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7 Deep Cleaning House Tips to Consider Before Listing 1024 682 Daniel Hickey

7 Deep Cleaning House Tips to Consider Before Listing

Are you listing your house on the market soon? Are you looking for ways to get it sold quickly? No one wants to watch their house sit on the market for months.

Not only does this prevent you from finalizing the moving process, but it also tends to lower the listing price as well. Before you list your house, there are a few cleaning tasks you should complete to ensure it sells fast. With all the best deep cleaning house tips, you can have your house sparkling and ready to welcome all potential buyers.

Don’t have a deep cleaning house checklist? Not sure where to begin? In the guide below, you’ll find a few different deep cleaning tasks you should complete before listing your house.

Continue reading to get started!

1. Clean the Carpet

If there’s carpet in the house, then you’ll need to have it professionally cleaned. Even with the best carpet cleaning products and shampooers, there’s no comparison to having it cleaned by professional carpet cleaning services. Dirt and stains work their way through the fibers of the carpet and into the bottom layer.

Without professional equipment, reaching these deep stains becomes a difficult task. Professional services will have the carpets cleaned, stain-free, and smelling great! When potential buyers come inside to tour the house, they’ll be greeted with new-looking carpets, rather than stains and smelly odors.

If there’s upholstery in your home or rugs, then you’ll want to have these cleaned as well.

2. Scrub the Tile and Grout

Over time, the tile and grout on your floors hold dirt and grime. It may not look dirty to the naked eye, because you’ve become used to it as time has passed. If the grout isn’t a bright white or light grey color, then chances are it needs cleaning.

The tiles, in this case, are most likely due for cleaning as well. Just like when it comes to cleaning your carpets, it’s best to have a professional service come in and clean the tile and grout for you. Even with the best cleaning products, dirt stains on tile and grout can be too stubborn to remove.

With professional services, these stains will lift away, and you’ll be left with bright, shiny tile! You most likely won’t even remember how bright and clean the tile looked once before.

3. Remove All Clutter

The next step is to remove all clutter and personal items from your home. The best way to do this is to place your items in storage if needed. You don’t want to put everything inside a closet or in the garage.

Why? Potential buyers will look in both places! When they see a big mess, it can be a turnoff. It also makes the space look smaller.

You want to show potential buyers a clean space and a blank canvas where they can imagine their own belongings and home decor ideas.

4. Clean Every Drawer and Cabinet

Where else are potential buyers going look? The answer is everywhere. They’re going to look everywhere.

They’ll check all the cabinets and drawers too. This means you need to have all the cabinets and drawers cleared out and cleaned well. You don’t want to leave any traces of crumbs or dust behind.

A cleaned out drawer or cabinet allows potential buyers to see how much storage space they’ll have in the house.

5. Focus on Kitchens and Bathrooms

Another deep cleaning task you don’t want to forget about is cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms. Rather than doing a quick wipe down, it’s essential you do a good deep cleaning. The kitchen and bathrooms are two of the biggest selling points of a house.

Potential buyers will want to see what potential each of these rooms have. If either of these rooms is dirty, it’ll turn buyers away. Deep cleaning should include cleaning in and around the toilets, under the cabinets, and in every crack and hard-to-reach place as well.

6. Dust, Sweep, Vacuum, Mop

Think you can get away with leaving some dust on the fans? Think again! Potential buyers will spot this and assume the entire house needs cleaning.

Don’t give them the opportunity to think anything but the best about the house. Even if you think buyers won’t see it, make sure to dust everything. This includes the top of fans, bookshelves, curtains, blinds, and more.

After dusting, you then want to sweep your floors. After sweeping, use the vacuum to get any dirt or dust that might have been missed. You can even use your vacuum tools to vacuum the dust off curtains, blinds, fans, and other surfaces as well.

The very last thing you want to do is mop the floors. Then, allow them to fully dry before stepping on them.

7. Implement Pest Control

If there’s an issue with pests in the house, then this is something you need to address before listing the house. Even small pests like ants and fleas need to be taken care of before potential buyers visit the house. One sighting of any type of pest can signal a red flag to the buyers.

To prevent potential buyers from turning down the house due to a pest issue, make sure to hire professional pest services beforehand.

Hire a Deep Cleaning House Service to Do the Hard Work for You

Why put more stress on yourself by trying to deep clean the house before listing it? The moving process itself is overwhelming at times. Rather than putting the weight on your shoulders to have the house clean and ready for buyers, consider hiring a deep cleaning house service to get the job done for you!

At Rugs’n’Rats, we’ll take care of all your cleaning and pest control needs for you!

Contact us today to see how we can help.

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7 Factors to Consider Before Hiring a Carpet Cleaning Service 1024 720 Daniel Hickey

7 Factors to Consider Before Hiring a Carpet Cleaning Service

7 Factors to Consider Before Hiring a Carpet Cleaning Service

You’ve got a dinner party coming up in a few days. For the most part, your home looks spotless. The only problem is the carpets.

They’re covered in stains from spills and pet accidents. You’ve done your best to remove the stains but nothing you try works. It might be time to hire a carpet cleaning service.

They have all the experience and equipment necessary to have your floors looking brand-new in a matter of hours. The only hang-up is finding a company in your area who is up for the task.

We can help you make a wise hiring decision. Check out this guide to learn what you should look for in a carpet cleaning professional.

1. Set Your Budget

When it comes to hiring any service, you get what you pay for, right? Sometimes this is the case but not all the time when it comes to carpet cleaning.

Many companies offer a bunch of extra services that you might not need for one. For two, a service that charges 400 dollars to clean your carpets might not do as good of a job as one that charges 300. It all depends on the company, to be honest.

The key is comparing service fees. Call several companies to get price quotes. From there, perform some of the other steps on this list to determine if the value matches the quote given.

2. Choosing the Carpet Cleaning Method

There are two different carpet cleaning methods that a company can use. The first is dry cleaning. As the name suggests, this method uses chemicals and very little water to make carpets shine.

The second option you have is steam cleaning. It’s more popular than dry cleaning and involves a heavy amount of moisture which makes it good for deep cleaning carpets.

Steam cleaning can be a lengthy process. It also takes a few hours to dry so you have to keep foot traffic to a minimum for a while. If you need your carpets clean fast and they’re not that dirty, dry cleaning is the way to go.

3. Cleaning Chemicals

There are lots of different types of carpet and none of them are built the same. Chemicals that will work fine on one type will destroy another.

It’s important that you talk to your cleaning service of choice to find out if the cleaners they use will be safe for your particular carpet. For example, some alkaline-based cleaners might turn your bright, white carpets yellow overtime.

There’s also the matter of kids and pets. Certain cleaners are toxic to both. There are some companies that offer greener cleaning fluid options.

It might cost a little bit more depending on the service but you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that it won’t make your children or pets sick.

4. Look for Reviews and Get Recommendations

Checking out references and reviews is one of the most important parts of the hiring process. They come from actual people who have hired the service before. If the majority of the reviews are negative then it might be wise for you to call a different company.

Google search the service to see what people have to say or head over to the company’s website. Many services will have customer testimonials that you can take a peek at.

Another way you can get reviews and testimonials is by talking to friends and family who get their carpets cleaned on a normal basis. Chances are if their carpets are always in great condition the company they hire must be doing something right.

5. Appearances Mean Everything

When it comes to hiring someone to come clean your carpets, looks absolutely matter. They should have a company car that has their logo and phone number clearly printed somewhere.

Their employees should also look like they’re ready to come in and clean. Most companies have their workers in a uniform that’s complete with gloves and shoe covers.

6. Experience

The great thing about hiring a carpet cleaning service is experience. They can take one look at your carpets and know what sort of cleaning methods and chemicals they should be using.

You might not have the experience necessary to identify and tackle a stain. Professionals that have been around for a while have basically seen every stain that the world has to offer so they know what to do.

While you shouldn’t overlook a company that’s only been around for a few years if they have good reviews, there’s something about hiring a professional that provides a little peace of mind. You can pretty much guarantee your carpets will be safe in their hands.

7. Look for a Cleaning Guarantee

Last but least, you want to look for a company that can provide you with a money-back guarantee. You may not have to cash it in but companies that offer these types of guarantees show that they work hard to satisfy their customers.

It gives them a certain air of reliability that sets them apart from other companies. Besides, if they mess up and you hate the final results, they’ll either fix it for free or return your money. Either way, it’s a win for you.

Hiring a Carpet Cleaning Service

Cleaning your carpets on a normal basis can help prolong their life, clear up the air quality in your home, and have things looking fresh and clean for when you have company over. Of course, you can do the job yourself but that might do more harm than good.

Hire a reliable carpet cleaning service like us who has the expertise necessary to brighten your carpets the right way. Contact us to find out more about what we can do for you and make an appointment.

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Deep Cleaning: How to Get Smell Out of Carpet Fibers 1024 682 Daniel Hickey

Deep Cleaning: How to Get Smell Out of Carpet Fibers

You feel like you’ve cleaned your entire home but there is still a nasty odour wafting throughout the place. The source of the smell might be an area that you accidentally left untouched or it could be your carpets.

Carpets are like sponges. Even if you clean up each spill and pet accident, they still absorb more and more odours. Not sure how to get smells out of the carpet?

Well, you have options and not all of them involve an expensive steam cleaner. Baking soda and vinegar are always a good way to go. Check out this guide for a few more carpet cleaning methods that will actually work.

Enzyme Cleaners

Even the most well-behaved, potty trained dog can have an accident in the house. You may be able to soak up the stain with some kind of cleaner and a cloth but the odour will still be there.

The smell of pet urine is pretty hard to get out unless you invest in an enzyme cleaner. Enzyme cleaners produce good bacteria that feed on the molecules in organic material such as blood and pet urine. This process gets rid of stains and also kicks odours to the curb.

You can get them in almost any hardware store or order them online. Make sure you use the cleaner as directed on the bottle.

Baking Soda

If you have one thing in your kitchen cabinets it’s baking soda. It’s great for baking cakes or getting rid of smells. Sprinkle a good amount of baking soda on your carpets.

Leave it alone and allow it to sit for a few hours if the smell isn’t too bad. If you’re dealing with strong odours, allow it to sit for a little over a day.

Vacuum up the baking soda when you feel like it’s been sitting on the carpet long enough. Empty the vacuum’s filter and repeat the process if the smell is still deciding to stick around.

Vinegar

If the carpet smells a bit musty then there is a good chance you’ve got mould and mildew on your hands. The good news is that you can get rid of it with basic home products.

Vinegar works as a powerful cleaning solution that can tackle most things in your home. Including your carpets.

Pour one cup of vinegar and two cups of warm water in a spray bottle. Spray your entire carpet with it and wait for it to dry. The strong vinegar will help get rid of the musty mildew smell.

Keep in mind when you’re spraying your carpet that you shouldn’t go overboard. Mildew and mould love moisture and will grow in large numbers if you soak your carpets all the way through.

Baking Soda and Essential Oils

If the baking soda method didn’t do it for you, try to add a few drops of essential oils into the mix. They have a heavy scent that’s great for overpowering strong odours.

Choose your favourite scent and put about fifteen drops of it into a container. Combine the drops with two cups of baking soda, put a lid on the container, and shake it well. This will evenly distribute the oil into the baking soda.

From there, follow the steps that we laid out before. Sprinkle the mixture on the carpet, let it sit for up to a day depending on how bad the odour is, and vacuum it up.

Make sure to keep your pets in mind when you’re trying out this method. Dogs don’t like strong scents like peppermint and citrus smells like lemon and orange will make your cat sick.

Carpet Shampooing

Your carpets may smell bad because they have never been deep cleaned. If this is the case, head to a hardware store and buy a carpet cleaner or rent one if you can’t afford to purchase one outright.

Choose a deodorizing shampoo and set up the machine as directed in the user manual. The carpet cleaner will distribute water and cleaner and extract it at the same time so you won’t have to worry about your carpets getting soaked.

Throw the Whole Carpet Out

If your carpet is several years old or covered in stains that you can’t seem to get rid of, it might be time for you to toss the entire thing out and replace it.

Certain stains like urine will destroy a good carpet. There will be no getting the odour out so you’ll have to start over.

If you’re not sure if your problem warrants a replacement, call a carpet cleaning and pest control company. They will check out the situation and give you their honest opinion.

Have Your Carpets Cleaned by a Professional

Speaking of professional carpet cleaners, if none of the methods we’ve been over have worked, it might be best for you to hire someone else to do the job. They’ll be equipped with all the tools necessary to get rid of bacteria and allergens as well as take care of smells.

It also saves you time and money. For example, say you tried to clean the carpets yourself and you ruined them.

It will cost quite a bit to have them replaced. With a professional, you pretty much never have to worry about this scenario.

How to Get Smells Out of the Carpet and Enjoy an Odorless Home

Is there an unknown odour wafting through your home? There’s a good chance that it’s the carpet. They attract all sorts of smells from pet odours and years worth of other spills.

Learn how to get smells out of the carpet or hire professional carpet cleaning in Sunshine Coast. Contact us to ask about our services and book an appointment.

How long Do I Have To Stay Off Carpet After Cleaning 150 150 as_admin

How long Do I Have To Stay Off Carpet After Cleaning

How long Do I Have To Stay Off Carpet After Cleaning

There is nothing better than coming home to nice clean carpets. There are so many positives, such as cleanliness, bright colour, fewer germs and bugs, the feeling of doing something good for yourself. The list goes on.

A lot of people want to know, “how long after cleaning can I walk on my carpet?”. As nice as clean carpets are it would be horrible to discolour them right away.

We like clean carpet too and will always advise customers to stay off their new carpet for as long as possible. This can mean a lot of different things to different people, however.

Generally, six hours is the desired time before you, your pets and your friends can safely walk on the carpet again. If you must walk on it sooner, to get to another room or something similar, then wait at least half an hour. If you do walk on it sooner, take off any shoes and wear white socks to help prevent any chance of discolouration occurring.

To help your carpets dry faster, the room should be well ventilated. If you have ceiling fans, then it is a good idea to turn them on too.

We know customers often want to get back into their homes or freshly cleaned rooms as soon as possible, and in the end, it is up to you. Waiting six hours before walking on it if possible is considered the best advice.

If you have any other questions about carpet cleaning or pest control, then feel free to contact us. Our friendly team of Sunshine Coast pest controllers can give you a quote or make an appointment to visit your home or office any time.