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

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!