Tips/FAQ - Carpet Cleaning tips. wine stains on carpet, nail polish on carpet, how to clean carpet, stain removal

• What to do about spills and stains
• Tips after PROFESSIONAL cleaning
• Maintenance
• Facts
• FAQ

What to do about spills and stains

First and foremost, act quickly. Pick up any solids that are easily removable. In the case of muddy footprints, wait until they are thoroughly dry; then vacuum.

Types of stains
Basically two types of stains appear on carpets:

• Water-soluble - include most food, beverage, urine and vomit.
• Solvent-soluble - include oil, grease, tar, crayon, lipstick and butter.

Treatment for stain removal

Detergent solution for removing water-soluble stains:
Mix 1 teaspoon of mild detergent (such as Fairy Liquid) into 1 pint of lukewarm water. Do NOT use automatic dishwasher detergent or any other solution containing bleach. Sponge the detergent mixture onto the water-soluble stain, and work the solution from the outer edges toward the centre of the stain. A lather will form. Gently sponge off this lather with clear, cold water until all visible signs of the suds have disappeared. Be sure to rinse out all spotters. NEVER use a chemical containing colour brighteners.

Products to remove solvent-soluble stains, such as Vanish, Mr Muscle etc. are available at retail stores (Asda, Tesco etc). Apply the solvent to the stain by gently blotting with a cloth. Never pour a liquid directly from the container onto the carpet. After the solvent-soluble stain has been removed, follow with the detergent solution procedure.

Neutralizing rinse:
Mix 1 tablespoon of white vinegar into 1 pint of cold water. Sponge this mixture lightly onto the affected area. The vinegar will neutralize any detergent residue that may remain in the carpet or that may wick to the surface during the drying process. Blot as much of the moisture out of the area as possible by using absorbent white cloth towelling or paper towels. Never use newspaper or anything with print. Finally, lay dry absorbent towelling on the area and weight with a heavy object. After the area is dry, brush lightly to restore the normal texture of the carpet pile.

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Tips after professional cleaning

• Be sure room is ventilated. Air must move over the surface of the carpet to assure quick drying.

• The best drying temperature is 72 to 78 degrees F.

• Lowering the humidity by means of an air conditioner will aid the drying.

• A portable fan, furnace blower or air conditioner fan will speed drying time.

• A Few NO-NO's:

• Never remove protective blocks or tabs from beneath furniture legs until carpet is thoroughly dry.

• Do not allow fabrics, such as draperies or bedspreads, to come into contact with carpet while it is damp.

• Never close off a room until carpet is dry.

• Try to avoid traffic on a damp carpet. Remove shoes or make sure they are clean if it is necessary to walk on the carpet. Paper or plastic will impede drying and should not be used unless absolutely necessary.

• Resume normal daily or at least weekly vacuuming.

• Sponge up spills immediately. (Follow directions given above under 'What to do about spills & stains'.)

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FAQ

How often should carpet and furniture be cleaned?

The average recommended time between professional cleanings is 12-18 months. The actual time will vary according to the amount of usage the individual rooms receive. You are assured of the maximum life span on carpet and furniture that have been maintained professionally. With our method of cleaning, a more frequent cleaning will extend the life of the fabric, rather than damage fibres as some cleaning methods can do. Our Carpet and Furniture spray protectors has proved to be very effective in preventing most soiling from becoming a permanent condition.

Is it true once a carpet is cleaned it will re-soil much quicker?

This is true only if the cleaning process leaves shampoo or heavy soap residues in your carpet that actually attract soil. Our cleaning process does not leave heavy residues, and can remove most residues from previous cleaning from other cleaning methods. Our Machine Mount Cleaning System removes the solution and soil from your carpet directly into our tank. The end result is that after our cleaning and fabric protector is applied, your carpet stays cleaner and longer than if cleaned with other outdated processes.

Reappearing Stains
Some stains may reappear after drying or after a few days of usage. This is usually caused by a previous soap build-up or stickiness from a spill. Stains reappearing from a process called "wicking" is also common. This is caused when the stain wicks up from the backing of the carpet. Our service technicians concentrate on these areas but can only go over areas a limited number of times. Return services may be subject to a minimum service charge.

Carpet Fibre Shading
Traffic or worn areas on carpet or furniture can take in a dark shade. This is caused from normal wear and is a permanent condition.

Carpet Buckling
A carpet that is improperly stretched to the walls or loose from its backing will buckle when cleaned. Some carpet has permanent buckles and other carpet will buckle only on humid days or when cleaned. If buckling occurs, in most cases, the carpet will recede to the condition prior to cleaning, when it is completely dry.

Black Carbon Edges
An accumulation of carbon or soot from air circulation, (furnace or air conditioning) which will collect along edges, air ducts, and at the bottom of draperies and doors. The build-up is most noticeable on a light coloured carpet. Our service technicians are familiar with this condition and will concentrate their efforts to remove it. However, this carbon condition isn't always completely removable.

Odours
Accidents by pets or water damage can cause damage to areas below the carpet fibres. Padding, backing, tack strip, sub-floor, walls, etc can become affected by odours such as urine or mildew. If this is the case, regular cleaning or topical deodorizing WILL NOT completely remove the odour.

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FACTS

Germs and Bacteria
Germs and bacteria of all kinds can be tracked onto your carpeting. Even the use of treated door mats cannot prevent this, but may significantly retard the process. These germs are alive and thriving in your carpet, and as long as it remains dirty, they will continue to breed and grow.

Sand, Grit, and Hard Dirt Particles
Sand, grit, and hard dirt particles which are deeply embedded in your carpet will cause abrasion of the tips and sides of the fibers. These scratches will make the carpet look dull after a time.

Dirt Particles
Dirt particles contain an assortment of minerals and chemicals which are gathered and blended from a wide area. Humidity or moisture tracked into your home on shoes can act as a catalyst to this foreign matter. The reaction may cause severe damage to the carpet dye and can actually change the color of the carpet if it remains over long periods of time.

Gasses in the Air
Gasses in the air caused by the burning of various fuels and the action of the sun on certain other gasses in the atmosphere can affect the stability of a carpet dye.

Many Disinfectants
Many disinfectants and harsh detergents can affect the dye. The longer these foreign elements are allowed to remain in your carpet, the more likely the chance of damage to carpet dye. It is dye damage that first causes you to notice a change in the colour of your carpet.

Soapy, Sticky Residue
Soapy and sticky residue from conventional shampoo, dry foam, spray, and bonnet methods of cleaning will cause rapid re-soiling due to the lack of proper extraction of the chemicals use in these methods. Spots and stains will resurface because they were only pushed a little deeper, and the traffic lanes will appear dirty much sooner.

About 95% of All Soil is...
About of all soil is dry particulate and can be easily removed by normal vacuuming. Only about 10% is oily and needs special attention.

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Maintenance

Three steps to successful maintenance:
1. Vacuum
2. Vacuum
3. Vacuum

This is the secret to success. A dry carpet will not be harmed by brushing action to the fibres. Therefore, we recommend a good quality, upright vacuum cleaner with a reel-type brush to move the tips of the carpet pile so the dirt can be removed with the air velocity created by the vacuum.

The amount of traffic and the relation of the carpet to dirty access areas are the main factors governing the frequency of vacuuming.

The basic rule is that dirt should not be allowed to settle in the carpet. Walking on dirt and grit that has settled into the base of the fibres causes an abrasive action, which results in the appearance of traffic lanes and worn areas.

Vacuum traffic lanes every day. Use a back-and-forth motion in one direction, and then finish the carpet by going back-and-forth in the opposite direction. And remember, go slowly.

Change the disposable bags or empty the vacuum often. Filled pickup bags result in less suction and less dirt removal. Be sure to check the belt that drives the brush or beater bar. A broken or worn belt reduces efficiency. And don't be upset by the amount of fibre you pick up from new carpet. These are ends which are not removed in the manufacturing process and often appear for many months.

Carpet sweepers and electric brooms are useful for picking up surface soil, but it is important to know that they will not clean deeply.

Never use a broom of any kind on the carpet. At best, the dirt is just moved around, and a dust problem is created.

One of the best methods of preventing the tracking of soil throughout your home is to provide removable mats at each entrance to your home - both inside and outside. These removable mats can be laundered, hosed, beaten or vacuumed as soil accumulated to a noticeable degree.

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