Clean My Carpets In The Winter???

YES!

As we've mentioned, soils in your carpets cause abrasion to the fibers as you walk over it. In plainspeak we call this "wear and tear" and "traffic patterns." If you've been following along, you'll know that a good, regular vacuuming will go a LONG way towards preserving your carpet's appearance and life. Just the same, periodically rearranging furniture to alter traffic flow helps as well. And of course, cleaning AT LEAST once per year to remove ground in soils and greasy soiling.

However, many people wait until spring to clean their homes, especially with the weather we've had! I'm sure you have thought as many of us have: "I'll just wait until the snow and salt clears up." Even if that wait puts their scheduled clean back by several months or more! But waiting for a spring clean could mean dramatically reducing the life of your carpeting, or even causing irreversible damage!

It's true. All that salt and soiling coming in the house is clogging up your fibers and scratching them up. This is further compounded by heavy footwear like snow boots. Plus there is often post-holiday stain build-ups that are slowly setting into the carpets and potentially becoming permanent, or very difficult to remove!

If you have heavy traffic in your home, had some big holiday events, haven't cleaned the carpets in the last twelve months, and its starting to look a bit shabby--DON'T WAIT! Call you quality local cleaner today! If you are not in south east Michigan, check out ethicalservices.com to find a GREAT cleaner in your area.

Otherwise, you're in luck! Cause Liberty is here for YOU!

Winter Salt In Your Carpets

Anyone who has spent a winter in Michigan knows how great road salting can be, especially if it's been icy recently, which it has.

The downside is when it gets tracked in the home or business and stains the carpets. There are steps you can take to prevent this!

First, have plenty of entry matting. All the comments from our earlier blog on soil prevention apply here. Having sufficient outdoor and indoor entry mats is critical for catching as much of teh large particulate as possible BEFORE it hits your carpets.

Second, Vacuuming! Vacuum regularly, daily if needed, or even twice a day! What does hit the carpeting can and should be captured as soon as possible to prevent it from getting ground in. As above, our earlier blog comments on proper vacuuming apply 100%.

The first two steps here will do ALOT to reduce or prevent salt from getting in your carpeting, but if some still makes its way through your defenses, worry not! One step you can take i to keep a mixture of white vinegar and water on hand. Wet the areas stained with salt with your solution and soak it up with a terry cloth towel. Be sure to follow this up with a rinse of straight water to remove the vinegar from the carpeting, again blotting it dry with a towel.

Now, carpeting does dry from the bottom up, so you can leave a towel on top of the damp spot while it dries. Its ok to put a phone book or similar heavy object on top of the towel to keep it in place and aid absorbtion. Putting a floor fan over the area will also speed drying.

And of course, if the problems persist or you have a BIG problem on your hands, don't hesitate to call your local quality cleaning company. :)

What To Do In Case Of Flood

With the heavy snows and below-freezing temperatures we’ve had lately around metro Detroit, water damage can suddenly be a very real problem. Whether from burst pipes or ice dams or any other source, if you suddenly find yourself in such a situation CALL US IMMEDIATELY!

With flooding time is of the essence. Drying with speed matters. You want to start drying A.S.A.P. before mold and mildew have a chance to start propagating. However here’s a few tips you can use to address the problem before the professionals arrive.

• Think Safety First! Identify any safety hazards and address them immediately! Water is conducive to electricity, so watch out for any potential risk of shock. Water can also make walking surfaces slippery, so take care when crossing the wet surface.
  
• Stop the source of the water. Until the leak or source is stopped, you can’t start drying. You might need to call a plumber. And of course, watch out for hazards.
  
• Increased airflow. Airflow promotes evaporation, so if the weather permits, open the windows. If you can, place fans to blow over the affected areas and turn up the heat or air conditioning. You can also open doors, drawers, closets and cupboards in any affected areas to promote air movement.
  
• Move or protect any furniture. If an item to too big or bulky to remove from the area, elevate it or place a protective surface underneath until professionals arrive. This will help prevent any potential rust or wood staining, and also protect the furniture from water damage.
  
• Hang up or pin up drapes and pin up upholstery skirting. Don’t let these items hang in the water or touch the affected flooring.
  
• Wash and dry any clothing and linens. Don’t put anything in plastic bags, as they will begin to mold.
  
  You might be tempted to dry the affected flooring, walls or furnishing. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TREAT THESE ITEMS YOURSELF! Let a trained and certified professional treat these items. Wood floors and furniture can easily be damaged when exposed to water. All of Liberty’s specialists are IICRC trained in Water Damage Restoration and know exactly what to do and how best to save your valuable items. Professionals have the tools and knowledge necessary to evaluate the damage and begin restoring your belongings to pre-loss conditions. Once the source is stopped and drying has begun, we will check back periodically to monitor progress until everything is completely dry. Our Thermal Energy System (TES) is great at drying safely with speed. The power of dry, heated air increases drying potential, allowing us to restore your home faster and safer, getting you back on track as soon as possible.
  
  Liberty offers 24 hour emergency service to Macomb County, Oakland County and Grosse Pointe MI. Call 586-872-3112 in case of emergency.