You plop on your couch daily. This is your go-to seat when watching sports or your favorite primetime programming. However, everyday use is exactly why the couch is likely teeming with dust and bacteria. You’ll be shocked as you learn some jaw-dropping facts about a dirty couch. Fortunately, keeping the couch clean doesn’t require that much work.

A Filthy Couch May Be Teeming with Mold

During hot and humid days, the upholstery absorbs moisture like a sponge. The same goes for other household items like carpets and mattresses. Moisture plus high heat creates a breeding environment for mold.

A Filthy Couch Has Grease Residue

Your couch is likely full of grease residue even if you have never spilled any oily fluids on the surface. The human body excretes natural oil, which can smear on the couch if your bare skin comes into contact with the surface. Dirt, germs, and debris are attracted to the oily spots like a magnet.

A Filthy Couch Is Full of Bacteria

Research shows that a couch has more bacteria per square inch than a toilet seat. Viruses like those that induce the common cold can survive on fabric surfaces for as long as 24 hours. Your couch could be the source of your illness or allergies.

How Frequently Should You Clean Upholstery?

According to the Hygiene Council, 61% of residents have never had the couch professionally cleaned or have only done so once in the upholstery’s lifetime.

We suggest an annual upholstery cleaning in tandem with a carpet and tile cleaning. Just as you normally wipe your kitchen countertop and bathroom sink, you need to give the same attention to your upholstery.

Let Us Sanitize Your Dirty Couch in Tacoma

Make summer the time of year to freshen your home with a much-needed cleaning. Begin by contacting Rick’s Family Carpet Care. We sanitize a dirty couch and eliminate stubborn stains and foul smells.

Dirty Couch Cleaning and De-sanitization in Tacoma

Serving Customers in Tacoma, Puyallup, Spanaway, Graham, Yelm, McKenna, Roy, Lakewood, Steilacoom, Dupont, Lacey, Tumwater, University Place, Federal Way, Gig Harbor, Sumner, Edgewood, Milton, Kent, Auburn, Renton and Fife

Posted on July 23, 2021 | Published by Ignite Local | Related Local Business

 Carpet cleaning is essential all year round, especially during summer. The same applies to tiles, which can be just as prone to mold and mildew. Learn why summer tile cleaning is important and what you can do to contribute to a sanitized home interior. 

How Summer Creates Dirtier Tiles

Summer means more playtime outdoors. The kids and pets take a dip in the pool or in front of the yard sprinklers. When they return indoors, they attract a lot of that water inside. What’s so bad about water? When the water dries on the tile, it leaves behind a solid deposit and creates an unsightly stain.

Tile Cleaning 101

When cleaning tiles, be modest with the detergent. More soap in the cleaning solution doesn’t equate to cleaner tiles. When you use excessive soap, it creates a sticky residue that attracts dirt and dust.

Another useful method is to dry the floor instead of allowing it to air dry. Homeowners may believe air drying is sufficient particularly in the summer temperatures. Air drying, though, leads to long-lasting stains and watermarks. Just as you don’t let your car air dry after a wash, you shouldn’t air dry the floor.

For optimal results, we recommend professional steaming. This is an effective maintenance procedure for tile cleaning because it eliminates stains and destroys bacteria. Mopping only creates the appearance of cleanliness, but actually creates a dirtier floor by spreading the germs already present on the floor.

We Perform Summer Tile Cleaning in Puyallup

With the hottest season of the year comes airborne contaminants, dust, and sweaty bodies. This is why cleaning is absolutely necessary. This goes for the carpet and upholstery as well. Contact Rick’s Family Carpet Care for summer tile cleaning and maintaining a sanitized living space.

Summer Tile Cleaning and Maintenance in Puyallup

Serving Customers in Tacoma, Puyallup, Spanaway, Graham, Yelm, McKenna, Roy, Lakewood, Steilacoom, Dupont, Lacey, Tumwater, University Place, Federal Way, Gig Harbor, Sumner, Edgewood, Milton, Kent, Auburn, Renton and Fife

Posted on June 23, 2021 | Published by Ignite Local | Related Local Business

Carpet mold is quite commonplace yet is so overlooked. If you have a carpet in your home and haven’t arranged a carpet cleaning in more than a year, then it more than likely has some level of mold. Learn how to recognize the signs of fungal presence, embedded deep in the fibers. 

The Truth About Carpet Mold in Puyallup

Most people never suspect mold in their carpets because the spores lie at the base of the carpet and are well out of sight. However, there are other indicators that hint at the possible presence of harmful fungi. 

Musty Odor

Never ignore a musty smell. Since you’re in the home often, you have become accustomed to the smell and perceive it as normal. However, it will be obvious to a visitor.

Discoloration

Mold in its developed growth stages takes on a distinct color. This may manifest on the fiber surface as blackish or greenish splotches. Even if there isn’t discoloration, the splotches may be noticeable beneath the strands if you examine close up.

Allergies

Mold causes respiratory issues, particularly in those prone to asthma. Increased allergy symptoms could be a sign of mold. The mold might be in your carpet, but it could be in other parts of the interior as well, such as the drywall or furniture upholstery.

Dampness 

Does your basement carpet feel moist to the touch? This may be a sign of a burst pipe. Depending on how long the spot has been exposed to moisture, mold may already be present or in the process of spreading. Dry the area ASAP; the same goes for any spills.

We Clean and Sanitize Your Carpet

Mold can proliferate even on surfaces like tile and grout. You can’t simply scrub it away, especially if it’s on a soft surface like carpet. Contact Rick’s Family Carpet Care if you noticed the aforementioned signs of carpet mold. We’ll sanitize the carpet no matter how deeply the spores are embedded into the carpet.

Carpet Mold Removal in Puyallup

Serving Customers in Tacoma, Puyallup, Spanaway, Graham, Yelm, McKenna, Roy, Lakewood, Steilacoom, Dupont, Lacey, Tumwater, University Place, Federal Way, Gig Harbor, Sumner, Edgewood, Milton, Kent, Auburn, Renton, and Fife

Posted on May 23, 2021 | Published by Ignite Local | Related Local Business

Spilling anything other than water on a carpet can get catastrophic really quickly if you don’t act fast. This is definitely the case pertaining to red wine, long notoriously known as a surface stainer. Fortunately, red wine removal may be possible in some instances.

How Not to Remove Red Wine from a Carpet

Upon a spill, the instinctive reaction is to grab a towel and scrub with all your might at the spill. Don’t do this!. While this may lighten the stain, it’ll also cause it to spread.

You also shouldn’t spray the stain with a conventional stain remover. Many people spray the spot only to discover to their horror the red stain morph into a brownish or greenish tint. Store-bought sprays contain unnatural ingredients that may lead to a chemical reaction.

The Correct Stain Removal Method

Act right away and place two to three sheets of paper towels over the spill. Place a book over the towels to apply firm but light pressure. This transfers most of the liquid from the carpet fibers to the towels. Replace the towels once they completely soak up. Though tempting, don’t scrub with the paper towels.

Next, moisten a clean towel and blot over the spill for two to three minutes. Follow this by applying a dry towel over the spot. Once again, place a weight over the towel. Let it sit overnight.

This should keep the spill from becoming a permanent stain. If some of the stain is still visible, then the next step is professional carpet cleaning. The above procedure also works for upholstery and mattresses. The faster you act the better the odds that you’ll be able to completely remove the stain.

We Perform Red Wine Removal in Puyallup

For more resistant stains, contact Rick’s Family Carpet Care. We clean most floor types, including tile and grout. Red wine removal is possible, but complete removal may require professional equipment.

Professional Red Wine Removal in Puyallup

Serving Customers in Tacoma, Puyallup, Spanaway, Graham, Yelm, McKenna, Roy, Lakewood, Steilacoom, Dupont, Lacey, Tumwater, University Place, Federal Way, Gig Harbor, Sumner, Edgewood, Milton, Kent, Auburn, Renton and Fife

Posted on April 23, 2021 | Published by Ignite Local | Related Local Business

Carpet dents are visually unsightly. These occur as furniture leaves indentation marks that you can’t just smooth over. You may need carpet repair services, though you can reduce the dent with some easy methods.

How Do Carpet Dents Form?

Carpet dents form when you leave upholstered furniture in the same spot for many years without moving it. This is definitely true for furniture with legs. The heavy furniture presses down on the floor and creates long-lasting indentations. The bulkier the furniture, the more pronounced the dent.

How to Prevent It

It begins with prevention so the dents don’t occur in the first place. An effective method is to move the furniture every two to three weeks. A complete relocation isn’t necessary; a movement of several inches suffice as long as the legs are in a completely different position.

Another way is to more evenly distribute the furniture’s weight. Normally, the furniture’s entire weight rests on four slender legs. Evenly allocate that weight by placing furniture discs under the legs. This won’t completely eliminate the dents, but the indentation won’t be as pronounced.

How to Remove the Dents

If dents already exist, then you can try some easy fixes. You can experiment with the ice method by setting an ice cube on the dent and letting it melt into the dent. Once completely melted, wipe away the water with a dry towel and smooth over the spot using a spoon or scraper tool. Conversely, you can also apply heat: press an ironed and moist towel over the dent and smooth over with a spoon or scraper.

We Smooth Over Carpets in Puyallup

Contact Rick’s Family Carpet Care if you have profound indentations on your carpet. We often restore dents as part of a routine carpet cleaning. Carpet dents can be quite stubborn and warrant removal by a professional.

Restoring Carpet Dents in Puyallup

Serving Customers in Tacoma, Puyallup, Spanaway, Graham, Yelm, McKenna, Roy, Lakewood, Steilacoom, Dupont, Lacey, Tumwater, University Place, Federal Way, Gig Harbor, Sumner, Edgewood, Milton, Kent, Auburn, Renton, and Fife

Posted on March 23, 2021 | Published by Ignite Local | Related Local Business

What’s the gravest threat to a carpet? Is it dirt, dog pee, wine spills? No, water is actually a carpet’s biggest threat. By water, we’re not talking about a small spill from a cup of H2O. We mean a soaked carpet from a flood or a serious pipe leak. The good news is that a flooded carpet may be salvageable. 

How to Save a Flooded Carpet 

First, you need to call a carpet cleaning company ASAP. They’ll determine whether the carpet is savable. You can also conduct a few easy steps on your end. Do these steps to quickly remove as much of the water as you can.

• Lay towels over the wet carpet; replace them with dry ones once they’re mostly saturated.
• Use high-powered fans; you can rent these at your local hardware store. 
• Open all the doors and windows. However, if it’s a humid day, then shut the windows and switch on the heating system instead.
• Switch on the dehumidifier and keep it running for the entire day. Periodically inspect the dehumidifier’s canister and empty it when it’s nearly filled to the brim.
• Pour baking soda over the wet carpet to minimize odors. Let it sit for 30-minutes before vacuuming it.

When to Replace a Carpet

In some instances, you might have to dispose of a wet carpet and replace it. This may be the case if you don’t act right away and mold begins growing, which can occur as quickly as 24 hours. We also recommend replacing the carpet if the floodwater included unsanitary black water. The same goes for upholstery and furniture that were also saturated in the process.

Let Us Restore Your Soaked Carpet in Tacoma

Whether from rainfall or a burst pipe, contact Rick’s Family Carpet Care if water engulfs your carpet. We also provide tile and grout cleaning as part of a wider cleaning project. A soaked carpet is a serious issue that warrants professional servicing right away.

Soaked Carpet Restoration in Tacoma

Serving Customers in Tacoma, Puyallup, Spanaway, Graham, Yelm, McKenna, Roy, Lakewood, Steilacoom, Dupont, Lacey, Tumwater, University Place, Federal Way, Gig Harbor, Sumner, Edgewood, Milton, Kent, Auburn, Renton and Fife

Posted on February 23, 2021 | Published by Ignite Local | Related Local Business

Are there black streaks on your carpet? This is typical among lighter-colored carpets. These occur as filtration soil makes its way indoors. We’ll explain what this type of soil is and how to remove it.

What Is Filtration Soil and Why Is It Common in Tacoma Homes?

Filtration soil appears as black lines that mainly form on carpet edges and close to doorways. Unfortunately, these stains are resistant to most store-bought stain removers. Many homeowners have attempted to rid their carpet of these unsightly marks. Once the stains manifest, professional carpet cleaning is likely the only viable remedy.

Why are the streaks so hard to remove? Filtration soil consists of dirt, salt, and other airborne particles. When these elements get indoors, the carpet acts as a filter that traps these materials. Carpet fibers also catch contaminants like cigarette or candle smoke. In some cases, the streaks may even manifest on upholstery or tile and wooden surfaces.

Prevention Measures

Prevention is the best remedy. If installing a new carpet, we recommend a darker color. This won’t prevent filtration soil, but the streaks will be a lot less visible to the naked eye. We also suggest minimizing the use of anything that gives off heat, such as candles and the fireplace. When entering the home, leave all footwear and outer coats by the doorstep.

Also, be sure to replace or clean the furnace filter regularly. For best results, use filters with a high MERV rating that can catch more microscopic particles. 

Finally, keep doors in unused rooms wide open. When doors are closed, the HVAC sucks air from the thin slot under the door. This causes black lines to form in the room’s entryway. 

We Remove Carpet Stains and Streaks

Airborne contaminants in the Tacoma area typically end up as filtration soil inside homes. Rick’s Family Carpet Care has the commercial tools to erase stains on even the whitest carpets. Our special offers include filtration soil removal on all carpet types.

Carpet Filtration Soil Removal in Tacoma

Serving Customers in Tacoma, Puyallup, Spanaway, Graham, Yelm, McKenna, Roy, Lakewood, Steilacoom, Dupont, Lacey, Tumwater, University Place, Federal Way, Gig Harbor, Sumner, Edgewood, Milton, Kent, Auburn, Renton, and Fife

Posted on January 23, 2021 | Published by Ignite Local | Related Local Business

Winter is the time of year when your carpet needs extra attention. Carpet cleaning is important this season because the fibers are prone to staining due to chemicals used to counteract frigid weather. We’ll discuss why winter carpet care is a must.

How Winter Affects the Carpet

Tacoma isn’t the frostiest region, though the city does get cold enough that it might undergo light snowfall. How can snow negatively impact carpets? The snow you track into the house is more than just ice; it’s also a collection of dirt, road salt, and other debris. Snow that collects on your shoes ends up on the carpet.

How does this mess up the carpet? When the snow melts and evaporates, it leaves behind calcium and magnesium deposits. This creates a form of whitish crust that stains the carpet strands. A crusted surface will need extensive carpet repair. Continue Reading →

Most homeowners have heard of the 5-second rule. If food drops on the floor, it’s still sanitary enough to eat if you pick it up within five seconds. Is this true or a long-held myth? Let’s explore this notion further.

Science’s Stance on the 5-Second Rule

Research from Aston University in the U.K. delved into the 5-second rule. Researchers tested the bacteria content of food after dropping on the floor. They concluded that the time food remains on the floor does indeed matter. The type of floor is just as important.

As it turns out, bacteria from tile and grout has a higher probability of transferring to the food than germs from the carpet. This is because hard floors are usually filthier due to insufficient cleaning processes. You may believe the tiles are clean after mopping the floor. However, all the mop does is spread the bacteria over a greater surface area. This is not the case with carpet cleaning, which involves vacuuming and steam cleaning. Continue Reading →

Carpet care goes beyond the yearly steam cleaning. It may also require a good stretch every few years. Why does a carpet scrunch up in the first place? How do you know if it’s time to schedule carpet stretching?

What Causes Carpet Ripples?

Multiple factors account for the carpet scrunching up. One cause is excess humidity. Moisture in the air penetrates the carpet, causing the floor beneath to swell. You can prevent this with a dehumidifier.

Carpet waves may also arise due to dragging heavy furniture and appliances across the surface. This pulls on the carpet, causing any slack to push to one side. If the furniture is too heavy to lift off the floor, then use the floorboard hack. Lift the furniture just enough to place it on a laminate floorboard. Place a second board in front of the first and gradually “walk” the furniture to its destination. Continue Reading →