Hand Washing Oriental Rugs is the Better Cleaning

Hand Washing Oriental Rugs is the Better Cleaning

How To Remove Gum From Carpet

How To Remove Gum From Carpet

Chef Betty Spaghetti for Pearson Carpet Care

Famous Chef Betty Spaghetti loves Pearson Carpet Care.

How to Clean Wool Rugs Correctly

Does video marketing work?

Does video marketing work?

 More information about videos than you probably ever wanted to know! Ha! Ha!
The results are now in and it has been statistically proven that videos are one of the best marketing tools to use for reaching the largest percentage of audiences today.
Here are just a few facts you might consider when determining whether video marketing is right for you:
~ Video marketing has a 38% higher conversion ratio.
~ The average reach for videos is 50% higher than other marketing methods.
~ The return-on-investment (ROI) is 5 times greater than using other tools.
~ The cost to obtain a new client is 48% lower.
~ Video “searches” have steadily grown by a 44% increase over the last 2 years (people are searching for how-to do something, business products and reviews, and to get answers to their questions – not just watching those “CrAzY” cat videos  : )
“““““““““““““““““““““““““““““`
Don’t have video equipment or software, but would like to produce your own videos?
Try a screenshot recorder instead. If you have a great Powerpoint presentation and a USB microphone, a screenshot recorder records your presentation from your desktop (plus your audio) as you present.
Some good software choices for this include JING (which is free) and will record up to 5 minutes (but it doesn’t allow for editing). For longer videos or editing capabilities, try SNAGIT (which is about $49.95 with a 30 day free trial). Both are from Tech Smith http://www.techsmith.com.
If you have any questions about making a video, just give me a call at (281) 404-5019 or send me an email at carmen@thepublicitydiva.com.
Happy video-ing,
Carmen, The Publicity Diva

Water Damage on an Oriental Rug

Water Damage on an Oriental Rug

Dehumidifier review

Dehumidifier review

Which dehumidifier is better?  Phoenix 270HTx vs. Aquatrap AT450S  These are two of the newest dehumidifiers on the market today.  One of them claims to pull the most water of any dehumidifier in the industry, but is this true?  My experience with the two units on the same job at the same time may surprise you. 

www.prodrying.com
www.pearsoncarpetcare.com

Rug Cleaner The importance of proper rug maintenance

Rug Cleaner The importance of proper rug maintenance

Water restoration insurance companies

Why Insurance Companies are Killing Water Restoration Companies

Water restoration insurance companies

Rug cleaning, oriental rug cleaner, houston rug cleaning

Rug cleaning, oriental rug cleaner, houston rug cleaning

Removing Urine From An Oriental Rug

Taking your rug to an oriental rug cleaner can sometimes be a necessity.  This is the case with urine in a rug. Since so many Americans have pets in there homes now days, it is inevitable that a few "accidents" will happen on rugs from time to time.  Trying to clean these up is where the problem comes in. While there are many products on the market to eliminate the odor from urine in carpet these are not made with wool fibers in mind.  If you don't know what you are doing while trying to clean up the urine then you can cause further damage to the rug.  Sometimes urine can make the dyes in the rug unstable and the moment you attempt to clean the area, the darker colors in that area will bleed onto the lighter colors.  As an oriental rug cleaner, this can happen to us also, however, we do have ways of controlling it or preventing it most of the time.

The only way to be sure the urine is out of the floor covering though is to have it completely immersed and washed.  Washing will allow all the contaminants to be flushed out.  After washing in an oriental rug cleaning plant takes place then they will also have the facilities to be able to get it dry within 24 hours.  These are things that can not be duplicated in someones home by a carpet cleaning company or the rug owner.

So the next time you are in the need to have a rug cleaned make sure to find a reputable in-plant rug cleaner who can wash your floor covering properly.  This will insure that you get decades of use from the textile.

Webcam winning HydraMaster Contest

Well my rug cleaning webcam has won another award.  This time the Marketing Gems Contest from HydraMaster.  A big thank you goes out to HydraMaster for putting on the contest, it was great fun reading all the other entries.  I would also like to thank all the people that commented, liked, and shared my story.  You can view the rug cleaning webcam here. 

Pooling Carpet Cleaning Kingwood Carpet Cleaner

Pooling Carpet Cleaning Kingwood Carpet Cleaner

What is Pooling and What Can I do About it?

Choosing a Rug Cleaning Service

Choosing a rug cleaning service can be a frustrating thing.  You can spend a lot of money on a fine hand-made floor covering and you a trusted rug cleaning service to take care of them for you.  Whether you need it cleaned occasionally, repaired, or need rug pad to help keep it in good shape.   So with all the choices out there how do you weed through them and come up with the best businesses to choose from.

The first rule is to never hire a carpet cleaner to perform this service in your home.  The equipment they use works great on your carpet but is not meant for this job.   It would be impractical to expect someone to bring the equipment necessary to your home to be able to perform this job properly.  There is equipment to dust, wash, and dry these fine floor coverings.  Most homes do not have enough space to set these systems up and do it cost effectively.  So look for a rug cleaning service that will do the cleaning in their office.

There are plenty of other things to look for to make sure you get a quality company doing the work for you.  Some of these include experience and education.  Another good idea is to ask others for a referral. Referrals are some of the best and most dependable ways to find good companies to do work for you. To read more about this you can go to this article and read the rest. 

Why Spots Come Back After A Carpet Cleaning

Why Spots Come Back After A Carpet Cleaning

There three main reasons why spots will come back after having your carpet cleaned or doing it yourself.  Here is an article about why this happens.

How to Remove Toner From Carpet

How do you remove toner from carpet?  As professional carpet cleaners we get this question from time to time.  This usually happens in a business that has copiers or printers that use lots of toner because occasionally they bust or leak.  When this happens you will need to know how to remove toner from carpet properly so that you will not permanently stain the fibers. 

Toner is not a liquid and should not be treated as one or you could set the stain permanently. Toner is actually a very fine powder.  Since it is a powder the most important thing you can do is to keep it dry and vacuum, vacuum, vacuum.  Choose a vacuum that has suction and no brush bar or beater bar.  If you were to use a vacuum with a brush or beater bar it could push some of the powder further down into the fibers or the backing causing it to be more difficult to remove.  When vacuuming, make sure to do an extremely thorough job.  Spend way more time on this then you might otherwise to insure that all the loose powder is removed. 

Some of the powder residue may still be left in the fibers and further cleaning may be necessary.  If this is the case, then use some dry cleaning fluid or rubbing alcohol to flush out any remaining residue.  This can then be followed with some clean fresh water and vacuuming.  Make sure to leave the carpet as dry as possible when you are finished with the spot removal.

Furniture Cleaning

So you just bought new furniture and you want to keep it looking good for years.  A proper furniture cleaning program should be implemented to insure that this happens.  This should include regular vacuuming, periodic cleaning, and fabric protection being reapplied after cleaning.

As with carpet, rugs and draperies, your upholstery needs to be vacuumed on a regular basis. Since vacuuming can remove 75% of all soil in the fabric this is the best way to keep your upholstery looking and smelling great.  When vacuuming your upholstery, don’t use a brush bar or beater bar vacuum attachment.  Just use the suction.  This will prevent any damage to the fiber. 

Then from time to time periodic cleaning will be needed to remove the rest of the soil that vacuuming does not remove.  Vacuuming can only remove dry soil, but some soils are oily or sticky and cannot be removed by vacuuming alone.  If your fabric is synthetic then cleaning or spot cleaning it yourself should be fine.  If your furniture is cotton, silk or another natural fiber you should consider letting a professional cleaning company do the furniture cleaning for you.  Natural fibers are more delicate and can take special training and chemicals to get the results you want.

If you keep fabric protection applied to then the likelihood that you will spill something on the fabric that cannot be removed is slim.  Furniture protection should be reapplied every 12 – 18 months especially after cleaning.  If you have to do some furniture cleaning sooner than that then it would be a good idea to reapply the furniture protection at that time. 

IICRC Seeks Volunteers for S210 and S300 Standards Updates

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
IICRC Continues to Seek Volunteers for S210 and S300 Standards Updates
(VANCOUVER, Wash.) June 21, 2012 – The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) is continuing to seek volunteers to serve on the consensus bodies for the development of a new BSR-IICRC S210 and the revision of IICRC S300.
The BSR-IICRC S210 Standard and Reference Guide on Dimension Stone Maintenance and Restoration is expected to be completed in 36 months. The updated IICRC S300 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Upholstery Cleaning is set to be completed in approximately 24 months.
“As our industry continues to evolve, our standards ensure that the IICRC is providing the most relevant and consistent information,” said Mili Washington, IICRC standards director. “But our standards are only as good as our volunteers; we need their expertise and knowledge.”
The consensus bodies will meet approximately two times per year, with most of the work being completed online and via conference calls. Those interested in serving on the BSR-IICRC S210 or IICRC S300 consensus bodies should contact Mili Washington at mili@iicrc.org. The IICRC will be accepting applications through the end of July.
To learn more about IICRC standards, please visit iicrc.org/standards.
About IICRC
The IICRC is an international, ANSI accredited standard development organization (SDO) that certifies individuals in 20+ categories within the inspection, cleaning and restoration industries. Representing more than 54,000 certified technicians in 22 countries, the IICRC, in partnership with regional and international trade associations, represents the entire industry. The IICRC does not own schools, employ instructors, produce training materials, or promote specific product brands, cleaning methods or systems. To know if a technician has received proper education and training, consumers should look for the cleantrust patch and logo, the service mark of the IICRC. For more information, visit www.iicrc.org.

Why Releasit detergents contain Soileze

Why Releasit detergents contain Soileze

Soileze is a great protector that we have used for years.  

Caring For Your Rugs

Caring For Your Rugs

Need to know how to care for your rugs.  A professional rug cleaner may be the best option.

Carpet Cleaning and Allergy Control

Clean carpet traps dust, pet dander, allergens, and other fine particulates out of the air we breathe.  This means what falls on the carpet tends to stay trapped in the carpet until it is removed through either vacuuming or extraction carpet cleaning.  Hard surface floors, such as tile and wood allow dust and allergens to re-circulate into the breathing zone easily.  However, properly maintained carpet actually contributes to improved air quality.  Properly maintaining carpets includes vacuuming thoroughly and having your carpet cleaned by a professional carpet cleaning company periodically.   Independent testing compared the distribution of airborne particulates associated with normal activities on hard and soft flooring surfaces.  A 2002 study by the Professional Testing Laboratory Inc. in Dalton, GA., shows that walking on hard surface floors disturbs more particles than walking on a carpeted surface will.  The carpet surfaces trapped more particles so that walking disturbs fewer particles, resulting is less dust in the breathing zone of children and adults.  In addition to trapping airborne particulates, carpet can insulate, absorb sound, and help prevent slips, falls, and other injuries that are typical on hard surface floors.  A summary of this study can be found on the Carpet and Rug Instittute's (CRI) website.  So keep this in mind, if carpets are dirty, not only will they not trap dust, dirt, and other allergens properly, they won't last as long as carpet that is properly maintained with a professional carpet cleaning company.

How often should I clean my carpet?

How often should I clean my carpet?

Here's an article I just posted on my website.  There are plenty of other articles on there too. 

How to tell when to have your rugs cleaned?

How to tell when to have your rugs cleaned?

Rugs, whether wool or synthetic, are often overlooked when it comes to having them cleaned regularly.  Usually they don't get cleaned until they are full of soil or other contaminates.  How do you tell, though, when your rugs need cleaning?

One thing you can do is to flip the rug over on a smooth hard surface.  Then take a vacuum cleaner with a brush bar and place it on the back of the rug and turn it on.  Do not move the vacuum cleaner and leave it in one place for 8 - 10 seconds.  When you are done then flip over the rug and look on the hard surface to see if there is some soil where you had the vacuum cleaner.  If there is then it is time to have your rug cleaned by a professional rug cleaner.  

If your rug is too big and heavy to be flipping it over then here is another method to try.  Pick up a corner of the rug,  slap the back of the rug with your other hand and watch the front side of the rug to see if soil is coming out as you slap the back of the rug.  This method is a little more difficult to actually determine how much soil is coming out of the rug, but if you see soil coming out with this method then you need to have the rug cleaned.  

Hopefully, this will help you determine when it is time to have your rugs cleaned. 

Curious as to Why We Have an Oriental Rug Cleaning Webcam

Curious as to Why We Have an Oriental Rug Cleaning Webcam

New Rug Cleaning Webcam

Well many of you know about our "LIVE" webcam that overlooks our rug cleaning operation here at The World Headquarters of Pearson Carpet Care.  For close to 5 years now we have had this up and running and you can watch us clean rugs or watch whatever else we are doing (which frankly can be way more interesting than rug cleaning).   After many years of loyal service the original webcam finally bit the dust and so it was time for a new one.  So that's right, the new webcam is HD.  It also has a wider viewing area and should enhance the experience quite a bit. 

Now if there was such a thing as smell o vision then we would really have something.  Until then you will just have to settle for an HD quality webcam.

Water Damage on an Oriental Rug

Water Damage on an Oriental Rug


The beauty of an Oriental rug can be destroyed forever if proper care is not taken to protect the rug from long term exposure to water.  Most varieties of Oriental rugs have a  wool pile and these rugs can be cleaned and dried thoroughly by an oriental rug cleaner and never have any problems.  Sometimes you may have some unstable colors to deal with but if the rug is being cleaned by a knowledgeable rug cleaner they should be able to control that in their wash process.  So the normal cleaning and washing process does not harm a rug, however here are some instances in which water could harm your rugs.
Many rugs have cotton warp and wefts.  The warps run from end to end on the rug and are what make up the fringe of a hand knotted rug.  The warps are also what the knots are tied to creating the pile. The weft runs over and under the warps and between rows of knots.   This gives the rug strength from side to side. This cotton foundation can be weakened, and sometimes actually rotted, if the rug stays wet for an extended period of time without being properly dried.
In our oriental rug cleaning plant, we commonly see such damage from potted plants being placed directly on a rug. When the plant is watered either the pot leaks or the plant is over watered and some drains out the bottom of the pot and the rug under the pot stays permanently damp. Within a couple of weeks the foundation of the rug can become so weak that chunks of the rugs pile can be torn from the area by hand.  If you put a potted plant on or near a rug, put it on a stool, or something that is up off the rug.  This will let you see under the pot and make sure the rug stays dry as well as allowing for ventilation.
Another form of water damage would be caused by using a rug directly over a damp concrete floor. Even though the concrete floor is not noticeably wet to the touch, there can be enough moisture to allow the warp and wefts to degrade.  A concrete slab sitting on the ground will naturally have water vapor coming up through it.  If a rug is laid directly on the concrete, then the rug can absorb the water vapor coming out of the concrete.  Over time this will affect strength of the rug's foundation. A rug that has this kind of damage will often feel peculiarly stiff when moving it around. The rug could be so stiff it would make it difficult to roll.  A rug with this kind of damage will also have cracking and popping noises when the rug is creased or folded.  This noise is actually the warp and weft fibers breaking.  As a note, rugs placed on top of tile, wood, or even carpet do not generally have these problems.
The good news with any of these damaged rugs is that an experienced rug repair person can reweave the dry rotted or damaged areas of your rug, thus allowing you to be able to continue to enjoy your rug for years. 

IICRC announces new Standard and Reference Guide

In a May 8 press release the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) announced the ‘formation of consensus bodies for the development of a new BSR-IICRC S210 Standard and Reference Guide on Dimensional Stone Maintenance and Restoration and the revision of IICRC S300 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Upholstery Cleaning.’
“As new materials and processes are introduced into our industry, we remain committed to ensuring the IICRC’s standards provide credible, up-to-date information,” said Mili Washington, IICRC standards director. “Through the development of the S210 standard, we are upholding our promise to the industry to establish an international standard of care and provide our registrants with a knowledgeable industry voice and resource.”
‘The consensus bodies will meet approximately two times per year, with most of the work being completed online and via conference calls. The new BSR-IICRC S210 standard will encompass the initial, routine, periodic and restorative maintenance methodologies for dimensional stone flooring and fabrication and is set to be completed in approximately 36 months.’
And ‘the updated IICRC S300 standard for professional upholstery cleaning is set to be completed in approximately 24 months.’
Those interested in submitting an application to participate on the BSR-IICRC S210 or IICRC S300 consensus bodies, please contact Mili Washington at mili@iicrc.org
www.iicrc.org

Name the mascot

We have a new mascot at the World Headquarters of Pearson Carpet Care and he needs a name. So reply on our facebook page with your best name and the name we choose will receive a $75.00 Gift Certificate good for any one of our cleaning services. You need to hurry though the contest will end Friday May 11.

www.pearsoncarpetcare.com

www.prodrying.com

Video Drawing of Company Logo

This is a short 24 second video or a drawing of our company logo.

Pearson_Carpet_Care_Rick.wmv

This is amazing.  People from all over the world know about our rug cleaning plant.

The Drying Log: Insurance companies could save millions with one c...

The Drying Log: Insurance companies could save millions with one c...: For years I have been talking about how insurance companies could save a lot of money.  Usually they try to do this at the cost of contracto...

The Drying Log: Special Limited Time Offer - FREE Air Mover ProDry...

The Drying Log: Special Limited Time Offer - FREE Air Mover ProDry...: This is a great offer.  If you are in the market for dehumidifiers right now then you can't pass this offer up.  FREE Air Mover with the pur...

Should I Seal My Tile and Grout

Having been in the tile and grout cleaning business since 1992, one of the more common questions I get is, "Should I seal my tile and grout after cleaning"?  Sometimes its a new installation and the question is still the same.  Sealing your tile and grout provides a layer of protection against spills, stains and water penetration into your grout joints. 

New grout requires a curing time of 72 hours before applying a sealer, so the grout will be dry before applying. After cleaning the tile and grout, you will only need to wait a few hours before sealing.  When sealing, it is important to know what you are sealing.  Do you have ceramic tile, porcelain tile, or a natural stone.  Depending on your tiles you could need different types of sealer.  With a ceramic or porcelain tile you will not be concerned about sealing those tiles, just the grout.  Those tiles would not be very porous and so you would just want a grout sealer.  On a natural stone such as limestone, travertine, marble, or granite you would need to seal the tile and the grout and would need a sealer for that particular stone. 

When choosing a sealer there are many choices, but generally the better ones are found at specialty stores and not a big box store.  I would look for one that will not leave a haze on ceramic or porcelain if a little bit gets on the tile while applying.  A lot of sealers come with an applicator bottle where you just run the applicator down the grout lines.  However, this can be very tedious work.  I would suggest looking for some sealers that are applied with an aerosol can.  You can actually stand up with these sealers while applying and the length of time to apply them is drastically less.

It should also be noted that once you seal your tile and grout it doesn't mean that it is sealed forever.  You should reapply the sealer every year or two to keep your protection up.  Sealers will wear off with time, cleaning, spills,etc.  This way you can enjoy your tile and grout for years to come.

Rug Cleaning after a fire

It is truly an unpleasant and unwanted situation if you have a fire in your home.  Everything can be lost very quickly.  A customer of ours had this happen recently.  He was then told that all of his 30+ hand made rugs were ruined.  Yes they were wet and covered in debris but most of them did not actually catch on fire.
Luckily, our customer did not listen to his original advice and called to ask about our rug cleaning services.  These rugs cleaned up beautifully and will be able to be used and enjoyed for years to come.
So if we can clean a bunch of rugs with soot all over them imagine what we can do for your rugs.

Below is pictures of the rug being cleaned in our oriental rug cleaning plant.

Rug Cleaning Houston

Cleaning rugs after a fire

Oriental rug cleaning

Get the Rug Cleaners Houston App for Android

All Android users can now have the Pearson Carpet Care app on their phone.  This is a great way to have us handy when you need us.  Just search for rug cleaners houston in the android market.  The app will take you to our website.

www.pearsoncarpetcare.com

www.prodrying.com

Choosing A Vacuum Cleaner

Are you in the market for a vacuum cleaner? Since vacuuming can remove 70% of all the dry soil in carpet, then choosing a good vacuum cleaner is essential for day to day maintenance in between professional carpet cleanings.  With the proper choice this vacuum could last you for years.  Here is a few suggestions of things to look for and research to do before you buy that new vacuum.

When choosing a vacuum for your home it is important to look for an upright, dual-motor vacuum. One motor for the vacuum suction and one for the brush roller. This way the power of one motor is not split amongst two jobs.  Next the vacuum needs to have a high-efficiency filtration system.  This way the dry soil you vacuum out will not be blown back through the area.  For stairs, a backpack or canister vacuum would be better suited for this job. Although an upright vacuum with a hose and attachments could also be used for stairs.

A great place to start looking for a vacuum cleaner is the Carpet and Rug Institute's (CRI) Seal of Approval list. The vacuums listed here have been tested by an independent, certified laboratory and have met minimum standards for cleaning efficiency. This should help you further narrow down your choices.  Then you might need to go a retailer that will carry many of the vacuums on the CRI list.  This way you can try them and see how easy they are to use.

Once you have choosen your vacuum cleaner it is important to keep it in good working order so that when you use it, it is actually working.  Periodically you should clean the brush roller and make sure it is free of debris. You should also check to see that the belt is in good condition.  Also never let the bag or canister get more than 3/4 full.  If that does happen, the efficiency of the vacuum is greatly reduced. If your vacuum has a hose attachment, then make sure there are no obstructions in the hose.  Doing a few minutes of maintenance periodically will keep your vacuum looking and running like new for years.

Kevin Pearson is a Master Cleaning Technician #19267 with the IICRC and has been in the cleaning and restoration industry since 1992. He is on the Board of Directors of the IICRC and the Professional Cleaning and Restoration Alliance. For information Call Pearson Carpet Care at 281-548-7200 or visit our website at www.pearsoncarpetcare.com.

What is the black line at my baseboards?

One of the most common issues we deal with as professional carpet cleaners is an issue called "filter fading" or "filtration soiling." Filter fading or filtration soiling is the name given to the accumulation of carpet soil found along the edges of wall to wall carpet, as well as under some doors and furniture. It is formed by air movement through the carpet at these different locations. Your carpet acts like a filter and traps the soil from the air. Over time these soils can solidify, permanently staining the carpet. In some cases these soils can oxidize (bleach) the color from the carpet. We see this happen at the base of walls, on stair cases, around furniture, and under doors that stay closed alot. Some houses seem to be more prone to it then other houses. While it is more noticeable on light colored carpet it can still occur on a darker colored carpet, it just may be less noticeable.

It can also be found around walls that are common to a return air plenum. If this is the case and you look inside the return air behind the filter and you see studs here is what you do. Take some sheetrock or plywood and cover the studs on the walls. Then take some caulking and seal all the joints well. This will force all the air coming in the return to go through the filter. Now you can clean the carpet around the walls and it should not occur again in this area.

Complete removal can be difficult or impossible if the problem has been occurring over a long period of time. However, if it is caught early enough it can usually be removed by a reputable carpet cleaning company. The bad news is that a cleaning may take care of it now but unless you correct what is causing it to occur then it will come back.

The best thing to do to minimize this is to vacuum these areas often and have your carpet cleaned often. This is the best way to stay on top of it. If you are replacing your carpet with new carpet and do not want to have the same issues, then after the old carpet is removed you can caulk the area between the subfloor and the bottom of the wall. This will prevent air from being pulled through the carpet fibers up into the wall. Then the soil will not accumulate there. However, it will not prevent it from occuring under doors or furniture.

Kevin Pearson is a Master Cleaning Technician #19267 with the IICRC and has been in the cleaning and restoration industry since 1992. Kevin has worked on the committee that rewrote the carpet cleaning standards and the standard for carpet inspectors. He also serves on two other committees at the IICRC and is on the Board of Directors of the IICRC and the Professional Cleaning and Restoration Alliance. For information Call Pearson Carpet Care at 281-548-7200 or visit our website at www.pearsoncarpetcare.com.

Healthy Air and Clean Carpet

Did you know that there are several studies out that show that a clean carpet is better for you if you have allergies and other breathing conditions than a hard surface floor?

Here's why. A clean carpet can trap dust, dirt, and pollutants in the fibers and prevent them from kicking kicked up into your breathing zone. This is a good reason to have your carpets maintained properly. Proper maintainence of your carpet includes vacuuming and periodic carpet cleaning.

Vacuuming is probably the single best thing you can do to extend the life of your carpet. Since 70% of all soil in carpet is dry soil, vacuuming your carpet regularly will remove that soil and keep it from scratching your carpet fibers. Periodically, though it is recommending by all the major carpet manufacturers to have your carpet cleaned by a trained and certified technician. These two things help keep the carpet clean and will allow the carpet to be able to filter out dust, dirt, and other allergens that would not be able to be filtered out by a hard surface floor.

Controlling Odors

There are many reasons you could have odors in your home or office. They could come from things such as cooking, pets, a plumbing leak, smoking, and many more. Getting rid of these odors sometimes can be a challenge. However, there are a couple things to remember when trying to get rid of odors.

The most important rule of odor removal is to first remove the "source" of the odor. For example, I received a call several years ago to clean up some dog poop in a home. On the phone with the customer I was under the impression the "pile" had already been removed. However, when I arrived the pile had not been removed and there was cans of different kinds of cleaners and air freshener around the pile. I was then quickly reminded of the first rule of odor control, to remove the source. Unfortunately, for me though this was a big dog and I needed a shovel. Not something we usually carry on the carpet cleaning truck.

Sometimes removing lingering odors after the source is removed can be tricky, but the best place to start is at the source and go from there.

How to Choose a Carpet Cleaning Company… without getting ripped off

Do you need your carpet cleaned but you don’t know how to choose a carpet cleaning company? Before you hire a cleaner ask them a series of questions and see how well they fair. They may not be perfect but they should fair pretty well if they are reputable.

What kind of training does the company have for its technicians?
A reputable firm should require that employees receive training certification from organizations such as the IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) and participate in continuing education programs that is separate from their “in house” training.

Does the company give free in-home written estimates before the job is performed?

A free in-home written estimate will let you know exactly how much you are going to spend before you call and make an appointment.

How many years has the company been in business under the same name?

A company that has been in business for years has to be doing something right, or else no one would call them back

What does a basic cleaning include?

A basic cleaning should include the pre-spot, additional spot removal, furniture moving, and cleaning of the carpet. You may then choose to pay extra for the carpet protector, spot dyeing, or repairs.

What type of cleaning method will be used?
The most preferred cleaning method by carpet manufacturers is hot water extraction or as some people call it “steam cleaning”.

What is your guarantee?
A reputable company will offer some sort of guarantee — usually they will come back once to try and rectify the problem and if that does not satisfy the customer they will refund their money.

What should I do before the cleaner arrives?

Before they arrive you should have all your breakable objects out of the way. Then the technicians should move around your furniture, clean under it, and set it back where it belongs on top of small pieces of Styrofoam or plastic tabs.

Lastly, ask your friends, relatives, and neighbors who they use and trust. This is probably the best way to find the perfect company for your needs.

IICRC Board Votes to Return to Original Name

IICRC Board Votes to Return to Original name
Keeps cleantrust as the consumer-facing service mark

VANCOUVER, WA (February 17, 2012) - The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) announced today that the Board of Directors has voted to return the formal name of the organization to the IICRC, keeping cleantrust as the service mark of the organization. The full details surrounding the transition will be announced at the Certification Council on April 22, 2012.

“We’ve heard the feedback from registrants over the past few months and considered many options,” said IICRC Chairman Darrell Paulson. “Ultimately, the board has decided to use the IICRC as the main brand and use the cleantrust as a service mark. This allows us to honor the 40-year history of our organization, while also working to gain more awareness with end-users. We are still working through all of the details and we thank the inspection, cleaning and restoration community for their patience during this process.”

The IICRC will retain the use of the updated logo, which represents the strength and breadth of the organization. The shape reflects a globe, symbolizing the IICRC’s international status. And like the organization, the logo is made up of many different parts that are working together in a unified pattern, depicting an organization that is deep in knowledge.

“Together, this powerful brand combination of IICRC and the cleantrust, will enable us to constantly work towards our mission of identifying and promoting an international standard of care that establishes and maintains the health, safety and welfare of the built environment,” said Paulson.

Updated materials with the new IICRC logo and an updated design will gradually rollout in the coming months, including ID cards, brochures, introductory video and a new website.

iPad3 and KindleFire to be given away at Lake Houston Business Expo

We'll be there and we hope to see all of you there too.  

iPad3 and KindleFire to be given away at Lake Houston Business Expo

Blogging Your Way to More Business - Feature Article - ICS: Cleaning Specialist

Blogging Your Way to More Business - Feature Article - ICS: Cleaning Specialist

This is a friend of mine in the carpet cleaning industry. He is a great writer, marketer, and carpet cleaning business owner.

www.pearsoncarpetcare.com
www.prodrying.com

Getting Paid by Guest Columnist John Howell of Grogan Clean Care Nacogdoches, Texas

When we think about work we have to think about how to express to the customer the cost of the services in question, how to give them an invoice once the work is done and how we expect to get paid.

The best way that I have come up with to actually talk to a customer is to offer to come look over the job in person for FREE. I know this may be hard to swallow at first, but customers who really are interested in letting you do the work for them are not just price shopping, they want to meet you and ask you questions to see if they even want you to come near their home.

Once the work is agreed upon it is important to let your customer know if there are any changes in the price different than the estimate and your expectation of the completed job. The only thing I can say here is to under promise and to over deliver.

Give an invoice as soon after the work is completed as possible. This does two things: it makes you and your customer go over the invoice immediately and you are less likely to forget the details of the job or even worse add work that you didn’t do. This might seem easy, but when the work is on and it’s from job to job to job for 8 hours a day even for a week trying to remember something you did on Monday on Friday is harder than you might think.

Collecting. It’s almost unbearable to think about. That is why “payment is due when services are rendered” signs are made. No one likes to hassle anyone for money especially when it’s been 3 months and you can barely remember the job anymore. Stay on top of receivables and those awkward phone conversations won’t be needed.