Holiday Spotting Tips!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

That time of year is upon us again when we are inflicted with seasonal guests. Hoepfully your holidays will be spot-free, but should Aunt Dottie spill the gravy, or if Uncle Fred gets a little wild with the eggnog, we have some quick tips you can keep handy for an immediate cleanup!

HOMEOWNERS, BLOT THAT SPOT! Seriously, always blot, never scrub. That's our motto and I'm sure you've heard it before if we've had the priviledge to clean your home. Scrubbing creates friction and friction creates heat and heat can cause stains to set, and nobody wants that! Blotting with a cool, damp, white cotton towel will give you some great absorbancy potential, allowing you to soak up the bulk of the spill. You can use your hand OR your foot (or both, if you fancy Twister) to slowly and gently apply pressure to the towel for several minutes.

STEP AWAY FROM THE CLEANER! Most household cleaners and over-the-counter products are really not the sorts of things you want on your carpet. They can be very aggressive and abrasive, causing damage to your fibers and possibly even letting stains set easier and faster! While they may be well intentioned, most cleaners just mask the spot and damage the fibers, leaving a soapy or greasy residue that attracts more soiling over time, making spot "come back." Rather than risk a permanent stain, its better to use a neutral solution (like a 50/50 mixture of cold water and white vinegar). If this doesn't do the job, you should call your regular professional cleaner (when you have a minute!). A quality company will have trained and certified technicians who can address the spot much better and with the right tools.

SLEEP ON IT! OK, not really. But it doesn't hurt to leave a cool, damp, white cotton towel on top of the spot for a few hours, or even over night, if you suspect it might stain or if some residue is left. You can put a handy phonebook or similar weighty item on top of the towel to hold it in place and help absorbtion. Wet carpeting dries from the bottom up, so that wet towel will "trick" the carpet into thinking it's taller than it really is. It's a pretty neat trick, as the product will end up in the towel and not your carpet, and we find it alot easier to wash a towel than a carpet!

So there you are, three short, handy tips yo can keep in mind during your holiday functions. No matter what kind of spill you encounter, these three steps are the first things you should do! Save your own carpet from the "Holiday Spots" or be the hero and save a friends!

In any event, we wish you the best of Health, Wealth and Happiness over your holidays and in the New Year!

Natural Stone Care the Liberty Way

With the way the economy has been going recently, alot of folks have gone from trading up their homes to home renovations to increase the value of their home for when the market does come back. Often enough, this involves replacing old counter tops and flooring with new, more valuable surfaces. And when it comes to counters, granite is an old favorite. So we thought we would share some helpful tips for you to use when taking care of your granite surfaces. Whether they are part of a new update you've done or will do, or an old favorite feature, these tips will help you get the most out of your investment. :)

What you Should do

• Do: Protect counter top surfaces with coasters, trivets or place mats, particularly under containers or glasses with alcohol or citrus juices.
• Do: Blot up spills immediately. Acidic substances like wine, coffee, fruit juices, tomato sauce and sodas can etch the polish or stain the surface. Cooking oils may also leave a stain if not wiped up quickly.
• Do: Clean surfaces using a sponge or soft cloth. Always use a specially formulated neutral pH stone cleaner. Repeated or excessive use of regular soap, household cleaners or even water will cause a build-up of chemicals and mineral deposits that will dull your counter top's shine.
• Do: Polish your counter top regularly using a Granite spray polish, this really helps maintain brilliant color and the protective coating that safeguards your Granite. (By the way, Liberty does have Granite Spray Polish available for you. Call 586-294-3111 or log on to http://www.libertyservicesofamerica.com/ )
• Do: Remove water spots by rubbing with a #000 steel wool.
• Do: ALWAYS USE A CUTTING BOARD! Again, avoid the possibility of scratching the surface and protect your knives.
• Do: Use trivets and hotpads under pots, pans and dinnerware. Yes, you can take a hot pot off the stove and put it right on the granite, without any problems. Not true for all other surfaces. But you must consider other issues as well.

Grit that gets trapped between objects and the countertop surface may scratch the surface, even granite. Granite is very hard and can withstand considerable abuse, but will wear eventually. ALL other surfaces are softer than granite. Better safe than sorry. If it does happen, don't fret too much. Most chips and scratches can be repaired by a skilled professional, but it's best to avoid them by following these simple Granite counter top care tips.

What you SHOULD NOT do

• Don't: Cut on your counter top surface, this will prematurely scratch, dull and damage your Granite as well as wear the knives' edges quickly.
• Don't: Use generic cleaners such as bleach, glass cleaner or degreasers. The products at your local store contain acids, alkali and other chemicals that can damage the counter top surface, leave dirt attracting residues or degrade the granite sealer leaving the stone more vulnerable to permanent staining. Trying to save money by using these chemicals only ensures that you'll spend a lot more time and money on your granite counter top maintenance in the long-run.
• Don't: Use vinegar, ammonia, bleach or citrus cleansers.
• Don't: Use dish soap for regular cleaning. Dish soap is also commonly recommended for stone and counter top care as a daily cleaner because it will not damage your stone or sealant if it's mild, plain soap like Ivory. However, soap scum will build up over time, dulling the surface and requiring a thorough cleaning with special products to restore the original luster. So, while using a soapy sponge or cloth for quick clean-up while you're cooking, etc. is certainly fine, cleaning your counter tops with soap is not the best or easiest method.
• Don't: Use bathroom, tub and tile or grout cleaners. The powders and even the "soft" creams contain abrasives that will scratch and dull surfaces.
• Don't: Sit or stand on your counter tops. Unlike laminate counter tops, granite, marble and quartz counter tops are very hard, but not flexible, and the DO NOT have a plywood backing, so too much weight in one spot could cause a crack.
• Don't: Place toiletry products directly on your counter top surface. Hair products, perfumes, colognes, nail products, creams, lotions and potions may stain or damage the surface or etch the polish, leaving a ring. Protect your counter top by placing these products on a decorative tray like they do in fancy hotels!

Bad Advice You May Have Heard

'Unfortunately, if you search around the web you'll find lots of conflicting and plain wrong information about the characteristics of counter top surface maintenance. I've seen Windex, Pledge and even Simple Green recommended for cleaning granite. True, it will clean it and your counter top will look nice and shiny. But as noted above, when used consistently over time, Windex and all other generic cleaners may damage the surface or granite sealer. You won't see it right away, but by the time you notice the damage is done.

You May Even Void Your Warranty

And don't forget when cleaning your mirrors in the bathrooms, to spray the glass cleaner away from the counter top and on to the paper towel or cloth FIRST, then wipe the mirror. Don't spray it onto the mirror because guess where the overspray goes? That's right, all over your counter tops.

Good Advice

Daily: Hot water and a sponge is sufficient to wipe up spills and debris and keep your counter tops clean and tidy throughout the day. At the end of the day, a quick spray and wipe of the most heavily used areas with our stone cleaner will adequately clean, disinfect and protect your counter tops.

Weekly: Use the stone cleaner over the entire surface. Then spray with aerosol counter top polish and buff dry with a clean, dry terrycloth towel. (And don't forget! We have that in stock for you!)

Granite counter to maintenance is very easy. In fact, if all you ever did was follow thee instructions after we have completely protected your surface, your stone will still look great 20 years from now!

I hope you found this valuable, and that you use these tips for years to come. If you have any further questions, we're always more than happy to help you! Call 586-294-3111 or click on http://www.libertyservicesofamerica.com/

Tips You Can Use At Home To Prolong The Life Of Your Carpet

Nobody like a worn, soiled-looking carpet. And I'm sure everyone has heard enough about traffic and wear patterns. Well here are a few tips you can use around your house to extend the wear life of your carpeting for FREE!

And they are easy too!

1. Rearrange furniture often in rooms that receive high traffic.

Some of us fear change, but for others rearranging the furniture is almost a hobby! Either way, altering the flow of traffic through a room will spread out that daily wear and tear, creating a more even appearance and increasing the amount of time it takes wear to show. Plus, it gives you a fresh perspective on things! ;)

2. Change your furnace filter at least monthly, or more often when its dry or dusty.

Indoor air quality is a very hot topic nowadays. As I'm sure you know, your carpeting is also a filter in your house. Maintaining a fresh air filter will help reduce some of the soiling in your carpet. So let the filter do the filtering and let your carpet do the comforting!

3. Consult with the professionals.

Some rooms, homes, or areas have special flooring needs. Make sure each room is optimized to handle its use. Having the right flooring in the right areas will contribute to the overall cleanliness of your home and make cleanings alot easier.

4. Vacuum regularly.

Lets say that again: Vacuum Regularly! This is probably the single greatest controlling factor that decides how long your carpet will last and how quickly it soils. It may not be the most enjoyable task ever, but it is a very important one and can have a suprising effect not just on your carpet, but also on your physical and mental health! Once again, Indoor air quality has been linked to a number of illnesses, diseases and disorders. Keeping your carpet clean and fresh eliminates so many contaminates from your home.
Vacuum at least once a week or more!

5. Quality flooring.

The cheapest carpeting is probably not the best. And while you may not need to shell out top dollar for the fanciest of carpets you should select a quality carpet. The extra cost up front will save you alot of time and stress later, when you need to quickly replace a cheap carpet that has worn too quickly. And of course, buyer beware. Always check out the dealer and installer and make sure they are a quality company.

There you have it! 5 quick tips you can use to keep your home and carpets fresh, clean and healthy in between regular cleanings! Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or are looking for a good referral. If we don't have one directly, we can always point you in the right direction! :)