diff --git a/solvers.py b/solvers.py
index 25112a8..63076e7 100644
--- a/solvers.py
+++ b/solvers.py
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ def build_queries(question_text, answers):
 
     def build_urls(self, question_text, answers):
         """ build URLs with search queries """
-        queries = self.build_queries(question_text.replace(' NOT ', ' ').replace(' NEVER ', ' '), answers)
+        parsed_question_text = question_text.replace(' NOT ', ' ').replace(' NEVER ', ' ')
+        parsed_question_text = re.sub(r'[^A-Za-z0-9\“\”\? ]', '', parsed_question_text).replace('  ', ' ')
+        queries = self.build_queries(parsed_question_text, answers)
         return [self.service_url.format(quote_plus(query)) for query in queries]
 
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index 073eb87..0600c98 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -34,6 +34,6 @@ def get_significant_words(question_words):
 
 def get_raw_words(data):
     """ Extract raw words from data """
-    data = re.sub(r'[^\w ]', '', data).replace(' and ', ' ').strip()
+    data = re.sub(r'[^A-Za-z0-9 ]', '', data).replace(' and ', ' ').strip()
     words = data.replace('  ', ' ').lower()
     return words