A Quick Guide About Cleaning Fabric Upholstery

 Upholstery Cleaning at Zach

Ah, upholstered furniture - it can be one of the most difficult things around the home to clean. With kids and pets, or even without, there are bound to be spills and messes that occur. Unfortunately, the fabric on your furniture is not as easy to clean than, say, clothing fabric - but only because you can’t just pick up your sofa and throw it in the washing machine. Can we give you a secret to cleaning your upholstered furniture? Bring the “washing machine” to it. Okay, so a steam cleaner doesn’t have the cycles that a washing machine does, but it does clean your fabric and get rid of all those stains and other messes. So, let’s give you a quick guide to how it works.

A Cleaning Solution and Suction

A steam cleaning professional will examine your upholstery to determine their approach. Then, using their equipment, will apply a mixture of hot water and cleaning solution to your fabric. The equipment then uses powerful suction to remove the mixture after it’s cleaned the upholstery.

Versatility and Convenience

One of the greatest benefits to using a steam cleaning professional is the versatility of steam cleaning in general. Upholstery isn’t the only thing in your home that needs a thorough steam cleaning - we’re sure you have floors and window treatments, too.

Next to versatility is convenience. The ease of hiring a steam cleaning professional is a huge advantage. Not only is the service effective, but it’s incredibly efficient and you won’t have to worry about a thing!

To schedule your next steam cleaning, give us a call here at The Steam Team. We’re always happy to help - don’t let that dirt and grime buildup around the house!

Cleaning you hardwood floors

Water Damage Service in Austin

With such a big investment like hardwood floors, there are certain things you want to take into account when it comes to cleaning them so as to best protect them from damage. From preventing debris build up to deep cleaning or refinishing - there may be more involved in cleaning those precious wood floors than you may think. Let’s take a closer look!

Preventing Damage

A huge part of maintaining the pristine look of your floors is preventing water damage from occurring in the first place. While this isn’t always possible, there are a few things you can do.

• Remove Shoes

Without wearing shoes on your floors, you reduce the risk of damage - especially in high-traffic areas.

• Regular Sweeping

By regularly sweeping, you’re reducing the amount of dust, debris, and other gunk around the floors. Consistently removing these particles also reduces the risk of damage (and feels better overall).

• Consistent Mopping

Mopping removes any spills or other liquids and prevents them from harming the hardwoods in any way.

Deep Cleaning

Every floor - no matter the material - needs a good, thorough deep clean every once in awhile. The amount of traffic obviously affects how often it would be necessary, but the best way to deep clean hardwood floors is by hiring a steam cleaning professional. Steam cleaning has numerous benefits:

• Environmentally Friendly

• Effective

• Allergen Removal

• Efficient

Refinishing

Since hardwood floors can last centuries - literally - they deal with a lot of potential (and actual) damage. When the wood is visibly damaged or starting to warp, you may need to think about refinishing (or restoring) the floors.

Refinishing hardwood floors is not an easy task. Wood needs to be treated carefully, and without proper training it can be difficult to do the job correctly. Let the professionals decide the best way to care for those precious floors - it’s worth it!

The Best Way to Clean Oriental Rugs

The Rug Cleaning Team

They add an incredible appeal to the room, but oriental rugs shouldn’t be ignored throughout their lifetime. In fact, they do require extensive care. But, lucky for you, we have the best cleaning and care tips for oriental rugs around - just keep reading!

Regular Maintenance for Optimal Appearance

You all know the drill by this point, right? To maintain the best appearance with any type of flooring, regular maintenance is key.

For oriental rugs, this is what “regular maintenance” looks like:

• Quality Padding

• Vacuuming

• Rotating

Care Tips for Oriental Rugs

When it comes to caring for oriental rugs, there are a few main tips to keep in mind.

• Animal Damage

Whether you have a dog or cat, you risk damaging fabrics around the home - including oriental rugs. Cats tend to sharpen their claws and dogs may decide to chew the rug. Be prepared to devote a little extra time to training to keep your animals from damaging your beautiful rug.

• Water Damage

The fibers in an oriental rug can become severely damaged if they come in contact with water and are not dried out properly. For this reason, avoid putting potted plants near your oriental rug - they can easily overflow and cause water damage.

• Chemical Damage

Using carpet cleaners or other strong chemicals (like bleach) on fibers can weaken the fabric over time. It’s always advised to dilute these chemicals with water before using them with oriental rugs.

Professional Deep Cleaning

Oriental rugs are delicate and precious, it’s recommended to let the professionals handle their care. There are certain techniques and tips for handling individual fibers. For example; some fibers are extremely fragile and need to be dealt with gently. Handing over the cleaning to the professionals ensures that your oriental rug is treated properly - plus, it’s sure to look amazing!

Steam Cleaning in the Office and Break Room

Rug Cleaning

No matter what type of business you run or what you do at work all day, you still do it in a clean, comfortable environment! But we know that it can be difficult to stay consistent with cleaning routines on top of everything you’re responsible for each business day. That’s why it’s important to find a professional and call them in for the task!

In the Office:

Let’s start by tackling the most obvious part of your office: flooring. Whether you have carpet, hardwood, tile, laminate, or granite, it can be steam cleaned, so let’s do it! Thoroughly vacuum your carpet, and then use a steam cleaner to remove the remaining dirt, dust, debris, and stains.

You can also steam clean your upholstered furniture. If you’re working from a spacious, cozy office, you likely have furniture that needs a deep, extensive cleaning every once in awhile.

In the Break Room:

When it’s time to clean the break room, don’t feel intimidated; you already know what to do about the flooring and upholstery! In the break room you’ll focus on the appliances and air ducts.

Most break rooms are not equipped with full on ovens and stove tops, but they do have a microwave, sink, or both. These will definitely need to be cleaned on the regular, and you’ll be ahead of the game if you use a steam cleaner.

Cleaning the air ducts can seriously benefit your health- especially if you have allergies or asthma. Your air ducts could be circulating dust, allergens, and irritants throughout your office and break room. A professional will  meticulously inspect your air ducts for more urgent problems (such as mold growth), and then begin the cleaning process. Also rug cleaning is a key to removing allergens.

When all is finished, you, your coworkers, and clients will all be impressed with the results!

So if your office is your second home, why not feel at home? Call The Steam Team today for an expert steam cleaning in your office and break room!

Fall Cleaning! Where to Start.

Carpet Cleaning

Autumn is right around the corner, meaning it’s just about time to “fall,” into gear and get our homes prepared for the season! Before you know it, family will be coming in from out of town for the holidays. Maybe it’s finally time for them to see your newly decorated dining area, or new appliances (that don’t look very new anymore). We’ll show you how to spruce up your flooring and get your kitchen ready for the turkey, the pie, the spooky cookies, whatever your tradition is!

Dining Room Floors

If you have hardwood floor in our dining area, light the chandelier and take a gander at its condition! Notice any scratches, discoloration? It’s normal for flooring to suffer wear and tear, especially in high traffic areas. If you have children, you eat here often. If you have pets, they’re in here just as often (begging for your table scraps, right?). Consider contacting a professional to have your hardwood flooring refinished before the family comes in!

Kitchen Appliances

Sinks, stove tops, tile and grout. Our mothers always seem to spot their filth! Fortunately, you can use a steam cleaner to take care of all of these areas. This will have your kitchen looking like new, and it won’t require any harsh chemicals that could potentially be harmful to your children or pets.

Carpets

This may also be a convenient time to consider having your carpets professionally cleaned. Start by vacuuming them thoroughly, and maybe dust the baseboards while you’re at it. Steam cleaning the carpet will work wonders on removing stains (new or old) and unwanted odors. Not to mention, With cooler weather approaching, we might be able to open our windows to help the carpet dry out quicker. Go ahead… light that pumpkin spice candle!

For help preparing your home for the holidays, call The Steam Team! We have the skill and technique you need for your home to look fantastic this fall!  

Is it Time to Clean Your Tile or Grout?

Many of us would agree that there are few chores as frustrating as mopping, especially when you’re mopping tile and grout. The worst part is that sometimes your tile and grout still appears grimy after you’ve put in a good cleaning! Well, you’re not imagining things. This often happens to tile flooring and sometimes stained grout doesn’t make it look any better.

Clean it, Then Seal it!

Grout is a porous material, therefore it absorbs dirt, grime, and the liquids we spill onto it. All of this together will discolor the grout over time, leaving our floors filthy and emphasizing the stains in its surrounding tiles, as well!

Tile Cleaning

There are a couple things to consider when cleaning your floors. First, if you’re cleaning with bleach or other chemicals, make sure you have proper ventilation. Double check labels to find out whether or not you need to be wearing protective gloves or a mask! It’s also important to use only cleaning solutions that are specially formulated for tile and grout. Some products that aren’t meant to clean these materials can actually break down the sealant, resulting in susceptibility to stains, or discoloration. For expert tile cleaning austin call The Steam Team. 

After you’ve finished cleaning, consider adding a layer of grout sealing. This will help prevent future stains from affecting your tile and grout. Find the type that suits the room you’re installing it in, and be sure to reapply the sealer as necessary (some may need to be reapplied more often than others, but the process isn’t complicated).

Calling in Professionals

Don’t forget! For professional looking results, consider hiring a professionally trained steam cleaning company! Steam cleaning will clean your floor more thoroughly than a traditional mopping or scrubbing. And it won’t harm the environment, your children, or pets! The Steam Team has the equipment and expertise to help your tile flooring look like new again. Don’t hesitate to give us a call!

Leather Furniture Lasts! Here's How.

maid service

Outfitting your home in leather furniture has a few obvious perks: leather is aesthetically appealing, comfortable, and durable. And best of all, leather furniture can last a long time! With proper care and conditioning, you can elongate its life span, and it really doesn’t require a lot of elbow grease. We’re here to show you how simple the process can be. The proper cleaning and conditioning not only helps keep your furniture looking wonderful, but it will also prevent damage from everyday occurrences or beloved small children and pets. And as always, The Steam Team is standing by with specialized technicians who have the expertise and equipment to handle any type of leather!

When caring for your leather furniture, you’ll want to start by dry dusting on a regular basis. Use a dry cloth or sponge to remove dust and dirt, and a vacuum attachment to reach corners and crevices. Clean spills immediately to keep the furniture from staining, but avoid using products that are not designed for leather material (yes, even the “all purpose,” cleaners). Also avoid exposing leather to direct sunlight; this will easily dry out the material and cause it to crack!

Conditioning your leather periodically will help keep its elasticity in optimal shape. However, when caring for such a high quality material, you’ll want to be as careful as possible. Since each type of leather is different from the rest, it may be wise to contact a professional to find out which specific cleaner you should use. Using the wrong cleaner could potentially worsen the condition of the material, as well as deepen any stains that you might’ve tried to remove.

So if you’re considering furnishing your new living room with leather sofas and loveseats but are intimidated by the upkeep, remember that you can have the beautiful, long lasting living room of your dreams; it only requires a regular routine of cleaning and conditioning. And better yet, this process can be taken care of for you by a professional cleaning company. Don’t hesitate to contact The Steam Team for advice on making your leather furniture  last beyond its lifespan!

Common Household Allergens

 Air Duct Cleaning

When you’re a homeowner, cleanliness is definitely something to aspire to. It’s a necessity. You likely have your own specific routine you follow as you clean; maybe you pour a cup of espresso and turn on the news, get lost with those rubber gloves in a sink full of Pine O Pine. But when you or another member of your household has allergies or asthma, cleanliness could be everything. It can be the foundation you lay for reducing the amount of allergens in your home, bettering your health.

Common Household Allergens

Dust mites are the most common allergy and asthma symptom trigger. Dust mites prefer to camp out on our furniture and soft bedding, but they are essentially everywhere. They don’t leave bites or marks on our skin, making it easier not to think of them at all. But our respiratory systems can certainly feel their presence!

We should also be on the lookout for pollen and mold spores. Both pollen and mold spores can enter our homes by latching onto clothing and shoes, just like velcro! Our pets can also carry them inside, along with pet dander. Certain breeds of dogs will not produce as much pet dander as others, which is something to consider if you or a household member would like to own a dog, but have a mild allergy.

Reducing Allergens in Your Home

It might be wise to purchase allergen-proof encasings for your pillows, mattresses, and box springs to begin reducing allergens in your home. For pollen, try to wipe down your pets when they come inside, change your clothes after coming in from a day spent outdoors, and keep your windows closed and air conditioner running. You can also use an air filter to help cleanse the air inside your bedrooms, or entire house!

If you have any serious issues in your home, such as a growing and spreading mold infestation, never hesitate! Hire a professional who has the skill and equipment to finish the job for you.  

3 Tips to Keep Ceramic Tile Clean

Tile Cleaning

Any type of tile can be difficult to clean - mostly because the grout in between the tiles is extremely porous and often absorbs stains easily. However, with steam cleaning those stains are no longer a concern. In today’s blog, we’ll tell you all about keeping your ceramic tile clean.

Act Immediately

The best thing you can do for your ceramic tile - and really, any flooring - is to act immediately if there are any spills or messes around. The longer grime, liquid, mud - whatever it may be - is left to sit, the harder it becomes to remove.

Regular Maintenance

Of course, there’s the good old regular maintenance to keep your ceramic tile looking brand new. The more frequently you sweep and mop, the less likely dirt, dust, and other particles will cover your floor and risk settling into your grout. Be careful with the products you use as harsh and abrasive chemicals and materials could damage the appearance of the tile and damage the grout.

If you need a deeper clean than what your broom and mop are able to do, maybe you can’t get a stain out or are having issue removing grime from the surface of your tile, call a professional! Steam cleaning is the most effective way to go about deep cleaning your flooring - we can always help!

Take Care of Your Grout

Grout is the most porous part of flooring, meaning it can absorb spills and create stains the easiest. Unfortunately, most grout is lightly colored - showing all of its darker imperfections (like stains). It’s important to use a sealant over your grout to prevent stains from setting, but even then, some things can’t always be prevented.

So, to best clean your tile and grout (and keep it that way), hire a professional!

The Top 3 Places Allergens Hide Around the Home

Air Duct Cleaning Austin

They can cause a number of problems - those pesky allergens. Often, they’re hiding and hard to find, but they still cause uncomfortable symptoms like coughing, sneezing, etc. Which are never fun. Of course, these kinds of symptoms will vary in severity depending on the individual - but they are undoubtedly uncomfortable nonetheless. So, where are these pesky allergens hiding?

Curtains and Drapes

Many people don’t think of cleaning their window treatments because nobody sits on them, touches them often, or has accidents on them. However, they are often a big target to collect dust, pet dander, and other allergens you don’t want hanging around the house.

Air Duct Cleaning

As one of the most neglected areas in the home, air ducts collect all sorts of grime - even mold in some cases. Unfortunately, one of the worst things about neglected air ducts is that the allergens are then spread all over the home through the output of air.

Upholstered Furniture

Just as with curtains and drapes, the fabric of upholstered furniture tends to attract dust, dirt, and other particles. However, upholstered furniture is also cleaned more often as they experience much more traffic than window treatments.

How to Continually Keep These Areas Clean

The best thing you can do around the home to keep each of these areas clean and minimize any allergens from affecting you in your own house is to implement a regular cleaning schedule. Paying a little extra attention to each of these places will help to eliminate those additional allergens, but deep cleaning will really kill the bacteria and rid your home of pesky grime. If you haven’t had a thorough clean in a while - give The Steam Team a call today!

Is it Time to Clean Your Commercial Office?

Water Damage Serivce

There are multiple reasons why cleaning your office (and keeping it that way) is extremely important. When it comes to cleanliness, the appearance of your office can be affected hen not cleaned regularly or properly. Along with appearance, though, the same ‘look’ is the first impression your customers have when entering your office. More so than appearance however, an office environment that’s not cleaned properly could actually affect the health of your employees - and yourself. Seeing as most people spend more time in their office than their home, the grime around the office may affect you more than the buildup at home. So, when is the last time your office was thoroughly cleaned?

A Regular Cleaning Schedule

Depending on the amount of traffic in your office every day, you’ll want to come up with a regular cleaning schedule that accommodates the dirt and grime around your office best. If you have carpet, that requires regular vacuuming to ensure that those particles are regularly removed from your carpet fibers. On the other hand, with other flooring - like tile, laminate, hardwood, etc. - you’ll need to pull out the broom and mop to ensure that nothing has the chance to damage your floors.

Steam Cleaning the Office

If you’ve ever had a steam cleaning professional out to your home, the process is essentially the same. The professionals will take a look around the office, assess the situation, and get to work. Using their state-of-the-art equipment, the steam cleaning technicians are able to lift any dust, dirt, and other grimey particles from the fibers, furniture, or other fabrics around your office.

So, if it’s been awhile since your office was last cleaned - don’t hesitate to give us a call! We’re happy to help educate you on easy ways to keep your office clean dn set up that much needed cleaning schedule. And don't forget we offer water damage emergency service 24 hours a day 7 days a week. . 

All About Steam Cleaning Carpet

Cleaning

Although carpet is undoubtedly comfortable, over time it collects lots of dust, dirt, and other grime - even though you may vacuum regularly. While regular vacuuming is certainly important, it can only clean so much. Over time, the leftover grime can build up and even cause damage to the carpet fibers without periodic deep cleaning. So, let’s talk about steam cleaning - what is it and how does it work?

The “Ins and Outs” of Steam Cleaning

Techniques

There is a right way and a wrong way to use steam cleaning equipment. With the wrong techniques, you could end up hurting your carpet fibers.

Cleaning Solution

In some cases, water is all you need to flush out the bacteria and other grime in your fabrics around the home. However, in some cases you may need a cleaning solution - but don’t worry! The Steam Team has just the right answer for you.

Schedule

Cleaning on a schedule is always more effective and efficient than choosing to deep clean when your carpet begins to appear dirty. Dust and dirt build up within the fibers, causing issues before we’re able to see it with the naked eye.

Effectiveness

Steam cleaning carpet is the most effective way to clean carpet nowadays. There are other options, like dry cleaning, but those other options aren’t going to reach the particles that are settled deep into the fibers. But, with the strong suction of industrial steam cleaning equipment and the heat from the machine itself, any bacteria and other grime is lifted.

Hiring a Professional

Deep cleaning your carpet periodically can elongate the carpets lifetime. Don’t hesitate to call a professional and get help with creating that schedule to keep your carpet at its optimal condition.

Is Your Oriental Rug Being Treated Properly?

There is no doubt in our mind that you paid top dollar for the gorgeous oriental rug covering your floor in the living room - so why skimp on its treatment? When treated properly, oriental rugs can last for years - decades, maybe even a century (or more!). However, many people don’t know what “proper treatment” for oriental rugs looks like - so let us help you. Today, we’ll go over some of the best ways to elongate the lifetime of that beautiful rug by treating it the right way!

Regular Maintenance Tips

Vacuum and Wipe

As with other fabrics, oriental rugs need to be regularly maintained to keep them looking their best. Vacuuming will help to remove a lot of the built up dirt, grime, and other particles that tend to settle within fabrics. Additionally, however, you can wipe the rug down with a damp sponge to help remove any dust.

Spot Treat

If any spills happen on the rug - treat them immediately. Spot treating over time will keep your rug looking fresh and new, and of course, without stains.

Avoid Sunlight

Direct sunlight can fade the colors of your oriental rug, so it’s important to cover windows near the rug or move the rug somewhere out of the sun.

Long-Term Rug Care

Regular Rotation and Flipping

Rotating and flipping an oriental rug throughout its lifetime helps to keep the entire fabric looking new, instead of wearing down one area over and over again.

Professional Deep Cleaning

Periodically having your rug deep cleaned by a professional will help to maximize the lifetime of your oriental rug. Often times, vacuums don’t have strong enough suction to catch and pull every particle from the rug fibers. That’s why using a steam cleaner not only removes all of those dirty particles, but it also ensures that the rug is properly taken care of.

See? It’s rather simple to protect your investment - the gorgeous, hand-made oriental rug. Don’t hesitate to ask for help from the professionals - the last thing you want to do is put your oriental rug at risk for damage.

3 Ways to Keep Your Office Spick and Span

Commercial High Rise Cleaning Austin, Texas

You spend every day in your office - maybe even some nights - how can you be absolutely sure it’s always clean? There isn’t an easy answer, although we sure wish there was. But, there are certainly things you can do - and we can help you with. But first, let’s talk about why.

Why to Keep Your Office Clean

A clean office not only makes for a great environment to work in, but it can also help your health and the health of your employees. When grime is laying around the office - no matter what type of flooring you have - there’s no doubt that it’s going to affect the people who work in the environment.

Ways to Keep Your Office Clean

1. Regular Maintenance

Just as you clean your home regularly, your office should be cleaned regularly too. Most people spend more time at the office than they do at home - so why wouldn’t it be regularly cleaned? Whether you have carpet, laminate, hardwood, or even natural stone floors - they need to be regularly swept, mopped, or vacuumed. Removing the particles that settle on top of any flooring is crucial to the environment, yourself, your employees, and most of all; the flooring itself.

1. Create a Schedule

The easiest (and best) thing for a business owner to do is to create a regular schedule with a professional cleaning company. That way, it takes the stress off of your shoulders, it maintains the office and work environment, and keeps your flooring looking the best it can.

1. Hiring a Professional

So, we’ve mentioned hiring a professional, and besides taking the stress off of you - the business owner - there are a multitude of other benefits to this solution. The experience and equipment that a professional has will undoubtedly

How To Polish Your Marble Floors

Stone Care Austin

Just like any other floors, marble floors require a certain level of upkeep throughout the years. With normal wear and tear, marble will lose its shiny luster and overall aesthetic when the proper upkeep is neglected. But, don’t worry just yet - we’re here to help you! So, let’s talk about polishing your marble floors.

When to Polish Marble Floors

You may be asking yourself; when is it time to polish your marble floors? We have a question for you in return - are you happy with the way they look? It may seem like an oversimplified question, but all damage aside, it really is the only question you need to ask yourself. If your floors are looking dull and have lost their original luster that you loved so much in the beginning, a good polishing can bring them right back to their beautiful, original condition.

How It’s Done by Professionals

Marble polishing isn’t only going to restore that gorgeous look - it’s going to remove any dirt, debris, and other grime while also protecting your floors against buildup from new particles around the house. Using a professional will ensure that it’s done correctly, without damaging your marble, and that the protective layer is completely restored to do it’s job - protect those floors!

Professionals know which products (if any) to use, they own the right equipment, and have the experience to back up their approach. While you may feel unsure of entrusting your marble floors with a professional, we can guarantee that you won’t regret the decision - especially when choosing The Steam Team.

With the proper care, marble floors can keep their original luster and aesthetic. There isn’t any shame in asking for help from a professional to keep your floors looking their best. If you have questions or simple need a consultation about your marble floors - don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’re always happy to help!

How to Clean Your Air Ducts

Air Duct Cleaning

We see it happen all the time, one of the most important parts of the home gets ignored. But, obviously, homeowners don’t know they’re one of the most important parts of the house or they wouldn’t be ignored. However, your air flow comes out of them - causing dirty particles to be blown all over your home when they’re not properly cleaned. Yes, you guessed it! We’re talking about your air ducts.

How do you clean them?

Know What’s Right and What’s Wrong

As with anything else, there is a right way and a wrong way to clean your air ducts. Unfortunately, if done the ‘wrong’ way, you may see all of that dust and pet dander come right back within minutes. But, if done the ‘right’ way, you and your house could benefit in a multitude of ways.

So, what’s right and what’s wrong?

Cleaning your air ducts doesn’t mean that you can simply wipe down the outside of the supply registers and all it a day. It’s actually much more involved than that. Cleaning the right way calls for a thorough inspection of the duct work, ensuring that there aren’t any other issues besides the allergens and dust circulating in your home. In some cases, you could be dealing with mold growth or even rodent droppings - so it’s important to have your ducts professionally inspected and cleaned the right way.

Understanding Why It’s Important to Clean Air Ducts

Not only does a thorough air duct cleaning help with dust, debris, and other allergens around the home, but it also tremendously helps to improve the efficiency of your HVAC system. The less difficult it is for your HVAC system to work, the longer it can last!

With your freshly cleaned air ducts, you can enjoy a reduced amount of allergens around the home. But, let’s not forget there can be a right and wrong way to clean them - so it’s definitely a job better left to the professionals.

The Best Way to Clean Leather

Leather Cleaning

Leather is - no doubt - a hefty investment, but it’s absolutely worthwhile. However, leather material is also one of the most difficult to care for. Between conditioning and cleaning, you may feel like you have your hands full - not to mention any damage that may occur in between the two. So, let’s go over the best way to clean your leather so you can do your best to minimize that damage.

Regular Maintenance

The best way to regularly maintain your leather furniture is to properly care for the material. Of course, how often you need to clean it really depends on the amount of traffic around the furniture itself. For example, if we’re talking about a couch that is positioned in a sitting room but is barely used, it could be collecting dust but you likely won’t have to worry about other particles or grime. However, on the other hand, for an ottoman that the dog may like to frequent, it’s a different story. The best way to care for leather material is to vacuum for dust and wipe with a dust-free cloth to ensure that you’ve gotten every particle off of the material.

Leather Conditioning

In addition to regularly maintaining and cleaning your leather furniture, it needs to be conditioned. Over time, when having your furniture deep cleaned, you can talk to the professional company doing the cleaning and ask about different conditioning treatments. Often times, after a deep clean, we’ll use leather conditioner to ensure the leather is properly cared for and isn’t susceptible to other damage.

Leather isn’t an easy material to care for - and it’s definitely not cheap - but it is always worth it. Don’t hesitate to contact a professional because you could end up spending more money in the long run if you don’t. We’re always happy to help and educate you the best way we know how.

Keeping Stains Away from Grout

Tile Cleaning

There are several factors that play into the amounts of stains and their permanency on the grout between your tiles. For example, the location is huge - do you have tiles in your kitchen, bathroom, entryway? These are often the most common areas to place tile - yet also where they are most susceptible to stains.

Color of Grout

In most cases, grout is lightly colored - often white. While it looks bright between your tiles and makes them look crisp and clean, it also shows stains much more easily. In fact, the contrast between the light color of the grout and the color of the liquid, it makes the stain even more visible to the naked eye.

Width of Grout

When you choose tile flooring, you also choose how far apart you want the tile - which will then determine the width of your grout. The wider the grout is, the more likely it is to be stained. However, you don’t want your tiles too close together, either. There is a happy medium in there somewhere, or rather, a better solution…

Grout Sealant

Grout sealant is a much better solution than worrying about the width or color of your grout. You shouldn’t have to compromise on the aesthetic appeal you want your flooring to have (and yes, your grout is included in that) to protect your flooring from absorbing stains. When you lay grout (or even afterwards), it’s important to seal the grout itself so it won’t absorb other materials that are accidentally spilled on top of it.

If you watch spaghetti sauce spill in your kitchen, or maybe see mud tracked through your entryway - don’t panic! There are many ways to effectively and efficiently clean up those stains. Enter: Steam Cleaning. The last thing you want to do is make the stain spread and become worse - so call in those professionals!

Is it Time to Restore Your Natural Stone?

Natural Stone Refinishing Polishing 

Over time, with normal wear and tear, natural stone floors can start to lose their luster - their shine and their beautiful appeal. They may begin to look dull, like someone - many people, many shoes - have been walking on them for years, right?

So, is it time to restore your natural stone floors?

Let’s investigate this a little further.

What to Look For

There are many different signs that can tell you whether or not it’s time for natural stone restoration - not all of them have to do with their shine or scuff marks that have been left over the years. In fact, sometimes the tiles can become uneven just from different wear and tear. In more extreme cases, you could be looking at cracked stone which allows dirt and grime buildup to damage the stone itself. If you’re dealing with either of these, deep stains, or even if you don’t like the appearance of your stone - it’s time for a restoration.

How Restoration Works

There are many cleaners that can actually damage natural stone, so it’s always recommended to hire a professional when looking to clean, refinish, or completely restore your stone flooring.

Restoration involves polishing and completely refinishing your floors to ensure that they get that beautiful luster and shine back just as they first had when they were first installed.

Making the decision to restore your natural flooring may not be an easy one, but we can promise you it will save you money in the long run - instead of having to replace your floors all together. Keep in mind; the sooner you decide to restore natural stone, the easier the process will be!

Don’t wait if you’re questioning the luster on your stone floors - call The Steam Team today!

How To: Removing Stains from Your Upholstery

Upholstery and Fine Furniture Cleaning Austin, Texas

When it comes to owning anything - whether it be furniture, flooring, or even clothes - stains can be your worst enemy. Fortunately, there are numerous solutions to avoiding the worst of them all - the permanent stains. First and foremost, timing is everything - and we mean everything - with stains. So before you start to worry about that spill on your couch, let us give you a few tips.

Timing

Remember how we said timing is everything? We’re specifically talking about the amount of time that passes between the spill itself and when you begin to clean it up. If left to sit, you could be looking at a permanent problem not even minutes from now. So, it’s incredibly important that you tend to the spill immediately and remove any excess liquid or grime. Then, you can blot with a dust-free towel to ensure that you don’t spread the stain further.

Why Hiring a Professional Will Guarantee Stain-Free Furniture

Every fabric should be treated differently as they absorb liquids and stains differently. In fact, using home products could end up being harmful to the fabric. This is often difficult to understand if you’re unfamiliar with cleaning upholstery. That’s why (among other reasons) hiring a professional will guarantee you stain-free furniture - their experience, equipment, and knowledge is hard to beat!

Before allowing the stains to set into your upholstered furniture - whether it’s a couch, chair, ottoman, etc. - give a professional cleaning company a call to at least get an estimate.

Often times, removing stubborn stains is not as easy as we’d all like it to be. With clothes, you can easily throw them in the wash, right? Not so with upholstery. Each fabric is different, requiring different techniques to really reach those tough spots. Don’t try to do-it-yourself, leave that to the professionals!