Carpet attracts debris year-round. However, dirt and dust accumulation really ramp up in the summer. We’ll explain the factors that make summer carpet cleaning an essential component for good housekeeping. Just because the carpet appears clean doesn’t make it so.

Increased Foot Traffic

The children are out of school. With more people occupying the home for longer hours, you can bet the carpet will come into contact with more dirt. The kids will waltz in and out the front door or backyard, attracting more dirt to the carpet each time. Incorporate a strict house rule of no shoes in the living room.

Foot Traffic from Pets

Many pet owners swear their dog’s or cat’s energy level skyrockets in the summer months. Pets that continuously trot around the carpet are going to leave behind fur and dander. In addition, dogs that aren’t getting adequate stimulation outdoors may do so indoors and in the worst possible ways. This includes scratching, pawing, and even answering nature’s call on the carpet and upholstery. Continue Reading →

You may not be aware of it, but home furniture undergoes a lot of punishment. The fabric is pulled, compressed and stretched on a daily basis. It’s exposed to dust, dirt, dander, and more. Food particles are spilled on it and then ground into the cracks and crevices. Liquids can get spilled, and even though you can try to soak up the spill with a towel, the fabric’s fibers still absorb a certain amount. Over time, your once-clean furniture becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. This is why you can’t eschew upholstery cleaning from a professional. Learn why regular cleaning is beneficial and necessary.

1. Makes Your Home More Welcoming

No one wants to sit down on a piece of furniture that’s visibly soiled or has a strange odor coming from it. Plus, it’s not sanitary.

Don’t stop inviting friends and neighbors over to your house because you feel uncomfortable about the way your furniture appears or smells. Instead, take action now and arrange for an upholstery cleaning.

2. Preserves Your Upholstery

When Rick’s Family Carpet Care cleans your upholstery regularly, you can be confident you’re entrusting your furniture to the hands of licensed professionals. We’re up to date with the latest industry techniques and standards to ensure our customers get the quality service they paid for.

3. Reduces Effects of Allergies

Your home is a place of refuge after a long day in the office. You want to feel safe and protected behind its doors. Allergens aren’t a part of that scenario.

By making an appointment biannually to have your upholstery professionally cleaned, you’re being proactive about keeping your home safe for your family members who may be prone to allergies. They will be healthier and happier in their indoor environment.

Leave the Upholstery Cleaning to Us

If you can’t recall the last time you had your upholstered furniture professionally cleaned, call Rick’s Family Carpet Care to make an appointment today. Learn more about our carpet cleaning, carpet repair and tile & grout cleaning services, which go hand-in-hand with upholstery cleaning.

Your Professional Upholstery Cleaning Experts

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, 2020 | Published by Ignite Local | Related Local Business

The average white-collar worker spends 13-years of his/her life in an office. If the office is unclean, this time will take a toll on the worker’s health over the years. Employing a commercial carpet cleaning service not only promotes workplace cleanliness but also boosts performance. Here’s how:

Office Carpets Are Filthy

The average office carpet is littered with all sorts of microscopic debris. These include dust mites, food crumbs, and dead skin cells. It also contains living things, such as bacteria, mold, carpet beetles, and fleas. These creatures are able to thrive because most commercial offices have a closed-air circulation system, creating an incubator-like environment. 

It’s no wonder, then, that an average office carpet is 4,000 times dirtier than a toilet seat. This was confirmed in a study by microbiologists from the University of Arizona. Continue Reading →

People all over the world are rightfully concerned about germs and bacteria, especially during the current coronavirus pandemic. Prevention begins inside the house with proper sanitation. This includes disinfecting the carpet and other walking surfaces.

How to Minimize Germs on Carpet Floors

Prevention is key. We suggest placing a doormat at the home’s entrance and enforcing a “no shoes” policy. Footwear can bring in dirt, asphalt residue, pet droppings, etc.

In addition, you can place a rug over the carpet. No, it is not strange or even out-of-the-box to put a rug on top of the carpet. Many homeowners actually do this to keep the carpet free of contaminants. Continue Reading →

Our blog has included many DIY removal tips for stains like red wine, coffee, and melted candy. Now, we must discuss the most disgusting of all: poop stains. Fortunately, removing poop stain from a carpet is possible using natural and homemade cleaning solutions.

Why Poop Stains in Carpets Are Common and Problematic

Poop stains are a very real possibility if you have young children or pets that haven’t been potty trained. Even if the household doesn’t have pets or children, you can still step on dog doo outside and track it indoors.

Feces aren’t just a disgusting eyesore; it is also a serious health hazard. Wet poo contains roughly 100 billion bacteria per gram. This can create an unsanitary condition while the poop is still fresh. This applies whether it’s human or animal excrement.

Carpet Poop Stain Removal Process

1. Remove as much of the solid poop as possible. Pick up the pieces with a baby wipe or moist tissue using a pinching motion.
2. Spray the area using a homemade mixture of water, non-bleach dish detergent, and white vinegar. A few small sprays suffice; don’t oversaturate the area.
3. Let the solution sit until the stain disappears. If the stain remains, apply a small amount of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia. Leave out the ammonia, though, if you have a wool carpet. Alternatively, you can apply baking soda and let it sit for ten minutes.
4. Blot the spot using a sponge moistened with cold water.

If the stain still persists, then you will need to obtain professional carpet cleaning services. The above steps also apply for upholstery and mattresses.

Leave Filthy Stains to Us

Whether it’s carpet or tiles, we remove stains of all types from any household surface. Don’t let doggy or baby doo leave a permanent mess on your precious floor. Contact Rick’s Family Carpet Care for carpet poop stain removal.

Residential Carpet Stain Removal

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

Homeowners have expressed frustration when they clean a carpet stain, only for it to return within days. Why does this happen? Here’s some helpful information about the cause of reappearing carpet stains and what you can do about it.

Why Carpet Stains Reappear

Most people use a sponge or towel to try to remove the stain. No matter how hard you scrub or blot, you’re only treating the stain at the surface level. When a spill occurs, the liquid reaches the base of the carpet fibers. The process involved here is known as wicking. The liquid remains at the base and is reabsorbed by the surface of the carpet fibers.

Wicking occurs in reverse when the carpet becomes wet again. The water transports the stain residue back to the surface. Wicking can also occur in upholstery and mattresses.

How to Eliminate Carpet Stains for Good

First, a stain needs to be treated as soon as possible after it occurs. If not, then a professional carpet steam cleaning is your only option.

Remove as much of the spill as possible by blotting with a clean sponge or towel. Next, use a natural solution of baking soda and water. Blot once more using a fresh cloth. Most homeowners apply these steps; however, there is an additional step that is almost always ignored.

Once you remove the stain, place a clean paper towel or cloth over the now-removed stain. Weigh down the towel by placing a heavy object, such as a stack of books in a frying pan. This draws the moisture from the base of the carpet.

Leave the Permanent Stain Removal to Us

Stains can reappear in most surfaces, including hard floors like tile and grout. It’s not enough to clean with household materials. Contact Rick’s Family Carpet Care to treat stains at their origin. Make reappearing carpet stains go away and stay away.

Permanent Carpet Stain Removal

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

Many people consider rugs to be smaller portable versions of carpets. With that in mind, they also assume that the cleaning methods are identical. However, there are actually different approaches to carpet cleaning and rug cleaning. Here’s why the methods differ.

Construction

The first difference to note regards the construction of carpets and rugs. The two are manufactured differently, even though they may appear similar on the surface. Rugs tend to be thicker and denser. Since carpets are thinner and encompass the home wall-to-wall, they are more susceptible to stretch marks and wear in high-traffic areas. This is why carpet repair is necessary sooner or later. Rugs are seldom repaired; they’re simply replaced.

Carpet Cleaning Vs Rug Cleaning: The Basics

Basically, carpet cleaning should have professional treatment using a combination of vacuuming, steam cleaning, and hot water extraction. For small stains, you can usually remove the discoloration using a natural solution of dish soap, white vinegar, and water. Baking soda can also be used to remove lingering odors.

Whereas you can easily vacuum a carpet, vacuuming rugs is more challenging. The rug’s denseness makes it more difficult to catch the dirt embedded deeper in the strands. The solution then is to take the rug outside and use a hard-bristled brush or beat the rug against the wall. It’s the same way you would clean a car floor mat. Once solid debris is removed, you can proceed using the same soap/vinegar solution.

We Clean Carpets Wall to Wall

Many homes have carpets and use rugs in hard floor areas. Rick’s Family Carpet Care steam cleans carpets and upholstery. Make this an annual maintenance tradition that will keep your home clean. Carpet cleaning and rug cleaning require different methods, so be mindful of your approaches.

Residential Carpet Cleaning and Repairs

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

With Thanksgiving approaching, expect a lot of delicious, albeit grease-laden, food on the kitchen table. A spill can cause the grease to end up on the carpet floor. Fortunately, removing grease from carpet is possible, if you act immediately.

Removing Grease

Multiple methods are available which only require inexpensive items you probably already have in the home. You can use a simple solution of dish detergent, white vinegar, and water. Wipe away as much of the grease as possible with a clean towel, then use a sprayer to apply the solution. Let it sit for five minutes before dabbing at the stain with a clean cloth.

Alternatively, you can apply rubbing alcohol over the area. Use an absorbent pad and press it over the stain. Remove the pad and let the area dry.

The above techniques also work well for removing grease from upholstery and furniture.

If these methods don’t eliminate the stain completely, then the grease may have reached further into the carpet fibers. At this point, you will need to call for professional carpet cleaning services. Even on some tile floors, grease stains can be difficult to remove if they’ve been there for some time.

Removing Odor

Even if you manage to remove most or all of the stain, the odor may linger for a while. Sprinkle a small amount of white vinegar over the area and top it off with a sprinkle of baking soda. Let the contents sit overnight. The next day, remove with a vacuum cleaner. The baking soda may leave a distinct odor of its own which should quickly dissipate.

We Remove Grease from Carpet

We completely eliminate grease stains and their accompanying odors. Give Rick’s Family Carpet Care a call if a stain blemishes your floor. Removing grease from carpet is quite common, especially around Thanksgiving time when that greasy drumstick or mashed potatoes spill on the floor.

Carpet Stain and Odor Removal

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

Halloween is around the corner. Your young ones will be bringing home treats in the form of Starbursts, Jolly Ranchers, and other confectionary delights. Keep in mind that most candy melts and can be a major nuisance if it makes its way onto carpet. Removing melted candy, however, is possible.

Why Melted Candy Is Problematic

Candy mixed with water or saliva creates a sticky situation and will adhere to carpet fibers like glue. This is true of most candy types, whether it be chocolate, hard candy, or chewy taffy. The key is to act fast; otherwise, your only solution will be a professional carpet cleaning.

A Step-by-Step Process for Removing Melted Candy

1. The first step is to remove as much of the solid sugary gunk as possible. One trick is to apply ice to the candy. This freezes it enough so that it’s easier to pick up or chip off.
2. Scrape away any remaining residue using a dull knife.
3. Pour two cups of water and half a teaspoon of dish soap into a container. Shake the container to get a foamy mixture.
4. Dab a clean cloth into the container and press the cloth over the candy stain for 30 seconds.
5. Remove the cloth and wait for about 15 minutes. This gives time for the stain particles to break down.
6. Blot at the stain using a dry cloth.
7. Blot at the stain with a cloth soaked in a mixture of water and white vinegar.
8. Dry the area with a clean cloth.

We Remove Old Candy Stains

We eliminate candy stains from all surface types, including carpets, upholstery, and tile. Call Rick’s Family Carpet Care if a Jolly Rancher or Hershey Kiss left a permanent stain. Removing melted candyl may require professional equipment and expertise.

Carpet and Upholstery Stain Removal

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

Your home may be the source of your allergies. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that indoor pollutants are, on average, two to five times higher than outdoor pollutants. The cleanliness of your carpet has much to do with this. Carpet care and indoor air quality are highly correlated.

Bacteria

Unless you recently steam-cleaned the carpet, the strands are probably infested with bacteria. Common bacteria found in carpet include listeria, shigella, and salmonella, among others. Here’s more food for thought: a carpet can contain as much as 200,000 bacteria per square-inch. Studies also reveal an average home carpet is 4,000 times dirtier than a toilet seat.

Moisture

Moisture can easily get “locked” into the fiber strands. This can stem from a water spill or walking barefoot with wet or sweaty feet. Moisture leads to mold growth, which occurs below the surface and out of sight. This can cause respiratory and flu-like symptoms, such as chest tightness and wheezing.

Allergens

Allergens range from the common dust mite to pet dander. Having these in your carpet is especially bad if you have a hypersensitive immune system. Carpets can contain up to 100 times more allergens than hardwood floors. This is because the carpet fibers trap microscopic debris the same way a filter does.

Chemicals

Chemicals may linger in the carpet strands. This doesn’t just include chemicals from store-bought carpet sprays. It also includes other items you use around the home, such as window cleaners or bug sprays. Carpets collect the residue.

Leave Carpet Care and Indoor Air Quality to Us

Aside from the carpet, the tile floors and upholstery can also contain just as many pollutants. This makes professional cleaning all the more necessary. Call Rick’s Family Carpet Care to schedule your next home cleaning. Carpet care and indoor air quality have a strong connection that warrants homeowner attention.

Residential Carpet Cleaning

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