How to Avoid Tracking Dirt into the House
What’s the best kind of dirt? The sort that never enters your house in the first place. That’s dirt in its proper place – dirt that you don’t have to clean up. One of the best ways to streamline your cleaning routine is to cut the mess off at the source. So here’s lots of advice on how to stop dirt in its tracks:
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Put out a welcome mat: Place a nice thick mat at every door; the bigger the better. This includes the door from the garage and the back door coming in from the back yard, not just the front door. Make sure that everyone knows that they need to use the mat to wipe their feet before coming into the house, and that the mats are not just for decoration.
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Have a no shoes policy: Asking your family and guests to remove their shoes when they come into the house is becoming a more common practice these days. However, for this to work it’s important to have a place for your guests and family to put their shoes when they come in. You could have a basket or a shelf on the floor by the door to give an obvious nod to your guests that they should remove their shoes when coming into your home.
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Close your doors: Dirt just likes to travel. It’s happiest when it can roam freely all over your home, hiding in nooks and crannies where it’s most labor-intensive to find and remove. So stop dirt at the borders. That is, habitually keep your doors, drawers, cabinets, wardrobes and other barriers closed. This will keep dirt out in the open, where vacuum cleaners and cleaning cloths will be able to deal with it more readily.
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Supply a bench: Placing a bench by the door where people can sit down and remove their shoes is a great option for eliminating the tracking of mud into the house. Many benches come with baskets underneath where indoor shoes can be stowed for the family. Some benches even have a mirror and coat hooks, creating a mini mudroom feel that can work for most any door in the house.
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Place throw rugs by the door: Keeping throw rugs on the floor by the doors is another way that you can capture some of the errant mud that often finds its way into your house. Between a mat on the outside and a rug on the inside most people will get the dirt and mud off of their shoes. Choose rugs that are easy to shake out or throw into the washing machine. Rubber backed rugs won’t slip on hardwood or carpeting.
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Use only one door: During bad weather use only one door. Using an entrance that comes into an area that is easy to clean will minimize the mess. Reducing the number of entrances will allow you to keep up with any footprints or dirt that comes in so that it isn’t tracked through the rest of the house.
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Keep a towel by the door: Place a towel by the door so that when you bring your pet back into the house you can dry his feet. This will help reduce wet footprints on your floors and furniture. If your pet has muddy feet you may need to use a damp rag or wipes to clean off the mud before it can be tracked into your house.
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Keep pet paw hair trimmed: Have your groomer trim your pet’s paw hair to remove the fur from between the pads of the feet. This fur is what collects the dirt and allows Fido to bring in grass and other debris from outside. Keeping up with this grooming yourself will minimize how much your pet will track in.
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Sweep sidewalks: Keep walkways clean as they approach your door. If the sidewalk is clean there is less of a chance that dirt will be tracked in. The same goes for keeping patio areas and garage floors neat and clean. Eliminating dirt from the point of entry will reduce the work to keep it out.
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Update flooring: Keep in mind the next time you update the flooring in your home to install easy to clean flooring. Hardwood is an excellent option because it is easily swept and mopped. Including a tile entryway can also reduce the amount of dirt tracked onto your carpet. Installing stain resistant carpeting is another smart option so that if mud is tracked into the home it will not stain the carpet and can be easily cleaned up.
How to Clean Out a Bagless Vacuum
It is kind of unsettling to see that all that dirt was in your carpet. When your vacuum looks full to the brim, it’s time to clean it out and here’s how to tackle it.
– Remove the canister and empty the contents into the trash.
– Take the canister apart, remove any stubborn dirt/fluff and rinse in warm water.
– Check your filters and clean as needed. Some are washable so just rinse in warm water until the water runs clear, squeeze out the excess and let it air dry. (Check your manual for instructions on how to care for your filter.)
– Check hoses for blockage. There should be one at the roller brush but also check where the dirt goes into the canister and the hose attachment.
– Use a seam ripper to remove hair and string from the roller brush. Scissors would work as well.
– Wipe the vacuum clean and wait 24 hours for its parts to thoroughly dry before putting it back together. If the filter is still damp after 24 hours, use a hair dryer to speed up the drying process.
After the vacuum is cleaned, lean it back up and turn it on for 30 seconds to run air through the system to loosen any potential clogs.
Happy Cleaning!
Do you know what your pet is leaving behind on your rugs?
We all love our pets, but do you know what they bring into your home?
Saliva: A dog has at Least 20 species of bacteria in its mouth
All of these bacteria are left behind when your pet slobbers on your upholstery or rugs.
Pet waste: There are 20 million fecal coliform bacteria in a single gram of pet waste – urine or feces!
These bacteria remain on rugs even after you clean up the waste.
Dander: An estimated 30 million Americans are allergic to animals with pet dander being the main cause!
Simply vacuuming may not get rid of all of the allergens.
Dirt: Studies show that dirt carries many different forms of bacteria and a square foot of carpet can harbor up to 1 pound of dirt!
Our rug cleaning system will deep clean your rugs, removing the places bacteria can hide.
The EPA recommends that homes with pets have their rugs and carpets professionally cleaned every 3 to 6 months for the most effective cleaning and removal of pet hair, odors, dander, and dirt or soil.
Helpful Tips to Keep Rugs Clean
How can you keep your rugs and carpets clean when every time your door opens the deluge of wet and dirt wants to sneak in – in children’s shoes, on pets’ paws, on the feet of guests, and so on?! Here are some handy tips to help keep your rugs clean(er):
– Ban shoes in the house, or buy each family member a few pairs of house-shoes to change into. Set up a shoe rack at each entry, so shoes can be immediately taken off. Pick up some extra pairs in various sizes for guests, and hang a sign asking them politely to divest themselves of footwear before entering the main area of your home. Most people will cheerfully comply and understand.
– Have mats inside and out – one to stomp on outside the door to remove as much dirty snow as possible, and one inside for people to stand on while removing their footwear.
– Add runners down heavily trafficked areas in the home – from doorway to kitchen, in front of the couch, and down hallways. These will take the brunt of the dirt if someone forgets to take their shoes off.
– Set up a pen around the doggie door. Your pet can re-enter the home, but must stay on a rug covered penned area until you are able to snag a towel and wipe his or her feet off. No muddy paw prints on the clean carpet!
No matter how hard you try, the carpets are going to get dirty, so give us a call to help get them clean again.
Did you spill clear liquid on your rug?
Did you spill a clear soda on your rug, like Sprite or Ginger Ale? Even though the liquid is clear, don’t breathe a sigh of relief just yet. It is still important to have the stain thoroughly cleaned.
The sugar in those clear sodas will stick to the fibers of your carpet and attract soil. In no time at all you will have a dark spot where the spill was.
Heirloom Rug Cleaning Daytona Reviewed!
Reviewed on Customer Lobby
Very satisfied
I really like Heirloom Oriental Rug Cleaning. They were very professional and priced really well. They both picked up and delivered eight rugs that they cleaned for me and were very prompt. They also carefully wrapped all of the rugs in sturdy paper. On both occasions, the gentlemen were very polite and accommodating.
They did an excellent job on the rugs. They turned out beautifully! They definitely helped me get them looking good as new. This was my first time using them and I would definitely recommend them.
Tanya W.
Moth Damage is Better to Prevent than Repair!
Moths and carpet beetles are a major concern when found in wool rugs. The damage is done when the moth is in the larvae stage. The larvae feed on protein (wool, silk, animal hair), lay eggs in the rug and the cycle continues.
If you suspect a moth infestation on your area rug, don’t hesitate to give us a call before the damage gets out of hand.
Set in Spills Need Professional Help!
When cleaning up, discovering spills and messes can sometimes be alarming because they went unnoticed for several hours. If you have a stain from your New Year’s festivities that you can’t remove yourself, give us a call!
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