1.  Does the service company answer their phone during regular business hours in a professional manner?  It is fair and appropriate to gauge the professionalism of the other person on the phone as one sign that a  service provider can deliver a complete service, or end product.

2.  How much does it cost?  Sometimes extra costs are hidden or not disclosed up front, such as disposal or recycling charges.  Ask up front to make sure you know what you’re total costs will be.

3.  Do they bring all supplies and equipment needed?  This might not be as much a cost concern, as it might be a sign of their disorganization or lack of  having professional job procedures and training.

4.  Do the employees work directly for the company or are they subcontractors?  If they are independent subcontractors, then some of your assurance and quality issues will stop with the subcontractor (who you may know nothing about) and not the phone number that you called.

5.  Do they carry Workman’s Compensation Insurance?  This is key!  Some self employed service providers do not.  If this is the case and the worker gets hurt while working at your place, you might be responsible for the costs.

6.  Do they carry general liability insurance to cover breakage or damage?  And, are their employees bonded?

7.  Does the company have industry certification or other certification broadly recognized as a mark of proficiency or performance?  Attainment of such status as COR (Certification of Recognition) awarded by the Alberta Safety Construction Association indicate that a company has a high level of safety conduct and awareness, and a high level of job standards and performance.

8.  Does their company use fully insured company vehicles?

9.  Are their employees uniformed?

10.  Does the company guarantee their workmanship?

11.  How does the company monitor their work?  Do they utilize on site quality control, phone feedback, or social media to ensure a high level of service?

12.  How long has the company been in business?  Are they an established company that has developed a high level of relevant skill to their business, or are they a new venture with unproven skills?

If you look at getting a spring cleaning company with these guidelines in mind, things that in a general way are summed up by a  companies reputation, you are likely to ensure your satisfaction or expectations.

Recoating may be done to change the color of the finish, or to reapply the same finish that was on originally.  It is a polyurethane finish.  It is normal for hardwood floors to be recoated more than once during the life of the hardwood floor.  Recoating a hardwood floor is not the option to choose if a floor is very worn, or has a lot of scratches, nicks, etc. that you want to see gone.  The candidate for these floors is refinishing.

Recoating hardwood floors helps to maintain hardwood floors from the wear and tear that they endure.  It is also an affordable way to spruce up the appearance of older worn floors, but without getting a factory finished look.

Though recoating a hardwood floor is not as time consuming as refinishing, there is still a process to be followed to get proper results.  First, it has to be determined what kind of a finish is on the floor to begin with.  It will either be a wax finish or a polyurethane finish.  To determine this, in an inconspicuous area a spot can be tested.  A piece of extra fine steel wool is dipped in water or mineral spirits and rubbed on the spot.  If it is a wax finish it will show up on the steel wool as a grey smudge or dirty looking film – no so for a polyurethane finish.

If it is a wax finished floor, the wax finish would have to be removed first to apply a polyurethane finish, as the polyurethane will not properly adhere to the wax.  In these cases, rewaxing the floor can be a good option.  If the floor has a polyurethane finish preparation can begin for recoating.

The first step in recoating a hardwood floor is to lightly sand or etch (also called screening, scuffing or buffing) the floor.  This is typically done with a rotary floor machine.  You don’t go down all the way to the bare wood; you only want to sand or etch the last finish.  This will provide a smooth surface that the polyurethane finish will properly adhere to.  The next step is to thoroughly clean the floor so that no debris will end up in the finished floor.  Dust is vacuumed up and the floor is scrubbed with absorbent material using a hardwood cleaner or mineral spirits.  The floor is given time to dry – air movers can be used to speed up the process.

Then the floor is ready for an application of polyurethane finish.  Edges that connect to other flooring should be taped off.  Edges along walls should be done first.  Application can be done using a long handled foam or lamb’s wool applicator.  Application is done going with the grain of the wood, using long even strokes making sure to get a proper and complete layer of finish.  The room should have good ventilation.  After 1 hour a second coat can be applied to ensure a stronger end result.

Finished floors can be walked on with stocking feet in 1 hour.  After 4 hours furniture can be pay back in place.

For any questions on hardwood recoating, please call Ram Cleaning Services @ 403-291-1051

Not always the cleanest part of a home, the carpet may contain one or more of the following disgusting things, and can give even the most vigilant and meticulous homeowners reason to consider a thorough carpet cleaning.

Bacteria

These tiny microorganisms can be present in the carpet from a multitude of sources. Everything from spills and crumbs to pets tracking in moisture or using carpets as their bathrooms. Left untreated, bacteria can pose a very serious health problem to humans and animals alike. Salmonella, which can cause many diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and a fever may be tracked onto carpet by shoes. The Norovirus causes many stomach problems and the flu has an exceptionally long survival rate of up to six weeks on carpets, and may get into the air each time the carpet is stepped on. For those that live in places that have damp, cold winter months, Campylobacter may cause campylobacteriosis – a dangerous situation for those with already weak immune systems, and unpleasant for even the healthiest of individuals.

Mold

This common fungal contaminant can easily grow in damp places around the home, but especially underneath carpet. The smallest wet spot may cause mold – some of which can be deadly – to grow. Not only can it stain the carpet, but it can make inhabitants sick, smell terrible, and require carpets to be replaced. Catching this mold quickly is possible, but when left for too long, it may become necessary to change out carpets, padding, and even the flooring surface below. If not properly treated, mold spores can travel from place to place via contact, and contaminate new areas if conditions are right. Another way for these spores to travel is by inhalation, which can make people extremely ill.

Dead Skin

No matter how meticulous a person is, they will lose dead skin daily. Whether it is from contact with clothing, furniture, other people or pets, or simply just a person walking around the house, dead skin is shed daily. Pets also lose skin cells and hair, which add to the mix. Humans can loose up to one million skin cells a day, and they can fall into the carpet fibers, where they settle and become food for another disgusting inhabitant of household carpets: dust mites and bed bugs.

Insects

Although much smaller than the average outdoor insect, dust mites make themselves right at home in carpets and rugs. The fact that they feed on dead skin cells makes carpets – old and new alike – the perfect feeding ground for them. Not only do these pests live in carpets, they eat, die, and breed there, too. When these dust mites die, their bodies simply remain until they are thoroughly cleaned, but due to their rapid reproduction, their numbers rarely dwindle, unless the conditions become too cold and dehumidified. The dead bodies of these mites, as well as their excrement are so small that they can become airborne, and thus be inhaled, contributing to allergies and other health problems.

Allergens

Along with the dust mites and mold spores, other allergens can be brought indoors and settle into carpets. Things like pollen, grass, tree spores and pet dander may reside in carpet, just waiting to trigger an allergic reaction. Although much less concentrated in the open air of the outdoors, once inside, these allergens may make it extremely difficult for those with allergies to stay indoors. Coughing and sneezing can make people very uncomfortable, and these are just two of the symptoms of allergy sufferers. People and pets spend a great deal of time in contact with the carpets in their homes, and if these allergens are allowed to multiply within the carpet, they can become a huge problem rather quickly.

The responsibility to keep a home presentable is much more than making it look nice on the outside and having the newest, nicest items inside. It is extremely vital to the health of those residing in and visiting the home that the carpets are not neglected. Not only will having clean carpets make the rooms more inviting, but it will protect humans and pets alike from all of the dirty, disgusting things that can settle into them.

Time to get your carpet cleaned? Call Ram today to request a FREE estimate.

The Tucker Pole System is designed to connect to a standard garden hose and consists of lightweight aircraft-type aluminum tubes. The system uses 100% pure de-ionised water which evaporates without leaving smears or spots on the glass and doesn’t use chemicals or cause environmental damage.

Frames, sills and ledges can be cleaned at the same time as the windows; if external fascias or panelled style buildings are being cleaned, an environmentally friendly cleaner can be added.

Poles are telescopic and can be used at low level and even on conservatory roofs.

For professional Window Cleaning in Calgary and area call Ram Cleaning Services @ (403) 291-1051

1. Air out your house – as weather permits open windows to let in fresh air. In general, try to leave windows open a little so that you are always letting in some fresh air.

2. Use scented cleaning products – when you clean your home, use cleaning products that have a nice smell to them; then, not only will a thorough cleaning remove residues, etc. that contain odor, but the cleaning will leave a nice smell.

3. Flowers – fresh flowers are a nice way to keep your home smelling fresh and clean. In addition to keeping your home smelling fresh and clean, flowers can be a nice way to decorate your home.

4. Use air fresheners – experiment until you find one that works good for you. Try natural fresheners made from real citrus fruits that come in recyclable spray cans. Also, the Febreeze product line claims to eliminate odors and not just cover them.

5. Try candles – scented candles are a good way to add good aromas to your home. Beeswax candles burn cleaner than ordinary candles and release a gentle honey aroma.

6. Potpourri – it doesn’t have to be a holiday season to enjoy the smell of potpourri. Potpourri is a natural perfume that is a mixture of dry flowers, leaves, essential oils and spices . It is one of the best ways to make a home smell good. Place them next to places where bad odors can originate.

7. Scented pine cones – a basketful of pine cones can make your house smell like the country. If you have pine trees in your yard, use fallen pine cones to bring the smell of the mountain into your home.

8. Grind the peel of citrus fruit (lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit) in your garbage disposal to release a sweet citrus scent.

9. Stick whole cloves into orange or lemon peels or wedges for a crisp clean scent.

10. Simmer cinnamon sticks or a sprinkle of cinnamon powder, apple slices, orange peels or a few drops of vanilla extract in water on your stove to produce an appealing aroma throughout your house.

11. Place a dab of lavender, rose, or jasmine essential oil on a cotton ball and place on a small plate or unneeded glass jar lid out of sight in a room to produce a nice scent in a room for days.

12. Use a Q-Tip to dab a drop of essential oil (peppermint, lavender, rose, or jasmine) on a cool light bulb. When the light fixture is turned on and the bulb warmed up, a pleasant scent will be released. You can also try a favorite perfume.

13. Place a couple of drops of your favorite body oil on a light bulb to produce a warm light scent.

13. Where there are stronger odors, place a bowl of white vinegar in the area of the room where the odor is strongest. After approximately 24 hours the odor will be almost unnoticeable and within another 24 hours it should be entirely gone.

14. Use your exhaust fan when you cook, especially when frying food.

15. Keep your oven clean. If you think something might spill during cooking, use a pan to catch the drippings or wipe clean as soon as you are finished cooking.

16. Downsize your kitchen garbage can so that things don’t have time to produce bad odor. Most things can otherwise go into the garburator or go into your recycling bin.

17. Keep pets clean – make sure to keep pets well bathed and clean. Make sure that you have an adequate schedule to clean out litter. Clean up pet accidents as soon as possible.

18. Vacuuming – vacuum regularly; sprinkle carpet deodorizer or baby powder lightly on carpet or area rugs before vacuuming.

19. Keep basemenet dry and properly vented to prevent moisture and poor ventilation from producing a bad smell

For professional Maid Service or House Cleaning in Calgary and area call Ram Cleaning Services @ 403-291-1051