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3 Benefits of Regular Furniture Cleaning

By Upholstery Cleaning

furniture cleaningHow many times have you left for work unknowingly covered in pet hair? When you finally discover the faux-pas, you vow to clean your furniture immediately. Then weeks or months fly by, with your furniture still gathering dust, hair, and who knows what else. Putting off regular furniture cleaning is extremely common, but most people do not understand how detrimental it can be.

Here are 3 reasons you need to stay on top of your furniture and upholstery cleaning:

  1. Vitality and Appearance

One of the most satisfying benefits of keeping upholstered furniture clean is how fantastic it looks after the fact. Chances are good that if you have stains on your furniture, you have not completely lifted them with your own cleaning. A professional cleaning will lift these stains, giving your couch a “just off the showroom floor” look. If you don’t have stains, the accumulated dust, pet hair, and bodily grease will all be removed to make your room look inviting once again. Guests will not have to question how safe it is to have a seat!

  1. Keeping That Money in Your Bank Account

In addition to immediate beauty, cleaning upholstery and furniture on a regular basis will make it last longer. When dirt settles on your furniture it is rubbed into the fabric with a grating effect. As you can imagine, this damages the fabric, breaking it down. Stains also have a detrimental effect, attracting excess dirt and debris. Wear and tear of this sort will significantly reduce the life span of your couch. Furniture should be viewed as an investment to be taken care of.

  1. General Health

For every visible particle you can see on upholstered furniture, there are millions of others that you cannot. In general, people spend a lot of time on their furniture. Bacteria, fungus, mold, and other germs from clothing are transferred to furniture each time it is touched. Vacuuming is a huge culprit, dispersing various particles into the air, which then settle on furniture. Cleaning these items on a regular basis significantly lowers the number of germs and particles present, which in turn helps keep you free of germs, asthma triggers and allergies.

Stop Procrastinating and Hire a Furniture Cleaning Professional

Make a professional upholstery and furniture cleaning part of this year’s spring cleaning. We can help you eliminate the cold and flu viruses that have been harbored in your home over the winter months. The investment in a professional cleaning will also prolong the life of your furniture and coupled with spring cleaning, make your home a welcoming environment once again. Give us a call today to schedule your deep furniture cleaning – (419) 705-8693.

3 Keys to Truly Clean Carpets

By Carpet Cleaning

clean carpetsMany people know that vacuuming is a crucial element of clean carpets. But when it comes to carpet cleaning, what often goes unrecognized is the fact that a carpet is a large air filter, catching airborne particles and holding them in until it cannot work anymore. The truth is that using a standard vacuum cleaner is not enough to eliminate the amount of dirt, dust, pet dander, and bacteria that can build up in a carpet over time. In reality, vacuuming barely does more than force the dust and debris up into the air and stir them around.

You could use a dry cleaning formula and a machine that works the powder into the carpet fibers, but in reality, this doesn’t do much more than clean the first third of your carpeting; it doesn’t reach down to the base of the carpet.

Deep-cleaning your carpets not only helps your carpets stay clean and healthy, but it also makes them last longer and keeps the air in your home cleaner too. When it comes time to schedule a deep cleaning for your home, here are the three most essential elements of deep cleaning to keep in mind.

Proper Cleaning Formula

No one wants to wait all day for a carpet to become clean, and the only way to avoid it taking what seems like forever is to make sure you use cleaning formula that is suited to your carpet’s needs. Since the wet cleaning process requires a reaction between chemicals, the more soiled the carpet is, the more concentrated the chemical solution must be to complete the reaction in a moderate amount of time.

High-Pressure Agitation and Penetration

Like the use of a good cleaning solution, high-pressure agitation helps accelerate the chemical reaction, so you are not stuck waiting for too long. Besides speeding up the momentum of the process, the purpose of high agitation and penetration is to completely and evenly cover the carpet fibers with the cleaning solution and to eject any dirt particles that may be stuck to or inside the fabric.

High Temperature

Last, temperature is probably the most important aspect of this procedure. Just as applying high-pressure penetration and the use of the proper solution, high temperatures can accelerate chemical reactions. When the heating solution is hot enough, carpets need less chemicals/cleaning solution and have shorter clean-up time. Using a hot solution also helps fabric dry faster and reduces surface tension in the cleaning solution, which aids soil elimination.

Contact our team today to schedule a free, no-obligation demonstration of our amazing natural stone cleaning system in Toledo for your home or business.

Why Choosing the Right Carpet Cleaners Matters to Your Family’s Health

By Carpet Cleaning

carpet cleanersCarpets can act as a room-sized air filter. They capture toxins in the air and trap them within fibers and release them when you vacuum or walk across the room. Most people think carpet cleaning eliminates the problem, but some carpet cleaners introduce even more toxic chemicals into your home environment. Keep your floors from becoming a potential source of sickness and poor health when you choose the right professional carpet cleaner.

What’s in Your Carpet

Your children play on your carpets. Your pets lie on them. You may find yourself stretching out on the floor at the end of a long day. If your carpet hasn’t been cleaned in a while, it can contain a wide range of substances that may be bad for your health.

New carpets contain volatile organic compounds like acetone, formaldehyde and benzene, many of which are known carcinogens listed by the Environmental Protection Agency as extremely hazardous. The chemicals can cause nerve damage, respiratory problems and other health conditions. That new carpet smell comes from chemicals that cause thyroid, immune system and developmental problems.

Older carpets contain dangerous chemicals and an accumulation of materials like dust mites, cockroach droppings, heavy metals and household chemicals.

Toxins in Common Carpet Cleaners

If you choose the wrong company to clean your carpet, you may introduce even more toxins into your home. Many commercially available cleaning chemicals use ingredients to mask odors that produce dangerous fumes. Even after your carpets dry, they remain in your home.

Perchloroethylene, a chemical for dry cleaning, can cause upset stomach and fatigue, and may even damage the liver and kidneys after long-term exposure. Naphthalene dissolves dirt buildup, but it can also damage the central nervous system and cause cancer. Carpet cleaning chemicals don’t just saturate your home, when cleaners rinse their equipment, they enter the water system.

The Professional Surface Restoration Difference

When you call Professional Surface Restoration, we don’t just restore your carpets to like-new condition, we do it safely. Our process uses EPA approved solvents that are environmentally friendly. We apply a safe solution to loosen stains and soils, kill bacteria and remove debris. Then we use steam heated to more than 200 degrees to penetrate and remove the toughest stains. Our process eliminates soil and the contaminated water other cleaning services leave behind.

Keep your family safe and your carpets fresh. Contact us for a free consultation today.

5 Dos and Don’ts of Cleaning Wood Floors

By Wood Floor Cleaning

cleaning wood floorsHardwood floors are a sought-after feature in any home. They’re beautiful, classic, and add value to a property. However, they can also be difficult to clean. Proper maintenance and upkeep of your wood floors can make all the difference in how long they look like new. Below are the best ways for cleaning wood floors to keep them shining bright for life.

  1. Do: Clean Floors Yourself

It may come as a surprise, but the best thing you can do for your wood floors is DIY (do-it-yourself) cleanings in-between professional sessions. Cleaning your floors, yourself, periodically can work wonders on how they keep up over the years. Cleaning your floors with the right products and techniques can prevent dirt from scratching the wood and making your floors look dingy.

  1. Don’t: Use a Standard Vacuum

When you DIY your wood floor cleaning, start with selecting the right vacuum. Ordinary vacuums won’t work on wood floors. The bristles (meant for carpet) can scratch the wood and scatter dirt. Plastic wheels are also risks to your wood surfaces. Instead, purchase a special hardwood floor vacuum that has padding, rubber wheels, great suction, and no rolling brushes. If you vacuum your wood floors regularly, you won’t have to clean them as frequently.

  1. Do: Use the Right Cleaning Products

About once per week, deeper clean your wood floors. Use a solution of plant-based liquid soap, distilled white vinegar, and water, or purchase a store-bought cleaner specifically for wood floors. Use a damp but not saturated sponge to wash your floors first with clean, warm water. Then, use a hardwood floor mop to spread the solution. Don’t use too much, as moisture can damage wood floors. Mop in a circular direction to lift dirt and stains.

  1. Don’t: Forget to Let Floors Dry

Once you finish mopping your wood floors with the solution of your choice, don’t replace rugs or furniture until the wood dries completely. Placing rugs on wet wooden floors can trap the moisture underneath and increase the risk of water damage. Avoid walking on wet floors, as well, as this can leave dirt and footprints. Let your floors air dry completely before allowing traffic to come through.

  1. Do: Schedule a Professional for Cleaning Wood Floors

On top of regular DIY cleanings, the best way to keep your hardwood floors spick and span is to schedule periodic professional cleanings. Professional wood floor cleaning can lengthen the lifespan of your wood floors and make them beautiful again. A mix of DIY and professional cleaning is optimal for the health of your wood floors. Professional Surface Restoration offers free estimates with no obligation. Contact us to set up an appointment.

How to Choose the Best Toledo Carpet Cleaning Company

By Carpet Cleaning

carpet cleaning companyWhen your carpet starts to look dingy, most people start searching for carpet cleaning companies. If you live in Toledo, an online search yields pages of options. Hiring the right carpet cleaning company results in like-new flooring, but hiring the wrong professional can permanently damage your home. Carpet that doesn’t dry quickly can grow mold. Improperly mixed cleaners can cause discoloration. Cheap solutions can damage the environment and create health risks.

Here’s what you need to know when you hire a professional carpet cleaning company.

Research Training and Certifications

A professional carpet cleaning company holds their employees to the highest standards, providing rigorous training and on-site mentoring. Ask companies you’re considering how they educate new employees to provide customers with consistent results. A carpet cleaning company should also run background checks on employees so you know the people you’re letting into your home are safe.

Choose a Carpet Cleaning Company that is Bonded and Insured

If a company uses the wrong chemicals and your carpet fades, their insurance should cover replacing what they destroyed. Even with the most conscientious, well-trained staff, sometimes valuables get broken or accidents occur. When your carpet cleaning company is bonded and insured, you have the peace of mind that comes with knowing everything in your home is covered while they clean your floors.

Ask About their Process

Most carpet cleaning manufacturers recommend hot water extraction for carpet cleaning. Choose a carpet cleaning company that uses high temperature steam to remove oils, stains, and debris. The high temperature powers through grime and kills any mold, mildew, and dust mites hiding in carpet fiber.

Examine Guarantees

Reputable carpet cleaning companies guarantee their work, and they’ve been around long enough that you can expect them to honor that guarantee. Find out what their guarantee covers and how long it remains in effect. Most guarantees cover a return visit if the technicians missed stains, but not new spills that occur during the specified time frame.

Check Reviews

Talk to friends and neighbors to find out who they recommend, but also spend some time reading reviews online. One or two negative reviews might not mean a company is unprofessional, but if there are several, seek out another provider. Some companies also publish reviews from previous customers on their website, and can furnish additional references upon request.

Professional Service Restoration provides extensive training and regular background checks for all employees. We’re a licensed, bonded and insured carpet cleaning company, and we guarantee 100 percent customer satisfaction.

Contact us for a free no-obligation carpet cleaning demonstration today.

How to Keep Your Natural Stone Floors Looking Their Best

By Natural Stone Cleaning

natural stone floor cleaningNatural stone flooring is an elegant, striking, and beautiful addition to any home. Stone floors are investments that homeowners should protect. Over time, natural stone floors can continue to shine like new and look their best, even with daily wear and tear. However, it will take a bit of maintenance on your part. Use these natural stone cleaning tips to preserve your flooring.

Dust Mop, Sweep, and Vacuum Regularly

Dirt and dust particles can scratch the surface of natural stone floors. One of the best maintenance tips for these types of floors is to regularly remove particles from the surface. Using a vacuum, soft-bristle broom, or dust mop frequently can eliminate abrasive materials and prevent harmful scratching. Never clean with anything that could scratch, etch, or damage the surface of the natural stones. Think soft, light, and gentle when removing dirt from your floors.

Do Not Use Typical Floor Cleaning Products

You may come across tips in cleaning blogs that recommend using products such as wax removers, grout removers, acid or bleach cleaners, and scouring pads to clean floors. DO NOT use these products on natural stone floors. Natural stone is durable, but does not do best with harsh chemical cleaners and abrasive materials. These can dull, damage, or stain the stone. To maintain your natural stone floors and keep them like new, only use neutral cleaners and those approved for use on natural stone.

Perform Light Cleaning Regularly

A typical natural stone cleaning involves dampening the surface of the stone with water, using a safe cleaning solution, and applying with a sponge or mop. You may also want to apply a finish periodically to increase the shine and luster of polished stone floors. There may be occasions, however, where a deep floor cleaning is necessary. For example, you may want to deep clean if you’ve neglected regular maintenance.

Heavy Duty Floor Clean Now and Then

To deep clean your natural stone floors, use a heavy-duty, non-hazardous stone cleaner and degreaser. Look for products with low percentages of volatile organic compounds to prevent floor damage. Apply the cleaner in a solution mixed with water with a sponge or mop. Follow directions for how long to let it sit. Mop up the solution and buff the floors dry. Rinse with clean water when finished.

Contact our team today to schedule a free, no-obligation demonstration of our amazing natural stone cleaning system in Toledo for your home or business.

How to Care for Your Tile Floors

By Tile and Grout

how to care for tile floorsTile is a beautiful and durable option selected for flooring in many homes today. With the right care, and consistent tile and grout cleaning, your tile flooring can last for many years and remain a beautiful addition to your home. There are some risks stemming from poor care you can easily avoid as well as some simple tips for maintaining your tile floors to preserve them for years to come.

Avoid the Risks of Poor Tile Care

Tile is usually made from clay and other earth-based materials. A heavy object falling onto the floor can chip or crack the tile. Take care to position heavy objects so they cannot tip over onto the floor, or be accidentally knocked off of counters or tables.

Moisture can also cause problems with your tile. Grout between tiles can retain moisture and become a source of mold. Be sure to keep tile dry and wipe up any spills as soon as possible.

Simple Tips for Proper Tile Care

Dirt can be an abrasive and can act like sandpaper as the dirt is ground across the surface by foot traffic. Sweep tile floors at least twice a week and mop frequently. Be sure to change your mop water often to avoid leaving a dirty residue across the tiles.

Keeping the grout clean is essential for maintaining the health of your floors and keeping them looking great as well. Use commercial grout cleaners or a mild bleach solution. You’ll need a small scrub brush to clean and scrub the grout.

Routine Professional Cleaning of Your Tile Floors

Even with regular care, it’s important to periodically have your tile cleaned professionally. A professional can easily spot areas requiring extra care. Professionals also have the tools and solutions to address deep stains that may mar the look of your tile. A professional cleaning can restore your tile to a like-new finish, and will also be able to properly and thoroughly clean the grout. After cleaning, your tile will be sealed to close the pores and to prevent dirt from penetrating the surface.

By following these simple care tips you will maintain the quality and appearance of your tile and have a floor to be proud of for years to come.

For questions about your tile floors or more information about a professional cleaning service, contact Professional Surface Restoration today.

7 Reasons to Choose a Company That Uses Green Cleaning Solutions

By Green Cleaning Solutions

Green Cleaning SolutionsMany commercial cleaners are harsh and can be detrimental to the environment. Professional Surface Restoration uses only EPA-approved technologies and cleaners that are ecologically responsible. Using green cleaning solutions and products is critical in protecting the environment and the health of your family (e.g., less likely to trigger allergic reactions, better for children and pregnant women, etc.). Read on to learn more about the benefits of green cleaning solutions.

Green Cleaning Solutions for a Healthier Home

Green cleaning removes potentially harmful chemicals from your home, preventing accidental absorption or inhalation by you or your family. Use of a cleaning spray increases the risk of asthma, the most common chronic illness among children in the country. Going green with cleaners can also reduce health problems with the eyes and lungs and prevent potential headaches, and can even eliminate the need to use chemicals present in normal cleaners that have been linked to reproductive risks.

Clean Environment

Cleaners release harmful chemicals, which is bad for you and the environment. A switch to green cleaners helps in reducing air and water pollution and cuts down on ozone depletion, thus helping in the fight against global warming. Many green cleaners are distributed in recyclable materials, meaning fewer waste by-products.

Safety

Because green cleaners use safe products, your skin and eyes face fewer risks from chemical burns. Green cleaners are not corrosive and comply with strict EPA standards for inhalation toxicity, combustibility, and skin absorption.

Better Air

Strong chemical odors permeate a space, leaving a stench that burns the nose. Green products, store-bought or home-made, largely feature the pleasant smells of essential oils, adding an element of aromatherapy to your cleaning.

Budget-Friendly

If you make a cleaner from vinegar, olive oil, or lemon oil, you will spend pennies compared to dollars for your cleaning products. Crack open that pantry and see what you have on hand that will do the trick.

More Bacteria

The FDA declared that anti-bacterial soap had no cleaning advantages over regular soap and contributes to spawning resistant bacteria. One element in antibacterial soap can affect the function of your hormones and thyroid. Green cleaning products do not contain any of these elements.

Awareness

Currently, companies are not required to show a full ingredients list on their cleaners. If you make cleaning products at home, you control what goes into them. This can help you be more aware of what is being used to clean your house and can eliminate any unknown ingredients that could harm you.

Keep yourself informed and your home safe by choosing green cleaners. To schedule a cleaning with a company that uses EPA-approved and environmentally friendly solutions, contact Professional Surface Restoration today.

4 Reasons to Consider Concrete Cleaning and Sealing

By Concrete Cleaning

Concrete CleaningYour concrete surfaces suffer the effects of dirt and grime more than other types of surface. Over the years, concrete can become stained from chemical spills, chewing gum, and more. Concrete cleaning and sealing can return your soiled surfaces to brand new. If you’ve been thinking about having your concrete cleaned, here’s why you should call an expert today.

  1. Concrete Cleaning Improves Curb Appeal

Before you invest in any type of home improvement, you want to know what value you’re receiving in exchange for your dollars. Dirt and discoloration build up over time, so you might not notice how much your concrete has changed from when it was new.

You might sweep away or scrub at your concrete, but that doesn’t provide the deep-level cleaning that comes from hiring a professional. Technicians perform a comprehensive analysis of your concrete surfaces and use professional-grade equipment and chemicals to loosen every bit of debris. Heated, high-pressure extraction sucks away what scrubbing removed so it can’t be redeposited. Experts then seal your surface to help it resist future stains.

  1. Sealing Protects Your Investment

Whether you’re finally installing the patio of your dreams or restoring your current one to its previous glory, a sealer can protect your concrete for years to come. You wax your car to protect its paint and apply sunscreen to protect your skin. Sealing provides the same type of protection for your concrete surfaces.

Unsealed concrete is exposed to the elements. When moisture settles on your concrete, it freezes and thaws repeatedly throughout harsh Ohio winters. Fluctuating temperatures can cause unsealed concrete to weaken. Chemicals and oil are also able to quickly penetrate concrete that remains unsealed.

  1. Sealing Adds Luster

You choose how your concrete will look after professionals apply sealer. Most sealers soak into the concrete and become invisible after they dry. Acrylic resin sealers and epoxies can give your concrete a glossy surface. Sealers can also be tinted to change the color of your concrete.

  1. Sealer Is Long-Lasting

Some maintenance has to be repeated every year, but with proper care, sealers can last for years. Because they penetrate deep into your concrete, they offer long-term protection.

If you’re not sure how much difference professional cleaning and sealing might make for your concrete surfaces, why not see an expert demonstration? Professional Surface Restoration offers free estimates with no obligation. Contact us to set up an appointment.

Keeping Your Grout Sparkling Between Cleanings

By Tile and Grout

grout cleaningGrout is one of the most difficult areas in the house to clean. Even the most luxurious tile can look lackluster when it’s surrounded by discolored grout. A professional can reveal the true luster hiding underneath – but without some maintenance, you’ll find your grout lines accumulating dirt once again. Here’s how to fight buildup between professional tile and grout cleanings.

Understand the Grime

If just you and one other person live in your house, you probably each take a shower every day. That’s 730 showers a year. Grout stays damp around the clock, making it vulnerable to mold and mildew. If you have hard water, rust and minerals can leave behind residue.

Kitchen tiles undergo a similar assault. Every time you prepare meals, enzymes in food can seep into grout to cause stains.

Seal Your Grout

If you had your grout professionally cleaned, the cleaning service probably applied a seal to repel water and resist stains. If you haven’t had your grout cleaned in a while, apply a silicone-based sealer after you get it clean.

Squeegee Daily

In your shower, install a squeegee with a suction cup. Use it to quickly wipe water from tiles to keep mineral deposits from penetrating. Then, mix a solution of four parts water to one part vinegar and lightly mist tile and grout to prevent mold and mildew.

Clean Weekly

Even if you squeegee every time you shower, personal care products and body oil can still build up. Scrub them away with a paste made from baking soda and water. Use an old toothbrush to work it into grout, then rinse.

Stained grout can be brightened by mixing a little peroxide with the baking soda instead of using water. Just be careful not to mix your baking soda with vinegar or you might have a reaction that reminds you of your grade school volcano project.

Address Seriously Discolored Grout 

Sometimes life gets too busy to focus on grout, and things get out of hand. If you realize your grout is more discolored than a little peroxide and baking soda can fix, bleach can help remove stains. Use a bleach pen for small areas or apply powdered bleach like OxyClean for grout that shows extensive stains.

Often the best solution is to have your grout restored by a professional so you have a fresh start. Professional Surface Restoration can make your grout look new again. Contact us for a free consultation today.