Here on the blog, we’ve been regularly discussing how to handle the aftermath of water damage and natural disasters in your home and how companies like Distinctive Restoration can help restore your house to its former glory, as well as your peace of mind.
Today we’re going to switch gears and talk about routine home maintenance and care. Everyone wants his or her home to look its best. You try to keep a neat house, maybe even doing a deep spring-cleaning every now and again when you really feel motivated. But did you know that having your tile floors and carpets professionally cleaned could really go a long way in keeping your home healthy and safe?
Everyone loves the feel of a plush, soft carpet beneath their toes. Keeping it clean, however, can be a chore. You may think that running a vacuum over it once a week is enough, but all that does it get at the surface debris. Between the fibers, you can have all kinds of allergens, dirt, and dander collecting that your vacuum just can’t quite reach. Not only is this unhealthy for you, but it can break down the fibers of your carpet, effectively causing its premature demise.
Most carpet companies require that you have your carpet professionally cleaned every one to two years if you’d like to stay under warranty. And the EPA recommends you have it cleaned every six to eight months by professionals to prevent allergies and disease. Steam cleaning is the most recommended method, but it’s inadvisable to try doing it yourself because, unless you have a machine strong enough to suck up all the steam’s moisture, you’ll likely end up growing a nice patch of mold under your rug and cause an even bigger mess.
Distinctive Restoration uses hot water extraction, also known as steam cleaning, with a pre-spray that breaks the bond between soil and carpet fibers. Their high-powered truck mounted steam-cleaning system then rinses away all the soil and detergent with a fresh soft water rinse that leaves the carpet clean, soft, and with a balanced pH that can help prevent re-soiling. They also offer the option of Scotchguard carpet protection to further prevent future stains from digging in.
And don’t neglect the other floors in your house - tiles often get ignored when it comes during a deep clean, possibly because you think, “just run a mop over it with some hot water and detergent, and it’s good as new.” Over time, you might not even notice how aged and discolored your tiles have become. Grout becomes a breeding ground for mold and bacteria, especially in humid spots like a bathroom.
Distinctive Restoration has the experience and the tools to bring your tiles back to life. They use high-pressure steam to clean tiles to get off layers of dirt in conjunction with rotary tools to remove waxy build-up. They also can apply sealant to your grout once it’s been cleaned to protect it from further stains and damages. This layer keeps liquids and stains from seeping into the porous material so easily, which keeps you from having to deal with mold and other undesirable issues down the line.
After you’ve had your home cleaned professionally, there are a couple things you can do yourself between appointments to keep up the maintenance. Vacuum regularly – if you have pets or kids, you may want to do it a few times a week. Clean your vacuum filter regularly. Invest in a steam mop – these tend to clean better than just a regular mop and bucket, which usually leaves a residue on tile and can leave dirt deposits in the grout.
Just like getting your teeth checked by the dentist regularly, it’s good to give your home annual check-ups to make sure it stays healthy and in its best condition. Not only will this keep your home’s value intact, but it will help keep you and your family feeling good.