The Importance of Removing Smoke Damage After a Fire

It would be an understatement to say that the cleanup process, after a devastating house fire, is difficult. You’ve yet to forget the tragedy, you’re not ready to learn of all that’s been damaged, or which parts of your home will need to be replaced. However, in a frightening time such as this one, it’s encouraged that you pass this burden onto the professionals, by contacting your local cleaning and restoration company. A professional company, such as The Steam Team, will have plenty of experience handling smoke damage and restoring your home to its former condition. Don’t hesitate to reach out!

Immediate Steps

While you wait for us to arrive, there are a few things you can do to both minimize smoke damage, and prevent further damage from occurring.

1. Set Up Box Fans

Proper ventilation is key when it comes to removing smoke and dust contamination. Set up box fans around your home/work area, and open windows to really get the air flowing.

1. Clean Surfaces w/Soap & Water

Wipe down all surfaces and cabinets with a damp cloth. Start from the top and work your way down, to be sure you’ve covered every inch.

1. Vacuum All Upholstery & Carpet

Vacuum all upholstered furniture and carpeting. While vacuuming, be sure to clean and change your filter often to prevent soot from circulating around the room.

1. Launder All Washable Items

Everything that can be put through the washing machine should be laundered. This includes clothing, bedding, towels, curtains, pet bedding, etc.

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1. Remove Soot From Walls (& outside property)

Smoke damage will continue until you properly remove soot from the outside of your property. Attach a cleaner to your water hose loosen tough soot!

The Steam Team has all of the right equipment and training to help you during this time of crisis. For help handling smoke and fire damage after a house fire, don’t hesitate to give us a call!

Staying Healthy During Cold & Flu Season

 Cleaning

Ah… ah… Achoo! It’s fall, which means cold and flu season is right around the corner! It can be difficult to stay healthy at work when you’re around other people so frequently (especially those people who may be carrying additional germs from family members). It’s tough to avoid! But this year, we can help you head into cold and flu season with confidence. We’re going to go over the most important places to keep clean in your office.

Restrooms & Break Rooms

The cleaning crew should be taking care of your office restrooms and breakrooms. But there are still a few things you can do to help keep germs away from you and your coworkers. For instance, it can be helpful to keep bottles of Lysol and hand sanitizer for everyone. This way, messes can be thoroughly cleaned before the nightly cleaning crew comes in. And everyone can quickly disinfect their hands before and after meals.

Wipe down countertops, table tops, and chairs in the break room (pro tip: do it before you take your sandwich out). Sink faucets and microwave buttons are other culprits; when do you ever see those getting cleaned?

Desk, Keyboard & Cellphone

All day, your fingers touch your desk, keyboard, and cellphone. This can spread a lot of germs (or crumbs and smudges - ugh). You can use disinfectant wipes to keep them clean. Wipe down your desk periodically and keep tissues nearby in case of a sneeze attack.

In addition to keeping these areas clean and disinfected, always remember to wash your hands and cover your mouth if you have a cough! These simple habits go a long way in keeping everyone healthy. And if you have sick days, take them! There’s no sense in coming to work sick or feverish and infecting others around you. If you’re able to take time off, it’s always best to do so.

If it’s time for a deep cleaning in your office, don’t hesitate to call us- The Steam Team! We’ll have your office looking spectacular and germ-free in no time!

Rid Your Venetian Blinds of Dust, Dirt, & Grime

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Venetian blinds provide us with the privacy we need while helping our homes to look more warm and welcoming! But over time, blinds collect so much dust and dirt; eventually they need to be cleaned. We know this may not be the easiest of household chores, so we’ve come to help!

When homeowners set out to clean their window blinds, they typically choose one of a few routes: dry dusting/vacuuming, washing in a tub, or steam cleaning. All three methods have their advantages, but steam cleaning will provide you with the most efficient and satisfying results.

Dry Dusting

With a soft towel or microfiber cloth, you can wipe most of the dust and dirt particles off of your blinds. For the best results, frequently exchange dirty clothes for clean ones.

Tub Washing

Aside from steam cleaning, hand washing your blinds in a tub of warm, soapy water is definitely the most effective methods.

Start by filling your bathtub(s) with warm water, and add your favorite household cleaner or detergent. Gently remove your blinds from their brackets, scrub them down thoroughly in the tub, and hang them up to dry.

Steam Cleaning

The power of a steam cleaner will easily remove dust and dirt particles from almost any surface. Using a personal steam cleaner, leave the blinds open, and guide the steamer over each slat. You’ll be cleaning and drying your blinds simultaneously, making the process much more efficient!

When you finish one side, adjust the blinds to reach the opposite side. When all's said and done your venetian blinds should look and feel brand new. No more dust, no more grime.

We hope these tips help you as you set out to clean your blinds this weekend! And remember, if ever a project is too daunting, time consuming, or you’d just like a bit of expert advice, call us today! The Steam Team has all of the knowledge and skill that you need to keep your home looking bright and beautiful.

Mold, & All The Problems

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Have you ever noticed a musty, mildewy smell stemming from your basement, garage, bathroom, or laundry room? Mold is most likely to grow in damp places, areas that retain moisture. In perfect conditions, it can grow over the course of a short twenty four hours! Mold will grow both indoors and outdoors, and it uses multiple methods to enter our homes through doors, windows, heating and air conditioning, or vents!  Once mold has found us, it begins to fester, grow, and spread.

If left untreated, mold can carry many unhealthy, dangerous consequences. However, there are ways to control mold infestations and ensure the protection of your home, health, and wellness.

Health Concerns

Some people are more sensitive to mold than others, and therefore experience an array of health issues. A person affected by mold may present symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, eyes and throat irritation, or nasal stuffiness. Of course, if you have a mold allergy, unfortunately you’ll likely endure a more severe reaction. This is all the more reason to quickly get a handle on any mold issue that may present itself in your environment!

Call the Professionals Immediately

Upon discovering a mold infestation, you should immediately contact your local professional cleaning and restoration company. Mold is not an issue to take lightly; keep in mind that do-it-yourself methods of removing mold may not actually do the job. You’ll need the industrial-strength equipment and expansive knowledge base of a professional water restoration company… like us, The Steam Team!

We know how stressful and tiresome it is to deal with a mold issue in your home. We also know how imperative it is to solve the problem the right way. The moment you detect mold growth in your home, give The Steam Team a shout!

Indoor vs Outdoor Air: Which is More Polluted?

Indoor Air Quality Austin

It may be difficult to believe that the air you breathe indoors may be more polluted than the air you’d encounter outdoors. This fact is absurd, and only grows more unsettling as we consider that the amount of time we spend indoors versus outdoors is only increasing. All of this may leave us wondering where we can escape to, or at least what can be done to increase air quality. But first, let’s take a glance at a handful of causes to these indoor air pollutants!

What’s Polluting Indoor Air in Austin?

1. Tobacco Smoke

Tobacco smoke is a major pollutant, and its second hand smoke lingers in the air far longer, only to settle onto every surface present.  

1. Mold

Mold grows in lickity split and spreads even more rapidly. If you notice a mold issue in your home you’ll need to act quickly! It’s a good idea to call in a professional cleaning and restoration service to ensure that your home is thoroughly treated.

1. Poor Ventilation

Inadequate ventilation is one of the most common causes of indoor pollution. This also explains why you may feel worse in humid climates, or in the winter when the air conditioning isn’t running as frequently. Be sure to properly ventilate your home by utilizing kitchen fans or other exhaust fans, air conditioning units, ceiling fans, etc.

What Can Be Done?

Indoor pollutants can put our health at risk by causing irritated mucous membranes in our eyes, nose, or throat, and an array of other medical conditions. Symptoms are often masked by colds, flus, and other illnesses.  The best thing you can do for indoor pollutants is to eliminate the source(s), and thoroughly ventilate your home.

For a professional touch, consider hiring The Steam Team to thoroughly clean your home and reduce indoor air pollutants!. In no time at all, we’ll have your home looking and feeling pristine and, most importantly, healthy.

How to Rid Your Home of These 3 Common Odors

Professional cleaning in Austin, Texas

We’re all too  familiar with the particular odors that frequent our homes. We can treat some odors with light cleaning and a moderate use of air fresheners, but others are more persistent and difficult to remove. We’re here to review a few common household odors and how to treat them (not just mask them), so that your home may smell as fresh and clean as the day you moved in!

1. Pet Urine

Pets are notorious for causing many different kinds of yucky, icky odors. Even well-trained dogs can have accidents indoors, and well-cleaned litter boxes can still let off a special kind of stench.If left untreated, accident areas can stain, and urine can sink deep into carpet fibers and padding. Your pet may also feel the urge to repeatedly mark the area.

Most household cleaners are unable to adequately clean pet urine from carpet simply because they can’t reach deeply enough. Steam cleaning, however, uses extreme heat and high pressurized water to extract dirt, dust, and urine crystals from your carpet.

1. Other Carpet Odors

Carpet is comfortable and easy to walk on, but boy does it often end up the culprit of household odors! Inadequately treated stains and spills, dusty carpet, and worn down rugs are often sources of musty smells. It’s important to regularly clean carpets and upholstery, and consider calling a professional every few months!

1. Laundry Mold Smells

The lids on washing machines close too tightly to allow moisture to escape, causing a mildew scent to linger. To prevent this, regularly wash out your washing machine with a cycle of hot water, and two cups of bleach!

The Steam Team is a professional cleaning and restoration service, with years of experience handling water and fire damage, disaster cleanup, mold, household odors, and many more! We have the expertise and professional-grade equipment to finish any job, the right way. Don’t wait! Give The Steam Team a call today!

Indoor vs Outdoor Air: Which is More Polluted?

Steam Team Marketing Team at Trade Show

It may be difficult to believe that the air you breathe indoors may be more polluted than the air you’d encounter outdoors. This fact is absurd, and only grows more unsettling as we consider that the amount of time we spend indoors versus outdoors is only increasing. All of this may leave us wondering where we can escape to, or at least what can be done to increase air quality. But first, let’s take a glance at a handful of causes to these indoor air pollutants!

What’s Polluting Indoor Air?

1. Tobacco Smoke

Tobacco smoke is a major pollutant, and its second hand smoke lingers in the air far longer, only to settle onto every surface present.  

2. Mold

Mold grows in lickity split and spreads even more rapidly. If you notice a mold issue in your home you’ll need to act quickly! It’s a good idea to call in a professional cleaning and restoration service to ensure that your home is thoroughly treated.

3. Poor Ventilation

Inadequate ventilation is one of the most common causes of indoor pollution. This also explains why you may feel worse in humid climates, or in the winter when the air conditioning isn’t running as frequently. Be sure to properly ventilate your home by utilizing kitchen fans or other exhaust fans, air conditioning units, ceiling fans, etc.

What Can Be Done?

Indoor pollutants can put our health at risk by causing irritated mucous membranes in our eyes, nose, or throat, and an array of other medical conditions. Symptoms are often masked by colds, flus, and other illnesses.  The best thing you can do for indoor pollutants is to eliminate the source(s), and thoroughly ventilate your home.

For a professional touch, consider hiring The Steam Team to thoroughly clean your home and reduce indoor air pollutants!. In no time at all, we’ll have your home looking and feeling pristine and, most importantly, healthy.

Halloween Cleaning: Scaring Away Post-Party Damage

It’s finally that time of year… Time to dim the lights, hang the cobwebs, light the jack-o-lanterns, and play that spooky music! This Halloween, you can throw your most boo-tastic bash yet, without bearing the stress of the cleanup! With these tips on how to remove common post-party stains, you’ll have nothing to fear (except those cobwebs, of course).

Common Carpet Stains

1. Chocolate

Chocolate melts quickly and if we’re not careful, we often drop crumbs that go unnoticed until they’ve melted into our furniture or flooring. If this happens, scrape up all excess chocolate and vacuum over the area. Then dampen the cloth with cold water and detergent, and rub the stain in a circular motion.

1. Hard Candy

Jolly Ranchers, Lifesavers, Sweet Tarts... candies like these can also melt into our carpets and become a gruesome, gooey disaster. Grab a butter knife, and like before, scrape away as much excess candy as you can. Dampen a sponge in warm water and scrub (circular motion again) the stained area until the remainder of the candy pieces are gone. When most of it has been removed, massage half teaspoon of dishwashing soap into your carpet, and dab clean with a wet cloth!

1. Make Up

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Your Halloween costume looked scary realistic, but now your carpet is a nightmare. Don’t panic! Makeup is oily and smears easily, but if you act quickly, you’ll be able to protect your carpet from staining. This time, after removing the excess, use isopropyl rubbing alcohol and a white cloth to blot the stain. But remember not to rub in a circular motion; you could harm your carpet’s texture.

This season, if your carpet is in need of professional attention either before or after your party, be sure call The Steam Team! We can’t be spooked by even the scariest of stains!