Carpet Cleaning in Sun Valley and Twin Falls

 You know the type – they “bait” you with a low price, then “switch” you to their “dual scrub” or “deep clean” system. They proceed to soak your carpet and leave a soapy residue behind. Good luck getting them back again!

Here are some questions to ask every carpet cleaner about their cleaning…

1.     What method do you use?

2.     Do you vacuum the carpet?

3.     Do you pre-spot urine and other spots?

4.     Do you pre-spray the carpet?

5.     Do you pre-groom the carpet?

6.     Do you neutralize the carpet?

7.     Do you post-groom the carpet?

8.     Do you use air movers to speed dry the carpet?

9.     Is all spot cleaning included in the price?

10.   Is pet odor treatment included in the price?

11.   Do you give a free bottle of spot remover?

12.   Do you give a free pair of booties?

Questions to ask about their company…

1.     Do you have recent references?

2.     How long have you been in business?

3.     Are you certified by the IICRC?

4.     Do you offer a 100% money back guarantee?

5.     Do you have an on-time guarantee?

6.     Do you use sub-contractors or employees?

7.     Do you do background checks on your sub-contractors or employees?

8.     Do you have liability insurance?

9.     Do you have a re-soiling guarantee? 

A low priced carpet cleaning company simply cannot provide the most advanced, guaranteed cleaning technology at a low, low price. Something has to be cut from the picture. Our Company obviously offers all of these benefits and more.

1. Beautiful Appearance. You can make your carpet look good longer with frequent cleaning and vacuuming.

2. Longer Lasting Carpet. If you follow manufacturers recommendations, your carpet can last up to twice as long as it would if you never had it cleaned.

3. Healthier Home. Your home will be kept clean and healthy. Most of the contaminants in your home fall into the carpet due to gravity. Mr. Steam’s Valley Steam cleans at temperatures over 150 degrees to reduce dust mites, allergens, and bacteria.

Although the warranty is used as a selling point, some carpet stores don’t readily give information on carpet warranties. You have to ask for it. Read the fine print. Most carpet manufacturer’s warranties are the same. Here are a few excerpts from some of the biggest carpet manufacturers:

Trustmark (A division of Shaw, the world’s biggest carpet mill): Exclusions in warranty: “Matting and crushing, or any change in appearance retention, are not manufacturing defects and are excluded from this warranty.” “Carpet installed outdoors, on stairs, or in areas subject to other than ordinary shoe traffic is excluded from this warranty.” “Trustmark warranties that carpet will not exhibit significant loss of texture from foot traffic for a period of five years.”

Shaw Industries will replace a percentage of your carpet cost for up to 10 years. At nine years, they would pay 20%. They will only cover “manufacturing defect in the material or workmanship.” In other words, the warranty does not cover normal wear.

Dupont Stainmaster Limited Five Year Stain Resistance Warranty: “No carpet is fully stainproof. Therefore, this warranty excludes stains from: 1-non-food and non beverage substances; 2-such foods and beverages that contain strongly colored natural substantive dyes as found, for example, in mustard and herbal tea; 3-substances which destroy or change the color of carpets such as bleaches, acne medications, drain cleaners, plant food; 4-vomit, urin and feces.”

Most warranties exclude any pet contamination as well as pile distortion from wear. So, it is up to you to keep your carpet in good appearance.

Be aware that some manufacturers require a yearly professional carpet cleaning to keep the warranty valid. If you get a carpet with a 20 year warranty, maintenance is still required.

1. Do you guarantee your installation job? For how long? Will your installers power stretch my carpet? Will they “butter” or seal the seams? Without power stretching and proper seaming, you may get a bad installation.

2. What exactly does the warranty include and exclude? Can I get this in writing?

3. What is the weight of the carpet? A higher face weight means more yarn, which means longer wearing carpet. How high is the twist rating?

• Freize (aka Cut Berber) : This style appears like a short shag carpet. The nylon freize is one of the best carpets to stand up to high traffic. This carpet is one of my top picks as long as the weight is at least 45 ounces.
• Plush : This is a style that appears plush on the surface. It looks very luxurious. However, make sure the carpet has a high heat set and twist or it will appear worn within a few years.
• Kid Proof : Usually an olefin carpet that will hold up well to most anything a kid will spill. However, light colors are not recommended. Get at least a 60 ounce fiber.
• Commercial : Normally the looped commercial carpets will last longer. Nylon commercial carpet is more durable. In playrooms, sunrooms, or very high traffic areas of a home, commercial carpet is a good choice if the appearance is acceptable.
• Berber : Berber is a looped style of carpet that has gained popularity in recent years. Although berber can be made of nylon or wool, most berber is made of olefin. If you buy berber, make sure it is a high quality carpet. A darker color is preferable. The llops of berber may unravel at doorways and at seams. Seaming can often be very visible with berber. If you have pets that scratch on your carpet, avoid berber. Light colors of berber are notorious for returning spots after cleaning.

Please note: On any fiber or style you choose, a darker color of fiber will keep a better appearance longer.

What weight of carpet is best?

The higher the better. The weight should be at least 42 ounces for nylon and at least 60 ounces for olefin or polyester. Don’t be fooled into thinking that the weight of the carpet is all that matters. If you get an 80 ounce carpet with a poor twist, your carpet will still appear worn after a few years. The wear ability also depends on how well the fiber is twisted. This can often be judged by looking closely at the particular fiber and attempting to untwist the individual strand. If it twists back quickly, it has a good twist. Try the twist test on a cheaper carpet and then a more expensive carpet and you’ll see what I mean.

The right carpet for you depends on the type of soil, amount of traffic, and who the occupants are in your home. Stain resistance means that a carpet will not stain easily, but staining is still possible. Wear ability is judged by how durable the fiber is.

1. Olefin-A petroleum based plastic fiber that repels liquids and stains very well. Olefin has a stain resist property that other fibers don’t have. The fiber is solution dyed, which means it will hold it’s color and therefore is more stain resistant than any other fiber. While it still has the possibility of staining, even kool-aid, bleach, and ink can be removed more easily. However, the durability is lacking, which means that it won’t stand up as well to very heavy traffic. Furniture indentations are difficult to remove after furniture is moved around. Light colors of olefin will appear scratched when it begins to show wear. Also, due to the petroleum base, olefin attracts oil and cause lighter colors to appear dirty fast.  Olefin is ideally used in indoor/outdoor carpet and is always superb in a sunroom or homes with kids that spill kool-aid and use markers on the carpet. CAUTIONS about Olefin: May not be ideal if you have pets. The oils will absorb quickly into the fiber. Olefin is not ideal for very high traffic areas and you should avoid light colors. Darker colors are recommended.
2. Polyester-Often an alternative to nylon due to it’s economical price. Polyester has great stain resist qualities, almost equal to Olefin. However, it does mat down more so than nylon. Furniture indentations are difficult to remove after furniture is moved around. Polyester is ideally used in homes with kids that spill kool-aid and use markers on the carpet or homes where you anticipate replacing the carpet within a shorter amount of time. CAUTIONS about polyester: For better wear ability, get at least a 60-70 ounce weight and avoid light colors. Darker colors are recommended.
3. Nylon-In many situations nylon may be the best value for your dollar. It has great stain resist properties and great wear ability. However, stay away from a thin density of nylon. A minimum of 42 ounce weight is recommended with a high twist in the fiber. The nylon fiber will hold up to traffic very well, however it is susceptible to red dyes (such as kool-aid) and bleaches. Consider purchasing solution dyed or continuous filament nylon for your top of the line nylon fiber. Nylon is ideally used in homes or businesses with a lot of traffic and homes with pets. CAUTIONS about nylon: Avoid spilling red dyes (such as Kool-aid) and bleaches.
4. Wool-The most durable and most luxurious fiber. Most oriental rugs are made of wool and last for 100 years or more. Wool is easily stained and is very vulnerable to bleach. Wool is ideally used in areas rugs or homes that are kept very clean. CAUTIONS about wool: Wool stains very easily. Perform spot removal right away after a spill.

The entire staff at Mr. Steam’s Valley Steam would like to wish you a HAPPY AND SAFE HALLOWEEN!

For Halloween safety tips please scroll down to October 10, 2009 blog!

Select a company based on these criteria:

• Reputation. Check references and find out which other companies use their service. Also check with the Better Business Bureau to see if they have any unresolved complaints. Mr. Steam’s Valley Steam is recommended by some of the finest flooring retailers and contractors in the valley. We are members of the Better Business Bureau in great standing.
• Education. Sadly, many cleaning companies have never been formally educated or trained in the field they are working in. State laws do not require a certification before a liscense is given. Therefore, it is up to the homeowner to make sure they are hiring a trained professional. It doesn’t matter if they have 20 years of experience if it is 20 years of untrained experience. Mr. Steam’s Valley Steam is certified by the IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning Restoration Certification) in the areas of carpet cleaning, upholstery, fine rug cleaning, and deodorization.
• Experience. We have seen every type of clean-up condition in the 33 years we have been in business.
• Systems. Our cleaning systems are the most state-of-the-art in the industry. We employ over $100,000 of the best equipment to give you the most thorough cleaning.
• Guarantee. Our guarantees are the best in the valley.

Select a company based on these criteria:

• Reputation. Check references and find out which other companies use their service. Also check with the Better Business Bureau to see if they have any unresolved complaints. Mr. Steam’s Valley Steam is recommended by some of the finest flooring retailers and contractors in the valley. We are members of the Better Business Bureau in great standing.
• Education. Sadly, many cleaning companies have never been formally educated or trained in the field they are working in. State laws do not require a certification before a liscense is given. Therefore, it is up to the homeowner to make sure they are hiring a trained professional. It doesn’t matter if they have 20 years of experience if it is 20 years of untrained experience. Mr. Steam’s Valley Steam is certified by the IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning Restoration Certification) in the areas of carpet cleaning, upholstery, fine rug cleaning, and deodorization.
• Experience. We have seen every type of clean-up condition in the 33 years we have been in business.
• Systems. Our cleaning systems are the most state-of-the-art in the industry. We employ over $100,000 of the best equipment to give you the most thorough cleaning.
• Guarantee. Our guarantees are the best in the valley.

Easy Refrigerator Pumpkin Pie (makes 2)**

• 2 prepared graham cracker pie crusts
• 3 cups cold milk
• 2 pkg (6 serving size) vanilla pudding
• 12 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 8 oz. pecan halves
• 5 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 4 Tbsp. butter

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter. Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Add pecan halves and stir until coated. Cool.

In a large bowl, combine milk and dry pudding mixes. Beat 2 minutes. Add pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice and mix until well blended. Gently fold in 1/3 (4 oz.) of the whipped topping. Spread 1/4 of the pumpkin mixture in each pie plate. Sprinkle with 1/4 of pecans. Top each pie with 1/4 of the pumpkin mixture, then spread 1/2 of the remaining whipped topping on each pie. Sprinkle with remaining nuts and refrigerate until ready to serve.