Common Cleaning Mistakes You’re Making

You have probably been cleaning up stains for years. Heck, now you consider yourself to be a pro at spot removal! But have you been cleaning up your spills and stains correctly? Just because a stain has disappeared doesn’t mean it’s totally gone. Here are some common cleaning mistakes you might be making.

Scrubbing Spills

The number one rule for cleaning stains out of your carpet is to blot the stain, NOT scrub! Scrubbing stains in your carpet will only cause more long term damage. When you scrub your carpet the carpet fibers actually start to untwist. This causes the pile to become distorted. Once the carpet fibers have become untwisted, the damage cannot be undone or repaired. The best way to remove a stain is to gently blot the stain with a clean white cloth. Once you have soaked up as much of the stain as you can, treat the stain with Langenwalter’s spot remover and continue to gently blot the stain with a new, clean, white cloth. If the stain is super stubborn, don’t apply more pressure. Call Langenwalter to schedule an appointment to have your carpet professionally cleaned.

Not Every Cleaner is a Disinfectant

Not all cleaning products are created equally. That being said, not every cleaning product doubles as a disinfectant. Your countertops, sinks, doorknobs and bathtubs all need to be cleaned with products that are also disinfectants. It’s that time of year when you or your family members can easily pick up the flu or a cold from work or school. Using cleaning products that have disinfecting qualities will help keep your family healthy and your home clean. Make sure to read product labels before buying. Also, most disinfecting cleaners need to sit on the surface you are cleaning for a certain amount of time. If you’re spraying the cleaner onto the surface and immediately wiping it off, you’re not disinfecting the surface at all. FYI, do not use disinfectants on your carpet. If you’re out of our spot remover and don’t have time to come in for a free refill, use a water and vinegar mix. A disinfectant cleaner could permanently damage your carpet.

You’re Using Too Much Product

Remember the phrase less is more? Well, it definitely applies to cleaning products. It can be tempting to drown stains with cleaning products because you want to make sure you get the stain out the first time, but that’s not the right mindset to have when cleaning. When you use a lot of product you end up just wasting it. Using more product than necessary can also create buildup over time, which results in an even bigger mess. Stick to the directions on the label. You will end up saving money and cleaning product.

We are all prone to making mistakes. No one is perfect, not even professionals. But now that you’re aware of some of the common cleaning mistakes you might be making, you can fix them! Do you still have some stains you just can’t seem to fix no matter how hard you try? Give Langenwalter a call at 317-876-9944 or visit our website to schedule your next appointment!