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A short and sweet blog post from me today. I wanted to wish my wonderful mom a very Happy Mother’s day, and hope all you moms out there are having a relaxing day. Today is a time to spend quality time with your mom, whether that is time spent in person or by phone if you live far apart. Enjoy!

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The temperatures are currently heading towards 100 degrees in Arizona, so now is a good time to reminder ourselves about hydration.  You don’t want to be the next hiker being carried down the local mountain trail by firefighters. As soon as the weather heats up many hikers wildly underestimate how much water they need in the intense heat of the Arizona sun. Never underestimate mother nature.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  water helps to:

• Keep temperature normal
• Lubricate and cushion your joints
• Protect your spinal cord and other sensitive tissues
• Get rid of wastes through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements.

So it’s vital for our survival and let’s remember that on average, up to 60% of our bodies are water.

We need to stay hydrated and avoid dehydration. Signs of mild dehydration can include:

• Feeling sleepy and lethargic
• Dry skin
• Headache
• Feeling dizzy/lightheaded

Further symptoms and information on dehydration

There is so much information out there in cyberspace on how much water we should be drinking daily, and apparently it is not so easy to calculate exactly how much we need from day to day. Here’s some information on water consumption from the experts and some practical tips from www.cdc.gov on how to increase your water consumption on a daily basis to a healthy level.

Enjoy the Arizona heat and stay hydrated – Your body will thank you!

We would love to know how you stay cool and hydrated in Arizona. Connect with us on Twitter @CLEANNFRESHAZ or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CleanNFreshAZ.

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Grandma’s old-fashioned cleaning tips can still have a place in our homes today.

Grandma relied on basic, natural cleaning materials like baking soda, white vinegar, lemon juice and sunshine! Amongst other uses, baking soda removes stains from cups, white vinegar gives glasses a brilliant shine, and a dose of lemon juice and sunshine can take stubborn stains out of clothing.

We spend up to a third of our lives in bed, so having a clean mattress was a high priority for Grandma. She washed her bed linen at high temperatures, hung it to dry outside, and aired her mattress for several hours before putting bed linen back on. She’d even vacuum her bed every few months. Why all the effort? Dust mites! Yes, Grandma was helping to keep the dust mite population under control.

Here are a couple of icky facts about dust mites. You need a magnifying glass to see a dust mite, and a mattress can have tens of thousands living in it. Dust mites feed mainly off dead skin shed by humans and animals. They can carry allergens – small foreign proteins that can cause allergic reactions in people.

Join in our conversation on Facebook and share with us any “old-fashioned” cleaning tips that work for you.

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If you take care of your carpet it will last for many more years. Here are some carpet maintenance tips that you can implement immediately.

• Vacuum carpets regularly. Insure lasting beauty and healthy carpets by vacuuming weekly for the number of occupants. For example, if there are 2 adults, 3 children and 2 pets, you should vacuum high use areas 7 times a week. Remember our carpets are acting like an air filter and actually trap and hold on to the soil in our air, tracked in soil and odors within the home (or building).  The loose soil actually scratches and etches the fibers, giving them a dull look. Due to the damage caused by the soil the fibers no longer bounce the light off of -them leaving a dingy appearance.
• Placing mats at all entries will reduce the amount of soil brought into the home. Keep outside entry areas clean as well.
• Blot spills quickly. We all get those unexpected spills from time to time, so try to keep white terry towels close for quick clean ups. By placing clean towels under couch cushions they’re always in easy reach.  Blot spots NEVER rub and scrub.
• Be sure to clean other soft surfaces regularly – upholstery, curtains, area rugs, and leather. This helps remove those stale odors.
• Change the air filters on a consistent basis – I pick a day a month (ie. first Monday of the month) and that helps me remember to change them regularly. 
• Airing out the house/building will also help remove trapped odors.

We spend alot of time in our homes walking on our carpets. Start your maintenance program today and keep your carpet for longer. If your carpet is in need of a professional clean please call us at 480-821-1481 TODAY to schedule an appointment.

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In Arizona many of our homes have tile and grout flooring. When outside temperatures are rising, the tiles feel cool under our feet and also have the added bonus of being easy to clean. We recommend having your tile and grout cleaned professionally at least once a year, maybe more it the tiling and grout is in a high traffic area. Cleaning tile is easy if you have the right equipment for the job.

Here are 5 tips for keeping your tile clean:

1. Vacuum or sweep the tile first to eliminate excess particles and dust. Make sure the area is clear, by removing chairs from underneath tables and any rugs or mats.
2. Use a rope, string, or microfiber mop as they will work more efficently in larger areas.
3. Make sure the bucket you are using has a wringer included, or use a mop that has a built in wringer. A mild floor cleaner and warm water should be sufficient to clean and mop your tiles. Do communicate to others in the house that the floor will be slippery for the next few minutes. Tile is unforgiving if you fall over on it! 
4. Lastly, change the water in the bucket frequently, to avoid washing the dirt into the grout and onto other tiles.
5. Do you not use a scourer, even on stubborn stains, as this can damage the finish of the tiles.

Tile and grout should be mopped frequently to keep that “as new” feel to it. In a larger space you can add rugs and mats over the tile, but do provide a non-slip mat to avoid movement. If your tile and grout is in need of a professional clean, please call us at 480-821-1481 or email us at norma@cleannfreshcleaning.com. You can also join in the conversation on Facebook or Twitter to keep up-to-date with our latest tip and specials.

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Our carpets really do get walked all over by our pets, children, and visitors. Occasionally we find an unsightly stain or hole in our carpet that will not simply disappear.

Have you ever had to buy a brand new carpet for a room that had an unsightly stain that just couldn’t be removed, even by a professional cleaner? If you find yourself in this position again here are some tips that may save you from the extra expense.

1. Did you save the leftover scraps of carpet when it was installed? Assuming the directional lay of the nap lines up, and there is not a significant change in appearance due to use, this can be an excellent source of repair material.
2. If there is no extra carpet, the next option is to literally swap the damaged carpet with that of an unseen location such as a closet or from under a bed or other piece of furniture. A good carpet installer can carefully remove the damaged section and cut a matching piece from the unseen location to replace it, for a bonded insert.
3. If you have matching carpet throughout your house and are considering replacing all of it, because of a large damaged area, you could use the carpet from an entire bedroom for the repair. Then you can replace the bedroom carpet with a new similarly styled carpet.
4. Is the damage in an area of the room that could have a tasteful rug thrown it? Only you would know it was there!

Before you resort to drastic measures call in a professional carpet cleaner like Clean ‘N Fresh Cleaning Service to see if the stain can actually be removed.

Call us today at 480-821-1481 or email us at norma@cleannfreshcleaning.com.

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St. Patrick’s Day will be celebrated today, March 17th, all over the US. Did you know that the first parade in the US was on March 17, 1762, in New York City. This year there will be more than 100 St. Patrick’s Day parades in the US. Another interesting fact is that according to History.com, there are 34.7 million U.S. residents with Irish ancestry. More than seven times Ireland’s population!

The color we now commonly associate with St.  Patrick’s Day is green. This is also our favorite color at Clean N Fresh Cleaning. Did you know that the color traditionally associated with St. Patrick was blue, not green?

Make 5 simple changes this St. Patrick’s Day that will make your family life greener.

• Use reusable bags at the store
• Buy local food
• Swap to energy efficient light bulbs
• Recycle cans, bottles, etc…
• Walk or cycle where appropriate, rather than always jumping in your car.

At Clean ‘N Fresh Cleaning Service we are on the forefront of new products and procedures to help clients achieve their goals for cleaner environments.  We pledge to educate our clients on safer, healthier alternatives for cleaning.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!

To schedule your next residential or commercial cleaning please contact Norma and her clean team at 480-821-1481.

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Clean'N Fresh Cleaning Spot Cleaner

Spots and stains on our carpets happen all to often, but is there a  difference between a spot and a stain? There most definitely is! A spot is actually a discoloration of carpet or upholstery that can be removed using either a water-based or a dry solvent cleaning solution. A stain is a discoloration that cannot be removed by cleaning, and has become part of the textile.

When a stain exists you have several options. You can learn to live with it as it is or you can try applying restorative procedures that chemically change the stain so that it is no longer visible. A word of warning as these procedures involve reducing agents or oxidizers AND risk removing more color than desired. You could use spot dying techniques to replace lost color or replace the stained portion of the textile with a matching piece.

You can purchase spot cleaning products on our website or call Clean ‘N Fresh Cleaning at 480-821-1481 if you are unsure how to best remove a stain or spot from your carpet and upholstery.

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We have a tendency to take our vacuum cleaners for granted, but remember that the humble vacuum cleaner helps our carpets last longer and look better.

In order to keep your vacuum cleaner running efficiently you should:

1. Change the filter bags frequently
2. Change the vacuum belt once every 6 months
3. Check for proper beater brush adjustment
4. Use an extension cord to save time spent changing outlets in the house
5. Check for leaks and blockages in hoses and joints

Remember that the death of a carpet is ground in dirt, so make sure you vacuum often!

Follow us on Twitter @CLEANNFRESHAZ to keep up-to-date on our latest specials and cleaning tips, or call us at 480-821-1481 to schedule your next carpet cleaning.

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Remember that delaying the de-cluttering will only increase the amount that you have to de-clutter when you finally get around to it!

• It’s all about expectations! Do not EXPECT to de-clutter your home in an afternoon. If it took you years to collect the clutter, it will take several days to sort through it.
• Try de-cluttering and organizing one room at a time.
• When de-cluttering bedroom closets remember the rule that if you haven’t worn it in the last year, throw or donate it. Out with those 1980s jackets with big shoulder pads! Be ruthless.
• De-clutter the children’s bedrooms at least once a year – Toys, books, games and clothes need to be sorted through and donated if “gently used”.
• Kitchen cupboards need to be emptied, and food past the “best before” date needs to be trashed immediately. Don’t forget to check those spices.
• Bathrooms can be a hoarding area for medicines, toiletries and cosmetics. Remove items from the vanity cabinets and drawers, vacuum and then wipe the inside. Take a look at the items and decide what you REALLY need located in these areas. Discard anything that has an expired date on it.

Before you sit back and enjoy your tidy home, donate your gently used items to a local charity in your community such as Child Crisis Center in Mesa. For donation locations please visit www.childcrisis.org. The Child Crisis Center was founded in 1981 and has a mission to create strong families and safe kids. It is committed to preventing child abuse and neglect, providing emergency shelter and strengthening families through programs and education.

Now you can sit back, relax and enjoy the S P A C E around you! If you need your house or office cleaned after the de-clutter please contact Clean ‘N Fresh Cleaning at 480-821-1481