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July 19, 2015 in Clean Team

From “Peacock Alley” to Carpet Capital of the World!

In the 1920′s, U.S. Highway 41 running from Copper Harbor, Michigan to Miami Beach, Florida was a very popular tourist route (primarily because it was paved all the way!) Where the highway approached Dalton Georgia, women would hang colorful, handmade, uniquely tufted bedspreads on their porch to entice passing tourists to stop and buy.  The beautiful rainbow of colors hanging on front porches along that stretch of highway caused it to become known as “Peacock Alley.” By the 1930′s the colorful bedspreads had become popular throughout the entire country. Selling in such prestigious department stores as Wanamaker’s in New York City, it was clear the front porch approach would no longer be adequate to supply the growing demand. An enterprising machinist invented the first mechanized tufter and other mechanical innovations rapidly followed. By World War II the sleepy Georgia town had been transformed into a thriving manufacturing hub and was nicknamed the “Bedspread Capital of the World!” After WWII, demand grew even faster for tufted goods and the Dalton mills were ready to oblige.  Bedspreads and rugs began flying out of the mills at ever increasing rates. Manufacturing improvements allowed for larger and more intricate products and, with these advances, carpet began to overtake bedspreads as the number one product. Until the early 1950′s cotton had been the fiber of choice for most tufted products, but the introduction of nylon in 1947 caused a rapid change in the industry and it soon became the primary fiber used for carpets. By the 1960′s the introduction of man made fibers, along with the capabilty to economically manufacture large rolls of carpet paved the way for American homeowners to begin the transition from wood floors to wall to wall carpeting. Today, Dalton Georgia hosts  the world’s largest manufacturer’s of wall to wall carpet, accounting for over 70% of the carpeting used worldwide and over 90% of the carpeting used in the United States. Carpet and related industry sales account for over nine billion dollars in annual local revenue! Not bad for an industry that started with some colorful bedspreads on a few front porches! While we don’t clean 90% of the carpet in the U.S., we do clean a lot of it here in the Denver area. At The Clean Team we’d love to be your carpet cleaner. Just give us a call for a free estimate!

Steve C.

February 8, 2015 in Clean Team

Is it time for tile and grout cleaning?

You might be surprised how different things look after a tile and grout cleaning by The Clean Team.    We do a thourogh job that will give your bathrooms a fresh and clean look.

February 8, 2015 in Clean Team

A Whiter Shade of Pale…..Pink

Carpet cleaning is carpet cleaning right?  Not exactly.  Take the case of Diane in Thornton.  Diane has a beautiful carpet on the main level of her home that is a pale shade of pink.  Unfortunately,  she also lives near a busy highway and over time the pink faded to a dull gray.  Like so many homeowners,  she called one of the big name franchise carpet cleaning companies to clean and restore her carpet to its former glory. The company came out and cleaned as they normally would. Diane was very disappointed. The carpet just didn’t look the way she remembered it and she could clearly see dark outlines from where her area rugs were laying prior to the cleaning.  The cleaning technician told her that no more could be done.  For her next cleaning a friend suggested she call The Clean Team. Here’s what she had to say about the experience.

“I would highly recommend The Clean Team! Your technician did an excellent job and he was able to get all the lines out! My carpet looks like I remember it! I’m going to have you back in the spring to clean the carpeting in the rest of the house!”

Attention to detail.   The expertise and products necessary to get the job done right.  There is a difference.  When you want your carpets completely clean give us a call. The Clean Team. It’s a cleaner clean!

February 8, 2015 in Clean Team

Five things you don’t want to use to clean wood floors!

A clean and shiny wood floor is a beautiful thing. To keep it that way here are a few “Don’ts” to prevent premature breakdown of the finish and the shine.

The Wood Floor Covering Association (WFCA.org) warns you should avoid these five things to get the best appearance and longest life from your wood floor.

  1. Don’t wax a wood floor that has a urethane finish – Modern urethane finishes are not meant to be waxed and wax cannot bond correctly to the floor finish. Because of this, wax can bubble or flake leaving you with an unsightly appearance.
  2. Don’t use ammonia cleaners or oil soaps on a wood floor — they’ll dull the finish and affect your ability to recoat later.  Oil soaps can penetrate the wood itself and prevent new finish from adhering.
  3. Don’t use vinegar to clean your floor –  Since vinegar is an acid, it will actually break down the finish on the surface of your floor, and over time, will reduce the shine and leave a dull appearance
  4. Don’t wet mop or use excessive water to clean your floor – Wood naturally expands when it’s wet and can cause your floor to cup, crack or splinter.
  5. Don’t use a beater bar vacuum – Dirt and grit can get caught in the bar bristles and you can do serious harm to the finish over time.

February 8, 2015 in Clean Team

5 tricks for dealing with a “hairy home”!

If you have pets,  you’re no stranger to the challenges the four legged family members can pose.  Shedding hair is a common issue and that hair can work its way into everything.

Here at The Clean Team when we clean area rugs that have a large build up of pet hair we often use a soft brass bristle brush, stroking from several directions, to get the hair to release.

The folks over at Apartment Therapy have a great article on how to “dehair” your home as you go through your normal cleaning routine.

Finally, if your pet has the temperment for it, you can do like  some pet owners and actually vacuum your pet while brushing their coat!  Dyson makes a vacuum with attachments for exactly that! The model DC 28 Animal gets great reviews, but it is a little pricey.  Still, it nips the problem at the source!

February 8, 2015 in Clean Team

3 ways to clean your spice grinder

I grind a lot of spices fresh in the kitchen when I’m cooking.  Nothing beats freshly ground spice, but cleaning the grinder can be a pain.  Here are 3 ways to make the job a piece of cake.

1. Use a long narrow paint brush to clear out the big pieces.  With some spices (like pepper) you may have partially ground, large particles stuck in the grinder. A semi-stiff brush will dislodge and clear them.
2. Run some soft bread through the grinder. This is my preferred method.  I find that a couple of quick pulses with the bread will clean the unit right up.
3. Another popular approach is to run  dry, uncooked rice through the unit.  Again, a couple of long pulses clears out the offending debris and a quick stroke of the brush finishes the job.

Happy grinding!

February 7, 2015 in Clean Team

A cooktop cleanup tip from the world’s messiest cook!

I love to cook! But I have got to be one of the messiest people in the kitchen since Sweeney Todd! If there’s a way to spill, I’ll find it.  When I’m done, the meal usually turns out pretty tasty, but the kitchen looks like a war zone! One of the most frustrating cleanup chores is the removal of cooked on gunk from the glass cooktop. After trying everything from specialty cleaners to Gregorian chants, here’s the easiest way I’ve found to get a clean cooktop and keep your sanity.  Rinse two towels in warm water and wring out any excess water. Then, just lay the towels on the completely cooled cooktop for ten minutes. When you return, just give the cooktop a wipe with the towels and you’ll be amazed at how easily all the burnt on food comes off! If some is left behind just repeat the process. The stove is left shining and ready for the next assault!