Don't just call any company, choose with great care. Here are some pointers you can use.
TIP ONE:Choosing a company solely by price doesn't work.
The truth is, that when we invest wisely, we get what we pay for. Beware of unbelievably low prices. Call the lowest price company you can find, and I'll wager you get a big sales pitch with not much cleaning. It only makes sense that the lowest priced companies have to cut costs somewhere by using cheap cleaning products, cheap equipment, cheap personnel, and spending as little time as possible cleaning your carpets. Is this really going to give you the job you want? If not, then the lowest price company really isn't a bargain at all!
TIP TWO: Choose a company that has certified technicians.
TIP THREE:Choose a company that GUARANTEES it's work in writing.
Don't know how to clean a particular type of spot? Check out this link where you'll find an interactive guide with tips for stain and spot removal from carpeting and rugs.
Emergency Tips for Fire, Soot and Smoke Damage
DO NOT:
Wipe or attempt to wash walls, ceilings, furniture or other surfaces
Use upholstered furniture if it can be avoided
Use any exposed food items or canned goods which have been subjected to excessive heat
Use TV's, stereos or computers until they have been cleaned and checked
Wash laundry, curtains or drapes. Improper cleaning may set in soot and smoke odors
DO:
Wipe or wash any chrome fixtures or white goods (washers, dryers, refrigerators, etc.)
Lightly blow off or vacuum any loose soot particles from upholstery, curtains, drapes & carpets
Open windows for ventilation
Change furnace filter if unit is operational
If electricity is off, empty freezer & refrigerator completely and prop open doors
Wash plants with water on both sides of leaves
Remove pets, especially birds, to clean environments
Contact your insurance company. Other contacts should include plumber, electrician and general contractor if repairs are needed
ASK THE EXPERTS----QUESTIONS ?----SEND US AN EMAIL AND WE WILL TRY TO RESPOND WITHIN 24-48 HOURS
Read recent technical articles from one of our favorite magazines!
Use an air conditioner in the spring and summer (rainy season and hot humid months) and a dehumidifier whenever the outside temperature is cooler, such as fall and winter. Both of these remove moisture and will maintain a lower humidity level inside of the building, which mold requires in order to grow in the first place. These should be set to maintain the moisture (humidity) level at 50% or lower. Ideally, 40% or less is best for mold prevention.
DID YOU KNOW?????
Use of mats indoors and out can cut down the amount of dirt that comes into your house.
To save wear and tear on the carpet, removing your shoes before entering the main part of the house is a good habit to get into.
Surprisingly enough, simple regular vacuuming can have the largest impact on the cleanliness of your home and the air you breathe.
It’s the easiest and most effective way (and the least expensive) to keep carpeting clean. In general, carpets should be vacuumed once a week.
Extractors that are purchased for home use only remove the surface soil. Although your carpet may look better after this short-term cleaning,
the deep down soil remains and periodic deep cleaning is still recommended. Although these machines may be handy for spot and spill removal,
they are not approved by the Carpet and Rug Institute’s program (Taken from Carpet Cleaning for Dummies ® Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2007)
Some Of Our Competitors Claim…
That They Have The World’s Most Powerful Carpet Cleaning Machine (If it doesn’t sayVORTEX it is not!)
That They are the only licensed 3M Scotch Gard ™ Applicator in the area. We know of two companies licensed in this area (We are one of them).
That They Are “Better Business Bureau Approved”.This statement is confusing: The Better Business Bureau does approve businesses for Membership with them if they meet certain guidelines. However They Do Not Endorse Any Companies Or Products.
They Advertise: “The Cleanest Carpets Guaranteed”. This statement has been in all of our advertising since 1995. It is part of our registered trademark. Penobscot Cleaning Services, Inc. is THE ORIGINAL HOME OF “THE CLEANEST CARPETS GUARANTEED” OR IT’S FREE!(Our100% Iron Clad Money Back Guarantee) -- And We Stand Behind It -- Period!It doesn’t say much for those who can’t think of anything on their own, does it?
They Advertise Very Low Prices: Remember If It Sounds Too Good To Be True, It Usually Is!
Basic Methods for Cleaning Carpet
1) Carpet Shampooing or Dry Foam Extraction
2) Dry Powder Method
3) Bonnet or Chemical Cleaning
4) Hot Water Extraction or Steam Cleaning
NOTE: Nearly all carpet and fiber manufacturers recommend the steam cleaning method, as you can see by going to their websites (we have links to them on our carpet cleaning page). However, due to the rising presence of some other companies, we feel obliged to inform you about all the methods currently out there.
1) Carpet shampooing is probably the oldest method known for cleaning carpets. Older is not necessarily better though. Imagine that you're washing your hair; you lather the shampoo into your hair..and then shut off the water and get out of the tub. You will still have all that soap residue left on your head and the same is true for this carpet cleaning method. Some shampoos also contain brightening agents that may fool you into believing that your carpet is cleaner than it actually is. As long as the shampoo still remains on your carpet, dirt will attract itself to it and your carpet will look dirty again very quickly. Don't confuse the dry foam extraction with the hot water extraction method. It's possible that with the equipment used for foam agitation, your carpet could have distortion and pile damage.
2) The dry powder method is sometimes called dry cleaning the carpet. An absorbant compound (which can contain small amounts of water, detergent and solvent) is sprinkled on the carpet or worked in with agitation from a machine or brushed in with a long handled scrub brush or carpet rake. The carpet must be vacuumed both before and after the cleaning . Because very little water is used, there is almost no drying time involved. This method may be useful for lightly soiled low pile carpet, however residential carpet is too thick for this system to properly clean. The brushes on the machine may also cause fiber distortion and permanent damage. Think of it like this...a bit of water and say baby powder was spilled on the carpet. Someone uses a broom to sweep up the mess. Days later, the mess is still there sticky and dirtier looking than ever. You vacuum but now it's turned into a yucky paste.
3) This method has also been called a dry cleaning method when actually water is used in the process. Bonnet cleaning is very similar to what you would see someone doing to polish a floor in a school or a hospital. One dry chem method is the use of a carbonated cleaning agent (such as citric acid mixed with water and salt) applied to a carpet. An absorbant rotating pad (a fancy towel) is used to pick up the top soil loosened by the cleaner. A low-pressure steam extraction is also used at times. This is not a deep cleaning method. Rapid re-soiling can occur. The spining bonnet can also distort the fibers of cut pile carpet, fuzzing the pile and leaving swirl marks. Companies using this method will often use scare tactics to convince people that steam cleaning will detroy the carpet when in actuality most manufacturers don't recommend bonnet or dry chem cleaning. These companies also suggest that a high pH cleaning solution is used by steam cleaners. Not true. Our goal is to reach a neutral pH. The carbonated cleaners will also state that no soaps-detergents-surfactants are used. We also state this in the information on our green cleaning package. (FYI: one of the large "dry chem" cleaning companies is a division of a very large home improvement chain that (coincidentally) also sells carpeting. Any links there? You decide.)
4) This is the only method recommended for a deep cleaning. The others are considered surface-only cleanings. As of January 2007, some carpet manufacturers such as Shaw (the world's largest carpet manufacturer) will only honor the warranty on the carpet if it has been professionally steam cleaned. Pressurized hot water is combined with a non-toxic cleaning agent which breaks up the soil and then is drawn out by vacuum suction eith to a truck-mounted unit or to a portable unit. Truck mounts have stronger suction and pressure than the portable units. This is why when you rent a machine the results are not as good as having a profesional come in to clean.
One thing is common to all these methods however. Proper consumer maintenance is a must. Carpeting needs to be vacuumed on a very regular basis and spills should be attended to promptly. Carpets should be deep cleaned every 12 to 16 months depending on the level of soiling. Lots of traffic and lots of spills and especially pets can change the frequency of cleaning.
For More Information On Carpet Cleaning Call Our 24 Hour Free Consumer Education / Awareness Line
