Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned

5/19/2020 (Permalink)

Let us help you get back to business

As our communities re-open, we’re all moving back toward a new kind of normal. The expectations of visitors, customers, and employees who come into our establishments have evolved, and staying safe and well is a top concern. The global COVID-19 pandemic has changed what it means to be clean, and we’ve developed a program to help your business meet the new higher standard of clean that is now expected.

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned is a defensive cleaning program we’re offering to businesses and commercial locations to address the current COVID-19 pandemic. This proactive viral pathogen cleaning program goes well beyond janitorial or carpet cleaning. By choosing Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, you, your employees, your customers, and your community can rest assured that you’ve selected a higher cleaning standard – you are Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned.

Extensive training and specialized products

As the #1 choice in cleanup and restoration*, we stand on more than 50 years of experience and expertise to help your business become Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned.  Beyond fire & water, SERVPRO professionals are trained and experienced in biohazard decontamination and chemical spills – always adhering to the cleaning and decontamination standards set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local authorities. 

From formulating and creating our proprietary cleaning products, like SERVPROXIDE, at our headquarters in Gallatin, TN, to taking the utmost care while disinfecting, we will ensure you and your business are set up to inspire consumer confidence as the economy continues to reopen.

3 C’s – Consult, Clean, and Certify

When the stakes are this high, you want a partner who has developed an industry leading, proprietary training program, cleaning solutions, and remediation processes over decades. We’ve cleaned up some of the most challenging biohazards imaginable. Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned reflects our unique experiences and capabilities. The program is grounded with our unique 3 C’s: Consult, Clean, and Certify.

• Consult – Every business is different, which is why you’ll be assigned a Cleaning Protocol Consultant who understands your business and will create a cleaning program to meet your specific needs. This program will be developed based on your business type, size of space, amount of high frequency touchpoints, foot traffic and congestion points.
• Clean – Based on your specific business needs, your location will undergo a thorough, deep clean, using exclusive cleaning products, according to protocols set forth by the CDC. Our employees have years of experience, and we will go beyond the scope of work that regular janitorial staff perform. Cleanup procedures generally include cleaning of porous and non-porous surfaces, disinfecting of non-porous surfaces, cleaning and disinfecting of equipment, tools, and/or supplies used for cleanup process, and disposal of hazardous materials.  In the event of a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 event, we will be there cleaning within 24 hours to ensure you get back to business as quickly as possible. 
• Certify - Once your business location has been Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, you will gain access to proprietary signage, digital emblems, and other collateral that communicates that you’ve selected a higher standard of clean available to help protect your employees and customers. And because we add the day, month, and year to that proprietary stamp of clean, your guests will know that not only did you choose Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned,but that your location is being cleaned regularly at this standard.

Call today for a Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned consultation

We’re Here to Help – 24 hours a day, seven days a week – until life is back to normal in the communities we all call home.

The Science Behind Odors and Deodorization

12/4/2019 (Permalink)

Odors emanate from a variety of sources.  There is the off-gassing of incomplete combustion, decomposing organic matter, building materials, water intrusion, etc.  An individual must understand how to perceive odors to rectify them as well as become a private investigator/detective.  Psychological odor is what people think they smell based on suggestions, past impressions, or experiences, but do not actually exist.  However, while one person might not smell an odor, that doesn't mean it does not exist.  Women have more keen sense of smell than men and as we age, we lose our sense of smell.  Real and psychological odors are equally important and must be attacked in satisfying the deodorizing job.  When deodorizing, a wise technician always considers the effect of both real and psychological odors and provides services to eliminate both.  We have an assortment of chemicals and equipment that makes our task in resolving these odors much easier. However, not all odors can be terminated if their source is not found.  A technician must ask the right questions, similar to a private investigator or detective, to identify the source of the odor. When doing so, the technician will need to clear their mind of any preconceived assumptions such as automatically assuming the source is urine if there are animals in the home.

Decontaminating a Former Meth House

12/4/2019 (Permalink)

We recommend testing every room in the property first. If they only cooked meth in the basement, and it didn't filter upstairs and the levels upstairs are low, then we can save them on the decontamination because we only have to take care of the basement and not the upstairs. Plus, once the decontamination process is complete, the team only has to retest the areas where levels were above the acceptable limit instead of testing the whole home.  If a home needs decontamination, we first have to dispose of everything that cannot be properly decontaminated.  We are talking about porous items like carpet, padding, window blinds that may be hard to clean, a range hood or exhaust vents in a bathroom.  Sometimes, entire duct systems have to be thrown out too.  Some of the flexible ducting gets meth residue trapped, and is difficult to clean.  Then you must HEPA vac every square inch of the property. You have to start with a clean surface, then you use a chemical that is designed to breakdown and neutralize the meth chemical residue left behind.

Botanical Antimicrobials

12/4/2019 (Permalink)

Antimicrobials were traditionally always assumed to be toxic to humans as well as the organisms they were intended to kill.  Botanicals revolutionized the antimicrobial world by producing the very first disinfectant approved by the EPA that did not require any human health warnings on the label.  Unlike synthetic chemistries, botanicals use thyme oil as the active ingredient which doesn't affect humans.  It's deadly to microorganisms, but it's part of the human diet and regularly found as a spice in food.  Without the human health issues as a concern, the EPA didn't require the use of PPE when applying a botanical antimicrobials either.  They also didn't require it to be rinsed off after a surface application.  When botanical antimicrobials first hit the market they were lumped in with all the other "green" products and people easily dismissed them thinking they didn't work as well.  When in fact, in order for a product to make a public health claim (like "kills germs"), the product must be registered with the EPA. Botanicals went through all the same standardized testing and passed with flying colors.  That is the EPA's way of telling the public that the product did do what it says it's going to do.

Contents Pack Out

10/3/2019 (Permalink)

Sometimes knowing what not to do can be the most valuable information a person, or in this case a business, can have in their toolbox.  When I packed out my first contents job five years ago, there were definitely some warning signs I wish someone had posted for me.  Let me tell you it would have made the job a whole lot smoother.  I managed to complete the job with few issues and my client was ecstatic in the end, giving me a raving testimonial.  But the pack out itself was harder and way more stressful than it needed to be because I didn't know what not to do.  First, don't use unprofessional equipment and supplies. Do not go to the big box stores and buy off the shelf boxes that are not standard in size and are flimsy in construction.  Use an appliance dolly to move appliances. Don't skip steps.  The magic is in the details.  And lastly, give your client control. There is never a time during a contents restoration job and especially during the pack out process that a homeowner should feel not in control of their items. 

Duct Cleaning Protocol

3/28/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of High Point uses a portable ventilation and air duct cleaning system to examine ductwork and make a clean sweep, removing years of dust and grime.  The process begins by using patented equipment, including a roto-scraper, which automatically adapts to the duct's shape and diameter while traveling through the duct, removing debris and filth before vacuuming begins.  Next, a powerful push-pull air delivery and collection system tranfers the debris from the ducting to a 16-gallon container.  Air is filtered through a HEPA filtration system, removing 99.97 percent of the particles in the airstream.  HEPA filters capture debris and keep the indoor environment clean.  As an optional process, a sealant or coating product may be sprayed to address odor or microbial concerns.  Filters will either be cleaned or replaced to remove odor and dirt. Finally, an HVAC company may be recommended for a blower wheel cleaning and evap coil cleaning.

Cleaning Animal Stains

10/22/2018 (Permalink)

Cats may be considered one of the cleanest animals and dogs may be man's best friend, but neither is necessarily a carpet's best friend. Neglected animal stains have always been a problem. Two types of reaction can take place between the chemicals in the urine and those in the fiber dye. Some dyes change color as soon as urine comes in contact with them. Often original color can be restored by immediate addition of a weak solution of ammonia and white vinegar. Pick an inconspicuous area of the carpet and test small amounts of solution to determine its effect on the fiber and dye. The other change develops slowly over a period of several months and results in permanent change of fiber dye. Along with the dye change, some fibers become weakened or destroyed. After cleaning, these areas are more obvious because the soil, which hid the true color, has been removed.

Stains

10/22/2018 (Permalink)

Sometimes stains are hidden by soil and revealed after cleaning. These stains, which did not immediately cause discoloration, are usually from spilled liquids containing colorless sugar which remains on the fibers. After long exposure to the air, hidden stains change to insoluble brown stains, but are not always noticed because of dirt covering them. Other kinds of stains can be caused by water soaking through and absorbing sizing, browning or fugitive dyes from the backs of the material. Because the fibers act as wicks, moisture will rise to the surface and evaporate, and discoloration will be left. Carpet owners who try to remove stains by using the wrong cleaning compounds and procedures may make the stained areas more noticeable. To lessen the possibility of stain damage, immediate action should be taken. Call SERVPRO of High Point to learn how to remove the spot safely before it becomes a permanent stain.

Hire The Right Contractor

7/31/2016 (Permalink)

Carpet cleaning by the lowest bidder.

If this is your idea of a carpet cleaning…you may want to keep our phone number close at hand.  Carpet cleaning is not expensive and should be done routinely but buyer beware…if you don’t hire the right company you can end up with too much water and chemicals left in your carpet which can lead to additional problems that you did not want.  Hire the right company and you won’t have a problem.  Hire this guy and you will have a bigger problem than stains on your carpet…you will have mold on your carpet! And mold is an entire different story altogether!  Not only does it smell bad, but it can cause permanent damage to your carpet and it will need to be replaced!

Spring Is Here…Are Your Ducts Clean?

4/18/2016 (Permalink)

If you have not cleaned your ducts in the last year they might look like this one.

When the words “Spring Cleaning” become a common conversation topic everyone begins to think of cleaning out closets, cleaning the floors, walls, ceilings, garage, attic, and even sprucing up the yard.  However, one topic that rarely comes up is cleaning out the HVAC ducts.  On average Americans spend 93 percent of their time indoors which can be problematic if your home or work has poor air quality due to ducts that have not been cleaned.  According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) indoor air pollution levels are often higher than outdoor levels. 

Dirty HVAC system ducts can circulate odors, mold spores, and dust particles throughout your home or office.  Keeping your duct work clean not only provides fresh clean air but can also extend the life of the equipment by allowing it to consistently operate at peak condition.  A certified professional can clean your ducts and provide you with a clean environment and a better performing HVAC system.  An inspection of your HVAC system can save you money, provide you peace of mind and prolong the life of your equipment.

So contact your franchise professional today and add Duct Cleaning to your “Spring Cleaning” routine.