Taking Care of Pet “Accidents”

Given the fact that cats and dogs are territorial, both are also not capable of, shall we say, “putting the call of nature on hold”. Hence, most of the time, they experience these sudden accidents”, and by that, we meant your pets taking number 1 or number 2, or even worse, throw up right in the comfort of your own living room, or at times, in your car.

Too bad, you must have forgotten to put on the covers, huh? Well, calm down, as things like these do happen every once in a while. And we, as pet owners, are responsible for cleaning after your beloved Pissy-Cat and Poopy-Pooch’s leavings. 

Listed are some tips on how to take care of your pet’s accidental drip-&-drop-&-disgorge. In other words, pet pee, poop, and puke on your furniture:

For Cat and Dog Urine

-          Rule of thumb: Dry it while it’s still fresh. Dog and cat urine are notorious for its musty, ammonia-like smell so make sure not to let it dry by itself. First thing to do is to blot the affected area with an absorbent cloth.

-          After which, treat the spot with vinegar or club soda to eliminate the “essence” of the urine. Continue to absorb the liquid using a thick absorbent cloth. Another workaround is to use vacuum to extract the remaining moisture from the upholstery.

-          Apply baking soda and let it stand for about an hour to neutralize the smell. You may also use commercial deodorizers to alleviate the urine’s sharp, funky odor.

-          For stain removal, squeeze an ample amount of lemon juice to the affected area. It is also advisable to use commercial stain remover or other cleaning solutions.

-          Dry out the affected area using hair blower. Take precautionary measures when using flat iron drying out moisture within the area

But just before you do the dirty work, make sure to put on rubber gloves and facial mask to protect yourself from bacteria. As for your furniture, always remember to keep your pet covers handy to prevent unexpected pet-related disasters such as this.

For Cat and Dog Poop

Cleaning pet poop can be tricky and may require a lot more work.

-          For dry, solid poop, simply scoop the fecal matter as soon as possible.

-          Vacuum of brush off the affected area to remove small loose bits.

-          For runny, diarrhea-like poop, absorb the watery fecal matter with thick paper towel. Never use old newspaper, as the ink could stain your upholstery even more. Repeat until excess waste are all cleared up. Do this exact same procedure with pet vomit.

-          Blot the area with a thick cloth, then brush it with detergent and water. You may also consider adding disinfectant to the solution.

-          After which, blot the spot with a thick cloth, then rinse it with warm water. Repeat the process if necessary. Never rub the affected area with the cloth, as it may leave unwanted stain on your upholstery.

-          For stain removal, it is better to use commercial stain remover to ensure no stain marks will be left untreated on the upholstery.

-          Apply baking soda and let it stand for about an hour to neutralize the smell. You may also use household deodorizers if necessary.

-          Dry out the affected area using hair blower. Take precautionary measures when using flat iron drying out moisture within the area.

But just before you do the dirty work, make sure to put on rubber gloves and facial mask to protect yourself from bacteria. As for your furniture, always remember to keep your pet covers handy to prevent unexpected pet-related disasters such as this.

Dealing With Moldy Reality of Golf Cart Covers

Have you been using your golf cart cover foryour vehicle that has been left in the garage the entire winter? Now that the polar vortex might finally be over, you may revisit your golf cart only to smell something musty and see black sports on your cover. Don’t panic, but that may be molds.

Image source: eHow

A majority of surfaces that is susceptible to moisture will surely attract the growth of molds. And those molds don’t hesitate to grow on surfaces that, after being exposed to moisture, have not gotten enough sunlight or space to “air out.”  They are not only gross and aesthetically unpleasing, but some varieties of it can actually cause health concerns because they are poisonous. Mere exposure to a number of black molds like Memnoniella and Stachybotrys can cause serious health problems since they can be breathed in. 

Unfortunately, a lot of buildings and residences that have been abandoned or kept unclean for a long time can be breeding ground for molds, and not a lot of people know which are dangerous and which can be cleaned by unprotected individuals without problems.

The question is, do homeowners and/or golf cart owners need the services of a professional cleaning firm when dealing with this seemingly dangerous problem? The thing is, for mild cases of black molds, a simple DIY solution can be employed with industrial strength disinfectant or bleach. But then, the question is, who among common people can distinguish between molds that are not that dangerous and those that are toxic and can cause health problems? This responsibility can be better assumed by companies that offer janitorial services.

If the black mold has been proven to be toxic, then it would be more advisable to let experts like a professional cleaning company to take care of cleaning molded areas. At least, if homeowners or golf cart owners are not that keen or hiring a professional cleaner just yet, they can send a sample of the mold to a laboratory to check if it is toxic or not. If the sample reveals negative toxicity levels, the homeowner can conduct a DIY removal procedure.  It is also advisable for materials that are infested with black mold, whether toxic or not, to be carefully removed and disposed in thick and heavy-duty plastic bags.  This is because even though these black molds may not be toxic, they still pose a health risk.

Spring Cleaning for the New Year: 3 Essential Tips to Keep Your Garden Clean In 2013

Gardening is never an easy task. More often than not, it requires physical labor which includes lifting heavy loads, removing patio furniture covers and tinkering with soil among many other tasks.

To guide you through the scheduling of your gardening tasks, here are 3 simple things that you should consider to effectively schedule cleaning activities for your outdoor space:

• Perform gardening chores in one day