Who Does Clean Up After Construction?

Austin texas local cleaning and restoration

Construction work is never easy. From making the plans, getting the permits, hiring help, and finally breaking ground on a project, it seems like an impossible feat. So when your walls are up, your remodeling is finished, and your project is complete -- you want to start experiencing your hard work right away. 

The only problem? Everywhere you look there’s a mess. Whether it’s scraps of old wood, sawdust covering everything, or pieces of materials you don’t even remember using, the cleanup process can be just as grueling as the work. So, whose job is it to clean up after construction?

Who’s Responsible?

You most likely know the answer, but that doesn’t mean you’ll like it. Most construction companies are hired for the work, but after that last nail is in place, they’re out of there. And the cost to hire a one-stop-shop type of company? It’s enough to make your head spin! 

Which means that you’re left with the backbreaking task of tediously cleaning all of the debris. 

What Can You Do?

In this case, you have two choices: You can either clean the site yourself, or you can call in the professionals. 

The Steam Team is skilled in all things construction cleanup. We’re pros at getting all of the dangerous scraps cleared away, all of the particles swept up, and making your new space look (and feel) spic and span! We’re happy to sweep the floors, make sure the environment is safe, and turn your new site into the dazzling location of your dreams. 

So as you’re planning your new home addition or office space, don’t forget to plan what happens after the hammers stop. Let someone else deal with the messy cleanup, and enjoy the space the way it was meant to be: shiny, clean, and ready to be lived in. 

How Well Do Steam Cleaners Work On Non-Carpet Floors?

Austin Cleaning Companies

If you’ve used an Austin cleaner in your home, or paid for a carpet cleaning like us here at The Steam Team, then you don’t need us to tell you how great steam cleaning can be for your carpet. But what about the other types of flooring in your house? Will a steam cleaner work just as well?

Austin Steam Cleaning Tile?

Believe it or not, steam cleaners are great for a lot more than just carpet. Nothing fixes a dirty ceramic tile floor like a steam cleaner. The high pressure steam strips the floor of residue and chemicals left over by other household cleaning products. If you have any pets or children that spend a lot of time on the floor, it’s very important to keep these harmful chemicals off of your tile. To use a steam cleaner on a ceramic floor, first do a thorough sweep of the floor to pick up all the larger pieces of dirt and debris. Then just add the water, place the microfiber cleaning cloth on the unit’s cleaner head, plug the machine in, and you’re ready to go! We also handle all types of restoration including water and fire damage in Austin, Texas

Austin Steam Cleaning Hard Surface Floors?

While steam cleaners work great on tile, hardwood floors aren't’ quite as simple.  It depends very much on what kind of steam cleaner you get, as well as the condition of your floor. If you are going to steam clean your hardwood, make sure to only purchase a steam cleaner that is advertised to be used on hardwood. Then, you will notice that there is a warning on the steam cleaner that says to only use it on floors that have been properly sealed. To test the seal on your floor, place a drop of water on it. If it is immediately up, then the seal is intact and your floor can withstand the steam. If the water spreads out or sinks into the wood, DO NOT attempt to use a steam cleaner on your floor. Check out our recent projects.

For more information on steam cleaning and professional steam cleaning services, be sure to contact us at The Steam Team!

Don't Make These Mistakes With Your Marble Surfaces

Commercial Lobby Marble Floor Cleaning

We know homeowners love their marble countertops, floors, vanities, columns or other marble surfaces. For this reason, there’s an ongoing search for many homeowners to find the best methods and products to care for their marble. If you have marble in your home and have been on this search yourself, we might have exactly what you’re looking for!

Avoid Most DIY Methods

Far too many homeowners make the mistake of trying to clean their own marble surfaces with DIY approaches, using the wrong methods or products that end up doing more damage than good. That’s because marble is a porous and sensitive surface, especially to acidic products, like many common house cleaners. Marble is also softer than most stone, making it more susceptible to scratching and dulling if scrubbed too hard or cleaned with the wrong material.

Since most generic cleaners, DIY approaches and common cleaning practices might be bad for your marble, it’s always better to leave intensive cleaning in the hands of a professional or team of trained technicians. That’s where we come in.

The Steam Team

When you call in The Steam Team for our marble polishing service, you’ll find that our technicians are experts at proper marble care, and will utilize our full line of specialized products specifically designed for cleaning and polishing even the most delicate marble surfaces. Floor tiles, countertops, vanities and even shower walls can all be polished back to their original shine by our professional technicians!

Our technicians will choose only the right method for the specific level of wear on your marble, removing all dirt, scratches and stains, and renewing the protective layer of the surface. If you need marble polishing in your home, give us a call! For more information on our many other services, visit The Steam Team website.

A Few Great Tips For Maintaining Marble Floors

Most people who have marble floors absolutely love them- they’re an elegant and natural beautiful flooring option. However, marble is quite a delicate material that can easily scratch or stain, and to polish it the right way you’ll need to use great care and the proper materials. Here’s some advice from the experts:

Avoid These Mistakes

Marble cleaning isn’t as easy as some other flooring options, so before we get into our suggestions, you need to know what NOT to do with your marble to ensure that it won’t become damaged.

Spills can certainly do damage to your marble floors, but mopping them up with a soaked mop can do even more damage. Be sure to only use a slightly damp mop for spills on a marble surface.

Marble is especially sensitive to acidic cleaners. For this reason, you should only clean marble with cleaners specifically designed for marble floors. Other store-bought products or DIY methods like vinegar, lemon, or ammonia could cause irreversible damage to your floors.

Never leave or drag heavy furniture or sharp objects on a marble floor, as they can easily cause damage.

Proper Marble Polishing

To prepare for polishing your marble, a polishing compound specifically designed for your kind of marble (cultured or uncultured), a low-speed polisher and a marble sealant is used. Once the surface is perfectly clean, the compound is applied in small sections. It can be a tedious job since it needs to be done with expert care throughout- you don’t want to leave any room for damage to the marble!

The Steam Team

If you want your marble floors to look the best they possibly can, you’re in luck. At The Steam Team, we have our very own complete line of products for marble floor cleaning that’s guaranteed to get the job done right.

Hardwood Floors: A Cleaning Routine That Works

Do you have hardwood floors in your home? Are you tired of struggling to keep them clean? Well fortunately for you, The Steam Team has the answers! We’re here to tell you all of the secrets to keeping hardwood floors clean clean clean. This cleaning routine truly works, friends. So read on! 

Dust Floors Daily

This is the most important step you can take when it comes to keeping your floors clean! Dust settles all over our flooring and baseboards (especially if you have a ceiling fan that runs constantly!). So it’s highly important to prioritize dusting when it comes to keeping your floors as clean as possible! Use a microfiber dust mop, as the microfiber material attracts more dust and allergens.  

Mop Floors Weekly

It’s time to start mopping your floors weekly! Don’t worry, it isn’t that hard. There are some things to remember though, when it comes to hardwood floors. For example, too much liquid on hard floors is not good. Some cleaners can eat away at the finish, so it’s important to look out for only cleaners that are meant for hardwood. Just keep these things in mind when you’re developing your cleaning routine!

Polish Floors Quarterly

Are your floors looking dull as of late? Are they lacking the shine and luster that you remember? Your hardwood floors should be polished every two to three months, and don’t worry, the professionals can help you out with that! The Steam Team is a team of experts who specialize in caring for all types of flooring, including hardwood. 

When it comes to your hardwood flooring, you want to give it the best care possible. That’s why we’re here. So don’t wait. Put your trust in The Steam Team today! We’ll clean and restore your flooring the right way, using a simple, yet brilliant cleaning routine.

The 4 Places You Keep Forgetting to Clean

Keeping your home in tip-top shape is no easy task, especially if you’re cleaning it all on your own without the help of professionals. But that might cause you to overlook some parts of your home that are still very important to keep clean. Here’s a reminder of areas of your home that still need cleaning, but are often overlooked.

Air Vents

Cleaning and dusting every surface in your home is essential for your health, since it ensures that you’re breathing clean air. But are you making sure to also clean the source of that air? Dirty air vents can affect your everyday health, and unfortunately most people don’t clean them as often as they should. Next time you wonder why your cabinets are so dusty, check the vents.

Drapes

Make sure not to skip your curtains or drapes when giving your house a deep clean. Dust, dirt, pollen and even mold can accumulate on drapes left unchecked. Many drapes can’t be cleaned in the washing machine, and require special attention. So be sure you know what kind of clean your drapes need.

Under Appliances

Under and behind many appliances might just be the dirtiest places in your home. Many people never clean these areas at all! Dirt, dust, grime and food can build up in these areas, and you can’t avoid cleaning them forever! If you don’t want to pull out that refrigerator or washing machine and clean all around it, call The Steam Team and let us do it!

Baseboards

Baseboards are often never cleaned, even though cleaning them doesn’t take too much time or effort. They can easily collect dust and dirt over time. Cleaning them can be done with just a damp cloth or a wipe.

The Steam Team

If these areas are too difficult or too inconvenient for you to clean, keep in mind that The Steam Team technicians can do it all! So stop letting these areas of your home get dirtier by the day, give us a call. Visit The Steam Team website for more information.

We've Found the Solution to Pet Odor

If you have pets in your home, you may be quite familiar with the odor that comes along with them! It can be difficult to remove, especially if it’s a urine odor that’s soaked deep into the padding of your carpet. But fortunately for you, The Steam Team can help out! That’s right; we’ve found the solution to pet odor, and would love to help you out!

The Steam Team Process

The Steam Team uses a brilliant cleaning process and top-notch equipment in your home! Believe it or not, most pet odor issues can be solved through our normal cleaning process! Steam cleaning is great for your carpet; it uses nothing but hot water and high water pressure to remove not only urine particles, but dust, dirt, and dander too!

Other Tips to Consider

Here are some other tips to consider: When cleaning urine stains at home, it’s important to remember to use an enzymatic cleaner. It’s the only thing that will properly remove the urine from your carpet! It’s also important to clean up the accident as soon as you spot it; this will give you a much better chance of remedying the situation!  

When You’re Ready…

...call in the professionals, AKA, The Steam Team! You’ll know when your ready. You can only tolerate that odor for so long! Call in the The Steam Team and you won’t regret it. Our cleaning process will thoroughly remove urine stains and pet odors from your carpet, and your furniture too!

The Steam Team is a group of trained professionals in cleaning and restoration. We’ve been serving the Austin community for over a decade now, and don’t worry; we’re not stopping any time soon! So if you need help removing pet odor in your home, don’t hesitate to give us a call!

Puppy Training? Beat the Pet Odor Before it Happens!

Believe it or not, there’s a way to beat pet odor before it occurs! Yes, we know it’s no easy feat. But it can be done. Follow these simple guidelines when you’re house training your new puppy, and as always, feel free to rely on The Steam Team! We love helping our customers out!

Take the Puppy Outside Often

Start off on the right foot. Be sure you’re taking your new puppy outside as often as your schedule allows. Puppies can only hold their bladder for short amounts of time! You can avoid a lot of accidents by bringing your puppy outside every two hours, and increasing those hours as the puppy grows.

Use the Correct Cleaner

When you’re cleaning urine spots, you definitely want to make sure you’re using the correct cleaning solution. Be sure that it’s an enzymatic cleaner; these are the only cleaners that will work at that pesky urine scent! And of course, perform a spot test before spraying a large area of carpet or upholstery- just in case.

Call Us For Stains, Spots, and Odors

Finally, every once in a while, call in the professionals for a deep cleaning! The Steam Team is your leading carpet cleaner in Austin, TX; we’d love to come out and help your home return to its original, fresh condition! There’s just no clean left behind like that of a steam cleaner. You’ll be floored by our results!

Remember friends, the plight of pet odor is not unresolvable! As long as you’re properly potty training your new puppy, handling accidents in the correct manner, and considering relying on the professionals to help you out, you’re on the right track to beating pet odor before it happens! Don’t hesitate to pick up the phone today and give us a call! We’ll be out in a jiffy, and you’ll be so thankful you made that call!

3 Reasons to Call The Steam Team After Fire Damage

Damages to a home by fire and smoke can be a catastrophic event, and often lead to the loss of personal items, finances, and in some cases even your entire home. Though it may seem unthinkable, you should always have a plan for fire damage. Here are three reasons that your plan should involve The Steam Team.

Too Dangerous To Do Alone

In the event that a fire does take place in your home, who’s going to take up the job of cleaning and restoration? Maybe you’ll decide to save a buck by doing it all by yourself. Odds are, you wouldn’t have the means to. To do so, you would need the proper safety attire, tarps, industrial strength water pumps, a press extractor, cleaning materials and much more.

Even with all of this, you’re putting yourself at great risk by entering the damaged property. There may still be dangerous burning chemicals, or burned material in the air that would be harmful to breathe. The only way to ensure your safety and the proper care for your home is by hiring a professional team.

Best Restoration In Austin, TX

Luckily, if you live in the Austin area you won’t have to worry about attempting to restore your home yourself. The Steam Team technicians will restore your home for a great price using only professional equipment. Our technicians will start by inspecting the property to assess all fire and smoke damage. This process will allow our technicians to give you a full report on the damage, and an estimate of the costs. Then they’ll board up and tarp the home, and begin restoring and cleaning it thoroughly.

Consultation

After the completion of your fire damage restoration process, our technicians will offer consultation on how to better prepare your home to prevent any future fire damage from occurring. For more information on how we can help with fire damage restoration, water damage restoration, and many other services, visit The Steam Team website.

5 Places You Probably Forgot to Clean Last Year

Last year while you were spring cleaning, did you miss a few places? It’s easy to do! That’s why we’ve developed a checklist of sorts, to make sure you don’t repeat the same mistakes. Here are five places you might’ve missed last year but definitely don’t want to miss this year!

Air Ducts

Air ducts are notorious for hoarding allergens like dust, dander, and pollen! Have your air ducts checked regularly to make sure they aren’t worsening your allergies, or causing unnecessary mess in your home!

Dryer Vents

When it comes to dryer maintenance, cleaning out the lint traps is great, and should be done frequently. But dryer vents are often neglected. This year, why not call in the professionals to come out and clean your dryer vents? You’ll save energy, and cash in the long run!

Baseboards

Baseboards are also known for holding in dust and dirt, and are often neglected on cleaning day. This spring, let’s turn that all around, friends! Run you floor mop along the baseboards to give them a deep cleaning, too!

Window Blinds

Window blinds are dusty and dirty and difficult to clean. But the latter is not the case with steam cleaning! In fact, The Steam Team can most likely steam clean them right from where they hang! No need to take them down or tub wash them. Just call in the professionals!

Grout

It’s time… time to finally tackle that grout. What better time than spring cleaning, though? Overtime, our tile and grout experiences enough foot traffic to cause discoloration or even staining. Grout is porous in nature; it absorbs stains more easily. Thankfully, steam cleaning can clean that grout right up!

If you’re in need of a hand this springtime, don’t hesitate to call in The Steam Team! The Steam Team is a team of trained experts who excel in cleaning and restoration projects! So don’t wait; call us in today!

3 Reasons to Stain Your Concrete Patio

Concrete staining does wonders to your patio; all it takes is a little bit of creativity, and a professional’s touch! Read further to understand all that concrete staining has to offer! And as always, The Steam Team is here for all of your concrete staining needs. We’re available 24/7 to help out!

Changes the Look of Your Backyard

Are you craving a change? Everyone does from time to time! Concrete staining is a great way to change up the look of your whole backyard! You can customize the color and everything! You can even find furniture to match the color of your patio stain. It can be fun for everyone in the family!

Rids Patio of Eye Sores

Concrete staining will, in the process, rid your patio of eye sores like cracks and bumps! When the pros are done with your patio, it’ll look brand new! And don’t forget- your patio is subject to the weather, so applying a sealant is a great idea. It’ll help the stain to last longer!

The Professionals Can Do it For You

This is one project that you won’t have to DIY! The professionals can do it all for you. Just rely on us, The Steam Team, and we’ll have the job done in no time! And what’s the best part? The fact that everything will be done correctly the first time around, and nothing about the project will have to be redone. That’s the beauty of hiring the professionals.

The Steam Team has been serving the Austin community for over a decade now, and we’re not stopping anytime soon! So if your backyard is in need of a good old fashioned revamping, concrete staining is where it’s at! Contact The Steam Team for more information! You’ll love our results, we just know it!

After the Fire: Ridding Your Home of Odors

No matter the scale of damage after a house fire, the experience can be traumatizing and at the very least, stressful! But don’t worry; The Steam Team has your back. There’s no fire or smoke damage that we can’t handle! And when it comes to smoke damage, we know exactly how to bring back that fresh scent you’ve been missing! Below are three tips to rid your home of smoke odor after a house fire.

Properly Ventilate the Area

After a fire, your home needs a ton of fresh air! It’s highly important that you properly ventilate the affected area. How do you do this? By opening all doors and windows (keep pets from escaping by using baby gates at the entrances to your home), and place box fans all around the area. Set them to high! This will help push contaminated air out of your home.

Do Some Deep Cleaning

Unfortunately, the only way to permanently remove smoke odor is to properly clean everything. This means gathering up linens to be washed and/or dry cleaned (couch covers, blankets and sheets, clothing, etc). It also means washing your drapes, walls, and thoroughly cleaning all surfaces in your home. If the task is too heavy, call in a professional cleaning company!

Call the Steam Cleaners

A professional cleaning and restoration company can be very useful in times like these. They can get the cleaning job done in no time, without you having to lift a finger! They can also effectively remove smoke odors and restore your home to its original condition!

The Steam Team is always here to help; in fact, we’re available 24/7. So if you’ve recently endured a house fire and need assistance (and normalcy), just give us a call today! We have all of the right tools and expertise for the job.

The Best Time of the Year to Clean Your Floors

Janitorial Cleaning Downtown Austin

When you decide to have your floors professionally cleaned for the first time, it’s a big deal.  It means you’re ready to fully eradicate the germs, allergens, and dust mites around your home, and you know the professionals are the best ones for the job. Well done!

But now that you’re following through with a professional treatment, you’re bound to have questions! What kind of treatment should be used? Which areas of the house are priority? And most of all, when should the professionals come?

Don’t worry- The Steam Team has answers. Below, we’ll discuss a few deciding factors to consider when scheduling a professional cleaning.

How Are Your Allergies?

If there’s one thing carpets are good at, it’s holding in allergens and pet dander. If you’re prone to sneezing fits, itchy eyes, and other telltale allergy symptoms, we recommend having your floors cleaned after Thanksgiving. Allergens are insufferable this time of year.

With The Steam Team’s help, you can avoid a winter of runny noses!

How Heavy is the Foot Traffic?

With frequent family gatherings, Christmas parties, and other get togethers, the holidays typically bring on an excess amount of foot traffic. Whether it’s Grandpa’s trailing pipe smoke, or your sister’s puppy who’s not-so-housetrained, once the festivities are over, your carpet will need a touch of tender loving care.

What’s on the Calendar?

Timing is different for everybody. Are you having a guest staying for a while in February? Are you considering putting your house on the market in the spring? Thinking of your future timeline can help you pick the perfect time to clean the floors what will be most worth your while.

This holiday season, give your home the gift of freshly steam cleaned carpeting. Santa- we mean, The Steam Team insists!

Carpet Cleaning in Round Rock Texas

Carpet Cleaning in Round Rock, Texas

There are two types of people when it comes to cleaning. The first type either puts it off as long as possible, and then does a surface clean before people come over, or they make sure their home is always spotless. While most of us would like to be members of group number two, let’s face it – we’re just not.

So when company comes over we panic for a good five minutes before starting the hurried process of shoving papers in drawers, haphazardly running the vacuum, and spaying way too much air freshener. Instead of that hassle, here are a few tricks to avoid the panic and enjoy taking people into your home.

If You Have Time, Get The Pros

The first trick to impressing your guests and having a clean house is to actually have a clean house. Get your floors and upholstery deep cleaned twice a year and don’t forget your grout, tile, and stone! Keeping up with routine maintenance will make quick cleans a breeze.

Get Rid Of Clutter, But Be Organized

If you need to get rid of clutter and get rid of it fast, don’t just shove things in drawers and hope for the best. Take an extra 10 minutes to be smart about it. Put things in the rooms where they belong, keep like products together, and throw away anything you don’t need.

Don’t Waste Time On The Non-Essentials

If you’re in a rush, this isn’t the time to make sure all the dust is gone from the top of the fan or start a new, in-depth project. Make sure the floors are clean and free of toys, trash, and random items, wipe down the counters, and clean up the bathroom. This will help your place look sparkling even when you don’t have time for a full clean.

Relax

Finally, make sure to relax and enjoy your guests. They’re visiting to see you, not just your home. Clean up, stay up with your home maintenance, and remember to enjoy yourself– even if you didn’t get those carpet stains removed!