August 2019

August 27, 2019 / Cleaning

How To Mop A Floor Correctly

A clean house is important in every aspect of our life. Because it will good to look at, it will definitely show a positive outcome for us. Then it will be good for our mental health because, at times, clutter and dirt do add to our stress. And of course, it will be great for our physical health because dirt and germs will surely form when you do not clean your house and will have a great effect on your health. It will also depend on your lifestyle. If you have pets or kids or asthma, cleaning should be done more often.

There are different parts and surfaces around your house that should be cleaned and for each of them, it is done with a different technique. One of the surfaces that should be cleaned often is the floor. You do not have to have them deep cleaned weekly, that can be done once a month or so. But in order to maintain their cleanliness, you will have to mop them. It is such an easy task that will not take that long. But you do have to do it the right way, so it will be effective and nice.

1. Clear the Area

There will be items such as pieces of furniture, rug, and littered items like toys or magazines that will be in the way. You will have to move them away, so your mopping will easier and smoother. The furniture or rug might also have some debris, so it might need some cleaning also.

2. Sweep or Vacuum the Floor

After clearing up the area, you will need to sweep or vacuum your floor first to remove crumbs, hair, dust, etc. for a mop is not good at picking them up. It may actually form grime if it gets wet or may cause scratches.

3. Use Warm Water

It is advisable to use warm water for it melts oil and grease. It is also believed that more effective in killing bacteria. So, have your cleaner mixed with the water and soak the mop with it. Be sure your cleaner is suitable for your floor.

4. Mop by Sections

After all that, it is time to mop. Do not rush and have it done in one big motion. Instead, have it done in small sections so that you can get rid of more grime and dust and will also cover more with the water and solution.

5. Rinse

You would also have to rinse and dry the floor. You could use another mop if you want to or just simply rinse the mop you used thoroughly and mop again by sections.

5. Clean Your Mop

After mopping, you will need to take care of your mop also. Have it rinsed and wring it out to remove the excess dirt and cleanser.

6. Let Your Mop and Floor Dry

After cleaning your mop, hang them to dry. As for your floor, let it dry by air. You can have your windows open to make it faster.

August 24, 2019 / Cleaning

Best Way To Clean Floors Without A Mop

Having your own home is not just about making it look good, it is also about maintaining it. Maintenance is about preserving your home. If something gets broken or does not work properly, it has to be fixed immediately or else, it will affect the whole operation of your home. Maintenance is not just about fixing or preserving things at your home. In order for everything to be preserved, your home should be clean and tidy. It is not just about looking good, but having a clean home will help with maintenance. In addition, illness and accidents can be avoided if you make sure to take care of your home on a routine basis.

Floors are one of those items that should be cleaned daily. This is usually done with a mop, but is there another approach for it?

Squeegee and Sponge

The old-fashioned way of cleaning your floors is with a sponge. You can use a cleaning solution or soaps, dilute them down with water as recommended by the manufacturer, and then spread them on the floor with the sponge and start scrubbing. The problem with sponges is that it is hard to rinse off all of the residues, especially when working with soap. With the help of a squeegee, you will be able to do that while also using a dry sponge to absorb the water.

Old Towel or Rag Cloth

If you have old towels tucked away in your closet, why not put them to use? Aside from rag cloths, you can also definitely use old towels to clean your floor. It is most suitable to use rags with disinfectants. It could also be a good work out for you because your feet are usually used to clean with old towels or rags.

Old Toothbrush

It might be harder to use a toothbrush to clean the whole floor, but that’s not exactly what we’re talking about here. You can use a toothbrush to clean small corners or details and between tiles that are hard to reach using bigger cleaning utensils. Rinse the treated areas away when you’re done with the help of a rag or squeegee.

Dusting Cloth and Tea Towel

These two items are used together for restoring the shine of your floor. Dusting cloth is used for dry surfaces whereas the tea towel is used for wiping wet spots. You can use materials such as floor polish in conjunction with these to wipe your floor and leave a particularly nice shine.

Steam Cleaner or Steam Mop

A steam cleaner does function like a regular mop in some ways yet it is different in others. Unlike a regular mop, steam mops do not necessarily use any cleaning agents or disinfectants. Rather, they use heat from the steam to clean floors. They can be used on different kinds of surfaces and they are also less aggressive. They are known for killing germs and bacteria. On top of that, because you will not need to buy additional cleaning agents, steam mops are also less expensive and less hassle.

Paper Towels

Like using a toothbrush, paper towels are not used for cleaning the whole floor. However, they are effective for wiping spills and cleaning small surfaces with soap. Paper towels are also great for absorbing water, so you can definitely use them to help with rinsing like you would with a sponge.

August 22, 2019 / Cleaning

How Often Should I Clean My Carpet?

Carpets definitely add texture and style in your home. There are different kinds of them that you can choose to fit your style. Not only they are stylish, but they are also nice and comfortable for your feet.

But like any other items or furniture at your home, one of the challenging things that we have to stay on top of is maintaining them. Especially with a carpet that will surely always catch dirt because of different people stepping on it and also with the everyday dust, it needs to be maintained frequently and be cleaned thoroughly once in a while. What would be the best method for doing so?

What does carpet cleaning count as?

When your home has a carpet, it needs to be vacuumed. The frequency will depend on a number of factors around your home. It can be weekly or even every day if you want or it can be done at least once or twice a month. But is vacuuming alone enough? Unfortunately, it is not. Carpets should also be steamed to remove more dirt and bacteria. You can do it on your own, but there are also professionals who do it if you think it will be a more effective use of your time.

How often will you clean them?

Some actually do not want to have their carpets cleaned all that often because they are afraid that it will damage the fibers and that ultimately it may cause the carpet to fall apart. This is not true though. In fact, it is advised to clean your carpet as often as you can. The frequency will definitely depend on your lifestyle too. The most often questions would be: Do you have kids? Do you have pets? Do you have any allergies? What about the foot traffic in the carpeted area, how heavy is it? With these questions, it will have a great effect on how often you will clean your carpet. Some do vacuum their carpet every day but if you do not have that much time on your hands, you can have it at least once or twice a week. But of course, if it does get soiled often, you should definitely be vacuuming more often than that.

But what about the stains and spills? If something like this occurs, you have to clean them immediately. If not, it will definitely leave a mark on your carpet. Not only that, but it may also leave an unpleasant odor that will likely spread around your home. Be sure to have a disinfectant or carpet shampoo on hand for accidents like this happens all the time.

What about steaming? How often should you be doing that? Unlike vacuuming, steaming only needs to be done occasionally. It could be months in between steam cleans, perhaps every 12 to 18 months. Again, it depends on your lifestyle. It should be done though so that the germs and bacteria around your house will be eliminated. If your carpet has warranty, it will be wise to have professionals handle the steam cleaning.

Why should you clean your carpet that often?

To remove particles that may be dangerous for you.
To give your carpet a longer life.
To make your carpet look good.

August 21, 2019 / Fun

Recording Audio? Here’s What You Need To Know About Audio Interfaces

Are you planning to set up a home recording studio? Then, it is important to know what are the needs and right pieces of equipment in setting up one. I went through this recently while trying out an idea to turn this blog into a podcast, so I figured I’d try to shed some light on the insight I gained. With our digital age, it is really not that hard to put together a basic studio. All you need is a computer and the right pieces of equipment (and of course a little know-how) you will be on your way.

Having an audio interface is one of the most important things you can do for your home recording studio. This is Because it is the hardware that connects your computer to your microphones and other audio gear. With this, you will be able to record voices and instruments. It is better to have this than the sound card built in your computer, the sound card is limited and not ideal for recording. In addition to that, it can also improve the sound as the recordings enter your computer.

What would you need to know about an audio interface?

1. The right inputs and outputs

There are a variety of audio interfaces available and it could be overwhelming to choose the right one if you don’t know what you’re looking fr. The first thing you need to ask yourself will be “Where will I use it for?” It could be for either voice or instrument. It could be for both. The first factor to consider is the connection format. The most popular is the USB. And because it is the most common, it is also cheaper and easy to find one. Others include FireWire, which is primarily found on Mac and other Apple products, but keep in mind that the newer Mac is installed with Thunderbolt. There is also another one which is the PCIe and cannot be used with laptop computers because it is a card-based interface. Other connections you need to know about are the audio I/O, midi I/O, and digital I/O.

2. The sound quality provided and the value

Like among other things, having a higher quality piece of equipment will come at a greater price. There are also less expensive models out there that may not be professional grade but will still be of decent quality. All you need is to do a little research about it. For example, there are times that an audio interface may be more expensive it has a lot of inputs. This is great if you’re recording a band, but if you’re a lone-star musician you might not need them all, so it is better to choose an audio interface that has less inputs and a lower price tag. There are a few key factors that influence the quality of sound:

Bit depth – this is the number of bits of information in each sample. The more bits your audio interface offers, the more accurately the recorded signal will represent the original.
Sample rate – this is how many times a sound is sampled or the frequency of samples.
Converter quality – these are devices or software that converts audio signals from one format to another.

Having a piece of knowledge about this will enable you to buy the interface that will fit well within your studio. You will be able to find something within your budget and narrow down the overwhelming amount of choices you have.

August 12, 2019 / Cleaning, Uncategorized

How To Clean Kitchen Floor Tile

The kitchen is the place where you prepare your food, and as such, it is expected that it will get messy with all the good prep and cooking that is done. There will be spills and food falling off of plates and cutting boards – these types of things just can’t exactly be avoided. It happens, and it is a normal occurrence.

But of course, you cannot keep your kitchen that way. After all the hard work, it should also be cleaned. The kitchen is where you prepare and even store your food, so cleanliness is a must. As you would with rugs, it is important to clean your floors thoroughly. It is not only for beautifying but also for safety. Wet floors pose not only a slipping hazard, but they also give a potential place for bacteria to grow. It may sound like a lot of work, but with the following instructions, you can do the job easily and get used to it in no time.

1. Sweep or Vacuum Floor

Before doing anything, sweep or vacuum the floor that may have food crumbs or loose dirt. If not, it will turn into a layer of grime when it gets wet. Also, the floors should be always swept because if not they may turn dull. To make sure to have those crumbs or dirt gone, have them mopped with a dry cloth duster or dust mop.

2. Look for Stains

Look out for discoloring in the floor. This will likely be caused by stains, and you’ll want to perform the correct procedures when removing them. Know about the right cleaning materials for your floor. Also, watch out for soap residues and have them removed immediately.

3. Disinfect

Floors are prone to germs and bacteria because different people step on them and make spills, track dirt, etc. That is why it is important to have your floor disinfected every once in a while – especially in your kitchen where you will prepare your food. Search for proper products that are right not only for your floors but also for you and your family. There may be products that could cause allergic reactions, so watch out for that.

4. Mop Floor

After doing some disinfecting and stain removing, it is time to mop the floor. Be sure to have the right mop for your floor and to use warm water. Your floor does not really always need to be cleaned deeply, but you should still always keep on top of the mopping just to keep it clean. You could just use a small amount of regular dish soap to make it more clean and to add some shine.

5. Dry

The most important part of all of this is to finish by drying your floor. Floors should be cleaned to avoid accidents, but wet floors are also a potential cause for an accident as well. In addition to that, drying your floor will prevent dirt or grout stains from forming. To have your floor dried, just use a dry mop or lint-free cloth.

Some Other Tips to Remember:

Know what kind of tiles your floors are made of. The products you will use will surely depend on that.
Be sure to clean spills immediately to avoid accidents and stain forming.

M	T	W	T	F	S	S
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

M	T	W	T	F	S	S
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

Month: <span>August 2019</span>