Why the End of Summer Can Be a Good Time to Have Your Carpet Cleaned

Many people wonder what time of the year is the best time to have carpets cleaned. The simple answer to that question is, “Any time can be the right time to have them cleaned, depending on your individual circumstances.” In this article, I will consider why summer’s end is a good time for many people to have this necessary service performed.

Summer is a very active time of the year. The kids are out of school, the family is busy with all kinds of events and social functions. Also, entertaining in the home is often times ramped up in the summer time. With the increase of activity, there is often times more traffic in and out of the home and with more traffic, there comes more dirt. Furthermore, when everyone is busy the time needed to thoroughly clean after every occasion is just not there. This mark of the summer season is one of the reasons some choose to have the carpets cleaned at summer’s end.

Since it is recommended that carpets be cleaned regularly, many choose this time of the year as one of the times to have their carpets cleaned. Since the children go back to school at the conclusion of the summer, it can be easier to keep traffic off the freshly-cleaned floors according to the recommended 8-12 hours following a carpet cleaning.

There are other times of the year that can also be good times to have carpets cleaned, but if you have a busy summer schedule, a nice way to wrap up your summer activity is with a good, thorough carpet cleaning.

Questions to Ask a Carpet Cleaner You Are Considering

It seems simple enough, call a carpet cleaning company and ask for the price so you will know what it is going to cost. Yet there are other factors to consider when hiring someone to clean your carpets. Here are some things you might want to ask when interviewing a company fro hire.

What method of carpet cleaning do you use? There is more than one way to clean a carpet  and each method has advantages. You want to be sure that you are aware of the method used and ask appropriate questions to determine if your objective will be met.

What training have you had in cleaning carpets? Listening closely to the answer to this question can help you to determine whether the 'specialist' has the skills necessary to accomplish your goal.

What certifications do you possess? A professional that has been certified is one that has been educated in the proper areas and will be more familiar with the best practices of the industry. This is a great question to ask any carpet cleaner you are considering hiring.

What sort of a guarantee do you provide? If the company offers a guarantee, you are most likely not going to need to use it. However, if a company will not guarantee the service it provides, it means that they do not have confidence in their technicians. Be sure to ask this question.

So, although it may seem easy to choose a carpet cleaning company, the reality is that your conversation while interviewing potential professionals can shine some light on what you are actually getting.

What to Consider When Choosing a Carpet Cleaner - Trustworthiness

One of the most important things to consider when choosing a carpet cleaning professional is the reputation of the company. This is not always easy to determine. However, there are some indicating factors that you can look at to help you get a feel for the degree of trust you can feel toward the company.

The Company's History Can Foster Trust

While history alone does not necessarily reveal the degree of trust you can invest in your carpet cleaning service, it is a good indication of how long that particular company has been performing the service. The company's history can give an indication of how long the company has been in business. Additionally, you may be able to determine if the carpet cleaner has been working in your area or if they have recently started serving your neighbors.

If the company has been in business for a number of years, most likely you can find a friend or family member that has heard of or even used the services of the company you are considering. This can be a valuable resource to you in making your decision.

Advertising Can Play a Part

If the carpet cleaning company advertises through television or print, the message conveyed in the ad can ad a sense of security or throw up a red flag. If marketing message is solely focused on price and that price sounds extremely low compared to other pricing you are familiar with, you may want to beware. Often times companies will use a low price to get into the home and then the team will try to sell additional services or even worse, change the deal altogether. Our official web site features a news video that demonstrates bait and switch tactics being done in one area.

Up front pricing that may seem like higher prices could end up costing less in the long run and a company that is honest with you about pricing will most likely be honest about other aspects of the service.

In conclusion, when choosing a carpet cleaning company, make sure you have a good indication of what the company is focused on and if they have a history of treating customers honestly.

Evironmentally Safe Flooring Choices - Bamboo

As mentioned in a previous post, I am writing a series of floor covering posts in which I will discuss floor coverings that are safer for the environment. In the last post I talked about techniques that manufacturers are using to decrease the environmental footprint of their vinyl flooring and in this post, I will discuss the material Bamboo.

Bamboo is an environmentally friendly floor covering for two primary reasons. Namely regeneration and carbon absorption. Bamboo, after it is established, can grow new shoots every year. Additionally, it can grow at a rate of 1 foot per day! This fast regeneration rate means that more floors can be produced with fewer plants. 

As for carbon absorption, bamboo absorbs more carbon dioxide than trees and it produces more oxygen. These characteristics mean that bamboo contributes less to the greenhouse effect and are more Eco friendly than trees. 

These key aspects, as well as the visual appeal of the material, itself can be a huge factor for many.

The Pros and Cons of Loop Pile Carpeting

Advantages and Disadvantages of Loop Pile Carpets

When looking to replace carpet or add carpet to a room in your home, you may discover that there are a number of options when it comes to selecting a carpet that suits your specific needs.

In a previous post, I discussed the pros and cons of cut pile carpet types. I am going to continue the consideration of benefits one can expect from various carpet styles. This post will focus on the loop pile  group. If you are not familiar with the different types of carpeting as specified by the pile, you might find it helpful to take a look at my post discussing the various carpet types.

Loop pile carpets are generally talked about as a group because each of the three kinds - Berber, Level-Loop, and Multi-Level Loop - carry similar benefits.
Loop pile carpet is somewhat traffic resistant and it is not as subject to crushing under foot. Because of its loop, vacuum marks are not as noticeable and if the right pattern is chosen carefully, it can hide spots and marks.

Berber carpet differs from the Level-Loop and Multi-Level Loop in that it is constructed with one continuous thread from beginning to end. This construction feature can be a problem if a tuft gets pulled because it can cause a run along the whole length of the carpet. Because Berber's fibers are tighter packed, it can be more difficult to clean and vacuum and because it is not a Plush carpet it may not feel as comfortable on the toes.

All in all, Loop pile carpeting is a nice choice for traffic areas and is becoming more and more popular. If you are seeking a carpet that is relatively durable yet attractive appearance, it might be the right choice.

Cut Pile Carpeting Benefits

Advantages and Disadvantages of Cut Pile Carpet

To say that there are across-the-board advantages to cut pile carpeting would not be accurate. Just like there are many different 'grades' of equipment and service, there is also a variety of quality in carpet. Even within a specific grade of carpeting there will exist variance from type to type. These variances, depending on how each person views them, are what can be viewed as advantages and disadvantages.

I my previous post, I covered a simple breakdown of carpeting types and described the various aspects of a standard carpet. This post will consider the carpets of the cut pile family and mention very briefly some of the features that people are drawn to according to the carpet type.

Saxony

The first carpet type of the cut pile carpet type that we will consider is Saxony. Saxony cut pile carpet is often described as 'lush' by those that describe it. By lush we mean that the carpet feels plentiful and substantial to the feet. This comfortable feeling is considered an advantage when the feel of the carpet is the priority. Keep in mind though that there is always a trade off. And the sacrifice here is durability. However, for some that is a trade that is well worth it.

Frieze

This cut pile carpet is a hardy, or tough type of carpet. In general, it is shorter than other types and because of this tendency, a disadvantage to the Frieze would be that it is not as appealing to the senses as the Saxony that we mentioned in the previous section. However, it is more durable than other types of cut pile carpet and because of the way the yarn is twisted, foot prints are less noticeable on a Frieze.

Plush

These carpets are very soft. Hence, the term plush. The fibers in a Plush carpet are lightly twisted to contribute the 'soft' factor and like the Saxony, Plush carpeting carries the disadvantage of being delicate - even more delicate than the Saxony. The advantage though, is that it is extremely soft to the touch and is a pleasure to stand on.

Textured

Like the Frieze carpet, Textured carpet is a durable floor covering that is versatile too. Because the pile is shorter and densely packed, it, like the Frieze carpet hides foot traffic very well, yet is elegant and classical. These advantages make the Textured cut pile carpet very popular.

So there you have it. A brief description of the various kinds of cut pile carpets
and what to consider in the way of advantages if you are thinking of choosing a new carpet for your home. No matter what carpet you choose, it will last longer with regular cleaning and care. But as we have discussed, some are more durable than others while the comfort factor may be something you want to consider.