Outdoor Carpet

Bathroom Accessories

2009-07-11T05:10:00.000-07:00

Bathrooms is one place to you that help you reduce your stress when having the problem. This place include tab, shower room and other. Many bathroom suites offer matching toilets and basins so the design can tie in together. Sometimes people wish to replace the basin but not the whole suite, this is a simple task once you know what to look for. Measurements are important to double check before installation, even if you have an existing sink the same size, especially when ordering from a different manufacturer. Right now, you can buy all the stuff sich as Bathroom Accessories, Bathroom Cabinets, Bathroom Lighting, Bathroom Taps, Baths, Mirrors, Radiators, Sanitaryware, Toilet Seats as Towel Warmers. All this stuff are coming from many branded

factory like Mermaid, Mira, Myson, Olfa, Samuel Heath, Smedbo. Here, many stuff are sold at the lowest price and of course you will interesting with all bathroom accessories. Shower cubicles are easy to install and the fittings are designed in such a way that there is no maintenance cost after installation. As it is available in many types of shapes and styles you will not have any problem in choosing the one that you need. While purchasing the cubicle ensure that it is made of water resistant material and it is water tight so that there are no splashes on the rest of the bathroom floor. The Shower cubicles are made of such height that even a tall person will not face any problem while using it.

Kitchen Carpet Spill

2009-03-06T21:35:00.000-08:00

A spill on the kitchen carpet can be anything from a child's cup falling off the table to muddy footprints around the room. Properly dealing with the kitchen spill is what seperates the professionals from everyone else.

With a little bit of common knowledge, many of the spills that occur can be cleaned up and corrected fast and easily. Knowing how to react to spills in the kitchen are what makes things easier than ever.

The first thing to do, is use a bit of common sense. Its important for you to take very quick action and be smart about the first steps you take in cleaning up your kitchen carpet spill. To put it in other terms - don't let the spill sit.

The longer the spill or product sits on your carpet, the deeper in it will go. A larger spill that has time to seep into the carpet and into the padding and reaches the floor boards is one type of spill that will need extensive cleaning. Therefore, you'll need to move quickly and effectively.

You can take different steps to remove spills from your kitchen carpet. One thing that remains the same throughout every spill you encounter is that you shouldn't rub them. Most often, rubbing the spill will rub them into the fibers of the carpet. This will make them less likely to come off. Instead of rubbing, you should consider blotting. Blotting puts small amounts of pressure on the stain to allow the cloth or paper towels to soak it up. This doesn't work the stain deeper into the carpet.

As far as getting the spill out of the carpet, you can use several methods. First, you should try and remove as much debris from the floor as possible, wiping as much as you can up. Then, there are several routes that you can take.

If you own a carpet cleaner, this will be your best option. Last, there are several products on the market that you can use. This will help when
it comes to difficult spills. Unless you have them on hand, waiting isn't an option. Spills in the kitchen needs to be handled in a quick and
timely manner.

Since the kitchen spill happens in one of the most used rooms of the home, you'll need to make sure that you do a great job in cleaning it up. Because spills can happen frequently, it is important that you do a complete cleaning of the carpet on a regular basis.

Even though kitchen carpet spills are nearly impossible to prevent, you can protect yourself and your carpet by knowing what to do. If you keep
your carpet clean, you'll have no problems cleaning up spills as they occur.

Bean Beg

2009-03-06T21:29:00.000-08:00

Now you can relax with comfortable just at the home. The bean bags are perfect for gaming, watching tv, reading or chilling out. Introducing to you now that Ambient Lounge has lauched the now range of 2009. What is the best of this bean bag that is the luxury of the brand and range. Beside using Outdoor Bean Bags as ramps for pets, pieces of furniture such as beds or desks, games or collection items, bean bag patterns bring toys to another whole new level. Kids

will never get tired of them and the grown-ups will never get tired of remembering how much fun they ad when they were kids, too. In order ease both tasks, sewing magazines or the internet can supply you with bean bag patterns easy to use and follow, even if you aren’t a specialist. Since the interest is tremendous nowadays for bean bag patterns, are some professional sites

that have proven very helpful in the past. In any case, you should have your eyes on the prize, and look for the discounts made at wholesale bean bag chairs and not waver when entering the supermarket or store. It would be a true blessing if you had that shape shifting, comfortable wholesale Bean Bag Chairs in your house and just have the occasion of sprawling freely on it. Leather Bean Bags can be bought as chairs and sofas, and will fit into any room of any home. They can be blended with existing decorating to add the finishing touch to a living room, provide a comfortable substitute for an office chair or take pride of place in a bedroom so that a child or adult can relax in his or her own space after a busy and draining day at school or work. Leather bean bags have the ability to stand out without looking tacky and should take pride of place in any home. So what are you waiting more. Find here now.

Standard Tests for Carpet Tiles

2009-03-05T10:47:00.001-08:00

Specifying floor covering for a commercial application requires at least a passing understanding of how it will perform in the workplace.Unfortunately, markings like "contract quality" or "heavy domestic" are open to interpretation, making it difficult for the specifier to make an informed decision.

Simon Lawrence of UK carpet tile specialist, Bürofloor, offers some insight into the standard tests that can be applied to carpet that has to perform - and last – in the punishing commercial environment.

Commercial premises place heavy performance requirements on any sort of floor covering. When coffee gets spilt at home there’s an immediate flurry of mopping and spraying with stain remover. In the workplace it’s more likely to be ignored and then walked on by unwiped outdoor shoes. Your sofa at home gets moved when you need to remove dust or dinky toys from underneath it. The castor chairs in your office travel miles, boring holes in the carpet tiles as they do so.

This means that we need a benchmark by which we can judge the suitability of carpet or carpet tiles for commercial contract use. Fortunately there are standardised tests to provide Euronorm (EN) and International Standards Organisation (ISO) certification. Genuine heavy contract products should carry the standards described here.

ISO 8543 – Effective Pile Weight

Carpet tiles need dense, closely-grouped pile to provide the required wear resistance. To provide a standard for this, ISO 8543 specifies a method of shaving the carpet down to its backing. It simply measures the mass of the pile removed in grams per square metre. In general, the greater the pile mass, the harder-wearing will be the carpet tile.

ISO 1765 – Total thickness

This is another relatively simple test. In this case the carpet tile is compressed by a standard weight, and then its thickness is measured to the nearest 0.1mm.

EN 1963 – Lisson Treadwheel Test

This test measures the carpet’s resistance to scuffing, in particular highlighting how strongly the pile tufts are secured. The treadwheel is positioned above the carpet to be tested and rolled to and fro across the sample 400 times. The wheel turns slightly faster than it moves across the carpet creating a severe scuffing effect. The tested carpet sample is compared to the master samples and is rated accordingly. This is a particularly aggressive test, literally ripping some types of carpet tile to shreds. A pass under EN1963 is a strong indicator of good wear resistance.

ISO 10361 – Accelerated Wear Testing

This standard is particularly relevant for carpet tiles that will be used in an office. It’s composed of two tests, the Vetterman drum test and the castor chair test.

Vetterman Drum Test

The Vetterman Drum Test is intended to simulate heavy, focused footfall. Foot traffic tends to be concentrated around doorways or narrow passages between desks, and these areas can quickly become threadbare.

The carpet for testing is fixed inside a revolving metal drum. A heavy (7.5Kg) ball, covered in hard rubber protrusions, is placed inside the drum and is allowed to bounce around freely. The carpet is subjected to two test programmes, one of 5,000 rotations of the drum and one of 22,000 rotations.

The carpet is then visually judged against master wear samples and is given a rating for how well it has withstood the effects of the test.

The visual inspections of the carpet give results from 1 to 5 for both 5,000 and 22,000 rotations and the final result is a combination of the two results according to the formula below;

Total Result = 0.75 x Result after 5,000 rotations + 0.25 x result after 22,000 rotations

A result of 2 or more is a pass

A result of 2.4 or more is a pass for intensive use

Castor Chair Test

Castor chairs are particularly damaging, and the ragged holes they wear in floor coverings can represent a tripping hazard. The results of this test should be an essential part of the office carpet specification.

The test rig rolls a three-castored chair, carrying a weight of 90kg, across the carpet. Two samples are used, one run for 5,000 and one for 25,000 cycles.

The tested samples are visually assessed against standard samples and are rated on a scale of 1-5. The final result for the test is given according to the formula below;

Total Result = 0.75 x Result after 5,000 rotations + 0.25 x result after 25,000 rotations

ISO/DIS 10965 – Electrical Resistance

This test is particularly important for contract carpet that could well find itself in computer rooms where a build up of static electricity could damage valuable equipment.

The carpet sample to be tested must be acclimatized for at least 7 days before the test at a temperature of 23+/-1°C and 25+/-2% relative humidity. This is because humidity impacts so greatly on conductivity of textiles and must be controlled rigorously to get a meaningful test.

In this test regime the horizontal resistance and vertical resistance of the carpet is measured (in Ohms).

Horizontal resistance: An isolating underlay is placed under the carpet tile sample which should be pile upward. 2 electrodes are connected to the tile 200 mm apart and the resistance in Ohms is measured between them.

Vertical resistance: Here the electrodes are above and below the carpet tile and the resistance in Ohms is measured between them.

Measurements of less than 1010 Ohms are necessary for computer rooms.

ISO 3415 – Static Loading (Compression test)

This test is designed to see how much the carpet is compressed by a weight placed on it. It replicates the effect of furniture on the carpet.

The thickness is measured before compression

A pressure of 220 kPa is applied for 15, 30 and 60 minutes.

The result is simply given in the loss of thickness in mm after

a recovery period of 1 hour.

ISO 140-8 Acoustic Properties

The test equipment for this standard consists of two spaces, one above the other and 5 hammers, each of 500 gr. The first test is to measure impact absorption – i.e. how much impact noise is absorbed by the carpet sample.

First of all the hammers are allowed to free fall onto the floor of the upper space from a height of 4 cm, each striking the floor 10 times / second. The noise in decibels is recorded in the space below.

The test is then repeated with the addition of the sample carpet to the floor of the higher space.

The difference in decibels is the amount of impact noise that has been absorbed by the carpet sample. This test is interesting in that it shows how well carpet performs to stop noise transmission compared to other floorcoverings like wood or vinyl.

For ISO 354 the absorption of ambient noise is measured. Noise of different frequencies; (125 – 250 – 500 – 1000 – 2000) are broadcast down into a room of 200m³ and the amount of noise bounced back from the floor is measured. This is then compared with the noise reflected by the floor when covered with sample material. A result of 0.5 in this test shows that 50% of the noise that would have been reflected was absorbed by the test sample and that the remaining 50% was reflected by it.

ISO 2551 – Dimensional Stability and EN 986 for tiles

Carpet tiles must maintain their dimensions ±0.02% after the following treatments:

Heating to a temperature of 60°C for 2 hours

Bathing in water at a temperature of 20°C for 2 hours

Further heating to a temperature of 60°C for 24 hours

Conditioning in normal atmospheric conditions for 48 hours

These treatments demonstrate that the tiles will retain their integrity in the toughest conditions like hot water cleaning and extreme temperatures.

Cost of Ownership

All floor coverings carry a hidden expense in the form of replacement costs. In commercial premises this cost is raised further by the business disruption of installing new carpet tiles. Buying unwisely will inevitably lead to higher expense. A reputable supplier should respond positively to a request for test data. Hopefully the information in this article will help make sense of the test specifications and support a properly informed choice.

Carpet Cleaning in London

2009-03-05T10:45:00.000-08:00

Life's too short and to think about spending your free time on cleaning your carpets is quite unimaginable! Time is a very valuable ingredient of life and you deserve to spend your quality time, playing tennis, golf, reading a book or simply relaxing with your family or friends.

In today’s busy life schedule, as we might not get time for carpet cleaning, many professional cleaning firms have emerged in London to help you out of this mess. Clean homes are becoming a passion in London and the cleaning companies attain a significant role among the health-loving people of London.

Professional cleaners have methods to deal with them, like powerful chemical sprays or just deep cleaning using a lot of very hot water. There are different ways to clean a carpet and every method has its advantages and disadvantages. If these measures don’t work, the only option left is replacement.

Pets are very capable of damaging your carpets and pet lovers surely have volumes to speak about bad odour. When dealing with your not-so-well-trained pet, messes that aren’t cleaned quickly enough may allow odor to cling to the fibers of your carpet, making it a very difficult task to remove them. Stains and discoloration are among the serious damages to carpets, but bad odor is easily apparent.

No matter how hard we try to keep our carpets in top-notch condition, carpet stains seem an unavoidable fact of life that we must face from time to time.

Deodorants or carpet sprays may mask the foul smell, but a balmy summer day can bring them back with a vengeance.

The best way to keep your carpet odor-free, however, is to keep the problems away from it. Well-trained animals and well kept litter boxes and freshly replaced newspapers can really do the magic on your carpets.

Some ways to clean carpets while using chemicals

Most carpet care products are relatively safe to use, and have only a small impact on the environment. However, some of these products do contain toxic chemicals that are harmful both to the person who uses them and to the people who are around those area cleaned.

1 Use mild products for regular daily cleaning.

2 Use stronger products only for weekly deep cleaning.

3 Avoid ingredients that are poisonous or that harm the environment.

4 Wear protective gloves and goggles when mixing or using any cleaning products.

Some tips while using chemicals to clean carpet:

1 As corrosive chemicals (acids or caustics) can blind you in seconds, wear goggles to protect your eyes.

2 As Corrosives can also damage your skin and leave scars, wear gloves to protect your hands.

3 As some poisonous chemicals are easily inhaled, be sure that your work area has enough ventilation.

4 As mixing different products together can create poisonous chemicals, avoid mixing products, and be sure to rinse out work buckets after each use.

Reduce dust to keep your carpets clean

If you can prevent soil and dirt from entering the house, carpet cleaning can be less frequent.

Use area rugs or runners for high traffic areas. These rugs should be large enough to capture several footsteps. Experiment with different sizes and textures to see what works best at each doorway. Every few days these mats will become “full” of soil. Therefore, it’s important to vacuum all doorway rugs frequently so that they will continue to capture soil before it is carried into the house.

Good windows help you to keep dust from entering your home. If you have old windows, be sure to replace them with new double pained windows that have a good seal.

Don't forget about the doors. Your doors should have a good seal and be air tight when closed. This will help keep the dust and dirt out on windy days.

Some modern homes are built so that they are totally enclosed. If possible, the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system in such a home should be operated so that the air pressure just inside each doorway is higher than that of the natural air outdoors. Doing so will push airborne dust back outside.

Though it is easy to preach on the ways of keeping your carpets clean, it’s not an easy task to practice. But it is pleasure to step on a stainless, odorless, dust-free and plush carpet. To experience it, well, you have no other option other than keeping it spotlessly clean.

Carpet Buying - a Beginners Guide

2009-03-05T10:43:00.000-08:00

The reason why carpet is so popular with homeowners is pretty obvious: it provides a home a certain warmth and beauty without being too expensive. It radiates luxury and coziness and provides what most naked floors can't: noise reduction and thermal insulation that give a room a certain quiet and comfort.

Buying carpets
Before setting out to buy carpeting, consider first where you will be putting it. Consider light-colored carpets for areas like bedrooms and studies where there is less traffic or foot use. For areas which will receive heavier use, choose medium shades like taupe or dark beige. Dirt and stains will not be too noticeable with these colors.

Dark-colored carpeting provides an intense, dramatic look, but they will also show stuff like dust, lint and pet hair more readily.

You'll want carpeting that can last for years and withstand wear and tear, so look for carpets with firmly twisted fibers. These carpets can withstand more abrasion and will last longer, regardless of whether they are made from synthetic or natural materials.

Look for long fibers or 'plushes' – these won't shed too much and you won't need to worry about carpet fibers flying about or finding their way on other surfaces. To test for shedding, dig the surface of the carpet with your fingers and drag them across. If you find very few fibers sticking to your fingers, that means the carpet will retain its body and that it's a good buy.

'Cut pile' carpets have shorter fibers and can be very stylish, but they can easily reflect usage like footprints, for example. The fibers also have a natural bend and if they are brushed in the opposite direction during use, some areas may show a different, darker shade.

Your fiber options
There are numerous choices for carpet fibers made from natural and/or synthetic materials. Which one you buy will depend on what look you want, where you will use the carpet and your budget.

Natural wool is your best choice. It's not only durable, but it's also soft to the touch and offers good cushioning. It is also the most expensive material for carpets and can cost from a low of $30 to over $100 per sq.yd. This type of fiber will withstand constant use even in heavy traffic areas. It's also easy to clean because it's naturally stain- and dirt-resistant. You won't have any problems with color since it is easily dyed.

Synthetic fibers are also very popular choices for carpeting. These are usually acrylic, polyester, olefin and nylon. Acrylics are sometimes used with natural wool because they have similar characteristics. Polyester is a cheaper choice and are quite durable and luxurious to the touch. Olefin, also called polypropylene, is a great choice for outdoor carpeting because it is resistant to mildew and moisture. Nylon, like olefin, is also mildew and moisture-resistant and is another popular choice for carpet fiber because of its resilience and durability.

Carpet cushions
Most homeowners prefer to install cushions under their carpeting for more resilience and softness. Cushions come in natural, synthetic and urethane materials, but be careful about buying cushion that is too thick because it would result to a carpeting that is too soft. Look for firm, dense material that is about 3/8 of an inch thick or even less.

Carpet replacement
Carpets which receive regular wear and tear need to be replaced every five years or so, maybe less if there is too much wear on the fabric or difficult to remove stains. These are carpets located in heavy traffic areas like the kitchen or living room. Otherwise, most carpets won't usually need replacement up to 10 years.

What Empire Carpets Can Offer You

2009-03-05T10:41:00.000-08:00

If you are in the market for new carpets you are probably already aware of Empire Carpets which offers convenient in home shopping services, quick installation, and low warehouse pricing. That's why they are one of the most popular choices by consumers. So what does Empire Carpets have to offer in the way of products?

Empire Carpets has been in business for 45 years and is a family owned business that operated out of Chicago. They don't just offer carpets to the consumer, but rather they have all your home decor needs covered.

1. Carpet

2. Flooring

3. Window Treatments

4. No clog gutters

5. Bath liners

6. Custom windows

7. Vinyl siding

Empire Carpets is one of the leaders in the home improvement and home furnishing industry. They offer a full line of home products for your home. And they have a wide selection of quality name brand carpeting such as Mohawk, Shaw, and Coronet. What's even better is that they come to you. They'll bring along samples and you can try them in your room, see how they look. A much better way to shop for carpets! No more guessing if you are making the right choice. Empire carpets knows how to server their customers.

Here are just a few of the carpet options you have with Empire:

Textured

Textured carpets provide a very decorative addition to your room and are appropriate for casual or formal settings. This cut pile carpeting is very versatile, comfortable, and warm, adding a flair of its own to the room.

Plush

Plush is just what it says plush. This style of carpet is luxurious and so classy. They provide smooth, clean finishes that are soft and inviting and are a perfect choice for a dining room or living room.

Saxony

Saxonies are distinct in that they are made of pencil point yarn with an added twist which creates a very trendy casual look. Perfect for the modern decor.

Berber

Berber carpets are durable and stay looking new and fresh for a long time. They are made of wool with a natural loop so they are an excellent choice if there are allergies in your home. Available in a wide range of natural earth tones and multi colored tones. Because of the tight loop they hide vacuum marks and footprints very well. An excellent choice for a heavy traffic room such as a living room, rec room, or family room.

Loop

Loop carpets are perfect for an information arrangement such as basements, offices, or even the kid's play room. There is a wide selection of multi color choices as well as solids to choose from.

Frieze

Friezes is just a little out of the ordinary adding not only a touch of class but also a little jazz to the room. It is made from a yarn that is tightly twisted so shows minimal vacuum marks or footprints.

Indoor Outdoor

Indoor outdoor carpet is one of the most versatile carpets on the market. Perfect for pool decks, porches, spas, work shops, sun rooms, or any place where moisture, dampness, or water are a factor. Indoor outdoor carpet has come a long way from the traditional golf course green of a few decades ago. Now you've got a wide range of colors to choose from.

If you are in the market for new carpets just like their commercials say Empire Carpets can offer you a pleasant buying experience from the comfort of your home. Why not give them a call?

John Murray makes it easy to go through the carpet buying process and provides tips to keep your carpet lasting long. To learn more and receive your free mini-course visit the carpet rugs website.

Outdoor Carpets For the Modern Home

2009-03-05T10:40:00.001-08:00

The purpose of outdoor carpets is to improve the area outside your house, such as walkways or the perimeter of garden areas. They are very different in construction than normal carpets, and are made to be tougher and more resilient.

One of their main features is a certain degree of waterproofness, so that they are not affected by rain, or by water splashed from a swimming pool or from a garden.

While there are both natural fiber and synthetic outdoor carpets, several kinds of plastic-based textiles are the most common materials. Synthetic outdoor carpets also tend to be cheaper than their natural counterparts, although some people prefer using grass mat - based carpeting.

The main purpose of outdoor carpets is to cover up concrete flooring, which is both unsightly and uncomfortable to walk on. With an outdoor carpet you will both get the practical effect of a more comfortable and safer surface, and the aesthetic pleasure of nicer surroundings. Outdoor carpeting are often the first step to personalizing the outside area of your house to your tastes.

Besides adding the decorators' or owners' personal touch to the area, outdoor carpeting also has two very concrete advantages. First and foremost, wet carpeting (such as after a rain shower) is less dangerous and slippery than concrete.

Second, the added layer makes the surface more comfortable and better isolated from cold coming from the ground, resulting in a more pleasant experience when sitting or walking with bare feet. It also merges the interior of the house with patios and conservatories in an appealing manner.

Olefin and polyvinyl are common materials for artificial outdoor carpets, while sisal and reeds are usually employed as natural materials. An expensive alternative for outdoor carpeting can be heavy wool, treated to be waterproof so that it doesn't become damp and smelly.

In nay case you will find that, provided the installation was carried out competently, you will not have any problems with dampness or odors as outdoor carpet specific materials are well waterproofed.

There are several ways to install the carpet, the most common one being through the application of waterproof glue. Some carpets can be glued directly to concrete and others require some from of padding in between. Often, outdoor carpets can be bought in tiles, which makes installation easier, especially for DIY enthusiasts.

Outdoor carpets are available in a wide range of patterns and colors, and you will surely find something that suits your eye. These are great materials to furnish the outside of your house, and they are also cheap and durable.

Fit Outdoor Carpets Easily

2009-03-05T10:36:00.000-08:00

There are a great number of different possibilities when choosing outdoor carpets, both for the form and for the function. But installing outdoor carpets yourself is still the same procedure, regardless of the shape and material of the carpeting that you selected. This guide will steer you through the installation process.

As for all do it yourself work, you need to start out with the right tools. For outdoor carpet installation, these are pretty simple, and utility knife and some measuring tape being the main ones. But you also need the right adhesives to glue down the carpet permanently, plus double-sided scotch tape to fix the carpeting onto the ground.

Just as a reminder, make sure that you navigated the maze of outdoor carpet choices and came up with the right selection. Your carpet needs to have waterproof marine backing if it will be subject to humidity, and needs to be UV-resistant if you are laying it down in a sunny spot.

Before you begin, divide up the area where the carpet is to be installed into rectangular areas, and clean up the first one thoroughly, removing any dust and grime. You should also unroll and lay out the outdoor carpet somewhere else for a couple of hours, so that it can breathe and expand before the installation. Put down a grid of double-sided adhesive tape on the area to be carpeted.

If the outdoor carpet does not already come cut to size, you now need to trim it. Make sure that you leave some extra carpet on the edges at this stage, as you will do some more trimming later.

Ply one half of the carpet onto the other, then remove the adhesive tape covering strips from the other half, and add an even layer of glue. Make sure that you work according to the specifications of the glue manufacturer.

Now place down the outdoor carpet with care, and repeat on the other side, without creating bumps and folds in the carpeting. Work slowly and steadily, until the first half of the carpet is fixed firmly to the floor.

Now do the same thing on the other side, removing tape covers, applying glue and rolling down the other outdoor carpet smoothly and steadily. One you are done with the whole area, if you have a carpet roller this is the time to use it to smooth out the outdoor carpet even further.

At this point, you can trim the outdoor carpet edges of any extra fabric and make sure that the whole floor covering fits neatly. This is also the time to use glue solvent to clean up any edges or blemishes. Do it now for the area rather than later for the whole house, or the extra glue will harden and make your work harder.

Repeat the process on the next area to be carpeted, until all the outdoor carpet has been installed. Where two pieces of carpet meet, the area can either be sown together or covered with a special metal casing. You will soon have a perfectly installed outdoor carpet!

Whether you want to find the right outdoor carpet for your patio or learn how to clean them without effort, here is the place to start

Steam Carpet Cleaning

2008-10-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

The process of steam cleaning your carpet involves hot water being fed to a spray extraction tool or wand, coupled to a pump vacuum power unit. The cleaning solution is injected under pressure deep into the carpet through water jet nozzles.

The water will then penetrate the fiber all the way down to the backing. This action will loosen any embedded soil, remove oil and grease deposits, and get your carpet cleaner than it has ever been.

There are many types and makes of steam carpet cleaners available on the market, ranging from small portables to the large and very powerful truck mounted units. The principle is the same no matter what model you pick.

The models that are truck mounted are designed so that only the hose and the wand are taken into the area being cleaned. These units are very powerful, delivering hot water and generating a high vacuum recovery that can be powered by diesel fuel, gas, propane, or even by the motor of the truck.

Most carpet manufacturers, fiber producers, and professional cleaners endorse this process for
achieving soil removal efficiency. With the present state of art equipment and technology, we are more than capable of high production and cleaning of carpet.

The real disadvantage to steam carpet cleaning are the problems that are associated with over wetting and longer drying times. These can be eliminated however, by a skilled operator who uses equipment that is well maintained and in good overall operating condition.

Currently, there are two methods being used with steam carpet cleaning.
1. This method involves a traffic lane cleaner being sprayed onto the traffic lanes and then agitated into the fibers. The entire area is then cleaned by using a hot water extractor that has a cleaning solution being injected into the fibers through the wand.
2. The second method involves a free rinse emulsifying pre-spray being sprayed onto the
entire carpet, then agitated into the fibers.

Steam cleaning procedures
1. Prepare the equipment and supplies. In a pump or power sprayer you should mix the free
rinsing pre-spray. In the solution tank of the extractor, mix the rinsing agent.
2. If you have a lot of furniture to move, make yourself a floor plan.
3. If the area being cleaned has furniture, you should remove as much as possible.
4. Thoroughly vacuum the carpet. If the pile is crushed or matted, use a pile brush to loosen the soils which will make vacuuming more effective.
5. Pre-spray a good amount of the pre-spray.
6. Using a grooming tool, agitate the pre spray deep into the fibers then let it sit for 10 -
15 minutes, making sure that it doesn't dry out.
7. Extract the area using a portable, truck mounted, or automatic carpet cleaner.
8. Repeat steps 5 through 7 until the entire area has been cleaned.
9. Groom the cleaned area, replace all furniture that was removed, then clean all equipment
that you used.

Carpet Repair

2008-06-26T11:29:00.000-07:00

How often you need to repair your carpet depends on you. There are instances such as burns, crushing, fading, furniture, bleeding, sprouting, and carpet beetles where you'll want to take action. Most of the time, you can finish a repair job without needing a professional, although there will be times when you will need professional assistance.

Burns
Burns occur when a cigarette butt or flame comes in contact with the carpet. If the burn is small, the burnt fibers of the carpet can be cut out with scissors. If the burn is large, you'll need to
replace the area with a new piece of carpet. You can do this yourself if you know how, or have an
installer do it.

Fuzzing
This occurs when loose fibers come out on the edges of the carpet. To fix this, simply cut the fibers that are sticking out.

Furniture marks
Heavy furniture can result in indentations being left on the carpet. To get rid of these nasty
marks, you should sprinkle your carpet with some club soda, place a towel over the area, then iron it. Do this a couple of times and you will see your carpet begin to re-fluff.

Shading, crushing, and matting
A lot of traffic on the surface of the carpet will cause it to flatten, which may give some types of
carpet a shaded appearance. If this happens, you should brush and vacuum the area. If you can't fix the problem, you may need to hire a professional, as this can sometimes be very tricky.

Shedding and snagging
Shedding is a problem of usage, as the fibers will surface on the carpet. This isn't a defect in
manufacturing, but a normal problem. To fix it, you'll need to vacuum the area. The snags on
the other hand are tufts that have pulled out of the surface of the carpet. They will occur more
often with loop pile than cut pile carpets. You should never pull them off, but instead cut them
off neatly with a pair of scissors.

Sprouting
A carpet is known to have sprouts only when there are tufts on it, which are longer than the rest.
As pulling on them will only damage the carpet more, you should trim them off with scissors and
level them down to the rest of the pile.

Static electricity
This depends on the carpet material, construction, and padding. Humidity will play an important role as the moisture in the air is absorbed by the carpet fibers. A humidifier will help to retain
moisture, and you can also spray the surface of the carpet with an anti static agent.

Carpet beetles
The best way to deal with carpet beetles is with a strong vacuum suction. You should always avoid spillage and keep the surface of the carpet clean of food. The carpet beetles are quite annoying, as they feed on wool, hair, hides, fur, grain, seeds, and flour. If the carpet is infested bad, you professional cleaner is the way to go.

Bleeding or crocking
Bleeding of the carpet is the loss or transfer of the color from one section to another. Good underlayments can help to prevent bleeding to a certain degree. Crocking on the other hand is
the loss of the carpets color when it is rubbed. To avoid this, simply avoid getting your carpet
wet.

A carpet installation job that is one right can help you reduce your repair worries to quite
an amazing degree. You can always call a pro as well, as their services will often end up being
much cheaper than if you were to go ahead and replace the entire carpet.

Antique Carpet (outdoor carpet)

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Antique type carpets help to add a touch of grandeur and glamour to your home or office, speaking greatly about your rich and extravagant tastes. Antique carpets are beautiful home furnishings and solid art investments. They aren't just decorative items, but pieces of tradition, ethniticity, and true class that dates back thousands of years.

Antique carpets represent enormous range in motifs and color harmonies and you'll simply lose yourself seeing the diverse combinations of rich antique colors and heavy intricate weaving. The diverse range of antique carpet pieces that you'll encounter while shopping for them are mostly Oriental carpets and rugs that portray the mystery and legend of the far off lands of the Orient.

Antique carpets and rugs are imported mostly from China, Persia, India, Afghanistan, Caucasus, and Turkey. Some of the famous weaving areas of such antique carpets include Kashan, Agra, and many other locations.Antique carpets have a more artistic integrity, as they are exclusively hand woven. They are sold all over the world, with clients more than willing to pay whatever they have to in order to redefine their home and decorate in style.

If you are looking to add luster and glamour to your home or office and are ready to spend a fortune on the exquisite pieces of art, then you shouldn’t wait a single minute. The first thing to do, is contact one of the several reliable, knowledgeable, and genuine art dealers and galleries
who deal in antique carpets and have profound knowledge about the various aspects of a good and genuine antique carpet. They can guide you in selecting the best one per your budget and tastes.

You've got a bit of work to do as well. You should visit a lot of dealers and educate yourself about dyes, wools, design quality, and the many styles of weaving as well. Touch the carpet and scrutinize them carefully. Beware of the machine made synthetic carpets that some dealers will tell you are antique carpets.

Below, are some tips to help you when buying antique carpet.
1. You have to remain careful and thoughtful while analyzing each piece of antique carpet.
2. You'll also need to try and understand the age and origin of the carpet that will in turn give you a much better insight about the overall quality of the carpet.
3. You'll also need to look and see if the edge and borders are there in the antique carpet you intend to buy, as the end and edge borders are sometimes lost or even cut out on purpose. Keep in mind that the borders will determine the overall value of your carpet.
4. Keep an eye out for holes and moth attacks that are both common when dealing with antique carpets. These problems must be attended to before you buy the carpet.
5. You should always deal with dealers who have the prices marked on the carpet. See to it that your dealer sticks to that price.

How To Install Outdoor Carpet (Outdoor Carpet)

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Remember the 1970s when the only choice available in indoor - outdoor carpet was that wonderful [not] golf course green turf. It's no wonder that the word outdoor carpet sends shudders down a person's spine. But those days are gone.

Today there are a wide selection of both colors and textures from the very plush to the basic. You can even choose varying grades of carpet. So all that's left to know is how to install outdoor carpet.

Before we get into how to install outdoor carpet let's have a look at the tools you'll need. 50 lb Carpet Roller - optional but well worth the rental fee because of the nice tight seal it provides.

- Utility Knife (make sure the blade is sharp)
- Straight Edge
- Adhesive Spreader
- Scissors
- Tape Measure

You will require the following materials

- Double faced carpet tape
- Adhesive
- Adhesive solvent [mild]
- Seam Adhesive
- Solvent To Ensure The Surface is Clean

Some things you should be aware of.

- If you are buying outdoor carpet that is going to be prone to dampness or serious wetness be sure the carpet has an all weather marine backing that is resistant to moisture.
- Outdoor carpet can be purchased in either 6 foot or 12 foot widths.
- Sundecks or areas that get a large amount of sun should be installed using a quality outdoor carpet adhesive to ensure there are no problems with rot or mildew.
- Adhesives are flammable so do not use around open flames, cigarettes, pilot lights, or any other source of flame.

Now to the main attraction, how to install outdoor carpet

1. Prepare your surface
Make sure you have properly prepared your surface by using a solvent to remove all grime and dirt. Let it dry out completely before installing the carpet. The best conditions for installing your carpet are in a humidity range from 10% to 65%, and temperatures between 55 F and 95 F.

2. Unroll
Unroll the carpet in the location where you are going to install it. Let is sit for an hour or two to allow for expansion.

3. Tape room
Take your two sided double tape and place the tape around the outer edge of the room on the sub floor. Make sure there is no more than a 2 foot spacing between each strip of tape. Leave the protective paper on the top side of the tape so as not to loose the adhesion.

4. Center It
Next center the carpet in the room. Position it so the edges are able to curl up against the wall. Allow at least 3" on each side. You can trim excess away later.

5. Cut A Ways
Trim around protrusion and outside corner edges by making a vertical slice down the carpet. Remember cutting a corner correctly makes installing your carpet much easier.

6. Inside Corners
To fit your carpet on inside corners you need to do a V cut where it over laps. Move slow and carefully when making these cuts so that you do not cut too far.

7. Seams
If your room needs to be seamed be sure you have the pile running in the same direction so that the seam is the least noticeable. You should overlap from 2 to 3 inches. To make a double cut seam take your straight edge and utility knife and cut through both layers at exactly the same time using the tools together.

8. Wall To Center
Start against the wall and then fold the carpet back half way but don't move the half that still down.

9. Apply Adhesive
If you are doing a permanent installation this is when you will use your adhesive [make sure the room is well ventilated]. Take a notched spreader, apply adhesive, and then apply the adhesive to the sub floor. Follow instructions on the adhesive.

10. Unroll
Now slowly roll the carpet you rolled back earlier back into place. Smooth out any bumps and make sure you've got it lined up properly. If you were careful rolling it back all should be fine.

11. Repeat
Repeat the entire process above for the other side of the room now.

12. Carpet Roller
Now take your carpet roller [if you rented one] and run it across the entire carpet to get the adhesive to properly adhere all over the carpet.

13. Trim
Now is the time to use that sharp utility knife and trim away the excess on the edges around the outside of the room. Now is the time to clip any threads you see as well so that they don't start to unravel.

14. Clean Up
Clean away any excessive adhesive using a mild solvent. Follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer.

15. Connect The Dots
Or in this case connect the rooms. If you are laying outdoor carpet in more than one room use metal binder strips to cover the join.

That's it! If you followed these how to install outdoor carpet steps you should be an outdoor carpet layer pro by now! And think of all the money you saved not having to call in the pros. So what's your next project?

By John Murray