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Carpet Cleaning FAQ's

Residential

Question: How often should I clean my carpet?

Answer: Most carpet manufacturers recommend every 6 months to 18 months, depending on the level of foot traffic it receives if you have kids and a pet every 6 months is recommended, if there is regular traffic once a year if you have no pets and have minimal traffic 1 or 2 occupants every 1 ½ years is best

Question: Should I vacuum after a fire?

Answer: DO NOT TRY TO VACUUM YOUR SELF: you cause damage to the vacuum and spread more soot and odor around and contaminate other area’s.

Dry Soil Removal:

This involves using an upright vacuum attached with a good beater brush agitation and a good collection bag with sufficient filter for the vacuum. Hepa or enviro-filtrative are recommended. More than 4 passes with a good vacuum is recommended for maximum dry soil removal. Some vacuums have light to tell you when you have vacuumed enough.

Soil Suspension:

Separating soil from carpet fibers can be a tricky process. Another way of doing this is through applying agents that are designed for this specific purpose. These chemicals are specially devised and created for preconditioning. Soil suspension typically involves 4 basic steps;

1. Applying the preconditioned agents
2. Applying heat so as to quicken the chemical reaction
3. Agitation – to get the right distribution of chemicals
4. Dwell time – to ensure ample time is provided to the chemical reaction to complete prior to the actual soil extraction.

Soil Extraction:

It’s common knowledge that for a soil removal method to actually work it is important to remove the soil physically. Different steps are involved in the process, such as;

However, the soil removal method most professional carpet cleaners prefer is ‘hot water extraction’.

Grooming:

Carpet grooming is done to remove break up the soils after the application of the recommended heated cleaning agent, this agitates the cleaning agent into the carpet, separates pile and lifts the pile for superior extraction.

Drying:

Carpets can dry as fast as 2 hours, depending upon the ventilation in your home. Average carpet’s dry in 4 hours. Berber & enclosed area’s can take longer.

Question: How do I get rid of indentations in my carpet from furniture?

• Answer: One of the most common maladies one gets to hear from homeowners is about indentations left over from furniture in their carpets. At times the indentations go away themselves when furniture is moved from that place and the carpet is given time to adapt. In certain instances, it helps to vacuum and lightly brush the affected area.

However, when the damage is severe it can be treated by covering the indented area with a moist towel and applying steam to it with an iron. After a couple of seconds the area should be brushed while it’s still warm so as to revive the pile underneath. In approximately 70% of the cases, carpet pile made largely of nylon reacts very effectively to this method.

However, as with all things good, there are certain limitations to the rule. If the indentation is left on a carpet made of non-resilient olefin particularly that used in commercial carpets it may prove to be unredeemable.

Question: How frequently should carpets be cleaned?

Answer: Carpet that sees a lot of foot-traffic ought to be cleaned by a professional and skilled technician minimum once a year. If someone in your house is prone to respiratory or other kinds of allergies triggered by dust, you should have your carpets cleaned more frequently. Same holds good for homes that have indoor pets.

To get a better idea of what the professional suggest regarding the frequency of cleaning your carpet have a look at the chart given below taken from the “IICRC S100 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Carpet Cleaning”. Things such as spot cleaning schedules, soil rating, professional interim, restorative cleaning and vacuuming schedules are taken into consideration while putting it together.

Question: How much time does it take mold to start to grow in wet carpet?

Answer: There is no specific timeframe for mold to start growing in wet carpet. The growth of mold depends upon the material on which it takes place. For the mold to flourish it is necessary that the material must be organic in nature, have a mild temperature (68º-86ºF), must be damp, and in a dormant air environment for several days.

Most of the clumped carpets are made up of plastic face fiber and artificial latex. So considering the material of which the carpet is made, it is not possible for molds to grow since they do not consist of any organic materials. However, a used up carpet consists of household soil which is about 40% organic in nature, hence allowing mold to easily grow on carpet in the presence of other conditions mentioned above.

If the carpet is kept dry and clean from dirt and soil, it is next to impossible for mold to grow in it. Even if the carpet consists of household soil particles but is kept dry, there is very little likelihood for mold to surface in it.

Commercial

Question: What steps should be taken by me in order to uphold the carpet in a high traffic area on a regular basis and deal with spills and dirt blots?

Answer: Commercial AND residential can have heavy traffic lanes in entryways, hallways and just heavily used areas. We recommend regular traffic lane cleanings to prolong the life of the carpet and reduce wear, IAQ, and for a better longer lasting appearance of your carpet. Regular traffic lane cleanings can double even triple the life of your carpet if done on time.

Question: Which method is best for carpet cleaning: dry foam method or steam extraction?

Answer: There are different functions of different types of cleaning methods, both in temporary and recuperative maintenance.

• According to a survey by a cleaning industry magazine Cleanfax, about 88.6% of professional carpet cleaners use hot water as their principal cleaning procedure. Dry foam cleaning is used by only 1.5% of the professionals.

• The manufacturers of more than two thirds of the world’s carpet, Shaw Industries and Mohawk also recommend hot water extraction for cleaning carpets.

• No matter what method is chosen by you, you must use an IICRC certified Professional for carpet cleaning.

Pet-related Deodorization and Decontamination

Question? Can it be removed?

MOST of the time it can. Some carpets that are contaminated and have sat there for a long time it can be permanent.

But MOST of the time they can be treated. Saving you on costly new floor coverings. There are several ways we treat pet contamination we even have a way to treat sever pet contamination so don’t give up on the carpet and floor, call us for a free phone consultation, to remove the contamination.

Color Repair

Question: How do I recover the discolored bleach spots on my carpet without bringing further harm to it?

Answer: Color repair can be done we recommend you find a local color repair specialist for color repairs.

Carpet Inspection

Carpet Inspection is available by a Master Textile Technician, and Certified Flooring Executive.

Answer: During the examination of a carpet, it is advised to keep certain facts in mind in order to identify the problems. These facts include the type of fiber, cushioning, assembly, dye methods, support, HVAC system, lighting, etc. Any of these facts can cause a problem with your carpet. In order to examine the exact causes of a problem with the carpet, it is advisable to hire a skilled personnel certified by the IICRC.

On the other hand, you should contact the retailer from where you bought the carpet. Most of the highly regarded carpet makers have guarantees on their carpets and they can even send over a specialist to examine your carpet for any problems. Make sure that the professional sent by him to you is IICRC certified and proves it to you by showing you his wallet card so that you can be asserted for correct examination of your carpet.

Upholstery Cleaning

How often the should I clean upholstery. Recommend cleaning frequency is 1-2 years, most office chairs or if you have pets are recommended to be cleaned every year.

Indoor Environmental Quality

Question: How can one get rid of a “New Carpet Odor”?

New carpet odor can be reduced significantly by hot water extraction, more new factory odor can be reduced.

Question: Does cleaning my carpet improve indoor air quality?

Air duct cleaning and carpet cleaning are the 2 biggest ways to improve IAQ in your home of business. There is always a big improvement in Indoor Air Quality when you clean your carpet by a certified firm. Many pollutants are in carpet, food, dirt, dust, dust mites, sometimes mold spores, grease, grime, lawn pesticides, tar, even motor oil.

Question: How else can I improve Indoor Air Quality? Air Duct cleaning. Have your air ducts cleaned and sanitized! Sanitizing helps eliminate any residual Mold and bacteria in the air ducts. A Brite can clean your ducts and carpets! Sometimes all in 1 day!

Water Damage Restoration

Water Damage Restoration should be done by a professional certified firm. Most equipment in a store has insufficient capabilities for drying and fast moisture removal. Resulting in Mold, that can leave the home or business in a big job to be done. A brite’s fast extraction, and high volume dehumidification will dry a home or business faster. If you do the Restoration service with A brite your receive a complimentary water alarm!

Mold Remediation

Question: Does Mold Only grow on drywall?

No. We have seen mold grow on plastic, lumber, metal, paneling even on glass, and many other materials. Mold can grow as long as there’s significant food source and moisture. If your Mold Remediation is done with us you’ll receive a complimentary water alarm!

In case you need professional help or advice, call A Brite Cleaning & Restorations Inc. for a free consultation at 1-877-522-7483 or 1-847-393-7294