Candles and Carpet

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In the fall and winter we tend to make our homes cozier by burning candles. Candles come in wonderful holiday and winter scents such as cinnamon, pine, and pumpkin and can make your house smell holiday fresh.

It’s a good idea to use a glass plate under a candle called a charger to prevent wax from overflowing and ruining furniture and carpet.

Most candle makers say not to leave candles burning unattended. Leaving a candle to burn unattended can cause a variety of undesirable outcomes such as fire or wax dripping on furniture, fabrics or carpet.

If you have an area where wax dripped onto your carpet give us a call and we can tell you the best way to handle this dilemma. Call Russ or Ryan at Commercial Steam Team 952-224-7222.

Happy Kwanzaa

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Happy Kwanzaa from now until Jan 1.

Happy Chanukah/Hannukah

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Happy Chanukah/Hannukah from Commercial Steam Team!

Winter Carpet Care for Facilities Managers

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Now that it is cold outside more people are catching colds, the flu and viruses. If you manage a commercial building where many people visit every day such as a medical building, school or daycare it is important to steam clean carpet in the building to kill bacteria and germs to keep visitor and employees of the building healthy.

By regularly steam cleaning commercial carpets you also prevent the buildup of dirt and smells.

Thinking of having your commercial carpet cleaned? Give us a call for a free estimate and ask about our after business hours scheduling. Yes, we clean carpets at night when it’s more convenient for you at no extra charge.

Commercial Steam Team 952-224-7222.

Vikings Giveaways, Free Gear and Prizes

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Lots of great stuff going on if you are a Vikings fan. Follow the following links for free Vikings gear, promotions and cool prizes.

Win Vikings gear – # PURPLEFRIDAY just submit your photo here http://www.vikings.com/fans/purple-fridays.html

Fan promotions and cool prizes page http://www.vikings.com/fans/promotions/all-promotions.html

The Vikings official website is http://www.vikings.com/

For Vikings game schedule visit http://www.vikings.com/schedule/season-schedule.html

Today is Pearl Harbor Day

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Please remember the valiant sacrifices that our men in uniform have made and continue to make.

New Challenges Testimonial

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“Hi Russ, Your team is doing a fabulous job cleaning our carpets! Thanks so much for your consistency and perfection.”
Sue Fries
Eagan, MN

Fresh Cleaned Carpet For Holidays

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As it gets colder your family spends more time inside your home. If you have kids they usually like to sit on the floor and play video games or watch TV. Now is a good time to clean your carpet since you’ll be spending so much time inside. With the holidays coming up your home will smell clean and fresh.

Give us a call before our winter rush Commercial Steam Team 952-224-7222.

Embassy Suites Testimonial

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“Thank you again for doing such a great job cleaning the carpeting in our restaurant, bar and banquet space – it looks awesome! Pat, the Chief Engineer for our hotel, took notice as well and he asked me to pass your contact information on to him to possibly do work for the hotel side.”
Tonya Underdahl
Bloomington, MN

Fireplace Safety

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Many of our customers have fire places in their homes and when the air outside gets chilly there is nothing like getting cozy next to a warm fire. Before you start using your fireplace or wood stove for the season it is a good idea to call a chimney sweep to clean your chimney. Soot, sap and carbon ash build up in chimneys so they need annual cleaning. If they do not get cleaned there is danger of a chimney fire.

Soot and ash can also be spilled on carpet next to the mantle and resist being vacuumed. We can help get the stains out of your carpet with steam cleaning. Give us a call for a free estimate; we’d love to talk to you. Commercial Steam Team 952-224-7222

Juan R. Testimonial

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Great, very good.

This is not the first time that Commercial Steam Team has provided their carpet cleaning services. They do a good job with everything every time, so I know that we hire them that they’re going to do quality work.

The people who come do a good job and they’re friendly. If something happens to go wrong, I know that we can always call them back and they’ll come back and fix it without any problems. Overall, it’s always been a great experience with them.

Juan R.
Minneapolis, MN

Eric M. Testimonial

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They even impressed my wife!

Commercial Steam Team does a wonderful job. They came in to do my carpets, and did so on time. The technician was very courteous, and he really knew what he was doing. Their work even impressed my wife, and she has some pretty high standards. I have already recommended them to my friends, and would recommend them to anyone else!

Eric M.
Shakopee, MN

CST Quality Control Means The Best Job For You

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Did you know that we have a Quality Control System in place at CST? Aimed at making sure that every job we do is the BEST job, our Clean Carpet Quality Control (CCQC) System has been in place for years, and monitors every aspect of each project.

From initial calls and scheduling, through the actual project itself and even to follow-up calls to ensure everything met or exceeded your expectations, CCQC is here to make sure that you are completely happy with our work.

Since we build our business based on referrals, its critical to us that everything is perfect for you. How else can we get more referrals!

Read about our CCQC program here, and please send us referrals – it helps us grow even stronger and better at what we do!

Zander Real Estate Testimonial

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“My sellers used Commercial Steam Team and [you] did an awesome job! She can’t stop talking about how much better her carpets are than when they used Zerorez a few months ago. Thanks for making me look good – yet again Russ!”

Zander Real Estate Team
Eagan, MN
Cathy Zander

Massage Envy Testimonial

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“Hi Ryan,
Thank you for doing a great job cleaning our carpets again! Your company always does excellent work and makes the process easy for me.
Thank you.”

Laura
Massage Envy
Lake Calhoun

Making Fleas Flee

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Fleas are an annoying and dangerous pest that can make life miserable. Not only can they be difficult to get rid of, but in some cases the cures can seem almost as bad as the problem. Of course, since fleas carry a number of diseases such as typhus; pneumonic, septicemic, and bubonic plagues; spotted fever; bacteremia; endocarditis; bacillary angiomatosis; and peliosis hepatis, as well as being a carrier for the Hymenolepiasis tapeworm, getting rid of them is a priority.

Fleas are often brought into the home on a pet and they rapidly set up housekeeping. Within 10 minutes they can decide to infest other animals and people, and then it can be no time until a full epidemic is underway.

Most treatment strategies involve insecticides, which should immediately inspire you to caution, since insecticides are generally neurotoxins, which means they attack the brain and central nervous system. This can be especially problematic in households with pregnant mothers and children.

For other treatments, including some that are non-toxic, read our article on What’s Living In Your Carpet?

Performance Office Papers Testimonial

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Hi

As you know we had our carpets cleaned this past Friday.  They were a “mess” to say the least and I want you to know that we are pleased with the job that was done.  The carpets look great.

I was not here when the carpets were being cleaned, but I was told by my co-worker that the cleaning techs, Jeff and Louie,  were very nice, thorough, and professional.

Thank you and them for the good job!

Jo Knutson

Performance Office Papers

Lakeville, MN

Best of Rosemount Award

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We recently won the 2014 Best of Rosemount Award for Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning!

bestofrosemount2014

Are You Under Attack By Carpet Beetles?

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Carpet beetles are an often overlooked pest that can cause a range of problems.

The greatest impact that carpet beetles have is on products of animal origin such as furs, woolens, and feathers. Overall, in most cases they are much more common and more damaging to fabrics than clothes moths.

Carpet beetles also can infest dried food products in your pantry. They are generally less damaging than many other pests in this area because they reproduce slowly (about one generation per year), they can nevertheless be a recurring problem since annual migrations can bring them back year after year.

Carpet beetles can also cause red bite-like welts on your skin. Since the beetles are attracted to the carbon dioxide that we exhale, they are often found in beds, particularly feather pillows. Unlike bed bugs, carpet beetles do not bite. The reason for the welts is that some people are allergic to carpet beetles. In particular, the long hairs on carpet beetle larvae can penetrate into the skin and trigger the allergic reaction. These hairs can even go through fabric. If other people live in your house and they are not experiencing these welts, this is a good indication that the problem could be carpet beetles rather than bed bugs, since bed bugs would tend to bite everyone indiscriminately.

Treatment:

  • Discard clothing items that have been heavily damaged
  • Wash clothing in hot soapy water
  • Steam clean your carpets

For more information on pests that can live in your carpet, read our article on What’s Living In Your Carpet?

Ellis Properties Testimonial

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Ryan,

Good afternoon!

I just wanted to say Thank You again for the flawless service! The guys did a fantastic job yesterday and ‘field’ Ryan was kind enough to give me a little walk-through when they were done to let me know how everything went. They did fantastic and quick work and I think my boss is going to be very pleased with the results. (Your dad was perfect in his guess on how it would go!)

So I just wanted to say thanks again for yours and everyone’s time, we really appreciate it! If there’s any way I can be of help, please just let me know, otherwise I look forward to getting the chance to work with you again!!

Thanks,

 

Michael Erickson
Ellis Properties, LLP

How to Vacuum Litter

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Start by using the hose with the corner attachment. This will give you the highest suction power possible. Hover over the area to be cleaned to pull up as much material as possible. (Avoiding contact with the carpet will avoid driving the litter deeper into the carpet.)

Do not use the broom or brush attachment, since these will also drive the litter deeper into the carpet. Similarly, a hand vacuum is to be avoided if possible.

When done, apply a carpet deodorizer so that the kitty won’t decide that this is a new litter box.

If your cat does decide to use the floor as a litter box, give us a call so that we can get out those deep-rooted smells!

For more information on cat litter and your carpet, read our article!

When Should Office Carpets Be Steam Cleaned?

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Do you manage an office building or are you in charge of having your office carpets cleaned? If so, do you know how often they should be cleaned?

Office buildings should have their carpets steam cleaned every 6 months to a year depending on the number of employees and the conditions they walk in on the way to the building entrance.

If you’d like to learn more about how often to clean commercial carpet, visit our page commercial carpet cleaning schedules.

Dog Feet and Carpet

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Now that it’s summer you will be spending more time outdoors with your pets. Keeping your carpet clean after your outings is simple if you remember to remove your shoes before entering the house.

You can’t take off your dog’s shoes but you can have a prep area where paws can be cleaned.

When your dog comes back from an outing you can use a very soft paw brush and a clean cloth to remove debris before it is tracked onto carpet. If it is a particularly muddy or rainy day you can place a dishpan or low bucket by the door and dip each paw to get the mud off first.

Regardless of the weather, many homeowners, associations, and multi-unit managers spray herbicides and pesticides on lawns and around shrubs. Pesticides in particular are neuro-toxins, meaning that they attack the central nervous systems of any animals that breathe or ingest them. This mean that if your dog cleans it’s feet after walking across treated areas then it can be ingesting poisons that can cause brain damage, so you may wish to rinse your dog’s paws even on nice days to keep your pet safe. This will also help keep these same pesticides and herbicides from being deposited into your carpet where you or your children may be exposed.

A little prep work can help your pet’s paws stay clean and your carpet clean.

If we can help clean your carpet please call Russ or Ryan at Commercial Steam Team 952-224-7222

Things to Do with Kids in Minneapolis

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There are lots of fun kid things to do all over Minneapolis and the Twin Cities. We’ve put together a list that we hope you’ll enjoy!

 

Minnesota Zoo May 24th – September 1

Big Bugs exhibit featuring giant robotic bugs and a live bug display showcasing how bugs live and why they are important. Visit mnzoo.org

 

Science Museum of Minnesota – Open Tuesdays through Saturdays

It’s Dinosaurs in the exhibit galleries and Omnitheatre. Visit smm.org

 

Three Rivers Parks – Open Daily

Beaches, dog parks, boating, disc golf, geocaching, biking, fishing, hiking, nature education and play areas. Lots of activities to do for free in Hennepin County. Visit threeriversparks.org

Commercial Steam Team wishes you a fun filled summer!

Restaurant Bathrooms Shine

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Have you ever been to a nice restaurant where every detail went into the presentation until you walked into the bathroom? Restaurant bathrooms are often overlooked when it comes to cleaning. Customers notice little things like the bathroom and often form an opinion on the cleanliness of the kitchen based the cleanliness of the bathroom. This can determine whether they want to visit your restaurant again.

Many finer restaurants understand that restrooms should shine and make a good impression. Grease, food and dirt can build up on tile and grout and take on a pungent smell making bathrooms less than pleasant.

Did you know that Commercial Steam Team can clean grout and tile and make them sparkle? Better still, we can do this while we’re cleaning your carpets, upholstery, and cubicle walls!

Call us today at 952-224-7222 for a free estimate!

Commercial Carpet Emergencies

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This time of year is when you get heavy traffic on commercial carpets and exposure to more dirt, spills and stains. It is good to know that in case of a carpet disaster you can count on us to save the day! Whatever your emergency we can help, even scheduling cleanings in the evening during less busy times.

Call the carpet cleaning experts at Commercial Steam Team 952-224-7222

Commercial Carpet Cleaning Satisfaction Guaranteed!

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We are a family owned and operated business and we pride our service with high-quality control standards. Quality control is critical for Commercial Steam Team, in fact, a few days after we clean your carpet we will call you to check and see if you are satisfied with our service, your carpet is clean and you are happy with our work.

Want to learn more about the Commercial Steam Team Quality Control System? Visit this page to learn more.

We provide a totally different experience and reward our employee which keeps our performance standards high. Take a minute and check out the main Commercial Steam Team website or call us for a free estimate on commercial carpet cleaning at 952-224-7222.

Minneapolis Motels and Bloomington Hotels Buffet and Banquet Carpet Cleaning

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Banquet rooms get used for seminars, parties and corporate events that usually involve food and drink.

Spills and accidents from guests happen frequently and may not get cleaned up right away leaving the banquet room carpet dirty and stained. It is important to have buffet carpet cleaned periodically to remove the food and drink spills.

Check out our video of a buffet cleaning in Minneapolis: click here to watch!

Commercial Steam Team has offered Bloomington commercial carpet cleaning since the company began over ten years ago. We understand that it is important to have clean carpets and equally important that your business is not disrupted by carpet cleaning.

We use the highest quality equipment and have professionally trained staff to guarantee your carpet is cleaned to the highest standards. We also have flexible hours that include nights and weekends.

Give us a call today for a free estimate 952-224-7222

Hotel Carpet Cleaning At Your Convenience

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As summer approaches hotel carpets get heavier usage and dirt, spills and debris can be tracked in on footwear and luggage rollers. Most commercial grade carpets are durable and stain resistant but hotels get much more traffic compared to a typical office building and may need more frequent cleaning during the busy season.

We understand that taking time during your busy season to clean carpets can be difficult – that’s why we offer commercial carpet cleaning on both on and off hours. We work with your schedule so your business and your guests are not disrupted while we make your carpets clean.

Call the professional team at Commercial Steam Team for a free no obligation estimate at 952-224-7222 or learn more about our company by visiting https://commercialsteamteam.com/

 

Why Does a Restaurant Smell Bad to Some People? Part Two

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In our last post we talked about restaurant carpets trapping spills, grease and bacteria and producing bad smells. But there are several other areas of a restaurant where bad smells can come from such as mops, cleaning cloths and upholstery.

One of the biggest mistakes restaurants make is to use a mop that has been standing in a mop bucket that is not clean. Mop buckets should be prepared with hot water and proper degreasing cleaner before use. When done mopping the floor, mop buckets and mops should be rinsed in hot water to get all the grease and dirt out of them or else they quickly develop a rotten smell.

Another odor-producing place is dirty wiping cloths used to clean tables and booths. Cleaning cloths should be clean smelling and the bucket of sanitizer should be cleaned before the start of every shift or whenever dirty. Cleaning with a dirty cloth can make a restaurant smell bad and spread bacteria and germs.

Upholstery is another area that gets overlooked and where smells build up from grease, spills and bacteria. Restaurants that have upholstery on booth seats and walls require periodic steam cleaning as well to keep the restaurant clean and prevent those bad smells.

Remember that people get used to a smell and after a short period of time don’t even notice it any more. This means that your staff may be completely unaware of odors that may cause customers to leave or to never come back. Translation: make sure to use cleaning tools that are themselves kept clean, even if you think your customers won’t notice.

Know a restaurant that needs our help? Get a Free, no obligation estimate on carpet and upholstery cleaning from Commercial Steam Team and make your restaurant shine! Call us today at 952-224-7222

Why Does a Restaurant Smell Bad to Some People? Part One

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After reading restaurant reviews in Minneapolis you’ll find that customers not only judge service, quality and selection of food at a restaurant they also judge cleanliness. If you have bad smells in your restaurant it can ruin people’s dining experience. Smells can build up over time and you may not even notice it. It’s easy for your staff to get used to a smell and after a short period of time not even notice it any more. This means that they may be completely unaware of odors that may cause customers to leave or to never come back. Aside from that, people have different smell sensitivities and can be offended by smells.

There are preventative measures that restaurant managers can take to prevent smell buildup and provide an excellent dining experience.

The biggest part of a restaurant that can produce smells is the carpet. Food, drink and grease spills can get trapped in carpet and build up a terrible smell. One way to prevent this is to have your carpets steam cleaned periodically to remove all the grease, food, dirt and bacteria.

Steam cleaning under the tables and in the high traffic areas around the kitchen will not only prevent bad smells but also extends the life of restaurant carpet.

Check out how Commercial Steam Team cleans this restaurant buffet area: click here to watch the video./

Carpets can be steam cleaned after you close your restaurant and be ready to use within a few hours.

Wondering how much it would be to have restaurant carpet steam cleaned? Give Commercial Steam Team a call for a no obligation estimate at 952-224-7222

Time to Get Rid of the Winter Buildup

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After a long hard winter there are many things in your carpet. Food spills, skin cells, pet detritus, and de-icers are only the tip of the iceberg. This is quite literally true, because most of the damage is hiding invisibly down among the fibers of your carpet, down where it can feed mites and bacteria, creating health hazards and bad smells that you probably don’t even notice by now. Trust me, people that don’t experience your carpet every day can notice those smells.

A deep extraction steam cleaning is the diagnosis for this condition of winter yuck buildup. Steam cleaning will flush out those contaminants and leave your carpet fresh and clean.

In the meantime, there are a few things you can do to take care of the worst of spills without damaging your carpet. See our article on Carpet Stain Removal to learn more, but remember that the longer a stain lies on and in your carpet the more likely it is to become permanent.

Call Commercial Steam Team today at 952-224-7222 to see how we can help make your carpet clean and fresh!

Hotel Carpet and Vacation Season

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Minnesota has had a late spring and that has put most businesses behind schedule with getting the winter salt and sand out of their entrance ways and carpets. June is just around the corner; once schools close for summer people start traveling and the peak season for hotels start. It may be a good idea to get the winter salt out of your carpet before the busy season kicks in.

It’s also a great time to set up a regular cleaning schedule for your carpets! See our article on hotel carpet cleaning for help with scheduling.

Get a Free, no obligation estimate carpet cleaning from Commercial Steam Team and make your hotel shine! Call us today at 952-224-7222

Protecting Hotel Carpet

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Having your carpet treated with a carpet protector is a great investment. Once we clean your carpet have us apply a protector and if you act quickly you will be able to remove many stains that would otherwise set in.

Keep in mind that the longer it is before you act the more likely that the stain will become permanent, even with a protector applied, and no carpet is completely stain proof.

If you do have a spill, blot the stain with a dry white absorbent cloth or towel. Do NOT scrub the area!

Work from the outside-in to minimize spreading the stain.

If your spill is dry, vacuum the spill before trying other methods. If it is semi-solid, gently lift the staining material with a round spoon.

Carpet protectors will help improve the effectiveness of these strategies.

Carpet is Made in America

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Did you know that, according to the Carpet and Rug Institute, 98% of carpet in use in the U.S.  is manufactured in the United States? Remember to keep your American-made carpet clean with a local American company – Commercial Steam Team!

Pet Odor Removal

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Dogs and cats can bring such joy into your family and also some of the most difficult carpet odor, hair and stain problems.  We train our pets to behave indoors but occasionally there are accidents which have us looking for how to remove dog odor from carpet and asking, how do I get urine smell out of carpet?

There are many methods of pet odor removal and getting cat urine out of carpet so choosing the right carpet pet odor removal is important. For instance using ammonia when you are getting cat urine out of carpet only encourages the cat to urinate in that spot again. Ammonia is already in urine so you would not want to make this spot smell familiar by using more ammonia. There are many home remedies and products being sold that simply just don’t work.

When a cat or dog urinates on your carpet it’s best to act fast with an absorbent cotton cloth like a towel or if you are in a hurry a wad of paper towels. Wad up the towel and step on it to absorb as much liquid as possible change towels until there is no more liquid being absorbed. Next mix a solution of equal parts water and white vinegar to rinse the area so it penetrates to the fibers. Take a clean colorless towel or rag and blot out all the liquid until dry. Changing rags when they get wet will help soak up the spill quicker and prevent it from getting moldy when it dries.

Pet hair removers for the carpet such as a rubber fur removal brush sweeps pet hair away and can keep the majority of hair off furniture and carpets but it does not get it all off. Cat hair or longer dog hair is resistant to lint brushes so they do not work as well as a big piece of duct tape. Take a piece of duct tape and wind it around your hand and use it like a lint brush. You have heard that duct tape sticks to anything and it is the best quick hair removal tool. Pet hair has oil and dander on it and can cause odor if left unattended. By removing pet hair from furniture with a brush and by vacuuming carpet frequently you can keep carpet smelling cleaner.

The best way to remove pet odor and stains from pet urine is with a professional carpet cleaning from Commercial Steam Team. Call us today at 952-224-7222 to learn more!

Kids, Carpet, and Spring

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It’s spring time, and with the welcome weather comes an unwelcome party crasher: mud! Oftentimes this unwelcome intruder brings along another unwanted guest when road salts and de-icers combine with dirt to make a particularly toxic mix.

Make sure you keep as much as possible of this unwelcome combination out of your home by encouraging children to use entrance mats, taking off footwear by the entrance, and quickly vacuuming what gets past these cautionary measures.

To further ensure that your home is healthy and safe, call Commercial Steam Team at 952-224-7222 to make sure your carpet is as clean as can be with our environmentally safe carpet cleaning!

Hotel Carpet Cleaning

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It’s important to have a cleaning schedule for your hotel. Operating in a random-response format can not only shorten the life of your carpet, it can also adversely impact your business, since people often notice dirty carpet and go ‘on lookout’ for more evidence of a lack of cleanliness.

How often should you clean your carpet? According to Dalton Hospitality Carpet Mills, hospitality cleaning schedules should vary depending on traffic levels and types of contaminants.

Keep in mind that high-traffic areas like entrances and special locations such as in-house restaurants will require a different schedule than most hallways, for instance.

Here is a rough chart with vacuum and hot water extraction cleaning from Dalton:

Traffic Level   Vacuum                      Hot Water Extraction

Light                     2-3 times a week         Annually

Medium               Daily                              Twice a year

Heavy                   1+ times a day             Quarterly

Severe                   1+ times a day            Minimum Monthly / Weekly

Pet Owners – How To Cut Back on Litter

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kittysmCats can be a joy and a comfort, and unfortunately they can also be a problem on occasion. One such occasion is when they track litter around the home or office.

Litter that is no longer ‘fresh out of the box’ is as we know not very sanitary, and having that spread around is not good. Clumping cat litter in particular is very trackable. Litter can spread germs and smells, and if enough builds up can be an inspiration to start a new kitty bathroom. Besides, it hurts to walk on litter in bare feet.

A quick solution for reducing most of this litter problem is simply to have a carpet remnant or sample on the approach to and under the litter box. These remnants are much easier to clean. (Just take them outside and shake and beat them out.) A medium length cut pile carpet is generally best for this purpose.

For more ideas on controlling litter issues, visit our page on Cat Litter and Carpet.

Dusty Drapes and Your Carpet

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It can be frustrating to clean a carpet and have it be seemingly full of dust within a few days.

Many of the things in your home can collect dust and when you walk past that dust it gets stirred up in the air where it then falls back on furniture or on your carpet. Your carpet collects the dust that falls from the air and it gathers there until it’s vacuumed up. It’s a good idea to try to clean up these dusty areas before you vacuum.

One place where dust collects is on your drapes and curtains. Dusty drapes often get overlooked when we clean our house because they still often look clean. If you stand in the sunshine when you open your drapes you can see all the dust that is swirling in the air from the drapes.

Curtains and drapes collect a huge amount of dust and dirt over time and distribute it every time the drapes are moved. By regularly cleaning your drapes you can help cut down on dust on your furniture and dust build up on carpets.

It’s important when cleaning drapes to follow the manufactures directions on the tag on how to clean them. Curtains typically can be machine washed but always follow the directions on the tag as well.

Road Salt Stains In Carpet

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In Minnesota we get lots of snow and ice so we use chemicals to melt ice on our sidewalks and roads.  Those winter chemicals can build up on your carpet leaving distinctive white rings when it dries.

Have you ever looked at your boots half way through winter and noticed a white chalky substance? This is from the chemicals used on sidewalks, driveways and parking lots to melt snow and ice. These chemicals build up on your footwear and get tracked in on your carpet. Calcium chloride and sodium chloride, also known as road salt, melt the snow and ice on the road. They also promote corrosion and rust on your car, so you can imagine what road salt will do to the carpet in your home.

Road salt or sidewalk de-icer is gritty and when in chunks can collect on the bottom of your shoes and be tracked indoors onto your carpet. Add melted snow and ice and these chemicals dissolve, allowing them to invisibly coat your shoes and boots. In this liquid form they then soak into your carpet and then leave a crusty white ring when they dry. Add road sludge to the mix and now you have dirty brown or black stains.

The best way to prevent road salt stains on carpet is by removing your shoes before entering your home.

One of the easiest ways to encourage this is to buy a boot tray. Then either buy a small rug that will fit inside the boot tray, or use a dark towel that you no longer want or need. Place the rug or towel inside the boot tray. This will absorb the water from the shoes and boots, wick it away, and allow the water to evaporate. That way you won’t have as much dirty residue deposited around the tray when you put your footwear back on.

Prevent Problems With Cat Litter in Carpet

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cat on carpet cleaningThe simplest way to keep your kitty from tracking dirty cat litter into your carpet is to change the litter frequently. Once a cat’s litter becomes dirty the clumps may stick to their fur or between their toes and be tracked throughout the house.

To further minimize the spread of litter, place small carpet remnants or carpet samples under and around the litter box for at least a three foot distance. Whenever these carpet pieces become dirty with litter take them outside and shake and beat them out, or if this is not possible, then vacuum these pieces frequently.

For more great ideas read this article on keeping litter out of your carpet.

For the best in pet safe carpet cleaning call Commercial Steam Team today at 952-224-7222

How often should you clean your carpet?

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Fiber producers and carpet manufacturers recommend that a residential carpet should be professionally cleaned at least every 6 to 12 months for best performance.  Soil that is not removed from the carpeting cuts and slices on the carpet fibers, breaking down the carpet yarn. The result is that even with restorative cleaning, it won’t correct the damage that has been carried out to the fiber.

If you are someone who has heard the phrase “Wait as long as you can prior to having your carpets cleaned..” or “Once you’ve cleaned your carpet, it’s never the same..”, these comments are a result of carpet cleaners that have left  the carpet  with an overload of detergent residue and heavy oils, that do not get completely extracted with some cleaning systems.  As a result, the new dirt is attracted back to the ‘old dirt’ and heavy oils that were brought to the surface during the cleaning process.  Once you walk around in the space for a few weeks, the carpet looks dirty again because the new dirt is attracted back to the old dirt.

In conclusion, carpet that is cleaned properly, every 6 to 12 months, will last longer and be healthier for the environment of your home.