Area Rug Cleaning: Here or There

Lately, we’re seeing an uptick in requests for drop-off rug cleaning. And why not? With the spread of COVID-19, it’s safer for customers and for us if we stay out of your home. We offer a few options:

  1. You can drop off your rug(s). Call first for time and location.
  2. We can pick up and drop off your rugs.
  3. In many cases, we can clean your rugs in your garage or driveway.
  4. We can still clean your rugs in your home. Just follow our safe-cleaning protocols.
area rug cleaning Petaluma

We’ll clean your area rug or runner with the Teri-Towel System (synthetic fibers) or the Host Dry Extraction System (sometimes preferred for natural fibers).

For Area Rug Cleaning,
Call: 707-575-0114

or Request a Quote

Get a free quote on carpet or upholstery cleaning for pets

We clean Oriental Rugs, Persian Rugs, runners and other types of area rugs – synthetic and natural fibers, including sisal, jute, seagrass, silk and, of course, wool area rugs.

How We Clean Your Area Rug

Our unique Teri-towel system uses all-natural cleaning products and is safe for most synthetic fiber rugs and many wool rugs too. This system uses minimal water and leaves your rug dry in 2-3 hours.

host dry cleaning for rugs and carpet

Our Host dry carpet cleaning system is gentle, “Wool-safe” and color-safe. Host uses only organic, plant-based cleaning products so it’s truly clean, green and dry. The Host dry rug cleaning system leaves your rug dry and ready to use.

Our HOST Dry cleaning system is safe for hand knotted, hand tufted, or machine made rugs. We clean rugs of all nationalities, whether Indian, Turkish, Persian, Tibetan, Oriental, American or Chinese.

Ask about our pet urine treatment, pet odor removal and treatment for tough stains. Let us be your drop-off rug cleaner for Petaluma, Novato, Santa Rosa and Sonoma County.

Read More

How We Clean Your Carpet or Rug

Compare the Teri-Towel System and the Host Dry Extraction System

Compare our dry cleaning methods with hot water extraction method

(hot water extraction, often called steam cleaning, is the method most used by Coit, Stanley Steemer, North Coast Carpet Care, etc. Not recommended for wool area rug cleaning)

Oops. My Dog Peed the Carpet

Most of our residential customers have a dog or cat. Pee, poop, vomit, hair and general doggy smell can often occur.

We use a pet enzyme treatment on vomit, urine and feces stains to help reduce odor and staining. We’re happy to help, but immediate action on your part is also necessary.

My dog just peed on the carpet. What should I do?

  • Blot it up immediately with a cotton terry towel. I recommend an old one.
  • Apply an enzyme treatment like Biokleen’s Bac-Out or Nature’s Miracle. Allow time for the treatment to soak in and work. Don’t use too much. Follow your product’s instructions.
  • Blot it up. Use a fan for quicker drying.
  • Don’t use a home carpet cleaning machine. It will only add more water, risking mold and mildew. You might want to use only the suction part or a shop vac, but blot afterwards to extract more moisture.
  • Call us if you have several pet spots, stains or other problems.

If you’re not happy with the result, give us a call, text or email. I’ll be happy to answer questions and, if needed, come out and give your carpet a thorough cleaning. Make us your go-to pet carpet cleaner.

(707) 575-0114

But it still smells

Urine can soak into the carpet, the backing, the pad and even the sub-floor. When that happens, a surface treatment will not be sufficient. The carpet may be clean, but moisture will wick back up, causing re-soiling and odor. When that happens, the best way to deal with it is to pull back the carpet and pad, apply an enzyme treatment and allow to dry completely before putting the carpet back in place. Use fans to speed drying.

pet carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning

Of course, replacing everything is the best answer, but that costs much more and if you still have the little perps, your problem will re-occur.

Call a pet trainer. You may spend less in the long run and you will benefit from more than clean carpet. Old dogs can learn new tricks. And pet trainers tell me, old dog owners can learn new tricks too!

So You Want to Clean Your Carpet Yourself

Many Bay Area residents are understandably reluctant to have an unknown carpet cleaner in their home during the current COVID-19 lockdown. One option for carpet cleaning during the coronavirus shelter-in-place is to clean your carpet yourself. DIY Carpet Cleaning.

very low moisture carpet cleaning is better

My first advice is don’t. Call a pro. Sure you can rent a Rug Doctor, but it’s like power washing your patio with a garden hose. Just not as powerful. Call a pro that uses very low moisture (VLM) carpet cleaning (like Advanced Dry Carpet Care: (707) 575-0114). If you can’t find a VLM cleaner in your area, employ a cleaner that uses hot water extraction (HWE), also known as the truck-mount system. This is the method used by Stanley Steemer, Coit and most smaller carpet cleaning pros. It’s a traditional, common method for carpet cleaning, though not the best.

But if your budget or health concerns won’t allow for calling a pro, follow these guidelines for safe and effective DIY carpet cleaning.

Gather what you’ll need:

  • Vacuum cleaner
  • Carpet extraction cleaning machine (ex. Rug Doctor)
  • Carpet cleaning detergent
  • Hot water
  • Fans
No spots return with our carpet cleaning methods

Do it right and you can see dramatic results!

Ready? Here’s a step-by-step guide for effectively cleaning your carpet yourself:

  1. Vacuum the carpet thoroughly while it’s dry. Once soil is wet, it is more difficult to extract.
  2. Pre-treat spots and traffic lanes with detergent and water mix. Brush the solution into the carpet and allow 10-15 minutes dwell time.
  3. While you’re waiting, mix detergent and hot water and pour into the machine.
  4. Use the machine according to its instructions to apply cleaning solution and extract.
  5. Open windows and point fans at the carpet, especially the traffic lanes.
  6. If spots remain, try cleaning them with a stronger detergent, like Folex. For a simple 3-Step Spot Cleaning video and instructions, go to: advanceddry.com/spot/
  7. Keep everyone off the carpet until it’s dry. This includes pets. If you can’t wait, wear clean socks to avoid re-soiling.
  8. Your carpet should be dry within 24 hours. If it takes longer than 48 hours, definitely call a pro. Mildew is forming and mold may follow, which will ruin your carpet.

Avoid common mistakes:

home carpet steam cleaners
  • Avoid using a detergent that is not designed for carpet. You may get the dirt out, but not the suds. The remaining sticky residue will result in re-soiling.
  • Avoid using too much water. Some people, seeing that one pass does not get the carpet clean, go over it a second and third time. These machines add water/solution, but do not extract much. More passes leaves more water and the risk of mildew and mold.
  • Don’t bother with the home models from Bissel, Hoover, etc. They squirt water/solution on to the carpet but have weak extraction. Weak jets + weak suction means you’ve only added water and soap to dirty carpet.

Call or Text for Professional Carpet & Rug Cleaning

(707) 575-0114

See also:

Spot Cleaning Mistakes

Three Ways to Wreck Your Carpet

Frequently Asked Questions

Carpet cleaning preparation. A few minutes of preparation will help us provide the best results when we clean your carpet and rugs.

What’s included with carpet cleaning service?

carpet cleaning preparation
  • Pro-grade cleaning of carpeted rooms and closets
  • Removal of dirt, debris, and spots
  • Deodorizer – No fragrance added
  • Removal of furniture out of rooms to be cleaned as much as is reasonable.

How long will the cleaning take?

The more rooms you need cleaned, the longer the job, but the whole process usually takes 1-3 hours. Once the cleaning is done, it can take 2-3 hours for carpets to dry completely, depending on airflow. Then, you can put furniture back in place and walk on your carpet. 

Should I vacuum before the pro arrives?

No need. We will vacuum the carpet. That’s the first step in the process of carpet cleaning. 

Do I need to move all my furniture?

Please remove small items such as trash cans, small chairs and lamps before we arrive. The more you’ve done to expose the carpet, the more surface area we can clean, and the happier you’ll be with the results. We can help you with larger items and in many cases we can clean underneath desks, tables, and partly underneath chairs, sofas and beds. We will not move large items, such as pianos, china cabinets, armoirs, antiques, entertainment centers, or fragile items. We can return furniture to original location when cleaning is complete if you request it.

What About My Pets?

We love dogs and cats and we are happy to meet yours and assure them that we’re the good guys. Please secure them while we’re working. We don’t want them to get hurt or re-soil the carpet while we’re working.

What if I have a very large room?

The estimates we provide assume that each room is up to 200 square feet. Some combination rooms (ex. living room/dining room) will count as two rooms. Once we survey the rooms we will be sure to let you know if additional fees apply before cleaning begins.

How is carpet deodorized?

We use natural enzymes to neutralize and remove odors such as vomit and pet waste. It’s part of our normal process when we use the low-moisture Teri-Towel system. If there are areas that are unusually spotted, let us know and we will pre-treat the area with an enzyme. If the odor source has reached the backing or padding, complete removal of the odor cannot be guaranteed.

What is Carpet Stain Protection?

New carpet usually comes with stain protection, which gives you more time to blot up spills and prevent stains. This protection wears out over the years and is further diminished by steam, hot water or high-PH cleaners. That’s why we do not use these methods.
We don’t provide stain protection after we clean your carpet. They contain PFAS chemicals, aka “Forever Chemicals” that harm the environment and create health hazards.

Why should I hire a professional to clean my carpets?

Carpet can get pretty filthy pretty quickly, especially if there are pets, kids, or lots of foot traffic involved. Although you can rent or buy your own carpet cleaning machine, they’re not as powerful nor as effective as the industrial machines used by professionals. Some off-the-shelf cleaners have a high pH, which can leave a residue behind or have other negative results. Hiring a professional carpet cleaner who has the professional-grade equipment, cleaning solutions, and deodorizers on hand means your carpet gets cleaned deeper and dries faster.