How do I Get Rid of Dust?
Dust is a dirty word. We don’t like having it in our homes. Unfortunately, dust creeps in and never seems to go away. You can get rid of dust, however. In this article we’ll show you how.
80% of the dust in your home comes from outside sources
It walks in through the door on people’s feet. You can help get rid of dust by purchasing a walk-off mat. It’s a professional mat that you sometimes see in the entrances of stores. They’re available at a janitorial supply store. Get one for outside your door and one for directly inside your door. They’re available in a variety of colors and sizes. You can vacuum the mats regularly or shake them outside. You only need to hose the mats down and scrub with an all-purpose cleaner to get clean. Hang mats so they dry. You don’t want moisture to get trapped under the vinyl backing.
Remove carpeting and drapes from your home – they’re dust magnets
Carpets can contribute to the accumulation of dust in your home. It settles on the carpets and it gets kicked up and spread all around your home. Consider replacing your carpeting with wood flooring. It doesn’t trap dust. Remove heavy drapes from your windows. Instead, put up lightweight blinds. They are easier to clean and you’ll see the dust accumulation sooner so you’ll be more apt to clean it before it gets out of control. You may also want to consider swapping out upholstered furniture for wood, vinyl or leather. Upholstered furniture traps dust much more often than these other types of furniture.
Vacuum frequently – especially if you’re not going to get rid of those carpets
You should use a vacuum with a HEPA-filter to ensure that you’re sucking up as much dust as possible. You can vacuum all the carpeting in your home, but pay special attention to the high traffic areas. You can also vacuum wood and other types of flooring. Vacuuming frequently cuts down on how much dust accumulates under furniture and in corners. Remember to change your vacuum filter frequently and keep your vacuum in good working order.
Dust around the house
Try to dust your home at least twice a week. Dust the tallest items in your home, then, work your way down. Going the opposite way will just track more of it around. Don’t forget to dust the top of your picture frames and your light fixtures. The baseboards also need special attention. You can use a damp rag or a glove. Ostrich feathers are especially good for dusting since their electric charge works on keeping dust on them as opposed to spreading it. Take your time and dust properly. Don’t skimp or go lightly. If you need an extra day to dust, do some on one day and more on another. It’s important.
Sweep your floors regularly
Every few days, you should sweep the floor with a broom and dustpan to get rid of the dust on floors you don’t vacuum. Sweep areas that tend to trap dust like doorways, hallways and the kitchen floor. Toss out the dust in your garbage can to make sure it doesn’t reenter the household.
We’ve given you a pretty comprehensive list of how to get rid of dust in your home. We hope this helps. If not, you can always call use our online form to make an appointment. Garcia Green Cleaners would love to work with you in getting rid of dust in your home.
How do I Clean a Toilet?
In this article, we’ll teach you how to clean the toilet. No one likes to clean toilets, but it’s necessary. A clean toilet doesn’t smell bad and it prevents bacteria from spreading. To correctly clean the toilet you’ll need both a toilet cleaner and a disinfectant. In fact, we recommend the following materials:
- Gloves,
- Toilet brush,
- Toilet bowl cleaner,
- And disinfectant spray.
First, you should take everything on the toilet off. If you have pictures or books or tissue boxes on the top, take them off so you can clean the toilet. You can clean these items later before you put them back on. Keep them somewhere safe where they won’t get sprayed with the toilet cleaner and disinfectant or water while you’re cleaning the toilet.
Take the clean gloves and put them on. We suggest that you use a dedicated pair of gloves for the job. You don’t want the bacteria from the toilet being spread to other household cleaning tasks. If you must, buy your toilet-cleaning gloves in a different color than your other rubber gloves so they don’t get confused.
Next, you should wipe down the toilet with a damp sponge. Give it a once-over with hot water. You should wet with water and wipe around the tank, lid, seat, base and exterior of the bowl. This might be enough to remove the dirt without specialty cleaning products. If not, you can clean with a disinfectant or toilet bowl cleaner later on.
Now you can apply with a toilet cleaner to the inside of the bowl. Toilet cleaners help eliminate stains, rings and mineral deposits in your toilet. Squirt the cleaner on the inside rim of the toilet bowl, allowing it to drip down the sides of the bowl and in the water. Read the instructions on the cleaner because some cleaners require time to sit for maximum cleaning effect. If so, take a short break and then continue.
It’s time to scrub the bowl with a toilet brush. You should use a brush with firm bristles. Scrub the bowl thoroughly and pay attention to any mineral stains that have accumulated at water level or the back of the bowl. The more thoroughly and firmly you scrub the bowl, the cleaner it will get. To get the most out of your toilet bowl cleaner, dip the brush in the toilet water and grab some suds to clean the bowl. It will give you extra cleaning power.
Once the bowl is scrubbed and clean, you should flush. This rinses the bowl. You should continue to scrub as water drains from the toilet because the motion of the water alone might not be enough to rinse the dirt away. If you have persistent stains, repeat the process of applying toilet cleaner through rinsing the bowl. Do it as many times as you need to to clean the toilet bowl.
Now that the bowl is clean, you can clean the rest of the apparatus with disinfectant. Clean the bottom, the top and all around the toilet. Don’t forget the handle because it has bacteria on it too. Once it’s sparkling, wipe up the residue with a dry cloth and then you’re done.
All you need to do is clean the items that were on the toilet before you started cleaning and then put them back where they belong.
If you need help cleaning your toilet or don’t feel like doing it yourself, Garcia Green Cleaners can help. Give us a call in Austin at 512-705-2812. We’re happy to take care of this for you!
How do I Clean a Wooden Floor?
Cleaning a wooden floor is not that difficult. Well, it doesn’t have to be…especially if you follow some basic preventative tips like these:
- Liquid spills should be soaked up immediately. Why? Excessive water on the floors can lead to permanent stains.
- Don’t use wax, vinegar and any ‘all-purpose’ cleaners. They dull the floor’s finish.
- In order to trap sand and grit, place rugs or mats near doorways and in high traffic areas.
- Don’t move furniture or heavy items across your wooden floor. Carry them or use gliding furniture pads instead.
- Always use protective pads or caps on furniture.
- Make sure your pet’s claws are trimmed so they don’t scratch the floor.
- Don’t wear high heels on your wooden floors. They can dent it.
When you finally clean your floor, you can first dust the floor with a mop that has been treated with a dusting agent. This will pick up dust, dirt, and hair that might scratch the surface. If you clean weekly or biweekly, use a vacuum with a floor-brush attachment. Do not use a vacuum with a beater bar attachment as that can scratch your floor. For a quick dusting, you can use disposable electrostatic cloths. We recommend you use both sides of the cloths to save money.
If you’re going to do a deeper cleaning on your wooden floor, we recommend that you do it during the spring or the winter holidays. It doesn’t have to be done very often. However, it does need to get done. Why? Dirt, grime and other nasty tidbits build up over time and you’ll want to get rid of them. Use a wood-cleaning product like Bona, which is what we use. Dilute it according to the package instructions. Saturate a sponge or a rag mop in the water, and then wring it almost dry. It should feel only slightly damp to the touch. Damp-mop the wooden floor and be careful not to create any water pockets on the floor as these can cause staining. Rinse with a clean mop dampened in clear water if the cleaning product requires it. Wipe up excess fluid.
If you have any more questions about cleaning a wooden floor, give us a call at Garcia Green Cleaners. We can be reached in Austin at 512-705-2812. We’re happy to do the cleaning for you.