Cleaning Tips & Tricks

CALL NOW

​How to Tackle Tough-to-Clean Spots

Rust

  • Usually, all purpose cleaners have a very tough time taking the rust stains off of sinks, toilets and tubs, even when you scrub hard. What needs to be done is to use a stain remover specific to rust. These types of products are identified quite easily in stores, but if you wanted to be sure you are getting the right stuff, look at the ingredients and check for diluted hydrochloric acid. It's also referred to sometimes as hydrogen chloride, HCL, or muriatic acid. Ensure that bleach, or bleach containing products are never used in these scenarios, as they will make the stain permanent. When using in toilets, pour some of the mixture in and scrub with a stiff bristle brush. For tubs and sinks, wet the surface and apply the mixture to a damp sponge. This might take a bit of scrubbing but should come off. Rinse cleaned areas with fresh water and your finished! Note - when dealing with harsh chemicals like acids and bleaches, always protect yourself by wearing the proper protective equipment. We recommend wearing rubber gloves, a mask and glasses for the cleaner mentioned here.

Carpet Stains

  • Almost every home still has some form of carpet in it, and truth be told, it can be difficult to keep clean. If you have pets, or drink wine or coffee anywhere near these areas with rugs or carpets, an accident is almost certain to happen eventually. Before thinking about the cost of replacing, try reversing the damage with these techniques. 
  • Act fast. The quicker you can be with a clean up immediately after a spill or accident not only increases your chances of removing a stain, but also has the potential to stop a stain from forming entirely. If anything has broken which caused the stain, gently remove any debris with a fork or spoon as to not press the stain deeper into the carpet fibers. From here, use paper towel or a plain fabric to dab the affected area. Be patient with this step, it can take several minutes. Use a stain removal solution after blotting the area dry. You can find many different products online or at the store, but a home concoction will work well too. To finish with this basic stain removal step, rinse the spot with cold water, never hot, and lightly press dry again. Repeat these steps as many times as necessary. 

Pet Stains
Many pet owners will have to deal with 'accidents' or 'surprises' every once in a while, especially if any house training is being done. This can be a challenge for some people, and frustrating for most. But don't fret, there are a number of ways to not only deal with the stain left behind, but also the odour as well.

  • This first step is, of course, pick up and dispose of any loose debris. In the event of a wet accident, use the blot method mentioned above. You will do this until the spot is nearly dry, and the stain is removed.
  • If the surprise was left for you to find overnight, it's likely that it will be dry by the time it's discovered. In this instance, re-moisten the area and use a specifically formulated carpet stain remover for pet stains on it.
  • For the elimination of odour, you may need to use one or both of these methods, and possibly multiple times. You can try white vinegar, by mixing a solution 1 parts vinegar and 4 parts water into a spray bottle, allow the vinegar to soak in to the carpet, and use the dab method until the stain disappears and the spot is dry. Alternatively, you can make a water mixture with a stain fighting laundry detergent, and repeat the steps used in the vinegar method.
​Wall Stains

It's almost inevitable that some type of stain will form on your walls over the years of living in your home. Your fingerprints leave little grease spots, cooking spatter in the kitchen, if you have kids then crayons or markers could be a real problem as well. 

Greasy Kitchen Walls

  • Most times a decent, stain fighting dish soap is enough to get any oils or other grease off the walls. For smaller stains, mix a few drops of dish soap in a cup of hot water and wipe. Once the stain is visibly removed, rinse the area with clean water and dab dry with a clean cloth. If this wasn't strong enough to cut through the entire grease stain, try making a vinegar solution, 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water. Repeat the steps above and that should do the trick.


Heavy Dirt and Grime

  • Fingerprints are full of grease, and everything you touch will leave a small amount of oil. Things like your walls, cupboards, doors, handles, frames and fixtures. These oils are naturally occurring and no one should be embarrassed by this, but as long as it's kept on top of, it's very easy to clean. We've had great success using the Magic Eraser by Mr.Clean. Just use caution when wiping walls, as scrubbing too hard may start to remove paint.


Crayons

  • This is almost a certainty to happen if you have little ones running around the house. There are a number of ways to get the crayon marks off the walls, so don't worry! We would first recommend to try using the Magic Eraser again, but if this doesn't quite cut it, or if you find yourself scrubbing too hard, try rubbing the spot with white toothpaste. You could also try and use a normal eraser for pencil marks, rubbing in a circular motion. Baby wipes are known to help the situation as well, or another thing to try would be using baking soda. Sprinkle the baking soda on a warm, damp sponge and scrub marks thoroughly.
Share by: