Posts Tagged ‘cleaning’

 

The Ultimate Guide to Hot Tub Chemicals

Monday, December 9th, 2013

The Ultimate Guide to Hot Tub Chemicals - Handyman

As you sit in your hot tub, letting go of the stress that has accumulated over the day, you notice particles of dirt starting to float above the water. You think about giving your hot tub or spa a much needed break. The first thing that comes to your mind is reading about the chemicals and the maintenance tips on keeping the spa or hot tub clean. This is a guide that can help you master spa maintenance.

Everything You Need to Know About Spa Chemicals

If you wish to make the most of your spa or hot tub, you need to be very particular about its maintenance and cleanliness. Spa or hot tub chemicals and filters are the two most important contributors in the health of a spa.

There are innumerable types of spa chemicals available on the market today. You need to understand that the functions of the spa chemical are linked to the sanitation and sparkle of the hot tub or spa. In order to maintain the spa or hot tub condition,s the chemical balance of the water inside these vessels should be checked every week.

Even though the chemicals are required for sanitizing the water, too much off the sanitizing chemical inside the water can make your skin feel itchy and also cause rashes. Therefore, while using these chemicals,you need to ensure that the ratio of the chemicals that you use is per the requirement of the capacity of the water in the spa.

Two of the most commonly used spa or hot tub chemical sanitizers are chlorine and bromine. While both are equally good in cleaning up the water, many people prefer bromine because it has a neutral odor. However, chlorine gives out a very unpleasant odor when used to clean spa or hot tub water.

Sanitizing chemicals for your hot tub or spa are available in different forms: granules, tablets, and liquids.

Spa Boss Chemicals and Their Use

Apart from sanitizing chemicals, you also require spa boss chemicals for the maintenance of your spas and filters. There are also other types of chemicals including pH balancers and test strips. Spa boss chemicals, however, are an important type that helps to balance the pH levels and alkaline levels of the water in the hot tub or spa.

Need Spa or Hot Tub Help?

Using the right spa chemicals for your hot tub or spa is essential for the overall health of your spa or hot tub. Be sure that you use the user manual for understanding the chemical requirement of your hot tub or spa. If you are preparing your hot tub or spa for a cleansing session, check out some tips from Master Spa. You can also win a free Chemicals and Filters supply by entering the giveaway contest being presently run.

If you want to find a hot tub professional in your area, just use TalkLocal. We’ll connect you with up to three professionals in your area in just minutes.

Basic Products to Clean Household Mold

Thursday, November 21st, 2013

Basic Products to Clean Household Mold - Maid Services

The problem with mold is that it grows and spreads easily, but it can be hard to remove. You will need to use certain products to clean household mold and effectively control it. Look for products that will help you remove mold and stop it in its tracks, so it will not grow back again.

Do You Really Need to Remove Mold?

Aside from the fact that moldy surfaces are unsightly and emit an unpleasant, musty odor, the presence of mold in your home poses health risks to your household. You or your family could very well be inhaling mold spores that are known to cause allergic symptoms, asthma, nausea, and more severe medical conditions. This is why it’s so important to clean household mold.

Which Mold Removal Products Should You Use?

Fortunately, when you use the right cleaning products, you can get rid of mold and curb future mold growth to lessen the health risks in your home. It takes only some very basic products that people often have at home to clean household mold. Bleach, vinegar, and borax are just some of the things you can use to remove mold.

Here’s how to use them:

Bleach – Use a ratio of 1:10 bleach to water. Use a spray bottle or a bucket and sponge to apply the bleach solution to nonporous, moldy surfaces.

Be sure to put on gloves before starting to work. Bleach emits harsh chemical fumes and can seriously irritate your skin. For this reason, bleach is best considered as a last resort for removing mold.

White Distilled Vinegar – Pour some into a spray bottle. Don’t water it down. Spray it onto the problem area and let it sit for one hour. Then, wipe the area clean with water and let the surface dry.

Don’t worry about the vinegar smell; it will be dispersed after a few hours. Vinegar is effective in inhibiting mold growth, so you can continue to spray vinegar on the affected surface regularly, to stop the mold from returning.

Borax – This is a natural cleaner that doesn’t release harmful fumes. You can find it in the laundry section of most supermarkets.

To use borax, mix a cup of it per gallon of water. Using a scrubbing brush and the borax solution, scrub the mold from the surface. Wipe the area and just let the surface dry completely; there is no need to rinse. Borax also helps control mold growth.

Need Help with Home Cleaning?

While you may not always stop the development of mold in some areas of your home, especially if you reside in a wet and humid area, it doesn’t mean you can’t effectively clean household mold when it appears. However, if you would rather have a professional clean and remove mold in your home, TalkLocal can connect you with the right guys to do the job. Use our free service now!

How To Clean Skylights

Tuesday, July 30th, 2013

How To Clean Skylights - Maid Services

While skylights are a great way of making your house brighter without using electricity, they oftentimes get extremely dusty and murky.  In the winter, snow blocks out the light of the skylight.  In the fall, dead tree leaves and sap cloud up the skylight.  In the spring and summer, pollen and heavy rain could stain your skylight and leave it dirty. All this debris can build up and completely defeat the purpose of a skylight.  Fortunately, it only takes a little bit of planning and effort to clean up those skylights. Read on for tips on how to clean skylights.

Clean The Inner Surface

While the inner surface shouldn’t get really dirty, you’ll still want to clean the dust and the grease build-up as well.

1. Before you begin cleaning, make sure you move any furniture out from beneath the skylight, and then put a drop-cloth down to catch any falling debris.

2. Use a ladder to be able to reach the skylight.

3. Take a broom and clear out any cobwebs.

4. You can then tape a rag onto the end of the broom, spray it with glass cleaner, wipe the skylight down, and then dry it off with a clean rag.

5. If you can reach the skylight without a broom, you might just want to use the rags to wipe down the inside of the skylight.

Clean the outer surface

Cleaning the outer surface requires getting on the roof, so make sure that you always take the necessary precautions to remain safe.  Safety should always be your priority.

1. Use a ladder, and bring up a bucket of water and soap to the roof, but only fill it once you are on the roof so that you don’t lose your balance.

2. If you have a flat skylight, try to use a squeegee on the end of an extension pole to clear off the debris.  On the other hand, if you have a bubble skylight, use the same rag and glass cleaner as you did for the inner surface.

3. You should then wash down the skylight with the water and soap (if you can reach it) and then rinse it down thoroughly.

Find A Professional Cleaning Service

While cleaning your skylight isn’t a very difficult task, don’t attempt it if you’re uncomfortable with heights or unsure of how to be safe of your roof.  Once again, your safety is of the utmost importance, and if you have any doubts, please contact a professional cleaning service to clean your skylights for you.  TalkLocal can connect you with the highest quality, local cleaning professionals in just minutes!

Get Rid Of Iron Stain On Clothes

Tuesday, March 19th, 2013

Get Rid Of Iron Stain On Clothes - Appliance Repair

There are few things more disheartening than pulling a white T-shirt out of the wash only to realize it is no longer white. Despite our best efforts, sometimes those troublesome stains can rear their ugly heads. Fortunately, there are some home remedies you can try to get rid of an iron stain on clothes before resorting to burning that bothersome piece of clothing!

Keep in Mind

Heat can worsen a stain. If it has already been dried, your odds of getting rid of the stain decrease — but there may be hope, still! Do not iron clothes once you notice a stain. Treat the stain as soon as you notice it to avoid letting it become further engrained in the fabric.

Treatments

Club Soda

This is probably one of the best known home cleaning remedies out there. Club soda can be found in almost any grocery store and usually can get rid of an iron stain on clothes.

1. Soak the stained portion of clothing in the club soda and let it remain there a bit — five minutes or so. The longer you can wait, the better, but no need to wait to excess.

2. When ready, place an absorbent pad under the clothing. If you have nothing else, an old towel will work, too.

3. Begin blotting the stain from the outer part toward the center. These steps ensure the stain won’t spread while wet. Use an absorbent pad or color fast washcloth to do the blotting. Rinse the clothing in cold water and then, if machine washable, wash in the cold cycle.

Vinegar

You can either treat clothing the same as above if the club soda does not work, or if you have many clothes, try making a solution of one gallon of vinegar, two cups of salt and three gallons of water in a tub or sink. Distilled water may work best if your home water supply contains excessive iron. Let the clothes lay out overnight and wash in the morning with a heavy detergent.

Still Need Help?

Ultimately, if you are having issues with iron stains, there is too much iron in your water, and you will continue to have problems until you fix the source. Your best bet is to find a professional handyman or appliance repair professional in your area by searching through TalkLocal. They’re great at connecting people with the right local professionals for the job.

Do Maids Clean Garages?

Wednesday, December 5th, 2012

Do Maids Clean Garages? Maid Services

The roles of maids have changed significantly over the years. In modern homes, maids work alone and perform various chores, including cooking, cleaning, ironing, laundry, etc. A maid is almost like a handyman that takes care of the things that go on within the house rather than the ones that go on outside of it. All maids are different and have different views on what is part of their job description and what isn’t, but in general, if the job requires some elbow grease and time, your maid should be able to do it.

Do maids clean garages? Garage cleaning is one such job that a maid could help to accomplish. There may be the rare cleaning lady who thinks that such a job is not part of their job description, but for the most part, a maid will do what she is asked to do. Cleaning a garage can be a weekend project depending on how your garage currently is, so having a maid help out with this can be very beneficial.

Before you begin cleaning your garage, getting organized is the first step. Be sure to purchase several plastic containers of different sizes to hold the various things you may find within your garage. You may also want to consider having a garage sale if you have many things you don’t need anymore. Once you have the plastic containers, go through your stuff and organize them by category into different piles. Have another pile of things that you do not need or wish to keep in your garage. Place these different piles into the containers you bought and stack these somewhere where they are both easily accessible, but still out of the way. Label them so you know exactly what is in the container.

With all this done, you can have your maid sweep the garage to get rid of dust and garbage that may remain. If you need help finding a maid to help clean your garage, consider using TalkLocal to find a maid service for you. TalkLocal is a free service that will connect you with top-quality, maid services in your neighborhood within minutes. Just enter in your specific problem, location, and availability, and up to three companies will call YOU directly, saving you the time and stress of finding one yourself.