Anybody can clean carpets!! Can They?

“Certified Cleaner vs. the wand jockey”

In my last post I outlined the wide continuum of cleaners sorted by method and equipment. On that basis alone there is much that separates one cleaner from another. What about the person actually doing the work? That’s the subject of this discussion.

All you have to do is get the machine operating and then run the wand over the carpet, spit and suck. What could be easier? Well, there is a little more to it than that. Being able to start the machine and drag hoses and scrub the carpet is required but it starts before you get to that point.

The Institute Of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification, or IICRC, is the governing body for carpet cleaners. The IICRC has no members but is made up of "registrants" who have registered by getting training and passing certification tests. The IICRC is responsible for administrating the process as well as setting the standards for the industry with respect to both cleaning and restoration.

Many companies have high turnover and the person sent to clean your carpet may not have been on the job long enough to have the experience necessary to do the job right. They may have received some company training but not enough to be get properly certified. IICRC certifications are held by the technician and allow them to take their skill with them. Some companies circumvent the certification process by doing in-house training that is only viable company wide. These same companies “idiot proof” their machines by presetting the temperatures and pressures. The ability to adjust temperature and pressure is essential to produce maximum cleaning and should be in a well trained tech’s arsenal.

It is true, a lot of cleaning is removing the dry soil by vacuuming, then moistening and emulsifying (softening) the dirt in the fiber, holding it in liquid suspension until it can be rinsed with hot water and extracted, again by powerful vacuum. It sounds easy but it does take time to master. How fast is too fast? Am I adding too much water at this speed? What about those “special spots” the coffee, ink, wine, lipstick, copier toner, red Kool-Aid™, mustard, grease, oil and yes, pet accidents, blood and vomit. Here is where more than just getting the carpet wet is required. Beyond that, the wand jockey could cause irreversible damage. Yes, there is such a thing as a permanent stain!!

A common statement made by the homeowner is well, “It just won’t come out! I tried Everything” We call it EUTKIS (everything under the kitchen sink). Here is where the science of carpet cleaning is necessary and the reason behind those certification classes becomes apparent. Believe me, when I say there is a lot more science to cleaning than many people recognize. First, a clear understanding of pH is necessary for success. Knowing which side of the pH scale the spot is on and what and how much will remove it is a step forward. Further than that, a step by step process to deal with the “unknown” spot is key. A carpet cleaner doesn’t have to know how to spell or pronounce all the complex cleaners but he does need to be able to recognize and have a working knowledge of what exactly they do.

Bottom line it does make a difference who cleans your carpet. So, if you decide to have your carpets cleaned by a professional make sure they are professional enough to be certified. It is especially important to make sure that the technician cleaning your carpet is certified in the area for which he is being hired. If you need upholstery cleaned, or have odors from pet urine or want to get your tile and grout cleaned-- ask to see the certifications your technician holds. It is not enough that the firm is certified and has a master cleaner on staff, you want the person doing the cleaning to have the knowledge to do it right.

All Carpet Cleaners Are The Same!! Are They?

Some people think that all carpet cleaners are the same. In fact, some rationalize that they could be carpet cleaners, too, just rent a machine from the grocery store and go to work. So, are all carpet cleaners really the same? The answer at least from a professional's point of view is categorically, NO!
First of all, there are a variety of methods for cleaning carpet and each has its own merits and applications. The pros and cons of differing methods of carpet cleaning is outside the scope of this discussion. However, methods can be broadly divided into two main categories, very low moisture or dry, (VLM) and hot water extraction or wet, (HWE). Hot water extraction or "steam cleaning", as it is sometimes referred, is about 85% of the market when surveying the industry as a whole. Only hot water extraction meets the standards set by the industry for restorative cleaning. HWE can be further divided into portable extractors and truck mounts. Even truck mounted systems vary in capacity but more about that later. As you can see just in the area of method and equipment alone there is a wide range of possibilities.
Many savvy homeowners have seized on the fact that truck mounted systems are "the way to go" and all others need not apply. On the surface, this is a good idea but is not a guarantee to hiring the ideal carpet cleaner. Just because a cleaner has a van and the van has a carpet cleaning machine doesn’t mean he can out-clean all comers. As mentioned earlier, truck mounts vary in “capacity” and deliver different results in cleaning. Most truck mounted machines are powered by auxiliary engines from lawn mower size to automobile size. The smaller units can’t compete with the large automobile engines in their ability to produce very hot water (235°F) in a continuous flow. They also lag behind the big boys in vacuum and the ability to extract the dirt and waste water, leaving behind a wetter and somewhat dirtier carpet.

So, if you decide to hire a cleaner and want restorative cleaning make sure to look for a cleaner offering hot water extraction with a truck mounted machine that can produce (235-240°F) water in a continuous stream with lots of vacuum.

Stay tuned for “Certified Cleaner vs. the wand jockey”

A Time for Thanks

Here it is a week before Thanksgiving. I am in my office and the weather is due to turn bitter cold in the next couple of days. Weather men and ladies are talking about snow--not just in the mountains but down here where we live and work. I am listening to...Yes, Christmas music. OHHHH Man!! How can you DO that? Well, partly because its been a while. Partly because it is the soft contemplative variety instead of Jingle Bells. Mostly because it is announcing the One to whom I choose to give thanks, without whom the whole concept of giving thanks is meaningless. I am blessed with a family that is in reasonable health. Who's in charge of that? There is a roof over my head that doesn't leak and all the trees have missed. Who's in charge of that? There is food in the pantry and more in the fridge and you can say that it was bought with a paycheck. True. But who was responsible for growing that food, plant and animal? A farmer, you might say. Again, true. But who hung the heat source in the sky and sent the rain? I have my own answer.
It is for these simple things and so much more I am thankful. It is my prayer to a Holy God that you have things to be thankful for, too. I hope that you take time to give thanks for all that has been provided to you and give pause to think about their source. May you know peace and contentment this harvest season.

Is Your Carpet Cleaner a Hottie?

This may not turn out the way you thought. The question more accurately stated might be, "Does the equipment used by your carpet cleaner produce really hot water?" Many clients are looking for "steam cleaning". In fact, the best the industry can produce is hot water extraction and not actual steam cleaning since as soon as the "steam" hits the jet it mostly turns back to very hot water and some vapor.
To put it bluntly, equipment matters. Many prospects are confused to think that all carpet cleaning and cleaners are the same. However, carpet cleaners can be separated not only by who is doing the cleaning but what equipment is being operated. Lots of carpet cleaners get into business with portable or under powered equipment based on what they can afford. They don't yet realize that the equipment itself has a great deal to do with how well they are able to perform their service. Their business, especially repeat business, is actually held back by the limitations of their equipment. Better equipment, more expensive and higher powered equipment can deliver both hotter water and more vacuum. Why is that important? It is important because carpet that is initially cleaner and drier will stay clean longer.
Why is heat so important? Well, there are four variables known to certified cleaners that affect the effectiveness of the cleaning process. These variables are time, agitation, chemical and temperature. Each of these works in conjunction with the other and lack in one variable can be compensated for by the abundance of another. For instance, let’s say, the cleaner is in a hurry and is not agitating the carpet aggressively. What is lacking in time and agitation can be overcome by using either a little more chemical or a slightly stronger chemical. More “slack” is taken up by scrubbing a little longer and harder. But the risk of applying too much chemical and leaving a residue behind becomes greater, if care is not taken. Heat is the most important variable in getting carpets clean. The heat can breakdown the sugars in food and beverage spills, as well as greasy, oily spots faster. With really hot water, held above boiling temperature under pressure (13psi), the cleaner with superior equipment can eliminate the need to rely on large amounts of high Ph detergents and can take just a small amount of additional time to do a much better job. He can also eliminate the probability of leaving behind a residue that causes rapid re-soiling. If his business model is to provide the best possible result utilizing all available options and not just a 'get in and get out' mentality he will invest in the level of equipment that best meets his clients’ needs.