I’m celebrating the latest addition to my arsenal of floor cleaning tools!  I just purchased a commercial grade steam cleaner for cleaning tile and stone surfaces.  This is a VX 5000 steamer, which heats water to super-hot temperatures (almost 300 degrees!) to create a “dry” vapor that not only gets tile surfaces squeaky clean, but also cleans grout.  Using my smallest detail brushes, I am now able to get all the gunk out that tends to accumulate in grout, and return it to its original color!

I also, as an option, offer a sealer for the tile surface once I’m finished steaming.  This is an all-purpose sealer that helps keep the tile clean and makes cleaning easier for several months.

Of course, I am still offering my dry, organic carpet cleaning, hardwood buffing, and upholstery steam cleaning services also!

It has been an extremely busy summer for Coastal Clean Carpets!  So busy that I haven’t had time for even the most basic updates to this blog, or much of anything else.  I certainly appreciate the response from both my own community of Manzanita, and all of our coastal towns from Astoria to Tillamook, as so many folks are spreading the word about my services and results.

Here are a few testimonials from happy customers:

“Thanks to Bob La Torre for a great job on our carpets. Spots and more from grandchildren, dogs and cats all gone and carpet sparkling. No chemical smell either.”

“THANK YOU!!!  Between kids, pets, and lots of neglect, I had pretty much given up on our carpets, but you saved the day!  I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the wonderful job you did.  It looks SO much nicer in there.  Thank you again, it really meant a lot to us.”

“I just want to say how pleased we were with your services. I was thoroughly amazed at the appearance after your cleaning. Thank you so much for such a great job!”

It makes me very happy to be able to provide such a needed local service, and make my customers happy.  When it comes to being in the service industry, reputation is everything!  I am perpetually aware of upholding the highest standards of professionalism with everything I do with my business.

Other than that, stay tuned, as Coastal Clean Carpets will soon be “branching out” into hardwood and tile floor cleaning as well!

Just thought I would share the latest testimonial from a very satisfied customer!  I just love working for friendly, positive people who appreciate my services.

“Wanted to give a great big shout out for Bob LaTorre’s COASTAL CLEAN CARPET SERVICE.  And no this isn’t a paid ad sponsored by Bob either – just a local first time customer who read about his business and decided to give it a try.  WOW and I mean double WOW.  My carpets look brand new!  Even the nap fluffed up in the process giving me an extra bang for my buck and making me discard all thoughts of replacing the carpets. His friendly, professional, & timely service was top notch.  Plus – are you ready?… I saved the best for last – the price was VERY VERY reasonable! Amazing service and product – I give it 5 stars!”

Want to get those results and then perhaps add your thoughts?  Call me at 503-440-7341 and we can make arrangements!

 

 

Yesterday I cleaned the carpets of a customer who not only had white carpet, but admitted that she is “very picky” about its cleanliness.  She has been getting it steam-cleaned twice a year for several years, but was attracted by my organic, non-toxic products.  (She was also tired of the hassle and resulting smell of the steam process, the big heaters needed for hours afterward, etc.)  After I got finished with her carpets, here is her comment:

“I wanted to write and thank you for such an outstanding job on my carpets.  My carpet has never looked better!  All of the stains are gone and my house smells fresh and clean; it even feels better on my bare feet.  I so appreciate your organic and natural products.  Moving my furniture was key to getting the house spotless.  I will definitely recommend you to my friends and neighbors.  Thanks again for such a wonderful job!”

Below are a couple of before/after pictures of her bathroom.  (Side note:  She had recently hired contractors to do a remodeling job in the bathroom, and had lots of negative commentaries about their unprofessional behavior.  They showed up late or not at all, did incomplete or shoddy work, and didn’t take off their shoes when asked to, resulting in big stains on her white-carpeted bathroom floor!  It just reminded me of the importance of courteous, prompt, professional behavior at all times, and how high of a standard I hold myself to.)

Interesting situation last week.  I got a call from a new customer, who said he had had his rental unit’s carpets cleaned the day before by a “traditional” steam cleaner.  He didn’t feel that they got clean enough, and called me for a second opinion.  I walked in and saw what appeared to be untouched dirty carpets!  There were traffic stains, colored stains from various craft paints and things, and lots of dirt and sand.  The first cleaner had told him that the stains were permanent, and he had to either live with them or replace the carpets.  The customer decided to give me a chance to see if I could do better.

Which, the next day, I most certainly did!  After I got through with them, the carpets were looking almost new again.  The traffic stains were gone, most of the colored stains were out, and I had taken out lots of general dirt and sand (the unit is only a block from the beach).  And they smelled citrus-fresh, and were dry and ready for the next tenants to move in.  Needless to say, I had made a believer out of my most recent loyal customer!  Not only was he happy with the clean carpets, but overjoyed that he didn’t have to suffer the expense of replacing the carpet!

I didn’t ask him who the first cleaner was, and I don’t really care to know.  I have heard, though, that some companies offer varying “levels” of service, and if you get their lowest level, you’re buying a largely ineffective warm-water rinse.  In contrast, Coastal Clean Carpets has only ONE level of service, and it’s always the highest and best I can possibly do.  I’m proud to consistently offer a premium cleaning package, at very competitive rates.  Pictures below!

(Check out this “before” picture, which is actually the day after they were supposedly cleaned by a professional!  Appalling, no?)

I must say I’m proud of my much better result:

I recently cleaned a severely pet-stained hallway, and made it look almost new again. Evidence below!

Not only was its appearance clean, but the pet odors were replaced with the natural scent of the citrus-based binder and encapsulator I use.  I like to tackle a challenging job like this, and leave behind nothing but clean, fresh-smelling carpets!

Here is a demonstration video I made of my complete process for steam-cleaning upholstery.

http://youtu.be/LlIedOdLwLo

 

I was recently doing some research on other carpet cleaning services, mainly to make sure my prices are still the best around.  (They are.)  Along the way, I read several review blogs on one company in particular.  (No names will be named, but think of a certain type of antique car.)  I must say I was appalled at some of the stories customers have, not only of terrible carpet cleaning jobs, but of unprofessional and unethical behavior on the part of this company and its workers.

The most common complaint customers had was the workers not arriving when scheduled.  In my opinion, the most basic element of professionalism, especially in the service industry, is plain old showing up on time.  When I give a time to a customer, I am there within five minutes of that time.  That’s it, period.  If I know I’ll be more than five minutes late, I will definitely be on the phone to the customer explaining why.  It is actually rather amusing to read of some of the extremes that this company’s workers go to in their rather fluid judgment of what “on time” means.  Their scheduling practices include naming a three-hour window when they’ll show up (say what?).  If they miss even that broad window, they still don’t phone, they just arrive 45 minutes late without an explanation.  To me, this is the height of disrespect to the customer.

It seems to be standard practice for some companies to give you a quote over the phone, then once the workers show up, within seconds they’re trying to upgrade the work, using all the standard bait-and-switch techniques.  A customer refusing the upgrades receives sullen, incomplete service, and the workers are in and out in half an hour, leaving behind wet, still-dirty carpets.

I don’t give quotes over the phone.  I prefer to arrive at the house, get a general overview of the condition of the carpets, take careful measurements, and give the customer a to-the-penny price before I start work.  That price will not change, except in very rare instances.  If during the job I discover some major situation, like a big stain under a couch, I will carefully discuss options with the customer before adding services or raising the price.  Professionalism means honest, transparent pricing and work practices.

I am proud of my business.  I am its sole proprietor, so it’s important for me to represent both myself and my business well in all of my practices.

I could go on, but I don’t want to belabor the point.  For a good time, I’d recommend finding a review blog of any unscrupulous carpet cleaning company.  It’s a hoot, at least until it happens to you!  Just remember that my guarantee includes showing the highest levels of professionalism in everything I do while in your home.