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How to Clean Your Home Faster – Essential Tools

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The most important item you need to clean your home faster is a cleaning apron! Yes an apron will help you clean faster. Why? Time is wasted walking back and forth from your cleaning products. Here are some tips for cleaning supplies and products that are a must.

Cleaning caddy with handle, to transport supplies.

Microfiber cloths; spritz product onto the cloth till just damp.

Blue Scotch-Brite sponges — the “scrubby” side is non-abrasive.

All-purpose cleaner for counters, glass, mirrors.

Oil or water-based cleaner for stainless steel; mixing the two will cause clouding. How to tell?

Spray cleaner on your hand. Oil-based feels oily, water-based dissipates.

Secret weapon: Magic Eraser. “Thirty seconds to remove soap scum from glass shower doors!”

Read more from our Cary Living Magazine article

How to Clean your Coffee Pots and Pod Coffee Makers

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What gets used every day but rarely gets the cleaning attention it deserves? If you said coffee maker, you are correct. The coffee maker is most people’s source of energy and smiles in the morning but sadly; they rarely get cleaned as often as they should. It’s best to wash the removable parts daily (carafe or reusable pod) and the remainder at least once a month. This removes and prevents hard water minerals and calcium deposits from building up and causing your machines to perform poorly.

If you have a traditional coffee maker (like a Mr. Coffee), you probably wash the carafe after making the day’s pot of coffee but do you wash the reservoir too? Even though you probably use a coffee filter when making your morning brew, you still need to clean everything regularly. Fill the coffee maker’s water chamber with equal parts white vinegar and water. Using a paper filter, allow to brew until half the chamber is empty. Turn the coffee maker off and let it sit for 30 minutes, then finish brewing. Rinse the machine by using a new paper filter to brew a pot of clear water.

One of the most common coffee machines in homes these days are pod coffee systems like Keurigs or Nespresso machines. These take a finesse to clean but can be done easily and should be done at least once every 3 months at the most. Similar to traditional coffee makers, you’ll want to use equal parts white vinegar and water. Fill the reservoir with half water, half white vinegar and run a brew cycle without a K-Cup or Pod. Repeat brewing until the reservoir is empty, and then repeat the process with only water to remove the vinegar taste. Make sure to rinse the reservoir once you’re done running the plain water brew cycle. It is also recommended to use spring or bottled water (not distilled) to clean your pod coffee system.

Keeping your coffee maker clean is the key to keeping the coffee flowing. Regular cleanings prevent buildup of minerals and calcium deposits and ensures delicious tasting coffee. A clean coffee maker looks great in a clean kitchen so call Dust and Mop to schedule your regular home cleaning.

Home Owner Tips for Removing Pet Hair

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We love our pets; dogs, cats, hamsters, ferrets, rabbits, even rats. What most people don’t love about their pets is the fur they leave around the house after a cuddle session or playtime.

Here are our top 10 tips and tricks for removing pet fur from furniture with items and tools you probably have lying around the house. Keep in mind the fabric of your couch will determine the best method to pet hair removal.

  1. Furniture polish or anti-static dusting spray and a soft cloth work great on wooden furniture. It is a great way to not only remove pet hair from furniture but it decreases the chances the hair will re-stick.
  2. If you have fabric or upholstered furniture, try putting on a pair of rubber gloves and rubbing your hands over the fabric to attract the hair and fur. For added efficacy, get the glove slightly damp to attract the fur. If you don’t have a rubber glove, a slightly damp sponge works well too.
  3. Dryer sheets work well to collect pet fur and as an added bonus if the fabric sheet is scented, it leaves a fresh scent behind.
  4. Vacuuming can be a great tool to remove pet hair, especially if you have specialty attachments. If your vacuum isn’t doing the job, try adding a spoonful of fabric softener to a spray bottle of water and shake before spraying. Let it sit for 5 minutes then try vacuuming again. Make sure you test this method on a non-visible area of fabric to ensure there is no staining.
  5. The good old fashion lint roller has yet to fail us, but if you’d have a lint roller around, tape works great. Simply wrap some packing tape around your hand with the sticky side out. This is a great option if you don’t want to shell out the big bucks for weekly lint roller refill sheets.
  6. If you still have those old fashion Velcro hair curlers lying around, they work very well for attaching to pet fur and removing it from furniture.
  7. Whoever said cleaning wasn’t fun has never used a balloon to remove pet fur from furniture. For those people who have balloons lying around, put them and science to use. Blow up a balloon and use the static charge to pick up the hair and fur. Its fun and easy reusable!
  8. There are a variety of tools on the market that are advertised to pick up stubborn pet hair. The team at Dust and Mop is quite fond of rubber brooms. They are especially effective because of static electricity within the bristles. It’s almost as if the hair jumps into the broom.
  9. Squeegees (like the ones uses for cleaning windows) are a great tool most people have lying around the house that easily collected pet fur from furniture. It also works great on carpets.
  10. If you don’t have any of the tools we just mentioned then your last resort might be a pair of shoes with rubber soles. Make sure the sole is clean (best if it’s never been worn outdoors) and drag it across the surface to collect your pet fur. This technique is not always ideal for furniture but it’s great for floors and carpets.

There are many products on the market intended for picking up pet fur from furniture and each is most creative than the last, but they are all built on the principles of the above suggestions. You can also reduce shedding by regularly grooming your pets and providing them with a good diet. Excessive hair loss can often be related to poor diet so consult with your veterinarian for the best food for your pet’s age, breed and fur type.

Dust and Mop loves your furry friends as much as you do and we understand that excess fur in the house can be unattractive to guests and cause allergy issues. When you’re discussing your home cleaning needs or filling out the free cleaning estimate form, make sure to mention if you have any pets and fill out the form completely to get the best estimate for your home cleaning needs.

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