Archived Cleaning Blog Posts
Improve Indoor Air Quality with Duct Cleaning
6/10/2020 (Permalink)
Cleaning air ducts helps reduce the number of airborne pollutants circulating in your home and improves your indoor air quality.
Do you know that the best way to improve indoor air quality is to clean or service your ventilation system regularly? Many people fail to clean or service their HVAC system after installation. The only time they remember is when it develops a fault.
Allergens such as pollen, dust, dander, mites, and pet hair can find their way to the ductwork. Bacterias, viruses, and other microbes can also be sheltered in ducts.
Cleaning air ducts helps reduce the number of airborne pollutants circulating in your home and improves your indoor air quality. Pollens and molds can settle in your ductwork and get circulated inside your rooms when your air conditioner or heater is turned on. When inhaled, air pollutants can cause breathing disorders such as asthma and allergies.
There are some basic things you can do yourself in keeping your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit (HVAC) clean frequently. Keeping the HVAC and ductwork clean not only extends the life-span of the equipment but also enables it to operate at peak condition.
HVAC systems should be serviced every 6 months and build up specks of dirt removed for proper circulation. A dirty duct will circulate contaminated air such as mold and dust throughout your home.
As duct cleaning helps get rid of contaminants in your HVAC system, you can further improve your indoor air quality by using air purifiers, air cleaners, and ventilators to treat the air.
Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned – a defensive cleaning program
6/3/2020 (Permalink)
Our defensive cleaning program gives your business a way forward by providing your employees and customers ongoing safety and assuredness.
Let us help you get back to business
As our communities re-open, we’re all moving back toward a new kind of normal. The expectations of visitors, customers, and employees who come into our establishments have evolved, and staying safe and well is a top concern. The global COVID-19 pandemic has changed what it means to be clean, and we’ve developed a program to help your business meet the new higher standard of clean that is now expected.
Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned is a defensive cleaning program we’re offering to businesses and commercial locations to address the current COVID-19 pandemic. This proactive viral pathogen cleaning program goes well beyond janitorial or carpet cleaning. By choosing Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, you, your employees, your customers, and your community can rest assured that you’ve selected a higher cleaning standard – you are Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned.
Extensive training and specialized products
As the #1 choice in cleanup and restoration*, we stand on more than 50 years of experience and expertise to help your business become Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned. Beyond fire & water, SERVPRO professionals are trained and experienced in biohazard decontamination and chemical spills – always adhering to the cleaning and decontamination standards set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local authorities.
From formulating and creating our proprietary cleaning products, like SERVPROXIDE, at our headquarters in Gallatin, TN, to taking the utmost care while disinfecting, we will ensure you and your business are set up to inspire consumer confidence as the economy continues to reopen.
3 C’s – Consult, Clean, and Certify
When the stakes are this high, you want a partner who has developed an industry leading, proprietary training program, cleaning solutions, and remediation processes over decades. We’ve cleaned up some of the most challenging biohazards imaginable. Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned reflects our unique experiences and capabilities. The program is grounded with our unique 3 C’s: Consult, Clean, and Certify.
- Consult – Every business is different, which is why you’ll be assigned a Cleaning Protocol Consultant who understands your business and will create a cleaning program to meet your specific needs. This program will be developed based on your business type, size of space, amount of high frequency touchpoints, foot traffic and congestion points.
- Clean – Based on your specific business needs, your location will undergo a thorough, deep clean, using exclusive cleaning products, according to protocols set forth by the CDC. Our employees have years of experience, and we will go beyond the scope of work that regular janitorial staff perform. Cleanup procedures generally include cleaning of porous and non-porous surfaces, disinfecting of non-porous surfaces, cleaning and disinfecting of equipment, tools, and/or supplies used for cleanup process, and disposal of hazardous materials. In the event of a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 event, we will be there cleaning within 24 hours to ensure you get back to business as quickly as possible.
- Certify - Once your business location has been Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, you will gain access to proprietary signage, digital emblems, and other collateral that communicates that you’ve selected a higher standard of clean available to help protect your employees and customers. And because we add the day, month, and year to that proprietary stamp of clean, your guests will know that not only did you choose Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, but that your location is being cleaned regularly at this standard.
Call today for a Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned consultation
We’re Here to Help – 24 hours a day, seven days a week – until life is back to normal in the communities we all call home.
Call SERVPRO of Manteca and Modesto today at (209) 823-8877 for your Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned consultation.
* #1 Choice in cleanup & restoration based Commercial Attitude & Usage Tracking study. Polling 816 commercial business decision makers on first choice for future needs related to cleanup & restoration work. Study conducted by C&R Research: October 2019
Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned means professionally trained SERVPRO franchises perform the requested cleaning, sanitizing and disinfection services according to proprietary SERVPRO protocols and recognized industry and CDC standards with EPA approved cleaning products to deliver a SERVPRO certified cleaning experience. Each SERVPRO franchise is independently owned and operated.
10 Home Electronics to Clean Regularly
5/22/2020 (Permalink)
Dust settles readily on computers and laptops.Dust your computer weekly.
We make use of electronic devices regularly daily. It is essential to keep them clean as we always touch them. One of the ways to make electronic devices last longer is by cleaning them regularly. Below are tips on ten basic home electronic devices to periodically clean.
Before cleaning an electronic device, it is essential to read the instructions manual to know where not to touch to avoid damage. Please avoid the use of water on electronic devices; it may lead to spark and damage the equipment.
Statistics have it that a cellphone is covered with about 25,127 bacteria. Clean your cellphones and tablets regularly with wipes. There are special cleaning fluids for cleaning screens or a UV light to disinfect your screens. Dampen a microfiber cloth in a mix of water and isopropyl alcohol in the ratio 60:40 and use it to wipe your device screens daily when turned off. Microfiber cloths should be used to avoid scratch.
Dust settles readily on computers and laptops. Before you clean the screen of your computer or laptop, turn off the device. Dip a microfiber cloth into a mix of warm water and soap. Squeeze out the excess water and wipe screens to remove specks of dirt, continue the cleaning process at least twice on a screen. Remove lingering moisture or streaks from devices with a dry microfiber cloth.
Use a blower to blow hidden dirt hiding inside the desktop after opening the cover. If you'd rather not remove the cover, you can schedule a professional cleaning service for your computer. Dust your computer weekly.
According to researchers from the University of Arizona, an office desktop is capable of housing bacteria 400 times more than a seat toilet. The majority of these bacterias are found on the keyboard and mouse. Due to the frequent use of these two devices, ensure they are cleaned regularly to keep germs at bay.
Debris stuck between keys on the keyboard can be removed using compressed air. Cotton swabs dipped in alcohol can be used to clean each of the keys. Clean the mouse with a microfiber dipped in alcohol. The keyboard and mouse should be cleaned weekly.
Clean printers regularly to keep it free from dust. You can use compressed air or a small handheld vacuum cleaner to remove any dirt that builds up inside the printer.
Over time, headphones and earphones become coated in sweat, wax, and dust and dirt as they come into contact with the ear. It is best to clean headphones and earphones regularly to avoid the migration of soil onto the ear.
- Flat-Screen TVs and Remote Controls
These are essential things to clean when doing your regular daily cleaning routine. However, just like cleaning the screen of computers and laptops, do the same for your TV for a thorough cleaning routine. Unplug the TV and wipe clean with microfiber dipped in a mixture of warm water and soap twice. Clean with dry microfiber to altogether remove moisture and stuck debris. Check the remote battery pack and clean the package and the remote surface.
Smart speakers are easy to clean with a damp microfiber cloth.
- Game Consoles and Controllers
Dust and wipe off consoles and controllers during regular daily cleaning or at least once a week. However, please do not open the console to clean it; leave that to the professionals.
Routers and modems should be cleaned weekly or monthly as the case may be by dusting and wiping down with a dry microfiber to keep it in good working condition.
Just a simple wipe when doing your routine daily cleaning will keep them in good condition.
How to Disinfect Your Home
5/20/2020 (Permalink)
Disinfecting your home is essential to kill bacteria, viruses, and microorganisms that may be harmful to humans.
Disinfecting your home is essential to kill bacteria, viruses, and microorganisms that may be harmful to humans. We come in contact with many germ carriers in the home-like knobs, tables, remotes, utensils, toilets, and more. However, to stay safe and secure, you must use disinfectants when cleaning the house. The most active disinfectants are bleach, rubbing alcohol, and hot water.
The Best Disinfectants
The Center for Disease Control recommends using a bleach solution diluted with water or a 70% alcohol solution for high-contact surfaces.
To make your bleach disinfectant, use five tablespoons (1/3 cup) bleach per gallon of water, or four teaspoons of bleach per quart of water.
The bleach solution is practical in nonporous surfaces like the bathroom and mopping with a bleach solution is recommended.
Tip: By all means, avoid mixing bleach with anything other than water. Bleach is a powerful chemical that could set off a dangerous chemical reaction when combined with other substances. Do not mix bleach with alcohol.
You could use regular alcohol (isopropyl alcohol or ethyl alcohol) of at least 70% alcohol if you don't have bleach at home. Rubbing alcohol should be diluted.
Different disinfectants perform different purposes. Some disinfectants are more effective than the other, depending on the composition.
- Disinfectants should be left on a surface for about 10 minutes before wiping off. Surfaces that need to be disinfected are tables, remotes, railings, doorknobs, light switches, toilets, sinks, and faucets daily or often as the case may be.
- Bleach should not be used on hardwood and other porous floors because of stain. Bleach is very powerful and may change the color of porous surfaces.
- You can disinfect counter tops first by using soap and water, then use the bleach solution or rubbing alcohol to kill the virus, bacteria, or microorganism.
- When doing the laundry, soak clothes in hot water for 30 to 45 minutes before washing and dry clothes with high heat to kill microbes.
Wipe your laundry hamper down like you would other surfaces to avoid microbes that could have migrated from clothes to remain.
Practice self-care when using disinfectants by wearing rubber gloves to protect your hands. Alcohol and bleach can be very aggressive on the skin.
How to Prepare Your Home for Spring
4/15/2020 (Permalink)
Check your garden hose and water channel, make sure when turning the faucet on that the water flows well.
Winter is over and you need to get your family prepared for the warm season after the extreme cold of winter. Here are a few things to do to prepare your home for spring.
- Check your surroundings to ensure there isn’t any damage to the home from the winter season
- Clean your rain gutters. Put on gloves because you may need to remove some debris with your hands. It is best to be safe while carrying out basic home maintenance.
- Check your garden hose and water channel, make sure when turning the faucet on that the water flows well.
- Scrub the walls in your kitchen, bedrooms, toilets with brush/sponge and water and disinfect the surfaces. Clean and disinfect your tables, clean the light frames.
- Check your sink, taps, and showers by unscrewing the sink sprayers, shower heads, and faucet aerators and soak them in vinegar and water solution to kill hidden germs. Allow to soak for an hour, then rinse with warm water. Check all pipes for leaks and call a plumber to fix any leaks.
- Check for dust and declutter where necessary.
- Wash your windows with soap and water.
- Check for cracks and holes, clean surroundings and block holes to avoid creeping objects from entering your home.
- Prepare your garden, make it clean and tidy ready for plants to bloom.
- Clean all furniture, outdoor and indoor. Also, clean your grill.
- Check all your alarm systems.
When you have finished cleaning your home and making sure everything is functioning well, then your home is ready and well prepared for spring.
We also Specialize in Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning
4/14/2017 (Permalink)
In addition to our water damage and fire damage restoration, we also specialize in carpet and upholstery cleaning. Our trained employees know just what to do to get rid of those dark spots and clean those well-traveled areas with heavy soil.
Cleaning Methods
1.Carpet Cleaning
- Hot Water Steaming Extraction
Deep restorative cleaning for light to moderate cleaning
- Deluxe Precondition and Rinse
Moderate to heavy soiling, pre-treat and rinse
- Showcase Premier Cleaning
Moderate to heavy soil levels, the most thorough cleaning method
2.Furniture/Upholstery Cleaning
We use a variety of methods for cleaning your upholstery depending on your fabric/material, ranging from dry cleaning methods to wet cleaning methods.
Service
A SERVPRO professional will listen to your needs and use their experience to recommend the right care and cleaning solution for you and your budget.
Equipment
We use state-of-the art professional equipment to remove soils from deep within your carpets’ pile and upholstery.
Ask us about our carpet and upholstery and stain and soil protectant to increase the life of your carpet.
If you have any questions call us at 209-823-8877
24/7 Emergency Service