​In Northeast, Ohio, storms are inevitable and we often get high winds from very big tropical storms! Hurricane season is here and it brings damaging rain from strong storms down south! At Mark’s Cleaning Service, we are always prepared for catastrophic events and ready to answer your call with an immediate response. Here are some safe, inexpensive tips you can follow considering you are a homeowner and minimize losses to your home:

-Cover Your AC Unit During a Major Storm
It’s smart to cover your AC unit during a strong storm to prevent flying debris caused by wind damage. Using trash bags or tarp to cover your AC unit can trap moisture inside your unit

-Protect Your Windows and Doors
If you do not have storm shutters, stock up on plywood in advance. In the likely event of a major storm happens;
cover all windows as well as glass doors with shutters or plywood.

-Keep Downspouts and Gutters Clear
It is very important to note that flooding in the home is caused by clogged gutters and downspouts can often lead to overflow around your homes foundation.

-Seal Doors and Windows
Any loose doors and windows that leak water can cause mold growth and water damage. Properly sealing doors and windows is an easy and affordable measure to take.

These inexpensive measures can be taken to drastically decrease the chance of flooding. However, water damage can happen unexpectedly and at Mark’s Cleaning Service we always are on standby 24/7 to take your call at 330-350-1293. Your damage becomes our top priority and our knowledgeable certified technicians assist you in any way possible to dry out your home.  

​Did you know that each year over 164,000 people are admitted to urgent care for injuries and 300 deaths are caused by falls from ladders most of which are from falls of 10 feet or less? It’s crazy to think about, but it’s true! According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2011 the leading cause of unintentional injury mortality nationwide result in falls from ladders.  At Mark’s Cleaning Service, our trained technicians use state-of-the-art equipment to wash your windows without using unsafe ladders, so put them away homeowners, we’ve got you covered! By using special equipment water is first deionized and purified of contaminating metals, minerals and chemicals. We use mineral free water because it binds with minerals, dirt, and organic materials naturally. After the water is purified, it is then forced through hoses to our adjustable water fed pole and brush. Windows and frames are then scrubbed with the wet brush and rinsed clean. And you can rest assured you will receive a quality clean. Our dedicated team has served Northeast Ohio for more than 30 years so give us a call today!

​Getting rid of toxins on rugs and carpet can be very tricky because you need a vacuum cleaner that not only removes dirt, but filters out microscopic toxic particles you don’t see. Did you know that toxins can ‘ride’ on dust and linger around in our homes? Getting rid of these toxins are critical for homeowners to keep their carpets consistently cleaned. Vacuuming regularly is extremely important even if it looks clean due to the toxins hiding in the dust! A great strategy to vacuum is to start on the upper level of your home (if you have one) and go to the farthest corner of the back room vacuuming from left to right. This strategy helps with not missing spots in your carpet where dust and bacteria can hide. If you have the time, a great way to vacuum is go in the opposite direction, from right to left instead. It might seem like a lot of work, but it’s a great way to get embedded dirt, dust, pet hair, and dander out of your carpet. It will help keep your lines evident so you know where you have vacuumed. Knowing where you have already vacuumed helps remove the embedded dirt and dust more effectively and thoroughly. These strategies for vacuuming are ways to easily remove visible dirt keeping your carpet cleaned efficiently. Mark’s Cleaning Service offers a full house cleaning for every room to get thoroughly vacuumed as well as bathrooms, kitchens, utility rooms and basements! Give us a call to schedule your next house cleaning! 

​Did you know that there are several myths to carpet cleaning? Without regular deep cleaning and surface cleaning, your carpets are more susceptible to germs even than a toilet seat! Most carpet contains 200,000 bacteria per square inch on average. This means carpet is technically a thousand times germ-ier than a toilet seat! The myth you often hear is that your carpet is dirtier than a toilet seat – correction; typical carpet roughly contains 200,000 bacteria per square inch! Meaning carpets are at least 4,000 times more than a toilet seat! Another myth about carpet is that it can hide a pound of dirt per yard and still look clean. The scary truth is how much bacteria already hides in your carpet about to 200,000 bacteria per square inch and still look clean! On top of daily tracks of living (food crumbs, pollen, dirt from shoes, pet urine, and coffee spills) vacuuming and treating spills only cleans the visible dirt. Only a professional carpet cleaning can truly remove all of the bacteria that you don’t see! Mark’s Cleaning Service can provide you with a deep, detailed-steam cleaning and remove all harmful allergens, bacteria, and dirt embedded deep in your fibers. Call us today to schedule a free estimate! 

​Carpets can get dirty very easily if they are not cleaned regularly. Vacuuming regularly can only get the noticeable dirt off, but what are some good tips to keep them clean all the time? Making a ‘no shoes’ rule can reduce outside contaminants from entering your home. Asking visitors, friends and family to leave their shoes by the front door is a great tip to keep your carpets cleaned, especially during cold winter months. If you have pets and they go to the bathroom on your carpets, treat them immediately, don’t let it sit for a long period of time. Treat any type of stain immediately, that includes food spills and coffee stains. The longer the stains are not treated, the more problematic it is to get out. Another tip on keeping your carpet clean is to protect your floors and carpeting by placing a doormat next to each entrance. During the winter, snow, salt, and slush can get tracked in your home and make a huge mess. Having two doormats (one outside and one inside) can keep your carpets from getting dirty (one outside to wipe your shoes on, one inside to take them off). If you have pets, wiping off their paws from a rainy or snowy day can prevent wet mud from the rain or slush from snow tracking all over your home. Washing your dog on occasion also is an easy way to keep your carpets cleaned. It prevents dirt tracking room to room where your dogs like to play and sleep. Getting your carpets professionally cleaned can remove all of the bacteria, dirt, allergens and dog stains leaving your carpet fresh and clean. Give us a call at Mark’s Cleaning Service for a free estimate on your next carpet cleaning!

Area Rug Cleaning Blog
When shopping for new area rugs to decorate your home, there are a few important factors to consider. Size, color, shape, and more importantly durability. Size up the room and the area you want to cover. The most common area rug sizes are 8-by-10, 6-by-9 and 4-by-6 feet. Smaller rugs may be used for smaller spaces—a hearth, under a coffee table or a bedside. When it comes to color, it’s important to choose a rug to match the colors of your furnishings. While you decorate, the style of your room should determine your rugs shape. You do not always need to be limited to rectangular rugs. Sometimes an octagonal-shaped or circular rug can add elegance and flair. When it comes to area rugs, wool is usually a preferred choice over synthetics since it is more resistant to traffic patterns and wear. Wool has many amazing qualities such as deep, rich color tones, and most importantly, high durability. But not all rugs are manufactured the same way.

​Depending how your rug was manufactured will determine how long it may last. Certain manufacturing methods can cause complications during cleaning. So it is important to purchase your rug from a quality manufacturer. If you shop at any of today’s popular interior furnishing stores, you will notice a majority of jute backed rugs advertised as 100% wool. Jute is a fast growing biodegradable plant fiber, so there’s no question why manufacturers commonly use jute for a cheap alternative to cotton. Jute it is known for cellulose browning, retaining odors and dry rot. When jute becomes wet from cleaning, oils are released that cause browning and discoloration that will ruin your rug. (See image above of jute cellulose browning that has wicked to facing wool fibers)  Lately jute fiber has become cheap and plentiful, commonly wool rugs manufactured in India are woven with jute backing. India is the world’s #1 jute cultivator

Although size, color, shape and durability are important, using multiple area rugs can often add more decorative elegance. But why use two rugs? One rug is preferred as it coordinates the room together. However, sometimes two or more rugs complement each other and add style. The rugs having similar style in at least one of the three categories (design, color, size) will add to the interior design of your home making it welcoming. If you have a large room, having more than one rug can be used to separate the room adding contrast. Each design of both rugs should contrast each other to partition the room. However, it should be similar in color and in quality to maintain balance.

With regular use, your area rugs will get dirty. Foot traffic, food crumbs, dust, and pet stains can make this worse. Your rug loses its decorative style, smells bad, and it’s hard to keep when people complain about the odor. Especially if it’s a wool rug, wool can smell like a wet dog once it’s damp. We recommend having your rugs cleaned regularly to decrease odors and allergens! Dirt and dust trapped in between the fibers can often cause allergies if you wait too long to have it cleaned, regular cleaning will also help maintain your rug’s appearance.  We offer various methods to get your rug cleaned. Our hot water extraction method is great for cleaning light soiling, however, for rugs with strong odors or pet stains, our rug bath is recommended. ​

​Winter has arrived which means snow, slush, and ice. Often, slippery driveways mean they need salt to prevent slipping and cars sliding down causing accidents. The salt products people use can track in white residue and damage floors inside homes. At Mark’s Cleaning Service, we offer maid service to detail clean your home, removing all salt from entrances leaving your home spotless! Our maid service team follows the ‘Clean for Health’ program to detail clean your kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms, bedrooms, showers, family rooms, living rooms, and basements! The benefit of ‘Clean for Health’ program is that your house gets cleaned with a strong focus on the details that are often overlooked. We have a stellar, 30 plus year reputation for residential cleaning due to our meticulous attention to detail in our ‘Clean for Health’ program.

​At Mark’s Cleaning Service, we provide mattress and upholstery cleaning services. Do you ever wonder why you have nightly allergies? It can easily be caused by lingering dust mites on your mattress! Whether you have king or queen mattresses, at Mark’s Cleaning Service we clean all types of mattresses. Our method of cleaning is safe for family, pets, and environmentally friendly. We go above and beyond cleaning dust mites off your mattress and treat urine stains, coffee stains, red dye, and pet odor issues so you get the full benefits of our mattress cleaning! At Mark’s Cleaning Service, we also clean your upholstered furniture such as sofa, recliner and dining room chairs. Did you know that 80% of the dirt and grime that you bring home often ends up on your carpet and upholstery? Whether you are driving home from work or sitting down on your living room couch, the dirt and dust from your clothes ends up on your upholstery. Getting your upholstered furniture cleaned can benefit you tremendously. By using our state-of-the-art truck mounted equipment, we use hot water extraction to remove all of the dirt and grime. This hot water is blasted throughout the upholstery fabric to emulsify soils and contaminates leaving your upholstered furniture fresh and clean!