We can help...............

RESIDENTIAL SERVICES:

• Carpet cleaning
• Furniture cleaning
• Wood floors
• Vinyl floors
• Ceramic floors
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Walls, woodwork,molding, wood paneling

Check out our Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

If it can be cleaned, we can do it!        

CARPETS

No other item in your home absorbs more wear and tear on a daily basis than your carpet. No other item can impact your home's appearance like your carpet can. Unfortunately, many consumers ignore the warning signs until it's too late.  ServiceMaster recommends that homeowners follow a few steps to keep up the appearance of their carpets:

1. Have your carpets cleaned professionally at least once per year.
2. Vacuum carpets at least once per week.
3. use doormats
4. Protect the surface of your carpets with a protector such as Scotchgard.
5. Rotate furniture: Premature wear takes place when traffic paths are unchanged.
6. Blot up spills when they occur;  never rub or scrub, you may set the stain further.

MINIMIZE THE MESS

Cleaner pets mean a cleaner house. Bathe and brush your pets regularly to minimize the amount of pet hair and pet dander and to help with the odors. Keep a lint brush or damp sponge handy to quickly pick up loose pet hair. Unless your pet has dietary restrictions, a light mist of spray-on cooking oil on your pet dishes will make them easier to wash out and will add shine to his or her coat.

REMOVING PET HAIR

On carpeting, use a vacuum with a good beater brush or brush roll.  Plain vacuums do not generate sufficient lift to pickup all the pet hair from the floor. Speed removal of pet hair from fabrics and upholstery with a pet rake, a brush with crimped nylon bristles. Use light, even strokes to remove the hair. Velour brushes, tape rollers and even tape wrapped around your hand also will work. Both pet supply and home stores sell "pet sponges", which are used dry on both upholstery and carpets. They can be an especially good option for hard -to-reach corners and edges where hair tends to collect. As long as dampness will not harm the fabric, you can also use a slightly dampened sponge or even the rubber bottom of a clean tennis shoe.

LIFTING STAINS

To remove a pet urine stain, dilute the spot using a cloth dampened with water. Then, clean the area with an acid solution consisting of one quart water mixed with one teaspoon white vinegar.  If necessary, you can apply a pet bacteria/enzyme digester according to the directions. You can find these products at any pet store;  they effectively counter both the stain and the odor. Even if the stain has disappeared or our human noses can no longer smell anything, a pet will repeatedly return to the same spot if he can still smell his own odor. Here are some other hints:

• Be sure to use enough bacteria/enzyme digester to penetrate the carpet and pad.
• Keep in mind that digesters work well but slowly. Leave the solution on as long as indicated.
• After applying the solution, cover with plastic and step on the spot several times until the area is well saturated.
• Keep the plastic on the entire time the digester is working to make sure the spot does not dry out.

OLDER STAINS

If the stain is older, it may be nearly impossible to remove; but try the digester. If the site has seen multiple accidents, the bacteria breaking down the stain may actually create a super alkaline state that interferes with the digesters intended action. In this case, follow these steps:

• After the bacteria digester has been working for about four hours, neutralize the spot by mixing a solution of one cup of vinegar to a gallon of warm water.
• Rinse the area with the vinegar solution.
• Apply a fresh batch of bacteria/enzyme digester solution.

You might also try buying a hypodermic needle from you local pharmacy,  filling it with your favorite perfume or potpourri. You will need to inject both the carpet and the pad for it to work. If you still have a problem, have the carpet cleaned by extraction. It may even be necessary to replace the pad underneath.

STOMACH TROUBLE

If your pet has an upset stomach on your carpet, cleanup may be trickier.  The extremely acidic nature of vomit can cause the acid dyes in the carpet to move, permanently damaging the carpet. Dyes in your pet's food or medicine may also combine with the strong stomach acid to stain your flooring.  That is why it is essential to neutralize or at least dilute the acid as quickly as possible to minimize damage. To bring the carpet back to a neutral pH:

• Treat the affected area using a professional carpet detergent.
• Rinse the area with clean hot water.
• Extract the soiled solutions away from the carpet.

If the stains cannot be removed, carpet dyeing may be a good option. While not as permanent as factory dyeing, spot dyeing will solve the problem of bleached carpet. Remember that the best time to clean up most spots and spills is right after they occur. Using the proper agent, follow the techniques below. Be sure to pretest a small area to make sure that the fabric will not bleed or get damaged during treatment.

1. If liquid, blot up as much as  possible with a clean cloth.
2. If the material is dry, loosen residue with the dull edge of a knife or spatula. Scrape or vacuum up as much of the residue as you can.
3. Dampen clean cloth with the proper cleaning agent for the particular kind of spot.
4. Blot area gently, working from the outer edge to the center of the spot. Turn the cloth frequently so you are always using a clean area.
5. Repeat this process until the spot is removed or until you no longer have a transfer spot on your cloth. Be careful not to get the carpet excessively wet.
6. Blot the spot with water.  Blot any excess moisture.
7. Align the carpet pile. Protect the area from any traffic and allow to dry.

We offer both types:

• Hot water extraction (AKA, "steam cleaning")
• Low Moisture Shampooing (AKA, "dry cleaning")