Mitchel Groff

I get a lot of emails asking how to get motivated to clean. Even those of us who consider ourselves “clean freaks” sometimes need help to get out of a slump. If you’ve lost your cleaning mojo, here’s how to find motivation to clean house — no matter how out of control your home feels. Why We Lose Motivation to Clean House Sometimes, we lose our motivation to clean the house for predictable reasons. Life gets busy with school or work, for instance, and we have a temporary shift in our priorities. Once it’s over, though, we sometimes need help shifting priorities back to our homes. There are other times when the cause is out of our control. Depression or illness strikes, and it’s all we can do to survive the day. Finding cleaning motivation isn’t even conceivable. At those times, cleaning house doesn’t seem worth the effort. We are grappling with more important, life-altering things. Honestly, that is okay! I’ve Lost My Cleaning Motivation, Too Several years ago, ...

Recently a reader, who is setting up her first home, asked for my recommendations of cleaning tools everyone should own. It’s an excellent question because having the essential cleaning tools makes staying on top of messes so much easier. When it comes to basic cleaning tools, there’s no need to spend a lot of money. In fact, if you’re first starting out, it’s a good idea to learn how to clean properly before you invest in more expensive gear. As you build your cleaning arsenal, be sure to look for tools that can be used in multiple ways. This will help you save money as well as space. Essential Cleaning Tools Everyone Should Own 1. Microfiber Cloths A set of microfiber cloths in different colors tops my list for a good reason. Unlike feather dusters or those disposable things, a wet microfiber cloth holds onto dust. As long as you rinse it often while cleaning, you aren’t just moving dirt around from one spot to the next. They’re also brilliant at cleaning ...

Deep-cleaning your smelly washing machine, whether it’s top-loading or front-loading, will eliminate odors and leave it smelling fresh. This guide explains how to clean your washer, what you need to clean it, and how to keep it from smelling bad again. Why You Should Clean Your Washing Machine Doesn’t it seem like a machine that’s regularly filled with hot, soapy water ought to clean itself in the process? Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Kill Mildew and Germs Many people only use cold water to do laundry. Colder temperatures keep clothes looking new longer and help keep fabrics from shrinking. Not all detergents perform well in cold water, though. Some require heat to activate their ingredients. If you use such a detergent with cold water, it will leave behind a residue in your machine that attracts mold. Coldwater detergents work in temperatures as low as 60°F. They don’t leave behind a residue, but they also don’t kill mold or milde...

Carpets are a fantastic way of insulating your home and can create a sense of warmth that no hard floor surface can hope to compete with. However, you might be surprised to learn that carpets are breeding grounds for all sorts of dirt, pathogens and other contaminants.  Left to go unchecked, these pollutants can severely damage the fibres of your carpet and may pose a serious health risk to those living in your home. As one of the leading providers of professional carpet cleaning services, we know first hand the dangers associated with dirty carpets.  Read on to get more insight into how your carpet could be affecting the health of your family, and what you can as a homeowner do to ensure your living environment is clean, safe and free of potentially harmful bacteria. The Key Causes of Carpet Contamination Depending on the design of your home, there’s a good chance that carpet covers the majority of your floor’s surface area. This means that your carpe...

When it comes to home flooring, there are many options to choose from. Carpet flooring is one of the most popular choices because it gives the interior of your home a classic look. It feels warm, cozy, and inviting which can help transform your home environment’s personality. While carpet floorings look and feel good, it’s also one of the most difficult florrings to take of, especially when water damage occurs. There are plenty of causes for carpet water damage. If left untreated, it could cause bacterial growth, moulds, and foul-smelling odours that could ruin the quality of air inside your home. Here we’ll be taking a look the most common reasons for carpet water damage and how you can treat it. What causes water damage on carpets   1. Rain and snow   One of the most common culprits for carpet water damage is rainfall f you have leaks in your windows and ceilings, rainwater can leak through and soak your carpets. Always check your walls and...

Leather is a popular material used in furniture, especially sofas and seats. It’s durable, it looks good, and requires very little maintenance. But that doesn’t mean you should completely neglect your leather upholstery. Cleaning leather furniture is a very simple task provided that you follow the proper instructions. To prevent your leather upholstery from cracking and drying, follow these steps on how to clean and care for leather furniture. Before we get started, it’s important to identify what kind of leather is used in your upholstery. Different types of leather require a different approach when it comes to cleaning so make sure to check the label on the furniture or look it up on the manufacturer’s website. If you’re not sure about the type of leather your upholstery is, here is how to identify it. We’ll be looking at unprotected leather and protected leather. It is recommended to speak with Durango Dry Cleaners for any additional information. Types of l...

Whether it be a leather sofa or a reclining chair, upholstered furniture adds a touch of elegance to any modern home. Many homeowners choose to have their leathered equipment professionally cleaned to help retain its suppleness and appeal. It pays to treat your upholstered furniture well, especially if it’s subject to wear and tear due to daily usage. But the results can only last for so long until you’re required to maintain your upholstered furniture. Should you feel like you need an expert opinion, it is advisable to get in touch with Dry Cleaners Durango . Maintaining your upholstery after a professional cleaning service is a great way to not only extend the lifespan of your furniture, but to also make it look as good as possible. Today we’ll be discussing several tips that you can use to help maintain the look and feel of your upholstery. Protect your upholstered furniture from direct sunlight Your upholstery can be made of materials like leather and/or l...

Heading out on a week-long vacation? Before you pack your bags and lock the door, it’s worth taking a close look at the condition of your carpet. You don’t want to be greeted with a stained carpet after coming back from a successful trip. Dust, dirt, and debris can accumulate pretty quickly and ruin the appearance of your textile flooring and this can be exacerbated if you leave your carpet in a dirty state. There are a couple of things you can do to keep your carpet in mint condition while enjoying the holidays. Here is how to keep your carpet clean before you head out for your much-needed getaway. 1. Treat stains immediately Carpet stains are the bane of many homeowners. You take every precautionary measure possible in hopes of keeping its immaculate appearance, but accidents do happen. A coffee spill is more than enough to cause distress and the worse part is, the stain can seep through the carpet fibers. This makes it even harder to remove if you leave it to dry for a...