Carpets and upholstered furniture will not age gracefully if not maintained properly. Tracking soil in your home from outdoors is the biggest problem because it is carried throughout the house. If you can keep tracked-in soil to a minimum, you can reduce the dirt build-up and decrease the frequency of periodic professional cleanings. We recommend the following helpful hints to reduce the "aged look," keeping your carpets looking clean and fresh longer.

We always recommend using entry mats/rugs that collect and absorb soil and moisture. Mats and Rugs should always be adjacent to high-traffic areas and entryways. (It is not recommended to lay a mat directly on the carpet). Rugs and Entry mats should be vacuumed, shaken, and cleaned on a weekly basis.

Routine vacuuming with properly maintained equipment is the most important step you can take to extend the life and appearance of your carpet. Use a top-fill vacuum with an agitation brush system OR a canister with a "power head" with a brush agitation system. Soil should be collected in the vacuum recovery system (to avoid re-entry into the air, which can contribute to indoor air pollution). Ensure you always use a bag in your vacuum, or if the unit is bagless, ensure it has a high-efficiency HEPA filtration system.

How often should carpets be vacuumed?

• Light traffic area: Vacuum at least twice a week.
• Moderate traffic area: Vacuum at least 3-4 times per week.
• Heavy traffic area: Vacuum daily.

Typical Traffic Patterns:

• Hallways and Stairways: Heavy Traffic
• Living Areas: Moderate Traffic
• Bedrooms: Light Traffic

Sprinkle baking soda on the carpet is one of my cleaning home tips. Leave it overnight to allow time for it to work. The following day vacuum up the baking soda. This should remove most of the carpet smell. If this does not work, have your carpet professionally cleaned and deodorized.

Read all labels and tags carefully. Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations for the proper care and maintenance of your upholstered furniture. Always re-apply 3M Scotchgard to your furniture after a professional cleaning. This will extend the beauty and useful life. Make sure you only hire trained professionals with experience with different fabric types. (Ex: Haitian cotton, leather, linen, etc.)

Wet Stain: Blot the area with a white cloth or paper towel.

Dry Stain: Scoop up the loose material and vacuum any residual particles.

Always test the cleaning solution in an inconspicuous area to determine if discoloration will occur.

Never rub, scrub, or brush the area being cleaned.

Work from the outside to the center of the stain to prevent the spreading of the stain.

Always allow the area to dry thoroughly.

Sometimes the stain persists even when you think it is gone and may re-appear. This is called "wicking." Groom the cleaned area by hand brushing or vacuuming to restore the pile's original appearance.

Too many times, our office staff hears customers say, "I used an over-the-counter or oxygenated product to try to get the stain out before you came...". Because of science and pH levels, over-the-counter products and stains/spills often react, permanently setting the stain in. AMERICA'S BEST DOES NOT RECOMMEND ANY OVER THE COUNTER PRODUCTS UNLESS THEY ARE ALL NATURAL AND NEUTRALLY pH BALANCED. We sell an all-natural, inexpensive product, Home Pro Spotter, to help you touch up those spills and stains between cleanings.

It can be difficult to get out when you get kool aid stains on the carpet. The color soaks into the fibers of the carpet. Club soda is a great emergency spotter. It is great for cleaning up spills on carpets. It is important to act quickly, to prevent the spill from becoming a stain. Pour club soda on the Kool-Aid stains and blot with paper towels until all the color is removed. Soak the stain well with the club soda. The carbonation in club soda brings the spill to the surface so that you can blot it up and prevent carpet staining. Blot dry with paper towels.

Hydrogen peroxide is also a good choice for removing carpet stains. Pour 3 percent hydrogen peroxide on the spot. Wait 30 minutes and blot up with paper towels.

Rinse with 1/4 cup of white vinegar mixed with 1 quart of water. Blot with paper towels. Rinse again with clean water and blot dry. Always test in an area not seen before you clean the stain.

Freeze with a bag of ice, then chip up all you can. How did gum get on the carpet, you may ask? Well, you can always blame the kids! 

• Place ice cubes in a bag and seal it closed.
• Put the bag of ice on the chewing gum.
• Wait about 30 minutes until the gum freezes solid.
• Break the gum into pieces.
• Remove the pieces from the carpet.

Lemon juice or a citrus cleaner will break down the stickiness of the gum and make it easier to remove.

Mustard stains are one of the toughest stains to clean. It has dyes in it that soak deep into the carpet fibers. First, scrape away as much excess mustard as possible. Mix 1/4 teaspoon of dishwashing detergent solution and 1/2 cup of warm water.

Blot the stain with the solution using a clean towel. Blot dry using a towel or paper towel. If all of the stains do not come out, try blotting with a mixture of one part vinegar and two parts water. Rinse with clean water, and blot dry with paper towels. Do not use laundry detergent because it contains ingredients that may bleach carpet colors. Before using any cleaning solution, test it in an area of carpet that will not be seen.

Rinse each cleaning mixture with clean water before using the next one. Mixing different chemicals can be dangerous. Always read the labels on any product that you are using.

Hot coffee is like brown dye on the carpet, so pour on some club soda and blot. Then spray with white vinegar and let dry. Blot the area well so it dries fast.

Spray on hair spray or blot with rubbing alcohol.

It may require opening a new bottle of wine, white wine, that is, and pouring it on the red stain. Follow with club soda and blot dry.

How do you remove wax from the carpet without ruining it? Once it gets hardened into your carpeting, you may believe that the best way to fix the problem is to rip up the carpet and buy a new one, but there is an easy fix to the problem. To remove candle spills from your carpet, put ice in a plastic bag and lay it over the top. Allow it to freeze. Chip off as much as you can. Next, lay a brown paper bag on top and press with a medium iron. Move the paper as it absorbs so you don't redeposit and stain the carpet. Have patience and continue until it melts into the brown paper bag. Use new brown paper bags until they are not absorbing stains anymore.

The enemies of carpets are dirt and stains. Dirt is unattractive, and it causes premature wear. Stains look bad, and they attract dirt.

Is there a way to remove the smoke odor from the carpet? If you are not a smoker, the odor left behind in the carpet by a smoker can be too much to take. This is why smoking is banned in most hotels. The smokey carpet smell lingers and is difficult to remove. The same thing happens in your home when you smoke. You may not notice the smell when you live there, but everyone else will immediately notice it. Smoke not only causes an unpleasant odor but also causes indoor pollution.

Indoor air is many times more polluted than outdoor air. Dirt and dust are tracked into your home by people and pets. Air ducts circulate the same air around the house. If air ducts are not regularly cleaned, this can be a problem. Indoor pollution can cause headaches and fatigue. It can also cause coughing and sneezing. Masking the smell with air fresheners will not work.

DO'S

• If the temperature outside is above 60 degrees, use dehumidifiers if available.
• Use a fan to circulate the air and assist in drying.
• Remove as much water as possible by mopping or blotting.
• Wipe furniture dry.
• Lift drapery off the carpets.
• Prop up wet furniture cushions for even drying.
• Open furniture, drawers, and closet doors to enhance drying.
• Move photos, paintings, and art objects to a dry location.
• Remove wet fabric and dry them ASAP. Hang furs and leather goods to dry separately at room temperature.
• If damage occurs during a cool season, leave the heat on; if in the summer, use an air conditioner when available.

DON'TS

• Do not use a household vacuum to remove water.
• Do not use electrical appliances while on wet carpets or floors.
• Do not lift the tacked-down carpet without professional help. Incorrect lifting could promote shrinkage.
• Do not go into rooms with standing water if the electricity is on. Shut off the power ASAP.
• Do not wait to call for professional help. Waiting could cause further damage. Damage from water and bacteria growth could begin within hours.

RULE #1 - If in doubt, don't apply any cleaner or cleaning technique to your tile and grout. Some mistakes can be irreversible, always check the labels on the product you are considering. Then test in an inconspicuous area to see if there will be any effects the cleaning process or product(s) may have on your tile and grout.

Immediately wipe up spills and messes. Use pH-balanced cleaners and soap-less detergents for daily cleaning. Agitate grout joints with a soft-bristled brush to loosen debris. Thoroughly rinse, dry, and polish cleaned areas.

Acidic cleaners will eventually erode the joint grout, making cleaning and maintenance more and more problematic. This is especially true if using acidic cleaners on sanded grout installations. This is due to the tendency of the acids to eat away the smaller aggregates first, leaving the larger stain attracting aggregates in their place.

Grout haze is grout residue left on the tile face. This haze can often be cleaned off using a scouring pad and water. The next progression would be a scouring cleanser or poultice and pad.

• When water leaks or spills occur indoors, ACT QUICKLY!
• If wet or damp materials or areas are dried 24-48 hours after the leak or spill, mold will not grow in MOST CASES. If you already see mold or have an ongoing water problem, bring this to our attention immediately so we can give you the proper advice or treatments.
• Clean and repair roof gutters regularly.
• Ensure the ground slopes away from your building foundation so water does not enter or collect around the foundation.
• Keep air conditioner drip pans clean and drain lines unobstructed and flowing properly.
• Keep your indoor humidity low. We recommend below 60% relative humidity. Relative humidity can be measured with a moisture meter or humidity meter.
• If you see condensation or moisture collecting on windows, pipes, or walls, ACT QUICKLY to fix the problem.

Chlorine (bleach) reacts by "adding" chlorine atoms. This can create trichloromethanes residue (food for mold) and dioxins (Any of several toxic or carcinogenic hydrocarbons that occur as impurities in herbicides), both known to be powerful carcinogens. What this means to you is to kill any biological contaminates; the chlorine concentration (bleach) would be so high it could have adverse health effects or be potentially deadly.

In conclusion, chlorine bleach has been widely accepted as a cleaner in various areas of your home for many years. It is still good to use when washing your clothes and dishes or in your bathroom. Remember that you are constantly rinsing these areas or items to avoid harmful effects from their reactions.

An industry standard does not recognize chlorine as a good agent for eliminating biological contaminants such as mold and mildew. We highly recommend you do not use bleach as an agent to try to eliminate mold and mildew in your home after your home has been affected by these biological contaminates.