Carpet cleaning companies can submit their cleaning system to the CRI, who in turn will perform a series of rigorous tests. Their tests cover more than just cleaning power, they also inspect things like carpet wear over multiple cleanings, the pH levels of the products and even re-staining propensity. If a company passes these tests – which isn’t easy – they’ll become a Seal of Approval service provider.

Earning this certification is a sign to customers that a cleaning company can be trusted. That’s why we are proud to announce that Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning now has the CRI’s Seal of Approval! Jonathan Barnett, the president of Oxi Fresh, had this to say:

“I can’t tell you how pleased I was to hear about the CRI’s decision to list Oxi Fresh as one of their approved vendors. We take great pride in both the power and safety of our cleaning system, and to see it recognized like this is a great honor.”

If you’d like to know more about about Oxi Fresh and how they earned their CRI certification, click here.

The post Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning Earns CRI Certification appeared first on Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning Blog.

- The Climate and Soil -
Trees are tough, but they do have their limits. It’s important to learn about your local climate and soil type, so you can choose the best tree.

Hardiness Zone: Trees can only tolerate certain temperature ranges, or “Hardiness Zones.” To find out what zone you live in, click here and enter your zip code.

Soil Type: A healthy tree needs the right soil. There are three major types of soil – loamy, sandy, and clay – as well as different levels of drainage and acidity/alkalinity. You should determine what type of soil you have by running these tests, courtesy of Colleeen Vanderlinden.

Sun Exposure: How much sun do you get in your area and how much of your yard gets full exposure to that sunlight? Trees have different solar needs, so what you should plant in a shady lot can be very different than what you’d plant in a sunny one.

- Your Yard -
When planting a tree near your home, there are some important factors to consider.

Utility Lines: We’ve all seen those poor, pathetic trees that the utility company trimmed because the branches grew too close to the power-lines. If your yard has utility lines, plan your trees accordingly. This guide will show you the appropriate zones when it comes to keeping your trees safe from the power company. (It’s also a good idea to find out where your underground utilities are, so you don’t end up planting a tree right on top of a line).

The House: Avoid planting trees too close to you home. They can fill your gutters with leaves, interfere with plumbing and pipes and damage your roof. One guide recommends planting trees at least half the width of their mature crown (the largest the tree’s canopy will get when mature) away from the home. Others recommend planting the tree at least three quarters of the tree’s mature height away from the home.

The Sidewalk: Don’t plant fruit trees or trees that will develop thick, large roots next to sidewalks. We all know that fruit trees make for nasty sidewalks and roots make for broken ones.

- The Tree -
Now that you know more about your local climate and soil types and have considered your yard, it’s time to pick the tree. The Arbor Day Foundation has a great online tool that will let you enter the information you’ve gathered so it can find the best trees for you. You can also head over to a nursery or visit a landscaper and ask for their opinion.

In the end, you’ll undoubtedly be presented with many, many options (there are a lot great trees out there after all) – so here’s the fun part. Pick the one you’ll love the most and get ready for a great addition to your yard!

Thanks to Colleen Vanderlinden, the Arbor Day Foundation, Utah State University, and Breathing Places for the great information.

The post Green Living: Arbor Day – Picking the Right Tree appeared first on Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning Blog.

However, it’s harder to appreciate this stimulating drink once it’s been spilled all over your carpet. Don’t worry – here’s a very simple way to deal with a fresh coffee stain.

- Step 1 -
As with all stains, the first thing to do with a coffee spill is to blot up as much of it as you can. With a clean towel, blot from the outside edge toward the center until no more of the coffee comes up.

- Step 2 -
In a bowl, mix the following together: one tablespoon of a dishwashing detergent, a tablespoon of white vinegar and about two cups of warm water.*

- Step 3 -
Dip a clean towel in the solution and wring it. Then, start blotting at the spot with the damp towel, working from the outside edge toward the center. Continue this process, wetting the towel as needed, until the stain is gone.

- Step 4 -
Spritz the area with clean water and then blot it dry with a clean towel to remove any remaining cleaning solution.

Thanks to Goodhousekeeping.com for the great information – hopefully it will take care of your spot. But if it doesn’t or you’re dealing with a particularly severe stain, there’s always Oxi Fresh. Our oxygen powered solutions can cut through coffee stains and revitalize your carpets, and scheduling is as easy as going to www.oxifresh.com!

*Before you use a cleaning solution, always test it on an inconspicuous area of the carpet. After applying the solution, wait 30-60 seconds and then blot with a clean towel to make sure there’s no color-loss or damage. You’ll want to be very careful if you have a carpet made of natural fibers.

The post The Spotlight: Coffee Stains appeared first on Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning Blog.

So today we’re just going to look at five very simple ways to be green – things you can do without having to buy a composting bin or install solar panels (although those are great things to do).

- Use Rechargeable Batteries -
Besides our phones and laptops, a lot of our portable electronics still require old-fashion batteries. If we’re not careful, we can go through a lot of these in a year. So why not swap them out for some rechargeable ones?
Initially, it will cost you a little more to switch over to rechargeable batteries, but as this article points out, it’s money you’ll make back.

- Grab a Bottle -
We never seem to stop moving. There’s always an errand to run, a game to attend or work to get to – and that’s made convenience King. But let’s stop using disposable water bottles and coffee cups and instead go for permanent alternatives. Steel or insulated steel bottles and traveling mugs can save tons of trash. Also – some coffee shops will give you a discount if you bring in your own cup!

- Go for the Towels -
“I guess we should know that paper towels are bad for the environment, because they do have a lumberjack right on the label.” Comedian Jim Gaffigan makes a good point. Trying to reduce the amount of paper towels we use – or getting rid of them entirely – is a great goal. Let’s try to use dishrags or cotton towels instead.

- Give Away -
Before you throw something in the bin, ask yourself if someone else could use it. A lot of what we throw out can actually be donated. Drop off your donations at your local thrift store or try sharing services like Freecycle.

- Lights Off -
All right – time to sound like a grumpy dad. When you leave a room, be sure to turn off the lights. It doesn’t really shorten the bulb’s life or waste more energy, as some urban legends say. It’s just better to turn them off.

These may seem like small changes, but it’s remarkable just how much of a difference they can make. If you’re looking for more ways to be green, head over to Safety At Home and read their article 100 Easy Ways to Live Greener.

The post Tips & Tricks: Earth Day – Little Things Matter appeared first on Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning Blog.

Book Your Appointments Online!

That’s right – by going to www.oxifresh.com, you can schedule a cleaning for your carpet and upholstery quickly and easily. All you have to do is enter your zip code and click “Go.” Then you’ll be able to add your services, pick your time and set up your appointment (we’ll even throw in some coupons!)

If you’d like to read more about our online scheduling tool, click here. To get started booking your appointment, just got to www.oxifresh.com.

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• Start your carpet cleaning by removing any and all excess dirt or debris by vacuuming the stained or worn carpet.  Vacuum all of the carpet areas to be cleaned and restored to remove any dirt or debris that may be present.
• Put a few drops of dish washing liquid into a bowl of water and create suds. Dip a scrub brush into the water and scrub against the stained or worn areas.  Allow it to sit for a few minutes after the dirt and stains have been removed.  This will allow fibers to retain their standing position.  This will allow previously matted down fibers to retain their standing position long enough so that after cleaning, they will permanently stand back up.
• Rent and fill a carpet cleaner with nothing but hot water and go over any areas that were scrubbed with the soap mixture.  This will remove any remaining dirt or dirty water created during scrubbing.
• Give the carpet about a half an hour to dry, then add detergent or cleanser to the carpet cleaner and presume to clean the entire carpet.  Allow it to dry for at least an hour before use.
• Vacuum the entire carpet again to ensure fibers are standing up straight as they normally would, reinforcing the shape for areas that were previously matted or tamped down.

The post Quick Carpet Cleaning appeared first on Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning Blog.

Better Business Bureaus offer these tips to people in the market for a professional carpet cleaner:

• Ask friends and family for recommendations for a professional carpet cleaner.  If they’ve had success with a particular carpet cleaner, there’s a good chance you will with that same company.

• Find out basic information about the carpet cleaners before pursuing them.  See if the company is a Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) Approved Service Provider.  Be sure to ask if the company is insured or bonded.  That way any damage doesn’t come out of your wallet.

• Then begin to ask questions regarding their service and what it includes.  Ask if workers will move furniture, what kinds of cleaning agents will be used, how long it will take to dry, if fumes will be a problem, and if there are extra charges for heavily soiled areas where pretreatments or spot cleaning may be necessary.

• Get everything in writing and ask if the company guarantees their work.

Once you’ve selected a professional carpet cleaner, schedule your appointment and prepare the rooms for cleaning.  Move your valuable items such as pictures and vases, move items on the floor that may get in the way of cleaning.

The post How To Choose A Carpet Cleaner appeared first on Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning Blog.

Carpet is perfect for many households, it provides good traction, absorbs noise, and provides natural insulation for rooms.  Many people with allergies avoid carpet because they are home to dust, mites, and molds, but regularly cleaned carpets can be just fine for people with allergies.

These tips should help you ensure your carpet is clean and healthy.

Vacuuming is the first step in carpet maintenance.  Removing the dirt and soils before they’ve been trampled down can really help in effective carpet cleaning.  Removing these particles before they’ve settled and using slow, repetitive, overlapping motions can ensure you get right up to where dust, pollens, and other germs like to accumulate.

Generally, people are advised to vacuum once a week, depending on how frequently the area is used, but the chances are you’ll likely want to do it more often.  Experts at the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), a national carpet trade association that focuses on science-based research, customer advocacy and environmental initiatives, recommends vacuuming high-traffic or pet areas daily, medium-traffic areas require about twice a week and light-traffic areas about once a week. Just as you wouldn’t wear a shirt over and over again without washing it, you don’t want to go too long between vacuuming your carpets.

Food stains and dirty paws often leave marks that seem far too difficult to remove.  Now matter how hard you scrub, some stains just don’t seem to come out.  Stains do happen, so it’s important to act quickly and correctly when cleaning your carpet stains.  Scoop up solids and blot liquids with a dry cloth or paper town.

After you’ve taken care of the initials steps of carpet cleaning, treat the stain with a tested and approved carpet cleaning solution.  For more serious stains like wine or chocolate, try mixing some clear dish washing liquid with warm water and blot up as much of the spill as you can.  For coffee or tea stains, try mixing vinegar with 1 cup of water and for ink stains, applying rubbing alcohol to a cloth and blotting the stain. Remember to always start from the edges and move to the center to prevent the stain to prevent it from spreading.  Be sure to test these products on an inconspicuous area of carpet first, to make sure they don’t cause any colorloss.

Whether you’re trying to create a regular carpet cleaning routine or just improve your carpet cleaning habits, these tips will help you keep your carpet looking clean and fresh long into the future.

The post Home Carpet Cleaning Pointers appeared first on Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning Blog.

One of the biggest problems with indoor carpet is that it serves as a perfect home for mites, molds, and dust.  Although many of us believe we can rid our carpets of such infestations with a thorough vacuuming, clean carpets eventually means carpet cleaners, many of which contain the dry cleaning agent, perchloroethylene (perc).  Another common agent in carpet cleaners is naphthalene, a possibly carcinogenic linked to red blood cell damage.

Beyond the potential cancer-causing risks of both perc and naphthalene, many people report dizziness, nausea and irritation from the fumes. Pets are equally affected. Neither substance has any place in a healthy home.

Hiring a professional cleaner can be difficult without asking the right questions and getting the right information.  Ask about green solutions suitable for carpet machines and spot application in home use, their ingredients are usually both people and pet friendly.

Spot maintenance is also an important component of carpet cleaning.  For more specific stains and odors, there are cleaning agents found in most households.  For red wine stains, mud or dirt, use salt; club soda for coffee stains; and cornstarch or cornmeal for grease.  Sprinkling odored carpets with baking soda and allowing to it to sit over night before vacuuming can really help.  Sunlight is also a great deodorant and does wonders with bathroom mats and area rugs.

Commercial carpet steamers can come with recirculating pesticides and chemical residue from past customer cleanings, rinse out the cleaning chamber with warm water to avoid these unwanted agents.

The post Avoid Chemical Cleaners For Green Carpet Cleaning appeared first on Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning Blog.

Taking Care of the Static

We’ve all experienced static-y clothes. The skirt that clings. The sweater with a sock stuck to it. The black shirt that seems to vacuum up dust and pet hair.

The easiest solution is to use dryer sheets, but do we really want to coat our clothes in more chemicals? Let’s look at some healthier, greener solutions to this problem.

Dry Less; Dry Separate; Hangers
If you’re doing large loads, don’t dry your natural fabrics and your synthetics together. Instead, dry these fabric types separately and you should be able to prevent a lot of static from forming.

Another option is to only lightly dry your clothes in the machine, because over-drying is a big cause of static. Take your clothes out of the machine early and let them air dry until you can put them away.

Finally, if you have a piece of static-y clothing, try running a metal coat hanger over it a few times. Sometimes this can be enough to remove any lingering electrons.

Baking Soda and Vinegar
All right, on to the more curious solution. Putting baking soda and vinegar into your wash may sound odd, but according to Jen at Is It Easy Being Green?, these two little kitchen products can be a big help.  Jen was having big problems with static cling in her clothes, so she decided to perform some laundry tests.

After three months of testing, she found that a 1/4 cup of baking soda in the wash cycle and reusable dryer sheets (more on those later) in the dryer made for a pretty effective anti-static solution. Jen also recommend that you use put a 1/4 cup of vinegar in during the rinse cycle once a month to tackle any residue in the machine.

Reusable Sheets
But what about those reusable dryer sheets I mentioned? These little guys don’t use harsh chemicals to remove static and are extremely reusable (they usually say one sheet will last for about 500 loads!) The reason we didn’t talk about this product for the entire article is that there are some mixed reviews online. Some people find they work fine, others don’t.

Jen, the intrepid tester, found them helpful, but still thought that baking soda was needed if you were going to really tackle the static. We’d recommend giving them a shot and seeing if they help out.

Hopefully this will take care of your static problem without having to resort to normal dryer sheets. Let us know how these solutions work our for you – and if you have any tips to share, post them in the comments!

Thanks to Cory Mackenzie, IsItEasyBeingGreen?, Lori Myers and wiseGEEK for the great tips.

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