We’ve been spared so far from chilly weather here in WNC this fall, but the leaves have changed color and cold, wintry days are just around the corner. The leaf peepers have come and gone, and we’re settling in for a cozy winter. Thanksgiving is just a week away, can you believe it?!

In the spirit of the holiday, we’d like to take a few minutes to talk about what we’re thankful for this November.

1. Clean sofas and chairs! (And carpet, rugs, hardwood floors, and tile.) We are thankful that we’re able to bring a non-toxic, eco-friendly, and sustainable clean to so many area homes and businesses. There’s something about a freshly cleaned sofa or armchair that adds warmth and coziness to any home, and we really appreciate the opportunity to help provide that extra level of comfort for so many local families.
2. We are safe, healthy, and warm. Let’s not take it for granted. Not everyone is so fortunate as to have a sturdy, dry home; good health; plenty of food; and friends and family to share it with this Thanksgiving.
3. We live in Asheville! We truly do live in one of the most gorgeous places in the world, and we are so grateful to call western North Carolina home. From the breezy hot afternoons of June to the quiet snowy mornings of January, the weather is nice almost all year round. We get to take in the most breathtaking mountain views just driving to our clients’ homes and businesses every day. There are so many fun things to do and experience in WNC—from delicious cuisine to waterfall hikes to musical events to brewery tours. And this area is populated with some of the loveliest, kindest, and most interesting people on earth. We wouldn’t trade our home here for anywhere else.
4. New friends and associates! We are very active in our local business networking community, and with the gradual reopening of the economy after the pandemic, 2022 has been a great year for meeting new people and establishing mutually beneficial business connections. We love being a part of this vibrant community, and we look forward to all that 2023 has to offer.
5. Pumpkin recipes! Not everyone loves pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread, pumpkin spice lattes, and all the other pumpkin items that make their annual appearance around this time of year. But for those of us who do, this is the time of year to appreciate all of that pumpkin delight. Get it while you can, because those pumpkins are going to disappear from the supermarket before Christmas!
6. Our fantastic customers! Our clients are the best. Really. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank YOU for your trust, your support, your business, and your friendship. We strive every day to give you, our customers, the high-quality work and friendly service you deserve and expect from us. We heartily extend our gratitude to you for helping to make our business a success!

We hope you have just as many things to be thankful for this year as we do, and that your holiday is filled with joy.

Happy Thanksgiving from your friends at Five Step!

 

Buying an oriental rug can be a serious investment in the look and feel of your home. And maintaining a fine rug is a lifelong commitment. So when it comes to cleaning your oriental rugs, don’t make a snap decision. You want to be sure your investment is in safe hands.

To help you make an informed decision, Five Step Carpet Care is committed to honesty and transparency about our cleaning process. When you choose Five Step’s professional rug cleaning service, you can rest assured that:

• We use a gentle, effective process for cleaning oriental rugs and other fine rugs.
• We never use bleach or bleach-based cleaners.
• Our prices are affordable.
• We can eliminate stains caused by ground in dirt, food spills, mold and mildew, pet stains, and even fire damage.
• We don’t use enzyme-based cleaners.
• Our cleaning agents contain no harsh chemicals.
• We won’t wash your rug in a tub with other rugs.
• Our cleaning solutions will not cause the colors on your rug to fade or bleed.
• Our cleaning process is completely safe for wool fibers.
• We offer convenient pick up and delivery service.
• Our products and process are entirely non-toxic, safe for your family and pets, and environmentally conscious.
• Our team is professional and reliable. You can trust us to take good care of your fine rugs.

Want to see for yourself? Check out this video of our rug cleaning process.

Check our website for current pricing.

We look forward to being your trusted source for green and sustainable oriental rug cleaning. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call us at 828.237.3237 or send us a message via our contact form.

 

Outdoor rugs are a popular addition to patios, decks, and backyard grilling spaces. They can provide extra comfort, a splash of color, and a sense of home-iness to any outdoor living space. But by their very nature, outdoor rugs are going to pick up a lot more dirt and dust than their indoor cousins. So, how to clean an outdoor rug? Read on to learn some tips.

 

Sweeping

Just like indoor rugs, outdoor rugs need regular maintenance to stay looking their best. Most outdoor rugs are woven with durable material, and you can sweep them. We recommend you use a soft-bristle broom to do this. Vacuuming is not the best solution when it comes to removing dust and debris from outdoor rugs, as too much vacuuming can harm the fibers.

 

Stain Removal

Barbecue sauce splatters? Beer spills? No problem. It’s fairly easy to remove most stains from an outdoor rug. Try to attack the stain immediately, if possible. Simply mix some mild detergent (laundry detergent or dishwashing liquid works well) in water and dab at the stain with a clean, dry cloth. For more stubborn stains, try club soda. Avoid using harsher cleaners on your outdoor rug. If you’ve tried all the milder solutions and the stain still won’t come out, it might be time to call in your local rug cleaning professional.

 

Hosing Off

Potting soil spill? One thing that’s nice about outdoor rugs as opposed to indoor ones is that they are made of tougher materials and can withstand a lot more in terms of traffic. This also means that you can simply hose them off with the garden hose to remove a lot of the dirt that they pick up. To prevent mildew growth while the rug is drying, make sure to hose off your rug on a day with low humidity and full sun. But go ahead and use the high pressure hose setting. The rug won’t mind.

 

Mold

If your outdoor rug has been subjected to very wet or humid weather and doesn’t get much sunlight, it might develop patches of mold. The first thing you’ll want to do in this case is to use white vinegar to kill the mold. Pour or spray it on full-strength and let it sit for a couple of hours. Then rinse with warm water and scrub clean with a brush.

To prevent mold from forming on your outdoor rugs in the first place, keep them in a sunny location or move to a sunny location for a day every couple of weeks.

 

Drying
Outdoor rugs dry just fine in the sun, regardless of whether it’s summer or winter. Spread it on the ground or drape it over a railing in full sun, then when the first side is dry, flip it over to the other side. If the weather isn’t cooperating, you can hang the rug up in front of a high powered fan for a few hours, then repeat on the other side.

If you live in the Asheville, NC area and need help cleaning your outdoor rugs, don’t hesitate to give Five Step a call at 828.237.3237 or drop us a line. We’ll be happy to help!

 

Looking for the best wood floor cleaners in Weaverville, NC?

Even though you maintain the cleanliness of your wood floors through regular dust mopping and polishing, there will eventually come a time when your floors need a deeper clean. In order to maintain their original shine and luster, hardwood and pine floors require periodic polishing. Even engineered wood and laminate floors can benefit from occasional deep cleaning.

Our wood floor cleaning process is green and sustainable, and can restore the beauty and radiance of your floor, making it look as good as new. Our cleaning solutions contain no bleach, acids, enzymes, dyes, or colors.

And if cleaning alone isn’t enough to make your floor shine, we can remove old layers of polyurethane or wax coating and refinish your floor in a new gloss!

Homeowners in Weaverville and across western NC call us for their hardwood, pine, and laminate wood floor cleaning needs. Our reputation for top-quality, professional wood floor cleaning services can’t be beat!

Don’t believe us? Check out the photographic evidence! Here are some before and after pictures of our work.

If you live in Weaverville, Asheville, or anywhere else in western NC, and you’re looking for excellent wood floor cleaning with a smile, give us a call today at 828.237.3237 or get in touch via our contact form.

Almost every year on the blog, we have done a Thanksgiving post, celebrating our successes of the year and expressing our gratitude for the things (and people!) that give our lives joy and meaning here at Five Step Carpet Care.This year’s a little…different. 2020 has not been easy for any of us, and it can be difficult to find gratitude in our hearts in times like these. But they say the most important time to count our blessings is when times are a little rough. Being thankful warms our spirits and gives us hope for tomorrow.

So we’re going to give it a try. Let’s see if we can find a few things to be thankful for in 2020.

1. Our health! We say this every year, but this year it’s definitely number 1 on the list. The global pandemic situation has really magnified for all of us the reality that our health is not something to be taken for granted. Our deepest compassion and well wishes go out to all those who have experienced loss of a loved one this year, or medical issues of any kind.
2. Our staff. Our wonderful crew has amazed and humbled us with their commitment to continuing to provide stellar service to customers across western NC. When we re-opened after the temporary shutdown in April-June, these guys adapted seamlessly to the new operations practices, like masking, extra sanitizing, and social distancing. With all the stress that everyone is feeling right now, it’s not easy to keep your head up and keep doing your best work without complaint. But all our guys have pulled together and dealt with it admirably. We couldn’t be more thankful for—or prouder of–our team.
3. Western North Carolina has been spared the worst of the pandemic fallout. Our local hospitals and medical personnel are staying on top of the situation. And although we certainly have not gone untouched by COVID, we’ve also avoided a major outbreak. In these trying times, that’s definitely something we can be thankful for.
4. Autumn doesn’t care how weird and crazy 2020 has been. Leaf season this year has been phenomenal! Being surrounded by all that natural beauty while we’re driving around Western NC to serve our customers, sometimes we can’t help but feel a little gratitude.
5. Our business has been able to withstand the most devastating economic impacts of 2020. In a year when over 100,000 American small businesses have permanently shuttered, this is nothing to shrug off. We are truly, deeply grateful for each day that we get another opportunity to clean carpets and upholstery in the Asheville area. It means that our business will survive. But more importantly, it’s a sign that our community will be okay. Of course, we have our customers to thank for all of it. More than any year before, you—our customers, loyal and new—have been our reason to keep going.

Thanksgiving 2020 may be a little different than normal Thanksgivings. A little smaller, a little more somber, perhaps. But for us, the meaning of the holiday will be more poignant, more deeply felt this year. We’ll be appreciating each bite, each hug, and each moment. We hope you will be sharing some warmth, good food, and family togetherness, too. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Five Step Carpet Care.