Say goodbye to pollen, dust, bacteria and pet and people stains with the new king of CLEan

By Patricia Nugent

According to a recent study that quantifies how we spend our lives, the average person will spend eight years and four months of their lifespan sitting on the sofa watching television. If you’re asking yourself whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, maybe the question you should really be asking is…when’s the last time you had your sofa professionally cleaned?

According to Chris McCarthy, owner of CLE Carpet Cleaning, February and March are their biggest months of the year for upholstery and tile and grout cleaning services.

“We like to call this time of year ‘hibernation season,’ when people spend a lot of effort worrying about making sure their homes are weather-proof,” he says. “They should spend as much time considering what they’re trapping inside, such as airborne allergens, mold-inducing moisture, dust, pet dander and more. Furniture manufacturers recommend professional cleaning every 18-24 months for the average home, once or twice a year for busy homes or those with pets.”

For couches, loveseats, sectionals, dining room chairs and recliners, he uses the same steam cleaning methodology as he does with carpet cleaning; addressing the stains, pre-treating them, agitating them with a hand-held device and removing the solution with hot water extraction, or solvent cleaning the upholstery, whichever the fabric calls for.

He says people who think they are cleaning their slipcovered sofa by zipping off their covers and popping them in the washer should think again, as they’re only cleaning one part of the furniture. He goes into the foundation and bones of pieces to get the job done right.

Customers usually have him Scotchgard their sofas and chairs following a deep clean to repel future stains.

Whether it’s furniture or carpeting, Chris is passionate about the end result. That’s why he takes special measures to dry the cleaned areas with commercial-grade air movers. Unlike most companies that might leave you with damp carpet for 6-12 hours, by the time he leaves a job, it will be nearly dry.

Bag the Bleach, Get Tough on Tile
When it comes to grout, the professional cleaning difference is night and day. While a homeowner might take a toothbrush and bleach to grout and tile, that doesn’t do much to kill germs beneath the highly porous surface, where moisture buildup can host living bacteria that grows into mold.

“I use specialty equipment to blast the tile and grout with over 900 PSI water that’s heated up to 210 degrees” he explains. “After the area is pressure washed and deep cleaned, I seal it with a protective coating to keep it cleaner longer.”

In addition to residential, Chris does a lot of commercial tile-cleaning jobs this time of year.

Get to Know Chris and Shannon
It was a natural for Chris and his wife Shannon, the Director of Fixed Ops at Mazda of Bedford, to name the business CLE Carpet Cleaning, as they are big fans of all things Cleveland. These locavores chose to start their own company, follow their passion, and, most of all, harness the power to make others happy.

As owners of four adorable fur babies that like to lounge (see their website for a full bio on each of these charming characters.), they know the challenges of keeping carpeting and furniture clean. Not surprisingly, Chris has earned a reputation for working miracles with pet stains and odors. He uses black lights to uncover stains you had no idea where there, treats them, then customized a pre-spray just for your home before he agitates the carpets to get the most soils removed as possible. Chris finishes with a eucalyptus deodorizer leaving your home looking, feeling and smelling beautifully.

Headquartered in Concord, CLE Carpet Cleaning beautifies homes and businesses all over Lake, Cuyahoga, Geauga and Ashtabula counties. Chris is trained and certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration. Military and first responders receive a discount. You can find before and after photos on their facebook. Call 440-754-0049 or schedule your appointment online at CLECarpet.com.