SteamMaster: Restoration and Cleaning for Your Fine Rugs and About Everything Else

By: Joy Overbeck
Vail Valley Magazine Winter 2007/08

SteamMaster in Minturn is celebrating 30 years in the valley in 2008, and during that time, the business has expanded into all manner of ways to make damaged goods exquisite again, and to keep them that way. Who better to consult when it comes to cleaning and beautifying your prized Oriental rugs than a man who is himself a connoisseur, steeped in the rare knowledge of history and craftsmanship that goes into each masterpiece.

Adam Kiss is such a man, so passionate about these rugs that he has personally collected antique Sarouks for years. He is the top rug expert at Abrash Oriental Rug Cleaning, a division of SteamMaster also located in Minturn. An accredited member of the International Society of Appraisers, Adam can tell you the value of your grandmother’s rug, the one you’re thinking about giving away and replacing with a new one at Crate and Barrel. And you may be very surprised.

“I’ve heard Adam tell people the story behind their rug, and then they decide they should hang it on the wall rather than put it on the floor,” says Raj Manickam, CEO of SteamMaster. “These rugs a can really go up in price over the years.”

Kiss has also been certified an Oriental Rug Specialist by the Association of Specialists in Cleaning and Restoration. As a top expert, he personally supervises the cleaning of each rug, and treats them in the same way he treats his own magnificent pieces. Every rug goes through a 10-step cleaning process that begins with first evaluating the rug for color fastness, and progresses through compressed air dusting, pet stain or spot removal techniques, hand washing, and stain prevention protector treatment.

Many valley homeowners have regularly scheduled rug cleaning just before the holiday season in order to ready their homes for this festive time when friends and family are on hand. Spiffing up may also include cleaning their wall-to-wall carpets, which SteamMaster offers for both residences and commercial applications. They also can be relied upon to clean leather and suede furniture, cloth upholstery and drapes, and tapestries of every kind.

Over the years, SteamMaster has built a group of local experts trained to provide restoration solutions after fire, smoke or water damage as well. Since founding the company in 1978, Gary Gilman and his team have continued to add quality services that meet the growing needs of both commercial and residential clients. In case of burst pipes or a home flood, SteamMaster can be counted on to dry and restore carpeting or valuable hardwood floors. The company also offers recovery of damaged documents, and can pack out and store furniture and other property while the home or business is being restored. If the need arises, SteamMaster works closely with The Chicago Conservation Center to painstakingly repair costly damaged artwork.

As heightened mold awareness has increased locally as well as nationally, the company has expanded into this field. Certified Mold Remediators at SteamMaster are trained in addressing the complicated issues of mold. The staff is also knowledgeable about EPA guidelines and can remediate mold problems, large and small. The company pioneered the use of innovative cryo cleaning or “dry ice blasting” to remove mold from structural wood surfaces, and SteamMaster President Gilman has written several articles on the topic for industry publications.

Restoring a home or office environment from a fire and smoke incident also takes a professionally trained staff with expertise in the latest methodology. Different surfaces require different treatments, and SteamMaster’s technicians are experienced in what works best. Their arsenal includes a number of high-tech machines and remediation devices for cleaning and odor removal.

In addition, SteamMaster offers cleaning of hard surfaces such as tile, or natural stone like slate, marble, and sandstone and granite. Move-out cleaning or construction cleaning are two more specialties of this versatile company.

With its heart in this valley for the long haul, the company makes a habit of reaching out to help the community. Each September 11, SteamMaster crews clean over a dozen fire stations in Summit and Eagle County as a way to show appreciation for the emergency heroes among us. Also in September, the company holds a golf tournament that raises tens of thousands of dollars for charity and to honor Kim Matthew, their marketing director, who died of liver cancer several years ago. The tournament also raises college funds for the Matthew children.

Says CEO Manickam, “We call September our Month of Giving. Everything we try to do really ties in with who we are.”