All posts by Walter Polk

I worked with Grayson Smith all through the 70's as he started Grayson Smith Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning. I left Memphis to pursue opportunities and returned to Memphis in 2006 to join Grayson as his partner.
Cleaning Tips

Pet Accidents, What do you do!

Accidents do happen
Accidents do happen

Pets have accidents and it is good to address them as soon as possible. Urine is probably the biggest issue because it soaks into the fabrics. Urine is also a rather sophisticated problem with respect to removal. When it is wet it is acidic and needs to be approached one way. When it dries, it turns into urine salts, an alkaline, and should be addressed in a different method than when wet. Also, when it is dry, the uric acid crystals absorb moisture from humidity in the air giving off the foul odor. That is why on humid days, a house can smell worse.

blottingDealing with Urine while it is wet — Blot, blot, and blot because removal is the first approach. Find a dry white towel and apply to the wet spot (colored or patterned towels run the risk of bleeding onto the carpet, rug or upholstery). Keep moving dry parts of the towel over the wet spot to remove as much as possible. After blotting, sprinkle baking soda on the urinated area. Baking soda will help absorb and neutralize the urine ph. After the baking soda has dried, vacuum it up thoroughly. (Note: baking soda may sometimes discolor fabrics, so you may want to test it on a non-conspicuous area of your rug, carpet or upholstery).

Spritz Bottle
Spritzing area

Dealing with dried urine — first identify the spots. Look for visible evidence like spots or discolorations. Also, a black light can be used to find the source. In a darkened room, the urine salts become fluorescent in the presence of ultraviolet light. However, the most available and practical method of locating urine problems is your nose. Don’t be afraid to get down on your hands and knees to find it. Once the spots have been identified, using 1/3 white vinegar with 2/3 water, spray it on the spot. You want to apply enough to get to the contamination in order to liquefy the urines salts. However, do not over wet the carpet especially with wood sub-floors. After applying the vinegar/water solution, remove as much of the moisture as possible by blotting as described above.

For more information, visit my website at www.graysoncleans.com

Maintenance Tips

When should you clean your carpets?

This is a frequently asked question which deserves attention in a newsletter. There are two sources of advice, that from the industry and that based on our experience in the “real world”.

 Institutional Advice

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration’s (IICRC) IICRCstandard reference guide for professional carpet cleaning, recommends cleaning for normal soiling in a home every 6-12 months for high use areas and annually for the remainder of carpet. Most carpet mills require carpet cleaning from 18 months to 2 years to maintain the CRIcarpet warranty. The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) recommends deep cleaning either quarterly, every 6 months or annually depending upon traffic levels.

As you can see, they are all over the place but they all agree that;

  • Proper professional cleaning will extend the useful life of the carpet
  • If the carpet looks dirty, it is already past the time it should have been cleaned
  • Cleaning for health has a bigger impact on people’s lives than merely cleaning for appearance.
  • The carpet in most homes would benefit from cleaning more often than it is being cleaned now.

Our “Real World” Advice

Now for our advice, there are two primary factors to consider,

  1. Vacuuming frequency
  2. The environment within the home.

If you vacuum at least once a week, consider cleaning every 12 to 18 months. If you vacuum less, maybe clean every 9 to 12 months. However, if any of the following home environment conditions exist, consider professional cleaning more frequently. Home environment considerations would be smokers, pets, heavy use of kitchens and the family.

  • For smokers, tobacco smoke lingers and poses a health issue for children.
  • For pets, pet stains and their odors get worse with neglect.
  • For heavy cooking, especially with oil, the oil gets into the air and settles at entrances to the kitchen.
  • And, last but not least, a messy family or family member can MessyKid-240x360impact the cleanliness of the carpet.

For more information, visit my website at www.Graysoncleans.com

 

Cleaning Tips

Upholstery Spot Cleaning

When there is a spill on your upholstery,Panic Face
DON’t PANIC.
However, act promptly before it spreads or dries.

For liquid spills:     Blot lightly with a dry towel to start. Increase pressure and use a fresh towel until no more liquid is absorbed. DO NOT RUB! Do Not Add Liquid to a Liquid Spill

If residue remains, see the stain removal guide below.

For solid or semi-solid spills (such as foods):     Gently lift the substance from the upholstery with a spoon or dull knife, scraping carefully toward the center of the spill. Treat any wet residue as a liquid spill.

If residue remains, see the stain removal guide below.

For dry spills (such as ashes or dry cosmetics):     Adding any liquid to a normally dry substance, such as ashes, may cause a permanent stain. Vacuum, beat the area with a ruler or similar implement, vacuum again, then use the adhesive side of masking tape to remove any residue.

If residue remains, see the stain removal guide below.

For wax or bubble gum:     Freeze it by placing ice in a plastic bag and setting it over the area until the wax or bubble gum becomes hard (Avoid letting the bag perspire and get water on the stain). Use the back of a knife or other flat dull edge to gently remove the stain.

If residue remains, see the stain removal guide below.

Stain Removal guide
The key is knowing which type of cleaner or stain remover to use, which depends on (1) the type of upholstery and (2) the type of stain.

Type of Upholstery:     To know what types of upholstery cleaner can be used on your upholstery look at the upholstery cleaning tag code.

  • If your code says “W” you can use a water based cleaner on the upholstery, and if it says a “S” you can use a water-free product, such as a dry cleaning solvent.
  • If it says “WS” you can use either a water based cleaner or a dry cleaning solvent — whichever is more appropriate for the type of stain you are trying to remove from the upholstery.
  • Hint: If your code says “X” do NOT use any of the cleaners below, because it means only a professional should clean your upholstery.

Type of Stain     Once you figure out what types of upholstery cleaners you can use on your upholstery, next you need to know the type of stain you have on your upholstery. Each group of stain is treated slightly differently:
Remember: First follow the type of upholstery code. If it is coded “S” (water-free cleaner) do not use one of the water cleaning solutions mentioned below.

  • Most food and beverage stains – use a solution of 1 teaspoon of detergent to 1 cup of luke warm water. (Non-alkaline detergent not containing bleach, such as used for washing delicate fabrics). Spritz the cleaner on the stain and blot with a dry white towel. You should see the stain transferring to the white rag.
  • Berry and fruit stains – use a solution of 1/3 white vinegar to 2/3 water. Spritz the cleaner onto the stain and blot with a dry white towel. You should see the stain transferring to the white rag.
  • Greasy and oily stains – Use dry cleaning solvent by putting it onto a white rag and then dabbing the stain. You should see the stain transferring to the white rag.

For more good tips, visit my website at www.graysoncleans.com

 

Cleaning Tips

Removing Candle Wax from Carpets, Rugs or Upholstery

candlewax Candles can provide an ambience and pleasant odor. But, what to do when Candle wax drips onto the carpet, rug or upholstery?

First, wait for the wax to cool, then try to scrape off as much of the hardened drips as you can, using a dull knife. Next place a clean white rag over the remaining wax and run a wcandlewax1arm iron over the area. Once again, use the iron on warm setting. If it is too hot, you could damage or melt the fibers. You should see the wax transferring to the white towel. Repeat the process by putting a fresh part of the clean towel over the wax each time, until all the wax is gone. If wax residue remains, apply a small bit of dry-cleaning solvent and blot.

For more good tips, visit my website at www.graysoncleans.com

Maintenance Tips

Protecting Your Carpets with Door Mats

The two most important aspects of carpet care are regular vacuuming and walk off mats. With respect to walk off mats, there are 2 areas to address. Door mats for the entrance and exits from your home and internal mats for those transitions from a hard surface to a carpeted area.Doormat outside

Door mats at the entrances to your home are very important for keeping the outside dirt from tracking onto your carpets. They should be placed both at the outside entrance to your home and at the inside entrance. The outside mat’s purpose is to scrap debris off shoes and to hold it. Therefore, they should be made of a more abrasive material. Also, many people do not purposely stop at an outside mat and wipe both feet. Therefore, the mat should be the width of the door and deep enough that both feet land on the mat during walking, approximately 3.5 to 4 feet. The inside mat’s purpose is to remove the smaller particles of dirt as well as oils and other liquids that can be tracked from the outside. Area rugs can work well for this purpose but make sure there is a non-slip pad underneath. Once again, it should be the width of the door and deep enough that both feet land on the rug during a natural walk.

Doormat insideInternal mats are good to slow down wear patterns. They should be placed wherever there is a transition from a hard surface to a carpeted area. Internal matting addresses two concerns. One is the difference in height between a carpeted area and hard surface. Typically the carpet fibers are a little higher than the hard surface and as a result, feet scrape across the fibers creating excessive wear. The other consideration is the loose particles on the hard surface being carried into the carpet fibers. This is especially important if the hard surface is the kitchen. An internal mat, whether on the hard surface or the carpet, can minimize both concerns. While I talk about mats, an attractive area rug can also serve as a mat.

While the function of mats within the home is beneficial, they can sometimes create a conflict with the visual presentation and feel you want to achieve. However, outside matting should never be a problem. Remember, anything you can do, with respect to matting, will help prolong the appearance and life of your carpets.

For more information, visit my website at www.graysoncleans.com

Cleaning Tips

Do-It-Yourself Spot Cleaning

Children, pets, parties and such can tend to create accidents on your carpets and rugs. It is wise to clean them and remove any spots as quickly as possible to prevent stains. We have found that many people will use products purchased from the store to try and remove these accidents. As cleaning professionals, we do not recommend that approach for the following reasons. Consumers assume that if a little bit of something works well, than a whole lot of it should work even better. This philosophy is bad in the spot cleaning world. The reason is that store bought cleaners will leave a

Suds from store bought cleaner residue

residue. The amount of residue left is based on how much cleaning product was applied to the spot and how good of a job the consumer did trying to remove the cleaner after application. The problem is that the residue left on the carpet will then attract dirt. Also, some of the store bought cleaning products can utilize harsh products to address spot removal. If these type cleaners do not remove the spot, they tend to make it a permanent stain.

blottingSo what do you do? First, removal of the initial insult is top of the list. For liquid spills, use a dry clean white cloth or towel. Put it on the spill and apply pressure. The liquid will migrate from the carpet/rug onto the towel. Keep moving the towel so a dry area is over the spill and keep this up until no more liquid is transferred to the towel. For any solid particles, scrap them off with a spoon or dull object.

If a spot is still visible, we recommend starting with clean water. If the water does not work, try either 1 teaspoon of a neutral detergent with ½ pint of lukewarm water (a non-alkaline detergent that does not contain bleach such as used for washing delicate fabrics) or 1/3 cup white vinegar to 2/3 cup of water. Using a spray bottle, sprits the spot with the cleaner but do not over wet the spot. Then blot it up as described above. You can also click this link to see a video on thicleaning up a spot

For more information you can also visit my website www.graysoncleans.com

Maintenance Tips

Pet Hair in the House

Cats and dogs can bring joy to a household but they also bring shedding. While pet hair from shedding cannot be eliminated from a home, it can be reduced.

Reduce the amount of pet hair that sheds.

Bathing DogPet hair loss is normal. Animals shed seasonally, and indoors animals may shed more because their systems can’t detect changes in the seasons. Also, unexpected temperature swings may cause pet hair to shed and grow more often. Daily brushing removes loose hair before it sheds and helps keep your pet’s coat healthier. Bathing your dog also reduces loose hair.

However, some animals may have hair loss for reasons beyond seasonal changes. If your pet is shedding excessively, try changing their diet. If they are under stress, try alleviating the stress. There could also be medical reasons, so you might take them to your veterinarian to be checked.

Pet hair removal

For clothing, lint brushes and lint rollers can be used to remove pet hair. So can masking or packing tape wrapped around your hand or rolled into a ball. Make sure the sticky side is out and rub it along the fabric grain.

Animal HairFor furniture, remove as much of the pet hair as possible by vacuuming it with the hose attachment of the vacuum cleaner. After vacuuming, put on rubber gloves and dip them in cold water. Shake your hands so that the gloves are damp but not dripping water. Then, wearing the dampened rubber gloves, run your hands across the furniture fabric in one direction. This should gather the pet hair together in a little roll that you can easily pick up and throw in the trash.  Keep wiping all of the fabric in this manner until it is free of pet hair.

For more information, visit my website at www.graysoncleans.com

Cleaning Tips

Dry Cleaning Upholstery

Image

I have a fabric that has a label stating “Dry-Clean Only.”
The fact is that very few fabrics actually require dry cleaning.

Walter B&A The goal of voluntary care labeling by manufacturers of furniture is laudable, however very few tags that recommend “dry cleaning only” reflect a true need for that type of cleaning. Contrary to the manufacturer’s label guidelines, most fabrics clean easily and safely with water-based cleaning solutions performed by qualified professional upholstery cleaners. My suspicion is that by putting “Dry Clean Only” on the furniture, the manufacturer removes the chance of a homeowner trying to clean it themselves, creating problems and then blaming the manufacturer for the problem.

The reasons that fabrics may require dry cleaning are: Colorfastness, texture change, dimensional stability, or finish damage. However, a qualified professional upholstery cleaner should be able to identify when dry cleaning is necessary.

The reality is dry cleaning with solvents will never clean a fabric as well as water-based methods of cleaning. The reason is that water-based solutions are most effective when removing water-based spills, but dry cleaning solvents are only effective on oily soils and spots. Most furniture, when subjected to “normal use”, is exposed to more water-based soils and spills than ones that are oily in nature. Also, oils from skin, hair and animals are removed more efficiently with a water based cleaning utilizing the appropriate preconditioning agents.

PPEIf dry cleaning is required: The use of dry cleaning solvents present both health and fire hazards. Therefore, organic vapor respirators, solvent-resistant gloves and aprons, and protective eyewear are required to do the work. The work area must have adequate ventilation to remove the fumes, and under no circumstances should building occupants or pets be anywhere in or around the rooms where this cleaning is being done.

For more information, visit my website at www.graysoncleans.com

Good Advice

Do your wool carpets and/or rugs shed when you vacuum?

Wool carpets and rugs are very durable but have you noticed that the fibers are getting picked up by your vacuum. Are you worried that the carpet or rug is degrading? Don’t worry. This is a natural characteristic of wool carpets and rugs.

Some pilling and shedding can occur with all wool carpets and rugs. This is a natural characteristic of wool because wool carpets and rugs are made from short “staple” fibers. A staple fiber is a short length of fiber generally ranging from 4 to 8 inches long which is then spun into a yarn comprised of these short lengths. As we all know, wool is sheared from sheep. The result is short lengths of fiber which is then woven into a yarn. Because the yarn is made up of millions of short fibers, there are millions and millions of ends of these fibers in the carpet. Kind of like split ends in a person’s hair. It is impossible to remove all of these loose ends in the construction process. The result is these ends come out or shed when vacuuming.

Once again, no need to worry. Wool carpets will not wear out from the loss of fiber. Just like any carpet/rug type, they can “ugly out” from use and abuse but they won’t fall apart.  Also, the thicker the carpet yarn, the more likely you are to see shedding. Once again, no need to panic. The shedding should diminish with time but it will never go away completely. There will always be some fiber in the vacuum canister. Remember, this is normal.

For more information on carpet, rug and upholstery care, visit my website at  www.graysoncleans.com.

Maintenance Tips

Have Your Carpets Lost Their Luster, Don’t Give Up On Them

You may look at your carpets, want to replace them but would rather not spend the money. With a little effort, you can extend their useful life and maintain your beautiful home. Typical situations that mar the beauty are spots and spills, wear patterns and rippling or buckling of the carpet. I have addressed ways to remove spots and spills in past blogs, however, sometimes they are permanent. For these situations, a strategically placed throw rug or piece of furniture may be your best approach. High use areas or traffic patterns are a result of concentrated foot traffic that is actually wearing the carpet away. Because the tops of the carpet fibers are being worn and frayed, they look dull. These frayed fibers will also absorb spills quicker and hold dirt more readily than non-worn areas. Therefore, more frequent vacuuming (daily would be great) of the traffic patterns will help them look better and last longer. Immediate blotting of any spills will help reduce the probability of them becoming permanent stains. Carpets that are rippling or buckling can be the result of different factors but they can be easily and economically remedied by having the carpets stretched.

Finally, periodic professional cleaning by experienced companies will restore and maintain their beauty.

For more information, visit my website www.graysoncleans.com.