How Your Carpet Can Affect Your Allergies
In this post you will discover how having cleaner carpets can greatly reduce your allergy problems and then we will give you 6 misconceptions about carpet cleaning. We hope by giving you this information we can help you make an educated decision when it's time to have your carpets cleaned and you will have an easier time finding honest carpet cleaners in Gainesville, FL.
What's In Your Carpet?
A carpet and allergies are like best friends. Your carpet soaks up anything that touches it and won't release it until it is thoroughly washed. You wouldn't wear a T-shirt for a year but carpet is fibrous material just like your clothes. the link between your carpet and allergies is indisputable -- but it is made better or worse depending on how old the carpet is, how thick it is and its quality (some poor carpets shed more easily). Of course, if you clean it more, it should contain less allergens also!Clean the Carpet and Allergies Will Stay Away
The best way to keep allergies away is to regularly clean your carpets. Carpets harbor mold, dust mites and pollen. Make sure you vacuum your carpet regularly which will keep these allergens to a minimum. Clean up spills quickly because, apart from possible stains, mold can result from this. This is especially a problem in humid parts of the world lacking adequate ventilation. If you do the above you will have a more visually clean carpet and allergies will be reduced. You should also do a thorough carpet cleaning at least once a year -- make sure you use a company that uses steam cleaning or hot water extraction. It's the only method recommended by Shaw Industries, the largest carpet manufacturer.
New Carpets and Allergies
Despite not holding the usual airborne allergens that latch onto carpets, a brand new carpet can also cause allergic reactions. During manufacture of the carpet, various chemicals are used that some people are allergic to. The best way to limit these outbreaks is to air the carpet well once it is installed by ventilating the room well. Unfortunately, this usually cannot be done before installation because carpets are rolled up for storage. You can request your installer to unroll it inside the house the day before the installation so it can air out.
Most people are aware that there is a strong correlation between a carpet and allergies arising from it, but by following the above advice of keeping your carpet clean, you or your family need not suffer any more.
Most people are aware that there is a strong correlation between a carpet and allergies arising from it, but by following the above advice of keeping your carpet clean, you or your family need not suffer any more.
Choosing a carpet cleaner isn't easy
Why? Because you're bombarded with misleading advertising, confusing claims and simply bad information.From super-low prices and high-pressure sales - to unqualified technicians and near-worthless methods - how do you ever find a qualified, competent, professional carpet cleaner in Gainesville, Fl?
Well show you 6 Costly Misconceptions about carpet cleaning and how to avoid them.
We are carpet cleaners in Gainesville, FL. We wrote this guide to help you better understand carpet cleaning. Now, with this information, you can make an informed, intelligent decision.
6 COSTLY MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT CARPET CLEANING
MISCONCEPTION #1:You should wait as long as possible before cleaning your carpet.
No. Dirt is an abrasive-like sandpaper. Every time you step on your carpet, you grind dirt into the carpet fibers. This cuts your carpet, just as if you had used a knife. A dirty carpet will not last as long as a clean carpet. And while vacuuming helps-by itself, it's simply not enough. The longer you wait to have your carpet cleaned, the more damage you do to your carpet and the faster it wears out.
MISCONCEPTION #2:The only reason to clean carpets is to remove the dirt.
No. As you probably know, outdoor air contains pollens, fungus, bacteria, air pollution, cigarette smoke, car exhaust - and hundreds of other chemicals. When you come into your home, you carry those pollens, bacteria and chemicals in your hair and on your skin, clothing and shoes. Not surprisingly, all those chemicals and toxins wind up in your carpet.
If you have allergies, asthma, emphysema, or other breathing problems - one major source of your problem could be the pollens, fungus, smoke and chemicals in your carpet.
MISCONCEPTION #3:
One method of carpet cleaning is as good as another.
No. The dry cleaning methods - which are dry foam, dry chemicals and dry compounds - do not rinse your carpet in any way. Instead, they leave a dirty residue. You might say they clean your carpet only halfway. The most effective cleaning method is hot water extraction. Hot water extraction means a hot water cleaning solution, under high pressure, is forced into your carpet and then sucked out of your carpet. Shaw Industries, the world's largest carpet manufacturer, recommends hot water extraction as the primary method of cleaning carpets, along with IICRC-certified technicians.
Carpet cleaners use one of two types of hot water extraction. If they use a large unit that operates from a van or truck outside your facility, it's called truck-mounted extraction. If they use a small unit that can be brought inside, it's called portable extraction. Shaw's first choice is the truck-mounted unit - and it recommends the small, portable unit only in areas where the truck-mounted unit won't reach.
The truck-mounted extraction cleans much better because it heats the water to a higher temperature - which breaks up the dirt, bacteria, chemicals and pollens in the carpet. Then the machine uses high suction to draw the dirt and chemicals out of your carpet. This is the method our carpet cleaning company in Gainesville FL uses.
MISCONCEPTION #4:
Having the right equipment is all a company needs to clean your carpets properly.
Not true. Many companies own hot-water cleaners but very few companies teach their employees how to use them properly. This is why it's important that you choose a Gainesville carpet cleaner carefully. The best cleaning companies are those that have been certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification, known as the IICRC. Before you choose a carpet cleaner, ask to see written proof of the company's IICRC certification and also the certification of the technician who is going to do the job! If they don't have them, don't use them!
MISCONCEPTION #5:
The company that offers the lowest price is the company you should hire.
No. I've seen so many problems arise from lowest-bid companies that I suggest you NEVER hire the carpet cleaning company that quotes the cheapest price. The two most common problems are:
(1) The price may not be for the services you want performed. The company may be equipped to remove only the dirt from your carpet. But you may want bacteria, fungus, pollens, dust mites and tobacco residues removed as well.
(2) The price you see advertised may not be the price you pay. Many homeowners have learned that the low price they saw advertised only lasted until the carpet cleaner got into their home. Then they were pressured into paying a lot more for a variety of add-ons. (Some carpet cleaners even break the law by using illegal bait-and-switch tactics.)
MISCONCEPTION #6:
Any honest carpet cleaning company should be able to give you an exact price quote over the telephone.
I wish this were true, but it isn't.
Honest, reputable carpet cleaning companies in Gainesville Fl almost never price carpet cleaning by the room. Instead, carpet cleaning is usually priced by the square foot. So if you'd like me to tell you the exact cost of cleaning your carpet, I need to know the exact number of square feet that you want cleaned. To get an accurate measurement, I use a measuring wheel to calculate the exact size of the carpet area.
