Carpet Cleaning in Minneapolis / St. Paul MN

What should I keep and discard after a sewage backup?

Carpets, drywall, and insulation contaminated with sewage or “black water” must be discarded. 

What about your personal contents?

Making the decision of what to keep and what to discard following a sewage backup is a tough decision, especially if some of the items are irreplaceable or have great sentimental value.

Hiring a professional water damage restoration company like Green Clean will increase the chances of salvage. The knowledge, experience, and special equipment of a professional
company will allow a thorough dry out that will prevent additional bacteria growth
 and an efficient decontamination and disinfection of affected areas.

Here is a brief list of what to keep and what to discard:

* Upholstered furniture may be impossible to salvage if it has been badly soaked
in gray or black water as fabrics will absorb a dangerous amount of sewage water and bacteria.
* Hardwood furniture can be salvaged if dried and decontaminated thoroughly within
 24-48 hours and no mold growth is found.
* Laminate furniture should be discarded because the contaminated water can penetrate into the particle board.
* Furniture made of particle board or pressed wafer board should be discarded as
they are very likely to absorb sewage water and bacteria.
* Appliances and electrical devices must be carefully examined, preferably by an
electrician. If dark water penetrated into your appliances, do not use them until they are
determined clean and safe.
* Toys must be discarded. Discard all stuffed toys. Even if you think
you can completely clean and disinfect these items, keep in mind that they may badly affect
 your child’s safety. Discard any item a toddler or baby might put in his mouth.
* Fabrics, clothes and linen are very hard to clean and salvage. You may want to consider
 sending damaged fabrics and textiles to a professional dry cleaning facility.
* Discard all foods and medicines, including garden produce, that have come in contract
with flood waters. Only foods sealed in airtight metal cans that are not bulging or damaged
 and have been properly sanitized can be saved.
* Clean and sanitize dishes, cooking utensils and food preparation areas before using them.
* Discard wooden cutting boards, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers, since
it’s nearly impossible to safely clean them.

If you do have a water damage problem in your
home call Green Clean Carpet Care Restoration at
763-789-9600 for immediate assistance.

Tips to avoid a bad Carpet Cleaning Experience

Here are few things that might indicate you are setting yourself up for a “bad carpet cleaning experience” . Low price is a common indicator that you might not get the best cleaning, low price almost always means “high pressure add on” or hastily performed service. Huge promises some companies will promise the world over the phone leaving the customer with expectations that even the best carpet cleaners can’t provide. Never had a complaint, if a company tells you they have never had a complaint it’s just simply not true every service company has complaints or issues at some point, it’s how they handle them that makes the difference, if a service person tells you they have never had a complaint their probably not telling the truth.  Bragging about how many carpets they cleaned last week, watch out for this one. This is a clear indicator that the cleaner does not have your best interest in mind. Just because someone cleans a lot of carpets does not mean they do a good job. A good Carpet Cleaning company doesn’t have to do any of these things because they have a good reputation and they know that their quality and demeanor will speak for itself. So the next time you have Mr. Gods gift to Carpet Cleaning in your home you might want to just send him on his way and pick a company like Green Clean Carpet.Care.Restoration. 763-789-9600 www.greencleancare.com or another reputable cleaning company that has your best interest in mind.

How To Check For Plumbing Leaks

Most water leaks in a family home can be traced to two common problems, leaky faucets and leaky toilets. A toilet leak can waste from 30 to 500 gallons per day per toilet.  Leaky faucets or shower heads can waste from 7 to 20 gallons per day per fixture.  That’s water, and money, literally going down the drain.  Repairs to these problems are generally inexpensive and simple. The first step is to do this simple test to see if your home’s plumbing is wasting water and costing you money.

Before you go to bed at night, check your home to be certain that all water taps,
inside and out (including automatic sprinklers), are turned off.  Then record the reading
on your water meter.  In the morning, before anyone uses any water, check your meter
reading again.  If the reading has changed, you may have a leak.  Chances are the
problem is from one or more malfunctioning toilets.  To test this add some food coloring to the water in your toilet tanks.  If color shows up in any of the toilet bowls after 15 minutes or so, you’ve identified the culprit. Usually a simple flapper replacement will solve your problem.  Leaky faucets can usually be easily repaired with a kit.  After fixing any identified problems, run the test again.  No change in your meter reading will verify you have repaired all of the leaks.

We hope these simple tips will avoid you needing our water damage restoration services, however we are here 24/7 if you do.  www.greencleancare.com  763-789-9600

Annual Carpet Cleaning keeps your carpets looking good!

There are several benefits to annual carpet cleaning. It’s not always a good idea to wait until your carpet looks dirty to have it cleaned. Even with regular vacuuming it’s still a good idea to have your carpets steam cleaned every 12-18 months. Carpets  require regular maintenance and cleaning just like changing the oil in your care or cleaning your teeth. Most carpet manufacturers recommend annual cleanings by an IICRC Certified Cleaning Firm. Some manufacturers  even require proof of  annual carpet cleaning  to maintain the carpets warranty. Waiting until your carpet looks dinghy or soiled to have it steam cleaned usually means  fiber damage has occurred making it difficult to restore. In addition regular carpet cleaning with Green Carpet Cleaning Products can greatly improve your indoor air quality. Think of your carpet like a giant filter that needs to be properly cleaned. It will make the carpet last longer and improve the overall appearance not to mention a cleaner indoor environment. Green Clean Carpet Care is always happy to provide you with a free estimate go to www.greencleancare.com to inquire about our services. “Best in the Twin Cities”

How To Avoid Water Damage – Shut Off's

Many water damage situations can be kept to a minimum just by turning off water supply valves quickly.

Every person in the home should know where all of the shut offs are located and how to use them.

The Main water shutoff for the home is usually located next to the water meter in the basement.  There is typically a main shut off valve on each side of the meter.  Always turn off the one before the meter, this is because your municipality is usually responsible for everything up to the meter and the homeowner is responsible for everything after the meter.  These are seldom turned on and off and often do not seat properly after a period of time, so don’t turn the one that you would have to pay to repair if it fails.

Each sink usually has a hot and cold water shut off in the cabinet under the sink.  These only turn the water off to each appliance.  Turn these valves off and on annually to keep the seat inside the valve sealing properly.

Each toilet has its own shut off behind the toilet.  Also turn these off and on annually.  Toilet overflows are very common, and can be more costly to clean up than clear water.  If water is overflowing from the tank (not the bowl) simply reach in and lift up the “flapper” and the water will go down quickly, then you can turn off the valve. 

Tubs and showers are typically hard plumbed and do not have separate shut off valves.

We hope these simple tips will avoid you needing our water damage restoration services, however we are here 24/7 if you do.  www.greencleancare.com  763-789-9600

What is the best way to Clean Carpets Truckmount or Portable Equipment?

Truckmounted Steam Extraction is still the best option for Steam Cleaning! When it comes to carpet cleaning the Truckmounted Units still give you the most value for your dollar. As of right now there is not a portable cleaning system that can match up to the performance of Truckmounted Steam Extraction at a distance of less than 300 feet. It’s important to remember that just because someone has a Truckmounted Steam Cleaning Unit that they do a good job make sure you get a referral, check references and check with the BBB to make sure they have a good reputation. Hopefully in the future Truckmount manufacturers will start focusing on more Green Technology when they design new machines. Please call 763-789-9600 or visit our website at www.greencleancare.com for information.

How To Avoid Water Damage – Washing Machines

Some of the most costly water damage repairs are very simple to avoid.  One that we see very often is a burst clothes washing machine hose.

Most clothes washing machines have rubber hoses that connect  the water supply line to the machine.  It is very common for these hoses to develop a “bubble” and eventually burst, causing thousands of dollars of damage to the home.  Just think if this happened while you were out of town.

Replace rubber hoses with steel lined burst proof hoses that can be purchased at any home improvement store, or at a minimum regularly inspect the rubber ones for signs of cracks or bubbles indicating an eventual burst.

Also turn the supply line valves off and on at least once a year.  Since they are left on all the time the seats inside the valve will eventually not seal properly, causing a problem when you need to replace the machine or hoses. 

We hope these simple tips will avoid you needing our water damage restoration services, however we are here 24/7 if you do.  www.greencleancare.com  763-789-9600

Ways to Avoid Basement Flooding – Sump System

Basement flooding problems are best diagnosed by working your way down from the gutters and downspouts, to the lot and foundation drainage, and then to the sump system.

 Sump Pit Drainage System

A sump pit drainage system includes a sump pit, a sump pump and a discharge pipe. The sump pit, set into the basement floor, collects water from the drain tiles around your basement. The pump pushes the water outside your house through the discharge pipe.

Place your sump pump discharge pipe so that it  drains somewhere onto your property where water can be absorbed, such as your lawn or flower bed.

Sump Pit

Clean the pit each year after the ground freezes. Drain tile drainage may carry small amounts of soil, sand and debris into the pit from around your basement foundation.

Sump Pump

 Check and test your pump each spring before the rainy season begins, and before you leave your house for a long time. Pour water into the pit to trigger the pump to operate.

 Remove and thoroughly clean the pump at least once a year. Disconnect the pump from the power source before you handle or clean it.

Sump Pump Discharge Pipe

Check the place where the discharge pipe leaves the house. If the pipe is discharging right against the basement wall, the water will drain down into the drain tiles and continue to recycle through the system.

Check the discharge point regularly to make sure that nothing is blocking the flow.

We hope these tips help keep your basement dry this spring.

If you do have a water damage problem in your home call Green Clean Carpet.Care.Restoration.  at 763-789-9600 for immediate assistance.  www.greencleancare.com

Ways To Avoid Basement Flooding – Gutters and Grading

Basement flooding problems are best diagnosed by working your way down from the gutters and downspouts, to the lot and foundation drainage, and then to the sump system.

Gutters and Downspouts

Water pours off your roof into gutters, then into downspouts. If your gutters are full of debris they will overflow and dump water right next to your foundation. If the downspouts are dumping the water right beside your foundation, it drains directly to the drain tile and can easily overload your home’s drainage. Make sure downspouts extend at least six feet from your basement wall. Also, be sure the water does not drain toward your neighbour’s basement walls.

Clean debris from gutters regularly. If they overflow even when clean, replace them with larger size gutters and downspouts.

Lot Grading

If the land around your home slopes in toward the foundation, rainwater heads right for the drain tile around the basement and can overload your foundation drainage system. The land around many homes settles over time, and then slopes in toward the foundation. If your lot slopes inward, you’ll want to fill in and grade the lot so that, for at least six feet out from around the foundation, the land slopes away from your house. Be careful not to build up the grade above your homes siding.

Build up the ground around your house so that water drains away from your basement walls. Also, examine sidewalks, patios, decks and driveways. These can settle over time and cause water to drain back towards your basement walls.

Extend downspouts so that water flows away from your house and does not collect next to the basement walls and windows.

We hope these tips help keep your basement dry this spring.  Tomorrow we will talk about the sump pit system.

If you do have a water damage problem in your home call Green Clean Carpet.Care.Restoration. at 763-789-9600 for immediate assistance.  www.greencleancare.com

Avoiding the Bad Carpet Cleaning Experience!

Over my 20 years in the Carpet Cleaning Industry I have encountered countless customers that have had “Bad Experiences” with Carpet Cleaning Services. In my industry mediocrity seems to be the norm which results in unsatisfied customers. One of the biggest complaints is that the individual performing the service didn’t seem to CARE, didn’t take the time to do a good job and left the carpet too wet. A good cleaning Technician will always take their time to make sure the water is thoroughly extracted from the carpet. This means doing a 2nd Dry Stroke with the cleaning Wand to insure that most of the water is removed from the carpet. Overwetting Carpet can lead to all sorts of additional problems like Wicking, Browning or Microbial Growth. If you are going to hire a new Steam Cleaning Service you always ask if they perform the extra drying stroke or you can watch the Technician to make sure he’s taking his time with the cleaning wand.  The Carpet should just feel damp not really wet after the cleaning is finished.  A good cleaning service will always be able to provide you with references but the best way is to get a referral from a friend of relative who’s used the service. At Green Clean we really do care about our customers and their families health. Check us out at www.greencleancare.com and just ask for Shrek!