Your flooring does not hide a multitude of sins. Quite oppositely, it brazenly displays them. The pet stains, the spilled wine, the muddy footprints, they’re all right there in the oddly colored blotches that now contribute to the décor of your house. Although you may have gotten used to them when you’re ready to move out they become glaringly obvious. Luckily there are ways of DIY carpet cleaning and DIY floor cleaning that can help you keep your flooring looking flawless.
At Colonial Van Lines, we know that moving is a huge chore, and since it is our job to make moving easier for our customers, we thought we could help you out a bit with the floor cleaning part. So, without further ado, here are some of our most effective hacks for keeping your carpet spotless and your hard surfaces gleaming.
How to Clean Carpets
There may be no such thing as a magic carpet, but there are ways to make carpet stains disappear. Read on for some of our DIY carpet cleaning favorites.
DIY Carpet Cleaning with a Lint Roller
If you’re in charge of the house cleaning in your home, you may know that there are places in your carpet where no vacuum will ever go. Fortunately, a lint roller will. For especially tough to get particles, a lint brush and a little muscle can go a long way! And depending on carpet length, and muscle power, this DIY carpet cleaning project should take you about 5 minutes.
Squeegee for Pet Hair
Another realization you may have arrived at while cleaning your carpet is that pet hair is its own entity. Not only does it defy vacuums, but it also defies lint rollers. Fortunately, it is no match for the squeegee. Although intended for windows, the squeegee is designed to de-gunk, de-frost, and dislodge other substances that gather in layers and stick to surfaces (pet hair, ahem). Just moisten the squeegee and use it exactly as you would on your windows.
Iron It Out
You and your stains may have your differences, but they can be ironed out- in a relatively simple 3 step process.
- Vacuum the stain to get rid of the hard particles so it-s just you vs. the stain, mano a mano.
- Treat the stain with a 3:1 mixture of water to vinegar. Allow the mixture about 5 minutes to sink in.
- Place a towel on the stain and apply a heated iron. The pressure and the heat will transfer the stain to the towel, sort of like a reverse tattoo.
Blot, Don’t Rub
When it comes to carpet, stains don’t rub out, they rub in. Rubbing causes carpet stains to spread, and if you work the stain into the fabric, there’s a good chance of permanent discoloration. When you blot, on the other hand, the liquid gets absorbed into the cloth or sponge, not into the carpet. And direction matters! Blot inwards from outside to prevent the stain from spreading further.
DIY Cleaning Floors to Make Then Shine
Read on to find out how you can keep your hard surface flooring clean from baseboard to shining baseboard.
Keeping Hardwood Good
Dreaming of a gleaming hardwood floor? Invest in a floormat, leave your shoes at the door, and use a microfiber dust mop or vacuum regularly on high traffic areas. Damp-mop for a deep clean, with a well-diluted product, taking care not to leave standing water. (Wood and water are natural adversaries). Use a ceiling fan in humid weather to speed the drying process.
For “10 Hardwood Floor Cleaning Hacks,” check out homehacks.com.
Keeping Laminate Luminous
What do you do when soap is bad, water is worse, and floor polish leaves a sticky residue? Laminates and products may agree to disagree, but a vacuum or a dust or wipe with a lightly dampened mop will work wonders. Try a dilute solution of vinegar and water on stains. Stubborn marks can be removed with acetone nail polish remover or WD-40.
Keeping Baseboards Beautiful
Unless your aunt walks in the house, you probably won’t receive many comments on the cleanliness of your baseboards. But baseboards do make a difference in the overall appearance of your house. To keep your baseboards beyond reproach, vacuum, wash and scrub. Vacuum: Use your upholstery brush attachment to loosen and capture dust. Wash: Fill a bucket with hot water and a few squirts of dish soap or vinegar. Scrub: Use a microfiber cloth to wipe down the baseboards and use a dry-cleaning cloth to remove the scuffs.
Colonial Van Lines: You’ll Be Floored by Our Services
DIY floor cleaning and DIY carpet cleaning come highly recommended. DIY moving, less so. Moving long distance is a monumental task. But, at Colonial Van Lines, we can guide you through it, every step of the way.
When we work with you, we do whatever it takes to make the moving process less stressful. That means standing by you from beginning to end, keeping you informed, and creating a moving plan adjusted to your budget. Our flexible packages allow you to choose which services you need. Our dedicated movers deliver excellence in service that comes from years of experience, a policy of honesty, and a desire to make our customers happy.
We Know the Routes
As experienced navigators of this great country, we know how to get you from north to south, coast to coast, and state to state as conveniently and safely as possible. Count on us to organize a route that gets you to your destination in the least amount of time, saving you a significant amount of money.
We Know How to Pack
Packing may be the most daunting task of the moving process. It’s mentally exhausting, physically taxing, and emotionally draining. At Colonial Van Lines we provide a variety of packages to make the packing process easier for you. We use our own special wrap, bubble wrap, and packing paper to make sure your breakables stay in one piece.
We Know How to Look Out for Our Customers
At Colonial Van Lines, we value the faith that our customers place in us too much to offer anything less than superior service. Contact us for a free rate quote today, and we’ll show you why we’re the Nation’s Most Trusted Moving Company.
