The Specialists

Articles By: www.TheCarpetSpecialists.com

Tile and Grout Cleaning and Sealing

Purchase a good quality dust mop and sweep your ceramic tile floors daily. This is especially important in new installations where the grout has not fully cured. Dirt, mud, and sand tend to ground into the grout mortar from heavy foot traffic.

Dirt collecting carpet mats should be placed in frequently used entrances and shaken out weekly.

We do not recommend the use of floor waxes as they can be difficult to remove from ceramic tile floors. As long as your floor is properly sealed and maintained, you should find no need for these products.

Shower stall and tub enclosures should have proper ventilation. Stagnant water breeds stain causing mildew as well as other fungi.

Many tile cleaners are acid based and their use should be limited. Always read the manufacturers label to find out. All acids, no matter how weak, will etch marble surfaces. Natural marble is commonly installed as thresholds in doorways and is also installed in window sills and shower curbs. In addition, avoid any cleaner that contains harsh abrasives.

Mop or sponge your tile down 2 to 3 times weekly. Mix 1 capful of dishwashing liquid per gallon of hot water. Mop up excess water and allow to dry. Buffing with a dry towel will help to reduce spotting.

What Type of Vacuum Cleaner Should I Buy?

in Blog, Special Reports 222 Comments

Looking for “The Best Vacuum Cleaner”?

Is it a Dyson? An Oreck?

The answer might surprise you…

It lies within the options and features of the vacuum, in relation to the type of carpet you have in your home.

Confused? Let us help.

It is best to find a vacuum with a beater bar. A beater bar is located under the vacuum and ‘beats’ the carpet as the vacuum rolls over soiled areas. This beating and vibration shakes the heavier sands in your carpet up high enough that your vacuum can suck them up. These heavier sands are part of the cause of the traffic lanes in your home, generally coming in from the front door or garage or off the kitchen into the living room, anywhere you step from hard surface to carpet.

A beater bar is wonderful, however, is not created for all carpet types. Just like fabrics, different carpet fibers have different characteristics. If you have berber, or a looped carpet, you need to avoid a vacuum with a beater bar – this can catch a loop and cause a snag or run in your carpets. We most often think of Olefin as a berber, but berber is the looped sytle of a carpet. Olefin (“ohl-uh-fin”) is actually a plastic, made essentially from the same materials as your common Coke bottle. Notice when you crumble or smash a Coke bottle, it is impossible to restore it to its previous state? The same characteristic you’ll find in Olefin carpets. If you’re someone that likes to rearrange your furniture, Olefin is not for you. The divots and indentations from furniture placement will always be easily identifiable. However, if done right, Olefin cleans and brightens so nicely with regular professional carpet cleaning.

Mistakes to avoid when setting up your vacuum:

Our own thoughts dictate that “if high is good, low is better” when it comes to adjusting the heighth of our vacuum setting. The “Bare Floor” setting should not be used on carpet. It doesn’t clean any better, it will actually burn up the motor. It also does not allow the brushes that send the dirt flying into the suction hose the space to rotate effectively.

The key to a good and thorough vacuuming is to vacuum 2-3 times per week, per manufacture’s warranty and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as setting the proper height adjustments for your flooring.

Some tips:

It always seems as though cords are too short and you’re trying to just get that last inch of carpet vacuumed without having to stop, turn off, unplug and find a new outlet. Something we like to do is take our home vacuums into a sewing and vacuum specialty shop and have a commercial length cord put on. If you prefer to do it yourself, simply add an extension cord.

Upholstery

in Upholstery Care 57 Comments

Rotate all loose cushions frequently to assure even wear. Vacuum dust and dirt from all fabric, cracks and crevices. By far, Fabric Protection is the best possible way to extend the life of your upholstery. Read the short section on how fabric protection works to find out why.

Vacuum often to reduce grit that can cause abrasion.
Reverse loose cushions weekly for even wear.
Protect from the sun. Ultraviolet light can cause deterioration.
Keep Pets off of furniture. Pet’s body oils rub off and are very difficult to remove.
Use caution with clothing such as Blue Jeans. Fabric dyes can transfer onto upholstered furniture.

All upholstered furniture will become soiled through use. Most spills & soil on fabric protection treated upholstery will clean easily and quickly provided that the proper cleaning procedures are followed. A fabric protection application is not an absolute impenetrable barrier and improper cleaning methods can damage both the fabric and the treatment.

Blot (don’t rub) spills immediately with a clean absorbent cloth while spill is still fresh.
Dried spills are more difficult to remove.
Identify the cleaning code for your type of fabric.
Always read & follow the instructions on the cleaning agent.
Use distilled water with the cleaning agent if water is called for (W & WS Codes Only)
Pretest any cleaner on any fabric in a hidden area.
Check for Color fastness and fabric compatibility.
Keep a small spill small.
Work lightly, blotting from center to the edges.
“Feather” the edges by dampening edges irregularly and blotting quickly to avoid rings.
Quickly dry a cleaned spot using a small fan or blow dryer on low.

W – Spot Clean with water based shampoo or foam upholstery cleaner. Pretest for color loss and fabric compatibility. Do not overwet. Use a professional cleaning service for overall soiling.

S – Spot clean with a water-free cleaning solvent. Pretest for color loss and fabric compatibility. Do Not Use Water! Use a professional cleaning service for overall soiling.

WS – Spot clean with upholstery shampoo, foam from a mild detergent, or a mild dry cleaning solvent. Pretest for color loss and fabric compatibility. Do not overwet. Use a professional cleaning service for overall soiling.

X – Clean only by vacuuming or light brushing with a non-metallic brush. Do Not Use Water or Dry Cleaning Solvents. Consult a professional upholstery cleaner.

The Specialists Recommends

The Specialists recommend periodically rotating furniture within a room to prolong the effects of sun damage and fading to upholstery near windows or a heat source.

The Specialists recommend that you have your upholstery cleaned every other time your carpet is cleaned to prolong its life and keep colors vibrant.

Call today for a free phone quote (916) 348-7018

Pet Odor Removal

in All Natural Carpet Cleaning, Pets 206 Comments

FACT: Animals have a much more acute sense of smell than humans.

FACT: Whether it is five minutes or five years old, pet urine never dries.

These two facts combined can create for a petowner’s hardship during potty training or caring for an indoor pet when an accident quickly becomes a habit or a corner is designated as a kitty restroom.

Carpet cleaning alone cannot effectively remove subsurface pet urine, as demonstrated in the above photo. Deodorizers merely mask odors and do not actually remove the odor causing bacteria from its source, deep within the padding.

We have designed a special process to effectively target the spotting at its source, with rave reviews and great results. The affected area is carefully saturated with a special solution. The solution is then extracted with a tool specifcally designed to extract subsurface fluid from the padding. This tool draws the solutions from the backing and pad back to the surface for removal. This treatment is the most thorough available and least invasive in comparison to completely pulling up carpet.Please feel free to inquire about your unique situation.

Contact Us

in Blog 17 Comments

Phone: (916) 348-7018

Fax: (916) 550-1662

Email: Joy McNeil – Appointment Scheduling

Travertine Honing and Polishing

in Blog 186 Comments

Just as a photograph comes in a glossy or matte finish, you can choose a glossy or matte finish for your travertine.

Travertine Floor

The difference between photos and your stone floors, however; is that you can alternate between either finish each time you have your travertine honed or polished whereas a photograph is static (permanently glossy OR matte).

If you’ve noticed the long beloved shine on your natural stone floors beginning to dull in the areas most trafficked, it may be time to have your travertine floors honed or polished to bring them back to their original glory.

Carpet Cleaning

in All Natural Carpet Cleaning, Blog, Carpet and Fabric Protection, Commercial Cleaning, Newsletter 175 Comments

Family Friendly Cleaning

Our 12 Step Carpet Cleaning Program

Before your carpet is cleaned please remove breakables and items from tables and other furniture that will be moved by our crew. Remove all small items such as boxes, magazines, shoes, etc. in the areas to be cleaned. Also, arrange for pets and children to be away from the area where we are cleaning.

STEP 1 — Pre-Inspection
Every great carpet cleaning experience starts with a proper pre-inspection. Our service technician will inspect your particular areas of concern as well as noting carpet construction and soiling conditions. He will also advise you of any possible permanent staining.

STEP 2 — Commercial Prevacuum
Your carpet will be thoroughly vacuumed with a special Turbine Vacuum System to remove bonded dry soil. Dry soil is removed by a thorough vacuuming. Removing dry soil is one of the most important steps in cleaning.

STEP 3 — Furniture Moving
Sofas, chairs and tables will be carefully moved. Larger pieces, beds and dressers are left in place under our regular pricing structure. Furniture will be protected with disposable blocks and tabs.

STEP 4 — Pre-spray
Breaks down overall soil in carpet, especially concentrated in traffic areas for effective soil removal.

STEP 5 — Pre-spot
Each spot is pretreated according to its stain type. Food spots are protein based – specialty spot removers are concentrated in these areas for maximum effectiveness.

STEP 6 — Pre-groom
Your carpet will be pre-groomed with a carpet groomer or rotary cleaning machine (depending on soil level) to further loosen traffic area soil.

STEP 7 — Extract
Once the soil has been loosened, our state-of-the-art truck-mounted hot water extraction process will thoroughly flush the carpet pile. Pressure and heat are regulated so that carpet is not over-moistened. We clean with steam temperature between 180 °F – 190 °F.

STEP 8 — Rinse
Every carpet that we clean is pH balanced so that there is no sticky residue left behind. This is important to maintain the carpet manufacturer’s warranty, as well as the stability and integrity of your carpet. A fresh water rinse is performed for optimum brightening and softness of your original carpet’s luster as well as improving air quality by removing pollens, dust mites, etc.

STEP 9 — Post-spot Treatment
If any spots are not removed during the cleaning process, specialty spotting techniques are employed. Note: Permanent stains identified by our service technician may not be removed.

STEP 10 — Speed Dry
High velocity air movers are placed on the carpet to speed dry carpet.

STEP 11 — Post Groom
The carpet pile is set in one direction for faster drying and visual appeal.

STEP 12 — Post Inspection
Please walk through your home or business to inspect our work. Let us know that you are pleased by signing our service receipt.

ALWAYS Get Carpet Protector Applied When You Have Your Carpet Cleaned!

Click here to discover why you should have carpet protector applied

After your carpet is cleaned …

1. Be careful walking from carpet to hard surfaces. Floors can be slippery.

2. Keep pets and children off of carpet for at least 6 hours.

3. Remove blocks and tabs 24 hours after carpet is cleaned.

4. Vacuum carpet anytime after the first 24 hours.

Carpet Repair & Re-stretching

After a period of years, depending on soiling, traffic and installation, carpet may need to be restreched. If you have “buckles” in your carpet, we recommend carpet restretching. We use a power stretcher to get your carpet as tight or tighter than when it was new. If you have holes, seams coming apart or any other damage to your carpet, an expert carpet repair can be done for you.

How to Care for your Carpet

When it comes to maintaining your carpet, one of the most critical areas of focus is the traffic areas. If ground in soil is not removed on a regular basis, the traffic areas will begin to wear excessively. The dirt is extremely abrasive against the fibers of the carpet as you walk back and forth on it.

The second area of focus of course is spot removal. You must react to “danger” spots immediately. Red wine, red beverages, urine, blood, etc., can cause a permanent stain if not treated immediately.

Listed below are the steps that you must take to properly maintain your carpeting.

1. Vacuuming

Vacuum your carpet often. Once or twice a week as least. Vacuuming removes the abrasive soil that can cut and slice the fiber causing premature wear. Much of this soil is not visible to the eye. Vacuum before the carpet looks soiled. Remove any loose particles such as food, leaves, pieces of crayon, bugs, etc., as these items can cause a spot on the carpet

2. Professional Cleaning

As a general rule, carpet cleaning by a professional, certified firm should take place about once per year. For extremely heavy traffic areas, cleaning may be required more often. Proper, professional cleaning will not leave a sticky residue behind and can be done as many times per year as needed. Many stain resist warranties require professional cleaning every 2 years. Professional cleaning removes the damaging soil in traffic areas that vacuuming has not been able to remove. Warning: Uninformed carpet cleaners may void your warranty.

3. Warranty

Stain resist warranties can vary from 5 to 25 years. All stain resist warranties require regular cleaning and immediate spot removal.

4. Spot Removal and Interim Cleaning

Immediate spot removal is key to a clean carpet. Great care also must be taken in how spot cleaning is performed. When a carpet is new, or has sufficient protector on it, plain tap water will remove many spots. However for those spots that will not move easily with water, you must use a spot cleaner. Select a spot cleaner that is recommended by the carpet manufacturer or your trained, certified professional Carpet Care Specialist. Most spot removers that are purchased over the counter leave too much soap residue and can cause yellowing. Avoid using foam carpet cleaners or any product that is not made specifically for carpet.

Apply spot cleaner sparingly to white terry cloth and gently massage spot causing it to transfer into the cloth. Never pour spot cleaner directly onto carpet. If the product that is being used seems to cause the spot to re-soil over a few week period, discontinue use. Any spot that is not able to be removed, and for pet urine or feces, call The Specialists at (916) 348-7018 immediately.

Traffic Soil Rating	Carpet Owner/Maintainer		Professional Carpet Cleaner/Restorer
	Vacuuming	Spot Cleaning	Heavy-use Area Cleaning	Restorative Cleaning
Light Soil	1 time per week	Daily, or as soon as the spots are noticed	Traffic areas every 12-18 months	Every 2 years per manufacturer warranty
Normal Soil (Families with children, elderly)	1-2 times per week	Daily, or as soon as the spots are noticed	Traffic areas every 6-12 months	Annually
Heavy Soil (Families with pets, smoking)	2-4 times per week	Daily, or as soon as the spots are noticed	Traffic areas every 3-6 months	Semi-annually (2 times annually)
Extreme Conditions (Large families, multiple pets)	Daily	Daily, or as soon as the spots are noticed	Traffic lanes every 2-3 months	Quarterly (4 times annually)

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