Frequently Asked Questions
GENERAL
1Must I be at home when you clean?
It's really your choice, we are very use to cleaning while our customers are away at work etc.
2What areas do you cover?
Depending on what work you require we can travel up to 20 miles from Ripon.
3Are you fully insured?
Yes we have public liability to cover all our services.
4Which methods of payment do you accept?
We accept cash and cheque.
5What will you clean in my home?
We will agree with you in advance what you would like us to clean.
6How do I pay for the service?
If you are in when the service is carried out you can pay the employee. If however you are out then a receipt will be left and arrangements will be made to collect payment.
7At what time will you clean my home?
Depending on what service you require a time will be arranged with you before we come.
8What if something gets broken when my home is being cleaned?
We will always treat your home with the greatest of care. However, should an accident or breakages occur while we are in your home, we will leave a note asking you to contact us. We will make every effort to have the item replaced if it cannot be repaired. We are fully insured.
9What if I have pets?
We know that pets are treasured members of any home. We also know that having non-family members in their world can cause a certain amount of anxiety. For the safety and well being of your pets, we ask that they be kept in an area that will keep them happy and secure.
10Do I need to supply any cleaning products or equipment?
On certain services we may require a water supply but Goldstar will supply all the necessary cleaning materials and equipment needed for the job.
11Do I have to do anything before the cleaning?
We ask that you take a few minutes before your scheduled cleaning to tidy. This will allow us to devote all our time to cleaning which will result in giving you the best value for your cleaning fee.
WINDOW & GUTTER CLEANING
1How much do you charge?
Without seeing your property its impossible to say. There are various factors that are taken into account when a price is calculated for cleaning your windows including; the number of windows, type of windows and frequency of cleaning. However it's worth noting that our prices are very competitive compared to other window cleaners and we provide you with a free no obligation quote.
2How often will you clean my windows?
That's entirely up to you, although most of our customers have them cleaned monthly or every 6 or 8 weeks.
3How will I know you have cleaned my windows?
After cleaning your windows, we will put an invoice through your letter box.
4Will you need ladders?
No, Goldstar uses the pure water reach and wash system so all work is carried out with our feet safely on the ground.
5With the reach and wash system does the water not dry streaky?
No, as prior to coming to clean your windows the water is purified removing all chemicals that are the cause of streaks.
6Do I need to clear my window cills for an internal clean?
Although we can move items off the cills we would much prefer you to to avoid accidents.
7Why is it so important to keep my gutters clean?
Gutters are a critical part of a houses drainage system designed to channel water away from your house quickly and efficiently. When gutters become blocked with leaves and other debris, water is unable to run away properly which can result in serious damp problems.
8Will you need scaffolding or ladders to clean the gutters?
No, work is carried out from the safety of the ground using industrial wet and dry vacuum cleaners and lightweight alloy poles.
9How much does it cost to clean my conservatory and its roof?
This will depend predominantly on the size of your conservatory and how dirty it is, therefore we will need to see it before we can give you an accurate quotation.
CARPET CLEANING
1How much do you charge?
It's difficult to give a price as every house and carpet is different but an average price is £3 per square metre.
2Do I have to move furniture?
We would prefer you to move any furniture before our visit, however we understand some can't be moved due to size or weight. If your require them moving we can do that at extra cost or just work around them.
3How long will my carpet take to dry?
Drying time will vary depending on the thickness of your carpet, weather conditions and air circulation in your home. Normally your carpets will be dry in 4 to 8 hours.
4When I have my upholstery cleaned, how long do I have to leave my cushions propped?
Cushions are left propped in order to aid the drying process and should be left in place until completely dry.
5Will all the stains go?
We always do our best to remove all stains and marks, but the fact of the matter is, anything that's spilt can have the potential to be permanent. We guarantee the best results possible, but will not guarantee removal of stains because its sometimes not possible.
6When can I walk on the carpet?
Traffic to carpets should be kept to a minimum until they are dry. Light traffic from the family is OK but not with outdoor shoes.
7What is buckling?
Buckling is where your carpet lifts to a ripple/wave effect. This is due to one of three things. 1. Poor installation of carpets. 2. Moisture has expanded/shrunk the carpet, this rectifies itself once normal humidity has been restored. 3. Dragging furniture across the room instead of lifting.
CAR VALETING
1How much does a valet cost?
As you can appreciate there is so many different styles and sizes of vehicles that i can not list all prices. Exterior valets start at £20, Interior valets start at £15 and a full Goldstar valet starts at £55. Give us a call for an exact price for your vehicle(s) and the service you require.
2Can you clean my car while I’m at work?
Yes, we are mobile and will come to your home or place of work. Our van has it’s own water supply and is fully stocked with the best valeting products.
3What if it rains?
If it rains or other adverse weather conditions prevent your valet being carried out, we will contact you to advise and to re-arrange for another suitable time.
4How long will it take?
It depends on the level of service chosen, you will always be advised prior to commencement on the vehicle.
5Do I need to empty my car?
Yes, please remove any items you want to keep prior to our arrival, rubbish will be thrown away for you.
6Why use Goldstar when i can get it done cheaper elsewhere?
Many of these side of the road car washes are cheap and as such they rely on getting the most cars in and out each day to make their money, quantity rather than quality! As such the same bucket of water is often used on several cars, cheap sponges, brushes full of grit from the last ten cars, and strong foaming chemicals are also used.
7If I have my interior shampooed how long will it take for my seats to dry?
We shampoo carpets and upholstery using a powerful extraction machine. The drying time may vary depending upon the outside temperature on the day and how soiled your seats were. We provide seat covers as part of this service so you can use the car straight away. With the owners permission we will run the vehicle with the heaters on whilst we complete the rest of the car. This dramatically increase the drying process, often completely drying them out before we leave.
DRIVEWAY / PATIO / PATH CLEANING
1How much does it cost to professionally pressure clean my drive?
Without seeing your property its impossible to say. There are many factors to take into account whilst quoting for a job, drainage, what type of surface it is, whether or not it needs any treatments before jet washing etc.
2Will I need an external tap for your pressure cleaner?
Ideally yes, however we can transport water in a tank fitted in the van if no tap is available.
3My driveway, patio or path is covered in moss/lichen/weeds/algae can this be removed?
Absolutely we deal with these sorts of problems every day. Sometimes but not always a chemical agent is used to shift the grime on your drive, but we find that jet washing alone often does the trick.
4How long will it take you to pressure wash and renovate my driveway?
This will all depend on the size of the area in question, and what you require however most residential jobs will take no more than a day in total to complete.
5Will you replace the sand between the blocks that is dislodged whilst pressure cleaning my drive?
Yes, during the clean about 10-15 mm of sand is dislodged, which we replace. However this process can only take place once the area is completely dry so dependant on the weather we will replace during a follow up visit.
6Is there anything that can be done to stop the kiln dried sand from disappearing?
Goldstar offer a sealing service and will select the most appropriate sealant for the area in question, these sealers stop the sand from washing away and inhibit the build up of weed growth, moss, algae and lichen in the newly restored area(s). This process can only take place once the area is completely dry so would be carried out on another visit.
7Why can’t you clean and then immediately seal the surface?
After using the high pressured rotary cleaner, we need the surface to dry- this may take a day or two. This is because the sealants cannot be sprayed or brushed onto a damp surface as a milky film may occur under the sealant, this is known as ‘blooming’. A damp surface can lead to poor adhesion and discolouring.
8Will the cleaning process damage my mortar joints?
Although we use very high pressure flat surface cleaners, sound mortar joints are not damaged. However loose or very weak joints may possibly be dislodged. We can however replace these joints with fresh pointing if requested (at an extra charge).
9Will the cleaning process damage my decking?
No, under normal circumstances no damage will occur to your decking, unless its already severely decayed.