Tile and Grout Cleaning: Toothbrush or The Steam Team?

When it comes to cleaning tile and grout, what’s your prefered method? Are you like many other people out there, scrubbing tirelessly with a toothbrush in between the tiles for hours on end, and still not achieving the clean that you want? If that’s the case, we want to share a better option with you; The Steam Team.

Inspection and Tile Cleaning

Tile Cleaning Austin

When you call in The Steam Team, our technicians will start with a thorough inspection of the floor, finding the areas that need special attention, carefully removing any furniture from the tile, and sealing off the tile so that the areas around it aren’t affected by the cleaning process. Then we’ll start the complete tile and grout cleaning process by removing all dry soil by sweeping and vacuuming, and then spraying the entire floor with a powerful tile cleaning agent. Then we’ll use high-powered equipment to really make your tile shine. A self-contained pressure cleaning system will be used on the entire surface, then manual brushes and mechanical rotating brushes will be used to clean each grout line. We can guarantee that our methods will make your tile look way better than that old toothbrush every could.

Finishing Touches

A rinse solution will then be pumped out across the floor, rinsing away the cleaning agent and revealing your shining new tile. Finally, a finish will be applied to protect your newly cleaned floor and keep it looking great for a long time. Our technicians will then have one final walk-through inspection with you to ensure that you’re satisfied with the results before they leave the property.

So, now that you’ve seen what we have to offer, why are you still holding on to that old toothbrush? Get rid of it and give The Steam Team a call! We promise you’ll see the difference! For more information on tile and grout cleaning as well as our many other services, please visit The Steam Team website.

How To Keep Your Carpet Clean

Whether you’re purchasing a home, currently own a home, or even rent an apartment- knowing how to protect your carpeting is a true life-hack. Often, we find ourselves waiting until we see a stain or doing the bare minimum with a vacuum to clean our carpet, but the best way to care for your flooring is by protecting it first and foremost.

Why Protecting Your Carpet Works

Dirt, dust, and grime can settle into the carpet fibers over time. That’s why, when you focus on protecting your carpet- rather than reacting to it’s filth- works so well. 

Start With Carpet Padding

The best way to start protecting your carpet is to make sure your carpet has the proper padding underneath. Carpet padding increases longevity in your carpet by absorbing the shock of human foot traffic. It protects your carpets binding and backing and makes your carpet much softer to walk upon. 

Finish With Carpet Protectant

If you’re installing new carpet, just after it’s laid- don’t forget the protectant! It’ll add an extra layer of protection between your foot traffic and your carpet fibers before there’s any chance for damage. 

If you’re dealing with older carpet, call in the professionals to take a look and see if you could benefit from carpet protectant. It helps to keep the tiny dirt and grime particles from causing any damage beneath the surface of your carpet.

Thorough Cleaning and Maintenance

Aside from regular, weekly (or bi-weekly, depending on how heavy your foot traffic is) cleanings, are the semi-annual thorough (read: professional) cleanings. We recommend steam cleaning because of how easily it extracts dirt and debris from carpet, leaving little moisture behind- and absolutely no residue. The Steam Team recommends steam cleaning once a year, but if your carpet endures extra foot traffic, or you have a few stains you’d like to finally clean up, twice a year could be sufficient. 

If you’re ready for a professional carpet cleaning or need the professionals to take a look at your carpet, give us a call today. We’re always here to help!

Our Commitment To 24 Hour Water and Fire Damage Emergency Services

Water and fire related damages are the most common and most costly disasters that occur to homeowners all around the world. Millions of cases of water damage and unexpected fires occur across the U.S. every year, and when these things happen you need to have a plan. Your plan should involve a company that is able to show up to clean and restore your home, and to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, since these disasters can happen at any time.

Caring For The Community

We always try to foster an attitude of care and commitment to our local Austin residents and anyone we come in contact with. Our drive and dedication to our community is what makes us want every resident we serve to be completely satisfied with the job we’ve accomplished. That’s why we offer our water and fire damage repair services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We want to make sure that no matter when disaster comes, The Steam Team can be there to help. No matter the extent of the water damage, mold growth or fire and smoke damage, we know our professional team of technicians can handle it. Let’s discuss our team and how they can help.

Our Technicians

Our professional technicians are always courteous and efficient when it comes to helping out with water and fire damage, and with our many other services! In fact, our amazing technicians are the reason we were voted best water damage company in Austin by the Austin Monthly. When our technicians arrive at your home or business, they’ll carefully inspect the damaged property and give you an accurate estimate of costs. Then they’ll get to work right away, whether it's structure cleaning, providing emergency power, full reconstruction, mold remediation or water extraction, our technicians can handle it. Your home will be back to good shape in no time. For more information, please visit The Steam Team website.

How Should You Care For Your Leather?

Many people get leather furniture or upholstery and think that it won’t ever require any care or maintenance, and that it can’t be damaged like some other materials can. And on the flip side, some people won’t ever get leather because they feel that it is too complicated and requires too much maintenance to care for. The reality is somewhere in between these. Let’s talk about some expert advice from The Steam Team to understand leather and how to properly care for it.

Knowing Your Leather

To properly care for your leather furniture, upholstery, or anything else, you need to know what type of leather you have and what method of care goes along with it. When it comes to full grain leather, you should use a lightly damp cloth with warm water when you need to clean a spill or stain, and be sure not to scrub heavily. With Hair-On leather, you can gently vacuum or dust it with a dry cloth. We won’t go into detail about all the methods here, but do research to find the right cleaning method for your leather.

Day-to-day Care

The daily care of leather is typically very simple. When it comes to spills, try to get them cleaned immediately using only the specific method for your leather, as stated before. Do not use any standard chemical cleaner on your leather or you’ll risk doing damage. Also be sure to keep your leather away from any direct sunlight or a heat source, as it could cause the leather to dry out and fade in color.

Our Leather Cleaning Service

Much more important than the daily maintenance is an annual deep clean and oiling that is required for any leather. Without having its natural oils replenished about once per year, leather will lose its color and comfort.  Luckily, our professional technicians offer this service, and we have our very own line of leather cleaning products for the job. For more information about our leather replenishing service, visit The Steam Team website.

3 Reasons to Start Tile Cleaning

Three reasons. That’s all you’ll need to start tile cleaning today. That’s how effective the process is! So if you’re still on the fence and could use some convincing, sit back and let The Steam Team persuade you into steam cleaning now. 

It Provides a “Clean,” You Can Trust

Aren’t you tired of mopping the floor only to find streaks when you’re finished? What about cleaning the carpets only to find that Fido’s stains are still there? Sometimes basic cleaning just doesn’t get the job done, and you have to rely on the professionals. A professional steam cleaning job will provide you with a clean that you can trust. No spots, stains, or residue will be left behind! 

It Doesn’t Involve Any Chemicals

Tile cleaning doesn’t involve the use of any chemicals or cleaning solutions! In fact, The Steam Team will use nothing but hot water and high water pressure to extract dirt and debris from a variety of areas in your home, from the window blinds down to the carpets! You can sit back and relax, knowing your home is becoming a cleaner, healthier environment for your family. 

It’s Easy

Lastly, steam cleaning is pretty downright easy! Because it only uses heat and pressure, and because it be done by the professionals, this is just about the easiest method of cleaning that there ever was! Gone are the days of scrubbing tile and grout on your hands and knees! In are the days of effortless steam cleaning! 

The Steam Team is a team of trained experts who excel at restoring your home to its original condition, using nothing but- that’s right, steam cleaning! We’re available 24/7 to help out in case an emergency arises, as well. We’re always here for you- through thick and thin! Just give us a call today for a clean that’s simple, chemical-free, and trustworthy.

How to Help Your Tile Look its Best

Tile and grout are often neglected on chore day due to the effort that goes into cleaning them; we totally get it! That’s why we offer our services to anyone in need of tile and grout cleaning! The Steam Team is an experienced group of professionals who’ve been serving the Austin community for over a decade, so we know exactly how to treat your tile and grout. But until we arrive, here are a few tips for keeping your tile looking its best!

Sweeping and Mopping

When it comes to keeping tile clean, sweeping and mopping are essential to your cleaning routine. You simply can’t escape it! Use your trusty floor cleaner, as long as it’s approved for tile and grout, and get to mopping! Make sure you’re changing out the water as frequently as it becomes dirty to prevent smudges on your flooring.

Scrubbing

Every now and then, you have to get out the old scrub brush and get to scrubbing on your tile floor! Just make sure you aren’t using anything that’s abrasive, so that you don’t scratch or damage your beautiful tile!

Steam Cleaning

Steam cleaning is by far the best method of cleaning for tile and grout. Only a steam cleaner can reach deep within the pores of grout and extract dirt and debris, and by using nothing except hot water and high water pressure! We always recommend steam cleaning over other methods of cleaning.

If your tile and grout is in need of some TLC, don’t hesitate to give The Steam Team a call! We’re available 24/7 to come help you out. You don’t even have to worry about scrubbing your tile; you can skip that step altogether and move onto steam cleaning! So don’t wait! Give The Steam Team a call today.

Safety First! Are Your Cleaning Products Safe for Your Home?

Austin Texas Cleaning

With such a variety of cleaning products on the shelf, it’s difficult to make a decision as to what would be ‘best’ for your home. Functionality aside, how can you be sure that the chemicals you’re bringing into your home are safe? That concern grows when children or pets are added in the mix -- so, for today’s blog, we’ve put together those chemicals you should stay away from in cleaning products and a great alternative for safe and effective cleaning at home.

Number one on our list (and probably in your home) is everybody’s favorite chemical; ammonia. Ammonia is actually one of the most common chemicals found in household cleaning products and is often encouraged for use on extremely tough spots and stains. BUT ammonia is also known to cause skin irritation, burns, and damage to the respiratory tract. Although ammonia is also found in our bodies and in nature, inhaling it can result in a variety of health effects.

Luckily, there are many companies that have already successfully phased out ammonia and many safe and natural cleaners have taken its place. There are also several ingredients that you probably have laying around your house such as lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide, and water that can be mixed to create a safe alternative to ammonia.

The best solution to avoid harmful chemicals in your home is to change your cleaning method -- not product. No matter what surface or area you’re cleaning, there’s one method that’s both versatile enough to target practically everything and do it safely and effectively: steam cleaning. Combining high heat, pressure, suction, and water, steam cleaning can turn your stained, faded surfaces back in time to looking brand-new! All with the peace of mind knowing you’re not bringing harmful chemicals into your home.

Is it time to clean those carpets? Resurface the hardwood? Give us a call at The Steam Team today!