Homes years ago were full of carpet. Carpet was everywhere. But carpet began a decline near the turn of the century and now most homes are a mix of hard floors and carpet. While carpet is still a favorite floor covering, especially in bedrooms and rooms that require more “comfort”, hard floors are becoming dominant.
One popular type of hard floor is laminate flooring. It is popular because it looks good and is often more affordable than many other types of flooring materials. But like all floors, a proper cleaning and maintenance program is a must if you want those floors to last for years to come.
Here are a few easy cleaning tips to keep your laminate floors in good shape.
Create a schedule: The first thing to do is schedule your cleaning. Even if flooring doesn’t look that dirty or soiled, it probably is — more than you think. It doesn’t take much time to quickly dust mop your laminate floors. Perhaps do it daily, or every other day. Weekly is not enough. Dust and dirt on flooring acts as a grit, much like sandpaper on a smooth surface.
Microfiber mops: Skip the regular string mop on laminate flooring. Use a quality microfiber mop, the flat type, along with a cleaning solution recommended by your flooring manufacturer or by your favorite cleaning company. You will spend a little more on a quality microfiber mop but it is worth every penny. The characteristic of microfibers means you will pick up more soil, dirt, debris, and even invisible dust — all of which can scratch the surface of your floor. You won’t see that happening but, over time, it all builds up and soon you have a dull finish on a previously nice and shiny floor.
Spot clean: When something is dropped or spilled, clean it up immediately. Some spills can damage the finish on flooring, but if you make it a habit to clean up spills quickly, you will avoid this.
Call the pros: If any out-of-the-ordinary situation develops, skip the do-it-yourself mentality. Call your favorite cleaning company right away, whether if you have questions or just need someone to come over to give you some tips or even handle the cleaning for you. After all, it pays to call a pro!
How Hurricanes Work
We all watch with trepidation and fear as hurricanes approach land… even if we don’t live in an affected area, the very thought of what others are about to go through is sobering. Hurricanes are devastating storms that are becoming more common in recent years.
While hurricanes are somewhat predictable based on expert weather forecasters and keeping an eye on tropical storms, they are subject to changes in direction, strength, and potential damage over the period of time from forming to dissipating after hitting land.
While you may not find a hurricane interesting as you hunker down as a storm approaches land, or perhaps are evacuating and heading inland, how hurricanes work is a scientific marvel.
In a nutshell, warm ocean waters and thunderstorms are the building blocks of a hurricane. For one to form, there needs to be warm ocean water and humid, moist air, and as the humid air flows upward, water is released, creating storm clouds. As it rises because of the warm air, the air rotates. As the hurricane forms, it sucks heat from the water to fuel the storm.
But it all starts as a tropical storm. When a tropical storm is announced, everyone looks to see where it is and what the projected path looks like. It is typically westward, and the storm can quickly grow in strength and when it meets certain criteria, such as 74 miles per hour, it is declared a hurricane.
As it moves across the ocean, air rises and cools, forming clouds and thunderstorms, and up high in the clouds, water condenses and forms droplets, releasing even more heat to continue to power the storm. It’s all a powerful, rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms.
During just one hurricane, winds can rage and churn and create nearly 50% of the energy capable of providing electricity to the entire world. What’s interesting is the cloud and rain formation from that same hurricane can release energy that is 400 times that amount.
Hurricanes are interesting. But also deadly. They cause a tremendous amount of property damage and take lives. When one is on its way toward you, evacuate. Your home can be repaired. And when you return and discover you need help, call your favorite restoration company. After all, it pays to call a pro!
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