AST Blog & Resources
Expert advice on water damage, fire restoration, mold prevention, rug care, and professional cleaning from San Antonio's trusted restoration team.
Real answers from AST's Steve Perez
I'm Steve Perez, owner at AST Cleaning & Restoration in San Antonio. After twenty-plus years in this trade — running truck-mount rigs on San Antonio floors, restoring homes after fires and floods, and re-cleaning too many carpets someone else made worse — I've picked up opinions.
This is where I write them down.
Every article on this blog is written from what I've actually done, not what I read on someone else's marketing page. IICRC standards get named directly (I hold 10 personal IICRC certifications, plus the NADCA Air Systems Cleaning Specialist credential since 2014-01-27 and the Texas TDLR Mold Remediation Contractor license RCO1739). Real dollar figures. Specific San Antonio neighborhoods. Contrarian takes where the industry gets things wrong.
The topics range across everything AST does: carpet cleaning, tile and grout, upholstery, oriental rug care, natural stone, air ducts, water damage, fire damage, mold remediation, and the insurance claim documentation that decides whether you get full value or a discounted payout.
If you're looking for "top 10 tips" fluff, you're on the wrong site. If you're looking for the real answer to a specific question you have about a floor, a fabric, or a restoration event in your San Antonio home — that's what these posts are.
Featured recent posts:
Read Tile & Grout Cleaning vs Carpet Cleaning in San Antonio: What Each Floor Actually Needs if you're deciding between the two. Carpet Cleaning Cost in San Antonio: Real Pricing Breakdown from the Owner of AST if you want honest numbers. Flood vs Water Damage Insurance in San Antonio: Why This Distinction Costs Homeowners Thousands if you're staring at a water event. Or the full listing below.
— Steve Perez, Owner
AST Cleaning & Restoration
(210) 599-9726
How to Actually Get Rid of Pet Odors in Carpets — What 20+ Years in San Antonio Homes Taught Me
Pet urine that soaked into the pad is a chemistry problem, not a fragrance problem. Steve Perez, IICRC-certified for 20+ years, on why every "instant pet odor remover" fails on set urine — and what actually works.
Read ArticleFlood vs Water Damage Insurance in San Antonio: Why This Distinction Costs Homeowners Thousands
A pipe burst is water damage — usually covered. A creek overflow is flood — never covered by standard homeowners insurance. Steve Perez, IICRC S500 water-restoration certified, on the distinction that decides who pays for your restoration in San Antonio.
Read ArticleFire Damage Insurance Claims in San Antonio: What Homeowners Get Wrong Before They Even Call
Steve Perez, IICRC water/fire-restoration certified and Texas TDLR RCO1739 mold-remediation licensed, on the mistakes San Antonio homeowners make in the first 48 hours after a fire — and the documentation that keeps their claim from getting reduced.
Read ArticleAir Duct Cleaning in San Antonio: What NADCA Certification Actually Gets You (and Why the Cheap Guys Skip It)
Steve Perez, NADCA Air Systems Cleaning Specialist (ASCS since 2014), on what a real duct cleaning includes — and why the $199 "we blow out your ducts" ads leave 80% of the actual contamination behind.
Read ArticleHow to Choose the Right Cleaning Service in San Antonio: 7 Questions Every Honest Company Answers
Not every "professional cleaning company" is the same. Steve Perez, IICRC-certified in 10 categories and TDLR RCO1739 mold-remediation licensed, on the 7 questions that separate a real crew from a bait-and-switch bid.
Read ArticleCarpet Care Tips from a San Antonio Pro: What Actually Works (and What's Marketing)
Steve Perez, IICRC-certified for 20+ years, on the carpet care advice that actually protects your investment — and the "tips" from the internet that make it worse.
Read ArticleStep-by-Step Tile & Grout Cleaning at Home: What Actually Works (and When to Call a Pro) | Steve Perez, AST
Steve Perez, IICRC Stone/Masonry/Ceramic Tile Technician and TDLR mold-remediation contractor RCO1739, walks through the DIY tile and grout process that actually works — and the mistakes that make grout worse than before you started.
Read ArticleProfessional Upholstery Cleaning in San Antonio: What Your Couch's Cleaning Code Actually Means
Every sofa has a fabric cleaning code (W, S, WS, X). Most homeowners don't know it exists — and the wrong method ruins the fabric permanently. Steve Perez explains what to look for.
Read ArticleHow Often Should You Clean Your Carpets? A San Antonio Pro's Answer
Steve Perez, IICRC-certified carpet cleaner in San Antonio for 20+ years, breaks down real carpet care by season, household type, and what "tips" from Google actually work.
Read ArticleCarpet Cleaning Cost in San Antonio: Real Pricing Breakdown from the Owner of AST
Real numbers, not "starting at" bait. Steve Perez, owner of AST Cleaning & Restoration, walks through what carpet cleaning actually costs in San Antonio — per-room, whole-home, add-ons, and what "cheap" bids are hiding.
Read ArticleCommercial Carpet Cleaning in San Antonio: What Facility Managers Actually Need to Know
Steve Perez, IICRC Commercial Carpet Maintenance Technician and owner at AST, on running commercial carpet cleaning jobs — how encapsulation fits into a maintenance rotation, when to schedule deep cleans, and why the cheap bid usually costs more.
Read ArticleCarpet Cleaning Methods Explained: What 20+ Years on San Antonio Floors Taught Me
Hot water extraction, encapsulation, bonnet, dry compound. Steve Perez, IICRC-certified in 10 categories, breaks down which method belongs on your carpet and which ones the industry oversells.
Read ArticleReady to Get Started?
Whether it's an emergency or a scheduled cleaning, our team is ready to help. Get your free, no-obligation estimate today.