Frequently Asked Questions

Q. I’ve been told that once you have your carpets and suite cleaned they get dirtier quicker. Is this true?
A.  Many years ago when cleaning by shampoo was the normal way and consumers tackled their carpets themselves, this was true. Cleaning solutions and machinery are much more sophisticated these days and providing cleaning technicians follow laid down procedures and use quality solutions that do not leave soil attracting residue this rapid re-soiling shouldn’t take place. All the solutions we use have embrittling agents in them so this doesn’t happen.

Q. How long do carpets and/or upholstery take to dry?
A. Drying times for carpets and upholstery can vary greatly due to the following conditions:

1.  The relative humidity in the home.
2. How much ventilation is there in the home.
3. How much soiling is contained within the carpet or fabric.
4. The competence level of the cleaning technician.
5. The moisture retention rates of the respective fibres
   ie Wool, Nylon, Cotton, Polyester, Polypropylene, etc.

Despite all of above, the drying of carpets and upholstery can be achieved within twenty-four hours. In most cases the drying time for carpets is under two hours.

Q. Do you use chemicals to clean?
A.  Despite what you mat see advertised every cleaning system uses some form of chemical to clean. Even water is a chemical and forms the basis of most cleaning solutions. An experienced cleaning technician will be using safe chemicals and will rinse the items to make sure that no chemical residues remain in the carpets or upholstery.

Q. We have an allergy sufferer living in our house, will the cleaning solutions be a problem?
A. Everyone is different and on rare occasions some allergy sufferers may be affected by some cleaning solutions. Carpet cleaning methods rely mainly on water based cleaning solutions so please make us aware of any allergies so we can then advise and take adequate steps  to ensure that the risk of the allergy sufferer coming into contact with a cleaning solution is eliminated. There are specific products designed for allergy sufferers that we have available if required

Q. I’ve been told that my carpets will shrink, will this happen?
A. Some types of carpet can shrink if adequate precautions are carried out or poor cleaning procedures are carried out. Our cleaning technicians will inspect the carpet prior to any cleaning taking place. During this inspection any risk of potential shrinkage can be identified and discussed with you. It may be that the carpet fittings are not secure and require correction. Some carpets are more prone to shrinkage and may have to be cleaned by an alternative method but this would be thoroughly discussed with the client before any work proceeds.

Q. Does the room have to be clear?
A. We like to concentrate on cleaning carpets and not furniture removal, so it does help if any breakable items (i.e. China, glassware etc.) are removed from the room, including those inside cabinets that will have to be moved and coffee tables, lamps, ornaments etc. Our technicians can then move large items like settees 9within reason), clean and put the back in position placing protector pads/fibre blocks underneath the  items to prevent staining from loose wood dye or rust from metal studs under the legs transferring onto the carpet.

Q. Will all stains come out?
A. Most marks will come out during the cleaning process. Some of the more difficult dye stains may need some specialist treatment to deal with them. Any success at removing these types of stains is often made worse by supermarket remedies that have already been used before our technician has a chance to deal with them.
Our technicians will know the fibre content of the carpet/fabric after testing and if the stain can be identified an outcome may be predicted.

Q. What system do you use to clean carpets?
A.  We do not use one method for cleaning. We will use the appropriate system necessary to clean your carpet or upholstery to achieve an excellent result, safely. Some carpets need to be cleaned using low moisture systems whilst others benefit from a deeper clean.

Q. I have seen steam cleaning advertised, do you use steam?
A. The systems that are more popularly used professionally do not use steam in the true sense of the word. The small moisture particles that are sprayed onto the carpet are very fine and give the appearance of steam. There are steam cleaning machines sold by shops and shopping channels units that say they can be used for carpets and soft furnishings but unless you know exactly what you are doing considerable damage can be done to carpets and fabrics and in our opinion you need a detergent to properly break down the soil that has bonded to the fibres.

Q. I have ugly black lines all around the edge of my carpet and under my doors, will they come out?
A. These marks are commonly called draught marks and it depends on the severity of the black marks as to successful removal. Our cleaning technician should be able to significantly improve the appearance, however the source of the problem needs to be dealt with to prevent the staining returning, so please ask our technicians on how this can be done.

Q. The areas in front of settee and armchairs are very dirty; can you get it all out?
A. This area may well be worn as abrasive grit is grinding away at the fibres. The dirt can be removed but continual foot movement from all the people who use the furniture will have damaged the carpet fibres. This abrasion will cause a difference in light reflection giving the appearance of  soiling.

Q. What if any, safeguards can you give me?
A. We are insured for both Public and Treatment Liability risks. This insurance cover not only protects us against an unforeseen financial burden, but also gives peace of mind to the consumer should the unexpected happen.

Q. I have just bought a steam cleaner can I clean my carpets/upholstery with it?
A. Although these steam machines are often advertised as suitable for cleaning carpets and soft furnishings BE CAREFUL! The twist in a cut pile carpet is heat set and using excessively high heat (steam) can release the twist in the pile giving the carpet a felt like appearance. The use of these units on velvet pile fabrics will result in severe distortion damage.

Q. I normally put the cushion covers in the washing machine, is this ok?
A. We do not advise this as the zips are fitted on cushions for the ease of the upholsterer to put the filling material into the covers and NOT for the general public to take off to wash. These zips can easily break. The covers can shrink making it difficult to get the filling material back in. Also some washing powders can fade the colours of the cushions giving a less pleasing appearance to the item of furniture as there is a distinct difference between the cushions and frame.