Star Building Services | Helpful Tips

Soft Drink Stain Removal from Carpet	Pour some vinegar onto a cloth and blot the stain until it's lifted.Blot again with a damp sponge to lessen the smell of vinegar,.
Tar Removal from Carpet	Spray WD-40, the lubricant with thousands of uses, directly onto the tar. Leave it for about ten or fifteen minutes and wipe off with a clean cloth. You may have to repeat this a couple of times.
Permanent Marker Stain Removal from Upholstery	Thoroughly vacuum the area to remove any loose dirt or dust from the stain. Try using either rubbing alcohol or a non-oily hairspray as your stain removing agent. Since you are working on upholstery, you must be careful not to soak the fabric, or the stuffing will become saturated and you will end up with both a stain and mildew. Apply a small amount at a time and blot between applications.
Ink Stain Removal from Leather Upholstery	Most cleaning products that remove ink will also remove the color from leather. However, if the ink is fresh, you may be able to remove it with either a non-oily, liquid hair spray or Armor All. Just spray the stain, then wipe it with a soft cloth. Try this in an inconspicuous area first. Othewise, have the leather professionally treated.
Gum Removal from Clothing	To take chewing gum off clothes, place the item of clothing in a plastic bag, then freeze it for about an hour. Take the clothing out of the freezer, then bend the fabric across the stain to crack the gum. Chip off the pieces with a dull knife.
Wax Removal from Clothing	To remove wax from your clothing, first chip off as much of the surface wax as possible, using a butterknife or credit card. Then, place several layers of paper towel over remaining wax, and apply a warm iron to draw wax into the paper towels. Replace the paper towels if they become saturated. You could also try using an acetone-based nail polish remover, or a spot dry-cleaning solution with acetone, but remember to test in an inconspicuos spot first. Do not use acetone on delicate fabrics such as rayon and acetate.
White Out Correction Fluid Stain Removal from Clothing	Remove a White Out stain by using paint thinner or isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. Be sure to test on the item in a non-visible area before using.
Clean a Computer Keyboard	Check your owner's manual. If the manufacturer has specific instructions, follow them. • Shut down the computer. • Disconnect the keyboard. • Use compressed air to clean between the keys. • Shake loose dust gently out of the keyboard. • Spray a small amount of fluid onto a rag. • Wipe the keys and chassis. • Reconnect the keyboard when it is dry and restart the computer.
Clean a Computer Mouse	These instructions are intended for an analog (non-optical) mouse. • Turn the mouse upside down. • Generally there is a locking retainer ring surrounding the mouse ball. Remove it by putting pressure on two sides of the ring with your fingers and rotating counterclockwise. • Remove the mouse ball. • There will be three rollers on the inside of the housing, two are for tracking (horizontal/vertical) and the third is for keeping the ball in contact with the other two. • Swab all three with cotton swabs dipped in isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol until all the debris is removed. • Replace the mouse ball. • Replace the retainer clip by setting it in place and rotating clockwise until it stops. You should not need to force it.
Clean a Computer's Insides Safely	Check owner's manual. If the manufacturer has provided specific instructions, use them. • Shut down the computer. • Leave the computer plugged into the surge suppressor. • Disconnect all peripherals from the computer, making sure to mark and remember where they were connected. • Remove the computer cover. • Ground yourself to the computer with either professional equipment of by touching a metal part of the chassis. • Hold the canister upright at all times. Spraying upside down releases a very cold liquid which may damage sensitive parts. Spray compressed air on the fan blades, power supply chassis, drive chassis and circuit boards. • Brush off any remaining dust from the bottom of the chassis. • Spray a cleaning fluid onto an anti-static rag and wipe the inside and outside of the cover thoroughly. • Replace the cover and reconnect the peripherals.
Clean a Scanner	Check your owner's manual. If manufacturer has specific instructions, follow them. • Unplug the scanner. • Spray glass cleaner on your cloth. Raise or remove scanner lid. • Immediately wipe screen dry with dry portion of rag or second rag. • Repeat process is not satisfied. • Clean chassis with same fluid or with product suitable for cleaning plastic. • Clean under glass if recommended by manufacturer.
Clean a Laser Printer	• For the outside, clean with rubbing alcohol. • Next, check the fan for the operation of the fan while the printer is running. • Using a small vacuum, blow out the dust out of the printer only if there is no major tone spill. • Clean the toner spills. • Check and/or replace fuser wand. • Clean the ozone filter. • Clean the roller, plastic rolers with alcohol and rubber rollers with a cleaning solution such as Goof-off
Clean Plastic Glare Shields on Computers	• Remove the shield along with any other parts from your computer. • Mix dish detergent and some warm water into a sink or tub.
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