Tag Archives: carpet stain

Press Release: Esteemed Service Award!

Chem-Dry by Whalen Services Earns Esteemed 2013 Angie’s List Super Service Award

Award reflects company’s consistently high level of customer service

Carpet Upholstery Cleaning Service Award

 Chem-Dry by Whalen Services has earned the service industry’s coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award, reflecting an exemplary year of service provided to members of the consumer review service in 2013.

“We are very proud to have been awarded the Angie’s List 2013 Super Service Awards for carpet cleaning and upholstery cleaning.  Our office staff and cleaning technicians always strive to provide excellent customer service and to exceed our customers’ expectations. We offer excellent cleaning at a fair and competitive price.”

“Only about 5 percent of the companies Chem-Dry by Whalen Services competes with in Barnstable are able to earn our Super Service Award,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “It’s a mark of consistently great customer service.”

Angie’s List Super Service Award 2013 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, which include an “A” rating in overall grade, recent grade, and review period grade; the company must be in good standing with Angie’s List, have a fully complete profile, pass a background check and abide by Angie’s List operational guidelines.

Service company ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List. Companies are graded on an A through F scale in areas ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality. Members can find the 2013 Super Service Award logo next to company names in search results on AngiesList.com.

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Angie’s List helps consumers have happy transactions with local service professionals in more than 720 categories of service, ranging from home improvement to healthcare. More than 2 million paid households use Angie’s List to gain access to local ratings, exclusive discounts, the Angie’s List Magazine and the Angie’s List complaint resolution service.

What to Expect from a Great Professional Cleaner

It all starts with a phone call. You’ve decided that the carpets need refreshing, and after reading that article on how soft fabrics can be breeding grounds for bacteria, the upholstery definitely needs cleaning too. However you find the company, whether it be on the internet, a recommendation, or if you’re still using the good ole phone book, something grabs your interest to initiate the call.

Upholstery (2)Expect a great greeting! All successful businesses know that nailing first impressions is key. You should feel comfortable with asking any questions you have about their process and company. The customer service staff should be friendly and knowledgeable. For instance: most solutions should be tested on fabrics before cleaning if they have never been used before. In this case, the staff should offer to schedule a test prior to the cleaning for the protection of your furniture.

The cleaning. The test passed fine and it’s cleaning day. A company with efficient scheduling probably would have called you at least the day before to confirm. What should you expect now? Punctuality. Their arrival should be at the scheduled time or you should at least receive a phone call if they are running late or early. It certainly helps if you leave them with all telephone numbers that you may be reached on that day.

Upon arrival, the technician should start with a pre-inspection. This is where you can review what you would like to have done, address any areas of concern, and where they may be able to evaluate any other service suggestions. They may notice that you have a dog and offer you a free back light evaluation to see if there’s any hidden pet stains. They may ask if any residents have allergies or respiratory issues and offer an anti-allergen treatment. Sharing the knowledge of their options to offer you the most effective cleaning for your situation is the difference between quality service and just getting it done.

Once the details are all worked out, carpet cleaning may start with a pre-vacuum and pre-treatment of spots and heavily soiled areas. Attention to detail says a lot. If there is only one technician, small furniture pieces that can safely be moved by one may be arranged away from the cleaning area. A thorough deep cleaning should commence with special care to the surrounding items and areas. If furniture is going to be reset on cleaned carpeting, they should take precautions to protect the furniture from direct contact with wet areas. Upholstery should be cleaned, handled with care, and arranged in the best way to promote drying.

After the cleaning is completed you should expect to be able to do a post-cleaning walk through to insure your satisfaction and give you an opportunity to address any concerns or interest other services. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and hold them to reasonable expectations. They may not be able to work magic with the cleaning, but they should always do their best. The order of operations may differ between companies, but they should all be friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive to your specific needs.

Traffic areas and your carpeting

After having your carpets cleaned, have you ever noticed areas that look as if a stain still remains? Perhaps they didn’t clean up as well as you hoped. It may not be that the cleaner didn’t do a great job, or that the product is not very effective, but that the area that remains dark is not simply soiled; it’s a traffic area. The fibers in that spot have been permanently damaged by carpet sanding. Just like a cloudy piece of Plexiglas that has been weathered and scratched, light is not being reflected the same off the carpet fibers, making the area appear dirty. This happens when debris and soil settles between the carpet fibers and grinds them down with each step they endure. There may not be much you can do about it now, but you can learn how to prevent it from worsening, happening in other areas, and prevent it on new carpeting.

My first suggestion in preventing these traffic areas is to make sure you vacuum regularly. Although you may not see very much sand or soil, it is still easily tracked in and settles right into the carpet pile. The less soil you allow to remain in the carpet, the easier it is for your vacuum to be more effective in removing it. Focus most on the areas that you walk through or enter in each room, along with the areas you may sit the most. Without the buildup, your steps won’t have much to grind against your carpet fibers. It also never hurts to enforce the old “no shoes in the house” rule, especially if the main gathering areas are carpeted.

traffic_areas_shoes_

Along with regular vacuuming you should be having your carpets routinely cleaned with a non-detergent based solution. Cleaning the carpets will get most of the soil that your vacuum just can’t touch. Not only will your carpets last longer, but your home will be healthier. More than just dirt, sand, and soil settle into carpet fibers. Cleaning also reduces allergens like pollen, dust, and dust mites. I suggest a non-detergent based cleaning solution because soaps and detergents may remain on the fibers after being “cleaned”. They can actually attract more dirt, leaving your carpets looking dirty much quicker than before.

While you’re at it, have the carpet cleaners apply a coat of protection immediately after cleaning. This will help avoid those traffic areas immensely. Imagine it as a clear shield that will take the wear from soiling before allowing it to start grinding down the carpet fibers. Protection is also fantastic defense against stains as the fine waterproof coat delays liquid from being absorbed, allowing you ample time to easily blot the spill with a rag. Even if your carpeting came with a protection already on it, the factory supplied protector is only temporary and a new one will need to be applied. Read more on this available protection HERE on a previous article.

So if you have your carpets cleaned and an area doesn’t look as clean as the rest of the carpeting, consider the placement. If it’s in a highly traveled area, or an area of great use, it’s probably a traffic lane caused by soiling that ground the carpet fibers with the help of your feet.  Vacuum and have your carpets cleaned routinely to avoid them, and apply a barrier of protection for best results.