Overuse of fabric softeners can cause clothes to look dingy or feel greasy. Skip softener every few washings.
Ink stains in dryer….
This question was submitted by Tammy;
A pen got into the dryer how do I remove the ink?
Conveniently one of Forum experts had the same thing happen to him not very long ago.
Tools & Techniques:
Clean dry cleaning rags, multi use solvent.
1. First do NOT run the dryer anymore heat absolutely sets ink stains.
2. Using a clean dry cleaning rag wipe as much ink off as possible. If you catch before the heat has set this then you have a chance.
3. In my case there was an extreme amount of ink and I wiped what I could. Next I got progressively more aggressive with my cleaning compounds. I started by using a large towel and poured a mixture of warm water and dish soap on the towel and placed in the drum in an attempt to have some of the ink soak into the towel since there was so much ink. I had marginal success with that, but I was able to get some off and especially where there was a large amount of ink.
4. Then I used a multiuse solvent designed to break down gum, glue, ink etc. (solvents are flammable use caution be sure the dryer is cool, be sure there is very good ventilation when working). Pouring the solvent on my clean dry white cleaning rags I slowly worked on my dryer drum using allot of cleaning rags I was able to remove allot of the ink.
5. The problem I was having was ink under the agitators (usually plastic). The ink on the plastic came off well with the solvent, but ink had pooled under the agitators. I poured a general purpose cleaner along the edge and a fair bit of ink came out. I did not pour the solvent since I did not want to much flammable material to be used.
6. The key was I took my time and used allot of rags always pouring the solvent on them and removing as much ink as possible.
7. Now I had so much ink that I eventually used paint thinner to remove more ink. Now paint thinner is also very flammable so I used with caution. I did not nor would I recommend running the dryer for at least 24 hours, waiting for all the vapour to dissipate first. This is why I did not pour the solvent directly into the drum.
8. Now all this took some time and effort and after it was all done I did not even get 100% of the ink removed only about 70% so I was a little frustrated. After about 24 hours I ran the dryer only on air fluff to be sure there was no vapour. And I washed and dried some work clothes to absorb any ink that may not have come off.
9. It has been a couple months now and it looks like a little more ink has come off but I have seen absolutely no ink on any clothes. To summarize be patient and realize that it probably will not be perfect and you will have to live with some ink stains on your dryer drum but overall it will have no impact on your dryers performance. I will NEVER again forget to remove my pens from my pocket (I hope…) this was one tough job. Good Luck
General Information: How to blot…
General Information: How to blot…
It sounds silly but this cleaning technique is critical to removing many household stains.
Blotting is the act of absorbing a stain with a dry absorbent towel such as a terry towel or even a paper towel (best using white towels so no colors from the towel will run into the carpet or fabric you are blotting.) Blotting immediately after a spill or stain has occurred is the best way to combat stains. Blot by placing the towel over the stain. First fold your towel in quarters so you can flip over the towel a few times to get the maximum absorbency of your towel.
Do’s and Don’ts of stain removal
General Spot Cleaning Tips
DO
Use a clean white, absorbent terry towel.
Blot or tamp the spot.
Pretest the carpet in an inconspicuous area.
Clean the stain from the edge to the center.
Apply cleaner to the towel.
Clean with modest amounts of cleaning solution.
Adhere to product safety and follow instructions.
Remove the stain as soon as it is noticed.
Remove the dirty excess before cleaning.
Use cleaning compounds at lukewarm temperature.
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DON’T
Use a dirty or coloured rag.
Rub, brush or scrape the spot using force.
Pretest the carpet in the middle of the room.
Clean the stain from side to side.
Apply cleaners directly to the stain.
Saturate the spot with cleaners.
Ignore manufacturers instructions.
Ignore the stain or leave it until later.
Wet clean before removing the dry excess.
Apply heat to the stain.
Not all stains can be completely removed, but appearances can be improved.
How to choose a cleaning company
3 Things to Look For When Hiring an Office Cleaning Service
September 22nd, 2009 by www.microsreport.com
The sour economy has wreaked havoc on existing businesses, but it has also spawned a whole generation of brand new business owners. If you are just getting started, and you are ready to move into your new office space, it’s time to start thinking about which you should hire to keep it clean.
A clean working environment is important on three levels: it makes your space a pleasant place to work for employees and staff; it adds legitimacy to your enterprise in the eyes of your customers; it helps preserve the integrity of your furnishings and equipment. Here are three things to look for when hiring an office cleaning service.
1. Experience
There are plenty of fly-by-night janitorial services that may be cheaper, but they could just mean trouble over the long term. Choose an experienced cleaning service with an impeccable record that is also licensed, bonded, and insured.
2. Trained and Certified Staff
You want to be sure that the people who come to your office to do the cleaning have been thoroughly trained in how to work in an office environment safely. Make sure that the service you choose has a training and certification program.
3. Green Cleaning
The service’s methodology and cleaning products should be in line with todays green approach to cleaning. With a wide availability of natural and organic products on the market today, there is simply no excuse for the use of highly toxic chemicals when it comes to everyday cleaning. When your cleaning service uses green-friendly products, your employees and customers will never suffer from allergies and respiratory ailments caused by chemicals.
Follow these three guidelines, and your chances of having a positive experience with your cleaning service will be greatly enhanced.
Sanitize vs Disinfection
Cleaning vs. Sanitizing vs. Disinfecting
There are three levels of cleaning surfaces; these levels are cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting. Cleaning a surface removes visible dust and debris. Cleaning does not remove microscopic organisms cleaning only clears away any visible elements such as dust or dirt. Sanitizing a surface makes that surface sanitary or free of visible dirt contaminants that could affect your health. Sanitizing is meant to reduce the occurrence and growth of bacteria, viruses and fungi. However, it is important to know that it is not meant to kill any of these microorganisms. The final level in the hierarchy is disinfecting. Disinfection is needed if the surface or instrument must be free and clear of all visible and microscopic organisms. Disinfecting a surface will “kill” the microscopic organisms as claimed on the label of a particular product.
Types of Disinfectants
There are thousands of disinfectants on the market and deciding which one to use may seem like a daunting task; however, there is a way to simplify this decision. All disinfectants can be classified into one of five groups based on the active ingredient used when manufacturing the product. 70% isopropyl alcohol is the standard active ingredient and it is widely available. The other active ingredients include phenolic, quaternary ammonium, sodium hypochlorite (or bleach) and peracetic acid. Each of these active ingredients has different levels of effectiveness as well as differences in what they actually kill. Be sure to carefully read the product label and any literature supplied by the manufacturer. It is very important to verify that the product you choose does, in fact, claim to “kill” the bacteria, virus or fungi you are attempting to eliminate. One level of effectiveness that is measured by OSHA is determining the disinfectant is effective against tuberculosis. If a disinfectant is proven effective ones.
Many studies so that phones are dirtier than toilets in most cases, phones are handled so frequently and often less attention is placed on the cleaning of your phone vs. your toilet seat.
Blacklights and bathroom cleaning
If you want be sure your housekeeper is doing a through job when cleaning the washroom you can turn out the light and shine a black-light around the toilet. The black light bulbs use long wave, ultraviolet light to illuminate substances practically invisible under ordinary light. The uric acid in urine glows brightly under black-light and can identify a superficial cleaning of the toilet, toilet bowl, or area around the toilets including the walls and floor. uric acid is the final oxidation (breakdown) product of purine metabolism and is excreted in urine.
You can also use a black-light to find urine spots from cats or dogs that are hard to find and are the cause odor issues due to the fact you cant find the stains once they have dried etc. I have found this useful as my pets have aged and have had accidents during the day that I have not been aware of etc.
Spring cleaning ideas
When spring cleaning or cleaning in general break down your tasks into small pieces. Start with one room or even a small section of one room. This way you can can see the progress and are not discouraged if distracted from the task. Start with cleaning just the washroom or one part of the washroom, like the mirror and sink. Seeing one part completely clean will encourage you to get back to the task of finishing if motivation is an issue. A quick tip for cleaning the washroom is to clean all the bright work first, mirrors, faucets, handles, shower heads etc. then tackle the heavy cleaning like sink, toilets, tub etc. finish with the floors.
Running Shoes
I normally throw my running shoes in the washer with my towels, I stuff the laces in the shoes and then air dry in my laundry room (which warmer than anywhere else in my house). I know most don’t recommend this because they say it shortens the life of the shoes. However my theory is my quality of life if not my life itself will be shorter if I have hand wash my or my kids shoes. I even recently washed my sons Nike hi-tops in the wash with great success.
If you want to try by hand if you have the time or inclination use a soft brush and use some of the tips listed below:
Prepare a solution of water and a neutral cleaner (such as liquid dish-washing detergent or use laundry soap and water mixture).
Remove laces and inserts and rinse the shoes with water inside and out.
Use a soft brush and the cleaning solution to scrub every part of both shoes, including liners and insoles.
Remove scuff marks with a white nylon-backed scrub pad.
Rinse the shoes thoroughly with water.
Stuff the shoes with paper (not newspaper the ink will run and make a mess) to absorb excess water and to help the shoes keep their shape. Allow them to drip-dry.
Wash the laces in a load of laundry. Allow the inserts to air out, and apply baking soda to them if they’re smelly.
Replace the inserts and laces after the shoes dry completely.
Apply white cream shoe polish to white leather and black polish to black leather parts.
Keeping clean and organized
The number one thing you can do to keep clean and organized is to have a spot for everything. My daughter is famous in our house for leaving her shoes in random locations, after millions of requests (hyperbole for effect) over a long period of time I bought a giant shoe shelf(5 feet tall) for the mud room. I have seen an improvement in the random shoes around the house. Invest the time to figure out the place for everything, shirts hanging in the closet, sock drawer, athletic clothes drawer etc. Its helps reduce the constant “Mom!!! wheres my _____________?”
I also invested in shallow tupperware containers to slide under the bed, so I can have more places to put stuff. Knowing where the cleaning stuff for example also helps. As my kids have gotten older I can just tell them to clean up the spill they created because they know the precise location for everything. I wonder how my mother managed because she did everything for me, I never had to lift a finger. I guess I went the opposite way, I must be very lazy because I try to have a system that lets my family figure it out. Hopefully in the long run it helps them run an efficient home so they can spend more time doing fun stuff in life.
