First, do you know what your floors are made of? Many assume that all tile is roughly the same, but not so. The most common tile used is ceramic and porcelain. These are man made floors and very resilient. They now come in more and more styles and patterns so much so that sometimes they are hard to distinguish from stone. The other material seen more and more is natural stone. This can be travertine, slate, marble, or granite. There are other less common stones as well used for a variety of things in the house.

Second, what should you use on the floors to clean them? Knowing what you have is extremely important as using the wrong thing can cause costly and unsightly damage to the floors. Ceramic and porcelain are the easiest. You can use virtually any household cleaner and not cause any problems. That being said, you should not use just anything on them. As far as stone, it is imperative that you follow the instructions you got when the floor was installed. If you do not have that, go with a neutral ph cleaner as acids (even as common as vinegar) will begin to dull and etch travertine and marble floors.

Third, what is the process for maintaining the floors? The most important aspect of cleaning is dry soil removal. How you do this is very important on tile and grout. Your best means is to vacuum! This lifts the soil off the floor and out of grout lines. A distant second is sweeping. The last thing, just slightly better than nothing at all, is dust mopping. Why? You are pushing the dirt into the grout lines to stay for all eternity! Well at least until a professional cleaning. Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum regularly.

Next comes wet cleaning. Here is where knowing what material your floors are made of is so important. If you are unsure, just use warm water. Even if you do use a cleaner, use it sparingly. Sometimes we treat the floors as if we are scrubbing a greasy fry pan, putting way too much soap in the water. All you need us just enough to help break up the soil, nothing more. The long term effect is that soapy water sits in the grout lines and dries. Grout can become like a dirt magnet in this case. Look at the edges of the room and compare the color of the grout with the color in the center of the room. Darker? It could be that you are using too much cleaner.

Follow these simple steps and keep that floor looking good!

Eating and watching TV. Is that an average night for you? Your favorite food, your favorite beverage, and your favorite chair! We spend a lot of time sitting down. So how do you take care of the things that take care of you? Let’s talk about keeping your upholstery looking good and lasting a long time. After all, HAVE YOU PRICED UPHOLSTERY? YIKES! It is really expensive to replace; so let’s maintain!

As with carpets, dry soil removal is important. Vacuum your upholstery periodically. This does not have to be nearly as often or as vigorous as your carpeting and rugs. The very nature of upholstery means it soils differently; we are not walking on it (hopefully) and there are many vertical surfaces on upholstery which means less areas for soil to settle. Many times it is simply dust and hair that are being removed, but it is still important. One exception is if you have pets; you may need to vacuum quite frequently to remove their hair or fur.

Most of the wear on upholstery will happen in very specific areas: on the armrests, specifically where are hands are, where we rest our head, and on the footrests. The wear happens here not only be these are used often, but also because we are oily beings. Not quite like Golden Retrievers, but still oily. Whenever you sit and rest on the fabric you are leaving a little of yourself. The natural oils produced on the skin rubs off on the fabric. Add to this sweat and you have a concoction that can weaken fabric. It must be removed to avoid becoming a problem.

Removing it requires a little patience. First, find out it the fabric is colorfast. You can do this by putting the cleaner you are going to use on white towel and rubbing each color on the fabric for about 10 seconds. Do this in an area that will not be seen, just in case there is a problem. For instance, the zipper side of a cushion or the bottom corner of a skirt or even the lower back corner of a chair. Look at the towel and see if any color has transferred to the towel. if it has, STOP! Further work may ruin the entire piece. Time to call a professional. If no color transfers, you can proceed.

In order to clean the fabric do not put any cleaner directly on it. First, most will run off and be wasted, and second, it may overwet the fabric. A better idea is to wet a white cotton towel with the cleaner and then gently blot the affected area. If you are worried about water spotting, take a spray bottle with warm water and lightly mist a larger area first, then do your spotting. After the cleaner is applied you can lightly agitate the area with the towel and you will see the oils and sweat begin to lift off. Do not overwet the fabric.

This works fine, but you still need a professional cleaning on a regular basis. It may be as often as once a year or more if you have pets and children. If it is not used often, it may be as infrequently as every 2-5 years. It should still be cleaned within this time frame even if it does not look soiled. It is still accumulating oils from the air and dust. It will make it last longer and look better.

As a side note, if you are looking to purchase a new piece of upholstery, make sure you consider the “cleanablilty” of the piece, not just the looks. If possible, get a piece of the material to take home and get it wet, clean it. It is bitterly disappointing to find out that a very expensive piece of upholstery will not clean up like you think! Or at all!

Keeping these things in mind will keep your furniture looking good for years to come.

In order to properly maintain something you must know what it is. What is materials are your carpet and rug made out of? There are two basic categories: synthetic and natural fibers. Synthetics cover materials like nylon, polyester, acrylic, polypropylene (olefin), and others. Commonly used natural materials are wool, cotton, linen, jute, sisal, and silk. Most wall-to-wall carpets are synthetic, while many rugs are natural. Why does this matter? Because you maintain each category differently. If you do not know what you have and you use the wrong cleaning products on it, you can permanently change the appearance or damage them. In order to identify the materials, check the manufacturer’s information or look at one of the corners of the rug for the tag. You would be surprised how many people do not know what their floor coverings are made of or think they know.

The most basic and important thing you can do to maintain your floor coverings is to remove the dry soil. Vacuum them regularly with a good vacuum, one with plenty of suction and a good beater bar. TAKE YOUR TIME VACUUMING! This is not a race. Moving quickly over the surface to remove the visible soil will have little effect on the soil trapped deeper in the fabric. Go over the carpets or rugs slowly, perhaps multiple times. You are loosening and removing the soil which takes time and especially so on thicker pile. Entry rugs, which take an extra load of dry soil, can be taken outside and flipped over. Run the beater bar over the backing with as little suction as possible. This will break loose the soil and allow gravity to move it out. Then flip it right side up and vacuum it again. Removing the dry soil is the single best thing you can do to prolong the life and beauty of your floor coverings.

Removing spots as soon as they occur is also vital. This is where knowing the materials your floor coverings are made comes in. Make sure you have cleaners compatible with what you have. Natural materials require a more neutral cleaner while synthetics can handle far more aggressive cleaners. Natural fibers can also be far more susceptible to texture change through friction (rubbing too hard either with a brush or even a towel). In all cases, blot, blot, blot!

Finally, get your floor coverings professionally cleaned on a regular basis. Think about your teeth. You brush and floss every day, but that is still not enough. You need to go to the dentist regularly for a deep clean; they remove things you are not able to. So it is with your floor coverings. Even though you do everything you are supposed to, you still need a professional to come in regularly to remove things you cannot.

Do these things and you will be a maintenance superhero!

As the weather warms and the ground thaws it makes the air smell better. As the sun gets higher in the sky we want to open our homes up and air them out. It is also an excellent idea to have your fabrics cleaned, whether carpets or upholstery. Think about this: If you were sick and spent some time in sweat pants and sweat shirts, what did you do with them when you felt better? You got them in the wash! We want to get rid of any remnant of sickness as soon as possible. But what about the sofa or chair you slept in? What about the carpet in the bedroom you were sick in? Time to clean it!

Make us a part of your spring cleaning routine. You will feel better about your home and it will actually be better. Call today!

First we need to get technical. Do carpets really “wear?” Not really. Wear is what happens to the brake pads on your car. The material is literally worn away and is gone. This process is not generally the source of the dark spots on your carpets that are in your hallway or by your chairs. What is really happening is the carpet is a process referred to as abrasion. This is the damaging of the fibers not the loss of them.

Look at the picture. Do you see all the little fibers? Each one is a smooth piece of nylon. What happens when soil is introduced and not removed? What happens when feet walk over the area grinding the soil in? The fibers become damaged. They are no longer smooth but have abrasions on them – cuts, scrapes, etc. The result is twofold and both are negative.

The most obvious consequence is that the fibers no longer reflect light as they did when they were new. Imagine taking a fine sandpaper over the paint on your car. The paint would no longer shine, not because it was dirty, but because the light is not being reflected but rather is being diffused. This is a prime reason that heavily used areas on your carpets begin to darken.

The second consequence is that your carpets soil more quickly. Why? Think of your nonstick pans in your kitchen. When they are new, nothing sticks to them…NOTHING! It’s amazing. But what happens months or years later after countless uses? The finish begins to wear and things start to stick. The same process happens with the abrasion on your carpets. Those nice smooth fibers that nothing seems to stick to when new get cuts, nicks, and scratches that begin to hold soil. This process accelerates with poor maintenance; a vicious cycle.

What can we take away from this? First, you need to live in your house. Abrasion and wear are part of life. Second, there is no set time for the process. In other words, how fast this takes place is entirely up to you! Vacuum your carpets regularly! There are no shortcuts here! Also, have your carpets professionally cleaned with hot water extraction, the type we use here at Reliable Maintenance. No other method will clean your carpets more thoroughly. Your carpet is a big investment. Take care of it!

Call today to schedule your spring cleaning!

When summer turns to fall, the days get shorter and to-do lists get longer. Not only will you have to clean up, take down and store your summer-only gear, but you’ll also have to work hard to get your house ready for fall and winter. Here’s a checklist of tasks to consider as you transition from the dogs days of summer to winter’s long, cold nights.

• Clean your gutters.Leaves, sticks and small debris can turn into big problems if left in your gutters. Clearing out the trash will help keep your gutters safe when the winter snow and ice piles up. Gutters should be cleaned regularly, but as the leaves keep falling you may need to increase the frequency. As you examine your gutters, you might want to also consider upgrading to seamless gutters or installing gutter guards to help reduce clogging and increase safety.
• Secure your windows. Inspect your windows for gaps where the cold winter air can seep in, making minor caulking repairs when necessary. You’ll want to know before winter settles in if sealing gaps doesn’t fix the problem, that way you have plenty of time to hire installers to bring in replacement windows before it gets too cold. Since the days are getting shorter you might also want to consider window treatments that really maximize natural lighting, as well as replacing screens, blinds and curtains where needed.
• Seal your outdoor wood. Your decks, fences, porch furniture and other outdoor wooden items need to be protected from winter’s harsher elements. At the start of summer you probably threw on a coat with UV inhibitors to protect from fading in the sun. For the winter you’ll need to apply a sealant stain and check the deck’s overall stability. Prepare for vulnerabilities that can arise during a wet winter with freezing temperatures.
• Inspect your siding. Take a close look for siding that’s bending, buckling or bulging, which can be a sign of bigger problems. As you close down the summer aspects of your house before to check your siding for holes. Insects might use holes to survive the winter, which can wreak havoc on your house.
• Check your roof. Getting your roof ready for winter isn’t just about climbing up and having a look around. You’ll want to test your roof with all your senses—examining the integrity of the shingles. Look especially for curling shingles, or ones that are easily broken, or other signs that a roof replacement is on the horizon. While repairing or replacing a roof is never fun, it’s especially more difficult when it occurs in the shorter, cooler days of winter.
• Clean and store your awnings. Before boarding up your awnings for the end of the warm season, give them a good cleaning. Be sure they have plenty of time to dry completely and air out before closing them up for the season.

Preparing your house for winter can be very exciting. As you box away your pool toys and barbeque equipment, you can reach for a cup of hot cocoa and get ready to relax.

Have you used Scotchgard? It has been around a long time and is now featured in quite a few other products other than fabric and carpeting. It truely is a remarkable product and ,yes, it does really work! Unfortunately, our offer of Scotchgard protection is often declined anymore. Many people used to have the extra application of Scotchgard applied after their carpets were cleaned; not so much anymore. Consider a few reasons we have heard:

1. “We are going to replace the carpet eventually.” – While this may be in the offing, when will this actually happen? Even if it happens within a year, what about the time leading up to the replacement? Clearly a person who says this cares about the appearance of their home. Why not protect what you have? Honestly, we have cleaned carpets for “the last time” multiple times! Take care of what you have; you never know what the future holds. It may be that the replacement happens further into the future than you anticipate.

    

2. “The carpets are old” – This is actually a powerful incentive to have the Scotchgard treatment! As carpets age it is true that they tend to soil faster. Think of your non-stick pans. As you use them inevitably the finish wears and things start to stick more and more. If you could recoat the pan would you? Sure!. But there is no product right now to do that. But there is for carpets! The Scotchgard helps to make the carpets more resilient and renews the original protection.
3. “We are trying to save money” – Yep, Scotchgard costs more money.; but often not as much as you might think. Maintenance on anything costs but prevents larger amounts down the road. People who protect their carpets with Scotchgard often comment how the carpet does not seem to age. It cleans up well and spots are easily removed. Although protecting your carpet costs more do you know what really costs a lot? Brand new carpet. Protect what you have!
4. “The carpets were cheap” – Even “cheap” carpets are still expensive. And replacing them is still a pain.So, is this really a reason to let it go? Not really. Take care of inexpensive carpets and you may be pleasantly surprised how long they last and how good they look.

In summary, take another look at Scotchgard. Don’t quickly refuse the offer. If you have never tried it, do so! Either way you will not be sorry you took care of what you have.

We all know that carpeting is going to wear. After all we are walking on it, right? It is only logical to try to slow down or even prevent all together that process. There are a number of ways to do this: vacuuming regularly, taking your shoes off before entering, changing the layout of a room to redirect traffic, etc. Another common thought is to put down a runner or mat over heavily used areas to prevent wear. Is this a good idea? Let’s consider the pros and cons.

There are definite advantages to having mats and runners. As creatures of habit, it can quickly become apparent where we are spending most of our time. Is there a worn area in front of your husband’s favorite recliner? or yours? Is there a path down the hall to the bathroom? Is there excessive wear at the most used entry? Is there heavy wear around an office desk? Putting down a mat or runner immediately stops that wear as it seals off the carpet below and allows little, if any, soil to accumulate.

In many homes there is simply no other way to redirect the flow of traffic; rearranging furniture is not an option. Mats can prevent a lot of wear in these situations as well as the wear that is created in front of recliners. Offices that have chairs that roll back and forth can benefit greatly from a plastic chair mat. The wheels on those chairs wear not only the fibers but also break down the backing of the carpet over time. This can leave the carpet rippled from delamination and heavily faded. A plastic mat improves rolling and protects the carpet from heavy wear.

Sounds like there is no down side, right? Well…

There are definite disadvantages as well to having mats and runners. Let’s start with effect on the carpets first. While mats prevent soil and wear from happening to the areas underneath, the rest of the carpet is still wearing and getting dirty. It is important to remember that carpets change over time due to air, sunlight, and a host of other factors. Carpets also need to ‘breathe’; air needs to be able to move over and through. The carpet under the mat will stay in a ‘time capsule’ and not change. Over a period of time this may create a “footprint.” This is an outline where the mat sits that is generally permanent.

Consider this as well: There are no good ways to hold a mat in place when over carpeting. Using adhesives will create more problems. Nailing it down can damage the materials and is not always possible depending on the subfloor. Rubbery backing materials like latex, may

hold the mat or runner but can seal the carpet and cause a yellowing that cannot be removed. Plastic chair mats have built in cleats that hold it in place but they do not hold any soil; it all gets pushed to the carpet around creating a vivid ‘footprint’ that is permanent.

So, what to do? If at all possible try not to use mats and runners. Many problems can be avoided or solved with better maintenance. If you do need to use a mat, try to rotate the days you use it. One week on, one week off for instance. This allows the carpet to change with the surrounding areas. If this is not possible, a mat or runner may be better than the premature wear and damage that would be caused without it. You just have to go in with your eyes open to the consequences. Remember to clean those carpets regularly!

While there is no perfect solution, hopefully this material will help you make a more informed decision.

1. Who is cleaning your office?

There are basically two options: hire a cleaning service or do it ‘In House.’ Each has advantages and draw backs. A cleaning service will cost you money and a good one will cost you more. But the benefit is that is will be done regularly and systematically. A good cleaning service is worth the expense!

Having your employees clean for you can save you money and they may be in a better position to clean as they know what needs it most. The down side is that often ‘In house’ lacks the quality and thoroughness needed. So if you are going to do it, first, make sure that your employees have the right equipment (e.g. well-maintained vacuum cleaners, quality cleaners and supplies, etc,) and instructions. Then, make sure you show your appreciation for the extra work it takes.

2. Preventive steps can mean less maintenance!

There are certain spots in the office that are always going to ‘take it on the chin’ so to speak. You can help your own cause with preventive steps. For instance:

• Seriously consider a mat service. Entry mats will prevent a tremendous amount of soil from coming in from outside or from the shop… if they are clean! A mat service will make sure your mats are doing their job.
• Make sure the coffee area is over an easily cleanable area, like tile. If that is not practical, put something under it to allow easy cleanup of spills, like an entry mat or chair mat.
• Monitor plants carefully to make sure they are not over-watered. We clean a lot of stains from this and they are not easy to get out.
• Use chair mats large enough to cover the work area. Chair mats that are too small will leave a ‘footprint’ around the edge, a place where feet and chairs go, that will not come out. (We will cover the pros and cons of mats in general in a future article.)
• Have a cleaning station that is well stocked and easily accessible. Most people will at least attempt to clean up a mess you make the tools available. Make sure that you have the cleaners, towels, brushes, etc. in a convenient spot.

3. Have your carpets cleaned regularly.

We are not just putting this in because we do this (okay, maybe it is). As we have mentioned is previous articles, carpets have a subtle but noticeable effect on the space. When they are clean they reduce dust and other allergens and make the office feel brighter and happier. Having your carpets cleaned will often kickstart a new feeling of responsibility on everyone’s part in keeping the office clean.

Spots on your carpets can be likened to minor injuries (cuts, bruises, scrapes, etc.) to your body. They can happen without warning, need to be handled properly, and if left, can cause bigger problems. You are no doubt a pro and handling these things on yourself and your children. One of the kids comes in with a skinned knee and *WHOOSH*, you are right to the medicine cabinet and return with bandages, ointments, pain relievers, etc. When something happens to our carpets, though, often we are stunned a bit, not knowing what to do. We reach for whatever cleaner(s) is handy, whether it is the right one or not, and begin pouring and scrubbing; we grab another random cleaner and begin squirting and rubbing until frustration takes over and we give up. Often when we are called in literally everything under the kitchen sink has been used. So…, let’s prepare and do this right.

1. BE PREPARED!
We all invest money in cold/flu medicine, pain relievers, bandages, ointments and many other products that we think we may need. Do the same with your carpet. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ cleaner out there. Some are good cleaners, some good deodorizers. some good spot removers. Have a variety on hand and learn how to use them. Every product will advise you to test it on your fabrics to see if it is colorfast. This is not a process that can be done properly in the heat of the moment, for instance when someone spills red wine on your light carpet. Get the cleaners and test them out long before you have to use them. Make sure they are in an easily accessible spot. If you have home carpet cleaning machines, keep them in good running order and ready to be used. Why? Because you have to…

2. GET TO IT QUICK!
The faster you get to a cut or scrape, the better it will heal. In the same way get to spots right away. Every minute counts. Usually once dry the damage is done. When wet, many things can be removed with relative ease. So don’t wait, but…

3. TAKE YOUR TIME!
When treating a cut or scrape you don’t rush so as not to hurt the person or make the injury worse. That is smart thinking! So, don’t rush when spotting your carpet. It takes time to remove things properly. Be patient and BLOT don’t scrub. Use your body weight; you can be down on your knees or put the towel down and step on it using your body weight. Repeat this over and over again until the spot is gone or not changing anymore. It takes a moment to make a spot, but a lot longer to remove it, perhaps 10-20 minutes. Carpet cleaning takes time. We cannot overemphasize this. Not only will scrubbing push the spot deeper, but it can also permanently change the look and feel of the carpet. Nothing worse that getting the spot out but still having a constant reminder of it because the carpet was damaged.

4. HAVE AT LEAST A ROUGH IDEA OF WHAT WORKS!
We know that Advil works differently that Tylenol. Neosporin works differently that Hydrogen Peroxide. A fever is different than a headache, a bruise that a cut..Spot cleaning can is similar. Different products work differently on different carpets. Experiment and have a variety on hand. Also recognize that different carpets react differently to the same cleaner. If you have rugs made of wool or cotton, carpets made of nylon, a room of olefin berber, they will all clean differently and may need special cleaners. Be ready.

Hopefully these tips will help you out the next time you have the relatives over or have a dinner party, No need to stress; YOU WILL BE READY!

Identifying a problem area due to pet accidents is not a difficult thing to do. Dealing with it can be. So what is next? Now it is time to ask some tough questions; questions you need to be honest about.

Is this a problem that can be fixed?

We are not talking about the urine here. That can be fixed. This question is focused on the pet. Can you stop the pet from having accidents? Do you want to take those steps?

As they reach the end of their lives many pets become increasingly incontinent. Some owners are willing to put up with odor in order to enjoy those last months or years. Fixing the problem could also mean restricting the areas the pet can get to. Some are not willing to do this either wanting them to have more freedom. If the problem is likely to continue aggressive deodorizing would be a waste. There are other options.

How much does this really bother you?

This question can mean a lot. We find that some accept a little odor as just part of having a pet; much as some chewed shoes or scratched furniture would be. If the problem is not a huge concern, often less aggressive measures are acceptable. If it is driving you crazy! you will probably need to go with the more aggressive type of deodorizing. It is also good to remember that the odor and the stain are different. Sometimes when we get a call about an problem area the real concern are the spots on the carpet; the odor is not even noticed. Knowing the difference can help you get the services you truly want.

How much upset in the house are you willing to put up with?

Aggressive odor removal can be disruptive to the house as carpets are disengaged, padding and tackless strips are replaced, and carpets are cleaned and treated. The odor in the house may briefly increase during this process. The enzyme deodorizers take at least a few days to work and may take several treatments. We bring this up because we have gotten calls on Thursday for severe problems in which relatives are coming Saturday. That is not enough time for complete removal. If you want aggressive measures be able to have the time to do it in.

What is your budget?

In a perfect world, this would not be a question, right? But realistically we must consider it. Aggressive treatment of heavily saturated areas (disengaging carpet, replacement of pad, sealing of subfloors, cleaning and treatment of carpets, reinstallation of carpet) may be hundreds of dollars or more depending on size. We have many options that can fit your budget and your sense of smell.

Pet accidents are part of having pets, but they don’t need to be thorns in your side. After reading these posts we hope you have a better idea of what you are up against.

WE CAN HELP! Call us and let us discuss options that will fit your unique circumstances.

Why are pet accidents (urine) so hard to remove? When the accident first happens urine is in a liquid form and quite easy to remove; just vacuum or absorb it up, and the problem is solved. The trouble begins when it dries. Urine that dries forms urine salts, crystals that form on carpet strands. (Imagine rock candy: sugar is dissolved in hot water and strings are placed in the water during the cooling process. The sugar collects around the strings in the form of sugar crystals. This process is similar to what is happening in your carpet, but not nearly as desirable.) Bacteria begin to feed on the dried urine and cause the unpleasant smell that prompts the opening question. Why not just clean the area? The issue with this is the urine salts will not clean off with detergents and water. They must be dissolved off with other types of cleaners and deodorizers. A cleaning will remove temporarily remove the bacteria but not the urine. Immediately bacteria begin to grow again.This process of removing urine is much slower and involved than a simple cleaning for soil, grease, food, etc.

Second, the pet accidents are often complicated because a pet may start to develop a bad habit in an area we may not see. Cats, for instance, may start spraying a wall behind furniture or in a corner in a lower level. A dog may start lifting it’s leg in an out of the way place. If the bad habit begins in drier months like winter it may not be noticed. As the warmer, humid air of spring and summer come, the problem seems to suddenly appear, the moisture triggering the smell. By the time the problem is noticed many ‘deposits’ may have been made, sometimes dozens! At this point the urine has penetrated the carpet, carpet backing, and padding. The tackless strip may be affected, trim may have absorbed urine, furniture and walls may have urine dried on them. While the carpet may be the most obvious source of odor it is by no means the only one.

So the bottom line: there is no simple spray. But it can be treated! We can discuss options that may work in your situation. Part 2 will discuss some of these.

1. IS THE WATER STILL COMING IN? CAN YOU IDENTIFY WHERE IT IS COMING FROM?
This may seem obvious but it is very important. Some floods are obvious; water emanating from the overflowing sump pit, a broken basement window, etc. Sometimes it is not so easy; for instance, a water softener may only flood when it regenerates. We have helped some dry their carpet only to get a call a few days later telling us that the EXACT SAME FLOOD happened. Incredibly frustrating for the homeowner and very expensive. So, stop the water and get the problem fixed.

2.WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF THE WATER?
There are three categories of water:
Clear: This is fresh, clean water (a water pipe breaks, a filling hose on the washer ruptures, etc.)
Grey: This is water that has been used, it has things in it (the drain on the washer comes out, rainwater, dishwasher leaks, etc.)
Black: This is generally sewage or close to it (Ejector pump fails, floor drain connected to city sewer backs up, etc.)
Clear and grey water can be extracted and the carpet dried. SERIOUSLY consider replacing carpet that has been exposed to black water ESPECIALLY if you are on city sewers. Complete disinfection of the carpets is almost impossible.

3. IS THERE CARPET CUSHION THAT IS WET?
You may not think that there is any padding under your carpet but don’t assume that. Is there a metal piece (bull nose) where carpet and concrete or tile meet? That is a sure sign that there is a cushion under the carpet. Don’t go by feel either. Many cushions over concrete are quite thin. Good chance there is pad; most carpets have pad unless they are glued down. The pad must be removed if it has been wet for more than 36 hours. Even if it has been less than 36 hours, removing the pad greatly speeds up the drying process.

4. HOW MUCH AREA IS WET?
Always assume that more area has been affected that it seems. Often we look for visual clues, but water travels along the ground and will spread father than you think. Even if the carpet feels dry, the pad my be damp and in need of removal. A carpet will generally be wet underneath about three feet farther than the surface wetness.

This is just a brief guide to help you. If any of this seems to be a bit more than you can handle, call for help! Although expensive, the expense of professional help is minor compared to the amount of damage that water can do to your home and the long term effects of mold on your family.

January is ending and February is about to begin. It’s cold and dreary. Why not add a little sunshine to the interior of your home? Often we are asked, “Can you clean carpets in the winter? Do you?” Without a doubt, the answer is YES. Consider the advantages and drawbacks of winter.

Yes, there are a few drawbacks. These are often the reasons that winter cleaning is dismissed by some homeowners:

1. It’s cold outside! This is very true. Our machines are truck-mounted, which means that all the hoses must go through an open door. Without a doubt, this leads to cold air entering the house. We do our best to minimize the effects of the cold by covering the door, but your house may drop a few degrees. Take heart, though, your furnace will warm up the house quickly when the cleaning is done.

2. It’s sloppy out! This is true to a degree as well. Salt, slush, and snow are the mainstays of winter. But really, when is it not dirty out? Spring is rainy and muddy, summer is hot and humid, etc. Do you avoid washing your car in the winter because the roads are sloppy? Or do you wash it because the roads are sloppy? With good housekeeping practices that we know you have, the sloppy conditions will not cancel out the good effects of cleaning.

3. We are tight on funds! Winter is a tough time financially for many of us. We, too, are not immune. We can work with you to get the most needed areas done. We can clean traffic patterns, spots, and the like to keep cost down but make sure you home looks great. Also, keep in mind that we accept credit cards. While we are not encouraging going into debt, these can serve a useful purpose.

Now consider the advantages!

1. Dry times are low! Cold winter air has very little moisture in it -so- the humidity levels in your house are low! This allows carpets to dry quickly and efficiently with very little effort.

2. Humidity in the winter feels great! No extra charge for the humidity. As the carpets dry, the moisture level in the air will increase, making the house feel warmer and more comfortable.

3. Clean carpet = clean air! We spend a tremendous amount of time indoors during the winter. Soiled carpets + dry air = lower indoor air quality. Clean carpets can help keep the air clean.

4. We have plenty of openings! Winter is always a slower time for us, so you can have your choice of times and days. No waiting lists and we can often respond the same day. Did your schedule open up today? Give us a call and we may be able to get you right in. Yep, winter is a great time to have your home cleaned!

Green – it is a word that seems to be attached to more and more things. Manufacturing processes, fuel, cars, chemicals, cleaners, etc. (and the list could go on) are labeled as “Green.” No doubt, all of us want to take care of the planet and do what we can. But doesn’t it seem at times that the term ‘green’ seems to fit the money we spend and that companies make in the process? Home cleaning is no different. There are plenty of ‘green’ cleaners out there and you may have a few in your home. Let’s talk about some things that you almost certainly have in your house that are often overlooked as excellent cleaners:

Hot Water: You can’t get any more environmentally friendly than this. So often when we want to clean or spot something we immediately think of detergents. Without a doubt, there is a place for those (i.e. grease, waste, etc.) but why not try water first? One of the things you can do is to heat the water first. The closer it is to boiling the better cleaner it becomes. When we clean carpets, we clean near 200 degrees! At that temperature you don’t need much soap.

White Vinegar: This is a great cleaner for windows, floors, and carpets. It dissolves urine, sweat, and other organic sources of odor. It also dissolves mineral buildups around sinks and faucets. It won’t leave a residue and is not harmful or toxic. Check this site out for more uses: http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/cleanorg/vinegar.html

Hydrogen Peroxide (3%): This is the same stuff that you get at the supermarket or pharmacy. It works great to get out naturally occurring dyes and stains like wine or fruit juice. It can remove coffee stains, vomit stains, and may help with the stain left from feces.

Ammonia: This is also a very good all around cleaner for floors, kitchens and baths, carpets, and more. Check this site out: http://www.thriftyfun.com/Cleaning-With-Ammonia-1.html

Club Soda: I have been told by many people that they have gotten stains out of their carpets with this old remedy. I have not personally tried it, but it certainly is worth a try.

Hopefully, you get a sense that some of these old remedies still carry a lot of merit. Give them a try next time. It saves money and the environment. Hard to argue with that.

Look at the picture here. Do you notice those sooty, grey lines along the baseboard? Many homes have similar lines, sometimes wider and darker, sometimes narrower and lighter. Either way they are both called the same thing: Filtration lines. I have talked to some very frustrated people who have vacuumed until their hands have blistered but cannot get them out. Often, the vacuum itself is blamed for not cleaning the edges well enough. Well I have good news and bad news for you.

The good news is that it is not due to poor vacuuming or the vacuum itself. The bad news is you need to have the carpets professionally cleaned to get them out. Why is this? Well consider the reason they are there in the first place.

Air is always moving in your home and it will use any area it can to do so. The biggest volume of air movements comes through the open doorways and staircases in our homes. That’s obvious. But, with the normal swelling and shrinking of building materials in modern homes due to the changes in temperature and humidity, there are other places for air to move as well. When air is heated it moves up and when cooled, down, and will use those small openings along walls that open up seasonally to do this. Winter is a prime time for Filtration Lines to appear because our homes are sealed up and dry. The building materials shrink making air movements easier up and down walls; combine this with ‘forced-air’ heating systems and conditions are perfect. But where do the lines come from?

The Filtration Lines come from your carpet acting like an air filter. As the air passes through the carpet, particles get caught in the carpet just like your furnace filter. These are VERY small and therefore, not able to be vacuumed out. Cigarette smoke and the burning of candles enhances and accelerates this process as both put more particles in the air. When we come in to clean your carpets, we use a very strong cleaner targeted on the edges along with good old manual scrubbing. Usually these come out almost completely. In some cases, after years of this process with no cleaning, the lines can remain a bit.

Can you prevent these? Well, make sure you have a good furnace filter installed, limit smoke from cigarettes and candles (especially scented candles as these have a higher oil content and tend to burn more sooty), and get your carpets cleaned regularly. You can’t prevent these completely, but you can drastically reduce the unsightliness of them!

1. Does it really need to be replaced?

Many times what is considered ‘worn out’ is simply soil that can be removed with a good cleaning. Don’t give up quickly on your carpet. We clean for many who are having the “last cleaning” on the carpet. But the results are so impressive that they decide that there is really no need to replace. That’s a lot of money saved. Even if you really do need new carpets, a good cleaning can give a little more time to prepare.

2. What kind of carpet do you want?

This is a more important question than you might think. The reason is that unfortunately we see a lot of ‘buyers remorse’ in carpet purchases. Often, a homeowner wishes they could go back and just keep the old carpet they threw out! Whose fault is this? Blame is put all over; the carpet manufacturer and carpet salesmen take a lot of the heat. Now, admittedly, sometimes that is fair. But, often, a carpet consumer comes in knowing next to nothing about carpets. This needs to change.

Modern consumers have more information available to them than ever before. But often when buying carpets, a consumer may do next to no research! I have had numerous conversations with people that were only concerned with color and feel; ‘I want a thick blue carpet that will hold up to a lot of traffic and won’t show footprints.’ That is a good starting point, but what is a salesman going to do with that? Imagine going in to a car dealership and asking for a ‘blue car with a leather interior.’ What might you get? Who knows? You don’t really know what you want. The salesman will try his best, but most likely you are not going to be happy with his choice. We have been trained not to buy cars that way and we make better choices because of it. Perhaps you have spent hours, days, or even weeks scouring over websites and magazines before deciding on a car.

Approach carpet buying the same way. Consider the cost: some spend 5-10,000 dollars or more on new carpeting for their home. That’s like a car! But many go in ‘cold’ with no idea what types of carpet are available, the meaning of industry terms and brand names, the types of materials are used and their pros and cons, what cushions are needed, etc. Consider the amount of time and work to replace carpet; many are overwhelmed at how much has to be moved and replaced for installers to do there job. You don’t want to do this more often than you have to. Is it any wonder that ‘buyer’s remorse’ follows these purchases? As carpet cleaners, we benefit from your good choices. TAKE YOUR TIME AND DO YOUR RESEARCH!

P.S. Here is a good site to start with: www.carpet-guru.com

Ugh! Who likes to vacuum. Okay, maybe some of you do. But realistically, most of us find it a chore. How often do we REALLY need to do this? Depending on how you feel about vacuuming, you may not like the answer.

First, can you vacuum too little? Without a doubt yes! At times we come into homes whose carpets have clearly been neglected. Perhaps weeks or months have gone by without a proper cleaning. This is very detrimental to the carpet; consider why. Soil is generally divided into two categories: oily and not oily. Soil that is not oily refers to things like sand, dirt, dust; mainly things that come in from outside your home. Soil that is oily refers to food, body and pet oil, tar, grease, etc. Now your carpet is going to get both. If you are not vacuuming regularly, the soil just accumulates. The oily soil holds the non-oily soil near the top of the carpet. This is where most of the wear occurs. Normal use now becomes hard use and wear patterns develop prematurely, ones that cannot be cleaned out even with hot-water extraction, like we use. But vacuuming can greatly reduce the effects by removing most of the soil deposited. Just a side note: DO NOT SWEEP YOUR CARPETS! This is not an acceptable substitute and will accelerate the wear cycle. (Yes, we do run into this.)

Second, can you vacuum too much? Believe it or not the answer is no. Now, if you vacuumed continually 24 hours a day, yes, that would be too much. Vacuuming every day, or even a few times a day, is not going to create any long term problems. ‘But,’ you might be thinking, ‘doesn’t the brushes spinning over the carpet on a beater bar wear it out?’ Sure, but a very small amount. The removal of the oily and not-oily soil is so beneficial that it negates the effect of the brushes.

So how often should you vacuum? That is a tough question to give a ‘one-size-fits-all’ answer to. Each home will be different and each room in that house will be different. That being said we do recommend that all the carpets in the house are vacuumed at least once each week and the high traffic areas and/or rooms perhaps every day or every other day. Is this a lot of work? Maybe. But have you ever replaced your carpets? THAT is a lot of work and money. A little elbow grease can go a long way!

Even though I work as a professional carpet cleaner, I want to say straight out, that I am not in any way against cleaning your own carpet. Does this surprise you? Well, think about it from my standpoint: if you clean your own carpets, that means you want the carpets to last as long as possible; that’s what we want as well. But on a broader level, you care about the appearance not only of the carpets, but of your home as well. These are the types of people we like to work for!

Now this is not to say that cleaning your carpets can be done anyway you can think of. There are a lot of products that can be used to “clean” your carpets that we feel should not be used. We avoid naming brands to our customers as these change frequently, but instead focus on methods.

• Liquids and powders that are applied, scrubbed in and left: This is a throwback method but we still run into it from time-to-time. This is a method that leaves most if not all of the detergent in the carpets. The problem is obvious. What happens to all the soap? It does not magically disappear or change. It sits in the carpet and will often attract more dirt especially when the humidity is high. When the carpets appear dirty, what do you do? Repeat the process. This creates a mess, no way around it. The carpets will appear dull and worn over time. This is a very tough situation to reverse.
• Powders that are applied, scrubbed in and vacuumed out:These are advertised fairly frequently on TV and are often used in a pinch. They may contain odor absorbing compounds like baking soda. This has much of the same drawbacks as the above method. Again, a container of dry compound is sprinkled on the carpets and how much isreally vacuumed up? How many people are going to take the time to thoroughly vacuum? What happens to the the rest? It doesn’t go away. This method may give you temporary results but the long term results are poor.

What about methods that are good to use?

• Home extraction units: These can be purchased at stores from Kohl’s to Home Depot. They work on the same principles as our truck-mounted units work. Water and a small amount of detergent are applied and then immediately vacuumed up. These work fine if used properly (SEE BELOW).
• Rental extraction units: These are simply more powerful versions of the home units. The design may be different but they work the same. Your local hardware store, grocery store, and others may carry these (ex. Rug Doctor).

BE CAREFUL!!
Here are some things to consider when using the smaller extraction units:

• DON’T — — USE TOO MUCH DETERGENT!!!! This cannot be overstated. We tend to think that if a little is good a lot must be better. This is not true in this case. To illustrate, let’s compare detergent to fertilizer. What happens if you use too little fertilizer? The worst that can happen is the grass doesn’t grow as fast. What happens if you use too much? Well, has one of your kids ever tipped the fertilizer spreader in the yard? We found out effects the hard way in our house. The fertilizer acted like grass killer. It took two summer for the grass to recover. So it is better to use too little detergent when cleaning than too much. I suggest using perhaps half the recommended amount or less. You can always go over it again. But if too much is in the carpet, how are you going to get it out? Remember most of the soil you are trying to clean out is water soluble and doesn’t even need detergent to be removed.
• DON’T — — USE TOO MUCH WATER!!!! Anyone can wet a carpet. Honestly, all it takes is a hose. But, how are you going to get the water out? Make sure that you take a lot of vacuum strokes. Not only is this good for drying, as every drop pulled out is one less that has to evaporate, but remember, the water has soil in it. The carpet will be cleaner simply from this step alone.
• DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE SIZE OF THE JOB!Doing the job right takes time with a smaller unit – no way around it. I have heard from my customers on many occasions that weekends have been lost to cleaning a relatively small area of carpet, an area that may take us an hour or so. You need to weigh the costs versus the benefits. Every do-it-yourselfer knows that there are some things it is better to pay someone else to do, whether because of the time, job size, or skill level required.
• THIS DOES NOT REPLACE PROFESSIONAL CLEANING. I am not simply saying this for my benefit. It is the truth. While the small units work great for touch up cleaning or sprucing up for when the relatives visit, they simply don’t generate the heat and power that a truck mounted unit can. They don’t clean as deeply or as thoroughly no matter how much time is taken.

I hope this helps. Thanks for the nice comments about the blog. If there are other things that you have questions about let me know in the comments and I will try to address them.
Clean on!

Where does water go when it dries? That’s easy, right? Into the air; it evaporates and changes from a liquid to a gas. Why do things dry better on some days versus others? Basically, how much moisture the air can hold and how much it is already holding. What determines that? Mostly temperature. The warmer air is the more it can hold. Picture a balloon. When it is cold the balloon is small. As the temperature rises, the balloon gets bigger and can hold substantially more. As a matter of fact for every 10 degrees Celsius the temperature rises, the air can hold about twice the amount of water it did at the cooler temperature! What does this mean for us? Warmer is better for drying!

I consistently have well-meaning people proudly tell me that in order to dry their carpets faster, they are going to turn their air conditioning on. Based on the facts, is this logical? No. Think about it: we don’t do this in other areas of life. When your clothes come out of the washer, where do you put them to dry? In the refrigerator or the clothes dryer? The dryer of course. The dryer is HOT! Warmer air holds more water so things dry faster.

The other aspect of this is moving air. Again, remember the clothes dryer; it blows hot air around the clothes and blows it fast. So in order to dry your carpets faster, get the air moving! Fans, big or small, make a difference. Also, a simple step to take is to turn your furnace fan to the ‘ON’ position. This moves air throughout the home and can make your furnace act like a big dehumidifier.

Now, depending on outside conditions, there are a few other things you can do. You may want to increase the temperature in the house by turning the heat on. This works well in colder times of the year. Every degree helps. Opening windows is a great optionif it is nice outside. Even if it is hot and humid, the windows are still your best option. I get a lot of sideways looks in the summer when I say this. Again the air conditioning may seem like the best option. But consider: how does the volume of air that moves through your house with open windows compare to the amount moved by your furnace? The windows provide a massive increase in air movement, a must in drying.

So, we increase air temperature and air flow through the building. Now what? Time; we have to wait a bit. You can only remove so much water through extraction. Think again about your clothes. Even after an extended spin cycle they are still wet. It still takes time to dry. But we hope the results make it all worthwhile.