Frequently Asked Questions

Carpet Care

Carpet that is wet cleaned should be dry within 12 hours. Carpet that is properly extraction cleaned will not be wet long enough to mold.
Some carpet retailers used to suggest this to their clients, because poor carpet cleaning workmanship and/or methods would often result in the carpet looking worse after it was cleaned. It is now accepted that cleaning maintenance adds to the life of your carpet. Carpet should always be cleaned the way the manufacturer specifies approximately every 12 to 18 months.
It’s best to vacuum your carpet at least twice a week, if you can’t vacuum your entire house this often, at least vacuum the high traffic areas at least twice a week.
1) Scrape (use putty knife, old spoon or similar); 2) Blot up-use a ¼” stack of several sheets of paper towels, tamp/stomp with heel, dispose of stack- 3) Repeat with another wad of paper towels or absorbent cloths this time just place heavy weight over fresh stack, (books, kettle bell weights).

Do it Yourselfers: (4) Apply (spray heavily) half vinegar and half water solution to problem areas and repeat blotting procedure #2. (5) Apply H202 hydrogen peroxide 10% solution or use Proxi, spray and cover with plastic, available @ SaniTECH.

http://www.rochestermidland.com/pdfs/rml/english/2245_Proxi_Canada_English.pdf

How to Use Proxi video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGeTYV92rpc

Call a SaniTECH Service near you for professional attention and remediation.

Watch this for more information on why pet damage can be expensive to reverse.
http://www.proschoice.com/odor-control-guide.html

Mold/Water Damage

Locate and repair the source of the moisture. It is best to call a professional water restoration cleaner in order to ensure all mold is eliminated.
Carpet should be professionally extracted & dryers set up and running within 12 to 24 hours. It’s best to use a professional that is trained in water restoration in order to ensure carpet, pad & sub-floor is completely dried within 12 to 24 hours to prevent mold. If the carpet is contaminated with sewage, it is recommended to properly dispose of carpet and pad.
Generally yes; although, some newly developed restoration procedures may be able to salvage the cushion. Wet carpet cushion is very difficult to adequately dry quickly.
We don’t recommend trying to save sewage contaminated carpet. Highly absorbent materials such as carpet and pad cannot be washed in hot (130 degrees F) for at least 10 minutes, which is the minimum requirement. This contaminated material should be properly disposed of by a trained restoration professional.
Anything can mold as long as there is moisture or a food source. Carpet, including those made of natural fibers such as wool, that is kept clean and dry shouldn’t have a mold problem.

New Carpet

If someone in your home is odor sensitive, it may be a short discomfort only. The exposure level is very low and short term; therefore good ventilation and air exchange should take care of the odors.
Every fiber has it’s own characteristic (we give each fiber characteristic) and no one single fiber has everything. Regardless of which fiber you choose, the construction of the carpet is what makes carpet durable. For durable, heavy traffic carpet you want to look for a dense construction (you don’t want to be able to easily see, or feel the backing of the carpet through the fiber). Shorter pile heights perform better in heavy traffic areas (like entry ways, stairs, halls, playrooms) so choosing a pile height with a ½ of an inch or less will be more durable. If choosing a cut pile carpet, a tighter twist will be more durable than a looser twist. If choosing a Berber carpet, the smaller tighter loops will be more durable than the larger looser loop.
If ventilating and vacuuming doesn’t help try to have a hot water extraction done on the new carpet.
Some of the manufactures choose to use a generic label rather than CRI’s green and white label. Both labels mean the same, that the carpet is environmentally friendly as far as chemical emissions are concerned.

In new construction you have a lot of new materials, with all the odors of a new construction, it’s hard to tell what is specifically causing a reaction. The best way to eliminate all the new odors is to open the windows and ventilate for approximately 48 to 72 hours.
This is erroneous information, most “off-gassing” of new carpet is within the first 24 hours or so. Properly ventilate with good air exchange for approximately 48 to 72 hours. The new carpet smell should dissipate within this time.
The CRI label means that the carpet has been tested for chemical emissions and is a low emitter as for as chemical emissions.

Vacuums

Use a vacuum that has been through CRI’s IAQ program for a vacuum’s, testing for soil removal, dust containment and carpet appearance retention.

It is recommended to use a vacuum cleaner that has suction only.
Not necessarily. Look for vacuums carrying the CRI vacuum cleaner testing program label. Many units are not HEPA filter units, yet are very effective in dust containment. HEPA filters may add additional cost to the overall operational cost of the vacuum.