Beware of Apparent Carpet Soiling!

 When you invest in a new carpet for your home, the last thing you expect is for it to look dirty—even after a professional cleaning. Yet, many homeowners notice dark, dingy areas, especially in high-traffic zones like hallways, stairs, or living room pathways. The surprising truth? What you see may not be dirt at all—it could be apparent soiling.

What Is apparent soiling?
According to the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC), apparent soiling refers to areas of carpet that appear soiled due to fiber distortion, wear, or light reflection changes rather than actual dirt or contaminants. In many cases, these areas have been cleaned thoroughly but still look discolored because the carpet fibers have been physically damaged or permanently changed.

This is especially common in high-traffic lanes, where repeated foot traffic flattens or frays carpet fibers. The altered fibers reflect light differently, creating a grayed, shadowed appearance—even when no soil is present. It's often mistaken for poor cleaning, but it's a sign of long-term use and wear.

What the IICRC says
The IICRC S100 Standard for Professional Cleaning of Textile Floor Coverings, which guides professional cleaning companies, emphasizes the importance of pre-inspection and managing expectations. Certified technicians are trained to identify apparent soiling before cleaning begins and explain that while the area may look dirty, it may not respond to cleaning the way true soil does. This helps homeowners understand the limitations of cleaning when permanent fiber damage has occurred.

Tips to prevent apparent soiling
While you can’t stop wear entirely, you can minimize it with a few proactive steps:

1. Regular vacuuming – Remove gritty soil before it grinds into the carpet pile. Focus primarily on entryways and walk paths.
2. Change traffic patterns – Rearrange furniture occasionally to redirect foot traffic and give certain areas a break.
3. Invest in professional cleaning – Regular cleanings by IICRC-certified professionals help preserve the integrity of the fibers and prevent soil buildup.
4. Remove shoes at the door – Outdoor shoes carry more soil and oils that accelerate wear.

When you need professional help to keep your carpet and other surfaces clean and healthy and to protect your valuable investments, do the right thing and call your favorite cleaning company. They have the equipment and the training to do the job right. After all, it pays to call a pro! Call Delta Carpet Cleaning in Columbia Station Ohio for your free, no obligation quote today 216-939-8741

Why are my grout lines so dark?

 Why, despite constant mopping, do my grout lines get dark?  Your grout lines sit lower that the tile surface, so as you mop you are actually pushing soil into the grout lines.  It's unavoidable. The only way to fix it, besides getting down on your hands and knees and scrubbing is a periodic, professional grout scrubbing. Professionals have the proper products to deep clean, neutralize, and then seal your grout.  Many products that homeowners may use can actually damage or compromise the grout.

Should I have my grout painted?  While you can have a color seal product put on your grout to make it all look evenly colored, you need to keep in mind that it is not a permanent solution. Over time due to wear and cleaning sections of the coloring can come off exposing the original grout color.  We have seen in a number of times. 

Let Delta Carpet Cleaning restore your grout.  Call for your free estimate 216-939-8741.  We are your local family owned company based out of Columbia Station, Ohio.  We want to be your local floor care company.  

We offer: tile and grout cleaning, carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, wood floor cleaning, LVT and LVP cleaning. We are an IICRC certified company with over 40 years experience in the floor care industry. Call today for a quote 216-939-8741. 

Concrete Cleaning Delta Carpet Cleaning Columbia Station Ohio #commercia...

Call for your free no obligation quote today 216-939-8741.  Let Delta Carpet Cleaning bring your concrete floors back to life.  Nothing tells your customers you care like nice clean floors!

Residential before and after Delta

Sometimes you don't realize what the carpet looks like until you move the furniture! Call today for a free quote and let the Delta Carpet Cleaning team bring your carpet back to life with our deep cleaning, fast drying cleaning. We make your spots and stains go away!

Vacuuming 101

The Basics of Vacuuming

If you have carpet or rugs, you have a vacuum cleaner. A vacuum is absolutely necessary to keep your valuable carpet and rugs clean of particulate or dry soil. 

While vacuuming may seem like a basic housekeeping chore and simple to do, the biggest challenge is getting out the vacuum and actually putting it to use. 



Frequency 

As a carpet cleaner we are often asked "How often should I vacuum?"  How often you vacuum depends on the size of your family, and this includes pets. As a general rule, you should vacuum the main areas in your home, such as the living room, hallways, and other high traffic areas, one time each week per occupant.  

For example, if you have four people and one dog in your family, vacuum five times per week, in those high traffic areas. For low-trafficked areas, once per week should suffice. This might seem extensive and perhaps unnecessary, but it keeps your carpet and rugs virtually free of dry soil buildup.  Don't forget to vacuum your steps if you have them.  

How to vacuum 

You might be thinking, “You just plug it in and push it across the floor.” Which is basically what you do. The problem is how fast you move and how much overlapping you cover when running the vacuum. While you may push the vacuum forward fast, slow down when you pull it towards you. This way the beater bar, if your vacuum has one, has a chance to work loose the soils. Also, overlap several inches from side to side so you have complete coverage of the floor. 

Choosing the best vacuum 

Quality matters when choosing a good vacuum cleaner. The cheaper ones at department stores may work fine for a while, but they quickly lose efficiency and often break down. Look at the reviews of any vacuum cleaner you are contemplating and spend a few more dollars on a superior model. Your carpet and rugs will be better off in the long run. Choosing a vacuum with a beater bar is smart. Especially with thick pile carpet, it helps remove more dry soil. Some choose vacuum cleaners with a bagless option. If you use a vacuum cleaner with a bag, change it out when about half full, for maximum efficiency. Purchase plenty of replacement bags and have them on hand for this purpose. 

Get with the pros 

Cleaning companies, especially those who specialize in carpet and rug cleaning, can help you choose a quality vacuum. Get their input. After all, it pays to call a pro!

Consistent vacuuming along with a regular schedule of professional cleaning will keep your carpet looking like new for a long time. Call us today for a carpet cleaning quote and to schedule your next cleaning.  Delta Carpet Cleaning 216-939-8741

Pet odor removal

Dust Mites, allergens & carpet cleaning

Tile and Grout Floor Care

Tile floors are everywhere, and where there’s tile, there’s also grout to separate it all, keeping everything nice and even, with straight lines.
 
But a straight line may not always be so… clean. Dirt and grime and other contaminants build up over time and make what was once a beautiful floor look downright ugly. The grout is especially susceptible to soiling and staining.
 
Just as you would clean any surface, tile and grout floors need special attention. If you keep them clean, following a maintenance schedule, you won’t have to deal with the tough issue of restorative cleaning.
 
Here are a few simple tips for you to follow in order to keep your tile and grout floors in tip-top shape.
 
Sweep it
 
The first step is keep the floor swept. Sweep it daily, which will remove dust and debris and other contaminants that can eventually cause tough-to-remove soiling.
 
Mop it
 
Tile floors are very easy to clean and maintain. Use a clean mop and an approved detergent to clean the floor. Some prefer the newer flat floor cleaners. Doesn’t matter the tool, it is how you use it and the products you choose.
 
Some recommend the use of chlorine bleach, which acts as a disinfectant. The challenge here is remaining residues can create issues, such as being tracked off onto carpet, causing color loss. Be careful with the use of any type of bleach.
 
Grout issues
 
The toughest part of a tile and grout floor cleaning job is… the grout. It’s porous, even if sealed, and becomes an eyesore quickly. Purchase a heavy-duty grout cleaner and follow the directions. You will most likely be on your hands and knees, and it takes time to do this right. Apply the product to the grout, allow some reasonable contact time, and scrub - scrub - scrub! Repeat as necessary. Work carefully until the grout looks great again.
 
When everything is cleaned up, be sure to rinse with a neutral detergent, or just water, and let air dry and inspect. You will find areas need more attention. When you do… get back to work!
 
Tile and grout cleaning is no easy task, especially when it becomes really soiled. When you find yourself up against an impossible task, call your professional cleaning company. Call Delta Carpet Cleaning today at 216-939-8741. If you know the square footage of your tile and what type it is when can give you a quote over the phone.  Visit our webpage https://www.deltacarpetclean.com/Tile-And-Grout-Cleaning.html for some before and after pictures.  After all, it pays to call a pro!

Oh but my carpet doesn't look dirty.

If it looks dirty it's too late! The soil has already 

done it's damage!

Call Delta Carpet Cleaning today and get that soil removed before it's too late!  216-939-8741

Do you know the difference between cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing?

Have you ever wondered what the difference is?  Delta Carpet Cleaning can help with your cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting needs.  Call today: 216-939-8741 or visit our website: www.deltacarpetclean.com.  Thank you for visiting!

Oh No! I spilled bleach on my carpet! Now what?

Michelle with Delta Carpet Cleaning in Berea, Ohio is a certified carpet colorist.  She can fix your bleach spots.  Visit our website for more pictures.  Call for more information 216-939-8741.

  Before  

After

Always Do This When Cleaning

Taking care of cleaning chores around the house is something homeowners have engaged in since houses were invented. Not much thought goes into it other than it just needs done.

However, some specialized tasks, such as removing a spot from a carpet, getting rid of an irritating pet odor from the family dog or trying to find the best cleaning solution for the toughest jobs can actually end up causing more harm than good.

Spot removal

When we find a spot on the carpet, there are two things we tend to do. The first is to put way too much cleaning solution on the spot, saturating it and even getting the padding wet. This just spreads the spot and causes trouble in the future. The second is we tend to scrub way too long and way too hard. This can fray the fibers and you can’t fix that. So when you get a spot, flush with cool water and blot white towel and repeat until spot is gone. Never scrub or rub. For stubborn stains call Delta Carpet Cleaning for more advice.  We will be happy to help you do-it-yourself.

Odor removal

The biggest question when Fido or Fluffy does their thing on the carpet is “How do I get it out?” That’s not always easy unless you get to it right away. Urine will penetrate into the carpet, the padding and even the subfloor, and when it dries, over time it becomes sticky and smelly. Some will put powdered carpet deodorizers on those spots, which only gums up the carpet and creates a residue very difficult to remove. Like with spot removal, flushing with cool water blotting the area quickly is usually the best remedy for the do-it-yourself types.

Using products

When one product works well and you find another one works well, too, the tendency is to mix them. Remember, never mix ammonia and bleach. Both are effective products on their own, but mixed together, they become deadly. Other products on your shelf could, if mixed together, create toxic fumes that can cause harm to your family. Always follow directions.

How can you avoid all these problems and challenges? It’s simple: Call Delta Carpet Cleaning 216-939-8741. We’ll be right over to save the day.

How long is too long?

Dry time- it IS important. Our preferred system for carpet cleaning in homes dries in 2-4 hours under normal cleaning conditions. It offers a deep thorough cleaning by actually scrubbing and lifting the soil from the carpet before extracting it. Give a call 216-939-8741 or visit our website www.deltacarpetclean.com for more information.

Do houseplants purify the air?

Scroll down to see the answer.

Call Delta Carpet Cleaning to help improve your indoor air quality today - 216-939-8741 option 1.

Shake that Rug!

!

Your Area Rug Deserves Some Pampering

    DID YOU KNOW that a valuable area rug in your home is virtually crying out for some comfort?

    When people start installing more hard floors in homes, the first thing many of them do is cover those floors with soft area rugs. Some of these rugs cost thousands of dollars, and they need their own special protection.

     A rug pad designed and sized specially for your area rug (or rugs, if you are fortunate enough to have several in your home) is the protection they need and deserve

.
Why go with a quality rug pad? Because they:

1.    Add cushioning and comfort for you


2.    Can add years to the life of a rug

3.    Protects the flooring beneath the rug

4.    Prevents the rug from slipping and you from falling!

Besides a rug pad, your area rug needs regular cleaning.  Call and schedule your appointment today 216-939-8741.

The Myth of the Vacuum

Delta Carpet Cleaning
Cleveland, Ohio

You would be hard pressed not to find this noisy, electrical and often-underused mechanical device in any home, apartment or business. 

What is it? The vacuum cleaner. You know, that silent sentinel in your closet that comes to life when you plug it in and push the power button, and it buzzes all over the carpet as you chase it around the house.

The problem with the vacuum cleaner is we trust it too much. No, we’re not saying you shouldn’t vacuum your carpet. You should vacuum once per week per occupant, on average, for the main areas.  You might vacuum the bedrooms less frequently. We all know that proper vacuuming is important in caring for the carpet.

But some feel that vacuuming the carpet is equal to carpet cleaning. That’s a myth and it is simply not true. Professional carpet cleaning removes so much more than a vacuum can remove. Yet it has been reported that consumers feel that frequent vacuuming removes the dust and grime from their floors and they can either skip or prolong regular carpet cleaning.

That’s not the case.

A good vacuum, no matter how powerful or advanced, removes only dry soil. The stuff that is tracked in every day and should be removed every day, as well. Vacuums don’t remove the sticky, greasy soil stuck to the carpet fibers. You need professional cleaning to remove those soils.

Compare this to washing your car with a dry rag… or brushing your hair and skipping the shower and shampoo… or — well, you get the point. You need quality cleaning, deep carpet cleaning, to get your carpet thoroughly cleaned.

Do yourself a favor. Keep that vacuum cleaner working, use it all the time, but also use your professional carpet cleaning pro. Delta Carpet Cleaning knows what it takes to remove ALL the sticky, greasy soil that your vacuum leaves behind!

Call us today for an appointment  216-939-8741.  Visit our website: deltacarpetclean.com
We treat your home like our own. 

Does your mattress really double in weight every 10 years?

Dust Mites and You

No matter who you are, no matter where you live, you never sleep alone.

But don’t panic…those sleeping with you are somewhat peaceful. And not really that noticeable, until the “Welcome” sign goes up and they start inviting a bunch of guests over. Once the invitation goes out, there can be millions that end up in one mattress alone!

Yes, we are speaking of dust mites, those super-tiny eight-legged creatures that live in every house and take up residence in virtually every pillow, mattress and other comfortable abodes in the world.

Commonly called the “house dust mite,” (there are a couple of different types known to inhabit various parts of the world) this little creature feeds on flakes of shed human and animal skin and known to be a cause of asthma and allergic reactions.

Dust mite feces contain a powerful digestive enzyme that causes all kinds of breathing problems — if there are enough of the creatures in your home.

Some people are highly sensitive to dust mites, while others never have a reaction.

What can you do?

First of all, like we already said, don’t panic. Dust mites are everywhere, and there’s nothing you can do about that.

What you can do is keep things clean. Dust mites reproduce quickly in mattresses, beddings, pillows and other areas because these absorbent items take up moisture, such as saliva, perspiration and blood, from body contact. Dust mites prefer those warm, moist environments created by sleeping bodies.

Besides moisture, they need food. Dust mites are like any living creature. They need to eat. The skin flakes, dander and other protein sources are food for dust mites, so regular vacuuming is smart, especially using one with HEPA filtering. And running an air cleaner in your home with HEPA filtering will help, too.

As always you can call Delta Carpet Cleaning for help.  We clean mattresses using high temperature steam and HEPA filter vacuums.  We can also apply hospital grade or all natural disinfectants if you wish.  Call today    216-939-8741. Visit our website at deltacarpetclean.com