Toronto Cleaning Tips

Removing blood stains from fabric is a difficult task, as Lady Macbeth could attest. However, it is not impossible. There are several methods for removing blood from fabrics, the key factor to all of them being speed. Blood stains need to be treated as quickly as possible no matter what method is used.
First, determine the type of fabric. If the garment or fabric is Dry Clean Only, do not pre-treat and get it to a dry cleaner as soon as possible. Pre-treating may make the stain impossible for the cleaner to remove.

First Steps

At the first sign of blood on the fabric, if at all possible, blot with a dry paper towel or other disposable cloth. Blood stains can appear without being noticed due to cuts, splinters or other accidents that aren’t noticed.

If the blood stain has already dried or once the blood has been blotted prepare a pre-treatment made of one spoonful of laundry powder or dish detergent with one cup of peroxide. Using a clean sponge lightly dabbed in the mixture, blot the stain, making sure to get it covered with the mixture but not soaked in it.

There is an exception to this. If the fabric is soaked in blood, it might be necessary to soak it for a few minutes in a pure peroxide solution. Heavier areas of blood might need to soak longer. (Of course… If this is the case, you might have bigger problems)

Wash the fabric according to the washing instructions on the label. Do not wash in hot water and do not dry in the dryer. Heat will cause the blood stain to set into the fabric and possibly become permanent. Air drying allows for a second opportunity to remove the stain.
If at First You Don’t Succeed

If the first attempt at removing the blood stain doesn’t work and the fabric was air dried, there are other options to try.

First, fill a bowl with a mixture of ammonia and water at a 50/50 ratio. Dab with the solution, again using a clean sponge so as not to add another stain to the fabric. Next, use a commercial stain pre-treatment solution and launder according to directions. Air dry the garment to prevent any remaining blood stain from becoming permanent.

Adding Salt to the Wound

An age old remedy for blood stains is also a successful remedy for blood stains. First, run cold water over the area stained, never hot water as it will basically cook the blood into the fabric.
Next, sprinkle a heavy dose of table salt over the stain. The salt will bond to the blood stain. Finally, scrub the stain with a bar of soap. The soap removes any particles of the stain that are not from blood. Finally, rinse well and repeat as necessary.

More than Once

Regardless of the option chosen to remove the blood stain, more than one application may be required. There are also commercially available blood stain removers that can be purchased and used with varying degrees of success. The most important thing to remember is to use cold water and air dry the fabric. Any heat applied will make the stain impossible to remove.

Spring is in the air. The birds are tweeting and animals are asking each other out on dates.

It’s that time of year where human beings like to make everything nice, tidy, and orderly. And while you’re cleaning out the inside of your house, don’t forget to also take care of the outside, where nature has certainly delivered the worst of its messy grossness.

One of the first things I’d recommend getting under control are those hard-to-reach gutters. They serve a very important purpose, but I’ll bet it’s been years since you’ve even given them a second thought.

Well not this season. This is the year that I’m going to call on you to take this most noble of challenges:

To clean out that darn gutter once and for all.

So slap on some gloves, grab a ladder and get up there. It’s time to get dirty.

Make sure you really dig in. Get every last speck of dirt and leaves that the winter has left behind. Make sure to get all of the leftover gunk out of the spout as well. You might want to use a toilet snake to do this, although I’d recommend a high-pressure hose to blast away the debris.

Maybe you’re one of the lucky few that have a detachable spout. If that’s the case, just unhook it and shake it out. That should make for easy work.

I know it’s not that much fun, and that it’s not very easy to do. But it is important for preserving the longevity and beauty of your home. For all of you new homeowners out there, I’d recommend doing this cleaning at least once or twice per year.

If you allow excess sediment to clog the drains, they will allow less water through, and eventually it will defeat the entire purpose of having gutters as the water will simply flow over. And the added strain will also cause the gutters to become damaged more easily and require replacement before their time.

And at the very least, if you don’t want to do this yourself, hire a professional to do it for you. An gram of prevention is worth a ton of cure. Take my word on this one.

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