Frequent questions  

You should find everthing you need to know here. We've gone into some depth to give you the right advice, but if you are still uncertain, please give us a call.

 
How long does the carpet cleaning process take?

On average, large open areas can be cleaned at about 400 square feet per hour. This will vary depending on the size of the room, amount of soil, how much furniture needs moved, specialty spotting procedures, and set up time.

How soon can I walk on it?

Keep pets, children and regular traffic off carpet for a period of 6 hours. You may use the carpet lightly immediately after cleaning by wearing booties that can be left behind if required. Wait 24 hours before removing polystyrene blocks and foil protectors that are put in place to protect furniture and carpet. Some carpets may feel slightly damp for up to 18 hours depending on carpet and soil conditions and additional treatments. This is normal and will not cause any problems.

Do you move furniture?

Our Value and Premium Cleaning Packages include moving settees, chairs, tables, beds etc. Dressers, and heavier pieces are left in place under these pricing structures. Additional charges will apply to move heavier furniture.

Can you get out.....?

MAGS CLEANING can remove any spot that is not a permanent stain. However, there are conditions in which permanent staining is present. The following is a list of conditions, which may or may not allow spots to be removed. The percentage listed next to the condition is the percentage of CHANCE we have of removing it, NOT the percentage of stain that will be removed.

Yellowing (50%) - Removal can be as simple as neutralizing the spot, or area by spraying an acidic solution on it, or it can be impossible to remove. There are many unknown causes for yellowing. It is so common we have several different products just for yellowing.

Filtration Soiling - (black lines around skirting boards) (25%) - We can usually get some of the filtration soiling out, but it almost never comes all the way out. Filtration soiling occurs when carpet "filters" soil going through cracks and crevices. The particles are so fine, and go all the way down the sides of the yarn and through the backing which makes it almost impossible to remove.

Urine (50%) - When urine is fresh and has not been cleaned by an alkaline spotter, the chances are good. If the urine has been there a long time, the chances are slim. However, urine will continue to deteriorate the carpet, so it is extremely important to remove the urine deposits even if the spot does not come out. Every week we find urine spots and every week we find urine spots that will not come out, so it's unpredictable. We have a 4-step urine treatment procedure: first, we apply urine pre-treatment that helps to break down the urine and neutralize it. The spot is then thoroughly extracted. If the spot is still there, we use other spotters to attempt removal. The final step, whether the spot comes out or not, is to spray an enzyme/sanitiser on it that will continue to break it down and help with the odour if any.

Urine Odour — We have two odour treatment processes in addition to our urine spotting.

Vomit (50%) - Same as urine. (If red dye is present in dog or cat food, see red dye removal).

Blood (75%) - If blood has not been cleaned, if hot water or alkaline cleaning products have not been used, chances are good, but no guarantee.

Rust (85%) - Chances for rust removal are excellent, however, no guarantees.

Red Dye (5%) (crayon, make-up, Red Drinks, cat/dog food vomit,  - Red dye is almost impossible to remove unless conditions are exactly right. If the carpet is new, the chances are better. In many cases the only way to remove red dye is with a heat transfer process in which we apply a product to the spot, lay a wet cloth over it and apply an iron to cause the spot to transfer into the white towel.  The spot is then rinsed thoroughly. This is a last resort procedure and may remove some of the carpet colour as well. If you insist we try this method, you will be informed that we are not responsible for the colour loss to the carpet.  Very low chance of red dye removal in most cases.

Lipstick (50%) - Chances are good that we will be able to remove it with solvents. However, some lipstick may be in the red dye category, which gives it a slim chance of removal.

Furniture Stain (1%) - Almost impossible. We can try "heat transfer", however in most cases the dyes are so aggressive that removal proves almost impossible.

Coke (95%) -Usually not a problem.

Tea & Coffee (70%) - Tannin spots sometimes cause a permanent stain, but we usually have fair success. However, many times when spilled it is very hot which makes it more difficult.

Ketchup (50%) - Ketchup can go either way. Sometimes it comes out easily, other times it enters into the red dye category.

Mustard (15%) - Can be very difficult at times. Not always impossible, but many times it is impossible.

Paint (Oil based) (20%) - Although we have removed a lot of oil based  paint, there has been many times we have not. Case by case basis, no guarantee.

Paint (Latex Emulsion) (20%) - Hardened latex emulsion can be impossible and coloured latex emulsion can permanently stain carpet.

Crayon (50%) - We carry excellent solvents, but can go either way.

What about reoccurring spots?

If a spot returned a day or so after cleaning: it may have been oily or sticky and was not completely removed or wicked back due to the nature of the spot, or possibly it's not a spot but a permanent stain.

My carpet has bleached or faded spots, can you correct that?

If you have spots or small areas that have been bleached out, we may be able to spot dye or re-tuft this depending on the type of fibre you have. We do not dye carpets if you have overall colour loss or fading.

What about indentions from heavy furniture?

No guarantee can be made on removing indentions from furniture. In addition to the pile of the carpet being crushed, the backing of the carpet is indented. Heat, moisture, and hand grooming with our equipment may help, but it will take time to release back to normal, if at all. Severe cases may be permanently indented.

How will you clean my upholstery?

The outer cover of your furniture can be made form a variety and combination of fibres, and you can be assured that we take full account of these before undertaking any cleaning operation.

Most upholstery can be safely and effectively cleaned using water extraction, however delicate fibres and/or those susceptible to colour migration have to be cleaned with  “low moisture” cleaning or “dry” solvent cleaning. Under the outer cover, the frame can be covered with a variety of stuffings and fabrics; natural hair, cotton wadding, wool felt, sponge and feather.

Again we have to take in to account of the nature and variety of these underlying materials so that you will have none of the problems that can be associated with over-wetting, drying times in days, damage to underlying materials and in the worst cases the development of moulds within the stuffing materials causing further damage and obnoxious smells.

We industrially vacuum first,( our vacuums are approx. four and a half times stronger that an average domestic vacuum) this will remove any loose soiling

The whole suite is then cleaned by hand using cloths. Taking extra care on the more soiled areas.

Finally the fabric is extracted using extremely powerful extraction equipment to ensure that there is no over-wetting as we do not want to get the insides wet.

How Will You Clean My Curtains?

We can  clean your curtains "in-situ", so you don't have the inconvenience of  removing and re-hanging them or we can take them away if that is more convenient for you. Most curtain materials are manufactured form fabric that has not been pre-shrunk and so must be cleaned using "low moisture" or solvent cleaning.

You can be assured that we have taken account of your fabric so that the most appropriate cleaning method is used. Our service does not include cleaning of any lining materials.

Do you clean . . .?

Berber Loop- Absolutely. In the UK Berber is popularly a reference to any loop pile weave, that contains polypropylene, nylon, wool or a blend. Berber Loop requires a more thorough cleaning than other carpets because the "flushing" action needs to take place to get under, around and through the loops.

Sisal, Seagrass, Grass, Jute — We do not currently clean these fibres as our water extraction cleaning systems are not ideally suited to cleaning them.

They can be cleaned with can dry powder cleaning process. However the results are not stunning. Spot cleaning and extraction can cause discoloration and water rings on sisal.

Cotton — Yes, we have special Cotton cleaners or we can dry clean it. . Case by case.

Silk — Yes, we dry clean it.

Rayon — Yes, we dry clean it.

How often should a carpet be cleaned?

The fact is, the best thing you can do for your carpets is have them regularly cleaned by a qualified professional carpet cleaning company. It’s the build-up of dirt and soil which causes damaging wear to your carpet far more than the foot traffic that travels over it's surface. Foot traffic only grinds the soil against the fibres, and causes them to gradually dull and wear away.

What do the major carpet manufacturers recommend?

Major carpet manufacturers such as Dupont and Shaw recommend you have your carpets professionally cleaned every 6 to 18 months. But consider this: you might need your carpet cleaned more often depending on things like smoking habits, number and ages of children, soiling conditions, humidity, allergy conditions, and pets  - to name just a few. Remember, while the most heavily tracked or walked areas may require quarterly cleaning; other areas may not need cleaning for 18 months.

This is important: Either way, it makes good sense to have your carpets cleaned regularly.  It’s important to maintain not only its looks and “feel” but also because deep cleaning removes bacteria, germs and the substances upon which these organisms live.

Why should I clean my carpet?

Biocontaminants; volatile organic compounds; combustion products; asbestos; dust mites; chemical contamination; migrated outdoor pollutants; insoluble particulate soiling; grease and oil deposits; sand; soil; dirt; food particles; pesticides and allergens.

Big words, but what do they mean?

Quite simply, your carpet acts like a sink; it filters and collects soil, bacteria, allergens, and pollutants from the indoor environment. This collection and filtering process allows carpet to trap contaminants within the carpet.

But like any filter, your carpet needs to be regularly cleaned out. These contaminants could be adding to you and your family's health and allergy problems.

Bacteria, pollutants and allergens trapped in your carpet contribute to an unhealthy indoor environment.

Why should I have my carpets protected?

When treated, your furnishings will repel spills, stains, and soil by forming a durable barrier around each fibre.

• Carpet Protector:
• Extends the life of your furnishings and carpet.
• Prevents dirt, dust and grime from becoming "ground in".

Consider this: When we sit on upholstery or walk on carpet, we press thread against thread and fibre against fibre.  This grinding together wears out the fabric and carpet fibre – much quicker than is necessary.

A protection treatment will insulate the individual fibres from the grinding motion and make them more resistant to dry soil build-up, so the sandpaper effect is avoided.

• Won't change the feel, colour or breathability of your fabrics.
• Makes vacuuming and general clean-up much faster

Protecting your furnishings and carpets will help provide long lasting beauty. The fibre is free to breath. It retains its original texture and appearance.

• Protects from food and drink "accidents".
• Repels oil and water based stains and dirt.

The protection treatment forms an invisible protective finish around each fibre. A “hard-shell” that helps resist moisture. Most spills can't penetrate the fibre - stains do not set and spills can be blotted up.
 

15 West Street   Oldland Common  Bristol  BS30 9QT  UK    Tel  0117 9326372