Getting Rid of Bacteria

Family, pets, and kids, along with yourself, contribute to all the bacteria and mess on your floors and carpets. Stains are bound to happen, but there are proper ways to get rid of those stains and get rid of most of the bacteria. First of all, you should use a non-toxic antibacterial solution, just like professional carpet cleaners use.

After you clean up after accidental messes or stains, there are still microorganisms that can’t be seen by the human eye. You should use a non-toxic antibacterial solution, and you can make a very effective one yourself at home. Get two cups of baking soda and mix it with one cup of vinegar in order to make a paste. Vinegar is an antimicrobial substance, and baking powder is, of course, a universal cleaner that can has a variety of uses, including deodorization. Before you use the mix, test it out on a small piece of your carpet first. Then, you can rub in the solution in a circular motion on the stained area with a clean white cloth. Let it sit for a couple of hours to do its magic. When the liquid has evaporated, you can vacuum the area.

Antimicrobial solutions are great at helping to get rid of mildew, urine, bacteria, sewage, contaminants, and water damage. If bacteria in your home aren’t cleaned up, it can severely affect your skin, allergies, and make you more susceptible to illnesses. You don’t even have to limit the antimicrobial solution to just your carpet, as you can use it anywhere in your home, such as your kitchen tile, upholsteries (check first to see if it won’t ruin it), couches, fabrics, etc.

Getting Rid of Reappearing Spots

There are spots, and then there are annoying spots that magically reappear even after you clean them. Theses bad boys can be a pain in the behind, but if you know how to clean them properly, you can stop their reappearing act.

One of the major causes of this problem is called “wicking.” Wicking happens when there’s a large amount of liquid that causes the spot. This could happen with urine, soda spills or any other spill with a large volume of liquid where the liquid saturates the carpet and gets to the backing of the carpet or through to the pad. Over time the liquid will make its way up to the top of the fibers, and voila, the stain reappears.  If you have your carpets professionally cleaned, then this wicking problem is not very likely to happen.

Another major cause of reappearing spots is called residue spots. Residue spots are leftover residue that’s left from the spot itself or from the cleaning agent. This happens when oily residues occur, like with lotions, adhesive or from improper cleaning.  It’s not quite visible on its own, but dirt and dust stick to the area, making it a visible spot that a vacuum can’t pick up. Use proper and aggressive spot cleaning techniques to get rid of residue spots.

Remember that most of these reappearing spots can be removed by professional carpet cleaners; however, if they are permanent, a legitimate carpet cleaning business will tell you up front that there’s a chance the spot will not be removed.

Choosing Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tile keeps your home cool, is easy to clean and maintain, and comes in a variety of colors and styles. That is why ceramic tile is such a popular choice in many households. In addition, ceramic tile can go anywhere in the house, from a dining room, to the living room, bathrooms and anywhere else. However, before you choose what type of flooring you want in your home or a particular room, you should know the pros and cons of having ceramic tile.

First off, if you’re looking to resell your home sometime in the future, changing your flooring to ceramic tile may possibly boost the resale value. This is because tile is one of the most cost-effective flooring in the market today because of its low maintenance, and because it’s very easy to clean. Every now and then, you do need to get down and dirty and clean the grout lines to prevent them from getting clogged with dirt. Most of the time, ceramic tile only requires a good sweeping or wiping to clean up the dirt.

Ceramic tile is very durable and resilient, so much so that it was used by the Romans. It is resistant to many curve balls, such as fires, moisture and scratches, so it has a long life-span. Not only that, but ceramic tile is very easy to install, and you can even install it yourself. Go to your local home improvement shop and you will find all the necessary tools for this DIY procedure that includes gauging, installation of ceramic tile, and grouting.

With ceramic tile, there are numerous amounts of styles to choose from with a vast array of colors, as well as different finishes and textures. Any design you want on the ceramic tile is most likely possible, so it can be used for any type of household or even a work area.