Regardless of what the weather may feel like and look like right now, Spring really is just three weeks away! And as soon as the sun begins to gather a little strength, typically, thoughts turn to spring cleaning. After spending so much time indoors during the winter months, to-do lists are prepared for when the weather breaks … and all of those postponed “dirty” tasks are undertaken.
Before we can put in the screens and thrust open the windows for a breath of fresh air, however, we may first want to tackle getting rid of the indoor dirt. And perhaps one of the things most noticed is tracking and spots on carpet. Calling an experienced professional is a good thing to consider.
Contrary to what you may have heard about overcleaning your carpet, Trevor Flanagan, owner of Flanagan Brothers Cleaning and Restoration, says that IF done properly, cleaning your carpet every 12-18 months will actually help maintain the warranty on your carpeting, a large investment that you want to take care of.
“We do not use soap,” Trevor explained, “but rather a specially formulated cleaning agent – one that is recognized by all the leading carpet manufacturers. And the secret to our deep cleaning procedure is the fact that we utilize a clean water rinse method with 240-250 degrees of steam. As an analogy, I always tell people it is no different than washing your clothes without using clean rinse water. That is just not something you do.”
The use of large capacity commercial fans also helps dry carpet following the cleaning process. “Basically, by the time we leave the premises, carpet is virtually dry. It may leave your socks a little damp for a couple of hours, but within five hours, it should be completely dry,” he continued.
Trevor explained how he got started in the business in 2003. “I had some rental property and had a fellow clean the carpet. After it was done, I was impressed and complimented him, saying that if he ever wanted to sell the business, I might be interested,” he stated. “Six months later he called me back and the rest is history. I’ve been growing ever since!”
He started with one run-down van and doing all the work himself. Since that time, he has hired other employees, an office manager, purchased three new vehicles with truck-mounted equipment, and also a storefront in Clarksburg.
Flanagan Brothers cleans carpets not just in private homes, but also for hospitals, office buildings, restaurants, hotels, and rental properties.
“We carry hoses that will extend 350 feet on our vans, but when cleaning high rises, we are forced to use portable units for the upper floors,” he said.
Flanagan Brothers also offers an ozone treatment, used frequently by realtors to remove pet and smoke odors when a tenant vacates a property. “I have even successfully removed skunk odor from one client’s vehicle!” he stated.
Although frequent vacuuming is always recommended, Trevor explained that dust, pollen and pet dander do still get trapped in carpeting. “I have a number of clients who are asthmatic, and they call on me regularly – even when their carpet does not appear to be dirty – saying that our cleaning method extracts all the pollutants that bother them and they breathe much better,” he continued.
As experienced professionals, Flanagan Brothers employees know that certain kinds of carpet require a special kind of care – for instance, exotic wool area rugs. Their procedure is also highly effective on Berber carpeting. And their trained eyes recognize when the content of a spot has a grease or oil base.
“Our treatment often depends upon the kind of carpet and the spot content, and we are very conscientious because we want our customers for life,” Trevor stated. “In fact, each time a job is completed, we send our customers a postage paid comment card, and we truly want to see them returned. If there is any kind of problem, we’re on it! We strive for excellence and want to learn how to improve so that our customers are completely satisfied. It has worked for us because our client retention has been phenomenal!”
Flanagan Brothers’ reputation speaks for itself. Employees must adhere to a dress code; they wear boot covers when working; and furniture, when returned to its position following the cleaning procedure, is put on Styrofoam blocks until drying is complete. All of these things exhibit professionalism.
“We supply customers with what we call a personal touch – respect for the homeowner and their homes,” Trevor said. “We put our clients first and we care about them. We are also on call 24 hours a day to respond to unforeseen emergencies – for example, when there is a flooding problem or burst water pipes.”
If carpet cleaning is on your spring to-do list, call Flanagan Brothers’ office at 304-677-7992, and a fairly accurate estimate can be given over the phone. Jobs can usually be scheduled that same week or the following week. Bear in mind, though, that the spring season is their busiest time of year, so schedule your appointment early.
Trevor concluded, saying, “We all participate in continuing education to learn of new styles of carpet and the type of care they require. I have a ‘happy family’ of employees here who have been with me for a long time – Marsha Cottrill, Jeff Walls and Greg Stout. I’m thankful that they care so much about the job they do because it reflects in the business we’ve been able to build.”
