FAQS CONT

Question #11: How long should I expect to wait to get an appointment?

Answer: Wait time depends upon the time of year when you call, but typically the longest wait time you may have will be two weeks. Often times, we can fit you into our schedule within one week. In the event of a cleaning emergency, we always try to accommodate your needs.

Question #10: What should I do in preperation for my scheduled cleaning appointment

Answer: There are several things that you can do to prepare for you cleaning:

1. Move any vehicles that you might use out of your driveway/garage before we arrive; we don't want to block your access. We will need to get as close to the work area inside your home as possible.

2. Have an outside water connection (garden hose, spigot or faucet) ready for us to use as a water supply. Many people turn off their outside water supply to prevent freezing in the winter. Learn where the shut off valve is inside your home. We will temporarily turn it on then drain it and turn it off when we are finished. When winterizing your outside water supply it is recommended that you first turn the supply off from the inside. You should then open the outside spigot/faucet to drain any water that may be trapped between the inside valve and outside valve. This will prevent the water from expanding and craking your pipes and fittings. Most plumbers recommend you leave the outside valve open after draining to prevent this problem. If you have the newer frost free, anti-freezing type outside faucet it is imperitive that you remove the garden hose from the outside connection. Failure to do so will negate the anti-freeze sytem and possibly break the valve!

3. Remove any breakables and valuables from on top of furniture

4. Remove small items like magazine racks, toys, statuettes.

5. Vacuum/remove excess debris from construcion or renovation.

6. Contain pets that might escape during the cleaning process.

7. Minimize traffic in area being cleaned so that we may bettter serve your needs.

8. Turn heating or airconditioning on before we arrive (we reccommend 68 degrees farenheit)

Question #12: The edges of my carpet are darker then the middle. What causes the excess darkness? Can you remove it?

Answer: This is called filtration. There are several causes for this. Air currents in your home can cause carbon and dust to settle along the edges of your carpets. These air currents may come from above or below your carpeting. Another reason is failure to remove dust and dirt buildup at the edges of your carpeting. Your vacuum cleaner will not routinely reach this area.. We reccomend manually cleaning this area with a vacuum crevice tool. In some instances a small thin brush can be used to dislodge embedded dust and dirt (a tooth brush or grout cleaning brush will work well). We use a special extraction tool (shown at right) and manual scrubbing to rmove filtration build-up. Success varies depending on the severity of the soiling. Dry dirt and dust build-up are usually succesufly removed. Carbon build-up deposited on top of the fibers can be made to look muck better. Filtration that starts at the bottom of the fiber and works it way up is the hardest to remove. Carbon and soot build-up can actually discolor the fibers. Removal of filtration can reveal color loss at the edges in extreme situations

Question #13: How often should I clean my carpets/upholstery/tile and grout?

Answer: Most residential customers clean their carpets/upholstery/tile and grout at least once per year. Depending upon the amount of traffic on your surfaces, you may opt to clean more frequently (e.g., two times per year). Some carpet warranties may be voided if the carpet has not been properly maintained. They usually require you to have them serviced every 12-18 months. Waiting to long to clean carpets can permanentaly damage the fibers and appearance.

Question #9: Is it advisable not to clean carpets during the winter months?

Answer: Absolutely not! During the winter months, shoes are taken off upon entering the house which means no snow/mud tracks on carpets; windows are kept closed which translates to no pollen, bugs, or other outside dirt blowing through the windows and onto your carpets. As such, carpets may stay cleaner longer when done during the winter months. In addition, winter air is typically drier than warm weather air, thereby speeding the dry time of your carpets/upholstery. We clean our own carpets during the winter months for these very same reasons. The final bonus to winter carpet cleaning is that we tend to have more availability in our schedule and can often accommodate your cleaning needs in the same week you call our office. We use a "Door Guard" ( shown on right) to keep heat in your house in winter and cool air from escaping in hotter weather.