Everything You Need To Know About Leather Cleaning And Conditioning

Professional Cleaning Austin, Texas

Leather furniture is highly sought-after, but far too many homeowners buy leather items without realizing how to properly care for them, and sometimes end up overwhelmed by what’s required. To make things easier for you, here’s our expert advice on proper leather treatment.

Know Your Leather

Many people think all leather requires the same treatment, but that’s not true! It's very important to know what kind of leather you have before attempting to clean it.

Protected Leather- This makes up the majority of leather upholstery. Protected leather may also be labeled finished, semi-aniline, or pigmented leather. Protected leather, as the name suggests, is topped with a protective coating and is more durable than other leathers.

Unprotected Leather- Also called aniline, pure aniline, or unfinished leather, this leather has a more soft and luxurious feel. This type of leather is more sensitive to staining and is also more expensive than protected leather.

Cleaning and Conditioning

When cleaning unprotected leather, you may use a slightly dampened cloth with distilled water, a dry cloth and vacuum (make sure you’re using the small brush attachment), or an approved leather cleaner. The specific manufacturer may have their own instructions, so be sure to check that out. But no matter what the method is, clean very gently with unprotected leather, as it is much more susceptible to staining.

Protected leather can handle a lot more, but you should still be careful to not use certain products. Clean with a vacuum and damp cloth, but only use approved leather cleaners.

An approved leather conditioner should be applied every six to twelve months. To properly condition, add a small dollop of conditioner onto a small cloth and gently rub the conditioner all over the leather. This will keep your leather looking shiny and moisturized.

The Steam Team Method

You might be thinking all these steps are too much to deal with yourself, but that’s what we’re here for! The Steam Team can completely clean and condition your leather furniture for you. Feel free to call any time!

What Do Customers Say About Their Steam Team Cleaning Experience?

cleaning services

If you’re dealing with water damage, a stained carpet, clogged appliances or many other issues in your home or business and you’re thinking about hiring The Steam Team, you might be wondering what previous Steam Team customers have to say. As a general rule, when you’re thinking about paying for the services of any company, it's always a good idea to look at customer reviews. So what do Steam Team customers say about the service they’ve received?

Customer Reviews

The Steam Team has been around a long time now, and we’ve been fortunate enough to receive lots of customer feedback! Let’s check out some of our reviews to give you a good idea of what we can do for you. One customer said, “The Steam Team cleaned my carpet today and brought a 15+ year old carpet back to great condition. I highly recommend this company!”. Another recent review said “I had my first experience with the Steam Team yesterday and couldn't have been more pleased! I had several large, old stains that I was sure would never come up - but I was proven wrong. Overall, it was a great experience”. 

Now it's true that we’re not the only company that offers these sorts of cleaning and restoration services, you can certainly find others. But we’ve seen that our customers have noticed a difference. For example, one customer had this to say; “I used The Steam Team for dryer duct cleaning, and I’ll never again look elsewhere! The last time I had this work done, the company that came out used only a shop vacuum to clean the duct, and I had to call them back twice because they did a terrible job. This time, I called The Steam Team, and they came out with all the necessary equipment, and did a terrific job.”

Steam Team Technicians

So how does The Steam Team consistently get such positive customer feedback? Well, as that last review said, we ensure all of our technicians have the necessary equipment for the job, as well as the right training. But beyond that, our technicians want to get the job done right the first time, and to make sure you have a great experience all around. To see all the services our highly trained technicians offer, please visit The Steam Team website.

Why We Offer 24 Hour Service For Water and Fire Emergencies

Carpet Cleaning

You may think that with the right precautions, you’ll never experience water or fire damage in your home. But even with precautions taken, these things occur much more often than we might like to think. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, about one million homes are damaged by fire in the U.S. each year, and water damage is even worth, with over five million homes a year experiencing water damage! With these startling statistics in mind, it's important to have a plan for these possible emergencies, and if you choose to make The Steam Team a part of your plan, you’ll have the comfort of knowing that our technicians are available to clean and restore your home from fire or water damage 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Caring For Our Community

The reason we offer our 24 hour water and fire damage emergency services is that we care about our customers and our local Austin, TX community and our communities beyond Austin. We’ve always wanted to provide our customers with great service and lasting restoration that leaves a positive impact, and that’s why we’re always available to clean and restore your home or business after these damaging events. Whether it's a bust pipe, damaged appliance, flooding damage or the aftermath of an electrical fire, we’ll be right there to fix your problems and get you back into your restored home as soon as possible.

Our Professional Technicians

We wouldn't be the company we are today without our fantastic and highly trained team of technicians and restoration experts. You’ll see for yourself why we have so much pride in them when they show up at your home and assess the problem before using high-tech, powerful cleaning and restoration methods to get your home back in order, remove any water and clean all surfaces. For more information on how we can help with fire and water damage restoration, as well as our many other services, please visit The Steam Team website.

Cleaning Carpets: The Steam Team of Austin Method

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Are your carpets looking dull and dingy lately? Are they in need of a thorough, effective deep cleaning? Then they’re in need of a steam cleaning! Read on to find out more about the process of steam cleaning, and learn what The Steam Team can do for you! We’re sure you’ll find a solution to that hideous stain you’ve been hiding, or those dull carpets in the living room…

What is Steam Cleaning?

Steam cleaning, or hot water extraction is a cleaning method that uses extreme temperatures and highly pressurized water to remove dust, dirt, debris, allergens, and more from deep within carpet fibers. It’s an easy and effective way of cleaning more than just carpet; it also cleans furniture, upholstery, surfaces, and even natural stone!

Steam cleaning is known for effortlessly removing stains and odors from carpet and furniture! Even when it comes to pet urine and feces stains, or some of the toughest food stains, steam cleaning can do it all. It reaches deep within the fibers of the carpet or furniture and extracts everything you don’t want existing down there!

Another perk to steam cleaning? It doesn't use any chemicals! It cleans using absolutely nothing but hot water, and high pressure. It doesn’t leave behind any residue either, and your carpet dries quickly. The Steam Team would never leave you with damp carpet! We know that mold thrives in damp environments, and definitely don’t want to cause any problems.

Choose The Steam Team

The Steam Team uses a cleaning method that is so thorough that you won’t believe the results! Give us a call today. We’ll come out, assess your carpet, and get right to work! We have all of the tools, technique, and expertise needed for any job. So don’t hesitate; give us a call!

How To Keep Your Area Rug Looking Brand New

Austin Area Rug Specialist

Area Rugs aren't cheap (and for good reason, too) but if you want to keep those rugs looking like they were just delivered, you’ll have to learn some area rug maintenance. Luckily, the maintenance is actually pretty simple and doesn’t require much time at all – you just have to remember to keep up with it. Best Rug Cleaning In Austin, Texas. 9901 Burnet Rd. Austin Texas 78758

Tip #1: Avoid Sunlight

When considering the placement of your new area rugs; it’s highly recommended to stay away from direct sunlight (unless you’ve specifically picked a special rug that can withstand a heavy amount of sun). Direct sunlight will drastically fade the new and bright color of your fabric over time, making the lifespan of your beautiful new furniture exceptionally shorter.

Tip #2: Fluffing & Rotating the area rugs

For everyday wear, you’ll need to fluff your cushions regularly. By regularly, we mean at least 3-4 times throughout the week. While you’re fluffing your area rugs, consider rotating them to a different spot or even just turning them over. Fluffing and rotating your rugs will ensure that not one area is worn more than the others and will keep your furniture consistently looking fresh!

Tip #3: Break Out the Vacuum

When you break out the vacuum to give your floors a once-over, spend the extra ten minutes and run it over your area rugs. This will collect any and all dust that has accumulated and settled into your cushions. If you think about how much dust your other furniture collects on the surface (that you can see), translate that over to your area rugs – it collects the same amount of dust just inside the rug -- AH! Austin Texas!

For spot treating and stains, we recommend to always call a professional to come steam clean your area rug for you. Chemicals will shorten the lifespan of your beautiful furniture and could end up causing further problems rather than helping. We’re sure you bought that beautiful sofa to be in your home a long, long time so we want to help you to keep it in tip-top condition! 512-451-8326

The 3 Easiest Ways to Clean Upholstered Furniture

Rug Cleaning Austin

Life is busy and unpredictable, and keeping your upholstered furniture spotless is probably not at the top of your priority list. Before you donate your cat’s favorite armchair or discover a wayward chip in the sofa cushions, consider these tips that make cleaning your upholstered furniture easy enough to fit in before your next Netflix marathon.

1. Vacuuming

Using the upholstery attachment, vacuum on low power. If the material has texture, such as corduroy or velvet, use left to right strokes to make sure you’re getting any dirt and dust caught in the material. Next, use the crevice attachment to vacuum under cushions and along seams. You might want to check first for any larger items, such as coins, before vacuuming. Use a can of compressed air for harder-to-reach nooks, such as button tufting. Be sure to vacuum at least once a week to best maintain the fabric. A good vacuuming might also help fade old stains!

2. Spot Cleaning

In the event of a stain, first check the furniture item’s cleaning tag. You can find this under the cushions or on the manufacturer’s website. W means it can be cleaned with water-based products, so it’s a good option for DIY. An S means use only water-free products, like a dry-cleaning solvent, but be careful, as the chemicals used in these products might be hazardous. WS or SW means that W or S may work, but run the risk of damaging the fabric (in this case, spot test in an inconspicuous area before using the product). An X means professional cleaning only. Be sure to check your warranty: a professional cleaning might be required, or you run the risk of invalidating the warranty.  

If you can use water, mix it with some dishwashing soap in a bowl until frothy. With a clean, damp cloth, blot—don’t scrub—the stain. Avoid soaking it, as too much water could damage the material. In the case of leather or vinyl upholstery, wipe with Pledge (avoid products with silicone, which may cause cracking). For grease stains, try sprinkling a bit of cornstarch or baking soda on the stain and let it sit for half an hour to absorb the oil, then vacuum and spot clean.   

3. Professional Steam Cleaning

This is your go-to option for antique furniture or stubborn stains, or if it’s required by the manufacturer’s warranty. Even if you’re able to DIY for most of the year, consider paying for a professional cleaning for periodic maintenance, to make sure your upholstered furniture is looking its best — and to give yourself a much deserved break!

The Steam Team is a professional cleaning and restoration service, with years of experience handling water and fire damage, disaster cleanup, mold, household odors, and much more. We have the expertise and professional-grade equipment to finish any job, the right way. Don’t wait—give The Steam Team a call today!