Take care of it! The threats to your home exterior.

Take care of it! These words are clearly a threat, right? So what threat are we talking about? Any potential threats to the exterior of your home. Dirt. Algae. Oil. Rust. Why are those issues? Let's face it, they can do things to your home. Let's take dirt first.

DIRTY DIRT

Honestly, Dirt has a pretty dirty reputation. It's gross and definitely not easy on the eyes. Dirt if left too long, can cover up any usually, easily seen issues. Which can lead to bigger and worse issues. So take care of it? How? When you notice dirt is accumulating, and depending on the area, nothing but some good ole soap and water might do the trick. If we're talking about driveways, home exteriors, fascia and pool decks, take a power washer to it and get rid of it. The longer it stays, the more work will be necessary to get it up. Even around the exterior of your home, the longer it is left, it will ruin your paint. What about algae though?


ALGAE, THE GREEN GUY

Algae, like dirt, is pretty much an eye sore too. Also, like dirt, it eats up your paint on your home. When you should you take care of it? I'll give you a hint, before you see it. What are the tells that algae is on the rise? Lots of water and heat. So if there's rain and lots of sunshine, its on the horizon. See when algae starts to show itself, it can be a little bit of a hazard. How? When wet, and on the ground, its a tripping hazard. One of our teammates had a hard fall off a ladder due to just algae. So take care of it! How though? Again, you're going to need some type of pressure. Why not power wash it? Or have someone do it for you? Now to deal with oil.


OIL, THE SINKING MASTER

Unlike Dirt and Algae, oil is pretty pesky on another level. Why? Some have had to deal with the unfortunate issues of oil from leaky cars, or even from small engines. So what do you do? Handle it as soon as you see oil. You need a powerful degreaser, a small brush, patience and elbow grease. The thing about oil is, it sinks into your concrete then leaves it mark. So the quicker its dealt with, the less headache you'll have. Whatever you do, don't wait and wait and wait until it becomes such a large problem that you can't handle it, and try to call someone who can fix it. Good chances are, they wont be able to, unless you can have them pour new concrete.

RUST, ORANGE AND ROUGH

Do you have sprinklers? If you answered yes, this section might apply to you. Sprinklers or even chemicals left alone on a surface, along with heat can create rust. So what happens when you see it? Well, I think you get the point of this article, take care of it! This will definitely require a professional. You can either try and see if a power washing professional can handle it, which they might be able to, or better yet, a rust professional. They deal with this stuff on a daily basis.

Now that we covered some of the threats to your home, if you see these things happening around your home, what are you going to do? Take care of it!

MOLD- The good, the bad and the evil.

 There are a plethora of disgusting things this world has to offer the human race. One of those is mold. Whether its on a piece of bread, in your shower or on your driveway (that's right, your driveway), its disgusting and needs to be gone. Let's focus though on the the mold you can get from around the exterior of your home.

 How does mold get around? Honestly, its apart of the natural cycle of life. It grows with a few factors, temperature and moisture. So if its raining constantly, and the temperature is high, the conditions would seem perfect for mold to grow. Sounds like summer time in Florida, doesn't it? This is part of the reason why mold and dirt seem to come out of nowhere after the rainy season.

 This brings up the next question, how do you get rid of it? Well, first off, mold is one of those things that need constant attention. For example, do you have a large oak tree in your front yard? Does your driveway seem to constantly get darker? That my friend, is black mold. You can try and take multiple chemicals and a power washer, but it will take some time. Then, it might not come all the way up. Well why? This is probably your next question. Concrete is porous. The longer mold sits with out being touched and cared for, the deeper it will work into its crevices, and prove more difficult to handle. Not impossible, just more difficult.

Below are some examples of issues with driveways. The mold is there, but not very easily seen.

What about on your home? Same thing. The longer it stays, it will create and issue with your lovely paint. It will not only lighten it, when its cleaned, but it could come off. Again, attention is necessary, and quickly. We usually tell our customers, that once a year your home should be power washed. However, if you have oak trees, or its hot and rainy constantly in your area, it might not be bad to address it at least twice a year.

 The surface hasn't even been scratched in regard to how "evil" mold can be on the exterior of a home. As was mentioned previously, it can have a major affect on the curb appeal, but it goes far beyond that. Mold is a health hazard. It can prove dangerous to your family. If left alone, it has even been known to be a contributing factor to some cancers. If there is anything we can stress, get rid of the mold. You will be happy you did in the long run.

Does it really matter how my house looks, if I'm trying to sell it?

The answer is yes. In many of our blogs we have constantly said that outward appearance matters. Unfortunately it does. Especially when it comes to selling homes or cars. The value is based on the appearance and what it contains.

How do we know this is true? Most times when realtors come in and evaluate a home, they look for cleanliness and clutter. They also want it staged so it becomes more attractive to buyers. Why should it matter? For most people, the more clutter a home has, it might lead a potential buyer to think that there is not enough space for their belongings. Others might think that if a home is dirty on the inside then that means it has not been well cared for. Which might lead to them thinking there will be many underlying issues, which would cost them more to fix. Now these are just issues on the inside. What about the outside?

We will always say that pressure washing a home's exterior is a good idea. Why? First, that's what a person sees first that's what we do. Second, it is a reflection of the home's interior. Third, that's what we do. Besides all that, the more a house is kept clean the better it will appeal to buyers. Its less of a headache for them. They can see any issues with it, but they will also feel so much better knowing the sellers cared. You are trying to sell the home right? Still, there are other elements to a home that can keep a home from selling. The landscaping.

Landscaping does not need to be extremely elaborate or even overly beautiful. Again, like the interior and exterior of the home, it just needs to be neat. Weeds, overgrown shrubbery, and uncut grass are not the most appealing things to buyers. No weeds, trimmed shrubbery and cut grass are extremely attractive.

Check out some of these pictures below and really think about the ones that make you feel good.

Now you know it really does matter how your house look. Especially if you are trying to sell it. 

Why commercial vehicles need love too!

Everyone thinks that its important to make sure their personal car is kept in pristine shape. While that's very true, what about a company's commercial vehicles? Why is this even coming into question, you might wonder? Here's why.

People often use the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Let's get serious though, most of us will look at a company's building, tools, personnel and vehicles and will determine whether we will use their services or not. It may not be fair, but a person may think that the way a company looks, may seem to reflect how much they pay attention to detail. As we know, with most jobs, if not all of them, paying attention to detail is extremely important. It can mean a person's life. 

Then the question arises, why not have commercial vehicles detailed? It reflects the company. It really gives any new customer, a great or awful first impression. So why not woo them by having an immaculate car? Remember, it's said that you only have seven seconds to make a great first impression. Make sure those wheels and rims are shining beautifully. That body glistens with no dirt in sight and its so smooth its like it was brand new. What will people think then? Well, you will have probably made a great first impression when you roll up to whatever site you're working at. 

Besides closing a sale, why else should you have your commercial vehicles detailed? It will help protect this very important investment. By keeping the tires dressed, it will protect it from cracking. By keeping the interior vinyl dressed, it will be protected from harmful UV rays that will ruin it. Finally, keeping the paint waxed will also preserve it. Which will add to the luster of your vehicle. 

Now that you have been able to think about it. Why haven't you been getting your commercial vehicles cleaned? When are you going to set up your next appointment? 

I want to wash my car. What should I use?

Back before corrosive chemicals started to take over the Earth, there was a time when a person could just use the things they had to clean homes and cars. However, those times no longer exist. Instead, chemicals are everywhere and can be quite harmful not only to people but their investments. As a result many people wonder what they can use to wash their cars, sometimes asking the question, 'What should I use?' While this is a broad question, here are some general rules of thumb to think about while prepping yourself when washing your car.

Soaps. What soaps should a person use? Many would probably go run for the Dawn or Ajax for washing their cars. However, as the label says its says dishwashing liquid.  Unfortunately, while the dishwashing liquid will get the dirt off the car, it can ruin the paint. So the question again is, what do I use? Really any car washing detergent will suffice. Some of these even have bug removers in them and synthetic wax. There are professional types, but even a brand like Turtle Wax is fine.

Bugs. Bugs are usually an issue for those whose life is on the highway. However as was mentioned previously, some car washing detergents have bug remover in them. If you don't want to go that alley, there's another way. After you have washed your car and you are in the process of drying it make sure to wipe the front bumper really well with a microfiber towel and they should come up. It might take some elbow grease but try not to rub or scratch anything out. It could cause damage to your paint. So being gentle is everything. If its not coming up, good chances are, its already in your paint.

Interior cleaning. This is probably one of the most important elements of cleaning. Why? Well, its because we see it the most. Yet, something people neglect is dressing the vinyl. Why is that so important? Honestly, it helps protect your car from the uv rays the sun emits. Look for water based products, not oil based. Oil based products, with continued use, can cause damage to your vinyl. Again it wont happen overnight but it will cause it to look pretty awful after continued use.

Tires. Tires, believe it or not can have a huge impact on the overall look of your car. Its almost like going up to a home where the house itself, on the exterior, is nicely cleaned and power washed but the lawn is horrendous. Rims and Tires are a big deal. So try and pay some attention to them. PLEASE! The easiest way to make sure they're looking in tip top shape is by having your car washed regularly. Why? Well brake dust can collect and the longer it sits, the harder it is to clean. No joke. This will becoming extremely frustrating especially when you don't have professional grime and rim cleaner. Also, feel free to use oil based or water based dressing to get those tires looking awesome and protect them too.

So really there are a lot of things to keep in mind when trying to give your car a nice good washing, even down to the types of cleaning products to use. If these things are too much to remember, then just call a professional and have them deal with it. They'd be glad to do so.

Wax on. Wax off.

"Wax on. Wax off." A phrase many are familiar with from the Karate Kid. Yet, was Mr. Miyagi really teaching the benefits of making sure cars are waxed? Well, no. However, we can! In a previous blog we spoke about the differences in having your car detailed and going to a regular car wash to have a quick clean up job. While those car washes are not horrible, we did discuss that the quality of cleanliness you car needs is not top priority, this including a REAL wax job.

So what does a real wax job include? Your professional detailer could do it one of two ways. The first way is by hand. Making sure the wax is rubbed on a circular motion, in smaller areas at a time. The second way is with a waxing buffer. After the wax has been applied it gets removed and you have a nice smooth paint job. So what does it do besides make your paint job look awesome?

It protects your car from scratches. It doesn't make it immune, but it will help prevent them. It also makes future washing easier. In the state of Florida, two times of year, we are blessed with the presence of LOVE BUGS. These bugs are super aggravating. They love to be everywhere they shouldn't be. Including the grills, front bumpers and windshields of cars. However, if you keep your car waxed, they will not cause major damage to paint and when you go to wash your car, they will come off much easier. Another reason to keep your car waxed regularly the paint job will be kept up. This means there will be a reduction to oxidation in the paint and if you want to go resell it, you can make a better dollar then with out.

So its obvious there are plenty of great reasons to make sure your car's wax is in tip top shape. So the million dollar question is how often should it be done? Realistically it should be done between every three to six months. However, these things do come at a cost. If every three months is pushing it, try every six months.

Ultimately, cars should be waxed. If you do it, or have someone else do it, it should be done regularly, and your car will continue to look awesome.

This is an example of a car that had never been waxed! Well, I stand corrected. It was probably waxed after it was purchased at a dealership 8 years ago. However, with a little love and wax, the car looks a lot better. Still needs some attention, but not awful. 

What makes AZ Professional Clean different?

Who is AZ Professional Clean? Are we just another pressure washing company? Or just another over priced detailing company? No. We're quite different then most. What sets us apart? To start we are a husband and wife team who have very high values and morals that guide our business standards. What does this have to do with anything? Most people could agree that in business, some times its hard to find someone to do work that is honest and trust worthy. Especially in the business we specialize in.

Some might contemplate, 'should we leave them by themselves at our home? Or with our car?' Yes. Why? As was mentioned before, we have high moral values that guide our business dealings, and honesty is included in that!

Its safe to say that our cars and our homes are our pride. Right?

For us to feel like we've done a good job, we want you to know if there are pre-existing issues that should be resolved and not try and bandaid it. Or if we goof, we will make sure we take care of it, and not try and hide it from you. Some businesses are in it for themselves, we are not like that. We want to make sure things are done right and the customer is really taken care of. We're different. We care about the customer. We want things to be right.

We are also meticulous clean freaks. And by meticulous, we mean it. We look for stains some car owners would never notice. We try to make the hardest of driveways pearly white, instead of kind of clean. We love seeing things go from dirty to super clean. If perfection is attainable, we're reaching for it. Who doesn't enjoy seeing cleanliness?

So we're meticulous and honest. We are also young and ambitious. We have energy and are always trying to be better than the next company. We really want you to enjoy our work! No great company leaves customers unhappy. These are just some of the things that AZ Professional Clean different.