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One of the hardest things to do in the home is to keep the carpets looking good. It can be a challenge keeping up with all of the mud, soil, and any number of things that often get tracked into the house. Keeping your carpets in great shape is not that hard if you follow these simple three tips.

One of the most important things you can do to keep your carpets looking good is to not wear your shoes in the house. You should always take your shoes off at the door and walk around the house in your stocking feet. This will keep the bulk of soil out of your carpet fibers. Also, it is important to wear socks so that oil from your feet does not transfer to the carpet fibers. Dirt will stick to this oil like a magnet.

Another important factor in keeping carpets maintained is proper vacuuming. Carpets should be vacuumed at least twice a week with a HEPA filter vacuum. The vacuum should also have a very good beater bar for agitation. One of the hardest things for a vacuum to do is separate the soil from the fiber. Having a good beater bar will aid in maximum soil removal.

Lastly, it is very important to have your carpets professionally cleaned at least once a year. Companies like Carpet Atlanta, offer these services at very reasonable rates. Professional carpet cleaning will remove the soil that ordinary vacuuming and regular household maintenance will not be able to take care of. Soil left in carpet fibers will scratch the fiber over time creating lasting damage that will not be correctable.

Follow these simple guidelines and your carpets will last you for many years. Just remember to never wear your shoes in the house, vacuum regularly, and have the carpets professionally cleaned once a year. This is the easiest way to keep your carpets looking their best.

Maintaining your carpets to keep them looking their best is often easier than you think. Carpets are expensive and the more you can do to extend their life the greater cost savings on the road. Regular vacuuming and professional carpet cleaning will help your carpets last for many years.

Many people do not vacuum their carpets enough. This is vital for maintaining your carpets and keeping them looking their best. It is important to use a good HEPA vacuum cleaner with a good beater bar. When vacuuming your carpet, always vacuum in two different directions. Vacuum one way, and then vacuum again at a 90° angle the other way. This will allow the beater bar on the vacuum to come in contact with all surfaces of the fiber. In addition, a carpet rake can also be used to help further separate fibers and loosen tough, deep down soil. A carpet rake will also help the vacuum pickup more pet hair which is notoriously tough to get out of carpet.

Many people go years and years between having their carpets cleaned. Most manufacturers recommend carpets be cleaned by hot water extraction at least every 18 months and once a year would be better. A professional carpet cleaner will be able to remove much more deep down soil than regular vacuuming alone. When choosing a carpet cleaner it is often best to go with low moisture carpet cleaners. You can generally expect dry times of 1-2 hours with these types of methods instead of one to two days with most steam cleaning. Carpet cleaning prices are one reason many people put off having their carpets professionally cleaned. However, spending a couple hundred dollars a year can make your carpets last decades if you choose.

So remember to vacuum regularly and have your carpets cleaned at least once a year. You will be surprised at how great your carpets and floors can look for many, many years.

Carpet cleaning is one of those home services that many people love to put off. It is not usually something that people look forward to. It can be very confusing trying to find a good carpet cleaner and figure out how much it is going to cost. It can be very confusing when talking to a carpet cleaner and they start using words like per square foot, per area, and minimum area cleaned. All you really need to know is that there are two basic methods of determining carpet cleaning cost.

When a carpet cleaner mentions per square foot pricing they are simply figuring the length of the room by the width of the room and multiplying that by their per square foot price. So, if you have a room that is 12 x 12 the square footage is 144. If the carpet cleaner charges $.30 a square foot, the price to clean that room would be $43.20. The average carpet cleaning prices per square foot is currently around $0.26. Most cleaners will have a minimum service charge to come to your home. You may not be able to get a single room cleaned for $43. This is actually quite reasonable since because of overhead most cleaners need to gross about $100 an hour for cleaning time. This may sound high, but when you factor in all of the overhead a carpet cleaner has plus their set up and tear down time and travel to a job, it’s actually quite reasonable.

The other method of carpet cleaning pricing is the per area of flooring price. A carpet cleaner will establish a maximum square-foot per area and charge a flat fee for each area cleaned. For example, a carpet cleaner may charge $35 per area. Their per area maximum may be 200 sq. ft. So, as long as your room is under 200 sq. ft. the price will be $35 for each of the rooms. If your room is over 200 sq. ft. you may be charged for two areas. However, some cleaners will simply charge the area price of $35 and then charge an extra per square foot price for anything over the 200 sq. ft.

Concrete garage floors are very strong and last long but they are also porous and can be stained by the oil, antifreeze, grease and gasoline that may spill and splash onto the floor. It is possible to clean them to look almost like new and they can be left like that or painted with concrete paint. It is best to clean a spot as soon as possible. The longer it is left on the floor the harder it will be to remove.

After the garage has been cleared out the floor should be vacuumed to remove loose sand and dust. The oil stains will be the most obvious. They can be cleaned with an alkaline detergent. Mix a little with water to make a thin paste and put it on the oil spots to soak for a few hours. Then use a pressure washer with hot water and even strokes to slowly rinse off the detergent. Alkaline detergent is toxic so only use what you need.

There are more eco-friendly ways to remove oil stains from concrete. Scrub the stain with liquid dish soap and a little water. Some put cola on the stains overnight before washing. Baking soda, cornmeal, sawdust or kitty litter will absorb the oil. Be sure to wet it before you sprinkle the powder, then brush with a stiff brush. Automatic dishwasher detergent and hot water also work well. After each one of these remedies, rinse with plain water. There are toxic chemicals including muriatic acid and trisodium phosphate that work well, but you need gloves, goggles and protective clothing and these chemicals should not be washed down storm drains. If harsh chemicals are used, baking soda should be sprinkled over the entire area to neutralize any traces of the solution.

The best way to keep a concrete garage floor looking and smelling fresh is to clean it as soon as it is needed. There is garage floor epoxy or paint that can be applied after cleaning and sanding that will not stain as easily as concrete. There are also garage floor mats specifically designed for putting under cars to keep the floor clean.

One of the most popular flooring options for homeowners, these days, is hardwood flooring. It is attractive, fairly easy to maintain, and when well cared for, can last, in a state of high quality for long periods. A slightly lesser known variation on hardwood flooring is bamboo, which undergoes a process known as strand weaving in order to increase its durability. The following article will discuss the advantages of having strand woven bamboo floors installed in your home.

Bamboo flooring has many of the same attractive features of traditional hardwoods. The color variances are attractive and unique, automatically giving the room in which the flooring is installed an atmosphere of warmth and sophistication. The grain of the wood is also unique, which contributes and interesting texture to any surface. One may initially feel concerned about the delicate nature of bamboo, and whether it would stand up to heavy or extensive wear in high-traffic areas. To address this concern, the process of strand weaving was developed.

The individual stalks of the plant are first boiled down, in order to break up the sugars and separate the individual strands. Once the fibers are in their broken down state, they are adhered together with an industrial strength adhesive material, and flattened into planks. The result of this process is a material that is extremely dense, and very durable, making strand woven flooring even more durable than traditional hard woods, and easier to maintain over long periods of time.

One final advantage of choosing bamboo over regular hardwood flooring options is that it is generally a less expensive option, averaging in cost at about $2.50 to $3.50 USD for square foot. In addition, because bamboo is planted specifically with for the intent of harvesting you will be saving valuable hardwood resources, and lowering your own individual impact on the environment.

Epoxy flooring is ideal for garages. Resistant to oil spills and most chemicals, it is a durable alternative to polishing a concrete floor. The smooth, reflective nature of an epoxy floor also aids in the display of cars or other objects in the garage. Additionally, epoxy flooring is easy to spot clean with a wet towel or overall with a broom and dustpan. Epoxy coating is particularly useful for preventing scratches, nicks and the collection of dust.

Select Epoxy and Sealer

Epoxy comes in different shades, textures and colors. Some epoxy products are more useful for indoor flooring whereas others are best suited for indoor use. If you are unsure about the durability of the product for garage use, consult a flooring expert or a representative at your local home improvement store. You will also need to pick up a sealer to prevent damage to the epoxy coat.

Control Temperature and Safety

You will need to achieve a temperature of at least 55º to ensure the hardening of epoxy, so select a day (or use a thermostat) allowing for this. You’ll also want to be safe—open available windows, wear an industrial mask and ensure proper ventilation throughout your work space. You should also seal the garage door entering into your home to prevent fumes from contaminating your living space and affecting your family and pets. For safety, ensure that the mask protects your eyes and have gloves ready as well.

Clean the Floor

Before you apply an epoxy coat, prepare the floor. Remove all cars and objects requiring floor space from the garage. Check for any loose pieces in the cement and remove them immediately. You should also sweep the area to remove any excess debris. You must then remove any grease, dirt or spills that have soaked into the floor. To do this, you may need to rent a scrubbing machine. After you have removed all stains and spills, vacuum the surface of the floor to ensure the absence of rubble. Hair, dust, dead bugs and small pebbles can easily disrupt the smooth appearance of an epoxy floor, so it’s necessary to be thorough.

Strip Floor

After you’ve cleaned the floor, you will have to strip it. You can do this by renting a shop vac and a rotary stripper. This will leave a rough texture. To be thorough, coat the floor with water and use the shop vac to ensure the absence of all stray debris.

Apply Epoxy

Using a paint roller, apply the epoxy. Be sure to apply the substance evenly, smoothing out excess as you go. Before you begin, devise a logical plan for spreading the epoxy on the floor, allowing for your movement around the room.

Most of the work involved in applying epoxy flooring involves careful and safe preparation. Once the application is complete, you will be able to walk on the space within one day. After three days, the flooring can support furniture and cars in the garage space.

The first tip is so obvious and yet so essential. Does the carpet washer actually work? Check out local reviews to see if people actually like the job it does. Nothing is worse than cleaning your carpet floors with one of these only to have it look exactly the same when you’re done.

Tip number 2 is about ease of use. You want to look for carpet washers that are actually comfortable because you’ll most likely be cleaning your entire home with it. Can you take it from room to room fairly easy or is it to heavy? This also applies to taking it up and down stairs and even getting it in and out of the closet.

Price is always something you should look at. If you best carpet washer is out of your price range then you’ll most likely have to find one that has a few less features, but still does just as good of a job. Online reviews and also the local repair shops are great places to check prices. Craigslist list is also a good place to find good deals on slightly used models that still do a really good job.

Whether you have a dog, kids, or just need the carpet cleaned from general wear and tear having a carpet washer in your closet to pull out can be amazing for lack of a better word. General stains and dirt will be no match for most carpet cleaners and will do just as good of a job as if you had hired someone to do it. For the extra tough stains just spray a little extra cleaning fluid on it and it’ll pull that stain out of the floor in no time. Nothing feel better then having a nice clean home and having clean carpet that smells great is no exception. Your guest will definitely notice when they come over to visit as well.

Finding just the right carpet for your carpeting needs can be a real daunting task. But it doesn’t have to be if you have a game plan. There are several different ways to use and look at your flooring and carpeting needs. Are you looking at outdoor carpeting or carpet for your interior home or office? Regardless of where you plan on installing the carpet, finding the best carpet prices takes patience and knowing what your overall budget is.

Most people don’t realize there’s more to pricing carpet than just the carpet itself. You have to also consider the tear up and removal of the old carpet, installation, and padding. Without proper padding, your carpet’s life span can be reduced and in some cases the manufacturer will not honor any warranty claims if the correct padding was not installed with the carpet.

Most often you’ll find carpeting prices listed by the square foot; and most often the installation price and padding is not included in the listed price. As a guide, you can most often figure $1 extra per square foot for installation and padding. This is just a guide however and obviously will depend on the price of the service offered where you purchase the carpet and the quality of padding.

Once you’ve decided you want to install carpet, get an overall measurement of the area you want to carpet. Then when you go into a carpet retailer and see the price per square foot, plus the installation and padding, you’ll have a general idea of the overall cost. If you have a budget in mind, you’ll quickly be able to realize what quality and price range you’ll be looking at. You can also save some money by removing the old carpet yourself, but remember you’ll have to find someplace to dispose of the carpet so keep that cost in mind as you figure your expenses.

A popular and fashionable designer choice for today is slate tiles for kitchen floors. Slate is a natural stone that is formed underwater in ocean and river beds from layers of sediment that have been heated and compressed. It is an extremely durable flooring material and it can make a very elegant and dramatic design statement. It can also be used on your countertops, and a slate tile backsplash is become a very popular design choice.

Slate tile may not be the most economical choice for kitchen flooring, but it will certainly increase the value of your home and it is a good investment. Prices range from $2 to $10 per square foot. It may be a good idea to have it installed by a professional. It is very important to have a well prepared subfloor. Slate tile floors are installed with a cement-based adhesive and is finished by grouting between the tiles and then applying a sealant. The sealant protects the slate from staining from spills, etc. It may be necessary to refresh the sealant from time to time.

Slate tile will give your kitchen a timeless and natural look. It comes in a good range of colors from black to gold and various shades of browns and greens. Slate is considered to be more slip-resistant than granite or marble and is a good choice for kitchens and bathrooms.

After installation, the care of a slate floor is similar to any other type of kitchen floor. Periodic sweeping and vacuuming are recommended. When it becomes necessary to mop the floor, it can actually be done with plain hot water and a mop. If you like, you can even purchase special products that were made specifically for cleaning slate tile floors. It is not recommended that you use normal cleaning products on a natrual stone floor, and you should certainly avoid using anything which has an acid base. These cleaning supplies for slate tile can be found in most home improvement stores, or purchased online.

If you have decided you want soft comfortable flooring for your home, then you can achieve that in one of two ways. You can install wall to wall carpeting or your can buy a large rug which covers most of the floor. Each choice has its pros and cons. Here are the main reasons why you might choose one or the other.

1. Cost

The cost of wall to wall carpeting is generally higher than that of buying a large area rug but it does depend on the quality of the carpet and the preciousness of the rug. If you looking at large Persian rugs of the antique variety instead of the cheapest polypropylene carpet you can expect the cost of the rug to be higher. However, all things being equal, you will find the rug cheaper as, with a carpet, you will be covering a larger area, you can expect some waste when you cut the carpet to fit the room and there will be installation costs too.

2. Ease of Installation

With a large rug you just roll it out onto your floor. There is no problem with installation at all. You can move your furniture around while you get your rug in position. With wall to wall carpet, you would be advised to arrange professional installation if you want your carpet to look good and the installers will insist you clear the whole room of furniture before they get to work.

3. Choice

You will find wall to wall carpeting available in every solid shade under the sun so that you can easily match other items in the room. This is not so easy with a rug although you should find most colors with a good search online. On the other hand, if you are looking for patterned rather than plain flooring, you will find much more choice in rugs than in carpets. Generally, patterned carpets have fallen out of favor so you will struggle to find much in the way of patterned carpets at all.

Carpet remnants are brand new carpeting that is leftover. But don’t get this confused with old or used carpet. It does not mean it is discarded and it can be used as an entire roll. There are several different reasons how and why these remnants come to exist.

The manufacturer will sometimes cut several feet from a large order. This is to ensure perfect ends for the customer and so they may run extra feet on the end of an order. This will ensure that they have plenty. It is much better for them to have too much, than not enough.

When carpet installers finish their jobs they usually have leftover carpeting. When they install carpeting for offices they use the best of quality since offices put a lot of traffic and abuse on carpeting. This can get you very good carpeting at a low price and thus the savings can be substantial.

You can get some of the best quality carpeting as a carpet remnant. This flooring has not been discarded due to quality. Moreover, they will work just fine in your house and you may be surprised at the huge assortment of colors and designs you’ll find. However, if you need just the right style, you may not find it initially but be patient. Remnants are sold by the piece as opposed to the foot so shopping around and patience can really pay off. That is another reason you can get such a good price.

You will sometimes find retail carpet stores that specialize in remnants or you can even find carpet remnants online that can give you huge savings with a good selection. There are stores that specialize in remnants which buy from all over thus saving you the trouble of looking for them. This makes searching for remnants easy if you know where to look.

If you are looking at carpeting, do not forget about carpet remnants as a flooring option. If you find something that will work you will pay much less. You may also get much higher quality for your money.

You went with the hardwood floors in your new house, and now you’re missing the comforting warmth of carpeting on your bare feet.  You can get substitute coziness from purchasing a 9×12 area rug — a large rug that will cover most if not all of the floor you walk on in an average-sized room.

One of the biggest benefits of choosing an area rug over carpeting is the reduced hassle of cleaning.  Carpet-cleaning is a long, expensive process, often requiring you to leave your house altogether.  A rug, on the other hand, can be taken out and beaten, or vacuumed over on a regular basis, or even rolled up and transported to the drycleaners.

With 9×12 area rugs, you can select a different feel for each room.  Choose darker colors to make a room feel cozier, and lighter colors to open up the room.  Area rugs come in such a large variety of patterns and color schemes that you should be able to find your specific preferences easily.  Many traditional patterns come from ancient Persia and the Middle East, but other countries have adapted the area rug to their artistic styles as well.

Make sure that 9×12 is not too big in either direction for the room you’re placing it in.  A tiny bit of overlap under the legs of a desk can make the furniture unstable, so you’ll want the rug to either be big enough for the furniture to sit on completely or small enough to avoid it altogether.

Wool is the best choice for 9×12 area rugs.  Although it is more expensive than artificial materials, the additional comfort, quality, and durability are well worth the price tag.

Make sure before you purchase that you want to keep your 9×12 area rug long-term.  Priced anywhere from $200 to $7,000 and beyond, it is not an impulse purchase and should be selected with care.

The economy being what it is these days, many people who intended to sell their current home and upgrade to something more in line with their dream house have been forced to reconsider the wisdom of such a move. More than a few no longer have the option, financially, and don’t foresee that changing anytime soon.

What a lot of these people have chosen, however, is to not give up. Instead of finding their dream house and taking on considerably more debt they have decided to remodel and create it. There will still be significant cost but usually not nearly as much as mortgaging a new purchase.

Along with upgrading the kitchen and putting in Jacuzzi tubs in the master bath, many are finally ready to install the hardwood floors that they have always wanted. Right up with that new kitchen, those wood floors will greatly improve the market value should things actually turn around sooner and they get the opportunity to sell.

As long as solid wood planks or a quality engineered wood product is installed, the type of wood they choose won’t affect the future selling price of the house but it will be something they will need to spend a fair amount of time researching. Even the more common choices of oak, maple, ash or walnut flooring have all sorts of variables associated with them. Natural or stained? Simple linear pattern or something with a design, like parquet? Will there be a border or some sort of inlay? How about the cut — plain-sawn, quarter-sawn or rift-sawn?

It has been said that the process of building a new home is the first step to divorce court. Whether that has any validity or not, building or remodeling is extremely stressful and demands a huge investment of time and energy. Advance discussion, research and planning will be effort well spent.

Black walnut floors provide a traditional high class look to any home. When remodeling it is important to consider many different options. Hardwood floors add a new quality and look to any home. There are many benefits to choosing hardwood flooring when remodeling your home. First the variety that is available in hardwoods provides a style and look that is right for everyone. There are many different colors, looks and finishes that enable a home owner to choose which look is right for them and their home. Also the strength and durability the hardwood floors offer make the investment a wise choice in the long run. These floors will last for many years and also look the same or better if maintained properly. Walnut flooring, black walnut in particular, darken with age and add a new quality of beauty to your home as the years go by.

There are many other benefits to choosing a hardwood flooring option besides looks alone. Hardwood floors are easy to clean and keep looking nice. They only require a weekly cleaning and look beautiful in between. Also if acoustics are important in the space you are remodeling then hardwoods are the choice for you as they provide better acoustics than other flooring options. They also provide a more healthy indoor air quality than a carpet or other fiber based flooring options. The hardwood does not trap and keep dust and allergens in your home. Black walnut flooring in particular is an attractive, tight grained wood that adds a new level of elegance to your home. It has a range of colors that are achieved by different finishing options. When the wood is kiln dried the wood takes on a dull brown color, but when it is air dried a more right purplish brown color comes out. Black walnut hardwood a good option for any home remodel.

Cloud 9 carpet underlay comes in three main types, the Cirrus, the Cumulus and the Nimbus. These are all easy to use foam underlay for residential use and for small or light commercial spaces with low traffic.

A Little About Cloud 9

It’s easy to use and offers thermal insulation and unique acoustic benefits. It can be bought in large quantities for cloud covering entire rooms or can be bought by the square meter or in rolls for small projects. For example if you have an area where you will place smaller round wool carpets but need a better backing than the one the rug comes with, get some cloud 9 carpet underlay in the size you need and use it as a back, for insulation, more cushion, softness and even to insulate from a cold or damp floor. It’s easy to cut into whatever shape you need, be it square, rectangular or round or to go around or into corners.

The professionals also use cloud 9 carpet underlay because it’s really lightweight and is also very affordable compared to other types of underlay.

Why Use Underlay Under Small Square, Rectangular Round Wool Carpets

If you have a living room floor that is tile or stone you may want some additional protection for your area rugs and you may need more cushioning if your rug is used to sit on. You may also want to provide a little insulation from dampness or cold and therefore you will choose a PU foam carpet underlay because it’s really easy to use, cut to size, and install with little fuss. In fact you can do it yourself. If you have expensive Persian wool area rugs, you will not want them to be on a damp floor, so a little underlay will act to protect them and make their use more comfy.

The Different Cloud 9 Products

1. Nimbus is the cheapest and the best for using with area rugs, like cutting to fit smaller round wool carpets or for adding to low traffic areas of your home. It is not recommended for industrial or commercial spaces.
2. Cirrus is a little more expensive and is good for overall floor coverage in residential homes. It is good for insulating and for helping to reduce noise.
3. Cumulus is the thickest and softest underlay of the series and can be used for some light commercial spaces as well as homes.

There are other contract Cloud 9 products that are designed for heavier commercial usage and all the caret underlay by Cloud 9 is color coded for easy identification.