Spring is finally here and like lots of you, I've been puttering away on house projects. Well actually, I've been making a long list of projects and tackling a few of them... then procrastinating the rest. You know, stuff like cleaning the windows, doing a seasonal closet clean-out, planting the flower beds; all the to-dos you see other folks tackling (looks so satisfying!) but there are only so many hours in the day. Right?
One task that really needed doing: my carpets. I've got two kitties and plenty of carpet, and vacuuming alone doesn't cut it (sorry cats, I'm blaming you). The culprits:
I found a few companies that rented steam cleaners, but they were pricier than I expected for a DIY option (and I have to admit I'm just not a DIY girl). I didn't know when I'd find the time to do it myself or whether I'd manage a decent enough job to make it worth all the effort. So I scrapped that plan and began looking for professional cleaning services.
I hadn't used any such service in *cough* a few years, and I daresay it's an industry that isn't always web-savvy, so it can be tough to find a transparent and reliable company. But one day on Twitter I stumbled on a local company called Ideal Carpet Cleaning. A carpet cleaning service on Twitter? That was a good sign! Meant they had to at least have a website, right? Check.
I chatted with Ideal's team and they were equal parts charming and professional. They kindly offered to come take a look at my carpets and I was eager to get started. After chatting with Anil on Twitter, I then met Bruce and Nick, who came over to do a thorough on-site inspection before starting any work.
I learned that not only could they clean my berber carpet (that the cats had done a number on), they could also clean my area rug, my armchairs, and my couch. Amazing! They took my area rug with them that same day, explaining that by cleaning at their facility they wouldn't expose my hardwood to damaging moisture while the rug dried. Made total sense to me yet this was the first company to tell me so. Impressed.
Here's the team, they're such great guys!
Two days later another member of Ideal's team, Sitha, arrived right on time and got to work. Before starting he explained everything he'd be doing, including helpful details like using a low-moisture cleaner on my sub-level carpet since lower-level carpeting often takes longer to dry.
Again, made total sense but no other company had bothered to explain that. Sitha was polite and professional, and carefully moved all my furniture out of the way to tackle the carpets and upholstery.
He did an amazing job: my carpet and armchairs looked a million times better. And my couch? I'd actually considered shopping for a new one because I truly didn't think mine could be brought back to life. That's how bad it was.
But Sitha worked diligently and get a load of this: in the pic below, the left is a section he'd cleaned and the right is pre-cleaning.
GAH! Embarrassing because ew, but I was shocked by the final result. I mean holy cow. I basically got a new couch! Sitha couldn't possibly have done a better job.
Soon afterward I received a friendly email from Anil asking how everything went, whether I had any questions, and if I'd spotted any issues or trouble areas (because they guarantee their work and will send someone back if you find anything amiss). I honestly couldn't think of a single thing I'd want done differently. Top marks, guys!
Now, I know carpet cleaning ain't as glitzy or enticing as dinner out at your favourite restaurant or your latest beauty haul, but it makes SUCH a difference. And this local company did such an awesome job that I had to share them with you. Be sure to look up Ideal next time your carpets and furniture need some TLC; Bruce, Nick, Anil, Sitha, and the rest of the team will take good care of you!
DEAL FOR AMY IN 613 READERS: $30 OFF
If your carpets and furniture need some love, get in touch with Ideal Carpet Cleaning for a free quote, and they'll give you $30 off your cleaning needs. They use eco-friendly products and provide a one-hour window for arrival times -- none of this "we'll show up sometime between 9 and 5" business that many other companies dish out.
If you have a large area rug or Persian rug that needs cleaning they'll come to your home, pick it up, clean it at their premises, and return it to you (starts at $95 including pick-up and delivery). And if you need in-home cleaning for wall-to-wall carpet, that starts at $195 with this promo. Just mention Amy in 613 to get your $30 savings!
Now that everything's clean and tidy, the cats can get back to doing what they do best: not terribly much.