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.

Evironmentally Safe Flooring Choices - Carpeting

As mentioned in the previous post, I am kicking off a series of floor covering posts in which I will discuss how to locate floor coverings that are safer for the environment. I'll give you three guesses as to the first material.

Carpeting

Shopping for 'green' carpeting does not have to be a big event. With a few simple guidelines you can find the perfect carpeting that is environmentally safe and a durable, lasting addition to your home.

Specifics can be daunting when you want to locate an environmentally friendly carpeting. Rather than going through the detailed list of what to look for, it might be more beneficial to just cover the certifications to look for and what those certifications mean for you, the purchaser.

• Global Organic Textile Standard
• Directly quoted from their web site:

Our mission is the development, implementation, verification, protection and promotion of the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).  This standard stipulates requirements throughout the supply chain for both ecology and labour conditions in textile and apparel manufacturing using organically produced raw materials. Organic production is based on a system of farming that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic, persistent pesticides and fertilizers. In addition, organic production relies on adequate animal husbandry and excludes genetic modification. | Visit the site

• Scientific Certification Systems
• The site from this body makes the following statement:

We partner with companies, government agencies, and stakeholders worldwide to identify and drive practices, policies and processes that advance the goals of sustainable development and give innovators a competitive advantage. Working with capable leaders across the forestry, green building, energy, agricultural, fisheries, and consumer products sectors, we proudly provide services in every corner of the earth. These services are enabling policy-makers, procurement officers, company decision-makers and consumers to make informed decisions based on the highest level of environmental, ethical and quality accountability. | Visit the site

• Carpet and Rug Institute
• And this organization has this to say about their efforts:

CRI applies science to make carpet better and last longer. CRI works with its member companies, allies in the field, independent testing laboratories and government agencies to continually improve its best practices in product improvement, environmental responsibility and customer care. The result of this pursuit of excellence means that CRI exceeds industry standards and meets customer expectations. | Visit the site

 In short, keep an eye open for labels that specify an approval of one or more of the above organizations and you will be on your way to improving the environment.

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.

Carpet Types Simplified

Understanding Carpet Types

Often times, people think of carpeting in terms of how it looks or how it feels on the feet. In the carpet industry though, carpeting is classified in terms of its construction. This post will serve to breakdown the carpet types into groups. Each carpet type has specific features and setbacks associated with it. However, these details will be covered in later posts on a style-by-style basis.

Carpeting has two basic parts. First, the 'pile'. Pile is the part of the carpet you see and feel. Second, the 'backing'. Backing is part of the carpet that the pile is attached to and is what is attached to the floor during the installation process. Carpeting is generally classified by its pile type and then sub-classed accordingly.

• Loop Pile
• Level-Loop
• Multi-level Loop
• Berber
• Cut Pile
• Saxony
• Plush
• Friezé
• Textured
• Cut-Loop Pile

From the breakdown list above you can see the three main pile types. A loop pile has yarn that is looped at the visible end. The cut pile is a carpet with the loops cut so that the ends are straight. And finally the cut and loop pile is one that has both kinds of ends on the yarn.