Almost every year on the blog, we have done a Thanksgiving post, celebrating our successes of the year and expressing our gratitude for the things (and people!) that give our lives joy and meaning here at Five Step Carpet Care.This year’s a little…different. 2020 has not been easy for any of us, and it can be difficult to find gratitude in our hearts in times like these. But they say the most important time to count our blessings is when times are a little rough. Being thankful warms our spirits and gives us hope for tomorrow.

So we’re going to give it a try. Let’s see if we can find a few things to be thankful for in 2020.

1. Our health! We say this every year, but this year it’s definitely number 1 on the list. The global pandemic situation has really magnified for all of us the reality that our health is not something to be taken for granted. Our deepest compassion and well wishes go out to all those who have experienced loss of a loved one this year, or medical issues of any kind.
2. Our staff. Our wonderful crew has amazed and humbled us with their commitment to continuing to provide stellar service to customers across western NC. When we re-opened after the temporary shutdown in April-June, these guys adapted seamlessly to the new operations practices, like masking, extra sanitizing, and social distancing. With all the stress that everyone is feeling right now, it’s not easy to keep your head up and keep doing your best work without complaint. But all our guys have pulled together and dealt with it admirably. We couldn’t be more thankful for—or prouder of–our team.
3. Western North Carolina has been spared the worst of the pandemic fallout. Our local hospitals and medical personnel are staying on top of the situation. And although we certainly have not gone untouched by COVID, we’ve also avoided a major outbreak. In these trying times, that’s definitely something we can be thankful for.
4. Autumn doesn’t care how weird and crazy 2020 has been. Leaf season this year has been phenomenal! Being surrounded by all that natural beauty while we’re driving around Western NC to serve our customers, sometimes we can’t help but feel a little gratitude.
5. Our business has been able to withstand the most devastating economic impacts of 2020. In a year when over 100,000 American small businesses have permanently shuttered, this is nothing to shrug off. We are truly, deeply grateful for each day that we get another opportunity to clean carpets and upholstery in the Asheville area. It means that our business will survive. But more importantly, it’s a sign that our community will be okay. Of course, we have our customers to thank for all of it. More than any year before, you—our customers, loyal and new—have been our reason to keep going.

Thanksgiving 2020 may be a little different than normal Thanksgivings. A little smaller, a little more somber, perhaps. But for us, the meaning of the holiday will be more poignant, more deeply felt this year. We’ll be appreciating each bite, each hug, and each moment. We hope you will be sharing some warmth, good food, and family togetherness, too. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Five Step Carpet Care.

 

Velvet upholstered furniture is beautiful and luxurious, but this upholstery can be one of the trickiest types to clean. Stains don’t only sit on the surface of the velvet, they also coat the individual fibers and seep into the backing, causing quite a mess! So how do you clean a velvet couch, chair, or ottoman?

 

Know what type of velvet you are dealing with:

If your couch is upholstered in synthetic velvet (or velveteen), you should be able to clean it yourself without too much trouble. If, however, the velvet is made from cotton, silk, or wool, you’ll probably want to call in an expert. Cotton velvet is especially finicky, and the fibers can bunch and kink when they come into contact with soap, water, or cleaning solutions.

 

To get stains out of synthetic velvets:

Clean the fabric as soon as possible after staining occurs. Do not allow the stain to dry on its own, as it will set into the fabric and become much harder to clean. With a clean cloth or towel, gently press the stain to absorb any moisture and wipe away any loose debris. Prepare a mixture of lukewarm water and dish soap, and apply the suds to the stain. Rinse by dabbing with a damp, soap-free cloth. Allow the velvet to dry and then brush it carefully.

 

For regular maintenance:

You can clean your velvet upholstery with a furniture brush to remove dirt, lint, and fuzz. Vacuum regularly with the furniture attachment on your vacuum cleaner. Velveteen can be safely steam cleaned. For cotton, silk, or wool velvet, check the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions.

If you’re not sure whether your upholstery is synthetic velveteen or natural fiber velvet, you’re likely better off calling a professional upholstery cleaning service to handle the job. If you live in the Asheville, NC area, we would be happy to help you with your velvet couch, chair, or other furniture. Give us a call at 828.237.3237 or drop us a line for an estimate today. We look forward to hearing from you!

 

 

Ever wondered what happens to your rugs when we pick them up for cleaning?

When we pick up a rug from a customer’s home for cleaning, we bring it here to our facility off of Patton Avenue in west Asheville. This is where the magic happens.

 

 

Finally, here is a short video tour of our facility.

 

If you live in the Asheville, NC area and are in need of rug or carpet cleaning, give us a call at 828.772.1824 or get in touch via our contact form today!

Our employees are a huge part of our success! We truly believe we have the best team out there, and so we decided to do a video series highlighting each of our employees as they discuss what it’s like to work for Five Step Carpet Care.

In this video, Chris talks about Five Step employee values and the importance of rising to new challenges.

This month, we thought we’d do something a little different on the blog, by sharing a few of the things we at Five Step Carpet Care are grateful for this November.

So take a moment to just forget all the little stresses and annoyances in life, and bask with us in the warmth of gratitude for all the good things, people, and experiences that make life worth living! Here are our top 8 reasons to be thankful this year.

1. We live and work one of the nicest places in the world! We are so grateful to be able to call Western North Carolina home. Where else could we be surrounded by nature’s beauty, AND be a part of an amazing local community? The weather is great almost all year, and every day, we get to see the most breathtaking views and meet some of the nicest people in the world.
2. Spending time with friends and family. Like many of you, we really value the quiet, quality time we get to spend with our dear ones over Thanksgiving and the rest of the holiday season. We spend most of our days hard at work, and loving it. But it’s always nice to get a little down time to enjoy the company of family and friends. We hope that all of you will be able to share good food and good times with your loved ones this Thanksgiving!
3. Election season is OVER! Regardless of who you supported for president this year, or even if you spent the entire campaign cycle in bed hiding under your blankets, we can probably all agree that election season 2016 was the craziest and most stressful in recent memory! We are glad to have all of that out of the way so that we can focus on all the things that make life worth living: friends, family, fun, and clean carpets!
4. Business is booming! 2016 has been a great year for Five Step Carpet Care, and it’s not even over yet. We’ve cleaned lots of carpets, met lots of new clients, and networked with lots of great local businesses. We are so thankful for the opportunity to make a good living by providing a service that people need. Here’s hoping 2017 will be even better!
5. We are safe, healthy, warm, and well fed. There’s a lot to be said for that. We try to remember that not everyone in the world is as fortunate.
6. PIE!!! November is the season for sweet, delicious, piping-hot pie! Pumpkin, apple, pecan, sweet potato, and just…all the pie! We are thankful for the invention of pie and for the opportunity to savor it!
7. Autumn colors. Every fall is gorgeous in Western North Carolina, but this fall has just gone over the top with its fantastic color show! We are so glad that we get to see the changing colors of the seasons here in the mountains!
8. Our amazing clients!! We wouldn’t be here without you, and we owe you a great, big, hearty THANK YOU for your support, your business, and your friendship. We strive every day to give our customers the quality work and respectful service they deserve, and we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping to make our business a success!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our friends and clients in the Asheville area! We hope your holiday is filled with joy and love and satisfaction. What are you grateful for this Thanksgiving? Let us know on our Facebook page!