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HousekeepingChannel.com - For the Home You Keep - The Resource for Better, Faster, Healthier Housekeeping

Dustmite Info Video - Information on Dustmites

We look forward to serving you! YOUR COMPLETE SATISFACTION IS OUR GOAL. We would like your carpet cleaning appointment to be as convenient as possible. We need your assistance to make the areas you want cleaned as accessible as possible.
The following guidelines should be observed in preparing for the best carpet cleaning ever:

1. Vacuum all carpeted areas thoroughly, dust and clean baseboards.

2. Remove all breakable items from the cleaning area and store in a safe area (lamps, collectibles, etc.)

3. Other than large furniture, remove all items from the floor (waste baskets, brief cases, toys, etc.). Light chairs (i.e. dining room chairs) should be removed as well. Pin up bed spreads, dust ruffles and drapes.

4. Extremely large or heavy items will remain in place (i.e. entertainment units, china cabinets, pianos). We will clean up to the outside edges.

5. Medium-sized furniture (i.e. tables, coffee tables, end tables, wing chairs, recliners, sofas) will be moved by our techs, the area cleaned, and returned to their location. When the furniture is returned, we will place protective padding under furnishings with wood or metal feet to protect the carpet and the furniture.

6. Please make a parking space available near the entry and free of obstructions (vehicles, bikes, flower pots, etc.)

7. Tell us your every concern. Point out spots and tell us what they are.

8. Finally, we will treat your carpet and furnishings with the utmost care and respect. Thank you for choosing Al’s Carpet Cleaning and Restoration. We look forward to providing you with the best service available anywhere.

Still have questions? Call our office now!

Al’s Carpet Cleaning & Restoration is a family- owned and operated cleaning company. We have provided you with this helpful spot removal guide, to assist you with those unexpected spills. Please use caution, and carefully read all instructions, and the disclaimer before attempting any spot removal procedure.

STAIN PROCEDURE

Forever Clean Program

If we clean your carpets and you choose to have your carpet protected with a DuPont Teflon carpet protector, you are eligible for our ‘Forever Clean Program’.

There’s no contract to sign, there’s no obligation, and you can cancel out of the program at any time you choose.

Here’s How Forever Clean Works

Six months after your first carpet cleaning, we will come back to your home, we will clean the carpet in your traffic areas (of the rooms we originally cleaned), and protect those same areas, and all you pay for is the protector. So, every other carpet cleaning is free.

Wait The Forever Clean Program Gets Better

If at the time of the second carpet cleaning, you choose to stay in the Forever Clean Program, six months later we will start on the first cleaning again where you pay for cleaning and protector. At that time we will even give you the option of not raising your price in the next year from the first year.

As we are all aware, purchasing new carpet for your home can be quite a costly event. Matters can be made worse,when you feel you’ve been misled by a fast talking salesman who tries to impress you with terminology he hopes you don’t understand. Wouldn’t you rather have purchased the carpet that best fits your needs rather than the carpet that earned the salesperson the biggest commission? Al’s Carpet Cleaning and Restoration has compiled a small amount of information to help assist you in your decision, an informed choice is always the better choice. We hope this helps you.

Choosing A Carpet Retailer

Probably the most important aspect of choosing new carpet is choose a carpet retailer and salesperson that you trust to help you make a wise choice for your carpet-buying decision.

Determine Carpet Quality
Even though color may be the first consideration, quality should be a major factor in choosing the right carpet for your home. Quality plays a big role in the longevity of your carpet. To determine quality, you should check the carpet’s pile or yarn for texture, depth and density.
Carpet Pile
“Pile” is the yarn on the top surface of the carpet. Long-wearing carpet has a closely packed, dense pile attached firmly to the backing of the carpet. Therefore, carpets which have a firmer, fuller feel have a greater longevity. A good way to check the density of the carpet’s pile, is to bend back the corner of the carpet. The more you see the carpets backing, the less durable your carpet will be and the less fiber there is to walk on. Different types of piles have different degrees of durability.
COMMON CARPET PILE TYPES OR STYLES

Cut - The pile loops are cut to expose the ends of the yarn. There are four basic cut pile styles:

Frieze - A frieze pile is very highly twisted with a firm, lean feel and appearance. This is a good choice for areas of high traffic - kids rooms, family rooms, halls, foyers, and stairways. Other than possibly a loop pile, a frieze pile does provide the best resistance to appearance change.

Saxony/Saxony Plush - The tufts are usually under one inch high, and a better Saxony plush has tightly twisted yarn tufts that don’t flair open. In fact, you can easily see the tufted ends. Saxony has a larger pile which tends to give a less formal look to a room. Saxony Plush is the same as Saxony but with a smaller yarn which gives a room a very formal look.

Textured Saxony - The durability of a textured Saxony pile generally falls between that of a Saxony and a Frieze. This pile has a greater twist than a Saxony and therefore reduces footprints and vacuum cleaner marks.

Velvet Plush - This is a carpet that shows shading from vacuuming. Typically, there is little tuft definition and it has an extremely smooth surface which looks to many people like velvet. Individual tufts are tightly packed, creating a very dense pile which is both rich and soft. It’s perfect in living rooms and bedrooms with moderate to light traffic.

Loop - Instead of cutting the loops, carpet mills leave the loop uncut with no visible ends, providing very good resistance to matting and crushing. There are several looped styles of carpet available:

Level Loop Pile - The loops are of equal height, making the carpet very durable and resistant to matting, often used in high traffic areas. Berber is the most popular residential carpet of this style. It is usually made of an untwisted yarn which is low in profile and typically has a multicolored appearance.

Multilevel Loop Pile - Usually has two to three different loop heights to create pattern effects. It’s looped structure provides good durability.

Cut and Loop - Cut and loop carpets have both cut and loop piles and usually have a sculptured pattern which is multicolored.

The PAR Rating system

The PAR Rating system is an industry scale endorsed by The Carpet and Rug Institute and measures a carpet’s likelihood to change from its original appearance due to matting. It is rated on a scale from 1-5, with a high number representing the least change and therefore higher quality. Generally, the denser a carpet is tufted, the higher its PAR will be.

Fiber
Fiber is a major component in determining a carpet’s durability There are 5 basic fibers that are used in carpet construction, each with their strengths and weaknesses.

Nylon: One of the most popular pile fibers used. It is wear-resistant, resilient, withstands the weight and movement of furniture, and provides brilliant color. Ability to resist soil and stains. Generally good for all traffic areas. Nylon is usually dyed after the fiber is extruded, so the dye exists in the dye sites of the fiber. This type of fiber is more susceptible to bleaching and color change than a solution-dyed fiber, where the dye is actually added to the nylon material before it is extruded so that the color goes throughout the fiber, so it’s less likely to be affected by staining problems that would be more common on non-solution dyed fibers.

Polyester: Noted for luxurious, soft “hand” when used in thick, cut pile textures. Has excellent color clarity and retention. Easily cleaned, and resistant to water soluble stains. Polyester lacks the wear ability features of nylon or wool.

Polypropylene (Olefin): Strong, resists wear and permanent stains, and is easily cleaned. Resists static electricity and is often used in both indoor and outdoor installations because of its resistance to moisture and mildew. Has a tendency to attract oil-based stains because of the makeup of polypropylene. Generally, polypropylene is used in lower-priced carpets and has a tendency to pack and not have the resiliency and bounce-back of a nylon fiber.
Acrylic: Offers the appearance and feel of wool without the cost. Has low static level and is moisture and mildew resistant. Commonly used in velvet and level loop constructions.

Wool: Noted for its luxury and performance, wool is soft, has high bulk, and is available in many colors. Generally, wool is somewhat more expensive than synthetic fibers. And in some cases may aggravate allergies for some people. Wool has more soil-repellencies than some other fibers, but is more susceptible to permanent staining than many synthetic fibers.
OTHER IMPORTANT FACTORS:

Luster
Carpet made from fiber which has a luster is shiny in appearance, reflecting a rooms light. Carpet is produced in a variety of luster’s, ranging from bright to dull.

Carpet Pad
A good carpet pad will add years to your carpet and is key to your comfort under foot. The carpet pad not only creates a softer walking surface, it also helps absorb noise, prevents carpet from sliding and insulates cold floors. Different materials are used to make carpet pad. Foam rubber and Urethane are the most common - both are durable, non allergenic and mildew resistant. Foam rubber cushions are often available both in flat and waffle styles

It is best to choose an pad based on the room’s intended use. The denser the pad, the better the carpet will perform. A thin, super soft pad is less effective than a fairly firm one. A firm, dense pad should be used in rooms with heavy traffic, while a carpet pad with less density can be used in rooms with lighter traffic.

Indoor air quality is becoming a major concern to your health. Let us explain how carpet can help keep the air you breathe, cleaner. Carpet acts as a large filter, trapping bio-pollutants and contaminants removing them from the breathable air. . However, when these filters (carpet) become full of contaminants, the filters must be cleaned or replaced. Since carpet is the most expensive furnishing in your home or business, cleaning is the recommended first step. Professional cleaning of carpet and rugs not only extends the life of the carpet, but can also help extend the lives of you and your families as well. These contaminants, not thoroughly removed, have the potential to cause a variety of health problems.

Another concern, especially for those with allergies, is dust mites.

Did you know that…

Dust mites are found in virtually all homes, no matter how clean. They live in the dust that accumulates in carpets, fabrics, upholstery and bedding.

Dust mites are arachnids, not insects they are related to spiders. They are microscopic, eight legged creatures, 0.3 mm in length, and invisible to the human eye.

A gram of dust from you home (approximately half of a teaspoon) contains as many as 1,000 dust mites. That same gram of dust holds 250,000 of their fecal pellets.

A Primary source of dust mite exposure in the home is in the bedroom, which provides the best conditions,( food & warmth )for their growth. They are present in mattresses, pillows, blankets, carpets, upholstery, curtains, and other similar fabrics.

An average bedroom can be infested by millions of dust mites. We spend approximately one third of our lives in the bedroom so we are in close and prolonged contact with dust mites.

Dust mites survive by eating our dead skin cells, which make up to 80% of household dust. They also live off water vapor, which we provide for them through perspiring and breathing approximately one pint per person per night.

A dust mite produces 20 fecal pellets per day that is 200 times its own body weight in feces during its short lifetime. With millions of dust mites living in one bed this means there are vast amounts of droppings there. These levels mean that virtually all dust mite sensitive people will experience problems as a direct result of the dust mites and these droppings in their mattress, pillow and other areas of the home.

Research shows that during one nights sleep most people toss and turn up to 60 or 70 times meaning the dust mite droppings are frequently expelled into the air from bedding.

Researchers have also discovered that the allergens can then stay in the air for as long as 2 hours. Once airborne, dried dust mite droppings are easily inhaled into our airways thus causing allergic reactions.

What We Can Do

What Al’s Carpet Cleaning and Restoration can do to reduce your exposure to dust mites. We can clean and deodorize your mattresses, upholstered furniture and carpet, thereby reducing the amount of dust mites and fecal pellets from the dust mites.

We also have access to a laundry detergent that has the effect of denaturing the protein found in the dust mite pellet that causes an allergic reaction in some people. Please call if you would like to purchase this laundry detergent.

What You Can Do

• Replace your pillows every six months, because pillows are a major source of dust mites and feces.
• Use a good mattress cover that is laundered regularly.
• Change your furnace filters frequently
• Keep your carpet vacuumed using a Hepa-rated vacuum cleaner

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you in your cleaning needs. I trust that we were able to achieve maximum soil removal, maximum spot removal, and that we did it in a courteous, efficient and timely manner. If you have any comments on our service please contact us

1. Please do not slip and fall.
Damp carpet can be slippery. Please be careful when using stairs and also when walking from the freshly cleaned carpet to any hard surface, such as vinyl or tile. Your shoes will be damp and you could fall. It is best to stay off of the carpet for at least 2-6 hours after cleaning if possible. Also, damp carpet can pull dirt off the soles of shoes, especially dark sole shoes. Please keep children and pets off damp carpet until it dries.

2. Warm moving air dries carpet quickly.
Moving air dries carpet quicker. The boundary layer of air, the few inches above the carpet, is usually high in humidity as the carpet is drying. In the winter or cold days, please turn on the heater. Warm air holds more moisture and dries carpet quicker. On hot humid days, you may want to use the air conditioning, if available, to create dryer air and air movement. Otherwise, open windows and doors and have fans blowing on the carpet. Ceiling fans should always be turned on blowing down, no matter what weather.

3. Try to keep traffic off the carpet for at least 2-4 hours.
After we are done cleaning, the carpet fibers are left standing up; much like it was from the factory. Heavy traffic will simply lay the fiber back down. This may also increase the dry time.

4. If soil protection is applied
For maximum results, the soil protection should be allowed to dry before heavy traffic is allowed on the carpet. Also, we prefer that exposed skin, such as feet and pets be kept off until dry.

5. If furniture has been blocked or tabbed, please leave these protectors in place for 24 hours
Even though the carpet may feel dry to the touch after an hour, we ask that you leave the blocks and/or tabs in place for a full 24 hours. This will protect your furniture as well as the carpet. We want to prevent wood stain transfers as well as rust from metal clips found on the legs of some furniture

6. Some carpets may swell when cleaned.
This usually occurs in carpets that are in need of stretching and shows up as ripples in the carpet after cleaning. The ripples will go away and lay back down within 48 hours. If this occurs, you may want to consider having your carpet “power stretched”. If you would like to have your carpets power-stretched, please call us and we can perform that for you.

7. Try to take care of the spots and spills as soon as possible
Most spots and spills can be taken care of by yourself if you get to them right away. We provide a free bottle of carpet spotter on every carpet cleaning job that we do, so feel free to use that to remove most common household spots.. Also, don’t panic! Most damage is done when someone is in a hurry and they go after the spot to aggressively. If you ever have any questions, please call us or visit our comprehensive online spot removal guide.

8. Vacuum Vacuum Vacuum
Slow Down! The biggest mistake made vacuuming is going too fast. Up to 79% of the soils found in carpet are the dry gritty variety and can be effectively removed with thorough vacuuming. A regular maintenance schedule including vacuuming and periodic professional deep cleaning can not only extend the life of your carpet, but also keep it fresh and beautiful. Please thoroughly vacuum your carpet BOTH 24 hours BEFORE your scheduled cleaning and 24 hours AFTER.