There’s more to a professional cleaner than buckets, rags, and soap. A master home cleaner is trained, certified, and skilled in a host of different cleaning products and technologies. He is one part forensic scientist, one part artisan – first diagnosing the source of the stain, blemish, or odor, and then eliminating it with a combination of time-tested techniques. But if you’re short on time or money, and set on doing the job yourself, then Mark Rowe, the owner of Rowe Cleaning Services, a Reading, MA cleaning service, has some tips to make sure that you get it done right.
First, Rowe says, make sure it’s a job that you can handle on your own. Even if you’re hesitant to hire a professional cleaner, there’s no point in trying to remove something that requires professional attention – you’ll just make the problem worse, and waste money on supplies in the process.
Rowe is particularly emphatic about high-value items. It’s best to leave the oriental carpets, leathers, and upholstered furniture pieces to the pros. While the task of cleaning a $10,000 rug may be no more complicated than that of cleaning a tag-sale carpet, the risks of damaging it are too high to justify cleaning on your own.
If you’re confident that the task is manageable, however, then Rowe advises a gentle and thorough process. It is essential that you act quickly. If you’ve just spilled something, you can prevent it from becoming a stain – damaging the fibers of the material – by quickly blotting it with a towel to keep it from setting.
Rowe advises that you use a simple home remedy: Mix warm water with dish soap, and pour this onto a newly set spot. Then, use a wet-vac to remove the excess liquid. If you don’t have a wet-vac around the house, use a towel to spot dry the liquid. While seltzer water is not in the professional cleaner’s tool kit, Rowe acknowledges that there is probably something to be said for its reputation as an effective cleaner.
Finally, Rowe cautions amateur cleaners to be wary of “Oxy” products that advertise superhero strength. Blitzing a tough stain with a strong chemical compound won’t necessarily remove it, and may even aggravate the situation by working the stain further into the material. Likewise, Rowe cautions homeowners to stay clear of “Rug Doctor” typecleaning machines, which often times can soak a rug without leaving it cleaner or plusher. In short, leave the heavy lifting to the professional cleaners who have the technical expertise to harness the stronger products and use new cleaning technologies effectively.
First, Rowe says, make sure it’s a job that you can handle on your own. Even if you’re hesitant to hire a professional cleaner, there’s no point in trying to remove something that requires professional attention – you’ll just make the problem worse, and waste money on supplies in the process.
Rowe is particularly emphatic about high-value items. It’s best to leave the oriental carpets, leathers, and upholstered furniture pieces to the pros. While the task of cleaning a $10,000 rug may be no more complicated than that of cleaning a tag-sale carpet, the risks of damaging it are too high to justify cleaning on your own.
If you’re confident that the task is manageable, however, then Rowe advises a gentle and thorough process. It is essential that you act quickly. If you’ve just spilled something, you can prevent it from becoming a stain – damaging the fibers of the material – by quickly blotting it with a towel to keep it from setting.
Rowe advises that you use a simple home remedy: Mix warm water with dish soap, and pour this onto a newly set spot. Then, use a wet-vac to remove the excess liquid. If you don’t have a wet-vac around the house, use a towel to spot dry the liquid. While seltzer water is not in the professional cleaner’s tool kit, Rowe acknowledges that there is probably something to be said for its reputation as an effective cleaner.
Finally, Rowe cautions amateur cleaners to be wary of “Oxy” products that advertise superhero strength. Blitzing a tough stain with a strong chemical compound won’t necessarily remove it, and may even aggravate the situation by working the stain further into the material. Likewise, Rowe cautions homeowners to stay clear of “Rug Doctor” typecleaning machines, which often times can soak a rug without leaving it cleaner or plusher. In short, leave the heavy lifting to the professional cleaners who have the technical expertise to harness the stronger products and use new cleaning technologies effectively.
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