The St. Louis Cleaning Experts

Cleaning soap scum and mineral deposits from the shower is a breeze if you understand their chemical composition. They are alkaline by nature and should be tackled with a cleaner containing an acid. Most good bathroom cleaners have an acid in them, (normally phosphoric) and a thickening agent so they’ll cling to a vertical surface.  If you try to remove an alkaline soil with an alkaline cleaner you’ll be doing some serious scrubbing before it comes off.

Spraying an acid based cleaner from the top down and allowing it to dwell on the surface for a few minutes usually only requires you rinse it off with the shower head. If you have a heavily soiled shower you may have to agitate it with a rag or soft brush. This process works well on sinks also. The cleaner I recommend is Mineral X. Always read the label on the product, and use it according to manufacturer’s directions.

Also if you’re cleaning natural stone in the bathroom do not use this product or any acid for that matter. There are special products designed to be used on stone and only those products should be used as you can damage the stone if you use anything else.

Just visit our St. Louis Cleaning Supply Store for more information or to purchase the products mentioned here.

It seems almost everyone in America has a pet. Unfortunately owning a dog or cat often means there are unpleasant surprises left by our animals on our carpet.  These can be addressed with a good pet spot remover. Make sure the product you buy also contains an enzyme.

The problem with pet stains is they often soak through to the padding under your carpet. You can remove the stain from the carpet fiber but you’ll never get the urine out of the pad. The enzyme in the pet stain remover will stay in the carpet and attack the bacteria left in the pad. If you encounter a stain in your carpet, blot as much of the stain up as you can with an absorbent cloth. I keep blotting, putting pressure on it until I can remove no more of the urine. Before you use the pet stain remover check it on an inconspicuous area of carpet for color fastness. If color from your carpet bleeds into the rag don’t use the product. Always read the directions on the bottle and use according to directions.

When you apply the spotter to the stain you want to have plenty of absorbent rags at the ready to help remove the stain from the carpet. You want to pull the stain from the carpet into your rag as the stain releases from the carpet fiber. You can agitate the chemical into the stain using the back of a spoon. Make sure you work the stain from the edges into the center so you don’t make it larger. It’s very important to put pressure on the stain with your absorbent rag to draw it up into the rag. You need to draw all of the stain out of your carpet. If you don’t get it all, the next morning after it dries your stain can magically reappear. This is called wicking. Your carpet fiber is working like a candle wick pulling the spot up from the bottom as it dries. If this should happen repeat the procedure until you’ve removed the stain.

Animals have a keen sense of smell and will go back to an area of carpet they’ve used before. The pet spotter we sell has a pleasant cover up fragrance in addition to an enzyme to prevent this. Unfortunately I can’t prevent your pet from finding a new spot.

Just visit our St. Louis Cleaning Supply Store for more information or to purchase the products mentioned here.

I have been blessed with two beautiful daughters. When they were very young they discovered chewing gum. How the gum made it from their mouth into my carpet remains a mystery. I only know I needed to get it out.

There are two ways to get gum out of your carpet that I’ve been successful with and I’m going to share with you my favorite way. I stock a product called Gum Out that when applied correctly freezes the gum into a rock hard lump. Depending how long it’s been in the carpet it often will pop off the fiber by using a metal spoon after freezing it. If it’s been ground in you may have to chip it out in pieces using the spoon. This method requires you to work fast before it defrosts and softens again.

You may have to repeat this a couple times before removing it all, but this is far better than having to cut it out of the carpet.  Just visit our St. Louis Cleaning Supply Store for more information or to purchase the products mentioned here.

There is a fantastic product I’ve found that cleans granite and marble countertops beautifully. This product comes in a 32 ounce spray bottle or a box of pre moistened towels. When used on granite or marble countertops it cleans and brings out the natural shine of the countertop.

These products are part of a line of stone care products we carry. Also the good news is they’re made in America by a company that specializes in stone care products. We have many customers directed to us by the craftsmen who installed stone in their homes. Never clean stone with a general purpose cleaner as you run the risk of damaging the stone.  For more information about cleaning granite countertops visit our St. Louis Cleaning Supply Showroom or call us at 314-822-8420.

When purchasing a vacuum there are two schools of thought:

• Go to a big box store or
• Buy from a local independent store.

When you buy from a big box store you are basically on your own. If you can find someone to wait on you they probably have no knowledge of the products beyond what’s written on the box. You will take it home in a box and have the joy of assembling your new vacuum. Heaven forbid you have a problem with it down the road. The big store where you purchased it doesn’t fix anything and after a couple years won’t sell the bags for that vacuum anymore. I call this buying a disposable vacuum.

Your other option is to go to a locally owned store where you can compare different brands of vacuums in one place. You will get the features and benefits explained and you stand a better chance of getting the right vacuum for you. Also it’ll be assembled for you no charge and if you have a problem the warranty service will be performed on site.

You can even get a vacuum made in America at least at our St. Louis Vacuum Store you can. Sadly all the major manufacturers have moved their production overseas. We offer their products but would love an opportunity to show you the quality of a made in Missouri vacuum.

When you buy a vacuum at a big box store you should ask yourself does this company really care about me. I can assure you the owner of a small local business cares very much for the people who frequent their business.

Have you ever wondered why your no wax vinyl floor you bought many years ago has lost its shine?  The other problem we see is why when we wax our vinyl floors it needs it again in a very short time. The answer is often found in basic chemistry. If you’re using one of the store bought cleaners purchased from a big box store the cleaner may be removing the shine you so desperately desire.

In a school if we want to remove old floor wax we use a stripper. The chemical PH on these products is on the alkaline side. Most brand name floor cleaners have a high PH in dilution. When you clean your floors with this on a regular basis you’re removing the shine from your floor. You should be using a floor cleaner with a neutral PH. It will do a great job cleaning the floor and won’t attack the shine.

The best news it’s incredibly cheap. Depending on brand you only use two ounces per gallon of water. At our St. Louis Cleaning Supply Store a gallon costs $13.44 a gallon.  Lastly more is not better when using cleaning chemicals. Get a measuring cup and use the products as specified

We have lots of people coming into our store wanting to know the best way to maintain a hard floor. This floor could be wood, stone, vinyl, tile, or ceramic. The one common maintenance procedure all these folks should be doing is dust mopping their floors. Dust mopping removes the gritty dirt tracked in on shoes from the outside. This type of dirt works like sand paper on your floors if not removed.

Have you ever been in a store or maybe your own house where you could see the traffic pattern on the floor? The floor will be shiny on the edges but dull in the middle where people walk. This is a result of foot traffic with gritty dirt left on the floor. Dust mops can be cotton, nylon, or micro fiber. I recommend nylon or micro fiber because they don’t require a dust mop treatment chemical. The nylon dust mops come in many different sizes.

They require a frame and a handle to use. The dust mop will last a very long time and is washable. I tell folks to refrain from putting it in the dryer because it will shorten the life of the dust mop. The other kind of dust mop is micro fiber. They are becoming more popular and most home owners prefer them because of ease in use. The micro fiber pads come in many different sizes.

Once you determine the size best suited to your needs you need to match it up with the corresponding handle and paddle. The handle and paddle are one piece. The handle telescopes out so people of various heights can use it. The paddle has grippers on it to hold the micro fiber pad in place. The micro fiber pads are very washable but for long life air dry. Stop into our St. Louis Vacuum and Cleaning Supplies store and let us help you with the right size dust mop for your needs.

I’d like to discuss the basic differences between vacuums. There are upright vacuums, canister vacuums, hand vacuums, stick or quick broom vacuums, and shop vacuums. This covers the vacuums the average home owner would own but doesn’t encompass commercial type vacuums.

Upright vacuums are easy to use and for the most part do a great job vacuuming carpet. Many have tools allowing a person to do above the floor cleaning. Because upright vacuums move the dirt a relatively short distance they don’t require a large motor. When measuring the straight suction on an upright vacuum they don’t have near the suction a canister vacuum does. A canister vacuum has to pull the dirt far further so consequently they have larger motors. The only time this is a benefit is if you’re cleaning hard surface floors or doing above the floor cleaning. Canister vacuums can be either straight suction or with a motorized power nozzle. If you’re going to be cleaning carpet I highly recommend a canister with a power nozzle. If your house is all hard surface floors a straight suction canister is adequate. When you own a canister with a power nozzle it’s like owning two vacuums in one. This is also why they tend to be more expensive. Quick broom vacuums are great for hard surface floors but shouldn’t be used as your primary vacuum. They are light and easy to use but their suction is limited. Hand vacuums are great for quick small jobs, stairs, cars, and furniture. Realize hand vacuums have limited suction and if it doesn’t include a brush roll it won’t be as effective. Also battery power on a hand vacuum limits you to a short window of time to accomplish your task. Shop vacuums are great for the basement, garage, and cleaning up home improvement projects. Many can be used for wet or dry pick up. Make sure you have the correct filter in place for the job you’re doing. If you’re in St Louis and need help purchasing the right vacuum stop into our St. Louis Vacuum Store and let our knowledgeable staff help you.