Water Damage & Mold Growth FAQ’s

Water Damage Restoration 512-451-8326

When cleaning and restoring homes from water damage, we often hear questions regarding the damage itself and mold growth. Although you may not be able to prevent the damage itself, you can certainly take preventive steps to avoid the development and spread of mold. To learn more, check out these frequently asked questions:

How does water damage typically occur?

There are several causes behind water damage; natural disasters (floodwater), busted pipes, malfunctioning appliances, overflowing septic tanks, among a few others. Although it may not seem like it, especially if dealing with a malfunctioning appliance, the water becomes increasingly contaminated the longer it’s left untreated.

When does mold develop?

Mold often develops in the presence of moisture, although the temperatures have to be favorable as well. There are a multitude of different mold species, and rarely will any of them grow in triple-digit-temperatures. In fact, indoor conditions are usually the ideal environment for mold growth - another reason why prompt water extraction and cleaning after damage is critical.

How much mold exposure is harmful?

Everyone reacts to mold differently. If you have sensitivities, you’ll be able to handle much less than someone who doesn’t. Additionally, it can be extremely difficult to measure an exact level of mold exposure in an individual. Generally, children (especially babies) have a lower tolerance for mold than adults - but everyone should be cautious of exposure.

What’s the best way to remove water and mold?

If your home has suffered water damage, it’s never safe for you to try and remove the water - or even enter the house - by yourself. The best way to handle water damage is to call a professional restoration company. They understand that natural disasters and other damaging situations don’t always wait for the timing to be convenient, so they’re available to handle emergencies 24/7. The professionals have the right equipment, experience, and know the proper safety precautions to take in order to extract all of the water and tackle any mold development.

How Long Does Fire Damage Restoration Take?

Fire Damage Austin Texas

Enduring a tragedy like fire damage can leave devastating results to your home and belongings behind. While you may feel inclined to rush into your home after the firefighters have extinguished the fire, it’s never safe for you to re-enter the home before restoration professionals arrive at the house. Properly trained and equipped to assess the damage after a fire, these professional technicians will be able to clean, salvage, and restore what they can of your home. However, how long this entire process will take depends on the severity of each individual situation.

The Size of the Fire

If your kitchen suffered a small fire and the firefighters have put it out already, it may seem like there wouldn’t be much damage left. While this may hold true at first, the smoke that was left in the air results in ash (or soot). Without properly removing the smoke and soot left behind, you run the risk of inhaling dangerous fumes as well as leaving acidic particles to damage your furniture and other belongings in the kitchen. Although, a small kitchen fire will likely take much less time to clean than say, a large house fire.

If your home has suffered extensive damage from a big fire, unfortunately the fire damage isn’t the only concern when it comes to cleaning and restoring the house. Everyone knows that firefighters use water to put fires out, but most people don’t consider the damage that water can cause (in large amounts) as well. Typically for a small fire, this isn’t a concern. However, for fires that call for extensive use of water, extracting any excess water is done first.

Estimating Time & Cost

Timing is critical when it comes to cleaning fire or water damage up, so hiring a professional restoration company that understands this is crucial - like us, here at The Steam Team. Upon assessing the situation, our technicians can give you an estimate of how long the process will take and how much it’s going to cost. Don’t hesitate to call us as soon as damage occurs - we’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

Everything You Need to Know About Oriental Rug Cleaning

Rug Cleaning Since 1983 Austin Texas

Oriental rugs aren’t just any other rug - they’re often one-of-a-kind handmade pieces of art. Their individuality often drives their prices up - when you spend such a pretty penny on the rug covering your living room floor, it should last a long time. In fact, oriental rugs have been known to be family heirlooms, passed down from generation to generation. However, they won’t last this long on their own - they need us to take care of them, properly, to have such a long lifetime.

Prevention

As with any flooring, the best way to keep it clean is to prevent it from getting dirty - right? Although that’s often much harder than it sounds, even simply taking off your shoes at the door can help to reduce the amount of dirt and debris tracked through your house. Plus, your bare feet are often much easier on the rug fibers than tough shoes would be.

Regular Maintenance

Running the rug over with your vacuum when you clean each week is the best way to remove any surface dirt and dust. If your oriental rug takes the brunt of an accidental spill, you’ll need more than a vacuum to clean it up. The best thing you can do, when it comes to any liquid on your rug, is to treat it as quickly as possible. If you’re able to attend to it before the liquid dries, soaking up anything excess (like you would with carpet or other fabrics) will help to lift the stain later on.

Oriental Rug Deep Cleaning

Depending on the amount of traffic your oriental rug endures, it may need a deep clean once or twice a year, or sometimes even once every few years. If it looks dirty, it’s probably time for a thorough deep cleaning from a professional. The collection of dirt particles is especially important in oriental rugs, due to their fibers and unique design, so it’s often better (and easier for you) to hire a professional for cleaning. Here at The Steam Team, we actually use a multiple-step process to ensure that everything (including stains, dirt, debris, etc.) is lifted gently, but effectively, from your oriental rug.

Is It Time To Clean Your Drapery?

Drapery Cleaning

There are a few ways you can clean your drapery around the home - whether you want to do it yourself or hire a professional. The key here is that your curtains are getting regularly cleaned. Just as regular maintenance extends the longevity of furniture, HVAC systems, flooring, etc. - it’ll also keep those fabric curtains looking fresh and clean, longer.

Regular Curtain Cleaning Maintenance

Most people vacuum at least once each week, so it makes it easy to remember to clean your curtains each week when you’re using your vacuum. It’s really simple - just pop on the attachment to your vacuum and run it over the fabric of your drapery. Each time you vacuum them, look for any stains or discoloration that needs further attention.

Tackling Stains

If you spot a problem area, it can raise concern. How are you supposed to clean this fabric anyway? Sure a vacuum will remove the dust and other dirt particles clinging to it, but the suction is certainly not enough to remove a stain that’s absorbed in the fabric.

While many fabrics are machine washable, not only is it a hassle to take the curtains down to wash, dry, and then put back up - but it’s also not always very effective.

That’s where the professionals come in!

Hiring a professional company, like The Steam Team, guarantees experienced and equipped technicians. Often times, when people try to clean different fabrics (especially delicate drapes, for example) on their own, it can sometimes further the damage if done improperly. Many people are unaware that different fabrics are cared for differently - for example, not all fabric can be steam cleaned. For those that can’t, The Steam Team uses a safe and effective dry cleaning method.

Take the guesswork out of cleaning your curtains, and leave it to the professionals who have done it thousands of times!

The Damaging Effects of Smoke After a Fire

Smoke Damage Austin 

No matter the size, all fires produce smoke. Even if the fire was put out almost instantly, just like flooding - the damaging after-effects begin immediately and can actually worsen the longer it’s left untreated. As the damage intensifies, restoring your home can become increasingly costly and time-consuming. As a general rule; it’s never safe to re-enter your home after a fire - always wait for the professionals! Whether the fire first started in your kitchen or in your bathroom - where there’s smoke, there’s soot. While firefighters do some clean up after they extinguish a fire, they aren’t able to clean your home as extensively as you need to. It’s a good idea to call your local restoration company as soon as possible, so they can begin fighting your soot damage.

Soot?

Yes, you read that right - not the fire, not the smoke - but the soot. While both factors certainly lead to the amount of ash around your home - they’re not acidic (like soot is). In fact, the high temperatures of fire cause concern for many things around your home, but the acidity of soot can affect nearly anything in its path. Often times, it does just that, as smoke typically gravitates towards cooler temperatures - leaving soot behind wherever it travels.

It’s Effect Overtime

Just as your environment reacts to the soot, the soot reacts to your environment - especially if it’s humid. Unfortunately, it begins by (permanently)discoloring any porous material, immediately - and it won’t take long before it begins damaging other surfaces around the home. Even just leaving it to settle for a few hours could cause everything to change - the entire structure of your home can become compromised after too long. Don’t hesitate to call your local restoration company - like us, here at The Steam Team - as soon as you can!

3 Common Upholstery Cleaning Mistakes

Upholstery Cleaning Austin Texas USA

By now, we’re sure you know how important it is to clean your upholstered furniture - not only does it improve the aesthetic appeal of your sofa, but it also increases the overall longevity of the furniture. However, more often than not - people are making mistakes when cleaning their upholstered furniture. Whether cleaning your ottoman, loveseat, or even drapery - next time it’s time for a little spring cleaning - avoid these common mistakes.

Improperly Trying to Remove Stains

Every fabric responds to stains differently - using improper techniques to try and remove these stains could actually make them bigger. If not, you could damage the fabric of your furniture, leaving another permanent stain. Although, in some cases - the product you choose to use could be the real culprit.

Using the Wrong Products

Not all cleaning products are safe to use on every fabric, and you could end up causing more damage to your furniture rather than cleaning it. While you should always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines, they may not give you specific products to use. Don’t forget to check labels and ingredients - some products can lead stains to become permanent if used on the wrong fabric. Of course, test the product on a small area of your furniture (that you wouldn’t normally see), to ensure the fabric won’t have an abnormal reaction.

Not Hiring a Professional

While you may not consider hiring a professional for the “small” problems - improper techniques and damaging products can often turn a “small” stain into a “big” one. Whether it be for small stains or a regular cleaning, steam cleaning is one of the most effective ways to clean your upholstered furniture - especially when hiring the professionals. A reputable company with experienced technicians will use truck-mounted steam cleaning systems, providing stronger suction (thus, a better clean). When in doubt - always hire a professional!

Should You Clean Your Air Ducts?

Air Duct Cleaning Austin

Your air ducts are probably the last thing you think about when cleaning your home - but, it’s one of the most essential! Over time, dust, dirt, and debris build up in your heating and cooling system and begin to collect around your air ducts. While a thorough air duct cleaning may not necessarily improve your health, it certainly will improve the efficiency of your HVAC system. Although, in some cases, enough debris collects on the outside of your ducts to flow into the home. If you’ve been itching your nose often lately, it could mean it’s time for a good cleaning!

Cleaning the Entire System

If you notice dust collecting on your vents, you may be inclined to clean them yourself. While this will temporarily remove the visible dust, it’s not going to prevent it from quickly forming again. Since majority of the dust and debris actually comes from the buildup throughout your entire system, a professional cleaning is the best way to cover every inch.

Dirt, Dust, and Debris Aren’t the Only Things You’ll Find!

If there’s moisture collecting around your system, you may notice mold or mildew beginning to form. While it may not necessarily pose a health risk at first, when the spores have spread throughout the ductwork it can begin spread throughout the entire home.

Most people who have sensitivities to mold experience symptoms similar to seasonal allergies, so you may not even know it’s actually your ductwork!

So, When Should You Get Your Air Ducts Clean?

Typically, your air ducts should be cleaned every few years - but don’t forget to regularly change your filter. Depending on how long you’ve resided in your home, if your last cleaning was more than 5 years ago - it’s definitely time for a thorough cleaning.

Get all of that gunk out of the way and improve the efficiency of your HVAC system - don’t hesitate to call us here at The Steam Team today!

Should You Clean Your Air Ducts?

How to Remove Water Promptly After Damage

Water Damage Austin Texas

Water damage is often out of your control as a homeowner, whether caused from a natural disaster or broken pipe. There’s no doubt in our minds that, by now, you’re familiar with the dangers of leaving excess water to sit - especially for extended periods of time. We’ve previously covered how damaging it is to your belongings, the entire structure of your home, and can even be detrimental to your health! We know how upsetting and scary this whole process can seem - so we’re here to help you along the way. The first step you’ll need to take, is to call a professional to remove all of the water from your home immediately.

How the Professionals Help

The primary goal when restoring a home after it’s been damaged from floodwater (or any excess water), is to prevent (or stop) the growth of any mold, mildew, and other bacteria. The earlier water is removed, the easier it is to prevent these dangerous factors from your environment and belongings.

Experienced technicians are trained and equipped with “wet” vacuums and pumps with a high amount of suction to properly dry every surface. When carpet flooring has been affected, they’ll use large fans to reduce drying time and further prevent bacteria growth.

Determining the Salvageable Items

Although it may be tempting, it’s just not safe for homeowners to make this determination on their own. Certain items can hold sentiments - but if damaged too much by the water, could continue to grow (and spread) mold and other bacteria.

While many people think of salvaging their items after a tragedy like this, the flooring and even walls of your home may be overlooked. Carpeting is always pulled up to ensure that the padding (or subfloor) beneath it aren’t damaged beyond repair - but unfortunately, it doesn’t take water long to ruin them.

If you’ve experienced flooding recently, don’t let the water damage take over your life - leave it to the professionals, we’re happy to help!

How to Neutralize Odors Around Your Home In Central Austin

Odor Removal Austin, Texas

Do you think you’re safe from outside pollutants just because you walk inside your house? Think again - the air in your home can actually be more polluted than any outside air. In fact, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, anywhere from 2 to 100 times more polluted! The air in your home encompassing everything - including your carpet and even upholstered furniture. While changing your air filter definitely helps, if you’re not cleaning your HVAC ducts and vents regularly - more dirt, dust, and grime can get into the air.

Air pollution isn’t the only problem when it comes to odors around the house. Depending on your interests, there could be an abundance of different factors playing into that awful odor you’re smelling. For example, a fun hobby like cooking can cause an unpleasant aroma over time. Although, pets are the biggest culprit when it comes to gross odors, especially when they’re not potty trained.

While regularly maintaining your flooring - carpets, especially - can help to neutralize some of these odors, many of them can also seep into your upholstery and drapery just as they might other fabrics, like clothes. When you can’t seem to get rid of those pesky odors, your best bet is to hire a professional to take care of them.

Hiring A Professional

You may start by researching different DIY techniques to rid your home of these unpleasant smells, but most cleaning solutions (whether DIY or not) won’t work - especially if the odors have been lingering for a while. Save yourself the time by calling a professional company, such as The Steam Team. While we can’t technically say that our trained and licensed technicians have dealt with it all - they definitely do have extensive experience with the latest technology to effectively and safely neutralize any heavy odors.

Don’t let that nasty odor permeate any longer - call us at The Steam Team today!

The Importance of Conditioning Leather Furniture

Leather Cleaning and Conditioning Austin, Tx

Leather furniture may cost a pretty penny, but it sure is worth the investment! The material itself has an abundance of quality characteristics - including lasting exponentially longer than upholstered furniture. Treating it like the good investment that it is, and taking care of your leather furniture will increasingly elongate its lifetime.

Cleaning Your Leather Furniture

Regular maintenance is a good idea for all of your furniture - regardless of the material. Although, while you may know several ways to clean, fluff, and take care of your upholstered furniture, leather furniture is completely different.

When it comes to cleaning leather, you want to stay away from any and all soaps on leather material. While steam cleaning is advised with upholstered furniture, using any kind of soap (whether it’s mild or harsh) can damage leather furniture as it contains natural oils. In fact, its oils typically dissipate over the course of a year due to the buildup of dirt and grime. So, using a mixture that contains oils, instead, will both clean the material, and replenish the natural oils that have dissipated over time.

Applying Conditioner

While it shouldn’t be used regularly, applying conditioner to your leather furniture will help to keep its material moisturized, flexible, and soft. You may realize that original shine and luster of your leather has diminished over time, maybe it’s looking dull now. Regularly using leather conditioner can bring back that “new” shine and overall appearance to your furniture - even as it gets older! However, because it does soften the material, you shouldn’t use it too often. Applying condition is often recommended after each cleaning - which should occur once per year.

Consider hiring a professional to clean and maintain your leather material for you. Thanks to their experience and familiarity with the process, professionals will be able to optimize your investment by using the right cleaning techniques and materials.

Is your furniture starting to look dull? It may be time for an annual cleaning. Call us at The Steam Team and one of our licensed technicians will be happy to help refresh your leather furniture!

The Time Sensitivity of Fire Damage Restoration in Austin Texas

Detailed Deep Home Cleaning 

You may not be able to control the fire itself, but you can control the damage from worsening after the fire has been put out. Before you run back into your house - we don’t recommend that you attempt to restore your home yourself. We previously covered why hiring a professional is critical in these situations, but additionally, when it comes to cleaning up these dangerous residues most people don’t consider one of the biggest factors; time. While it may seem like the damage couldn’t worsen after the fire is gone because it isn’t there to continue to spread, the opposite is actually true. The smoke is actually just as bad as the fire itself, except it’s much harder to remove completely from the home. And, that’s not the only residue that could exacerbate the damage further over time, unfortunately.

Don’t wait - you don’t want it to get any worse! Call a professional restoration company, like The Steam Team, to begin cleaning your home as soon as possible. As professionals, we understand the importance of time sensitivity in these situations - we won’t hesitate to make your home our priority.

How Fire Damage Changes Over Time

Dealing with the damage immediately can salvage many of your belongings - including fixtures, appliances, and furniture. While cleaning and restoring your entire home within a few minutes is likely unrealistic, even just waiting a few hours could cause certain metals and materials to tarnish or yellow. However - it doesn’t stop there.

After a few days, the smoke and soot residue can begin to seep through your walls and upholstered furniture, causing permanent stains. After weeks, the residues become extremely difficult to remove - which can raise the cost of your restoration, but will also cause tremendous permanent damage like corrosion and discoloration.

Removing these residues before they reach this point is obviously ideal, but in order to do so you need special equipment that requires vigorous training to use as neither residue can be removed from washing, unfortunately. But, don’t worry - our experienced (and licensed) professional technicians are here to help!

Fire Damage: Hiring The Professionals in Austin

Cleaning in Austin, Texas

When your home suffers damage - whether it be from fire or water - it can be absolutely devastating, emotionally and physically.

After the fire has been put out and the firefighters leave the scene, you may be tempted to rush back into your house. While we completely understand wanting to salvage any possessions that are left and, of course, evaluate the extent of the damage - it’s critical that you wait for the professionals first.

Why Wait for a Professional?

Regardless of the size of the fire, the smoke left behind can circulate throughout your belongings and the entire house, including your HVAC ducts and vents. When left without cleaning, it could even stay there for the months to come! The smoke odor can be difficult to remove, and breathing in this air can lead to many unfortunate health risks and complications.

When attempting to restore your home yourself, you could do more harm than good because you may not know exactly what to look for. For example, when it comes to going through your belongings, you may keep items that are full of smoke and soot residue. And, contrary to popular belief, removing these kinds of residue isn’t just as easy as throwing the items in the wash. In fact, washing could even permeate the smoke or soot further throughout your belongings. On the other hand, however, you may end up throwing away certain items that could be salvageable if you don’t know what to look for.

The key to fire damage restoration is to be extremely thorough while remaining conscious of the time passing - the longer ash and smoke residue is left to sit, the worse the damage will be. Not only do these professionals have extensive experience, but they also have the necessary equipment and are properly trained to use it in order to effectively and safely remove any damaging residues from your home.

Understanding Flood Water Contamination

Flood Clean Up Austin, Tx

Unfortunately, water damage can be difficult to avoid - especially when it’s caused from natural disasters. Typically, the main concern is mold growth in these situations. However, the water that has caused such damage in your home is often contaminated with hazardous bacteria that could pose additional risks to your health. Even if you’re tempted to go back inside and clean your home after significant water damage, wait until your emergency water extraction team gets there as they’re much better equipped and trained for these dangerous situations.

Categorizing Water Damage Contamination

The amount of contamination is categorized based off of the source and contents of the water and its history into 3 separate categories also referred to as; clean water, grey water, and black water.

Category 1 - Clean Water

Clean water isn’t considered hazardous because it doesn’t initially contain any contaminant like bacteria or fungi. “Clean” water sources include; melting snow, household appliance malfunctions, rainwater, or broken water lines.

While clean water isn’t contaminated initially upon flooding, that doesn’t mean that it can’t become contaminated. Unfortunately, bacteria growth is unlimited. The longer standing water is left untreated, the longer bacteria is able to multiply. So even initially “clean” water could grow enough bacteria after 48 hours to be considered category two - grey water.

Category 2 - Grey Water

Grey waters may pose risks to your health as they are typically chemically contaminated. Often, grey waters come from dishwasher or washing machine discharge, sinks, and baths or showers. Just as with clean water, after 48 hours most grey water is considered black water from the drastic increase in bacteria.

Category 3 - Black Water

There’s no doubt about it - any contact with black water can drastically affect your health depending on the severity of its contamination. Category 3 water contains multiple fungi, viruses, bacteria, and microbes from sources such as; overflowing rivers, sewer backups, or even ground surface water.

Restoring your home to its previous condition is a job that’s better left to the professionals, especially when it comes to water contamination. Without taking the proper precautions, the bacteria that is often present in flood water can cause numerous diseases. To avoid bacteria growth, your home must be completely dry within 48 hours - so don’t hesitate, call us today if you’ve suffered any water damage.

2 Facts About Austin Water Damage Restoration

Disaster Clean Up

Flooding and water damage can be caused from natural disasters, a busted pipe, or even a backed up drain - every situation is different. Often times, a homeowner’s first instinct is to begin cleaning immediately. While it is true that the first 24-48 hours are critical for restoration, dealing with water damage can be exceptionally tricky - especially if you are unaware of the proper precautions to take. It is always recommended to avoid re-entering your home before a professional is able to assess any damage because there could be contaminants in the water (or air) that may pose additional health risks. This brings us to our first fact about water damage restoration:

1.Water Can Result In More Than Just Mold Growth

When flooding occurs, whether it be from a loose appliance hose or even melting snow, mold growth is often the main concern. However, it shouldn’t be your only concern. Removing the water from your home within the first 24-48 hours is also critical to avoid further bacteria growth. Water contamination is rated in categories - category one water is considered “clean,” while category three water is also known as “black” water and could cause many serious health concerns -- even death.

2.Water Can Spread Up Drywall Over Time

In order to grow, mold spores need moisture and a nutrient source. Unfortunately, what many homeowners don’t realize is that drywall provides a perfect environment for this growth. Once the standing water comes in contact with drywall, you have a short window of time before mold spores begin to grow. We already know that water should be extracted immediately - but what happens if you leave standing water for more than 24 hours? It doesn’t take long for mold spores to rapidly spread across your drywall - 48 hours at the most - but by immediately removing any excess water, this is completely preventable.

Fortunately, The Steam Team understands water damage doesn’t always occur at convenient times. If you’ve experienced any water damage, don’t hesitate to contact us for emergency water extraction!

Top 3 Steam Cleaning Myths Austin, Texas

Residential and Commercial Cleaning Austin, Texas

Are you ready to finally buy that steam cleaner you’ve been eyeing in the local Austin Target for the past several weeks? Wait - don’t make the purchase just yet. While many people think that owning their own steam carpet cleaner will make a drastic difference in the appearance of their flooring, it’s actually a myth. For a good, thorough, deep clean, hiring a professional company is always the better (and easier) route.

1. Adding moisture to the carpet will result in mold and mildew.

Steam cleaning (also referred to as hot water extraction) does involve using moisture (steam). However, that doesn’t mean that mold or mildew are left behind. In fact, the machine that professionals use to steam clean carpets attaches to their vehicle for industrial grade pressure and suction to optimize your cleaning results. The power behind the suction helps to remove majority of the moisture, whatever remains is certainly not enough to cause concern for mold.

2. Carpet needs to be dry cleaned only.

This may be one of the biggest myths we’ve heard yet - but we hear it all the time. Often times, carpet retailers will say that it can only be dry cleaned. Fortunately (for you AND your carpet), this is merely an opinion and couldn’t be more false. Dry cleaning carpet methods are typically ineffective while steam cleaning is becoming widely recommended from even the largest carpet manufacturers.

1. Store-bought steam cleaning machines can get the job done thoroughly and efficiently - like hiring a professional company.

As previously stated, it is a myth that your own steam cleaning machine would provide similar results to that of a professional and experienced company. The reasoning behind this is because professionals have access to the latest equipment (which has significantly more power) - not only that, but they have the training, knowledge, and experience to complete the job properly.

A Simple Guide to Caring For Your Carpets in Round Rock, Texas

Maid Service Austin

Choosing the flooring that you’ll walk on in your home for the following years is no light decision (for you or your wallet). However, one of the best ways to elongate the lifetime of your floors is by taking excellent care of them. This doesn’t only consist of remembering to vacuum every once in awhile, it’s much more than that. To make things more simple, we’ve put together the most important ways you can care for your carpets.

Avoid Dirt & Debris

We know with kids and pets it’s not always possible to keep as much dirt as you can off your carpets. But, if you’re able to, it can drastically improve the look and feel of your floors - no matter the material.

Regularly Vacuum

Since we can’t keep every speck of grime out of our carpet fibers, regularly vacuuming will help to loosen up any particles that have become stuck.

Treat Spills Immediately

Spills are much easier to clean and less likely to stain when they are immediately attended to. It’s best to remove any excess liquid first (by using a towel to soak it up), and then target the spot if there’s any discoloration leftover. If you’re dealing with a pesky stain and it’s proving to be much more difficult than you thought, don’t forget you can call a professional to help with spot treating!

Periodically Deep Clean

Periodically - as in, once or twice a year - your carpets should be deep cleaned by a professional. It’s no secret that your local hardware store probably rents out “industrial grade” steam cleaning machines, but for a thorough deep clean, you’ll likely want to ask for help from a professional steam cleaning company. Not only is it less hassle for you to deal with, but their equipment is more powerful, giving your carpet a deeper clean.

Now that you know the basics to take excellent care of your carpeting, your carpets are sure to last a long time. Next time you’re in need of a thorough cleaning, give us a call - our technicians are certified, knowledgeable, and experienced. Don’t hesitate - schedule your cleaning today!

An Essential Guide To Refinishing Your Hardwood Floor in Austin

Hardwood Floor Cleaning Austin

Have your hardwood floors been looking a little dull lately? No matter how hard you work to sweep, dust, and mop it just doesn’t seem to brighten the wood like it used to, right? Maybe you’ve noticed a few scratches here and there, but then you remember the huge gouge that you’ve been trying to hide for months. Ah, yes - maybe it is time to refinish your flooring after all. While it can be a difficult process, if you leave it to the trained professionals you won’t have anything to worry about!

Cleaning Maintenance

While refinishing your hardwoods will undoubtedly transform their appearance, it shouldn’t be overdone. Keeping up with regular cleaning maintenance is important for the wear and tear of your flooring - it shouldn’t need to be refinished more than 3 times throughout its life. Typically, cleaning alone will improve its aesthetic appeal, too, unless it needs to be refinished of course.

The Process

One of the most essential aspects of the entire refinishing process is the amount of dust that can collect on your floor. Luckily, there are products that can create a dust-free environment, eliminating any risk of trapping any particles under the finish.

Damage Repair

If your floor boards have begun separating, this can create larger cracks between each plank of wood - a perfect place to collect dirt, dust, and grime - yuck! The first step to refinishing your floors is to make sure any cracks like these, gouges, scratches, and holes are filled.

Removing Prior Finish

To remove any prior finish, a light abrasive is used to avoid damaging the wood floor in any way. Typically, this will gently take off the previous finish just enough to create an adhesive surface for the new finish.

Finishing It Off!

Applying the finish to your hardwoods is one of the easiest steps, especially for you! When choosing the type of finish to top it all off you have a couple options; gloss or matte finish. But, once you’ve done that - leave the hard work to the professionals! You’ll be blown away by how incredible your hardwood flooring looks.

The Best Way to Remove Stains from Tile Grout in Austin Texas

Stain Removal Austin

Tile flooring is commonly used around the house in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. Often times, these are the messiest areas, too! While tile can usually make for an easy clean up, the grout absorbs stains almost instantly. So how are you supposed to remove those pesky stains? Don’t waste your time trying to scrub them away with a little brush - unfortunately, because grout is such a porous material, a cleaning method like this won’t remove anything it’s absorbed.

How Does Steam Cleaning Work?

Just as you would change setting on a vacuum for the flooring you’re trying to clean, steam cleaning uses a variety of methods for different floors. When it comes to tile flooring, we complete every job with an 8-step process.

Once the area is properly prepared for steam cleaning (swept, vacuumed, dusted, etc.), a cleaning agent is applied atop the tile. While this works its way under the stains, we can spot clean certain areas that may appear worse than others. In some cases for higher traffic areas, your technician may need to use a mechanical brush.

Now for the fun part… The machine used to clean your tile floors uses a high pressure system that is able to clean away any dirt and grime, lifting the toughest stains from underneath your grout. Here’s how it works; the high pressure system extracts water over the tile flooring, then it uses a vacuum to pull away any residues.

So why does steam cleaning work better than other options for tile and grout? For several reasons, but ultimately; the pores of grout can run deep into your floors, in areas that are impossible to reach with any kind of brush. In fact, if you try to vigorously attack a stain with a small brush (like most people do), it could end up wearing away or chipping the grout itself. Next time you spill a glass of red wine in your kitchen, don’t worry about the grout - we’ve got you covered!

How Can You Tell Your Upholstery Needs Cleaning?

Pre

Professional Furniture Cleaning 

While regularly cleaning your carpeting and other flooring has become a no-brainer, have you forgotten about your furniture? Upholstery is usually the last thing we think needs to be cleaned - but, in reality, it should be cleaned often. So how can you tell your upholstery needs to be cleaned? There are two tricks you can use to tell if it’s time for a good ol’ steam cleaning!

First, take a white cloth and run it over the back of your upholstered furniture. If it comes off looking dusty and grimy - usually smeared with grey or black - then it’s definitely time for that cleaning. However, even if there is a little bit of grime on there, you probably want to at least run your vacuum over the furniture to prevent any allergens and dust from accumulating.

Another idea is to take a black cloth and attach it over the opening on the attachment of your vacuum with a rubber band. Put the attachment hose onto your furniture and turn the vacuum on - if there’s dust or debris on your furniture, you’ll surely be able to tell after you turn the vacuum off!

Now that you know how to tell if your upholstery is dirty, how are you supposed to clean it?

One of the best ways we recommend to clean your furniture like this is by steam cleaning. As steam cleaning professionals, we’re able to thoroughly clean your upholstery without leaving moisture. Best of all - if you have pets or kiddos, you don’t have to worry about the chemicals being safe! It’s recommended to do a deep clean like this once or twice per year, but don’t forget to regularly vacuum and “fluff” your pillows!

Are you ready for your furniture to look fresh and new? Call us over here at The Steam Team, we’d love to get you on the calendar!

3 tips for rug cleaning Austin, Texas

Professional Rug Cleaning

While you may not have carpet in your home, chances are you have at least one area rug that could use a good cleaning from time to time. You probably vacuum the rug once a week, but unfortunately, vacuuming won’t be able to remove all of the dirt and debris that’s accumulated in your rug. There are several ways you can clean your rug - including steam cleaning.

1.Prepare the Rug

Just like you would any other carpet flooring, you’ll want to prepare the area before applying any cleaning solution or steam cleaning. First, you’ll need to move any furniture covering the rug. Then, vacuuming the rug first will help to loosen any debris that could be stuck in the fibers of your rug.

2.Tackle the Stains First

After you’ve run your vacuum over the rug several times, it’ll probably be easier to notice any stains. Whether they’re from your pet, kids, or maybe a spilled glass of wine - you’ll want to make sure these are gone before steam cleaning the rest of your rug.

3.Hire A Professional

To achieve the best results, it’s always recommended to hire a professional. Sure, you can probably rent your own steam cleaning machine from your local hardware store, but that machine can’t even compare to the machine a professional would have. However, this isn’t the only reason you should hire a professional - check out our blog post on hiring a professional vs. renting a machine!

You may feel better prepared to tackle a job like steam cleaning your rug now that you’ve learned the steps to prepare it. However, for optimal results, you’ll probably want to call a professional - their experience and their equipment is reason enough, isn’t it?

To learn more about our steam cleaning services give us a call at (800) 880-7785! We’re happy to come out and give you an estimate, too!