Author Archive for Sams Carpet

The America’s Center in St. Louis: Big or Small, Sams Cleans it All

From concerts to monster trucks to sporting events and more, there are very few people in the St. Louis region who don’t have some memory of an event they’ve attended at The America’s Center. Our staff is no different. But there’s something really cool about getting a behind-the-scenes look at a place like that when it’s empty. So when we had the opportunity to provide carpet cleaning services at this great St. Louis landmark in February, we jumped at the opportunity.

Sometimes great work speaks for itself. Mark Gruhala, Assistant Director of Operations at The America’s Center, took notice of the great work our team did in restoring the furniture and carpets at the Stifel Theatre. When he asked who the company was behind the great transformation, the team at Stifel Theatre referred him to us. After reading our story and seeing the photos, Mark contacted us for an estimate, and met with Sams President Jeff Sams onsite to conduct a walkthrough to identify areas that needed to be addressed.

members of the sams carpet cleaning team preparing to work at the America's CenterWhen it came time to do the job, we sent an A-team of four technicians: Ed, Jakob, Keith, and Chuck. The team was sent to address a few critical areas in the stadium that needed the most attention, including the hallway on both sides of the executive suites, the home and guest locker rooms, and some additional dressing rooms.

With a job like this, access can sometimes be an issue, but the team at The America’s Center was accommodating and gave us access to all the areas we needed to be. To get the hoses from the vans to the areas we were cleaning, we needed to pull directly onto the main floor of the stadium. From there, we were able to use our high-powered carpet cleaning equipment to reach and address all the areas that needed attention.

clean locker room carpet after the Sams team did their jobIn the end, the client was very happy with the work we did. We were able to address trouble areas, restore the carpets, and prepare The America’s Center for everything to come in the year ahead. In addition to The America’s Center and Stifel Theatre, the Sams team has also been called on for large-scale cleaning projects at Enterprise Center, home of the St. Louis Blues.

But our trademark yellow vans have also been put to work in offices and homes of all sizes throughout the region. No matter the size of the project, we have the tools, experience, and expertise to get the job done. Contact us today to put our team to work for you!

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How to Choose a Residential Carpet Cleaning Company in St. Louis

This is the perfect time of year to refresh your home from top to bottom. But where do you start if you are looking for a residential carpet cleaning company in the Saint Louis Metro Area or St. Charles County? Trust and professionalism are important when you are deciding who to work with and let into your home. It is also important to create a clean and germ-free environment for the health and safety of your family and guests.

Flooring is a significant investment for you as a homeowner. Preserving and refreshing it will make your home feel like new. However, longevity is not just an aesthetic priority, but a financial one too. As you research and choose a carpet cleaning company for your household, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Carpet Cleaning Experience Matters

Look for a company with a long-standing history and residential experience when choosing a carpet cleaner. It’s important to select a carpet cleaning company that has a system in place that prioritizes treating your home with the utmost care. Experience also means the company has dealt with a wide variety of spaces and carpet types to ensure that the right techniques are used to effectively clean your carpets without causing damage. Make sure the team you hire is well trained and highly skilled. A professional residential carpet cleaning company will carefully move furniture, apply guards to your corners, inspect for stains and smells that require pre-treatment, and give special attention to high traffic areas that need to be revitalized in the carpet cleaning process.

When Sams’ yellow van shows up to your home to do a job, we utilize our eight-step process, from pre-treating to a final inspection. This assures your carpets are cared for from start to finish, your home is treated with the utmost care, and everything is left in better condition than when we arrived.

The Latest Technology and Equipment

Like any industry, technology and technique are constantly evolving in the carpet cleaning business. So look for a company using the latest technology and practices in the industry for your residential carpet cleaning needs.

The Sams yellow vans are equipped with the latest technology.  We use a powerful, state-of-the-art, truck-mounted steam extraction system to clean deep into the fibers of your carpet. The team also applies a fresh water rinse after cleaning to ensure there is no residue left behind and your carpet stays cleaner longer. Our team is constantly learning about the latest techniques in the industry and applying them to the work we do to keep the homes of St. Louis and St. Charles County residents looking their best.

Additional Services Under One Roof

Allowing people into your home to do work always requires a level of trust, but even more so these days. Having one partner you can turn to for multiple cleaning and maintenance services is incredibly valuable. When researching companies to perform your carpet cleaning, find out if there are additional services they offer to residential clients.

Sams has built a name as one of the most trusted residential carpet cleaning companies in the St. Louis area. But that’s only the beginning of the services we provide to keep your home clean and healthy. In addition to carpet cleaning and protection, we offer carpet stretching and repairs, upholstered furniture cleaning, air duct cleaning, tile and grout cleaning, 24-hour water damage services, spot and stain removal, pet damage removal, odor control, and area rug cleaning. We can even work with you to set up recurring services as well.

The St. Louis Area’s Preferred Residential Carpet Cleaners

If you’re looking for a company you can trust in the St. Louis area, there’s only one name you need to remember. Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repairs has the experience, the team, and the technology to deliver a consistently high-quality carpet cleaning experience. Reach out today to put our team to work making your home shine.

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Start the New Year Right With Commercial Air Duct Cleaning

The New Year is a time for new beginnings. As the clock turns towards 2022, now is the time to start thinking about what needs to be accomplished in your office space or place of business to ring in the New Year on a high and clean note. While weekly office cleanings are an essential part of a regular routine to keep the environment healthy to work in, make sure that you are not neglecting the air quality and efficiency of your heating and cooling systems by forgetting to have your air ducts cleaned.

It is important to understand that duct cleaning must be done by a professional in order to assure that it does not do more harm than good. Not only can you potentially break something when trying to do it yourself, but you can also stir up harmful allergens and bacteria.

The Biggest Benefits of Office Air Duct Cleaning

Air duct cleaning, when professionally done with the proper equipment can reduce allergens, promote cleaner air, reduce unpleasant smells and fire hazards, and promote efficiency. Here are the five biggest reasons to regularly have the air ducts in your office cleaned:

  1. Harmful pathogens can build up in air ducts if they are not regularly cleaned. Dirt, dust, mold, pollen and other pollutants can accumulate in air ducts and then travel through the ductwork from one office area to another. A professional cleaning will remove all contaminants from the ducts and assure that there is no bacteria and mold lurking in the ductwork of your office. If you are worried about mold issues, this is particularly important as mold spores are easily able to travel through the air from one room to the next if they are growing in any duct work. An annual office inspection and cleaning of your air ducts and HVAC systems will also help to prevent duct contamination issues.
  2. Clean air is another reason why having your air ducts cleaned in the New Year should be a priority. Even if there are no allergy sufferers in your office space or place of work, clean air will make for an all-around better quality of life experience.
  3. Is there a funky smell lingering in your office? Can you not pinpoint the source? The source could be something lurking in the air ducts. Odors from mold, mildew and other allergens can build up in the air ducts over time. When these odors become strong enough, the smell can permeate the entire building. Not only is this potentially dangerous to breathe in, it can create a less than inspiring atmosphere for both the employees and customers.  A professional air duct cleaning service will use state-of-the-art equipment to clear out the problem area(s), eliminating the odor at its source.
  4. You never know what’s in your ducts until you have them cleaned. From construction debris to items accidentally dropped into a vent, it can be astonishing what is sucked out of an air duct when cleaned professionally. We have encountered both large and small objects, and some of those could create a fire risk if neglected.
  5. Ductwork cleaning is one way to improve the performance and efficiency of your ventilation system. Contaminants and pollutants that build up in the system and on its various components decrease air flow efficiency and causes the system to work harder over time. Duct and vent cleaning also is a great way to help extend the life of your office HVAC system, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars to replace.

The new year is here! There is no better time to call Sams to set up a time to have your office air ducts cleaned. Our professional team of experts in the St. Louis area will clean and restore our air ducts and ensure everyone is breathing easier in the new year.

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Why Regular Mopping is Not Enough to Keep Grout Clean

The holidays are right around the corner, and the pressure to have your house shining from top to bottom is mounting. If you find yourself mopping repeatedly and not getting the results you want on your tile floors, it might be time for a professional cleaning which will leave the tile and grout clean and properly sealed.

Why Professional Cleaning is Important for Grout

Just like carpets, tiles and grout need regular cleaning for several reasons. Professional grout and tile cleaning are more thorough than a regular mopping, as they reach into the grout and remove deep grime and bacteria. Grout is the porous substance between each tile on a tile floor. Due to its porous nature, it is very easy for dirt and bacteria to build up and not only appear dingy, but also house bacteria.

Over time, mold, mildew, bacteria, dirt, and debris can start to build up in the grout between your tiles. Although grout does come in a variety of colors, lighter grouts show dirt more easily to the naked eye. But that does not mean that mildew and bacteria are not lurking on your darker grouted tiles. Aesthetically pleasing grout is great, but it’s even more important to have clean grout. Because grout is commonly used in areas with high humidity, like a bathroom or kitchen, it is easy for mold and mildew to grow and create a potential health risk. An annual professional cleaning will assure that all mold and mildew have been removed.

Extend the Life of your Tiled Floors

Annual tile and grout cleaning will also extend the life of your floors. Just like carpeting, the debris that builds up on your floors creates a grit that can break down your tiles and grout over time. When the grout and tiles are properly cleaned and sealed, the dirt that builds up is removed making it less likely to damage the tile over time.

Once you have your floors properly cleaned, you can restore their original appearance and achieve a result you simply can’t with a mop no matter how many hours you spend trying. Over cleaning (yes, that’s a thing) or using the wrong cleaning materials can also deteriorate your tiles and grout. Leave tough stains and deep cleaning up to the professionals. Once your tile floors have been professionally cleaned, you can keep them looking beautiful with regular cleaning.

side-by-side comparison of clean and dirty tile

Grout Matters for Resale as Well

Thinking of selling your home? Tiles matter. The two most important rooms in a house when it comes to selling are your kitchen and bathrooms. If your grout is dirty or worse, showing mildew and mold, you are less likely to get the sale price you deserve. A simple call to Sams can save you the hours of scrubbing grout and get your tiles ready to show off to any and all potential buyers.

The Sams team cannot wait to help you get your house ready for the holidays. Just give us a call to set up your appointment and get your house gleaming with that “clean as new” feeling all over again.

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How Often Should I Have My Carpets Professionally Cleaned?

As a homeowner you have made a significant investment in your carpeting, furnishings, and area rugs. These are the pieces that define your style and make your house a home. It is important to take care of your investment with regular professional cleanings. But how often does it make sense to have cleanings completed? The answer varies depending on your household and its inhabitants.

Here is what you need to consider when it comes to having your carpet, rugs and upholstery cleaned.

The Size of your Household

If you have a houseful of family who are regularly using the furniture and walking on the carpets and rugs, then you certainly want to get a professional cleaning once a year. The more wear and tear and use you get out of your house, the more important it is to stay on top of deep cleanings to prevent debris from building up, deep stains from setting in, or matting of the carpet fibers.

If you have a one- to two-person household, you can mostly get away with cleanings every 18 months.

If You Have Children

It is no secret that children, no matter their age, can be messy. Kids have a way of trailing in crumbs, tracking in dirt, spilling drinks or worse. This is not confined to toddlers. Kiddos, as much as we adore them, are hard on furnishings. If you have multiple children in your home, we suggest cleaning your carpets, rugs and furnishings every 6 months which will greatly extend their life expectancy and look.

Do You Have Pets?

What’s messier than children? Pets. While this might not be true 100 percent of the time and, even if you are diligent with cleaning daily as a pet owner, pets shed, track in grass and dirt from outside and even have an occasional accident. Pet owners should plan to professionally clean their furniture, carpets and rugs biannually.

And if you are lucky enough to have a bustling house of kids and pets then you should consider a quarterly cleaning schedule.

Highly Trafficked Areas

Certain areas of your home tend to receive more foot traffic than others. This holds true for certain pieces of furniture as well. The more traffic a room or item receives, the more important it is to give it the attention it needs. We recommend that you hit the heavy areas, such as your living room, master bedroom, family room, and basement recreation room more often. Those rooms where your family spends most of their time could be cleaned every 6 months with a 12-month cycle for the less frequented areas.

The Environment

Where you live matters. In Saint Louis we have weather extremes from hot and humid summers to cold and icy winters. If you live in a household where you wear shoes, then it is very important to stay on top of your annual cleanings to assure that you extend the life and look of your carpets, rugs and furniture.

Allergy and Asthma Sufferers?

If you or a member of your household suffers from chronic allergies of asthma it is important to vacuum with a HEPA filter vacuum each day and to have your carpets and rugs cleaned once a year at a minimum. This will greatly reduce the possibility of mold and dust in the fibers which can cause those with breathing problems to suffer more than needed.

No matter how large your household, or how many furry friends you have, it is important to get a professional cleaning for all your carpets, rugs and upholstered furniture annually if you want to make sure that your home is always looking its best. Contact Sams to schedule your next cleaning, or set up a recurring cleaning schedule.

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Carpet Stretching Removes Ripples and Extends Carpet Life

Does your carpet have ripples in it? Does it appear to be loose? Are you constantly tripping over the bubbles that have formed over time?

Old, stretched out carpet can make a room appear drab and unkept. If you are tired of coming home to loose carpet, but you are overwhelmed by the prospect of tearing it all out, the perfect solution can be carpet stretching.

What is Carpet Stretching and Why Do It?

Carpet stretching is exactly what it sounds like. Carpet is power-stretched or pulled tight once again and refastened to the tacks strips on the perimeter of the wall. The process of stretching, if done properly, will refresh and change the entire appearance of your room.

carpet seam repair and restretching

In general, as carpet ages the fibers wear out, stretch, and loosen. When carpet ages it can pull away from the tacking strips that anchor it to the subfloor. Carpet seams which are not visible upon installation can appear over time with age.

Aside from detracting from a room’s appearance, a carpet that is bubbled or does not lay flat is a safety hazard that can lead to someone who is unaware tripping over the ripples.

Perhaps, the most important reason to have your carpet stretched is that it will greatly increase the life of your floor covering and is less expensive or intrusive than a total install.

Is My Carpet a Good Candidate for Stretching?

If you are unsure if your carpet would benefit from being stretched, we recommend that you check for the following:

  1. Does your carpet lay flat? Does it appear to be rippled or wrinkled?
  2. Do the edges of your carpet appear to be pulled or frayed, and not secured under the moldings?
  3. Are you able to gently “pull” the carpet upwards in the middle of the room? While there will be some give, the carpet should quickly snap back in place. This simple test will help determine if it is time to get your carpet stretched and re-seamed.

Can I Stretch My Own Carpeting?

Carpet stretching is best left to the professionals who have the proper equipment to stretch the carpeting without ripping or causing further damage to the carpet. At Sam Carpet Cleaning and Repairs, our pros have seen it all. We’ll evaluate your carpet, recommend a solution, and deliver exceptional service. We’re proud to offer state of the art carpet stretching to clients throughout the Saint Louis area.

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How to Remove Carpet Smells and Other Household Odors

Smelly carpet can happen to anyone. You spill something on your carpet or the kids bring home sweat-soaked athletic wear from their daily sports practice. Your pet’s unfortunate accident. A leak in your home causes a stain on your carpet. Smelly carpet can also be caused by humidity in an area of your home or crawlspace that is virtually unseen.

No matter the cause, carpet stains and odor are unfortunate and inevitable facts of home ownership. It’s common to seek do-it-yourself remedies for carpet stains and damage. But proper treatment is critical in addressing the odor that can be left behind. When left untreated, carpet and other smelly odors can become very difficult to eliminate. Learn how to treat carpet odor and have your home smelling like new again.

Eliminate Carpet Odors at the Source

The first step to treating carpet odor is to identify what’s causing it. Carpet is a warm “welcome home,” but it requires care and maintenance. Carpet that isn’t properly cleaned can become an odor magnet, harboring everything that has been brought across it. If you think of everyone and everything that walks across your carpet, it’s not hard to imagine why it might develop odor problems. Carpet odor is the result of what’s in and has soaked below your carpet. Carpet odor can be caused by pets, human foot traffic, food, soil, and the general dust and debris we bring into our homes on our shoes and feet.

Once you’ve properly diagnosed the source of what’s causing your carpet odor, it’s time to clean your carpets and treat the odor. It’s important to ensure the cleaning and odor treatment you select will also address the carpet pad and underlay. This area below your actual carpet can hold excess moisture and cause additional odors if not cleaned properly. It can be hard to know if your carpet odor is coming from the pad and underlay without the help of a professional carpet cleaning company.

Knock Out Cooking, Sport, Air Odor Smells

Cooking fish for family dinner or using certain seasonings can cause strong odors to linger in the air. Your children come home from a long and hard practice and leave their stinky socks and clothes on a rug, carpet, chair, or anywhere they choose. Over time odors can start getting into your carpets, walls, furniture, and cabinets.  To completely remove these orders, you will need to wipe down everything with a cleaning product that is specially made for your wood furniture and cabinets.

A professional carpet cleaning company like Sams will clean your carpets, area rugs, and upholstered furniture deep down to remove these odors. For air orders, Sams also specializes in processes using odorized equipment to filter and clean the air.

Cut Through Smoke Smells

Maybe your uncle smoked a cigar in your home while visiting, though you kindly asked him not to. Or you had a small accident with a fireplace when you forgot to open the flute. Smoke from either of these can cause lingering odors and you will need to address them right away. If the smoke damaged the walls, you need to clean them. Depending upon how bad it is, you might need to use an oil-based paint to cover the smoke film on the wall. To completely remove smoke smells and residue from carpet, upholstered furniture, and area rugs, contact the professionals Sams Carpet Cleaning & Repairs. Sams can evaluate the situation and give you an appropriate plan of action.

The Most Effective Solution: Professional Carpet Cleaning

A quick online search will reveal plenty of do-it-yourself solutions for home odors, but be careful. Always test a small portion before going all out. Sometimes DIY solutions can cause even more damage.

The best remedy for many household odors is a call to Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repairs, the St. Louis area’s most trusted provider of carpet cleaning and odor removal services. Our professionally trained technicians use the latest technology and equipment available to treat your carpet odor at the source. Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repairs will assess your carpet, area rugs, and upholstery prior to beginning work to ensure we’ve identified the proper solution for your odor problem. In addition to treating carpet odors, we’re also equipped with odorized machines to purify and eliminate odors from the air in your home.

Your home is your refuge. It’s where you land at the end of a long day. Don’t let odors make your home an unpleasant place to be. Contact Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repairs today for a free estimate and assessment for those stubborn odors you simply can’t treat yourself. Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repairs is locally owned and operated in St. Louis and we’ll treat your home as if it were our own.

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How to Choose an Apartment Carpet Cleaning Company in the St. Louis Area

The front door is the first impression residents, and their guests will see when arriving at any apartment or home. However, it’s the carpets inside that leave a lasting impression. The carpets are what signal you are truly home, as both residents and guests take off their shoes and make themselves comfortable.

Maintaining clean carpets is especially important in apartment buildings and multi-family communities, where traffic tends to be higher than a typical single-family home. In apartments, clean carpets are critical for the long-term appeal and maintenance of each unit. Choosing the right company to clean your community’s carpets for move-in, move-out, and regular maintenance cleaning is critical. Here are 5 important things to consider when choosing a carpet cleaning company for your multi-family community in St. Louis and St. Charles County.

You Can’t Go Wrong with Experience

Carpet and tile cleaning and repairing carpet damage can be daunting. As an apartment community manager or property manager for multiple units, your time is limited. When you are preparing units between residents, you need a carpet cleaning and repair company that can act quickly and efficiently. Choose a company that will survey the area to be cleaned prior to starting, making note of any areas that have experienced high traffic or stains and may require extra attention. Not all carpet cleaning products and technology are created equal. An experienced carpet cleaning and repair company will utilize the latest cleaning tools and technology to ensure your carpets have that first day “welcome home” feeling.

Sams Carpet Cleaning & Repair, and our well-known yellow service vans, have been a welcome sight in the St. Louis area since 1985. We have experience providing commercial and private cleaning and repair services for many multi-unit commercial, residential, and privately owned properties.

Look for a Company that Offers Additional Services

When it’s time for residents to move out and new ones to move in, you have to do more than just clean the carpets to prepare each unit for its new resident. Preparing apartments for new residents is easy when you work with a company that handles many services you need with one call. It’s nice to have a single place to go for multiple services. A carpet cleaning company that offers additional services can properly prepare your apartment units in one stop and help preserve the desirability of your apartment community. Cleaning and repair services can return your apartment units to like-new condition, preserving your property and avoiding costly and unnecessary replacement.

When you hire Sams Carpet Cleaning & Repairs, you get more than a professional carpet cleaner. We offer a variety of additional and valuable services including carpet repairs, tile and grout cleaning, odor control, spot and stain removal, air duct cleaning, and water damage restoration. Sams is trusted among property managers throughout the St. Louis region for delivering a variety of professional services under one roof (or in one van, in our case).

Partner with a Carpet Cleaner That Makes Your Job Easier

Not every apartment or rental unit needs to be cleaned at the same time. You may find yourself needing one unit deep cleaned with air duct cleaning, and a few weeks later you have five units that need extensive carpet cleaning and repairs. Hire a carpet cleaning company that will serve your apartment community or rental properties no matter how big or small the job may be. Look for a partner that will assess your apartment community and propose a recurring cleaning schedule based on your needs and predicted apartment turn over. By utilizing a cleaning schedule, you can trust your apartments will always be clean and well-maintained and you can focus on your daily duties as property manager.

You can literally set it and forget it with Sams Carpet Cleaning & Repairs. We offer regular ongoing maintenance packages to help busy customers take one more thing off their to-do list.

Insurance Matters When Hiring a Carpet Cleaning Company

There are many choices when it comes to apartment carpet cleaning companies. As you explore your options, ensure you choose a company that is fully insured. More than likely, you or your property owner have insurance requirements for any contractor or business who does work for you. A company that is fully insured means you are protected from claims or accidents that may occur while work is being done on your property. This may seem like a standard feature of any company providing cleaning services, but it is not.

Sams is a fully insured carpet cleaning company. We clearly state it on our website, and we’re happy to provide a Certificate of Insurance to any customer who asks for it. We are protected so you are protected.

Look Local for Your Carpet Cleaning

Locally owned companies care about you and your apartment community’s reputation. They’re often known for the care they invest in the services they provide and the relationships they build with their customers. Sams Carpet Cleaning & Repairs is made up local owners and employees who call greater St. Louis home. We are proud to be part of the local community and committed to maintaining our reputation as the most trusted carpet cleaning company in the region.

Throughout St. Louis and surrounding counties, Sams has many long-term relationships with property managers and apartment owners who have come to trust us for reliable and consistent high-quality service. We understand the importance of clean, well-maintained carpets and interiors, and approach every job with the utmost attention to detail and care. You can hire Sams with confidence, allowing you to focus on your business and tenants. Contact us today for an estimate for your apartment community or multi-family residential properties.

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How to Repair Carpet Damaged By Pets

Americans love their pets. Pet ownership is reported to be at an all-time high, thanks to pandemic lockdowns and social distancing measures. According to the 2019-2020 National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association (APPA), sixty-seven percent of U.S. households report owning a pet. Chances are, if you have a furry, or four-legged, or exotic family member in your household you’ve also dealt with carpet damage caused by that cute companion. Whether it’s Fido, your sneaky kitty, or a well-trained rabbit, carpet damage is common when you add a beloved pet to your home.

How Carpet Damage Happens

Carpet damage by pets is almost always accidental. Sometimes your beloved pet simply can’t survive without a potty break for the amount of time you’re away. Sometimes curiosity gets the best of them and accidents happen. Regardless of the cause, universal laws seems to dictate that no matter the balance of hard flooring to carpet in your home, your pet is going to find your carpet or area rugs when accidents and messes happen. Carpet damage caused by pets is often frustrating especially when you find the problem sometimes hours after it has occurred. Regardless of the source or cause of your pet’s accident, time is of the essence when addressing the damage to your carpet.

Removing Pet Stains from Carpet

If your pet urinates on your carpet, area rugs, or upholstery, it’s important to assess whether the urine is only on the surface of your carpet or if it has sunk below the carpet into the pad and subfloor. Be very cautious when using carpet cleaners and spray-on stain and odor removers available at supermarket and hardware stores. These remedies may help but also can make the stains and odors permanent. Before you proceed with any carpet cleaning product, test a small area first to ensure it will not stain or damage your carpet.

Some pets take time to unlearn a bad habit and tend to return to the same spot to urinate or mark their territory repeatedly. If this occurs, it can be difficult to remove the source of the odor your pet senses without professional cleaning.

As long as your furry friend can smell the odor of their urine, they will consider the soiled area an approved area to relieve themselves. You’ll continue to clean to no avail, because most products available to consumers cannot resolve deep odors caused by repeat urine soaking. In fact, repeat cleaning without removing the odor can make the problem worse. Our team uses special tools to assess where actual staining and damage has occurred. It is possible the underside of the carpet, the pad, and the subfloor require cleaning and resealing to not only repair the damage but finally stop it from reoccurring.

Does your pet have a favorite “spot” to sit or lay in your home? If it’s on carpet or furniture, you’ve likely noticed stains caused by oil from their fur and skin. The Sams team uses specially formulated cleaning solutions to remove these stains and has accumulated an impressive track record of success.

Before and after photos of carpet damaged with pet hair and oils

 

 Repairing Carpet and Upholstery Damage by Pets

Most pet owners accept the frustration of carpet, area rugs, and upholstery damage caused by their beloved pets. It’s sometimes simply the price of experiencing the love and companionship offered by animals. However, pet ownership doesn’t have to signal the end of clean carpets, area rugs, and upholstery in your home. Owning a pet doesn’t mean keeping replacement funds in preparation for the impending damage to your home. Carpet, area rugs, and upholstery damage by pets can be assessed and most likely repaired by the trusted team at Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repairs.

Not all pet damage to carpet is caused by stains and spills. Sometimes, your pet causes damage to your carpet such as holes, tearing and bunching, and discoloration over time. Your favorite part of coming home to your pet’s dancing and zooming can cause carpet damage that may appear permanent. The Sams team can assess and recommend repairs that will have your carpet looking great, no matter how many celebratory laps it has supported. Sams can patch, re-seam, stretch, repair and replace trim, repair and replace thresholds, and even dye your carpet to match its original color.

Before and after repair photos of carpet damaged by pets

 

Professional Cleaning Brings Pet Damaged Carpet Back to Life

There are many effective solutions for cleaning your carpet, area rugs, and upholstery available on the market. Do it yourself cleaning solutions can be used cautiously when accidents are caught quickly and have not soaked all the way through the carpet pad or subfloor. In addition to removing stains and damage, the odors left behind by pet damage to carpet must be addressed as well.

Pet owners trust the professionals at Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repairs to evaluate and remove the stain and odor in most cases. Protect your investment and preserve the quality of your home for everyone who lives there, including your four-legged family members. Sams is your solution to repair carpet damage caused by pets.

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The Forgotten Adoption Option: Every Child Deserves a Family

There are 120,000 kids in the United States waiting to join their forever family. In Missouri alone, there are 1,500 adoptable children in the foster care system.

As a longtime supporter of this community where we live and work, Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repairs is partnering with Marcy Bursac, a St. Charles-based author, podcast host and adoptive mom of two birth siblings. Marcy is working to build awareness for and give a voice to children in foster care. We fully support her mission to demystify foster care adoption, an affordable way to give these children a more promising future.

From an early age, Marcy knew she wanted to grow her family through adoption someday. She shared this desire with her husband before they married. Her husband, whose grandfather was orphaned and separated from his birth siblings at an early age, had often wondered what his grandpa could have accomplished with his natural artistic ability if he’d had a family to nurture it and support him. He knew the impact they could have on the lives of children through adoption and was compelled to provide it.

Telling Her Story, Finding Her Voice

When their children moved in with them, Marcy and her husband were told they would be fostering them for 4 months while waiting to schedule a court date. In reality it took 18 months- twice as long as it takes to deliver a biological child. Throughout the adoption process, Marcy blogged about their experience. She noticed early on that she was attracting readers in growing numbers, but nobody was reaching out. She felt like people were peeking in on their experience to learn, but not raising their hands to ask questions they likely had.

While many of us had transformative moments through the COVID-19 pandemic, Marcy’s transformation led to her finding her calling. Early on in the pandemic, she was overwhelmed with stories about pet shelters left empty as families were adopting dogs and cats at record rates. Marcy is a big supporter of pet adoption. Her own family includes three rescue dogs. But it was difficult to see these stories and not think about the thousands of children in foster care not getting the same opportunities.

Helping Others Understand the Process

There are many preconceived notions people have about adoption. One is that it’s expensive. It’s true that domestic or international infant adoption can cost $30,000 or more. But the total cost of adoption through foster care typically adds up to less than $2,500. Another is that the process of adoption is long, messy, and filled with potential heartbreak. While the process of finding a child can take up to five years with international adoption and seven years with domestic infant adoption, adopting through foster care typically takes 6 to 18 months.

But the messy part? That’s a reality. Why is it so painstakingly difficult to provide a loving home for a child who needs one? Why are there so many hoops to jump through? And while foster care adoption is much quicker than infant adoption options, why does it still take twice as long as it takes to give birth? It’s a reality that Marcy’s working to change.

Marcy felt it was on her heart to write a book- something that could thoroughly lay out the process of adoption through foster care. It wouldn’t make the steps any simpler or fewer, but she recognized the value in knowing fully what to expect. And she hoped that laying it all out could help spark a conversation about reforming foster care adoption in Missouri and beyond.

Written in just 25 days, her book The Forgotten Adoption Option was launched last November- National Adoption Month. The book is written like a candid conversation between her and the reader. It’s as a complete how-to guide for pursuing foster care adoption. Marcy has since gone on to launch The Forgotten Adoption Option Podcast, where she interviews adoptive parents, and children who have been adopted, about their unique stories of foster care adoption.

Taking the Cause to a Bigger Stage

Earlier this summer, Marcy was crowned Mrs. St. Charles with the platform of expanding her foster care adoption advocacy work.  an event she participated in to raise awareness for her platform of foster care adoption. She will go on to compete in the Mrs. Missouri America competition in September. If crowned there, she will compete at the Mrs. America competition in Las Vegas, and have the opportunity to shine a national spotlight on the need for families to answer the call of foster care adoption.

From the very beginning, Susan Sams and the Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repairs team has been a big supporter of Marcy and her efforts to grow awareness for foster care adoption. Along the way, we’ve worked to encourage her, help grow her audience, and make important connections to tell her story. We continue to be proud supporters of her as she seeks to reach new and bigger audiences as Mrs. St. Charles.

We are inspired by the advice Marcy gives to families who are beginning the foster care adoption process:

“You’re going to meet challenges along the way. Always stay focused on what’s waiting at the end: a child eager for the opportunity to be a part of your family.”

If you’re interested in learning more about foster care adoption, The Forgotten Adoption Option website is a great place to start. There you can purchase her book, find inspiring stories in her podcast, and learn more about how you can help give a voice to and be an advocate for adoptable children in foster care and hoping for the promise of a better future.

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