Are you at a loss for what to give the mom/dad/friend/grandma that has everything? How about the gift of time and relaxation? That is what McMaid can provide this season. Let’s face it – December is not a calm month. You are pretty much in ‘GO’ mode from December 1st through the New Year. Whether you are hosting a party or running around to other’s parties, your home can go through a bit of neglect. How nice would it be to open or give a gift of a home cleaning? Pair it with a spa gift card for a mani/pedi and you just made about any woman’s day. Bonus – you get to avoid the craziness of shopping the retail stores which, let’s be honest, can be frightening around this time of year. Simply log on to McMaid.com in the comfort of your pj’s at home and let them take it from there.

Giving McMaid Gift Certificates this holiday season says so much to the recipient. It says take a load off. Let someone else scrub the floors for a change. Don’t spend a day of your weekend cleaning – do something fun. Relax. Don’t worry about lugging the vacuum up and down the stairs.

A gift that says all that? Totally worth it’s weight in Christmas cookies – you know, the Good ones.

Enjoy all the season has to offer!
Courtney

Carpet Before Cleaning

Carpet After Cleaning

You protect your precious carpet hoping no accidents or carpet stains will ever occur, and in a flash accidents happen–a Kool-aid spill, drop of blood, or your pet diddles or messes one more time on your new carpet. In a panic, you reach for a towel, but you discover moments later you have just spread the stain and maybe even rubbed it in deeper. Removing stains from your carpet properly while preserving your carpets is an art and a science. The first tool you must know is the cleaning wheel. Every type of cleaning leverages four factors—time, temperature, chemical and mechanical action. The proper amount of time, with the right chemical(s) at the right temperature with the correct mechanical action combine to provide the best cleaning process. All of this can be overwhelming though for homeowners. So take a deep breathe and read further and your stain will vanish leaving behind clean, protected, well maintained carpet. However, if after reading this you are still overwhelmed, call McMaid today and we will attack the stain for you!

Removing Kool-Aid Stains from Carpet

Kool-aid can be one of the most difficult carpet stains to treat, however with the right treatments- you can remove Kool-aid carpet stains even from white carpet. Here are some steps to follow to remove carpet stains caused by Kool-Aid:

• First, always blot the stain with a dry towel. Do not rub the stain or smear it in further, this will make it more difficult to remove the stain and could lead to saturation of the carpet pad underneath as well.
• Try a mixture of white vinegar, Dawn dish soap, and water in a misting spray bottle. Use 1/4 cup of white vinegar, 1 tbsp of Dawn dish soap, and fill with water. Spray area liberally and let soak for about 5-10 minutes and then proceed with blotting with a clean, dry towel until stain is removed.
• Some carpet stain removal products can be of great benefit for eliminating many carpet stains—Bissel Carpet Stain Treatment, Resolve Carpet Cleaner, and Oxi-Clean for Stained Carpets. If the stain is a stubborn one, use these as directed and then repeat with the vinegar spritz method until the stain has vanished.
• Always conduct a small test on the carpet to ensure there won’t be any negative impact from using these substances or you could wind up with an even larger problem with your carpet than just trying to remove a Kool-Aid carpet stain.

Removing Pet Stains from Carpet

There are methods and substances that can rid the odor associated with these types of accidents, and remove the carpet stains entirely. Here are some tips for removing pet stains from carpet:

• First clean up the initial mess. If the mess is a stool, pick it up with gloves and dispose of, and if it is wet- simply use the blot method to soak up the moisture without smearing or scrubbing. Blot and blot until the carpet is quite dry and carpet stain is removed.
• Sometimes the stain may be dried on the carpet fibers, the best way to treat this type of carpet stain is to moisten it. You can do this by applying a special carpet stain cleaning product specifically targeted at pet stains. To discover old urine stains in your carpet, you might want to use a black light, which you can purchase at a home supply store. A black light will usually show even old urine stains in your carpet. Turn out all of the lights in the room; use the black light to identify soiled areas, and lightly outline the areas with chalk on your carpet.
• To neutralize the odor and spot you will need to try several different tactics. Avoid using ammonia based products to clean dog urine. One of the ingredients of dog urine is ammonia and your pet may well be encouraged to re-offend in the same area because they smell the ammonia. So you can utilize this proven urine odor removal method. Simply create a solution of 1/2 white vinegar and ½ warm water. Spray this solution liberally onto the spot. Allow it to soak for several minutes and then proceed with the blot technique until stain is gone and spot is almost completely dry. When the area has almost dried sprinkle a good handful of baking soda over the soiled area. Mix half a cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide with a teaspoon of mild liquid detergent. Ordinary liquid dishwashing detergent is suitable. Put on a pair of rubber gloves and slowly pour the hydrogen peroxide and detergent mixture over the baking powder. Work the dissolving baking soda well into the carpet, first with your fingers and then with a scrubbing brush. Allow the area to dry completely and then vacuum thoroughly.

Removing Coffee Stains from Carpet

Coffee stains can leave a carpet “dirty” or “brown” if not treated properly. It can cause the carpet to have a yellowish-brown tone that is quite noticeable. After blotting the dampness and coffee from the carpet you will want to follow these simple steps for removing coffee stains from your carpet:

• Dry the spot as well as possible with a dry cloth by blotting. If there is a substantial amount of spillage you can make sure you are not spreading the stain by changing cloths when they become saturated with the beverage.
• Try the mixture of vinegar, water, and Dawn detergent first with the spritzer method, rinse, and repeat.
• There are several products that are sold in such stores as Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreen’s, and other retail chains that sell specific cleaners for this type of carpet stain. Again testing a small patch of carpet in a less visible area is a good idea. Use product as directed, and beware some chemicals are harsh- wear gloves when using them as a precaution.
• There are certain types of carpets such as Polypropylene that will respond safely to a carpet stain treatment of water and bleach. You can create a mixture of 1/4 cup of bleach to 1 ¼ cups of water in a spray bottle. Spray the stained area, soaking it thoroughly, blot, rinse with warm water, and repeat until the carpet stain disappears.

Removing Blood Stains from Carpet

There is a lot of hype associated with blood stains on clothes and carpets, however the much dreaded occurrence of this accident is not as bad as it may seem. There are many ways to remove carpet stains caused by blood, and you can be certain that after you perform these actions- the spot will be removed. Here are some methods used to remove blood carpet stains:

• With blood stain removal, you need to treat the stain as promptly as possible- a quick response is the key to complete blood stain removal. The faster you act the more effective the carpet stain removal method will be.
• One of the other major differences in treating blood spots on carpets is that cold water is used instead of warm or hot water. This is because blood coagulates with heat, and cold water will prevent the blood from permeating into the carpet fibers.
• In a spray bottle, add about 2 teaspoons of liquid, grease-fighting dish detergent to a full bottle of cold water and spray solution on the blood stain. Liberally moisten it so that the carpet stain is entirely submerged in the cold water solution. Then use a paper towel to blot or a dry cloth so that the blood is transferred to the cloth. Rinse with cold water and repeat if necessary.
• Oxi-clean is bleach free, however with its abilities to oxygenate most carpet stains- it is ideal for blood stains. Although Oxi-clean needs warm water to be diluted, you can use cold water and mix as well as possible. Apply on the blood stain by a spray bottle or by pouring it directly on the blood spot. Blot until dry, rinse, and repeat if necessary.
• Bare in mind, removing blood stains may take persistence and a combination of all these steps. However, after several tries your blood stain should be gone. Universal Precautions in hospitals require that for large amounts of blood, especially blood that is still in liquid form, not dried, the person cleaning up the blood wear rubber gloves.

Removing Ink Stains from Carpet

Ink stains can be especially difficult to remove, with the most common problem from improper handling being the unwanted spreading of the ink, which makes the stain even worse. Similar to blood stains, ink stains are far easier to remove when they are addressed as quickly as possible, as soon as possible after the spill occurs. Here are some effective ways to remove ink carpet stains:

• Dampen a clean cloth with isopropyl alcohol (the higher the percentage of alcohol the better), and then proceed by dabbing on the ink stained carpet location. (You may want to do a test to make sure it will not lead to damage for certain types of carpets.)
• Be careful not to rub or scrub! This could distribute the ink to a larger region.
• You may need to treat the carpet stain with the alcohol again. Also some hairsprays and nail polish removers work as well, but they are extremely risky to use in terms of damage to your carpet and color fastness problems.
• When using any of these chemicals rinse with water, and blot or vacuum dry (with a wet vacuum) until spot is dry.

Final Thoughts on Removing Stains from Carpet

Most of these techniques and procedures use household chemicals and supplies to remove carpet stains. There are many cleaning solutions that have been specifically designed for each type of carpet stain. If any of these methods seem to fall short of your expectations, be sure to check out a local retail store that carries stain removing products and utilize the resources available to conquer any carpet stains.

There are some instances which home remedies of carpet stain removal are just not enough to get the carpeting up to par. This is when a reputable carpet cleaning company like McMaid can be called upon to professionally treat the carpet, returning it to its cleanest, healthiest condition. We are experts at removing carpet stains caused by any substance. You can use your best judgment to implement any of these strategies for stain removal from carpets. When all these tactics are used in combination you will win the battle against the five toughest carpet stains to remove. McMaid is here to answer any of your questions.

*The techniques offered above are meant to be of assistance in cleaning carpet stains. McMaid is not responsible for the outcome of any of these procedures.

Dryer Vent Before Cleaning

Dryer Vent After Cleaning

A recent study shows over 97% of homes were found to have lower than acceptable levels of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ).* These findings were recorded based upon over 49,000 individual tests performed over a two year period.

Why is this important?

During each minute of the nearly 21 hours we spend indoors each day, we take in between one and two gallons of air. This air contains not only the oxygen we need to survive, but also air pollutant levels that are usually 2 to 5 times higher than the outdoors, and can get up to 100 times higher. These air pollutants include the following:

• Particle Allergens
• Chemical Pollutants
• Carbon Dioxide
• Excessive Temperatures
• Excess Humidity
• Carbon Monoxide

What problems can poor IAQ cause?

Poor IAQ is one of the top 5 most urgent environmental risks to public health. Despite this fact, many consumers are unaware that it could even potentially be a problem, much less that it can cause problems associated with the following conditions:

• Asthma
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Cancer
• Lead Exposure
• Birth Defects
• Neurobehavioral Disorders

Does this affect me?

Each year 342,000 lives are lost because of lung disease: 20 million people have allergy problems, and spending on allergy and asthma symptoms stands at over $5 billion per year. Over 97% of the homes surveyed showed unacceptable levels of at least one type of pollutant. So, chances are, it is affecting you right now!

What can I do?

While poor IAQ is a significant problem, there are actions each homeowner can take to improve it. For example, limiting smoking indoors, using exhaust fans while cooking, and properly maintaining your air conditioning and heating system are all simple steps you can take to improve IAQ.

One common place where allergens build up in the home is in the ductwork of your air/heating systems. In order to properly maintain these systems, the air ducts should be properly cleaned. Using advanced cleaning techniques and technology like the Rotobrush aiR+® air duct cleaning system and video inspection, we can help reduce pollutants in your home.

*Source for study and statistical information cited in article: AirAdvice State of Our Indoor Air Report 2007