Archive for St. Charles Carpet

What Causes Ripples in Carpets?

This is a question that we at Sams get asked all the time. People notice a few ripples in their carpet and become immediately concerned. Believe it or not, rippling in carpet is actually very common about 4-5 years after being installed. There are a number of different things that can contribute to rippling in carpet and it is usually quite an easy fix. Let’s take a look at a few of the factors that can cause your carpet to ripple.

The 4 Leading Causes of Carpet Ripples

Poor Installation

Although carpet rippling is not usually the installer’s fault, it certainly can be. All installers should follow the CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) Installation Standards. The CRI sets guidelines for how carpet installation should be done. For example, it states that the carpet should be power stretched as opposed to knee-kicked when installed. When carpets are knee-kicked, they start relaxing after the install and are much more prone to rippling. Make sure your carpet installer follows the CRI Installation Standards to ensure you receive the best possible install.

Latex Carpet Backings

These are made up of latex, which absorbs any moisture that may be in the air, especially when the humidity level is high. This can cause the backings to swell and subsequently cause the carpet to wrinkle. Keeping the room climate controlled definitely helps, but there will always be humidity spikes here in the Midwest. Before the 1980s, carpet backings were made up of jute. Jute is a natural fiber that does not swell so therefore did not usually result in rippling. Backings are now made with latex as opposed to jute because the latex is much cheaper. The material used to make the backing is a key component to carpet ripples.

Type of Carpet

Plush carpets are more likely to ripple than nylon or wool. Loop carpets, like Berber or commercial carpets, are much tighter so they generally don’t swell as much. Triexta carpets are made of recycled plastics, which makes them crush easily after wear and it is hard to revive them after they have been crushed. Nylon is also easy to clean and bring back to life once it has been crushed.

Steam Cleaning

As mentioned before, when carpet backings absorb moisture, the carpet will swell and create ripples. Sometimes after a steam cleaning, the backings will absorb some of the excess moisture and the carpet may ripple a bit. But don’t worry, because once the carpet dries completely, it will relax and return to its normal condition.

The St. Louis Carpet Ripple Experts

Rippling in carpets can happen for seemingly no reason at all. We’ve seen ripples show up on carpet that was perfectly installed. We’ve seen ripples in carpet that was beautifully maintained. We’ve seen ripples occur in carpet that is hardly ever walked on.

If you notice ripples in your carpet, we highly recommend cutting off access to the area. Not only are carpet ripples a trip hazard, but walking on rippled carpet can cause the carpet to wear down much quicker. We also recommend having your carpets power stretched by a professional. This will restore your carpet back to its original beauty in no time. If you have any questions or concerns about your carpet, please feel free to contact us here at Sams and we will be happy to assist you.

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Three Carpet Cleaning Myths Debunked

“If there’s a stain on your carpet, who you gonna call?” Sams Carpet!

You probably were expecting the next line in our tune to be ghostbusters, but that myth ends here and the solution to professional carpet cleaning begins. There are a lot of theories circulating around carpets and how you should clean them. Sorry to inform you, but a lot of those so called “facts” are indeed carpet cleaning myths. At Sams, our favorite myth is probably “I have my own carpet-cleaning machine, so I don’t need to hire a professional.” While your home machine may work, it won’t have the same suction power professional machines do.

So, who you gonna to call? That’s right. Us! Here is a list of carpet cleaning myths you may have heard, the reasons they’re false, and the truths you can carry going forward.

Carpet Cleaning Myth #1: Wait as long as possible before cleaning new carpet.

This myth suggests that cleaning your carpets will permanently change the appearance of your floor coverings. We’re here to tell you it’s simply not true. If you wait too long to clean your carpet, there will be damage done to the fibers. Many people believe this myth due to prior experiences with carpet cleaners who leave the carpet too wet or full of residue. At Sams, we do a proper analysis of your carpet prior to cleaning it to ensure you receive the best method tailored to your carpet and environment. When we’re done cleaning your carpet, we work to extract and remove all residues and dry your carpet before moving furniture back in.

Carpet Cleaning Myth #2: You can clean your carpet too often. 

You can’t bathe too often. You can’t wash your hands too often. And you can’t clean your carpets too often. The more often a carpet is cleaned, the longer it will maintain its original appearance. A lot of people aren’t aware that many carpet manufacturers recommend professional cleaning to maintain your warranty. At Sams, our trained technicians provide proper maintenance, cleaning and care to extend the lifecycle of your carpet and preserve its appearance.

Carpet Cleaning Myth #3: Over-The-Counter Stain Removal Products Are Professional-Grade

Over-the-counter stain removers are formulated to treat many types of carpet stains. As a result, these products are made from many different solutions in order to work efficiently with a wide range of stains. These products do more damage to your carpet, and contribute to discoloration. In contrast, a properly formulated, fiber-specific stain remover, such as Sams “Outta Sight” doesn’t reduce the lifespan of carpet. All of our customers receive a free refillable bottle of “Outta Sight” to help with spot regulation in between visits.

Carpet Cleaning Fact: Sams Delivers Smiles and Clean Carpet

Turning dirty, spotted carpet into something you can be proud of is only part of what we do every day at Sams. We are committed to exceeding the expectations of our customers every time we show up for a scheduled cleaning. We utilize a process, specifically geared towards your carpet, to ensure we get to the root of the problem. Not only will our team examine high traffic areas, but they will groom your carpet to assist in the drying process and reduce the appearance of matting and crushing. We do a final inspection of the work because we care, and want to make sure you are fully satisfied. Some stains are permanent and we offer carpet repair services to address those as well. Our professional and skilled technicians will evaluate and determine the best method to approach removing the stain.

“We can’t hear you. Who you gonna call?” If you’re over those myths, and want to treat your home to some professional carpet cleaning it so deserves, give Sams a call!

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Employee Spotlight: Leslie Wright

If you’ve ever worked with Sams, you probably know Leslie. Leslie is our office manager/house mom/comedian who keeps us on our toes and a smile on our face. Leslie Wright has been with Sams for 22 years, and is probably the greatest thing that has ever come from a newspaper ad. In 1994, she applied for a secretary/office position ad that she saw in the St. Louis Post Dispatch, and we believe she’s our angel. That might be dramatic, but if you know her, you know that’s true.

For this month’s employee spotlight, we thought it was time to shine a little light on this star employee. Over the years, Leslie has taken countless phone calls from angry parents, trying to clean up the mess of a surprise party thrown by a rebelling teenager, hysterical families who have experienced flood damage and happy return customers who ask for Leslie by name.

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

A: We honestly CARE about our customers and put them first. They are more to us than customers. We put ourselves in their shoes and treat them like family, the way WE would want to be treated. We build long term personal and business relationships with our clients. There have been people who leave and try another company, but they consistently come back after that experience because they miss the customer service.

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

A: We have fun every day. We are family, we support each other and we have a good time. We joke and clown around, but we also have each other’s backs. When I started at Sams, I was a single mom. Jeff and Susan were always understanding and flexible, allowing me to stay at home with a sick kid or work with my schedule so I could attend their events. Family is a core factor here. Sure, we sometimes fight like family, but we are a team and we will support one another.

Q: What is your favorite part of the job?

A: I LOVE TALKING! I love meeting clients, hearing their stories and building relationships with them. When I get to solve their problem and help them out, that brings me joy. And we have some AWESOME clients, so I can’t help but love what I do.

Q: What are some of your favorite memories from over the years at Sams?

A: Celebrating my 20 years with Sams was a really amazing experience. The team went above and beyond to make me feel special and I felt the love. We recently had a 30 year celebration for Dennis, and I love looking around the room and seeing the longevity of the employees. You don’t see that at every business, but at Sams, our employees stick around because we are family and we work for a great company.

Q: What is your favorite client story? Any funny or memorable ones?

A: I don’t even know where to begin… there have been too many! Of course there are countless times kids are frantically calling us to clean the carpets before their parents get home and find out they had a party. We honestly get those calls weekly! I just love hearing from repeat customers who ask for me by name because they had a great experience and they know they can trust us. That is truly one of the best feelings.

 

A big thank you to Leslie for her years of dedication and amazing customer service! We couldn’t be happier that she answered our newspaper ad 22 years ago and chose Sams Carpet Cleaning & Repair.

Stay tuned for the next employee spotlight highlighting our wonderful and talented employees!

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Employee Spotlight: Dennis Mierkowski, 30 Years with Sams Carpet Cleaning & Repairs

Dennis Mierkowski has been a part of the Sams Carpet Cleaning Family for 30 years. That’s right, you read that correctly. He has been with us from the beginning, when Sams Carpet Cleaning & Repairs started out of Jeff Sams parent’s home, and has been with us every step of the way. He shows passion, integrity, exceptional work ethic and dedication with everything he does, and we feel honored to have him as a part of our team. Having an employee like Dennis is truly a blessing. Every day he walks into work with a smile on his face and a greeting for everyone around him. To celebrate his 30th anniversary with the company, we wanted to highlight Dennis and hear his experience and memories with Sams over the years.

Dennis is a carpet technician who has known Jeff and his family most of his life, and when he saw Jeff starting Sams and needing employees, he stepped up to help. 30 years ago when he started at Sams, he became hooked. Here’s a little Q&A we had with Dennis to learn more about his years with Sams and some of his favorite stories.

Q: Why Sams? What makes Sams different and special?

A: To be happy you have to like what you do, and I LOVE what I do at Sams. I love the people I work with, I love working with Jeff and seeing his passion and dedication to customer satisfaction, which is something that is important to me. I can’t explain to you that amazing feeling when a customer recommends a friend or family member to us. It takes a lot of trust and confidence to allow someone into your home, and that trust is something I want to build with each and every customer. When I leave a home, I know I am leaving behind a clean environment, and that is something I can be proud of. It’s important to me for a customer to be happy and to call back for future service.

Q: What is something you are most proud of from your years with Sams?

A: There have been many times we’ve been called and the customer said they thought it was time to replace their carpet, but first they wanted to try cleaning them to see if that would help. After cleaning the carpet, the customers are thrilled and said that it’ll save them from replacing the carpet! That’s our goal, to provide quality service and help customers with whatever they might need.

Q: Any funny stories?

A: I don’t know about funny, but something I think is the longevity of many of my clients. Some of my long standing client’s children are now calling me to come clean their homes! It’s always fun to hear, “I remember you cleaning my parent’s floors when I was a child and now I need mine cleaned!”

Q: Do you have any memorable experiences with Sams?

A: Probably 15 years ago or more, we received a phone call from Nelly. He had just purchased a house in Lake St. Louis and he wanted to get his carpets and floors cleaned before MTV Cribs came out to film. I knew who Nelly was, but didn’t really know him. I went out to his house and talked to him for awhile, but didn’t realize he was Nelly until after he left and I was talking to his mom! It was a pretty crazy experience to sit with my friends watching his episode of MTV Cribs and say, “that’s my work, I cleaned that, that’s also my work!”

Thank you to Dennis not only for his YEARS of service and amazing attitude, but for taking the time to be interviewed for our first employee spotlight! Stay tuned for future blogs highlighting our wonderful employees.

*We’re exciting to announce that we are growing! We are looking to add new members to our Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repair family. If you are interested, check out our careers page HERE.*

 

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Getting Your Inner Picasso Out of Your Carpet…

There are many instances of people uttering famous last words.

“I regret that I have but one life to live for my country.”

“Say goodnight, Gracie.”

“We don’t need to hire a professional painter.”

Sure you don’t. Except now, not only do your walls look like a topographical map, but your carpet has the appearance of the floor of a kindergarten class after “learning to paint by numbers”. Before you hatch your plot to commit grievous self-flagellation, it might not be as bad as you think.

Like most stains, it’s always easier to clean paint if it’s still wet. For a fresh spill, splat, or splotch, put wet rags or paper towels around the paint stain. Then, use more towels to soak up as much paint as possible. Once most of it is up, continue to blot with warm water over and over until the paint is removed.
But like life, things don’t always happen in a best-case scenario. Maybe you’ve decided to get that last bit of painting done as you’re running out the door for a hot date, and you have to leave that fresh lake of Mustard Yellow until dawn.

It could happen.

Well, then you have choices depending on what type of paint you’ve used to pretty up your abode. If you’ve had the good sense to use latex paint, you’re golden. For starters, you’re going to have to re-saturate the paint. Use hot water to achieve this. Once you’ve introduced the H2O, lay a rag over the stain and wait for a few minutes. Then blot up the moisture over and over with a white rag or paper towel until the paint is removed from the area. Only start to scrub gently when the vast majority of the paint is already removed. This should remove the fine bits of paint in between the threads. Just be patient.

Of course, you might have a Da Vinci fetish for your woodwork, and oil-based paint is your go-to. Again, if it’s wet, it’s easier. But let’s not think easy at this point. You’re going to need something stronger than water. A common suggestion is using rubbing alcohol with a white cloth, paper towel, or cotton ball to blot up as much of the stain as you can. You may also want to blot in one direction so that the stain won’t have a tendency to spread.

If that doesn’t fully work, the heavier gun use a store bought spot remover that is made for carpets.  Using household remedies such as dishwashing soap can damage the fiber of the carpet. (If the product does not say it’s made for carpet, there’s a reason why!) Mix, and apply using a spray bottle. Gently blot the area, like there’s no tomorrow. Rinse with a small amount of water, and then stack paper towels on top to soak up the liquid. Keep rinsing until you see no signs of soap. Again always test a area making sure carpet is safe.

If you think this sounds like a lot of work, you’re right. And if you have a bit of trepidation about tackling something like this by yourself, you’re not alone. And that’s why we’re here. At Sams Carpet, we use an environmentally friendly cleaning system. Using the latest spot removal technology available, we pre-treat your carpet for all stains, including paint. We then use our powerful extraction cleaning system, which allows us to thoroughly clean all sides of the carpet fiber. A fresh-water rinse is also applied to remove any residue. This helps to keep your carpet cleaner… longer. If all else fails Sams Carpet Specializes in Carpet Patching and Carpet Repairs as well.

Here’s a testimonial from a client who experienced a paint disaster of her own, and gave us a call!

On Easter Sunday a full gallon of green latex paint fell down our stairs and landed on our living room carpet and nearby chair. We cleaned it as much as we could with a home carpet cleaner, but it looked terrible, and I thought we would have to replace it. The next day I called your company and was pleased to get a cleaning scheduled for the next day. The two men that came worked tirelessly to clean the stairs, carpet, and chair. I am very happy to say that the paint came out! I couldn’t be happier with the professional service that we received. I look forward to be able to refer your company to anyone!

Kathy S.|St. Peters, MO

So go ahead and paint, Monet, and feel free to express your creativity on the canvas of life. And while we can’t tell you what colors to paint your domicile, rest easy that we can get that Chartreusey Lavender out of your carpet most of the time.

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Sams Carpet Cleaning Thinks Pink in October

For us at Sams Carpet, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a big deal. In the past, we have participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure to support Jeff’s sister Tammy and other breast cancer survivors with the “Tammy O” Team.

One in eight women in the United States alone will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. To break that down, an estimated 246,660 women in the US will be diagnosed with breast cancer each year, and more than 40,000 will die. Even more, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women. These are some extremely scary numbers that no one wants to see. What do we want? We want a cure. We don’t want to ever hear a loved one say, “I have cancer”.

Thankfully, death rates from breast cancer have been declining since 1990 thanks to better screening and early detection, increased awareness and improving treatment options thanks to funds raised by people like you.

sams-tech-awareness-team-cropped

ladies-pink-shirt

For the month of October, our wonderful team have been wearing pink Breast Cancer shirts as a reminder to be tested and to help raise money to fight for a cure. We have to say, they look pretty great, right?

To learn more about Breast Cancer Awareness, how to help or about screening, you can visit www.nationalbreastcancer.org. In honor and in memory of those who have battled Breast Cancer, we think of you this month and your incredible strength.

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