How to Dust, Clean and Repair Wood Furniture

 

Dusty, dirty surfaces in the home can irritate the homes inhabitants and be an eyesore when entertaining guests. So keeping surfaces dust free and clean has numerous benefits, not to mention a clean home is a happy one. Endust products and the following cleaning tips should be all you need to get started.

 

Hardwood furniture is a family heirloom or a fine piece. Whatever the worth of your furniture, keep it looking its best by learning the proper way to dust and clean it, and how to repair damage to the surface of the wood or the finish. With proper care, wood furniture can last through many generations.

Dusting:

• Sprinkle a small amount of water on a soft, absorbent cloth and use this for dusting your wood furniture. Dusting with a dry cloth may cause scratching. The cloth should be just wet enough to attract the dust but not enough to wet the wood. Commercial aerosol dusting aids are another option. Spray these on the cloth and use the cloth to dust the furniture.
• Dust using small oval motions, following the grain of the wood. Fold your cloth and respray with water or dust aid as soon as you notice visible dust on the cloth.
• Lift items off of the furniture to dust under them, rather than sliding them across the wood. Sliding may cause dust particles trapped under lamps and other items to scratch the wood surface or finish.

Cleaning:

• Clean sticky spots from wood furniture by dipping a cloth in warm soapy water, wringing it almost dry and wiping the sticky area only. Dry as soon as possible. It is not necessary or desirable to wash entire pieces of wood furniture regularly with water.
• Mix equal parts olive oil, denatured alcohol, gum turpentine and strained lemon juice. Dip a soft cloth in this mixture and rub into wood. This will revive and clean dirty furniture better than water, and will protect the wood surface as well. Buff the polished wood with a dry towel to remove excess product.
• Use an abrasive wood cleaner on fine steel wool to remove build up on wax, polish or dirt from wood furniture. Clean small areas at a time, using only enough pressure to work through the grime without damaging the wood. Apply polish and buff the furniture after it is cleaned.

Source: eHow.com

Eleven Tips to Reduce Indoor Allergens

Dust mites, mold spores, and other allergens in your home can trigger those miserable symptoms all winter long. Learn how to get relief.

Don’t spend the winter inside suffering from indoor allergies and dust. Endust offers great products like asthma and allergy friendly Endust Free cleaning spray to help make your time spend indoors more tolerable.

 

Winter brings many people with allergies a break from their symptoms. But for others, winter can be the start of a whole new allergy season. “Winter allergies are typically going to be the indoor allergens such as pets,dust mites, and mold,” says Julie McNairn, MD, an allergist/immunologist in Cincinnati. She says that for people who live in tropical climates, pollen allergies can linger year-round, even through the winter. But in places where temperatures dip in the winter, it’s generally indoor allergens that cause symptoms.

Dust Mites, Dander, Roaches, and Mold

Household dust, pet dander, cockroach droppings, and mold are common indoor allergens that can trigger allergies in susceptible people.

 

• Dust – Found in all homes, dust is the breeding ground for microscopic organisms called dust mites. The droppings of these dust mites are a common trigger for indoor allergies. Though dust mites can be found just about everywhere, they are particularly common in humid parts of the house and where human dander (flakes of dead skin) collects.
• Animal Dander – or the dead skin flakes of warm-blooded animals, contains proteins that can trigger allergies in some people.

 

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How To Clean Electronic Devices

 

Today we rely heavily on electronic devices to communicate, entertain, navigate and just survive. These devices take care of us so we should take care of them. This is why Endust offers great cleaning products, cleaning tips for electronics, as well as articles like this one that provide insight to cleaning things properly.

Dusting

One of the biggest enemies to your electronics is dust. Dust settles, thickens, and can eventually block important components like fans. A nonworking fan leads to overheated and possibly ruined electronics.

No matter what kind of duster you use, the main point is that you dust your electronics and dust often. You may think dusting is a hassle, but try replacing a fried computer that had its fan blocked by dust.

Screens

In case you have not noticed, television and computer screens are magnets for dust and dirt. A screen can get dusty and grimy or be covered with fingerprints. Different types of screens will require different cleaning solutions, so be sure to check the manufacturers instructions.

Never spray cleaner directly onto a screen because, you will inevitably spray too much and have it dripping into your electronics. Instead spray a small amount onto your cleaning cloth and then wipe the screen working in a circular motion. Do not use paper towels on your screens, they can scratch and pit the surface. Instead choose a soft cleaning cloth.

For the full article click here.

Source: About.com Housekeeping

Winter Cleaning Check List

 

Spring cleaning is a very popular time with homeowners and with Endust, we offer great Spring Cleaning tips for you to use. However, we also understand the need for a clean house when it is cold and you are stuck inside during the winter. So we wanted to provide these winter cleaning tips that can be paired with our cleaning sprays for a great clean, all year round!

 

Winter is the time of year when many people spend the most time in their homes. It’s colder and there are gatherings with friends and family. Winter cleaning is mostly cold weather or holiday specific, with a few extras to do while you’re home on a “snow day.”

Chimneys

Before your first fire, have a professional chimney sweep. The job is too difficult to do on your own, and the risks are great. A fire in your chimney can destroy your entire house. Don’t rely on “cleaning logs” in place of a chimney sweep. They cannot do the same job, and they do not eliminate the risk of a chimney fire.

If you have a wood stove, you should also have it professionally checked. This is the most important cleaning job you will do all winter.

Furnaces

Have your furnace checked by a professional as well. They can tell you specific cleaning or maintenance steps you need to take for your specific furnace. Change or clean the filters monthly throughout the season. Vacuum your vents and registers with an attachment every time you vacuum the floor.

Snow Blowers & Snowmobiles

If you live in an area that gets regular snowfall, you should clean snow blowers and snowmobiles at this time. If they have salt and “ick” (a very technical term) build-up on them, you can take them to a do-it-yourself car wash and use the power wash wand to get them clean. If you have rust, you can clean it off with fine steel wool.

The Pantry

It’s time to sort through your pantry (summer and winter), throwing away whatever has gone bad or won’t be used. This doesn’t have to be a big job. Just drag over a big trash can and get started.

Pay attention to “Use By” dates. If the date hasn’t passed but is coming up and you’re not going to use the item, toss it. You should throw away any cans that are dented or are missing labels.

Mattresses

Twice a year (summer and winter), you should clean all of the mattresses in the house to keep dust mites under control. Vacuum the top of the mattress, move the mattress and vacuum the box springs, then flip the mattress and vacuum the new top of the mattress.

For further protection from dust mites, add an allergenic mattress pad and wash your sheets in hot water.

Source: Mrs. Clean

7 Housekeeping Resolutions

 

The new year is the time when we all wipe the slate clean and start fresh. Endust wants you to start of the new year with aclean house for you and your family. Our cleaning sprays anddusting cloths are the perfect tool to equip yourself with when tackling the tough messes your house throws at you. On top of our products we provide cleaning tips and tricks to help make your life easier! Happy new year and happy cleaning!

 

As soon as the Christmas decorations are put away, my family begins to make lists of their goals for the next year, and not surprisingly a lot of my goals have to do with my home. I get a lot of emails from others who are making the same goals. Here are seven of the most common resolutions for housekeeping and the resources to make them a reality.

 

Save money on the housekeeping budget.

Many people are looking for ways to trim every aspect of their budget, and housekeeping is no exception. There are some simple ways to cut your cleaning budget without cutting the quality of the cleaning.

 

Learn to clean more quickly.

There are few people in this world who would choose to spend more time cleaning their homes. For those of us with other things we’d like to accomplish, learning to clean more quickly is a great goal.

 

Clear clutter.

A messy house may be in need of more than just cleaning. Often messiness can actually be too much clutter. If you’ve got the goal of reducing the amount of stuff in your home, the mess will disappear with the stuff.

 

Get organized.

Once the clutter is gone, a great next step goal is to reorganize what is left. Many people make goals to get organized, but the common theme among those who fail to realize their goal, is that they lacked a plan.

 

Set a cleaning schedule.

There is always something to clean…or so it can seem. A cleaning schedule allows for easier management of daily, weekly, and monthly chores. It sets a pattern for cleaning your home that can make your housekeeping more efficient.

 

Be more motivated to clean.

Sometimes motivation is the main thing lacking in our housekeeping. It’s not always easy to be excited about chores, but there are some easy things that will help get you more motivated to clean.

 

Get all household members to clean.

Getting everyone to pitch in and clean together can be a big challenge. There are some tips that will get even your youngest family members into the habit of helping.

 

Source: About.com