Tag Archives: spot cleaning

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.

Keeping a clean, healthy home during the holidays

Deck the halls and fire up the oven! Holiday season is upon us. It’s time for gatherings, finger foods, beverages, decorating, and laughs. It’s also time for spills, drops, tracks, and less time to clean them all up! Tis’ not the season for much stressing over messes and stains. Here are a few tips for a cleaner stress-free holiday season:

holiday_table

  • The welcome mat does more than just welcome. Put area rugs down in high traffic areas to protect your wall to wall carpeting and hard floors. If soiled or spilled upon, you can pick up the area carpet, bring it to be cleaned, or clean it yourself and hang it to dry. Cleaning your wall to wall is not as quick, and hard wood is still exposed to the additional soil and debris tracked in by company. Protect busier areas from all of the extra traffic this season and place a few area carpets down, primarily at entrances and busy hallways.
  • The best policy: No Shoes! Hands down, the best way to avoid wearing in traffic areas is to ask guests and family to remove their shoes at the door. Less soil will be tracked into and throughout your home. It’s another way to say “come on in, stay a while, and relax” in a maintainable, clean and healthy environment.
  • Vacuum, Vacuum, Vacuum. Break it out before and after each gathering. Vacuuming daily is ideal, but for those of us thinking this is highly impractical for the holiday season, do it at least before and after guests. It’s one extra step to do it both times, but it’s definitely worth it to the life of your carpets.
  • Emergency! Emergencies get your immediate, fast attention. Gently blot spills and splatters as soon as you are aware of them. The best results we’ve seen to remove spots starts with a spray of Chem-Dry’s carbonated spot remover and blotting with a cloth towel. No spot remover? Dab the cloth in lukewarm water, but not too much because it can cause the stain to sink deeper. If you’d like a can of spot remover, stop by our office between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and pick one up! Take caution with which spot removers you do trust on your carpets because some can actually set the stain rather than help remove it.

Last but not least: have fun! Don’t stress too much about any one thing. Stressing along with the holiday rush opens opportunity for more accidents. Select simple guidelines to follow, prepare as much as you can in advance, and don’t forget to stop and smell the holiday swag. We wish you the happiest – healthiest holiday season.

Spot Removal Steps

Your Guide to Spot Removal

spot_remover_blog

  • Respond immediately! The faster you respond to removing a spill, the less probability it has of becoming a permanent stain. If your carpet has a protector on it, applied either after a cleaning or fresh from the factory, you have an extra cushion of stain resistance. With protector, you have a great chance that the spill will come out if you are quick to take action.
  • Rather than scrub the area, blot it! Use plain white paper towels or a white, dry cloth to absorb the stain out of the area. Work from the outside of the spill moving inward to avoid spreading it. Scrubbing may distort the pile and might even work the spill in.
  • Use a rounded spoon to gently scrape up substances that are more than just liquid and vacuum anything solid.
  • Make sure you have tested your spot remover before attacking a stain. To test it, apply a small amount in an inconspicuous area. Check it in 24 hours for any change or damage. Also, you may want to check with your professional carpet and upholstery cleaner before using any products. Some solutions can actually set the stain rather than remove it.
  • To use your spot remover: Use a small amount and gently work it in with your dry white cloth or plain paper towel. Continue to apply and blot until you no longer see evidence of the spill on your towel or cloth. This may require repeating these steps several times, so please be patient.
  • Clean up the solution. Now that the spill is gone, rinse the area with cold water and blot it with a dry cloth. If the solution is not entirely removed, this area may attract dirt and soil quickly.
  • Dry it out. Make sure the area is completely dry. If you can, put a fan directing airflow toward the spot. Also understand that now that you have cleaned the area, the protection barrier has probably also been removed. Even factory applied protector is eventually worn away or cleaned off. Protection should be applied after every cleaning.