IICRC-certified technician in CCT/WTR/ASD, plus I know a thing or two about a thing or two. Here to help, ask away!
Joined November 2019
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1 Nov 2019
Hey everyone! I did a reply guy thread about flooring, cleaning, and restoration and it blew up, I got a lot of questions so I decided to start an general advice account! AMA about cleaning and restoration tips, but always use a @theIICRC certified firm for professional work!
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6 Nov 2019
Also just a general note about deodorizing products. In my experience there's two ways to deodorize: clean and remove the source of the odor or use specialty industrial equipment that I would not recommend for use without a trained professional. So really one way.
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6 Nov 2019
Deodorizers typically just mask the odor with a pleasant scent which fades over time if the source isn't addressed. Even if you stop smelling it, either you've become used to it or the source is just dormant as bacteria isn't feeding on it and expelling hydrocarbon compounds.
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6 Nov 2019
If a rug smells bad from a pet stain and you just stop smelling it, if it gets wet again a growth medium has been applied for bacteria to multiply and go back to consuming and expelling odor. Cleaning is always the best way to deal with the problem.
6 Nov 2019
Pet stains! You love your pet but they do things and it's a hassle, specifically with carpet and rugs. I'm gonna bring up some general info but as always when in doubt seek a @theIICRC certified firm for trained professional help.
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6 Nov 2019
Always test in an inconspicuous area of the room so if it doesn't work it's not noticeable. I also would not recommend trying to DIY on a rug. To reiterate pet stains are tough and without the proper equipment and chemicals attempted removal can make things worse.
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6 Nov 2019
Finally, there's no keep-away product to stop pets from revisiting. I got a lot of questions about protector solutions like Scotchgard; that's something for general staining and soiling. Because of the chemical composition of waste there isn't an effective product to minimize it.
4 Nov 2019
I've talked a lot about tile but I want to give some cleaning advice on grout. There are a million DIY methods with different homebrew solutions, don't just google something and try it.
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4 Nov 2019
Use a mop to clean up with clean water to dry. If it hasn't improved, call an @theIICRC firm. Advanced cleaning of grout involves using gradation of various acids. You definitely want a professional to take a look to make sure the treatment is appropriate for the flooring.
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4 Nov 2019
Google will tell you vinegar or some other mixture. Here's the thing about cleaning in general. You always start safe with the lowest possible risk. If it doesn't work, you can get more and more aggressive but the risk goes up and that's when you may need a professional.
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4 Nov 2019
Also pulled up some Harvey pics to give you an idea of how low-lying some of the affected areas were.
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4 Nov 2019
For professional carpet cleaning I prefer rotary extraction over a wand. In just about any kind of cleaning agitation is key and when you're scrubbing the fiber from every different direction it just outperforms a wand in most cases.
4 Nov 2019
Rugs! Know a little about your rug before you get it professionally cleaned or try and clean it yourself. Nor everything is labeled and knowing a little bit about its construction can help.
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4 Nov 2019
Likewise, there are handmade and hand dyed rugs that may not bleed. Dhurri rugs, which are a flat-weave rug in my experience do not have issues with color loss.
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4 Nov 2019
Take all of this with a grain of salt; rugs are made in all kinds of ways and a lot of factors go into whether or not cleaning will cause bleed. pH, the cause of the stain, the duration, the construction of the rug. Get an @theIICRC professional to assess your rug first.
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