Happy Father’s Day

In the late 1800’s, a baby girl, Sonora Smart, was born.  Unfortunately, her mother died giving birth to her. The usual practice was to send such a child off to relatives who would care for her. But Sonora’s father, William, chose to keep her close to home, raising the little girl along with her five siblings alone on a farm in eastern Washington.

Sonora grew up and married, becoming Sonora Smart Dodd. One day in 1909, she was sitting in church listening to a Mother’s Day sermon. Thinking that her father deserved the same recognition as any mother did, she began an effort to designate a special day for fathers. The first Father’s Day observance was held the following year in Spokane, Washington.  She chose the month of June, the month of her father’s birthday.

Within 15 years, this custom had spread across the country. In 1924, Calvin Coolidge issued the first presidential proclamation in support of Father’s Day.  President Richard Nixon made it a permanent designation in 1972. The third Sunday in June has become a National Day of Observance in honor of fathers everywhere. One woman’s love for her father has inspired millions to honor their fathers as well.

For customers new and established… we offer you this SPECIAL REPORT.

Problem! Cleaning Raw Plant Material

Jute, sisal, sea grass, coir, and hemp are names associated with floor coverings made from raw plant material. Ranging from mats to wall-to-wall, some with backings, some without, this type of material is in a very raw state. Therefore, an understanding of how the fibers react to every day soiling and how they respond to cleaning is very helpful.

One of the unique characteristics of this type of floor-covering material is the tendency to develop mysterious dark spots when cleaned, regardless of the method used. Generally, efforts to bring a “worn” sisal back to its original state are a lost cause. Also, sisal stains very easily. One of the best things to do is have it protected with a solvent-based fabric protector, providing some resistance against spots that result from any type of spillage. In addition to developing dark spots, sisal may also “lighten” when cleaned. The best way to clean plant material is with a low-moisture approach. The bottom line is that these products are not very spillage, traffic, or cleaning friendly. However, you can’t beat the look.

Place this type of floor covering in non-traffic, non-spillage areas to prevent over use. Have a light, maintenance cleaning done about once a year to remove surface soils, pollen, asphalt, exhaust, and other foreign matter that finds its way into our homes.

A final note about sisal: some wool carpets come in a “sisal style.” These products are made to look like sisal, but are actually an entirely different material.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Due to the natural characteristics of these types of materials our company requires a written consent before proceeding with cleaning.

Exercising Safely in Warmer Weather
If you enjoy exercising outdoors, there is no reason to give it up when the weatherman is predicting a heat wave. You do, however, have to take some precautions. Follow these guidelines when exercising this summer.

You should acclimate your body to increases in temperature gradually. Cut back on your regular routine and then gradually increase the amount of exercise you do over the next few weeks. It is not safe
to exercise during extreme heat and/or humidity. Try to avoid the hottest part of the day, generally from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Wear light colored, loose fitting, cotton clothing. Wear a hat and use sunscreen to protect you from sunburn. Be very aware of the dangers of dehydration. You should drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise in warm weather. Your body can lose up to a quart of water an hour. It is possible to over-hydrate, so don’t overload your body on fluids. But you will need about one to two cups of fluid every 20 to 30 minutes of exercise, depending on the heat and your level of activity.

If you begin to feel weak, dizzy, or nauseous, you may have the first signs of heat exhaustion. You may also get a headache, notice that sweating stops, or feel overheated. At the first sign of any of these  symptoms, stop exercising, move to a cooler location, and drink some water. If the symptoms persist, see a doctor immediately.

For customers new and established… we offer you this SPECIAL REPORT.

Problem! Ugly Black Lines Along My Baseboards and Under My Doors

If you have light-colored carpet, you may have experienced dark lines that appear on the carpet. This soiling is called filtration soiling because it comes from air passing through the carpet as it is attempting to get through the crack between the carpet and the baseboard.

As the air passes through the edge of the carpet pile, microscopic soiling is deposited there (hence the term filtration soiling.) This occurs over a significant period of time and is not noticed until a buildup has occurred.

This type of soiling is difficult to remove because the soil particles are so fine that they penetrate deep into the carpet pile, even sometimes into the backing of the carpet. Can filtration soiling be removed? Sometimes. With special products, time, and effort, reasonable results can be achieved.

To help prevent filtration soiling, vacuum and wipe the edges of the carpeting on a regular basis. Be careful around the tack-strip on the edge of the carpeting; it could nick your fingers!

How to Make Cleaning as Easy as “Pie”

We have all sorts of materials in our homes. Wood, glass, tile, metal, carpet, fabrics, stone, plastics and more. They all have one thing in common. Sooner or later, they all need to be cleaned.  Fortunately, even with so many materials, there are only four basic principles you need to know in order to clean any of them. Don’t shout it out… C.H.A.T. it out!  The basic principles of cleaning can be easily remembered by the acronym, C.H.A.T. The four letters stand for Chemical, Heat, Agitation and Time. Proper application of these four principles is important for effective cleaning.

Chemical
The word chemical doesn’t always mean toxic; technically, even water is a chemical. Everyone uses soap to wash themselves, shampoo to clean their hair and various detergents to clean the dishes they eat on,  and the clothes they wear. All of these cleaning agents are chemicals, and properly used, they are harmless.

There are different cleaning agents designed to remove a variety of soils from all kinds of  surfaces. A product designed to work on tile and grout floors would likely damage carpet or wood. A wood cleaner would not do an adequate job of cleaning glass. To work well the right chemicals must be matched to surface and suitable for the soil that you are trying to remove.

Heat
Hot water cleans better than cold water. In situations where it is safe to do so, adding heat to your  cleaning solution will increase chemical effectiveness, and decrease overall cleaning time. When you are dealing with heavily soiled surfaces, heat is especially helpful. Grease and oil are broken down by heat, so using hot cleaning solution and hot water to rinse will yield excellent results.

Agitation
Scouring pads, brushes, coarse cloths, and even high pressure water are some methods used to achieve agitation.  Agitation helps by distributing your cleaning agent, dislodging soils from surfaces and  suspending them in the cleaning solution to be rinsed away.

Time
We all know that the longer you scrub and rinse something, the cleaner it gets. While that is true, it’s not the best use of time. When  you are cleaning, dwell time of your cleaning agent is important.  Dwell time means that you allow the product time to work, breaking down and dissolving soils. The amount of dwell time will depend on the type and quantity of soiling, the surface being cleaned and the strength and concentration of your cleaning solution.

Easy as Pie
Think of all of the four principles (chemical, heat, agitation, time) as four slices of a pie. If you slice the pie evenly, everyone gets the same amount. But, if someone wants a bigger slice, you will have to decrease the size of one or more of the other pieces of the pie.

Here’s how it works in cleaning:  If you have to use a very mild cleaning chemical, you’ll need to increase dwell time, agitation and/or temperature. If you can’t use hot water, you will have to use more chemical, more dwell time, or scrub more aggressively.

If you can’t use agitation, you will need more time, heat and/ or chemical action. Increasing temperature by using hot water is usually the best way to improve cleaning efficiency and save time.  Hot water reduces the amount of chemical you need to clean, suspends more soil, and rinses better. Temperatures over 130ºF begin to kill microbes on surfaces, providing sanitizing benefits. If you apply The 4 Principles of Cleaning, you can be more successful cleaning just about anything.

Of course, when it comes to cleaning your carpet, upholstery, rugs and tile, Hansen Steam Way technicians are the experts at applying the 4 principles of cleaning. That’s why we produce the best results every time, guaranteed.

Have you ever wondered why spots return after having your carpet cleaned?

Part 2

There are two reasons spots return.  Here’s the second.

Reason 2: Re-Soiling

Re-soiling is caused by a sticky residue that has been left behind. The residue may be from the spot itself, the cleaner that was used, or both. Some common residue causes are over-the-counter carpet cleaners purchased at the grocery store. Avoid using these cleaners altogether. If you have to use one of these cleaners, or you have to use dish washing detergent, use as little as possible and rinse with water thoroughly.

Other residue causes are oily spots, duct tape, body oils, lotions, and other sticky or oily substances. If the entire oily residue is not removed, it will attract soil as the carpet is walked on. Even quality professional cleaning may not remove all oily residues the first time.

SPECIAL NOTE:

Cheap carpet cleaners use cheap products that are loaded with optical brighteners. Optical brighteners create an illusion of clean that causes the soil or spot to appear to be removed. The spot is still there. The soil is still there. Optical brighteners create a film that reflects light so that the carpet looks incredibly clean. It’s an optical illusion.

A stark illustration of this can be seen at a flea market or home show. Someone will be demonstrating a miracle cleaner on a small rug. The rug is saturated with motor oil. The salesman then scoops off just the foam of the miracle cleaner and presto, the motor oil is gone! This is physically impossible. Notice that the salesman has several bright lights shining on the demo rug to create the illusion.

Have a Safe Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day marks the beginning of the summer recreation season. Unfortunately, it can sometimes be a time for accidents. Make sure you and your family are safe this Memorial Day weekend by remembering these safety tips.

Play Safely
If you are going to be spending time near or on the water, don’t forget to be safe. If you will be on a boat, wear a life jacket, follow all boating rules, and don’t operate a boat while drinking. If you will be swimming, remember to swim with a buddy, swim only in safe water, and never dive into shallow water.  All children should be supervised at all times around any type of water. If you will be spending  any time in the sun, don’t forget to use sunscreen and wear a hat.

Drive Safely
More people will be on the road on Memorial Day weekend, making for congested roads and highways.  Don’t forget to always wear your seatbelt and observe all posted traffic signs and speed limits. It is especially important for children to be in proper child safety seats in your car. And never drink and drive.

Have you ever wondered why spots return after having your carpet cleaned?

There are two reasons spots return.  Here’s the first.

Reason 1: Wicking

Many times, the spot that is being removed has seeped into the backing of the carpet. This is common with pet urine, beverages, and anything spilled in “volume.” The material dries in the backing and in the cushion (pad) of the carpet. When the spot is cleaned, only the material in the “pile” of the carpet is removed. However, moisture is introduced into the backing of the carpet. As the spot dries, the material in the backing of the carpet “wicks” back into the pile of the carpet much like wax into a candlewick.

Even traffic area soil that is embedded can wick back. This is especially common in glued-down carpet that is heavily impacted with soil. When the carpet is cleaned, it looks good. When it dries, the spots and traffic area soil come back. This also could be “Shading” this is where the embedded fibers have actual fiber damage and will never catch the light the same and will always have the “shaded” look.  On time, regular maintenance cleaning prevents this fiber damage.  Once it happens cleaning will not fix this.

The good news is if a spot actually wicks back, it can be removed. When you spot clean, place a folded white terry cloth towel over the spot just after you clean it while the spot is still moist. Place a heavy object on top of the cloth. Be sure to use a non-porous object that won’t transfer color onto the carpet. For example, a paper book cover could transfer color. Use a brick, a planting pot, or something like that.

When you have your carpet cleaned professionally, be sure to point out spots that have wicked back in the past, so they can be treated properly.

Stay tuned for the second reason you can’t beat always those spots!

A good carpet cleaning company will give its customers that insider advice to keep their carpets clean and attractive.   Here’s a little something you’ve always wanted to know!

How to Clean Up a Spill

STEP 1

Cover spill with a WHITE napkin or paper towels. DO NOT use colored paper! It might transfer onto the carpet. Be sure to use a THICK stack to absorb as much of the spot as possible.

STEP 2

Blot by stepping on stack of towels.

REPEAT THIS PROCESS UNTIL NO TRANSFER TAKES PLACE. DO NOT RUB!!!

STEP 3

Apply spotting agent. Warning: Do not use over-the-counter spot removers! They can leave a sticky residue that attracts soil and may discolor your textiles. Instead, call us to find out what spotters we recommend. Always apply spotter to a damp towel not directly to the carpet and rinse out the spotter.

STEP 4

REPEAT steps 1 and 2. If the spot does not come out, do NOT attempt any further action, as you may set the spot and/or damage your textiles. Instead, give us a call.

Do not over-wet the spot. Keep blotting until dry to the touch.

Is Salt Making us Overweight?

Too much salt can be bad for us. It causes increased blood pressure, an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart  disease. And now, researchers have found that high salt intake  might lead to the over consumption of fatty foods, increasing the risk of obesity.

Two studies discussing this issue were published by Australian researchers recently. The first study revealed that test subjects who ate more salt could not detect increases in the fat content of foods. Thus, the saltier their diet, the more likely they would eat fattier foods without realizing it.

The second study found that participants consumed less when their food contained low salt and high fat. But when given high salt, high fat foods, those same subjects consumed significantly more food. The researchers believe that excessive salt reduces the body’s ability to know when it is full.
These researchers have called for a reduction in salt in processed foods, believing it could have a major impact on rates of obesity.