Welcome to Specialized Cleaning Technology’s ongoing series on how to clean your house like a pro! Our goal is to give you helpful tips on how to clean your home and keep it clean. Part One is all about dusting. What’s so special about dust, you ask? Good question!

What is dust?

Dust consists mainly of dead skin cells, lint, animal dander, dust mites, dust mite droppings, pollen, and other particles. In essence, dust is gross. It causes allergies. It looks ugly and it is ugly.

As long as we live and breathe there will be dust in our homes. But we can limit where it hides. Clutter is a haven for dust. Dust loves little knick knacks, picture frames, books, and just about anything that is displayed for long periods of time.

The dust solution:

Declutter surfaces. You don’t have to display every porcelain frog you’ve collected over the years, or frame every school photo from kindergarten to college graduation. Be selective about what you display! Think of collectibles, pictures, books, and other knick knacks as you would holiday decor: display them seasonally and selectively, or in the case of books, based upon what you’re actually reading at the time. Get rid of old magazines promptly, and don’t keep things just because you think you have to. We’re not suggesting you go minimalist and remove all pretty objects from your home! Quite the contrary: if you’re more selective about your decor pieces, you’ll get to enjoy them more because they’ll stand out. And because there are fewer objects on surfaces, dust will have fewer places to settle and hide. (It’s worth noting: studies show that a clutter-free home promotes tranquility and peace of mind!)

Without a doubt, regular cleaning will keep dust at bay.

Tools:

Microfiber rags are the best for attracting and cleaning dust. SCT loves them! Disposable static-charged feather dusters have come a long way in their ability to attract and hold dust, and they definitely have their place, but they are better for casual dusting. For serious dusting, go with a microfiber rag.

Dealing with dust:

1. Start from the top and work your way down. That means, if you have ceiling fans or high bookcases, start there. The floors should be the last thing you clean after a good dusting session.

2. Vacuum mats, rugs, and runners regularly. If you have hard flooring, make sweeping a part of your daily ritual. A great deal of dust and dirt are tracked into the house from outside. Taking care to quickly clean and limit the dirt we bring in will keep your home cleaner, longer.

3. Keep pets clean and well-groomed. Pet dirt and dander is a big part of dust, so make sure Fluffy is well-brushed, and Fido gets his bath (especially after he’s been outside for long periods!)

4. Get an air purifier with a HEPA filter. They’re expensive, but they work. (And they make the room smell better.)

Don’t forget:

Furniture, drapes, and light-fixtures are often neglected when it comes to dusting. But these things often sit for long periods, collecting tons of dust! Vacuum furniture and drapes, and polish light-fixtures regularly.

* * *

We hope you’ve enjoyed our first installment of ‘Cleaning 101′ with Specialized Cleaning Technologies! Join us again soon for more ways to get (and keep) your house clean!

It’s been a good summer here in Bakersfield. At least, we at SCT think so! We’ve found ourselves working harder than ever to service the community, making new friends and forming new business relationships. We grew another veggie garden, volunteered at charity events, and hired wonderful new team members.

It’s all about working from the heart and offering your very best. And that’s how we do things at Specialized Cleaning Technologies. We love our community, and we love our work.

Hope you’ve been enjoying your summer too!

Did you know that indoor air is more polluted than outdoor air? For obvious reasons: Indoor air is often “trapped”, AC/heating unit filters are not cleaned often enough, mold growth, furniture/paint leaking chemicals, dust, allergy-causing micro-particulates, etc. Aside from the occasional top-to-bottom house, carpet, and air-duct cleaning, there is something you can do to noticeably improve the air-quality in your home: A study by NASA has confirmed that a few tried and true houseplants actually purify indoor air!

Here are a few of the varieties that recycle and purify toxins from the air. (NASA recommends one plant per 100sqft of living space. That means if your house is 1800sqft, you should have at least 18 of the plants listed below. Read more here.)

– Dieffenbachia
– Weeping Fig/Ficus
– English Ivy
– Spider Plant
– Pothos
– Rubber Plant
– Palms
– Ferns
– Peace Lily
– Money Plant
– Snake Plant

Note: If you have pets or small children, safety is always a factor. Some houseplants are toxic if ingested by pets or people. Please research each plant before bringing it home, to make sure it’s safe for your household.

If you follow SCT on Facebook, then you already know how much we love our Bakersfield Condors! In fact, you may have noticed us at the games…

(Bottom photo by Mark Nessia Photography)

Or maybe you bumped into Mrs. SCT (aka, The Boss) during a ‘Skate with the Condors’ event! (Here she is with the best goalie in the ECHL – Laurent Brossoit.)

Supporting our community is always important to us. Whether it’s a corner print shop for our stationary needs, or our town’s own hockey team for advertising – we always choose local. We hope you do too!

Only a short day away from Thanksgiving, we’d like to take a moment to extend our warmest Thanks to all of you. Specialized Cleaning Technologies has been serving Bakersfield and Kern County for over ten years. We’re a family-owned company that prides itself in supporting our local community, both in services and job-opportunities. We believe in community. We believe in building strong bonds with customers and agents. And maybe we’re a little old-fashioned, but we believe that trust and commitment to quality are the cornerstones of good business. Thank you for calling Specialized Cleaning Technologies. Thank you for trusting us, from household disaster restoration to housecleaning. Your home is the most important place in the world, and we know that. So thank you for letting us serve you.

In honor of the giving season, we’re offering a truly once-in-a-lifetime special:

Before heading out into the hustle and bustle of holiday-shopping, consider giving an SCT housecleaning gift certificate to your loved ones! Not only will it save you precious time, but it’s guaranteed to bring joy and smiles. (Before or after the holidays, who wouldn’t want their house cleaned by the professionals?) Trust us, it’s the perfect gift. Call us to request your gift certificates – but do it soon! This special is only available ’till December 23rd. (Gift certificates can be redeemed throughout 2014; The recipient may schedule his/her desired time/date of cleaning.)

Wishing you and your loved-ones the happiest of Thanksgivings!

It’s been a pretty satisfying summer here. So often we found ourselves walking through home-disaster situations, and just as often, we were able to do our part to make life a little less stressful, maybe even a little better, for the people involved. Water damages, fires, mold – these are all frightening things for home-owners to have to experience. And being in this field for over ten years doesn’t make it any easier on us, either. But with each new job, we meet new people, and we get another chance to help. That’s why we love what we do.

If you have dogs or cats, chances are you have hair and dander floating around your home. Vacuuming and dusting aren’t enough.

SCT provides a comprehensive allergy clean-up/treatment, perfect for asthma sufferers, small children, the elderly, or anyone who wants a thorough in-house cleaning. Read more about it in our free ‘Allergy Brochure’! (Click here to download.)

And if you have any questions, please give us a call: (661) 834-4444

We thought it might be fun to put together a small collection of Before & After photos for you. This is an ongoing series, in which we hope to share some of the fantastic remediation work done by our technicians. (All photos were taken by our technicians while on the job.)

Fire Restoration: soot and smoke damage remediation

House-cleaning

Carpet Cleaning

Lots more Before & After photos to come!

The sun is shining a little longer each day, the birds are flitting, the flowers are blooming – spring is right around the corner! At Specialized Cleaning Technologies, spring means it’s time to dust off the cobwebs and get your home in tip-top shape. Here are our Spring Clean recommendations:

– Deep-clean rugs and carpets
– Clean windows, inside and out
– Clean blinds
– Dust ceiling fans
– Polish wood and cabinets
– Clean bathroom tile and tub
– Deep-clean floor tile

As always, we’re here to make sure the job gets done right. Give us a call to schedule a Spring Clean (or ask questions, or say hello – because you know we’d love to hear from you!) (661) 834-4444

She looks like a rock-star, but she’s our very own Stacie, Supervisor in Charge of Making Everything Beautiful. This woman can handle the toughest jobs – fire-restoration is one of her specialties. She’s got that magic touch when it comes to restoring “unrestorable” things, continually awwww-ing everyone with her skill and dedication.

Stacie – the Stats

Years with SCT: 8
Position: Supervisor
What do you like most about working for SCT? I like taking care of customers and helping them. What I like most is the satisfaction of a homeowner being 100% satisfied with the work we’ve done. SCT is the best company I’ve worked for. It’s like we’re one big family.
Do you have any hobbies? I love spending time with my family and camping.

How do the owners of SCT feel about Stacie? Lala says, “I can’t live without her. She’s one of those rare people you can truly rely on. That means everything to me.”

Thank you for being a part of our family, Stacie! We couldn’t do it without you.