Wednesday, August 17, 2011

How to Treat Oil Stains

Oil is one of the most difficult household spills. Countless cherished articles of clothing have been ruined by a few stray drops of salad-dressing or cooking oil. Unless you act fast and know what you’re doing, oil of all sorts can get the best of you. Here are a few ways to get the upper hand:

First, move quickly. Don’t let it spread or sit. Blot up as much of the excess as you can with rags or paper towels. Don’t wring it out and keep blotting; change to a new towel as soon as the old one is soaked. Press down as hard as you can to get every available drop.

If the stain is small, baking soda is your first line of defense. Sprinkle it on the blotted stain and let it sit for a few minutes to absorb as much as it can and deodorize the carpet.

Next, try a little rubbing alcohol – but on a test spot first! It can fade your carpet color. Don’t pour it directly on the stain; instead, put it on an absorbent rag and then use that to blot, working inward from the outside edge of the stain.

Amyl acetate, better known as nail polish remover, is also effective, especially on machine oil. Use it with a white cloth made of organic material; it’ll melt things like nylon and cause their color to bleed into the carpet.

For cooking oil, try a grease-cutting dishwashing soap first – just don’t use too much or you’ll spend more time rinsing than you did on the stain. Make a mild solution using warm water, then apply with a spray bottle, blotting up the excess until the oil is gone. White vinegar is also effective.

An ammonia solution (one tablespoon per cup of water) works best on automotive oil. Use the blotting method, and don’t forget to try it out on a small area to make sure it won’t affect the color of your carpet.

Most of these methods are interchangeable. We advise trying the mildest first. If all else fails, call us!

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Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Picking a Carpet-Cleaning Company

How do you pick a carpet-cleaning company? It can be confusing, like trying to choose a book based on the blurb on the back; everybody says they’re the best – how am I supposed to know what to look for? By the time I find out I’ve chosen wrong, I’m out of luck – and money, too. Well, aside from strapping them into a lie-detector when they arrive for their appointment, there are a few questions you can ask that, while not definitive, can certainly help lead you in the right direction.

1. How long have they been in business? Longevity isn’t everything, but when you’re weighing the pros and cons it counts for something. It’s not the be-all, but it doesn’t hurt to weigh it in.

2. Are their technicians trained? Certified? What does that entail? You don’t want a bunch of amateurs using your living room as a teaching tool right before the family comes to visit.

3. Will you charge by the room or by square feet? What does a ‘room’ mean to them? If they charge by the room, measure the ones you’re having cleaned and call around to find out what other companies charge by the square foot. You should be able to figure out which way is the better deal.

4. What cleaning technique do you use? Find out what methods they use, their advantages and disadvantages. Find out how long it’ll take to dry. Ask what other treatments they offer, and check with your carpet manufacturing company to find out whether having them done will compromise your warranty.

5. Are they insured? What happens if they damage your carpet?

6. Do they guarantee their work? What if you’re not satisfied?
Ultimately you’ll have to trust your own judgment, but it never hurts to ask a few questions.

For top-quality and affordable carpet cleaning colorado springs choose Carpet MD 4968 Chariot Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80923 (719) 659-4794 -- Visit our website http://www.CarpetMD.net -- We are IICRC certified and trained (most carpet cleaners aren't and will leave behind dangerous chemicals!) We do a healthier job with more powerful equipment. Read our reviews and call us today!