The 3 Best Things You Can Do For Your Area Rugs

Thursday, March 15th, 2018

Area rugs are a beautiful addition to any room. They add warmth and coziness and tie together a room. Rugs are a large investment and are often placed in high traffic areas, which can make maintaining them a challenge.

When it comes to home or workplace sanitation, having a clean bathroom is not enough. The carpets and rugs also need attending. Similar to wall-to-wall carpeting, area rugs collect dirt and dust which can lead to health problems, including asthma and allergies. There are a few steps you can take to ensure the health and well-being of your family and the longevity of your area rug. If you take good care of your rugs, they will last for many years to come.

No Shoes Policy

Shoes are one of the worst culprits for bringing in dirt, germs, pollen, and muddy prints from outside onto the rugs. Adopting a ‘no-shoes’ policy indoors, especially on your cow rug, can prevent it from looking dirty and dull. Placing door mats at all entryways can really help at keeping excessive dirt from coming into your home and getting trapped in your rugs. If you have pets that go outside, have their paws cleaned or wiped before they enter the house.

Vacuum Regularly

Vacuuming is probably the best thing you can do for your carpets. By vacuuming regularly, you can greatly extend the life of your area rugs and reduce the amount of dirt and allergens that can get trapped in your carpets. Vacuuming twice a week is ideal, or more in higher traffic areas.

Wool rugs have thick pile in which dirt and dust can get trapped easily in the fibers. Vacuum slowly and in different directions for the most thorough and effective cleaning. For an ever more thorough cleaning, vacuum the underside of the rugs every couple of months.

You can also take it old-school and get a nice upper body workout by taking the rugs outside and beating the dust and dirt out with a carpet beater prior to vacuuming.

If you have pets in the home, you know how fur can stubbornly stick to area rugs. Especially if that pet is an old dog that tends to shed its hair due to age or an infection (which could be treated using products like CBD oil for dogs UK), no matter how many times you vacuum over it, the fur will simply refuse to come out. So maybe you should try this trick before vacuuming: use a window squeegee or plastic gloves to wipe up excess fur which would otherwise get left behind during vacuuming.

Although vacuuming is one of the best things you can do for your area rugs at home, the reality is that once dirt goes into the carpet, it doesn’t come out that easily.

Professional Carpet Cleaning

Nowadays, DIY projects and hacks are becoming increasingly popular. While there are many great tips out there on almost everything, many DIY area rug cleaning can cause irreparable damage and cannot compare with professional area rug cleaning. These tips often suggest the use of dish soap or laundry detergents, both of which are too harsh to use on the fibers and may cause colour bleeding.

The best and most effective solution ins to have your rugs cleaned professionally. Prior to cleaning, professional carpet cleaners will assess the carpet for material, colour fastness, and any major concerns. They should also be willing to answer any questions you may have.

Specialty rugs such as wool, oriental, Persian, and silk might require special care similar to what a persian rug cleaning & washing in Los Angeles firm can offer. For example, wool rugs have a unique, thick pile that can only be cleaned with special machines. This is because the fibers of the wool rugs soak in more water and get heavy. This could also be why drier carpet cleaning methods work best for wool carpets.

Getting your area rugs cleaned professionally ensures that your rug is getting a deep clean. This thorough cleaning essentially removes dust, dirt, allergens, and pet dander without the risk of damaging it with at-home cleaning products and techniques.

Fall Allergies and What You Can Do About It

Thursday, November 2nd, 2017

When most people think of the fall season, they think of colorful trees, the cool crisp air, and pumpkin-spiced lattes. Seldom would one think of mold or mildew that is creeping in, and to look for professionals at https://moldremediation.io/, or elsewhere, to do damage control. Not you though, you’ve got allergies to worry about, that are caused by a number of reasons.

One of the biggest triggers behind fall allergies is ragweed. Ragweed releases pollen from September to well into October. Other big offenders include mold, which can be found on damp piles of leaves, and dust mites, which find their way into your home from the cool weather and settle in beds, upholstery, and carpets.

Mold loves damp areas both indoors and out. It can also affect the indoor air quality considerably. Homeowners try to use a toxic mold test kit to understand the degree of pollution that arise indoors as a result of mold formation. While basements and bathrooms are some of the areas where mold grows inside, piles of damp leaves and other wet areas outside are also common for mold. Raking leaves can disturb the pollen and mold into the air. Causing allergic and asthmatic symptoms. Pollen is killed by the first frost, but mold and mildew are not and instead go into a dormant phase during the winter months.

Children can also show symptoms once they go back to school as schools commonly have mold and dust mites. Exposure to chalk dust can also offset allergies.

Here’s what you can do about it

Allergies often bring symptoms of sleepiness, feeling tired, poor concentration, and decreased productivity. One of the best things you can do is limit your exposure to allergens. Ensure that you keep your surroundings dust-free and examine your home for mold infestation before the season for allergies begins. To improve indoor air quality, you can also get your HVAC system and air ducts repaired and restored by an expert. You can look for HVAC companies in Dallas, TX, or in your neighborhood to hire a professional for the regular maintenance of your heating furnace and air conditioner. With a few precautions here and there, as well as a clean home and limited outdoor exposure, you can reduce the severity of your allergic symptoms.

  1. Clean air ducts and air filters for your furnace before turning on the heating for the first time. Dust, dirt, and allergens that are trapped in the ducts and air filter will get blown in the air throughout your home. And once you’ve finished cleaning, you can look for skip hire sydney (or any other location for that matter) to get rid of any trash that you won’t need in the future. Cleaning your house once in a while may also free up some space for new items.
  1. Check your local forecast for the pollen count and limit the time you spend outside when the count is high.
  1. It may also be a good idea to do a thorough cleaning of the house every once in a while and make use of Cheap rubbish removals Melbourne or elsewhere to get rid of the items that are no longer needed.
  1. Showering before going to bed will remove all pollen from hair and skin and prevent it from getting on your pillows and bedding.
  1. Change your bed sheets on a weekly basis so you’re not breathing in allergens all night.
  1. If you have pets that spend significant time outdoors, wipe them down with a damp towel to remove any loose pollen. This can prevent pollen from settling on your upholstery and carpets.
  1. If you enjoy drying your clothes on a clothesline or drying rack, especially during the warmer months, your clothes will be covered in pollen. Dry clothes in a dryer instead to prevent making allergies worse.
  1. Call professional carpet cleaning services to clean your carpets, area rugs, and upholstered furniture. Carpets act like filters and trap all sorts of dirt, soil, and allergens deep within the fibers, which is one of the biggest culprits of indoor allergies and asthma. These allergens get agitated into the air as you walk on the carpet, which as you breathe in can cause allergic reactions.

The ChemDry Hot Carbonating Extraction (HCE) method is recommended by the Asthmatic Association because of all of the cleaning agents are natural and Green-certified, making it non-toxic and safe to use around children, pets, and those with breathing sensitivities. According to an independent Home Health Study, the ChemDry method removes 98% of allergens from carpets and upholstery and 89% of bacteria to improve indoor air quality.

At Action ChemDry, we also offer commercial carpet cleaning services, to provide you with a cleaner and healthier environment.

With the tips above, you can limit your exposure to allergens and truly enjoy the colourful fall season.

Natural Ways to Get rid of Odours from Your Home

Wednesday, September 13th, 2017

Smells are inevitable in homes. From the pleasant aromas of perfumes and candles to the unpleasant odours of smoke and food odours, smells are inevitable in all homes. Most quick fixes include using air fresheners and candles, but these only mask the smell and are often synthetic, which greatly reduces the quality of the air in your home. Many people are beginning to opt for more natural solutions, and most everyday cleaning can be done using items found in your cabinets.

  1. Remove the source of the odour

The best tool to use for this task is your trusted nose. Often an entire house can smell because of a kitchen sink, clogged gutters, or a spill on the carpet, so removing the source of the odour is the clear first step. However, at times you may not know how to do it yourself. For example, removing the debris and cleaning the gutters isn’t an easy task. You may need to climb on the roofs, and if this isn’t your cup of tea, you may contact a gutter cleaning service such as Gutter Cleaning Little Rock to do it for you.

  1. Multiple uses for baking soda

Many people leave a box of baking soda in their fridge to eliminate food smells. Remember to place the box of baking soda away from the vegetables, as the sodium bicarbonate can cause leafy green vegetables to wilt faster.

Carpets absorb the all smells in your home, which could be a likely cause for the lingering smell that you may have become nose-blind to. Another great use for baking soda is to sprinkle some all over your carpet and vacuuming it after about an hour.

Aside from being useful in school science classes, baking soda combined with vinegar can do wonders for your sink. If your sink begins to smell, toss in a generous amount of baking soda down your sink and follow that by pouring vinegar to create a chemical reaction. Leave it for about 15 minutes before draining it down with warm water.

  1. Improve ventilation

Replacing stale air with fresh air from outside is the fastest way to neutralise odours. Open all the windows for ten minutes a day to get a draft blowing through the house. This will flush out odours that have been sitting in your home for days, replacing them with clean outdoor air. This would be more helpful if you had a garden outside your home. You could plant all sorts of trees there, learn how to prune roses to keep them healthy and smelling beautiful, and let that smell waft in to eliminate odours.

However, if you live in a city, the outdoor air might not smell much better than it does inside. Your windows may also not open, or it might be dangerous to leave them open for too long. It can also be noisy and cold with the windows thrown wide, so you’ll need to find other ways of improving ventilation in your home.

You can start by improving air circulation in the crawl space under your floors. A company similar to this Pier and beam Houston based repair firm can install passive or mechanical ventilation systems to draw air in and out through filters, helping to replace stale air whilst also reducing mould and mildew growth – major causes of poor air quality.

  1. The universal cleaner: vinegar

For those that have a garburator, a quick fix usually consists of running through pieces of lemon or lime or a few ice cubes through the disposal. Freezing vinegar in ice cube trays and running those through the garbage disposal is a better alternative especially since vinegar has odour eliminating powers.

Use these odour eliminating powers to your advantage. Boiling vinegar is a great deodorizer for your entire house. Your kitchen may smell like vinegar at first, but this usually dissipates quickly. This is also a much safer alternative to synthetic air fresheners, which can greatly reduce the air quality in your home. You can also boil some vinegar separately next time you cook, so food smells, such as from fish, are less empowering throughout the house.

If the odour from the garbage disposal persists, then it may be an indication of clogged drains. In that case, you might want to consider taking professional help from a plumbing company like this one that can provide repair services. Once that is fixed, you can then go ahead and use the homemade solutions for a clean garburator.

  1. Coffee Grounds

Similar to vinegar, coffee grounds are a great deodorizer as well. If your garbage is beginning to smell but it is not full yet, throw in some coffee grounds which can help reduce smells, much like how teabags can be placed in shoes for deodorizing purposes.

Placing coffee grounds in a bowl and placing them in a room can absorb unpleasant smells. It also comes with an added bonus of getting a nice whiff of coffee when passing by.

  1. Activated charcoal

Activated charcoal is both a clean and pure method of eliminating odours naturally. It works continuously to remove odours at the molecular level. Activated charcoal can be found at local retailers such as the Home Depot. You can place it near litter boxes, under the sink, or even in bathrooms to eliminate odours, making it the ideal choice.

In rare circumstances, a house could smell like rotten eggs. This indicates a gas leak and should be left to the professionals for immediate action. While the tips above are great for everyday cleaning, other times may call for a more thorough cleaning. Scrubbing walls and repainting them in the room where the smell is the strongest may help eliminate the smell. Additionally, replacing carpets can help if they are heavily soiled. A less costly alternative can be achieved by scheduling a professional carpet cleaning appointment.

ChemDry has a line of revolutionary and Green-certified products to keep your carpets and upholstery looking and smelling clean. In an independent Home Health Study concluded that the ChemDry method removed 89% of airborne bacteria, which improves indoor air quality. While your carpet may look clean on the surface, only professional carpet cleaners can remove the soil and allergens that are trapped deep in the fibers. In the meantime, give these carpet cleaning tips a try.

Tips to have a clean carpet in your home

Friday, August 4th, 2017

Carpets are a big investment that can add comfort to any home. Anyone with a carpet in their homes understands the heart-sinking feeling when the inevitable spill happens. With the following carpet-cleaning and spot removal tips in your arsenal, you’ll be ready to tackle the toughest stains and reverse the damage as soon as it happens.

  1. Cleaning your carpets before they become dirty

It may sound a bit counterproductive to clean your carpets before they appear dirty, but most of the soiling is trapped deep in the fibers of the carpet and is not visible to the eye. Without regular cleaning, the soil wears down the fibers, making it appear older and worn out. Not only that, but mold can form underneath the carpets, to the point where you may even need to get someone like these Mold Remediation Services out to get rid of it and restore your property before you can then concentrate on getting the carpets looking beautiful again.

  1. Vacuum slowly

Homes with children and pets are especially vulnerable to dirt and bacteria getting trapped deep inside the carpet. If cleaned incorrectly, these residual spots of moisture may trap soil, hair, and dirt, and create stains over time that are hard to remove. So, instead of vacuuming speedily, try vacuuming slowly to get out as much dirt and dust as possible. And if you’re too busy to clean it that way, you could consider looking at robot vacuums new models to make it a hassle-free and automated process of cleaning.

  1. Blot instead of rubbing

The technique for wiping wet stains in very important so as to not damage the fibers of the carpet and to remove as much as possible. Remember to blot inward to prevent spreading the stain. Rubbing on the other hand spreads the stain around the carpet, making it more difficult to clean up quickly.

Without the proper techniques, cleaning up a spill can be difficult. Oftentimes household items are safer, more economic and more effective at cleaning than harsh chemicals that could potentially bleach the colour off your carpets.

  1. Shaving Cream

Shaving cream can be considered the universal cleaner for just about all stains. Let it sit for a half hour and then blot the area clean. Finish it off with a mixture of one part vinegar and one part water in a spray bottle and spray the area. Blot to dry.

  1. Baking Soda and Vinegar

Aside from their ever-popular use in elementary school science classes, baking soda and vinegar are excellent at cleaning up stains that are slightly more stubborn or beginning to dry.

  1. Table salt

So you quickly clean up a carbonated drink spill and are worried about it leaving a stain on your carpets. Sprinkle a generous amount of table salt, enough to cover the stain, and leave it overnight. Vacuum the salt the following morning and there will be no evidence of any soda spills.

  1. Baby Powder

The dreaded grease stains are some of the most difficult stains to get rid of. After cleaning the stain as much as possible, sprinkle some baby powder over the stain, covering it completely, and place a brown paper bag or dry cloth on top. Set your iron on low and iron over the top of the paper bag or cloth. Be careful not to damage or burn your carpet. Repeat the process until all the grease is completely absorbed from the carpet. This technique works great on grease stains on clothing as well.

  1. Dishwashing Detergent

Dishwashing liquid is excellent at cutting through grease. For heavily greased stains on carpet, mix a drop or two (or more depending on the size and level of grease) of dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle and spray over the stain. With a clean damp cloth, use circular motions rather than linear motions to wipe away the detergent, or it may attract more soiling.

  1. Ice Cubes

Nothing is worse than finding gum on your carpets. The best way to remove this sticky mess is to freeze the gum. Grab a few ice cubes and ensure the gum is frozen solid. Try scooping the gum out with a spoon. Most of it should come out this way but if there is still any stuck, cut the carpet strands as close to the gum as possible so the area does not look uneven.

  1. Club Soda

If you enjoy hosting guests and like to socialize at home, sometimes there might be accidental wine or beer spills. Club soda comes in very handy in these scenarios. Mix one part club soda with one part water and spray it on the stain. Use circular motions to agitate the stain out.

  1. Cornstarch

To keep your carpets smelling clean or to get rid of odours, sprinkle cornstarch all over your carpet. Leave this for a couple of hours and then vacuum it up.

Until you call the professionals, use the tips above to manage spills. ChemDry has a line of revolutionary and non-toxic products to keep your carpets smelling clean and tackling stubborn stains. ChemDry products are safe to use around children, pets, pregnant women, people suffering from asthma and other sensitivities. If you prefer green-certified products, ChemDry’s patented carbonating cleaning product, The Natural , is a neutral pH cleaning solution with ingredients taken from Mother Nature herself.

5 Carpet Cleaning Hacks Every Homeowner Should Try

Monday, June 6th, 2016

The home is a haven. It’s the ultimate playground for children and a thinking cap for parents. However, from time to time, homeowners will revisit their havens to ensure it’s clean and dapper. Cleaning their carpets is one factor contributing to the exquisiteness of their home. That’s easier said than done. If you’re a homeowner who’s quite intrigued in cleaning your carpet, here are a few hacks to give a go.

Getting rid of carpet stains with an iron

Subsequent to starching that beautiful collared shirt, don’t put that iron away just yet. It’s quite dandy in aiding to remove carpet stains. Apply a vacuum to the carpet to remove any debris; moisten the stain or spot with a cloth or towel with water and a hint of vinegar. Cover the stain with the wet towel and apply the iron to the towel. This procedure should lift the stain from the carpet and unto the towel. Remove the towel once the stain is removed. This method might not remove the stain in its entirety, but most of it.

Getting rid of carpet odor

Treating your carpet with vinegar to remove foul odors may leave a high-spirited odor in its place. To clean that up and leave your carpet smelling spring fresh, you can apply your favorite essential oil like mint or lavendar to the rug.

Not only will it leave your carpet clean, but the scent may well permeate throughout the house, providing a spring fresh scent. You could even try pheromones perfume or linen sprays on your carpets. While these are not as always as long-lasting as essential oils they can help you to create a certain scented mood in the house.

Getting rid of pet hair with a squeegee

You love your pets. However, you loathe the idea of having to pick through your carpets to remove their furs. That can be time-consuming and tedious. Fortunately, there are solutions to curb dog hair in your home. You can choose to buy online dog bed that’s easy to clean and adds to your convenience. This step not only enhances your pet’s comfort but also makes your life as a pet owner much easier, demonstrating your commitment to proper pet care. In a similar way, you can also use a vacuum cleaner to get rid of the pet hairs. Well, employing the capabilities of a vacuum cleaner could be challenging when used on its own. Additionally, with a squeegee, homeowners have been effective in getting rid of pet hair from their carpets. However, if you notice that you have to vacuum or use the squeegee more often, it might be an indication that your pet is suffering from a disease. Excessive shedding is not only a cleaning challenge but also a potential sign of an underlying pet health issue. In that case, it’s advisable to consult a Veterinarian to rule out any health concerns. Addressing the root cause of excessive shedding ensures not only a cleaner home but also the well-being of your beloved pet.
Vacuum regularly

Keeping abreast with what goes on with your carpet is important. Having friends over regularly or pets that shed a lot are clear indications that you’ll have to pay doubly attention. Failure to notice the state of your carpet means putting in more work when you’re ready to clean. It also increases the risk of pest infections like moths and fleas and if you have a serious infestation within your home, you will need to use such professionals as https://www.pestcontrolexperts.com/ to help with getting rid of these pests.

Vacuuming can be used as an effective method in getting rid of surface dirt and preventing bugs from settling down and creating a home in your carpet. Doing so at least three (3) times per week should maintain your carpet until you’re ready to do the heavy work.

Soak up spills by using salt

Spills are inevitable. However, you can prepare for them. If you’re unwilling to source a dry or wet vacuum, use salt to soak up spills. After applying salt to the spill, allow it to soak. Subsequently, run your typical or normal vacuum over the area. For this method to take effect, applying salt directly after the spill should do the trick.

Carpet cleaning doesn’t have to be a difficult feat. Apply all the right processes and it could turn out enjoyable.

8 Mistakes To Avoid When Choosing a Carpet Cleaner

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

Mistake #1

Choosing a carpet cleaner based on equipment alone.

No question, your carpet cleaner needs first-rate equipment. But he also needs something else. He needs employees who are skilled at operating that equipment. Many industrial carpet cleaners own state-of-the-art equipment but very few companies either teach their employees or have employees stick around long enough to learn how to use them all properly. The best way to know that the carpet cleaner’s employees have been properly trained is to make sure the carpet cleaner’s employees have been trained and certified. Before you choose a carpet cleaner ask to see written proof of the technician’s independent Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI) certification.

Mistake #2

Choosing a carpet cleaner based on low price.

Low price could alert you to a problem in three ways: (1) low price can be the bait that attracts your phone call. But once the cleaner(s) gets into your home they pressure you into a much more expensive job. (2) Low price can be for a ‘single-process’ cleaning. Rarely does the consumer know what this means and, when told, they realize it’s worthless and must choose the much more expensive ‘dual-process’ cleaning. (3) Low price means the cleaner must use cheap equipment, cheap products and spend a little time as possible doing the cleaning to be able to make a buck – all of which will not effectively clean your carpets and may even leave them in a worse state than before the cleaning took place.

Mistake #3

Choosing a carpet cleaner based on a single telephone call.

As with choosing any service provider, it is always a good idea to check the credentials of the carpet cleaning company before you invite them into your home. How long have they been in business, are they a member of the Better Business Bureau, do they offer firm, written quotations prior to performing any services are all important considerations to avoid becoming the victim of high-pressure sales tactics when the technician steps into your living room. For example, if you were looking for a carpet cleaner in your local area, you may use a search term similar to carpet cleaners Chesapeake, or one more relevant, to research if the company you’re considering comes up in searches, and if it does you might want to check what people are saying about the prospective company, in order to help you make an informed decision.

Mistake #4

Choosing a carpet cleaner that doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee.

In my view, every carpet cleaning company should be fully accountable for their work. If you aren’t pleased with the job in every way you shouldn’t have to pay for it. Period. Not all carpet cleaners offer guarantees. If they do, the guarantee may be “limited”. Ask the carpet cleaner if they offer a money-back guarantee and then make sure it’s simple, easy to understand and available in writing.

Mistake #5

Choosing a carpet cleaner without getting comments from their other clients.

Any carpet cleaner can say anything about their past jobs. And, sadly, some of what they say may not be true. Make sure you ask for references or read comments from current customers so you can depend on the carpet cleaning company, their technicians and their work.

Mistake #6

Choosing a carpet cleaner not certified by the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI)

If your carpet cleaner isn’t a close friend you may not know whether he has the knowledge or experience to clean your carpet well. If you want to be sure you’r hiring a competent professional, make sure he is CRI certified. A carpet cleaner must earn this certification through study, experience and successful completion of formal, written examinations. In effect, cleaners who are certified by the CRI have earned a college degree in carpet care and maintenance.

Mistake #7

Choosing a carpet cleaner who isn’t a member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Chamber of Commerce and EthicalServices.com

These business and trade associations are known to promote and in fact demand honest, ethical business practices from their membership. EthicalServices.com is a trade association for carpet cleaners that are dedicated to setting a high standard for the industry. It has been profiled on such news programs as ABC’s 20/20, and promoted on their website as a resource consumers should use to find an honest, professional carpet cleaning firm. You’re making a wise decision when you have your carpets cleaned by a member of these noteworthy associations.

Mistake #8

Choosing a carpet cleaner who doesn’t use safe, natural cleaning solutions that are free of soaps, detergents and harsh chemicals.

You might expect this from me, since my employees and I use this type of system but there are several good reasons. Although soaps and detergents work great to clean our laundry it’s actually the multiple rinse cycles that remove the sticky soaps and harsh cleaners used to clean our clothing. If the same amount of rinsing were used to remove carpet cleaning “shampoos” your house would take weeks to dry!

With all the pollutants and contminants that get trapped in your home every day the last thing you need to do is hire a cleaner who leaves behind their own phosphates, enzymns, perfumes, detergents and harsh chemicals. The only place these should be is in the Storemasta cabinets at their shop for when they need to clean things that require such harsh chemicals, not in your home. Hot Carbonating Extraction (HCE) is the Rolls Royce of carpet cleaning. Compared to shampooing and steam cleaning methods HCE uses safer products, less moisture and leaves no unhealthy, sticky residues. So all the way around you get a much better job. No two ways about it.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Welcome to the Recommendations section of this consumer information message. It might be handy if you have a pen and paper handy so you can write down some of the information contained in this and the “Questions to ask your carpet and upholstrery cleaner” sections of this message.

If you’re thinking about having your carpets cleaned, we offer you these four recommendations:

Recommendation # 1

Clean on a Regular Basis. Make a commitment to yourself to get your carpets cleaned on a regular basis. The longer they remain dirty, the sooner they’ll wear out. Plus the longer you have to breathe all the pollens, fungi, chemicals and dust mites that live in your carpet, the longer you will be living in an indoor environment that has poor indoor air quality. Leaving carpets for too long could also lead to mold forming, and you may find that you need to call someone like Pure Air North Carolina to come out and remove this from your property before you get the carpets cleaned so that you can start afresh.

Recommendation # 2

List your objectives. Do you want only the surface dirt removed, or do you want the bacteria, fungi and chemicals removed? Do you want to be able to enjoy the use of the cleaned area as soon as possible following cleaning and do you want it to remain clean for a longer period of time? Also do you want the cleaning product to leave the carpet totally safe for infants and pets who sit and crawl close to the carpet fibres? Do you want to work with an honest, reputable company…..or are you willing to risk working with the company that offers you the lowest price….knowing that they might not be in business tomorrow?

Recommendation # 3

Ask questions. Ask your cleaner lots of questions, they will appreciate the fact that you obviously care about your carpets and upholstery. A professional company should be very willing to let you know why they should be the carpet cleaner of choice. If they are too busy to answer your questions or are evasive, call another cleaning company who will answer all of your questions. If they are too busy to answer your questions, they are not likely to give you the service you deserve and expect. The way you learn about a company is to ask specific questions and listen carefully to the answers.

Recommendation # 4

Get a Firm Quote before the Job. Once you’re satisfied that you’re working with an honest, competent professional cleaner, invite him into your home and ask for a specific quotation in writing, A written quotations gives you the assurance that you know exactly what your job will cost – no suprises, no bait and switch.

That doesn’t mean that you will not be offered additional services that are designed to keep your carpet and upholstery cleaner longer, such as “Stainguard”. This is a value added service that you should seriously look at and consider for your carpets and upholstery. It is not a useless service designed to “jack up: the price of your cleaning. In fact at Pacific Isle Chem-Dry all of our cleaning packages include the application of Protectant for your carpets.

By following these four basic recommendaions, you’ll gain all the information you need to make an informed, intelligent decision. If you want a quick, cheap carpet cleaning job, many companies in the phone book can help you. However, if you want a professional guaranteed job done on your valuable carpet and upholstery investment, take the time to look for a professional in your area that will provide you with the service you deserve and expect.

Carpet Cleaning Methods

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

THE ADVANTAGES & DISAVANTAGES OF EACH

Carpet cleaning is very important for your home. Over the years your carpets will attract a lot of dirt and debris that will fly back up every time someone steps on them. This can cause allergies and make your home not a clean place to be, plus, if you are not stringent with your cleaning in general, there is the possibility of pests making their way into your home and carpets. Whilst cleaning is an important and necessary factor, you may need to call in Pest Control services too so that you are doing everything you can for a healthy home. Today we will discuss the various cleaning methods for your carpet and how effective they are so you can make the right judgment call when deciding how to clean and what other steps you may need to take.

SHAMPOOING is one of the oldest methods of carpet cleaning. It uses a rotary floor machine where shampoo is injected through the brushes and whipped to a foam on the carpet. The theory is that the foam and dirt will dry so that they can be vacuumed from the carpet. The advantages are the fairly low usage of water and the relatively good surface cleaning. Problems occur because the oils in the soap never completely dry. They leave a sticky residue on the fibres that can rapidly attract new dirt & soil. This dirt attracting residue is the basic reason people complain that their carpets re-soil so quickly after being shampooed.

STEAM CLEANING doesn’t actually use STEAM because the scolding temperatures would be more than hot enough to permanently damage most fibres. The correct name is actually Hot Water Extraction. This method uses an extraction system to pressure spray the cleaning solution directly into the carpets and immediately extract it with a vacuum pump. Many companies tend to use distilled water in their cleaning equipment due to its low ion concentration, which allows for stronger interactions and more effective extraction. If you’re looking to buy distilled water, check with firms like Golyath or other similar companies. The theory is that hot water will immediately dissolve ground in soils & grease in the few seconds it takes to pull the cleaning wand across the carpet. The advantages are usually lower than the average cost to the consumer and the speed at which a job can be completed. Problems arise because soils do not usually dissolve this rapidly and not all the solution sprayed down can be vacuumed from the carpets. This can leave carpets wet beyond tolerable limits, which can produce problems such as shrinkage, split seams, and aid in the formation of mold and mildew. It can also be very inconvenient to the customer to have to wait for many hours, or even days before furniture can be replaced or normal traffic can resume in the cleaned area. Inadequate removal of soil and stains combined with overwetting is why many people notice the same stains reappearing a few days after having this type of cleaning done.

DRY POWDERS and DRY FOAMS were invented to solve the severe problems wetting can create. Dry powder cleaning uses powders made of absorbent compounds (some instances can be found on The Cleaning Collective) that are saturated with detergents and dry cleaning solvents. They are applied directly to the carpet and brushed in with a machine. After about a half hour of contact time, the particles along with the absorbed soil are removed with a vacuum. Dry foam uses a mechanical unit and detergent to make a foam that is worked into the carpet and vacuumed off. Since moisture levels are low the advantage is the limited risk of over-wetting. Water, however, is often called the UNIVERSAL SOLVENT and without enough of it present some soils are not removed and remain to attract even more soil. Residues from the cleaning compounds also remain behind and contribute to re-soiling.

ELECTROSTATIC cleaning is a lesser-known method that uses static electricity to ZAP the dirt from your carpet. It claims to employ a special electrolytic solution to remove soil Scientifically this is very unlikely since both damp pads and damp carpet conduct electricity and would not allow a charge to build up.

CARBONATED CLEANING is the method that my company uses. By contrast to the methods mentioned so far, this method uses no soaps, detergents or harsh chemicals at all in its cleaning. We use THE NATURAL – a clear carbonated solution made from completely safe ingredients copied from Mother Nature.

In laboratory tests carpets cleaned with THE NATURAL actually resisted resoiling better than brand new carpets. Chem-Dry holds the exclusive patent on using carbonation in its cleaning method. If you have ever shaken up a bottle of soda you realize the powerful reaction carbonation can have. On your carpet the tiny bubbles go right to the base of the fibre exploding dirt and stains apart and lifting them to the surface for extraction. Because of the aggressive nature of the carbonated reaction very littlle solution is needed, so most carpets dry in about one – two hours, with none of the risks associated with over wetting.

How does this innovation benefit you?

Your carpets will come cleaner than ever before

Your carpets will dry faster

Your carpets will stay cleaner longer, saving you money

You will have no soaps, phosphates, detergents or other harsh cleaners in your carpets.

Misconception #5

The company that offers the lowest price is the company you should hire.

No. Price is what you pay….Value is what you get for your hard earned money. I’ve seen so many problems arise from the lowest-bid companies that I suggest you NEVER hire the company that quotes the cheapest price. The three most common problems are:

(1) The price you see offered may not be for the services you want performed. The company may be equipped to remove only some of the dirt from your carpet but, you may want bacteria, fungus, pollens dust mites, tobacco residues and air pollutants removed as well.

(2) The price you see advertised may not be the price you pay. Many homeowners have learned that the low price they saw advertised only lasted until the cleaner got into their home. They were then pressured into paying a lot more for a variety of add-ons. (Some carpet cleaners even break the law by using illegal bait-and switch tactics).

(3) The low price may mean the carpet cleaner has cheap equipment, which will not effectively clean your carpet, is using cheap products, is using low paid employees, who are untrained on the use of proper cleaning and spotting solutions and procedures.

Misconception #6

Any honest carpet cleaning company should be able to give you an exact price over the phone.

I wish this were true, but it isn’t.

Honest, reputable carpet cleaning companies almost never price carpet cleaning by the room. Instead, professionals from reliable home cleaning companies (go now to see an example) would generally set the price of carpet cleaning by the square foot that’s being cleaned. So, if you’d like me to tell you the exact cost of cleaning your carpet, I need to know the exact number of square feet that you want cleaned. To get an accurate measurement, I use a tape measure to calculate the exact size of the carpet area, so that what you’re paying for is just the area you want cleaned.

You’ll be glad to know that the carpet area to be cleaned is not nearly as great as most people think. For example, if you want your entire home cleaned and your home is 1500 square feet, the amount of carpeting to be cleaned might only be 800 square feet. This is because most home measurements are outdoor measurements. Also, the area taken up by walls, hard floors etc. reduce significantly the actual carpeted area.

In addition, areas under large pieces of furniture such as entertainment centres, pianos, china cabinets, beds and dressers etc. that you may decide you don’t want moved and cleaned under during the visit will be excluded from the measurements and will reduce the total area being cleaned.

So even though I can’t give you an exact price over the phone, I can give you a fairly close estimate. When the technician arrives he will measure all the areas to be cleaned and give you the exact price before he starts any work.

6 Costly Misconceptions About Carpet Cleaning

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

Misconception #1

You should wait as long as possible before cleaning your carpets.

This is not true. Dirt is an abrasive, just like sandpaper. Every time you step on the carpet you grind dirt into your fibres. This cuts your carpet, just as if you had used a knife causing it to wear out faster. A dirty carpet will not last nearly as long as a clean carpet. Regular vacuuming is important but it can’t remove any tacky or embedded dirt. The longer you wait to have your carpets cleaned, the more damage you do to your carpet, and the faster it will wear out.

Misconception #2

The only reason to clean carpets is to remove dirt.

Although improving and maintaining the appearance of your carpets and upholstery is the main reason why most people have them cleaned, there are other important factors to consider. Environmental pollutants can build up in fabrics at an alarming rate, especially in carpets. The range of contaminants can be vast including; lawn fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides and fungicides, cooking vapors, tobacco smoke, food crumbs, beverage spills, hair, dead skin cells, pollen and insect remains to name a few all of which provide a food source for harmfull micro-orgainisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, dust mites and mold. If you or your family suffer from allergies, asthmas, emphysema or other breathing problems another reason to clean your carpets is to remove these contaminants, though you will still need to keep your medications and things like these https://serp.co/best/nasal-moisturizers/ products, if you use these, stocked up so that you can use them as and when you need to.

Misconception #3

Having equipment is all a company needs to clean your carpets properly.

Many companies own hot water cleaners, but a large number of employees don’t know how to use them. You probably know someone who bought the newest computer on the market, but didn’t know how to use it. The same is true with carpet cleaning machines. The company may own good equipment, but the employees may not know how to use it correctly. That is why it’s important that you choose your carpet cleaner carefully.

At Chem-Dry, all our carpet cleaning technicians must undergo an intensive training program called Chem-College. The carpet technician must earn the certification through study, experience and the successful completion of a formal written examination. Technicians who pass Chem-College have, in effect, earned a degree in carpet cleaning.

Misconception #4

One method of carpet cleaning is as good as another.

You can choose from a variety of different methods. The following will help you choose the one that meets your specific objectives.

How To Avoid 4 Carpet Cleaning Rip-Offs

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

HOW TO AVOID 4 CARPET CLEANING RIP-OFFS

RIP-OFF #1:UNBELIEVABLY LOW PRICE.

To some degree, all of us are attracted by low price because we want to work within a budget.  But some carpet cleaners use price as the bait for their false and misleading advertising.  They offer a cheap price–ususally between $4.95 and $9.95 per room, and then, once they’re in your home, they pressure you into buying “extras.”  It’s as if you were buying a car and found that the dealer was charging you extra for the tires and steering wheel.  Carpet cleaning is not as cheap as some unethical companies would like you to believe.

RIP-OFF #2: BAIT AND SWITCH.

Dual process carpet cleaning describes the process of applying a detergent or heavy preconditioning, followed with hot water extraction or rinsing.  Unfortunately, unethical carpet cleaners often use dual process as a bait-and-switch technique.  Here’s how it’s done:  First they “bait” you with a basic cleaning  (single process) at an unbelievably low price.  Then, when they arrive, they try to “switch” you to more expensive dual-process cleaning.  If you don’t fall for their switch and choose their basic service, you’ll likely receive poor workmanship using little more  than plain water and they will not guarantee their work.

RIP- OFF #3: UNSUPPORTED CLAIMS.  “THIS CLEANING METHOD IS THE BEST.”

You’ll read this in almost every ad.  You’ll hear this from virtually every carpet cleaner.  Remember this:  the method that’s best for you is the method that achieves your goal.  If you want a method that dries quickly, then a method that takes a long time to dry isn’t the best for you.  So before you choose a carpet cleaner, identify your objectives.  Then select the method that best reaches those objectives.  Making sure the company stands behind their work with a 100% money-back guarantee lets you know they’re serious about doing the job right.

RIP-OFF #4: OUTDATED BELIEFS “CLEANED CARPETS TAKE DAYS TO DRY.”

Years ago many people believed you had to soak your carpets with lots of soaps and water to get them clean.  But today we know this is false.  Over wetting and sticky soaps can cause mold and bacteria problems as well as damage the carpet and floor beneath.  Obviously each carpet cleaner will be biased towards his own method, and each method does have advantages.  I suggest a good place to start is by making sure the company you choose is a CRI (Carpet & Rug Institute) accredited firm with trained, certified technicians who know how to properly clean all types of carpets and perform advanced spotting.