​​It’s that time of year when you start planning for family and friends to visit and, since you are hospitable, you start thinking of all the delicious meals, snacks and beverages you will serve them when they arrive.
 
Despite the very best attempts of you and your guests to keep things on the plate, in the bowl, in the glass and on the spoon or fork, the inevitable happens: Food or drinks spill, and for some reason they always spill on the carpet. Usually white carpet.
 
There is no need to panic, but there is a need to gather your thoughts, keep your cool and not overreact to the situation. That is difficult when you witness a full glass of merlot splashing onto your white, wool rug in the middle of the living room.
 
Your first reaction might be to grab a random cleaning product from the collection underneath the kitchen sink. This can be a mistake. Some consumers have been known to use window cleaner, bathroom tile cleaners and other products on carpet.
 
Instead, keep things simple. Use these three, easy-to-remember procedures:
 
1. Scrape and Blot: If the spill is food related, scrape up as much as you can. Then, using white, disposable paper towels or white, washable cotton towels, start blotting up the spill. Keep at it until the area you are working on is fairly dry and you have removed as much of the spot as you can. Then…
2. Add product: Using a flip-top or trigger sprayer application, apply small amounts of a product manufactured specifically for carpet fibers. The best products for this can be obtained from your carpet and furniture cleaning company. Blot in between applications, and when the spot is gone, use a little warm water to help remove the cleaning residue, blotting as you do so. Then…
3. Blot some more: When the job is complete, and you are happy with the results, blot until all moisture seems to be removed and then leave a white, absorbent towel on the spot with a weight on the towel, so any remaining moisture wicks up into the towel. Leave the towel in place for several hours.
 
But when the occasion occurs (and it will) and the spot just won’t come out, stop your work to avoid damage to the color texture of the carpet and “setting” of the spot or stain. Quickly call CLC Extreme Clean Carpet Cleaning your Ruidoso , Alto New Mexico carpet and furniture cleaning specialist.

​Tile floors are everywhere, and where there’s tile, there’s also grout to separate it all, keeping everything nice and even, with straight lines.
 
But a straight line may not always be so… clean. Dirt and grime and other contaminants build up over time and make what was once a beautiful floor look downright ugly. The grout is especially susceptible to soiling and staining.
 
Just as you would clean any surface, tile and grout floors need special attention. If you keep them clean, following a maintenance schedule, you won’t have to deal with the tough issue of restorative cleaning.
 
Here are a few simple tips for you to follow in order to keep your tile and grout floors in tip-top shape.
 
Sweep it
 
The first step is keep the floor swept. Sweep it daily, which will remove dust and debris and other contaminants that can eventually cause tough-to-remove soiling.
 
Mop it
 
Tile floors are very easy to clean and maintain. Use a clean mop and an approved detergent to clean the floor. Some prefer the newer flat floor cleaners. Doesn’t matter the tool, it is how you use it and the products you choose.
 
Some recommend the use of chlorine bleach, which acts as a disinfectant. The challenge here is remaining residues can create issues, such as being tracked off onto carpet, causing color loss. Be careful with the use of any type of bleach.
 
Grout issues
 
The toughest part of a tile and grout floor cleaning job is… the grout. It’s porous, even if sealed, and becomes an eyesore quickly. Purchase a heavy-duty grout cleaner and follow the directions. You will most likely be on your hands and knees, and it takes time to do this right. Apply the product to the grout, allow some reasonable contact time, and scrub - scrub - scrub! Repeat as necessary. Work carefully until the grout looks great again.
 
When everything is cleaned up, be sure to rinse with a neutral detergent, or just water, and let air dry and inspect. You will find areas need more attention. When you do… get back to work!
 
Tile and grout cleaning is no easy task, especially when it becomes really soiled. When you find yourself up against an impossible task, do the smart thing. Call your professional cleaning company. After all, it pays to call a pro! CLC Extreme Clean Carpet Cleaning 575-937-4385

​The main goal for protecting your home from water damage situations is to prepare and anticipate what can happen.
 
This means many things, such as keeping your sump pump in good working condition, repairing leaky pipes and dripping faucets, and ensuring that during cold weather your home is snug and tight against intruding freezing temperatures.
 
But things do happen. Pipes break, spewing water everywhere. Flood waters can enter your home and wreak havoc while you are away. Leaky plumbing fixtures can slowly cause damage and spawn mold growth.
 
When this occurs, it affects not only the building materials of your home, such as the walls, floors, and ceilings, but the contents as well. You know, the valuables you care so much about. These can be anything from stuffed animals to books to photographs to electronic equipment and more. Even mementos that just can’t be replaced.
 
If any of this occurs to you and your home, use these tips for best content triage strategies.
 
Safety first
Before doing any type of work in your home after a water damage situation, make sure you are safe. This means your electricity and power sources are turned off (if appropriate and the damage warrants this), and water has been extracted or reduced to a minimum level.
 
Document everything
Before starting work, and during the work process, take pictures of everything. What you can’t dry and save yourself will no doubt be replaced with insurance dollars. But without proof, you might have a fight on your hands with your insurance company.
 
Act fast!
When contents get wet, damage is minimal — for now. Get those valuables up off wet surfaces and do what you can to dry them out and set them where they won’t cause more damage and where they can dry. Depending on the items, move them out into the sun for faster drying. Documents, pictures, and other similar valuables will need careful handling and professional care.
 
Prioritize
There are some items more valuable to you than others, and emotions can get involved. Prioritize what you are going to save. Odd are, if you don’t call a professional restoration company right away, you aren’t going to be able to save everything. Electronics and other valuables may be beyond saving. Don’t waste time on what can’t be saved. That’s what insurance is for.
 
When you have any type of disaster situations at your home, whether from fire, smoke, floods, or water damage, do the right thing. Contact your favorite disaster restoration company. After all, it pays to call a pro! CLC Extreme Clean Carpet Cleaning 575-937-4385

Do you want your carpets to last longer and look cleaner all of the time?

Hello Friends! If you answered “Yes!” to the question above, then be sure to take a quick look at these…

1. Vacuum frequently and thoroughly. Dirt is the number one cause of wear and tear to your carpet. Be sure that you are vacuuming thoroughly at least once per week to keep the dry soils to a minimum and maximize the life of your carpet.

2. Clean up spots and spills swiftly and properly. To properly remove a spot, use a clean absorbent towel (preferably a white one to avoid color transfer) and hot tap water in a spray bottle containing a small amount of a mild detergent – just make sure the detergent does not contain bleaching agents. Next, alternate blotting and spraying the area, DO NOT over wet the spot. You can even place a dry absorbent towel under something heavy like a book to completely remove the moisture from the carpet. Most spots can be removed if they are caught early. Of course, the exceptions are, if a spill contains a dye, (i.e., red juice) or a bleaching agent then the spot is usually permanent.

3. Never scrub or rub spots. The correct method to remove a spill is to scrape the spot towards the middle and then blot with a white towel or cloth. Scrubbing or rubbing the spot will fray the carpet fibers and permanently damage the area.

4. Do not overuse carpet detergents, shampoos or spotters. Some people are addicted to their carpet spotters, but too much detergent in the carpet will result in a dirt attracting residue that will make your carpet appear dirty faster.

5. Clean your carpets professionally every six months. Carpet manufactures recommend cleaning your carpets profession- ally with van mounted steam cleaning. By cleaning every six months you will extend the life of your carpet and have a healthier, cleaner home.

6. Re-apply “Carpet Protector” every other cleaning. Carpet protector “seals” the fibers of your carpets and makes them resistant to most household stains. It also makes your vacuuming more efficient. The effectiveness of carpet protector is reduced about 30-35 percent with each cleaning. But, by re-applying at least every other cleaning you will continue to protect your carpet from stains and everyday wear and tear, giving your carpet the longest life possible.
​After all, it pays to call a pro!  CLC Extreme Clean Carpet Cleaning 575-937-4385

Soot is a residue that can be on any surface in your home. It can come from sources such as your furnace system, a fireplace, candles you burn, and other combustible sources that don’t burn clean.

Some soot is dangerous, such as from a fire or furnace puff-back. Skin contact with these types of soot should be avoided, as they may contain hydrocarbons that are classified as human carcinogens. Outdoor soot is even regulated by the EPA, classified as a criteria pollutant.

Soot is usually handled by restoration professionals as it is often a by-product of a disaster event, although it may be minor, such as extra smoke from a fireplace.

But many types of soot, such as found in your kitchen or from candles, light soot, can be handled with regular restorative cleaning. Just be smart when deciding to clean soot from surfaces. Wearing appropriate personal protective equipment is a must when restoration pros do it, so keep that in mind and wear protective gloves, eye protection, and anything you need to keep the soot residues off of your skin and out of your lungs.

The first step with soot is with simply dry wiping. It may come off the surface easily, especially if the surface is non-permeable. You will still need to wet clean that surface for final residue.

Most likely, the soot needs to be cleaned with hot water and detergent, since it is often greasy. Applying some detergent solution and allowing approximately 10 minutes of dwell time should loosen the soot and you can wipe it away. There are also special cleaning products for soot-type greasy soils. The same cleaning principles would apply.

But if the soot is on a vertical surface, your approach needs to be more careful. Clean from the bottom and move up, just a few inches at a time. If you start at the top and work down, any wet residue that runs down the wall may create permanent stains. So manage the moisture and soot removal from the bottom going up, and you won’t have this issue.

If, after cleaning, soot stains remain, it may be time to think of repainting.

Of course, soot cleaning is really something that restoration pros can handle. Do the right thing. Call your favorite restoration company. After all, it pays to call a pro!
​

​Dirt and grime can be found in most places and are part of life. The goal most of us have is to keep all of it outside, where it belongs. But inside it comes, sometimes with a vengeance. In the air. On shoes. Tracked in by pets.

But what about dust? Is dust a simple type of soil that floats in the air, that you can see hanging in the sunlight coming in a window? That’s a common belief, yet you would be surprised at what composes dust in your home.

Dust can be pet dander, skin cells, dust mite excrement, flooring materials breaking down, and, of course, just regular fine soil that has made its way into your home. Much of this may be allergen triggers for those in your household, so keeping your home as dust-free as possible is important.

It’s a simple matter to dust a surface, but another one entirely to do it thoroughly and to remove dust from those hard-to-reach areas. Sometimes, our dusting efforts actually create more problems, as we might simply put the dust in the air or just move it around.

Here are a few best practices to consider. As you work, think of your own lungs and perhaps wear a mask appropriate for dusting. If you have allergies, this is very important.

Tip #1: To keep dust in its place, start at the top of a room and work your way down. Top to bottom. If you don’t collect all the dust with the cleaning cloth you are using, it should fall down, and you can get it as you keep working.

Tip #2: It’s always best to use a moistened cloth rather than a dry cloth, if the surface can be cleaned with moisture. This way you easily collect the dust as you work. Turn the cloth over or rinse it out often. You want to remove dust, not redistribute it.

Tip #3: For hard-to-reach areas, many might just skip cleaning. Don’t do that. Think smart. You can use long-handled dusters that collect dust and don’t sweep it away. You can use flat-mop type dusters for the sides of appliances. Also, think about vacuums with attachments to suck up the dust under furniture or behind heavy items that can’t easily be moved.

Of course, the best option is to call your favorite cleaning company and let them handle the entire job, giving you time to do something you enjoy. After all, it pays to call a pro! 575-937-4385

​Most of our attention is on surfaces or items at eye level or lower, such as on tables, or the flooring in your home. But when your eyes go up, you might start to notice something frightful… damaged ceiling tiles, and causing you to think “Oh, no, it’s mold!”
 
It’s probably not. Most likely what you are seeing are damaged ceiling tiles from some type of water leak or moisture intrusion.
 
Ceiling tiles are usually made from plants, minerals, gypsum, clay, other natural materials, so are very absorbent and show stains easily. Some are made from synthetic products and might not have as many stains from water leaks or moisture intrusion.
 
Here are a few steps you can take to restore those damaged ceiling tiles. But remember that replacement might be a final option.
 
Remove them
 
Take pictures of your ceiling first, just to avoid the frustration of fitting them back, especially if some tiles are of different sizes. Vacuum your tiles, removing as much dirt and debris you can, which will be concentrated on the topside of them.
 
Wash them
 
You have to be careful now. Over wetting is an issue. In a typical spray bottle, use warm water and a few drops of dish detergent. Mist the tiles until they are damp and use white cloths to clean the surfaces. Use more detergent on heavier deposits of soil. Allow the tiles to dry.
 
Bleach them
 
Set the tiles out that still have stains. What you are going to do now is bleach away those stains. Don’t use chlorine bleach. Get some household hydrogen peroxide, easily found at a grocery store or pharmacy. Hydrogen peroxide is a safe bleach that will slowly remove stains. Mist the peroxide, using it straight (no dilution) over the stained areas of the tiles, and with a soft brush, work the solution into the tiles. The remaining stains often disappear in a few hours. If you see some progress, repeat the process.
 
Paint them
 
Besides replacement, painting your tiles is an option, but you may lose some acoustical ability, since some tiles are designed to absorb sound. It’s a decision you will have to make.
 
And, of course, for any restoration work, such as cleaning of items that are damaged by water intrusion, call your favorite restoration company. After all, it pays to call a pro!
​ CLC Extreme Clean Carpet Cleaning 575-937-4385