Stains and Conditions That Affect Your Carpets

Carpet Conditions

Some carpet conditions and problems are permanent. We promise you the most thorough carpet cleaning you have ever had, but we may be unable to correct the several problems listed below.



Pooling or Shading

This carpet condition typically looks like darker or lighter pools of color randomly located throughout the carpet with more obvious areas usually in hallways and traffic areas. This effect is the result of the carpet nap laying in opposing directions and therefore it appears lighter or darker depending on the light source and where you stand when observing the carpet. Researchers believe that tension in the backing structure of carpet causes some areas of the carpet pile to "shift" from their original direction. This condition is a characteristic of many carpets and rugs and is not removed with cleaning.



Pile Crushing of Certain Carpets

Some carpets, especially those made from Olefin, have a tendency to flatten or crush in the walkways and where furniture sits continuously. In these cases, the carpet has actually lost its strength and resiliency, and therefore will not be restored to a like new condition. Cleaning and pile brushing may temporarily raise the nap, however, once the carpet is put back in use, the crushed effect becomes apparent again. Fortunately most other carpets which do have crushed or matted traffic areas will be restored with a thorough deep cleaning and grooming.



Permanent Stains

Our modern cleaning systems are very effective at removing the vast majority of spots that we encounter on carpets. However, some spots have actually "stained" the carpet to some degree. Also, some spots, especially pet spots, may have bleached color or altered the color of the carpet. Some spills like Kool-Aid, coffee, or wine may actually dye the carpet fibers. These changes in the carpet color are sometimes permanent depending on the fiber type and the potency of the staining medium. For stains which are permanent, one remedy would be to do a "carpet patch repair", which means the stained area is cut out and a new piece of carpet is bonded in its place. Some carpets are better than others at hiding patch work.



Dormant Dye Damage

This is the name given to spots which appear lighter than surrounding carpet but may not show very much until the carpet is cleaned. They are caused by household chemicals and bleaches such as benzoyl peroxide acne creams, Soft Scrub (with or without bleach), and other powerful chemicals such as ammonia which get spilled or tracked onto carpet and are not removed immediately. The dye becomes separated from the fiber and then is removed when cleaned. We will take precautions to minimize the damage and will consult you about the situation if we encounter it. Please inform us if you are aware of any carpet or furniture fabrics that may have these problem chemicals on them. Homeowners are advised to be careful with these products and to inform acne medication users to wash hands well after using these products so that it doesn't transfer to carpet, furniture fabrics or clothing.



Worn or Fuzzed Carpet

Carpet fabrics can become abraded over time so that the actual fiber is either worn away or distorted to the degree where it does not have its original texture and shape. Our process will often improve the appearance of worn carpet to a great degree, but because of the physical change of the fiber, it will not have its new appearance.



Sun Fading and Atmospheric Fading

Carpet color can deteriorate over time due to the powerful rays of the sun or even from just being exposed to the atmosphere in the home. We often see evidence of fading on carpeted areas that the sunlight never shines on directly. While our cleaning process does help revive colors, we cannot replace color which has faded away.


Carpet Odors

The powerful rinsing ability of our equipment helps a great deal to sanitize and freshen up carpet fabrics. The 195 degree heated solution kills many germs on contact and our powerful suction whisks away the soil and bacteria. Minor odor problems are usually eliminated with our normal cleaning procedures. However, odors that have thoroughly permeated carpet fabrics (and possibly the pad and floor), as in the case of repeated pet accidents, are not eliminated with normal cleaning and deodorizing procedures. We have excellent antimicrobial treatments to help minimize pet odors and other problem odors; however we cannot guarantee to completely eliminate odors that have their source deep within the carpet, pad, and floor. We can do a more extensive restoration which would probably involve carpet removal and cleaning and sanitizing on sides, pad replacement, and floor cleaning and sanitizing and possibly baseboard decontamination or replacement.



Wicking

It is not unusual for stains to reappear after spot cleaning when using ordinary cleaners. This is referred to as “wicking”. Wicking can occur when a liquid is spilled on the carpet (usually a large quantity). Cleaning can remove only the stain from the carpet fibers. Liquids from spills remain in the backing or padding. Through capillary action, the stain can “wick” back up into the carpet fibers. These stains are generally not permanent and can usually be removed by repeating the cleaning steps you followed above. It is important that you place paper towels weighed down by a heavy object over the area while the carpet is drying to absorb any of the remaining stain.