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With the active outdoor lifestyle of Summit County homeowners and visitors, tile and stone are functional and beautiful choices for indoor flooring. Over the past decade, concrete has become a popular choice as well. However, because of their porous nature, tile and concrete are extremely difficult to clean by hand, even with the most powerful elbow grease. Just like a sponge, the porous surfaces of tile, stone, and grout will soak up dirt and bacteria. Scrubbing cannot reach those deep surfaces. Even if you have someone with a strong elbow available, we’re willing to bet they don’t want to spend hours on their hands and knees. To protect the life and beauty of your tile and stone flooring, there are three reasons to have them professionally cleaned.

1. Superior cleanliness:  Bacteria, allergens and pet dander can penetrate the porous surfaces or tile and grout. Professional equipment can lift these germs out and protect residents and guests who suffer from allergies and asthma. Not only will your tile be brighter, it will be healthier too. Only a professional clean can remove deep seated dirt. No matter how hard you scrub by hand, you cannot reach the dirt and spills that have seeped down into the pores. Professional equipment can lift these stains and deep dirt and also remove sticky residues that attract dirt.
2. Have a protective sealant applied: A sealant was applied on the surface of your at the time of installation. However, these sealants wear out over time, leaving the floor more susceptible to spills. Along with a professional clean, the tile and grout are both re-sealed and prolong the life of these surfaces.
3. Cost savings: Professional cleaning that keeps your tile and grout looking brand new will prolong its life. If your home is a vacation rental, then you know that positive reviews have a direct impact on your home’s earning potential. The brighter appearance of professionally cleaned tile will leave a much greater impression on your guests in the overall cleanliness of your home which equates to 5 stars at review time.

You may look at your floors and recognize the fact they could use a good cleaning, but most likely you won’t realize just how dirty they are until they’ve been professionally cleaned! Maybe you just bought a new home and would like an overhaul on the clean. We can clean the carpet, upholstery, and mattresses at the same time your tile is cleaned. Free quotes can be provided for individual rooms or for your entire home. Give our locally-owned company a call today!

Expectations are important, especially when it comes to vacations. Guests spend thousands to visit a destination of their choice. You may not know whether your guests like to ski or snowboard, but when it comes to vacation rentals there is a standard.  Guests notice and appreciate when a vacation rental is well maintained and clean. It’s crucial to stay on top of your vacation rental cleaning!

1  Cleanliness

5-Star Cleanliness: Hands-down, no-questions-asked, the top of the list item that guests will notice and appreciate more than anything else is the overall cleanliness of their vacation home. A family can arrive to a stunning, palatial mountain getaway, find a thoughtful handwritten note along with a welcome basket, and even complimentary activity passes…but if that vacation home is not clean, nothing else matters! 

No one has ever had a fabulous stay in a vacation home that is anything less than 5-star quality clean. An immaculate, small and modest home with bright-white linens and towels is preferable over a larger home with grime, grunge, and/or evidence of the previous inhabitant’s unsavory lack of tidiness.

When it comes to cleanliness, it’s the very last place to take shortcuts or be left making apologies. Not only is a clean house aesthetically pleasing, guests who stay in a spotless home are far more comfortable and can rest and relax with ease knowing germs and creepy-crawlies do not exist in their vacation bubble.

2. Great Amenities

Hot tubs, home theaters (or large screen TVs in smaller homes) and high-speed internet top the list of amenities. Guests want these perks and they want them to be functioning perfectly. Sparkling clean hot tubs are especially part of the package when the guest envisions their dream mountain vacation. They picture themselves soaking the aches away after a long day of outdoor activity followed by the family gathered around a big screen for a game or movie.

While staying in touch with the office may not be part of that dream, it’s often necessary in today’s society. Many guests must get a bit of work done while away from home and high-speed internet access is crucial.

3. A well-maintained vacation home

Just because the home is a rental, don’t expect your guests to not notice wood floors that are scratched and scuffed, furniture spotted from grimy stains, or carpet that is worn or dingy in high traffic areas. A little bit of maintenance goes a very long way, not only in impressing your guests with the message that you care about the quality of their stay, but also with guests taking better care of your home.

Guests who stay in a home that has not been well maintained will assume the management/ homeowner does not care much about the property. If the management or homeowner does not care, why should the guests care? On the other hand, when guests are presented with a pristine home that obviously receives a lot of TLC, they in turn feel cared for and are more likely to pass that care back to the home. They will remove their shoes at the door and use caution and good judgement with food or drink outside the kitchen.

No one wants to lose a deposit or be responsible for a big stain on a spotless rug. Guest damage cannot be hidden in a well-maintained home. You can be sure they won’t tromp across wood floors in their ski boots if those wood floors are in great condition. They will notice a spotless rug and think twice about being careless with the red wine. Professional vacation rental cleaning services may recommend a professional floor cleaning service.

4. A vacation home with fresh and odor-free air

Bad odors in a home create subliminal messages that the home is not healthy. The biggest percentage of Summit County visitors come from Texas and Florida where the air has greater levels of oxygen and does not leave them gasping for breath. Throw in some allergens such as dust, mildew, or pet dander into our thin and dry air and you’ll be left with a guest who is congested, has tremendous difficulty getting a good night’s sleep, and may even go home sick.

Whether they realize it or not, guests will love a vacation home where the carpets, upholstery, and mattresses are clean and allergen free. This is especially true here in the high country where it is often too cold to open windows! Vacation rental cleaning services, like Exclusive Cleaning Summit or Exclusive Cleaning and Restoration, will stay on top of bad odors and allergens in your property.

5. Insider tips and coupons

 Guests want to be lovingly welcomed and feel like a local. Especially Summit County guests- the place where so many guests fall under the spell of the majestic beauty and small mountain town good vibes. They appreciate insider tips that cannot be found at the brochure stand. Tips like the best uncrowded trails, the most convenient places to park, where to go for dinner for great food and service minus the crowds.

They love tips that put them in the know and make them feel like they are at home as much as those of us who are lucky enough to live here year ‘round. Families love tips that help them save money, like shoulder season specials, discounts on activities, or being pointed in the direction of a local thrift store for huge savings on outdoor gear and apparel.

We hope your holiday season is filled with delicious food, great conversation, and meaningful company. The best holidays are centered around food, and we all enjoy sharing meals with friends and family. When a guest spills their red wine on the carpet or a family member drips gravy on the furniture, the mood can quickly change from festive to fearful. Don’t let a few drops of wine ruin the celebration. Learn how to remove red wine and other holiday carpet stains with these quick tips from your friends at Exclusive Cleaning and Restoration. If you can’t remove holiday stains, give us a call and our professionals will take care of everything.

Removing Red Wine from Carpet with Baking Soda

When it comes to red wine on the carpet, the key is to act fast.

1. Use a dry, white cloth to blot the area, removing as much of the moisture as possible.
2. Once you’ve removed as much of the wine as possible from the carpet fibers, pour a small amount of cold water directly onto the stain.
3. Continue blotting with the white cloth. The idea is to dilute the stain with the cold water.
4. Once you’ve removed as much of the wine stain as possible with cold water and a blotting cloth, prepare a baking soda cleaning paste. Mix a 3:1 ratio of baking soda to water and apply it to the wine stain. Wait for the baking soda paste to dry and vacuum the wine stain.

Remove Gravy Stains from Carpet and Upholstery

“Please pass the gravy!” is one of the most common phrases you’ll hear around the Thanksgiving dinner table – and also one of the most common holiday carpet stains. It’s delicious, it’s thick, and it definitely leaves an unsightly stain on your carpet and upholstery.

1. Remove as much of the solid from the carpet or couch fibers as possible using a clean spoon or knife. Gravy is oily, so avoid using a cloth because it could push the oil deeper into the fibers.
2. Sprinkle the stain with baking soda to absorb the excess oil. Use a soft brush to gently work the baking soda into the carpet. Let the powder sit on the stain for at least 30 minutes before vacuuming up.
3. If the stain hasn’t lifted, mix a few drops of dish soap with 2 cups of hot water and gently clean with a soft brush. Use a paper towel or cloth to blot away the cleaner. Continue until the stain is removed.
4. If the gravy stain is on silk, vintage fabric or specialty upholstery, sprinkle with baking soda and call a professional cleaner as soon as possible.

Removing Candle Wax Stains

Candle wax is one of the easier stains to remove, as long as you wait for it to dry!

1. Blow out the candle and wait for the dripped wax to dry.
2. Gently scrape off as much hardened wax as possible using a dull knife and vacuum what remains.
3. Lay a damp paper towel or white cotton towel over the remaining wax and press down with a warm iron to transfer the wax to the towel. Repeat until all or most of the wax is gone.

Cranberry Sauce Carpet Stains

Whether you prefer homemade or canned, a holiday meal just isn’t complete without cranberry sauce. Handle a cranberry sauce stain with these quick tips.

1. Scrape up any excess cranberry sauce with a spoon.
2. Blot with a white cloth and cold water, removing as much of the red stain as possible. Be careful not to spread the stain.
3. Prepare a solution with a few drops of mild dish soap and 2 cups of hot water. Use a clean white cloth to blot the cleaning solution onto the stain.
4. Dry with another cloth and repeat until the stain is lifted.