Vinyl plank flooring, and particularly Luxury Vinyl Planks, also known as LVP, are very popular now. Vinyl is a synthetic material used, among other things, as flooring. It’s been around for decades, and companies constantly improve their aesthetic and efficiency.

Vinyl planks are known for responding efficiently when placed in high-traffic areas. They are also resistant to moisture (within reason). This is why, unsurprisingly, they are a great match for bathrooms, kitchens, and basements.

Thanks to its popularity, you are now able to choose from hundreds of colors and patterns. Particularly vinyl planks, due to their shape, work great as faux wood.

LVP creates a finishing that is visually identical to a variety of wooden floors while adding the positive features of a synthetic floor in comparison to its more sensitive organic counterparts.

Let’s read some tips on what -not- to do when it comes to cleaning vinyl plank flooring.

Don’t overdo white vinegar on your vinyl plank flooring

White vinegar is a multi-purpose cleaning agent that works well with most materials and surfaces. However, at the end of the day, vinegar is an acid. If it’s used often, it can dull the finish.

Instead, do apply vinegar in a lower concentration. Create a mix of ¼ cup of vinegar and one tablespoon dish soap and dilute it on half a gallon of water. This will make a perfect mild floor cleaner without being too aggressive. If you’re consistent with cleaning this will do the job just fine.

Don’t use too much water or steam for your vinyl flooring

Even though vinyl planks are waterproof, because they are individual planks instead of a single roll, there are very small gaps between each plank.

Eventually, water will get into them and beneath your planks and you don’t want that for two reasons: it will loosen up the planks by melting the adhesive beneath them, and it will also create the perfect scenario for mold and bacteria to grow.

Instead, do use a minimum amount of water each time you clean. A microfiber mop only requires a bit of water and a cleaning agent to work with. You will mostly need regular sweeping and vacuuming to take care of your vinyl flooring.

And when you mop occasionally, make sure you don’t leave dripping water on it and that there’s enough airflow for the entire surface to dry properly.

Using a soft-bristled broom and a microfiber pad will help you absorb dirt and dust quickly without harming your surface.

Don’t use ammonia or bleach

Although effective, ammonia is a very abrasive agent that needs to be handled with care. Most surfaces and materials in your home right now probably do not get along with ammonia, and that includes your vinyl floors.

Ammonia is an alkaline compound and as such, it can damage the adhesive bonds between planks.

The same goes for bleach. Although less abrasive, there’s still a ton of materials that will stain when in contact with bleach. Just like ammonia, bleach is alkaline.

Instead, do use mild detergent or soap. Regular, multi-purpose, neutral detergent it’s all that your vinyl flooring needs to be taken care of.

Don’t let direct sunlight impact for too long on your vinyl plank flooring

Sunlight can cause yellowing because of the impact of UV rays. Plus, sunlight changes your vinyl flooring’s temperature and humidity. If this happens constantly every day and night, it’s going to be harmful to your surface.

Of course, this will depend on your location. For example, some areas in Texas can get drastic humidity changes over the year, depending on the area.

Instead, do open your windows when you’re not using a room so as not to let sunlight in your room all the time.

Conclusion

Vinyl Plank Flooring gives a lot of good reasons to be considered as the right flooring for your home. This synthetic material is able to offer superb resistance to traffic, moisture, and other day-to-day situations.

As always, do some research before deciding on a material, including its maintenance, pros and cons, pricing, and so on.

Make sure you know the effects of each cleaning product you’re applying on your vinyl floors (or any other area in your home) and remember, you can always hire professionals to clean your home and provide the right treatment for each kind of material and surface.

The post Take Care Of Your Vinyl Plank Flooring (Cleaning Do’s and Don’ts!) appeared first on Dallas Maids® | Maid Service & House Cleaning Services Voted #1 for a Reason.

We’ve all been there; you come home after a productive yet tiresome day at work, only to be greeted by a mess that needs cleaning. Dallas is one of the cheapest among iconic US cities, so people, in general, can afford to buy larger homes. 

Of course, the bigger the house, the bigger the mess. The only option is to sacrifice our weekends and leisure time to catch up on housework and try to keep up with your household inventory. Still, nobody wants to do that.

This article aims to provide you with some valuable tips that will help you to cut back on cleaning time.

1.   Inventory Your Items to Keep Track of Your Household Inventory

You will accumulate many items and appliances over the years. Also, human psychology tends towards the sunk cost fallacy.

This fallacy makes us very reluctant to change or discard things or items due to the invested effort. You don’t have to be a hoarder to realize that you do not need some of your stuff. We often keep large, voluminous appliances that we use once every few years. But we paid for it, so we’re not going to throw it away, and it’s too old to give away as a gift.

As mentioned, Dallas is a relatively cheap city to live in, so you can afford more items.  

The more items you have, the more you will have to clean. So what’s the solution? Should you throw away furniture and appliances that are redundant or rarely used? The answer is obviously: no.

The first step consists of an honest inventory. Set aside an afternoon and just look around. Think about what is actually helpful. Don’t think about what “would be cool to use,” like your walnut-shaped cookie maker.

We both know that you’re never going to make those cookies enough to justify keeping the appliance. The same goes for your clothes. The modern person has way too many sets of clothes while complaining that “there’s nothing to wear.”

This will help you especially when you’re creating a checklist for cleaning and organizing.

2.   Make or Rent Storage Space.

You don’t have to throw out anything. Investing in storage space allows you to free up your home while still getting to keep everything. Dallas has locations that will enable customers to rent space for affordable rates.

Or, you can try to construct more storage space inside your home. Either way will cost you, and it depends on how many items you need to store.

For example, there are small shelves that you can attach magnetically to your fridge. This is especially useful for those who do not have a pantry or their kitchen is very small. You will gain a few feet of extra space just with those. It is also possible to invest in hideaway pantry cabinets.

Most cabinets are taller than they need to be. You can take advantage of that heigh by stacking plates or condiments. However, it looks crowded and messy. It is also a hassle to take something from the bottom of the stack.

Consider buying extra shelves for these cabinets, along with beautiful hanging baskets that can hold fruit or condiments. The baskets can double as decorations.

While there isn’t a need for an extensive collection of seasonal items such as winter clothes in Dallas, you can share rented storage space with your neighbors. Storing seasonal items and sporting equipment is a good idea.

Conclusion

Why clean more than you have to? By getting rid of clutter and rarely used items, you can better use the space you have. Cleaning sessions will be quicker, and your home will look organized and uncluttered.   

And remember, you can always get extra help by hiring a professional cleaning service.

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Easter is fast approaching and it’s going to be a very busy weekend if you’re having guests over. While you prepare and remember to look for our codes for a Free Clean! relax and read this Cleaning Guide, because don’t you think spring cleaning is due? It doesn’t matter if you’re having just one guest or a lot of people over, you need to ensure that your home is comfortable for them. There’s nothing better than seeing your visitors comfortable and feeling at home when they come over. Let’s look into cleaning and getting your home ready for Easter. Each area of the home needs to be given special attention. Let’s start from the living room.

Each area of the home needs to be given special attention. Let’s start from the living room.

Living Room

This is where you usher your guests in when they come. It connects them to the rest of your home. Your living room arrangement and cleanliness will tell a lot about you. If you want to give off a good perception, then you should take time to clean out your living room this Easter. Arrange your furniture beautifully and clean them also. If there are sofa pillows, arrange them well by the sofa. Also, clean out your rugs to get rid of dust.

Kitchen

You’re probably going to prepare meals and snacks to serve your guests. Clean your kitchen by touching areas that are often neglected such as the stovetop, microwave, ovens, deep freezer, refrigerator, counters, and cupboards. You may also scrub your kitchen tiles if need be. Ensure that there isn’t any speck of dust or dirt left. If you will serve with chinaware, be sure to wash them and dry them out.

Dining Room

Remember that Easter is a holiday season to be spent with family and friends. Of course, there’s going to be eating and drinking. The dining room hosts this aspect. Therefore, you need to take out time to clean and arrange it. Make sure the dining table and chairs are well set and can be used without any inconvenience.

After cleaning your home, you need to go the extra mile to make sure your guests are comfortable. You want to give them an unforgettable pleasing experience, don’t you? How do you do this? If you are having quite a large number of people over, there’s every tendency that they would converse in small groups and then go back to general discussions. It would be nice to arrange your home in a way that would accommodate small private discussions. The sofas and chairs need to be comfortable for people of all ages. You can also incorporate side sofas and stools.

When it comes to serving them meals, you have kitchen sets you reserve for special occasions. Take them out and prepare to treat your guests like royalty.

A Little Design Doesn’t Hurt

You can bring out your inner creativity this Easter and do something wonderful! Yes, we’re talking about your home design. Do little adjustments here and there, and add a few touches to the interiors. You can choose a theme. It could be an elegant religious Easter theme, floral theme, and more. Whichever one you think would be perfect for your home decor is what you should use. 

Scent Matters Too

It isn’t just enough if your home looks good. Scent matters too. The way your home scents or smells can make it inviting or not. You can use scented candles for your bathrooms and bedrooms, and floral scents for the living room. You don’t need to add any scent to the dining room as food aroma will do the job.

As a finishing touch to your Easter home cleaning, you can take out some clutter. Go around the house and make sure that there aren’t any useful things lying around. This would make your home much cleaner and make the air fresher. You can also use flower vases in different sections of your home to make it appealing and inviting. You could decide to use natural flowers or artificial ones. Whichever one you choose, it should correspond to your home design.

Conclusion

If you still have more questions check out our spring cleaning FAQ’s, there are still more Cleaning Guides coming. There’s more to being a good host than just serving food and drinks. How comfortable your guests are matters a lot. This is why you should take out time this Easter to clean out your home and make it pleasing to your guests.

The post Easter Cleaning Guide: Get Your Home Ready In No Time appeared first on Dallas Maids® | Maid Service & House Cleaning Services Voted #1 for a Reason.

Our Best Tips for Cleaning Up After Our Children

Children. They change our lives, warm our hearts and sometimes they can create very creative messes that their parents have no idea how to clean. Any mom with a toddler can attest to the wide range of cleaning challenges that a small child can throw your way. From the crayon Mona Lisa on your living room wall; to the gum in your carpet; to the stickers on your furniture this video goes out to all of you puzzled parents!

Here are some tips on how to clean up after your children’s usual mistakes that end up leaving a mess around your home.

Remove Your Children’s Crayon Scribbles

If you have a budding artist at home chances are you might have some of their artwork on your walls. Here are three methods for removing the scribbles from your painted walls. You should test the method on an inconspicuous part of the wall first just to be safe:

• Rub it with toothpaste, just make sure it’s toothpaste not gel. The toothpaste should lift crayon off of most painted walls and then you just wipe the surface clean with a damp rag.
• Spray hairspray on it. This one is also good for permanent marker scribbles. Just spray and wipe it clean.
• Try an art eraser, you can pick them up at big grocery stores now. They magically erase all kinds of scribbles on a variety of surfaces.

Chewing Gum

Chewing gum is tasty, fun and a parent’s worst cleaning nightmare. So what to do if you have a sticky lump of gum in your carpet?

First, remove as much of the gum as you possibly can by hand. Careful not to damage the carpet fibers! Then put some ice cubes in a bag and hold the bag against the gum until it freezes. Once it’s frozen you can chip away at the frozen gum with a metal spoon, collecting the frosty shavings as you go. Once you have removed the gum completely you can use a little dry cleaning solution on the spot to zap any remaining hidden stickiness. Blot that up and finish up by giving the spot a quick scrub with a bit of soapy water, a mild dish soap works well. Rinse and blot dry with a clean towel for the win!

Remove Stickers That Your Children Leave Everywhere

Who gave your toddler the stickers? We don’t know but now your home is sticker-fied. When you try to pull them off you may be left with either a gray or white sticky spot. Clean freaks to the rescue! You can try:

• Nail polish remover – obviously you don’t want to use this on anything painted or on delicate materials.
• Hair spray – No really! Just spray it on and wipe it off.
• Heat. Use a hair dryer to heat the gooey stain and then clean it with warm soapy water. Rinse and dry as needed.

We hope these children-inspired cleaning tips made cleaning up after your children a bit easier. That’s it for this edition of Clean Freaks and as always: if it sounds like too much work just call Dallas Maids!

Remember you can contact us or just visit our booking page.

And here you can watch the entire video on our YouTube channel!

The post Children’s Messes – How to Clean Up After Your Kids appeared first on Dallas Maids® | Maid Service & House Cleaning Services Voted #1 for a Reason.