a poultice may be the solution. Create a paste by combining a formulated stone cleaner with baking powder. Smooth this over the stain and cove with a clear plastic wrap. Let it stand for several days and the poultice will slowly draw the stain out. Remove the poultice with warm water and buff with a cotton cloth or chamois.

6. Deep stains — In the case of a serious stain that has penetrated the stone and remains evident even after every cleaning process has been attempted, an alkaline cleaner may need to be administered. This type of cleanser can be found in most tile and stone supply stores. It should be the last resort for cleaning travertine stone.

7. Ask a professional — Travertine is an excellent choice of stone for bathrooms, kitchens and dining areas and it’s luxurious appeal is a popular selling point for real estate agents. When you decide to incorporate this stone into your design plan always ask a professional the limitations and performance of this type of stone — they will also have the answers for its proper care and how to avoid damage, etching and staining.

Call on Pacific Carpet & Tile Cleaning in Orange County CA  (949) 545-5205   www.pacificcarpetcleaning.net

Carpet Cleaning Tips for Long Lasting Carpet, Beach Areas, Orange County CA

Properly cleaned and maintained carpet will last twice as long. Learn the effective strategies for keeping your carpet looking new and fresh for years.

• Strategy #1: Banish dirt
• Strategy #2: Use a pro wisely
• Strategy #3: DIY right
• Strategy #4: Clean stains right—right away

Strategy #1: Banish dirt

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Set the vacuum at the right height

If your vacuum is set too low, you can damage the carpet as well as the vacuum’s roller brush and drive belt. If it’s set too high, you won’t pick up any dirt. To set the vacuum’s ideal height, raise it to its highest setting, turn it on and lower it until you can feel the vacuum trying to tug itself forward.

Dirt is like thousands of little blades that cut carpet fibers. When you walk across a dirty carpet, you grind sharp dirt particles against the yarn, making tiny nicks in the fibers. All that fuzz mixed in with the dirt in your vacuum cleaner bags is your beautiful carpet headed out the door one bag at a time. When dirt scratches the fibers, it dulls the sheen, which is why high-traffic areas appear duller than the rest of the carpet. Over time, grinding dirt wears away the fibers too, which mats them down and makes them stain more easily. Follow these tips to keep your carpet as dirt-free as possible.

Vacuum oftenTo protect your carpet, vacuum entrance areas and high-traffic areas twice a week and the rest of the carpeting at least weekly. Oily soils attract oily soils, and frequent vacuuming will reduce soil buildup.

Start with a clean bag or filterA dirty bag, dirt cup or filter can cut a vacuum’s suction power in half. The main reason bagless vacuums stop working is that the filters aren’t changed often enough. Replace or wash (if possible) the filters on bagless vacuums every three months. Replace vacuum bags when they’re three-quarters full.

Vacuum at the right speedVacuum slowly enough to get out as much dirt as possible. Make one quick pass over low-traffic areas and two slow passes over high-traffic areas. Two slow passes removes ground-in dirt more effectively than several fast passes.

Use walk-off matsUse walk-off mats inside and out to keep dirt off the carpeting. Coarse-textured mats outside your doors remove soil. Water-absorbent mats inside prevent wet shoes on the carpeting.

Strategy #2: Use a pro wisely

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Four ways to recognize quality pros: 1. Truck mounted equipment

Truck-mounted equipment is a better choice than portable steam cleaning equipment because it exhausts the dirty air and humidity outside. Its stronger suction leaves carpets drier, too.

Most carpet manufacturers recommend professional hot water extraction as the primary cleaning method for synthetic carpets. Although it’s often referred to as “steam” cleaning, there’s no steam involved. The carpet is pretreated with a detergent solution, and then a very hot rinse solution under high pressure is forced into your carpet and vacuumed out. When done correctly, this process cleans deep and doesn’t leave behind a soap residue. Quality pros charge $300 to $500 to deep clean 1,000 sq. ft. of carpet. At that price, you might be tempted to skip professional cleanings altogether and just rent a machine to clean the carpet yourself. Don’t. Or at least don’t do only that. A rented or purchased carpet-cleaning machine will remove the surface dirt. But deep cleaning to remove allergens, dust and greasy residues requires the specialized equipment and training of a pro. The best strategy is to use our DIY cleaning tips most of the time and hire a professional every 12 to 18 months.

Don’t take bids over the phoneQuality pros will provide references, an in-home inspection and a written estimate based on the square footage, type and condition of the carpeting rather than the number of rooms cleaned, and a written guarantee of their work.

Beware of “discount” carpet cleanersDiscount pros depend on making volume sales rather than establishing ongoing client relationships. They typically spray soap on your carpet, suck up the water and are gone in 30 minutes. These services leave behind a soap residue that will actually attract dirt to your carpet. Those “three rooms for 50 bucks” offers also get them into your house so they can sell you high-priced add-ons like spot removal and deodorizers—services that quality pros include for free.

You get what you pay forQuality pros charge according to the type of carpeting, the services you need and the size of the job. The entire process can take one to three hours.

Strategy #3: DIY right

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Use DIY machines carefully

Hurrying through a cleaning will leave soap residue, a soaked carpet and a pad that can mold or mildew. Larger rental machines require you to pull them across the floor rather than push.

Carpet pros do a more thorough job than you can, but hiring a pro is expensive. So the next-best approach is to alternate between DIY and pro cleanings. DIY “steam”-cleaning machines can be effective if you understand how to use them and take the time to clean your carpet carefully.

You can rent a steam cleaner from a grocery store or home center. If you pick the machine up late in the day, many stores will charge you a half-day rate and let you keep the machine until the next morning. The detergent cost is additional. Typically you should use a tablespoon or less per gallon of water.

If you prefer to buy a steam-cleaning machine, plan to spend $60 to $300 or more. The pricier models have more powerful water jets and suction, and some even have a heating element to keep the water hot. The reviews on these machines are mixed, and some are prone to breakdowns. Do some online research (type “carpet cleaning machines” into your browser) before you buy.

Most rental machines weigh more, hold more water and come with a wider wand than purchased models, making them useful for larger, high-traffic areas. Purchased models are usually smaller, more portable and easier to store. They’re good for spot cleaning and are easier to drag up and down stairs. Whether you rent or buy, avoid damaging your carpets and make your cleaning last longer by following our tips.

Clean the carpet before it becomes really dirtyHow often your carpet needs cleaning depends on the kind of carpet traffic you have (think kids and pets). Clean the carpet when the color starts looking dull. If you wait until the carpet is filthy, cleaning it will be much more difficult, take much longer and cost more.

Vacuum well before and after cleaningVacuum beforehand to remove large particles of soil. Vacuum again after you clean and the carpet is completely dry to pick up soil that wicks to the surface during drying.

Pretreat stains and high-traffic areasMix a drop of detergent with hot water in a spray bottle and lightly mist the dirtiest areas. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes before starting the general cleaning.

Remove or elevate furnitureIf your furniture is too heavy to move, put aluminum foil squares, wood blocks or plastic film under and around the legs of all furniture to prevent rust from metal casters or stains from paint and finishes from transferring to damp carpet.

Don’t overwet the carpetDIY machines put a lot of moisture into the carpet, and most don’t have strong enough suction to extract it thoroughly. Make only one pass with the soap and water solution. Make one pass with the neutralizing rinse solution. Then make two or three drying passes with the water off.

Let it dry thoroughlyWet carpet is a perfect environment for mold and mildew. After you clean your carpets, open the windows, use fans and a dehumidifier, or put the AC on a moderate setting (72 to 78 degrees) to remove excess moisture from the air. Don’t replace the furniture or walk on the carpet until it’s completely dry. This can take up to 12 hours, though six to eight hours is typical.

Strategy #4: Clean stains right—right away

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Don’t dig or scoop food spills

Digging or scooping can work the stain into the carpet. If there are solids on top of the stain, use a spoon or dull knife to carefully scrape the food toward the middle of the spill and into a white towel and then treat the stain.

Act quicklyIf you get to a stain immediately, there’s a 99 percent chance you can remove it. The longer a stain reacts chemically with the carpeting, the harder it is to remove.

Try water firstEighty percent of stains can be removed using plain tap water. To remove a stain, press a clean, dry, white cloth over the stain to absorb the spill. Repeat until the spill is absorbed. Then gently work water into the stain with a damp white towel and blot until the stain is gone. Change cloths when necessary. For a particularly stubborn spot, go to the online “spot solver” resource at The Carpet and Rug Institute (the carpet manufacturers’ trade organization) to find your stain and a suggested solution. Use a fan to dry the area if it’s very wet.

Blot—don’t rub or scrubScrubbing a stain will damage the fibers and create a fuzzy area. Always blot from the outer edge toward the center of the stain to avoid spreading the spot and creating a larger problem.

Be patientWork water gently into the spill and then blot with a dry cloth. Repeat until the stain is gone and all the water has been absorbed. If you’re patient, you’ll almost always be able to remove the stain.

On tough spots, try vinegar or club soda If water alone doesn’t remove a stain, try a white vinegar and water solution (equal amounts) or club soda before trying stronger commercial cleaning products.

Test commercial products firstSome products can cause carpet to get dirty faster or damage the carpet’s color and texture. For a list of carpet manufacturer- approved spot and stain cleaners, go online to The Carpet and Rug Institute. Test carpet-cleaning products on an inconspicuous area before using.

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Is Your Dirty Carpet in your Home Making Your Family Sick?  Orange County CA

Most people are aware that outdoor air pollution can damage their health, but may not know that indoor air pollution can also have significant effects. The EPA studies of human exposure to air pollutants indicate that indoor air levels of many pollutants may be 5 times higher than outdoor levels. These levels of indoor air pollutants are of particular concern because it is estimated that most people spend as much as 80% of their time indoors.

Over the past several decades, our exposure to indoor air pollutants is believed to have increased due to a variety of factors, including the construction of more tightly sealed buildings, reduced ventilation rates to save energy, the use of synthetic building materials and furnishings, and the use of chemically formulated personal care products, pesticides, and household cleaners.

In recent years, comparative risk studies performed by EPA and its Science Advisory Board have consistently ranked indoor air pollution among the top five environmental risks to public health.

Poor indoor air quality is a leading cause of allergies in humans and pets. Allergies are an over reaction of the immune system to foreign substances. This over reaction weakens your immune system, draining your energy and leaving you more susceptible to infectious diseases caused by viruses and bacteria.

Allergic reactions can range from mildly uncomfortable to life threatening, as in a severe asthma attack. Health experts are especially concerned about people with asthma. These people have very sensitive airways that can react to various irritants, making breathing difficult. The estimated number of people with asthma has risen over 59 percent since 1970. The number of related deaths has also increased.

The largest source of indoor air pollution is from the common household dust mite. In February, 1993, John W. Maunder, Ph.D., Director of the Medical Entomology Center at the University of Cambridge, UK, published a paper entitled “Carpets, House Dust Mites and Asthma” in which he states, “There is no longer room for serious doubt about the dominant role of the house dust mite in both the initial induction of asthma and in the subsequent triggering of wheezy attacks”.

Asthmatics are not allergic to living mites but to the airborne feces of mites and, to a much lesser extent, to dead mites. Dr. Maunder states that although living mites are difficult to remove from carpet, their feces are readily removed from carpets by proper cleaning. “A carpet regularly cleaned will not and cannot contain enough allergen to affect people. The proper maintenance of carpet completely prevents trouble from that source”.

A recent study concludes that carpets may benefit indoor air quality by acting as a filter for indoor air, trapping and holding dust mites, pollutants, and allergens like pollen, pet dander and molds, which play an important role in allergic diseases. The key to maintaining good indoor air quality in a home is to remove these pollutants regularly.

As you can see, regular cleanings are important, not just to maintain the appearance of your carpets, but for hygienic reasons, as well; contaminants in your carpet that need to be removed on a regular basis.

Waiting until your carpet looks dirty is waiting too long. In fact, the EPA recommends having carpets and upholstery cleaned at least twice a year, more often if you have children or pets.

Properly cleaning your entire home can also go a long ways in the battle to control dust mites and other indoor pollutants. You cannot see a dust mite with the naked eye, (dozens of them will fit on the head of a pin) but you can help keep their favorite breeding grounds dry and clean.

Controlling dust is very important. Besides carpeting, dust mites also thrive in upholstered furniture and bedding. Vacuuming will not remove them, but will help to remove their waste by-products and other allergens. Make sure that you use a vacuum cleaner that filters the exhausted air. Get in the habit of vacuuming your carpets and furniture thoroughly, at least a couple of times a week.

Call on Pacific Carpet & Tile Cleaning in Orange County CA  (949) 545-5205   www.pacificcarpetcleaning.net