Tips You Can Use
Here are some helpful tips for keeping your house in shape.
Basic Carpet Maintenance Tips
Have the carpets professionally cleaned at least once a year - a professional cleaner has the equipment and expertise to fully remove dirt and detergent, and will remove most of the moisture in your carpet, something that most rental units don't do.
Vacuum carpets at least once a week - up to 80% of dirt in carpet is loose dirt that can be removed with regular vacuuming.
Use doormats to keep dirt, and especially sand, out of the house and off of the rugs.
Protect the surface - have your carpet fibers protected by a protector such as Scotchgard.
Rotate furniture - premature wear and soiling take place when traffic paths are unchanged.
Cleaning Carpets
-If spot is wet, blot it, don't rub. Rubbing spreads the soil.
-If spot is dry, loosen soil and vacuum away prior to moistening it.
-Always rinse cleaned area thoroughly. If not removed, cleaning products may cause the cleaned area to attract soil.
-When taking out stains, always use a white cloth.
-Clean spots and stains immediately. You will have much better chance of removing them.
-When using any cleaner, dilute according to direction. A mixture that is too potent may cause damage.
-Not every stain can be removed. Consult your ServiceMaster professional for cleaning options.
-Always pre-test the surface to be cleaned. Apply cleaning solution to an inconspicuous area of the same material. If, after five minutes, the material's color transfers to towel, try another product.
-Carpet shampoo is good to have on hand and is available at most hardware stores.
-A mild mineral spirit solution is useful for many household cleaning applications.
-For wax dropped on carpet or upholstery, set a clean, absorbent cloth over the wax stain and hold a hot iron on it. Lift cloth away and the wax should be removed with the cloth.
Carpet Stains
-Scrape off any solids. Blot up liquids quickly, dabbing lightly with a clean white towel or paper towel.
-To remove greasy stains, apply a nonflammable dry-cleaning agent to the spot with a white towel. Work from the edges toward the center. Don't scrub. Dab gently until the spot comes clean. Always pretest any cleaning agent on an inconspicuous part of the carpet and let it dry before continuing.
-Coat less stubborn greasy stains with aerosol shaving cream or carbonated water. Use a hair dryer to speed dry. Then vacuum.
-Sprinkle a greasy stain with baking soda, cornstarch, cornmeal, or talcum powder. Leave on at least 6 hours, then vacuum.
-To remove water-soluble stains, apply some detergent solution (1 1/2 teaspoon mild detergent per pint of water), working from the edges to the center of the stain. Place several layers of white tissues or paper towels over the spot and weight down with books or pots and pans. Let stand about one hour. -Replace with fresh tissues or towels and leave overnight. Then fluff up the carpet pile with your fingers.
-Nail polish
Follow the tips listed below (in order) until stain has lifted from your carpet: Apply small amounts of the cleaning solution with a clean, white, absorbent towel. Continue to apply and blot frequently until the staining material is no longer transferred to the towel.
Tip 1:
Apply a small amount of dry cleaning solvent or alcohol (available at grocery, drug and hardware stores). Use small amounts to prevent possible damage to sizing, backings or stuffing materials. Do not use gasoline, lighter fluid or other flammables.
Tip 2:
Mix one-half teaspoon of white neutral detergent (a mild dishwashing dish washing detergent containing no strong alkalis or bleaches), with a cup of lukewarm water.
Tip 3:
Mix one-third cup of white household vinegar with two-thirds cup of water.
Tip 4:
Mix a solution of powdered enzyme laundry detergent following the label or box instructions. Allow the solution to remain on the stain for the length of time recommended by the manufacturer.
The final step is to blot any remaining moisture or cleaning solutions by pressing or padding the area with absorbent towel. Weight it down and allow at least six hours to dry.
Shoe polish
Follow the tips listed below (in order) until stain has lifted from your carpet: Apply small amounts of the cleaning solution with a clean, white, absorbent towel. Continue to apply and blot frequently until the staining material is no longer transferred to the towel.
Tip 1:
Apply a small amount of dry cleaning solvent or alcohol (available at grocery, drug and hardware stores). Use small amounts to prevent possible damage to sizing, backings or stuffing materials. Do not use gasoline, lighter fluid or other flammables.
Tip 2:
Mix one-half teaspoon of white neutral detergent (a mild dishwashing dish washing detergent containing no strong alkalis or bleaches), with a cup of lukewarm water.
Tip 3:
Mix one tablespoon of household ammonia with one-half cup of water.
The final step is to blot any remaining moisture or cleaning solutions by pressing or padding the area with absorbent towel. Weight it down and allow at least six hours to dry.
Furniture stain
Follow the tips listed below (in order) until stain has lifted from your carpet: Apply small amounts of the cleaning solution with a clean, white, absorbent towel. Continue to apply and blot frequently until the staining material is no longer transferred to the towel.
Tip 1:
Apply a small amount of dry cleaning solvent or alcohol (available at grocery, drug and hardware stores). Use small amounts to prevent possible damage to sizing, backings or stuffing materials. Do not use gasoline, lighter fluid or other flammables.
Tip 2:
Mix one-half teaspoon of white neutral detergent (a mild dishwashing dish washing detergent containing no strong alkalis or bleaches), with a cup of lukewarm water.
The final step is to blot any remaining moisture or cleaning solutions by pressing or padding the area with absorbent towel. Weight it down and allow at least six hours to dry.
Carpet Protection
ServiceMaster Clean uses Scotchgard brand carpet soil protector. This protection treatment is recommended for any customers who have concerns about removing stains or spills and keeping the "like new" appearance of their carpet after they have been professionally cleaned. When something is spilled on the carpet, Scotchgard keeps it from penetrating your carpet. It will remain on the surface, allowing you a few extra minutes to remove it before it sets into the carpet. In addition, Scotchgard keeps DRY soil from penetrating deep into carpet fibers, so that each time you vacuum, more soil comes out.
Basic Upholstery Maintenance Tips
Avoid direct sunlight - Modern furniture fabrics are usually very resilient of sunlight. However, under extreme exposure, even these show signs of fading.
Plump up cushions often - Fillings lose their ability to bounce back if not plumped up to reshape them. Plumping cushions will help them last longer.
Rotate cushions often - Cushions not rotated may experience premature and unnecessary wear. To ensure a longer life for your cushions, rotate them often.
Vacuum - Upholstered furniture should be vacuumed on a regular basis to remove dust and loose dirt.
Blot up spills - Spills left unattended may set as stains. Blot spills, never rub!
Filtration Maintenance
Replaceable fiberglass filter - replace once every 1-3 months
Washable fiberglass filter - wash every 1-3 months
Pleated filter (1") - replace every 3-6 months
Media filter (5") - replace every 6-12 months
Electrostatic filter - wash/replace every 1-3 months
Electronic Air Cleaner - wash every months, have cells checked annually
HEPA filter - according to manufacturer, prefilter 3-12 months, HEPA filter 1-2 years
Carbon filter - according to manufacturer, once per year
