A Resource of Helpful Cleaning Tips
General Information:
Keep high chairs clean by wiping them with mild detergent and a soft cloth or sponge after every use.
Occasionally, for obvious health reasons, give the chair a more thorough cleaning and afterwards a good wipe down with a mild bleach solution to kill germs. Mix a 1:20 parts water, let sit for a few minutes and rinse with a clean cloth and water.
This question was submitted from E.S.E.
“How do I remove HUMAN URINE SMELL from upholstery?”
Urine removal can be a very tricky business from absorbent materials such as carpet and upholstery. I have seen many carpets & upholstered pieces, that have become urine contaminated, cause the occupant much grief in their attempts in trying to rid the area of the offensive odor.
Urine contains salts that act as a desiccant. That is to say, it can attract and hold moisture better than most materials. If you pass a moisture meter over a urine infected area, even if it has been left to dry for months, you will find that the area where there is urine will have a much higher moisture content in relationship to the surrounding unaffected area.
This is the reason urine odor is stronger when the humidity in the air is elevated (rain outside, shower running etc). This ability to attract and retain high moisture in fabric creates ideal conditions for bacterial, viral and mould growths. Removing urine salts from your living area is strongly recommended from health and indoor air quality perspectives.
Try these techniques :
If the upholstery is of covered with a non-absorbent material cleaning it with household cleaners should readily take care of the problem.
If the upholstery is of covered with an absorbent material with a non-absorbent barrier between the exterior fabric and the foam than having the upholstery professionally cleaned or steam cleaning the upholstery yourself should take care of the problem.
If there is no barrier between the fabric and the foam, than the urine would have saturated beyond the surface fabric into the foam. Surface cleaning the exterior fabric will not remove the salts in the foam.
As an example, if this were carpet we would be pulling the carpet back, treating the back of the carpet, replacing the under pad and treating the sub-floor, as well as clean the face of the carpet. If the urine contamination has gone past the face fibres of the carpet into the carpet back and under pad, cleaning the carpet fibres will not solve the problem. Applying deodorants to the carpet face will only add a scent to the odor but will not eliminate it.
Unless there is a way for you to remove the urine infected materials from inside the upholstery and thoroughly cleaning the inside structure of the upholstery I would suggest you throw it away and get a new one.
This question was submitted from Dan
“I have a wood table that is stained and sealed. It has white marks from where a hot pan was set on it. How do I get the stain off my brand new table ? ”
I wish I had good news for you as to a cleaning solution to your problem. Unfortunately, the issue you are dealing with is not going to be remedied by cleaning. I’m fairly certain that your table has been finished with some form of varnish or lacquer, and it sounds like the hot pan placed on your table has burned right into the finish and has left a permanent mark in it. If the pan was exceptionally hot, it may have also burned right down to the wood leaving you with a mark that will only be removed by sanding. Your degree of success and the end result will be governed by the depth of the burn.
There really isn’t a quick fix to this problem, the only remedy is to look at the possibility of refinishing the table. This would involve removing all the old finish with a stripping chemical and applying new finish to obtain the best result. There are other ways to treat areas such as these, but once again, that would depend upon how deep the burned area has penetrated into the finish or wood, as well as how adept you are at refinishing. This is not a project I would recommend you tackle if you have not had previous experience.
If you are familiar with finishing methods, you might try to go over the stained area with some very fine steel wool or very fine wet and dry sand paper. Remember to always sand in the direction of the wood grain. The steel wool or sand paper would be used in combination with a good quality oil finish, such as Danish oil Swedish oil, or Scandinavian oil etc.. The difficulty and real danger here is that most modern furniture, specifically table tops, are usually some form of plywood covered in an extremely thin wood veneer. At times the finish coat of varnish is actually thicker than the wood veneer. There is a real danger if you get too heavy handed with your sand paper or steel wool you will not only remove the finish, you will remove the veneer and ruin your table. Additionally, this method usually results in removing the finish and lightening the colour of the wood stain over the affected area, leaving an off coloured spot where the offending stain or burn was.
You might also look into trying a cut polishing compound, such as the type used in the automotive industry. Once again though, the same dangers will apply as I have mentioned above.
The best recommendation I can give you is to look up a professional familiar with wood restoration and finishing.
If you are working with crazy glue and you get it on your skin or even anywhere else you don’t want it, just use some nail polish remover or Acetone and it will clean up with ease.
General Info:
Expanding Foam comes in an aresol can, which reacts to air when it is sprayed, expanding and hardening into a solid foam. This product is most commonly used for form fitting unusual shaped objects for shipping, filling cracks in exterior walls for insulation and to prevent access by pests
Tools & Chemicals:
Acetone, an old rag, pecut strips of cardboard or small pieces of wood, tools.
Technique:
This question was submitted from Mark D.
“How can I remove a strong fish smell from an older freezer?”
Try these techniques :
If you are continuing to use the freezer place a box of baking soda in the freezer, which absorbs odors well. There are also odor absorbing blocks which can be purchased at most dept. stores which are also effective.
If you can empty the freezer you should clean down the inside with an enzyme based cleaner which will work to neutralize the smell. Enzyme based cleaners and deodorizer can be purchased at any janitorial supply store.
General Information :
After a flood occurs, quick action can avert a lot of damage. If possible, shut off the source of water. Next, raise any furniture out of the affected area. If the flooding has stopped, use a wet vacuum to remove as much water as possible. At this point, using fans and/or dehumidifiers will hasten the drying process.
Tools & Technique :
Often carpets and drywall will need to be replaced completely, especially if the water is the result of a sewer back up. Contaminents and bacteria in sewer water can pose a serious health risk. If in doubt, dispose of the carpet and cut the dry wall above the waterline. For concrete and other hard surfaces, clean and disinfect completely. We suggest you use a true professional grade disinfectant cleaner available at janitorial supply houses.
Notes of Caution:
Always wear rubber boots and gloves. Also be very cautious when dealing with electric devices. Unplug using a wood pole.
General Information :
Keeping your furnace clean will improve its performance, cut your heating costs, keep up your indoor air quality and even extend its useful life.
Tools & Technique :
Generally, maintaining your furnace consists of changing the filter regularly and keeping heating vents open and free flowing.
Change the filter, at least twice a year. Follow the manufactures recommended procedure. It is usually a very simple job.
Dust and/or vacuum the vents as part of your regular schedule. Occasionally, remove the vent, if possible, and clean up any accumulations of dust, lint, etc.
Have your furnace serviced regularly. Follow your manufacturers recommendations.
Brick is a very porous material. Many paints and coatings “soak in” to brick or concrete, and this can make them difficult to remove. If the paint is primarily on the surface, a good scrubbing with a mildly acidic cleaner works best. But if the paint has penetrated, you will have to do a heavy etching with muriatic acid to remove it. Working with Muriatic acid can be dangerous so make sure you read all the instructions so you don’t hurt yourself or the bricks.
There are some specialized coating removers that come in a paste form that work well for this type of application, but they are not widely available at this point in time. The Hydrostrip line from ICI or a product called Masonry Strip available from Napier Environmental Technologies are the products to look for. They are also sold under the Biowash.com brand name found in paint stores like Sherwin Williams, Cloverdale Paint, and major home centers like Home Depot etc. check www.Biowash.com for a 1-800 to locate the product near you.
General Information:
Urine should be cleaned using the water Based Stains Cleaning Method.
Tools & chemicals:
neutral pH low residue spotter, terry towels, water
Technique:
Using a terry towel soak or blot as much of the urine as possible. If the stain is fresh most of the urine can be soaked up this way, be sure you have lots of towels and always use a completly dry side of the towel to soak or blot. Now using a neutral pH low residue spotter, apply a small amount, blot and repeat until the stain is removed. An alternative is to mix 1 tsp. of neutral pH liquid detergent (dish washing or fine fabric detergent that does not contain any bleach ) into 1 cup of warm water. Tamp, do not scrub as this may distort the texture of of the pile. Cover with a white terry towel and press down repeatedly. If the spot or stain turns brownish when dry, mix 1:2 white vinegar and water. Apply a small amount and blot. Repeat only once.
General Information:
Urine should be cleaned using the water Based Stains Cleaning Method.
Tools & chemicals:
neutral pH low residue spotter, terry towels, water
Technique:
Using a terry towel soak or blot as much of the urine as possible. If the stain is fresh most of the urine can be soaked up this way, be sure you have lots of towels and always use a completly dry side of the towel to soak or blot. Now using a neutral pH low residue spotter, apply a small amount, blot and repeat until the stain is removed. An alternative is to mix 1 tsp. of neutral pH liquid detergent (dish washing or fine fabric detergent that does not contain any bleach ) into 1 cup of warm water. Tamp, do not scrub as this may distort the texture of of the pile. Cover with a white terry towel and press down repeatedly. If the spot or stain turns brownish when dry, mix 1:2 white vinegar and water. Apply a small amount and blot. Repeat only once.
