The key to successful spot removal is getting to it as quickly as possible. Use this guide at your own risk and please, always test in a hidden area before using.

YOUR BASIC SPOT REMOVAL KIT
Keep the following items on hand so that you will be prepared to handle fresh spills on your carpet: Neutral dish detergent such as Joy or Dawn (dilute 20:1); clear household ammonia; white vinegar (dilute 1:1); wet spotter such as Spot Gone; dry spotter such as Dissolve; paint thinner; hydrogen peroxide (3% solution) for bleaching; denatured or isopropyl alcohol; a good supply of white terry clothes; and a spotting brush.

Carpet Care (PDF Download)

If you have pets, stock a bacteria/enzyme digester such as Liquid Alive. A wet/dry vac is great to have as well. We also sell a very good spot remover. If interested, email us or give us a call 717-397-3883.

General notes:

There are so many allergens and pollutants in your carpeting and upholstery that should be removed and spring is the best time to do just that.

It is important to remember the goal of carpet cleaning is not merely the spots you see but what the carpet has filtered for you. You know that the more foot traffic, people and pets that are in your house on a regular basis, the more you need to be on top of cleaning carpets and fabrics.

Carpeting and upholstery will collect much more than just dust and dirt. The fibers that are used in upholstery materials and rugs and carpets are a perfect breeding ground for dust mites, mildew, mold, fungi and other microorganisms that can all be serious allergens for everyone; especially for those who have particular sensitivities already.

Carpet is a great filter for the air in your house but like your furnace filter you need to clean it out.

Removing Pet Urine Odors

It’s best to call us so that the urine doesn't set in. Pet urine needs a special enzyme treatment to ensure complete mitigation.

Special enzymes are applied to the urine areas which are then extracted back out of the carpet, bringing the crystallized urine with it.

This process leaves your carpets urine and odor free. And the treatment keeps working for weeks long after we have left.

Odors caused by urine, feces, vomit, smoke, skunk and more can be completely removed. So before you replace your carpet because of pet odor give us a call 717 397-3883.

Removing odors

If you have pets, there will be accidents. Please remember yelling at your pet or punishing the animal will only confuse and scare him or her, and damage your relationship.

Removing pet stains

 

Additional FAQs

Q: How soon can I walk on the carpet?

A: Try to keep pets, children and heavy traffic off the carpet during the drying process. Wait 24 hours before removing foam blocks or protective tabs that our technicians have placed under the furniture to protect the carpet. Carpet will be safe to walk on in 2 to 4 hours for commercial applications and 6 to 8 hours for residential applications.

Important Note

If detergent is left in the carpet, accelerated re-soiling will occur. We employ a more thorough method of cleaning that uses a rinse step after the re-spray process. This method removes deep down soil and leaves no detergents to accelerate the re-soiling process. The fact is, the best thing you can do for your carpets is to have them regularly cleaned by a qualified professional carpet cleaning company. It is the build up of soil that promotes wear to your carpet far more than foot traffic. Foot traffic grinds the soil against the carpet fibers and causes a sandpaper effect. This will cause the fibers to dull and become worn looking.

Q: Why should I clean my carpet?

A: Bio contaminants, volatile organic compounds, combustion products, asbestos, dust mites, chemical contamination, outdoor pollutants, pesticides, allergens, grease and oil deposits, sand, soil, food particles, bacteria, and a host of other really gross stuff will make its way into your carpet. Quite simply, your carpet acts like a sink. It collects and filters all of the above mentioned contaminants. This collection and filtering process traps these contaminants within your carpet, which in turns cleans the air you breathe and allows you to live a healthier life. Hard surface floors may allow contaminants to "roam" throughout the indoor environment.

But like any other filter, your carpet needs to be cleaned on a regular basis, or it will lose its filtering ability. If these contaminants are in your home, they could be contributing to your family's health and allergy problems. Dr. Michael Berry, Deputy Director of the Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office of the Environmental Protection Agency stated, "Based on what I have learned from researchers working in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe, I have reached the conclusion that carpeting and fabrics that are not properly cleaned and maintained have the potential to cause a variety of health problems inside the building and home environment."

Q: Can you get out... (fill in the stain)

A: Red Dye (5%) - Red dye is almost impossible to remove unless conditions are exactly right. If the carpet is new, the chances are better. In many cases the only way to remove red dye is with a heat transfer process in which we apply a product to the spot, lay a wet cloth over it, and apply an iron to cause the spot to transfer to the towel. The spot is then rinsed thoroughly. This is a special procedure and due to the extra time it requires, we do charge extra for this.

Lipstick (50%) - Chances are good that we will be able to remove it with solvents. However, some lipstick may be in the red dye category which gives it a slim chance for removal.

Furniture Stain (01%) - Almost impossible.

Soft drinks (95%) - Usually not a problem.

Tea & Coffee (50%) - Tannin spots sometimes cause a permanent stain. Many times when coffee or tea is spilled, it is very hot. This can cause a stain to be set into the carpet.

Ketchup (50%) - If ketchup has red dye in it, it could leave a stain. But without red dye, it's not a problem. Mustard (15%) - Mustard can be very difficult to remove.

Rust (85%) - Chances for rust removal are excellent.

Paint (20%) - If it is a fresh spill the chances are much better. If it has already dried, chances are slim.

Q: What about reoccurring spots & stains?

A: If a spot returned a day or so after cleaning, it may have been due to the nature of the spot. Deep stains tend to surface if they are in the backing of the carpet.

Q: How often should a carpet be cleaned?

A: The frequency of cleaning will vary from one household to another, depending upon the number of occupants and the level of usage. At a minimum, you should clean once a year. I have had some homeowners express their fears that once the carpet is cleaned, it will re-soil more quickly. This fear is a result of improper cleaning on the part of many cleaning companies. Many of these companies, in an effort to cut costs and save time, will buy the least expensive cleaning solutions, won't provide the proper training for their technicians, and will not offer a separate rinse step in order to remove detergent residue.

Q: How long does the carpet cleaning process take?

A: We are able to clean approximately 400 square feet per hour. This can vary slightly depending upon the amount of soil, how much furniture needs to be moved, specialty spotting procedures, and setup time.

Q: Can you fix indentations from heavy furniture?

A: No guarantee can be made on removing indentations from heavy furniture. In addition to the pile of the carpet being crushed, the backing of the carpet is indented. Heat, moisture, and hand grooming with our equipment may help, but it will take time to release back to normal, if at all. Severe cases may be permanent.

Q: Why should I have my carpets protected?

A: 3M SCOTCHGARD Carpet Protection helps you in two very important ways:

When this protective coating is applied to the carpet fibers, it puts a protective barrier around each fiber. This protective barrier resists moisture. When you do have a spill, it gives you a window of time to get it cleaned up.

The other important way that this product helps you is in the area of wear. Having this protective coating on your carpet helps reduce the wear and abrasion caused by sand in the carpet. This protects the carpet from excessive matting, and in turn will cause your carpet to perform better.

Q: Can you get out... (fill in the stain)

A: Yellowing (50%) - Yellowing can be as simple as neutralizing the spot or area by spraying a solution on it, or it can be impossible to remove. There are many unknown causes for yellowing. It is so common that we have several different products on our van just for yellowing.

Filtration Soiling (25%) - Filtration soiling is the black marks you see around the edges of your base boards. Typically we can get these lines to lighten, but seldom do they come all the way out. The particles in filtration soil are so fine, and go all the way down the sides of the yarn and through the backing of the carpet. This makes it very difficult to remove.

Urine (50%) - When urine is fresh and has not been cleaned using an alkaline spotter, the chances are good. If the urine has been there for a long time, the chances are slim. However, urine will continue to deteriorate the carpet, so it is extremely important to remove the urine deposits, even if the spot does not come out.

Vomit (50%) - Same as urine. (If red dye is present in dog or cat food, see red dye removal.)

Blood (75%) - If no hot water or alkaline cleaning products have been used, chances are good.