It’s Spring! Now, Where Is That Garden Hose?  Aqua Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning of MI.
 
The weather is getting nicer, the birds are chirping more and you see flowers and other signs of botanical life making their annual appearance.
 
It’s a natural urge to get outdoors and clean up around the house, raking old leaves and picking up winter clutter. You’ve been inside long enough!
 
You also want to speed things up with your grass, flowers and plants, so you go hunting for that stored garden hose. You can’t find it. You are sure you put it in the garage. But… there it is. It’s still hooked up to the faucet from last summer.
 
So you proceed to spend an hour or two happily giving everything a good soaking. The problem is… you may be giving the inside of your home or your basement a good soaking as well.
 
What happened? Why this inside flooding disaster when all you were doing was merrily watering your plants and emerging flora?
 
The problem may be leaving the hose connected to the faucet all winter. Water build-up inside the faucet can freeze and break the pipe, and the way faucets work is when you turn the knob, you release water under pressure into the area that is broken, and it naturally forces its way through the break in the pipe and spews water inside the wall, in the home and (if you have one) the basement.
 
Of course, if the winter temperatures in the area you live never dip to the freezing point, this doesn’t concern you… water away!
 
But if you do live in colder climates, be sure to check and see if you have a possible broken pipe behind your faucet. You can do this by having someone inside the home when you turn it on, or by letting pressure build up in the hose and listening carefully to rushing water inside the wall.
 
No matter what happens, though, your water damage pros are a quick phone call way!

Should You Wash Cushion Covers?  Aqua Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning of MI.
 
It’s a very easy thing to do… you notice your sofa cushions are a little dingy, which is perfectly normal with kids, pets and normal usage.
 
So you decide to do-it-yourself and wash the cushion covers. They come out looking nice. But you also notice a little problem. The colors aren’t as bright as they used to be, and it takes a lot of effort to get the covers back over the foam cushions themselves. In fact, for one cushion, you can’t even get it zipped up all the way.
 
The reason is that cushion covers are not designed to be washed like normal laundry. “But it has zippers!” you exclaim. That’s for the convenience of the furniture manufacturing company or the upholsterer.
 
Keep these points in mind if you are tempted to wash your cushion covers:

1. When you wash the cushion covers, there is some danger in fabric shrinkage and dye loss. If this happens, not much you can do to fix it.
2. 2. Shrinkage typically occurs in the drier, so if you are tempted to wash your own cushion covers, hang them to dry (but remember there is always risk).
3. 3. Dyes are funny things. The dyes on your favorite t-shirts are pretty tough and durable and last a long time, but on upholstery they can bleed or fade. 
4. 4. Putting cushion covers in the laundry can also cause problems with the integrity of the fabric, such as any latex backing that could be present; delamination, or the separation of the face fiber and backing, can occur.

 
So while you may do this, remove your cushion covers for laundering, keep these points in mind and be very careful with your valuable furnishings! Do your furniture and all upholstery fabric a huge favor: Call your cleaning professionals today!

So Your Carpet Is Smelly…  Aqua Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning of MI.
 
There are many reasons why a carpet can become smelly, from pet odors to heavy soiling and other causes. However, what some don’t realize is a little water intrusion can cause a big problem with the condition of their carpet, even after it seems the carpet has dried.
 
Water intrusions can be from many sources. If it is from a toilet (raw sewage), it’s almost always best to discard the carpet and pad and get something new. While doing that, be sure the subfloor is also cleaned and disinfected appropriately, and sealed if necessary. If it is from an overflowing sink or a leaky pipe, the damage can usually be limited so purchasing new flooring isn’t always necessary.
 
But one of the biggest problems is waiting too long no matter the cause of the water damage in your home.
 
When you discover a wet carpet or rug, it’s time to get to work. Remove the water with extraction, and get some air movement and ventilation started on removing moisture.
 
However, here’s the problem. If the carpet isn’t dried really fast, like how professional water damage experts can dry carpet using their specialized tools and equipment, a persistent musty smell can develop. There’s not much a homeowner can do to fix that issue. In the winter months, when humidity is low, you may not notice the odor that much. But when summer arrives, with the higher humidity, those odors will come back with a vengeance.
 
Even worse, mold can begin to grow. No one wants potentially dangerous mold in their homes!
 
What’s the best solution? Call your water damage pros right away, before real damage sets it. They’ll be right over to save the day.So Your Carpet Is Smelly…

Always Do This When Cleaning.  Aqua Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning of MI.
 
Taking care of cleaning chores around the house is something homeowners have engaged in since houses were invented. Not much thought goes into it other than it just needs done.
 
However, some specialized tasks, such as removing a spot from a carpet, getting rid of an irritating pet odor from the family dog or trying to find the best cleaning solution for the toughest jobs can actually end up causing more harm than good.
 
Spot removal
 
When we find a spot on the carpet, there are two things we tend to do. The first is to put way too much cleaning solution on the spot, saturating it and even getting the padding wet. This just spreads the spot and causes trouble in the future. The second is we tend to scrub way too long and way too hard. This can fray the fibers and you can’t fix that. So when you get a spot, put some solution on a white towel and blot. Never scrub or rub.
 
Odor removal
 
The biggest question when Fido or Fluffy does their thing on the carpet is “How do I get it out?” That’s not always easy unless you get to it right away. Urine will penetrate into the carpet, the padding and even the subfloor, and when it dries, over time it becomes sticky and smelly. Some will put powdered carpet deodorizers on those spots, which only gums up the carpet and creates a residue very difficult to remove. Like with spot removal, blotting the area quickly is usually the best remedy for the do-it-yourself types.
 
Using products
 
When one product works well and you find another one works well, too, the tendency is to mix them. Remember, never mix ammonia and bleach. Both are effective products on their own, but mixed together, they become deadly. Other products on your shelf could, if mixed together, create toxic fumes that can cause harm to your family. Always follow directions.
 
How can you avoid all these problems and challenges? It’s simple: Call your cleaning professional today. They’ll be right over to save the day.