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Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

Archived Cleaning Blog Posts

How to clean up Spills on the Carpet - SERVPRO of The Mountains

5/20/2021 (Permalink)

Coffee cup tipped over spilling onto carpeting. SERVPRO's techs are familiar in dealing with common home and workplace spots/spills. Contact SERVPRO of The Mountains to speak with our trained staff.

Accidental spills on our carpets or upholstery are inevitable.   Beverages, food, pet accidents and other normal life events can be contributors.

Proper and speedy spot cleaning can save the day.   Time is of the essence.

At all steps be sure to blot the area but never rub or scrub.   Scrubbing a spot will usually spread the very substance we are trying to remove.   It can also damage carpet fibers creating a shadow effect.

Blot the area immediately with a towel or other absorbent material.  Continuing blotting by using the clean dry towel until all puddled liquid is removed.   Once no liquid is being transferred to the towel, you can move to the next step.

If the liquid is a natural item such as beverages, food or human “spillage”, then water should first be used to rinse the area.   If the liquid is man made such as ink, grease, or paint, then a solvent based cleaner must be used.   See our article “Out Spot Out”.

A small amount of clean water, usually proportional to the amount of liquid spilled, can be spritzed onto the area.    Your fingertips or small sprayer can be used.

Continuing rinsing and blotting this area with a clean dry towel until the liquid being transferred is clear also.

The affected area should now appear damp but not discolored.   If there is visible discoloration, a cleaning agent should now be utilized.   But 80% of the time, clear water rinse will be sufficient.

Speed the drying of this area by using ceiling fans or positioning a portable fan on the damp area.  Quick drying will reduce staining and potential odors.

Usually within 24 hours, the spot should be dry to the touch and visibly clean.

If any discoloration remains after drying, see our article on “Out Spot, Out”

Of course, your SERVPRO professional is always available to consult and provide professional carpet cleaning services that can assist anytime a spill gets out of hand!

Lake Living and Clean Carpets

8/18/2020 (Permalink)

lake scene from dock view, mountains in the background Some truly amazing scenery surrounding our lakes in North East Georgia.

Those of us that prefer the water and are privileged enough to live on or near any of the beautiful lakes in America, together we can appreciate our ability to boast about our little corner of North East Georgia. We have Lake Hartwell, Lake Russell, Lake Burton, Lake Yonah, Lake Tugaloo, Lake Rabun, Tate Lake, Tallulah Falls Lake, and Thurmond Lake and list continues.

Whether it is a lake view from the waters edge or a day in the drink, we inevitably carry the remnants of our adventures inside with us. Pets, kids, and even absent-minded husbands can all track in the sand, mud and or even fish residue that we would rather stay outside.

The first line of defense is the area leading to your homes entrance.  The IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) states that it can take up to 23 ½ steps to completely clean the bottom of someone shoes.

Installing a welcome mat outside can act as a reminder and gives visitors and occupants a place to clean their shoes before entering. If additional cleaning is required consider placing a second walk off rug inside the door.

Routine vacuuming dry carpeting is also critical in preventing soils from getting smashed and ground into the fiber. This is a most cost-effective way to extend the life and beauty of carpeting.

Periodic spot cleaning is appropriate in between professional cleanings but should not replace an annual or biannual professional service as recommended by the manufacturer.  See our blog “Out Spot out!” for more specific information.

Methods that service professionals may include are; Steam cleaning or steam extraction, shampooing, rotary bonnet cleaning or rotary hot water extraction. All effective methods to clean depending on type and amount of soiling.

After an onsite inspection, your SERVPRO professional can consult you as to which cleaning method is best for your home.

Enjoy the lake… if you apply these tips you can enjoy your carpets, too!

Keeping the Red Clay of North Georgia out of your Carpet

8/17/2020 (Permalink)

Dirt road leading to a mountain range in the background Don't let the red clay keep you away from the magnificent views of the Appalachian mountains. SERVPRO is Here to Help

Nobody can deny what the creator was doing when setting the Appalachian mountains as the backdrop for the red foothills in North East Georgia, making it one of the most beautiful places in America.

With that beautiful gift comes some unique challenges in keeping our homes clean. Since ridding your home of kids, pets and careless husbands is not an option let us consider the info and how to keep that Georgia red clay outside where it can be appreciated.

Carpet and rugs tend to be more susceptible to heavy soiling as the weight of footsteps crush the dirt and drive the bright colored and tiny particles deep into the fabrics weave.

The first line of defense is walk off areas.  The IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) states that it can take up to 23 ½ steps to completely clean the bottom of someone shoes.

A well place welcome mat gives each guest a reminder and place to clean their feet as they enter, consider placing a mat inside and outside each door.

According to the IICRC, Routine vacuuming removes up to 80% of dry soil and is absolutely critical to preserving the quality and condition of carpets and rugs.

DYI spot cleaning is great for preventing staining but will not replace the need for professional cleaning, which is recommended by the manufacturer every 2 years or more frequently depending on the soil exposure. See our blog “Out Spot out!” for more specific information.

Your SERVPRO professional can recommend the best of our 5 quality cleaning methods to remove that pesky Georgia red clay from your carpets today.

How Healthy is Your Home

4/14/2020 (Permalink)

info-graph showing indoor pollution sources This info-graph shows the most common sources of indoor air pollution..

During the COVID-19 outbreak we are all feeling some impact of the Nationwide ‘Stay at Home’ order. One thing that has sharply increased are the number of projects being done that folks generally have put on the back burner due to work and personal time restraints. As travel restrictions strengthen our days become longer, we will inevitably find ourselves in our homes for increasing periods of time. During that time would be good to consider how healthy your home is, specifically the air quality. I’d also like to highlight the term "sick building syndrome" (SBS) which is used to describe situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified. The complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone or may be widespread throughout the building. In contrast, the term "building related illness" (BRI) is used when symptoms of diagnosable illness are identified and can be attributed directly to airborne building contaminants.

If you feel like your indoor air quality is suffering and would like SERVPRO to help, call today for a free consultation and estimate.

See the link for more info from the EPA on SBS, BRI and other indoor air quality tips

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-08/documents/sick_building_factsheet.pdf

Premier Carpet Cleaning

3/22/2019 (Permalink)

Built by Hydra-Master the RX20 is the premier tool to use and gives our techs the edge when a standard steam cleaning is just not enough.

With carpet cleaning on the forefront of our services in Toccoa Ga. SERVPRO would like to take the time to show why our carpet cleaning services are leading the competition. In this feature we will discuss the RX20 rotary extractor and how it improves the cleaning without adding cost to the customer.

SERVPRO technicians love the RX20 because it works hard giving 650 cleaning passes per minute, never gets tired and it delivers the same great results from beginning to end. All this work allows the carpet technician to focus more time on troubled areas and less time in your home, less time in your home = less money out of your pocket.

Our customers love the RX20 because its powerful jets and extraction ports sink deep into the fibers to clean all the way through, from tip to base without getting the carpet backing or padding wet. This makes dry times significantly lesser and allows our customers day to resume much sooner.

In our opinion the RX20 delivers the best clean results and promotes the fastest drying times making it a foundational tool for any Carpet tech.

For Immediate Service in Northeast Georgia, Call SERVPRO

7/5/2017 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of The Mountains provides 24-hour emergency service and is dedicated to being faster to any-sized disaster in Northeast Georgia. We can respond immediately to your emergency and have the expertise to handle your restoration or cleaning needs.

  • 24-Hour Emergency Service
  • Faster to Any-Sized Disaster
  • Highly Trained Restoration Technicians
  • A Trusted Leader in the Restoration Industry
  • Locally Owned and Operated
  • Advanced Restoration and Cleaning Equipment 

Have Questions? Call Us 24/7 – 706-754-7378

Residential Services

Whether your Northeast Georgia home needs emergency flood damage or your upholstery cleaned, you can depend on us.  Our technicians have extensive cleaning and restoration training and can make your property look its best. Learn more about our residential services:

  • Water Damage Restoration
  • Fire Damage Restoration
  • Mold Remediation
  • Storm Damage Restoration
  • Cleaning Services
  • Building/Reconstruction Services

Commercial Services

There's never a convenient time for fire or Water damage to strike your Northeast Georgia commercial property. Every hour spent cleaning up is an hour of lost revenue and productivity. So when the need arises for professional cleaning or emergency restoration services we have the training and expertise to respond promptly with highly trained technicians to get your property back to business. Learn more about our commercial services: http://www.SERVPROthemountains.com/

  • Commercial Water Damage Restoration
  • Commercial Fire Damage Restoration

SERVPRO Donating Services

6/15/2017 (Permalink)

Toccoa Falls College recently had a need for cleaning services. SERVPRO was happy to help! Here is what the President of the College wrote in response to our donation of our professional cleaning services:

Nick,

I wish to offer my sincere appreciation to you, SERVPRO of the Mountains, and your team in a generous donation of time and energy from the missionary housing project on the Toccoa Falls Campus. We appreciate the professional cleaning of the sofa, love seat and the cushions of one of the homes. They greatly enhanced the decor and "freshness" of the house. Thank you for your involvement in helping us improve these furnished homes for missionaries and international workers during their year of home assignment.

We wish to offer you our gratitude for your help and encouragement. Many of these projects we cannot complete without gifts and generosity of individuals and corporations within our surrounding area, and we are grateful to SERVPRO of the Mountains.

Thank you again for your help in making this endeavor a reality. May God bless you and SERVPRO.

Sincerely,

Dr. Roberts Meyers

President

Toccoa Falls College

Back to School Carpet Cleaning

8/15/2014 (Permalink)

Taking a moment to say thank you to our local schools for hiring SERVPRO for Carpet Cleaning during the summer break. As always we appreciate your business, and we love knowing we could help you get ready for another great year!

Call us to clean carpet at home now that the kids are back in school!