What should I do before your arrival?
What is the best cleaning method?
Why should I invest in the carpet protectant?
Shouldn’t I wait as long as possible before cleaning my carpet?
Isn’t the only reason to have carpets cleaned is to remove dirt?
Do regular cleanings relieve allergy symptoms?
Why shouldn’t I have my carpets chemically cleaned?
Which is better: steam, hot water extraction, or dry cleaning?
How often should I have my carpet cleaned?
How often should I have my upholstery cleaned?
Can I walk on it after it is cleaned?
How long will it take it to dry?
How long will it take to clean my floor?
What cleaning process will you use on my carpet?
What kind of chemicals will you use?
Will the price you gave as an estimate go up in cost?
My carpet is old, should I just replace it?
Why do some cleaners advertise a low price but charge me significantly more?
Do you charge an additional for carpet pre-spray?
Why should I hire you when someone else gave a cheaper estimate?
What questions should I ask any floor cleaner before I hire them?
Now that my carpet is clean, how do I maintain it?
What types of payment do you accept?
Will your services get rid of fleas?
Will the products you use potentially harm my children or pets?
How does you equipment compare to my home carpet shampooer?
How does your equipment compare to the store rental units?
What is the difference between staining and soiling?
A: No, we thrive off of our trustworthy and honest reputation. Many clients feel at ease leaving us unattended while at work or running errands. It is common for clients to meet with us then leave when we’re ready to begin cleaning. Some clients have chosen to leave a key in a designated spot, or have a friend, relative or neighbor meet us. If questions arise we will call your contact number and discuss them with you. When we are finished, we’ll adjust the thermostat and fans for the quickest drying time and lock ourselves out.
A: We will move items such as sofas, tables and chairs. Some items, such as dressers, beds, china cabinets, electronics, pianos, grandfather clocks, or other heavy, large, or delicate items, can be moved but are not included in the base price and must be planned ahead of time. Please have all breakables and knickknacks removed from the items you wish to be moved.
Q: What should I do before your arrival?
A: We ask that you remove small items, small furniture, plants, toys and shoes out of the rooms being cleaned. Breakables and knickknacks need to be removed for furniture that is to be moved. In preparation, a through vacuuming before our arrival should be done. Please also make appropriate arrangements for children and pets.
Q: What is the best cleaning method?
A: At Blue Ribbon we offer many types of cleaning options: steam cleaning, hot water extraction and, if asked, dry cleaning. Our carpet technicians will evaluate your carpets’ conditions and will choose the most appropriate method. We prefer the method chosen by most carpet manufacturers, which is steam cleaning and hot water extraction.
Q: Why should I invest in the carpet protectant?
A: Having carpet protectant applied has many advantages, It will keep the carpet’s ability to resist dirt, wear and tear, and stains. Many carpet manufacturers require a yearly professional cleaning to validate their product’s warranty. Read our carpet protector page for more info here.
Q: Shouldn’t I wait as long as possible to have my carpet cleaned?
A: No! Excessively dirty carpets are not only a sore sight; the fibers are actually being damaged by the dirt grinding on the fibers themselves. Carpet manufacturers recommend having your carpets cleaned at least once a year. Many want proof of this cleaning to maintain the warranty. Having the carpet protectant reapplied after cleaning will help protect your investment.
Q: Isn’t the only reason to have the carpets cleaned to remove dirt?
A: Within dirty carpets you can find many other contaminants such as dust mites, pet dander, fleas and mold, among others. Many of these are health concerns and cause allergy problems with many individuals.
Q: Do regular cleanings relieve allergy symptoms?
A: Having your carpets cleaned will reduce the amount of allergens within the carpet and the air within the home. Regular housekeeping and carpet cleanings are very helpful in reducing allergy symptoms.
Q: Why shouldn’t I have my carpets chemically cleaned?
A: Having your carpets dry-cleaned does not rinse away any of the chemicals used, leaving a dirty residue on your carpet. This residue is sticky and causes the carpet to resoil quickly.
Q: Which is better: steam, hot water extraction, or dry cleaning?
A: This would largely depend on who you ask. Those that only have dry clean would say dry clean is best. Those that have only water extraction would say water extraction is best. At BRFC we have all three. Hot water and steam cleaning (water extraction) are by far the best. They offer the deepest cleaning, best sanitation, extraction of soils and truly the best overall results. More manufacturers recommend these two methods over any other method. We prefer water extraction because of the superior cleaning that it gives, but do offer dry cleaning for the few times that it is preferred.
Q: Will you kill off dust mites?
A: The populations of any kind of living contaminates will be greatly reduced, because we thoroughly clean your carpets using temperatures between 165°and 230°. Let us know if you feel that there might be a need to work strongly toward reducing living contaminates.
A: Absolutely. Some cleaners avoid Berber because it takes a lot time and effort to get it clean, but at BRFC we offer complete satisfaction.
Q: How often should I have my carpet cleaned?
A: Experts recommend at least yearly cleaning to keep your carpets in good condition. Each home is unique and individual needs will vary depending on the amount of traffic and amount of soils that are brought in with that traffic. For more information on our carpet cleaning services, please view the Carpet Cleaning page.
Q: How often should I have my upholstery cleaned?
A: The experts recommend between 18 to 24 months to keep everything in good condition, but every home is unique and individual needs will vary. For more information on our upholstery cleaning services, please view our Upholstery Cleaning and Upholstery Q & A pages.
Q: Can I walk on my carpet after it is cleaned?
A: We recommend waiting until the carpet is dry to reduce possible resoiling from shoes, slip & falls, and carpet fiber compaction.
Q: How often should I vacuum my carpets?
A: Most homes should vacuum once weekly at minimum, individual homes may require more or less. Vacuum slowly and make sure the vacuum is not full.
Q: How long will it take it to dry?
A: Drying times vary. That variation comes from many factors. Factors include, but are not limited to, the amount of cleaning needed, humidity, air conditioning, carpet thickness, etc. Our Truck-Mounted System has a powerful vacuum that helps to greatly cut down the drying times. To put an average time – Most of our clients tell me that their carpets are dry within 1 to 2.5 hours. We ask that you plan closer to the 2.5 hour mark but in many cases the carpets will dry sooner.
Q: How long will it take to clean my floor?
A: Doing a job correctly is the only way we do it. At BRFC we do not cut corners to save time, because you are paying for it to be done correctly. To give an estimated time there is the following:
3 RMs, Hall, LR and Den = up to 2.5hrs.
3rms, hall, stairs =up to 3.0hrs (stairs are much slower to do correctly)
3rms, Hall, Stairs, LR, Den = UP TO 4.0Hrs
Please note that this depends on the ease of setup, soil levels, stains, furniture, etc. These times are to give you an idea of what to expect. At BRFC you are not just another number, and we take pride in our work. Rushing to get a job done means that often the quality goes down and the customer does not get what they paid for. That is not the service we give and ask you for the time to do it right and show you the difference that having your carpets professionally cleaned can be.
Q: What cleaning process will you use on my carpet?
A: BRFC uses hot water or steam extraction whenever possible. These methods are recommended by more manufacturers of carpets and give the best results. The carpets get cleaner and the cleaning goes further into the carpet fibers themselves to give our customers that professional clean they are paying for.
Q: What types of chemicals will you be using?
A: Blue Ribbon Floor Care will use only the best products for your home. Most of the products we use are biodegradable and all are child safe. The individual formulas will be determined during the evaluation that best fits your carpets needs.
Q: Will the price you gave as an estimate go up in cost?
A: Our technicians will give the best possible estimate, whether over the phone or in person. If circumstances do justify the cost to be higher or lower than quoted the customer will always be informed. An explanation of why is explained to the customer before proceeding.
Q: My carpet is old, why shouldn’t I just replace it?
A: Some carpets can be refreshed with a professional cleaning allowing them to be fluffy and look good again. Carpets look old for different reasons. Some from having not been cleaned and foot traffic, and others from having been improperly cleaned. Residues left on carpets can cause it to look old. The residue attracts soils to stick to the carpet and makes the carpet look old and worn. At BRFC we do not leave a residue. With our truck-mounted equipment we are able to give a worn carpet new life. You can start to see the difference right away. If there was to be no noticeable difference, we would speak with the owners and make a decision as to continue or not. We have not had anyone not see a difference in their carpets under our care. BRFC does many rental properties and have continued to amaze even the seasoned rental owner on how we can bring new life into their carpets.
Q: Why do some cleaners advertise a low price but charge me significantly more?
A: These are referred to as “Bait and Switch” tactics. They will advertise a low price, but the restrictions they place on these “specials” are unrealistic. They will add additional charges to perform “standard” cleaning steps. Often they skip many of the steps required and rush through the cleaning process. They must get many homes in a day to meet their quotas. At BRFC we do not rush our work and never use such poor tactics to get business.
Q: Do you charge additional for carpet pre-spray?
A: No! Using a pre-spray is part of our cleaning process and is included in the estimates that we give.
Q: Why should I hire you when someone else gave me a cheaper estimate?
A: Would a home owner buy the cheapest carpet for their home? Then why would one buy a cheap floor cleaning service for their home? Often the low price is part of the bait and switch tactic. Paying a LITTLE more and getting quality service can save your investment and make your cleaning last longer. The “do it yourself machines”, store bought cleaning agents, and poor professional cleaners all leave a residue that causes the carpets to resoil faster and hence another cleaning is needed sooner. BRFC depends largely on “referrals” and no one can deny that a friend’s referral is worth thousands spent in advertising. We may cost just a LITTLE more, but friends, relatives, and neighbors alike all say that our services are worth it. And really, it is just a little more than the so called bargain cleaners charge and the results are far better! Quality minded clients seek out our services.
Q: What questions should I ask any floor cleaner before I hire them?
1. Are you Licensed AND Insured?
2. Are your chemicals environmentally friendly?
3. What is the minimum cost?
4. Do you use portable or truck-mounted equipment?
5. What is EXACTLY included in the price?
6. Is there an extra charge for moving furniture?
7. Do you offer a guarantee?
Q: Now that my carpet is clean, how do I maintain it?
A: After the technician is done they give any instruction needed for post care at that time. The most common instructions are to remove any sticky tabs your technician placed on the feet of your furniture. Then we offer any care instructions that may help until our next visit. These may include stain removal tips, vacuuming tips and to call us if you have a question. Really – we do give free tips over the phone!
Q: What types of payment do you accept?
A: Cash, checks, money orders, MasterCard and Visa are all forms of payment we accept. Often credit card payments can be made over the phone and a receipt of services will be left at the home.
Q: How do I maintain my carpet?
A: Vacuuming is one of the best maintenance care one can do to maintain carpets day to day. Vacuum slowly and in different directions. Yes, this is hard in hallways, but once in awhile give it a try. Most vacuuming is done way too fast and even the most powerful household vacuum can not do its best or even do a good jobs moving too fast. Give the vacuum time to lift the pile, agitate and remove the soils. Remember that 98% of soils are dry and can be removed if done properly. Leaving the soils in the carpet allows the dirt to go deeper into the carpets fibers and these soils “cut” the fibers and break down the carpets appearance. Also treat spills as soon as possible and correctly. Please see our stain and spot removal page here.
Q: Will all the stains come out?
A: Our trained technicians will treat all spots with specialty cleaners prior to cleaning to eliminate as many spots and stains as possible. We cannot guarantee that all stains and spots can be removed. But remember that we use professional formulas and formulated chemicals and experience to get out what others can not. If the spot is determined to be permanent, our technicians will discuss other possible options with you.
Q: Will your services get rid of fleas?
A: Our technicians use temperatures between 160°and 230° to clean carpets. Fleas, flea larvae and flea eggs that are in your carpets will parish when exposed to those temperatures, but please remember that keeping your carpets clean is only one step in the flea elimination process Please consult a veterinarian for a complete eradication program. The best thing to remember here is that we clean the carpet and furniture but fleas can still be in clothes, on pets, beds, in the yard, in cabinets etc… If fleas are an issue, do not give up hope. Make sure that you hit and continue to work all the areas where they are and where future eggs could hatch! They can be beat and maintained until they do not return! A Flea and Tick prevention program is a great defense against the return of these pests.
Q: Will the products you use potentially harm my children or pets?
A: Blue Ribbon Floor Care uses the best products available and while we use caution, please remember to keep children and pets away from the vehicle and machinery to reduce the possibility of an accident. The products that remain on the carpets will be safe when completely dry. Pet birds may be sensitive to some of the chemical vapors used during cleaning, so please make arrangements for your birds to be in another well-ventilated area during the cleaning and drying process to ensure their safety.
A: Our technicians will schedule an approximate arrival time, and they will notify you if circumstances arise that they will not be able to meet the agreed upon time.
Q: How does you equipment compare to my home carpet shampooer?
A: The home carpet shampooer is all too often under-powered and not able to rinse the carpets completely. This causes the carpets to look clean now, but in a very short time the residue left on the fibers begins to re-soil. This is because the carpet is “sticky” and the soils stick to the fibers. BRFC has powerful equipment and the proper chemicals to safely and effectively clean all cleaners from the fibers and leave a residue behind.
Q: How does your equipment compare to the Store Rental Units?
A: Store rental carpet cleaners do little better than home shampooers. They still do not have the power of a truck-mounted system and often leave residue behind as well because of improper use, poor maintenance, and low power. After renting the machine, buying the chemicals, hauling it home, rushing not to go over time given, emptying the bucket over and over, and hauling it back – most find that results are not near the same as having it done professionally. And after all this they find that the savings (if any) and the results do not make the rental worth the efforts.
Q: What is the difference between Staining and Soiling a carpet?
A:
Most stains that customers show us are really just soiling. A spill allows for the area to hold grime and look like a stain. This happens when the spill is cleaned and a sticky residue is left behind. The “stickiness” collects soils and then a spot is formed and called a stain. Stains are harder to remove and are made of dyes and grime. They can often be removed with proper care.