Thursday, December 17, 2009

Why use an IICRC trained carpet cleaning tech?

Stefanie Overturf's Cleaning uses IICRC trained carpet cleaners. What does this mean and why should the technician who cleans your carpet be IICRC trained?

From IICRC.org:

"The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) has served as the Industry Guardian for the cleaning, inspection and restoration service industries for more than 30 years. As a non-profit certification organization, the IICRC helps ensure that you have access to trusted and trained cleaning professionals by establishing and monitoring certification programs and standards for these industries."

An IICRC certified carpet tech has attended training, received ongoing education, and completed written exams to receive this certification. As one who has went through this training, I find it to be extremely valuable. The courses cover everything from some basic chemistry to carpet fiber construction. From experience I knew to use a certain cleaner on a certain type of spot, but since training, I now know why it works, what precautions to take, and what to try next if it doesn't work. The steps our business has implemented from our training have enhanced our overall cleaning process. We've improved such factors as dry time, cleaning carpets more thoroughly using less chemicals, and even getting them softer after cleaning.

This wonderful ongoing educational process together with our investment in some of the most effective cleaning solutions available is why we can come in your home or business with complete confidence in how amazing your carpets will look.

Another incentive:

The carpet manufacturer Shaw, as of Jan. 1, 2008, requires that carpet cleaning work be done by companies holding certification from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification. (IICRC) See Shaw's website. Ask to see proof of your carpet cleaner's certification.

Give us a try, we're so sure you'll be pleased that if a spot we get out comes back, we'll come back for free! (See our website or call for details)

Manatee, Sarasota counties and surrounding areas, visit www.cleaningmanatee.com and click on the carpet cleaning link or call Stefanie at 941-301-9555.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Why old urine stains usually won't come out.

About urine stains: If not removed as quickly as possible, a substance in urine called urea will break down and produce ammonia, which will bleach carpet and leave a permanent stain.

So at that point, your carpet has actually been dyed a different color, and no matter how clean we get it, that old urine stain may not go away.

Solution:
When your pet has an accident (urine) it is best to clean up right away using a cotton towel or paper towels. Fold the towels thick and apply pressure to absorb the spot. Next rinse out the spot with vinegar and water spray and blot.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Stains and Spots

Can all stains be removed?

The short answer: Spots can be removed, Stains are another story

So what's the difference?

A spot is a discoloring material or soiling that sits on top or between the carpet fibers. Spots can usually be removed using chemical or mechanical means.

A stain has penetrated into the fiber, causing the fibers to actually be dyed a new color or damage or chemically alter the original carpet color.

The longer a spot remains on the carpet the more likely it is to become a permanent stain.

So can stains be removed?

Of course there are permanent stains that can never be removed. Pet urine stains, any type of artificially colored stains and many others are nearly impossible to remove but can be lightened. Stain kits are available to remove these stains but once again there are factors involved as far as longevity of the stain, volume and carpet color as well.

The best solution

Prompt attention to spots and spills is often the difference between spots easily removed and permanent stains.


Call Stefanie Overturf's Cleaning for your carpet cleaning needs and address those spots before they become permanent stains.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

New Carpet Cleaning Video Posted

The 39 second clip features set in spots from a rental property. Took this video on my phone while I was cleaning so not the best quality, but it does show the effectiveness of our carpet cleaning equipment. These spots had been worked on by the homeowner with household products, with no success. Our hot water extraction machine along with our powerful yet safe cleaners took them right out.

Watch it on our Facebook page (become a fan of Stefanie Overturf's Cleaning while you're there):

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/video/video.php?v=124380636196

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

How much? It comes down to quality, price, or both.

Thinking of choosing a carpet cleaning company based solely on price?

Many who have used carpet cleaning services have had one or more of the following bad experiences:

“My carpeting was wet for three days.”

“They cleaned my entire house in less than two hours. When they were finished, I could hardly tell that my carpets had been cleaned.”

“In less than a month, my carpeting looked dirtier than it did before they cleaned.”

“My carpet looked better when they were done, but all the spots came back.”

“The next day, I noticed that my carpet felt sticky.”

“A month after they cleaned, I moved the furniture in my family room to vacuum. I found rust spots and varnish stains under all the legs.”

When a carpet cleaner charges rock bottom prices, they can't afford to spend much time at your location. But the more soiled your carpet, the more time required to restore it.

The result? A displeased or unimpressed customer.

The best you can hope for is an average cleaning, and you may have one or more of the complaints listed above.

Which would you prefer to hire based on? Price or quality?

Stefanie Overturf's Cleaning works to provide high quality carpet cleaning at a reasonable price.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Article: Top 10 Grossest Things in Your House

Top 10 grossest things in your house, according to an article by The Science Channel.

Number 3 on the list was your vacuum cleaner, thanks to the following facts about carpet:

Your carpet is a perfect home for a lot of nasty stuff. Wet shoes drag in moisture and dirt, spills lead to mildew and mold, bacteria breeds in the dark recesses. Carpets, particularly those of the wall-to-wall variety, can be pretty nasty: as many as 200,000 bacteria can lurk per square inch (remember that the next time you lie down on a rug).

Source: http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/Features/Lists/?article=GrossHouseVacuum

That's why the water is so disgusting when we finish cleaning carpets.

Don't wait too long between cleanings. Schedule a carpet cleaning today. If you're in Manatee County or Sarasota Florida, call Stefanie at 941-301-9555 or visit www.cleaningmanatee.com for more information.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Stefanie Overturf's Cleaning is on Facebook

Are you on Facebook? Become a fan of our Facebook page for updates, job pictures, cleaning discussions, submit a cleaning question, and more. Visit here: Stefanie Overturf's Cleaning

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Carpet Cleaning - Avoid the bait and switch

Just today I received an ad in the mail for carpet cleaning at $6.95 per room.

Let's stop and think about this for a minute...it costs me more than that in gasoline to drive to your house.

Do you really believe that any company can clean carpets for $6.95 a room on every job they schedule and be profitable? Especially when you figure in fuel and labor costs, not to mention the chemical and machine costs.

So what's the catch? This is a classic bait and switch tactic that many dishonest companies use to get their foot in your door - and unfortunately it works or they wouldn't still be doing it.

We are all attracted by low prices because everyone likes getting a good deal. That's why these type of schemes work so well. They offer an unbelievably low advertised price and once they are in your home, they pressure you into buying additional services to make up for that low priced base cost.


Here's how the bait and switch basically works:

You see a carpet cleaning company advertising any size room cleaned for 6.95-12.95 per room, (insert any too good to be true price here, but in many cases it is 6.95 to 12.95 per room or 59.95 to 89.95 for a whole house).
(continued below)






Bait and switch carpet cleaners exposed on an ABC news special.



The "technician" arrives at your home with one of the following common bait and switch scenarios:

Scenario 1 - enters with a low power, portable cleaner, (very similar to what you would rent at your grocery store), and the explains your carpets will need a deep cleaning, high powered service which will cost an extra .30 cents per square foot, and by the way, did he mention the truck with that equipment is right outside?

Or

Scenario 2 - "Tech" is using high powered equipment, but explains that your carpets all require additional services (pretreatment, preconditioning, deep cleaning, deep scrub, corrective cleaning - or insert any coined phrase here).

The "technician" explains that they will not be able to perform a quality service if you refuse the extra services needed to clean your carpets, that you'll most likely be completely dissatisfied with the results (and you most likely will) - and some may go so far as to warn of a trip charge should you refuse their services today.

What do you do?

Refuse the service, pay the trip charge fee, reschedule another appointment with another firm, and take another day off work to avoid this unscrupulous cleaning company?

Going this route will cost more money - the trip charge, the time off of work - plus the hassle of looking for another company etc.

Unfortunately, in many cases, even after the extra fees, the job is still not completed as well as it should have been. Should you expect it to be, keeping in mind how you have been treated to this point? Can you really expect top quality workmanship from a company that has to bait and switch clients to get their foot in your door?

At the end of the day, a 5 room job, which was supposed to be $89.95 as per the advertisement, after the "deep scrub", "corrective cleaning", (insert extra services here) at .30 cents a square foot, plus whatever fees they have tacked on, can end up costing you between $300 - $400...a FAR cry from that $89.95 you planned. You ended up paying more than you would have using our services and you received a poor quality cleaning.

Are there situations where additional services may be needed?

Yes, absolutely. Are they in most cases needed? No, not usually.

If it's something your floors will benefit from, we'll let you know up front and without pressure.

At Stefanie Overturf's Cleaning Service, we believe in up front, honest advertising and pricing so our clients can make informed decisions. We're looking to build our company within the community, not to make a quick buck with dishonest business practices.

Do not fall victim to these types of scams. Initially it may look like we charge more than some of our competitors just by looking at an advertisement, however in the long run - we'll cost less - and you will end up with cleaner carpets.

If they had to cheat to get their foot in the door, do you really expect them to do the work properly, use the correct solutions, and offer real warranties?

You probably have thousands of dollars invested in your carpets, and it would cost thousands to replace it. Do you really want to hire the cheapest guy in town to maintain it for you?

At Stefanie Overturf's Cleaning Service we don't hide our costs, and we stand behind the quality of our work.

We service the following areas of Florida: Bradenton, Sarasota, Palmetto, Ellenton, Parrish, and Lakewood Ranch.

We have many happy clients who would be happy to tell you about their experience with us. Give Stefanie a call at 941-301-9555 or visit http://www.cleaningmanatee.com/ for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Saving money with carpet cleaning

Did you know that even though your carpet is one of the most expensive items in your home, we do less to maintain it and extend its lifespan than we do for other products?

Think about it. You probably perform maintenance to your push mower once a year but when is the last time you had your carpets cleaned?

The average household only cleans their carpets every 7 years. Yet many expect the carpet cleaner to come into their home and return their never before cleaned, seven-year-old carpet to its original glory. While we can make your carpet look beautiful again, another statistic tells us that the average residential carpet is replaced every 7 years. This means that the average carpet is cleaned once during its lifetime.

What if I told you that this same carpet is made to last twice that length of time?

How can this be?

Homeowner 1 - Cleans his carpet every 7 years. Carpet lasts 7 years.

The average costs of a mid grade carpet and labor is $2.50 per square foot. 1000 square feet would cost $2500 to purchase. To replace the dingy carpet in seven years (not figuring in the fact that the price will go up) it's another $2500. That's $5,000. Now lets throw in the one cleaning within that 7 years at $250.00, which brings the sum to $5,250.00.

Homeowner 2 - Cleans his carpet every year. Carpet lasts 14 years.

Let's clean that carpet at $250 once a year for 7 years. That equals $1750 for cleaning. Add in the one time $2500 for the carpet (that you won't need to replace for another 7 years) and homeowner 2 pays $4,250.00 for carpet purchase and yearly cleaning over that same 7 year span. $4,250.00 for yearly carpet cleaning vs. $5,250.00 for one carpet cleaning and carpet replacement. A savings of $1,000 over a 7 year period.

How can this be? How does carpet cleaning extend the life of the carpet?

Here's one reason: The single most damaging substance to carpet is sand - it grinds into and cuts your carpet fibers. Keeping sand (as well as dirt, clay, mud, soil, turf, etc.) out of your carpet fibers is the most important way to keep them looking their best. Only a professional carpet cleaning using high pressurized hot water and powerful vacuums can get to the sand and dirt beneath the surface that causes your carpet to wear out faster.

Regular carpet cleaning helps you save money and the carpet industry's product to perform up to it's lifespan.

By increasing carpet cleaning frequency to once per year, you actually save money by extending your carpet's life, keeping it looking fresh and new, and you'll have a healthier home by extracting harmful allergen.


To find out about professional carpet cleaning for your Bradenton Florida area home, visit www.cleaningmanatee.com or call Stefanie Overturf's Cleaning Service at 941-301-9555.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Green House Cleaning

Looking for a safe, natural, environmentally friendly green product that can clean and deodorize and won't break the bank? Look no further, you might already have it in your fridge...

Behold the power of baking soda!

Here are just some of its uses as a cleaning agent:

Around the Kitchen

Used with water, baking soda neutralizes dirt and grease. It is slightly alkaline (pH about 8.1; 7 is neutral); so when wet, it neutralizes acid-based chemicals and odors. Apply it with a wet sponge, then buff dry with a cloth. This works particularly well on pots and pans. It's gentle abrasiveness lets you scrub without scratching, making it ideal for polishing glass, chrome, steel, enamel, and plastic.

Odor Neutralizer

Baking soda may be known best as a deodorant. It neutralizes odors, instead of only masking them. That's why so many people keep an open box in the refrigerator. Don't forget to change the box every few months. In other areas of the house, just sprinkle baking soda on places that need to be deodorized. This even works on your gym shoes.

Here are a few other tips I've found but haven't tried yet:

Drain Cleaner

Mix the following:
•1 cup baking soda
•1 cup hot vinegar

Wait a few minutes, then flush the drain with 1 quart of very hot water.

For garbage disposals, use 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar.

Microwave Cleaning

Make a cleaning solution of 4 Tablespoons of baking soda to 1 quart of warm water. Use it to clean the inside surfaces of the oven.---or place a few spoonfuls of baking soda in water in a microwave safe cup. Boil the water 3-5 minutes. The walls of the microwave will be damp. Simply take a sponge or paper towel and wipe down the insides of the oven.

Toilet Cleaner

Sprinkle 1/2 box of baking soda into the toilet tank once a month. Let it stand overnight before flushing. The tank and the bowl will be both clean and deodorized.

Non-toxic pesticide

Put baking soda under sinks near pipe openings and along basement windows to repel ants, silver fish and roaches. Roaches will dehydrate and die after eating baking soda.


Stefanie Overturf's Cleaning Service offers the use of environmentally friendly cleaning products in your Manatee County Florida home. Visit our website at www.cleaningmanatee.com or call Stefanie at 941-301-9555.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Professional Carpet Cleaning Method, Bradenton FL

The method we use for our carpet cleaning is called "Hot Water Extraction" or "Steam Cleaning". It is the method nearly all carpet manufacturers and carpet fiber producers recommend.

For the texture retention warranty, STAINMASTER® requires the steam cleaning (hot water extraction) method at least every 18-24 months. (See Stainmaster's website) Residential carpet warranties from all the major manufacturers require a minimum of one professional cleaning every 18-24 months. See your carpet warranty requirements for details. See also Shaw's website under heading, "Shaw's Choice: Hot Water Extraction".

It is the only carpet cleaning method classified as deep cleaning because it gets beneath the surface of the carpet. How? Our process uses a combination of high water pressure for agitation, hot water mixed with a strong (yet safe for your family, pets, and our planet) cleaning agent and a powerful vacuum system.

(This method is frequently called "steam cleaning" due to the fine spray of hot water. Real steam is not used, however.)

Many other processes are considered "light surface cleaning" because they are not capable of removing soil deep in the pile. Many of these other methods leave large amounts of cleaning agent in the carpet after cleaning.

We're confident in our process because we see the results in our home, and in the homes of our clients.

You can find out more at www.cleaningmanatee.com or call Stefanie to make an appointment to have your Manatee County Florida carpets cleaned at 941-301-9555.

We are currently cleaning carpets in Ellenton, Palmetto, Sarasota, Bradenton, Parrish, and Lakewood Ranch, Florida.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Carpet Cleaning, Bradenton FL

Stefanie Overturf's Cleaning Services offers professional carpet cleaning to Manatee County, Florida.

Our high powered, hot water extraction process uses cleaners that are safe for your children and pets, and also safe for our environment.

Regular carpet cleaning extends the life of your carpet, removes dirt and germs deeply embedded that your vacuum can't get, making your home safer for your family.

Trust your carpet cleaning to our family owned and operated company. We've been cleaning homes in the Bradenton area for years.

Our basic carpet cleaning includes:

•Pre-vacuum
•Pre-spray to loosen soil in your carpet
•Basic spot treatment and removal
•High-pressure hot water cleaning with environmentally responsible cleaning solutions

We also offer pet odor removal and deodorizer for your carpet.

Our cleaning is top notch. Visit www.cleaningmanatee.com for details and pricing and our other services offered, or call Stefanie at 941-301-9555.