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At first glance the appeal of cheap rental equipment to clean your carpets sounds wonderful. But just like any other DIY project, education is needed for a successful outcome.

Most rental equipment does not have the ability to heat the water used in the cleaning process to achieve steam. Therefore when you are cleaning the carpets it will actually be cleaning with water at whatever temperature that has been put in the “holding tank” of the machine. This poses 2 very important problems:

1) You are actually putting water on the carpeting and the machine does not have sufficient power to remove water. The drying time will be greatly increased, so that will need to be allowed for. The carpeting will not be dry enough to walk on when the cleaning process is done, and the replacement of furnishings will need to wait until the carpet has dried completely through. Carpet also has what is known as a “wicking” effect as it dries. So while the drying is completing you will notice spots that seem to be gone when you first finished cleaning that are reappearing. (This wicking effect can also happen with professional cleaning; we reservice those spots at no additional charge to you). These are areas where an offending substance has soaked through the carpet and into the backing or pad when the surface of the carpet is cleaned these substances then resurface as they are pulled up through the carpet fibers. While some offending substances are even difficult for the professional to completely remove on 1 visit. The DIY equipment lacks the power to completely remove most substances.

2) The cleaning products can actually cause more damage than good. Some cleaning products contain heavy soaps, and as we all know soaps leave a residue. Those residues cause dirt to stick to the carpet which makes the carpet dirty faster. Because it is a residue vacuuming will not pull the dirt off the carpet fiber like it normally would. Products like these can also “set a spot”. Meaning that what was a spot is now a stain! Much like doing the laundry, if the spot is not removed correctly it will never be removed. (Please see our carpet spotting tips on this website).

This does not mean that you cannot do it yourself. Just be aware of some key factors to save one of the biggest investments in your home. Correctly treat problem areas before beginning the cleaning process. When using the rental equipment, use as little water as possible. Make sure that you do not walk on the carpet or put any furniture back into place until the carpet is completely dry. And read the label ingredients on the cleaning products, and the safety precautions. The advertising on the label doesn’t always give you the whole picture.

If your carpeting is less than 5 years old, consult your warranty information. Most manufacturers’ warranties require professional cleaning, and the use of rental equipment, and even spot removers could invalidate that warranty.

Carpeting adds warmth and comfort to a home. It is also one of the biggest investments in your home. We here at ServiceMaster of the North Valley want to make sure that your carpet is properly taken care of. Our Technicians can answer questions about removing spots, or ways to help extend the life of your carpet. Phone calls and estimates are free!

Enjoy your carpet and have a very blessed day!

The majority of offices are cleaned by scattering or moving dirt around an office.  This is done when offices are cleaned with feather dusters, brooms, and terri cloth towels.  These typical methods of cleaning move or disperse dust and dirt but fail to properly remove it from all surfaces.  So what happens when these conventional methods are used?  The filth in your office becomes airborne and is breathed in and/or lands on other surfaces (including office staff and customers) and requires more frequent “cleaning” to keep up with the cycle of moving dirt around.

 

So if these are classic cleaning methods used by most janitorial companies, what are the unconventional techniques?  The use of microfiber cloths, backpack vacuums, specialty vacuums, and dust wands all capture and remove dust and dirt from all surfaces.  Microfiber cloths remove 99% of bacteria on a surface compared to 33% using an industry standard terri cloth.

 

Specialty vacuums (including backpack vacuums) are used on both carpet and hard surface floors.  This process captures the soil from your facility into HEPA filters and removes it with each visit.  Not only are floor surfaces vacuumed, but dusting is completed with a Dust Wand.  This tool vacuums away dust instead of scattering it around with an industry standard feather duster.

 

The Alpine and SideWinder tools allow vacuuming in areas impossible with conventional vacuums.  Traditional cleaning methods can stir up the dust and then leave it in your office air.  Regular dust mops and terri cloth rags do a great job moving soil around your facility.  This dust travels through your air and eventually ends up settling back down on your furniture, floors, and on you.

 

The proprietary Capture and Removal® cleaning system has proven to continually reduce the amount of dirt particles in your building while giving you and your employees a safer working environment and better indoor air quality to breathe.

At ServiceMaster of the North Valley we deal with thousands of spots and spills every year. Care taken when these events occur may immediately solve the problem. Use the following tips to help get rid of common household stains found on carpets.  If the stain is more serious, call ServiceMaster of the North Valley for service at 530.722.1101.
 

mudgum-carpetSimpleTipsForRemovingCarpetStains
Grease and Oil Marks: Gently rub in talcum powder, cornmeal or cornstarch. Let it set then brush or sponge the powder away. Vacuum the area.

Mustard Spots: Soak stained area with diluted ammonia (one tablespoon ammonia, one cup water). Then dry with a hairdryer.
Pet Urine: Dampen area with equal parts white vinegar and water. Then blot dry.
Red Wine: Use club soda to flush the wine from carpet fibers.
Blood spots: Flush with cold water, Avoid hot water as heat will set the blood stain.
Soft Drinks: Blot the area with a vinegar solution (one part vinegar and two parts water). Then blot with a detergent solution (one teaspoon detergent and one quart water).
Gum: Freeze the gum with ice and use a dull knife to “chip” it away.
Candle Wax: Put a brown paper bag over the dried wax and run a hot iron over it. The bag will absorb the hot wax.
Latex Paint: Soak with dish detergent diluted with 20 parts water. Agitate the area, blot, rinse and blot again.
Ball Point Pen Ink: Spray with hairspray and be sure to rinse the entire area well with water when finished.

A clean home is a happy home (for Mom at least). Have a very blessed day!

fortune-500Fortune 500 named ServiceMaster in the top 4 of Most Admired Companies in the Services category!

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