Tag: deep cleaning

Cleaning a Porcelain Tub: A Helpful TLC Cleaning Guide

Post author By Trisha Lake, Owner of TLC Cleaning
Post date December 23, 2022

Cleaning a porcelain tub can be one of the most unwanted tasks to do in your home. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most important. Your bathtub is a crucial point of hygiene that allows you to stay clean and, for many, a great place to relax and unwind after a stressful day.

A dirty bathtub can jeopardize that function by introducing a number of health factors you don’t want to have to deal with, as well as not protecting your investment for a very important part of your home.

Calling a professional can be a great way to keep your home clean, especially if you can’t spare the time. Not only are mold and mildew unsightly, but they can also add complications to the structural well-being of your bathroom.

A dirty tub can be a breeding ground for bacteria, leaving you dirtier than when you got in the bath. The spores of molds and mycotoxins they produce can begin to eat at the walls and flooring around your tub, too, making it ground zero for lots of problems you don’t need.

So let’s look at some ways you can keep your porcelain bathtub clean!

The Problem With Cleaning A Porcelain Tub

Even though porcelain tubs are very durable, clean up well, and look great in your bathroom, maintaining them right is the biggest challenge in cleaning a porcelain tub. It is almost counterintuitive to how people might approach getting a large fixture such as a bathtub cleaned. Porcelain, though very resistant to rust, stains, and temperature variations, is susceptible to scratching from abrasive materials.

Porcelain rates at about a seven (7) on the Mohs scale for hardness, which means it is generally safe from being scratched by anything lower on the scale, but seven (7) is fairly mid-range on the scale, so you have to be careful. The urge to bust out the steel wool and abrasive cleaners has to be resisted at all costs to keep your tub in good shape. Do NOT use steel wool! Marring the porcelain glaze on your tub can result in needing to have the tub reglazed, which can be very expensive.

Scratching the surface allows dirt, bacteria, and other materials to sit inside these scratches, making the surface rough and dingy. In a worst-case scenario, scratching deep enough can breach the glaze entirely, allowing the cast iron structure of the tub beneath to rust. Products containing bleach can also oxidize the metal under the porcelain and cause problems as well.

Deep Clean Your Tub

It’s a dirty job, but you’ll be glad you did it once it is done. The more frequently you clean your tub, you will notice that the easier it is to keep it clean. With just a little bit of time, physical effort (elbow grease), and know-how, cleaning a bathtub can be a snap! Be aware that some cleaners are unsafe for porcelain and may contain chemicals that will etch the surface and ruin your glaze. Always read manufacturer guidelines before using a cleaner.

The products for cleaning you will need are:

Protective gloves and clothing: Gloves, goggles, apron, or shirt you don’t mind getting dirty
Nylon brush or sponge to scrub: These are gentle on porcelain. A “magic eraser” type sponge works well.
Non-abrasive cleaner: Read your labels to make sure the cleaner is safe for porcelain.
Water to rinse: Rinsing at the beginning and end of your project helps out a lot!

Steps to get out those stubborn stains

The first thing you will want to do is to rinse your bathtub with hot water. This will remove any large particles or abrasive materials that could scratch your tub as you clean, such as sand, chunks of grout, or other hard objects.
There are a couple of different methods of using a cleaner. One of the most effective methods is a spray-on foaming cleaner. Spray on the cleaner and allow it to sit for a few moments. You’ll notice the grime will begin to break loose. Don’t rinse yet!
Get in there and use your elbow grease to start scrubbing. Use overlapping circular patterns to eliminate gaps in your cleaning path. Be sure your bathroom is well-ventilated, and you are wearing protective clothing. Cleaners can be very harmful to your skin, eyes, and soft tissue.
You’ll notice the dirt is really beginning to break down. Wring out your sponge in a bucket of warm water and take a few passes at the tub. Over time you’ll notice the tub is getting cleaner with every pass.
Rinse and repeat: You’ll want to rinse your tub with clean water after a few passes to see the progress you’ve been making. If it is still not clean, reapply cleaner, wait, and repeat the process until it looks good.
Rinse away all the cleaners to make sure your tub is safe for your next soak. When your tub dries, you should see a nice reflective sheen in the light, and it should be smooth to the touch. If you notice residue or roughness, you might have to call for professional help. Either to deep clean your tub or to have it reglazed.

Call In The Professionals

Cleaning your bathtub can go a long way to protecting your home and health, as well as making it look beautiful on the inside. Cleaning a porcelain tub can be quite an undertaking, especially if you need more time to dedicate to getting the job done right. TLC Cleaning has been helping people clean their homes for years. Not just with quality cleaning services that can free up your time, but also in providing advice to our clients you can appreciate.

Contact us if you have a tub that needs cleaning, a kitchen that feels like a disaster area, or needs routine cleaning or advice. Our staff of experts is here to help!

Tags deep cleaning, Non-abrasive cleaner, porcelain tub

Deep Cleaning Dusting Floor Care

How to Clean Baseboards

Post author By Trisha Lake, Owner of TLC Cleaning
Post date September 11, 2020
No Comments on How to Clean Baseboards

You’ve lost your remote for the TV again; while you’re on all fours looking for it, you look over and go “ew.” Yep, dirty baseboards. Baseboards are one of the most frequently overlooked places within the home. Knowing how to clean baseboards is an often-overlooked skill, but let me tell you, those things are dirt and hair magnets!

If you have pets and live in an area where there’s a lot of dirt and dust, you should strive to clean them weekly. However, if you’re flying solo and keep your home pretty clean, you can feasibly get away with cleaning them every month.

Or maybe cleaning baseboards isn’t your thing. If that’s the case, give TLC Cleaning a call. With locations in Fargo and Grand Forks, North Dakota, and Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, TLC Cleaning can provide you with a quote to schedule either a one-time cleaning, deep cleaning, or recurring cleaning service.

Keep reading to learn how to clean baseboards quickly and efficiently in your home.

First, Prep the Area

You’ll want to pull the furniture away from the walls. Sweep or vacuum the floors to make sure you have most of the room’s dust and dirt. This step is also a great time to grab a friend or one of your children if they’re old enough to help out. Working together will make moving the furniture moving easier and the cleaning process faster.

Now let’s talk about different techniques to use and how to clean baseboards.

Broom Technique

Using a broom to dust the baseboards is excellent if you already have the broom handy, and they’re only a little dusty. You may have to do a quick vacuuming after to clean up any dirt on the floor. A handheld broom works best for getting in the crevices. Another way to clean them is if your vacuum cleaner has one of the hose attachments with a brush.

Vacuum Attachment Technique

As previously mentioned, a hose with a brush attachment is an excellent tool to clean baseboards. Using a vacuum cleaner attachment to clean baseboards is less strain on your body. Brush attachments work the best when vacuuming the dust and dirt from the cracks and crevices.

Lysol Wipe Technique

Using a cleaning wipe is an easy and quick way to bust baseboard grime. It can be an effective method for small homes. On the down-side, this method costs more money in the long run and can be quite wasteful. We suggest saving them on-hand and using them to disinfect door handles and frequently touched surfaces. But, in a pinch, disinfecting wipes will work just fine to clean your baseboards.

Dryer Sheet Technique

Do you have a box of dryer sheets lying around? You can grab one of them and attach it to the end of a Swiffer and swipe it along the baseboards. The anti-cling properties of the dryer sheet will repel dust. Now you can go a little bit longer between cleanings.

If you use scented dryer sheets, you’ll leave a pleasant, fresh scent behind, too.

Magic Eraser Technique

Grab your magic erasers and a bucket of warm soapy water. Really, you can use your choice of household cleaner with water. Use the damp sponge to scrub the dirt from the baseboards.

Wring out any excess water so the baseboards have a shorter dry time and won’t leave water stains.

You can easily tackle any other wall or floor scuffs with this technique while you’re cleaning your baseboards.

Try the Magic Eraser Sheets to avoid a crumbly mess from the sponge.

Sock and Yard Stick Technique

Yes, it sounds a little silly, but it works. Slide an old sock on the end of the yardstick and spray it with your preferred household cleaner (or even a vinegar and water mixture). Slide the sock across the baseboards to pick up loose dirt. Then, simply toss it in the wash to use it to clean again later.

If you have dark-colored socks, they may still be wearable after using this method. Although, it may be best to have a stash “designated cleaning socks” instead.

Tried and True Technique

First, grab a rag (we recommend microfiber) and a bucket of warm water with your choice of cleaner. Then, get on your hands and knees and start scrubbing. The microfiber cloth helps pick up and lock dirt into the rag. Clean Mama has an informative post on how to clean white baseboards using natural solutions. Take a peek if you love cleaning tips and eco products.

For an extra level of clean, use q-tips to get all the edges, corners, and detailed areas. This technique is through and is useful if it’s been a while since you have washed your baseboards. Once they’re sparkling clean, you can use some of the other less-involved techniques to maintain them.

A Deep Clean You Can See

Baseboard cleaning comes with every seven-hour Deep Clean Package from TLC Cleaning.

When you schedule a deep cleaning, you can expect your baseboards to be wet washed in every room of your home.

With a Deep Cleaning Package, you can also expect dusted light fixtures, hand washed floors, dust-free door frames, deep cleaned blinds, and even a good old-fashioned trash can scrubbing.

Check out a full list of everything included in a TLC Cleaning Deep Clean Package by clicking here.

Stop Asking How to Clean Baseboards, Call TLC Cleaning Instead

Now that you know how to clean your baseboards, consider giving yourself the break you deserve.

Contact TLC Cleaning at the North Dakota or Minnesota locations so we can clean some of those harder to reach spaces, like your baseboards. Get your free online estimate and bid unwanted baseboard dust “bye-bye!”

Tags baseboards, deep clean, deep cleaning, floors, how to, Magic Eraser

Deep Cleaning

7 Reasons You Need Professional Deep Cleaning Services

Post author By Trisha Lake, Owner of TLC Cleaning
Post date November 9, 2018
No Comments on 7 Reasons You Need Professional Deep Cleaning Services

Imagine the typical evening in your home. Your spouse is impatiently awaiting dinner, the baby is teething, and you’re operating on 4 or less hours of sleep. There is homework to do, activities to rush kids to, and of course, the never-ending barrage of household chores.

The bathroom hasn’t really been cleaned in a couple of weeks, and let’s face it, you’re starting to worry about it becoming a biohazard. The kids have been writing their requests for dinner in the dust on the window sills, not to mention the smell coming from under the kitchen sink is more than unbearable.

Overwhelmed and defeated, you realize the house will never look like the ones on your favorite DIY television shows. Now instead imagine that you can reach out and call TLC Cleaning and schedule professional deep cleaning services. Suddenly the stress of life is alleviated as you enjoy your immaculate kitchen, fresh bathrooms, and dust-free home.

If you value your time as much as most people, here are seven reasons you need professional deep cleaning services from TLC Cleaning.

1. Time is Valuable

We all know how vital time is in our busy schedules. Whether you work outside the house, from home, or your work is taking care of your family, the time you get to spend with loved ones and doing the things you enjoy is precious.

There are never enough hours in the day it seems, and the last thing anyone wants to do is spend what little time they have on cleaning the house. However, living in a mess can also add stress and discomfort while at home.

The options may seem limited: spend too much time cleaning and therefore not enough time with your family and friends or doing the things you love, or live in a disorganized, messy house that will eventually wear on your peace of mind. Fortunately, there is a third option with professional deep cleaning.

2. Leave Behind the Tasks You Can’t Stand

We aren’t just talking necessary cleaning, here. With professional deep cleaning, you won’t have to worry about cleaning the inside of your garbage can out anymore, or the tedious job of cleaning the blinds.

How about the jobs that you never seem to quite finish, like dusting everything or washing your baseboards? How about the jobs you despise, like cleaning the inside and outside of your washer and dryer? Or scrubbing your shower and bathtub?

Leave those hated tasks to the professionals, who will not only do them for you but will do such an excellent job; you won’t even recognize your own sparkling home.

3. Attention to Detail

Do you ever feel when you are cleaning that you are either so rushed, or so unhappy about the tasks at hand that you don’t do the best job on them? With professional deep cleaning services, the attention to detail will shine through in everything they do. The tasks that you used to rush through and leave half done will instead be thoroughly complete.

Chores around the house that you wouldn’t even think of, or at least wouldn’t think you’d ever have time for, will be completed with expertise and care.

Besides, no one wants to clean their bathroom floors by hand. Leave that to the professionals, and enjoy an immaculately cleaned home.

4. Sanitize and Sterilize

Even the most meticulous of neat freaks may occasionally miss an area in the house that requires some extra attention, leaving it open for bacteria and germs. Deep cleaning will ensure that your surfaces are clean and healthy for everyone in the home.

You will be able to rest assured that every area in your home has been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. On top of looking amazing, your home will leave you feeling fresh and squeaky clean.

5. Keep Up on the Little Things

Perhaps you don’t need someone to clean your home weekly or even monthly. Maybe you’re willing and able to make time for household upkeep, or perhaps you even enjoy it. With a professional deep cleaning, you can jump-start a routine of keeping up on the smaller, day to day upkeep of your home.

Once the professionals come in and take care of the dirty work for you, you will have a clean slate that will make it easier for you to maintain. Instead of scrubbing every nook and cranny, you can focus on keeping your home clutter-free, and the day to day chores.

6. Leave the Cleaning Supplies Shopping Behind

No need to worry about keeping your home stocked with every cleaner, device, and solution known to man. The professionals will supply everything needed to thoroughly clean your house, allowing you to stock the necessities for weekly upkeep.

Their products will be top of the line, effective, and the right stuff to make sure your home is clean from top to bottom. No more worrying about making sure you have every little item when you swing by the grocery store, the professionals will have you covered.

7. Relax and Be Happy

A clean house makes for a fresh mind and attitude. Relaxing and feeling at peace comes easy when you have order in your home. Instead of worrying and stressing about the endless list of household chores, you can revel in the calm and cleanliness of your home after an in-depth cleaning.

Restoring order and organization will make it a lot easier to unwind, enjoy, and feel free to do the things you love. Checking these huge tasks off of your to-do list will be such a relief, the only thing left will be to relax while at home.

Repeat it… Your Time is Valuable

We can’t emphasize enough that your time is valuable. Professional in-depth cleaning services will free your time up and enable you to feel relaxed when at home. There is nothing better than enjoying a thoroughly cleaned house in the midst of the stress and craziness of everyday life.

Spend quality time with your loved ones instead of fanatically trying to clean the house with every free moment you have. Reach out to TLC Cleaning to give you the freedom and relaxation you deserve. You might even discover that you’re interested in a maintenance schedule for your housekeeping, which will truly allow you to enjoy every moment.

Tags cleaning services, deep cleaning