WHAT TO DO TO PREPARE FOR A CLEAN
Scroll down for Carpet & Upholstery, Tile & Grout, Air Duct, Wood Floors and Dryer Vent Cleaning details.
CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANING
- CHOOSE YOUR PACKAGE
Silver = Our Basic open area Soap Free Steam Clean
GOLD (Our Most Popular and Best Value) = Power vacuum with commercial HEPA vacuum prior to clean, light furniture moving and Green Guard stain protector to help with food and drink spills as well as every day dirt and traffic lane wear.
Platinum = Gold package PLUS Drying Fans in 2 rooms and a 6 month Spot and Spill Warranty to protect against future stains and spills (restrictions apply).
*Ask about our additional options for severe soiling, matting, stains and pet odors.
- CLEAR THE AREAS TO BE CLEANED OF SMALL ITEMS
Remove any small or personal items from areas to be cleaned and make sure we have safe access through the front door. You may want to remove any delicate items near the front door to allow adequate clearance for hoses. Don’t stress out about the process. Do what you can. We are used to working around things and can help when we arrive. A 2 inch vacuum hose and small solution hose will enter the house, while the power, water and waste water are all self contained in our state-of-the-art truck outside. - VACUUM AREAS TO BE CLEANED (Silver Package Only)
Silver package customers should move any furniture you want moved and vacuum PRIOR to your scheduled clean time. For a proper clean and for obvious safety reasons, customers cannot be moving furniture once our pre-treatment is applied. Ripley Services will thoroughly power vacuum with a commercial power HEPA vacuum for Gold and Platinum Packages. - LOWER YOUR THERMOSTAT A FEW DEGREES
During summer months, it’s a good idea to lower the thermostat a few degrees below your normal setting to help offset the temperature increase caused by a steam cleaning. The HVAC system (both heater and air conditioner) also act as a dehumidifier, removing moisture from the air and speeding dry times. Typical dry times for a standard clean are 3-4 hours. Environmental conditions, ceiling fans, level of soiling and pet treatments all affect dry time. - CONTAIN PETS THAT MAY TRY TO ESCAPE
We clean with a Green Seal Certified pre-treatment that is totally pet safe, but our hoses will hold the door open a few inches. For the safety of your pets, be prepared to contain any escape artists. If they are comfortable with strangers and aren’t an escape risk, then no worries. We are animal lovers too! - FURNITURE MOVING (not included with Silver Package)
A common misconception is that a room has to be cleared of all furniture prior to a professional clean. Many will procrastinate scheduling because of the daunting task of emptying every room. It is completely normal to clean around larger items of furniture. Traffic lanes and exposed areas need to be cleaned more frequently than the area under your dresser. Light furniture moving is INCLUDED with our Gold and Platinum Packages. (Silver package customers should move any furniture you want moved and vacuum PRIOR to your scheduled clean time. For a proper clean and for obvious safety reasons, customers cannot be moving furniture once our pre-treatment is applied.) For Gold and Platinum Packages, we will automatically clear the areas being cleaned of any smaller furniture items that we feel need to be moved. If you would like a couch, love seat or chair moved AND it can be safely moved for cleaning, just ask. We’re happy to accommodate when possible. Please understand, there are certain circumstances where we cannot move a piece of furniture. Items like glass tables or furniture loaded with breakable items, electronics, sleepers, entertainment centers, beds and dressers cannot be moved, however we can clean under furniture when it has approximately of 3 inches of clearance for the carpet wand. Please don’t move furniture out of it’s normal position prior to the clean. Inevitably, you are covering a higher traffic area that we need to evaluate and treat during our pre-clean inspection. If you are planning to move furniture yourself for a Silver Package clean, it MUST be moved off of carpeted areas in advance. It creates a safety hazard to have a homeowner moving furniture during a clean.
THAT’S IT! WE’LL HANDLE THE REST.
- AFTER THE CLEAN
Upon completion, your carpet will be damp (not wet) and dry in approximately 4-6 hours with average air flow. Pet and stain treatments can extend these dry times as will turning off fans or hvac system. It is important to minimize foot traffic while drying to avoid triggering “wicking.” Wicking is when an old stain, trapped in the backing or padding, transmits back to the surface as carpet dries. Use ONLY Ripley’s Unbelievable Soap Free Spotter (provided free with cleaning) for future spots and stains to avoid residue left by retail spotters. Resolve is one of the worst, but virtually all grocery store spotters are loaded with soap. NEVER USE VINEGAR! This is the most commonly recommended mistake on the internet. Vinegar SETS DYES. We use it to set Easter Egg dye and tie dye. If you use it on a spot that contains ANY type of dye you risk permanently setting. If you can’t remove a spot with our spotter or plain water, simply CALL US. Advice is free….Mistakes can be costly.
Carpet wrinkles or “bubbling” before or after a clean? CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
For more questions see our Carpet FAQ.
TILE & GROUT CLEANING
- CLEAR THE AREAS TO BE CLEANED OF SMALL ITEMS
Remove any small or personal items from tiled areas and make sure we have safe access through the front door. You may want to remove any delicate items near the front door to allow adequate clearance for hoses. Don’t stress out about the process. Do what you can. We are used to working around things and can help when we arrive. Measurements will be confirmed prior to starting clean and are based on room dimensions. A 2-2.5 inch vacuum hose and small solution hose will enter the house, while the power, water and waste water are all self contained in our state-of-the-art truck outside. - POSSIBLE PREEXISTING CONDITIONS
Be aware that tile and grout may have some preexisting conditions that could be revealed during a clean. Cracked tiles, hollow tiles, loose or missing grout that may not have been noticed in the past may be more apparent after a clean. A hollow tile can release during or after a clean because it was never properly installed or may have loosened with foundation movement. Cracked or chipped tiles may be more apparent after removing dirt from cracks and chips. Painted Grout (or color seals) will wear off in high traffic areas and release in areas where complete adhesion was not achieved in the initial application. None of these are “caused” by the clean. Changes in temperature and humidity from weather and the cleaning process can accelerate the inevitable. Removing dirt buildup from a painted grout to reveal missing or failing paint is no different than hosing off a muddy, painted fence or old car to reveal chipped or missing paint. Laminate floors adjacent to tiled areas should be sealed at the threshold to allow mopping of tile floors without damage to paper and particle board based laminates. Unfortunately this step is often skipped during installation and laminates, particularly inexpensive varieties, are susceptible to water damage from even a simple mopping. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wash your car or clean your grout, but it may mean that you have some repairs or maintenance that is necessary in addition to the clean.
THAT’S IT! WE’LL HANDLE THE REST.
- AFTER THE CLEAN
Your tile will be dry to the touch almost immediately, while the grout lines should be completely dry in 1-2 hours. It is difficult to assess the final results until the grout completely dries, since it lightens as it dries. While grout sealer will be dry to the touch in under an hour, it takes approximately 4-6 hours to fully cure. It’s “OK” to walk on the tile immediately but you do risk footprints in any un-evaporated sealer that can be harder to remove. Ideally avoid foot traffic for 4-6 hours. Just take care to avoid the grout lines when possible and avoid liquid spills during cure time. After cleaning, floors should ideally be maintained with a pH neutral floor cleaner (no harsh chemicals, bleach, vinegar, ammonia etc.). We don’t recommend “grout paint” because of the inherent problems we have seen with these products. Many are simply a household “paint” that ultimately fails, but is nearly impossible to completely remove. Your stuck with repainting or touching up every few years. This is why routine cleaning and maintenance with a clear sealer is so important to maintain a consistent look. If your grout is too far gone or you dislike the color, ask about our lifetime warranty color seal.
For more questions see our Tile FAQ
AIR DUCT CLEANING
- CLEAR AREAS BELOW AIR CONDITIONING VENTS
Remove any delicate or sensitive items below air conditioning vents to allow ladder access where possible. We will cover any items that can’t be easily moved. - HAVE REPLACEMENT AIR FILTERS ON HAND
We will gladly install new filters, if available, when the cleaning is complete.
THAT’S IT! WE’LL HANDLE THE REST.
- AFTER THE CLEAN
During the first 24 hours you may notice an increase in household dust since we are disturbing areas that have been untouched for years. You should plan a thorough dusting and vacuuming following the clean. We will clean up after ourselves, but a good dust and vacuum will often still be necessary. If you have maids, it’s a good idea to have them come AFTER the clean, not before (when possible). This is a good excuse to put off your normal housework until we are done.
For more questions see our Air Duct FAQ
HARDWOOD FLOOR CLEANING
- CLEAR AS MUCH FURNITURE AND PERSONAL ITEMS AS POSSIBLE
Large items and difficult to move TV’s and electronics can remain. We can clean around them. If we are only cleaning one room, simply relocate the items to adjacent rooms. If cleaning multiple areas or a whole house, move what you can completely out. The rest can be shifted to one side of the room and we will can clean and coat one side at a time. You will have the option of a satin or gloss finish.
THAT’S IT! WE’LL HANDLE THE REST.
- AFTER THE CLEAN
After a clean and coat, furniture can typically be replaced carefully after 4 hours (sometimes less). Limit shoe traffic for 48 hours. Wear shoe covers or socks. Replace rugs after 48 hours. With a clean only, the floors are ready for immediate use. The more often you clean and coat your floors, the longer they will last because we are replenishing the urethane protective layer and removing abrasive soils. Once a year is ideal.
DRYER VENT CLEANING
- CLEAR THE AREA AROUND THE DRYER AND REMOVE ANY CLOTHING
Please have the washer AND dryer empty and the area on top and around cleared for access. We will have to move the dryer out to clean and may have to shift the washer as well.
THAT’S IT! WE’LL HANDLE THE REST.
- AFTER THE CLEAN
Some times the cap at the roof or wall exit of the dryer vent needs to be repaired or replaced. This is not part of the cleaning service but can usually be handled by a handyman service or roofer. Most caps have a weather cover, a flapper and some type of screening or deterrent to keep birds and rodents out. If any of these components are damaged or missing, they should be replaced or repaired.