Nothing adds the unique, organic beauty to a home than hardwood flooring does. When you choose hardwood as your flooring, you want to do everything you can to protect that investment. They are costly, but beautiful. Anything that would damage that beauty, you want to avoid. Steam Green Carpet Cleaning is here to share tips that will help you protect your hardwood flooring from any possible damage.
 

Keep Hardwood Floors Clean & Dust Free

Just like with any flooring, keeping your hardwood flooring clean is essential to keeping them from sustaining unnecessary damage. You should be sweeping and vacuuming them regularly. Sweeping is the preferred method of cleaning, but if you are using the right vacuum, go ahead and vacuum. The fine dust and other debris that are found on any flooring can cause scratching and other damage to your hardwood if they aren’t removed often.
 

Don’t Mop Hardwood Floors

This might sound like a no brainer, but you should never mop your hardwood flooring. Water and wood don’t mix well. If you want to avoid your hardwood from warping, you should avoid saturating the planks with the water that comes with mopping a floor. If you find that it is necessary to clean up more than sweeping, you should get a barely damp rag to do the job. Following a quick pass on the floor, use a clean cloth to dry any moisture left behind.
 

Choose the Right Hardwood Floor Cleaner

Over the counter cleaners can damage your hardwood flooring. In fact, there are several cleaners that claim to be safe for hardwood floors and still end up damaging them in the end. Using the wrong cleaner can lead to serious damage like stripping the finish off the flooring. Calling a professional to ask what cleaner to use on your hardwood is the safest bet. Always avoid any cleaners that have vinegar or ammonia in them as these are harsh and will damage your flooring.
 

Don’t Wear Outside Shoes on Hardwood Floors

Shoes track in all sorts of dirt and debris from the outdoors when you don’t take them off upon entering the home. Not only that, but some shoes like high heels, can scratch and cause damage because of their nature. To protect your hardwood, you are better off removing your shoes when you come in from outside.
 

Use Area Rugs on Hardwood Floors

Area rugs provide comfort and protection for a room with hardwood flooring. These rugs will cover high traffic areas and save your hardwood from foot traffic. They don’t just add style to the room, but they keep that flooring from getting damaged.
 

Hardwood Floor Installation & Refinishing in Valley Village, Long Beach, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Simi Valley, Burbank, Calabasas, Beverly Hills, Thousand Oaks & Los Angeles California

If your hardwood flooring has sustained damage and you are ready to do something about it, Steam Green Carpet Cleaning offers hardwood refinishing to give it the same shine it had the day it was first installed. We can erase years of abuse to hardwood flooring with our refinishing methods. Call us today for more information on hardwood flooring installation and refinishing.

Vacuuming your carpets daily and getting your carpets professionally deep cleaned annually are important for keeping your carpets in optimal condition, but so is cleaning the vacuum on monthly basis. Ensuring your vacuum is cleaned and operating at its full potential will contribute to a thorough vacuuming. We at Steam Green Carpet Cleaning would like to take the opportunity to relate the basic steps in cleaning your bagless vacuum. All vacuums can have specific needs, so always consult your manual before doing anything from disassembly to washing, and reassembly.
 

Equipment Needed to Clean a Vacuum

Gather up the following tools and equipment for your convenience to complete the vacuuming cleaning project.
– Fill the sink with warm water and mild liquid dish soap.
– Retrieve the vacuum’s manual.
– A screwdriver compatible with your vacuum.
– Scissors
– New filter if applicable. They should be changed every 6 months.
– Dry dusting cloth
– Can of compressed air
 

Open Vacuum & Disassemble Parts

Disassemble the removable parts of your vacuum. Consult the manual before detaching and submerging in the soapy water. Remove all the components that can be removed. Ensure these parts are compatible to the soapy water. Soak in the bath, scrub and allow them to air dry. Typically, the following parts can be removed include:
– Additional Parts
– Attachment Accessories Dust Container
– Extension Wand
– HEPA Post-Motor Filter Extension Wand
– Pre-Motor Filter
– Roller Brush
– Secondary Cyclone Component
All the removable parts should be washed or wiped accordingly. As previously mentioned, be sure to consult the manual before submerging the parts in the soapy water. The pieces that cannot be soaked in the bubble bath should at least be wiped clean with a dry dust cloth. All of the parts need to be completely dry before you reassemble. Make certain they are dry by allowing them to dry over night.
 

Clean Rotating Vacuum Brush

The cleaning of the rotating brush. Be sure to consult the manual before submerging because not all brushes can be soaked in the pre-made bath. Unscrew the compartment that holds with the appropriate screwdriver to remove the rotating floor brush. Remove the rotating brush and clean the brush, use the scissors to cut the strings and hairs free that has wrapped around the cylinder. Use your fingers to grip the debris and pull it all off after you have cut down the center if the tangled mess. Soak the cylinder and scrub the cylinder down, air dry. If soaking it is not recommended, simply wipe it clean with a damp cloth.
 

Wipe Down Interior of Vacuum

The dust accumulates in the interior compartments of the vacuum because the dust bin isn’t tightly sealed. Use a can of compressed air and blast out the vacuum until the dust is cleared out to effectively clear out the dust. Wear a face mask or handkerchief and goggles if you need to, especially if you have allergies or sensitivity to dust. Keep in mind that this step will cause a lot of dust to explode out into the open and it is better done outside where the dust can spread out more quickly and not resurface in your home.
 

Inspect Vacuum Airways & Hoses for Clogs

A small circular air passageway is positioned under the rotating brush. The dirt and debris is suctioned through this pathway. It frequently can collect residue and debris that leads to obstructions, which could be interfering with the vacuum’s efficiency. Use a toothbrush designated for cleaning and clear out the pathway and do the same for the vacuum’s hose to ensure the pathway is clean,.
 

Complete Vacuum Assembly

Put the vacuum back together. Reassemble the vacuum once you are certain that all of the vacuums parts are completely dry and install the new post-motor filter at this time if it is due. Give the exterior a wipe down and you are finished following the reassembly of the vacuum.
 

Carpet Stain Removal & More in Valley Village, Long Beach, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Simi Valley, Burbank, Calabasas, Beverly Hills, Thousand Oaks & Los Angeles California

When it comes time to have your carpets professionally cleaned, contact the professionals of Steam Green Carpet Cleaning and let our experts get the carpets cleaned, sanitized, and deodorized. Contact us today.

There are some stains that are hard to treat and seem as if you can’t get them out of any fabric including your carpet. One of these stains are blood! If you have ever had a cut or scrape that bleeds a lot you know that it can be hard to stop fast. That can easily lead to drops of blood ending up on your carpets and other areas of your home. Blood stains are not something that should be left untreated and you want to get to them as quick as you can. The blood will start to set in and could be much harder to remove later. This is often the case with many stains and you need to know what treatments will work best for this type of stain. To clean blood off of carpet you need to use particular cleaning solutions and techniques so you don’t make the stain worse.
 

Steam Green Carpet Cleaning Lists Steps to Remove Blood Stains From Your Carpet

Remove Excess Blood from Carpet: The first step when dealing with a blood stain or really any other stain is to remove the excess blood. This can be done if the blood is fresh by using a cloth to dab away at the spot. If it is dry on the carpet you can use a brush such as a toothbrush to scrape off the bits that are dry. The excess has to be removed so that when you do start the treatment you don’t expand the spot to a larger area. Once this is complete you can start the process to clean the stain.
Soak the Blood Stained Carpet: This is the step that you need to take to loosen the blood stain and get it ready for treatment. The important thing to document is that you need to use cold water only. The cold water will allow you to treat the area while hot water will actually set the stain in the carpet making it impossible to remove. Spray the area with your cold water and allow to sit for about five minutes. Be sure that you use an adequate amount of water but not so much that it spreads the blood stain out further. After it has set you need to use a cloth to blot away as much of the stain as you can.
Use a Carpet Cleaning Solution: The next step is to treat the blood stain with a cleaning solution that can treat the remaining blood. You can use liquid dish soap that is diluted with water. Soak the area and dab at the spot until the stain is gone. You can also use a salt paste where you take salt in a bowl with a few drips of cold water. When it is a paste you can place it over the spot then dab at the location.
Finish Removing Blood from Carpet: The last step will be to vacuum up any excess salt if you used this solution. Then set a fan in the area so that the carpet has a chance to dry.
 

Carpet Stain Removal & More in Valley Village, Long Beach, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Simi Valley, Burbank, Calabasas, Beverly Hills, Thousand Oaks & Los Angeles California

If you are concerned about the blood stain you can always use a professional carpet cleaning company to come out and clean the spot for you. Steam Green Carpet Cleaning offers expert carpet cleaning and stain removal services and more!

Floors and walls are the two most important decorative elements your home will ever have and when you invest in hardwood flooring, it does a lot for your home. The pattern you choose is essential for the final look. It makes the difference between wasting money on the floor or investing money into the one element that can totally change the look of the home. When you can get them installed the right way, the cheapest property can be turned into a home that will welcome your family and friends. How will the different flooring patterns affect the overall look of your home?
 

Hardwood Flooring Patterns

Chevron hardwood flooring patterns. There is a long history behind chevron flooring and the pattern should not be confused with herringbone. The biggest difference in the two is that the chevron flooring boards are cut in an angle and the herringbone pattern is made using full boards. Choosing chevron flooring pattern provides dimensional stability with a beautiful V shaped layout. It can make a small room look larger.
Herringbone pattern. This pattern of flooring should not be laid out in small rooms because it will make the room look even smaller. If you really want the herringbone pattern, you should use a light color in a small room, the lighter the better. It will cost more to lay this pattern down because of the extra labor and materials. This pattern will be more stable than parallel installation because the boards are pushing up against each other with little or no movement.
Parquet hardwood flooring design. These patterns are unique because they’re made of many pieces of wood that interlock together to create the pattern. There may be 2 or more different types of wood in a combination of geometric shapes used together to create the look. The possibilities are endless with this flooring pattern. This pattern is glued down and therefore very stable because of the small block sizes and their position in relation to each other.
Diagonal hardwood floor patterns. This pattern will make your home pop but most installers won’t give you this option because of the extra time that comes with the installation. This pattern will expand the room because the eye is drawn to the corners of the room. Diagonal is cheaper than herringbone but will cost more than a straight installation because there a lot of extra cuts that will convert into more money for installation. There also needs to be extra wood ordered for the extra cuts that can add to the cost.
Random hardwood floor width lengths. This pattern can be installed straight or diagonally using boards that are different widths. For example, 2 ¼”, 3 ¼ and 4 ¼”. The pattern will be repeated until the end of the room is reached. This layout will make the room seem bigger, so it’s great for small rooms. To get the maximum effect of a larger room, the floor needs to be installed parallel to the longest wall in the room.
 

Hardwood Floor Installation & Refinishing in Valley Village, Long Beach, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Simi Valley, Burbank, Calabasas, Beverly Hills, Thousand Oaks & Los Angeles California

The overall look and size of your home will be affected by the pattern of your hardwood floors you decide on. Steam Green Carpet Cleaning can help with any questions you have on the type of hardwood floor to get and the pattern you should use. Give us a call today to set up a consultation.