What is a bargain? What is value?
To describe this regarding carpet cleaning services. I will take that we all know what is a bargain and what is value.
To each is own. I will describe that a bargain in carpet cleaning may be these things-
Spent a total of 10 minutes in a small room
Not a complete thorough cleaning system used
Sub par equipment provided
No additional stain work included (on the stubborn ones)
No warranty given
Leaves carpet wet
No explanation of services completed
Still dirty spots
Value on the other hand will have all of the above items listed and more done.
And appropriately.
Harris & Sons Carpet Cleaning - Serving Bend, Redmond and Sunriver Oregon.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Carpet Cleaning Coupons
Carpet cleaning coupons, yes we offer them!
But, before you spend your money with a service, to save money with a coupon, be sure to understand what you are getting for your dollars. Is the "coupon offer" the same services you would get at regular pricing? The only difference is just with a price break?
How do you know if the service is the same either way? Great question. One way is to ask, the other way is to find others whom have taken advantage of the offer. Perhaps a neighbor, friend or relative, or ask them for a couple of their recent coupon users. Have the services offered been reduced at all?
Coupons obviously can save you some money, just understand that your carpets need a quality service at a fair price. Knowing what you will receive in services on the front end will surely pay big dividends for you and your carpets.
One final note is that coupons are everywhere, comparing coupon to coupon may also help in your decision process.
I understand that everyone knows about coupons, Just thought to shed some light on a scenario or two.
http://www.carpetcleanersbendoregon.com/Coupons.htm?m=91
But, before you spend your money with a service, to save money with a coupon, be sure to understand what you are getting for your dollars. Is the "coupon offer" the same services you would get at regular pricing? The only difference is just with a price break?
How do you know if the service is the same either way? Great question. One way is to ask, the other way is to find others whom have taken advantage of the offer. Perhaps a neighbor, friend or relative, or ask them for a couple of their recent coupon users. Have the services offered been reduced at all?
Coupons obviously can save you some money, just understand that your carpets need a quality service at a fair price. Knowing what you will receive in services on the front end will surely pay big dividends for you and your carpets.
One final note is that coupons are everywhere, comparing coupon to coupon may also help in your decision process.
I understand that everyone knows about coupons, Just thought to shed some light on a scenario or two.
http://www.carpetcleanersbendoregon.com/Coupons.htm?m=91
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Restorative Cleaning Challenge



Restorative cleaning, what is that? This term is used in this case when the carpet is 10-15 years old, can have many stains (too many to count) and will not get back to nice looking again. The focus is to clean and spot without having spent a small fortune.
This particular home has 3 bedrooms, and a hall downstairs, leading up through stairs and into the main floor. The main floor has a large great room, hall, 2 bathrooms and a walk in closet. The master bedroom carpet had been removed. The owner said the renters of 7 years had animals. "Animals" I asked? "Yes" she said, "ferrets, dogs and cats!"
There were stain issues in every room, way too many too count, I would guess over a hundred in the home. One stain in particular was an 18" X 30" solid rust stain from a gun safe! A few red drink spills, and many urine spots along with some burnt carpet spots (smokers maybe).
The square footage involved I recall was 1400SF. The job took 5 hours to complete with a couple hours devoted to stain removing and that big rust stain.
The owners went into town on an errand and when they came back they were very pleased that it looked so good.
It gives me great pleasure in seeing happy customers for the services we provide.
I hope to get some more of those restorative challenges!
Friday, May 6, 2011
Post Spotting Carpet
Recently I had the opportunity to try my efforts to remove a multitude of stains on a carpet cleaning job in Bend Oregon.
Spread over 4 rooms for carpet cleaning, the owner listing the home for sale was requesting a thorough job be done on the stains in the carpeting. With about 15 of them to work on, they ranged in size and what they were. Going from the smallest sprekles of paint drops up to a round dark stain in the hall closet.
Stain removal depending on what it is can be from easy to challenging.
There are several factors to consider;
What color is the stain?
What pattern does it have?
How concentrated into the pile is it?
Has it changed the color of the carpeting permanently?
How long has the stain been there?
Have other products been used to remove the stain?
How much volume of the stain and area does it cover?
Going through a process to determine what the stain is, deductive reasoning is used. I start with the things that I can see and read about the stain. The variables are uncontrollable and only through the first steps of the process can I then know if the stain can be removed.
Over scrubbing, multiple stain removal products, and too much product is not the best way to go. When the stain won't come completly out, I use the term "minimize" the stain. This means to make it less noticable.
There are many stain removing products on the market and they work extremely well.
Coffee, tea, ink, wax (No iron for wax is used), red drinks, pet urine, pet odors, rust, sodas, and more.
Not all stains are removable, carpet color damage does occur, do not scrub the carpets too much and making a fuzz is not good, bleaching does not work at all, and over wetting and "wicking" brings up more dirt down in the carpeting.
Getting back to the stains in the carpets, I spent 2.5 hours on them! In terms of percentages; 70% of them went away, 15% were minimized and 15% were permanent.
Stain removing is one of the most challenging aspects of carpet cleaning services. It can be difficult to estimate time for removal, and total elimination is not guaranteed unfortunately. Only through experience have I learned specific techniques to apply on customers carpeting. Leave it to the professional at removing tough stains. We use commercial grade products specific to the stains, and grabbing "stain removers" and "spot removers" from the shelf may cause more harm than good in some cases and one product very rarely is good for the many spots and stains found in a home.
Spread over 4 rooms for carpet cleaning, the owner listing the home for sale was requesting a thorough job be done on the stains in the carpeting. With about 15 of them to work on, they ranged in size and what they were. Going from the smallest sprekles of paint drops up to a round dark stain in the hall closet.
Stain removal depending on what it is can be from easy to challenging.
There are several factors to consider;
What color is the stain?
What pattern does it have?
How concentrated into the pile is it?
Has it changed the color of the carpeting permanently?
How long has the stain been there?
Have other products been used to remove the stain?
How much volume of the stain and area does it cover?
Going through a process to determine what the stain is, deductive reasoning is used. I start with the things that I can see and read about the stain. The variables are uncontrollable and only through the first steps of the process can I then know if the stain can be removed.
Over scrubbing, multiple stain removal products, and too much product is not the best way to go. When the stain won't come completly out, I use the term "minimize" the stain. This means to make it less noticable.
There are many stain removing products on the market and they work extremely well.
Coffee, tea, ink, wax (No iron for wax is used), red drinks, pet urine, pet odors, rust, sodas, and more.
Not all stains are removable, carpet color damage does occur, do not scrub the carpets too much and making a fuzz is not good, bleaching does not work at all, and over wetting and "wicking" brings up more dirt down in the carpeting.
Getting back to the stains in the carpets, I spent 2.5 hours on them! In terms of percentages; 70% of them went away, 15% were minimized and 15% were permanent.
Stain removing is one of the most challenging aspects of carpet cleaning services. It can be difficult to estimate time for removal, and total elimination is not guaranteed unfortunately. Only through experience have I learned specific techniques to apply on customers carpeting. Leave it to the professional at removing tough stains. We use commercial grade products specific to the stains, and grabbing "stain removers" and "spot removers" from the shelf may cause more harm than good in some cases and one product very rarely is good for the many spots and stains found in a home.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Survey of Services
Monday, May 2, 2011
RV Carpet Cleaning
With a few years under my belt cleaning RV's (Motorhomes, 5th wheels & trailers) with 2 local dealers, I have a cleaning system down for these fantastic machines.
Setting up usually takes about 15 minutes. With the pop-outs extended, and the furntiure positioned or outside, it's ready to clean. Having lite colored carpeting or older floor coverings in the RV, it takes more time to clean. With so many small tight areas to reach, I have specialty tools specific to RV cleaning. RV's in most cases are pretty clean primarily because people take good care of them and rarely used unlike a homes carpet.
Starting from the back and cleaning to the door, these units are usually around one hour to finish. Because of my familiarity with the RV's, the nature of where dirt hides and other things to look for with RV cleaning, I can get more done in less time and have a quality cleaning with a fair price attached and it includes a 10 day warranty.
If you have an RV that needs cleaning after vacation time this year, Have it cleaned with a room or two in your home for greater added savings. Then you will be ready for the next vacation, with a fresh cleaned unit.
Setting up usually takes about 15 minutes. With the pop-outs extended, and the furntiure positioned or outside, it's ready to clean. Having lite colored carpeting or older floor coverings in the RV, it takes more time to clean. With so many small tight areas to reach, I have specialty tools specific to RV cleaning. RV's in most cases are pretty clean primarily because people take good care of them and rarely used unlike a homes carpet.
Starting from the back and cleaning to the door, these units are usually around one hour to finish. Because of my familiarity with the RV's, the nature of where dirt hides and other things to look for with RV cleaning, I can get more done in less time and have a quality cleaning with a fair price attached and it includes a 10 day warranty.
If you have an RV that needs cleaning after vacation time this year, Have it cleaned with a room or two in your home for greater added savings. Then you will be ready for the next vacation, with a fresh cleaned unit.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Simple Steps to Save Money on Carpet Cleaning Services
In order to save money on your carpet cleaning services, you may do some of the cleaning and details prior to scheduling the service. As a carpet cleaning professional, we try to point out to our customers some areas for savings.
An important one is to vacuum all the carpets thoroughly a day before the service. Be sure to vacuum the baseboards too. Another saving tip is try and remember all the stains (if you have any) and what they were. That will help the technician greatly in applying the correct stain remover.
Have all the small items set aside, off the floor or moved to areas away from the carpets being cleaned. Carpets vacuumed regularly and cleaned annually in most cases clean up easier and take up less time and saving you money in the long run.
Open the window coverings to let the light in and Crack some of the windows for ventilation.
An important one is to vacuum all the carpets thoroughly a day before the service. Be sure to vacuum the baseboards too. Another saving tip is try and remember all the stains (if you have any) and what they were. That will help the technician greatly in applying the correct stain remover.
Have all the small items set aside, off the floor or moved to areas away from the carpets being cleaned. Carpets vacuumed regularly and cleaned annually in most cases clean up easier and take up less time and saving you money in the long run.
Open the window coverings to let the light in and Crack some of the windows for ventilation.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Gaining Insight about Carpet Cleaning Services
3 rooms for $99
Whole House Special for $179.00. No hidden fees
Any room for $25
You have seen all of these coupons and ads before.
Carpet cleaning is one of those services that very few people research adequately and understand what is going to be done to their carpets in the cleaning process. Most folks don't put time aside to get familiar with the cleaners in their area and figure it out, but should!
You are going to spend a minimum of $75 up to and above $200. People spend as much or more time figuring out a grocery list and shopping for the familiy meals for the week! Spending some time on the net, reading up on carpet cleaning equipment systems, trade tools used, products used and companies in your area may come in handy next time a tech addresses you about your carpet cleaning needs.
You will then be armed with some general knowledge, able to ask questions about the services, and have a better grasp on the results before they start.
Here are some questions to consider when selecting a carpet cleaning service.
What type of equipment do the use? The cleaning system they have? Is it a relatively new machine (within 6 years)?
The technician that will be arriving to do the cleaning, how much experience do they have in years? Are they a certified technician issued from the iicrc? (iicrc.org) Is the tech familiar with ALL types of spots, stains and odor removing products & processes?
Regarding the products used, are they green, toxic, zero residue. Know something about the stains in your carpeting such as rust, ink, urine, coffee, tea and do they offer the removal of those?
The company- Does the service offer a guarantee, a warranty of some kind.
Not all companys are the same, all technicians the same, or is all the equipment and products similar.
There are variables to strongly consider, know what you want and your carpets needs are. Now you can draw some comparisons, then you can evaluate the equipment, technician, products, warranty, pricing and the services to destinguish quality and value.
Whole House Special for $179.00. No hidden fees
Any room for $25
You have seen all of these coupons and ads before.
Carpet cleaning is one of those services that very few people research adequately and understand what is going to be done to their carpets in the cleaning process. Most folks don't put time aside to get familiar with the cleaners in their area and figure it out, but should!
You are going to spend a minimum of $75 up to and above $200. People spend as much or more time figuring out a grocery list and shopping for the familiy meals for the week! Spending some time on the net, reading up on carpet cleaning equipment systems, trade tools used, products used and companies in your area may come in handy next time a tech addresses you about your carpet cleaning needs.
You will then be armed with some general knowledge, able to ask questions about the services, and have a better grasp on the results before they start.
Here are some questions to consider when selecting a carpet cleaning service.
What type of equipment do the use? The cleaning system they have? Is it a relatively new machine (within 6 years)?
The technician that will be arriving to do the cleaning, how much experience do they have in years? Are they a certified technician issued from the iicrc? (iicrc.org) Is the tech familiar with ALL types of spots, stains and odor removing products & processes?
Regarding the products used, are they green, toxic, zero residue. Know something about the stains in your carpeting such as rust, ink, urine, coffee, tea and do they offer the removal of those?
The company- Does the service offer a guarantee, a warranty of some kind.
Not all companys are the same, all technicians the same, or is all the equipment and products similar.
There are variables to strongly consider, know what you want and your carpets needs are. Now you can draw some comparisons, then you can evaluate the equipment, technician, products, warranty, pricing and the services to destinguish quality and value.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Carpet Cleaning a Room with Pet Dander
We had the opportuniy to clean a very nice home in Tumalo. The lady was very nice. She had an old dog which favors laying down in their office.
Let me go over the services specific for that room. We thoroughly vacuumed first. Most vacuums do not get all the dander up in the carpeting.
I pre-sprayed with a neutralizer first, not a deodorizer! This product reduces the odor in the carpet.
We sprayed the entire carpet with a pre-spray emulsyfier. This is agitated in with a grooming tool. This tool works the pre-spray into the carpet and it also takes the dog hair up. We do this until very little hair sticks to the groomer. (In this case it took 3 passes).
After a few minutes of the pre-spray saturating the carpet, we are ready to clean.
With the wand tool, a 2 inch vacuum line attached, and hot water with a rinse is injected into the carpeting. We could see that the darker colored areas were lightening up. One pass at a time.
The room was done in about 20 minutes or so, and what a difference it made!
Let me go over the services specific for that room. We thoroughly vacuumed first. Most vacuums do not get all the dander up in the carpeting.
I pre-sprayed with a neutralizer first, not a deodorizer! This product reduces the odor in the carpet.
We sprayed the entire carpet with a pre-spray emulsyfier. This is agitated in with a grooming tool. This tool works the pre-spray into the carpet and it also takes the dog hair up. We do this until very little hair sticks to the groomer. (In this case it took 3 passes).
After a few minutes of the pre-spray saturating the carpet, we are ready to clean.
With the wand tool, a 2 inch vacuum line attached, and hot water with a rinse is injected into the carpeting. We could see that the darker colored areas were lightening up. One pass at a time.
The room was done in about 20 minutes or so, and what a difference it made!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Hotel Commercial Cleaning
We just got this hotel for commercial carpet cleaning services on a regular basis.
It breaks down into 4 large areas. On todays job, it included one long hall corridor, 14 rooms and two sets of stairs plus a lobby area.
The hotel manager is really nice and she does a walk-thru with us to point any thing out that we should focus on. Primarily it was a red spot and some other small spots. We started at 9AM and were done by 3PM. It is quite a few SF to clean.
Because the facility is well maintained, the carpets are not that dirty and they clean up real nice. The commercial grade carpeting is plush and the carpets in the rooms is a dark green and fairly new. For this commercial carpet cleaning job, we will give it strong go!
See you on the next one!
http://www.carpetcleanersbendoregon.com/Commercial_Cleaning.htm?m=66&s=577
It breaks down into 4 large areas. On todays job, it included one long hall corridor, 14 rooms and two sets of stairs plus a lobby area.
The hotel manager is really nice and she does a walk-thru with us to point any thing out that we should focus on. Primarily it was a red spot and some other small spots. We started at 9AM and were done by 3PM. It is quite a few SF to clean.
Because the facility is well maintained, the carpets are not that dirty and they clean up real nice. The commercial grade carpeting is plush and the carpets in the rooms is a dark green and fairly new. For this commercial carpet cleaning job, we will give it strong go!
See you on the next one!
http://www.carpetcleanersbendoregon.com/Commercial_Cleaning.htm?m=66&s=577
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Another Job Completed
I recently finished another job and found it to be just as much fun as the last one. I hope that my customer liked the carpet cleaning work at their second home.
It was a bit challenging (I like that type) to get it back to nice again. The main thing was light colored carpeting, secondly it had dirt and dust along the baseboards and third, quite a few yellow pet spots in one room.
The products we use are very good. How do we know that? Well for one thing, I call back to find out! Another one is that I have used it for a long time and feel confident it will definitely improve the carpets condition.
The baseboards needed some added efforts to get them looking good. It is the details I focus on to please the customers.
Pet dander was quite prevelant in the whole house. Robin had just vacuumed but all the hairs do not come out with a vacuum. There is always imbedded hairs in the pile and I want them gone. I use a special tool to pull out the dander.
The carpeting was not that soiled but light colors just take longer to clean (everything shows).
The living room was the last area to clean. I used an RX-20 rotary extraction tool for a deep and thorough cleaning.
It was a bit challenging (I like that type) to get it back to nice again. The main thing was light colored carpeting, secondly it had dirt and dust along the baseboards and third, quite a few yellow pet spots in one room.
The products we use are very good. How do we know that? Well for one thing, I call back to find out! Another one is that I have used it for a long time and feel confident it will definitely improve the carpets condition.
The baseboards needed some added efforts to get them looking good. It is the details I focus on to please the customers.
Pet dander was quite prevelant in the whole house. Robin had just vacuumed but all the hairs do not come out with a vacuum. There is always imbedded hairs in the pile and I want them gone. I use a special tool to pull out the dander.
The carpeting was not that soiled but light colors just take longer to clean (everything shows).
The living room was the last area to clean. I used an RX-20 rotary extraction tool for a deep and thorough cleaning.
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