Archive for Carpet Cleaning St. Charles – Page 2

3 Reasons to Clean Carpets Before Selling Your Home

In case you haven’t heard, the real estate market in greater St. Louis (and across the country) is hot right now. Interest rates remain low and prices are rising at an unprecedented rate. Many sellers are seeing multiple offers at or above asking price as millennials are reaching the prime homebuying age and people begin considering what they want from their home in a post-COVID-19 world.

With inventories low, now is an ideal time to take advantage of market conditions and list your home for sale. But while it’s a seller’s market, getting top dollar still requires showing up well. Let’s explore three reasons why carpet cleaning from Sams should be a priority before you list your home for sale.

People Notice Flooring

First and foremost, the real estate market is incredibly dependent on first impressions. To fully take advantage of a seller’s market, it’s still important put your home’s best foot forward. You might be able to cover up some blemishes in your listing photos. But when potential buyers come to look at your home, it’s important for them to see themselves starting the next stage of their lives there. If your carpet looks worn or stained, buyers are going to notice. Those types of impressions stick with people when they decide whether or not to make an offer, and for how much.

People notice flooring. Present a clean canvas people can imagine building their lives upon with professionally cleaned carpets. If some areas of your home also have tile and grout, you may have noticed it doesn’t have that same sparkle it used to. Sams can also bring your hard surfaces back to life with our professional tile and grout cleaning services.

More Affordable than New Carpet

While there is some expense associated with carpet cleaning, it’s only a small fraction of the cost of replacing the carpet completely. And oftentimes, the carpet cleaning process can replicate the look and feel of new carpet. Preparing a home for sale is really an exercise in minimizing expense while maximizing value. Carpet cleaning allows you to reap many of the advantages of new carpet, without taking on the expense. Even if your carpet is damaged in a few spots, it can often be repaired much more affordably than it can be replaced.

Another advantage clean carpet has over new carpet is a little less obvious. But if you’ve ever walked into a newly carpeted room, you likely remember the strong smell of chemicals that can take weeks or months to go away. Carpet shampoo not only leaves your carpets looking magnificent, but also smelling great for open houses or showings.

There Are No Guarantees Even in a Seller’s Market

No matter the market conditions, your goal as a seller is to get the best possible price for your home. The appearance of the home will influence your listing price, which will ultimately influence the size and number of offers you receive. Just because it’s a seller’s market doesn’t necessarily mean sellers can ignore aesthetics. Carpet cleaning is a relatively modest investment that can make a big difference in the appearance and perceived value of your home.

Sams Carpet Cleaning & Repairs cares about the people we serve. We understand that the purchase and sale of a home is among the biggest transactions our clients will ever experience, and we want to help ensure you walk away with the best possible experience. So before you contact your real estate agent, reach out to the Sams team to make your home show-ready.

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Dos and Don’ts of Cleaning Red Wine Spills on Carpet

There’s nothing quite like a glass of red wine to take the edge off and decompress after a long and stressful day. That is until a stray elbow or inattentive pet sends that red wine flying and a carpet spill adds to your workload and worry. In most cases, a red wine stain can be removed from carpet, but there are dos and don’ts to follow to make sure you get the stain out without making it worse.

DO: Act quickly to remove the red wine stain

Time is of the essence. The longer the red wine has to seep into your carpet, the more difficult it will be to remove. Start by blotting the area with a white or light-colored cloth to remove as much of the liquid as quickly as possible. To blot, apply downward pressure with the heel of your hand to absorb as much of the red wine as possible.

DON’T: Rub the stain into the carpet

There’s a fine line between gently blotting and rubbing. Instead of pulling the red wine out of the carpet, rubbing the spill will cause it to seep further into the carpet, increasing the likelihood of irreversible damage. You also want to avoid using towels with a color or a print. The dye from the towel could transfer to your carpet leaving you with additional unintentional staining.

DO: Use high quality products intended to clean red wine carpet stains

If you’re a past Sams customer, you’ve received a free bottle of Outta Sight spot remover. There’s a reason we give this to all our customers: it works and it’s formulated to get the job done without damaging your carpet. Follow the instructions on the bottle to gently and safely remove the red wine spill from your carpet.

DON’T: Reach for readily available over-the-counter products

When standing face to face with a red wine spill, your first instinct is to take care of the mess. Sometimes that can cause you to reach for a readily available chemical in your cleaning supply stash. Resist that temptation. If you don’t have Outta Sight spot remover on hand, try using warm water in a spray bottle and blotting the stain with a white rag. Definitely don’t use any cleaning solutions that aren’t intended for use on carpets. Even the carpet cleaning chemicals you find in stores are typically low-quality, and can end up doing more harm than good.

DO: Call Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repairs

The best solution is to enlist the help of a professional. We work with carpet every day, so we understand the impact of specific spills and know how to approach the spot without damaging the carpet or leaving behind a residue that attracts additional dirt and soil.

DON’T: Take on a stubborn red wine carpet stain alone

If the safe DIY solutions we’ve suggested above don’t get the job done for you, don’t make the problem worse by trying more drastic cleanup measures. The carpet in your home is a major investment. Making the wrong move in cleaning a red wine spill could cause permanent damage leading to unnecessary cost of repair or replacement.

Accidents happen and are often unpredictable. But you don’t have to live with a permanent reminder of them. When an accidental red wine spill happens to you, you’ve got a team of experts on your side. Contact the Sams team to turn your would-be wine stain into a distant memory.

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How to Get Your House Looking Its Best Before the Holidays

Family is gathered once again for the holidays. The house is filled with the smells of delicious family favorite foods on the table. There’s football on the TV in the living room. Grandma and Grandpa talk, and everyone listens to stories of holiday traditions from their childhood. It sounds so peaceful and idyllic, doesn’t it?

I suppose it does if your only responsibility is to show up with a smile. But if you’re the one responsible for preparing the meal, buying presents, and cleaning the house so that everyone else can bask in the holiday magic, it probably sounds exhausting.

The holiday season can already be a stressful time with responsibilities that go above and beyond the usual. The idea of making your entire house shine to provide a perfect canvas for the holidays to be painted on can be downright overwhelming.

In this blog post, we’re going to provide five tips for getting the most out of the time you have available to clean for the holidays.

Tip #1: Have Your Carpets, Area Rugs, Tile Flooring and Upholstery Professionally Cleaned Before the Holidays

Nothing quite matches the “Wow” factor of professionally cleaned floors and upholstery, especially if it’s been a while since the last time it was done. With professional help focused on your floors, you’ll be able to direct your attention elsewhere knowing one of the biggest projects is taken care of.

The Sams team is here to get your carpets, area rugs, tile flooring, and upholstery looking as fresh as possible for your guests this holiday season.  We are only a click or phone call away to get your scheduled.

Tip #2: Repair Damaged Carpet and Remove Stains

Many people don’t realize it, but replacement isn’t your only option for overcoming stained or damaged carpet.  In addition to carpet cleaning, Sams can also repair damaged carpet and remove stubborn stains. We’ve seen customers amazed at our technicians’ ability to repair seams, burns, and snags. We’ve taken on spots and stains that customers have all but given up on, and gotten the carpet looking as good as new.

We can help with damaged or stained carpet before the holidays, but make sure you contact us early to ensure availability.

Tip #3: Break Up the Work into Smaller Tasks

There is an undeniable satisfaction that comes with starting and finishing a job all in the same day. But that can also be overwhelming, and lead to that big job being put on the backburner until it’s an emergency.

Instead, make a list of all the cleaning tasks you need to get done and prioritize them. As breaks arrive in your busy holiday schedule, pull out the list and pick an item or two to check off. Tackling your holiday cleaning activities in 30-, 60-, or 90-minute chunks can make the process way more manageable and help ensure it actually gets done.

Tip #4: Focus Your Attention Where it Matters Most

Of course, in a perfect world, you’d have time to scrub the entire house top to bottom to prepare for visitors. But unless any of them will be overnight guests, most of your holiday company will only see a portion of your home. So while we don’t encourage the “sweep and hide” method long term, the bulk of your attention should be on the parts of your home that will receive the most traffic: kitchen and dining room, main living area, and any nearby bathrooms. Bedroom and closet doors can be closed if need be.

Tip #5: Hire a Cleaning Company

Sometimes even these tips aren’t enough. That’s ok. Research local cleaning companies and find someone to help prepare your house for the holidays. Read reviews online to make sure you’re hiring someone you can trust. Better yet, ask close family and friends for a referral.  Get an estimate up front to avoid unexpected charges. Even if ongoing cleaning services aren’t in your budget, there’s no better time than the holidays to treat yourself to some much-needed one-time support.

If you’re preparing for visitors this holiday season, make Sams your first call. We’ll take on your flooring and upholstery, two of your biggest holiday house cleaning projects, so you can enjoy the season and time with family.

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Employee Spotlight: Greg Sutter

We look forward to our employee spotlights all month long, it’s a great way for us to get to know our employees on a deeper level and share them with you! There’s more to Sams than just our yellow vans, we have employees who are like our family, and we love to share them with you. This month we sat down with Greg Sutter, a Senior Technician Specialist with Sams for our latest employee spotlight. Lets dive into our conversation!

 

Q: How long have you been at Sams, and what do you do?
A: I started at Sams in 2002, so I’m coming up on 16 years! I am now a Senior Technician Specialist, but I of course started out as a Technician.

Q: How did you find out about the job?
A: Well of course this was before the time of online postings, so I saw the job in the Suburban Journal. Back in the day, this is how we had to search for jobs, we had to open the newspaper! I thought it looked interesting and after meeting the team I thought it would be a great fit, and years later, I’m happy I opened the paper, before print media was dead!

Q: So what exactly do you do as a Senior Technician Specialist? What do you do on a day to day basis?
A: I work on all of our specialty repairs, from carpet repairs, carpet cleaning to tile and grout. Every day is a little different, I’m never doing the same thing!

Q: What is it about the Sams experience that is different?
A: We do a lot of follow ups with our clients and touch base to make sure they’re happy at all times. If they’re not 100% satisfied, we will come back and fix it, no questions asked, because our customers happiness is what matters. It’s important for us to go above and beyond for our customers. We build relationships with our customers, it’s not a onetime transaction. Training is also huge here, meaning our guys have the skills and knowledge to tackle any project. Early in my career at Sams, I took two classes at Jon Don, one on flooding and the other on spot dye. This training and the hands on experience in the field with carpet repair got me to where I am today. It gives me so much pride and a sense of accomplishment to know that I have the skills to do the job, but that I can do the job well and efficiently.

Q: You’ve been at Sams for almost 16 years! What is it like to work here?
A:
It’s SUPER fast paced, which is honestly wonderful. You can’t get bored and I’m constantly on the move from one job to the other. It’s not the kind of job where you’re sitting at a desk looking at the clock counting down the hours. I get to meet people every day and build relationships, I love that aspect of the job. We have a great team here and we’ve become friends. Some of us guys even had a hockey team for awhile that Sams sponsored and got us jerseys! We had a lot of fun and it’s great to work with people you actually want to spend time with!

Q: Do you have any memorable experiences from over the years at Sams?
A:
Oh yes, the most shocking would be when a guy had a loaded shotgun in his living room that went off and shot a hole through the ceiling to his bedroom upstairs! He quickly managed to repair the hole in the wall but needed to get the carpet repaired before his wife got home. We came in and repaired the carpet and got out of there before she made it home.

 

Q: When you’re not busy at work, what do you do for fun?
A:
I love spending time with my wife, Victoria, and our two daughters (12 years old and newly 1 year old). I coach my daughter’s soccer team and I love being outside and playing sports. I also play soccer in a 21+ league, I can’t keep up with the young guys anymore but I love getting out there and playing. I also enjoy shopping with my wife. With 2 little girls at home, I’m always running them around and staying busy.

 

A big thank you to Greg for taking time of his busy day to talk with us! He’s been a key player in our Sams family for many years and we are grateful for him and his dedication. Check back next month for our next employee spotlight!

 

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#ThankfulThursday: Nik Carrino Rides 120 Miles to Support Multiple Sclerosis Research

For many people, Thanksgiving is about food, family and traditions. But don’t forget the true meaning of Thanksgiving: to be thankful for what we have, where we are in life and for those around us! It’s the time of year we’re we reflect and give back, and no one does it quite like Nik Carrino, our Restoration Project Manager/Account Executive at Sams.

Nik recently completed his third year of riding in Bike MS this past September. Bike MS is a 2 day, 125 mile bike ride for the Multiple Sclerosis Society that started and finished at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, IL. Nik first heard about Bike MS in 2014 when  speaking with our accounting partner Kristin Robinson of Hollander CPA Group, about riding bikes with a cause. Kristin and her husband Dean had formed a team in memory of their friend who had passed away from Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The team, called “Roln On”, was formed to help raise money for research and free the world of MS.

MS is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. The cause of MS is still unknown, scientists believe the disease is triggered by an as-yet-unidentified environmental factor in a person who is genetically predisposed to respond. The unknown behind MS is one reason why raising money for research is so vitally important.

Nik originally signed up to join team “Roln On” to challenge himself and see what it was like to ride a bike for 100+ miles, but after the first year, he was hooked. Not because he loves riding or that his body felt good, but because of how it affected the community. He was so moved by the people cheering him and his team on, the support from friends ,family, businesses other bikers’ inspirational stories and learning more about the cause. Nik will go the distance for MS, it takes advance training, preparation and commitment, but what powers Nik and his fellow teammates is the support and commitment to those impacted by the disease. Every mile they ride brings us closer to their goal of a world free of MS.

This Thanksgiving, think about who and what you’re thankful for, whether it be a family member, friend, your job or your community. This Thanksgiving we’re thankful for people like Nik who are going out of their way to give back. You can see it yourself by checking out his Bike MS page. He is already signed up and raising money for the 2018 Bike MS. A big thank you from all of us at Sams to Nik, Kristin and Dean for their support of the MS Society, you guys are outstanding and a huge asset to the community.

 

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Employee Spotlight: Chris Scoles

Chris Scoles is our Operations Manager/Account Executive here at Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repairs, and to say that he is a busy guy is an understatement. Just tracking him down for this conversation meant he had to sit still for a couple minutes! We’re excited to introduce you to Chris, an integral cog in the Sams machine. Now, without any further ado, join us for our get-to-know-you conversation with Chris!

Q: How long have you been at Sams and how did you get your start at Sams?

A: I used to drive by the Sams building everyday on my way to work and had a friend who worked there as a technician. I told him if they were ever hiring to let me know because I was looking for a change. In July of 2001 he gave me a call that they were hiring and the rest is history!

Q: 16 years later, what exactly do you do at Sams?

A: I started as a field technician, I spent several months training and cleaning customer’s carpets, flooring and air ducts. Over time, I moved up, started learning other parts of the job and became a team leader. Fast forward a couple more years and I am now the Operations Manager!

Q: What exactly does an Operations Manager position entail?

A: I’m in charge of the team, I get them ready to go each day and prep them on the jobs assigned. I take care of the everyday tasks, training new employees, maintenance on the machines and vehicles. I’m also the Account Executive for several of our larger apartments and I’m constantly out in the field giving estimates. I’m constantly moving around and if you’re looking for me, it changes from day to day where you’ll find me!

Q: Why did you choose Sams?

A: Sams treats their employees very well. There is a mutual respect between the bosses and the employees and we have built a great core of technicians. If anyone has a question, you know you can turn to another employee who has been there for many years who would have the answer. Our customer service is awesome and we really care for our customers. I also love the freedom I have here, I get to travel around the city and I’m constantly busy, which I love.

Q: What’s the Sams difference?

A: I would have to say our training program. We would never send a new employee out in the field until they are fully trained and ready, it might be 6-8months before they’re in a house cleaning. We train our technicians about the SCIENCE behind carpet cleaning and repair and we ensure every technician masters the skills before sending them out. We also use high quality machines and equipment that are only available at Sams.

Q: Do you have any memorable experiences at Sams, maybe celebrity run ins or encounters?

A: I have cleaned several Rams players houses including Adam Timmerman, Orlando Pace and of course like Dennis mentioned, we cleaned Nelly’s house in Lake St. Louis on several occasions. We also regularly clean Nelly’s producer’s house, which it’s nice to see big talent in St. Louis!

Q: When you’re not at work, where can we find you?

A: That’s easy, on the golf course. I’m an avid golfer and if I can find the time, you will certainly find me at one of the golf courses in town.

Q: What is your proudest accomplishment over your many years at Sams?

A: That’s hard for me to say, I don’t want to sound like I’m tooting my own horn. Mainly I think it’s overseeing the training of our technicians and ensuring that they are on top of their game. I know our technicians have the skills and training that far exceeds others. Our technicians are talented, supportive and have years of experience that is beyond valuable. I’m proud of these guys and know they’re out in the field doing the best work possible.

So there you have it, now you know our beloved Operations Manager, Chris! A big thank you to Chris for taking a few minutes out of his always hectic day for this conversation! Be sure to check back next month for our NEXT Employee Spotlight!

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Ready for the upcoming Holidays?

Fall is OFFICIALLY upon us, and that means many things: pumpkin spice everything, leaves falling, cooler temperatures and of course, preparations for holiday parties! That’s right, it’s never too soon! There are countless events, holidays and get togethers this time of year and we want to help you stay on top of them and feel prepared!

Halloween is right around the corner, and if you’re someone who likes to throw a haunted house party, there’s nothing scarier than dirty carpets. Thanksgiving is all about being thankful, and this year you can be thankful for stain-free carpets. Christmas is all about family, and the last thing you need is your Aunt Mary calling you out on your dinghy floors. The holidays aren’t meant for embarrassing dirty floors but gathering with family and friends celebrating togetherness!

Now, let’s get into the fun part of the holidays… decorating! We know everyone loves to decorate their home for the holidays (raise your hand if you have a holiday decor closet/self in your house) and of course you want your carpets and floors looking clean and refreshed as well as clean air in your home to be that final touch.  Sams Carpet Cleaning & Repairs is right there with you.  So lets work together to make your home fresh and clean for the holidays that enhances your holiday decor.  From carpet cleaning, carpet repairs, tile and grout cleaning, upholstery cleaning, air duct cleaning to many more services to assist to making your home beautiful for the holidays.  Check out our full list of services HERE.

The feeling of stress and anxiety when it comes to the holiday season is not what we want to feel with the preparations, the food, the where to seat the in-laws question, the cleaning… it’s overwhelming! Let us take something off your plate and help ease the stress. Don’t wait to schedule because you might get that last minute phone call that your family is coming in and staying with you for the holidays (we’ve experienced it, trust us, it’s not fun).

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Employee Spotlight: Phil and Nik Carrino

You don’t often hear about siblings working together, and we have a feeling if you know of any, it might not be the friendliest of relationships or very long lasting. That’s not the case with our favorite brothers at Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repairs, Phil and Nik Carrino. These brothers have worked together for over 11 years at Sams and they still like each other!

To celebrate family, we decided for this month’s employee spotlight to highlight Phil and Nik and learn what it’s like for siblings to work together for so many years.

 

Q: How did you guys end up at Sams, how long have you been here and what are your job title/roles?

Nik: I’ve been here for 14 years, I saw a Sams Van in my apartment buildings parking lot all the time and knew that they did good work. I reached out to them to see if they were hiring and lucky for me, they were! I am the Water Restoration Manager and I often work with the Insurance Companies to help families quickly get their homes back into shape. If you ever have water damage or flooding, I’m your guy!

Phil: I’ve worked here for 11 years. I saw how happy my brother was working here so when I found out they were hiring, I jumped on it. I started out as a Technician, but I am now the Training Manager and Technician Specialist.

Q: Why Sams? What is about Sams that makes us different and special?

Nik: It really does feel like a family, and I’m not just saying that because I work with my brother every day. We look out for each other, we have the support of the other employees and we care for our customers as though they were family. For customers, I believe they really feel that difference and know they can trust us. Customer satisfaction is huge, we go above and beyond to make sure each customer is happy and taken care of to the best of our capabilities.

Phil: It’s not a big, faceless organization. Jeff and Susan get to know all of the employees on a personal level, which I think is pretty unusual. They even attended my wedding last year, and it was wonderful to have them there to celebrate with us!

Q: What do you enjoy most about working at Sams?

Phil: Definitely the people. It’s a fun work environment, relaxed and culture is huge. I also love the Sams commitment to the community and organizations that are important to employees.

Nik: I agree 100%, Jeff and Susan sponsor me at Bike MS each year and I’m extremely grateful for their support. We have fun coming to work every day and it feels laid back and comfortable, we can be ourselves and know that we have the support of everyone we work with. We enjoy coming to work, which is something we know not everyone outside of Sams can say about their jobs.

Q: Any favorite or memorable client stories?

Nik: There’s too many over the years. I love getting to know our customers, some of them have been using Sams for years and have known my brother and I since we started. We’ve even had several ladies make us cakes and snacks when we come out to their house because they’re happy to see us and that we came out to help.

Phil: It’s always my favorite when I see a homeowner’s reaction when they see their freshly cleaned carpet that they thought was beyond repair. Knowing that we helped them and possibly saved them the headache and giant bill of getting new carpet is amazing.

Q: So, the ultimate question. What’s it like working together as brothers?

Nik: Well, it’s certainly had its ups and downs. We used to live together AND work together, and we got tired of each other pretty quick. Once we moved out and lived separately, it was awesome! We get to hang out and catch up every day in small doses, which is the perfect amount.

Phil: I have to look at his face everyday… that can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it. But really, it’s pretty cool to work with your brother and know you have his support.

 

So there you have it, a closer look at our favorite brothers. Thank you to Phil and Nik for taking the time to talk to us and give us an inside look their lives at Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repairs. Stay tuned for our next employee spotlight!

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Back to School, Back to Clean Carpets!

It’s always nice having your kids home for the summer, being able to spend more time together as a family, going on vacations and little road trips and having some help around the house. However… kids in the house for several months straight can mean that your house has become a disaster zone! Think about all the dirty shoes and feed tromping through the house, the snacks eaten in front of the TV and the number of times they’ve rolled around on the carpet playing with the dog. Yeah, after a summer of children in the house, there’s no better time to do a deep cleaning!

Now’s the time to treat yourself. You’ve survived the summer without any major melt downs, and that’s an accomplishment. You’ve entertained children, planned fun activities and been the mediator between sibling arguments. Buy yourself a nice pair of shoes, go to a movie you want to watch and sit back and let the professionals clean your carpets and floors. You’ve done enough this summer, let us take this task off your list!

So why is clean carpet so important? When kids go back to school, they typically get a nice, fresh haircut, a new backpack, some new shoes and clothes and are looking fresh and ready for the new school year. Why not get your house in that same, tip-top, back to school shape? Not only will your carpet look great, smell fresh and feel brand new, but you’re also protecting it and helping it last longer. Who wouldn’t want that?

As your back to school reward, give us a call today to schedule your cleaning. We look forward to helping you celebrate the new school year!

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Jeff and Susan Sams: Streetscape Magazine’s Dynamic Duo

We’ve always known that our fearless leaders, Jeff and Susan Sams, were a great couple, but we think Streetscape Magazine got it right when they named them a Dynamic Duo! Jeff and Susan are featured in the Fall issue of Streetscape Magazine where they discuss their experience as married business owners. It’s not always a walk in the park, but Jeff and Susan lean on each other’s strengths to help balance them out and create a strong, successful team.

In this article, you get an inside, behind the scenes look at how Sams Carpet Cleaning got its start, how Jeff and Susan met, and important lessons they’ve learned over their 30+ years in business. And of course, they discuss the importance of being involved in the community and the Sams Family involvement in St. Charles County.

We love our St. Charles community and we feel incredibly blessed to be included in Streetscape magazine this month along with other wonderful local St. Charles businesses. You can read the full article in the latest issue, now available! You can pick up a copy at any of THESE locations or check it out online HERE.

A big thank you to Amy Armour and Streetscape Magazine for this featured article on Jeff, Susan and Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repairs! Be sure to pick up a copy for yourself today!

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