Blog
Maintain Your Carpets Correctly with the Help of Professional Carpet Cleaners in Ann Arbor MI
Wolverine is a team of professional carpet cleaners. As reputable cleaners in the area, they often hear many myths and old wives’ tales about cleaning tips.
Many people are simply too willing to listen to any trick when it comes to carpet cleaning and the ultimate preservation of their carpets. Whereas the advice dispensed from family and friends are certainly well intentioned, it can be dangerous to simply believe and practice these tips.
The best way to ensure that your carpets receive the best possible care will be to enlist the services of a carpet cleaner. However carpet cleaning services are very regular and you may want to upkeep the maintenance of your carpets between the intervals of visits from carpet cleaning companies. In this case, read on.
Here are some tips to help you keep your carpets spotless:
Do not rely solely on vacuuming
Most professional carpet cleaning companies will concur that merely vacuuming alone will not keep your carpets as clean as they could and should be
Stay away from carpet shampoos
Many homeowners believe that in addition to vacuuming, using carpet cleaning shampoo will effectively help maintain clean carpets. However carpet shampoos create a soapy layer which actually attracts dirt and grime than a non-shampooed carpet.
Steam cleaning for fresher carpets: Steam cleaning is one of the most effective carpet cleaning techniques available today. It will remove dirt from the carpet and leave your carpets fresh and clean. Rather let an experienced carpet cleaner take care of steam cleaning for you.
Carpet cleaners are your safest option
Wolverine uses advanced carpet cleaning technologies to deliver their high standards and customer satisfaction. Their commitment to customer service and professional and reliable service have contributed to making them one of the most respected carpet cleaners in the area.
Their natural cleaning process minimizes the drying time and reduces the possibility of mold, mildew and bacteria growth. If you’re looking for experienced cleaners who will give you the advice and services you need, partner with Wolverine.
We have years of experience in the industry and can help you with any type of cleaning – whether you have commercial carpets or delicate Oriental rugs. Contact Wolverine to find out more about carpet cleaners. (734) 973-2222
Preparing Your Home For Guests | Professional Upholstery, Carpet And Rug Cleaning Ann Arbor MI
Whether your guests are staying just for the day or will be overnight visitors, this holiday cleaning checklist will help make your home as inviting and comfortable as possible.
Entrance
Make sure all outdoor lighting is functioning properly and is turned on when it is dark. Another important precaution to ensure your guest’s safety.
Establish a place to collect all warm weather apparel, including boots. Add extra hangers to your coat closet or designate a room to collect these. You should also consider adding an extra doormat for those wet boots and have your rugs professionally cleaned. If you plan for this ahead of time your entrance won’t become a cluttered mess.
Living Area
This area gets a lot of traffic. It is a good time to schedule a professional carpet and upholstery cleaning before your guests arrive. Clean the windows so that guests can clearly see your outside decorations.
Bathrooms
If the tile looks dingy, replacing it or even new grout can give a fresh look to a bathroom. Make sure the bathroom fan and window are in operating condition. Ventilation is an important part of keeping your bathroom clean and mildew-free.
Make sure you have enough guest bath and/or hand towels. Consider special towels with a holiday theme to keep with the spirit of the season.
Kitchen
The kitchen has become an essential room for entertaining with the popularity and ease of serving food buffet style. To provide more space, try installing appliances under countertops or consider investing in a kitchen island. Check the condition of the countertops, cabinets, and appliances. Replacing the appliances can make a huge difference when you’re preparing meals for large groups.
Guest rooms
Make sure the guest beds have fresh linens. Clear some closet space or a drawer to make your guests feel more at home. No one likes to live out of a suitcase.
Provide your guests with a bedside clock and reading lamp. Not everyone goes to sleep or wakes at the same time.
Five Star Reviews For Wolverine Carpet Cleaners From Satisfied Customers | Carpet, Rug & Upholstery Cleaning, Water Damage Restoration Ann Arbor MI
First of all, our reputation is an essential part of who we are and what we do. At Wolverine Carpet Cleaners, we take pride in serving our customers to the best of our ability. Our business would not be where it is without our customers. We know that the many loyal patrons, in the local community help us be a great company. They return year after year which means we must be doing something right. The five star reviews our valued customers leave really give you a feeling of the connection our crews give the home and business owners in the area.
Click here to see the reviews of our company. These five-star reviews are from satisfied customers like the one below. Leave one of your own if you have not done so already!
Get Carpets That Are ‘Like New’ Clean Again and Healthier for Your Family. Wolverine deep cleans your carpeting using water extraction cleaning technology. Call now!
Oily Upholstery Soiling Problem Growing! by Jim Pemberton
Hair and Body Oils!
From customers, guests, & children (2 & 4 Legged)!
Recently I helped three different cleaners who were asked to clean upholstery that was around 100 years old. What was interesting was, that in every case, these fabrics were mostly just dusty, and responded beautifully to thorough vacuuming and light dry solvent cleaning.
However, when you are asked to clean upholstered furniture, you rarely encounter fabrics that would respond to such a cleaning process.
“Why?”
Because 100 years ago, people who sat on upholstered furniture were completely dressed, and never ate or slept on it, let alone letting their pet eat or sleep on it!
This exposure to human and animal skin and hair oils creates soiling conditions that look like this, and worse!
Body & Hair Oil Soiling
Furniture that looks like the above, requires one of the following three cleaning materials, or blends of two or all three of them to clean the fabric to an acceptable condition:
#1. – Alkaline Builders:
Alkaline upholstery preconditioners attack hair and body oil, which is resistant to water, and emulsifies it so that it more easily rinses away. However, these same alkaline preconditioners also can cause color bleeding and fading, as well as cellulose browning on natural fiber fabrics and blends. Avoid highly alkaline traffic lane prespray products, as they may damage synthetic fibers as well.
“Using high pH traffic lane presprays can cause permanent color loss”
************************************************
#2. – Solvent Boosters:
Solvent additives can be built into upholstery preconditioning products, or added separately. In either case, these products will assist in cutting through oily soils that have bonded to upholstery fabrics. While safer than alkaline builders when it comes to dye fastness, they do cause the preconditioning solution to rapidly penetrate the fabric, which can slow down the drying process, and also deliver the cleaning solution underneath of fabrics where dyes may be less stable, or other materials (such as ink markings) may bleed through.
#3. – Oxidizing Agents:
Oxidizing (“bleaching”) agents may be built into the cleaning formula or added separately. These products can decolorize yellow staining caused by oxidized oils, and are also effective in breaking down protein films on fabrics. While most of the ingredients used in these formulas are mild bleaching agents, sometimes erroneously called “color safe bleaches”, no bleaching formula is completely “color safe”. The use of these products may contribute to fading, or to over whitening “off white” fabrics.
SUMMARY:
Upholstery cleaning specialists should have products that contain these three ingredients, either in a formulated product or as additives. These formulations are essential when cleaning heavily soiled or smoke damaged fabrics, and often safe on synthetic fiber fabrics.
However, it is in your customers’ best interests to have their upholstery, especially upholstery made from delicate, potentially non colorfast natural fiber fabrics, cleaned BEFORE such aggressive chemistry is needed.
Source: https://www.ecleanadvisor.com/public/Major_Upholstery_Soiling_Agent_Revealed.cfm
Home Maintenance Checklist for the Fall [Infographic]
A home maintenance list to keep your home—and property—in good condition this winter.
Fall is almost here. It’s that time to prepare your home for the cooler and more dormant months ahead. Autumn can be one of the busiest seasons for homeowners to prepare for the coming months. However, it is time to take advantage of the cooler weather to repair whatever is necessary.
In the infographic below, included is a checklist of tips and tricks. This could give your family the advantage they need this season for your house to remain in tip, top shape:
Also, you will want to get cleaned those areas of your home that get less attention throughout the year, among the other maintenance tasks above in and around your house.
Tell Us About Your Experience | Wolverine Carpet Cleaning Ann Arbor MI
We take immense pride in the services we offer and the customers we have had the honor to serve. Please share your experience about Wolverine Carpet Cleaning in Ann Arbor, MI by clicking and writing a review. We use the feedback to continually better our services. We thank you in advance for your time.
Write a review by clicking here. Thank you again for your feedback!
Why Rug Cleaning Is An Essential Part Of A Clean Home
We know just how important your area & oriental rugs are to you, because they’re just as important to us. Rug cleaning is an essential part of keeping a clean home.
Oriental rugs are most often the focal point of any room; their texture, pattern, size, shape, and color perfectly complimenting every piece of furniture. But how do you retain your rug’s beauty and durability over time?
Dirty rugs can be a hotbed for germs, dirt, dust, allergens, bacteria, pet dander, rotting food particles, and even a variety of tiny bugs. These all post great health risks, especially to children and seniors.
Let’s take a look at the importance of area rug cleaning.
What Can Cause Area Rug Damage?
Over time, stains, liquid spills, pet dander, pollen, dust, loose dirt, hair, tracked in waste, and other debris gets embedded in your rugs. Even direct sunlight can cause visible rug damage.
What You Can Do About It
Vacuum
You probably know that you should vacuum your carpets every day, but make sure that you vacuum your area rugs too. It is the easiest way to keep out dirt and dry soil that can accumulate daily.
Get Strict
Implementing a “shoes off” policy is another way to keep your area & oriental rugs clean. All sorts of things stick to the bottoms of shoes every day; dirt and allergens from outside, waste from bathrooms, and other germs are just a few.
Let the Professionals Do It
Regular and meticulous cleaning is the key! Having your area & oriental rugs professionally cleaned will make your rugs cleaner, healthier, and long-lasting. Contact Wolverine Carpet Cleaning today to learn more!
Source: https://goo.gl/RYuBxX
Five Star Reviews From Satisfied Customers
First of all, our reputation is an essential part of who we are and what we do. At Wolverine Carpet Cleaners, we take pride in serving our customers to the best of our ability. Our business would not be where it is without our customers. We know that the many loyal patrons, in the local community help us be a great company. They return year after year which means we must be doing something right. The five star reviews our valued customers leave really give you a feeling of the connection our crews give the home and business owners in the area.
Click here to see the reviews of our company. These five-star reviews are from satisfied customers like the one below. Leave one of your own if you have not done so already!
Get Carpets That Are ‘Like New’ Clean Again and Healthier for Your Family. Wolverine deep cleans your carpeting using water extraction cleaning technology. Call now!
Moths And The Damage They Cause To Rugs & Home Furnishings
The Clothes Moth Has NOT Been Eliminated!
In past years, textile-eating moths were common. This is due to the large amount of wool fibers in clothing and home furnishings. The popularity and widespread use of synthetic fibers have led to the incorrect assumption that damage from these insects is a thing of the past.
Clothes moths can digest protein fibers such as wool, silk, and specialty hair fibers. However, these insects will also find and eat protein substances on synthetic fibers. This means carpets, rugs, draperies, and upholstery made from nylon, acrylic, polyester, acetate, and other synthetics can harbor these insects. Especially, if they contain food or beverage stains, blood, urine, perspiration or other sources of nutritional protein.
How to Prevent Moths?
The most effective way to prevent an infestation and inhibit growth is to keep textile furnishings clean. Spills should be removed immediately. Carpet, rugs, draperies, upholstery, etc., should be brushed or vacuumed regularly. Insects do not generally attack clean materials.
Regular dry cleaning of articles appropriate for dry cleaning will also decrease the chances of infestation. Dry cleaning solvent is toxic to most textile pests. Regular carpet and rug cleaning will remove the nutritional contaminants that can attract and support insects.
What are They?
There are 2 different types of these pests that we need to be concerned about. Both are types of clothes moths, the insect that eats our textiles.
The Webbing Moth (Tineola bisselliella). The adult moths of this species are about a half inch long and yellowish beige in color.
The Casemaking Moth (Tinea pellionella). Casemaking moths are similar in size but are brownish and have three dark spots on their forward wings.
The Larvae Causes the Damage
The adults themselves cause no damage, but the larvae they produce are very damaging. It is the larvae that actually feed on wool.
Each larva spins a silken tube that acts as a barrier of protection. The webbing moth larvae attach their tubes to dark crevices or seams, rendering themselves stationary to feed in one location. The casemaking moth larvae do not attach their tubes or “cases” which allows them to remain mobile and cause a wider spectrum of damage.
Life Cycle
The life cycle of moths can last from two months to two and ½ years. The adults lay eggs on products that the larvae will consume.
Each female can lay from 100 to 150 eggs, which hatch in about five days. The small white caterpillars vary in size from 1/16 inch newly hatched to 1/3 inch fully grown.
The larval stage itself can last from 2-30 months. The great variance in the life cycle is due to the availability of food (wool). That is why these creatures can be so devastating to rugs. Rugs provide a huge source of food. If gone unnoticed, the larvae can feed for almost two and ½ years. An infestation of only several weeks can result in pile loss the size of a fist.
Where to Find Them
Clothes moths thrive in dark, undisturbed areas. Furthermore, where a rug gets little traffic and is not often vacuumed. They are particularly attracted to the keratin in animal hair. The wool alone in an oriental rug is susceptible. But just imagine a dirty rug covered in dog and cat hair. That would be like a smorgasbord to this creature!
They can feed on mixtures of natural and synthetic fabrics. However, they cannot feed on materials made solely of synthetic fibers. As mentioned above, they can be found in synthetic fibers which have pollen, hair, dead insects and dried animal remains on them.
How Do You Know If You are Harboring Them?
1. The actual flying adults. When a lot of flying adults are present the infestation can be considerable.
2. Loose carpet fibers resting on top of the pile. This results from the larvae actually eating the knots off the foundation of the rug.
3. Cocoons—1/8 inch diameter x ½ inch long. They will be slightly fuzzy cylinders, usually the same color as the rug’s pile. Larvae camouflage their cocoons to blend in with the color of the wool that surrounds them.
4. The actual larvae squirming along the pile surface and underneath the rug. An interesting fact about clothes moths is that unlike other varieties, they are not attracted to bright lights. As a result, they tend to seek darker areas or dim light. This makes it very difficult to detect them in dark closets and drawers. It is most likely that you will notice fabric damage or larvae before you see the moths themselves.
How Do We Get Rid of Them?
First of all, when it comes to getting rid of these creatures, controversy ensues. Different books have cited everything from placing an infested rug in the sun for a few hours to rolling them up and placing them in a cavernous freezer. The infestation must be dealt with quickly and have a solution to the problem that is as effective as possible.
A thorough professional rug cleaning is the best way to prevent damage. The washing process removes the larvae and the hot drying destroys the eggs.
This is good to know but it doesn’t address the possibility that larvae may move from one rug to another. What this means is that it is necessary to find and kill not only the adults but their larvae and their eggs. Possibly, even before the infected rug is cleaned. If the infestation is severe, a call to a licensed pest control operator may be required.
Pyrethrum–Most Effective Insecticide
Pyrethrum is the most effective and safe insecticide that can be used. It is the oleoresin extract of dried chrysanthemum flowers. The extract contains about 50% active insecticidal ingredients known as pyrethrins. These strongly lipophilic esters rapidly penetrate many insects and paralyze their nervous systems.
In various commercial products, both crude pyrethrum extract and purified pyrethrins are contained. They are commonly dissolved in petroleum distillates. Some are packaged in pressurized containers (bug-bombs), usually in combination with synergists.
The synergists retard enzymatic degradation of pyrethrins. Some commercial products also contain organophosphate or carbamate insecticides. These are included because the rapid paralytic effect of pyrethrins on insects is not always lethal.
Are Pyrethrins Safe?
Pyrethrins are commonly found in pet shampoos. That should tell us that it is relatively safe.
Will pyrethrins cause dyes to become unstable? The research does not support this. Pyrethrins break down quickly after application. They are considered safe for use in the home.
It is important to read the label and test it in an inconspicuous area, as with any product used in the home.
Moth Balls, Flakes, and Crystals?
Be aware that these compounds (paradicholorobenzene or naphthalene) are ineffective in control of these insects for rugs. Cedar scent is also useless.
These materials act only as a minor repellent. They do not kill the larvae or eggs. The naphthalene odor can be unpleasant and extremely difficult to remove.
Of most importance, paradichlorobenzene may be a carcinogen. It may also damage the liver and kidneys at high doses. Naphthalene can damage the liver and cause eye injury.
Mothballs can be especially dangerous if accidentally eaten, especially by young children. It is recommended that they should not be used by homeowners. If they continue to be used, they should only be used in small amounts and items around them should be thoroughly cleaned.
Their ingredients can produce harmful effects when they enter your system through inhalation. Irritation to nose, throat, and lungs, headache, confusion, excitement or depression and liver and kidney damage can result from exposure to the vapors over a long period of time.
Naphthalene can promote a breakdown of red blood cells resulting in hemolytic anemia. The little white balls that contain naphthalene are of special concern. Hemolytic anemia in mild form may cause only fatigue. In more severe cases, it can cause acute kidney failure.
Of course, only high concentrations of these ingredients can cause any of these effects. Such concentrations are found when vapors are absorbed by clothes or rugs that are stored or kept in closed areas with poor ventilation.
Poisonings have been reported following dressing of infants in clothing that were stored with naphthalene mothballs, suggesting that absorption of naphthalene may occur through the skin.
A licensed hazardous waste handler should be brought the moth balls to be disposed of or saved for a professional household hazardous waste collection program.
Prevention of Infestations
Consumer education is one of the major hurdles in preventing damage. People are home less often than ever before. They have less time to care for their rugs and carpets (for example, vacuuming) and even less to inspect dark places such as under furniture, etc. Rugs, carpets, wool clothing, and wall hangings get dirty and they are just lying and hanging targets.
When preparing rugs for long term storage (6 months to several years), they should be kept safe from infestation. Never attempt to store a dirty rug.
Our cleaning of wool rugs includes a final rinse which renders the wool unappetizing to these creatures. This ‘retardant’ feature combined with a thoroughly cleaned rug will almost completely guarantee prevention of damage during storage.
The Best Way to Protect Against Them
The best way to prevent an infestation is periodic inspection of rugs, whether stored or not, as well as the carpets and wool, silk and cotton textiles in your home.
Be sure to check underneath furniture and behind wall hangings as well. At the first sign of a problem, please call Wolverine Carpet Cleaning‘s office at (734) 205-9451 (Ann Arbor, MI) and (734) 331-9173 (Wayne, MI) if you have any questions. We are prepared to help you in any way we can.
Carpet Cleaning: Methods and Importance [Infographic]
Every year, millions of Americans become ill from allergens present in the fibers of their rugs and carpets. Therefore, it is important to properly clean rugs and carpets to ensure your family enjoys a healthy home environment.
Carpet and rug cleaning is a good way to increase the lifespan and maintain a healthy indoor environment. Their fibers hold termites and other allergens. Regular vacuuming can take care of loose dirt, pet hair, and other debris, but deep cleaning is essential to prevent the growth of fungi, bacteria, and mold. Though there are various cleaning methods of cleaning carpets such as the rotary shampoo method, dry extraction method, etc.
Take a look at the infographic below to learn how much dirt vacuums miss and the benefits of hiring a professional cleaning company for carpet cleaning:
Consider hiring a professional carpet cleaner when the correct approach is unclear to you. Call Wolverine Carpet Cleaning and schedule an appointment. (734) 973-2222
Source: https://www.nybrite.com/rug-and-carpet-cleaning-methods-and-importance-infographic/
Awarded Woolsafe Enviroseal
Fiber ProTector protection product recently received the WoolSafe EnviroSeal approval.
What Your Neighbors Say
We take pride in the services we provide. See what others have to say about us!Our Service Area
We are proudly serving Southeastern Michigan...
- Ann Arbor
- Belleville
- Canton
- Chelsea
- Dexter
- Milan
Master Rug Cleaner
Oriental Rug Cleaning - Master Rug Cleaners are committed to being an expert in rug identification and cleaning.
Saturday & Sunday: Closed