Archived Cleaning Blog Posts
Why choose SERVPRO for Duct Cleaning
3/1/2024 (Permalink)
The result of a duct cleaning job well done
Choosing SERVPRO for duct cleaning offers several compelling advantages that set them apart as the top choice for homeowners:
1. Expertise: With years of experience in disaster recovery and cleaning services, SERVPRO technicians possess the expertise and skills necessary to tackle even the most challenging duct cleaning jobs.
2. Advanced Technology: SERVPRO utilizes cutting-edge equipment and technology to ensure thorough and effective duct cleaning. Their state-of-the-art tools and techniques deliver superior results, leaving your HVAC system pristine and functioning optimally.
3. Comprehensive Approach: SERVPRO takes a comprehensive approach to duct cleaning, addressing every aspect of your HVAC system to ensure nothing is overlooked. From the main ducts to individual vents and registers, they leave no stone unturned in their quest for cleanliness.
4. Commitment to Quality: SERVPRO is dedicated to excellence in every aspect of their work. From the initial consultation to the completion of the job, you can expect professionalism, integrity, and attention to detail at every step of the process.
5. Peace of Mind: When you choose SERVPRO for duct cleaning, you can have peace of mind knowing that your home is in the hands of trusted professionals. They are fully licensed, insured, and bonded, providing added confidence and assurance throughout the cleaning process.
6. Healtheir Indoor Environment: By removing dust, debris, and allergens from your HVAC ducts, SERVPRO helps improve indoor air quality, creating a healthier environment for you and your family. This can alleviate allergy symptoms, reduce respiratory issues, and promote overall well-being.
In summary, choosing SERVPRO for duct cleaning ensures you receive expert service, state-of-the-art technology, and a commitment to quality that surpasses the competition. With SERVPRO, you can trust that your HVAC system will be clean, efficient, and conducive to a healthier indoor environment.
Duct Cleaning
11/17/2021 (Permalink)
For several years now we have been so busy with restoration work, and most recently covid cleaning as well, that we have not been able to do duct cleaning work. Whenever we received calls for this service, we would refer them to our favorite duct cleaning contractor. But we are excited to announce that recently we staffed up with highly trained personnel to focus on duct cleaning. We are so excited to be adding this service versus referring our customers elsewhere.
According to Wikipedia, “Ducts are conduits or passages used in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) to deliver and remove air. The needed airflows include, for example, supply air, return air, and exhaust air.” But why is it important to clean them you might ask.
Ducts are just like any other surface in your house. They collect fine dust, pet dander, hair, dead skin cells and more. And since we don’t dust our vents regularly like other surfaces in our home, eventually these things become matted down and become a perfect surface for things like bacteria and mold to grow. Since ducts also commonly deliver ventilation air as part of the supply air, keeping them clean is one method of ensuring acceptable indoor air quality as well as thermal comfort.
National Pack Rat Day
5/13/2020 (Permalink)
May 17th is National Pack Rat Day. Pack Rat is a nickname commonly used for a person who collects or hoards, often unneeded, items. Sometimes a Pack Rat can evolve into a compulsive hoarder.
According to Wikipedia, “Compulsive hoarding, also known as hording disorder, is a behavioral pattern characterized by excessive acquisition of and an inability or unwillingness to discard large quantities of objects that cover the living areas of the home and cause significant distress or impairment. Compulsive hording behavior has been associated with health risks, impaired functioning, workplace impairment, economic burden, and adverse effects on friends and family members. When clinically significant enough to impair functioning, hoarding can prevent typical uses of space enough so that it can limit activities such as cooking, cleaning, moving through the house, and sleeping. It can also put the individual and others at risk of fires, falling, poor sanitation, and other health concerns.
Researchers have recognized compulsive hoarding as a phenomenon since at least the 1980’s, but only recently have begun to study hoarding, and it was first defined as a mental disorder in the 5th edition of the DSM in 2013. It was not clear whether compulsive hoarding is a separate, isolated disorder, or rather a symptom of another condition, such as OCD, but the current DSM lists hoarding disorder as both a mental disability and a possible symptom of OCD. Prevalence rates have been estimated at 2%-5% in adults, though the condition typically manifests in childhood with symptoms worsening in advanced age, at which point collected items have grown excessive and family members who would otherwise help to maintain and control the levels of clutter have either died or moved away. Hoarding appears to be more common in people with psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Other factors associated with hoarding include alcohol dependence and paranoid, schizotypal and avoidance traits.”
If you suspect that a friend or a loved one is a compulsive hoarder, getting them the proper psychological help is essential. But in addition to the psychological help, they will need help cleaning and organizing their home or living space. We here at SERVPRO of Appleton & Winnebago County have extensive experience cleaning severe hoarding situations. We will clean the space with efficiency and compassion.
Importance of Clean Carpets
1/29/2020 (Permalink)
Dirt, dust, bacteria and other allergens build up in your carpet over time. This build up causes two issues: 1) it’s unhealthy and 2) it mattes down the carpet fibers, making your carpet look old and worn.
A good professional cleaning will remove the dirt, debris and bacteria that regular vacuuming will not, keeping the environment in your home healthy and your carpet looking it’s best. The Carpet and Rug Institute recommends professionally deep cleaning your carpet every 12-18 months.
Here at SERVPRO of Appleton & Winnebago County we have two of the best carpet cleaners in the business. They both have over 10 years of experience and are dedicated to their craft.
Brent Smeaton came to us in February of 2017 with 9 years of commercial and residential carpet restoration experience. He has a very loyal following of property management companies, churches, insurance offices, assisted living homes, residential customers and more.
Jordan Van Handel came to us in March of 2018. He too came with 9 years of previous carpet restoration experience. Jordan approaches every job as if it’s his own home. His goal is to make the homeowner proud of their clean home.
If the carpet in your home or business needs a good professional cleaning, give our office a call at (920) 832-1110. Brent and Jordan will make you glad you did.
National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day
11/15/2019 (Permalink)
November 15th is National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day. Maintaining your refrigerator will not only keep it looking and smelling good, but it will help keep you healthy as well. Many experts recommend cleaning your refrigerator at least twice a month to keep mold and bacteria at bay.
As we’ve discussed in previous blog posts, mold can spread. Once mold starts to grow on your produce or leftovers, it can spread to other items sitting beside or underneath it, or even surfaces of the refrigerator. It’s important to get rid of moldy items quickly.
It’s also important to watch expiration dates and dispose of any expired items. Pay close attention to whether the dates are “sell by” dates or “use by” dates. For foods without an expiration date, the following website is helpful in determining how long food is good for. http://www.eatbydate.com/
If you have a manual defrost freezer, you should defrost it once a year or when frost build up covers a large area and exceeds ¼ of an inch.
Linda Cobb, author of “Talking Dirty with the Queen of Clean”, has excellent tips for cleaning your refrigerator and freezer.
"When you wipe out the refrigerator, always use a cloth or sponge moistened with white vinegar. It leaves a clean, fresh scent and helps prevent mildew.
A dab of vanilla, lemon or orange extract on a small pad of cotton will keep the refrigerator fresh-smelling without a perfume odor.
Many common refrigerator odors may be removed by placing a small tub filled with charcoal in the middle rack in the refrigerator. I use the charcoal made for fish tanks.
If you are shutting off a refrigerator, be sure to prop the door open a crack for air circulation and put a container of fresh coffee grounds inside to ward off unpleasant odors.. For strong odor removal, a container or nylon stocking with coffee grounds in it works wonders.
For cleaning ease, wipe the inside of the refrigerator, including shelves, with a cloth dipped in glycerin, available in the hand cream section at the drugstore. This light coating will keep spills from sticking. Even milk or sticky substances will wipe right out.
Try using the glycerin in freezers, too. That way spills, even though frozen, wipe right out.
Wash out the freezer with a solution of 1 gallon warm water and 1/4 cup borax to clean and deodorize. Rinse and dry."
Mutt's Day
7/31/2019 (Permalink)
Pictured is our Office "Mutt" Artie. Artie is a Teddy Bear. He's a cross breed between a Shih tzu and a Bichon Frise,
July 31st is Mutt’s Day. The term mutt is often used loosely to mean any dog that is a combination of different breeds, rather than one identifiable breed. Some people note a distinction for dogs who are intentionally bred to combine the characteristics of two or more recognized breeds, calling them crossbreeds, versus a true mutt whose breeding was accidental.
But regardless of whether your dog is a pure breed, a cross breed or a true mutt, he or she is most likely a beloved member of your family. And sometimes these furry members of our families make a mess in our homes. If your dog makes a mess you can’t clean up in your home, SERVPRO is always here to help!
Deodorizing Your Refrigerator
1/31/2018 (Permalink)
"To deodorize refrigerators, leave a bowl filled with clean clay cat litter or charcoal on the shelf to absorb odors. This is particularly helpful in refrigerators that are going to be shut off or moved. Make sure you leave the door partially open at all times to allow air circulation, and put some litter or charcoal in an old nylon stocking and tie the top shut. Lay this in the refrigerator and it will control odors. For strong odors, nothing works better than dry, fresh coffee grounds. Put them in a bowl and leave in the refrigerator until odor disappears. This can be used in conjunction with the cat litter or charcoal very effectively." Source: Talking Dirty with the Queen of Clean by Linda Cobb
Have Your Carpets Cleaned for Valentine's Day
1/24/2018 (Permalink)
Valentine's Day is fast approaching. The exact origins of Valentine's Day are difficult to determine as there were multiple Saint Valentines, and evolutions of the holiday go all the way back to the Roman Empire. However, many scholars believe that the saint for whom the modern holiday derived, was a bishop who lived around 270 AD in Rome.
At that time, the Roman empire was in crisis under Emperor Claudius II. They were facing internal struggles like increased taxation and declining education, as well as external aggression on all their borders. As a result, more soldiers needed to be recruited to protect the nation from takeover. Claudius believed that married men made weak soldiers because of their emotional attachment to their families. So he issued an edict forbidding soldiers from marrying. It is believed that Bishop Valentine performed secret marriage ceremonies of soldiers in opposition to edict forbidding it. Eventually Bishop Valentine's secret marriage ceremonies were discovered, and Claudius had Bishop Valentine arrested and executed.
If you're planning a romantic evening at home for you and your significant other this Valentine's Day, let SERVPRO of Appleton give your carpet and/or home a deep clean before the big day. Nothing kills a romantic mood like a dirty home and carpets.
Cleaning Your Grill
5/11/2017 (Permalink)
Summer grilling season is upon us! Here are some tips for getting your grill ready for the season.
"To clean the grill surface when it is heavily caked with baked-on food, follow this procedure. Simply wrap the rack in a peace of heavy-duty aluminum foil, dull side facing out. Heat the barbecue to high heat and place the rack over the coals or flame for approximately 10 to 12 minutes. When you remove the foil after it has cooled, all the burned-on grease and food drippings will fall off and your rack will be spotless and ready to grill again."
To clean the outside of your grill, try this fast and easy method. "It works well on charcoal and gas grills and will make them look almost like new. Take some Go-Jo Waterless Hand Cleaner (available at grocery stores, hardware stores and home centers) and rub it on the outside of a cool grill with an old rag or paper towel. Work it into the metal well, paying special attention to any grease or barbeque sauce spots. Do not rinse; instead, take paper towels and buff the grill surface and watch as the dirt is replaced by a great shine."
"Talking Dirty with the Queen of Clean" Linda Cobb
Cleaning your Refrigerator & Preventing Mold
4/27/2017 (Permalink)
Anywhere there is an excessive amount of moisture, mold can begin to grow. This includes your refrigerator/freezer. Keeping your refrigerator clean will keep mold at bay.
"When you wipe out the refrigerator, always use a cloth or sponge moistened with white vinegar. It leaves a clean, fresh scent and helps prevent mildew.
A dab of vanilla, lemon or orange extract on a small pad of cotton will keep the refrigerator fresh-smelling without a perfume odor.
Many common refrigerator odors may be removed by placing a small tub filled with charcoal in the middle rack in the refrigerator. I use the charcoal made for fish tanks.
If you are shutting off a refrigerator, be sure to prop the door open a crack for air circulation and put a container of fresh coffee grounds inside to ward off unpleasant odors.. For strong odor removal, a container or nylon stocking with coffee grounds in it works wonders.
For cleaning ease, wipe the inside of the refrigerator, including shelves, with a cloth dipped in glycerin, available in the hand cream section at the drugstore. This light coating will keep spills from sticking. Even milk or sticky substances will wipe right out.
Try using the glycerin in freezers, too. That way spills, even though frozen, wipe right out.
Wash out the freezer with a solution of 1 gallon warm water and 1/4 cup borax to clean and deodorize. Rinse and dry."
Source: "Talking Dirty with the Queen of Clean" by Linda Cobb
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