By The Room

Definitely the most prominent method in use by carpet cleaners. They will typically set a room maximum in this method. For example, rooms over 200 square feet or 25o square feet will be considered two rooms. This is a fair method of calculating price and has the advantage of saving the carpet cleaner time. Since they do not have to go to your home to quote you a price , they save time and money. Generally this money savings is passed on to the consumer.
Be wary of carpet cleaners with a low square foot maximum, 100 square feet for example. Most homes do not have rooms less than that which means every room will count as more than one. Its a way for bait and switch cleaners to raise the price significantly.

By The Square Foot

In this method of carpet cleaning pricing, the carpet cleaner must visit your home and measure to give you an accurate quote. The advantage of this is that you are only paying for the actual area to be cleaned. The disadvantage is that time is money and the extra time spent by the carpet cleaner to determine a price may be passed on to the consumer.

Other Methods

There are other various methods out there used by a minority of carpet cleaners. These include such things as pricing per the area where they charge in 100 square foot blocks. This is just a combination of the two methods. Some cleaners may also charge by the hour. This has the obvious problem of paying more for a slower cleaner.

Angie’s List

Angie’s list is a great source of customer reviews and testimonials. It is a website where customers post good and bad comments about cleaning services and other contractors. The only negative thing about Angie’s List is that it is a pay service. You have to be a member to post and read reviews but the cost is worth it if it helps you avoid a bad company.

Google

Search for the company on Google and if the company has a Google Local listing (which most do) they might have reviews about their services. Be wary though. Many companies tend to post their own reviews on Google.  These fake reviews are usually easily spotted by looking at the grammar and writing style of the reviews. If they are all similar, you know they are fake. Fake reviews are also almost always 5 stars (the highest rating). If all of the companies reviews are 5 star, you might want to question them .

BBB

While you may not find good reviews by contacting the Better Business Bureaus, you can find out about complaints. Any cleaning companies with unresolved complaints should be avoided.

1. Basic cleaning.
   First, they will typically try a regular carpet or spot cleaning. Often, especially on a new carpet, the red dye stain will come out with just a basic cleaning.  If this does not work, they will move on to a specialty cleaner.
2. Dye removal chemicals.
   Red dye removal chemicals are applied to the spot and then a heat source is used as a catalyst to speed up the reaction. Most carpet cleaners will use an iron for a heat source. They will apply the cleaner, then apply a water dampened towel and then the iron. In a few seconds, if all goes well, your red dye stain will be gone.
3. Follow up cleaning.
   The red dye remover should then be cleaned out of the carpet to remove any residue.

So how much does this cost? This will of course depend on your cleaning service and the area of the country you are in, but in general, you can expect to pay about $20 to $30 for an average sized spot.

1. The first thing you should do is make sure that you have a fresh box of baking soda in your refrigerator. This is good practice both to combat odors and to prevent them. Replace your box of baking soda once every two months.

2. If the baking soda fails to rid your refrigerator of odor, your next step is to clean it out completely. Get a cooler filled with ice and remove all of the good food from the fridge. Throw all spoiled and old food away. After the food is out, clean all of the surfaces with a mild solution of dish detergent and water.

3. If the detergent fails to cure the odor, use a solution of baking soda and water to neutralize the odor. Use 2 tablespoons of baking soda per quart of water.

4.  If stubborn odors linger, purchase some activated charcoal and place it in the refrigerator. Place it in the fridge in a shallow pan or dish and allow the fridge to run on low for a few days without food. Cat litter can also be used if you can not find activated charcoal.

5. A few ounces of imitation vanilla in  a saucer can also do well to absorb odor if left in an empty refrigerator for a few days.

Carpet Cleaning Frequency Chart

Residential Carpet Cleaning Frequency

Commercial Carpet Cleaning Frequency

The above cleaning frequencies are based on average environmental conditions. You may have to clean your carpet sooner or may be able to go longer between cleanings depending on your environment.

Step 1: Rent the machine.

Visit your local home improvement store and rent a portable carpet cleaning machine. Make sure that the machine is in good condition by examining the physical condition of it. If it looks bad on the outside you can be sure that it probably does not mechanically work much better. When you rent the machine be sure to grab some of the carpet shampoo, you do not want to use any home recipes. The machine that they sell with the machine is designed for use on carpet.

Step 2: Prepare your carpet for cleaning.

Move as much furniture out of the rooms as possible before you begin. You do not want to be moving furniture while you clean. After you get the furniture moved out, vacuum the carpet thoroughly. Take your time and vacuum slowly to remove as much dry soil as possible.

Step 3: Pre-treat your carpet.

Take the shampoo that you purchased and mix up a solution in a pump up garden sprayer. The directions will say to put the solution in the machine but you will not be doing that. Instead spray the carpet with the shampoo solution separately and allow it to dwell for a few minutes to give it time to emulsify the soil.Spray only a 10 foot by 10 foot area at a time so that you have time to extract the solution  before it dries.

Step 4: Extract the cleaning solution and soil.

Fill the machine with plain water and use it to rinse the shampoo and soil from the carpet. Make at least two separate passes to remove as much of the cleaning solution as possible. Any shampoo left in the carpet will contribute to rapid re-soiling of your carpet.  Move the machine slowly and deliberately to give it time to work properly. If the carpet is still soiled after two rinsing passes, reapply the pre-treatment and start again.

Step 5:  Dry the carpet.

You want to get your carpet to dry as soon as possible after cleaning to minimize chances of any soil wicking up or browning from occurring. If it is a nice day, you should open windows to allow fresh and dry air in. In hotter weather, run your homes air conditioning to remove humidity. In cold weather run your heater to heat up the cold air so it can absorb more moisture. Air movement is the key to a quick drying carpet so turn ceiling fans on and make use of any portable fans that you might own. Your goal is to get your carpet dry in under 6 hours.

Supplies

You will need a few 100 percent cotton terry cloth towels, a spoon and a steam iron filled with water. You can find terry cloth towels at most home improvement stores for about a dollar a piece. They come in hand around the house for cleaning so you might want to buy a dozen for about 6 dollars.

Step One:

The first step is to remove as much wax as possible from the surface of the carpet. Take your spoon and gently remove as much wax as you can. Do not get too aggressive with the spoon, you do not want to abrade the carpet which would cause permanent damage.

Step Two:

Now its time to get prepared for the rest of the wax removal. Turn your steam iron (which should be filled with water) on and set it to the lowest steam setting.  Take your terry cloth towels and soak them and water. Wring them out so that they are just damp.  You are now ready to begin.

Step Three:

Now place the damp towel over the wax spot and place the steam iron on top of the towel. Keep the iron moving and check the towel every few seconds. When it becomes full of wax, switch to a clean portion of the towel or change the towel for a fresh one. Repeat this process until all of the wax is removed.  Use caution and never allow the steam iron to come into direct contact with the carpet.

The above process is all that is necessary to take care of most wax problems. If the candle that spilled was a colored one, you might be left with a dye stain after the wax is gone. If this is the case, you can find dye removing chemicals at most home improvement stores.

Step 1: Identify the source of the odor.

This might sound easier than it actually is. You might see a few visible spots but you will soon find out that the problem is probably bigger than you think. The best way to identify the source or sources of pet odor is with a black light. The salts in pet urine will fluoresce under the black light. Once you have your black light, darken the room and turn the black light on. Wave the light over the carpet and the spots of pet urine will magically start to glow. Mark the spots with a piece of tape or paper so that you can find them later.

Step 2: Removal of odor causing pet waste.

The easiest way to remove the pet urine trapped in your carpet and padding is by using a pet odor enzyme. The enzyme will actually digest the urine contamination and thus eliminate the odor. You can find many good enzyme products at your local pet store or even online. Once you have the product, follow the directions on the bottle. In general, you will mix up a solution and thoroughly saturate the carpet. The carpet will need to remain wet for a long period of time in order to give it a chance to thoroughly digest the urine. The biggest mistake home owners make is not giving the enzyme enough time to work. You can keep the area wet by placing a few pieces of plastic wrap over the spot which will slow down evaporation.

Step 3: Visible stain removal.

Chances are good that the enzyme will leave a water stain on the surface of the carpet. This is typically easily removed with a solution of vinegar and water. In a spray bottle, mix one part white distilled vinegar with 3-4 parts of plain water. Mist the solution on the spot, allow it to dwell a few seconds and then blot it up with a clean white towel. Be careful to blot and not rub the spot. Rubbing could cause permanent pile distortion and damage.

If the above steps fail to cure the problem you might have a severe problem which may require professional cleaning methods or even carpet replacement. Contact a qualified local carpet cleaner for help.

Fiber identification is important.

You need to identify every different type of material that is used in your upholstery. Every different type of material is treated differently and it is not uncommon for upholstery to be made of several different materials. The easiest way to identify the material is by burning it. Open up your cushion and cut off a small piece of the excess material. Now separate the different threads and burn each individual one. Cotton will burn slowly, leaving a gray ash. Rayon will burn quickly like a fuse. Wool will have a strong smell of burning hair. Synthetics will melt like plastic. Synthetic materials will be the easiest to clean and natural fibers will be the hardest. Much care must be taken when cleaning natural fibers to make sure that they dry quickly and evenly.

Is the dye stable?

Next you will need to test to see if the dye itself is stable. You would be surprised how many materials will bleed color. Take a clean white rag and add the cleaning solution that you intend to use to it. Rub the rag on a hidden portion of the material and then see if it bleeds. If it bleeds you will need to be careful not to over wet it and you should take care to evenly dry it. Sometimes it might not even be cleanable.

Consider fabric construction.

This is another important factor. You must examine the construction of the material and look for hidden dangers. Did the manufacturer mark the back of the material with a grease pen during assembly? Id there a thread of a different color running along the back of the material that will bleed through after cleaning? You should also consider that different materials need to be treated differently after cleaning. For example, a velvet material must be carded or brushed after cleaning to restore the texture.

As you can see, there are many things to consider when trying to clean your upholstery. It is therefore our advice that you consult a trained upholstery cleaning professional before you proceed with cleaning your furniture.

Step 1: Disassembly
Remove all of the parts that can be washed separately and wash them in hot, soapy water. If they are dishwasher safe, that is even better. For most coffee makers this includes the coffee pot, filter basket and possibly the reusable filter if it is so equipped.

Step 2: External Clean Up
Using a wet sponge and soapy water wipe down every exterior surface of your coffee maker . Don’t miss anything.. You do not want to leave any dust, grime or dirt on the machine which could make its way into your cup of coffee.

Step 3: Internal Clean Up
Now you want to get rid of all of the mineral deposits and grime that has built up inside your machine. Reinstall your filter basket and fill your coffee pot half way with white vinegar. Fill it up the rest of the way with water and pour it into your machines water tank. Turn the machine on and let it run through its cycle which will remove the accumulation of grime and mineral deposits that has probably developed inside your coffee maker.. If it has been some time since you have cleaned out your coffee maker run a second rinse through it to get it completely clean.

Step 4: Clean Water Rinse
Finally, you want to remove all trace of the vinegar and soap. To remove all residue run a couple of pots of clean water through your machine.

That’s it. You now have a clean coffee pot and are ready to brew an exceptional pot of fine Colombian java. Just in time too, you are probably getting anxious for another cup by now.