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JoClean — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 23:59:47 CST

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What lives in your carpet?

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:51:43 CST

Kevin Hensey

Imagine for a moment that you are standing on your carpet and suddenly you shrink to the size of a pinhead. Can you imagine what you will see? A dense jungle of synthetic twisted fiber that looks like twisted trees. Sticking out of each twisted tree is dust and dirt. As you blaze a trail through the synthetic jungle, you notice that this jungle is alive with small insects, parasites and mildew spores, feasting on the synthetic pile dirt. Dust mites are at home in this synthetic jungle, eating dust, grime, rotted fibers and pet dander. Fleas attaching themselves to the fiber trees, waiting for their host to lie down so they can jump on and bite the animal’s flesh. (There are many varieties of fleas. Though they are wingless bloodsucking insects, they use their legs to leap on their warm-blooded victim.)
As you travel through the synthetic jungle, you smell a pungent odor that is becoming stronger as you approach an area. It is the odor of pet urine.
Pet urine can saturate a small area of the carpet. Urine percolates down into the carpet and into the padding. Urine has salts and oils that never dry. It can be detected months later, especially on warm days. The best way to eliminate urine is using enzymes with disinfectants. The enzymes digest the urine, the disinfectants sanitize the area.
Soon you come upon a rotting swamp of mildew spores, slowly decomposing the synthetic base of your carpet. The spores are creating toxins that are light enough to become airborne, causing allergies. As you walk around the perimeter of this mildew swamp, you realize how fast mildew grows and multiplies. These spores are fast breeders, creating a community of toxic germs. They thrive on moisture. Microscopic spores are always floating in the air. When something dies mildew spores lands on it and consumes it and recycle its organic materials.
As you journey farther into the synthetic jungle, you step on something sticky. It’s the smell of chocolate. Soon you notice much of the fiber trees are dark brown with this chocolate. To the distance you see a cockroach feasting on the stale chocolate mess. Wait a minute, you don’t have cockroaches, or do you? These little pests can hitchhike to your home via the food market, or visiting a friend on the other side of town.
They enjoy a warm, dark place with much food at hand, so they are busy all the time in the dark, but hide when the lights are on. To cut down on their breeding cycle, sprinkle boric acid in the carpet and trashcans. Boric acid suffocates and dehydrates pests.
As you leave the sticky mess, you soon find a clearing and sit down on a grain of salt to rest. But soon you are noticed by a band of hungry lice making their way toward you! POOF!!! You are back to normal size.
This fictional story gives you a perspective on what the microscopic world is like in a carpet. The cleanest carpet can attract dirt, parasites and mildew. The best way to keep these intruders from living in your carpet is to regularly vacuum your carpets, preferably three times per week for heavily used areas. In addition, have your carpet professional cleaned to remove what vaccuming cannot. This will eliminate odors, mildew and parasites from your carpet and rugs. Having a clean carpet is a healthy home.
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Danger of household cleaners!

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 10:45:15 CST

By Kevin Hensey

It is a fact that mixing household cleaners are dangerous to your health. Many people are not aware of the dangers of mixing household cleaners. Some people think that mixing cleaners together will make a “super cleaner” and find themselves in the hospital. It can also be fatal to the unsuspecting person. A housekeeper was cleaning her bathroom. She was using an acid bowl cleaner. Not satisfied with the way it was removing the stains in the toilet, she added household bleach and stirred it with a brush. She died quickly from chlorine gas. This could happen in anyone’s home. There was another situation in which an unsuspecting person died. It happened at a restaurant. It was closing time and a waitress went to the restroom but she didn’t come out. Another waitress went into check on her and found she was dead. After investigating the death, they found that she died from chlorine gas. What happened is that in the afternoon the kitchen floor drain was clogged. A drain cleaner which had Hydrochloric Acid, was poured down the drain. The hydrochloric acid sat in the pipe chambers. That evening at closing time, the kitchen floor was mopped with bleach, which went down the same floor drain mixed with the hydrochloric acid, and created a chlorine gas that shot up through the floor drains into the restroom. A few years ago, 40 ROTC students were cleaning their barracks. One student got the idea of making a “super cleaner” by mixing a cleanser that had bleach, and a household cleaner that had ammonia which created an irritating gas (hydrazine gas) that sent all 40 students to the hospital. (Bleach is used as a disinfectant & whitener. Ammonia is a basic cleaner. But if they are ever mixed, it creates a deadly gas called Hydrazine.) How can we be safe with household cleaners that we are using daily? Well first, be aware of the cleaners you are using by taking inventory of all your cleaners that are under the sink, in the pantry and in the garage. You would be surprised how many different cleaning products you have. Next, separate them into 4 categories: all-purpose cleaners, bathroom cleaners, window cleaners, and bowl cleaners. Now choose what products you like the best and which cleaners are new or old? Many cleaners lose their strength in time. So the best idea is to keep the new and discard the old cleaning products. Word to the wise: Never put cleaning solutions in unmarked bottles. Always identify the cleaner in the bottle. If a child drinks a cleaner or sprays it in their face, it can have dangerous consequences. Also, remember some products that do the same thing can be dangerous if mixed. An example of this was a family which used 2 different drain cleaners to free a clog in their sink drain. The whole family went to the hospital having a burning sensation in their eyes and throats. What happened? One drain cleaner had hydrochloric acid and the other drain cleaner had a strong alkaline (lye) base as their activating ingredients. This mixture creates an invisible suffocating gas. Use the inventory idea, be aware of the cleaners you are using, and it will give you peace of mind.

Why not just use bleach?

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 10:40:39 CST

Kevin Hensey

Chlorine bleach has been used as a general germicide for many years. In fact, some state health departments still recommend it as a sanitizer and disinfectant. Chlorine bleach is also much cheaper per gallon than hospital-grade disinfectant cleaners. With all this going for it, why doesn’t everyone use it? Here are some facts you should consider before adding bleach to your arsenal of maint-enance products: Chlorine is a strong oxidizing agent. In recent tests, chlorine bleach was exposed to samples of commercial-grade copper, cold rolled steel, and alu-minum. The copper samples dis-colored in three hours and showed green corrosion in 24 hours. Aluminum showed signs of corrosion within 24 hours, and on the surface of cold rolled steel rust formed within 30 minutes. Some grades of stainless steel also can be damaged from the use of products containing chlorine. A process known as “hydrogen embrittlement” may occur as the chlorine bleach attacks the stainless steel,trapping hydrogen gas in the pores of the metal. Over time, the hydrogen can be released, resulting in weakened metal. It is especially damaging to welded joints. The American Concrete Insti-tute also cautions that sodium hypochlorite (chlorine bleach) will slowly disintegrate concrete and portland-based mortars or grout. Finally, many floorcare product manufacturers will not stand be-hind the performance of their floor polishes if they are main-tained with chlorine bleach. Worker Safety – Chlo-rine is a strong irritant to human tissue. Violent reactions also can occur when chlorine bleach is mixed with amines. The reaction of chlorine and bowl cleaners containing hydrochloric acid can release deadly chlorine gas. Every housekeeper’s nightmare is a vision of the “new guy” keeled over, head first into a toilet bowl, after adding a little bleach to help the acid bowl cleaner brighten a little better. Shelf Life – In just a short shipping and storage time,an industrial concentration of 12 percent can fall to 7 to 10 per-cent. Efficacy – Chlorine bleach works best in a slightly acid to neutral pH range. Alkaline soils must be removed prior to using the bleach to prevent the chlo-rine from losing effectiveness. In other words, the surface must be clean if the chlorine (hypochlor-ite) is to have any significant effect. The only way you can be assured of killing organisms you want to control is to experiment with different ages/concentra-tions of the product and test the surfaces after use. Cleaning Ability – Com-pared to modern disinfectant cleaners, chlorine bleach does not compare in cleaning ability. If you are trying to clean and control germs simultaneously, consider one of the newer form-ula disinfectant detergents. With dilution rates as low as 1:256, proven efficacy, longer shelf life, and a less-corrosive nature, you might find the new disinfectant detergents are much better bargains than chlorine bleach.

Indoor Air Pollution

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:20:46 CST

Many times we are not aware of the air impurities that linger in our homes and offices. The question is how dangerous is the indoor air we breathe? In the last several years, the Environmental Protection Agency has indicated that the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities. Other research indicates that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors. Thus, for many people, the risks to health may be greater due to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors. Good ventilation is important. There are signs that can indicate your home may not have enough ventilation: moisture condensation on windows or walls, smelly or stuffy air, dirty central heating and air cooling equipment, and areas where books, shoes, or other items become moldy. To detect odors in your home, step outside for a few minutes, and then upon reentering your home, note whether odors are noticeable. There are 5 main pollutants active in your home or office that you should be aware of, and do something about. They are: mildew, cooking odors, pets, tobacco smoke and heating and air conditioning filter vents. Let’s look at each active air pollutants, its source, and its remedy. Mildew is a big contributor in indoor air pollution. Mildew spores will grow anywhere there is moisture. You will find it in carpets, upholstery, a damp wall and bathroom. Mildews release disease-causing toxins. As it grows it spreads bacteria, which become airborne that causes health problems, such as allergies. Cooking odors, are a combination of steam, oils and smoke. It is easy for these odors to travel around the house, and cling to walls and furniture. Soon the odors will age. It can be a buffet for insects, like cockroaches. The cooking odors can be diminished by proper ventilation and clean oven air filters. Pet odors are the most offensive odors in a house. Dogs rubbing their backs on the carpet, or sleeping near or on a sofa will leave their body oils and dander. Male cats marking their territory with pungent urine scent. These pet odors are hidden deep in your carpet and upholstery that will attract fleas, dust mites and lice, and creates a health hazard. Health experts claim that many health problems that children have come from playing on dirty carpets. It can cause allergies and rashes. To remedy this problem, have your carpets vacuumed at least 3 times a week. For deep cleaning of your carpet, have a professional carpet cleaner do the job. Your carpet will be fresh and clean, which will reduce many health problems. Tobacco smoke is one of the unhealthy indoor air pollutes in homes and offices. The smoker is inhaling a complex mixture of over 4,000 compounds, more than 40 of which are known to cause cancer. Tobacco smoke lingers on for days. It has the nature to cling on fabrics and walls. I have seen darkened walls at homes and apartments of people who smoked. The unhealthy fact is that nicotine and carbon monoxide are present in the sticky oily residue tobacco leaves behind on fabrics and walls. Heating and air conditioning filters, are culprits, which cause unhealthy indoor air pollution in homes and offices. Mechanical ventilation systems in large buildings are designed and operated not only to heat and cool the air, but also to draw in and circulate outdoor air. Inadequate ventilation can occur if the air supply is blocked in such a way that outdoor air does not actually reach the breathing zone of building occupants. Improperly located air intake vents can also bring in air contaminated with automobile and truck exhaust, fumes from dumpstors, or air vented from restrooms. These air vents can also become a breeder for bacteria, mold and mildew. These toxins are airborne making it unhealthy in working and living environments. To insure your safety and those around you, invest in a good air cleaner. Air cleaners with a HEPA filter removes 99.9% of tobacco smoke, pollens, bacteria, harmful fibers, allergens and pollutants. There are many types and sizes of air cleaners on the market, ranging from relatively inexpensive tabletop models to sophisticated and expensive whole-house systems. Indoor air pollution can be reduced, and make your home or office a healthy environment for your family and co -workers. Kevin Hensey has been in the cleaning and maintenance field for over 30 years. He has educated a variety of businesses regarding cleaning safety. Call for your free report on “What Lives And Grows In Your Carpet And Upholstery, And How To Eliminate it." kevin@theyhaveit.com Link to www.theyhaveit.com FOR DISCOUNTED CLEANING PRODUCTS! Promotional Code: KH5

Tips on Removing Stains

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:22:29 CST

SECRETS OF REMOVING SPOTS & STAINS By Answer guy

Have you ever walked into your home and noticed a dirty spot in the carpet. You think back on what caused it. Then you decide to clean it later and soon you forget. Two weeks later a few more spots have appeared on your carpet. It’s time to take action and clean the spots. But you have more important things to do, so you put it off. Six months go by, and you hire a carpet cleaning technician to clean those nasty spots, which you will now be charged more for because these old spots became stains, which are more difficult to remove. Let me talk about the causes of spots & stains, and why they sometimes reappear after your carpet was cleaned. Professional carpet cleaning technicians have spots & stain removing down to a science. With this training program you can do the same, easily and professionally.

A woman called me about a spot in her carpet that reappears a few days after she cleaned it. She told me she was using a spot cleaner from the store. Why does it still appear? I asked her if she thoroughly rinsed the spot cleaner out of the carpet with a sponge or towel. She didn’t. Any type of spot cleaner can become a static collector for dirt. Spots will reappear if you don’t thoroughly extract the cleaner. Don’t forget to thoroughly rinse it with cold water and a sponge.

Powerful cleaning arsenal for removing spots & stains:

1. -H2O2 Orange Citrus (citrus cleaner)

2. - Liquid Alive (bacterial enzyme digester)

3. -Brown Bee Gone Carpet Spotter Rtu(eliminates oxidized stains)

11 TOUGH SPOTS & STAINS

1. -Adhesives, glue 2. -Blood 3. -Coffee 4. -Food dye 5. -Mildew 6. -Oil, Grease 7. -Rust 8. -Tar 9. -Vomit 10. -Candle wax 11. -Red wine

-ADHESIVE, GLUE: Apply H2O2 Orange Citrus on a cloth and work it into the glue. The glue will become soft and easy to remove. If some of the glue is still around, repeat the process.
-BLOOD:Is a mixture of proteins, mineral, salts and water. If it is fresh you can remove it with a Liquid Alive. If it has been there for a few days, the dry blood will set and create a set stain (rust). To remove the stain, use Brown Bee Gone Carpet Spotter Rtu. - Brown Bee Gone Carpet Spotter Rtuis an acidic product (oxalic acid). Apply Brown Away with a soft brush. It will remove the blood stain easily and effortlessly.
-COFFEE STAIN: Coffee is always the toughest stain to remove from carpets and upholstery. Coffee with cream and sugar become a static collector for dirt an dust. Remove as much of the coffee out of the carpet. Next, spray Liquid Alive on the coffee and let it sit for 30 minutes. (It will begin eating away the cream). Rinse it with cold water. Apply Brown Bee Gone Carpet Spotter Rtuwith a soft brush. The coffee stain will disappear like magic.
-FOOD DYE: Food dye can be a permanent stain in carpets. The dye becomes part of the fabric. To remove a food dye, apply H2O2 Orange Citrus on the stain. Work it in with a soft brush. Take a damp towel over the stain an apply a warm iron on it for 5 seconds. The stain will start disappearing. NOTE: Depending on the age of the stain, food dye can become a set stain.
MILDEW: There are three basic causes of musty mildew. Moisture, age and neglect. Vacuuming helps, but mildew grows in the base of your carpet, growingspores that feed on your carpet. Eventually your carpet will be weakened by dry rot. To prevent this, apply Liquid Alive on the complete carpet. Agitate it into the carpet with a carpet rake. Let it dry, then vacuum it up.
AUTOMOTIVE GREASE: A landlord called me to clean his vacant rentals. When I walked in the living room I noticed a large black spot. The landlord asked if I could take the spot out. I asked what caused the black spot. It seemed his last tenant repaired his motorcycle while he was watching television. It is easy to remove auto grease from a carpet. You need H2O2 Orange Citrus as your pre-spray, and a steam cleaning machine (soil extractor). Spray H2O2 Orange Citrus on the grease spot and agitate with a firm brush. Let it set for about 30 minutes. Remove the dissolved grease from the carpet with the carpet cleaning machine.
PET STAINS: Pet odors in carpets and upholstery can be a problem, but it can be corrected. Try to remove it while it is fresh. If you don’t, urine will penetrates through the carpet and into the foam padding, then you have a problem. Urine will change chemically as it ages, and you end up with a permanent yellow stain and a residual odor. Try to pick up as much as possible. Apply Liquid Alive, and leave it until it dries (that will give the digesters time to do their job eliminating the odor), then vacuum.
-RUST STAIN: Rust stains (iron oxide) in carpets are easy to remove. Apply Brown Bee Gone Carpet Spotter Rtu on the spot and brush it in. Soon the rust will disappear.
-TAR: An executive housekeeper at a beach hotel asked me how to remove tar from their carpet. Guests were walking back from the beach with tar on their shoes and feet. The best way to remove tar from carpets is to use H2O2 Orange Citrus. It will soften the tar and make it easy to remove with a dull knife. Apply more Winning Orange on the tar, agitate with a soft brush, then rinse with water.
-VOMIT: Isn’t always pleasant when it happens. But be prepared to remove it quickly. Vomit can discolor carpet and upholstery from stomach acids. To remove it, spray Liquid Aliveon the vomit and let it work for 15 minutes, then remove as much of it away. Apply more Liquid Aliveand agitate it with a soft brush. Let it dry, then vacuum. The odor will be gone.
-CANDLE WAX: Many people are very concerned about having candle wax in their carpet. If you have ever tried to get candle wax out of a carpet you know how difficult it can be. I have seen people use ice cubes to freeze it, then try to scrape it away. It takes a lot of time and effort to remove candle wax from a carpet. But there is an easier way to remove that hardened candle wax from your carpet. This is what the professionals use. You will need an iron and a terry cloth towel. First, wet the towel with cool water, and spread the towel over the candle wax. Second, take the iron and put it on a warm setting. Place the warm iron on the damp towel for 5 seconds. Remove it and you will see that the candle wax is transferred from the carpet to the towel like magic!
-RED WINE: Remove as much of it out of the carpet or upholstery. Apply Brown Bee Gone Carpet Spotter Rtu on the spot. Agitate it with soft brush. If color is still present, apply more Brown Bee Gone Carpet Spotter Rtu.

Answerguy

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