Cleaning Up After the Holidays

‘Tis the season for celebrating beautiful floors! Cleaning up the mess Santa left in your living room can turn the jolliest of us into Scrooges. Use these easy holiday cleaning tips to spruce up after your take down your Spruce

Removing Chimney Soot Stains

Did Santa forget to wipe his feet after his trip down the chimney? Perhaps some chestnuts got a little more roasted than expected? Get those stubborn soot stains out of your carpeting fast.

First sprinkle baking soda, corn starch, or other absorbent powder over the stained area and allow it to set for an hour or so. Vacuum everything up. Next, scrape or blot at the stain, taking care to avoid rubbing it into your carpet fibers. Use a damp, clean cloth and dry cleaning fluid to blot at the stain. Allow the carpet to dry completely and repeat as necessary until the stain is gone.

Cleaning Pine Needles off Carpeting

O Tannen-BOMB: Did this year’s Christmas tree leave an explosion of pine needles all over your floor? There are several ways take care of the green mess.

If your usual vacuum isn’t doing the trick, consider renting an industrial shop vac to quickly suck up scattered needles. You can also use a lint roller or a piece of inside-out duct tape wrapped around your hand to collect pine needles from carpet fibers or hardwood floors.

If some pine sap got on your rugs or carpeting, use a dry foam carpet shampoo and allow it to sit overnight. The next morning, scrape the hardened sap out with a stiff brush and vacuum up any remaining debris.