Fantastic odour neutralisation results in Gloucester.

Posted on August 5, 2022August 5, 2022 by Leanne Coelho

Pete was called to assist in this property in Gloucester where there were significant odour issues due to cat urine.

The first step in successful odour neutralisation is locating the source of the odour so it can be addressed. This is not always an easy process but is vital to ensure the odour can be successfully neutralised. Without addressing the source, the odour will persist.

Once the source of the odour is located, the area is thoroughly cleaned to remove any bacteria and soiling. This is what you can see Pete doing here using the water claw for a deep rinse extraction. Once all areas of the source of the odour are thoroughly cleaned we can be confident the area is decontaminated.

The source of the problem in this instance was carpets, hard floors and upholstery, where the surfaces were holding onto the odour molecules.

After all these areas had received a thorough deep clean, it was time to move on to tackling the airborne odour contaminants.

Where there are multiple sources of the odour, there are gases released into the air meaning the whole area needs to be deodorised.

Once all the cleaning is done, Pete used a ULV (Ultra low volume) fogger with a water-based odour counteractant to tackle the airborne odour molecules.

This fogging ensures all areas are decontaminated and are left smelling fresh and clean.

We recommend after fogging the property is left empty for a short while to allow the product to dissipate and get to all the areas it needs to without being disturbed.

We are IICRC trained in odour neutralisation, you can read more about this accreditation here.

Pete has done a fantastic job, the source has been decontaminated and the odour addressed meaning the home will be a much more sanitary, and fresh smelling place to be.

Please do get in touch if you have a persistent odour in your home, or commercial premises that needs addressing. We offer this service in Bath, Bristol, Swindon, Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Cardiff.

Dirty water from odour neutralisation cleaning

Let’s see some impressive results! Before and after our deep cleans in Cardiff, Stroud, Bristol, and North Somerset.

Posted on August 3, 2022 by Leanne Coelho

We understand that when you are booking a service you want to know what results you can expect. Whilst this does vary depending on many different factors, we thought you would like to see a few examples of some impressive stain removal results.

The images on the left show some tough stains Pete faced recently in Stroud.

As you can see on the right, Pete’s hard work means you would never know there had been a stain there!

These impressive upholstery and carpet results were Sam’s hard work in Clevedon. This sofa had been stained by an unwell child and the carpet had seen a lot of footfall causing black marks and ground in dirt.

Sam has managed to achieve some really impressive results here, whilst still being environmentally friendly and using no harsh chemicals.

Domestic carpets get a rough deal, especially where children and pets are involved. Accidents and spillages are a part of day to day life but they can leave your carpets looking unappealing and unsanitary.

Here are some great examples of carpet cleaning in Cardiff recently where we have managed to remove the little accidents and make the carpets fresh and hygienic again as well as more resistant to any future spillages.

Certain areas on sofas, namely the arms and backs where heads rest, often get a lot of stains and marks. These can be from greasy hands, sweaty heads, spillages and general use, the more an area gets touched and used the more likely they are to get soiled.

Deep cleaning your sofa can make such a difference to the appearance as well as to the whole feel of your home. The stripy sofa above has been rejuvenated, the colours are more vibrant and the fabric is sanitised.

Progress picture of upolstry cleaning in Gloucester — Progress picture of upholstery cleaning in Gloucester

As you can see, impressive results can be achieved with our green methods.

Sometimes though, staining can prove permanent and despite all our experience, procedures and tools, stains may remain. There are several factors that can impact how likely a stain is to be removed, for example organic fibres are more absorbent and will cling on to any dyes or stains and due to their nature are also more likely to brown.

We pride ourselves on our honest and upfront approach, if our technicians think that staining is likely to remain, we will always discuss this with you. We offer an iron clad guarantee, which you can read more about here.

If you have any carpets or upholstery that are in need of stain removal, or a freshen up, our deep cleaning eco friendly treatment is what you need!

Please do get in touch by using the button below, we would love to help you.

Successful Upholstery clean in Cheltenham

Posted on July 4, 2022August 5, 2022 by Linsey Morris

Our process for cleaning your upholstery involves many detailed steps to ensure a thorough deep clean in order to provide successful results.

Our first step is to pre-test the fabric so we are sure about what we are working with and which products will give the best results on that particular type of fabric. Natural fabric upholstery tends to not yield up stains as well as synthetic fabric. Watermarks in particular can prove to be permanent.

The next step is to vacuum the upholstery using our high powered vacuum cleaner, then we treat any noticeable stains. This particular piece of upholstery had very visible watermarks.

Our technician, Pete, used an acidic solution to begin with to suppress any further potential watermarking, then a single eco-friendly solution which dealt with the stains as well as delivering a deep-clean.

The third step is to apply an eco-sanitising pre-spray, this acts as a disinfectant whilst being environmentally friendly.

The final steps include rotary agitation which involves agitating the liquids through the fabric and bringing any dirt to the surface. The traditional rinse extraction, sometimes called steam cleaning is the final part of the cleaning process.

Rinse extraction is one of the most effective ways of thoroughly cleaning upholstery, not only can it remove stains & dirt but also allergens & pathogens.

In this instance the step by step process that our technician employed, successfully removed the stains including watermarks and left the upholstery looking clean & refreshed.

This full deep clean service that we offer is a also a green clean which demonstrates that you do not need harsh chemicals to get results.

If you would like more information, please use the contact us button below to get in touch.

How to keep your carpets looking great for longer.

Posted on June 7, 2022July 9, 2022 by Linsey Morris

When thinking about maintaining the upkeep of your home, we often think about decorating, garden makeovers, possibly a kitchen or bathroom renovation but the flooring, specifically the carpets are often overlooked.

The life expectancy of a carpet varies hugely based on the usage & care shown to it over the first few years following installation. Allowing soiling & stains to go untreated cuts their life-span down significantly.

Should you vacuum every day? Yes, nearly 85% of dirt found in carpets is bought in on peoples footwear. This dirt then sinks into the fibers of the carpet where it accumulates & therefore becomes more difficult to remove. The best way to beat this is to vacuum every day, preferably using a high quality vacuum cleaner.

Vacuuming carpets can also release any allergens that are embedded within the fibres into the air where they are then inhaled & potentially cause allergy symptoms. Choosing a machine that has a air (HEPA) filter will also effectively remove allergens & a fully sealed system to prevent them from purposely being released.

Deep clean of wool carpet in childs nursery in the Cotswolds 1

Conducting an annually or bi-annually professional carpet clean is also recommended. This involves a much more thorough deep clean & will ensure any remaining soiling is removed.

Always use a certified company for a hot water extraction to ensure that it is done properly.

If you have a spillage on your carpet, it will most likely stain the carpet if not treated straight away. Applying a good stain protector can significantly reduce the likelihood of spillages causing permanent staining, as long as you are able to address the issue fairly soon.

A stain protector can be applied after a professional clean has been performed or once you have bought a new carpet. Either way, a quality stain protector will help protect your carpets for longer.

Carpet stain protection in Bath and Bristol

Carpet repairs are something that doesn’t often cross peoples minds. However if you have damage to your carpet such as a burn, hole or permanent stain, this can potentially be repaired.

A successful repair depends on their being a donor piece of the same carpet available. This can either be an off-cut or taken from a cupboard or an out of the way area. Ideally there should be more donor carpet than the area that needs repairing.

After picture of a successful carpet repair in Bristol.

If you would like to enquire about any of the services we have mentioned in this article, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.

Thank you for reading!

Specialist velvet upholstery cleaning

Posted on September 5, 2021December 9, 2021 by GrrenManCleaning

Pure cotton velvet requires careful attention & is easy to damage through rinse extraction cleaning. Because it is a “cut pile”, the individual cotton threads will tend to compact when wet.

It is for this reason that many upholstery cleaning companies will either refuse to clean velvet, or insist on using large quantities of volatile solvents to do the job. Dry cleaning solvent has its place in the arsenal of a professional fabric cleaner, but will not yield particularly good results for a general clean.

The owner of this particular velvet sofa had informed us that their cat had urinated on the fabric multiple times & that the visible damage & odour needed professional attention.

Avoiding damage

This image & the (very dull!) video below demonstrate how wetting affects a velvet pile and- importantly- how using a velvet “boffin” brush can reset the pile & reduce the risk of damage.

Removing pet urine from velvet

Urine will always leave uric salts within fabric, which need neutralising & removing. This creates an interesting problem when the fabric is velvet, as we will usually be looking to use as little moisture as possible to avoid potential damage.

In this case, our technician applied a specific urine neutralising solution to the velvet in minimal quantities using a sponge, rather than spraying it directly onto the fabric. This reduced the chance of the pile collapsing & ensured that we were able to remove the cat pee odour.

Our team are IICRC approved in Odour Control & have a range of solutions & equipment to tackle most issues.

Conclusion: The final result (which, alas, we forgot to photograph) was an odourless, sanitised & visually clean velvet sofa which our client was delighted with. This type of work tends to take a little longer than standard upholstery cleaning, but we find it very satisfying when we can bring this luxury fabric back to its true potential condition.

If you have any questions about our professional velvet cleaning process, please get in touch.

Thank you for reading!

Odour Neutralisation in a cottage in Broadway

Posted on February 11, 2021December 9, 2021 by GrrenManCleaning

The Brief –

This week, three of our technicians were called out to conduct a full professional odour neutralisation clean for a start of tenancy in Broadway. The new owners had realised that the property smelled strongly of tobacco odours as a result of a long-term smoker in the property.

A certified IICRC company

Green Man are certified members of the IICRC & our technicians are trained to the highest standard in a wide range of services, including flood restoration & odour neutralisation.

The Odour Control Technicians Course teaches a rigorous & scientific approach to the causes of odours. Nicotene & smoke odour removal requires intensive cleaning with specialist solutions of all surfaces, including walls & ceilings…

Professional domestic decontamination services in Cheltenham
Odour neutralisation in Cheltenham
Domestic cleaning in Broadway 1
Professional cleaning services in the Cotswolds

Because of the “sticky” nature of deposits from tobacco smoke, traditional rinse extraction is an essential first approach to removing unpleasant smells from soft furnishings, such as curtains & upholstery.

Professional end of tenancy cleaning in Broadway

Porous surfaces such as stone require a longer contact time with the specialist cleaning solution, so we employ a foam-generating sprayer to ensure the “dwell time” of the product is increased.

There are many similarities between decontaminating a property (for Covid-19, or other pathogens) & eliminating odours. In both cases, all surfaces must be cleaned & sanitised prior to fogging. When the Covid-19 pandemic first began, we noted that many companies appeared offering to decontaminated commercial & domestic properties using fogging alone. This will not work.

Professional deodorisation using a fogger

Simply misting a product onto a dirty/dusty surface does not deal with either an odour issue or bacteria/viruses at their root cause.

Once we had completed a thorough clean of every surface in the property, we then conducted a professional fogging using an eco-friendly odour counteractant.

The purpose of fogging is to create a “fog” of particles only a few microns in diameter that are able to penetrate areas that cleaning cannot reach, and also interact with the molecules & micro-organisms that we are seeking to deactivate.

If you have any questions regarding professional odour neutralisation, decontamination or any of our services, please feel free to get in touch.

You can use the telephone numbers at the top & bottom of this page, or use our Contact page to email us.

Cleaning & sealing a Victorian tiled hallway

Posted on January 20, 2021December 9, 2021 by GrrenManCleaning

Many homes from the Victorian/Edwardian era contain skillfully laid tiled hallways. When they were originally installed, they would have then been cleaned & oiled at least once a week. In the more recent modern era, mopping is the main method of cleaning and brings with it a few issues.

“What has this floor been cleaned with?”

The chances are that most tiled floors are cleaned with a general detergent based solution. Over time, the sticky residues left by mopping with detergent accumulate in the grout lines and flaws in the tiles, attracting further dirt. If this is combined with insufficient rinsing, then you will find that entrance tiles can soon lose their vibrant colours beneath layers of soil.

This image shows a typical example. The floor is actually quite recent, but a regime of heavy footfall & standard mopping has lead to a dull, faded appearance.

After an initial survey to determine the quality of the installation & integrity of the tiles, our technician performed a simple test of the seal (this is done by pouring a small amount of water onto the surface of a section of tiles to see if the water is absorbed).

Any absorption indicates that the seal has failed & will require new applications of a sealant.

The Clean

Stage One:

First of all, we conduct a thorough sweep & dry extraction of all debris & loose material on the floor.

Stage Two:

Next, we apply an eco-friendly tile specific alkali cleaning solution to break down historic deposits of soil, grease and layers of ingrained detergent residues. We do this in stages, using either a rotary machine or a more specialist agitating device (example video below) to ensure the floor is scubbed as thoroughly as possible.

How we deep-clean & re-seal Victorian tiles

Stage 3:

After the cleaning solution has broken down the layers of dirt in the tiles, we extract the resulting slurry using a rinse extraction machine or a “wet pick-up”. We then clean & rinse the floor again using pure water only. This tends to be the last stage of Day 1.

Stage 4:

On Day 2, only after the floor is completely dry, we begin applying the new layers of seal. The type of seal depends on the preferred finish type of the homeowner – in this case, we were instructed to put down a satin finish. After the initial layer has been applied, we allow the seal to dry or “cure” before applying further coats.

“A completely reinvigorating facelift”

After 3 layers of sealant have been applied, the job is complete.

You can see in the image opposite that not only have these tiles been deeply cleaned, but that their colours are now enhanced.

This is the beauty of applying the right type of seal – you are protecting your floor from scuffs & spills, as well as giving the very first area of your home that people see a completely reinvigorating facelift.

If you have any questions regarding the cleaning, sealing or general maintenance of your floor tiles, or any type of stone or laminate flooring, please do get in touch using either our CONTACT page, or by calling your local branch of Green Man using the number at the top of the page.

Thank you for reading.

TV series upholstery cleaning under Covid!

Posted on November 20, 2020December 9, 2021 by GrrenManCleaning

Yesterday, our senior technician Rodney Gray attended a TV location to conduct a commercial upholstery clean.

The situation

The modern looking suite had sat on a shelf in one of the large London prop-houses and had become dusty and probably a little damp. The shoot was imminent & the upholstery needed a professional deep clean to a high standard.

The need for a quick response was clear & we despatched our most experienced technician within 24 hours.

A professional deep-clean of props that have been hired presents an interesting situation. The items do not belong to the tv production team, so if these sofas & armchairs were damaged, the production company (and then us!) become liable. Every upholstery clean we conduct begins with a careful pre-test. There are endless combinations of fabric types that are used by furniture manufactures. Some of these (such as Haitian cotton, viscose, velvet etc.) can be challenging to clean without damage.

The clean

Because of Covid-19 restrictions and, quite probably, the franticness of work on-set, an area outside had been prepared for us. This was ideal as it was a lovely day for drying – some late Autumn sun & a light breeze.

Professional commercial upholstery cleaning in Bristol

After the initial tests were done, we confirmed the fabric was suitable for a deep clean.

Our eco-friendly process follows the full professional specification to ensure all dry soil is recovered prior to stain treatments, rinse extraction (“steam cleaning”) and post-clean checks.

Professional commercial upholstery cleaning on a film set

The image above demonstrates the poor condition of the fabric. Our technician has applied our eco-sanitising pre-spray and is about to brush this in to work the solution evenly throughout. Once wet, fabrics often reveal their true condition. This also means that it can be difficult to determine the success of a clean until the item is fully dry.

The image also displays the Sapphire upholstery tool. This remarkable piece of kit enables us to rinse extract upholstery without actually “firing” the rinse solution into the fabric. The video below demonstrates the principle (see 1:10) :

The work went well and a large amount of soiling was recovered. Our cleaning methodology sanitises as part of the process. On an extremely Covid sensitive site, this was an additional bonus for the production team.

Thank you for reading!

Marmoleum polish & repair at The Corinium Museum, Cirencester

Posted on November 18, 2020December 9, 2021 by GrrenManCleaning

This week, the Green Man team were working in the impressive new extension at The Corinium Museum, Cirencester. The museum houses a fine collection of large Roman mosaics from the 2nd and 4th century, and a wide array of artefacts from the Roman town of Corinium. The new extension is designed as a narrative through time and describes the evolution of the Cotswolds from a prehistoric landscape to more civilised times.

Damaged marmoleum

During the renovation of this part of the gallery, contractors fitted brand new marmoleum flooring. Unfortunately, a shallow gouge occurred in the floor after it had been laid-

These types of shallow scrapes present multiple challenges.

Sometimes it is easier if the damage is deeper, as it allows for the repair to bond with the marmoleum more fully.

Before attempting to repair the damage, it was important to ensure the surface was clean…

Cleaning this flooring begins with a thorough removal of loose soil & debris to ensure that there is nothing abrasive left prior to machine cleaning…

In the image, you can see our technician Pete wielding the mighty “scissor” (dry) mop. This is an especially handy tool for sweeping large areas of commercial hard flooring.

After we had removed as much loose material as possible, it was time to apply a cleaning solution & agitate the flooring.

Forbo, the manufacturers of marmoleum, specify their own cleaning solution and method of clean.

We applied the product & agitated the floor with a lightly abrasive white pad. This works the solution evenly across the floor, as well as helping to lift out any stubborn or sticky soils.

After the cleaning solution has been agitated & dwelt sufficiently on the marmoleum, it needs to be rinsed off the surface using a wet vac.

This ensures no residue remains and leaves the flooring streak-free.

The floor dried very quickly, which meant we could begin to address the marmoleum repair.

Repairing marmoleum

On this occasion, our work was made more difficult becuase the damage ran across two differing types of marmoleum.

Firstly, a paste is made by mixing a powdered sample of the same type of marmoleum & an appropriate type of glue. This is placed into the areas of damage.

This is then carefully pushed into the gouge to ensure the best chance of adhesion…

The paste is then allowed to dry, ideally overnight.

Once dry, the area of repair is sanded down to the level of the floor. This leaves a flat surface which is easily distinguished, owing to its lack of reflectivity.

This area now requires additional cleaning to remove the fine debris from the in-fill. Following the clean, the area is force dried & several layers of marmoleum polish are applied.

The result

To be honest, the result in this instance was not perfect. Marmoleum is designed to be repairable, but the more heavily patterned styles hide repairs much more easily. As you can see from the image, the lighter area of flooring is more forgiving of the repair.

What we certainly managed to achieve here was a level finish. Those involved with the fitting of marmoleum will confirm that achieving an invisible repair with the simpler designs of this flooring type is practically impossible. Over time, the accumulations of cleaning & polishing will help to blend out the areas of repair.

Importantly, we had done our best to manage our client’s expectations from the start. No-one wants to send brand new pieces of marmoleum to the tip, so often it makes sense to attempt repair first.

We would like to thank Amanda Hart (Museum Director) for her kind assitance and for making our time in The Corinium Museum an interesting & valuable experience.

Thank you also for reading!

Charity upholstery clean in Stroud

Posted on November 13, 2020December 9, 2021 by GrrenManCleaning

Last week, our technicians Adrian & Ellie gave up their time to conduct a free upholstery clean for the members of Frith Youth Centre in Stroud.

Frith Youth Centre aims to help young people develop through guidance, education, and teamwork, providing empowering opportunities toward interdependence. Most of these are in the form of Youth Drop-Ins with positive activities.

It will come as no surprise to learn that the youth centre’s sofas have withstood some robust use over last few years…

Environmentally friendly sofa cleaning in Stroud 1024x760 1

What is involved in a professional upholstery clean?

The first thing we did here was assess the condition of the fabric. As in any family home, fabric is affected by wear (sometimes in the form of teenagers jumping on it), and through an accumulation of soils (from spillages, contact with greasy hands, dust etc.). Our process is carefully specified to ensure that every aspect of potential soil is addressed.

Here is a basic outline of our method:

Vacuum the fabric – this removes as much dry soil as can be recovered in this way
Stain treatments – to ensure that specific marks (chewing gum, tea, coffee, takeaways…) are given the right chemical solution to render them soluable for the final rinse process
Application of a pre-spray – the solutions we use are eco-friendly and safe for pets/humans. They break down the tougher greases and dirt.
Agitation – for this part, we use either a motorised brush or a “boffin” brush to work the solution evenly throughout the upholstery fabric
Dwell – this is the period of time required for our solutions to work properly
Rinse extraction – sometimes called “steam cleaning”, this is the noisy part where we flush all the soiling from the fabric & simultaneously recover it with a powerful vacuum
Final touches – sometimes we will need to leave an air-mover to accelerate drying, sometimes the knap of the fabric will need grooming to ensure an even finish

Eco friendly upholstery cleaning in Stroud 1024x455 1

The result

The sofas responded extremely well and a huge improvement was made. Not only this, but our method will sanitise the upholstery we work on which leaves a safer and more pleasant environment for everyone.

Here are Bev Roesen’s thoughts about the day’s work:

“Ade and Els have transformed the sofas in our youth club!

The sofas had been used and abused for years – full of stains, marks and smells. They worked tirelessly until they were perfect and then used a treatment on them that will prevent regular marking. We feel confident that they are completely clean and sterile for when we reopen, particularly because of coronavirus.

They were friendly, chatty, knowledgeable and we appreciate their efforts so much. It’s made a huge difference for the young people using our club. I will recommend highly. Bev (Administrator, Frith Youth Centre)”

– It was our pleasure.

Thank you for reading.