It's no secret that a hardwood floor in a home is an attractive option when it comes to floor covering.  Aesthetically pleasing and durable, it's more common than not to see homes with hardwood floors.  Although very popular, many people aren't aware of the proper practices and insider tips to ensure that their beautiful hardwood floors don't take a beating during the brutal winter months.  Keep reading below to learn our best tips for keeping your hardwood in mint condition.

Hardwood Floor Protection tip #1: Take off your shoes

You should always be taking your shoes off before entering your home regardless of the season.  It always preserves the cleanliness of your home by keeping out bacteria from the outside world.  It always protects your flooring by preventing abrasions from shoe soles.  However, in the winter time, it is twice as important.  In the wintertime, it's almost impossible to avoid tracking in mud, dirt, snow, and salt when you wear your shoes indoors.  Do yourself a favor and be diligent about keeping your shoes and their outdoor contaminants outdoors.

Hardwood Floor Protection tip #2: Mat near the door

If you don't have a mudroom, and don't want to keep your shoes outside or in your garage, invest in a durable, waterproof mat, such as this one, to lay near your entrance.  This will make a wold of difference in your home.  Ensure all family members comply with this practice, and don't be shy about asking your guests to remove their shoes as well

Hardwood Floor Protection tip #3: Wipe pet's paws

After your family members and guests do their part in helping protect the home's floors, next is your pets.  This step can be a bit more challenging as it isn't as easy to ask your pets to kindly wipe their paws dry before taking off inside.  If possible, try to control your dog's entrance into the home during the snowy months to ensure that you have a moment to quickly dry off their paws.  Keep a rag or two in a nearby closet or storage for quick access.

Hardwood Floor Protection tip #4:  Monitor Heat and Humidity

We're all familiar with static cling on your hair, clothes, and pretty much everything else during the winter time.  Fireplaces, space heaters, and general low humidity during this time of year can quickly dry out floors and lead to warped or cracked boards.  By not cranking your heat up TOO high, and by running a humidifier in your home, your floors should stay in much better condition.  You will most likely be more comfortable with a bit of moisture in the air, too!  On the same note, while warping and cracking is an issue, don't pay too much mind to spaces between the floorboards.  This is common, and as the seasons change you should find these spaces will appear or disappear, too.

By following these guidelines, your floors should still be in great shape come the springtime.  However, if you feel your hardwood floors need a great clean once the seasons change, feel free to give us a call.  As long as your floors are sealed in all places, we can clean your hardwood floors and restore their original shine.

The post How to Protect Hardwood Floor During the Winter appeared first on JoeCleans.

Winter months don't have to mean that homeowners will be better off postponing their carpet cleaning until next season.  Below, check out a handful of our explanations about why you should schedule your carpet cleaning over this winter.

Winter Carpet Cleaning Mythbusters

The Winter Hiatus

Let's begin by clearing up a couple of myths.  First, many believe carpet cleaning companies throughout New England must take a temporary hiatus during the winter months.  They assume that once the temps dip below freezing, frozen hoses prevent them from completing their jobs.  The truth is quite the contrary.  All truck-mounted cleaning systems are well-heated.  Also, their hoses are well-insulated.   These safeguards ensure that cold temperatures won't hinder a job well done.

Frigid Drafts

Another common misconception is that wide-open doors, to allow hoses to enter the house, will let in the winter chill during a carpet cleaning session.  The truth of the matter is, your door will only be open up to a few inches, at most.  We also fit your doorway with insulated blankets to keep the heat in and the cold gusts out.  Homes should be expected to suffer very little heat loss while carpets are being cleaned by a responsible company.

Mess-prone season

Also, people often assume it's inevitable that mud and salt will be tracked into the home during the winter months.  Thus, making it entirely pointless to spend time and money on carpet cleaning that time of year.  There's a quick fix to this general write-off.  A simple household rule of taking outdoor shoes off in the garage, mudroom, or just inside the doorway should preserve carpet's cleanliness.  In fact, adopting a rule such as this year-round can help improve the general condition of your carpets.

Benefits of Winter Carpet Cleaning

Protect your Investment

Now - let's get on to how you can most enjoy a winter carpet cleaning session in your home.  First, if it's easy to notice soiled areas on your carpets, DO NOT feel like you have to wait until the springtime to have them cleaned in order to benefit from the situation.  By allowing your investment to remain soiled for an extra 4-5 months, you are only causing more damage.  As the particulates are repeatedly ground into your carpet fibers, you will erase years off the carpet's life.  Don't wait!

Quick Dry Times

Another benefit of winter carpet cleaning is the shortened drying time.  On average, it takes anywhere from 4-6 hours for your carpets to dry in a natural setting with no fans and average humidity.  The lower humidity levels allow for much quicker drying times during the winter season.  It's completely harmless to walk on your carpets immediately after cleaning, but many find a greater advantage to quicker drying times.

Preservation of cleanliness

Contrary to popular belief, homes are cleaner during the winter months as opposed to the warmer seasons. Once the warm weather rolls around, we find our windows and screen doors open far more often.  With this, we let in pollutants, pollen, and other allergens into our homes.  During the winter, we lock up our doors and windows tight.  As a result, the cleanliness you will achieve after a thorough carpet cleaning will last you well into the spring and summertime. Just be sure you are diligent with removing shoes in a garage, mudroom, or just inside the doorway.

Nesting Season

Last but not least, have you noticed that we rarely see the insides of our homes during the summer months?  People spend the most time inside their home during the winter.  In that case, why not enjoy a cozy, CLEAN home?    There's no major sense in postponing a needed cleaning to a busier time of year when you won't even get to enjoy it.  Go ahead, cozy up near the fireplace this winter in a clean and refreshing home.

The post The Truth about Winter Carpet Cleaning appeared first on JoeCleans.

Robin's work on her cast iron skillet.

Cast Iron Cleaning - Step 1:

Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water in a tub, bucket, or sink big enough to submerge the pan. You can soak the pan for up to 8 hours but check often - it could be ready in as little as an hour. You know when the pan is done when rust flakes away easily.

Cast Iron Cleaning - Step 2:

Use mild detergent and warm water to clean away any lingering rust with a mild abrasive sponge.

Cast Iron Cleaning Step 3:

Dry immediately and pop in the oven. You will now re-season your pan. Seasoning is the process of baking oil into the pores of the iron. This practice prevents rust and provides a natural, easy-release finish that continues to improve with use. To do this, set your oven to 350° and line the bottom of the oven with foil. Rub a mineral oil with a high smoke point (like vegetable oil) over the entire pan and let it bake for an hour.

Cast Iron Cleaning Step 4:

Now, every time you use the pan, just lightly wipe the inside only down with another layer of oil. This will gradually build up to a nice protective layer make it a better cooking surface and guarding against rust.

This method should provide great results, and leave you with years of great use (and meals!) from your iron skillet. Check out Robin's before and after pictures above!

Happy cooking!

The post How to Restore a (Very) Rusty Cast Iron Skillet appeared first on JoeCleans.

Below, we've accumulated a list of the most important winter-prep tasks for you to follow when it is finally time to accept the fact that the days have significantly shortened and the temperatures have undoubtedly dropped.  Use this checklist to ensure that your home will be in its best shape heading into this winter season.

Winter Prep

• Replace batteries in smoke detectors
• Service HVAC/Change air filters
• Check caulking/weather stripping on windows
• Wash windows
• Clean gutters
• Inspect foundation for low-soil areas
• Inspect roof for loose shingles
• Inspect/clean chimney
• Aerate, fertilize and seed lawn
• Test snowblower, purchase ice melt
• Prepare lawnmower and other gas-powered yard tools for storage by nearly filling their gas tanks

So, does that last one sound a bit off to you?  It turns out, times have changed from the days when homeowners were accustomed to preparing for the winter by emptying their lawn mower's gas tank.  Read more about WHY in the interesting post below from our friend James Kennedy at OnePull Lawnmower Shop.

The post How To Prepare a Home For the Winter Months appeared first on JoeCleans.

First and foremost, a few tips: as with all surfaces in your home, regular cleaning is key.  Be sure to sweep or vacuum your laminate floor at least once weekly.  When sweeping or vacuuming, do so in the direction that the flooring panels have been laid.  By doing this, you will be able to collect and remove all of the soil between the grooves of the laminate instead of trapping it there.

In addition, if a spill does take place, clean it up immediately.  If you allow time for moisture to seep in between your flooring, it can warp the laminate over time.  Once your core-board soaks up liquid and becomes warped, the only remedy would be replacement, so avoid this situation as best as possible.

Follow our steps below to ensure you've sufficiently cleaned your laminate floors in the best way:

• As stated above, always make sure to dry mop, sweep, or vacuum the floor (often).  This should always be your beginning step.
• Dampen a microfiber cleaning pad with warm water and the cleaning solution of your choice.  Always dampen the cloth you will be using to clean as opposed to dampening the floor.  You do not want to give the liquid time to seep into the flooring as you are cleaning another area.  Using a microfiber cloth is important as string mops and sponge mops have the tendency to leave streaks on your floor, and also carry a lot of water that you don't want soaking into your core-board.
• Clean your floor with the lightly dampened mop.  Again - make sure this is done in the direction the laminate is laid.
• Naturally, as you use your microfiber cloth to clean, it will become increasingly soiled.  To remedy this, simply rinse out and replace the cloth.  Once you have completely finished, throw the cloth in the washing machine so it is completely fresh for your next clean.

A few more important things to keep in mind:  Of course, laminate flooring is not wood, so refrain from using any cleaning products geared toward wood - anything with wax, polish, oils, soaps, varnish, or chemicals that promote shine.
If you follow this regimen often, you will be taking the most effective steps toward protecting your investment.

The post The Comprehensive Laminate Floor Cleaning Guide appeared first on JoeCleans.

We often contemplate involving our children in our daily chores - to keep them busy, to give us an extra hand, to teach them about responsibility and to introduce them to something they will be doing for the rest of their lives.  But, even more often, we end up talking ourselves down.  They're still too young. They won't take it seriously. It's just quicker to do it myself.

If the scenario above sounds familiar to you, check out some of the tips and ideas below on how to get your kids involved with chores in a FUN way this summer.  You can thank us later!

Laundry Chores

There's no reason that an elementary aged child shouldn't be able to load the washer and dryer, then fold clothes and deliver them to their respective owners within the household.  You can make doing the laundry fun for young children by sorting darks and lights and teaching them how to fold clothes the right way by following a pattern.

Making Lunch

Have your kids help out with making lunch by giving them the choice of what they would like to eat.  In their minds, this chore will be done on their own accord.  Here, kids will have a great opportunity to learn best spreading practices for butter or peanut butter & jelly, how to create a balanced meal, and all about different kitchen utensils.  Afterwards, have them wash their own dishes.  For older children, consider having them help you cook at the stove or in the oven.  They will be able to pick up the basics of cooking all the while learning how to use the stove and oven.

Taking Care of Pets

By having your children take a large role in caring for the family pets, you will be teaching them a great deal of responsibility and care for others.  Kids can learn a bit about measuring when scooping out 1/2 cup of dog food.  They will be taught to be mindful of others' well-being aside from themselves if they are made responsible for taking the pet out to do its duties, or to make sure the water bowl is filled.  Cleaning any type of pet mess - whether it be an accident in the home, a cat's litter box, or bird or rabbit droppings - is the perfect job for a youngster, as kids LOVE gross things.  But, if it's too gross, or the stain is too serious, don't hesitate to call your local carpet cleaner.

Mowing the Lawn

It's a sin if any family with young children are spending money on lawn care services.  When I was a kid, I enjoyed riding on the lawnmower and cutting my parents' lawn because it was the closest thing to driving a car at the time - which was so cool, yet so far off into my future.  Young children can pick up sticks in the yard or help with weeding, while older ones should grow comfortable with the lawnmower at a slow speed.  Kids should also help with the maintenance of these machines, as these skills will prove valuable once they are actually driving - the importance of filling it with gas, conducting oil changes, etc.

Above are a couple ideas you can begin implementing right away in your home.  Chores are rarely ever fun - but at this point, your kids don't need to know that.  Feel free to share any tips or ideas on how you get your young ones involved below!

The post Make Chores FUN for Your Kids This Summer appeared first on JoeCleans.

Of course, with pets and children comes an endless cycle of cleaning. It's common knowledge that genuine leather requires special treatment to clean and maintain - but what about faux leather? If you're looking for a genuine clean for your faux leather furniture, look no farther than the steps below.

1. Be sure to vacuum faux leather weekly

Regular vacuuming of your faux leather can greatly improve its quality. Soil and crumbs can be abrasive towards the material if the couch sees a lot of action, so it's important to not allow it to accumulate in cracks or crevices of the furniture.

2. Wipe down with mild detergent

Create a mild household detergent solution with about two tablespoons of detergent for every gallon of warm water. Soak and then ring out a clean rag in the solution and use it to wipe down the furniture. This step should do a great job of cleaning and sanitizing the material.

3. Wipe down with clear water & dry

To remove any residue remaining from the detergent solution, wipe down the couch once more with a rung out rag that was soaked in clear water. Afterwards, wipe the couch dry with a soft, dry cloth.

4. Spot-treat with alcohol-based solution

If you find that your faux leather couch is in need of spot treatment, dip a cotton ball into any household vinyl stain remover that you can find in your local cleaning isle, such as this one. Some alternatives to this solution are rubbing alcohol or other alcohol-based solutions like 409. Dab the stain with the cotton ball until it is gone, and be sure to remove any alcohol residue as to not ruin the leather.

The post How to Clean Faux Leather Couches appeared first on JoeCleans.

It seems to be popular opinion that your dishwashers get a good clean themselves when you run a cycle, but the truth is quite the contrary. There are many areas of a standard dishwasher that water doesn't reach - after all, it is mostly focused on your dishes! Over time, a buildup of food particles, soap scum, and grease can accumulate in your dishwasher, leading to excess bacteria you do not want around your plates, cups, and utensils. Below are four easy steps to follow about once monthly to make sure that your dishwasher is sanitized and operating to its full potential.

1. Clear the dishwasher drain

Take a minute to remove the bottom dish rack to clear out the dishwasher's drain. As your dishes are rinsed down and water is drained out, food particles have a tendency to accumulate in the drain. By regularly cleaning the drain, you will be increasing the effectiveness of each wash cycle and prevent any future damage to the drain and machine itself.

2. Scrub the seal

This step will probably be the most tedious - but it should be done in order to get a good portion of pesky bacteria away from your dishes. Food particles have a tendency to get splashed up against the door seal of your dishwasher, but since water doesn't reach that area directly, they end up staying there and don't get washed away. Take a toothbrush dipped in vinegar and pull away the seal, brushing inside to remove any debris and sanitize as well.

3. Run a vinegar cycle

After removing any food remains, place a cup filled with white vinegar on the top rack of your washer and run a full hot-water cycle. This will break down grease and grime buildup, and also help with any odors your dishwasher may have.

4. Run a baking soda cycle

Finally, run a short hot-water cycle after sprinkling a cup of baking soda on the bottom of your dishwasher. After this cycle, your dishwasher will be stain-free and fresh-smelling.

Repeating this process monthly will not only protect your investment in this vital kitchen appliance, but will increase the cleanliness of your home and life.

The post 4 Easy Steps to Cleaning your Dishwasher appeared first on JoeCleans.

Polishing your wood furniture is a quick and simple way to give your home a facelift - nothing brings a home's look together quite like polished, glistening furniture.  How much better would you feel, though, if  you knew you restored your furniture's shine with entirely natural, eco-friendly ingredients that won't leave behind any residue?  It takes less than two minutes to create this organic furniture polish that will do wonders for you and the wood surfaces in your home.   It won't simply polish your wood furniture, but it will CLEAN it too!

Furniture Polish Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
• ¼ tsp.  lemon oil OR fresh lemon juice

What you'll need

• Measuring cup and spoons
• Bottle to store solution
• Soft cloth

Yield:
About 2 1/2 oz
Total time:
< 2 minutes
Total cost:
< $1

Mix ingredients together into bottle.  Be sure to shake well to combine ingredients.

To use, just dip a soft cloth (or clean rag - anything you would normally use for polishing furniture) into the solution and rub on wood, keeping in mind to perform the task in the direction of the wood's grain.  Feel free to allow furniture to air-dry.

Over time, wood furniture loses its luster, and you don't even realize it's gone!  There is no need to use store-bought polish when the ingredients for an equally as effective, yet cheaper, solution are scattered around your kitchen.

The post Easy, Homemade Furniture Polish Recipe appeared first on JoeCleans.