Carpet hides dirt well, and that's part of the problem. By the time it looks dirty, the fibers are loaded with soil that a vacuum can no longer reach.
How we clean carpet
We vacuum first, then treat spots and traffic lanes before extraction. An extractor sends hot water and cleaning solution through the fibers and pulls it back out along with the soil. On larger areas we set up air movers to speed up drying.
Spots and stains
Coffee, ink, grease and tracked-in salt are the usual suspects. Many of them come out with the right treatment. Some don't, especially old stains that have set and dye transfer from a spill that sat for weeks. We tell you which is which before we start, so the result doesn't surprise you.
Drying time
We clean after hours so the carpet has time to dry before people walk on it. Thick carpet and humid weather add time, and DC summers can be sticky. When a floor might need until the next day, we say so up front and plan the job for a Friday night or a weekend.
How often
Once or twice a year is typical for offices, and more often for entrances, corridors, restaurants and clinics. Between extractions, regular vacuuming and good entrance mats do most of the work. A schedule that pairs the two keeps carpet looking decent for years longer than either one alone.
Upholstery and cubicle panels
Fabric chairs, lobby sofas and cubicle panels can be cleaned on the same visit. Tell us what the pieces are and what the fabric is. Some upholstery carries a "dry clean only" tag, and that gets a different method.
Questions about carpet cleaning
Do you move furniture?
We move light furniture and chairs. Heavy pieces, filing cabinets and anything with electronics on it should be moved by your staff or building movers. We can work around them, or come back for the areas underneath.
Will carpet cleaning remove odors?
It removes the soil and spills behind most odors. If the smell comes from the pad underneath, surface cleaning won't fully fix it, and we'll tell you that when we see the room.