Caring for Your Carpet During a Shelter-In-Place Order

Having a clean home has never been more important given our current circumstances. While some home cleaning tasks can be straight forward like doing dishes or laundry, other tasks like carpet care can be more daunting. Here are some tips on caring for your carpet while your home is your work/daycare/gym/oasis/etc.

  1. Vacuum regularly. Under normal circumstances it’s recommended that you vacuum at least once a week, or twice a week if you have children or pets in the home. However, given the amount of time we are all spending at home, vacuuming every other day or even daily would be beneficial. Vacuuming reduces the amount of dry soil in your carpet, which causes wear and can be very unhealthy. Don’t forget to change the filter and empty the bag when it’s ⅔ full.

  2. Make new house rules. If you don’t already remove your shoes before entering the home, now is a great time to start - this will help avoid tracking in all kinds of unwelcome visitors (think: bacteria, etc.) into the home and onto your carpet. 

  3. Avoid over-the-counter home carpet spotters. Many carpet spotters available at the store cause permanent color loss, which you may not notice until the time of your next professional cleaning when the color loss will be evident. We provide a home spotter we recommend with every cleaning appointment and are happy to provide you with another if you run out before we see you again.

  4. Clean up spills right away. Time is of the essence when it comes to preventing permanent stains. Be sure to use a clean, white towel to absorb as much of the liquid as possible before treating it. 

  5. Keep the bleach away from the carpet. If you are using a bleach solution to disinfect your home, be sure to keep it off the carpet as bleach causes permanent color loss. 

If you have any questions about the care of your carpet or would like to schedule a professional cleaning, we are here for you.

Caring for Home While Under.png

Fabric Protection Part 2

Save money on carpet replacement! Professional textile protection application extends the life of the carpet, lengthening the use of your purchase. Fabric protector creates a barrier on the surface of the fiber that resists and repels dry soil, which enables you to vacuum up the particles before they have a chance to become deeply embedded. It also gives you time to clean up substances that can stain, like coffee and wine. It doesn't keep your carpet from getting dirty (it's not a miracle worker), but it helps you to maintain your carpet so it can have a longer life.

fabric protect (milk 2).png

Positive Things About a Shelter-in-Place Order

There’s no doubt that the outbreak of COVID-19 has caused/is causing horrific things and negatively affecting the lives and livelihood of everyone everywhere. Our hearts go out to everyone directly affected by the virus and we are so grateful to the hardworking doctors, nurses, and other people who are fighting this on the front lines while putting themselves at risk in the process. While there’s a ton of negative things to be said about what’s going on, we’ve put together a lighthearted list of positive things about this unique time we’re all going through. 

  • No need for excuses- You won’t have to make up excuses as to why you can’t make a dinner, party, or another social gathering. There’s no need to generate ideas on how you’re going to be sick that day (one month in advance), you have another commitment, etc. 

  • Knowing what you really need- You’ll finally have the opportunity to see what you need and what you don’t. If after all of this you haven’t touched some of the books on your bookshelf, it’s probably a sign that you don’t need them and can let them go.

  • Quality family time- It’s not very often (ever in most of our lifetimes) that almost everything in life is cancelled and we have the time to spend with our loved ones. Cherish it!

  • Time- Time itself is a gift. While not all of us have the next who-knows-how-long off, if we have time on our hands, that is something very rare. Great inventions and ideas have come from people who took the time to dream or observe things. If you find yourself with a lot of time, use it wisely and you may find yourself in the history books as the next Thomas Edison (or insert historical character you aspire to be here).

  • Becoming more resourceful- With the widespread temporary business closures, now is a great opportunity to use things that you may have considered junk just a week ago. Reusing things isn’t just economical, it’s great for the environment as well.

  • Learning a new skill- There’s never been a better time to learn something new! There’s tons of online classes and how-to videos so you can learn new things. 

  • Living a cleaner life- The importance of cleanliness couldn’t be stressed more than it already has so now is a prime time to make our home healthier with a deep cleaning. If you don’t know where to start, try searching for tips on Pinterest. If you need professional help, it is still available. 

  • Outdoor time- As of the time of writing this article, we are still permitted to go outdoors for running, hiking, or walking as long as we maintain social distancing. We live in a beautiful place to live so why not get outside and enjoy it? 

  • Time to exercise- There are many local gyms offering online workouts you can do from home. Join the party!

  • Appreciate nature- If you have a window, open it and listen to the birds chirping. There’s a lot of beauty in nature that you can observe from the comfort of your own home. 

This wasn’t meant to be a comprehensive list of everything positive about this situation so we know there’s a lot we missed. Why not take the time to write out some of the positive things you have found about this situation? Dwelling on the good can make us much more equipped to deal with our current situation, whatever that is.

Positive thoughts.png

Things to Do While Social Distancing

If you’re not sure what to do with yourself while social distancing, you’re not alone. Here are a few suggestions of things you can do during these interesting times.

  1. Watch this year’s Academy Award winning movies. If those aren’t your cup of tea, perhaps it's time to re-watch some old favorites.

  2. Work on those house projects you haven’t had the time for.

  3. Organize your closet and say goodbye to clothes you don’t wear anymore.

  4. Catch up on your reading list! If those seminar books that you’ve been saving all these years still don’t appeal, it might be time to let them go.

  5. Play games! Blow the dust off those board games or break out that old video game console. Time to set a new high score on Tetris!

  6. Play a musical instrument. If you have one laying around the house, why not give it another go?

  7. Protect your mind (and your sanity!) by limiting your time on social media, reading news articles, or any other type of contact that could unnecessarily raise your anxiety levels.

  8. Connect with loved ones! Send a text message or make a phone call to someone you care about.

  9. Exercise! You can work out in the comfort of your own home. Some local gyms, like Gymnazo, are offering programs to help you keep up with your fitness while limiting contact with others.

  10. Go outside! Take a walk (bonus points from your dog for this one!). Sit in the sun. Just because you’re supposed to keep distance between yourself and others doesn’t mean you can’t get some fresh air in the meantime.

  11. Take a drive! With all this rain we’re getting, the wildflowers are blooming and it’s an especially beautiful time here in SLO County.

  12. Learn something new. Google Digital Garage and other online learning sites like Khan Academy offer opportunities to learn new things.

  13. Time to be your cleaner self! There’s never been a more important time to maintain a clean home and to regularly disinfect the hard surfaces and commonly touched places (remotes, light switches, counters, drawer pulls, etc.). If you could use some professional help with your carpet and/or upholstery, let us know as we offer contact-less cleaning appointments.

  14. Keep it positive! There’s a lot of negativity in the world at the moment. A positive attitude can go a long way to keeping up your spirits and others!

Things to Do While Social Distancing.png

Choosing Cat Friendly Upholstery

For cat people, it can be a challenge to find upholstery that will work the best for both you and your cat. Here are a few tips for finding the best upholstery for your lifestyle with your beloved cat. Leather Upholstery: Leather may seem like a good choice at first glance. It is easy to wipe fur off and if dealt with quickly, vomit and urine can be cleaned off. However, if your cat is in a scratchy mood, the leather will not be any hindrance whatsoever. Leather punctures easily and it will eventually cause it to tear. Metal Frames: Cats can't stick their claws into metal so it's not fun for them to scratch. This makes it a great alternative to wood, which can be prime scratching material. Microfiber Fabric: The best type of fabric to have on furniture in a cat friendly home is microfiber. Microfiber fabric is made of minuscule fibers that come together to create a lightweight and water resistant material. The density that these super-fine fibers creates gives the furniture a better chance of surviving if a cat decides to use it for a scratching post. Helpful Tip: Scratching posts, cat toys, and carpeted cat trees are helpful distractions to have around the house as an added deterrent to the upholstery. If your upholstery could use some TLC, let us know. We can help!

cat and people friendly upholstery.png