Money Tips for Summer
Looking to save some cash? Summer is the perfect time to squeeze some extra savings out of your budget. Here are some ways to keep more of your hard-earned money in your pocket.
1. Vacation closer to home.  One of the most expensive parts of a vacation is the cost to travel to and from your destination. Instead of traveling across the country,vacation in your own or in a neighboring state. You can cut the expense of air travel or a long road trip by traveling less than a day away.
2. Get outside and save some dough. Pack a brown bag lunch and eat outside at lunchtime instead of buying lunch at a restaurant. Instead of heading to a movie theater, catch a free outdoor movie night in your community. Rather than heading out for drinks with your friends, have them over to hang out on your patio. Let everyone bring their own drinks and food for the grill and you’ll have a great time with little expense.
3. Save on grocery costs by planting a garden. You will have healthy, pesticide-free food that costs less than the grocery store. For every $5 you spend on vegetable seeds, you can expect several hundred dollars in produce. Even if you don’t have a large area to garden, you can still save money by planting in container gardens.

Our industry provides courses in carpet cleaning, repair, fabric cleaning, marble and tile cleaning, area rug cleaning, customer service, marketing, management, and other related subjects.

Many of the organizations offer certification programs that involve testing and ethics requirements. There are trade publications, websites, bulletin boards, and a variety of other opportunities to stay plugged in.

We attend every course we can in order to bring you the very best. Many of these courses require travel across the U.S. and can therefore be quite costly. However, we believe, as fiber technology changes and as floor coverings become more complex, proper education becomes even more important.

The bottom line is that you have a tremendous investment in your textiles and flooring systems and it is our duty to know how to best care for them. Understanding cleaning technology at the highest level helps to reduce cleaning residues and creates a healthier indoor environment by eliminating invisible germs and bacteria. It also empowers the cleaner to remove more soil, thereby creating a longer-lasting fabric or floor.

The Truth About Spots and Stains
You may have seen some of the commercials on television that show a bottle of spot remover that can quickly and easily remove stains from carpet and upholstery like magic. Red wine, ketchup, coffee, fruit punch, spaghetti sauce, grass stains and more are removed in seconds with no rubbing or scrubbing. Just spray and blot! If only it were that easy!  The truth is that advertisers are not being completely honest with you. The spots are usually on new carpet that is most likely olefin or polyester- two fibers
that are difficult to stain. They choose spots that are easily removed by the chemistry of their spotter. The same cleaner on a dried mustard on a three year- old nylon carpet would produce less than stellar results.  In reality, the ease or difficulty of spot removal will vary depending on fiber type, age and condition of the carpet, age of the spot, the type of stain, and even the cleaning agents and methods previously used on the carpet.  The first step is to identify the spot.  Sometimes you can’t be sure what
it is, so with unknown spots, we play “detective”. Using clues like the color, location, texture, odor and shape we figure out what it might be.  The next step is to categorize the spot.
There are four categories of spots:
Category 1-Water-soluble
Water-soluble spots respond to water based solutions. There are several spotting agents that fit into this category.  Acid spotters work best on alkaline soils.  Alkaline spotters work on common acid based soils. Enzyme spotters break down protein spots like blood, milk, eggs and grass.
Category 2-Solvent-soluble
Solvent-soluble spots are best treated with solvent-based spotters. This category includes tar, petroleum grease, lipstick, ink, dried paint, gum and adhesives.
Category 3-Insoluble spots
Insoluble spots include substances that cannot be dissolved with water or solvent spotters. Some examples are graphite, carbon, fireplace ash and powdered copier toner.
Category 4-Specialty treatments
Specialty treatments include strong acids, oxidizers, reducing agents and specialized chemical reactions. Rust, food dyes, urine stains and mustard fall into this category.
First things first.  Before applying any spotting agent we determine the fiber type. It is important to be sure that the spotting agents and cleaning method will not harm the fiber.

Once we have selected the correct spotter and qualified the fiber content, spot removal will follow 5 basic steps:
1. Remove excess material with scraping or blotting.
2. Apply the appropriate spotter to the spot. Do not over saturate the carpet.
3. Agitate gently. Never scrub or rub the carpet.
4. Rinse.
5. Blot with a clean white towel.
These are the basic steps. Our techniques, tools and processes will vary depending on your unique situation. Any remaining discoloration after the spot removal is a stain, and will require more expertise and specialized methods.  Hansen Steam Way technicians are experts at identifying, categorizing and treating the spots and stains that other companies can’t. Call us today if you have questions or need help removing spots, odors and stains from your carpet.

Cleaning has historically been viewed as a commodity—a menial task that anyone can do. Long before sophisticated textiles and complexly-built indoor environments were created, cleaning may have been a simple task, but that is no longer the case.

Complex flooring systems, sensitive fabrics, and new-age soiling conditions have created a need for advanced education in the cleaning industry. Unfortunately, many cleaners (and consumers) have not understood this concept. We still see ads for $6.95 per room for carpet cleaning and sofa cleaning for $45.00. The cleaner puts the ads out, never intending to clean for those prices, and the consuming public gets the idea that cleaning should be cheap.

These so-called “cleaning” companies also happen to be the ones that don’t educate themselves or their employees. The result is that carpets and fabrics are being ruined every day by uneducated, uninformed, and sometimes downright unscrupulous carpet cleaners.

They are facing soiling conditions they have never seen or heard of due to a lack of education. Or worse, they create a situation on a carpet or fabric that they have no idea how to fix. One example: they leave sticky residues in the carpet that cause the carpet or fabric to re-soil rapidly or to discolor.

Top-notch education is readily available in our industry. There is no excuse for cleaners to not educate themselves (and provide useful education to their clients). Part of the problem is since they have fallen into the trap of viewing cleaning as a commodity themselves, they can’t afford to educate themselves. Education is expensive, but the result of not getting the necessary knowledge is much more costly.

Our company invests a great deal in education. Not only do we spend thousands of dollars per year on education, we are heavily involved in our industry, making us well connected with our industry leaders.

This way, if a unique situation arises in the field, we have experts that we can call on, thereby bringing the cutting edge of cleaning technology to you.

Spring Safety Tips for Your Pets

Part 4 of 4

Keep identification current.
A microchip is the best way to find a lost pet. Be sure to update your information if you’ve moved since your dog or cat has received a microchip. Even if your pet is microchipped, it is still good to have a sturdy collar and a tag. Make sure the tag has your address and cell phone number on it.

Trial and error is a part of the learning process, but when it comes to the care of your carpets, you don’t want a cleaning company to experiment on yours. So be sure to ask your prospective carpet cleaning company this: “What Kind of Training Do You Have?”

The number one reason for poor carpet cleaning is technician error. Would you be surprised to learn that most carpet cleaning companies have no formal training? That they are not required to be licensed? That there is no requirement to have any certification whatsoever? Is training and certification important? After all, isn’t carpet cleaning a “menial” task that anyone can perform?

Actually, a carpet cleaning professional is working with one of your most valuable assets. Should it be trusted with just anyone? Unfortunately, our industry is full of “rogues” who only care about how much money they can get from you, and who care nothing about the life of your carpeting. They do not care about the industry in which they work.

Have you ever noticed that in many states, air-conditioning companies, plumbers, and pest-control companies are required to be licensed? Not so for carpet cleaners. Fortunately for you, and for me, there are many fine people in the carpet cleaning industry who realize the standard must be raised. Those of us in that process help to police our own industry. In order to do this, associations and certification organizations were created.

One such organization is the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). This organization provides certification courses and exams for the carpet cleaning industry. By attending these courses, carpet cleaners are taught about fiber identification, carpet construction, cleaning chemistry, cleaning methods, and professionalism.

In this training, technicians learn the technical aspects of cleaning that assist them in using the proper methods for cleaning specific types of soil from specific types of carpet. A certified firm knows the right way to apply cleaning procedures and chemistry. A certified firm is working together with other certified firms to raise the standard of carpet cleaning in general, therefore providing you with a higher-quality product.

Special Note: Never use a carpet cleaner that is not certified by the IICRC.

The IICRC is just one entity that provides training. There are many opportunities for advanced training and learning. Be sure to ask questions about the specific training the company has.

Our company is certified by the IICRC and is heavily engaged in training in our industry. We are thoroughly trained in each area of service. Be sure to ask us about our designations and certifications.

Spring Safety Tips for Your Pets Part 3 of 4

Make sure your garden is safe.
When you are outdoors starting your garden, keep in mind that your pets will also take an interest in your garden. Keep toxic bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths out of your garden. Only use as much fertilizer as is necessary and observe the waiting period after applying before letting your pets outdoors.

What Prompts People To Clean Their Carpet?

Your professional cleaners need to understand and be experienced in the reason you are cleaning. There are actually six reasons people clean, and many times the cleaning is for more than one reason:

What prompted you to have cleaning done at this time?

Reason 1: Events
Experience proves that events drive more carpet cleaning than any other reason. Whether it is getting ready for Thanksgiving or mother-in-law is coming, events create a sense of urgency that doesn’t exist otherwise. Although entertaining guests or family on clean carpet is a fantastic idea, don’t let this be the only reason you clean.

Reason 2: Visible Soil
The second most common reason for cleaning is some type of visible soiling. Whether it is a spot or a traffic area, it just becomes unsightly. Many times, waiting until your carpet is visibly soiled is waiting too long. Traffic area damage may have occurred, and spots may have become permanent.

Reason 3: Maintenance
This is one of the best reasons to order cleaning. By properly caring for your carpet, you will dramatically increase the useful life of your carpet and it will look better all the time—even when mother-in-law springs a surprise visit!

Reason 4: Health
This is also a great reason to clean. As your carpet does its job as a “sink” or a “filter” it eventually becomes “full.” It is catching pollens, bacteria, insecticides, asphalt, and many other contaminants that need to be cleaned out.

Reason 5: Problem Solving
Occasionally something happens to a textile that appears to be a defect but can actually be corrected through professional cleaning. Usually, before they send out a representative, carpet manufacturers will require your carpet to be serviced by a certified professional cleaning firm.

Reason 6: Odor Problems
Pet odors, cooking odors, and others make their way into carpets, rugs, fabrics, and floors. There are a variety of new techniques and products available today to treat odor problems. Get a complete evaluation from one of our consultants.

Regardless of what your reason is for cleaning, our company is at your service. We are available for the most routine or complex questions you have.

Spring Safety Tips for Your Pets

Part 2 of 4

Keep up to date on vaccinations and medications.  Spring can bring new hazards with the onslaught of pesky bugs. Your pets will also wish to spend more time outdoors. Make sure that your pets have year-round heartworm preventive medication and protection from fleas and ticks.

Although everyone has to start somewhere, you probably don’t want to be your carpet cleaning company’s first client. You’ll want to know what they know about carpet cleaning. Be sure to ask your prospective hire this: “What Kind of Experience Do You Have?”

A number of situations that arise in professional cleaning require experience to get the best cleaning and avoid problems.

First, the cleaner must understand what type of carpet they are working on. The type of soiling and how the carpet is used are important factors. Are pets and/or children present? What kind of traffic does it get? What about cooking oils and other environmental soils?

Second, experience is a factor in knowing how to handle other situations that aren’t even related to cleaning, but have to do with customer service. Do the carpet cleaners know how to treat me and others they may come in contact with during the service experience? More about this later.

Training is a good start towards understanding these factors, but nothing replaces the right kind of experience. And I do stress the right kind of experience. Practicing something the wrong way for years just means that doing it wrong becomes a habit.

One thing you want to ask is, “How long have you been in business?” If they have been in business for a while and the references check out, then you are most likely on your way towards a good fit.