DIY or professional carpet cleaner?

Since the day will eventually come that you will need to have your carpet cleaned, a decision will need to be made as to whether you should hire a professional carpet cleaner or rent a machine and do it yourself.

There’s a lot to be said for both, to be honest. We would not tell you that you should never clean your own carpet. People fix their own cars and do other things professionals also do. But, also like car repair, you shouldn’t try to do it unless you have either some experience under your belt, you’ve had someone show you the ropes, or you’ve done a decent amount of research on the topic.

Knowing how much detergent to use, for example, might require some pre-existing knowledge. Additionally the professional industry machines are so much more powerful than the rental models, that alone makes the cost for professional service worth the money.

Many people are a bit gun shy about using a professional, often based on the fact that the former would not know how to distinguish a bad carpet cleaner from a good one. And don’t forget the fact that many people have had bad experience with them in the past. This is understandable, but there are tons of articles and blog posts that will show you how to evaluate a potentially great service provider.

In some cases, you might not have a choice but to use a professional. In most residential leases, you will be required to have a professional carpet cleaner do the job for you. And if you try it yourself, and the landlord realizes that you have not used a professional, he will have a professional do it at top dollar and charge you for it.

Written by, Derek Beyer.

Eco friendly ways to keep your carpet clean

When it comes to professional carpet cleaning, the detergents used can be very strong. In the right hands you should have no health concerns. But many household cleaners can be dangerous as well if improperly applied, which is far too often. So here are a few “eco-friendly” ways to keep the carpet fresh between professional cleanings.

Stains are probably the most common problem, but the tactic you use will be different from stain to stain. For instance, if you have grease on your carpet, corn starch is very helpful for soaking it up.

If you have an old carpet, keeping it looking good can be a challenge. One way to rise to the occasion is to sweep the carpet well, enough to raise the fibers when they lay flat. Mix one part borax with two parts corn meal and sprinkle in. Vacuum and you will be surprised at how much more life your carpet has.

A very simple but not often considered option is having everyone in the house take off their shoes before coming in. It not only keeps the dirt out, but keeps loads of other things like oil from asphalt, pesticides from the grass and many other contaminants at bay. Walking barefoot is not recommended however, as oil in the skin can work its way into the carpet as well. Slippers or at least socks are best.

 

Written by, Derek Beyer.

When is the best time of year to have my carpets cleaned?

Many people wonder if one time of year is better than another to have their carpet cleaned. The answer to that question varies a little. It’s not just a matter of “when it looks dirty” because that is not always the only indicator. Additionally, you need to have the carpet cleaned on a schedule and not just when you feel like it.

That said, a good rule of thumb is that you should have the carpets cleaned in your home after the “dirty season” is over where you live. If you live in a Northern climate and there has been a Spring snow thaw that has led to a lot of mud being tracked in, then the end of Spring is the best time. Similarly, if you live in a place with rainy Summers, the Autumn might be the best time.

Autumn is also very a very popular time of year to get the carpets cleaned because the children are back in school and there is more free time to schedule an appointment. It also allows for the maximum amount of dry time.

As it turns out, few people have their carpets cleaned in their home during the Winter. During those months carpet cleaners are often more occupied with focusing their attention on water damage from frozen pipes.

 

 

 

 
Written by, Derek Beyer.

Why did my carpet buckle after it was cleaned?

This is one of those things that gets carpet cleaners in trouble occasionally. People call you to get their carpet cleaned, and after you leave, they see a ripple or buckle in the rug. First a little explanation.

When a carpet gets old enough the padding underneath begins to disintegrate. This causes the rug to stretch in that place. Then when your carpet cleaner runs his equipment over it, it pulls it up even more. We see this not only on older carpets, but also on carpets that have been heavily used, and high traffic areas, especially on commercial carpets.

Solutions. If your carpet has buckled after a cleaning, your most immediate action should be to not allow anyone to tread on it until it is completely dry. In many cases, if the carpet is not too far gone, the drying itself will shrink the carpet back to normal size, or as close to normal as you can expect. You won’t be able to count on this method for much longer. If buckling becomes a bigger problem, it might be time to have the carpet stretched by having it reinstalled.

Our Low Moisture approach to carpet cleaning is proven to dramatically reduce the chances or your carpet rippling or buckling.

 

 

Written by, Derek Beyer.

What’s the scoop on Green Cleaning

Green Carpet Cleaning is one of the hot topics in the carpet cleaning industry, and it’s also one of the most controversial. Green carpet cleaning is often presented and marketed as a new way of cleaning carpets, but this not true. Citrus products are commonly used as green carpet cleaning products, and have been for a long time. But are they any good?

Green carpet cleaning, sometimes called organic carpet cleaning, uses products that do not contain any of the substances that many believe are bad for your health. And it must be stated that green products are not useless.

The problem with green carpet cleaning is that while the products cannot be dismissed, improving their effectiveness is a continuing project. Green products are generally felt to require more effort than traditional products, which is another way of saying that it takes longer for them to do their job. Additionally, green carpet cleaning products have not reached a professional level when it comes to tough stains like oil.

So to get back to the original question as to which is better? The answer to that question is what are your priorities? If you want a guarantee that the products used will not harm your family, go with green.

One final note: remember also that much of the alarm over traditional detergents and solvents is often exaggerated. Few have truly been proven to harm health in any significant way.

Written by, Derek Beyer.

What’s the difference between a spot and a stain

Lots of people think carpet spots and stains are the same thing, but there is a big difference in the carpet cleaning business.

  • Spots are things spilled onto the carpet but do not chemically bond to the fibers. Examples would be dirt from heavy traffic areas, food, etc…
  • Stains on the other hand are spills that can damage or change the carpet in one way or another. Things like motor oil or the like would fall under this category

But the main difference between the two is that spots are organic and stains are not. Another difference between the two is that you can always see a spot, but sometimes you can have a stain and not even see it. If the soiling agent is transparent like oil, dust will cling to the agent, and only when you vacuum, the dust on the stain will remain. This latter issue is something that gets carpet cleaners in hot water sometimes. They are called out to clean a carpet, but the stain only reveals itself after the cleaning. Naturally the carpet owner blames the carpet cleaner.

So how do you tell the difference between a stain and a spot. A good rule of thumb is that if the “spot” changed the tint or hue of the rug, it is actually a stain, but if the color is different than the rug–like red wine on a beige carpet–then it is most likely a spot.

 

Written by, Derek Beyer.

The mystery of the reappearing carpet stain

All carpets get stained, and you can usually get them clean. But some stains keep coming back no matter how much they are cleaned, even by a professional. This is called wick back. It’s something that irritates those who have had a professional carpet cleaning, but why does it happen. There are a couple of reasons for a stain wicking back.

  • If the stain is from a spill, sometimes the stain is cleaned on the top half, while the other half remains soiled but  hidden. After a few days the capillary quality of carpet fibers essentially sucks the stain back upward to be seen by the user.
  • If the carpet is used very soon after cleaning, it can cause the stains to rise to the surface. This is very often the case in commercial establishments.
  • Sometimes if the carpet was not treated properly the spots can reappear. Often the carpet cleaning technician does not fully remove the spot removing agent he applied.

The fact remains that some stains you simply cannot get out, even if your are a professional. Carpet manufactures do their best to make carpets stain and dirt resistant, but when you get down to it, they are still made of absorbent materials. The best way around this problem is to use a low moisture carpet cleaning method. Low moisture only wets the carpet moderately. The carpet is never soaked and thus no capillary action is possible. At Beyer’s, we only employ a low moisture cleaning system to ensure that your carpet spots are gone, for good!

Written by, Derek Beyer.

Shag Carpet Care

Shag rugs, commonly called Frieze carpet in today’s market, offer an interior experience that can’t be beat, but they are just about the most difficult type of rug to keep clean. Some companies, in fact, charge more for shag rug or Frieze carpet cleaning than any of the other kinds for this very reason. Here are a few tips:

  • If you have just bought one, here is a word to the wise: keep it clean by not waiting for it to look dirty. If you do this, the rug’s plushness will last much longer. We’ve all seen shag rugs that have been “beaten” down, and it ruins the experience.  Unfortunately, once this happens you will not very easily be able to get it back.
  • If you have pets, make sure that you do not buy the kind with thick woolen twists, the kind that makes it look like worms. This type of weave holds onto everything to the extent that you will not be able to get it out. Whether it’s dirt or animal hair or something tracked in from outside.
  • Make sure that you do not use a vacuum with too heavy a suction. It can damage the fibers. Unfortunately this goes against one of the principals of carpet cleaning, and that is to vacuum strongly before a cleaning.
  • Nylon is the easiest to work with from a professional cleaner’s point of view.
  • Shag rugs are difficult to spot clean. They absorb liquids more than any other variety, and the nature of their construction makes it difficult to get to a spill.
  • Pet odors can sometimes be impossible to fully eradicate….forget about shag if you have a cat.

Written by, Derek Beyer.

Removing paint from carpets

If you are painting your home, you already know how careful you have to be. But let’s face it, if you are not a professional, you are very likely to get some paint drops here and there. Don’t panic, it’s not the end of the world, but you do have to act fast.

Paint drips are relatively easy to fix, assuming that they are not allowed to dry. Simply take a dry rag, one that is at its more absorbent capacity and dab the stain gently until it comes up. Do not rub or otherwise treat the drops roughly as it will force the paint into the carpet, at which point you will have real problems.

If you have dumped a bucket of paint on the floor, this is a different matter. In this case you will probably need a wet/dry vac, and you will need one right away. The most important thing is that the carpet not be allowed to dry. There is no one way to do this. You might try wetting a towel down and placing it over the spill while you find a wet/dry vac. This process can be repeated once one has been located. Wet the spot with a towel, apply the wet/dry vac, until the area has been cleaned.

Some types of paint are easier to get up than others. As you might expect, water based paints are easiest. Even if they are allowed to dry for a few days, a good dose of hot water and an absorbent towel can do wonders. In this can you might have to be a little more aggressive at getting the paint up. In fact a certain amount of rubbing will be necessary.

Written by, Derek Beyer.

Green carpet care

If you’ve been keeping up with this blog, you will notice that we emphasize human and pet health as one of the main reasons that people should have their carpets cleaned regularly. But sometimes the chemicals used in the detergents may not be so good for you. For instance, there is a drying agent called perchloroethylene which is helpful for the carpet cleaner, but not necessary.

There is more to green carpet cleaning than detergents. When carpets are cleaned, they can pick up alien and dangerous substances like pesticides and other chemicals that come off asphalt etc. These things are sucked into the tank and if the tank is not properly rinsed, those chemicals can be spread around.

Spot removers sometimes are a source of unhealthy chemicals, and detergent manufacturers have been listening. There is now an array of products that work just as well as their older brethren. Even if you don’t want to buy a commercial product, often a solution of vinegar and water can do the job, and it even provides the foaming cleaning action. If all else fails, just sprinkle a little baking soda on the spot, allow to sit for about 10 minutes then vacuum.

Beyer’s Carpet Care uses Low Moisture cleaning methods and only green carpet cleaning detergents.

Written by, Derek Beyer.