Cleaning for Company

I used to be, and maybe I still am, known to my immediate family, (hubby & sons) as being somewhat fanatical as it pertains to cleaning my home when we are expecting company. In fact my sons will actually try to leave town when they hear these dirty words, “cleaning for company!” To them this means , get this place clean now, if not, there will be a slight wrath from mom, 'cuz when she wants it done, she wants it done now, and wants it done her way! Unbelievable, I know! "Humm, Cleaning for Company, sounds like a game show doesn’t it?”

Picture this, everyone is around the dining room table enjoying some fabulous meal made by anyone other than me, and we’re talking and laughing about the days events when suddenly the phone rings.

“Hello?”I answer. “Oh hi Ell! Great, you’re coming up? When?”

Silence suddenly befalls the dining table, all chewing stops, breaths are held, forks and knives are gently laid down, chairs are slowly getting pushed further from the table and all eyes are wide open. I’m assuming my body must be starting to change into a lighter shade of pale monster green at this time judging by the looks on all their faces!


I think I’ve gotten a little better over the years, a little less strict, but let’s face it; dog hair as a condiment with dinner is still a turn off to guests, as is doggie odor when you walk through the door. I don’t go nuts over it on a daily basis like I did when I had my previous brood of six smaller dogs; those days were easy, mostly tiny feet to keep up with. Still, when company is coming, I like a thorough job. Of course since I quit smoking May 4th 2009 at 6:05 in the morning, (but who’s counting!) I am even more aware of such doggie odors and sure as I’m sitting here my dogs find them absolutely delectable, whereas humans may find them a bit repulsive!

So, I thought I would share a couple of my favorite rug cleaning products with you. I am not in the like of over powering floral odors such as what one would find in a country store; those odors steal my breath and give me a huge headache. I like scents that smell clean, not ammonia or bleach clean, just clean and for that clean smell I choose Woolite One Step Rug Cleaner or Woolite Power Shot. Both have a nice clean smell and when sprayed, they foam up, and you vacuum when dry. I have been known to go against the rules and vacuum the carpet when it was still wet as the roller brush on the vacuum gives the carpet that freshly cleaned look. The regular Woolite One Step Carpet Cleaner can cost about $3.50 and up for a 10. oz can and for a quick clean smelling room this is a product I would use. But to really zap out stains, as seen in the pictures above the new Woolite Power Shot with oxy clean for pet stains can really do a great job, even on dry set in stains.

Recently with my sisters visit, came a rug cleaning for my mother’s apartment, so as I headed out the door to work I asked sis to see if the rug cleaning company could clean my small area carpet as well which I would gladly pay for. Well, they cleaned it and they left it in my garage to dry. The price was right, 20.00, or free for me since my mom paid for it, and there it sat in the garage for four days until Peter returned home from a quick NY trip. When he rolled it out on the living room floor he pointed out a large stain that was left behind and had been dried in. It made me wonder what creature had wandered into my garage and peed on my clean carpet since my dogs do not have access to the garage unless I bring them in there! So I took my camera, grabbed a picture to demonstrate to you, my loving audience, what the stain looked like before I used the power shot and what it looked like after using the Woolite Power shot. You can clearly see the difference in the pictures above.

This product can be found in your hardware or grocery store for about $4.00 to $5.00, expensive, but it’s worth every penny! It does a great job even on dried pet stains which I really appreciate since I seem to have family members that conveniently do not notice the dog peeing on the floor right in front of them! Basically you would absorb as much of the urine (or vomit) stain that you can and then spray the power shot, let it sit for about five minutes, then blot with a clean cloth, and vacuum when dry. On a dried stain just point and shoot, let stand a little longer, and then blot up.
Peter discovered this product when he was on vacation last summer and decided to take the scatter carpets outside to the garage and clean them using a scrub brush and the shop vac.

Another carpet spray that I like that is not overwhelming and has a pleasing aroma that tickles your nostrils is Carpet Fresh~Super Pet carpet and room odor eliminator. This is not a cleaner like the power shot but it is a nice product to have for a quick freshening up. This is made by the WD-40 company and can be sprayed and left on the carpet, there is no need to vacuum this up. I love to use this on not only my carpet for daily freshening, but I also use it on my furniture, throw blankets, and mattresses when company comes for a visit. A 10.5 oz. can cost around $3.50 or higher.

So a big Newfoundland size, two paws up for the Woolite Company! Don’t ever change that clean fresh scent! And a big two paws up for the WD-40 Company. Two quick and easily used products that I hate to be without!

Power shot http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3196859

Download site for a coupon for Carpet fresh http://www.carpetfreshbrand.com/