All About Flooring

By Jim Ames

Interior remodeling has seen quite a boom in the last year. Since the real estate market has slowed so much, people are re-evaluating their homes and deciding to remodel instead.

One of the quickest ways to upgrade your home is to install all new flooring. If you cannot afford to replace the flooring in your entire house, try just the kitchen and a bathroom, that is a quick and relatively inexpensive way to give your space a fresh new look. Or, if you find that your family room is where you do most of your entertaining then look into revamping the floors in there. You can certainly warm up your home by adding rich hardwood to the family room floors. There are tremendous amounts of product available for your flooring needs. All you need is a budget and a little education on what is best for your space.

We’ll start with the kitchen and bathroom because they are the most popular rooms to remodel. In “wet” areas, or rooms that have plumbing supplies, it’s very common to have some sort of tile. Tile generally comes in ceramic or porcelain, but is also available in many natural stones as well. Of course, your choice will depend on the overall look you’re trying to achieve and how big of a dent you are willing to put in your wallet. When dealing ceramic or stone surfaces, it’s best to go through an experienced tile setter to get the best results.

A less expensive way to acquire a tiled look is to use vinyl sheet flooring. This is a material made of vinyl that comes in a twelve foot wide roll and can be ordered in any length you need. This is usually available in many different colors and patterns in stock at your local home improvement store, and is fairly easy to install. Some of the same colors and patterns also come in easier to handle 12” x 12” self-sticking squares.

Hardwood floors are not recommended for use in those “wet” rooms, but make a fabulous statement in your formal dining room, or are a great alternative to carpet in your homes bedrooms. Hardwoods also come in many different species and stains, as well as different installation options. Hardwood is a little more tricky than tile, and there are a few more things to think about when choosing it as a floor covering. Hardwoods need to acclimate, or sit in your home for at least seventy two hours before they are installed. This greatly decreases the risk of shrinking or swelling to a degree that will cause damage to the entire floor after it’s been laid. It’s also important to pay attention to the recommendations for sub-floor as well. Like I said, hardwoods are very expensive, and more complicated than tile, and should never be installed by someone who is a novice.

The best alternative to hardwood floors are laminated wood flooring or engineered wood floors. These are two different types that often get confused with one another, and they are vastly different. Laminated wood flooring or a “floating floor” is made of melamine with a very good photograph of a wood grain on it. Many people find that they do not prefer this as an alternative because it has a hollow feeling and sound when you walk on it. This is due to the fact that it is laid on a pad, but is interlocked together so it is very literally floating a little bit off the sub-floor, and the hollow sound you hear is the give that it is producing as you step. Engineered wood floors are usually made with a melamine core, but with an 1/8” to a ¼” wood veneer on top. A wood veneer is a thin slice of real wood, and depending how thick it is determines how often it can be sanded and refinished.

There are obviously several things to consider when choosing a new floor. First, determine what rooms are most important and what you would like to see in it. Then figure out how much you want to spend and you should be on your way to a brand new floor!

For more information about flooring, visit: http://www.tipsonflooring.com

About the Author: Learn more & get a free newsletter at http://myhomeimprovementtips.com & for more tips & resources on flooring, head to http://www.tipsonflooring.com

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Cleaning Carpet Stains - Harmless And Simple!

By Jodie Philips

Did you know that quite a few of the common household cleaning agents you would normally reach for to clean a carpet stain will actually damage your carpet forever?

Did you know that clear liquid detergents are better for carpet stain removing than opaque ones?

How about this: When blotting to clean a carpet stain, should you work outward or inward?

Check out the tips for cleaning carpet stains below. You'll be surprised how enlightening they are, and how much sense they make.

TIPS FOR CLEANING CARPET STAINS:

1) Keep the right carpet stain cleaning supplies handy in a place all their own.

Collect the following items:

A clear, see-through liquid detergent (non-transparent liquid detergents can leave a residue that attracts yet more dirt).

At least one spot remover that cuts grease, such as Energine.

Ammonia, mixed one tablespoon to one cup of water (not to be used on wool).

Non-oily polish remover.

One part white vinegar mixed with one part water.

Club soda.

White paper towels or cloths.

2) The correct way to clean carpet stains is to first collect as much of the offending spill as possible, then blot inward (blotting outward can make the stain bigger). After that, use one of the items you have gathered together specifically for cleaning carpet stains. A lot of other common cleaning products contain chemicals that can damage the rug. Rinse well with the least amount of water necessary, and then pack the stained area with white paper towels or white cloths. Weigh the area down and leave it for 24 hours.

3) You can help extend the life of your carpets by using the following preventative tips:

Use a good carpet pad. Put "walk-off matting" at all entryways, and keep them clean. Set up a system for cleaning carpets of dirt and stains regularly, and stick to it!

And remember, when it comes to cleaning carpet stains, it's like being a paramedic… the carpet you save may be your own!

About the Author: Jodie Phillips is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Effective-Carpet-Cleaning.com where she provides more advice in her cleaning carpet stain tips.

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Why Does Carpet Cleaning Cost So Much?

By James Carlson

If you are ready to have your homes carpeting cleaned you might have called around for cleaning estimates already. If you have you might wonder why does it cost so much to clean my carpets. Read this article and learn what is involved in carpet cleaning and see where the price comes from.

Carpet cleaning can be expensive but as you know it is a necessary expense to take care of your flooring investment. With the prices of cleaning you might be tempted to just go do it yourself. Before you do that though you should know exactly what is involved in carpet cleaning. This might help you see what the price is actually quite fair. It will also help you see how ridiculous those $9 a room con artists are. One factor that affects the cost of carpet cleaning is the equipment. Carpet cleaners spend thousands of dollars on cleaning equipment. A moderately priced truck mounted carpet cleaning machine can cost up to twenty thousand dollars and requires a thirty thousand dollar van to move it around. That means that they bring a fifty thousand dollar rig to your home, not including the chemicals and specialty cleaning tools they have. This is just for a moderately priced cleaning machine, some carpet cleaning rigs can run up to a hundred thousand dollars. Another factor to consider is the training. A quality carpet cleaner will have years of training behind their belt and will undergo regular continuing education. This is necessary to keep up with changes in the industry and to stay familiar with all of the new products produced by the carpet mills. Lastly you need to consider the cost of fuel, advertising and insurance that the cleaner pays. There are countless other expenses but this covers the majority of the big ones.

When you put all of these factors together you can see that the carpet cleaners you hire are not making quite as much money off of you as you thought. In fact you can see that most cleaners are quite reasonable in price and you can see that those low ball carpet cleaners must be up to something.


About the Author: Learn more on this and on Hollywood CA carpet cleaning at the authors website.



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Getting The Best Professional Carpet Cleaning

By James Carlson

If you are having your carpet cleaned you might not know how to prepare. After all, you only do it once every year or two so it is not something you are probably used to. If you have scheduled a carpet cleaning you should read this article for some tips on what to do before your carpet cleaner arrives.

When you have your carpet cleaned you want to make the job as easy as possible for the carpet cleaner. Yes, you want to get the most service for your money but you want the cleaner to be able to concentrate on doing their job which is cleaning the carpet. To help them out you should have any furniture that you want moved cleared off in advance of their arrival. Have tables completely cleared of everything including pictures, decorations, lamps, etc. Also move small items like toys, floor lamps, etc completely out of the room. If the cleaner is not doing furniture moving you should have any furniture that you plan on moving out of the way before they come to your home. This will allow them to get right to work when they arrive and they will appreciate it. They will usually show this appreciation by doing the best job they possibly can. Another thing you can do to get the most out of carpet cleaning is to pre-vacuum the carpet. Some cleaners do include that in their price but the more the carpet is vacuumed the better. If they are not vacuuming then you should definitely pre-vacuum. The more dry soil that is removed before the cleaning by vacuuming, the better the results will be. The last tip I will give you is to move as much extra furniture that you can. Most cleaners will not move things like book cases and beds. If you move them in advance of their arrival you will get more carpet cleaned for your money. Just do not try to move furniture while they are in your home. You will slow them down and they might charge you for it. Even if they do not charge you their job performance might suffer.

Hopefully these tips will be of use to you and will allow you to get the most out of your carpet cleaning. For more tips, ask your local carpet cleaner what you can do to make their job easier. They will be quick to tell you.

About the Author: Learn about carpet cleaning at The Carpet Cleaner List . Information on local carpet cleaning services.

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Cleaning Tips For Your Carpet

By Mary Williams

If you are the one who is really worry about your carpet, here is some simple guide for treating stains and maintaining carpets and upholstery.

1. Always clean up spills quickly to avoid staining. Start by removing any solid debris. Clean the spill using clean, cold water and blotting with white paper towels or cloths. Never scrub or brush the spill as it will damage fibers and possibly set the stain. Only if this method does not work should you move on to harsher treatments.

2. Regular vacuuming and spot treatment will improve the quality and life span of your carpets and upholstery.

3. Since chemicals are hard on the fibers of carpets and upholstery, you should always start with the weakest solution before moving on. Start with clean water and move onto a mild solution of liquid soap (never use laundry detergent) or an oxygen based cleaner which usually works well on organic stains (food, animal, blood) before using chemical spot removers.

Carpet spot removal products are made with some of the most dangerous chemicals and should always be applied when wearing gloves and in an area with good ventilation.

4. Test the cleaning products for carpets or upholstery in a hidden spot to make certain it won't stain. Place a white paper towel or cloth on the tested area to check for color transfer. If the cleaner is safe apply a small amount of spot removal product to a clean, white cloth and work your way from the OUTSIDE of the stain inwards. Keep at it only using a stronger solution when you are no longer getting results with water or mild detergent.

Upholstery stains can also be treated with a 3% Hydrogen Peroxide solution that can be left on and dabbed. You do not need to rinse. Hydrogen Peroxide works equally well on vinyl furniture.
5. When the stain is removed rinse with clean water and blot the excess out. Replace towels when they are too wet to absorb anymore water. Be careful to avoid over wetting as it can also damage your carpet or cause mildew in your carpet or upholstered furniture.

Taking the time to treat spills before they're stains will go a long way in keeping your carpets and upholstery looking as good as new!

About the Author: Mary Williams maintains many rug websites, including Braided Rugs Guide, Carpet Rug ,and Discount Rug. Please visit her websites and read more interesting articles.

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I hope this was of help to you.

To use Dry or Wet Carpet Cleaning

By Jason Wall - SKHomes4sale.com and Athomecanada.com

Everyone needs to clean their carpets. When you decide, you will have several options. Do you hire someone? Do you do it yourself? Or…is it just time to replace your carpet. Hiring someone and replacing your carpets are not a cheap option. Cleaning your carpets yourself is an inexpensive option.

If you decide to do it yourself, you will still have two options. Do you go wet or dry carpet cleaning? Wet carpet cleaning takes forever to dry and it is messy. I had a cousin that owned a carpet cleaning company and it was a dry way of cleaning your carpet and there was no drying time.

You can rent the equipment. Check your local Yellow Pages under Host Dry Carpet Cleaning. You should be able to pick one up at either a vacuum supply store or at a home improvement store. Call around first to check. The Host Dry Carpet cleaning system uses an environmentally friendly compound, so you will need to get that as well. To clean the higher soiled area you will need a bottle of pre-spray. The rental place should have all this for you.

So you have rented the Host system. Now what? You first start by vacuuming your carpet. The better the vacuum you use the better. Once you are done the vacuuming you will need to use the pre-spray. Spray on all the spots and soiled areas in your carpet. Then, sprinkle the environmentally friendly compound on the carpet and let it sit for a few minutes. Use a 10’ x 10’ area. The Host machine will have two reverse rotating brushes. They will work the compound into the carpet and the compound will work the dirt and must out of the carpet. Once you are done let the compound sit and move onto another room or another 10’ x 10’ area. Do all the carpet areas in your home and then go back to the first area you did and vacuum the compound up.

That’s it. Easy. And it can save you a lot of money.

If you dry-clean your carpets consistently, you will not need to get in a professional carpet cleaner in. If you don’t do it consistently and your carpets are very soiled, you may wish to get a professional at first and then do it yourself after that.

I hope this was of help to you.


About the Author: Jason Wall is the owner of SKHomes4sale.com and ATHomecanada.com. His company provides an advertising avenue for home owners selling their home privately in Canadian Real Estate and thus providing buyers a great way of searching and viewing private homes for sale in Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and Manitoba. There are hundreds and hundreds of homes on the site for people who are buying their home privately.

Source: www.skhomes4sale.com
Source: www.athomecanada.com
Source: www.freethingscanada.com

What Is Carpet Cleaning

As we all know carpets accumulate a lot of dust and dirt over a period of time. A dirty carpet may accumulate microscopic organisms like dust mites, fungus, bacteria etc which is unhygienic and bad for the user. Further a dirty carpet not only spoils the aesthetics but may also emit bad odor spoiling the “feel” of the room. Hence frequent cleaning of carpets is a necessity. The frequency may vary from once in six months to once in two months depending upon the usage of the carpet and other factors such as presence of kids or pets in the house and whether anybody is suffering from allergies in the house.

Choosing the right carpet cleaning method is important because if you choose a wrong method your carpet´s life may be reduced. Choose a method which is compatible with the fiber and underlay of the carpet. Most carpets can be cleaned using a hot water extraction method. However if your carpet bleeds dyes then you should opt for dry cleaning. The correct method can be determined by doing a simple fiber burn or chemical test.

There are various types of carpet cleaning methods as explained below. All the carpet cleaning methods employ vacuuming in the beginning to remove dust.

Steam cleaning

This method is very popular at homes and with people having allergies as it is very effective. Steam cleaning machines are available at a reasonable price for residential use. In this method hot water mixed with detergent solution is worked into the carpet and then extracted. Some machines use super heated steam, but most machines use hot water.

Dry cleaning

If you do not want to wait for the carpet to dry, then you can opt for a dry cleaning method. In this a powder which has affinity to dirt is spread over the carpet and is worked into the carpet. The powder sticks to the dirt in the carpet. The carpet is then vacuumed to remove the powder and the dirt.

Shampooing

Detergents are applied to the carpet and a carpet cleaning machine agitates the carpet. The detergent is then extracted by vacuuming from the carpet. Deodorizers and brighteners are employed to deodorize and brighten your carpet. This is the least effective of the methods as it still leaves dirt and microbes in the carpet.

Foaming

This method is a hybrid of dry cleaning and shampooing. The idea is to use as little water as possible so that the carpet can dry quickly. A foam detergent is used that has affinity towards dirt. This foam is worked into the fibers of the carpet and then extracted along with the dirt.

Bonnet carpet cleaning

This is mostly used in commercial and industrial carpet cleaning. The purpose of this method is to restore the look of the carpet and does not provide a deep cleaning. In this method a detergent is applied to the carpet and a rotary carpet cleaning machine with absorbent pads is used to extract the dirt from the carpet.


About the Author: Louise Wasa always writes about valuable news & reviews.
A related resource is Carpet Cleaning
Further information can be found at Home Improvement

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