Wood Floor Cleaning Hendersonville NC

/in /by

wood floor cleaning hendersonville nc

We don’t just clean carpets! Clients in Hendersonville, NC and across western North Carolina call us for their wood floor cleaning needs, as well. And just as we’ve made a name for ourselves with expert quality carpet and rug care, our reputation for great, expert level hardwood floor cleaning and polishing has grown by leaps and bounds over the years.

Even though you keep your wood floors clean through regular cleaning, you might start to notice them looking duller and dirtier as the years go by. Pine and hardwood floors require periodic polishing to maintain their beauty and shine, and even engineered wood floors benefit from occasional deep cleaning. After years of foot traffic, the floor’s finish can slowly wear off. Or if you wax your floors, the floor’s luster could be hidden under layers of floor wax.

But DIY deep cleaning of your hardwood floor can take a lot of time and excessive elbow grease. Plus, there can be a lot of confusion surrounding the process, and without the proper tools, you may end up doing more harm than good. There are hundreds of cleaning agents on the market, and it can be hard to figure out which one is suitable for your wood floor. Liquid cleaners are not recommended for many types of wood flooring, which require special coatings in order to truly shine. Plus, engineered wood floors can‘t be polished because the polish will not adhere to the engineered floors.

Our superior wood floor cleaning process can restore the radiance of your floor, making it look brand new. And at Five Step, we only use 100% all natural and biodegradable cleaning products. Our cleaners are non-acidic and contain no bleach, no enzymes and no dyes or colors. Our impact on the environment is just as important to us as our customers’ satisfaction.

If cleaning alone isn’t enough to make your wood floor shine, we can remove the older urethane or wax coating and refinish your floor in new gloss, leaving your old wood floor looking as good as new.

Give your old wood floor new life and brilliance with a thorough deep cleaning from Five Step Carpet Care NC. We are your source for Hendersonville hardwood floor cleaning. If you live in Hendersonville, NC or the surrounding areas, give us a call at 828.772.1824 or use our contact form to get in touch today!

Cigarette Smoke Odor Removal Asheville

/in /by

cigarette smoke odor removal asheville

Over the years, we’ve had many ex-smokers call us for carpet or rug cleaning. They’ve taken a huge step to improve their lives and their health by quitting cigarettes, but their houses still smell like old, stale smoke. For a newly-quit smoker, it doesn’t take long before the odor becomes unbearable, and that’s when they give Five Step Carpet Care a call. We’re the best source for cigarette smoke odor removal in Asheville.

Cigarette smoke can leave behind powerful, unpleasant odors that just won’t go away no matter how much you air out the room with fans, or deodorize the carpets. Even worse, it is now known that exposure to this “third-hand” cigarette smoke can pose severe health risks, even after months of not smoking in the room. Infants and young children are especially susceptible. Studies have shown that even small amounts of third hand smoke exposure are associated with respiratory disorders, developmental delays and reduced IQ. So even months or years after adults quit smoking, their children or grandchildren may still be subjected to health risks from exposure to the residues left behind in carpets, upholstery and porous surfaces in the home.

So if you’ve taken the momentous step to quit smoking, congratulations! You’ve made a really smart decision, and your hard work and commitment to quit is commendable. Your next step should be to remove those stinky and harmful odors and residues from your home. One step most ex-smokers take is to repaint the walls. But just as important, if not more so, is doing something about your upholstery, carpets and rugs. Some people, when faced with this challenge, understandably think that the only solution is to rip all the floor coverings out and replace them. But that’s not the case! Good professional carpet, rug and upholstery cleaning CAN eliminate both the unpleasant odors AND the harmful residues left behind by years of cigarette smoke.

In addition to helping out ex-smokers, we’ve also cleaned carpets for homeowners who purchased a house in which the former occupants smoked cigarettes, and for landlords whose tenants smoked in the house. Whatever the reason, if you’ve got a lingering cigarette smoke odor problem in your carpets, rugs or upholstery, we can help! If you live in Asheville or the surrounding area, give us a call at 828.772.1824 or use the contact form to get in touch with us today!

Asheville Oriental Rug Cleaning – Before and After

/in /by

If you think you’ve got an oriental rug on your hands that’s too dirty to clean, trust us: we’ve probably seen worse.

It’s not uncommon for a client to call us and say “Hey, I just picked up this great oriental rug at a yard sale for twenty bucks. But it’s not in the best shape…”

Look. We work miracles with rugs. To prove it, here are some before and after photos of some of our recent work.

oriental rug cleaning

As you can see here, this rug has been through the ringer. In this before photo, you can barely even see the pattern of the oriental rug beneath the thick, gray staining. It’s hard to tell by looking at it whether the dirt is the only problem, or if the stains are just masking more permanent damage underneath.

Not to worry! Our gentle, effective five step cleaning process will remove all the dirt and let the rug’s beauty shine through.

asheville oriental rug cleaners

And here’s the After picture! Wow! The difference is amazing. Now you can actually see the gorgeous pattern of the rug. The colors are vibrant, the texture is soft and plush, and even the fringe looks much better.

So if you happen to see a fine rug rolled up in the corner at someone’s garage sale, and it looks a bit worse for wear… chances are, we’ll be able to restore it to its original beauty and vibrancy. We also offer convenient pick-up and delivery service to make the whole process as smooth and easy as possible for you.

If you live in the Asheville area and have a fine rug on your hands that you think might be too dirty to clean, give us a call. Trust us, we’ve probably seen worse. Call us at 828.772.1824 or use our contact form to drop us a line today.

Want to see more of our amazing before and after photos? Check out these articles:

Asheville Area Rug Cleaning – Before and After

Asheville Upholstery Cleaning – Before and After

Asheville Carpet Cleaning – Before and After

We wish you a happy holiday season!

 

 

 

Clean Carpets for the Holidays!

/in /by

christmas gifts

Are you planning to entertain this holiday season? Preparing the home for a holiday party, or just for family to visit for Christmas, can be a major source of stress for many homeowners. We get it. You’re busy decking the halls and fa-la-la-la-la-ing. With all the presents to buy, meals to plan, and decorations to put up, there’s often little time left for the deep cleaning you want to give your house before the guests arrive.

But there is one thing you can go ahead and check off your list, without having to worry that it gets done properly, and that’s clean carpets and rugs. Our friendly team of professionals can get your carpets looking like new in short order. And with our area rug pick-up service, you can get your area rugs, or even your fine oriental or Persian rugs cleaned without setting foot out of your house. We’ve even been known to make it to our clients’ homes in weather conditions that stop the mailman! Instead of trudging through the wintry weather, you can snuggle up by the fire with a glass of hot mulled cider and a good book. That’ll help you get into the Christmas spirit!

Carpet Cleaning NC

Neither rain nor snow can stop Five Step Carpet Care!

And even if you’re not planning to host any get togethers this holiday season, having vibrant, clean carpets and rugs in your home is a great way to start the new year off fresh, so consider making carpet cleaning a New Years resolution for your home!

If you live in Asheville, NC or the surrounding areas and are looking for a top-quality, professional carpet cleaning service, give us a call at 828.772.1824 or drop us a line via our contact form. There’s still time to get those carpets and rugs spotless for the holidays!

 

Asheville Rug Cleaning- Before and After

/in /by

We’re back this week with more great before and after photos for you. (If you didn’t catch last weeks blog post, you’ll want to click over and see the amazing things we can do with upholstery.)

For this post, We want to showcase some of our recent work in the realm of Asheville rug cleaning. A lot of people don’t know that we can actually pick up your area rugs and take them to our facility for a luxurious spa treatment. (or you can drop them off at our facility yourself and pick them up when they’re done.) Here is a picture of a couple of area rugs lounging in our rug bath.

Asheville area rug cleaning

Area rugs love bubble baths!

A lot of the rugs we clean look something like this before they go into the bathing pit. Dirty, stained, and a bedraggled. But that’s nothing a little elbow grease can’t fix.

wnc rug cleaners

After coming out of the bathing pit, the area rugs look a little more like this.

asheville rug cleaning

What a difference!

As always, the results speak for themselves. If you live in the Asheville, NC area and are looking for top quality Area rug cleaning from friendly professionals, give us a call, or get in touch with us via our contact form.

Asheville Upholstery Cleaning- Before and After

/in /by

It has been a busy and exciting year so far for Five Step Carpet Cleaning. We’ve been getting some great before and after shots at some of our recent Asheville upholstery cleaning and carpet cleaning jobs, and we couldn’t wait to share them with you here on the blog!

Here are a couple of photos of the sofa that we cleaned recently, and as you can see, it was in dire need of attention when we arrived. It certainly looks like it’s been put through the paces of busy family life for several years. But we see stains like this all the time and we know what to do with them.

asheville upholstery cleaning

Here you can see the same sofa after we were through cleaning it. It’s almost like we went down to the furniture store and bought a brand-new sofa! But no, this is the same sofa as in the picture above!

asheville nc upholstery cleaning

We think our results speak for themselves, and our friendly service can’t be beat. We clean carpets, upholstery and more in Asheville NC, Hendersonville NC, and beyond. So if you’re in need of upholstery cleaning in the Asheville area, give us a call today or use our contact form to get in touch with us!

DIY Carpet Cleaning: Should You Risk It?

/in /by

DIY Carpet Cleaning

In an attempt to save money, many homeowners choose to clean their carpets and rugs on their own, rather than hiring a professional to do the work. But is doing it yourself worth the potential risk to your carpet investment?

DIY, or “do-it-yourself” carpet cleaning is discouraged by most carpet manufacturers because improper cleaning solutions and techniques may cause problems that could void the warranty on the carpet. Common issues that can arise from improper DIY carpet cleaning are mold and mildew growth, backing separation and fading or discoloration.

Overwetting is the most prevalent of these DIY carpet cleaning blunders. If you overwet the carpet, it will take much longer to dry, potentially leading to fungal growth and seepage into your subfloors. But it can be difficult for a homeowner to calculate how much water and/or detergent to use, or how long to leave a steam cleaner in position. Making a mistake during this phase of the carpet cleaning process can be very costly indeed, which is why the majority of homeowners choose to hire a professional carpet cleaning service with a good reputation for the job.

Improperly formulated carpet cleaning solutions are another culprit behind DIY carpet cleaning disasters. Solutions that are not formulated correctly for your carpet may strip the carpet of its stain-resistant treatment. Or the solution may contain bleach or even optical brighteners that literally dye your carpet instead of just removing stains. Some improper formulations can also destroy the fiber of your carpet, leaving it looking matted or frayed.

Consumer Reports has found that when it comes to carpet cleaning, pros do it best. Though it may cost a bit more than renting a machine from your local supermarket, the benefits in knowledge and assurance that you get from having someone experienced do the work far outweigh the extra cost.

So, the message here is Clean Your Own Carpets At Your Own Risk. If you do choose to clean your own carpets, you should take the time to do your research first. Find out exactly what type of cleaning or detergents your manufacturer recommends, and then follow the directions of the detergent or steam cleaner precisely. Always spot-test an out-of-the-way corner of your carpet before cleaning it, to prevent discoloration issues. If you are renting steam cleaning equipment to perform the cleaning, ask the rental provider to demonstrate its use before taking it home. Listen for out-of-the-ordinary clunking noises and check the test carpet for fraying and loose fibers.

If, on the other hand, you want to forego the risk, give your local professional carpet care expert a call. If you live in the Asheville NC area and are looking for quality carpet cleaning services, give Five Step Carpet Care a call at (828) 772-1824 or use our contact form to get in touch with us today. You might be surprised at how much you can save by hiring professionals to get the job done!

 

 

Upholstery Cleaning Rental or Pro?

/in /by

upholstery cleaning rental

So you’ve got some furniture that needs cleaning. Probably the arms are stained, and maybe the cushions or the head rest. You know the upholstery needs attention, but you’re not sure how to proceed. Should you hire a professional service to clean your sofa and chairs, or should you rent an upholstery cleaner from your local supermarket or hardware store?

At first glance, the rental option seems a good choice. The price is quite a bit lower, and how hard can it really be to operate one of those things, right?

Well, maybe. But let’s consider all of the variables. If you rent a machine and do the work yourself, you’re paying for not only the rental fee, but also the time it takes you to do the work itself, plus the cost of time and gas to pick the machine up and return it.

But that’s not all. The models frequently available for rent tend to have a weaker water flow than the units used by pros, and weaker suction as well. What this means is that you will use more and more water to extract dirt and stains, and may not be able to get it all out again. If your upholstery remains damp for two days, it could cause mildew growth to develop. This is one of the most common problems we see when folks try to go the DIY route to clean their upholstery.

In addition to our better quality cleaning units, we pros also have years of experience in cleaning all types of fabrics and getting out all kinds of stains. No matter how rare the upholstery type or how outlandish the source of the stain, chances are, we’ve already cleaned dozens of pieces of furniture exactly like yours. (We will not raise an eyebrow at the words “chocolate sauce”, take our word for it.) So when you hire a professional service with a solid reputation, you are not only benefitting from superior equipment, but also from a great store of knowledge and know-how.

If you do choose to go the DIY route to clean your upholstery, be sure to test the rental machine on a piece of practice furniture first, like that old corduroy couch in the garage. This way, you can hopefully get a decent feel for the equipment before trying it on your nice living room suite. And be careful to read the directions for the machine, as well as the ingredients of any cleaning solutions you use to ensure they won’t damage your upholstery fabric or void your manufacturer’s warranty.

If you live in the Asheville, NC area and are in the market for upholstery cleaning, give Five Step a call at (828) 772-1824, or drop us a line via our contact form (link). You might be surprised at how much time and money you can save by trusting professionals to clean your upholstery instead of taking the DIY risk!

The Best Carpet Cleaners Asheville NC

/in /by

Asheville Rug Cleaners | Five Step Carpet CareWhy do our clients think we’re the best carpet cleaners in Asheville NC? We could tell you all about how effective our cleaning process is, or how friendly and professional our staff is, or how our cleaning solutions are all 100% green and safe for your home. We could tell you it’s our industry knowledge that gives us a superior edge, or how customer service is what makes us shine, and all of that would be true! But we think you’d rather hear it from our customers themselves.

So we’re devoting this blog post to some of the great testimonials we’ve received from WNC homeowners and businesses over the years. Take a look at what our customers have to say about Five Step Carpet Care!

 

“Scott Finney and the Five Step Carpet Care team are hands down the best carpet, rug and upholstery service I’ve ever used. Their customer service, quality of cleaning and punctuality are consistently first in class. I’ve used them for my home as well as my health care office and it’s important to me and my patients that they use green products that are safe for the environment. Their philosophy that the customer comes first is clear in every aspect of working with this company and I’ve referred them to numerous coworkers and friends. Thanks Five Step for making my life easier and my house and office smell better!”

Dr. Larry Golson of Envision Eyecare

 

“Top notch service from the first phone call – to walking in our front door. Scott was so personable and made the whole experience easy. He was professional and his work is flawless. Very happy customer!”

Juliet, Homeowner

 

“We love Five Step Carpet Care and depend on Scott and his team for all our carpet cleaning needs (which were considerable with a particular feline companion we had… we’d highly recommend them to any and everyone!”

Mitchell, Homeowner

 

If you need carpet cleaners in Asheville NC, give us a call at 828.772.1824 or use our contact form to get in touch with us today. Or if you just want to keep in touch, go like our Facebook page for carpet care news (and, okay, a few cat memes).

How Healthy is Your Home?

/in /by

Carpet bacteria mold mites

Does Your Home Harbor Carpet Health Hazards?

Everyone wants a clean home. That’s why Americans spend $168 billion a year on cleaning supplies, with the average family of five spending upwards of $700 per year, not including services like professional home or carpet cleaning. But as savvy homeowners know, true cleanliness goes deeper than the surface.

When you prep raw meat in your kitchen, for instance, you’ll want to clean up afterwards. You could just wipe up with a wet paper towel, or even worse, a dirty cloth—and that might make the prep surface look clean, but appearances can be deceiving. Beneath the façade teems an army of germs and bacteria. So we use antibacterial cleaning agents, whether they be commercial products or natural ones like a vinegar solution, to produce not just a clean appearance, but a healthy environment in the place we prepare our meals and spend so much of our time as a family.

The same applies to carpets. Carpet health hazards often go unaddressed, because they are invisible. Most people vacuum their carpets about once a week—more if they have pets. Vacuuming does its part to keep your carpet looking clean, and it also does a pretty good job of dealing with certain unwanted debris and particulates, like mold spores. But for a healthy clean you can trust, carpets require occasional deep cleaning.

A carpet that is overdue for a deep cleaning can harbor all kinds of microscopic carpet health hazards, from bacteria and viruses to mites and fungi. Vacuuming alone can’t tackle these undesirables. Some of these contaminants may be odor-causing, which will, over time, impact not just your health, but also your enjoyment of your home. A professional deep clean can eliminate those threats and leave you confident in not only the cleanliness, but also the healthiness of your home.

Five Step Carpet Care can help you maintain a healthy environment in your home with our unique, environmentally friendly process. We can consult with you beforehand about your carpet maintenance goals, whether you have stains that need addressing, or odors to be eliminated, or just want to get rid of any invisible health threats hiding in the fibers of your carpets. Our cleaning solutions are 100% non-toxic, so you don’t have to worry about additional health threats being introduced to your home in your effort to clean it.

Not sure if your carpets are due for a deep cleaning? Check out our blog post on how to plan a maintenance schedule for your carpets.

If you live in the Asheville, NC area, give us a call at 828.772.1824 or use our contact form to schedule a consultation. You can also keep touch by liking our Facebook page. We hope to hear from you soon!