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What is protectant and why do National Franchise cleaners push it so hard? Protectant is a product that is applied to your carpet to help resist stains and soils from getting embedded deep into the fibers. When this happens, carpet fibers can become permanently damaged. Think of wax on the paint of your vehicle. It adds a layer of protection between the elements and your cars paint. Protectant does the same thing for your carpet. It is usually applied by the manufacturer but wears off over time or can be removed by high PH cleaners. This is why it is…

Its so confusing to find a carpet cleaner these days! It seems that every company has their own “gimmick” or method of cleaning that is the “best”. What are we suppose to believe? The low moisture companies say that “steam cleaning” leaves your carpet too wet and can cause harmful bacteria and mold to grow. The “steam” cleaners claim that low moisture cleaners just “move the dirt around” and dont really clean. Some claim to use special “water” or cleaners that no one else can use that cleans better or leaves no residue. So who is telling the truth?! At…

     How long should it take my carpets to dry after a professional cleaning? This is the most frequently asked question we get after “how much?” I’ve heard horror stories of inexpensive cleaners leaving carpets so wet that they remained damp for several days. It is our goal to have dry carpets in 4-8 hours after cleaning. Why so long and why such a time variable?       The reason our dry times vary is that every home and situation is different. Certain carpet fibers take longer to dry. Wool absorbs up to 30 percent of its weight…

People struggle to understand when they need to have their tile and grout professionally cleaned. Tile is relatively new in homes and therefore we don’t have a lot of experience maintaining it. Without professional cleaning, your only real options are to mop your tile with water or a cleaner. Over time, the soil left behind in the sandy grout lines begins to become more and more apparent. If you don’t believe me, look at your own grout. Compare the grout lines in corners, under cabinets and rugs, areas that receive very little foot traffic. Now look at the color of…

Noticing an conspicuous smell of pet urine lately? As warm weather approaches, pet odors that seemed to have disappeared in the winter have resurfaced with a vengeance! What is going on? This is a common occurrence and one that makes logical sense once you understand what urine is and how it works. Pet urine is comprised of waste material such as water, salt, fats and oils. Over time, the water evaporates leaving behind the heavier components. When this happens repeatedly, the salt content builds up in the carpet backing and even into the subfloor. As the humidity rises, the salt…

My name is Tim Fain and I am the owner of Exceptional Carpet Cleaning. I am a IICRC certified Master Textile Cleaner, the highest level of education and training available in our industry. I mention this, not to brag, but to help you understand why the information offered in this blog is credible. Part of the certification process is becoming a certified Odor Control Technician as well as certified in Carpet Cleaning, Upholstery Cleaning, Repair and Reinstallation, Color Repair, Water Restoration and others. In the previous blog, we discussed why odor seems increase and decrease in intensity. We also discussed…

We have had an extremely wet spring this year in Oklahoma! While working various flood jobs this week I am compelled to write on what you need to know when your home or business floods. There are different causes of flooding. It can be a hot water heater, toilet overflow, broken pipe, a roof leak, water from heavy rains, overflow or runoff from a creek, river or even a storm drain. Not all water is alike. These different types of water damage require different treatment. Clean water is water that comes from a fresh water source. This is a pipe…