How to clean a carafe-style coffee maker

1.       Fill the carafe halfway with cold water. Add distilled white vinegar to fill the carafe completely. Pour the mixture into the reservoir.

2.       Place the carafe in the brewing position. Run the brewing cycle until 3 to 4 cups of the vinegar and water solution run through. Turn the pot off and let it rest for 45 minutes. Run the remaining solution through the brewing cycle and then pour it out. Let the carafe cool completely.

3.       Fill the reservoir with clean water using the carafe. Run the water through a full brewing cycle and then discard. Let the carafe cool before repeating this step again.

4.       Place 4 tsp. of salt with 1 cup of crushed ice cubes into the cooled carafe. Add 1 tbsp. of water. Swirl the solution around in the carafe until the coffee stains disappear. Rinse the carafe thoroughly.

How to clean a coffee machine

Professional technicians or repairers should always be called upon for anything more serious than a general clean. However, if you clean your coffee machine consistently, you won�t need to call in the professionals too often. If you are ever unsure as to the cleanliness levels of your coffee machine, pull a cup without using any coffee and examine the water�would you/could you drink it? If the answer is no on both occasions, it�s definitely time for a clean. Cleaning is recommended after every 80 brewing cycles for soft water and after every 40 brewing cycles for hard water:

1. Remove all drip trays and soak in soapy, lukewarm water. Do not put any soap directly into your coffee machine. Rinse all soapy water off before replacing parts.
2. Remove and clean milk wand with pipe cleaner and soapy water. Rinse soapy water off. Let off steam without actually frothing milk, to cleanse the wand internally.
3. Remove any used ground coffee from group handle immediately after brewing. Rinse off the filter basket with warm water. Scrub the portafilter and filter basket with a scourer if any brown-black residue is left behind.  Do not use any soap.
4. Wipe down your machines �shower-head� with a clean damp cloth after every use. Again, no soap here.
5. Be aware of the calcium levels of your tap water, you may have to think about using distilled water if calcium levels are too high.
6. For a moderate internal clean: If your coffee maker isn't significantly clogged, white distilled vinegar may be your best option. Simply fill the reservoir halfway with cold water and halfway with white vinegar. Put a clean filter in the basket, and turn on the pot. Allow the machine to go through its entire cycle and then discard the water and vinegar mixture. Refill the reservoir with clean cold water and run through a normal cycle again. Discard the water and refill with clean water once more. Run the machine again to flush out any remaining debris and get rid of the vinegar scent. If you simply can't tolerate the smell of vinegar, lemon juice may be used instead. Lemon juice is acidic, which means it will eat away at any mineral deposits, but it also leaves behind a pleasant smell. Lemon juice is not recommended for severely dirty or clogged coffee makers, however. Use the same technique for cleaning with vinegar, and continue brewing with cold water until you can no longer smell lemons.
7. For a heavy duty internal clean: For severely dirty coffee makers, vinegar or lemon juice may not be strong enough. If the state of the machine is affecting the taste or smell of the coffee, the brewing time or the heating element, a commercial product may be your best bet. A professional lime and rust remover will get rid of the toughest mineral deposits inside your machine. To use, fill the reservoir with cold water and then add 2 tbsp. of liquid lime and rust remover. Turn on the machine and run it through a regular cycle. When done, empty the water and refill the reservoir with clean water. Run through once more and then you should notice a considerable difference. Cleaning your coffee pot regularly with vinegar or lemon juice will prevent it from becoming severely dirty and will reduce the need to use chemicals.
8. Pull a cup without actually using any coffee and throw it out without drinking it or tasting it, immediately after de-scaling your coffee machine. Repeat this once or twice to make sure all the toxic agents have been removed.
9. Shine the exterior chrome of your espresso machine as often as you like.

Never submerge your coffee maker in water, as this will damage the electrical components

Effective Natural Cleaning Solution for Carpets

The chemicals contained in most commercial carpet cleaners can cause skin irritation. Natural cleaning products are soft to the skin and carpet fibers, also they are much cheaper than commercial ones.

A natural cleaning solution can be made of common household items. The described solution is suggested by cleaner Clapham, and can be used with or without carpet cleaning machine.

1. Get the following items: white vinegar, distilled water, spray bottle, baking soda, towels and a vacuum cleaner.
2. Combine equal parts of white vinegar and distilled water in a spray bottle, then add � cup of baking soda. Mix well!
3. Spray the mixture directly on the stained area or pour it into the reservoir of your carpet cleaning machine. Let the vinegar solution sit on the stain for around 10 minutes before blotting it up with a clean towels. Continue blotting until the carpet is nearly dry, or use the carpet machine to suck up the moisture.
4. For stubborn stains, make a pasty solution of equal parts of white vinegar and baking soda. Put rubber gloves on your hands and rub the paste into the carpet. Wait for 10 minutes, then mop it up with a clean towel.
5. Once the carpet is dry, sprinkle a liberal layer of baking soda, and leave it to sit for several hours before vacuuming. Baking soda will neutralize any carpet odours, according to carpet cleaning Clapham.

If there is still any vinegar solution left after the cleaning, store it in a spray bottle and use it to treat small spills whenever occur.

How to Get Your Security Deposit Back from Your Landlord

Most of us have experienced leasing an apartment or a house. Furthermore, many have faced negatively behaving landlords. The most common issue in the relationship between the tenant and the property's owner is the security deposit, particularly its returning. In most cases just a small amount of the deposit is returned. To avoid a scenario like that this article will outline some general rules for the reader to follow.

First, before moving in a written rental agreement should be made. The security deposit and its return conditions should be clearly described. Having a copy of the check for the deposit or a receipt could be very helpful later in the time. Your written agreement should say what the security deposit is for, and how it will be returned to you.

In most of the countries there are clear rules. When just a part of the deposit is returned there should be a notice about what kind of repairs and cleanups have been done. There are deadlines for returning the deposit. It is usually about 14 days.

If your contract does not have a moving out deadline then if you decide to do so you should inform the landlord. Give appropriate notice that you will be moving out. Its amount varies according to your lease or to your landlord. Depending on for how long do you rent you have to notice appropriately.

The best solution for getting your deposit in entirety is to hire moving out cleaning services. They will provide assistance if any disputes occur over whether you return the apartment or the house in an appropriate condition. If you choose the right company they will make the place looking better than when you first moved in. Thus, moving out cleaning services are worth it. 

Three Ways to Remove Dried Paint

It is great when you finally move into your new home with your family. But if you want to feel safe there and to allow your children to live in healthy environment, then you have to deal with the cleaning in advance and to make sure your house is dust free. One of the hardest things, every housewife has to deal with, is the dried paint after the builders.

Here are three ways to deal with this problem and especially the paint left on places such as carpets, windows, etc. Of course, calling the professional after builders cleaning services would be better idea, but if you cannot afford it, you can try to handle the task yourself. First, you have to find out the type of the paint. It is important to know whether it is water or oil-based one before you proceed with cleaning.

Read the label on the can and after you already know what kind of paint you have to deal with, you will have to prepare yourself for action. The water-based paint is easier to remove and most manufacturers recommend using only soap and warm water, which you have to apply to the carpet or the upholstery you want to clean.

In case the paint is oil-based, you are going to need a paint thinner. This should be used after the paint is dried, but never used on windows or hard-wood floors. Before you start cleaning, you'd better ask your after builders cleaning services for any advise and test it on hidden area.

Mix White Vinegar and Baking Soda to Clean Your Home

As you probably know, white vinegar and baking soda are two of the most effective natural cleaners, which most people have in their kitchens. Cleaning naturally gives you the opportunity to protect your home from bacteria, germs, grime and dust using only eco-friendly cleaning solutions and techniques. Moreover, using the green cleaning method you help not only yourself, but your whole family.

I do not know whether you know that many of the professional London cleaners use these two ingredients in their work, but this is a fact. Baking soda and white vinegar kill grease, dirt, bacteria, remove odours and disinfect surfaces. So, read the lines below, including information about how to clean with baking soda and white vinegar.

1. If you want to remove stickers from appliances, you need to dampen a paper towel with a little bit of vinegar and apply it over the sticker for a few minutes. The vinegar will help you to remove the sticker easily. Then, use small amount of baking soda and gently remove the leftovers of the glue. Do not forget to rub gently, because otherwise you can scratch the surface. To complete the job, rinse well with water. 

2. Make an all purpose cleaning solution mixing � of water, 1 tablespoon of baking soda and ? cup of white vinegar. Then, pour the solution into a spray bottle. Professional cleaners in London say that you can use the solution to deodorize your bathroom or to clean your counter top and kitchen appliances, too.