How to Properly Maintain Your Carpet and Area Rugs

Soft carpet or rugs can feel great under your feet, especially after a long day of running around. There’s nothing like a beautiful rug or new carpet to really tie a room together and add value to your home. They can be great statement pieces, but what they end up saying about your home can be the wrong thing if they’re not properly maintained. Stains, wear and tear, or just poor quality materials can all have a negative impact on what you might be trying to accomplish by adding carpet or rugs to your home unless they’re properly maintained. Below are some tips that might help you with rug and carpet maintenance to make sure you're doing all you can to keep your home looking great.

Consider a Shoe Ban

Shoes can be quite destructive to carpet and area rugs. The tread on the bottom of a shoe can get caught on the fibers, and the extra weight that shoes add tends to help grind dirt deep into your carpet or rug. Therefore, to protect your carpet, it may make more sense to just put a shoe ban in place in your home. You can designate a specific area by the front door for everyone to put their shoes to help keep your entryway tidy and your carpets looking great.

Vacuum at the Correct Height

Vacuums are a great ally in keeping your carpet and area rugs clean. However, you need to use your vacuum correctly to protect your carpet while you're cleaning it. Pay close attention to the height selection on the vacuum so that you don't set it too low. It should be at a height that fluffs up the pile of the carpet without digging so deep as to damage the base of the fibers.

Deep Clean Regularly

For many people, deep cleaning their carpets is an afterthought at best. Some people might never even get around to it since it’s recommended you deep clean annually. It’s easy to forget it needs to be done at all, or becomes difficult to find a time to get it done. This is a shame because removing ground-in dirt from your carpet and area rugs will help prolong their life and beauty in your home. Since deep cleaning can be a large job, it's best to have cleaning services, ones like ServiceMaster Restore, on hand to take care of the job for you so that you remain motivated to stay on a consistent cleaning schedule.

Respond to Spills Quickly

Even if you're careful with liquids on your carpet and area rugs, there's still bound to be a spill or two at some point. The key to taking care of spills properly is to respond quickly and use the correct cleaning chemicals. The longer you let a spill sit on the fibers in your carpet, the more difficult it will be to remove the remnants of that spill. You may want to keep a reference guide in your utility area so that you know exactly which cleaners to grab when responding to various types of spills.

Start With Quality

Even the best maintenance regimens won't do much to prolong the life of low-quality carpet. If you're replacing your carpet or area rug, make sure to go with the best option that you can afford. This will help provide lasting beauty and make normal maintenance tasks easier.

There are a lot of things you can do to help keep the rugs and carpets in your home nice. The most important tactic is to try and keep them as clean as possible, whether that means banning shoes on your carpets and rugs or scheduling deep cleans to get at the ground in dirt. You want to make sure you take proper care of your carpets and rugs by vacuuming at the correct height so as to avoid damaging the fibers, and responding to spills as quickly as you can so they don’t have time to set. In practice, it should be incredibly easy to keep your carpets as clean as you can, with the occasional mishap or deeply in-set dirt being the only thing to worry about.

Crucial Factors To Consider for Choosing an Area Rug

Area rugs are some of the best ways to add splashes of color and style to your home without needing to change up your entire design. Unintrusive to the eye, area rugs complement existing color schemes and décor and give a room depth. However, as beneficial as area rugs are to a home’s interior, picking the right one for you specifically requires a bit of work. These are some important factors to consider for choosing an area rug to help you narrow down your search.

Placement

A vital factor to consider for choosing an area rug is where you’re planning to place it. After all, this aspect will help you determine the perfect dimensions of your rug and how much traffic it will get. Location will also influence your style and color, since you’ll need to match your new rug to the aesthetic of that particular space. A rug that’ll work in your bedroom, for example, might not complement your living room. Because of this, you should choose its placement prior to anything else.

Rug Style and Color

Second, you should think about what rug style and color would work best with your current interior design. Area rugs come in a plethora of different options, but not all of them will have the desired effect on your space. For instance, some rugs have tasseled fabric on the borders, while others have more of a bound, straight-edge look. Both styles have their benefits, and it’s up to you to decide which is better for you. Color works in much the same way, since you should try to match the aesthetic as much as possible.

Pattern

Next, turn your attention to the different patterns available. Rug patterns can range from traditional florals to something more modern, such as stripes. Typically, patterns allow you to add movement to a room that’s dominantly made up of bold colors. So, if your walls are all painted a solid hue, incorporating a pattern in your rug is great for adding an area of interest.

Area Size

The overall size of the rug is important, too. The dimensions of your rug not only affect how it looks in the room but also determines the amount of influence it has over the design. The larger your rug is, the more emphasis it will receive when positioned near furniture and décor. Smaller rugs, on the other hand, are more useful for slight pops of color and for establishing a cozy atmosphere. You can choose from several different sizes, depending on the room you’re decorating and your preferences. Therefore, take your time when making this decision.

Pile Height

Last, you should consider your desired pile height. Pile height refers to a rug’s thickness or plushness as it lies on the floor of your home. Thick rugs are soft and cozy, while low-pile rugs are stronger and easier to clean. As such, if an area sees a lot of traffic, low-pile might be the way to go. Otherwise, private places such as bedrooms and bathrooms benefit greatly from a little extra comfort.

Guest Post - How to clean a carpet by yourself

1. Start by vacuuming the carpet

Carpets should be vacuumed several times a week to remove dirt particles. In the case of a crawling baby or a toddler, it should be vacuumed daily for safety purposes. Detailed cleaning should be done at least two times a year. If it is done seasonally then it would be better. If any member of the family is or has been ill with a communicable disease or has a weak immune system then more frequent deep cleansing is necessary. The first step in carpet cleaning involves the removal of furniture from the room. Look around the room to pick up any objects such as kid's toys, tiny decorative items, or shoes. It is necessary to look under the sofa or any other furniture for such hidden items. These objects can disturb the vacuuming of the carpet. After that, start vacuuming the carpet to get rid of dust particles and pet hairs, so that if there are any carpet stains, they could be easily seen.

2. Check your cleaning solution

The main concern while cleaning a carpet is not to damage the dye or fiber during the process. Therefore, it is necessary to try out the cleaning solution or stain remover on small areas of the carpet. Apply a little amount of the solution to the area that you intend to clean. After applying the solution, wait for a while and then use a clean cloth or a white towel and press it onto the dirty spot.  This will allow you to decide which solution to use to remove stains from the carpet. If the color of the dye is transferred on the cloth, then the solution can damage your rug. Otherwise, if no color is transferred onto the cloth, then it is safe for you to use the solution.

3. Removal of Stains

The best remedy for the removal of stains is to use tonic and soda water. Salt is also very useful for the removal of dirt or fresh stains. Baking soda is also used for this purpose as it absorbs nasty smells from the fibers of the carpet. Different remedies can be applied to different stains types and purposes.

• A tacky stain from gum or wax can be removed by initially hardening the spot and then applying ice on it to clean the stain off.

• Smelly stains are hard to remove. For this, you need to make a solution of vinegar and lukewarm water and then apply it to the affected area and wait for a while. Afterward, wash it with water.

• Bloodstains are also tricky to handle and applying warm water will further set the stain. For this purpose use cold water or hydrogen peroxide. Take a cloth dip, it in hydrogen peroxide and apply it gently onto the stained area and then clean it.

• One of the most common stains on a carpet is due to pet urine. It is better not to experiment much. The best remedy is to use an enzyme-based cleaner such as ammonia solution or vinegar depending on whether the stain is fresh or is already set in the carpet. Afterward, apply carpet detergent and rinse it with water.

4. Discoloration instead of rubbing the spill

There is often a tendency to rub the stain as hard as possible thinking that it will remove the stain. However, this practice will not only increase the time of removing it but also make the task at hand harder. The most effective and efficient way to remove a stain is by blotting the affected area and then cleansing it with water. Similarly, blot it again. Otherwise, it would cause damage to the fiber or the stain would be permanently stained into the fabric. Hot water should never be use and neither the stain should be rubbed. Fresh stains can be blotted with a cold, moist cloth immediately for removal of the stain.

 5. Disinfectionate your carpet 

The next step is to disinfectionate your carpet. It is as important as cleaning it. It is necessary because kids and pets often use it for playing and other purposes. It is best to get rid of bacteria and allergies along with the cleaning of the carpet and the process is either not time taking. However, carpets have a soft surface which is not easy to disinfectionate because of their size, structure, and uneven surface. The level of bacterial contamination can be reduced to a great extent. The best practice to disinfectionate a carpet is to use a solution that contains disinfectant approved by the U.S. Environmental protection agency. There is a registration number engrossed on the approved product. Normally the product recommended for this purpose is ammonium. Another common practice used for disinfectionting carpets is the use of vinegar and water. For this purpose prepare a mixture of vinegar along with water in equal parts. Apply the mixture on the carpet after the cleaning process. Another practice is to use laundry disinfectant like Lysol laundry sanitizer, pine oil, or chlorine bleach for this purpose. The process should be done once a week to get rid of unwanted germs.

6. Drying the carpet after cleansing

The last and most important part of carpet cleaning is to dry the carpet after washing it. A wet carpet can introduce various kinds of fungi and bacteria in the home. After cleaning the carpet try setting in the sunlight for a few hours so it can dry properly. If it is not possible to set the carpet in sun then try to ensure proper air circulation by leaving the doors and windows open for a while. If there is no option to left the windows open, then let the door remained opened with the air conditioner set on moderate cooling. For this purpose fans, blowers, dehumidifiers, air mover, dryers, or anything can be used. Normally it takes 24 hours to dry a carpet. However, a sheepskin rug takes a longer time to dry as compared to normal ones. If any of the above tools are used then it will hardly take 6 hours to dry a carpet.

Author Bio: Michael Espina is the Outreach Manager and Writer at Safe Hands Cleaning, a carpet cleaning company in Bolton.

Guest Post - Little Known Ways to Lessen Your Carbon Footprint

Many people these days are becoming interested in their carbon footprint and are learning about ways to reduce it.  You probably are already aware of more than a few good ways to do it. You probably already purchase appliances that are energy efficient as well as food that is either local or organic or both.  You might even already be using cleaners that are nontoxic as well. That being said, there are still quite a few other ways to green up your way of life that you might not think about right off hand.  Here are a couple of the lesser known ways to be more eco – friendly.

Try to Get Flex Time Hours for Work 

People who are truly serious about making the environment better know that letting go of the 9 – 5 lifestyle is a must.  When you travel back and forth to work on a daily basis, this causes significant harm to the environment regardless of where you are geographically located.  Having work hours that are flexible can mean a few different things. If you happen to be employed by a corporation, maybe you can see about telecommuting a few days a week.  You might also think about switching to 4 work days with 10 hours as opposed to 5 with 8. If you don’t work in a typical work environment, think about freelancing or even beginning your own business.

Install Solar Powered Hot Water

A lot of people who concern themselves with the environment have begun to focus on water.  Take fast showers as opposed to long baths, give your outdoor plants their water in the evening or early morning and make the decision to not buy bottled water.  These are all great goals.  

That being said, you can also take it even further by installing what are known as evacuated tube solar systems in your home.  These allow you to be able to heat your water while also harvesting energy from the sun.

Use Sustainable Carpeting

Many people don’t think about carpeting and rugs when they think about saving the environment.  The thing is, by using rugs and carpeting made from materials such as jute, sisal, seagrass, wool, and more, you could truly be reducing your carbon footprint while adding a lot of style to your home décor.  Rugs made from sustainable materials are also made in ways that don’t hurt the environment.  There are fewer chemicals used and as a result, they can also lead to you not having reactions to them like you can have to some of the synthetic carpeting and rugs on the market.

What other ways can you think of to reduce your carbon footprint?

Author Bio: Simon Gilles has been working with Natural Area Rugs for the past seven years as a interior design consultant. My primary focus is on home decor using area rugs and other accessories.