• Carpet should be dry within 1 – 24 hours.  Drying time can vary based on the type of carpet fiber, the soil level, humidity, and airflow.  Review our drying tips for more information.
• Avoid walking on freshly cleaned, damp carpet.  If that is not possible, wear clean, white socks, inside shoes, or ask us for a free pair of shoe covers.
• We recommend waiting 24 hours or until the carpet is dry to replace furniture.

• The cleaning solutions we use are environmentally friendly. We use them according to manufacturer’s directions and SDS Sheets. They have been on the market for over 30 years and are used daily by thousands of companies in thousands of homes and workplaces.
• We have successfully cleaned for people with allergies and chemical sensitivities, however every individual is different. If you are very sensitive, you may consider leaving the home while we are working and have a friend or family member present.
• We also offer a green cleaning solution made of only food grade ingredients, however it may have limited cleaning ability.  If you are interested in this, just ask us!

• Absolutely not!
• However, this was true several years ago when shampooing carpets was the common method of cleaning.  The shampoo could not be properly extracted from the carpet with the tools at the time, so dirt would quickly attract to the sticky, soapy, shampooed areas.  Thus, the carpet would get dirtier, faster.
• These days, Distinctive uses the hot water extraction or “steam cleaning” method of cleaning.  Our modern-day carpet cleaning tools, truck-mounted machines and experienced technicians apply the correct amount of cleaning solution, rinsing action, and vacuum to properly clean your carpet.  Our cleaning method will not leave a soapy residue to attract soil.
• Our cleaning technique involves not over-wetting your carpet.  Some cleaners soak your carpet with water and their cleaning solution, but don’t have the patience to vacuum 100% of it out.  That means they are leaving, not only their water and cleaning solutions behind, but also the dirt and germs within your carpet!  Distinctive takes more time cleaning, because that is what is required to truly extract all of the dirt from your carpet.

• No.   If a carpet is cleaned correctly, using cleaning solutions within the carpet manufacturers pH requirements, the protector is not removed.  If high alkaline pH cleaning products are used, they can remove the protective coating.
• However, abrasive soil and foot traffic will flake or rub off the protective coating.  When this happens, dirt has the ability to grab hold of the fiber and stick.  The carpet will now appear to soil faster.  The good news is that carpet protector can be reapplied to the fibers after it is professionally cleaned to restore what has been worn off.  The fiber manufacturers indicate that after two years, there will be a significant loss of the original protector.  Carpet protector should be reapplied annually, especially in heavy use areas.  When you keep the fibers completely protected, your carpet will look cleaner longer and emergency spot cleaning will be easier and more effective.
• Learn more about the benefits of protecting your carpet here

• It is easier to clean the carpet after it has been stretched.  If the carpet is being stretched it must be 100% dry.  If carpet is properly stretched, cleaning should not affect it.  Occasionally some carpets may ripple or bloat after cleaning but will typically return to their original look after they dry.

• Distinctive uses the Hot Water Extraction Method, or “steam cleaning,” which is the only recommended cleaning method by all carpet manufacturers. 

• No.  We thoroughly clean deep down into the fibers to remove dirt and stains.  Our equipment and cleaning technique ensures we do not over-wet your carpet and pad.

No, there is no need to vacuum the carpet after it has been cleaned.

The age of a stain doesn’t make much difference.  Professional spotting solutions and techniques can remove many challenging stains, even if they have been there for years.  A paint stain is one exception.  As paint dries, it cures and this can make some types of paint more difficult to remove from carpet.  Cleaning attempts with the wrong product can make stains harder for us to remove.  See our Spot Removal Guide for help in choosing the right solution.

No, carpet cleaning does not wear or damage your carpet if the correct method and equipment is used.  Carpet cleaning is recommended by manufacturers and actually extends the life of your carpet by removing abrasive soil that can wear and damage carpet. 

Yes, wool carpet can be cleaned safely.  Distinctive has cleaning solutions that are safe for wool.  We can adjust the temperature of our cleaning solution to be safe.  

No.  There is a 110 gallon tank that holds the fresh water used for cleaning and a 2nd separate tank that holds the dirty waste water that is extracted while cleaning.  

Yes we can move furniture with sliders and then place it on protective blocks while the carpet dries. 

Review our preparation checklist to learn how you can save money by being prepared and having areas empty / mostly empty. 

We can also just clean the open traffic areas around furniture.