Fruit juice poured over a carpet strip with Chem-Dry Fabric Protector (left) and without (right), then rinsed off.

Is your carpet protected? Are you sure? We ask customers these questions often. You see, regular traffic and wear of carpets, such as vacuuming, removes the initial protectors placed in carpets and fabrics by manufacturers. With our Chem-Dry Fabric Protector, your fabrics and upholstery can maintain their best look.

The Chem-Dry Fabric Protector forms an invisible barrier against dirt and stains, and because it is water repellent, spills won’t penetrate the fabric. This protection allows for easy clean up with a white cloth or towel.

Over time and with regular wear, factory applied protection for stain resistance can wear off. Cornerstone Chem-Dry can restore the original stain resistance of fabrics and carpets by applying Chem-Dry’s Fabric Power Guard Protector, which will refresh the performance of stain resistant carpets and fabrics, fortifying its ability to resist soil and stain.

Applying Chem-Dry Fabric Protector to your carpets, fabric furniture, and even in your fabric-upholstered cars (yes, cars!) is a great way to save money between deep cleanings. Protecting the fabric greatly extends the life of the carpet or furniture, as well as reduces the frequency of professional deep cleaning.

The benefits of applying Chem-Dry Fabric Protector to your carpets and fabrics include:

• Creates a high-quality shield around each fiber
• Environmentally safe for use around family and pets
• Soil protection for all types of fabrics and carpets
• Repels liquids such as wine, juice, and other staining agents
• Extends the life of your carpet or fabric investment
• Improves the ability to more effectively clean and care for carpeted and fabric surfaces

For more information on how Chem-Dry Fabric Protector can benefit you and your home, along with our new technology in carpet, tile, grout, and specialty leather cleaning processes, please contact us at 877-685-9663. A quick little chat with us can help you better understand what’s best for your particular situation.

P.S. Take a look at our YouTube video below to discover just how effective the Chem-Dry Fabric Protector can be! Truly awesome stuff!

Carpet beetles are those which are known to eat material substances found in your carpet, upholstery, drapes, or other similar items in your home. When adult beetles find their way inside, such as cut flowers being brought in or open doorways or crevices, these eerie little critters can create a huge headache for you—a potential costly one at that!

Carpet beetles can feed on many items in your home, not just carpet! These items can include:

• Wool carpets, rugs or clothing
• Animal skins and furs
• Stuffed animals
• Leather
• Hair
• Silk
• Dried plants

Walk around your home every once in a while and look to see if you find reddish or yellow-brown larvae. Carpet beetles will not only feed on wool or other fibers found in homes, but also feed on the soiled dirt found within dirty carpets and furniture. These destructive pests are known to cause more damage than the infamous closet moths. This is but one of the many reasons for keeping your carpets and upholstered furniture cleaned on a periodic basis.

Vacuuming – Important, but Not Sufficient

It is important to understand that carpet beetles do not feed off of synthetic materials. Don’t be misled by their name. Many believe that it is the carpet itself that carpet beetles feed on, when in fact it is the soils within carpets that make a good meal for the larvae. Having the imbedded grease or remains from basic human existence within your carpets and other materials is most often not visible to the naked eye.

Generally, when most of our customers request carpet cleaning it is usually for aesthetic purposes: getting out the stains. We at Cornerstone Chem-Dry work to build the awareness of the serious effects that may arise from allowing your carpets to build up unseen soils.

What You Can Do

It’s easy. Regularly vacuum and clean your carpet and upholstery to remove the surface soils. You should also have your carpets professionally cleaned by someone—preferably Cornerstone Chem-Dry of course!

We are professional carpet and upholstery cleaners that have the equipment and revolutionary Chem-Dry cleaning process that effectively deep cleans your home where grocery and Home improvement stores-rented equipment does not compare. You get what you pay for, and with us—you get a whole lot more. Oh, not to mention the super speedy dry time!!!

For more information about the cleaning services we office, continue to browse our website. You may also call us anytime at 877–685–9663. At Cornerstone Chem-Dry, we’re your source for a safe, green cleaned home!

Tavertine tile floor before we worked our magic.

For those of you with tile and stone flooring in your home, I can almost bet that at some point you’ve spent some time on your hands and knees trying to clean the stained spots in your tile grout, scrubbing, and scrubbing – and scrubbing. That’s hard work, especially for your knees!

There are many do-it-yourself suggestions out there for cleaning the stains in your grout or getting your tile floor looking its best. Many tile and grout cleaning products can be ineffective—some can even damage or bleach your grout. We offer a few solutions that you can simply and easily apply to obtain like-new tile and grout without the hard work.

• Ensure Clean and Seal Spray – A ready–to–use cleaner/sealer designed to clean and reseal porous tile, stone and grout.
• Tile and Stone Clean & Seal Wipes – Convenient pretreated wipes that are designed to clean and protect porous tile, stone and grout. Ensure Clean and Seal is safe to use on all porous natural stone, man–made tile, and grout.
• Renew Cleaner Concentrate – Use in between professional tile, stone and grout cleaning. A neutral cleaner used for routine maintenance and safe for all stone and tile.
• Radiance Polish – Enhance the sheen of natural stone such as marble, granite, travertine, and limestone with this remarkable stone polisher.

We are also currently running a special for $50.00 off for the cleaning and re-sealing of

Tavertine tile floor after our cleaning process.

your tile and grout floors. So make sure you give us a call and ask about this.

Although your tile floors may be restored to their original beauty by us or our cleaning solutions, it is important to remember a few care tips for the daily maintenance of your floors:

• Clean spills immediately – The porous material of grout causes staining agents to absorb quickly
• Wear sock or slippers – Walking on your floors whether tile, wood or vinyl, is comparative to taking sandpaper and rubbing it on the floor surface. Yes, your shoes act the same as sandpaper while the friction of walking combined with the dirt on the bottom of your shoes scratches the surface causing a dull appearance or even more visible damage.
• Regular cleaning – Our recommendation is to have your tile and grout cleaned every 18 – 36 months

For more quick tips on cleaning your tile and grout floors, or for more information on how Cornerstone Chem-Dry can help you out, give us a shout at 877–685–9663. Ask for me, Erika Herman! Oh, and don’t forget about the $50 off your next tile and grout cleaning services.

There’s Dirty and then There’s Dirt

The primary carrier for dirt in carpets would obviously be our shoes. The soiling brought into carpet by our shoes will tend to differ from the dirt substances brought onto upholstery.

In the studies of the cleaning industry, one of the many aspects is determining water-based and oil-based substances. As we sit and live upon the furniture in our homes, culprits for upholstered contaminants can include:

• Soiling such as shedding skin cells
• Sweat and oils from our skin
• Air-borne and clothing-borne soils
• Dander, etc.

According to What are Fluoro Chemical Protectors and How They Work by Dr. Aziz, PHD Chemist, “[Dirt repelling agents] for carpets are designed more for soil resistance than for water or oil resistance, whereas the ones designed for upholstery emphasize more oil and water repellency”.

Cornerstone Chem-Dry Upholstery Cleaning

Many upholstery cleaning companies in Dallas/Fort Worth often use cleaning agents which can result in leaving a dirt-attracting residue. Our aim at Cornerstone Chem-Dry is to clean your home and leave it with a longer-lasting effect rather than a short-term, “look-good” job with short-term benefits.

Once our professional upholstery cleaning technicians have restored your furniture pieces to their intended beauty, we would like to extend a few tips for keeping your newly-cleaned upholstery in good condition:

• Vacuuming the fabric on a regular basis eliminates heavy build-up and soil becoming embedded
• Clean spills immediately, remembering to blot and never to rub
• Turning and fluffing cushions regularly to avoid clumping or sunken spots
• Smoke outdoors or away from upholstery to limit the staining and yellowing of nicotine tar
• Position furniture away from direct sunlight to cut down on fading and damaging effects
• Use the Cornerstone Chem-Dry fabric protectant for less soil penetration and easier cleaning

We Understand

We at Cornerstone Chem-Dry make ourselves available not only with the top-knowledge in upholstery care, but in locality. Since easy availability is important for us, we would like to extend a special welcome to those who live in Dallas, Collin, Denton, Rockwall, and Tarrant Counties.  No matter where you live in North Texas, from Rockwall to South Lake, Cornerstone Chem-Dry can clean and treat your home.

Call us today at 214-367-3938 or 877-685-9663 for more information on our Sofa and Loveseat Cleaning Special for only $150. Plus, ask about some of our professional Chem-Dry cleaning products that can help your furniture looking beautiful longer.

One more thing, yes—we clean and treat leather furniture as well.

Area rugs are generally those specifically selected to suit the shape and colors for just that right spot. After having made the effort for selecting the right rug, do you go the extra mile for the cleaning of your special selection so that your perfect rug maintains its proper place?

Cornerstone Chem-Dry would like to recommend some considerations, since, after all, this is one of the things we do best.

Yes, there are the local grocery store rentals and numerous carpet products available for the do-it-yourself’er. Making the assumption that area rugs differ only in color and style can be a huge disaster! Area rugs come in a vast array of cultural styles, authentic and replicates, weave type, treatment applications, and type of material.

Cultural Styles

To name a few, there are the Sisal from Brazil and Mexico, the Dhurrie from India, the Persian from Iran, and the oriental rugs from the Middle or Far East. While a great majority of area rugs purchased today are oriental rugs, it is important to note that there is also what is referred to as the oriental design rug. They are not made the same even though they look quite similar. Not knowing the difference could mean a mistake in cleaning. Cornerstone Chem-Dry is trained in knowing how to identify these differences so that the proper care may be applied.

Authentic vs. Replicates

Assuming a certain look as a rug type can lead to the same mistakes when dealing with an authentic rug versus a replicate since they are not the same. An authentic rug is made different from a replicated one and knowing whether a natural fiber is used versus a synthetic material could result is a ruined outcome. Some rugs will require a wet solution while others might constitute a dry cleaning method only. The drying time is also relevant. Drying should not exceed 48 hours; therefore, the proper amount of solution is important, otherwise molding may occur.

Weave Type

Cornerstone Chem-Dry’s trained technicians not only look for correct solutions for the cleaning of your area rug, but the proper method in the application process. Different weaving or techniques such as knotting or braiding will also require the proper methods and professional tools for the cleaning of area rugs.

Our Technicians

These are but a few of the considerations vital to the ending result in the cleaning of your area rug. Whether you own an authentic Persian or an Oriental replicate, allowing our professional technicians to make all the decisions for the cleaning process reduces your decision down to a simple call. By having the knowledge of proper area rug cleaning, we can make this a simple and stress free event for you.

If you would like more information on our in-plant area rug cleaning services, please feel free to give me a call at the office at 214-367-3938. We conveniently pick-up and drop-off the rugs, so you don’t have to do any work. Oh, and don’t forget to ask about our cleaning specials!

Freezing Pipes
Frozen water in pipes can cause water pressure buildup between the ice blockage and the closed faucet at the end of a pipe, which leads to pipes bursting at their weakest point. Pipes in attics, crawl spaces and outside walls are particularly vulnerable to freezing in extremely cold weather, where holes in your houses outside wall for television, cable or telephone lines allow cold air to reach them.

To keep water in pipes from freezing, take the following steps:

• Fit exposed pipes with insulation sleeves or wrapping to slow the heat transfer. The more insulation the better.
• Seal cracks and holes in outside walls and foundations near water pipes with caulking.
• Keep cabinet doors open during cold spells to allow warm air to circulate around pipes (particularly in the kitchen and bathroom).
• Keeps a slow trickle of water flowing through faucets connected to pipes that run through an unheated or unprotected space. You can even drain the water system, especially if your house will be unattended during cold periods.
• Cover all outside hose faucets.

Know Your Water Supply
Know where shutoff valves for the main water supply, certain appliances, sinks and toilets are located in your home. In the event of a leak, this will enable you to quickly shut off the appropriate valves before calling Cornerstone Chem-Dry. Consider shutting off your water supply if you will be away from home for a week or more.

Inspect your plumbing water lines and waste lines for leaks, damage or corrosion. If you notice problems, hire a licensed plumber for further inspection and repairs.

Protecting Your Home from Water Damage
Water Loss Mitigation Devices. Water damage can occur almost anywhere in your home. Frozen water lines as well as water-bearing appliances and fixtures, such as refrigerators with icemakers, dishwashers, washing machines, toilets and water heaters, are common sources of water leaks. The number of these sources in today’s homes has led to an increased risk of water damage.

Unfortunately, slow leaks from these appliances and fixtures are often impossible to see until it is too late. If a leak goes undetected, it can lead to rotting in the house frame and subfloors and can be a precursor to a catastrophic leak that releases several hundred gallons of water. Water loss mitigation devices may help prevent these problems, while also saving you money on your homeowner’s insurance premium.

Passive Leak Detectors
Passive leak detection systems are intended to alert you to a water leak. They generally sound an alarm tone within the home when a leak is detected. More advanced products may be connected to a centrally monitored fire and burglar alarm system, alerting you if a leak is detected – even when you are away from the home.

Passive leak detectors are helpful, but they do not provide the best method of protection from water leaks. The effectiveness of these systems depends on someone being in your home to take immediate action to stop the leak.

Active Leak-Detection Systems
Active leak-detection systems provide a more comprehensive solution. These systems not only alert you of a leak, but also stop the water flow before it can cause significant damage to your home. These devices are typically installed on your home’s main water supply line and instantly shut off water flow once a leak is detected.

The leak detection methods vary by product but typically include the detection of higher or longer-than-average water usage and/or the use of small sensors placed near areas that are more prone to water leaks, such as a hot water heater, appliances or under sinks.

Active leak-detection systems can be quite sophisticated. They may offer sensitivity variables such as “at home” and “away” modes that affect the speed in which they respond. They can allow for sprinkler systems or other water-use-intensive systems and do not infringe on your water consumption preferences, such as taking long showers.

In addition, active leak-detection systems can be connected to a “smart home” system and/or centrally monitored alarm system, which could alert you when you are away from home. Generally, active leak-detection systems start at $500 and can cost as much as several thousand dollars, depending upon the product features, labor rates, and size of the system.

Shut off the water source.
Move furniture off of carpet to avoid furniture stains. Call your homeowner’s insurance company to start a claim if the damage is extensive. Remember most homeowner’s policies have a deductible equal to 1-2 percent of your home value.

If a water damage emergency happens to you…
Call Cornerstone Chem-Dry at 877-685-9663  immediately. Our trained and certified water damage technicians are on call 24/7 and will be dispatched to your location.

At hand, you have so many choices to buy carpets in different textures, colors and different styles but no matter what your choices are you are aware that the cost will run into thousands of dollars. You choose these items because of their beauty and elegance; and it is a terrible feeling to watch your investment turn dull and drab, losing their appearance. Usual carpet cleaning and vacuuming will help to keep the appearance of your carpets and furniture.

It is found that more soil in the carpet is dry soil. Dry soil removal is possibly the most important step in the rug cleaning process. This soil can easily be removed when it is in the dry state by performing a thorough vacuuming. This makes your home look good and creates a good place to live in.

You require to get your carpet cleaned by an expert carpet cleaning company every once in a while. Choosing the exact carpet cleaning company can be quite a challenge. This is since you wish for a company that will do an excellent job and that too at a within your means rate.

There are numerous carpet cleaning companies in North Texas. A best way to ascertain the value of a carpet cleaning company is to take a look into their record to see how well they have done on their previous customers. You can also ask for references from your neighbors. There are some Dallas Carpet Cleaning companies, which provide best services to their customers. While choosing a carpet cleaning company ask for Carpet Cleaning Equipment and method, Carpet Cleaning Certification, price etc. This will act as an added advantage to your cleaning as you will be sure of the services and the dedication of the company.

Always use a full service Dallas carpet cleaning company like Cornerstone Chem-Dry. We are able to clean, repair and deal with stains or other problems all at once. It saves time and money in the long run. You can browse our Web site at www.co2cleaners.com/cornerstone. Here you can learn more about our family-operated business, as we’ve been serving the needs of customers in North Texas for more than 15 years.

1. Cornerstone Chem-Dry is honest in its advertising – there are no hidden fees.  Trust me on this one, you cannot get your carpets cleaned well for $49.  We do a lot of research and mystery shopping on these ads.  First of all, these carpet cleaners will use a cleaner with a high pH which will breakdown the protectant in your carpet immediately.  Second, their carpet cleaning solutions will leave a residue in your carpet which will attract dirt quickly to them so that spots will re-appear within a few weeks.  But most of all, they have hidden charges.  You may see fine print that says “heavily soiled areas may require additional charge” or “ some carpets may require pre-conditioning.” EVERY time we call and shop these cleaners, we are told when we ask (if you don’t ask, they don’t tell you until they are at your home) about heavily soiled carpets, that there will be a 25 cent per square foot additional charge (or $20 per room or similar) for soiled carpets….. what are they there for if it is not to clean your carpets?  There should not be an extra charge for that!  Cornerstone Chem-Dry only charges additional for restorative cleaning – such as pet urine removal, red stains, ink or rust/coffee not just your normal every day spots and spills.   They advertise cheap prices with no intention whatsoever of delivering on this offer. Instead, they use it just to get in the door, where they will use all sorts of hig pressure sales tactics to increase the bill.
2. Chem-Dry is DRIER.  With Chem-Dry, your carpets will be dry in just 1-2 hours, not the 1-2 days it can take with regular steam cleaning. You won’t have to worry about the messy inconvenience of soaking wet carpets.
3. Chem-Dry’s patented process is CLEANER.  Chem-Dry gently deep cleans your carpet without gallons of soapy water or harsh chemicals that other cleaning methods rely on.  We use an all natural, crystal clear carbonation solution that leaves behind no dirt attracting residue.  IN the long run you will actually save money with Cornerstone Chem-Dry because you won’t have to clean your carpets as often.  
4. We have a HEALTHIER process.  Cornerstone Chem-Dry uses a completely safe and non-toxic cleaning solution.  Additionally with Chem-Dry’s fast drying times, there is no chance for mold or mildew to begin growing in the carpet.  Fast drying times mean a healthier home.  Our solution is hypoallergenic and is completely safe for children and pets.
5. Cornerstone Chem-Dry technicians are all highly trained, background checked EMPLOYEES of the company.  We NEVER hire subcontractors therefore we are always in control of our quality.  Our technicians go through an extensive training program so that they can offer our customers the best carpet and uphostery cleaning experience with the utmost professionalism.  They are not just carpet cleaners, they are experts in the industry.
6. Cornerstone Chem-Dry has been in business for over 15 years and has thousands of loyal customers who have returned time and time again over the years to have their carpets cleaned.  We pride ourselves on our commitment to excellence in service and it shows by the many referrals we receive from our wonderful customers. We follow  up with EVERY customer to insure they are pleased with the service they received….and if they are not, we go back out to make sure that they are!

You, too can receive an outstanding carpet, upholstery, tile or area rug cleaning experience by choosing Cornerstone Chem-Dry as your cleaner of choice! Mention this blog when you call and receive a FREE can of our Professional Strength Spot remover  with your next cleaning for those in-between spills with your next cleaning appointment!  We look forward to cleaning for you soon!  Give us a call at (972) 690-7272 or e-mail service@co2cleaners.com to book your cleaning appointment.

The luster didn’t last very long, however, as Ranger began to do his “business” all around the house. I know for a fact that the kids have taken him out several times throughout the day. Aside from some house training that was obviously required, we still had to deal with the fact that Ranger was staining our beautiful carpet! Obviously I’m all about the cleanliness and appearance of flooring. Knowing what I know about pet urine, you can sure bet I was not pleased with Ranger’s accidents.

Did you know, like many liquids, pet urine penetrates carpet fibers and contaminates both the backing of your carpet and the material below (i.e. padding)? Yep. Then, odors can eventually permeate from the floor and linger around.  Even when dried, urine crystals can last up to seven years and be re-activated by moisture and heat. On top of that, urine can cause permanent color damage to your carpet. I bet you never really given that much thought to the effects of “accidents” our pets have on our carpeting. I can go on and on about this topic and I haven’t even begun to touch on the effects they have on upholstery and leather!

What I am getting at is luckily Cornerstone Chem-Dry has a solution to combat the lingering effects of pet urine stains.  Our Pet Urine Removal Treatment (P.U.R.T.) is a specially formulated system that eliminates pet urine stains and odors. By deeply penetrating your carpet and breaking up the urine crystals that are one of the lasting sources of odor problems, P.U.R.T. will quickly restore the cleanliness of your carpet. When combined with our regular carpet cleaning service, you and your family can again enjoy the benefits of a freshly cleaned carpet just hours after we’ve left your home. (Unlike the other guys which could take up to an entire day to dry!).  And what has really saved our carpets (and the life of Ranger) is Chem-Dry’s retail Pet Odor Remover which is a product for in-between accidents.  All you have to do is pour it on the fresh urine spot and let it sit overnight and voila….no smell = happy owner = happy dog!

Ranger is not completely house trained just yet, but he’s getting better at making sure he does his business outside. We are a bit more observant of him and restrict the areas of the house he can freely roam without us nearby. Although we know pets will have accidents from time to time, the likely hood of them happening will decrease as Ranger gets older and is house broken.  Until then, Cornerstone Chem-Dry will be our solution for pet stain removal… and should be yours as well! If you’re curious as to how well P.U.R.T. works, give me a call today at the office at 214-367-4060 and I can explain in more detail and will give you a 20 percent discount when you book a P.U.R.T. appointment.

Hello and welcome to the new Cornerstone Chem-Dry Blog! My name is Erika Herman, co-owner of Cornerstone, and I am very excited to be taking on the blogosphere with this here blog.

Since the launch of our new Web site a few months ago, we continue to so much positive feedback from clients and prospects regarding the approach Cornerstone has taken to developing an online presence. Well, we’re back it with the launch of this new blog!

The Cornerstone Chem-Dry Blog will be your first source for information regarding upcoming specials and promotions as well as additional information on how to care for your floors and upholstery.  With proper maintenance and regularly scheduled visits by a Cornerstone Chem-Dry technician, you can greatly extend the life of your floors.  Oh, and you can also bet that I’ll be contributing other random posts that will make your frequent visits worthwhile.

I welcome each of you to feel free to comment on any or all of my posts with your thoughts and feedback.  Even better, post a question as it relates to the topic at hand and either I or fellow readers will be happy to respond.

Be sure to fan Cornerstone Chem-Dry on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to immediately know when I post new entries. Thanks so much for reading and remember to think of Cornerstone Chem-Dry for your carpeting and floor care needs in North Texas.