Most manufacturers and industry studies agree that carpeting should be cleaned once every year for several reasons. First, deeply imbedded soil and contaminants that aren’t regularly removed (some are too heavy for vacuuming to remove), they damage the carpet fiber (abrasion damage) when they scrape against the yarns as foot traffic passes over, causing pre-mature degradation and wear of the carpet. Second, oils that are allowed to accumulate on the fibers attract dirt and contaminants that vacuuming can’t remove. This leads to that darkening appearance of the carpet and also encourages abrasion damage. Third, carpeting acts as one of the most beneficial filters in the home, trapping soils, contaminants, and even gasses. Regular cleaning is, in essence, similar to changing out your home’s HVAC filters (see more below under “How does carpeting improve my indoor air quality?”)
Hot water extraction is the method of choice for most carpet cleaning applications. In this process, hot water (at approximately 200 degrees) is injected at high pressure into the carpet and padding, then immediately removed by high-volume vacuum pressure, taking dirt and contaminants with it. Encapsulation, on the other hand, uses very little moisture. In this process, an encapsulant is applied to the carpeting in a light spray. This is engineered to attach itself to dirt, soils, contaminants, and oils and to surround them (“encapsulate”) so they fall off of the fiber during an agitation cycle with a counter-rotating brush system. The encapsulated debris is removed by vacuuming once dry. Encapsulation is excellent as an interim maintenance process, primarily in commercial applications (although it can be used in residential applications as well, under certain circumstances). What is unique about encapsulation is that it is relatively quiet, requires no hoses, dries in minutes rather than hours, and leaves a residual cleaning effect on the carpet fibers that retard re-soiling.
If using the traditional “wand” hot water extraction method, carpets generally dry in 12-18 hours. If using the “rotary” hot water extraction (our preferred method), carpets typically dry in 4 hours or less as this system removes more water during the cleaning process. The encapsulation (low-moisture) process leaves carpets dry in under an hour.
Unless the carpets have excessive soiling or staining, we use GreenSeal Certified products which use or leave no harmful chemical residues. DOCTOR STEAMER, LLC is registered and carries the GreenSeal Certification.
Studies have shown that carpets are one of the most beneficial filters in the home. As air circulates, it passes through the carpeting, which traps dirt, contaminants, allergens, and even gasses! Cleaning your carpets regularly is like changing out your HVAC filters. So, if you are thinking of tearing out all of that carpet and replacing it with tile, wood, or stone…..THINK AGAIN!!!!
Many times, these issues are caused by the carpet being initially installed improperly. Generally, this can be corrected with re-stretching of the carpet. This involves the use of a power-stretcher that takes the “slack” out of the carpet, and the carpet re-attached to the tack-strip.
Pet damage is one of the most common problems that repairs can correct. Patches work well in most cases and can be taken from remnant carpet or from existing inconspicuous areas, such as closets.
Similar to pet damage, bleach and other stains and burns can be permanent. Patching the area works well in most cases.
This is usually due to one of two issues. If the carpet has stretched out over time and isn’t able to remain fastened to the tack strip, re-stretching and re-attachment of the carpet to the tack-strip will solve the problem. The other cause can be a damaged tack-strip where it has been broken, has come unattached from the sub-floor, or it’s tacks have been shifted in their alignment. This can be corrected by repair of the tack-strip or it’s attachment to the sub-floor and proper re-attachment of the carpet.
This is a common issue, generally caused by heavy foot traffic. In most cases, the carpet can be re-attached to the existing tack-strip with no problems.
NO! Natural stone is much more sensitive to chemicals, so great care and knowledge need to be used anytime stone is involved (marble, granite, travertine, etc). As an example, most species of natural stone contain calcium carbonate which is highly sensitive and reactive to low pH solutions (“acids”). If a low pH solution is inadvertently used in the cleaning process, it can etch the stone surface, causing a haze or discoloration that can only be removed through a polishing process.
Over time, abrasion damage mars the soft natural stone’s surface with millions of scratches that create the dull appearance. We specialize in restoring that shine your floors once had, and often-times can achieve a greater shine than the stone exhibited when originally installed…so, better than new!
Polishing stone is a very delicate and time-consuming process which involves the use of diamond-encrusted polishing pads that successively polish the stone with different grits, making scratches smaller and smaller until the floor achieves that “POP!” we are looking for. Depending on the condition, type of stone, and layout, the process accomplishes approximately 400-500 square feet in a day’s work.
Because natural stone is a soft product and very susceptible to abrasion damage and soil accumulation in its microscopic pores, it is very important to follow up each cleaning and polishing with one or more properly applied coats of a high-quality natural stone sealer to help maintain the stone’s condition.
Absolutely, yes! By cleaning all flooring surfaces at the same time, it limits the tracking of soils, contaminants, and oils from one surface to another, which is the primary cause of abrasion damage and rapid re-soiling.
It is recommended that you have your tile & grout cleaned every 12 months, and at the same time you have your carpets cleaned. By cleaning all flooring surfaces at the same time, it limits the tracking of soils, contaminants, and oils from one surface to another, which is the primary cause of abrasion damage and rapid re-soiling.
Grout, being a cement product, is by nature very porous. This porosity allows liquids, soils, contaminants, and oils to penetrate into the grout. Once inside the grout, cleaning and removing the substances becomes very difficult. Unfortunately, and in most cases, tile and grout installers do not return to apply a sealant over the grout which acts as a barrier to keep substances out.
DOCTOR STEAMER, LLC employs a 7-10 step process, depending on the condition of the tile & grout, to achieve the greatest cleaning possible. Once the cleaning is complete, the customer has the choice of a high-quality clear sealant that resists fluids and contaminants or an acrylic-based color-sealant. The color sealant offers unparalleled water and stain-proof properties in addition to the ability to return grout to its original color or even to an entirely different color that the homeowner chooses!
Absolutely! We are proud to offer a color seal product that not only offers unparalleled protection from staining, it also allows you to choose from over 45 different custom colors!
In between professional cleanings, we recommend you use only a neutral cleaner followed by a clean warm water rinse on your tile and grout floors. A neutral cleaner means that it is neither acidic nor basic in nature. Acidic compounds will react with the grout and sealant, and may cause permanent damage through an etching process. Basic compounds are great at loosening debris, however they leave the tile and grout with a sticky residue that accelerates re-soiling and accumulation of contaminants in the porous grout (especially if the grout is unsealed or the sealant has broken down due to aggressive cleaning chemicals). Generally, a cleaner labeled for use on natural stone will be neutral. Stay away from general tile and hard floor cleaners that don’t say pH neutral.
Most manufacturers recommend cleaning every 12-24 months to remove imbedded soils and contaminants that may accelerate wear through abrasion damage. Fabric upholstery also acts as a filter, collecting dust, contaminants, odors, and allergens. Regular cleanings help maintain a healthy home environment. Leather, in addition to regular cleaning, needs to be moisturized to keep the natural material in supple condition so it doesn’t prematurely wear and crack.
In situations that allow, we employ the “mist and vacuum” method which is actually a three-step process. First, we thoroughly vacuum the fabric, removing up to 80% of imbedded dry soils. Next, we treat any staining and oil accumulation areas, followed by lightly misting of the fabric with hot water. The moisture is then removed by a thorough vacuuming of the fabric. By leaving the fabric only slightly damp (and not saturated) we avoid any mold/mildew issues that otherwise may arise. This is followed by deodorizing and optional StainBlock applications.
Leather cleaning involves a multi-step process. The leather is first cleaned with a high-quality leather cleaner which is applied and worked into the material by hand, where it can lift dry soils and emulsify oils, then removed. The next step involved applying and working in a high-quality leather conditioner which returns the healthy moisture to the clean leather. The final, and optional step, is the application of a leather protectant to guard against re-soiling and UV damage.
If there’s a question you have that isn’t answered above, please call us at 623-581-1157 or send us an e-mail using the contact form below. If we use your question on future posts/blogs, you’ll receive a FREE $10 Starbucks gift card!”
