From the Floors Up

Keep Away That Mold!

By

Mold in your home is a serious issue requiring immediate attention. It can pop up anywhere in your house, but the most likely place you will find it is in your bathroom.

 

Some of the conditions needed for mold to grow are damp and steamy areas, poorly ventilated rooms and from moisture on exposed plumbing . Sound familiar? Not to mention the environment created in your shower stall right after a shower or bath.  Wet tile and shower liner, water beneath your shampoo and body wash, as well as an exposed soap bar make for a perfect storm in your bathroom.

 

Mold almost seems impossible to prevent, unless you want to remove your soap and other shower items daily. Fortunately, with a few smart choices in material and design, there will be no need to simulate your last camping trip.

 

If a bathroom has not yet been installed, make sure the design includes waterproof material, which will prevent moisture from reaching difficult to access areas that can create a breeding ground for bacteria and mold to develop. Proper ventilation is also key to stopping this issue before it starts. Whether a window is present or not in the room, consider installing a bathroom fan that can be run during hot showers and baths to prevent steam from rising and causing mold in the wall tiles and ceiling.

 

Existing bathrooms do not have the benefit of newer materials that would make it easier to keep the environment mold-free, so a little more hand-on work is required.  If a ventilation fan is not currently installed in the room, adding one would go a long way in keeping the area dry. Use it during shower or bath time and for 30 minutes afterwards to keep moisture away.  Consider minimizing bath products in the shower to ensure that there are less dark, wet spaces for bacteria to grow under.  Before exiting the shower, use a towel or squeegee to wipe or scrape away as much moisture from the walls as possible. Finally, make sure to clean all exposed tile at least once a week.

 

 

Removing Candy Stains from Carpet

By

Children will be to heading back to school before too long and the summer full of activities is coming to an end.  Time to look around and survey the house, perhaps cleaning up some unwanted items left by the kids.  One item you may find is stuck-on candy. Many times when children (or their friends who are visiting) have candy, it can find its way to the carpet. Find out how to remove candy stains from carpet below!

Gently remove any chunks or excess of candy by hand. Gently work one (only one!) of the cleaning solutions from below into the stain. Be very careful not to rub stain into the carpet, but instead blot the stain, starting at the outside edges and working your way inside. This keeps the stain from spreading further. For best results, add solution to a spray bottle and spray on your carpet stains.

A detergent solution is the safest way to remove candy from carpet. Mix 1 cup of warm water with 1/4 teaspoon of clear liquid hand dishwashing detergent. Avoid laundry detergent because the dyes in the detergent will stain the carpet. Also do not use dishwashing detergent (the kind that is used in the dishwasher) because they contain bleaching agents and dye. When using a detergent solution, it is important to rinse the carpet well afterwards. Any leftover residue will attract and show dirt.

Ammonia cleaner is somewhat stronger than a vinegar solution. Ammonia solution should be tested before used on any stains. Mix a solution of 1 tablespoon of ammonia per one cup of water (do not use a stronger solution as it could discolor the carpet).  Test a small, hidden area and watch for any color change. If a color change does occur, do not use the ammonia solution. Make sure to rinse the carpet area and blot up the excess ammonia solution with a dry clean towel.

Hopefully this advice will help with your stain removal!  If you find you cannot remove the stain to your satisfaction, please let us know.  We are happy to answer questions and help in any way!

5 Habits to Keep a Consistently Clean Bedroom

By

Because bedrooms are our personal spaces, they often become quite messy and unorganized. However creating habits can keep a bedroom tidy. Here are 5 habits to do just that!

 

1. Make Your Bed

Every room looks cleaner when the bed is made, even if the floor is messy. The best way to do it is to make your bed every single day as soon as you wake up. Not only will this help your room look and be cleaner but it will also be rewarding every night when you crawl into your nicely made bed.

 

2. Put Away Clothes You Didn’t Wear

Often bedrooms will become messy because when we are picking out an outfit, we don’t put away or rehang the clothes we chose not to wear. If you don’t do this, you will have a mess of both clean and dirty clothes on your floor that will create chaos. Simply putting away the article of clothing as soon as you decide against it will save you lots of time.

 

3. Use Your Laundry Baskets

If the laundry bin is out of reach and hard to access, then you will be more likely to simply throw your dirty clothes on the floor after a long day. Put the laundry basket somewhere easy to access and close to where you usually get undressed. This will encourage you to put your clothes in the bin as soon as you change.

 

4. Take Dishes Down

Although it’s unconventional many of us do enjoy food and beverages in the bedroom. It’s easy to cast the dishes aside and forget about them because they aren’t in the kitchen. However these items will make a room look very dirty and unorganized. As soon as your finished eating or drinking, immediately take your dish to the kitchen.

 

5. Keep Work Out

Another way bedrooms tend to get messy is because of work papers, books, etc. Not only does this make the room messy but it also brings the stress of daily life into a place of rest. If possible, store papers and books in your office or kitchen. If not, organize your papers either into your briefcase or closed drawers. So long as it’s out of sight and out of mind.

 

How To Stage Your Home So It’s Ready To Go On The Market, But Not Stay There For Long

By Leave a Comment

Part 3 – Final Touches

  • Freshen up. It could be argued that of the five senses smell is the most influential on our kneejerk response to something. Open all of the windows, and then set floor fans in each of the rooms, and let natural airflow help carry away that lived in olfactory presence. Then, close all of the widows and make plans to be out of the house for an hour or so. Before you leave use an air sanitizer and go bananas with it. Spray every room in the house thoroughly. Also use a fabric scent sanitizer for curtain, couches, etc. Follow up with plug-in air fresheners that will keep the house smelling pleasant on a daily basis. 
  • Have the carpets cleaned. Doing so will not only make a huge difference is the appearance of the house, it will eliminate odors as well.
  • Deep clean shelves and the interior of appliances. There is the possibility that someone will take a quick moment to peer inside the oven or pantry cabinets. If either of these is dirty it’s a major turn off. Scrub things thoroughly, and if necessary use fresh shelf liners.
  • Un-clutter the kitchen. Visit any home and you’re likely to find the kitchen overflowing with stuff. Unread mail, homework assignments, blenders, coffee maker, utensils. Try the 80/20 rule. Remove 80% of these things from sight and leave 20% so the space still looks a little lived in.
  • Appeal to people’s sense of taste by displaying a container of seasonal fruit and vegetables on the countertop or table. The human eye will make a quick connection with the space being a great place to eat.
  • Light it up. Turn the lights on in any and all spaces that benefit from it while guests are touring. Even if it’s daylight outside, people will respond best to well lit areas. For example, a bathroom with a window should still be shown with the light on. Also, as soon as dusk sets turn on outdoor accent lighting.

 

How To Stage Your Home So It’s Ready To Go On The Market, But Not Stay There For Long

By Leave a Comment

Part 2 – Simplify

  • Sweat the small stuff. As homeowners we all get comfortable enough in our space to let the little things slide. Things like a shoddy screen door, cracked base boards, or un-retouched holes in the walls can be easy to ignore if you are around them on a daily basis. However, these details will make a big statement to someone who has never seen your house before, and the message will be “Neglect!” Time to make that nit-picky list and get to work on the small stuff.
  • Sweat the big stuff. Clutter is a sure way to make your house seem small and unwelcoming. It also makes it very difficult for a potential buyer to envision what their stuff might look like in the space. Make it easy for them by getting rid of everything you can. When it comes to selling a home less is DEFINITELY more. Do this in as many spaces as possible. Don’t skip the pantry, closets, or garage. How does one do this with limited space? In an ideal scenario rent a portable storage unit, known as a pod. You’re going to move anyway so why not start the packing process right away? If this isn’t an option, still start packing and neatly stack boxes in the garage.
  • Create simple unity. Paint over any area in the home that features odd or bold colors. People aren’t very good at seeing something other than the way it is. So if they see a purple wall they won’t able to envision it in beige.
  • Take you out of the equation. By this we mean pack away any personalized items that are expressive of your life and interests. For example, a wall-collage of family photos or a collection of magnets on the fridge. Make it so they can envision their own family in the house.

Next read Part 3 – Final Touches

From the Floors Up

From the Floors Up blog was created with the goal of providing a destination for consumers, designers and those interested in the flooring, design, and kitchen and bath industries. Here you’ll find, current, accurate and informative information that is always just a click away!

Recent Comments

Subscribe

Enter your email address to receive new post notifications via email.