Whether it’s part of a seasonal cleaning or just a quick run-down before guests come over, your upholstery is going to need a cleaning at some point.  Thankfully, there are times where you can do the cleaning yourself, without the need of a professional.  Today, we’re going to tell you how to keep your upholstery looking fresh, whenever you need it the most!

Now, this method will work best for lightly soiled or dusty furniture.  If your favorite piece of upholstery has a nasty stain lodged in or if it is an antique, call us in for a professional clean.

The first thing you are going to need to do is grab a vacuum cleaner with an upholstery attachment, and vacuum for at least five minutes.  For best results, vacuum in a left-to-right fashion, using short strokes.  Start at the top, and work your way towards the bottom.  If you do not have an upholstery attachment, either pick one up at your local retailer, or set your vacuum on the lowest suction and do it that way.  Be sure to vacuum at the seams and under the cushions too!

After you have finished vacuuming, it’s time for the actual cleaning.  Grab a small bucket, fill it with 1/2 teaspoon of clear dish soap, and run warm water into it.  The more suds you have, the better.  Take a soft upholstery brush, gather up some of the suds (not the soapy water) and lightly brush around the fabric in small sections.  Do not go overboard here–less is more, as you do not want to soak the upholstery.

Once you have suds covering the entire piece, take a clean, dry cloth, and wipe all them all away.  Once all the suds have gone, you, my friend, have a piece of cleaned upholstery!

This is an easy way to give your furniture a quick clean before any small event.  However, for deeply soiled upholstery or for a cleaning before a major event, call in the cavalry and have us give it a nice, deep, thorough cleaning.  With a money-back guarantee, you can’t go wrong!

For more cleaning tips and tricks, be sure to check our website and Facebook page regularly!

Do a quick Google search for the best way to clean tile, and we guarantee that you’ll find several different results, each one conflicting with the last on what products to use and the methods on how to clean.  All of these difference can leave people wonder on what is the best way to clean their tile floors.  Thankfully, our tile-cleaning experts at Bayside Carpet have come up with their strategy to a clean tile floor; one that is proven time and time again.

Our experts agree that the number one strategy to tile cleaning is prevention–you don’t have to clean if there is nothing to clean.  What they mean by this is to keep up on regular maintenance: sweeping and vacuuming.  If a spill arises, clean it up promptly, before it has the chance to set in for good.

However, when the floor needs to be cleaned, whether it be for seasonal cleaning or for guests coming over, our experts agree that a mop with water is the best thing for your floor.  Since there are no additives or chemicals, you have no risk of potentially ruining your beautiful tile, all the while giving it the cleaning it deserves.  Although, you can mix in a cup of vinegar in a gallon of water for a cleaning solution that will leave your floors odor-free.

Our experts do recommend, however, to have your tile floors professionally cleaned at least once a year, if not sooner.  Tile floors residing in high-traffic areas may need to be cleaned every few months, in order to better preserve their natural shine.

If you have not had your tile floors cleaned in a long time, now is the time to start!  There is no time like the present, so give us a call today for your free in-home estimate!  After that, we can set up a regular schedule, so you can be assured that your tile will always look its best, anytime of year!

Carpets in the summer can see quite the beating, thanks to all of the increased activity coming in and out of your home.  Cookouts, family visits, and days of playing in the sun can all put excessive wear and tear on your carpet.  So, to help quell all of that wear and tear and to keep your carpet looking its best, we’ve decided to share with you a few tips on summertime carpet care.

Kick those shoes to the side.  Shoes track in dirt, especially in the summer.  Do yourself and your carpet a favor and remove your shoes before stepping foot into your living room.  Encourage all guests to do the same, and before you know it, you will have cut down on the primary source of dirt on your carpets.

Make use of area rugs, floor mats, and runners.  Even though you have encouraged your guests to keep their shoes on the side, there is still a chance that they can track dirt into your home.  To battle this, make ample use of area rugs and floor mats, as a last-line type of defense against outside dirt.  Runners placed in hallways can substantially reduce the amount of dirt tracked onto carpet anytime of year, and they would undoubtedly make a sound investment for the summer.

Finally, spend more time outside!  Summer is the time to take advantage of the weather, so do yourself a favor and stay outside.  Besides, the less traffic you have on your indoor carpets, the cleaner and fresher they’ll be!

Enjoy the warm weather, and don’t fret about the state of your carpet too much.  Summertime is the time for living; let us worry about the state of your carpet.

To schedule your free in-home estimate, give us a call today!

Choosing the right carpet cleaning professional can prove to be quite the hassle.  With so many offers and specials available at for different cleaners, how do you know that you are getting the best deal?  To help solve this riddle, we would like to share with you some common mistakes when choosing a carpet cleaning professional, so that you will better be able to pick the professional right for your home.

As the golden rule goes, you get for what you pay for.  Just because someone is advertising as cheap does not mean that you are getting the best deal possible.  Often, when a carpet cleaning professional markets at an ostentatiously low price, it could mean that he is not really fit for the job.  The low price could be just for a single-layer cleaning, which will not get out all of the dirt your carpet could be hiding.  Not only that, but low price could mean that he is using old and outdated equipment, which will not effectively clean your carpet.

Another common mistake is hiring a carpet cleaner who is not certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC).  An IICRC certified cleaner has undergone multiple classes, hands-on training, and examination to prove that he is a cleaner worth his salt.  When you hire an IICRC professional, you know you are dealing with some of the best.

Common mistakes like these can lure prospective clients into dealing with a professional who will not give your carpet the proper cleaning it deserves.  At Bayside Carpet Cleaning, we pride ourselves in servicing our customers to the full extent, as to guarantee their satisfaction with their newly restored carpet.

To schedule your free in-home estimation, give us a call today!  In no time, you will see your carpet shine again like it used to!

Wood floors can be a beautiful addition in any home, but taking care of them can prove to be a challenge.  Floors like these are very sensitive, and can be easily ruined if they are improperly cared for.  So, here are some deadly sins when it comes to wood floor care, and how you can try to avoid them!

First of all, you should avoid using harsh cleaners on your wood floor whenever possible, like those with a wax or silicone base.  Products like these include ammonia, Endust, Pledge, and powdered all-purpose cleaners.  These chemicals can be rough on your floor and can actually eat away at the finish.  Instead, try using just plain water with a clean mop.

Mopping brings us into the next deadly sin for a wood floor: steam mopping.  Believe it or not, the heat combined with the water from a steam mop will degrade the finish of the floor, and over time, will remove the finish entirely.  If you feel the need to steam mop, use the lowest heat setting possible, and only do it every so often.

Another deadly sin for your wood floor is walking across it with abrasive shoes, such as high heels or cleats.  The fine-point on the bottom of these shoes can serve as a chisel on your floors, and will peck away at not only the finish of your wood floor, but at the floor itself.  Try instead to leave these types of shoes at the door, and limit any contact with wood surfaces.

Finally, one of the biggest deadly sins of wood floor is waiting too long in-between refinishing projects.  No matter what you do, the finish of your floor is going to wear down, so it pays to have it refinished every now and again.  By waiting long between finishes, you run the risk of damaging the wood underneath, which is much more expensive to fix than just a coat of sealer.

Wood floors look amazing, but like carpet and tile, they require regular upkeep to keep them in pristine condition.  By taking the extra effort, and by taking note of our deadly sins, you’ll be able to preserve your wood flooring for years to come.

For us at Bayside Carpet Cleaning, we like to take a break every now and then and have a little fun in our jobs.  So, to round out this shortened workweek right, we thought we would share with you a few of our favorite fun facts about carpet.  Enjoy!

Did you know that back in Europe during the Middle Ages, oriental carpets were considered prized possessions, and went for top dollar?  Establishing trade routes between the two worlds helped the introduction and influx of carpet to the Western World, and gave a new luxury item to the high class.  In addition, the Crusaders would come back from their quests with several oriental carpets, each one barring a different story of travel and adventure.

Did you know that when the Hoover vacuum first came out in 1908, the inventors had a difficult time selling their creation?  This is because people at the time were offended that their flooring and carpet could be dirty, and thought that they didn’t need a cleaning tool like that.  Common sense and a little humility eventually took the country by storm, and soon enough, practically everyone in America owned a vacuum cleaner.

Did you know that the word “carpet” stems from the Latin word “carpere”, which means “to pluck”?  In the ancient times, carpet makers would have to pluck the individual fibers in order to make a whole carpet.  Not only that, but “carpet” also shares the same roots as “carpe diem”, which means “to pluck or seize the day.”

Well there you have it, a little sampling of our favorite fun facts.  If you’ve enjoyed this blog, be sure to check back every so often, as we’ll be sharing more and more fun facts down the road.  Now, make like a carpet and “seize the day,” Bayside Carpet fans!