Frequently Asked Questions

Most Often Asked Questions About Carpets & Rugs

How long does the carpet cleaning process take?

About 1 hour per 300-500 cleanable square feet. This varies depending on soil and job.

How soon can I walk on it?

Keep pets, children and regular traffic off carpet for a period of 4-6 hours. The homeowner may use the carpet lightly immediately after cleaning by wearing white socks. Wait 24 hours before removing Styrofoam blocks and foil tabs that are put in place to protect the furniture and carpet. Some carpets may still feel slightly damp for up to 18 hours depending on carpet and soiling condition. This is normal and will not cause any problems.

Do you move the furniture?

Our regular pricing includes moving sofas, chairs, tables, end tables, etc. Beds, dressers and heavier pieces are left in place under our normal pricing structure.

Can you clean carpet or rugs over hardwood floors?

Yes, we have our system set up where the backing of the carpet or rug is not saturated; therefore, no problem with wood floors underneath. No problem with edges either. Our rinse does not affect hardwood floors, however if you prefer, we can use plastic or carpet padding under edge of rug while cleaning to prevent any solution from coming in contact with floor around edge of rug.

Do you clean…

Berber- Absolutely. Berber is a weave, not a particular type of fabric. Berber is simply a type of loop construction that may come in olefin, nylon, wool, or a blend. Berber requires a more thorough cleaning than other carpets because the “flushing” action needs to take place to get under, around, and through the loops. Other companies that are not as thorough, have a number of problems with Berber because they leave soil behind that “wicks” back to the surface.

Sisal, sea-grass, grass- Yes, dry-clean only, unless last resort spot cleaning. Spot cleaning and extraction can cause discoloration or water rings on sisal.

Wool- Yes, we have special products that we use for wool. We clean wool often. We use lower pressure, lower temperature and take special drying precautions for cleaning wool.

Haitian cotton- Yes, we have special Haitian cotton cleaner, or we can dry-clean it. Case by case.

Silk, rayon, chintz - Yes.

WE CAN KEEP YOUR POOL FROM LOOKING LIKE THIS ONE!

POOL CLEANING QUESTIONS

How many gallons are in a swimming pool?
A good "in-the-ballpark" answer could be attained by applying the following formula:

Number of gallons in a rectangular pool = Length (in feet) x width (in feet) x average depth (in feet) x 7.4; Number of gallons in a circular or rounded p.= (the same three variables) x 6

Do you need to drain a swimming pool to change from a chlorine to a salt water?
It is not necessary to drain it to change it over to salt water but we would suggest that we do so in order to put fresh water into it and avoid the already chlorinated water entering the chlorinator. Remember that it is best done by a professional company such as APC, especially with larger and older pools where ground cracking issues create an issue known in the trade as "pool pop". The pool literally reacts much as a boat hull and attempts to float on the water table as it rises. This is very common in rainy season. It is a very specialized issue that needs detailed inspection and something an owner should work closely with a professional on before attempting.

How do you drain a swimming pool?
We recommend that you use a professional such as APC to drain it for you. Make sure that the pool professional opens the hydrostatic release plug if there is one available. Most pools older pools do not have these plugs. When the professional drains it, make sure they drain the water into your main sewer drain. If they drain it into the drain coming out of the house in the back or side yard, it can clog up piping and can end up draining all 25,000 gallons into your kitchen. If they just drain it into the street you can be fined by local code enforcement depending upon your location.

Why are phosphates in my swimming pool?
Phosphates get into you pool through basically two methods. The first is due to chemicals being used in your yard as an example. Another could be through certain types of chemicals (especially tile cleaners).

How do you measure water evaporation?
To measure water evaporation you will need to turn off the auto-fill and place a watertight container (preferably a bucket) into the water and fill it up to the same water level as the pool. It may help to place something heavy in the bottom of the bucket to stop it from floating (this will have no influence on the measurement process) over the course of a week or two keep an eye on the bucket's water level compared to the water level in general. Since both the bucket and pool should evaporate at the same level -if you notice the pool level lower than the bucket level, it is likely that you have a leak.

How do you clean pool tile?
Call APC! Trying to clean calcium deposits from tile is best left to a professional tile cleaner. We will use a sandblasting process that blasts of the calcium deposits without harming the tile. One strategy is to rotate tile scrubbers and utilize compounds now available for those tiles that aren’t caked with deposits to keep the problem from developing in the first place.

Why is the Chlorine level important in my pool?
Chlorine is regularly fed into the pool water and should be tested daily - at a minimum -- for proper disinfection. Routine chlorination kills harmful microorganisms that can cause health-related problems, such as gastroenteritis, Legionnaires disease, ear infections and athlete's foot. Learning how to properly test your water will allow you to identify the chlorine residual and 'demand' (need) in pool water. More frequent testing is needed if there is heavy bather use. APC can work with you to test your levels daily for safety and peace of mind and provide you with informational material to help you become comfortable in maintaining your pool.

Why would pool water be green?
Most likely your pool water is green due to algae in the pool, which APC will monitor and remove as needed by testing for phosphates, removing decaying leaves and checking for inadvertent fertilizer that may be entering your pool through lawn care. Algae can be corrected through many processes. If phosphates are your problem, getting rid of them will fix your problem.

How much does it cost to install a pool solar heater?The installation of a solar pool heater depends on the size of your pool and can cost anywhere between $2000 and $7500.

Is a salt water swimming pool, saline or an ozone pool healthier if our dog drinks the water?

Although salt water pools only contain 1/10th the amount of salt that the ocean has, we do not recommend that you allow your pets to drink from the pool water. Pool water contains chemicals, conditioners, and acid - not to mention sun tan oil chemicals. All of these things can be a problem for you dog or other animals.

My pool water looks like there has been a mini oil spill, is that dangerous?

Oil usually indicates too much suntan oil in the pool, your filter should handle it but the more oils used, the more frequent cleaning may be needed.

My pool water is hazy…

Hazy pool water could be an indication of dirt, a faulty filtration system or other foreign matter.

My pool water is foamy…

Foamy pool water can be the result of unbalanced chemicals, cosmetics, suntan oils or algae.

*Please note that these answers are not guaranteed to be accurate for all swimming pools, carpets and other items and APC holds no liability for actions resulting from application of the information above.

We recommend that you call us if you have a question regarding your swimming pool, carpets or other items or if, click here to submit it in writing