Fixing pipes and repainting walls gets expensive. On average, homeowners are putting down $6,000 a year in repairs.
An excellent way to keep your home in good condition - and reduce repairs - is frequent, thorough cleaning. Especially when it comes to stains and spills that can ruin expensive flooring like carpet. As far as tackling stains and spills in your rental goes, how do you prevent having to replace that carpet?
Vacation rental upkeep can be easy if you know what you're doing. Today we discuss some rental home cleaning tips for stains and spills in Galveston, Texas.
Get Supplies for Tackling Stains and Spills in Your Rental
First, you're going to need the right cleaning supplies to get rid of stains and spills in the first place. Luckily, there are two ingredients in your kitchen that work great. A mixture of baking soda and vinegar works on virtually all stains.
Choose white vinegar without any flavoring or additives for the best results. For baking soda, don't worry about getting the name-brand stuff. Any baking soda will do.
Other ingredients that will help include isopropyl alcohol and laundry detergent. Turpentine will come in handy for the absolute toughest stains, like oil-based paints.
Get Stains While They're Fresh
The best time to attack a stain is immediately after it happens. So while you're going through a rental property inspection, check for fresh stains. Clean them immediately, rather than delaying until your typical cleaning day.
Let Stains Soak First
You'll make it much easier on yourself if you let the stains soak with the right cleaning mixture. Use baking soda and vinegar for most stains. For especially bad ones, like ink and paint, you'll need isopropyl alcohol or turpentine.
Apply a liberal amount to the area and massage it into the stain. Then, leave it to sit for at least 10 minutes before cleaning.
Feel free to soak the stain multiple times, cleaning with each successive soaking. Use a shampoo machine when you're done to remove what's left over.
Apply Stain Removal Techniques
Add some stain-removal techniques to your cleaning checklist. Here are a few that can make even the toughest stains go away.
Blot the Excess
For fresh stains, take the time to blot the excess. Press a paper towel into the carpet or flooring and leave it to soak. You may need several paper towels to get as much of the material away as possible.
Avoid Spreading the Stain
Rubbing a fresh stain can mix it deeper into the carpet and spread it. After cleaning up the excess, scrub only the affected area. Remove the excess with a shampoo machine, or let it dry and brush it away.
Find More on Cleaning Galveston Rentals
Use these rental home cleaning tips for tackling stains and spills in your rental. Choose the right stain remover, whether a vinegar/baking soda mix or turpentine. Soak fresh stains, use blotting to get the excess, then shampoo over it.
PMI Galveston Bay in Galveston, TX, provides personalized, full-service real estate management to investors. Our specialty in short-term rentals and associations helps you streamline your Airbnb or HOA. To figure out your best course of action, use our rent vs. sell calculator.
