Frequently Asked Questions
Carpet Cleaning
Q: What method of cleaning do you use?
A: Steam extraction (truck mounted). Steam extraction or hot water extraction is the method recommended by most carpet mills. It is the most effective method for soil and stain removal on carpeting. The soil is emulsified and rinsed from the fibers and extracted out to our truck. The carpet fibers are left soil and stain free. They are also rinsed of any soil attracting residues.
Q: Do you pre-treat for soil & stains?
A: Every single carpet we clean is pre-treated for the best possible results.
Q: Will every stain come out of my carpet?
A: We average about 97% stain removal. There are some stains that are permanent.
Q: What about drying time?
A: Roughly four to six hours depending on humidity. Carpets are only damp upon job completion.. We can accelerate dry time to as little as one hour if necessary. Yes, you can walk on carpets, socks only.
Q: Are your cleaning agents safe?
A: Absolutely safe for people and pets. The cleaning agents that we use are water-based detergents, similar to what is used in your washer but milder. No solvents are used, only citrus. We now also offer cleaning with Green and anti-allergen cleaning agents.
Q: How long does the carpet cleaning process take?
A: Five areas of carpet usually takes 1.5-2 hours depending on how soiled they are.
Q: What is the black area around the perimeter of the room?
A: The black ribbon around the perimeter of the room is known as filtration soiling. There is a space where the wall meets the floor. As the house ventilates itself, the tiny dust particles blow through and get interlocked into the carpet fibers. It is usually about 70% removable in the cleaning process. It is never able to be removed 100% because it is pushing up from under the carpet.
Carpet Protection
Q: Should I have a protector professionaly applied after my carpet cleaning?
A: Yes you should. We use Scotchgard. Scotchgard helps prevent stains, spills, and dirt from permanentley staining your carpet. When applied, most fresh stains can usually be cleaned up with water. Overall, when you choose to protect your carpet, it will not only look better, but it will extend the life of your carpet.
Q: What can be done for pet odors and other odors?
A: We have highly effective quick acting enzyme treatments and the best odor counteractants in the industry to resolve your pet odor dilemma and other odors you may be experiencing.
Q: Did my carpet originally come with carpet protector?
A: The fabric protector that was applied to your carpet in the carpet mill wears off over time. Once worn off, your carpet absorbs stains and wet or dry soils easily. But the good news is this fabric protector can be replenished by us. See Scotchgard.
Upholstery Cleaning
Q: How often should my furniture be cleaned?
A: It is recommended by furniture manufacturers that furniture be cleaned every 24 months maximum.
Q: What process do you use to clean my furniture?
A: The process that we use is steam extraction, the most effective means of full soil removal. Although the tag on your furniture may be "S coded", meaning solvent, there are very few furniture pieces that have to be dry cleaned. In addition, we have refrained from using solvents because they arenobviously not environmentally friendly.
Q: How long will my furniture take to dry?
A: Furniture may remain damp for up to 24 hours. If necessary, we can enhance the dry time with air movers.
Q: What happens to the fabric protector that was applied to my upholstery originally?
A: Fabric protection is a topical treatment. It does not come off in the cleaning process. It wears off in two to three years from the time it was applied. It is recommended that it be reapplied. The time to do this is after a professional cleaning. The benefits are you will be able to absorb stains and your furniture will stay clean longer because it will not absorb soils like an unprotected piece.
Tile & Grout Cleaning / Stone Floor Cleaning
Q: When should my tile floor be professionally cleaned?
A: When tile and grout lines get to the point when conventional mop methods of cleaning are ineffective, it's time for a professional cleaning. Although most tile floors are ceramic and do not absorb much, the grout lines are concrete and absorb soil like a sponge. These grout lines absorb more and more soil as time goes on making them almost impossible to clean on your own. In the case of natural stone such as marble or travertine you will find the whole floor darkening over time because the tile itself is porous. Our system is highly effective in removing the deeply imbedded soils from all of these floors.
Q: What is your method of cleaning my tile?
A: Our method of cleaning tile and stone floors is truck mounted steam extraction. The machine is a revolutionary new cleaning wand with rotating jets. This system along with specific cleaning agents designed especially for stone floors remove deep down soils from tile and grout lines. The result is a floor brought back to like new condition.
Q: Is it necessary to seal my tile floor?
A: I highly recommend the sealing process. Sealing of ceramic or porcelain floors includes sealing of grout lines only. The tile itself will not absorb the sealer. In the case of a natural stone floor such as marble or travertine, the entire floor must be sealed. Once the floor is sealed it will be easier to maintain. This is the value of the sealer.
Q: What should I use to clean my floors?
A: The only recommended floor cleaner is neutral floor cleaner. Use as little as needed to get floors to come up clean.
Do not use vinegar, ammonia or other high ph cleaners. These cleaners can remove floor sealers and actually can damage natural stone floors. Most of all, do not use tile cleaners that contain chlorine bleach. These cleaners may remove grout coloring. In addition if the cleaning solution migrates out on to a carpet area it will remove color from carpeting.
Air Duct Cleaning
Q: When do I need to have my air ducts cleaned?
If your home accumulates dust rather quickly on a regular basis. This is an indication that your air ducts need to be cleaned.
If anyone in your home suffers from allergies, it is recommended that your air ducts be cleaned on a more frequent basis.
Q: How will you clean my air ducts?
The system that we use is called negative air. A large vacuum is hooked up at the heater. Each individual air vent is cleaned with an air whip which blows all dust and debre toward and into this huge vacuum, the negative air machine. Everything captured by the machine goes through a three stage filter so it doesn't get redistributed back into the air in your home. The result is ducts that are dust free.
Q: Will your equipment damage my ductwork?
A: The compressed air / air whip system is gentler then the alternative cleaning with brushes. It will not damage your ducts.
Q: How much will it cost to clean my air ducts?
A: The average air duct cleaning job when done correctly should run between $400 to $500, depending on the number of vents and what additional services are ordered.
Q: How long will it take to clean my air ducts?
A: When done correctly, air duct cleaning of an entire home should take approximately 3.5-5 hours. We spend an average of 4.5 on each job.