Frequently Asked Cleaning Questions

Footroom Pricing™ is offered exclusively by Grand Traverse Carpet Cleaners and gives you the choices not available with any other company! Proper carpet maintenance requires more frequent cleaning of traffic areas than carpeted areas under furniture. Footroom Pricing™ gives you the option to have just traffic areas cleaned between whole room cleanings without having to pay whole room prices! We measure only the areas you want cleaned (whole rooms, traffic areas or a combination), we calculate by the room and by the square foot – you pay whichever is less! Simple – You Save Money!

We move large heavy items* as we clean, therefore we just ask that you have any small breakables removed from the tops of anything you would like moved and cleaned underneath. Any small items such as magazines, toys, shoes, etc. sitting on the carpets to be cleaned should be removed. Debris larger than the size of a pea should be vacuumed up before arrival.

*Some large heavy items can not be moved safely. China cabinets & curios that you would like moved should be emptied prior to our arrival. We do not move entertainment centers, aquariums, wood frame beds, computers or pianos.

Grand Traverse Carpet Cleaners follows manufacturers guidelines by employing a 2 – step steam extraction process. A pre-conditioner is applied to the areas being cleaned to loosen and suspend tough ground in soil. We then extract the pre-conditioner, soil and any residue from previous cleanings with hot water and a fabric rinse solution. Similar to washing your clothes with a detergent and using a fabric softener in the rinse cycle. Clean, soft and fresh.

It is generally recommended that you avoid excessive traffic while you carpet is drying, however, you can walk on damp carpet to access areas as needed. Traffic from outside should be avoided as much as possible or remove shoes before entering. Clean carpet is like a clean sponge and will absorb soil brought in from other areas.

Drying times can vary significantly depending on weather conditions and humidity levels indoors and out. Normal drying times are 6 – 8 hours**. Carpet dries by evaporation and to speed drying you may use fans to circulate the air. In general, the more air circulation, the faster your carpet will dry.

**You must provide adequate continuous air circulation. Humidity levels will affect drying time.

Most major carpet manufactures recommend you have your carpet cleaned every 12 – 18 months. In fact, if your carpet came with a warranty, you are required to have periodic professional cleaning to maintain your warranty.

Spills and pet accidents are the major two reasons for re-appearing spots. Time is critical! The first thing you should do when addressing spills or pet accidents is to place a clean dry towel over the spill and stand on it. You must absorb as much of the spill into the towel as possible. Letting the spill soak into the backing of the carpet will increase the risk of re-appearing spots in the future.

NEVER use over the counter spot cleaners! Use of OTC spotters can actually make some spots permanent. In addition, all spot cleaners leave some residue and over time will become sticky and attract soil. OTC spot cleaners do not “remove” anything, they hide the spot… for a while.

It depends on the severity. General pet odors can be controlled with our “Odor Control” application during the cleaning process. “Odor Control” contains active enzymes that actually digests the bacteria that is creating the odor. Keep in mind, liquids (urine) can soak through the carpet and into the padding. More severe pet odors that are in the padding may require removal and replacement of the affected padding.

Absolutely! Try cooking an egg in a dry cast iron skillet. Now try cooking an egg in a non-stick coated skillet. Scotchgard® Carpet Protector works the same way by coating the fibers of your carpet, allowing more soil removal during routine vacuuming, keeping your carpet cleaner, longer. Grand Traverse Carpet Cleaners uses only genuine “3M Scotchgard® Carpet Protector” and highly recommends it.