Getting Ready for Us
Thank you for trusting Extreme Carpet Cleaning & Restoration with your home’s floor and/or upholstery cleaning and/or protection project. When we’re done, your home will be clean, fresh and beautiful!
Here are some suggestions for you to prepare that help both of us:
- Advise your technician about any special requirements to follow when moving your furniture (i.e. weak legs, loose top, etc.).
- Vacuum your carpeting before we arrive.
- Pin up any full length draperies so that they will be at least 6 inches off the floor.
- Also, please pin up any skirts on upholstered furniture which may be touching the carpet.
- Remove all breakable items from furniture which will have to be temporarily moved from its regular location.
- Any small pieces, such as dining room chairs, magazine racks,floor plants, etc. that you can remove from the carpet to be cleaned will shorten processing time and return the carpet to normal use sooner.
- China cabinets, sectional sofas, entertainment centers, antique and fragile furniture cannot be moved. However, carpet underneath such items can be hand cleaned where sufficient room is available, or we can edge right around the base.
- Call to your technician’s attention any spots or stains which may require special techniques.
- For your pet’s peace of mind (and ours!) please put them in a safe, quiet place where our cleaning won’t disturb them.
- A special note about odors: We do everything possible to reduce or eliminate pet odors. However, due to depth of contamination, 100% success may not be attainable. Also, for several days after cleaning you may notice an elevated odor due to higher humidity levels and “off gasing.”
- For safety sake, be sure to keep an extra close eye on your curious little ones.
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.
How to Care for your Area Rug
Rotation – To insure even wear, your rug should be rotated once a year. Depending on the traffic, the rotation may vary from six months to two years.
Vacuuming – Area rugs, like most carpeting, should be vacuumed on a regular basis to remove dirt and restore life to the fibers. Be sure not to vacuum the fringe with your beater bar! Use the end of a vacuum hose from a canister vacuum.
Padding – A quality pad used under your rug helps protect it from dirt, wear and slippage.
Urine Control
Please note that when cleaning urine spots, there is a difference between cleaning the urine soiling and treating for odor. Cleaning existing urine spots MAY NOT remove any associated odor. In fact, cleaning could INCREASE the odor in the air space for a temporary period of time.
Pet urine can cause permanent damage to your floors and fabrics. It can also create an unhealthy indoor environment. When urine is first deposited onto a floor or fabric, it is in an almost “neutral” state which means it is easier to remove when it is fresh. Once it dries, it turns “alkaline” and becomes more difficult to remove. If left for days or weeks, depending on the fabric or floor type, it will permanently change the dye structure, therefore causing permanent staining. Even if the soluble deposits are removed, the damage to the dye structure may already be done.
This means that no one can guarantee complete removal of all urine spots. Please consult with your technician if you have questionable urine spots on your carpet.
To prevent permanent staining in the future, clean urine spots immediately by blotting with a white terry cloth towel or plain white paper towels until no moisture is transferred. To clean the spot, mix one part white vinegar to two parts water and massage (don’t rub) into the spot with a white terry cloth. Once you have “flushed” as much of the urine out as possible, blot with dry cloths until dry to the touch.
If you have a small extraction machine, flush with fresh water until spot is removed. DO NOT USE OVER THE COUNTER, GENERAL SPOTTERS OR EXTRACTION DETERGENT. IF YOU DO NOT USE THIS FORMULA, ASK US ABOUT SPECIAL PET SPOTTERS.
Pet Odor Removal
There are two odor removal services that Extreme Carpet Cleaning can offer you. Discuss both with your technician they have the expertise and knowledge to help you make the best decision.
1. Minor Odor Treatment In this treatment and odor eating enzyme will be applied directly to odor causing spots. Although this treatment is a valiant attempt, it is NOT guaranteed.
2. Major Odor Treatment In this treatment, we pull the affected carpet up and completely saturate the carpet, backing, and cushion (pad). This is a very extensive treatment that ensures we get to the source. This treatment is guaranteed.
*There may be cases when the walls and baseboards are contaminated preventing us from guaranteeing the removal. We will advise you in advance.