Posts Tagged ‘carpeting’

Helping You Select Carpet Installation

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

living room

Are you considering purchasing new carpets but aren’t sure about the carpet installation? While you can probably install the carpet yourself, there are many professionals available who are experts at this job. Regardless of who will be installing the carpet, you need to ask yourself a few questions. You will want to think about the underlay that will be installed under the carpet. You will also want to make sure that you are purchasing enough carpet to cover the flooring in the room in which it is being installed.

It is very possible for most people to install their own carpeting. While there are a few things that you will need to know before starting, it can be done. The first question that needs to be answered before installing your carpets is just how much carpet material you will need. This will have to be decided regardless of whether the carpet is being professionally installed or whether you are doing it yourself. Exact measurements need to be taken of the floor area in which the carpet will be installed. If you are not sure, then you can ask a representative from the store where you are purchasing the carpeting to help you. It is much better to have a professional make the calculations than to make them yourself and take the chance of not having enough. For the flooring representative to make the calculations, you will simply need to provide them with the measurements of the width and the length of the room in which you will be installing the carpet.

One thing that many do-it-yourself-ers might not think of when trying to complete carpet installation is the underlay that will be needed. The underlay is actually the padding that will go under the carpet. The underlay is very important and can add to or take away from the life of your carpet, if the correct one is not purchased. You will want to choose an underlay that will hold up to the traffic within your home.

Whether you consult a website, read a book or call an expert, it is a good idea to get some quality information before trying carpet installation on your own. While it can be done, if it is something that you have never done before, then it can be a little frustrating. It is best to get all of the facts up front so that you will know exactly what you are getting yourself into before you start. So, get some good information before you begin tearing up the old carpet.

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Handy advice for caring for your home carpeting like a professional

Monday, March 23rd, 2009

Just about any carpet will begin to show signs of use around three to five years after it is installed. Almost nobody replaces carpets that quickly. This means that our carpet can become ugly long before we are ready to buy a new one. Carpets in high traffic areas are especially vulnerable to this. Carpet in these locations can quickly become soiled and dull.

Regular maintenance of your carpet will help to keep your carpet looking great until you are ready to replace it. Most of the new carpets on the market these days are given a protective coating on the fibers as part of their production process.

This can make it easier to maintain your carpet on a regular basis. While this coating is helpful it will not stop dirt from getting trapped over time, especially in high traffic zones. The soil trapped in the carpet acts has an abrasive impact on the carpet which damages it delicate fibers. This opens up your carpet to further damage. This will make it so that your carpet will wear out more quickly than would normally be expected. It also makes the possibility of permanent carpet stains more likely.

You may be able to prevent this from happening by having carpet protection added to your carpet each year. This will make it much easier to remove any spills and perform your regular vacuuming. By applying a new coat of carpet protection annually you are giving your carpet much greater protection than you would have without it.

Most carpet manufacturers will recommend that you have carpet protection added once each year. You can usually find carpet cleaners who can add this protection for you. Many times they will offer a regular maintenance plan which covers the regular cleaning of your carpet as well as adding carpeting protection. When you sign up for regular service you will reduce your costs which covers all the products you need. This also allows you to build a strong relationship with the carpet cleaning company so you will be informed of any specials they may offer.

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How Is Carpet Cleaning Done?

Friday, February 27th, 2009

antique rugs

Carpet owners everywhere can identify with the struggles of carpet cleaning. How often should it be done? How should it be done? These are important questions that need to be answered. There are a lot of options in the carpet treatment world. When someone knows what to do for carpets, it makes things a lot easier.

First of all, there are many different types of carpet, and sometimes it is best to treat each kind a little differently. In the world of carpets there are: wool carpets, Berber carpets, antique rugs and shag carpets, to name a few. Each of these different carpet types should be treated a little differently. An antique area rug should definitely not be treated with harsh chemicals, but for a carpet that has a hard stain, chemical removal might be the only way to get rid of the mark. Most people don’t know how often their carpets are supposed to be cleaned. Carpet cleaning should actually be done every one to two years. Sometimes, this information is written into the warranty when new carpet is purchased. If the carpet is not cleaned at least every two years, then the warranty becomes null and void. If a carpet is not used very often, then it might be possible to wait as long as five years to clean, but that is really not good for the air. So many allergens and dust particles get trapped deep in the carpet, so it should be a high priority to get carpets cleaned as regularly as possible.

There are at least four main ways to clean carpets. The first method is through steam cleaning. This is when hot water is applied to the carpet, and then steamed out immediately. Usually a detergent is used in this method as well. The second method used to clean carpets is the shampoo method. This method acts like a foaming shampoo wash for the carpet. Cleaning solution is whipped into a foamy substance that picks up the dirt. Then as the foaming dries, vacuuming picks up the final bits of dirt sticking to the leftover foam. The third method for carpet treatment is the professional in-house cleaning.

This is when your carpet is delivered to the cleaners to be cleaned in a special way by the cleaning company. This method is usually used for an area rug or antique rugs. The last method for cleaning carpets is the absorbent dry compound process. This method sprinkles a dry chemical powder over the area, and it is then worked into the carpet with a special machine. The dirt attaches itself to the powder, and subsequent vacuuming sucks the powder and dirt right up. This is the only method of cleaning that does not use water.

So now you know how often to clean your carpets, and what methods are available to use. Most of these carpet cleaning methods are only used by professionals, but shampooing and steam cleaning can usually be done by you. It is always good to know your options, and so hopefully you feel better about the process of cleaning your carpets. Good luck with your floor covering maintenance!

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