Steam Cleaning: Hiring a Professional vs. Renting a Machine -Central Texas Experts

The Clean Team Austin

Steam Cleaning: Hiring a Professional vs. Renting a Machine

By Amy Renken

There’s no doubt that you can rent a steam cleaning machine that will clean your carpet – however, there’s also no doubt that professionals could clean it better. Do you want to ensure that all of the residue is out of the carpet? While there may be benefits to buying your own steam cleaning machine, you may want to look at the benefits of hiring a professional as well.

What are the benefits of renting or buying your own machine?

Cost effective – Buying your own machine may be more cost effective if you plan on cleaning your carpet often. On the contrary, renting may be more cost effective if you plan on using it once or twice.

Convenience – You’re not welcoming anyone else into your new home besides a new machine. It’s definitely convenient to be able to just walk to the garage (or where ever you store your machines) and begin cleaning your carpet.

What are the benefits of hiring a professional?

When you take pictures of your kids do they ever turn out as fabulous as the ones you got professionally taken for the holidays? What about when you color your hair? Does it turn out as good as it does when you get it professionally done? It’s the same when it comes to your carpet.

Suction – the machines that a professional steam cleaning company has are industrial grade and usually hooked up to their vehicle. This allows for a much stronger suction to ensure that all of the dirt, debris, and other grime is lifted from your carpet.

Knowledge – This is a major one. Professional carpet cleaners are cleaning carpets all day every day – they know everything there is to know about carpets and how to clean them. When you have especially tough stains or odors, they know how to remove them.

You be the judge, but it is always recommended to ensure the best carpet cleaning and the longest life for your carpet – call a professional. Better yet, call us at (800) 880-7785!

Should I be Careful When Cleaning my Upholstery? Westlake Hills, Austin

Should I be Careful When Cleaning my Upholstery? Westlake Hills, Austin

Westlake Carpet Cleaners

By Amy Renken

Are you tired of looking at your couch because it’s causing a big eye-sore in your almost-perfect living room? We know the feeling all too well – it’s not too comfortable to sit on either when you’re thinking about how dirty it may be. One of these days your animals will stop dragging in the dirt – right? Wrong, unfortunately. It’s better to learn some tricks to clean your upholstery so you will want to enjoy its comfort and invite your guests to have a seat because you know it’ll be clean. However, you don’t want to damage your furniture – so yes, you have to be careful if you plan on steam cleaning it yourself.

Read the Tags

Before you do anything, read the tags on your furniture. Some fabric can be damaged from water, so you will want to find an alternative to cleaning your couch.

Pre-Wash

Just as you pre-wash your carpet before taking the steam cleaner to it, you have to pre-wash your upholstered furniture, too. However, you’ll want to keep in mind that your furniture fabric is likely more delicate than your carpet fibers are. In addition to that, it probably has more colors than your carpet does, too. You don’t want to damage these colors or the feeling of the material, so do some research before buying anything that will go on your furniture.

Test

Just to double check the solution you got to clean your furniture before you apply it all over, find a hidden area on the upholstery. Somewhere that is backed against a wall, or a piece of fabric that is on the bottom of the furniture will work best. Apply the solution and use a damp cloth to run it over. Wait a full 24 hours before checking back for any discoloration or texture changes. If nothing appears, you’re good to go!

Call us if you need help cleaning your upholstered furniture – we’re always happy to help. You can reach us at 1-800-880-7785.

Carpet Wear & Steam Cleaning in Austin Texas

Steam Team Austin

Are you Finding Wear Spots in your Carpet?

By Amy Renken

Did you think that men were the only ones who ended up with bald patches? Ha - think again! Dirt particles can destroy the carpet fibers leading to wear in your carpet over time. Areas with higher traffic typically deteriorate quicker – shoes carry dirt particles, the more shoes, the more dirt and the less carpet fibers that stay intact. However, there are techniques you can do to prevent further damage or deterioration to your carpet.

Extra Mats

Providing extra mats by your front door where your guests can take their shoes off or wipe their feet will eliminate shoes on your carpet, keeping dirt away from your fibers.

Frequent Vacuuming

Vacuuming your carpets twice per week will lift the debris out of the carpet and keep them from damaging the carpet fibers. Regularly vacuuming is a guaranteed way to extend the lifetime of your carpet!

Professional Cleaning

If you have noticed advanced deterioration in your carpet, a professional cleaning may be the only way to ensure there aren’t any dirt particles left in your carpet fibers.

What else can cause bald spots in my carpet?

There are other things that may be causing the deterioration in your carpet – moths. The same as the ones who will eat through your clothes, these moths will eat your carpet fibers to gain the protein they need.

Treatment to remove these types of creatures from your carpet is a simple vacuuming. If this doesn’t work, you’ll want to call a professional to clean and treat your carpet, ensuring that the moths are completely gone.

Once you’ve established the reason you are seeing bald spots in your carpet and are taking preventative actions to protect your carpet; you’ll need to cover the current spots that have deteriorated fibers. A professional will be able to restore your carpet using spare carpet patches that can fit over the missing parts.

If you need help cleaning or restoring your carpet, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-880-7785 - we are always happy to help!

Why should I seal my grout?

Tile and Grout Cleaning, Polishing and Sealing

Your Questions, Our Answers

By Amy Renken

We love to answer your questions, so keep them coming! Here’s the next batch of our frequently asked questions!

• Does carpet come with a protectant?

When you buy new carpet, it comes with a protector from the manufacturer. However, this layer of protection wears over time with more traffic. It is recommended that you get this protectant replaced annually, but depending on where your carpet is placed and what the traffic amount is you may want to replace it twice a year.

• Why should I seal my grout?

No matter where your tile is (bathroom, kitchen, etc.) it is always recommended to seal the grout because the material is porous. This means that the grout absorbs any spills of liquid, dirt, grime, you name it! The sealant also makes the grout easier to clean should something spill on it (it’ll happen eventually).  

• How often should I get my air ducts cleaned?

Your air ducts actually don’t need to be cleaned very often – usually every 3-5 years. However, you do want to get them cleaned because your air ducts is where the air goes through that you’re breathing every day. Your air ducts are prone to dirt, dust, and other contaminants that can hinder your health. In addition to your health, clogged air ducts tend to work over-time causing them to expend much more energy than they should be. A good air duct cleaning will make them much more efficient!

• Should I have my air ducts cleaned if I just moved into my new house?

Absolutely – even if your house was just built, you’ll want to have your air ducts cleaned. On the other hand, if your house is older and has had someone living in it for years, you’ll still want to get them cleaned because you won’t know the last time they were professionally cleaned. However, if your home was just built, getting them cleaned will rid your air of any construction debris.

Stay tuned for more frequently asked questions answered on our blog! If you’re needing any professional cleaning done – don’t hesitate to give us a call! 1-800-880-7785

Air duct cleaning in Austin - What am I Breathing?

HVAC Decontamination & Sanitizing 

What am I Breathing?

By Amy Renken

When is the last time you’ve had your air ducts cleaned? Do you know why cleaning your air ducts is important? Air flows through your air ducts hundreds of times throughout the day. Each time the air goes through, more dirt and debris is brought with it polluting the air you are breathing each day. It’s important to have this system cleaned every few years (three to five, to be exact) in order to keep your system running efficiently and produce clean air.

Will this help my HVAC system?

Yes, absolutely. If you haven’t had your ducts cleaned in several years, your system is working extra hard to push air through all of the grime. The dirt and debris that have been carried through it have added up and begun to clog your system, which also hinders its ability to produce heat or cool air.  Once it’s cleaned, you’ll probably notice that your system is running quicker and more efficiently.

What are the signs of dirty air ducts?

• Dust, cobwebs, and other debris that is noticeable around your ducts

• You’re needing to change your air filters frequently, more often than you should

• There is visible mold

Other signs may include unexplainable respiratory problems, although this isn’t a guaranteed sign that you need your air ducts cleaned – if you are experiencing these issues, it can’t hurt to give your air ducts a good, professional cleaning.

What are the benefits of cleaning my air ducts?

As previously stated, it will help the efficiency of your HVAC system with heating and cooling as well as airflow. In addition to these benefits of saving your home energy, this cleaning will also help to produce less polluted air which could result in increased health.

If you suspect that your air ducts need to be cleaned, go ahead and give us a call at 1-800-880-7785. We’re happy to take a look at them and give them a thorough cleaning!

Dry Carpet Cleaning vs. Steam Cleaning

Janitorial

Dry Carpet Cleaning vs. Steam Cleaning

By Amy Renken

Ah, the great debate – which one is more beneficial to your carpet, its lifetime, and the stains it holds? Although both methods have their own disadvantages and advantages, the preferred method is steam cleaning – and we’re here to tell you why.

• More chemicals or less chemicals?

It’s up to you! We get asked all the time about whether or not our services are safe for our customers’ pets and children and we’re always happy to answer with “yes!” However, we can’t say the same for dry cleaning your carpet because you need to apply some type of chemical agent to be able to clean it thoroughly.

• How long will I have to wait for my carpet to dry?

Dry cleaning is not entirely dry because it does require some type of “pre-spray.” While most people choose dry cleaning because they’re concerned about the amount of moisture that will be left in their carpet from the steam cleaner, you might want to consider the amount of moisture you’re adding when you use those cleaning agents. When you steam clean, you’re removing almost all of that moisture using the suction versus dry cleaning where suction is not involved.

• What kind of carpet do you have?

This could be the deciding factor of whether or not you can dry clean your carpet. If you have a frieze carpet in your home, you’ll definitely want to consider steam cleaning. Not just buying a steam cleaner from a store either, you’ll want to hire a professional who has an industrial grade unit to ensure all of the dirt and grime is out of your carpet. These types of carpet hide stains really easily. However, a general rule of thumb for cleaning your carpet is; the larger the loop, the easier to clean and vice versa – the smaller the loop, the harder to clean.

Not sure if you should hire a professional or not? Give us a call! We’d love to chat with you about your carpet cleaning needs and we are always willing to discuss the different options you have.

3 Signs it’s Time to Reupholster

Commercial And Residential Cleaning

3 Signs it’s Time to Reupholster

By Amy Renken

Have you been getting your upholstered furniture cleaned only to feel that it still isn’t clean enough? The nice thing about furniture is you don’t have to get rid of it – you can just reupholster (even if it isn’t upholstered to begin with)! So what are the signs that it may be time to look into reupholstering that sofa you used to love?

• Sagging Cushions

Has your back been hurting? Do you spend a lot of time on your sofa? Your body will probably notice it first, but your cushions could be sagging. They need some love before they completely fall apart!

• Printed Fabric

When you first bought your couch or got it upholstered, you picked out a lovely printed fabric, right? Well, since upholstered furniture lasts forever (as long as you’re giving it some regular TLC) chances are that fabric is going to go out of style eventually. So, if you’re still sitting on your sofa from the 90’s you may want to consider reupholstering!

• Damage

Whether it be water, fire, or smoke, if your favorite furniture encounters any type of damage you’ll want to be very careful. We know accidents happen all the time, but you want to keep a close eye on your furniture and the way the damage has effected it. After coming in contact with fire or smoke, there isn’t much that can be done to save your sofa – you’ll probably want to look into some new upholstery.

• Rough Fabric

When you sit down, are you feeling a rough or worn fabric? Do your pets climb all over your furniture and cause some rips or tears? The best way to evaluate this is to look closely at the fabric and ensure that it is not pilling, which is caused by normal wear and tear after several years. If you are not comfortable when sitting on your sofa, you’ll want to look into getting it reupholstered.

So, there you have it! Remember; to keep your furniture looking new and to lengthen its lifetime – give it some regular TLC by steam cleaning, fluffing cushions, and vacuuming the dust out!

The Best Ways to Keep Your Upholstery Looking Brand New

The Best Ways to Keep Your Upholstery Looking Brand New

Furniture Cleaners

By Amy Renken

Even though you dropped a pretty dime on those new upholstered chairs, they do require maintenance if you want to keep them looking that way. 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.

When considering the placement of your new furniture; stay away from direct sunlight (if you can)! Unless you’ve specifically picked a special fabric that can withstand a heavy amount of sunlight, you want to keep your furniture as far away from it as possible. Sunlight will drastically fade the new and bright color of your fabric over time, making the lifespan of your beautiful new sofa exceptionally shorter.

For everyday wear, you’ll need to fluff your cushions regularly. By regularly, we mean several times a week – not necessarily every day (although we know plenty of people who prefer this) but at least 4-5 times throughout the week. While you’re fluffing your cushions (like you would your bed pillow that has gone flat), consider rotating them to a different spot or even just turning them over. Fluffing and rotating your cushions will ensure that not one area is worn more than the others and will keep your couch (or chair) looking fresh!

When you break out the vacuum to give your floors a once-over, spend the extra ten minutes and run it over your furniture. 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 upholstered furniture – it collects the same amount of dust just inside the cushions. Once the vacuum comes out though, you can say goodbye to that dust!

For spot treating and stains, we recommend to always call a professional to come steam clean your furniture for you. You can read our other blogs about the benefits of steam cleaning over using other chemicals, but on top of that – 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!

We can be reached at (800) 880-7785 for our professional steam cleaning services. Please don’t hesitate to call us for a quote! We’d love to hear from you!

Carpet Cleaning Tips

Cleaning Tips Central Texas

3 Cleaning Tips for Thanksgiving

By Amy Renken

With Thanksgiving rounding the corner fairly soon, we know you have all probably experienced a child at the table throwing food or dropping numerous different foods on your carpet or nice upholstered chairs. You’re not alone, we speak for everyone when we say – we’ve all been there, done that. Want a way around the messy clean up? Here are some tips to prevent a tiresome cleanup after you’ve stuffed your belly!

1. Clean Before Thanksgiving

This one is pretty simple, do a good thorough cleaning around your house prior to beginning your Thanksgiving Day duties. This way, you won’t have to worry about it during actual Thanksgiving, and you’re also only worrying about the mess made during the actual cooking and eating portion rather than excess mess from your kids the week prior. Consider getting your furniture and carpet professionally cleaned because chances are, if your guests see you have immaculate flooring they’ll tend to be more mindful of their food and drinks. You probably want to spend as much time as you can with family since that is what Thanksgiving is about, so this will prevent you from having to spend extra time cleaning while they’re there.

1. Extra Tables

If you’re on a tight budget you can find a nice folding table for pretty cheap; throw a nice tablecloth over it and viola! Providing extra tables (depending on how many guests you’re planning on having) will prevent wine glasses and other drinks or food from being placed in places they are likely to tip over and land on your carpet. Plus, after the meal, you know where to find the dirty glasses and you’re not stuck hunting all around your house to find them!

1. Area Rugs

You may or may not have an extra area rug lying around, but if you don’t this is another item that you could find pretty cheap (since you won’t need anything fancy). Putting an area rug on top of your carpet and underneath your table will prevent any spills or dropped food from staining your freshly cleaned flooring. Simply lay it down and then remove after dinner and you’re left with a spectacularly clean carpet!

What do you think? Is there anything you’ve done each year that has helped you with clean up after Thanksgiving? We’d love to hear about it!

Will steam cleaning and air duct cleaning get rid of the fleas in my carpet?

Air Duct Cleaning Austin, Texas

You’ve Asked, Now We Answer!

If you’ve already read our last FAQ blog, you’re probably ready for some more questions and answers from the experts. Well, here we go! We want to make sure we cover a variety of topics, since we offer a variety of services. So, whatever questions you may have – send ‘em our way!

1. Will steam cleaning get rid of the fleas in my carpet?

Those darn fleas! They’re always so hard to get rid of! Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that a good steam cleaning to your carpet will kill all of them. The adult fleas lay eggs in carpet and we don’t have a way to make sure that all of the eggs are gone. However, we always suggest getting rid of as many as you can before you clean your carpet. This could entail hiring a professional exterminator which is probably your best bet to ensure that you get all of the fleas out of your house.

1. Why should I have my leather professionally cleaned?

Leather is an incredibly easy material to damage, believe it or not. We like to compare leather to skin because it holds so much moisture. If not treated properly you could cause long-term damage to the material. Most store-brought products will help retain that moisture, but only a professional will have the right equipment and materials to keep your leather in its best condition.

1. How long will it take my upholstered furniture to dry?

This is a hard question because it really comes down to the type of fabric that covers your furniture. Each fabric will hold water differently and the drying time will vary depending on how the water is held in the fabric. Usually, furniture takes no longer than 12 hours to dry – but it could be shorter.

    We’re not done quite yet! Stay tuned and check back often for more questions that you send us.

The Best Fabric for Furniture Round Rock Texas

Upholstery Austin

The Best Fabric for Furniture

By Amy Renken

Are you looking to purchase some upholstered furniture? Or maybe re-upholster some old furniture that you’ve had lying around for years? The first thing you should know is that every fabric cleans differently. It’s important to designate a place for the furniture and be honest about how much traffic that specific piece is going to get. Will it be in your living room and be sat on every night? Or, will it sit in the front room and occasionally be used once or twice a year? This will determine where you want to go next.

Once you’ve determined how often your furniture will be used, here comes the fun part – learning about the different fabrics!

Heavy Use and Pets

If you know that your pets will be on your furniture often, consider microfiber or leather. Both of these fabrics are durable and can withstand lots of traction and mess.

Occasional Use

For furniture that is only used every once in a while, you can probably stand to get printed fabric. The only reason why printed fabric is not suggested for high traffic areas is because the pattern isn’t woven in tightly like it is on other woven fabrics, therefore the threads are further apart and are not considered as durable as the others.

Furniture, just like carpet, can also take a big hit when put in sunlight. This is important to remember if you’re choosing a colored fabric – it will fade if it is in direct sunlight for extended periods of time.

When it comes to cleaning any upholstered furniture, we recommend you reach out to a professional. A professional will know exactly what materials and equipment to use for each fabric (even if your furniture is considered “stain resistant”). Call us at 1-800-880-7785 to come clean your furniture!

Signs it may be Time for a New Carpet

Home Cleaning

Signs it may be Time for a New Carpet

Can’t seem to get the stains out of your carpet? Has it been around to see your kids grow up and the lifetime of your pets? Here are a couple signs that will tell you whether it’s time to bite the bullet and get new carpeting or not!

• Remember when we asked you if your carpet had been around a while? Well, if it’s reached its lifetime peak – there’s your first sign. If you have carpeting that’s ten years or older; chances are the padding and carpet itself may have reached the end of their lifetime.

• Have you tried everything you can to remove those pesky odors? Can’t seem to get rid of it? Sadly, if your carpet has been through a couple pets (or kids) – it’s probably time to rip it up and lay down some new flooring.

• Are you looking at a few tears that you aren’t sure how to fix? A professional may be able to fix them, but if you’re looking at several large tears – it’s definitely time to invest in a new carpet.

• What does your carpet feel like beneath your feet? Is it still as soft and cushion-y that it was when you first bought it? How about when it was only 3 years old? If you feel matted or stiff areas, it’s time to look into some new carpet.

• Noticed you’ve been suffering from allergies lately? More so when you’re sitting on your couch with your feet up over your carpet? Increased allergies may be a sign that you should get rid of that old carpet.

Well, there you have it! If you think you may need to start looking into replacing your flooring – remember these five signs before you decide! Remember, cleaning your carpet regularly can also help elongate the life of your flooring!

Carpet Cleaning Stains

Rug Washing 

Trying to Hide a Stain?

By Amy Renken

Have a stain in your carpet that’s causing a big eye-sore? Expecting company tonight? Do you need to cover it up before the cleaning company arrives? No worries – we’ve got a couple tricks up our sleeve for you!

The easiest solution would be to move a couple pieces of furniture around. If you have an ottoman, that’s the simplest way to cover the stain, assuming it is in a convenient spot. Otherwise, you can move your other furniture (couch, coffee table, ottoman, end tables, etc.) around in different positions until you can find one that you like that will also cover the stain! Sometimes this works out really nicely, too – you may find a different feng shui for your living room!

Have an extra area rug laying around? Another easy solution! Pull the area rug over the stain for the time being – remember, it won’t be there forever, it doesn’t need to look perfect! If you don’t have an extra area rug, it wouldn’t hurt to pull one from another area for a little bit.

We’ll probably surprise you with this one! Believe it or not, sometimes adjusting the lighting in the room where the stain lies is the best way to hide it! It depends on what type of area that it is in of course, but if you can try to dimly light the room, you would be surprised at how hard it is to see those pesky stains.

If you’re looking for some extra tips to clean these stains out of your carpet, stay tuned! We’re always passing along some helpful cleaning tips. As always, don’t hesitate to call us if you need your carpet or furniture steam cleaned! 1-800-880-7785

You can also find more about steam cleaning on our blog if you are in need of some extra information regarding safety and other tips!

3 Tips to Maintain Upholstered Furniture

3 Tips to Maintain Upholstered Furniture

By Amy Renken

It can seem nearly impossible to keep your furniture clean with your kids running around or your pets coming in from outside, all muddy, and settling in their favorite place on the couch. It’s hard to predict what will happen to a piece of furniture when you’re only shopping for it – but with these three tips, you can extend the life of your upholstered furniture and even keep it looking “like new” the whole time!

1. Fabric

This is the best place to begin, even before you start shopping for your new couch or arm chair. Determine where the furniture will go, and based off of that research some fabrics that will hold up best depending on how high-traffic that area will be. Is this an everyday couch or is it just going to sit in the front room and occasionally sat on? For everyday use, synthetic fibers are the way to go. Although if you have pets, you may want to do some additional research on what fabrics will work best with pets.

1. Spot Clean

Usually, half of the work is already done for you when you buy the furniture because they add a protectant that will repel water. However, this is not a guarantee and you will end up having to spot treat several spots on your furniture over the years. There are several different homemade recipes for non-toxic cleaners that will not further damage your furniture, but most importantly – DO NOT RUB THE STAIN. If you are treating a spot, rubbing it will make it spread and worsen the condition of the furniture. Simply blot using whichever cleaner you prefer and vacuum once the spot is dry. There are also several professional companies (if you are worried about making it worse) that can easily spot treat your upholstered furniture for you.

1. Sunlight

If you have furniture that is sitting in a sunny area, or in direct sunlight, you may want to reconsider where it is positioned. Sunlight tends to fade the coloring from fabrics and can cause your furniture to look aged even when it’s only a couple years old. This also brings us back to our first tip, though. If you know that your furniture is going to be sitting in sunlight during the day, research which fabrics can withstand the light and are not likely to fade – you’ve already solved a problem before you even knew you had one!

As always, if you need any assistance with your upholstered furniture lake travis, never hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-880-7785. We’re always happy to help! 

Carpet Cleaning Frequently Asked Questions Round Rock, TX

Tile And Grout Cleaning And Sealing

Carpet Cleaning Frequently Asked Questions

By Amy Renken

1. How long does it take for my carpet to dry?

This is a common question when it comes to steam cleaning because most of you are concerned about using water to clean your carpets. One of the best features of steam cleaning is that by the end of the job, most of the water is vacuumed out anyways-so your carpets aren’t really “wet” but they may be a little damp. However, depending on what type of carpet you have, the extra drying time could be anywhere from 2 hours to 48 hours (usually 24 hours, but to be safe we’ll say 48).

1. Are the chemicals you use safe for my children and pets?

Yes! Absolutely. Fortunately steam cleaning does not require any extra chemicals, using only water. Another one of the primary benefits to steam cleaning, because you don’t have to worry about any extra chemicals around your house (besides the usual ones you probably already worry about).

1. I’ve heard that if I clean my carpet often, it will soil quicker – is this true?

No. In fact, we just did a blog last week that busted all of the common carpet cleaning myths you typically hear. This being one of the top ones! This is not true. There’s only one thing you should worry about when you clean your carpet often: all of the compliments you will get on your “brand new” carpet! Especially if you are steam cleaning your carpets often, because steam cleaning digs so deep to pull all of those stains up and away.

1. What happens if the stains reappear?

It’s extremely rare that your stains should reappear after a thorough and proper steam cleaning. However, if this does happen, just call us immediately and we will take a look at the problem.

Have any other questions? No problem! Shoot them our way, and we’ll do our best to get them answered! 1-800-880-7785

What Can You Do After A Fire? San Marcos, TX

Water Clean Up 

What Can You do After a Fire?

By Amy Renken

We have covered several tips on what to do after you encounter water damage, but what about fire? With all of the heartbreaking fires that are igniting around the world right now, we wanted to share a few tips for how to handle your home and furniture if you should have to deal with a fire this season.

1. Do NOT Enter

First things first, avoid re-entering your home at all costs if you have any fire damage. There are several things that could go wrong if you decide to enter your home after a fire; personal injury, further damage to your home, and you’ll also breathe in air that could cause damage to your organs. The best thing you can do immediately is to call a professional. They have proper clothing to wear so they will not be harmed, and are also properly trained to handle these types of situations – leave it to them!

1. Air Flow

Once your house is deemed safe, the next step is to make sure there is plenty of air circulation. Opening all of the doors and windows will help to get the air moving in and out (which will, in turn, take the smoke out). Even turning on ceiling fans and any extra fans you happen to have lying around, will help to get the air flow going. You can’t have enough circulation!

1. Remove the Soot

This one you will need a professional to do, but it is the next step in recovering from fire damage. There are many companies who are properly trained and have the latest equipment to do this job. All of the soot needs to be removed in order to salvage any flooring or furniture. A regular vacuum will not remove the soot, this is why it is important to contact a professional – they have equipment that will physically remove the soot, which is the only way to properly restore flooring and furniture that has any damage due to a fire.

Stay tuned for more important restoration tips to come! If you have any questions, feel free to call us at 1-800-880-7785 we’re more than happy to answer them!

Carpet Cleaning Myths – Busted! Straight out of Austin!

Fine Rug Cleaning 

Carpet Cleaning Myths – Busted!

By David Marquardt

It’s inevitable, there are always myths out there about everything – but what can we believe? Are those common cleaning myths we so often hear actually true? Read on to find out!

1. You should only dry clean your fine carpet

Absolutely not! The problem with dry cleaning your carpet is that it doesn’t dig down far enough and pull up all of the dirt. Dry cleaning gets the surface well, so your carpet will appear clean. However, in a couple days or weeks (depending on how high of a traffic area your carpet is in) the dirt will resurface and you’ll be stuck cleaning your carpet again.

1. I’ll damage my carpet if I clean it too often, so I should wait to get it steam cleaned

No. In fact, the longer you wait to clean your carpets thoroughly, the more dirt and grime they collect and the more damage they undergo. You cannot damage your carpet by cleaning it “too often” if you’re cleaning it properly. A plus side to cleaning your carpet often is that it will always look brand new!

1. Since steam cleaning contains moisture, my carpet will mold

We’re very happy to bust this myth! Steam cleaning actually does not cause mold in your carpets. The vacuum used to remove the moisture is able to remove 85% of moisture that is leftover. We will never leave you with a wet carpet, we can assure you that! If there is any moisture after the vacuum is used, this usually dries fairly quickly – so no mold ever grows.

1. Household cleaners are able to remove stains just as well as steam cleaning

We’ve always shared tips to remove small stains in your carpets if you’re unable to get them steam cleaned, and have given many easy-to-make cleaner suggestions. However, we will say that any of these alternatives are not going to clean as deeply as steam cleaning will. Therefore, the stain may resurface in the future as the other dirt rises. If you’re looking for a safe and 100% effective way to remove stains and dirt from your carpet – contact us today! (800) 880-7785

3 Water Damage Restoration Tips You’ll Never Want to Forget.

Water Damage Clean up

3 Water Damage Restoration Tips You’ll Never Want to Forget

By Amy Renken

We know how difficult it can be to recover from a flood, or any damaging amount of water. It’s devastating. That’s why we want to share a few tricks we’ve had up our sleeve for getting you through the first steps to restoring your furniture from water damage.

The first thing you should always do is call an expert on water removal. They will safely remove any excess water from your home and ensure that the mold is under control.

1. Slow Drying

Even if your cleaning company hasn’t made it there yet, you can begin removing furniture away from the damaged areas. Once any furniture is in the clear, it can start drying out. If you have furniture that was damaged with removable parts, you’ll want to make sure they are all removed and separated. Do not leave any wooden furniture to dry outside in the sun, it could warp. If you are dealing with antiques, you’ll want to contact a professional to ensure that proper care is taken.

1. Ventilation

As far as any water damage to your floors and walls, the best thing you can do before your cleaning crew comes is to open all doors and windows to let the air circulate. Turning on any fans that you have around the house will also help to ventilate the damaged areas. If you are dealing with a small amount of damage in a restricted area, you may be able to ventilate the area by yourself. However, it is always recommended to contact a cleaning and restoration company (like us!) who know how to properly treat the damage.

1. Immediacy

We want to finish with our strongest point: DO NOT WAIT. Act immediately if you notice any water damage occurring. The sooner the water is extracted and drying begins, the safer you are. The longer you wait, the more bacteria is likely to grow and you face a big chance for mold. Call us immediately if you are dealing with any water damage! We know how time sensitive these situations can be, and our staff is properly trained to deal with any water damage.

(800) 880-7785

How do you remove stains from carpet?

How to Remove Common Household Stains

By Amy Renken

Breathe – It’s going to be alright, just keep reading on how to remove those pesky, yet common, carpet stains.

1. Pet Stains

This is always the most dreaded stain. Not only can it stink up your whole house, it’s also incredibly difficult to remove with regular household cleaners (even the ones labeled “for pets”). After trying to soak up any excess, use club soda to cover the stain and try to soak it up again. If you are still having trouble, use some white vinegar with water. Try and stay away from ammonia-based products to clean up pet urine because their urine is actually ammonia based so they will usually try and go in the same area.

1. Coffee

Yikes! This one hurts. As you would any other wet stain, soak up all of the excess liquid. Although with coffee, you want to be a little more cautious than usual because you can spread the stain easily. Switch out your blotting cloths quickly, if you let them get too dirty you’ll finish only to realize you’ve stained more carpet. A bleach and water mixture will help remove the coffee stain, although you have to treat it very gently. Spray the solution, soak with some warm water, and repeat until the stain is gone.

1. Wine

Soak and blot, soak and blot, soak and blot. Your two new favorite words! Well, if you’re prone to wine spillage accidents, that is. Soak up the excess wine, and blot until the spot is dry. This is another one where you can make a home-made solution that will typically help remove the stain really well. Mix a little bit of white vinegar, water, and dish soap together and soak. Then blot. Then soak, again. Then blot some more until the stain is removed.

One key factor in cleaning stains, we’ve mentioned it before but here’s a reminder; know what type of carpet you have. Depending on your type of carpet, you may need to find alternative cleaning methods. Or as always, call us at 1-800-880-7785, to come steam clean your carpet!

How do you get rid of odors?

Smoke Damage

5 Ways to Eliminate Household Odors

By Amy Renken

Have you ever walked into your home and wondered, “what is that smell?” Chances are, like me, you probably have. The next step is always trying to find out where it came from and sticking your nose into everything you possibly can. I hate when that happens, nobody likes to try and figure out where a bad smell is coming from. Well, what if I told you I had a couple odor eliminating tricks to share?

1. Baking Soda

Baking soda has many, many uses other than for baking. Does your fridge have an unpleasant smell to it? Maybe it smells kind of, stale? Baking soda can fix that! Plus it’s super easy – just stick an open box of baking soda in your refrigerator. You can put it in a drawer or on any of the shelves, just make sure it’s open. Baking soda can even rid the smell of cigarettes and the musty feeling from your furniture if you just let sit there!

1. White Vinegar

White vinegar is another one that has a ton of useful purposes! Does your dishwasher have that murky, musty smell to it? That’s the worst; nobody wants to open up their clean dishes to smell that. Run a cycle, empty, with just a couple cups of white vinegar – it’ll take care of that real quick! It also works well to clean out a smelly coffee maker and your garbage disposal. Just run some vinegar through your coffee maker and pour some down the drain!

1. Fans

You’re probably thinking I’m crazy with this one (because it seems pretty obvious) but you would be surprised how helpful fans really are when trying to rid your musty areas of that mildew-y feel. Especially in a bathroom, where there is always lots of moisture. The first step you can take to rid your bathroom of any musty feel is to wash your mats and towels often. Then run the exhaust fan to remove the moisture, or if you don’t have an exhaust fan – a regular fan will work just fine! Open windows and doors, and let the moisture head on out of there.

And there you have it, gone are the days of musty, stinky, smelly odors!