Families spend far more time outside than inside during the summer, but that season can still take its toll on indoor carpeting. Some problems, in fact, are specific to summertime and professional carpet cleaners often find themselves hearing that customers have similar issues and want help making them go away.
Carpet Buckling
Wall-to-wall carpeting can develop “ripples” where the carpeting has loosened and rises from the floor. This is also known as buckling or wrinkling. There are a handful of possible causes of this issue:
- Poor installation
- Detachment of the carpet backing
- Dragging heavy furniture
- Carpet getting soaked
Carpet cleaning will not make the buckles go away, but you can reassure your customers that your careful cleaning and drying of the carpets will prevent more buckles from developing. Advising your clients to keep the AC on in carpeted areas and use dehumidifiers is also helpful.
Odors
The heat and humidity of summer can intensify any existing odors in carpeting. The accumulation of dust, pollen, dirt, stains, and more doesn’t help either. Weather is a powerful thing, even indoors, which some customers may not realize. These conditions will likely have customers calling.
Encourage clients to avoid using air fresheners because, even though they smell super-nice, they actually contain chemicals that can pollute the air – and your carpet. Instead of trying to cover up odors, it’s more important to remove them using the right deoderizing products, which you should have in your supplies.
Stains
You’re more likely to hear about stain complaints from clients come the end of summer, after they’ve endured three months of coming and going, busy children, crazy pets, and general summer fun. They’ll want your help to eliminate the stains they didn’t tend to immediately or couldn’t get out sufficiently, whether it’s ice cream, pet stains, wine, crayons, dirt, or otherwise.
After you’ve done your work and addressed stains as valiantly as possible – you know they don’t all always come out – remind your customers to blot stains or spills immediately without rubbing and then use detergent and dab with a clean cloth to keep the worst of the mess at bay.
Maintain Your Carpet Cleaning Truckmount
Professional carpet cleaners will be busy this summer, especially after a year of lockdown has people wanting to air out their homes, clean up, and invite people in. Schedule a truckmount maintenance appointment to ensure that all your equipment is in good condition and ready for the work. You may even want to consider adding another van and truckmount to your fleet.
Contact Michigan Maintenance Supply to schedule maintenance or to discuss models and options available.