Category: Microfiber Towel Uses

How to Clean Skating Arena Boards

Girl leaning against skating arena boards

If you manage an ice skating arena, you are familiar with the dark scuff marks, puck marks and stains on the boards surrounding the rink. They can be an eye-sore and difficult to quickly clean, especially during the busy season  when ice skaters and hockey teams are constantly using the rink. Here’s how to clean skating arena boards  and get those scuff marks removed.

Cleaning Scuff Marks on Arena Boards

Ice arena boards are made from High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), a type of plastic that is perfect for hard impacts and  freezing temperatures. Above the boards are plexiglass that allows visitors to see the action on the rink, but are protected from flying pucks and players.

Whether it’s a hockey rink, ice-skating arena, or roller rink, scuff marks tend to build up throughout weeks of non-stop use.  By using Sponge Outlet’s Cleaning Products, we ensure you will get the job done without using any toxic chemicals. One of the best products to use to quickly clean dasher boards are eraser sponges. Comparable to the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, our eraser sponges can clean with just water and some light scrubbing to remove dark scuff marks and stains. But what eraser sponges are the best to use? Well you have several choices.

Eraser sponges for cleaning ice rink arena boards

Eraser Sponges for Cleaning Ice Skating Arena Boards

How to Use an Eraser Sponge to Clean Ice Skating Arena Boards

  1. Wet eraser sponge
  • Either run it under water or dunk it in a bucket, or spray using a spray bottle of water. Squeeze to remove excess water.
  • Gently scrub the scuff marks and stains with the eraser sponge to remove them.
  1. Wipe boards dry with a a 16”x16” Microfiber Towel
  • Wipe down the boards with the microfiber towel to remove any water droplets or remaining grime.
  • SpongeOutlet’s microfiber towels are heavy-duty yet safe for surfaces, so they won’t leave any scratches behind.
  • The cloths work perfectly on acrylic and glass for a streak-free shine.

If the Scuffs Are Tougher, Use This:

A Monster Scrubby Sponge might be a better option if the scuff marks on the arena boards are tougher to get off. This sponge is great for cleaning floors, walls, baseboards, and much more. Plus, it’s non-scratch which means it’s safe for surfaces like acrylic and glass.

Make your ice rink, hockey arena, or roller rink look better and cleaner with the best cleaning products.  Sponge Outlet offers non-toxic cleaning products that do not have the name-brand price tag but are also not cheap on quality or material. Our products are long-lasting and non-toxic for safe cleaning for you and your staff.

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Cleaning Your Snowmobile After Riding

Your snowmobile is going to go through some rough riding this winter. You’ll want to make sure it is always in good condition, which means cleaning it is a must to make it look in tip-top shop. Here are some suggestions on how to clean it after a long ride out in the snow.

 

What You’ll Need

Snowmobile cleaning is rather simple, so don’t get stressed out. You won’t have to go out and get a fancy cleaning solution.

cleaning snowmobile with eraser sponges

  • Sponge and scrub brush
  • Polish and wax for plastic and metal parts
  • Clean towel

First, you should hose off the snowmobile with a hose that has solid water pressure. Once you’re done hosing the vehicle, take an eraser sponge from Sponge Outlet, and scrub the entire snowmobile.

For the tough spots where you need to scrub, grab our scrubby sponge to get the tough grime and dirt. Rinse off the vehicle after scrubbing down all the areas. Once you’re done washing, take one of our microfiber towels to dry it off.

For a nice shiny snowmobile, you can decide to polish and wax. You might as well wait till after the season to do this if you plan on taking your snowmobile out for several rides. Shop for a good snowmobile polish.

Sponge Outlet

Here at Sponge Outlet, we provide cleaning supplies for whatever your cleaning needs are. We have high quality microfiber towels, eraser sponges, and other cleaning supplies. Our products are non-toxic name-brands without the same price tag on them. We guarantee you’ll be able to get your snowmobile clean, shiny, and back to the way it looked before you took it out for a spin.

Contact Sponge Outlet at 877-776-6430 today to get your cleaning supplies!

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Shoe and Boot Cleaning in the Winter

The winter is here, and in many places, there will be snowy conditions. It’s always encouraged to not ruin our shoes and wear boots instead, but we still need to take care of them regardless of what they are. Here’s how you can clean those shoes or boots during the winter season.

 

Salt Stains in the Winter

With snow invading many areas of the country in the winter, salt stains can end up ruining your shoes or boots. For a simple do it yourself way, you can use this recipe to get rid of the ugly stains:

removing salt stains from boots

  • For leather boots and shoes, mix one parts water and two parts vinegar into a spray bottle.
  • Then use one of Sponge Outlet’s microfiber cloths to rub the solution into the leather shoes or boots.
  • After you do this, pat the boots or shoes off with our microfiber drying cloth to dry them.

Leather tends to dry out after using a vinegar solution, so once you’re done cleaning them, it’s advised to use a leather conditioner to preserve the quality of the leather boots or shoes.

For suede boots and shoes, you can use our eraser sponge to remove the loose dirt and debris. These will be great for cleaning off salt stains.

If You Don’t Have Salt Stains

There are times when you won’t have salt stains on your boots, but they’re still damaged from the wet conditions from the winter season. Wet suede boots are always annoying, but there is an easy solution. Use our eraser sponges to dab the wet spots on the material and let them dry out. Then, you can use a brush to get them back to its normal condition.

Get Your Microfiber Cloths and Sponges from Sponge Outlet

At Sponge Outlet, we provide the best cleaning products for whatever your needs are. We recommend you take care of your boots or shoes in the winter to preserve their condition. We take pride in our sponges and microfiber cloths because they remove the tough-to-get dirt and stains while being delicate on the material you’re cleaning.

Contact Sponge Outlet at 877-776-6430!

 

 

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Holiday Gift Ideas for Your Family Members

Shammy cloth for Holiday cleaning

The holiday season is upon us, and you don’t have a clue what you’re going to get your family members as a gift. If you have kids, you know they deserve purposeful gifts this holiday season. Well, we have a great gift idea for those “cleaner” family members. They’re called cleaning products! We understand that the holidays can be quite chaotic, and our cleaning products can be the perfect gift to help those clean up after the holidays are over.

For the Ones Who May Need a Little Help

At Sponge Outlet, we have a plethora of cleaning products that will get your family member excited to start cleaning. Maybe you have a certain family member that just needs some help cleaning their home or room after the holidays are over. We aren’t necessarily telling you to hire Monica from the hit television show Friends, we’re just offering some of our simple cleaning products.

  • Our microfiber towels work well when it comes to cleaning computer monitors, TV screens, tabletops and counters. These towels will last a long time, and they won’t leave any scratches behind. This is the perfect cleaning product for your family members who may need to clean their bedroom windows, bathroom mirrors, and electronics.
  • Our large shammy cloth will get the job done when it comes to cleaning off desks, tables, and other furniture in your bedroom.

For the Ones Who Did the Most During the Holidays

Some of your family members take one for the team when it comes to hosting, cooking, and preparing for the best holiday meals. These people need all the help and support they can get for cleaning up, so we believe these cleaning products we have to offer will give them the relief they need for cleaning up and getting back to their normal routine.

  • Our eraser mop floor cleaning pads are two-sided pads with one side adhering to the Velcro on your mop and the sponge material on the other side for cleaning scruffs, dirt and grime on floors.

We know it can be difficult for family members to host, cook, prepare, and then clean up after the holidays, and that’s why if they receive these cleaning products as gifts, their clean-up will come easier.

Sponge Outlet

Sponge Outlet provides cleaning supplies for the holiday chaos that may ensue. We carry natural cleaning products to help you with your everyday cleaning. Contact us at 877-776-6430 today!

 

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Cleaning Your Desk for Home Use

cleaning desk with microfiber towel

Working from home can be very convenient when you have time to be alone in your own home office. The key to getting work done is to keep your desk clean and organized, so it doesn’t give you any anxiety or stress during the work week.  At the end of a long day, it can be easy to get up and leave work without cleaning up the space in front of you. It’s recommended to clean up your desk even after you work to eliminate germs, dust, and other particles.

Eating at Your Desk

We all eat at our desks on occasion, especially if we’re in work mode and don’t feel like stepping away to take a break from the work. If you’re done drinking that cup of coffee, rinse out the mug. If you’re done eating the food in that bowl, get rid of it. Make sure to get rid of your food or scraps after you are done. Clean up the space.

  • Purchase an eraser sponge, a good cleaning solution, clear your desk completely off, and wipe it down. This will help ensure that dust, grime, crumbs, and germs are eliminated.

Remove the Dust

You want to protect your technology from dust settling in. You can easily wipe down a computer or laptop with a microfiber towel. It won’t scratch the screen and it won’t leave behind small particles.

Reorganizing the Desk

After a successful day of working from home, it’s important to reorganize your workspace to get it ready for the next day. We tend to keep things “just in case” but if you haven’t used that memo pad in four years, you probably don’t have a purpose for it.

Sponge Outlet

Sponge Outlet provides cleaning products for all of your needs. If you’re in need of natural cleaning products to help clean your desk at home efficiently and accurately before the next day, contact Sponge Outlet at 877-776-6430 today to get more information on our cleaning products!

 

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Clean Out Your Oven like a Pro

woman cleaning oven using scrubby sponge

Cleaning out the oven can be a hassle, but it is definitely something you need to be doing if you want to make sure your oven is perfect for your next cooking or baking experience. Fall is right around the corner, which means your oven will be used quite frequently for big meals and desserts. Here is why you should clean out the oven thoroughly before the season hits.

Don’t Use Harsh Chemicals

White vinegar and baking soda will do the trick when cleaning your oven. You don’t need to use chemicals, and you shouldn’t.  This cleaning formula that you can make in your own home will attack the grease and grime, while saving you a good amount of money on other harsh cleaning solutions. Mixing vinegar with baking soda creates a foamy mixture; let it sit on greasy spots for 30 minutes, and then use our scrubby sponge to scrub it clean.

Shelves Need to Be Cleaned

Remove the shelves from your oven before cleaning them. Soak them in your baking soda mixture for 30 minutes, and rinse, using one of our gentle microfiber towels. To do this the right way, you can put them in a sealable plastic bag for them to soak in the mixture.

Smells and Food

If you’re using your oven quite often, the oven can carry some old food smalls and other smells. There also can be some straggler crumbs hanging out in the oven. You’re going to want to get rid of those as well when you’re cleaning it out. To get rid of smells, use an oven-safe bowl filled with water and a few drops of vanilla or citrus extract. Place the bowl in the oven, and slowly heat the oven for about an hour.

For more cleaning tips, check out our blog and contact Sponge Outlet at 877-776-6430 to discover more of our cleaning products for your next cleaning situation.

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Here’s How to Clean Your Windows

microfiber towels from Sponge Outlet

There are ways to clean your windows in your home without using chemicals and sprays. It’s important to not fill your indoor air with harmful chemicals.  Let’s see how you can naturally clean them, so you don’t end up polluting your air.

 Use a Microfiber Cloth

A lint-free damp microfiber cloth is chemical-free, easy to use, and very inexpensive. This reusable cloth only needs to be rinsed and wrung out to clean it. This makes it very simple to use and reuse without having to throw away the chemically drenched paper towels.

Using a microfiber cloth instead of paper towels is better for the environment and your wallet. Like a chamois cloth, a microfiber cloth cleans so well on its own, with the help of just a little water, no cleaners are necessary.

Microfiber cloths not only clean your windows, but they also dust and polish them, to help give them a brilliant shine, naturally.

Most microfiber and chamois cloths can be used for more than just cleaning your windows.

Additional cleaning uses include: counters, stove tops, tubs, sinks and showers

Use a Chamois Cloth

A chamois, which is pronounced sham-wa, is the perfect choice for dusty, but not dirty windows. Dampen the chamois with just a little water, and your window will wipe the dust off effortlessly, without any harsh chemical left from sprays or cleaners.

A chamois is a synthetic cloth best known for its use of drying cars, but many people do not realize that is also perfect for cleaning the windows in your house, office or car. After cleaning your windows with a chamois, soak the cloth for a few minutes in warm water and soap, then rinse it clean and hang it to dry in your home, away from sunlight. It is not machine-washable.

Where to look for these products?

Sponge Outlet provides cleaning products for all of your needs. If you’re in need of natural window cleaning products, contact Sponge Outlet at 877-776-6430 today to get more information on our cleaning products!

 

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How to Clean Your Outdoor Furniture This Summer

Summer Cleaning Tips

Finally, we’re able to enjoy some good weather! The sun is shining, it’s warm and comfortable, but your outdoor furniture is covered in pollen and dirt from last year…

Well, not to worry, SpongeOutlet is here today with some tips on how to clean your outdoor furniture this summer.

Whether you just broke your outdoor furniture out of the garage, or you’re finding that it needs a good wipe down after it’s been out on the back deck for a couple weeks, we have the info you need.

Dirt & Dust Build Up

Outdoor furniture is prone to dirt and dust build up, so it’s important that you properly store it when you’re putting it away for the winter. If you can, wrap it in an old sheet or cloths to keep the dirt at bay, and keep it in a dry spot in your garage or shed.

When you first take your furniture out of storage, even if it was covered, you’ll need to give it a good wipe down before it’s safe to sit on. The first thing you should do is attack the furniture pieces with a bucket of soapy water, and a microfiber cloth or paper towels. This will remove all the fine dirt and dust that built up on the chairs during the winter months.

Don’t skip this step, even if your chairs were stored in a clean space, dust is everywhere! And you don’t want it to transfer to your guests’ clothing once they sit on your furniture.

Make sure you choose the proper soap for your furniture. If your furniture is wicker or wood, you’ll need to use an oil-based soap to remove any dust and grime from the surface. Metal frames can be cleaned with mild dish soap.

Don’t forget to give everything a good rinse, and let it dry completely before you use the furniture.

And, if your furniture is hard wood, you may want to sand the surface and apply a fresh coat of paint each year before use.

Tough Stains

For areas that have become rusty or stained from last summer’s use, that you can’t clean easily with a cloth and soapy water, take an eraser sponge to the area. Eraser sponges will remove any tough stains from the surface of your furniture but be careful in areas where the paint is chipping—you want to avoid causing further damage to the paint.

Cushions

If your outdoor furniture has cushions attached, you should follow the cleaning instructions on the pillow tags. If they are machine washable, toss the covers in the wash and make sure they are completely air or tumbled dry before you use them. If your cushions aren’t machine washable, you can probably still clean the surfaces of them with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or dust.

Maintenance

On a weekly basis, hose down your furniture to remove debris like leaves and bugs that could damage the integrity of the rust-resistant paint on the surface of the furniture. Make sure that you take the cushions inside whenever you can if it’s going to rain: prolonged exposure to rain without ever becoming fully dry will cause mold to grow inside and on your cushions.

About halfway through the summer, or once a month, give your furniture another wipe-down with a cloth and soapy water, to make sure that you’re removing any dust and dirt that’s stuck to the surfaces. And, if there are any stains, use an eraser sponge to get rid of them right away.

If you have a big party and your furniture is used heavily over the course of an evening, it’s a good idea to hose everything down to remove food and alcohol particles that could cause problems down the line.

And, if you know there’s going to be a big summer storm, bring your furniture inside or tie it to your deck to avoid it being thrown around in the wind and damaged, or damaging something else, like your house!

Proper StorageCleaning Patio Furniture

At the end of the summer, repeat the deep clean that you performed at the beginning of the season to remove dirt and grime, and store your furniture in a place where it will stay dry and not too cold, if possible. Wrap your furniture with old sheets or cloths, and keep any fabric or pillows sealed in a storage bin.

If you follow these simple (and frequent) cleaning tips, your furniture will last you for many summers to come. In the meantime, get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather!

For more information on Sponge Outlet products, or for more cleaning tips for around the house, head to our blog often! Questions? Call us at 877-776-6430.

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Must-Know Dusting Advice

Dusting Tips

Is dusting just about your favorite pastime? Yeah, we didn’t think so. Here at SpongeOutlet, we’re not crazy about it either, but our years of perfecting cleaning methods and products have taught us a thing or two about the right way to clean your home. And, while you may think dusting is as simple as wiping your furniture with a microfiber cloth, we’re here to tell you that you’re skipping a few steps.

Read on to learn about how to dust the most effective way, in our must-know dusting lesson.

Must-Know Dusting Advice: Make a Plan

Start out by making a plan, or map of what you’ll need to dust: if you prefer lists, that works too. The reason we suggest making a plan is that dust is everywhere, and many people skip very dusty spots simply because they get distracted by other dusty spots when they get started.

  • A good rule of thumb is to dust one room at a time, and don’t just think about the surface: your bathroom, for example, may need to have its walls dusted. Moist air from your shower can cause dust to stick to the walls and baseboards with a little more sticking power than in other rooms.

Start at the top and work your way down. If you have a ceiling fan, dust that first. If you have crown molding, dust that second. Then, tackle the walls, then the furniture, and finally give the floors a good sweep. Dusting your room will upset the layers of dust on your floors and furniture, so starting up high ensures that you’re not leaving any misplaced dust behind. A strong finish with a vacuum cleaner is the best.

Must-Know Dusting Advice: Remove Everything

The first thing to do when dusting a room is to remove all of the items on the surfaces of your tables. You’ll be able to easily dust all surfaces and hard to reach areas, but remember: before you bring your stuff back into the room, make sure you give it a thorough dusting. It would be a shame to spend an hour dusting, only to re-deposit a pile of dust on your perfectly clean tabletops!

Microfiber Dusting WandsMust-Know Dusting Advice: Choose your Tools

We already mentioned a vacuum cleaner: utilize the extension tools that came with it, and don’t forget to change the settings for when you switch from carpet to hardwood. It might seem silly, but it actually makes a difference in how much stuff you pick up.

Microfiber dusting wands are a great alternative to chemical dust sprays, but those can be effective if used properly, especially on that expensive antique furniture in your living room.

  • Pro tip: if you’re not sure how best to clean a particular item of furniture, ask your local hardware store or furniture store for advice. There are different rules for different woods, as well as laminate surfaces.

For dust that’s a bit out of hand, use a damp microfiber cloth, like the ones available from SpongeOutlet.

Must-Know Dusting Advice: Get Preventative

According to HGTV, one of the best ways to “dust” your home is to prevent the dust from accumulating in the first place. You can do this by investing in new air filters for your air conditioner and heating systems.

  • If you’re really anti-dust, you can get rid of your carpeting and opt instead for washable throw rugs. Carpet tends to trap dust, and even when it’s been properly vacuumed, it often has a bit left behind.

Decluttering your surfaces is another great way to make dusting easier: without all of those pesky nooks and crannies to tend to, dusting will be easier and more efficient, costing you less time on your weekly chore list.

Must-Know Dusting Advice: Dry to Wet

If you have hardwood or tile floors, you may be inclined to mop them regularly, but it’s important to dust them first. Use a dry mop or broom to sweep away any dust that’s on your floors, because once you turn on the water, the dust will clump and become more difficult to remove.

  • So, a good rule of thumb: always start with a dry mop, and then switch to a wet one. The same applies when you’re dusting vanities or sinks in your kitchen and bathroom.

Importance of Frequent Cleaning Must-Know Dusting Advice: Frequent Repeats

Now that you have a plan of action, the key to keeping a dust free home is to dust it frequently. You don’t have to make it an everyday chore, but at least once a week is a good rule of thumb. For households with a lot of pets and people, you may need to double or triple up.

For more cleaning tips, check out our blog, and learn about all of our products here. Happy dusting!

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Moving Into a New House? Here’s How to Clean It

Finally moving into your new home is so exciting: you get to rearrange all of your furniture, buy some new pieces, and decorate the space exactly how you pictured it in your head. But before you can get to all of the fun parts of moving, there are a few things you need to take care of first, including cleaning your new house from top to bottom.

Whether your home is a new construction, or you’re moving in after the previous owners vacated, it’s a good idea to do a deep clean before you move in any of your belongings. That way, you won’t have to worry about certain difficult cleaning tasks, like shampooing the carpet, once your furniture is all moved in.

If you’re not sure where to start, not to worry: SpongeOutlet is here today with some tips for cleaning your new home.

Read on for our cleaning guide, and get that new home cleaned out before the move-in date.

Sanitize the Bathrooms

The bathrooms are a great place to start. Even if they appear to be clean enough, your bathrooms can benefit from another deep clean and disinfect. Start with the toilet: replace the seat and cover if the old one is looking a little worse for wear—it’s a super inexpensive way to freshen the bathroom.

  • Angie’s List says don’t forget areas like underneath the sink, in the cabinets and drawers, and behind the toilet. These hard-to-reach areas may go uncleaned for a while once you move in your toiletries, so take advantage of the empty storage areas, and clean them now.

As for the shower and tub, use a grout and tile cleaner, but keep in mind that replacing the grout is an easy job that you can probably do yourself with a bit of help from your local hardware store.

tips for cleaning your new homeDisinfect the Kitchen

Sure, wipe down the countertops, but more importantly: clean the appliances. Remove all of the stove grates and knobs, take the shelving out of the refrigerator, and set the oven to “self-clean.” Kitchens are notorious for built-up grime, so take a look at the vent hood, and replace or clean the filter. Wipe down the walls around the stove, and make sure there’s no grease or grime stuck anywhere.

Don’t forget the dishwasher: you can search the model you have online to see the best ways to clean it, but many dishwashers will have a clean setting—just pop in some dishwasher cleaning soap.

  • The insides of the cabinets, including the back of the doors, will need a good wipe down. Don’t forget the knobs: they collect grease from our hands and may need some special attention.

Clean the Bedrooms

The bedrooms are a little simpler: if there are built in cabinets, give everything a dust and then a wipe down. Go over the baseboards with wood cleaner, and make sure that the shelving in the closet is clean and shiny.

As for the floor, mop if it’s hardwood or laminate, and hire a carpet cleaning service if it’s carpet. If it seems relatively clean to you, you could wash the carpet yourself; just remember that the previous owners probably didn’t shampoo before they moved out, so if they had pets or kids, it’s probably a good idea to bring in the professionals.

  • Check out the light fixtures next: remove the covers and dust the fixtures and the bulbs. If you have ceiling fans, make sure to give them a good dusting before you turn them on, or else they’ll scatter dust throughout the room!

Clean the Living Spaces

Living areas should be treated similarly to the bedrooms, with an emphasis on that carpet cleaning step, especially for high-traffic areas. Clean the walls, and make sure there are no fingerprints left over from toddlers, or marks on busy corners.

  • You can buff those out by using an eraser sponge, without damaging the paint. You may even want to dust the walls (but make sure to do this before shampooing the carpet!) with a microfiber cloth. If you have tile, Moving.com suggests renting a steam cleaner.

Take a Look Outside

Don’t neglect areas like sheds and garages: truth is, if you don’t clean those out, you could be looking at an annoying pest problem down the line. Make sure to sweep the floors, de-clutter the rooms, and re-seal or caulk any holes that mice may be able to burrow into. Trust us, it’s much more annoying to deal with a squirrel living in your garage than to sweep and seal the space before moving in.

  • If there are washing sinks or laundry machines in these spaces, clean those two: search for your washing machine and dryer models online to find out the best way to clean them, and don’t forget to pull them out from the wall and dust behind!

Moving into a new home can be overwhelming at times, but if you get the heavy lifting cleaning out of the way before move-in day, you can focus on unpacking and getting settled in. For more tips on how to clean your home the best way, check out SpongeOutlet’s blog.

When you’re ready to deep clean, pick up all of the cleaning supplies you’ll need from SpongeOutlet!

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