Carpet Cleaning FAQ’s
HomeSmart Cleaning Specialties primarily uses the "hot water extraction" (aka steam cleaning) method. Only non-toxic cleaning solutions that are safe for your family are used. This is the method of cleaning recommended by most carpet manufacturers and the Carpet & FabriCare Institute.
For Commercial Carpet Cleaning, we primarily use a Low Moisture Method, (aka dry cleaning), which is effective, fast drying, and one of businesses favorite solutions for dirty carpet.
There are a lot of variables that effect dry time, for instance; the cleaning method used, relative temperature and humidity, and the type of carpet cleaned. We use air mover to help dry your carpet as fast as possible.
You can walk on your carpet immediately, but it is recommended that you limit traffic and remove shoes until completely dry. We do offer booties free of charge at your request.
This issue is the result of soap residues being left in the carpet, (by inexperienced carpet cleaners), which attract dirt. Usually this is caused by the use of soap in the cleaning process that hasn’t been rinsed out completely. HomeSmart technicians thoroughly rinse with a neutral ph solution combined with our hot water extraction process, resulting in little, to no residue left behind to attract dirt. A True Clean, means rinsing as well as cleaning.
Carpet manufacturers typically recommend to have your carpets professionally steam cleaned at least once a year, and longer than 18 months voids most warranties. The buildup of soil in your carpet in combination with foot traffic creates abrasion that breaks down your carpets’ fibers, prematurely wearing out your carpet. Extend the life of your carpet and enjoy a clean carpet through a regular maintenance program.
We move furniture such as tables, chairs, sofas, and other common furniture. There are several items we recommend not moving, such as: pianos, electronics, china cabinets, some large beds, dressers with mirrors, large screen TV's, etc. We ask that you remove small items like plants, lamps, table top picture frames, and misc. knick knacks.
Yes, we are licensed, insured and bonded.
The average time is about 2 hours, however, it will depend greatly on the size and types of areas, (stairs, hallways, closets, rooms), furniture to be moved, and what type of services he is conducting.
Typically, an area is a room that is up to 200 square feet, living room/dining room combos are considered two areas. Any area over 250 square feet but less than 400 square feet is priced as two areas. Non-standard areas (bathrooms, hallways, and landings), are priced separately from the standard areas, usually at a lesser price. Cleared closets are always free!
We pride ourselves on this rarely ever occurring, and back our cleaning with a 7 day, "no questions asked", return warranty to touch up any recurring spots .
We cannot guarantee that we will remove all spots or stains, and we'll let you know up-front what's possible. There are substances that can permanently discolor the carpet fibers. The age of the carpet and the type of carpet fibers also plays a factor in this. The technician will try to determine if this is the case prior to cleaning but they are not always able to determine this before trying to remove the spots. We back our cleaning with a 7 day, "no questions asked", return warranty to touch up any recurring spots .
Yes, we use the best cleaning products available. This allows us to guarantee the highest quality clean possible at any price! Our products are: nontoxic, safe for children, pets, and the environment!
Yes, having your carpet and furniture cleaned removes pollutants and makes for a healthier breathing environment. Carpet acts as a filter in your home and like all filters, they have to cleaned!
Upholstery Cleaning FAQ’s
Having your upholstered furniture professionally cleaned by HomeSmart Cleaning Specialties on a regular basis has three important advantages:
One – Our professional cleaning method helps prevent irreversible damage to upholstered fabric such as premature wear and color fading. We extract soil particles that would otherwise abrade and permanently damage upholstery fibers, impacting the appearance and feel of your upholstered furniture.
Two – We remove allergens that have a very significant impact on your indoor air quality. These particles can also hurt the health of young children and people with allergies or poor immune system. Having dirt, dust, bacteria, and other contaminations professionally extracted from your upholstered furniture helps to significantly minimize allergic reactions and health risks.
Three – The oils and cells from our skin and hair build up on the fabric and cause visible change in the fabric as well as odor, and attract dry soil and allergens. Steam cleaning will leave your furniture fresh, clean and healthy!
Typically, dry time of upholstered furniture varies between 1-6 hours depending on your specific upholstery fabric and level of soiling. We always recommend that you open some windows, use a fan or turn on your air conditioning system after cleaning to help greatly reduce the drying time. The more air flow that is allowed to enter the space, the faster all of your furniture will dry.
Most manufacturers recommend having upholstered furniture professionally cleaned about once every 12-18 months, depending on usage. For families that are more sensitive to allergens, it is recommended that you have your furniture cleaned at least once a year.
Manufacturers provide their recommendation on the safest cleaning method for your furniture on a tag sewn onto your furniture. This is the "safest", which isn't always the most effective. We can guide you toward the best cleaning method during your scheduled appointment. Our trained staff have a wide range of knowledge of upholstered furniture and they will use the best method, solutions and temperature for your fabrics.
We use our powerful hot water extraction, deep cleaning process whenever possible, because it provides the deepest type of cleaning of all the possible methods. Some fine fabrics however, may require a more delicate cleaning method, such as dry cleaning or cold shampoo. Good new, we do it all!
Your cushion covers should never be washed in a washing machine for the following reasons: color fading, shrinkage and fabric destruction. Most manufactures clearly state that furniture cushion covers NOT be put in the washing machine due to the common damages described. HomeSmart’s method provides deep cleaning to upholstered cushions without causing any damage to your fabrics.
Fabric protector is applied to your furniture after cleaning, or to your newly purchased furniture. Our protector creates an unseen barrier that bonds to fibers and improves resistance to dry soil, water-based stains and normal wear and tear from everyday use. Since dry particulate causes damage to the upholstery fibers and shorten the life of fabrics, our protector ensures that your furniture is not prematurely worn-out and continues to look like new!
Often fabric manufactures apply a coating of protector at the factory; however, overtime, this original protector breaks down or is removed during cleaning, and a reapplication is highly recommended. If you want your upholstered furniture to clean well in the future and last to its fullest extent, we highly recommend a protector each time you have them cleaned.
If there are odors noted, we will first rinse them, treat with an appropriate deodorizer before cleaning and re-rinsing the fabric. There should be no lingering odor once the fabric is dry. We also treat pet urine and animal odors, caused from the oils in their skin, which penetrate into furniture overtime.
We never promise anything we are not confidant we can clean; we guarantee all of our work and want you to be happy with the end result. If we feel we cannot remove a substance, we will give you our professional opinion and discuss your options. Often we cannot tell if it is removable until we have tried. If you know the origin of the stain, and if it was treated before with a cleanser you are aware of, it will help us to determine if we can remove it.
Yes. HomeSmart cleans car upholstery along with carpet and carpet mats. We will conveniently come to your home or business to perform the cleaning.
Air Duct Cleaning FAQ’s
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems have been shown to collect a variety of contaminants such as mold, fungi, bacteria and very small particles of dust that have the potential to affect overall health, The removal of such contaminants from the HVAC system and home should be considered one component in an overall plan to improve indoor air quality.
The best way to determine if the duct system cleaning was effective is to perform a visual inspection of the system before and after cleaning. If any dust or debris can be seen during the visual inspection, the system should not be considered cleaned. While you can perform your own visual inspection using a flashlight and mirror, a HomeSmart technician can also provide you with before and after photos upon request.
Frequency of cleaning depends on several factors, not the least of which is the preference of the homeowner. Some of the things that may lead a homeowner to consider more frequent cleaning include:
- persons with allergies or asthma who might benefit from a reduction in the amount of indoor air pollutants in the home’s HVAC system.
- smokers in the household
- pets that shed high amounts of hair and dander.
- water contamination or damage to the home or HVAC system.
- after home renovations or remodeling.
- prior to occupancy of a new home.
- pest infestation, rats, mice, etc.
The most effective way to clean air ducts and ventilation systems is to employ source removal methods of cleaning. This requires placing the system under negative pressure, through the use of a specialized, powerful vacuum. While the vacuum draws air through the system, compressed air wash tools and/or nylon brushes are inserted into the ducts to dislodge any debris that might be stuck to interior surfaces. The debris can then travel down the ducts to the vacuum, which removes it from the system and the home.
Antimicrobial chemicals are applied by your HomeSmart technician to the interior surface of the air ducts to treat microbial contamination such as fungi (mold), viruses or bacteria. Before any antimicrobial chemicals are used, the system should be thoroughly cleaned. We use only antimicrobial treatments that are registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency specifically for use in HVAC systems. Antimicrobial treatment is an additional service that is not always a part of air duct cleaning.
While The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that “duct cleaning services typically – but not always – range in cost from $450 to $1,000 per heating and cooling system,…”, our basic cleaning charge starts at $395, depending on the services offered, the size of the system to be cleaned, system accessibility, level of contamination and type of duct material. Consumers should also beware of “blow-and-go” air duct cleaning companies. Avoid advertisements for “$99 whole house specials” and other sales gimmicks. These companies often charge a nominal fee and do a poor job of cleaning the heating and cooling system. They may also persuade you to pay for unneeded services with and/or without your permission. (If you have knowledge of a practicing “blow-and-go” air duct cleaner, contact your local Better Business Bureau to report the company.
HomeSmart uses large, powerful, HEPA filtered commercial vacuums as its primary collection system. Our equipment is brought directly into your home or facility, allowing the vacuum source to be located closer to the ductwork. This type of vacuum meets NADCA standards. Note: any vacuum collection device which exhausts indoors must be HEPA filtered. The vacuum collection device alone will not get your air duct system clean. We also use methods and tools designed to agitate debris adhered to the surfaces within the system, in conjunction with the use of the vacuum collection such as; brushes, air whips and “skipper balls.”
Research by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has demonstrated that air duct system cleaning may allow systems to run more efficiently by removing debris from sensitive mechanical components. Clean, efficient systems are less likely to break down, have a longer life span and generally operate more effectively than dirty systems.
No, but the two services are often combined because some of the tools used are the same. Dryer Vent cleaning is important for fire safety, for the efficiency of your dyer and should be performed more often than duct cleaning, (every 12-18 months, depending). HomeSmart offers dryer vent cleaning in conjunction with air duct cleaning at a very reduced rate, making it an ideal time to have your dryer vent cleaned, however, we perform it as a stand alone service as well.
Tile & Grout Cleaning FAQ’s
Over time, dirt and grime will build up deep inside your grout & tile leading to severe discoloration. And despite your best efforts, the only way to fully restore their appearance is to have them professionally DEEP cleaned.
Deep-cleaning tile & grout requires extreme water pressure. We utilize a high-pressure rotary tool with rotating water jets along with special cleaners made specifically for this process. This is the only way to effectively remove embedded dirt, grime, and any waxy buildup that’s accumulated since your last cleaning.
Grout is extremely porous. That means it tends to absorb dirt and spills quickly, which leads to staining that can’t be removed without professional deep cleaning. What sealing your grout does, is create a barrier of protection, bonding with the grout, which repels dirt and liquids. This allows you enough time to clean before a spill completely penetrates into the grout, permanently.
The amount of time it takes to clean your tile floors can vary depending on, amount of needed prep, (masking, etc.), how dirty the grout lines and tiles are, the layout of the room, and the size of the tiles themselves. An average-size room will take roughly 60 minutes for tile floor cleaning. If you decide to have the floor sealed as well, the process will take around two to three hours from start to finish.
The frequency depends on how well you’ve maintained the floor with DIY cleaning, amount of foot traffic, what rooms and whether you have children or pets living in your home. Kitchen will typically need more frequent cleanings, perhaps annual or semi annual, bathrooms less, perhaps 2-3 year intervals.
Yes! And we’re pretty good at it too! Showers typically are in need of cleaning to remove mold, soap residue and hard water stains. As such, it can be an intensive cleaning procedure taking 1-3 hours to complete. Bonus, we’ll tackle those water spots on the shower door and chrome as well!
This depends upon type of tile, soil load, size of tile, and other factors, BUT generally, (admit, you thought we were going to dodge answering:), it’s $1 per sq. ft. for floor tile, and $2 per sq. ft. for counter and vertical surfaces. We offer FREE in home estimates, call us for a quote: 209-918-8040.