I have decided to change the style of my blog to a "week in review style." Each and every week I will summarize my work week. I will show you some of jobs I encountered and how I cleaned them. 

I will also tell you under what circumstances I obtained the work. I hope you all like this style and find tie bits of information that may help you choose the right carpet cleaner in Vancouver and Surrey.

It was 2:30 in the afternoon and I had just finnished my last job of the day (3 in total) when I received the call. I was just heading back from cleaning carpet in Port Moody. The female customer had just been released from the hospital and needed her carpets cleaned ASAP.  The carpet cleaning job was in Vancouver. The customer  had three dogs (2 large and one small) that had free reign of the house while she was in the hospital. Her neighbours had been feeding them and giving them water in her absence and taking them outside for bathroom breaks. 

Unfortunately, the dogs had some accidents. The Neighbours had closed all of the bedroom doors but the dogs had urinated on the tile floor  directly in front of the master bedroom. The urine seeped under the door and saturated the carpet. 

I arrived at 3:30 that afternoon. First I vacuumed the bedrooms. I immediately saturated the pet stain with a Odour Stain Remover  (OSR) product. I saturated the area fully to ensure the OSR would seep into the padding underneath the carpet.  Pet stains are like icebergs insofar as what you can see on the surface is a fraction what lies beneath. For effective pet stain treatment, it is imperative to treat the carpet padding.

I then pre sprayed the rest of the area with a high ph cleaning solution and 220 degree water. The next step was to use a carpet cleaning rake to agate the cleaning solution into the carpet.  After about fifteen minutes I began the hot water extraction process with our Roto-Vac 360i extractor and a acid rinse with a deodorizer (low ph cleaning solution to bring the carpets ph level back to neutrality)

After the carpets were cleaned (including the pet stain) I used a water claw to perform the subsurface extraction on the pet stain. The water claw was placed directly over top of the pet stain and extracted the OSR solution from the pad. I flushed the area with hot water until I could visually see that no more yellow liquid was being extracted from the water claw. For the final step I injected a low ph acid into the carpet pad and subfloor to neutralize any remaining contaminates. 

The job turned out well and the customer was happy with the clean carpets and the pet stain removal performed by Pacific Mist Carpet Cleaning. 

Ed Scott

Finding the right carpet cleaner in Surrey can be challenging. This is because the carpet cleaning industry has unethical carpet cleaners who employ bait and switch tactics or high pressured sales tactics. These carpet cleaners often do shoddy work or refuse to honour advertised prices.

Here are some tips for you the consumer to help prevent you from being the victim of unscrupulous carpet cleaners.

First, if a deal sounds to good to be true then it probably is. Legitimate businesses have expenses: vehicle insurance, liability insurance, business licenses, taxes, employee wages, equipment maintenance, chemicals, WCB coverage, gas and of course quality equipment expenditures. Carpet cleaners could never clean your carpet for $10.95 a room and do a quality job.

Second, while price is a factor in choosing a carpet cleaner never should it be the paramount factor. Instead, quality of work should be the primary concern of consumers. Like other businesses, quality work comes at a cost.

Third, clear terms of what is too be expected and what will be included in any work performed should be clearly expressed to the consumer prior to the commencement of any work. Failure to do so creates headaches and may lead to unfulfilled consumer expectations.

Fourth, the carpet cleaner you choose should be knowledgeable and should be able to answer simple questions regarding the work they are about to perform or have performed already.

Fifth, check the Lower Mainland BBB to see if the business is accredited. To be accredited by the BBB a business must pass a stringent vetting process. Never hesitate to ask a carpet cleaner for references or pictures of past work.

And finally, if a carpet cleaner is too pushy walk away and file a complaint with the BBB. While it is part of a technicians job to sell additional products and services, never should they pressure a consumer into a transaction that they do not want to be in.

I hope the above mentioned tips help you make an informed decision of what carpet cleaner to choose when you have your carpets cleaned by a professional.

Ed Scott   

Carpet cleaners in Vancouver charge different prices from one another. Some prices are high and some are extremely low. In a free market economy price differences can be expected. However, the enormous price difference between carpet cleaning companies can be confusing for customers. One factor in the variance in prices can be attributed  carpet cleaning companies having different business models. 

I will briefly discuss the franchise model and the contractor model. Both models of carpet cleaning involve a third party which inflates the cost customers pay to have their carpets cleaned. Just because these companies charge more does not mean that they are providing more services or better service. 

Some carpet cleaning companies are franchises. The franchisee, a person who performs the work but does not own the company, must pay franchise fee's to the franchisor. The franchisor owns the company and licenses others to perform the work under a branded trade name. 

The franchisor takes care of advertising and finding new customers. More often then not, the franchisee must pay a large sum to the franchisor upfront to purchase a guaranteed monthly income. The higher the monthly income the higher the fee. 

The franchisee must also purchase the equipment from the franchisor at a marked up price. But it does not end there. The franchisor also takes a cut of what ever is earned by the franchisee (sometimes up to 50%) and almost always has control over pricing. The franchisee simply performs the work. 

Ultimately it is the customer who pays an inflated price so that both the franchisee and franchisor can turn a profit.

Another type of carpet cleaning company is the general contractor. This type of company subs out all work to other carpet cleaning companies. Usually, this type of company specializes in some other service related to home maintenance and offers carpet cleaning as an additional service. The contractor has no carpet cleaning equipment nor do they have employees qualified to perform the work.

Instead, the contractor hires another company to perform the work at a set rate and charges the customer more. Should anything ever go wrong with carpet cleaning, the customer contacts the contractor who then calls the carpet cleaning company. Because more people are involved it may take longer to resolve issues.

Another negative is that customers expectations may not be met. If a customer pays X amount of dollars they may expect a certain level of services. The level of services a customer may receive may be dependent on the size of the mark up between the carpet cleaner and the contractor.

Both the franchise model and the contractor model contribute to enormous price difference customers are charged between carpet cleaning companies. Remember, just because these companies charge more does not mean that they are providing more services or better service. Instead, more often than not the customer is paying inflated price so the “middle man” and the carpet cleaner can turn a profit.

By Ed Scott

Stains, Odours and Decontamination: Professional Carpet Cleaning and Your Pets.

When you were looking for a house to purchase or rent ,having a large outdoor space was  mandatory. You needed a space for your pets to exercise and to do their business. Surrey seemed like a logical choice because of the large lot sizes and affordability. Unfortunately, accidents happen and your pets don't always go outside to do their business. Having a Carpet Cleaner in Surrey clean your carpets seemed like a great idea: you could kill two birds with one stone in so far as you could have your carpets cleaned and remove your pets stains and odours at the same time.

Unfortunately, pet stains are some of the most difficult stains to treat and regular carpet cleaning is not an effective way to treat urine stains and pet odours. But before we delve into how to treat pet urine and odours we first have understand the properties of pet odours and stains.


Urine exits the body in a slightly acidic state (pH between 5-6) and comprised mainly of uric acid. Once urine exist the body it almost immediately begins to grow bacteria and transforms from an acidic state into a high alkaline state. High alkalinity will damage carpet fibres and may remove the dyes from your carpet which can cause permanent damage. This cannot be corrected by carpet cleaning. Over time this alkaline mixture transforms into tiny alkaline salts which emit odour.

A regular steam clean will actually compound the your odour problem since moister created by a steam clean will promote a chemical reaction that will re-activate the alkaline salts emission process. This reaction is what causes odours.

To effectively treat pet stains we use a 4 step process:

• First we apply an topological acid to the carpet. This neutralize the alkalinity of the urine salts and brings it back into an acceptable range.
  
  
• Second, we inject an acid into the backing of the carpet and the pad. We let this dwell for 10-15 minutes. Again this is to neutralize any alkaline salts that may have penetrated the backing or pad.
  
  
• Third, we flood the contaminated area with a special cleaning agent that is specifically designed to treat pet stains and counter act odour. We pour enough of the product down to fully saturate the carpet and the pad underneath.
  
  
• Forth, we perform a sub-surface extraction with a specialized tool called a water claw. The water claw extracts the cleaning agent that we flooded the contaminated area with. We repeat step 3 and 4 numerous times to flush the carpet.
  
  

As you can see, a simple steam cleaning is not an effective way to treat pet stains and counteract odour. Instead, a let a professional carpet cleaner tackle your pet stain problem. For more information on pet stain treatment click here.

By Ed Scott

Carpets are a big investment for your home, but unfortunately they are prone to early wear if they are not maintained. Spills, dust, pets, shoes, and the common daily traffic will wear your carpet—regardless of the quality. These elements can immediately spoil the appearance even to the best hard-wearing carpets. To protect this expensive investment you need quality carpet cleaning services.

We at Pacific Mist recommend regularly cleaning of your carpets. However, the application relies on the carpet’s environment and the lifestyle of owners of the home. For instance a household with a new born or a new pet could mean more frequent cleaning because, accidents do happen.

Benefits of Carpet Cleaning

Urban Quote in Australia provides a service to locate professional carpet cleaning Brisbane Northside professionals for free. This service helps homes owners locate professional carpet cleanings quickly and easily while adding the following benefits to your regular carpet cleaning regime:

- it protects the costly investment

- it refreshes the whole area

- it restores the good look and condition of your carpet

- it eliminates urine smell, dust mites, and bacteria

Carpet cleaning services should always be undertaken by a professional to ensuring the right use of cleansing products and modern cleaning methods. The use of a steam cleaner (with hot water extraction) will get rid of the mass stains and stubborn soil. It leaves the carpet completely hygienic, fresh and most important - clean.

Carpet cleaners are well-trained and qualified to handle these types of jobs. They stay updated with the latest advances in cleaning carpets products and cleaning machinery.

No one dares to trust an unlicensed technician for his car, why trust someone who is incompetent to clean your carpet? With Brisbane carpet cleaners provided by Urban Quote, clients get exactly what they want for their carpets. These professional cleaners are presented proficiently with credentials that make them more competent.

Cleaning Steps Used by Urban Quote Cleaners

Pre-inspection is necessary before starting the job. It needs a discussion between the contractor and the client for necessary actions to be done. While any professional contractor can use technology, many kinds of stains set into carpets are irremovable. However, there are important factors to think of and these are the key steps carpet cleaning professionals follow:

1. Complete preparation. Thorough preparation is the secret to successful cleaning results. Take time to prepare prior to the actual carpet cleaning. This means carpets are efficiently cleaned, with stains removed and wetness dried fast.

2. Extreme cleaning. In the hands of experts, carpets are steam cleaned applying the state-of-the-art method. Ultra hot water gets permeated through the fibers with strong pressures but with low volume. Extraction is done through high volume suction, and the result is complete rinsing without over wetting or having sticky residue.

3. Quick Drying. Clients can’t wait long for carpets to get dried. Only experts can adopt deep cleaning method, giving life back to client’s carpets. Speed drying means fewer possibilities for stains to reappear from the surface and bottom parts. Certainly, they use system that dries the carpet better than the traditional method. Post inspection is done for a thorough examination to enjoy fully the refreshed floor covering. With expert cleaners, carpets are cleaned, sanitized, and well-dried.

Experts always recommend the best options for cleaning carpets including the upholstery. Excellent services may also include leather lounge and furnishing services while carpets are being treated.

Generally speaking Pacific Mist Carpet Cleaning does not move furniture when we clean your carpets. All appointments are made in advance and customers can make their own arrangements to have furniture moved or re-arranged.

Pacific Mist Carpet Cleaning does have liability insurance; however by not moving furniture we reduce the risk of ever having to use it. Moving customers furniture on a routine basis increases our exposer to risk and furthers the chance that claim may made against us.

That being said, their are exceptions. If we are cleaning an elderly persons home and a couch or love seat needs to be moved we may do it. The same is true for people who are physically disabled. In those instances, the decision to move furniture for a customer rests entirely with our technicians and whether or not they feel comfortable moving the furniture without putting themselves, the customer or the furniture at risk for injury or damage.

by Ed Scott

Often customers ask me how long it will take their carpet to dry after being cleaned. I used too give customers a worst case scenario of between 3-6 hours for traffic areas and 2-4 hours in other areas.
However, now that Pacific Mist Carpet Cleaning has incorporated the Rotovac 360i into our cleaning arsenal I can tell customers with confidence that their carpet will be dry in 1-2 hours. We even advertise it on our website! This has been a major selling feature for us. Utilizing the Rotovac 360i is what separates us from other carpet cleaners in Vancouver.
That being said, the Rotovac 360i does have some disadvantages compared to regular wand cleaning. Using the Rotovac 360i slows production and can be cumbersome in tight spaces. It also leaves swirl patterns on the carpet that must be raked out.
However, we at Pacific Mist feel these negatives pale in comparison to the advantages it bring to us and our customers. The Rotovac 360i does a better job cleaning, produces quicker dry times and is physically less demanding for our employees to use compared to a regular wand. Our technicians have told us that carpet cleaning in Vancouver has become easier since Pacific Mist began using the Rotovac 360i.

by Ed Scott

 What does it mean to be punctual? Horace Mann, a 18th century American politician and education reformer, said that “Unfaithfulness in the keeping of an appointment is an act of clear dishonesty. You may as well borrow a person's money as his time.”

 This is true for carpet cleaning in Vancouver because time is money. It is as true for carpet cleaners as it is for customers. If I have a 10AM appointment I better be at the customers door at 9:59AM. 

 As a professional carpet cleaner, I am responsible for honouring my commitments. It is also my responsibility to account for all variables which may effect my ability to arrive on time. For carpet cleaners in Vancouver, traffic congestion and finding a customers address can be a monkey wrench for any carpet cleaner with multiple appointment across the city throughout the day.

 To avoid this, it is important for me to know where I am going and how to get there. I always look up a customers address before hand and have it saved in my iPad mini under google maps. I also listen to my local all traffic radio station while en route. They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Professional Carpet cleaners honor their commitments and don’t make excuses.

 The same is true for arriving early. I never will knock on a customers door too early. It would be selfish of me to impose what is convenient for me upon a customer without the proper consultation with the customer.

 Being a professional carpet cleaner in Vancouver entails providing top notch work and providing top notch customer service. Being punctual is a part of a providing the customer with a memorable experience which is always the goal for Pacific Mist Carpet Cleaning.


by Ed Scott