Pensacola Carpet Cleaning

We get tons of calls in the days following the 4th of July.  Many go something like, “My nephew spilled barbecue sauce all over my carpet”, or “My dog got into the rest of the ribs and got sick all over the living room.”

All of these problems can be cured.  The biggest aide in curing them is to have it done immediately.  Don’t let these types of stains sit in your carpet for more than 24 hours or they may become permanent.

Myth #1:  You should wait as long as possible to clean your carpet or rug.  Many years ago this was true as shampooing was the primary method of carpet cleaning.  Even today, many homeowners can receive poor cleaning jobs by low priced cleaners that soak their carpet, which can cause all of the spots to return days after the cleaning.  As well, the carpet can be filled with residue, which will cause it to get dirty FAST.  However, if carpet is cleaned correctly, it should be rinsed residue free and dried within 8 hours.  Your carpet and rugs will last much longer and look beautiful after cleaning.

Myth #2:  Your carpet and rugs should only be cleaned when they look dirty.  Just like the sheets on your bed, your carpet is a fabric.  Do you wait until your sheets LOOK dirty before you wash them?  Of course not!  Every day you are tracking grease, dirt, pollen, dust, and outdoor pollutants on your carpet and rugs.  They are made to hide these soils very well.  If you wait until it looks dirty, it will have an extreme soil build up by that point.  Every carpet and rug manufacturer recommends professional cleaning at least every 12-24 months.  If you’ve been using it for two years and it looks clean, it still needs cleaning to maintain a good appearance.

Myth #3:  One method of carpet cleaning is as good as another.  Premium Carpet Care is experienced in all methods of cleaning.  However, there are important facts we have discovered.  The dry-cleaning methods-which are dry foam, dry chemicals, carbonation, and dry compound–do not rinse your carpet with water. Carpet makers for residential carpet rarely recommend these methods.  Instead, they recommend hot water extraction from a truck mounted cleaning unit.  Hot water extraction means a hot water cleaning solution, under pressure, is forced into your carpet and then sucked out of your home.  We have found that truck mounted cleaning works well, but has a drawback with carpet and rugs being left wet for too long.  So, we have invested in the “Drimaster” rotary head, which attaches to our truck-mounted machine and removes 98% of moisture while cleaning your carpet.  This system works better than any we have used in the 9 years we’ve been in business.

Myth #4:  Bleach is a good stain remover.  First, bleach is NOT safe for humans.  Furthermore, it isn’t good for your carpet or tile as it bleaches all colors.  If your carpet has any nylon, the fiber will turn yellow.  If the fiber is wool (as in a wool rug), the fiber will actually dissolve.  Furthermore, pouring bleach on a carpet can cause the backing to separate which will cause the carpet fibers to fall out.  DON’T USE BLEACH ON YOUR CARPET.  Myth #5:  There is a space-age revolutionary stain remover that will remove any stain and odor in carpet.  If you believe this, you’ve been watching too much television.  We carry at least 12 different spot removers on our truck when we come out to clean your carpet.  Each spot remover works better on different types of stains.  As well, there are completely different cleaning agents used for pet odor problems.  If there was one “all purpose cure” to stains, it would be sold to professional cleaning companies for $100 a gallon and we would purchase 55 gallons drums of it.  However, it doesn’t exist.  Take my word for it.

This was an article published about me in one of the largest carpet cleaning trade magazines this month–Cleanfax Magazine.

1. Tell us all about yourself, family, hobbies, etc.  My cleaning company is Premium Carpet Care and our mold division is Healthy Home Restoration. We service the Pensacola, Florida area. I have been married to my sweetheart, Sheryl, for 10 years. We have the perfect family with Spencer, our five-year old boy, and Talia, our two-year old girl. Spencer already has aspirations of doing “mold damage” with me and always asks when I can take him on the next cleaning job. Our family takes several vacations every year to Disney World. Being on vacation seems to be the best way to completely get my mind off the business.2. Why and how did you get into this industry?While majoring in advertising at the University of West Florida, I caught the entrepreneurial bug. Reading book after book about how to advertise a business instilled a burning desire to start my own. I didn’t want to learn all about advertising just to earn someone else tons of money. It didn’t matter what type of business I started. I had worked with a carpet cleaning company for a couple of months the year prior, so I figured I had some experience. All the research I did described a carpet cleaning company as a wise investment. After all, I thought it couldn’t be that hard. Boy was I naïve. So, I purchased a portable and took an IICRC carpet cleaning class. I had absolutely no management experience, so needless to say it was a slow start for the first few years. Howard Partridge was one industry leader who really helped me out in the management area. Finally, I am running a profitable carpet and tile cleaning company.3. What would you change about this industry if you had a chance?When I first entered the cleaning industry I was confused by all of the different ideas about methods of cleaning, chemicals, and equipment. I still wish for more harmony in the industry. I would love to see industry standards that most companies actually follow. In the last 10 years I’ve seen a small shift toward these standards. I think the bulletin boards have helped open minds in this area. I don’t see as many cleaners being hung up on the method of cleaning as much as in years past.

4. What advice do you have for other cleaners?Become a true professional. Educate yourself. Attend seminars and conferences on marketing and cleaning procedures. Stop spending money on advertising that isn’t making you money. Track your advertising results. You need to spend time learning from those who have already climbed the mountain you’re attempting to climb. You can save yourself money and heartache by avoiding common pitfalls. Learning to run your business smarter will make you more money at the end of the year.

Hello and welcome all friends and clients.  I will be occasionally posting useful information on spot removal, floor selection, and maintenance issues.

Please check back often.

Thanks.