5 More Tips to Handle Water Damage

Tips on cleaning up water damage. 

When you’re overwhelmed with water damage, you may not know where to start. So we’ve put together an additional five tips to deal with water damage in continuation from our blog last month.

1. Take Immediate Action

The longer water is left to sit, the more contaminated and dangerous it becomes. The clock doesn’t stop just because your home has suffered from water damage, unfortunately, so don’t let much time pass before you call the restoration company!

1. Grab Any Valuables

If there are any valuables you can salvage before the water touches them (or even after) move them to the top of the house (if applicable) or outside the home. If they’ve already been affected by the water damage, you can begin drying them out.

1. Exit the Home

It safest to exit as soon as possible to protect your health and the health of your family. Let the professionals begin removing the water and drying out the home.

1. Look Through Your Insurance Policy

If you haven’t already, get to know your insurance policy. Knowing your coverage can help tremendously when going to make your claim. Sometimes insurance policies don’t cover all kinds of water damage - so make sure to read, reread, and even have someone read through your policy with you.

1. Most of All, Be Careful

You can never take too much caution when it comes to any kind of damage - so be careful with whatever you choose to do in and around your home. Be careful around electronics, as they can drastically jeopardize your health if they’re turned on and are submerged or around water. Take caution with your health, especially, because the water can become instantly contaminated (depending on what caused the water damage in the first place). Lastly, be careful with your documentation - be sure to document every piece of damage, take lots of pictures, etc.

Why Should You Hire a Professional For Fire Damage Restoration?

No one expects a fire to start in their home - so often times, you won’t be prepared. The most important thing to do after a fire starts is to call for emergency help and leave the premises. Then, your next phone call should be to a professional fire damage restoration company - and for a number of reasons. We know you’ve heard it from us before, but the firefighters will be able to get the fire under control - and that’s it. They’re not available to help restore your home to its previous condition after the damage. Since water is used to control and put out the fire, depending on the size of the fire - you may be dealing with a large amount of water afterwards too. Both fire and water damage pose all kinds of risks, not only to your home, but to your health. It’s imperative to let the professionals asses the damage before stepping foot back in your home.

How the Professionals Secure the Home

First, your professional restoration company will come in and asses the damage to see the best approach for cleaning and restoring. If there are weak spots around the house from the fire and smoke damage, they’ll board up those weak spots to ensure no one gets hurt. Then, they’ll go through the belongings around the home to see what is salvageable and what isn’t - this is for your safety, to ensure the smoke that’s left inside the belongings doesn’t continue to harm or endanger anyone’s health.

24 Hour Water And Fire Damage Restoration Experts Austin, Texas

Dealing with Smoke and Soot Damage

Professionals will be able to ensure that smoke and soot are properly removed, although it is difficult to do so entirely. Unfortunately, both smoke and soot can cause discoloration to numerous materials around the house - so the longer it’s left, the harder it is to remove and restore.

It’s important to call your restoration team as soon as possible because removing the damage sooner rather than later eliminates the risk of permanent damage!

How do you protect carpet? The Steam Team Austin

The Steam Team

How Does Carpet Protector Work?

By Amy Renken

If you have young kids or pets, you’re probably considering purchasing a carpet protector (as you should). These are recommended for carpet that is in a high traffic area, but also if you know you’ll be encountering frequent messes. Carpet protectors make stains easier to clean and odors easier to remove.

Usually, when a liquid is spilled on a carpet, the fibers absorb the liquid and can be easily stained. However, with a protector – it works to repel the liquid from the fibers. When the fibers don’t absorb the liquid, it makes the stain much easier to lift from the carpet.

Most carpet protectors not only protect from spills, but from odors and sunlight as well. The ultraviolet rays that shine on your carpet throughout the day can cause the color to fade with time.

Will carpet protector work with all types of carpet?

Not necessarily. Since most carpet protector is water-based, it won’t work with a polyester carpet. Polyester is a plastic-based fiber and will actually repel the protector if it is water-based.

What are the benefits of a carpet protector?

Carpet is a large purchase for your home – you want it to last, don’t you? Adding a protector will elongate the life of your carpet because it will protect it from staining and soiling.

• Easier Vacuuming

• Easier Cleaning

• Less Damage

• Longer Lifespan

How often should I apply a carpet protector to my carpet?

It is recommended that the protector be re-applied every 4 years, unless you feel that your carpet is wearing unusually fast. It’s critical that the carpet protector is applied correctly. Therefore, we recommend calling a professional to do it. New carpet should come with a protector, so you shouldn’t have to worry about your carpet protector until it is 4 years old.

If you need a thorough carpet cleaning, call us at 1-800-880-7785 to come take a look at your carpets! We’re only a phone call away and always happy to help!

Help! My Child got Candy Stuck in my Carpet!

Oriental Rug Cleaning

Help! My Child got Candy Stuck in my Carpet!

 

Has this ever happened to you? With Halloween right around the corner, you’re better off safe than sorry! We wanted to share some helpful tips on how to keep candy out of your carpet, but also on how to get it out (should you find yourself trying to remove gum at midnight on Halloween from your newly-cleaned carpet).

The first thing we suggest as a preventative is to simply keep the candy away from your carpet. However, we know this is difficult – especially if you have multiple kids who are running around on a sugar high. So, if and when you are unable to keep the candy away from the carpet, there are (luckily) several ways to go about cleaning it up.

If you’re dealing with a sticky candy, such as gum, the first step is to apply ice directly on top of the spot. Don’t reach for the scissors just yet! Generally a bag of ice will work to cool it enough to be able to scrape it away from your carpet. Then you can use any kind of scraping tool to remove the excess candy. Vacuum the rest of the particles and all you’re left with is a stain to clean! This is the easy part, you can try using any homemade solution to remove the stain, water and soap, or you can call a professional to spot treat the stain. Problem solved – no more candy or stain!

Now, if you’re dealing with a hard candy (jolly ranchers, life savers, peppermints, etc.) you’ll want to treat it a little differently. Hard candy can be softened by water, which makes it easier to remove from the carpet. Don’t try to pull it too soon though; you could damage your carpet. Hard candy will actually dissolve if enough cold water is poured on it – then it should just be a couple large pieces that you can pick out of the carpet, and the rest you can wipe up with a rag. You’ll be left with a stain after the candy is removed, and again you can try using your homemade solution or call a professional!

We hope these tips will help you, even if it is midnight on Halloween – we always want you to have a clean carpet! Give us a call at 1-800-880-7785 if you find yourself in a tricky situation, we would love to help!

How Keeping Your Office Clean Can Lead to Healthier Employees

Stone Cleaning & Marble Polishing In Central Texas

It’s obvious as a business owner - no matter what type of business you run - that keeping your office clean is a no-brainer. However, there’s a lot more to it than just the surface level appearance of the first impression. When the environment around you isn’t properly cleaned, your health and the health of your employees could be at risk. Do you notice a lot of sneezing, runny noses, coughing? With a dirty (or not cleaned very often) office, germs can spread like wildfire. We’re not just talking common allergens, either, we’re talking illness-causing germs. The more germs, the more illnesses - the more sick days your employees will need (which isn’t good for anyone).

Don’t interrupt the productivity of your business with sick employees - keep your office clean!

Whether that means you perform regular cleanings more often or hire a professional cleaning company, both are likely necessary. Steam cleaning is the most efficient way to clean your office as it thoroughly cleans all aspects of the office in a short amount of time (so as to not interrupt business productivity).

What Areas Can be Steam Cleaned?

• Flooring: carpeting, hardwood, laminate, marble, tile and grout

• Furniture: upholstered furniture (no matter the material), leather

• Drapery (Window Treatments)

• Air Ducts

The healthier the environment, the healthier the people! Don’t let germs - or even common allergens - get in the way of producing business or those day-to-day activities. Of course, health isn’t the only thing at risk here, although it’s likely the most important. But, the more your assets (like furniture) are taken care of, the longer they’ll last. So, if there’s one thing you’ve learned today - let it be; don’t skimp on your commercial cleaning company.

If it’s time for a thorough office cleaning, don’t hesitate to give us a call, here at The Steam Team.

How Do You Choose a Commercial Cleaning Company?

Commercial Cleaning Austin Texas

Ensuring that your business is kept clean is not only vital to the success of your business, but also to your health and the health of your employees. But, choosing a commercial cleaning company isn’t always the easiest decision - after all, you do need to make sure you can trust them. So, how do you choose a commercial cleaning company?

Knowing What You Need

What type of flooring do you have? Do you have office furniture that needs attention?

Whether you have carpeting, tile, hardwood, marble, or any other type of flooring - chances are, it could use a good steam cleaning. Office furniture often gets neglected, even though it shouldn’t. But many business owners don’t think about the dust and dirt that can settle into upholstered furniture, or even leather furniture. If you knew - would you want your clients or customers sitting on that furniture? Probably not. In fact, your HVAC system and air ducts probably need a good cleaning too - don’t forget about those!

Selecting a Company

But what matters when it comes to selecting a company?

It depends on what you need done around the office, which is why it’s important to know what you need. But most of all - any company you choose should have years of experience, proof of insurance, and advanced equipment.

Choosing someone - or a company - to trust your business’ first impression with won’t ever be easy. Here at The Steam Team, we know that. References? No problem. Insurance? No problem. Experience? No problem. We could go on and on - training, expertise, equipment, technique, etc. But ultimately, the choice is up to you - so who will you trust with your business? We’ve given you lots of criteria to look for - we’re sure you’ll be a good judge and make the right choice.

Hidden Dangers of Smoke Damage

Smoke & Fire Damage Insurance Claims Austin

By now, you probably understand that there are many dangers when a fire occurs - including the dangers of smoke. However, smoke can actually be more damaging than the fire itself in some cases. If soot and ash are left around the house, it could cause discoloration to your walls, materials around the home, damage to electronics, and worst of all - health problems. It doesn’t help that it spreads rapidly, either.

Let’s dive a little deeper…

Effects on Your Home

The smoke damage has the ability to weaken the overall structure of your home - especially in big house fires where it travels into the walls. On the other hand, your HVAC system isn’t protected from smoke damage and can cause the smoke to spread throughout the entire home through your air ducts - affecting every foot around the house.

Effects on Your Health

With the way smoke damage can spread throughout the home through your HVAC system, there are many health risks from breathing in the air in and around the house. First and foremost - the toxic fumes from the smoke are unsafe to breath. They can cause lung irritation, scarring, among many other dangers inside your body.

Handling Smoke Damage

It can be detrimental to your health to attempt fire damage restoration on your own - unfortunately, it could even lead to death if the home is re-entered before the professionals have a chance to assess the damage because you won’t know the severity of smoke in the area. Whether it be weakened structure or spreading smoke damage - it’s just not worth the risk.

So, who do you call in a time like this to avoid the smoke damage?

A professional restoration company - like The Steam Team. The professionals have all of the right equipment, training, and expertise to handle these situations in the safest way possible.

A Quick Guide to Drapery Cleaning

24 Hour Water Damage Restoration San Marcos, Texas

They’re often one of the most forgotten fabrics in the house - your drapes. Unfortunately, this also makes them one of the dirtiest. They often collect lots of dust, dirt, and even mold as it makes it’s way around the house, but are then neglected - leaving you sneezing or itching your nose. Just as your carpet benefits from regular cleaning, so do your window treatments. So we’ve put together a quick (and simple) guide to drapery cleaning to lend you a helping hand!

What Kind of Drapes Do You Have?

Window treatments are often made from different fabrics like; cotton, wool, polyester, silk, etc. Just as carpet fibers vary, these fabrics should be cleaned accordingly. In some cases, you may be able to take the drapes off of your windows and throw them in the wash. However, whether or not they can be washed like your laundry can depends on their pattern and material. Do not wash pleated drapes!

Regular Cleaning

When you’re doing your weekly (or biweekly) regular cleaning around the house, you can include your drapes. The fabrics can be vacuumed with the attachment regularly to keep grime buildup at a minimum. However, professionals do have better equipment to ensure for a more thorough clean.

Deep Cleaning

Just as any other fabric - whether it be furniture or flooring - needs occasional deep cleaning, so do those window treatments. Fortunately, they can be steam cleaned like other fabrics! When you’re planning on steam cleaning your carpets - throw the drapes in, too, and we promise you won’t regret it. You likely already know the benefits that come with steam cleaning, but just in case - we’ll remind you. Lack of chemicals, quick drying time, thorough clean, kids and pet friendly, we could go on and on.

So, is it time for a good, thorough, deep clean for your drapes? You tell us - we think it’s probably safe to say; yes! Don’t hesitate to give us a call!

Is There a Difference Between a Spot & a Stain?

Water and Fire Damage Pflugerville

We’ve all been there - whether you dropped or spilled something, you kids did, or maybe mud was tracked through the house by an (unnamed) animal - will the mess come out of the carpet fibers? There’s one question to ask yourself; is it a spot or a stain? Now you may be a little confused - after all, what is the difference between the two?

All About Spots

Spots are made from substances that won’t permanently  harm the carpet and its fibers. However, they can become permanent if left to sit or the wrong cleaners are used. On the other hand, they can also be easily treated with the right cleaners and if they’re treated immediately.

All About Stains

Stains are formed from permanent carpet damage - often from heavily dyed foods or drinks that are rich in color. Other things that can cause stains are substances like makeup and paint. Unfortunately, stains are harder to remove and just as spots - can also be made worse from the wrong cleaning agents and techniques.

What do you do when you face a spot or stain?

First thing’s first; if you don’t know what you’re looking at - don’t hesitate to contact a professional. Attempting to deal with the spot or stain yourself could end up ruining the carpet entirely, from spreading the stain to hurting the carpet fibers.

So, if you’re facing a tough spot in your carpeting, we’d be happy to help! Steam cleaning is often the most thorough way to tackle those pesky stains. Plus, by hiring a professional company, a clean carpet is guaranteed. Our technicians know each and every technique to try and lift those substances from the carpet fibers - it helps that they all use state-of-the-art equipment, too!

If you ever have a water or fire damage in Pflugerville ? Give us a call, here at The Steam Team.

When Should You Have Your Carpets Professionally Cleaned?

Round Rock, Texas Carpet Cleaning

Ah, the great mystery of carpet cleaning - how should it be done? How often should it be done? Sure, you probably vacuum once (or twice) a week and spot treat as necessary - especially if you have kids and/or pets - but we’re talking about having those carpets professionally cleaned. Is it necessary? One word: absolutely. However, it’s frequency is determined by numerous factors.

How Dirt & Soil Can Shorten the Lifespan of Your Carpet

Unfortunately, dirt, debris, and soil buildup long before you can actually see it with the naked eye. As you probably already know, the more traffic that occurs on the carpets will move around these small particles of debris. This ruins individual fibers and can actually cause bald spots over time.

So, what does that mean for frequency of professional Round Rock Carpet Cleaning?

There are a few things you’ll want to remember about carpet cleaning. But first, it should be done before you begin to notice dirt buildup. However, this depends on how much traffic is in each area of your carpeting - but typically, your carpets should be thoroughly and professionally cleaned every 6 to 12 months (but obviously more frequently if you have children or pets).

Carpet Warranty

Let’s take it a step further. Many homeowners are unsure of whether or not they have a carpet warranty - if this sounds like you, you’ll definitely want to check! In fact, without professionally steam cleaning every so often, you could be voiding your warranty.

So, how long has it been since you’ve had your carpets professionally steam cleaned? Let’s get that dirt and grime out before it really starts to affect your flooring - or worse, ruin it. Give us a call, here at The Steam Team, we’re always happy to help!

Can You Actually Remove Pet Urine in Carpet?

Westlake Hills, Austin Texas Carpet Cleaning

This is a question we hear quite often as it’s a pretty common issue among those who own pets. Accidents happen! Every situation is different though, and there are several factors to consider. For example, the amount of time the urine has been left to soak into the carpet plays a huge role in its ability to be removed. For this reason, any accidents should be dealt with immediately - no matter the size.

Now, how can you deal with accidents immediately? It’s rather simple, actually! First: make sure to soak up any excess with a clean towel. This keeps the urine (or any other liquid, really) from soaking too far into the carpet and the padding below. You can also use a vinegar and water mixture to treat the spot immediately, although it’s not recommended for the cleaning process to stop there. After you’ve done this, call a professional!

Hiring a professional to deal with urine contamination is always your best bet, regardless of how large or small the stain is. When there have been multiple accidents or excess amounts of pet urine, you may be wondering; is my carpet salvageable?

Unfortunately, not always. In some cases, you may need to replace your flooring - especially if the carpet padding has been entirely soaked - as it can be extremely difficult to remove not only the stains but also the odor. However, when you hire a professional cleaning company (like The Steam Team), our technicians can examine the extent of the damage to determine the best course of action (whether that’s cleaning, repairing, or replacing).

Dealing with urine contamination and stains is no fun, but we all know accidents can happen. Give us a call if you’re facing some of these pesky stains, we’re always happy to help!

Can You Use Water to Clean Your Upholstered Furniture?

Round Rock, Texas Carpet Cleaning

This may seem like a no-brainer to some of you, but no - you cannot use water to clean your upholstery. Water often damages these fine furnishings, which you likely paid a pretty penny for! In order to elongate its lifetime, upholstered furniture needs to be properly taken care of. So, how do you clean it?

For quick, light (and regular) cleanings, you can use a vacuum and a clean cloth to remove any dirt or dust. However, to properly maintain this kind of furniture - whether it’s a sofa, loveseat, armchair, or even drapery - a deep, thorough, steam cleaning is always recommended throughout the year.

Depending on the amount of dust, dirt, and other debris around the house, your professional technician can advise a good deep-cleaning schedule for you. As always, every situation and piece of furniture is different - your armchair may not even need to be deeply cleaned as often as your sofa, or vice versa. Although, one thing is for sure - it’s always recommended to hire a professional steam cleaning company for these types of cleanings. Your technician is properly trained, certified, and is even covered by insurance - so you won’t have to worry at all! In fact, the equipment they use is far stronger than any do-it-yourself techniques, which is why you’ll immediately notice the difference in cleanliness.

So, if you’ve learned anything from this blog - please don’t use water to clean your furniture (whether it’s large, small, or upholstered with fabric or leather). Water can be extremely damaging, leave spots, and will absolutely shorten the lifetime of your precious (and expensive) furniture. If you’re in need of steam cleaning, The Steam Team is always happy to help and at your service. Just give us a quick call and we’ll send out a technician to inspect and clean your upholstered furniture!

What Causes Wear in Carpet?

Over time you may notice that your carpet is thinning - maybe even getting bald patches! Is there a way to control this? You may be wondering; what even causes these bald patches?

This kind of wear and balding is often caused by excess buildup of dirt and debris, mostly in areas with high traffic. This happens because the particles of dirt and debris get stuck between the carpet fibers, then when the carpet is walked on, the particles can damage the fibers. Without proper cleaning and maintenance, these particles may stay in the carpet fibers for extended periods of time - causing more and more of a problem for your carpet.

If you see these balding patches, you may be quick to try and fix the problem yourself - but wait! Sometimes, do-it-yourself techniques and cleaning products can actually be more harmful, especially in this situation. The best way to ensure all of these particles are carefully removed from the carpet is to hire a professional steam cleaning company. They’ll be able to inspect the damage to properly treat the problem and further protect your carpet.

Carpet Repair & Restoration

Over time you may notice that your carpet is thinning - maybe even getting bald patches! Is there a way to control this? You may be wondering; what even causes these bald patches?

This kind of wear and balding is often caused by excess buildup of dirt and debris, mostly in areas with high traffic. This happens because the particles of dirt and debris get stuck between the carpet fibers, then when the carpet is walked on, the particles can damage the fibers. Without proper cleaning and maintenance, these particles may stay in the carpet fibers for extended periods of time - causing more and more of a problem for your carpet.

If you see these balding patches, you may be quick to try and fix the problem yourself - but wait! Sometimes, do-it-yourself techniques and cleaning products can actually be more harmful, especially in this situation. The best way to ensure all of these particles are carefully removed from the carpet is to hire a professional steam cleaning company. They’ll be able to inspect the damage to properly treat the problem and further protect your carpet.

Can you prevent this issue in the future? Actually, yes! There are several ways you can keep bald patches from occurring. Keeping the amount of dirt and debris that collect in your carpet fibers at bay is the best form of prevention. This could mean you put out extra mats for guests (and household members) to wipe their shoes on, or maybe you don’t even allow shoes on your carpet! Additionally, performing regular (proper) maintenance can help - vacuuming weekly (or a couple times a week in high traffic areas) and ensuring that your carpet is professionally deep cleaned a few times throughout the year.

If your carpet is extensively damaged, it may need to be repaired. But don’t worry! Your professional steam cleaning company can help you to determine the best course of action.

Can You Damage Your Carpet with Do-It-Yourself Cleaning?

Protect Rugs and Carpet

It’s no secret that you can buy your own carpet cleaning products, steam cleaners, and even rent industrial-grade machines from your local hardware store. But, could all of these do-it-yourself methods actually hurt your carpet more than clean it? Without the proper training, techniques, products, and machinery - you could end up damaging your carpet fibers. Many homeowners believe they can save money by going the DIY route, but it can often result in a cleaning process that requires extensive work - leading to further expenses.

So, how do the wrong tools and techniques ruin your carpet?

Well, there are a couple questions you should ask yourself when looking at carpet cleaning machinery, starting with the size of the cleaner itself. Larger steam cleaners often have more power, more power equals more suction - which obviously gives your carpet a better clean. When you’re dealing with poor suction and power, your carpet is often left with excessive moisture. The more water that’s left behind can actually attract more dirt - leaving you with a dirtier carpet than before.

How are professional steam cleaners different?

Beginning with the machinery, with a professional steam cleaning company, it’s truck-mounted. This means that it has much more power than any steam cleaner you could buy or even rent - leaving your carpets with as little moisture as possible. Add on the fact that you have a trained technician working to clean your carpet fibers and it’s the best recipe for fresh, clean carpets. Every type of flooring is different - carpets are made up of different types of fibers that each need their own tender love and care.

When it comes down to it, you could save yourself money from the get-go by hiring a professional first instead of attempting to clean your carpets with your own do-it-yourself method. Plus, it’ll save you tons of time, too! Don’t hesitate, call us today! Protect your carpets with something like 3M Scotchgard® or DuPont Teflon®

3 Common Causes of House Fires

Austin Fire Damage Contractor

Fortunately, or unfortunately - however you choose to look at it - almost all household fires are preventable. We wanted to go over the top 3 most common causes for house fires to (hopefully) help homeowners become more aware of these dangers around the house. So, let’s get started!

1. Smoking

While this is likely no surprise, thousands of people ignite fires in their home every year from falling asleep while smoking cigarettes or cigars inside or near the house.

The best way to prevent a fire caused from smoking is to take extreme caution when choosing to smoke. Don’t be careless! Never smoke in bed or somewhere you can lay down - like the sofa or a recliner.

1. Candles

The aroma that candles can fill the house with, along with such a calming atmosphere, obviously make them a very loved addition to the house. However, candles are often used improperly - put in the wrong holders or too close to flammable fabrics and objects, making them one of the most common reasons behind house fires.

If you love to have candles around the home, don’t worry! You still can, just light them with caution. Use sturdy candle holders, be aware of where the candles are placed - ensuring that they won’t tip over and light something on fire. Lastly, never (EVER) leave candles lit around the house overnight or in your absence.

1. Cooking

Even though we’ve saved it for last, cooking is the number one cause of household fires - usually caused by leave the stove on unattended.

If you’re cooking, do not leave the house - it is as simple as that. You may be thinking, “well of course, I would never!” but it happens so often. Many people think they’ll run somewhere super quick - just a minute or two, maybe it’s just next door - what could go wrong? You could get caught up and it take longer than expected, something could burn, a grease fire could start, there are so many things that could go wrong when the stove is left unattended during cooking - don’t risk it!

If you’re facing fire damage, give your local restoration company - The Steam Team - a call!

How Should Your Clean Your Leather Furniture?

Leather Cleaning Austin, Texas

The biggest concern when it comes to leather furniture is finding a way to properly clean it so as to not dry it out. Leather needs to be treated carefully and - like other furniture - regularly cleaned and maintained. Since it’s a material prone to drying out, you’ll want to stay away from chemicals that could reduce any moisture.

So, what products should you use?

There are many leather-specific cleaners and conditioners that are made specifically to take care of your leather furniture and keep it from drying out. Using these every so often will keep your furniture in its best condition, but don’t forget the other maintenance you can do! Dusting often and even vacuuming will keep any dirt and debris from damaging your leather over time. Leather isn’t known for it’s elasticity - in fact, quite the opposite. Keeping the material conditioned will keep it from tearing and becoming damaged.  

Now, let’s talk about stains for a minute. Depending on the spill that’s causing the stain, it may need professional attention. For example, with grease, you’ll want to call in the professionals. Water can make grease stains tremendously worse and you wouldn’t want to ruin your furniture just because you’re trying to clean it! However, any spill should be treated immediately - the sooner you’re able to clean up the excess liquid, the easier the stain will be to remove.

You likely spent a good amount of time shopping for your furniture - and a pretty penny on it, too. With how expensive leather can be, maximize your investment by taking proper care of it and elongating the lifetime of your furniture! Don’t try to clean and condition it yourself if you aren’t sure what you’re doing - don’t be afraid to call in the professionals!

What Causes Carpet to Soil?

Carpet & Rug Cleaning

1. Nicotine

Just as nicotine can yellow your teeth, it can do the same to your carpets. Unfortunately, the color of your carpet isn’t the only thing that nicotine can affect. When you smoke indoors, your carpet fibers can soak up the odor of smoke pretty easily - just as many other fabrics do.

1. Direct Sunlight

Not only does direct sunlight fade the color saturation of your carpet, but it also can cause it to turn yellow-ish in color (no matter the color of fibers).

1. Overly Aggressive Cleaning Agents

It’s always important to use the proper cleaning products and techniques for your carpet fibers. When you don’t, the chemicals could be too aggressive for your carpet specifically, and end up damaging it further. In fact, not only can it weaken the fibers themselves, but it can also turn them yellow (we bet you never saw that coming)!

1. Dirt Build Up - Soil Abrasion

It’s no secret that dirt gets tracked through the house - why else would you clean your floors so frequently? Whether it’s by the dog, the kids, or yourself - it’s going to happen. However, soil and debris build up can cause abrasion in the carpet fibers, leading to yellowing.

1. Urine

For obvious reasons urine can turn carpet yellow, but it also carries a heavy odor that is often difficult to get rid of.

So, what can you do about yellowing carpet?

In some cases, like soil abrasion, you may need to look at replacement carpet. But - you can prevent it by using entry mats or taking your shoes off before walking on the carpet (especially in areas with heavy traffic). In other situations, your best bet is to hire a professional steam cleaning company to inspect the damage and point you in the right direction (whether that be cleaning or replacement).

Don’t hesitate to give us a call, we’re always happy to help!

A Simple Guide for Day-to-Day Carpet Cleaning

Cleaning 

Taking care of your home involves a lot of work - and we’re not just referring to your flooring, but that’s obviously a huge part of it. Placing flooring in your house is undoubtedly expensive - no matter the material (tile, wood, laminate, or carpet). With such an investment, you likely want to take good care of it! Unfortunately, many homeowners either don’t know how to or are misinformed. So today, we’re going to dive into the details of caring for and maintaining that fresh, new carpet look.

First Step: Minimize Dirt and Debris

It’s easy to leave your shoes on from outside and track dirt all through the house - many, many people do it, you probably see your kids do it all the time! But, how can you minimize that dirt? The more dirt and debris that’s brought into your carpet fibers, the dirtier it becomes - but also, the more likely it is to become damaged. Reducing the amount of dirt tracked through the house does wonders for keeping your carpet clean and fresh.

A couple tips are to keep entry mats by the front door or even request that shoes be taken off before walking on the carpet. Without shoes, there shouldn’t be any dirt or debris nestling itself in your carpet fibers!

Second Step: Reduce Direct Sunlight

Direct sunlight can fade the color of your carpet or even cause it to turn yellow over time. It’s best to keep curtains over your windows if your carpeting is in a place where the sun hits it directly for extended periods of time. If not, then you don’t even have to worry!

Cleaning Tips

Keeping your carpet clean is relatively easy; regularly vacuum (maybe even daily in high-traffic areas) spot treat, and immediately tend to stains.

Periodically, you’ll want a professional company to come out and give your carpets a good, thorough, deep cleaning so you know they’re well taken care of and are undoubtedly fresh - give us a call!

The Best Way to Remove 'Permanent' Stains

Carpet and Rug Cleaning

Stains happen - it’s inevitable. However, some are more stubborn than others - like red wine or puppy accidents. But, that doesn’t always mean they’re ‘permanent!’ Don’t worry, you won’t have to look at that stain or smell that odor forever - but it certainly will need some good tender love and care.

Don’t reach for just any cleaner! Especially with tougher stains or grease stains, you could end up damaging the carpet further or spreading the stain wider.

First, blot the stain with a dry cloth and remove any excess liquid. If this is not done immediately, the liquid can soak into the pad underneath the carpet (and then the odor is extremely difficult to remove). With that being said, this should always (always) be your first step to treating any stain - regardless of its permanency.

But next, it’s best to call in the ‘big guns’ and by that - we mean professionals. They know the best products and techniques to use to remove these kind of pesky stains. Plus, they have access to the latest technology and top-quality equipment that’s going to get the job done best. Sure, it may sound like a gimmick, but it really is true. Too many times have we seen people try to pour their own cleaners on stains to only make them worse and end up spending more money than expected to remove a ‘permanent’ stain from their carpet.

Even though it may feel like it, many stains aren’t actually permanent and can be removed with the right equipment. Of course this depends on the exact situation, but a true professional will be able to help you determine what the best route of treatment would be for you.

Above all, don’t try to do-it-yourself! Just give us a call, here at The Steam Team - we’re always happy to help.

Finding the Right Restoration Professional Austin

Water Damage Professional

Now that you know all of the situations in which a restoration professional should be contacted - how do you know who to pick? It would be easy for us to say, “pick us!” but when it comes to damage restoration, our main concern is that you’re working with someone who you trust, who will get the job done right and in a professional and timely manner because they care about you and your family. Of course, this describes The Steam Team to the ‘T’ but we know that there are many other companies out there that you may want to look at, as most consumers do.

So, what should you look for in a professional restoration company?

Availability

When it comes to disaster, it can strike at any time. When looking for a company to help you, you want someone who’s available to help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - because you never know what’s going to happen!

Insurance

These are also the people who will be helping you through the insurance claims process, detailing the damage that was done, so experience with insurance companies is a must!

Experience and Training

Do you know what kind of training damage technicians go through? Do you know how much experience they have? If a company is trying to hide these facts from you, don’t trust them. Any professional you trust with your home - especially in the event of damage - should have extensive experience and undergo rigorous training.

License

Lastly, but certainly not least - a professional damage restoration company will have a license under their belt that says they’re certified to do the work they’re promising to you. If you’re unable to see their license for whatever reason, it’s important that you find a company who’s willing to show you that they are certified to work on your home.

If you have any doubts, please don’t hesitate to contact us here at The Steam Team - you know we’re always ready and willing to help!