Coronavirus in Your Ducts?!

Just kidding. But I got your attention. And you got mine this weekend at the St. Louis Homeshow.

“What is the difference between how you clean ducts and how like a Stanley Steamer cleans ducts?”

If we heard this question once, we heard it 100 times between Thursday and Sunday. The difference is that your companies who are shooting you a price lower than $300 are typically just trying to get their foot in the door. They are either going to:

Up sale you on an air filtration system.
Up sale you on sanitizer.
Not clean the entire system.
Do a horrible job.

In fact, we love number 4. Usually they do a horrible job, and we come in and do it right. The crappy part is you end up paying us both. So lesson one, read reviews and realize a duct job generally takes 3 or more hours to complete with 2 guys. Meaning if they make $15 an hour, the company is paying $90 just to pay the team before overhead and they can just forget about any profit. See where we are going with this? I thought so.

“What is the difference between having you guys do it and an HVAC technician?”

Have you had your furnace fixed lately? A/C? These guys charge a lot per hour so a 3 hour duct cleaning out of them could be anywhere from $300-$900!

And why would they waste their valuable skill set on wiping down your air ducts? Some don’t. Some call companies like ours that are specialized and have great reviews/before and after photos to come in and do it for them. Meaning they charge you an arm and a leg – sometimes in the upwards of thousands – and pay us our normal rate we would charge you with a bit of a finder’s fee for themselves.

Lesson two, if it sounds like a lot… It probably is.

“But you said Coronavirus!”

I did. And not only to get your attention. Bacteria, allergens, etc. live in your duct work. These things can weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to the flu, the coronavirus, and all sorts of other issues. So when all of these illnesses and stuff are floating around, it’s a great time to get your ducts cleaned!

PSA: Wash your hands always and keep good hygiene. But this also helps ward off diseases. You knew that though because you are smart!

“When do I need to get my ducts cleaned?”

Did you just move in? Do it.

About to have a baby? Do it.

Getting ready to sell? Do it.

Never had it done? Do it.

Animals or kids? Do it.

Your house was built yesterday? Good, start with a fresh system as well.

We find things in vents from cheerios to soda cans to receipts on down the line. And sometimes in brand new houses! It never hurts to do a system flush on your body, so think of this as a system flush for your home. You will breathe easier. You will feel cleaner. You will be starting with a clean slate. And guess what? You only need to see us every 5-7 years after that.

Bottom Line

The bottom line is we clean your system start to finish with before and after pictures to show you the difference between what you were breathing before and what you are going to be breathing when we leave. You always hear “the proof is in the pudding.” Well my friends, the difference is in your ducts.

Give us a chance! Mention this blog for $50 off your FIRST duct cleaning.

Talk at you next week,

Team Midwest

March 6, 2020March 3, 2020

10 Reasons Why – (Coupon Included)

You know you should get your carpet’s cleaned before Aunt Karen shows up for Easter, but who do you use?

We of course want you to use us; however shop around with these 10 points before you make your decision:

1. Carpet cleaners should do a pre-vacuum at the start of the job to lift dirt and dust.

This includes edging around the room at your baseboards or where the wall meets the carpets. You miss this spot every time.. You know that one behind the couch?

2. Stains should be pre-treated…

I mean, makes sense right? You pre-treat stains before you do laundry… But clothes and carpet are not made of the same fibers, so you need the good stuff… We got the good stuff.

3. Not all carpet cleanings require harsh chemicals.

In fact, many of our cleaning agents are just that – cleaning agents. They are plant based instead of chemical base meaning they are less harsh on your carpet. BUT a cleaning agent has to be used… I cannot think of one cleaner out there able to clean your carpets with just water.

4. We are not created equal.

That’s how we are supposed to treat people, and the two should not be confused! Some carpet cleaners are better than others because of skill level, training, their attention to detail, etc. as well as having better equipment than the next guy. But you know as well as I do that having the best of the best running shoes doesn’t take you from a couch potato to a marathon winner… Those personal qualities are where the real talent kicks in.

5. People are not certified and do not have to be in this business.

However, if you care about a certification, it’s good to look for a firm that has the IICRC backing them. We do all of our training through Jon Don in St. Charles, and boy do they know their stuff!

6. Smelly carpet after a cleaning is not because you don’t clean enough

Nor is it because Fido needs to learn to sleep on the hardwood. It’s because of the sulfur in the wool of the fibers of the carpet. It’s called off-gassing. Yes, smelly like your husbands and dissipates shortly after when the carpets dry like his also.

7. Stain protection from the manufacturer is not removed by carpet cleaning.

It’s broken down by wear and tear which running a wand over is part of, BUT if you have a Scotchgard provider like ourselves in your home, we can fix you right up before we leave.

8. “Fans” are a must when drying.

We are not only carpet cleaners, but we clean up after floods too. And one thing Water Mitigation Training tauch us was to place air movers (that’s the fancy name!) on the carpet to create a tornado effect because it helps to:

Dry the pad and prevent mildew and mold under the carpet.
Get the fibers to lay correctly (think personal hair stylists for your carpet).
Prevent wet socks.

9. We are legally obligated (also we want to) fix our work.

If you aren’t happy, give Charlie a call back, and we will make it right. No if, and, or buts – this is the law. If someone else doesn’t do this for you – Call the Office of Fair Trading or equivalent in your state.

10. Regular cleanings does not only look nice – It’s healthy for the carpet and helps it live longer.

It is the apple a day of carpet life. Also it keeps you healthy because bacteria and dirt and all their little by-products really love to live in carpet. They find it warm and cozy as well.

Well, that’s it ladies and gents! 10 reasons we do what we do! And why you should let us do it for you! 10% off on carpet and/or area rug cleanings if you mention this blog before easter.

Talk at you next week,

Team Midwest

January 17, 2020January 17, 2020

How do I get _______ out of Carpet?

Too often, we here that our prices are a little out of budget for some of our friends So here is some quick tips to get some regular spills out of your carpet.

How to get Juice out of Carpet.

With the kids being off on Monday, let’s start with Juice.

Blot the juice with a dry paper towel. Water will spread the liquid that is on the surface, so make sure that is all soaked up first.
Spray the area with warm-ish water. Not hot. Hot sets stains.
Blot with dry paper towel again. Go in a circle and change the towel regularly to judge how much color is coming up.
Use 1/4 teaspoon of spot out in the spray bottle and re-wet the area. Blot some more. (Don’t have spot out? Call us. Do not, I repeat do not use a random store brand. If you have something in your cleaning closet, call us. We won’t lie to you about it’s ability to set or lift stains.)
Walk away for a little bit. You angrily blotting at it will not make it better. It needs to dry for a few hours before you go back to blotting.
Repeat until stain is not visible.

How to get Coffee out of Carpet.

If you are like me, while the kid is drinking juice you’re pounding coffee to try to must even a fraction of their energy to play all day. And if your house is like mine, someone is going to bump your arm and sling that coffee – not on the tile, too easy – right on the carpet.

Again, blot the excess liquid.
For black coffee, grab the laundry detergent and get a little on a sponge.
Gently rub the area in a circular motion, and the coffee will gradually come out of the carpet.
If the coffee has anything else in it, mix the detergent with equal part vinegar and equal part water, and give it another whirl.

The above works for getting tea out of carpet also.

How to get Pizza Grease out of Carpet.

Food stains can be removed like Juice and Coffee Stains so see above. But to be honest, food breeds way more bacteria than beverages typically, so we really recommend a steam cleaning.

How to get Nail Polish out of Carpet.

You or them, doesn’t matter. Grab the hair spray and give it a sprits.

Actually more like 20 sprays of hair spray. Follow that up with about 3 cap fulls of rubbing alcohol.
Grab the toothbrush you use for laundry stains and scrub that spot alternating between scrubbing and splashing it with cold water. Stress on the cold.
Repeat.

For red related colors, we recommend drying fully. THEN laying a wet towel down and heating it with an iron. This will lift the remaining red onto the towel so be sure it’s not the good towels.

How to get Wine out of Carpet.

And when they are finally in bed, unwind with a glass of wine. And when the 3rd glass hits a little too rough and you spill a little…

Blot. Yet again. Blot.
In a bottle mix 2 cups warm water, one tablespoon white vinegar, and one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid – yes, Dawn.
Spray on your sponge. Mixing in a Bowl and Dipping the Sponge works too.
Blot until stain is gone!

Anything else you need out of your carpet? Call us. We will either have a simple solution or be able to make an accommodation to help with your needs!

January 10, 2020January 10, 2020

Have you ever had to deal with an insurance claim?

Insurance Claims = Nightmares.

No, we are not talking Obamacare… Remember, we said we don’t discuss politics around here! We are talking about Home Insurance Claims. Yes, even more of a nightmare! *Que horror movie music.

Just a short disclaimer to our readers IN the insurance business, we aren’t attacking you. Keep reading. We actually want to make your life more simple too.

That’s right, Midwest has chosen to train ourselves to be the middle man when it comes to an insurance claim.

Midwest, You, and Your Insurance Claim (or Claimee).

Life is always better with friends. And we aim to be your friend when it comes to your home insurance claim. Let’s set up the scenario:

You come home from work and your basement is knee deep in water.

“What happened?”

“How do we clean this up?”

“Were my pictures in there?”

These are just a few questions that may go through your mind before you ever think “Call the insurance agent. See if we are covered.” Because generally there first question is going to be “How did it happen?”. That’s where we come in.

Your first call should be Midwest.

Or a company like Midwest. But since your on our page reading this, jot down our number real quick: 618-910-8376 or 314-594-1405 – Available day and night, seven days a week :).

Why are we your first call? Simple. We can a) suck up the water quickly. b) assess your damage, and c) tell you the source of water – all 3 components that are necessary to file your insurance claim!

Now you’re probably thinking…

“Well that’s great. But I still have to make an Insurance Claim.”

Yea, maybe? We can look at the situation and give you an out of pocket estimate. OR we can hang around while you can Jake at State Farm and help you guys work together to get it covered.

Remember back in middle school how much easier group projects were when everyone pulled their weight? An Insurance Claim goes just as smoothly if we all play our parts as well.

“What is your part” you ask?

Your part is to put us in touch with the agent and adjuster (one call. Real simple.). Then, to figure out if that was great grandma’s china that was lost in the cardboard box or just simply the left over decorations from little johnny’s 3rd birthday.

What does the Agent and Adjuster do?

Well your agent is the starting point. They let you know if the source of the water was covered in your policy. Then get your the insurance claim information and get the overarching company to assign an adjuster.

The adjuster then comes out and verifies that when we said the basement was 30′-0″ by 20′-0″ and there was 100 cardboard boxes damaged that we weren’t padding those numbers. Then when the project’s all said and done, they collect the information from us and get you a check written to you and us.

What do we do?

We clean up the water, the damage, send the paperwork to the adjuster, communicate with them and the agent, so you get the insurance payout necessary to put your house back in working order. And after you sign your certificate of satisfaction, we invoice you which is then paid with said check from the insurance adjuster.

In a perfect world, we part ways and see each other again for regular carpet clean – just kidding. (But not really)

So TADA! That is how Midwest can be your ally in an Insurance Claim.

Seriously tho folks, if you have ever been through the process it’s a lot of hard work on all ends. Don’t try to project manage your insurance claim alone. We are certified to mitigate and have a trained adjuster on staff. I wouldn’t put my home in the hands of anyone else.

January 3, 2020January 3, 2020

Happy #2020!!!

“Another year over, and a new one just begun!”
John Winston Lennon / Yoko Ono

Welcome back, Friends!

Happy to kick off the start of the year with our first blog of 2020! We are so happy to be back at it and looking forward to another year with you all and maybe to meet a few of your friends too.

Midwest is Offering New Services in 2020.

We have started some advancing into other fields, and this year we are making a lot of changes! Of course, we will still be offering #CarpetCleaning and #DuctCleaning, but we have other services as well… Here’s a list!

Tile and Grout Cleaning – Not new, but maybe new to you?
Hardwood Floor Cleaning & Refinishing – Also not new, but we have made some change 🙂
Water Mitigation – From flood to fixed with the help of our preferred contractors!
Mold Remediation
Basement & Crawl Spaces Drying Systems

So stay current with us… We have many other opportunities in store! (Including a gift card store!)

Follow us on #Facebook .

We know we have some dedicated users of our services, but in 2020, we will be running some great online deals, renovating our website, finishing up a punch card app, and many many other good deals. So follow us on Facebook to stay up on the latest!

Also we post some helpful things like this one here. This calendar has 30 days of tasks to do to start the year off fresh!

January 10, 2018

Do you have mold in your home?

Having mold in your home is not the end of the world, but it could be the end of your health… for a little while. Exposure to damp and moldy environments can cause a variety of health effects:

Nasal Stuffiness
Throat Irritation
Coughing and Wheezing
Eye Irritation/Skin Irritation

Or you can be perfectly healthy and still have mold in your home.

Midwest and Mold.

Midwest Carpet and Duct Cleaning has found a multitude of houses (old and new) with mold in them in and around St. Louis, Missouri. Especially in areas with older homes like Webster Groves, Missouri and Belleville, Illinois. Alton, where the river is running along the edge and most of the basements are stone, is a huge mold area. We have recently started a mold restoration segment of our company and added a Mold Expert to our team.

Before now, we would find the mold and were able to use negative air equipment to basically “freeze” the spores while we clean. Then we would have another company we worked with come in and do the restoration work. Well, going into 2018 we decided that we wanted to have someone on our crew that is trained to assist in removing the mold right then and there when we find it to give our customers the peace of mind they need.

If you are curious about having mold in your home, we would love to come out and assess your home or workplace. Matt, our expert, can show you where the mold is and how we would go about removing it.

Beware: if you have ever had a flooded basement or water line bust, mold could be lurking in your home. It could be the reason for your child’s asthma or why you have felt so stuffed up with no relief. Let’s get it cleaned!

January 9, 2018

Is Your Carpet Under Warranty?

Did you just recently purchase carpet? Did the salesman talk to you about a warranty? Did you READ the warranty? Part of a general carpet cleaning warranty is having your carpets professionally cared for. And not by a rug doctor or a run of the mill cleaner from a big box store. You have to have to use someone that is certified to clean professionally. We are able to do that for you!

Midwest and Carpet Warranties.

Midwest prides themselves on being the best. And part of being the best is having the proper education and understanding what sets us apart big companies like Sears and Woodard. What sets us apart is our technicians. Our technicians have gone through the proper training to know how to use the cleaning agents and equipment properly. Additionally, our techs have been trained to communicate the proper cleaning techniques to you, the customer.

Midwest wants to help you understand your carpet warranty and how to keep it whether you are a residential or commercial customer. Talk to a tech today about setting up the regular scheduled cleaning and getting proper documentation for your warranty.

After the Carpet Warranty…

In addition, we recommend that even after the warranty has expired, you maintain a proper cleaning schedule. This could be the difference between a rug that lasts for 5 years and one that lasts for 50 years. We clean some carpets that have been in commercial spaces for longer than you can imagine. We have multiple bowling alleys in the area that have had the same carpet for 50+ years, and it’s STILL looking brand new thanks to regular cleaning. If that can happen in a commercial space with that much oil, just think what we can do for the carpet in your home!

December 6, 2017December 6, 2017

Happy St. Nick’s Day! Midwest Referral Program

Happy St. Nick’s Day! Midwest proudly introduces the Midwest Referral Program!!

We are happy to announce that just in time for the holidays we are introducing a Midwest Referral Program! With this referral program, we are giving you an automatic $40 off your next service within a year. Additionally, you are awarded 4 cards to hand out to friends giving them $40 off a cleaning of their choice! Perfect for the holidays!
Stocking Stuffers? Complementary with a gift card? It’s a gift that keeps on giving!

We do not want you to confuse receiving the Midwest Referral Program coupons from a friend as insult! Absolutely not. They are not saying your home is dirty or that it smells funny. They are giving the Midwest Referral Program to you because we did such a great job for them… They want to share the wealth!

Bet you can guess what me and all of the other employees are handing out this year! *Wink!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Eric, Charlie, Zach, Spencer, Ian, Ryan, Monte, Chris, and Jamie

Don’t forget! If you use your referral program up, call us and get a new set… This is going to be an ongoing affair for years and years to come!

November 15, 2017November 15, 2017

Dirty Carpet on Stairs isn’t just “Part of Daily Wear.”

Dirty Carpet on Stairs isn’t just “Part of Daily Wear”

Having an issue in your home or office dirty carpet on stairs from shoes and traffic? Well, if you are in an office you can’t really just ask patients or clients to kick off their shoes before entering. And even if you do this at home, you can’t help when someone has dirty feet. Some of you might say “that’s why we ripped the carpet out” or “that’s why we put in darker carpet”. We say “We have a better solution. Regular cleaning of those dirty carpets.”

I agree. Hardwood Stairs look beautiful in a home. I’d love to have them in my home, but kids, animals, moving furniture up and down, etc. destroys those beautiful, expensive stairs (We have solutions for that too ;)). And as you can see we know that it can appear to destroy your carpet as well. However, it doesn’t, and this picture is proof that our guys (Ryan and Ian in this case) are trained to treat and reveal the natural state and beauty of your carpets. Light or dark in color.

Dirty carpet on stairs is not just a light colored carpet issue. We ALL know that. If this carpet was brown, black, multi-colored even, the dirty carpet is still there. You just don’t see it as clearly. Matter of fact, that’s worse. That could be toxic grease or oil or asphalt getting on your feet, hands of your children, pets daily. Also, it’s being squished down into the pad. And if it’s liquid, that means absorbed into your pad and subfloor. So when you finally do have us clean it, the carpet and even the pad could be salvaged. But you could be compromising your subfloor and structure of your home.

How regularly should you clean the dirty carpet on your stairs?

We are going to be completely honest here. There is no set rule. Talk to us. Tell us about the stains and issues that are making the dirty carpets on your stairs and throughout your home. We will help you find the right cleaning plan that maintains your carpet and doesn’t kill your wallet.

Hope to hear from you soon,

Eric Frierdich, Owner & the Staff at Midwest

618-910-8376 or 314-594-1405

midwestsales2@gmail.com

October 30, 2017

Are your Carpets Faded? Or are They just Dirty?

We either own them or have been in them. There are tons of spaces that the carpet looks like it needs to be ripped out and replaced, but truth be told, it could just be dirty. Take this picture for example, this carpet looked like it has had the pattern literally stomped out. Have you priced replacing carpet of this quality? To be honest, I have not. But I have priced carpet for a single room in my home. Anywhere from $300-$500 for a 10×12 room! You could have 3 rooms cleaned for $192. Isn’t it worth a try?