Sharing is Caring, Especially When It Comes to Cleaning

Bed Bug Prevention

Bed bugs are extremely tiny pests that make a large mess inside of a home or building. If you live in, or are traveling to, an area that is affected by bed bugs it’s important to take certain measures to prevent bringing bed bugs into your home. Taking a few small steps in bed bug prevention is much easier than getting rid of the bugs once they have moved in.

Bedroom | Flat Rate Carpet BlogFinding furniture on the street used to be a great idea, however you may be bringing more than a sofa into your home. Bed bugs are not easily detected, so you have no way of knowing what you’re bringing home.

When purchasing used furniture take the time to deeply inspect all cracks and crevices for any signs of bed bugs. Using a magnifying class and a flashlight, look for blood spots, bug feces, or the bugs themselves deep in cracks and crevices of furniture.

Sometimes bed bugs wander into a home from a nearby apartment through small cracks in the walls, baseboards and other similar fixtures. To avoid this you can seal cracks and crevices in your home with caulk.

When traveling in areas well known for bed bugs be especially careful with your luggage, as bed bugs can hide in the seams and hitchhike home with you. Do not place suitcases on the bed or floor until you’ve inspected the mattresses for signs of bed bugs (tiny blood smears). Make sure to check the seams of your suitcase for hitchhikers before you leave.

If you think your clothing was exposed to bed bugs, wash and dry them in very hot temperatures to kill the bugs. Keep all clothing in a sealed, plastic bag until you can wash them in order to trap the bugs.

Identifying and getting rid of bed bugs is very difficult, which is why proper bed bug prevention is so important. Avoid expensive exterminations and sleepless nights by keeping bed bugs out of your home.

How to Clean a Microwave

Microwave Cleaning | Flat Rate Carpet BlogWhen it’s time to clean the microwave you might be tempted just to toss the whole thing in the garbage, or have it labeled as a toxic waste site. Tackling a messy microwave seems like a job that takes an entire day, but with the right technique cleaning your microwave is quick and painless.

All you need to get started is distilled, white vinegar, water and a microwavable bowl. Fill the bowl with water and add ¼ cup vinegar. Now pop the bowl in the microwave and microwave it on high for five minutes.

Remove the bowl from the microwave very carefully and begin cleaning right away. The steam from the bowl of water loosens and softens stuck on food inside of the microwave, making it easier to clean. Dip a sponge into the warm water from the bowl and you have a great cleaning solution already made!

If the first round of cleaning still leaves your microwave with stuck on gunk, just repeat the process again. For super dirty microwaves, heat the water for five minutes and then wait a few minutes before opening the door. This allows the steam to keep working away at the stuck on dirt.

Don’t stress when you open the door to your microwave, with this little trick you can clean your microwave in minutes.

Valentines Day Stain Removal Tips

Valentines Chocolates | Flat Rate Carpet BlogAre you planning the perfect Valentines Day for your special someone? A special dinner can quickly turn into a disaster with spills and stains. Know how to treat the most common Valentines Day stains, and make sure your night stays magical.

Chocolate: To remove chocolate from fabric, simply run under cold water and pretreat. Removing chocolate from furniture or carpeting requires nothing more than an ice cube. Hold the ice over the chocolate until it’s solid, and gently scrape with the edge of a spoon. When nearly all the chocolate is gone blot gently with cold water.

Candle Wax: Wax spills are much easier to clean up than most people think. When the wax is solid, simply pick off the large clumps and scrape away what you can with a plastic knife. Next you’ll need an iron and a clean, white cloth. Place the cloth over the wax and iron. Continue moving the cloth around, careful to only iron clean cloth and avoid spreading the wax. Soon the wax will be as good as gone.

Red Wine: Wine stains are pretty scary, but don’t fear. Sprinkle salt on the spill to soak up excess wine, and then rinse well with white wine or club soda, then cold water. If you have a stain treater handy go ahead and pretreat the stain as well.

No matter what kind of spills happen during your romantic evening, the best way to treat any disaster is to stay calm. A ruined dress doesn’t have to mean a ruined night.

Happy Valentines Day.

Ideas for an Easy Valentines Day

Valentines Day Ideas | Flat Rate Carpet BlogAre you bored of the same old Valentines Day routines? Do something special this year with these sweet and simple Valentines Day ideas.

Forget the stress of finding a sitter, making a reservation and running out the door to spend the evening in a crowded restaurant. Instead, opt for a romantic dinner at home. Many restaurants offer gourmet take out meals so nobody has to worry about cooking and cleaning, both serious mood killers. Make the night special by decorating the dining room like an Italian bistro, or having a relaxing picnic on the living room rug. This romantic and stress free evening will give new couples time to get to know each other better, and longer lasting couples time to rekindle and reconnect.

For the adventurous types, why not go and see a professional burlesque show? These risque and artful shows will definitely get you and your date in the mood. Just make sure it’s something you know you’ll both enjoy.

Does every Valentines Day turn into a disaster? This year try a stress free night at home. So many couples worry about what to do on this special day that they lose sight of the point, a celebration of the person you love. If it’s been ages since the two of you sat down and spent quality time together, then skip the big act and just hang out at home.

This Valentines Day step out of the boring routine and do something fun.

How to Remove Champagne Stains

Champagne | Flat Rate Carpet BlogMost people who host a New Year’s party spend the night worrying about red wine spills and ground up appetizers ruining their rug, but few think about spraying champagne all over the house at midnight. Although champagne is colorless and bubbly, it can still leave behind marks on furniture and other fabrics. Here are some simple tips in removing champagne stains.

Add a small drop of dish soap to warm water and mix. Dip a clean, white cloth into the solution and gently dab the stain. Repeat the process until you’ve covered the whole area.

Next use a different clean, white cloth and redab the area with warm water to rinse.

This method will get champagne stains out of upholstery, carpets and clothing without any added hassle.

If only everything in 2013 will be this easy!