If Pollen Is Not Your Friend

Yellow Yellow Everywhere

Yes, it’s pollen season. If you or a family member has seasonal allergies, keep the pollen outside to alleviate symptoms throughout the day, and ensure you have a safe haven inside your home when the pollen counts are particularly bad. Have exterior door mats at each door. If you have been outside a lot, take off your shoes and leave them in the garage. Change out of and wash clothes after being outside, and take a shower to remove pollen from skin and hair. Using air conditioning, which cleans and dries the air, and keeping doors and window closed can also help. Stay indoors as much as possible between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., which is when pollen counts tend to be highest during the day. Regular cleaning and dusting of your home also helps.
 
Tips To Spring Clean Your Kitchen

It’s spring cleaning time. Begin by taking inventory – check your cleaning supplies and make sure you have everything you need. Cleaning tools include a mop and vacuum cleaner with extensions, as well as dusting cloths, sponges and a telescoping pole for hard-to-reach ceiling fans and corners. Cleaning sprays you will need include multi-purpose cleaners, glass cleaners and wood polish. You could even opt for natural ingredients such as baking soda, lemon, mineral oil, and white vinegar. Be sure you have gloves to protect your hands.
 
Let’s Start by Cleaning the Bathrooms:
Toss linens and rugs into wash—Before you clean the bathroom, go ahead and remove any bath towels, hand towels or rugs that may get in your way.
 
Vacuum and wipe down walls—Vacuum the room from top to bottom using a brush attachment and then wipe down walls with an all-purpose cleaner. You may find the wall opposite the mirror sticky from hairspray and other beauty products, so pay extra attention to that. 
 

Now to clean the tile---Ceramic and porcelain are very easy to clean.  Spray down the shower, bathtub, toilets, and vanity sinks with a multi-purpose cleaner (like Spic-N-Span or Mr. Clean) or ceramic tile cleaner and allow it to soak to dissolve soap scum or mildew. This way, the spray can work its magic as you tick off the rest of your cleaning list. Don’t use harsh abrasives. After 15-20 minutes, rinse and wipe down surfaces.
 

If you did not upgrade to a stain resistant grout, it’s time to seal your grout. Sealing your grout will make the grout less porous and more resistant to discoloration. Manufacturers recommend sealing your grout once a year to keep it looking its best. You can purchase grout sealer at Enhance Floors and More.
 
TIP: Don’t use bleach or ammonia based cleaners, as these products can discolor your grout.
 
Also check any caulking, for example where the tile meets the shower glass. Caulking prevents expensive subsurface damage. Recaulk wet areas as needed. 
 
Clean the floors—Whatever bathroom flooring type is installed, give it a damp mopping. Always be sure to follow your flooring manufacturer’s cleaning instructions. For instance, if you want to maintain vinyl and laminate floors, you should use a pH neutral resilient floor cleaner. 
 
If You Have Real Stone in Your Bathroom:

Natural stone (travertine, marble, etc.) should be cleaned with neutral cleaners. Never clean with any product containing acid, lemon, or bleach. Acids, even a light solution of vinegar and water, will eventually etch and damage the natural stone.
 
At least once a year you need to seal the stone and the grout. Some products are multi-purpose, meaning you can use the same product on the stone and the grout. Others are just for either the stone or the grout; be sure to read the instructions well to make sure you are using the proper product.
 
TIP: Don’t use generic cleaning products such as bleach, glass cleaners or degreasers on natural stone. Don’t use vinegar, ammonia, lemon or orange as cleaners. These products that you see at your local grocery store contain acids, alkalis, and other chemicals that can etch marble and degrade the sealer, leaving the stone more vulnerable to staining. Trying to save money by using these over the counter products only ensures that you’ll be spending a lot more time and money in the long run.
 
It's Also A Good Time To

Check your exterior doors for possible water penetration. Check the weather stripping for tears and deterioration. Check the sills and exterior thresholds for damage. Is caulking needed? Can you see daylight through the door? If you can see light through the door, water can also get through, especially blowing rain. Sometimes this water gets under your floors without you noticing until the damage is done. Thousands of dollars in damage can be caused by water penetration.  
 
How Much Does It Cost?

We are installing a lot of quartz countertops this year, lighter colors in particular. Brushed finishes are increasing in popularity. A recent quartz installation (one slab) was $4300, not including a new sink and a plumber to hook everything up.
 
What’s a brushed finish, you may be wondering. A brushed (also called leathered) finish is a slightly textured finish on a countertop (granite, marble, quartz). It is not usually rough to the touch but rather is a finish of smooth and silky ridges and veins. Unlike polished or honed, a brushed finish typically has no sheen to it. A brushed finish may need more daily attention than a polished finish. This is the nature of any material with a matte finish when compared to the same material with a polished finish – smudges, fingerprints, and water spots are simply more visible on a matte surface.
 
I Was FLOORED By Enhance
Taylor in Marietta writes:

“Our family recently moved into a new home. While we were aware of the less-than-new condition of the carpets, my wife and I figured a good professional cleaning would restore their color and texture. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the carpet cleaner, the carpet remained dismal and lifeless. With all the expenses of a new home purchase at hand, and not having budgeted for new carpets, we were on a limited budget. Despite the budgeting aspect, however, we did not want to sacrifice quality. It is fair to say, my wife and I were asking a lot from Enhance Floors - "We want the best, and we want it at a very reasonable price!" Without a doubt, Enhance Floors made the entire purchasing process a pleasure. Not only did we get top-of-the-line carpet, but we got it at the very best price.
 
The best part of the purchase, however, was the personal attention we received and the trusting relationship we formed with the staff and owners. We left Enhance Floors feeling confident in our purchase and well cared for in all aspects of our needs/wants.
 
Installation was also fantastic. I was home for almost all of the installation, and, therefore, I can personally attest to the professionalism of the installation team. The team carefully secured our furniture and belongings in each room, quickly completed removal and installation, and did a top-notch, quality job. Perhaps the most important aspect, after the installation was complete, the entire team made every effort to ensure the entire home was cleaned up and all of the furniture was back exactly as it was before. In fact, the installers were so thorough, my wife (who had been away on business during the entire install), would have never known of the installation if not for the beautiful new carpet that welcomed her home.
 
Thank you for the great experience and the beautiful carpet! We look forward to continued business in the future.”
 
Thank you, Taylor. We enjoyed meeting and working with you and your beautiful family. We hope your two girls are enjoying playing games on the super soft new carpet. Come see us when you are ready for the kitchen remodel we talked about.

 It’s Spring Cleaning Time!

Floors are a big part of spring cleaning. Different floors have specific cleaning instructions. This week let’s talk about how to take care of your vinyl (LVP/LVT/sheet) floor:

Your luxury vinyl plank or sheet vinyl flooring is not only beautiful, but it is also highly durable and waterproof. It only takes a few simple care and maintenancesteps to keep your vinyl floors looking beautiful for years to come:

• Spills should be cleaned up immediately

• Use a soft bristle broom to remove loose dirt
• Damp mop as needed with clean water and a non-abrasive floor cleaner. Harsh cleaning chemicals should not be used on luxury vinyl flooring

• Never push, pull, or drag furniture across vinyl floors. Always lift and carry
• Heavy furniture or appliances that are not moved often should be equipped with flat, nonstaining floor protectors
• Avoid using a vacuum with a beater bar
• Many people move their refrigerator to clean behind it as part of spring cleaning. If you are doing this, be sure you first lay down a sheet of plywood and roll the refrigerator onto the plywood. This keeps you from tearing or indenting the vinyl
• For spot stain treatment, use a very diluted bleach solution that is 1 part bleach and 10 parts water
• Sheet vinyl: if the floor is showing wear, you can apply wax to bring back the shine. However, be sure you clean the floor thoroughly before waxing, and be sure to use the wax made by the flooring manufacturer. Also, once you begin waxing a floor, remember that you will need to strip it before you wax it again

Tips To Spring Clean Your Kitchen

Wipe It Down -- walls and countertops, as well as sinks and cabinets.  


Clean the Refrigerator — Empty the fridge and freezer, keeping perishables in a cooler. Remove the glass shelves, spraying and wiping down each as well as the ceramic interior. Be sure to go over door seals with hot water and a small bit of dishwashing liquid and, before placing everything back, ensure they’re dry so the suction will hold secure.  
 
Degrease Appliances — Put the oven on its self-cleaning function if it’s not too dirty, But for a deeper clean, apply a baking soda and water paste, allowing it to sit for at least 20 minutes to break down the grease and burnt food. For the microwave, place a bowl of lemon juice water blend inside and cook until boiling–approximately two to three minutes–to loosen food particles, wiping it clean with a damp cloth.   
 
Clean the Floors — Kitchen floors see tons of traffic and spills. Vacuum (no beater bars!) and mop using the cleaner made by the manufacturer of your floor.
 

PRO TIP: Rugs are a must for a heavy use kitchen: in front of the sink and stove, at exterior doors, under the breakfast room table.  Investing in rugs with a quality rug pad will benefit you in the long term – the cost of rugs is far less than the cost to replace or refinish your floors. A quality rug with the right pad will protect your floors, but make sure the rug pad (or the backing of a rubber backed rug) specifically states that is is safe for hardwood and/or vinyl floors, is not too coarse and won't stain or discolor your floor.

Small Appliances -- Don't forget about your toaster ovens, coffee maker, and air fryer. Check the cleaning guide or look online for the best products to use on each appliance.
 
This tip is a combination of design and spring cleaning: 

reorganize your bookshelves. You probably haven’t noticed your bookshelves accumulating dirt and clutter over the years, but all of those books, knick knacks, and random tidbits add up to a lot of visual noise. Here are some styling tips: 

~~Mix up the book placement – try a mix of vertical and horizontal arrangements. Do this both within the same shelf and then also try mixing up the way entire shelves are arranged so th

at one shelf is all horizontal and another is all vertical.
 
~~Arrange your books by color.
 
~~Use decorative objects – think sculptural. A beautiful bowl, plate or even a stack of boxes.
 

~~Go natural – use organic materials: a clear container filled with stones, a beautiful seashell or even an air plant.

~~Artwork – Definitely incorporate artwork into your shelf scheme. You can prop small pieces on the shelves and even hang larger pieces on the shelves themselves for an English library look
 

Mohawk is offering 18 month interest free financing on installed purchases of Mohawk carpet, hardwood, luxury vinyl, and laminate. A typical kitchen and family room (600 square feet) in LVP ranges between $4000 and $5000 fully installed. Your monthly payment on a gorgeous and easy to take care of floor is less than $300. Click here to be preapproved and get started on your project!
 
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