FAQ
some of the most frequently asked questions
CARPET CLEANING
Primarily we promote our Very Low Moisture method the most. With dry times of an hour and a clean that is visually apparent. It is what most people want and requested by realtors alike. Hot Water Extraction has its place. Carpet mills want to see proof that you have been maintaining the carpet as well by deep cleaning via HWE every 12 – 18 months if ever a warranty claim is made. Both methods have there place. Both are equally important.
Every home is different as well as the logistics to clean it. Ideally, if there is an open path to all areas ideally 20 minutes per room/area is all that is needed. A whole house can range approximately 3 hours – 3 1/2hrs with the Very Low Moisture Cleaning method. This is providing a thorough vacuuming of all the carpeted areas first.
More often than not our Very Low Moisture dry cleaning method will be dry to the touch within the hour. We tend to work at the furthest point of the home and continue toward the front door to exit.
More often than not our Very Low Moisture dry cleaning method will be dry to the touch within the hour. We tend to work at the furthest point of the home and continue toward the front door to exit.
The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification is a great place to start. The IICRC certification conveys that you have trained and became certified in a discipline recognized the world over. That you “will” follow standards and ethically do the work you have been hired to do. How that translates for you is, the person coming to your home “can” do the job correctly and responsibly. It’s a major difference when someone says they are a carpet cleaner and someone who “IS” a carpet cleaner.
The Certified Carpet Cleaner “is” the genuine article. The Certified Carpet Cleaner will not use laundry detergent, dish washing soap, substandard or inferior products to clean your carpets. Ask for a current certification before they come into your home, ask for their insurance information, look them up online with the North Carolina Secretary Of State website to see if in fact they are even legally registered to “do business” in the state.
When you make reference to competition, let us start there with the training then the legitimacy of being a business legally operating in the state to serve the public.
No one can or should “guarantee” they can remove any stain or spot. Yes there are products that help improve the carpets appearance but it should not be assumed that all stains or spots can be removed. There are various reasons that can cause a stain to set into the carpet fiber including attempts to “clean” them.
You will need a Professional Licensed Exterminator. NOT a Carpet Cleaner. Please keep in mind that the carpet is not the only place fleas will lay eggs, you might consider having your upholstery treated and cleaned as well as any area rugs or pet beds. Once they have been eradicated, schedule your carpet cleaning after the all clear.
We are fairly priced for the results we achieve in this Charlotte market. Many will undercut another business just to get in your home. We do hope that potential clients do research that the company IS in fact legally in business with the State of North Carolina. There are a lot of folks who believe the popularity on social media legitimizes them. It does not!
We do not engage in deceptive practices. We offer one level of service only and its our best. All of our services and rates are online for all to see. We use premium product made for carpet cleaning only. We do not upsell anything you did not ask for. We are not interested in cutting corners either.
Keep in mind CARDINAL ORGANIC DOES NOT REPAIR DAMAGE.
At our pre inspection walk through. We’ll address the trouble areas and concerns. We will set our expectations for your carpet then. Our job is to meet them, if not exceed them! We certainly take our time to thoroughly clean your carpets. To achieve an amazing clean! With that said keep in mind cleaning does not repair damage. If the carpet has been neglected and not properly maintained over the years. Results will surely vary. But we will certainly “CLEAN” every fiber our machines touch!
CARPET PROTECTION
Carpet protection helps carpet and upholstery resist soiling from dry dirt, water- and oil-based spills by wrapping each fiber in a protective coating. This extra layer gives you more time to clean up spots and spills before they soak into the fibers. Every HWE and VLM treatment will remove what is left of the carpet protection that was applied at the carpet mill. It must be reapplied to continue it’s warranty from the manufacture. The best time to professionally reapply it is on the day you have your carpets professionally cleaned. Your carpet is an investment, protect it.
A dry soil protector comes on most carpet from the manufacturers. This is a wear dated product and is removed over time with every day traffic. Carpet manufacturers recommend that you have this protector reapplied about once a year. Have it professionally reapplied the day you have a Hot Water Extraction done.
Odors and whatever causes them must be remediated. Spreading a deodorizer will only mask the issue if you do not remove the source. Cardinal Organic does not use deodorizers with their cleaning products. Although some products that are use in cleaning the carpet or upholstery may have a fragrance component to them. For example a citrus derived cleaner. Generally deodorizers are VOCs and the use of a deodorizer is by definition introducing VOCs to our way of cleaning.
In our Carpet Cleaning capacity we do not remediate malodors. We have an Odor Control Certification and “can” remediate odors currently regulated to small areas. Remediation is not included in “Carpet Cleaning” and it is a very different process, with specialized equipment and rates.
UPHOLSTERY CLEANING
As needed and recommend intervals are similar to carpets. Every 12 to 18 months depending on usage. People are cleaning more often. Now it’s more like every 6 to 8 months to clean your carpets and upholstery.
Depending on the upholstery to be cleaned our Very Low Moisture cleaning process may be used along with hot water extraction. It is our preferred method which more often than not would be our first choice method to use. We Vacuum thoroughly, then pre-treat, we scrub the fibers, extract and pad clean all the panels and pillows. It takes several ours but it is worth it.
Because the same conditions apply as with HWE of carpets. Dry time is affected by humidity, temperature and air flow in the space. I’d advocate not to use the sofa until it is completely dry to the touch. We bring air movers to speed up the drying process.
TILE & GROUT CLEANING
SERVICE IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE
WOOD LAMINATE & LVT/LVP CLEANING
Your floors will have to be inspected. Most often than not the scratches are more like scuffs found on the years of compounded cleaners that have been used to clean the floors and left years of residue throughout. It is best to visually see the floor to give a more accurate assessment of what can be done. Damage on the other hand is not something we fix.
*Dents, Damaging Scratches / Gouges into the wood. You may need to replace those sections
We can not instruct anyone how to clean their home. In our experience we have seen people repeatedly doing the same thing over and over. Compounding the problem. Most folks were told “maintenance free” floors and never told it cost twice as much to clean than carpeting. Keep in mind you can not fix damage. You’d have to replace any damage that is visible.
It is relative to your home and lifestyle. If you are hardly home and just yourself? Once a year. If there are several kids, everyone plays sports, dog, cat, heavy traffic all of this will determine the frequency of the suggested cleaning intervals. We can clean your floors. Please note if the floor has been neglected and has suffered damage. Cleaning may not be the answer solely. It may need restoration because of neglect to maintain it. WE DO NOT DO RESTORATION WORK.
What we can say is, cleaning the wood floors will take planning if the home is currently occupied. furniture must be removed from the the areas that need servicing. Then their is cleaning, dry time and moving the furniture back. It will take several hours of the day a minimum of 4 to 8 depending on the size.
Unoccupied homes at least 4 hours.
People call this process as a “wax’ or a “polyurethane coat.” WE DO NOT APPLY EITHER! Although once we have removed all the dirt and grime from the floors. The wood floor will be in it’s natural state. Which is the most opportune time to apply a re finisher. It is a protector, has a slight sheen when dried and it is at an additional cost.