How To Clean Salsa Out Of Your Carpet
When it comes cleaning Red Salsa from carpet, what’s more important is knowing what NOT to do.
Most homeowners will try to blot the stain out with a towel first. However, doing this would only mash the tomatoes and peppers further into the fiber where cleaning would then require a professional.
A better approach would be to use a spoon to scoop up as much of the salsa from the carpet as possible. Scoop it up and put it in a bowl for later disposal.
Once you’re done scooping up the salsa, you’ll need to clean the carpet with a solution that contains water and a drop or two of dish soap. You don’t want to use products like resolve, as these will lead to problems later and may even permanently discolor your carpet.
Take a trigger spray bottle and fill it with hot water. Place a drop of dish washing detergent in the bottle and shake it and spray the solution into a wet towel. You don’t want to spray it into the salsa spot directly because this will cause the salsa to go deeper into the backing of the carpet where you then need powerful vacuum to extract it. Instead, take your wet towel with the solution and work it over the spot in 8 different directions (like an asterisk). Don’t scrub it… scrubbing the carpet may cause split ends on the carpet that you can’t fix. So work it gently until the spot is out.
Once the spot is gone, flip the towel over and go over the are with a wet towel that just contains hot water. This will act as your rinse and then go over it with a dry towel to blot any moisture.
If you still have a shadow, allow the area to dry and repeat these steps again after the are has dried. The drying action help bring some of the deeper soil up to the surface where your towel works better.
If that doesn’t work and you still have a shadow or an odor, call a professional. A certified carpet cleaner has the right tools and training to clean this spot and treat any lingering odors.
Insulate Water Pipes Now to Prevent Water Damage Later
Now is the time of year when Alaskans start preparing for winter. Snowmachines, studded tires and winter gear are usually the top items on that list. But your home should also be top priority too! Those who do not have the foresight to prepare their home for the coming cold months, often end up regretting that they did not. It can be twice as bad to deal with plumbing problems in the winter because pipes in or under the home have frozen and busted. Not to mention the water damage that can quickly happen inside the home.
During warm weather it is so much more comfortable to do maintenance on the home. People get so busy in the spring and summer with gardening and lawn mowing that they probably do not give much thought to the inconvenience that frozen and busted plumbing causes in the cold months. It is a good idea to schedule your plumbing inspections during the warm months. Going underneath your home into the crawl space, if you have one, is essential to be able to inspect your outside pipes for leaks and deterioration.
If the pipes in your crawl space are not insulated, you can do this simple job yourself by wrapping them with pipe insulation or heat tape made specifically for that purpose. It can be terrible to have to get under there and make pipe repairs when there is a foot of snow on the ground and it is only 10 degrees (or many times MUCH colder) outside. Why not do it now when the weather is nicer?
Outside water faucets are also prone to more damage in the winter months. If you are using your spigots right now and notice that they have leaks anywhere, do the repairs now and save trouble later. These spigots can also be insulated for the wintertime. When you have spigot leaks, it can cause you to lose a lot of water over time. This is not good for the planet to waste water and it will not be good for your home either if you get water damage inside your home because of it.
Your local hardware or department store should have the supplies that you need to insulate your outside and inside water sources and pipes to help you get your home winterized.
Simple way to clean a microwave oven
I was amazed to find out that a friend of mine buys the microwave pouches for cleaning her microwave. She has 4 kids and is on a pretty tight budget. There really is no need to add the extra expense to your monthly bills when cleaning the inside of a microwave can be done simply with just plain water!
Seriously!
If you have a microwave with a turntable inside then the first step is to remove it and soak it in a sink of hot, soapy dishwater. While that is soaking. Take a coffee mug or bowl and fill with water. Microwave the water for 2-3 minutes. (It’s okay if it boils all over the place since you will be wiping up the microwave soon.) Do not open the microwave door for 5 minutes, this way the steam can take effect. Wipe clean. If you want you can do a quick mist of your favorite cleaner, but it is not necessary!
Easy and doesn’t hurt the pockebook! 
Spring Cleaning
Wow! Hasn’t this weather been AMAZING in Alaska??? This is the time of year where many of us do Spring Cleaning around our homes so we can get out and play and enjoy our beautiful Alaskan summer! It’s when we go through closets, cupboards and drawers and start getting rid of things we no longer need. It’s also a good time to do a very thorough, deep cleaning of your entire home.
If your time is too valuable to spend cleaning then you should seriously think of hiring a housecleaner to do a Spring Cleaning for you. If you are in the Wasilla area our Cleaning Crew can take care of all your Spring House Cleaning needs. For those of you who have the time and enjoy doing your own Spring Cleaning I thought I’d share with you some tips from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) to ease the burden of Spring Cleaning:
Develop a task list.
Clean carpets, upholstery, draperies and even your mattress.
Clean oven, refrigerator and other appliances.
Clean fireplaces.
Wash inside of windows.
Wash woodwork.
Clean out cupboards and closets.
Change HVAC filters.
Clean efficiently. Avoid going back and forth around a room. Instead, work using a systematic approach. Think in terms of left to right, top to bottom. Begin with ceilings and walls, and work your way down to windows and furniture, finishing with the floors.
Hire cleaning service providers. For those tasks that require a specialist (i.e. carpet, upholstery and hard flooring cleaning), hire only certified professionals. Before hiring anyone, confirm that they are trained and certified in the type of work to be performed, informally interview the company representative or technician, obtain a written estimate of the work to be completed and receive a written contract or invoice confirming the total price and any statements or guarantees.
Hope you find these tips very helpful! Happy Spring Cleaning!!
Palmer, AK Carpet Cleaning Testimonials
“Terrific! I wouldn’t have anyone else ever! The men who come here are always so nice. I’m almost 80 and have diabetes and arthritis, if I need help moving something they are nice enough to help. Value clean, sweet smelling home, feeling good when I have company and not ashamed of my old (1933) Colony home. Excellent in every way.” ~ Sue Ragsdale-Palmer, AK
“First time. Very friendly & professional. Thank you for the customer service. So many businesses forget it exists. Happy with how hard you worked on my bleach spots. With 2 dogs (large ones) & 2 toddlers there is more ’stuff’ on my carpet than I care to know about. It smells great & looks almost brand new.”~Guinness Collins-Palmer, AK
January Thaw in Alaska
It is close to 50 degrees right now! How crazy is that for January???
We have been super busy with taking care of flooded homes. Some were from frozen pipes breaking right after that awful cold spell we just had…and now some are homes we are taking care of are flooding from ground water and all the rain we are getting.
If you or someone you know is experiencing flooding in your home right now there are 4 Immediate Steps you must take.
If you are having water damage in your home TCM Restoration can expertly dry and restore your home & belongings for you. We have expert trained restoration teams ready to go and will get your home back to normal.
Do you have to dust right after dusting?
If you happen to find dust on your furniture shortly after dusting then most likely your home is in need of having duct cleaning. If you find yourself constantly dusting then your ducts are probably full of dust & debris that keeps circulating around and around the house. You could dust everyday but it still won’t help.
The remedy is to get your ducts professionally cleaned! You will still have to dust periodically but it will no longer be an on going battle. Your home will be much healthier too!
Some other reasons you might consider having your ducts cleaned:
1. If someone in your home has asthma or breathing problems.
2. If someone in your home suffers from headaches, sinus problems or nasal congestion at night or in the mornings.
3. If someone smokes inside the home.
4. If you have dogs, cats or other pets.
5. If you notice stale or musty smells when the furnace runs.
6. If it seems like there is not enough air flow through your vents.
If you answered yes to any of the above then it is time to have your ducts cleaned and your home once again healthy.
Clean Area Rug or Buy A New One?
This is a common question we hear some of our customers ask us. It usually is regarding inexpensive rugs. Sometimes the cleaning of one of those rugs is almost equal to what the rug originally cost. Cleaning oriental rugs and other area rugs is a much different cleaning process than regular carpet. It takes more time and a gentler, hands on approach so it will cost more to have it professionally cleaned. If you love your rug and it has sentimental memories to you…. and…. it also goes with the decor of the room…. it is in then well worth it to just have it cleaned. The money, time and effort into finding another rug to match the decor will most likely end up being more.
4 Immediate Steps To Take in a Water Emergency
When water damage occurs, even a few hours can make the difference in saving expensive carpets and furniture. If you are ever in an emergency situation with water running everywhere here are some steps you should take to minimize your losses.
1. AVOID HAZARDS! Be extremely careful of the deadly combination of water and electricity. Also, be cautious of slippery wet carpets and floors. Stay away from Raw Sewage backups, which contain nasty bacteria and can be harmful to your health.
2. STOP THE SOURCE If you haven’t located the source of the water, call us immediately and we will guide you through this (it is very critical to know what to do.) 373-7410 in Wasilla or 562-7410 in Anchorage.
3. TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION! Call THE CARPET MAN 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You will always be answered by friendly staff. No answering machines here! Our dispatchers will have a water damage expert contact you immediately. Call us now! After you call us, were on our way.
4. REMOVE FURNITURE! Wood furniture will cause stains which cannot be removed. Rust stains from metal are difficult to remove and may be permanent. 95% of water damage jobs are restorable, and the 5% which aren’t restored, most are caused by not doing this. So either move furniture that’s even near water or place something under the legs.
If you are ever in the unfortunate predictament of having water damage in your home The Carpet Man can expertly dry and restore your home & belongings for you. We have expert trained restoration teams ready to go 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist you in a water emergency.
