While laminate floors may resemble hardwood floors in appearance, they need not be cleaned in the same manner. The finest approach to clean laminate floors isn’t the same as the strategy you’d use to polish oak planks. Laminate flooring requires extra attention since, unlike hardwood, the surface cannot be restored if stains or damage occur. It’s vital to maintain your flooring and treat them with care to avoid costly replacements. Here’s how to clean laminate floors like an expert, whether you have new laminate flooring or simply want your old ones to appear as wonderful as they did the day they were placed.

1. Read the laminate flooring’s cleaning directions carefully.

Consult the manufacturer’s directions for your floors before you begin cleaning. Based on the materials used, the brand may have special suggestions. On most firms’ websites, there are thorough product manuals and directions on how to clean laminate flooring.

2. Avoid abrasive tools.

Even if you have cheap laminate flooring, it doesn’t mean you don’t have to pay any attention to it thinking it is cheap to replace. Avoid putting anything abrasive on laminate flooring since it can scratch them (steel wool, for example). To sweep up the debris, use a soft-bristle broom or dust mop. If you’re vacuuming, avoid using attachments that don’t include a beater bar or rotating brush since they can scrape the surface.

3. Don’t use a lot of water.

Traditional mopping is not recommended for laminate floors due to the risk of water seeping into the seams and causing damage (like swelling or floor bubbling). Staining or fading can also be caused by pools of water.

4. Mop your laminate floor every two months (carefully).

Mop your laminate flooring every two months to keep them looking new. Microfiber mops (also known as damp mops) are soft enough to use on laminate floors. If you’re going to use a standard mop, simply wring it out until it’s nearly dry.

5. Don’t allow stains to sit on the floor for long periods of time.

Spills should be dealt with as soon as they occur. The best approach to avoid stains is to clean up spills as soon as possible. Liquids can damage laminate floors, so it’s important to keep them as dry as possible.

6. Use only laminate-specific cleaning chemicals.

As a result, oil-based cleaning agents produce streaks and residue, as well as damage the protective sealant of flooring. Instead of using it directly on the floor, use a mop or microfiber cloth and apply it gently. 

7. A welcome mat should always be placed on the ground.

You can ruin your floor by tracking dirt in from the outdoors. One of the worst enemies of your laminate floor is dirt from a dirty shoe bottom. Grit dirties, dulls and can even harm laminate floors. You can stop dirt in its tracks by providing guests with a welcome mat that allows them a chance to wipe off their shoes.

The building constructed in the form of a beautiful white sailing ship, which so majestically rises above the horizon and looks advantageous against the backdrop of the blue of the Persian Gulf, is the famous luxury hotel Burj Al Arab. And if this information is still known to many, then below you will learn five facts about which little is said, but which will definitely complement your admiration for this hotel! AX Capital, luxury real estate agency in Dubai, possesses much more information than an ordinary tourist.

About Burj Al Arab

To begin with, let us recall what this luxury hotel is like:

• Category: 5 stars;
• Location: Dubai Marina – Jumeirah Beach Road;
• Own helipad at an altitude of over 200 meters;
• Predominance of luxurious golden shades in the interior.

Now let us move on to the facts that you might not know about.

Fact # 1: Duplex apartment

There is not just the presence of two-level rooms – all, absolutely all rooms are like this. The minimum area of ​​the room is 170 sq. m., and the largest one is over 650 sq. m. This room is a presidential suite for the whole family, as it has as many as three bedrooms.

Fact # 2: Real gold

And this is not a metaphor: the decor elements of the hotel rooms are indeed inlaid with real 24-carat gold. It is known exactly how much gold was used in the chambers of this palace – there is data on the hotel’s website that a total of 1790 sq. m. of interior decoration of Burj Al Arab is covered with gold.

Fact # 3: Man-made island

Perhaps this fact will not seem surprising to a person who was in Dubai and saw, for example, the Palm Jumeirah island, also created by people. However, in relation to Sail, the structure itself, or rather, its durability, seems surprising: the huge building weighs, according to approximate estimates, 250,000 tons!

In order for the Sail to remain on the surface, 250 piles were erected under it, each about 40 meters high. The perimeter of the island is protected by special blocks from waves, which indicates the utmost safety of the building.

Fact # 4: Blankets with secret

Of course, the very fact that they offer warm blankets in the rooms in a hot country seems strange. Perhaps blankets are needed for those travelers who like to first create a fierce cold in the living space with the help of an air conditioner, and then cover themselves with a warm blanket and keep warm. One way or another, there are blankets, and not simple ones: eiderdown is used as a filler. This is one of the most expensive materials: fluff is obtained from abandoned nests; each nest can produce only about 20 grams of fluff. It is allowed to collect only 2000 kg of eiderdown per year. You can imagine how much one such blanket costs.

Fact # 5: Taking care of nature

The sail hotel houses a sea turtle hospital, where injured and sick animals are rehabilitated with the support of Dubai Wildlife Conservation Department.

Assistance in purchasing real estate in Dubai!

Staying in luxury hotels in Dubai is good. And it is even more beautiful to wake up every morning with a view of such magnificent buildings as Burj Al Arab! Finding accommodation overlooking the Sail or any other apartment in Dubai is an easy task for AX Capital. Contact the company to get qualified assistance with any questions in the field of Arab real estate.

CARROLL, a leading privately held real estate company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, recently acquired two multifamily communities in Las Vegas, Nevada: Emerald Springs and The Meadows. M Patrick Carroll is the Founder and CEO of CARROLL and played an instrumental role in the company’s market expansion efforts.  Both properties were acquired via CARROLL’s institutional fund vehicle, Carroll Multifamily Venture VI, LP, and will be rebranded as ARIUM assets: ARIUM Emerald Springs and ARIUM Meadows.

Located off Nellis Boulevard in East Las Vegas, situated merely 20 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, the properties present unique residential opportunities for those working in the tourism industry, which accounts for more than 400,000 jobs in the metro area. Additionally, they offer residents excellent access to the city’s retail and entertainment destinations.

CARROLL sees Las Vegas as a high-growth, supply-constrained market that is set to experience rapid growth as the city recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from 2020 reveals that Clark County’s population grew by nearly 2%, or 40,000 residents, despite the pandemic. Rent growth, which initially declined at the beginning of the pandemic, has already rebounded. Demand for multifamily units is outpacing supply, driving vacancy rates down.

Speaking on this growth opportunity, experienced real estate investor M Patrick Carroll reported, “This acquisition represents a unique opportunity to enter a market we have been targeting for the past three years.” He explained, “Markets like Las Vegas, Denver, Phoenix, and the Pacific Northwest that allow varied investment strategies between core-plus and value-add have been fundamental targets for CARROLL because of the short- and long-term successes they offer.”

The acquisition falls in line with the company’s current investment approach: “[Its] Core/Core+ strategy targets longer-term holds with growth attributes, including moderate capital infusion and repositioning to allow for more appreciation, while [its] value-add strategy targets well-located assets with rents below market to apply [its] repeatable value-add programs that provide an additional upside to grow revenue and NOI [net operating income].”

Both assets will undergo interior renovations and see improvements in their amenity and common areas. Together, they will add a combined 819 garden-style units – 436 and 383 units, respectively – to the CARROLL portfolio, increasing the firm’s national presence to more than 28,000 units.

Under the leadership of M Patrick Carroll, CARROLL manages multifamily units across eight states. Since its inception in 2004, the firm has successfully purchased, developed, or sold more than $13.1 billion of real estate. The firm has also developed student housing, single-family residential housing, and retail communities, and has overseen more than $250 million of construction management for both owned and fee partners.

ARIUM Emerald Springs and ARIUM Meadows are only two of the five multifamily assets CARROLL has acquired in 2021. Additional acquisitions include Tortuga Pointe by ARIUM, Lansbrook Village by ARIUM, and ARIUM Lakeview.

Tortuga Pointe by ARIUM is a 295-unit multifamily community in St. Petersburg, Florida. It represented an opportunity for CARROLL to acquire a high-quality asset at a favorable basis below replacement cost and at an attractive cap rate.

“The Tampa-St. Petersburg MSA [metropolitan statistical area] has performed exceptionally well throughout the pandemic and is poised to continue its position as one of the nation’s leaders in both population and job growth,” noted M Patrick Carroll. “Tortuga Pointe’s central and highly visible location on Gandy Boulevard provides residents with convenient access to all of the metro’s largest employment, retail, and entertainment centers. We are thrilled to add another great asset to our portfolio in the dynamic Tampa market.”

Lansbrook Village by ARIUM is a 774-unit multifamily asset near the Tampa International Airport and Westshore business district. CARROLL has owned the property since 2014; however, it purchased back the 25 remaining condos in 2021. This represented an opportunity to recapitalize a high-quality, well-performing asset located in the Tampa area.

ARIUM Lakeview is a 522-unit property located in Ocoee, Florida. It sits on 52-plus acres and is situated next to a picturesque 19-acre lake. The acquisition represented an opportunity for the company to acquire a well-located, value-add asset in the rapidly-growing Orlando market.

M Patrick Carroll shared, “Orlando experienced a dramatic rebound in the first half of 2021, with record levels of demand for multifamily [residences] driving unprecedented occupancy gains and rent growth.” He continued, “Orlando has a dynamic business climate that continues to diversify far beyond its tourism roots [and benefits] from a highly-skilled workforce and broadening industry base [that features] rising healthcare and technology sectors. Apartment fundamentals should remain strong as the area is expected to continue as one of the nation’s leaders in both employment and population growth during the coming years.”

In total, these five acquisitions were purchased for $495 million, adding nearly 2,400 units to the CARROLL portfolio in 2021.

About M Patrick Carroll

M Patrick Carroll is the founder and CEO of CARROLL. He leads the firm in strategic acquisitions and dispositions and has steered the successful exit of more than 88 properties from the company’s portfolio, which has translated into $4.2 billion in sales and produced an average gross internal rate of return (IRR) of approximately 26%.

In addition to his strong business acumen, M Patrick Carroll fosters a strong sense of philanthropy, donating his time, money, and reputation to various charitable causes. He serves on the Jesuit High School Foundation Board, the Boys and Girls Club of Tampa Bay Board, and is a member of several industry affiliates. He donates to more than 50 charities worldwide, focusing on health, wellness, and early childhood development. M Patrick Carroll recently became part owner of Società Polisportiva Ars et Labor (SPAL), a historic football team from Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy.

About CARROLL

CARROLL is a prominent real estate investment company that has acquired more than 60,000 multifamily units. Its current portfolio includes more than 30,000 residential and commercial properties across the East Coast. Established in 2004, the firm presently holds more than $5.8 billion in managed assets. CARROLL has acquired more than $7.6 billion in assets and has sold more than $4.2 billion in assets, sponsoring a total of 272 transactions. The company has developed more than $200 million in properties on behalf of its institutional partners, principals, and private investors.

Aside from its many achievements in the real estate industry, CARROLL was recently recognized as one of the best places to work in 2021. The National Apartment Association named CARROLL a winner in its “Large Property Management Group” category.