Spring Cleaning - DIY Homemade Cleaners

4/11/2022 (Permalink)

Spring is for cleaning! Try these DIY cleansers!

Spring Cleaning safely and Naturally!

This year for spring cleaning, try making your own cleaning products at home with natural and unprocessed ingredients! Make your home environment safer for your children and pets. 

Here are 7 cleansers you can DIY, give them a try! 

Home Made Glass Cleaner

*Mix 1 part Vinegar with 2 parts water

*Add ½ teaspoon dish soap for every cup of water

*Shake to mix

ALL-Natural Homemade Floor Cleaner

*1 part water

*1 part white vinegar

*1 part 70% Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol

*A few drops of liquid dish detergent

*1/4 part lemon juice

DIY Upholstery & Carpet Cleaner  

(If you have animals this can be a life saver)

*¼ cup of baking soda

*¼ cup of white vinegar

*3/4 cup of warm water

*1/2 tablespoon of dish liquid soap

Homemade Garbage Disposal Cleaner

*3/4 cup baking soda

*1/2 cup salt

*1/2 teaspoon liquid dish soap’

*1 lemon

After first 3 ingredients are mixed, grate lemon peel into mixture. Then cut lemon the lemon in half and remove the seeds.  Squeeze both halves into the mixture until lemon is fully incorporated.  Grab a sheet pan, spoon and some parchment paper.  Cover the sheet pan with parchment paper, use the spoon to mold in half rounds, and then tap them out onto the pan.  Allow the tablets to dry overnight.  Place dried mixture into a sealable container.

Clean Your Washer

*2 cups vinegar

*1/4 cup baking soda

*1/4 water

Pour mixture directly  into the machine’s drum.  Run a normal cycle at least twice.  Make another batch and use a brush and scrub the edges.

DIY Dishwasher Detergent

*2 cups of Borax

*2 cups washing soda

*4 packets of sugar-free lemonade Kool-aid.

All-Natural Homemade Floor Cleaner

*1 part water

*1 part white vinegar

*1 part 70% Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol

*A few drops of liquid dish detergent

*1/4 part lemon juice

This information was compiled from various on-line sources. SERVPRO is not responsible for any and all claims made by these sources. If the mess can’t be cleaned then make sure to call the professionals. Our SERVPRO team is here to help!

Riverside Schools…Back to School or Virtual Classes, Protecting Our Kids and Students against COVID-19

8/3/2020 (Permalink)

Young ones can practice these steps to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Call SERVPRO for a free estimate on our Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned.

August is back to school month for Riverside Students.  However, due to COVID-19, there is still uncertainty when students will actually return to normal school classrooms. 

A note from Riverside Unified School District states,  "As we prepare to welcome you back to the 2020-21 school year, we are diligently working on every aspect of the RUSD school experience from health and safety to the program choices for students and staff. This is a very challenging time as community health circumstances are changing daily".

For now, it looks like classes will continue virtually at home.  But, what can parents do to plan and prepare for closed schools?  Why the concern of sending them back to classroom environment?  How can we keep our homes safe and sanitized for our kids? 

Parents can help protect their family from COVID-19 by practicing and promoting everyday healthy habits. The CDC provides guidance.  Use this checklist to plan and take action.

PLAN AND PREPARE

Practice and reinforce good prevention habits with your family

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Keep your child at home if sick with any illness

If your child is sick, keep them at home and contact your healthcare provider. Talk with teachers about classroom assignments and activities they can do from home to keep up with their schoolwork.

Be prepared if your child’s school or child care facility is temporarily dismissed

Talk with your employer about sick leave and telework options in case you need to stay home with your child. Consider planning for alternate child care arrangements.

IF YOUR SCHOOL/CHILD CARE PROGRAM IS DISMISSED

Keep track of school dismissal updates

Read or watch local media sources that report school dismissals or stay in touch with your school.

• Talk to your school about options for digital and distance learning

• Discourage children and teens from gathering in other public places while school is dismissed to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in the community

• Seek guidance from your school administrator to determine when students and staff should return to schools

Duration of school dismissals will be made on a case-by-case basis based on the most up-to-date information about COVID-19 and the specific situation in your community. Students and staff should be prepared for durations that could last several days. Administrators should work with their local health authorities to determine duration of dismissals.

THE CONCERN OF SENDING KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL 

The more people a student or staff member interacts with, and the longer that interaction, the higher the risk of COVID-19 spread. The risk of COVID-19 spread increases in school settings as follows:

• Lowest Risk: Students and teachers engage in virtual-only classes, activities, and events.
• More Risk: Small, in-person classes, activities, and events. Groups of students stay together and with the same teacher throughout/across school days and groups do not mix. Students remain at least 6 feet apart and do not share objects (e.g., hybrid virtual and in-person class structures, or staggered/rotated scheduling to accommodate smaller class sizes).
• Highest Risk: Full sized, in-person classes, activities, and events. Students are not spaced apart, share classroom materials or supplies, and mix between classes and activities.

COVID-19 is mostly spread by respiratory droplets released when people talk, cough, or sneeze. It is thought that the virus may spread to hands from a contaminated surface and then to the nose or mouth, causing infection. Therefore, personal prevention practices (such as handwashing, staying home when sick) and environmental cleaning and disinfection are important principles that are covered in this document. Fortunately, there are a number of actions school administrators can take to help lower the risk of COVID-19 exposure and spread during school sessions and activities.

KEEPING A CLEAN AND SANITIZED ENVIRONMENT AT HOME

The CDC recommends the following for cleaning and sanitizing

This guidance is intended for anyone, whether you own a business, run a school, or want to ensure the cleanliness and safety of your home. Reopening America requires all of us to move forward together by practicing social distancing and other daily habits to reduce our risk of exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19. 

1. Normal routine cleaning with soap and water will decrease how much of the virus is on surfaces and objects, which reduces the risk of exposure.
2. Disinfection using EPA-approved disinfectants against COVID-19 can also help reduce the risk. Frequent disinfection of surfaces and objects touched by multiple people is important.
3. When EPA-approved disinfectants are not available, alternative disinfectants can be used (for example, 1/3 cup of bleach added to 1 gallon of water, or 70% alcohol solutions). Do not mix bleach or other cleaning and disinfection products together--this can cause fumes that may be very dangerous to breathe in. Keep all disinfectants out of the reach of children.

Some surfaces only need to be cleaned with soap and water. For example, surfaces and objects that are not frequently touched should be cleaned and do not require additional disinfection. Additionally, disinfectants should typically not be applied on items used by children, especially any items that children might put in their mouths. Many disinfectants are toxic when swallowed. In a household setting, cleaning toys and other items used by children with soap and water is usually sufficient. Find more information on cleaning and disinfection toys and other surfaces in the childcare program setting at CDC’s Guidance for Childcare Programs that Remain Open.

SERVPRO of West Riverside City is also a resource for cleaning and sanitizing your home, childcare facility or schools.  We use EPA Hospital grade products that are safe for children.  We can tailor the cleaning and disinfecting to your needs.  Ask for our Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned service.

We are here to help.  Call us for a free estimate:  951-351-8033

Riverside Restaurant Owners, SERVPRO is here to HELP Reopen your Business!

6/3/2020 (Permalink)

Reach out to SERVPRO of West Riverside City if you have any questions regarding the steps necessary to reopen your restaurant.

As Riverside begins to reopen, your restaurant will be able to open for dine-in service. It will not go back to the way it was before COVID-19 right off the bat, but it is important to take precautions to protect you, your staff, and your customers to get back to normal. Here are some tips from the National Restaurant Association to help prepare you for reopening:

• Understand the rules and limitations. Not all states will be following the same limitations, follow up on Restaurants Act to find California's reopening rules.
• Follow established guidelines for reopening safely. Ensure you are following protocols for safe food handling, cleaning, and sanitizing. Implement employee health and hygiene as well as social distancing.
• Deep clean and sanitize your restaurant. Hire a specialty service to deep clean every surface in your restaurant such as SERVPRO. We are uniquely prepared during this unprecedented time to clean and disinfect your restaurant according to the protocols set forth by the CDC. We have years of experience in dealing with biological contaminants, and we will go beyond the scope of work that regular janitorial staff perform on a daily basis. 
• Do not forget to sanitize the drive-thru station and all equipment if you have one. You can check out the CDC guidance and cleaning for more information.
• Rethink the dining room. Space out tables and chairs, even your bar stools. Look into putting barriers between booths.
• Get the word out. Communicate your plans so customers know you are taking proactive measures to provide a safe environment to dine in.
• Update your websites and social media platforms
• Have a sign outside your restaurant or in your window.
• Email blast your customers.
• Implement a “We’re back!” campaign.

We are also happy to announce a new service!!

We are proud to launch Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned—a cleaning and disinfecting program that SERVPRO offers to commercial locations to address the current COVID-19 pandemic. This is a level of clean that goes way beyond janitorial or carpet cleaning. This is proactive viral pathogen cleaning. When businesses chose SERVPRO, your employees, customers, and community can rest assured that you’ve selected a “higher standard of clean”—Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned. 

Protect your staff and customers with a thorough deep clean from SERVPRO. Our team has been called on by numerous businesses and community leaders to perform the necessary bioremediation services to clean, disinfect and sanitize their properties. We will even provide you with signage to hang in your window for your customers to see. Restaurant workers are serving our friends and families. Allow us to help protect what matters most.

Visit our website for more information or call us at 951-351-8033.  We are available for questions.

Can you Clean Porous Materials as you do Non-porous Surfaces?

5/27/2020 (Permalink)

Here we use we used a ULV fogger that can mist the disinfectant to as small as 20 microns in size to get into hard to reach areas.

The CDC describes cleaning as removing germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces or objects.

The CDC describes cleaning as removing germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces or objects. Cleaning works by using a detergent and water to physically remove germs from surfaces. This process does not necessarily kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.

Some materials cannot be cleaned with detergent and water without being damaged. For this reason, paper and paper products are not able to be cleaned and/or disinfected. Cleaning methods typically used on water sensitive materials such as vacuuming or dry sponging would not be capable of removing enough soil and residue to be effective.

Porous materials like carpet, area rugs, upholstered items, and draperies that are not water sensitive, can be wet cleaned using a Hot Water Extraction or Deluxe Preconditioner and Rinse method. Carpets can also be sanitized with SERVPROXIDE™ (product #100) following label directions, if needed.

Non-porous materials like hard surface floors, cabinets, countertops, doorknobs, and plumbing fixtures can be wet cleaned using a variety of SERVPRO hard surface cleaners (general purpose cleaners) and cleaning methods. 

Disinfecting of Non-porous Surfaces

The CDC describes disinfecting as killing germs on surfaces or objects. Disinfecting works by using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces or objects. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection.

Not all surfaces can be disinfected. Because of the porosity of some materials, disinfection is not possible. This includes carpet, area rugs, upholstered items, and draperies.

Non-porous materials like hard surface floors, cabinets, countertops, doorknobs, and plumbing fixtures can be disinfected using a variety of disinfectants within the SERVPRO product line. 

Currently there are no disinfectants that have been tested specifically for this particular emerging viral pathogen. The CDC recommends usage of a labeled Hospital Grade disinfectant with claims against viruses similar to SARS-CoV-2.

SERVPROXIDE™ (product #100) is a hospital-grade disinfectant that has demonstrated effectiveness against viruses similar to SARS-CoV-2 on hard, non-porous surfaces. Per the CDC, this product can be used against SARS-CoV-2 when used in accordance with the directions for use against Norovirus Feline Calicivirus and Canine Parvovirus, Strain Cornell-780916, ATCC VR2016 on hard, non-porous surfaces. In addition, SERVPROXIDE™ currently has EPA-approved claims for Feline coronavirus (Strain WSU 79-1683, ATCC VR 989) and Canine coronavirus (Strain 1-71, ATCC VR-809). As with all emerging-type pathogens, proper PPE use is of the utmost importance.

SERVPROXIDE™ should be used in accordance with label directions.

These disinfectants are normally applied using a spray bottle, pump-up sprayer, electric sprayer, or ULV Mister and must dwell on the surface for 10 minutes. Once again, follow label directions for the specific disinfectant being used.

The CDC encourages the use of disinfecting wipes on electronic items that are touched often, such as phones and computers. Pay close attention to the directions for using disinfecting wipes. It may be necessary to use more than one wipe to keep the surface wet for the stated length of contact time. Make sure that the electronics can withstand the use of liquids for cleaning and disinfecting. Consider Benefect Botanical Disinfectant Wipes for this purpose.

For more information about our Proactive Cleaning Services, call us at 951-351-8033!

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned – a defensive cleaning program

5/25/2020 (Permalink)

 Our defensive cleaning program gives your business a way forward by providing your employees and customers ongoing safety and assuredness.

Let us help you get back to business

As our communities re-open, we’re all moving back toward a new kind of normal. The expectations of visitors, customers, and employees who come into our establishments have evolved, and staying safe and well is a top concern. The global COVID-19 pandemic has changed what it means to be clean, and we’ve developed a program to help your business meet the new higher standard of clean that is now expected.

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned is a defensive cleaning program we’re offering to businesses and commercial locations to address the current COVID-19 pandemic. This proactive viral pathogen cleaning program goes well beyond janitorial or carpet cleaning. By choosing Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, you, your employees, your customers, and your community can rest assured that you’ve selected a higher cleaning standard – you are Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned.

Extensive training and specialized products

As the #1 choice in cleanup and restoration*, we stand on more than 50 years of experience and expertise to help your business become Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned.  Beyond fire & water, SERVPRO professionals are trained and experienced in biohazard decontamination and chemical spills – always adhering to the cleaning and decontamination standards set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local authorities. 

From formulating and creating our proprietary cleaning products, like SERVPROXIDE, at our headquarters in Gallatin, TN, to taking the utmost care while disinfecting, we will ensure you and your business are set up to inspire consumer confidence as the economy continues to reopen.

3 C’s – Consult, Clean, and Certify

When the stakes are this high, you want a partner who has developed an industry leading, proprietary training program, cleaning solutions, and remediation processes over decades. We’ve cleaned up some of the most challenging biohazards imaginable. Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned reflects our unique experiences and capabilities. The program is grounded with our unique 3 C’s: Consult, Clean, and Certify.

• Consult – Every business is different, which is why you’ll be assigned a Cleaning Protocol Consultant who understands your business and will create a cleaning program to meet your specific needs. This program will be developed based on your business type, size of space, amount of high frequency touchpoints, foot traffic and congestion points.
• Clean – Based on your specific business needs, your location will undergo a thorough, deep clean, using exclusive cleaning products, according to protocols set forth by the CDC. Our employees have years of experience, and we will go beyond the scope of work that regular janitorial staff perform. Cleanup procedures generally include cleaning of porous and non-porous surfaces, disinfecting of non-porous surfaces, cleaning and disinfecting of equipment, tools, and/or supplies used for cleanup process, and disposal of hazardous materials.  In the event of a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 event, we will be there cleaning within 24 hours to ensure you get back to business as quickly as possible. 
• Certify - Once your business location has been Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, you will gain access to proprietary signage, digital emblems, and other collateral that communicates that you’ve selected a higher standard of clean available to help protect your employees and customers. And because we add the day, month, and year to that proprietary stamp of clean, your guests will know that not only did you choose Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, but that your location is being cleaned regularly at this standard.

Call today for a Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned consultation

We’re Here to Help – 24 hours a day, seven days a week – until life is back to normal in the communities we all call home.

Call SERVPRO of West Riverside City today at  951-351-8033 for your Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned consultation.

* #1 Choice in cleanup & restoration based Commercial Attitude & Usage Tracking study. Polling 816 commercial business decision makers on first choice for future needs related to cleanup & restoration work. Study conducted by C&R Research: October 2019

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned means professionally trained SERVPRO franchises perform the requested cleaning, sanitizing and disinfection services according to proprietary SERVPRO protocols and recognized industry and CDC standards with EPA approved cleaning products to deliver a SERVPRO certified cleaning experience.  Each SERVPRO franchise is independently owned and operated.

How Can SERVPRO Help Senior Living Facilities in Riverside City

5/13/2020 (Permalink)

Assisted living workers are serving and caring for our families. Allow us to help protect what matters most.

With our most vulnerable citizens at risk, SERVPRO and Disaster Recovery Teams have been mobilizing cleaning crews to assisted living and senior nursing homes throughout the state.

Recently, a new strain of the coronavirus, COVID-19, has been in news outlets all over the world. What exactly is COVID-19? Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

The disease has spread across the world since 2019, resulting in the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic. A pandemic is an outbreak of a disease that is found over a wide geographic area and affects a substantial segment of the population.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that older adults and people with severe underlying chronic medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes are at a high risk of developing more serious complications from COVID-19.

SERVPRO of West Riverside City recommends that everyone protect themselves and others by following the advice of the CDC. The CDC urges people to immediately incorporate the following practices into their daily lives.

How can SERVPRO of West Riverside City Help you as Many Remain Isolated?

4/1/2020 (Permalink)

CDC recommends the daily cleaning of: Keyboards, phones/tablets, tables/counters. door knobs, light switches, toilets, & bathroom fixtures.

We are Cleaning Specialists!

The SERVPRO franchise network plays a vital role in protecting public health and safety. As the current COVID-19 crisis unfolds, orders have been promulgated to shelter in place and limit movements. All of these orders have recognized the vital importance of service providers necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of critical infrastructure, residences, and businesses. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce dated March 19, 2020, the SERVPRO professional service providers are designated as “essential critical infrastructure workers” under the following provisions:

• Workers such as plumbers, electricians, exterminators, and other services providers who provide services that are necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences;

• Workers to ensure continuity of building functions;

• Workers who support hazardous materials response and cleanup; and

• Workers supporting the operation and maintenance of facilities.

As providers of essential services, the SERVPRO franchise network is prepared to address the most pressing disaster restoration, cleanup, and disinfection issues facing our customers, whether it involves emergency mitigation and recovery, or cleaning and disinfecting homes, schools, healthcare and quarantine facilities, public institutions, and businesses.

SERVPRO is Here to Help during this time of need

This is a reminder to our customers in Riverside and surrounding counties that we are specialists in cleaning services, and we adhere to the highest cleaning and sanitation standards.

Specialized Training

We are prepared to clean and disinfect your home or business, according to protocols set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We have years of experience in dealing with biological contaminants, and we will go beyond the scope of work that regular janitorial staff perform on a daily basis.

The CDC encourages cleaning of high-touch surfaces such as counters, tabletops, doorknobs, light switches, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets and tables. Other spaces mentioned in the CDC’s guidance for commercial spaces include:

• Kitchen/Food Areas
• Bathrooms
• Schools/Classrooms
• Offices
• Retail Spaces
• Water Fountains
• Shelving/Racks
• Sales Counters
• Carpets and Rugs
• Stair Handrails
• Elevator Cars
• Playground Equipment
• Fitness Equipment

Specialized Products

The CDC recommends usage of a labeled hospital-grade disinfectant with claims against similar pathogens to the coronavirus. Multiple products in the SERVPRO product line carry the EPA-approved emerging pathogens claims. While there is currently no product tested against this particular strain of the coronavirus, we are following all guidelines as provided by the CDC and local authorities.

We are Here to Assist First Responders

Our service is free to First Responders!  We have protocols in place and we are here to assist them in any way we can.  We are offering to disinfect ambulances and firetrucks as well as anything else.  

If you have questions or concerns regarding our Proactive Cleaning, don't hesitate to call us.  We can address your concerns.  

If your home or business needs deep cleaning services, call the experts today – SERVPRO of West Riverside City 951-351-8033.

Summer guests? Need to clean your house? Here are some Tips

7/8/2019 (Permalink)

Spring seems to be the perfect time of the year for a deep cleaning home due to the change of the seasons. However, you may need to prepare for summer out of town guests. 

The true of the matter is that cleaning could be the most boring task that needs to be done at home or could be the easiest, all depends of the way you arrange this tasks and the actions you take every day in order to have a clean and a cozy home.

Every Riverside newer home or older home has its own unique characteristics and needs when it comes to straightening things up, there are a few basics that anyone can fall back on when it comes to cleaning.

Kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, living areas, for washing, replacing, dusting, sorting…not sure where to start? Don’t feel overwhelmed, here are a few handy tips that you can also use as a check list to make your cleaning easier and fun than a summer breeze. We also recommend you have all the cleaning supplies you need beforehand so you won’t be tempted to put it off.

Kitchen

We recommend that you start cleaning something you like to see shiny so this task will be more appealing as you will see the results immediately.

• Start cleaning inside and outside of refrigerator, and take the opportunity to throw out expired food products, since you will be emptying the shelves to clean them.
• Clean stove and oven and wipe down microwave
• Clean garbage disposal by freshening it with baking soda and/or citrus rinds
• Finally Sweep and mop floors with a nice clean fragrance…Your done!

Bathrooms

This task could be one of those you would like to leave it to the last, but think of the idea of enter to your fresh and clean bathroom, having a nice bath or listening to your family saying…This is great and smells fantastic!!!

• Wipe down shower and tub
• Clean toilet, counter tops, and mirrors
• Sweep and mop the floor

Bedrooms

In case you have many Bedrooms at home you can start with one per day so the task will be easy and you won’t get tired and overwhelm with the rest of the house cleaning.

• Wash bedding
• Wash pillows (or replace if needed it)
• Make space in the closet for your guests

Living Areas

This kind of areas are the most used at home so we recommend you leave it for the last task so you can clean it and organize it properly.

• Vacuum/sweep and mop floor
• Polish furniture (You can start weekly with a piece so you don’t get tired doing it at once)
• Dust electronics/media centers other.

Throughout the House

This tasks can be done one per day and depending of the amount of work needed it

• Dust furniture surfaces and ceiling fans
• Vacuum all carpets

We also recommend to contact us, SERVPRO have the expertise to provide a deeper clean than your basic house cleaning service. Our residential cleaning services will ease the burden of the constant maintenance cleaning of your home, but will also create a safe, clean, and comfortable living environment for you and your family.

You know SERVPRO as a leader in Fire and Water Cleanup and Restoration, our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property. If you would like to schedule service for your home or business, please call today! SERVPRO of  West Riverside City specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke, or water damage. 

Don’t wait, be ready to enjoy your fresh, clean home organizing the activities during the coming months with this useful checklist or by contacting us, don’t rush for spring or summer time we are here to bring you a hand!

Call us if you would like your home professionally cleaned by SERVPRO of West Riverside City, we are here to help...let us do all the cleaning for you so you can feel rested and refreshed before your summer guests arrive!  

Riverside Home Spring Cleaning Tips

5/1/2019 (Permalink)

Cleaning is in season and if you need help call the professionals at SERVPRO.

Spring is here!

Traditionally, people feel the need to deep-clean their homes once they feel the warm air arrive and can open their windows to welcome the new season. There are many areas in your home that you will want to clean once begin tackling this spring-time chore. Here are a few tips to help you get started that you may not have considered.

Wash Your Curtains and Drapes

When you start your spring cleaning, one of the first things you should do is clean your window coverings. This includes blinds, shutters, curtains or drapes. This should be done early on in the process as dirt and dust from the coverings can fall to the floor below, so you don't want to clean your floor before the drapes.

Test Your Smoke Detectors

Another step that should be included in spring cleaning is testing your smoke detectors. Most detectors have a test button on them that allows you to ensure they are working. If they don't work, you probably just need to replace the batteries.

Replace Water and Air Filters

As part of your spring-cleaning checklist, be sure to replace water filters and air filters. Filters catch debris from water and air. When they get full, they cannot filter as effectively as they should. The filters should be routinely replaced to ensure that they can work efficiently.

Clean Your Dryer Vent

Your dryer vent can easily become filled with lint and debris. Clean the dryer vent to help improve drying time and energy efficiency and also to prevent a fire. The vent inside your dryer should be cleaned with each load, but in the spring, you should check your exterior vent as well, making sure there is nothing accumulating in the tubing from the dryer to the outside.

Clean Your Grill

Once it begins to get warmer, people start thinking about cooking and eating outside. Now is the perfect time inspect your grill, refill your tanks if it is a gas grill, and clean all the cooking surfaces so it is ready to use when you want to make delicious meals.

Check Your Windows and Doors For Leaks

As you spring clean, take the time to check your windows and doors for leaks or air drafts. If you feel outdoor air seeping in, the seals may need to be replaced.

Check Your Plumbing for Leaks

Take the time to check your plumbing for leaks. Look for leaks under your sinks and for leaking faucets. If you notice any leaks, call in a plumber to make the needed repairs.

Make doormats welcoming

Shake 'em, wash 'em, swat 'em with a broom. Give them the toughest cleaning they can take. They’re your front line against tracked-in dirt—so keep them clean enough to function at peak efficiency.

Clean carpets and upholstery

Fabrics that have absorbed a winter’s worth of dirt, body oil, and germs will need a deep cleaning to get them ready for another year of wear—and for that close inspection by your relaxing guests. Move furniture just slightly—not out of the room or against the wall, as the old rules dictated—and place the legs of each piece back on top of small wax paper squares after shampooing. The wax paper will protect your carpet and keep the furniture legs from getting wet as the carpet dries. Open the windows to speed the drying process, which can take a day or more. If you’re not the furniture-shifting and machine-renting type, use a professional carpet and upholstery cleaner like SERVPRO.

Finish your floors

To protect the floors in your kitchen from another year of wear and tear, wax or apply a sealer following label directions. The simplest method: Use a combination wash-and-wax floor cleaner. No-wax floors don’t need a polishing treatment, but an occasional makeover will keep them looking fresher and add a protective buffer that could help them last longer. Use a floor cleaner that cleans, shines, or both. If you have wood floors, move furniture and rugs aside, then apply a wood cleaner and either liquid or paste polish to clean and add a new wax coating.

Wash walls, cabinets, baseboards, and woodwork

The walls may not look as if they need a bath—dust and soot fall to the floor, right? Most of it does, but just enough clings to vertical surfaces to warrant a seasonal or pre-holiday bath. Use a sponge and hand dish washing detergent, washing the surface in sections. A sponge mop makes it easier to reach higher spots. Use two buckets: one for dish washing detergent solution and another for wringing your sponge. Dry the walls and woodwork with a clean cloth.

Vacuum with intelligence

The old rules mandated that you go through the labor-intensive task of dragging every stick of furniture off the carpet, just so the vacuum cleaner could cover every nook and cranny. Instead, simply move those big items a little to the left or to the right. Vacuum the area previously occupied by the furniture and then move it back into place.

Clean ceiling fixtures

Remove dust and dirt from ceiling fans and air-conditioner vents with a cloth and a vacuum with a soft nozzle attachment.

Clean your light fixtures

A few minutes with a stepladder, all-purpose cleaner, a sponge, and a polish cloth will give new light to your life. If your home has skylights or tall ceilings, consider investing in a stepladder and extended-reach dust-and-dirt-removal tools, all of which are available at your local hardware store and at home supply stores.

Check your coils

You should clean the refrigerator’s condenser coil, usually found behind the toe grille, with a long-handled bottle brush and a vacuum cleaner with an attachment hose to remove dust and lint. Built-up dust can shut down the unit by causing it to overheat. To remove dust from coils attached to the hard-to-reach back side of the fridge, carefully pull the refrigerator out several feet (newer models roll on casters) and vacuum thoroughly; finish by sweeping or vacuuming the floor area you’ve revealed. Expect to rediscover coins, bottle caps, and twist ties that you and the cat knocked over the past year.

Are you looking to get your home clean for spring but lack the time to do it all yourself? Here at SERVPRO of West Riverside City, we can help you with some of your cleaning needs. We offer many services including fire and water clean-up services, mold remediation, and routine house cleaning, including carpet cleaning. Give us a call at 951-351-8033 so we can get started today.

When hoarding is a problem SERVPRO can help!

1/23/2019 (Permalink)

The way they started hoarding, the items they collect, the reasoning behind it, the conditions it is in.

What constitutes a hoarder versus a collector?  What is the difference between someone that is thrifty and saves “things” for future use and someone that is a hoarder?  Why are some people so attached to the things they find and store in their homes, while other are minimalists, and even the thought of abundant amounts of “stuff” around the house makes them nervous?

 What Is Hoarding?

The easiest definition of hoarding is when the amount of acquired clutter prohibits functionality in the home. This means that functional areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and dining rooms cannot be used for their intended purpose. There are 5 levels of hoarding, 1 being minor clutter and 5 being blocked rooms, pathways, animal/human waste, limited ingress and egress, etc. Remember level 5 hoarding cases do not happen overnight, so a level 2 or 3 can quickly become a level 5 if proper methods are not utilized to prevent it.

Because each situation is different we handle each on a case by case scenario. A hoarder home is one of the most difficult types of jobs to handle. Not only do we need to make sure that the contents are packed and boxed in order for us to do our job (handle the water damage/fire) but we also have to be mindful that these contents more than likely holds significant value to our customer.

How does one get into the situation where their home is completely full of contents and they are to the extreme buried alive?

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Hoarding is the persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value. The behavior usually has deleterious effects—emotional, physical, social, financial, and even legal—for a hoarder and family members.

For those who hoard, the quantity of their collected items sets them apart from other people. Commonly hoarded items may be newspapers, magazines, paper and plastic bags, cardboard boxes, photographs, household supplies, food, and clothing.

 Hoarding can be related to compulsive buying (such as never passing up a bargain), the compulsive acquisition of free items (such as collecting flyers), or the compulsive search for perfect or unique items (which may not appear to others as unique, such as an old container).

SYMPTOMS AND BEHAVIOR

Someone who hoards may exhibit the following:

I know that embarrassment can keep people from seeking help but REGARDLESS OF THE REASONING WE ARE HERE TO HELP.

If you know of someone in this situation this website is a very informative website and can help :

https://www.adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/hoarding-basics 

SERVPRO of West Riverside city is trained in assisting you in getting your life/home back on track.

You need a company that specializes in cleaning services from packing to biohazard cleaning. SERVPRO of West River side City is first call you should make. Here are the top reasons why you should hire SERVPRO.

Ensure Safe Removal of Items

Hoarders typically collect excessive amount of items, including newspapers to trash. As these items pile up in a home. This can create a serious safety hazard, plus offer an environment for unwanted pests. It is best to hire a company with knowledge to remove the debris in a safe manner.

Avoid Contact with Hazardous Materials

Hoarder homes become a breeding ground not only for pests, but for possible unsafe pathogens. During a cleanup, proper protective equipment should be worn to protect the body. SERVPRO has the necessary tools to safely complete the job.

Perform Complete and Thorough Cleaning

SERVPRO has the knowledge and resources to restore the home to a nearly pristine condition.  By doing so, the company will provide a safe living environment for all that reside in the home.

We are cognizant of the fact that there may be heirlooms and valuables beneath the surface of trash.   Our professional approach to these jobs is why we are called back time after time and we are pleased to provide this service.

To prevent and respond to hoarding behavior, be sure to be respectful when communicating with the individual. Instead of acknowledging the clutter, focus on expressing safety concerns for not just themselves but for those around such as neighbors, family members, responders etc. The use of outside outlets to help with intervention can be beneficial and necessary.  

Types of Hoarders

If you or someone you know has a hoarding situation, give us a call to see if we can help make it “Like it never even happened.”

How To Clean Your Riverside Home Fast!

12/12/2018 (Permalink)

Three of our green cleaning products Carpet & Upholstery Green Clean, All Surface Green Clean, Window Green Clean

So you have company coming in an hour and the house is a mess?

Or maybe you’ve just been putting off those chores and want to get it over with as quickly as possible. So, how do you clean your house fast?

When I was in college I worked a couple summers as a hotel maid and house cleaner.  I picked up a few tricks and I’m telling you that yes, you can clean an ENTIRE average size house in an hour but it takes work-and focus! No getting distracted while gathering up those old magazines, or checking your phone for the latest on Facebook.  If you keep moving and follow this guide you’ll have that house sparkling in no time!

HOW TO CLEAN HOUSE FAST!

Start at the Top

No matter what room you’re cleaning, clean from the top down so that dirt and dust from higher surfaces falls on lower surfaces that haven’t yet been cleaned. Dust ceiling fans, then furniture wiping dirt directly on the floor. Clean all of the floors as your last step to remove the dirt and dust.

Bedrooms-6 minutes per bedroom

• Strip linens and remake beds. When making beds rather than hunch over tucking bottom sheets under the mattress use one hand to lift the corner while tucking the sheet with the other.
• Clear all clutter, if you’re in a hurry gather clutter in a spare basket or bin for later organization and tuck out of sight in a closet.
• Wipe down furniture with a dusting spray and microfiber cloth, working top to bottom.

Bathrooms-7 minutes per bathroom

• I like to clean all of my bathrooms at once-make a quick trip around all the bathrooms in the house to clear counters and spray counters and tubs with cleaner, allow to sit while you clean toilets and wipe down the outer toilet surface.
• Go back and wipe down counters and rinse tub then clean mirrors.
• Come back to clean the floors when cleaning the kitchen floor.

Living/Dining Rooms-7 minutes

• Clear all clutter.
• Starting in one corner of the room and working around dust all surfaces top to bottom. (If you have blinds and/or ceiling fans, dust those first.)
• Use an upholstery attachment and vacuum upholstered furniture.
• Vacuum floors along with all house carpeting as last cleaning step.

Kitchen-12 minutes

• Load all dirty dishes in the dishwasher and fill sink with hot soapy water. If your stove top has removable burner pieces that need to be cleaned, place in water as well.
• Clear counters.
• Dunk sponge in hot water and squeeze out excess, wipe down cabinets, counters and other surfaces again working top to bottom. Rinse sponge in hot water as you clean-you’ll be amazed how much dirt comes off!
• Wipe down appliances. 
• Finish cleaning any stove pieces and replace.
• Clean floors last along with all hard flooring surfaces in the house.

Floors-15 minutes whole house

• When vacuuming carpeted rooms work your way backwards out of the room moving quickly and without too much overlap to save time.
• Vacuum, don’t sweep hard floors-use an attachment to get corners where dust and pet hair can accumulate. This helps prevent kicking dust into the air that will quickly settle again and aggravating allergies.
• Steam mops or Hardwood Floor Cleaners  also make cleaning hard surfaces much faster than traditional mops, so I highly recommend investing in one of those to keep your cleaning quick!

As a SERVPRO Franchise, we have access to SERVPRO Industries, Inc. resources and technology. Part of this includes the large range of cleaning products SERVPRO has developed. Over the years SERVPRO Industries has strived to develop green chemicals that are safe for your home and family as well as the environment. We have been members of the EPA’s Design for Environment (EPA/DFE) initiative for a longtime. This allows us access to resources that help in formulating environmentally friendly cleaning products, known as “Green” chemistry. Our most notable green cleaning products are highlighted below. 

Carpet & Upholstery Green Clean #251: This product is designed for cleaning both carpet and upholstery. It is truly a “one product does all” in that it can be used as a spotter, pre-spray and in-line cleaner for use with a variety of equipment. 

All Surface Green Clean #250: This is an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional surface cleaners. The product is designed as a one product cleans all for surfaces that can be wiped or mopped. It can safely be used on walls, ceilings, countertops, floors, etc. The exclusive formulation contains both ionic and non-ionic surfactants that are naturally derived and provide excellent multi-functional cleaning.

Window Green Clean #249: This cleaner is an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional glass cleaners. The product is formulated with soft water to eliminate spotting and streaking.

You should be able to handle most of the cleaning around your house, but for any of those tough stains - give us a call! We can help! SERVPRO of West Riverside City has the industry experience and expertise to provide a deeper clean than your basic home cleaning service. 

We're here to make things easier for you.

Need cleaning services?

Give us a call today! - (951)351-8033

Spring Cleaning Tips

2/16/2018 (Permalink)

Spring is here, its time to get cleaning!

SERVPRO makes sure your HVAC system runs smoothly during the Winter season!

12/29/2017 (Permalink)

If you experience the need for air duct cleaning, call SERVPRO!

The nights are getting colder and that means it’s time to switch on the heat. 

Even in Southern California we do get some chilly nights during our winter and that's when you need your HVAC system ready and working efficiently to heat up those cool nights.

Here are 6 maintenance tips from SERVPRO that will help you enjoy a warm and cozy home all winter long.

1. Clean and/or Replace the Air Filter
2. Clean the Air Vents
3. Add Some Insulation
4. Check Your Thermostat
5. Cover the Outdoor AC Unit if needed
6. Schedule an Inspection from SERVPRO

SERVPRO is here to assist you. Through cleaning and repair, the experienced, professional, and friendly technicians at SERVPRO West Riverside will make sure your heating system is ready for the winter season. 951-351-8033