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What’s That Smell? Tips for Odor Removal

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odor removal

Photo by Laila_/ 530 images on Pixabay

 

When you get a whiff of something unpleasant, odor removal should be the first thing on your mind. Odors can come from a number of issues. Whether the area just needs cleaning, a pet has perhaps had accidents, or maybe your home experienced smoke damage – whatever the reason, understanding your options to get the odor out is important!

Check out these simple tips for odor removal.

Baking Soda

If you’re looking for a quick solution, baking soda can be very helpful. It’s known for being a neutralizer. This is why many people put it in the fridge. Sprinkling baking soda on an area that has been infiltrated by odor can help to draw out the odor and neutralize the smell.

Baking soda is very effective as a short-term solution. You simply sprinkle it on, let it sit a bit, and then vacuum or clean it up. You can also create a paste with baking soda for certain areas if needed. In some cases, this has to be done several times to be effective. It’s also possible that the odor will return eventually, so just keep that in mind as well.

Ventilation

While ventilation won’t necessarily get rid of a smell, it can most certainly help with odors. If you are experiencing some sort of odor issue, try opening windows and turning on fans. This will allow fresh air to circulate through your home and mask the odor.

Ventilation like this primarily helps to make the odors more tolerable. It will air out the space, but chances are additional steps will need to be taken for complete odor removal.

Deep Cleaning

If you can’t quite identify exactly what the odor is or what is causing it, it might be time for some deep cleaning. You can always hire a company for deep cleaning, or you can tackle it on your own. When you work on deep cleaning, remember to clean the carpets, drapes and upholstery, and your mattresses. Deep cleaning is when you tackle all of the things you often forget or avoid in routine cleaning.

Odors can infiltrate the home, even when the cause is not on a direct surface. Deep cleaning could be very helpful to alleviate the odor. And it gets your home cleaned up well in the process.

Professional Odor Removal

Many DIY methods for odor removal are not long-term solutions. While they can be effective, they don’t always last, and you just have to repeat the process. Hiring a professional company to come in and handle the deep cleaning and odor removal process could be very helpful!

The King of Kleen offers a variety of cleaning services. Whether you need deep cleaning or you have pets that have caused the odor issue, we can help. Our teams have the skills and the equipment to come in and get your home cleaned and smelling great again. Give us a call to get a free estimate for your cleaning needs.

Why is My Tile Cracking?

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tile and grout repair

Photo by Nannica on Pixabay

 

Have you ever finished a tile and grout repair only to turn around and find yet another crack in your tile? It’s such a pain! And in some cases, it might even leave you questioning whether putting down tile was really the best decision.

The truth is that there are common reasons that tile or grout could be cracking. It might have to do with the way it was installed, but not always. The good news is that there are a variety of ways to fix tile, so don’t give up just yet.

Check out these reasons your tile might be cracking.

Impact

One of the most common things that lead to cracked tile is unexpected impact. Accidents do happen, and this can damage your tile. This type of cracking will typically be confined to a small area where the impact occurred. However, a crack that isn’t repaired could spread.

An impact typically happens from dropping something on the tile. Maybe you were walking in the door with your hands full and dropped a bag of canned goods for the pantry. Maybe you grabbed your cast-iron pan from the cabinet and lost your grip.

These are just some examples. But you get the idea – dropping something heavy can crack the tile.

Overload

Tile companies do strength testing on their materials. They typically do have to meet a minimum load testing. This is 250 pounds of pressure. However, that doesn’t mean that a heavy refrigerator is going to fall under that range. In fact, it is quite easy for some larger appliances to be heavier. In this case, your tile could crack.

The good news is that most appliances will be under the mark. It is primarily your fridge that could cause concern for a load that leads to cracked tile. You may be able to place a mat under your fridge to help. However, the weight of the fridge does not change. This could still be a risk, unfortunately.

Tile Installation

Next up, let’s talk about installation. When you install your tile, you mainly think about getting it properly lined up and then adhered to the floor. But here’s the thing: your floor joists and how they are placed could cause your tile to crack. It is the same for a control joint.

Again, this might not be anything you did wrong. It’s simply the structure of your floor. If your joists have excessive space between them, this can place too much pressure on the tile and cause it to crack. However, if you know to look for this, you might be able to combat it.

Aged Substrate

Finally, your tile might crack simply because the substrate has begun to crack. This depends on the substrate itself. It is concealed under your tile so you might not even know it’s cracking. Unfortunately, when it cracks that can lead to cracks in your tile as well. This issue can be harder to pinpoint since the cause isn’t visible.

Tile and Grout Repair

If you’re noticing cracked tile or grout, we can help. The King of Kleen offers tile and grout repair services. We can come in and help stop the crack and repair it so you don’t have to worry about it spreading further. Give us a call!

3 Things to Do Before Your Upholstery Cleaning Appointment

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Upholstery Cleaning

Photo by Filios Sazeides on Unsplash

 

If you have an upholstery cleaning appointment coming up, there are a few things that you can do to prepare. While the cleaning company will handle most of the details, you can prep the area to make their jobs a bit easier. That being said, you are paying them, so don’t feel like you have to do a deep clean before they show up.

Here are 3 things you can do before your upholstery cleaning appointment.

Basic Cleanup

Now don’t go too overboard here. You don’t have to vacuum the upholstery or remove cushions or anything like that. We’re just talking about clearing the area. If you clear the upholstery of things like toys, trash, blankets, and more, it will be ready when the company comes in.

It’s hard for a cleaning company to move your personal belongings. It’s even harder for them to get a deep, professional clean when you have 38 throw pillows, 12 blankets, and someone’s dirty sock in the way. We live on our couches. They are meant to be comfortable. There is nothing wrong with that.

Just try to move that stuff away from the upholstery before the cleaning company comes. You can return it all as you please when they are through.

Note Problem Areas

Most cleaning companies will thoroughly inspect the upholstery for things like stains or really dirty areas. They might also note anything like rips or tears. However, you can also be prepared for this. If you note any stains or what you perceive to be problem areas, it can be helpful to inform us about them when we show up.

Take pictures of before. You’re going to want to see the difference after the cleaning anyway! Make sure you point out stains to us just to make sure they get treated and cleaned appropriately. We want no stains or dirt left behind! It’s always helpful to know for sure if you see a certain space you want treated.

Mind the Pets

Another thing that many homeowners don’t think about is their pets. Even if you have the best-behaved pet ever, we are entering their territory. Chances are the upholstery we are cleaning is their favorite napping spot. You certainly don’t have to banish your pets.

It can be helpful to have a plan, though. Having a plan that keeps the pets out of the way is important. This prevents any mishaps from occurring, whether it’s the pet or us. Prepare for your pets and be sure to comfort them if they get anxious about strangers.

Professional Upholstery Cleaning

At The King of Kleen, we try to make your upholstery cleaning experience as pleasant as possible. These ideas certainly help the process. If you need to schedule your next appointment, give us a call. We’re ready to get your upholstery looking like new again!

These tips are just minor things that can help the cleaning process go more smoothly. Don’t take any of the cleaning burden on yourself. That’s what we are here for. Just prep the area and your pets for access and we’re good to go!

4 Tips for Caring for Tile After Cleaning

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tile & grout cleaning

Photo by Daniel Tuttle on Unsplash

 

Tile & grout cleaning is much improved if you know how to take care of your floors in between deep cleaning. The good news is that simple things can go a long way. Basic upkeep will help keep your floors looking nicer for longer.

Take a look at these 4 tips for caring for tile after cleaning.

Mind the Spills

One of the biggest mistakes that people can make is not cleaning up spills. Maybe the kids dropped a drink, or the dog had an accident. What caused the spill or the mess doesn’t matter. What does matter is getting it cleaned up immediately.

We understand that sometimes that just isn’t possible. However, as soon as you notice or are aware of the spill, get to cleaning! The less time that a spill or mess has to sit, the better it is for your floors. Spills and other messes can soak into the grout and even the tiles and leave behind discoloration that can be harder to get out.

Accessorize the Floor

You obviously don’t want to just completely cover your tile floors. However, you could try adding a small area rug or even a doormat near the entry of the room. This can help mitigate some of the dirt and extra debris that is tracked across the floor. You might be surprised at how much a simple doormat could pick up before those feet hit the tile.

This is a simple fix, but it can be incredibly helpful to keep tile and grout clean in the long run. Even if the tile floor is at the entry to your kitchen, give this a try. Be sure to clean the floor mat regularly so it doesn’t hide dirt and debris that can soak into the tile and grout.

Regular Basic Cleaning

In between deep cleanings, you should plan to regularly clean the tile. This can be covered with a simple broom or vacuum for the most part. You will need to mop or steam mop on occasion too. This basic cleaning will help protect your floors from dirt and debris piling up.

The more you’re able to keep dirt from settling in, the better your tile will remain over time.

Watch the Water

While you need to mop on occasion, you also need to be mindful not to just let water sit on the tiles. When you mop, try using less water. Don’t leave behind puddles or standing water. Try to follow up the mopping process with a towel and wipe the floor dry to prevent water just soaking down into the grout.

That water can soak into the pores of the grout and leave discoloration behind.

Professional Tile & Grout Cleaning

Finally, don’t forget that professional tile & grout cleaning is important. You should have the professionals visit once or twice a year. They can help get rid of any stains and discoloration that are making your tile look less than stellar. The professionals have special equipment and cleaning supplies that will have your tile looking almost brand-new.

If your tile & grout are due for a cleaning, give us a call at The King of Kleen.

Is Professional Cleaning Really Necessary for Tile & Grout?

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tile & grout cleaning

Photo by Asiia Zaitseva on Unsplash

 

When it comes to tile & grout cleaning, we often think daily cleaning will be sufficient. While it is the majority of the time, there comes a time when professional deep cleaning is needed. You can use professional cleaning services for these issues once or twice and year.

Check out these reasons why professional tile cleaning is worth it.

Deeper Clean

The primary reason that a professional cleaning is helpful is they get a deeper clean. You’re not doing anything wrong. As long as you are regularly cleaning and sanitizing, that’s great! However, even with that, dirt and residue do build up over time.

That dirt and moisture can soak down into your grout. It leaves behind residue on the tile and inside and underneath your grout. A professional cleaner will have special cleaning supplies and the right equipment to be able to achieve a deeper and longer-lasting clean.

In fact, your tile & grout might look almost brand-new when we finish.

Stain Removal

Tile & grout can both accumulate stains. They display these stains with discoloration. Have you ever noticed the grout looking dingy or perhaps maybe even turning orange? This is staining. Again, it’s just things that build up over time.

Of course, when it comes to stains, it could also be because of a spill or something that left residue and staining colors behind. There are several different ways that a tile can show and hold stains. Tiles and grout are porous materials so those stains get down below just the immediate surface area.

A professional tile & grout cleaning service can help fight against even the toughest of stains. Remember that the goal is to make your tile look almost new again!

You Don’t Have to Do It!

That’s right. Do you really want to spend a bunch of time on your hands and knees scrubbing at the tile and grout? Do you want to mess with chemicals that give you headaches or have nauseating smells? We didn’t think so.

When you let a professional company take care of it, you simply don’t have to worry about it. You may want to check what type of cleaners the company uses. The hope is that they use a conscious cleaner that won’t just be loaded with toxic chemicals. You can get the job done without that!

It’s refreshing to be able to rely on someone else for a change, isn’t it?

Professional Tile & Grout Cleaning

If your tile needs a refresh, give The King of Kleen a call. Our technicians are experts at giving tile floors the deepest clean. We use the best industrial equipment to get your tile and grout looking new again. Protect your home and keep it looking nice. Let us handle the deep clean so you can enjoy the benefits.

Why Do My Hardwood Floors Look Yellow?

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wood floor cleaning

Photo by Denys Striyeshyn on Unsplash

Wood floors can be the best and the worst all at the same time! They’re absolutely stunning, but keeping them clean can be a challenge. When it comes to wood floor cleaning, it’s a delicate process. Here’s the thing. Some of those chemicals and cleaners might actually be harming your floors.

Check out this guide to better understand why your wood floors might look yellow and how to best avoid that issue.

Type of Wood

Some types of wood floors are far more susceptible to discoloration than others. Oak is a great example. When it comes to wood floors looking yellow, oak flooring is the most common culprit. With that in mind, other types of wood can also end up with a yellow tint or even yellow spots, so don’t assume you’re safe just because you don’t have oak!

Oak is susceptible to several things that could cause it to look yellow over time. This is because oak is such a light color to begin with, so it is affected by things that lead to discoloration. Take sunlight, for example. On oak floors, the sunlight will expose wood floors to UV, which can cause it to take on a yellow hue as it ages.

Other types of wood can also be affected by the sunlight and turn yellow. It just tends to be more noticeable on oak floors.

Cleaning Products

It’s quite possible that the cleaning or waxing products that you are using could be the problem. For example, some oil-based solutions actually are designed to leave a yellow tint behind. In most cases, the tint also leaves a shine behind. However, that yellow look from your product could build up over time and make even the best wood floors look yellow.

When you’re choosing cleaning products, try looking for something with simple ingredients that is light or even clear when you look at the color. Avoid anything oil-based, as these are what might give you a yellow tint.

Polyurethane was actually originally designed to have a yellow hue. Sometimes, that hue builds up to an orange color. People don’t often realize what it’s doing to their floors. Take the time to find something that is not oil-based so you can avoid this.

Yellow Spots

Maybe your whole floor doesn’t look yellow, but you just noticed yellowed spots. Here’s the thing: even though you would think the effect would be all over the wood, you can have the same yellowing effects we mentioned above in sparse places.

It might just be that spot gets more sunlight, or it could be that there was debris and buildup that settled in when mixed with the cleaner you used.

What Do You Do?

If you notice yellow hues or spots on your wood floors, the best thing you can do is hire professionals for wood floor cleaning. In most cases, your wood floors can be restored and cleaned up to get rid of that yellowing color. Going forward, follow the best practices when you are cleaning to avoid the yellow coming back!

Give us a call at The King of Kleen. We would be happy to help with your wood floors.

How Long Does Carpet Cleaning Take?

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Carpet cleaning

Photo by Moose Photos from Pexels

 

If you’re hesitant to have your carpets cleaned, this article is for you. Planning for carpet cleaning will obviously require planning some time around the process. Here’s the thing, though: the cleaning process will most likely be fairly short. The longest part of the process will be allowing the carpet to dry.

Take a look at this guide for what to expect when it comes to having your carpets cleaned.

Carpet Cleaning

Let’s look first at the cleaning process. How long the cleaning process actually takes will depend very much on how much space you have to be cleaned. Another determining factor will include whether or not furniture has to be moved before the cleaning begins.

Carpet cleaning begins with clearing the area. Once the area is cleared, we vacuum the space to get any loose debris out of the way. From there, we will treat stains if necessary so your carpets will truly get clean in the process. After that, the shampooing process begins.

Shampooing uses a cleaning solution to get beneath the surface of the carpet, pulling out ground-in dirt and stains. It rejuvenates the carpet from underneath, giving it a deep clean. In the process, the carpet will also be disinfected and sanitized.

Ultimately, it’s a good idea to assume you won’t be using or accessing the carpet for about 24 hours just to be on the safe side. It certainly won’t take 24 hours to clean, but you should consider potential drying time as well.

When it comes to cleaning, you can estimate 20-30 minutes for an average 12 x 12 room and then calculate an approximate time from there.

Carpet Drying

The longest part of carpet cleaning is drying. Some companies will have special fans and equipment that they might use to help with the drying process, but that is not always the case.

In general, you should plan to leave your carpet to dry for at least a full 6 hours after it has been cleaned. In some cases, you might actually be able to return your furniture to the carpet within a few hours, but you should check with the company to see what they recommend.

You want the carpet to be dry before you start walking across it or moving things around. How long it needs for drying time will depend on the process and the cleaning solution used as well. Things like fans, heaters, and open windows (when the weather is nice) can help speed up drying time.

You might also check with the company doing the cleaning to see if they have drying aids and advice for how long you should wait as well.

Professional Carpet Cleaning Services

Here at The King of Kleen, we take pride in our cleaning processes. We will always do our best to work with your schedule and get the cleaning finished in a reasonable timeframe. Our goal is to get your carpets looking great and we make a point not to use harsh chemicals.

Give us a call to get a free estimate for carpet cleaning and get your questions answered about the process.

3 Reasons Upholstery Cleaning is So Important

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Upholstery Cleaning

Sometimes when we are cleaning, we forget about the little details that make a big difference. Upholstery cleaning is one of those tasks. Deep down, we know it needs to be done. Maybe you even run the vacuum across your upholstery once in a while. However, many times we probably completely forget about it.

The furniture gets a lot of use and over time, things build up under the surface. Cleaning your upholstery is important for a number of reasons. Check out these top 3 reasons!

Allergens Galore

Does anyone in your household ever suffer from seasonal allergies or chronic allergies that are worse at certain times? What about asthma? Did you know that your upholstery might actually be contributing to the problem?

Here’s the thing. Dirt, debris, pollen, and who knows what else makes their way underneath the fabric. They settle in and then reproduce and just keep growing. Even when you vacuum, you are really not getting below the surface of the top fabric.

Regular vacuuming and cleaning can sometimes help, but that won’t eliminate everything beneath the surface. Then, when someone plops down on the couch, a bunch of that crud from underneath the fabric is released back up into the air. Don’t think too hard about it. It might actually gross you out.

Basically, this produces unclean air that anyone around might be breathing in.

Better Looks with Upholstery Cleaning

You might not realize it, but your upholstery wears down and loses some of its initial luster over time. You may be surprised that an intensive upholstery cleaning can actually refresh your furniture and make it look great again.

Regular vacuuming does a lot, but regular deep cleaning will help extend the life of your furniture and keep it looking like new. Those colors that you think are looking dingy really might just need an intensive cleaning to help refresh them. In fact, before you give up and just replace your furniture, we challenge you to try having it cleaned first.

You might feel like your furniture looks brand-new and it will cost you a lot less money!

Be Gone, Odors

Sniff, sniff…do you smell that? Where is that smell coming from? Have you ever had this happen and couldn’t quite pinpoint where the musty or dirty smell is stemming from? Maybe you shrugged it off as someone’s stinky feet or even blamed it on the dog.

Did you ever consider that maybe the odor was actually coming from the couch? Just like dirt and gross things can build up in the furniture, odors can do the same. Chances are, your couch sees a lot of activity. The best way to prevent or even remove odors is simply to regularly clean the upholstery and have it professionally cleaned on occasion as well.

Professional Upholstery Cleaning

If any of these ring true to you, it’s probably time to consider getting your upholstery cleaned. The King of Kleen offers upholstery cleaning services for you. Our team of skilled cleaners will come in and get your furniture looking (and smelling) great again! Just give us a call.

Is Tile & Grout Cleaning Really Worth It?

By

tile and grout cleaning

When it comes to tile & grout cleaning, you can do a lot on your own. However, sometimes your tile and grout just need a deeper clean than what an everyday cleaner or baking soda can give you. In these cases, hiring a professional cleaner will get your tile looking brand-new again.

But is hiring a professional really worth the money? Yes! You don’t have to hire a professional on a weekly basis for deep cleaning. You bring them in for this purpose when you just want that deeper clean.

Check out these reasons it is worth it to bring in a professional on occasion.

Extra Deep Cleaning

You can keep up with basic cleaning using tile cleaners or your own homemade cleaning solutions. There are tons of options out there for cleaning your tiles.

This works well when you just want to keep things clean. However, what you probably don’t realize is that this regular cleaning is not really getting deep into the tile and grout and you probably still have some buildup and dirt in there.

A deep cleaning will refresh your tile, almost making it look new again. You will be thoroughly impressed with just how clean it really is after a professional cleaning.

Fight Against Stains

A deep cleaning job will help root out stains on your tile and your grout as well. You might think you’re just stuck with that stain since it isn’t coming up with routine cleaning.

The truth is, we might be able to get rid of the stain for you! Professional cleaning companies have industrial products that will fight against stains and dirt more thoroughly than everyday cleaning solutions.

We also know the secrets to getting out those tough stains. Leave it to the professionals to help you out.

Forget the Chemicals

Have you ever bought a tile and grout cleaner and wondered whether you were just breathing in toxic fumes? Or maybe it smelled strongly of chemicals. The good news is that most professionals will use non-toxic cleaners.

This means that you can depend on their cleaning products to work, but you don’t have to worry so much about the types of chemicals you might be breathing in.

Mold No More

Tile and the grout holding your tile together can easily become susceptible to mold and mildew that you might not even be able to see. In most cases, professional cleaning will take care of that issue and help to prevent mold and mildew buildup in the process.

One more worry that you simply don’t need!

Professional Tile & Grout Cleaning

Hiring professionals to help clean up tile and grout is very much worth it. This is a planned expense that you can typically budget for ahead of time. If you need to have your tile professionally cleaned, give us a call at The King of Kleen. We would love to get your tile looking great again!

How Often Should You Deep Clean Your Carpets?

By

Carpet cleaning

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

 

Whether you keep your home neat and tidy all the time or you have an active home that’s a challenge to keep clean, you have to think about deep cleaning needs. Things like carpet cleaning and other types of deep cleaning are often postponed because they require time or money.

However, you might not want to put them off too much. Deep cleaning your carpets is pretty important for the health of your home and the longevity of the carpet. Ideally, you should be deep cleaning your carpets every 12 months.

Why Deep Clean the Carpets?

As pets, children, dirty shoes, and everything else make their way across the carpet, things like dirt and debris are pushed down inside of the carpet’s fibers. Over time, it gets packed in there and even the vacuum isn’t going to pick it up.

Things like stains will make their way onto the floor. You might forget about it and just let it go. Or you might clean the stain on the surface, but there may still be elements of it below the surface.

Deep cleaning is designed to clean beyond the surface and pick up all of the dirt, debris, and stains hiding directly beneath the surface of the carpet.

How Often Should I Be Carpet Cleaning?

There are several recommendations out there when it comes to planning the cleaning of your carpets. In general, the rule of thumb is that you should clean your carpets at least once a year. There are several different factors that might affect this timeline.

Pets

Do you have pets in the home? If you do, your carpet probably gets a little extra dirty. Your pets bring things from outside in and share them with the carpet. You might not be able to see those things with the naked eye but they are there, hiding just below the surface.

In addition to dirt and dander, there are germs and pet hair in the carpet. If you have pets, it might be a good idea to consider having your carpets deep cleaned more frequently. In this case, it is recommended that you clean them every 6-12 months.

Allergies or Asthma

If anyone in the household deals with allergies or asthma on a regular basis, it might be a good idea to deep clean carpets more regularly as well. The dirt and dander that builds up in the carpet can affect someone who is prone to allergies and asthma. You might not even realize it’s affecting them until the carpet cleaning has happened and they no longer have symptoms.

Activity and Cleaning

Another way to determine how often carpet cleaning is needed is to gauge the activity in the home and your own cleaning habits. If you vacuum daily, this can help keep the carpets cleaner. If you have tons of activity on the carpets, you might just need to be proactive. You may also need to clean them more often if shoes are worn on the carpets.

Professional Cleaning Services

If it’s time – or even past time – for you to get those carpets cleaned, give us a call at The King of Kleen. Our carpet cleaning services will get your carpets looking almost brand-new again. How can we help you?

Need Tile & Grout, Wood Floor, Carpet / Upholstery Cleaning or Natural Stone Polishing?

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