Carpet is wet too long after cleaning

Have you ever had your carpet cleaned, and then woken up the next morning to still wet carpet? This is a sure sign that the cleaning was not properly done! Typically, our dry times are no more than 8 hours. A few more hours doesn't cause serious concern, but mold can begin growing between 24-48 hours. 

If you have your carpet cleaned and it does not dry quickly, we can come in and do a proper extraction of the water, as well as put high efficiency fans down to speed dry the carpet. 

Safe carpet cleaning chemicals?

We often get questions about which products we use and how safe they are. This is, understandably, of high concern to people, particularly those with children and pets in the home. In our industry, we are required to keep SDS (Safety Data Sheet) binders that have information for every single product on our van. Unfortunately, companies aren't always diligent about knowing how safe their carpet cleaners are.

At Sno-King Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning, everything we use is non-toxic (so long as they're not ingested). Also, because of the process of carpet, upholstery and tile cleaning that we use, there's only water left behind when we are done, because we neutralize the pH value when cleaning. So you don't have to worry about your children rolling on the freshly cleaned carpet, or pets sleeping on it. In fact, it can actually help them breathe better by unclogging all the dust and debri in the carpet!

Rug Doctor rental carpet cleaner vs. professional carpet cleaning

There are a lot of DIYers out there, and the carpet cleaning side of things is no different. I get it, I do lot of work on my house myself in order to save money. While rental carpet cleaning machines like Rug Doctors certainly do a better job than vacuuming and they do have their place, there are many things they can't do. Below is a list of a few of the differences between hiring a professional carpet cleaner in the Edmonds area and renting a Rug Doctor.

• Rug Doctors don't allow for dwell time, which is a key component of the cleaning process for carpet, upholstery, and tile

• Rug Doctors don't clean as deep, as they only have up to 28 psi, while we run at about 350-400 psi for carpet, and up to 1000 psi for tile.

• The extraction on a professional hot water extraction carpet cleaning machine is much more powerful, typically at 20+ horsepower, while Rug Doctors have 1.74 horsepower.

If you are in the Edmonds, Shoreline, Lynnwood, or surrounding area, feel free to get in touch with Sno-King Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning for the most thorough process in the industry!

How to get pet stains out of carpet in Edmonds

Often times, pet stains (urine, vomit, feces) cannot easily be treated by household cleaners. The reason for this is because the salts and other aspects need to be properly broken down and extracted out of not only the carpet but also the pad underneath the carpet, and sometimes even the subfloor. Without the proper equipment, it is impossible to extract everything out. Part of this is because pet urine, specifically, is hygroscopic in nature, meaning it essentially feeds itself by pulling moisture from the air. So if it is not all properly extracted, it will feed itself and grow again. Sometimes a product like Nature’s Miracle can help, but it will never fully remove the spot. 

This is why we use an extensive odor and stain removal process to ensure full removal of the spot. Recently, we cleaned for a client in Edmonds who has 3 large dogs who had multiple accidents throughout the house. Fortunately, we are highly trained and skilled in removing both the pet odor and stain, so the urine spots from these dogs didn't stand a chance. Now our client is happy and their home smells great!

If you have any pet stains that you are concerned about, call or e-mail us for a free inspection! 

"How often should I clean my carpet?"

This is certainly one of the most common questions that we receive. The proper answer is really that it's different for everyone. The first thing to consider is if you have purchased new carpet and are concerned about keeping the warranty. If so, most companies require that you have a professional company perform Hot Water Extraction carpet cleaning (which is the method we use) every 12 or 18 months. If you don't do so, they will usually void the warranty.

Secondly, consider the use of your home or office. If you have a home with multiple pets, small children, and lots of get togethers, you should consider cleaning every 6 months. If your home or office is only used by a few people, no pets or children, and you take your shoes off at the door, every year and a half will be sufficient. As always, we will offer to do a free inspection for carpet, upholstery or tile cleaning, as well as give you our advice!

"How long will the carpet be wet" or "How does carpet take to dry after cleaning?"

These are two of the most common questions that we receive, and understandably so. If you are having someone come into your home to do work, of course your hope is that they are as minimally intrusive as possible. At Sno-King Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning, that is certainly our goal.

Unfortunately, many companies "over wet" the carpet and do not properly extract, which leads to the idea that carpet will be wet for a day or two after cleaning. Make no mistake, if your carpet is wet for that long after cleaning then you are running the risk of mold growth underneath the carpet which can cause a much larger problem down the road.

When we clean, we make sure that our water pressure is specifically set properly for your carpet, and that our extraction is working as it should to ensure that we extract as much water as possible. Also, we place high efficiency air movers on the carpet to help speed up the drying process. All that being said, 8 hours is our maximum drying time, with most carpet drying with 2-4 hours. We not only want you to have clean carpet, but we want you to be able to get your house back to normal as soon as possible. 

Q&A: Should I use vinegar to clean carpet?

Using vinegar to clean carpet is extremely common...and unfortunately extremely unhelpful (in most cases). The explanation is really pretty simple, but very interesting: most spots on carpet are acidic, and vinegar is an acid, so by using vinegar you can actually set stains into the carpet. When we are cleaning, one of the purposes is to neutralize the pH value of what we are cleaning. That is why we almost always start with pre-spray that is on the alkaline side of the pH scale, which goes from 0-14. From 0-6 is acid, and 8-14 is alkaline, with 7 being neutral. So if the average spot is say, a 4, we would want to use an alkaline that is 10 so that it goes back to a neutral 7. 

Vinegar is often a 2 or 3 on the pH scale, meaning you would only use it to counteract a fairly strong alkaline. In most cases, the spot you are trying to clean on your carpet with vinegar is an acid, so you are just adding an acid to an acid, making it harder to get out later.

Instead, use our free spot cleaner (neutral pH), and if that doesn't work we can always stop by to take care of the spot!

How long should carpets be wet after cleaning?

The honest answer to this question is that it can vary drastically depending on which company has cleaned your carpets.  We often work with clients who tell us stories of their carpet being wet for a full day or two after another company has cleaned.  While there are many reasons why this may be the case, the two main reasons are: improper cleaning technique, and equipment that is not working correctly.  As a result of either of these two problems comes the issues of over-wetting and/or loss of suction. At Sno-King Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning we combat these common issues by having properly trained technicians who also understand their equipment so they are able to identify if it is not working correctly.  We also use high-efficiency air movers while in your home to speed up the dry time.  Lastly, your carpets dry from the bottom up so we always groom your carpets, opening up the fibers so that the air can mover through them and help them dry faster.  To answer the original question, your carpets should be dry within 2-6 hours after we finish cleaning in your residential home or commercial building. If you had a carpet cleaning company clean for you and the carpet were still wet the next day, please contact them to see if they will come fix the issue for free. If they refuse, please feel free to contact us and we will come out as fast as possible to ensure that no damage is done from wet carpets.