http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/ With Michael Bacheller en Copyright 2008 Wed, 06 Feb 2008 10:25:44 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Two Reasons to Have Your Carpet Cleaned Every 6-12 Months Dirty Carpets Aggravate Allergies and Make Cold and Flu Symptoms Linger. All year long carpets serve as a breeding ground for the pollutants trapped in air-tight homes. Have you noticed more runny noses and itchy, watering eyes lately? Allergens, bacteria, and dust mites aggravate these symptoms. The quickest way to improve indoor air quality is to regularly clean the filter that catches all of these pollutants—your carpet! Clean Carpets Look Great and Last Longer TOO! Check out the carpet in your entryway; take a look down the hallways, under the table, and in front of your favorite chair. Is the carpet clean? Regular visits from DURACLEAN will keep your carpets clean, fluffy, fresh scented and looking like new for years to come. One Reason Why You Want DURACLEAN to do the Cleaning We Guarantee, “The Most Thorough Carpet Cleaning Ever!” We Clean Upholstery Too—Including Leather http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/2008/02/two_reasons_to_have_your.html http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/2008/02/two_reasons_to_have_your.html Wed, 06 Feb 2008 10:25:44 -0500 Are You Sleeping With the Enemy? Who is the enemy? The enemy is called a dust mite, and he and his friends and family members sleep with you each and every night. In fact, your mattress can contain up to 2 million of the little buggers. Sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock movie, doesn’t it? What Are Dust Mites? Dust mites are tiny animals you cannot see, averaging 1/100 of an inch in size. Dust mites belong to the arachnid family, which includes spiders, scorpions and ticks. Every home has dust mites. They feed on skin flakes and are found in mattresses, pillows, carpets, upholstered furniture, bedcovers, clothes, stuffed toys, and fabric or other fabric-covered items. It's their bathroom habits that are the most likely to make us itch and wheeze. Many people develop severe allergies to dust mite droppings. Exposure to dust mite allergen can cause asthma in susceptible children. Research shows that the average pillow is 15% heavier after 5 years, due to the buildup of dead skin cells, dead and living dust mites and the waste they excrete. Can you imagine how much weight your mattress gains in 5 years? Yuck. What Can You Do? There’s really no way you can completely avoid dust mites in the bedroom. They’re as certain as death and taxes. But, by vacuuming your mattress thoroughly every time you change the sheets, washing pillows, comforters and blankets frequently and having your mattresses professionally deep cleaned at least annually, you and your family will sleep better at night. You “mite” even wake up in a good mood! Call us for more information. ]]> http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/2007/12/are_you_sleeping_with_the.html http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/2007/12/are_you_sleeping_with_the.html Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:48:44 -0500 The best way to reduce allergic reaction to indoor allergens is to reduce your exposure to them. Here are some tips for maintaining a healthy home environment: • Vacuum carpets, floors and upholstery 1-2 times a week using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter. Call our office for vacuum cleaner brand recommendations. • Sweep entrance mats regularly to reduce the amount of tracked in dust and soil. • Have your heating & air conditioning system inspected & serviced annually. Use & replace high-efficiency filters on a monthly basis. • Wash bed linens and coverings weekly in hot water. • Have your carpets & upholstery cleaned by us at least once per year, more often if you children & pets. • Have us clean your mattresses & box springs, then encase them in allergen impermeable covers if necessary. http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/2007/09/tips_for_maintaining_a_healthy.html http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/2007/09/tips_for_maintaining_a_healthy.html Mon, 24 Sep 2007 08:08:33 -0500 Carpets Effect on Allergies: Don’t Toss ’em… They’re Awesome! The science of indoor air quality is very interesting and relatively new. In the past, the focus was on the quality of the outside air and the interest was in lowering emissions of all types into the air. But, as we now spend more time indoors - an average of 90% of our time - indoor air quality has become a concern to the EPA, as well as government and private health organizations. Following the energy-saving efforts of the 70’s and 80’s, buildings and homes are now much more air-tight, leaving little opportunity for diluting the indoor air with fresh air from outside. Indoor air has thus become more polluted. But, what’s the connection between indoor air quality and carpets? In the past, physicians recommended that their asthma and allergy-suffering patients remove carpeting from the home. It was erroneously thought that carpeting exasperated their conditions. Recently, the EPA performed a study of hundreds of homes, schools and office buildings and concluded that the choice of carpeting as a floor covering was actually beneficial in the fight against asthma and allergies. When scientifically tested, the air in the “breathing zone” above carpets was found to contain fewer allergens than the air above hard surfaces. Carpet tends to collect and hold the allergens out of the air, where they remain, until the carpet is vacuumed or professionally cleaned. In contrast, allergens that settle on hard surface flooring, tend to be redistributed to the breathing zone with normal foot traffic or the simple act of running a broom over the flooring surface. One unfortunate result of the EPA’s study is that we now know that many families removed carpeting from their homes in an effort to reduce allergy symptoms, only to find that they gained no improvement in their conditions. Their carpeting was an asset, rather than a detriment, to the quality of their indoor air. In concluding that carpeting is a benefit to indoor air, the EPA now recommends that carpeting be cleaned at least every 6 months - in most homes - to rid the carpeting of these allergens. A carpet that is not regularly maintained has a reduced ability to collect indoor air pollutants. Tips for Reducing Indoor Allergens Following, are some tips for reducing indoor allergens in your home and specifically, in your carpeting - helping you to keep your “home sweet home” a healthy one for you and your family: • Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum. This cannot be stressed enough. You should vacuum at least twice a week, more often if you have pets. Vacuuming helps rid your carpeting of dust, dust mite feces, animal hair and dander, human hair and dead skin, mold spores, dead bugs and abrasive - carpet life shortening - sand and soil. Make sure that you use a vacuum cleaner that has a high efficiency HEPA filtering system. If you need suggestions for choosing a new vacuum, call us. • Don’t sweep your hard surface flooring. Sweeping redistributes allergens to the air. Vacuuming your floors, followed by a damp mop, will help keep the air your family breathes cleaner. • Adopt a no shoes policy in your home. This will keep outdoor pollutants from entering the home. • If you have forced air heating and cooling systems, leave the fan switched to on at all times. This will continually circulate the air in your home through the air filters, removing airborne particulates. Make sure that you change your filters monthly. Consider using high-efficiency HEPA air filters. Follow these simple tips, and not only will you have a healthier home, but your carpeting will last longer also http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/2007/07/_carpets_effect_on_allergies.html http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/2007/07/_carpets_effect_on_allergies.html Tue, 17 Jul 2007 17:30:43 -0500 Traffic Lane Gray Like all textiles, carpets will eventually show signs of wear. The wear patterns will first show up in the heaviest traffic areas. The wear creates an illusion of soiling, which often causes frustration and misunderstanding between homeowners and carpet care experts. Even though a carpet has been cleaned, it does not mean worn traffic areas will look clean. This situation creates what is known as traffic lane gray, a condition that has been nicknamed “ugly out.” There is not a lot a carpet care expert can do about “ugly out.” When a 10-year-old carpet is cleaned, you will end up with a clean 10-year-old carpet. It may not appear to be as clean as you had hoped. Just like when you throw your old pair of jeans in the wash, the worn areas will still be evident. Matting There is a point when carpet fibers will no longer return to their original shape. As fibers lose their twist, the carpet begins to look flat, bunched together and distorted. This is called matting. Matting will cause the carpet to look dirty and gray even when the carpet is clean and all soil has been removed. The easiest way to avoid matting is to vacuum and rake the carpet often. Regular Maintenance The best way to keep your carpet looking it’s best is to properly maintain it. Vacuum thoroughly as often as humanly possible. Vacuuming removes loose soil before it becomes embedded in the fibers. Use proper spotting methods. Do not use any product on your carpets unless it is advised by the staff at Duraclean. Use of the wrong cleaner can permanently “set” a stain that might have been easily removed with the proper product. Ask us for a recommendation on a carpet spotter that will remove most common spots and stains without causing carpet damage or re-soiling. Have your carpet cleaned by Duraclean at least once a year, more often if you have heavy traffic from kids and pets. The removal of soils and stains will refresh its appearance while ridding the fibers of abrasive materials. The stain resistant treatment that was originally applied by the carpet manufacturer will wear off...especially in the traffic lanes. Always have it re-applied when you have your carpet professionally cleaned by us. Just ask for carpet protectant. Remember, with proper maintenance, you can prevent "ugly out!" ]]> http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/2007/05/a_case_of_ugly_out.html http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/2007/05/a_case_of_ugly_out.html Tue, 29 May 2007 22:11:08 -0500 Clothes Dryers Could Cause Fires Lint Build-Up Often Overlooked Fires in dryer exhaust ducts pose a serious risk to consumers. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a consumer product safety alert. According to CPSC, annually there are 15,500 fires, 10 deaths and 310 injuries due to dryer exhaust duct fires. These fires result in millions of dollars in property loss. As more homes have clothes dryers and are built of tighter construction, the proper operation of the dryer becomes critical. Dryers are exhausting air from the house while they are in operation. Gas dryers are also venting the products of combustion in addition to the moisture from the clothes. Lint in the exhaust system can easily become fuel as temperatures rise and the duct becomes restrictive. Because the dryer duct is usually a 4" diameter, the slightest amount of deposit can greatly reduce the ability to exhaust. When its starts taking longer to dry the clothes, the problem is not usually the dryer, but rather the exhaust system. Optimum airflow is the key to effective dryer performance. When clothes are given the appropriate amount of air, they dry quicker and are subject to less tumbling. This results in less wear on the clothes and less use of electricity or gas - saving you money. Whether it’s your home or rental property or even a large apartment building, we can handle the job. We use state-of -the-art equipment for all types of dryer vent cleaning problems. Don’t let your lint problems burn you up! A Dryer Vent Cleaning Test: 1. Does your dryer receive light use? (0 points), normal use? (5 points) or heavy use? (10 points) 2. Is your vent 1 to 10 feet long? (0 points), 11 to 20 feet long? (5 points) or longer? (10 points) 3. Does your dryer vent have one 90 degree elbow? (0 points), two elbows? (5 points), or more? (10 points) 4. Do you have a full size dryer? (0 points) Or a smaller stacking combo-unit? (10 points) Add up your points: Score: 0 to 10 points - Recommend cleaning every 2 to 3 years. Score: 15 to 25 points - Recommend cleaning every 1 to 2 years. Score: 30 to 40 points - Recommend cleaning every year. Call us for more information, or to set up an appointment. http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/2007/04/we_clean_dryer_vents.html http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/2007/04/we_clean_dryer_vents.html Wed, 18 Apr 2007 17:16:19 -0500 The most important thing you can do to keep your carpet looking great is to vacuum it thoroughly and often, particularly in high- traffic areas. Vacuuming helps remove dirt particles which dull the carpet's appearance and damage the carpet fibers. Use walk-off mats at entrances to capture the heavy dirt brought in from outside. Make sure the shoes used outside are not used on the inside! http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/2007/03/why_is_vacuuming_important.html http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/2007/03/why_is_vacuuming_important.html Why is Vacuuming Important? Tue, 20 Mar 2007 13:07:59 -0500 There comes a point when carpet fibers no longer return to their original shape. As fibers lose their shape, they begin to look twisted, frayed or distorted, causing the carpet to look dirtier and gray. The easiest way to avoid matting is to vacuum and rake the carpet often. Rearranging furniture also helps to prevent traffic lanes and patterns. Have your carpets cleaned at least once a year by Duraclean. The removal of embedded soils and stains refreshes the appearance of your carpet while ridding the fibers of abrasive materials. The stain resistant treatment applied by the carpet manufacturer will wear off... especially in the traffic areas. To maintain your warranty, have the stain resistant treatment re-applied (our chosen protectant is Teflon), each time you have your carpet cleaned. http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/2007/01/matting.html http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/2007/01/matting.html Carpet Sat, 06 Jan 2007 13:08:34 -0500 Act quickly. When something is dropped or spilled. 2. Blot up liquids with clean, white, absorbent cloth or paper towel. 3. Scoop up semi-solids with a tablespoon. 4. Shatter solids with a sharp blow of a table knife handle and vacuum up all loose material. 5. Pretest spotting solutions in an inconspicuous area to make certain they will not damage the carpet, upholstery or the dyes in these. 6. Apply spotting solutions in small amounts in the order listed and blot thoroughly after each application. Take care to avoid over wetting. 7. Do not rub or scrub! Start at the edge of stains and work solution in gently using Q-Tip, old toothbrush, or folded soft cloth. Blot between applications and repeat until stain is removed or no further change occurs. 8. Towel dry, sprinkle with talcum powder, let dry overnight, brush and vacuum. Another technique is to cover the area with one-half inch layer of white tissue and weight down with a book. Change the wet tissues after an hour and allow to dry overnight with a book on top of tissues. Remove with a brush of moderate stiffness. Until next time...]]> http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/2007/01/guide_to_spot_and_stain_remova.html http://www.duracleanporthuron.com/tips/2007/01/guide_to_spot_and_stain_remova.html Stain Removal Mon, 01 Jan 2007 12:24:11 -0500