How to keep carpet looking new

Quality carpet can continue looking new with routine care that keeps it soft and beautiful.

Soft and supple under foot, carpet can be an exciting and excellent way to add design and luxury to your home, given its wide selection of colors, patterns and textures.

To keep your carpet looking new, make a smart selection when you purchase it and then follow some simple maintenance tips.
Soils and stains don't stand a chance if you research before buying and choose carpet that repels them! Stainmaster carpets use smart technology to create carpet fibers that resist liquids and actually make it more difficult for dirt to stick and penetrate fibers. These carpets also have built-in protection from static, so you'll never have to spray on a temporary static solution. You'll get all the beauty with an easy-care bonus!

Step 1: Regular care

Frequent vacuuming will help keep soil and debris from becoming embedded in carpet. Soil can pit and scratch carpet fibers, so regular vacuuming helps maintain that new look. High traffic areas should be vacuumed two to five times weekly. Light traffic areas may require twice weekly vacuuming, but don't forget to go over non-traffic areas like corners once a week to keep dust from building up.
Use a vacuum with adjustable brushes that will suit the type of carpet and the area you are cleaning. Use a crevice tool to get into corners and a beater brush attachment when working on stairs. Regular vacuuming not only picks up dust, dirt and surface fragments on your carpet but will fluff up the fibers to counteract daily wear. Choose a vacuum setting to match the height of the carpet so it will clean efficiently without damaging fibers. Let your strokes overlap so you cover the entire carpet. Use the angled nozzle attachment to clean along baseboards where dust settles. Replace the vacuum bag or empty the canister when it is 2/3 full so your machine works safely and more efficiently, and periodically check the hoses and attachments for obstructions that might impair their function. You want to get the most clean with the smallest effort!

Step 2: Goodbye snags and dents

If sprouts or tufts — those snags that show above the carpet surface — appear, don't pull them! Clip or cut them with scissors. You can remove a dent caused by furniture placement by dampening the area with a white rag, then heating the spot with a hair dryer as you "rake" the carpet with your fingers. Do not let the heat make direct contact with the carpet.

Step 3: Deal with spots and stains

Spots and stains are inevitable no matter how careful you are. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations on cleaning, and never rub your carpet surface too hard as you can damage the twist of the fibers. Good maintenance is mandatory and will keep your carpet looking as beautiful as the day that it was installed!

This article was originally published by "She Knows How To "

3 Home Health Benefits To Carpet Cleaning

Carpet cleaning can improve the appearance of your home and extend the life of your carpet, but perhaps the most valuable benefit from the process is improving you and your family’s health. According to the American Lung Association, if members of your household suffer from conditions that can affect their breathing, such as snoring or asthma, it’s especially crucial that you vacuum your carpets at least three times a week. Beyond vacuuming regularly, you may also benefit from having your carpets professionally cleaned at least once a year. If you’re not fully convinced of the benefits of professional carpet cleaning, consider the following top three ways the process leads to a healthier home:
1. Carpet cleaning eliminates trapped pollutants.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a dirty carpet can retain several sources of indoor air pollutants, including pet dander, cockroach allergens, lead, particle pollution, and everyday dirt and dust. Toxic airborne gases can adhere to these particles and also get trapped within the carpet. These toxic gases can be released through everyday activities such as vacuuming and walking across the carpet, which can cause them to contaminate the air in your home. Professional carpet cleaning services kills these bacteria through special shampooing formulas and can remove deeply trapped pollutants with high-powered vacuums.
2. Carpet cleaning can clear out dust mite infestations.
Many homes have dust mite infestations, yet most homeowners aren’t aware of the infestation, because the creatures are microscopic. Dust mites themselves aren’t allergens, but they often leave behind feces and body fragments which are. Because of the microscopic size of these particles, they can easily be inhaled when the area is disturbed, which can exacerbate allergies. Many professional carpet cleaning companies utilize a technique known as steam cleaning when performing carpet maintenance work, which exposes your carpet to high temperatures that dust mites can’t survive.
3. Carpet cleaning can help prevent mold growth.
Especially in areas with high humidity levels, dirty carpets are at a high risk of developing mold growth when exposed to moisture. In precipitous weather, moisture frequently gets tracked into the home and can sink deep in the carpet fibers if not dried and vacuumed immediately. Having your carpet cleaned regularly can prevent mold and mildew growth, because professional carpet cleaners have high-powered drying tools that annihilate moisture. By eliminating moisture, you can prevent mold growth that can be harmful to your health if ignored for too long.


The article was originally published by CBS.

How to clean grout without expensive grout cleaners

Grout is not easy to clean and many solutions don't actually work when it comes to it. So here is the best and the simplest solution that you can make at home, that will make your grout sparkling clean and will save you money and time.
You will need: bleach, baking soda and an old tooth brush that you could dispose of later. Mix equal parts of bleach and baking soda ( it should look like a thick paste) and work the solution in with the tooth brush. Then leave it there for 15 minutes. Scrub it a little more and leave again for 5 minutes. Rinse the area very well. Then let it dry. Enjoy the result :)

How to Remove Pet Odors from Carpet

We hear it very often, when people move to a different place that was previously inhabited by dogs or cats or both, the smell very often stays and becomes a huge problem for the new owners. So here is a tip how to remove the smell from the carpet:
This method is very similar to other odor removing methods, the main ingredient is BAKING SODA!!!
Sprinkle a liberal amount of baking soda over the entire carpet.
The difference is that you will have to brush the baking powder into the fibers of the carpet with a large soft-bristled scrub brush and allow it to stand for  up to 24 hours.If you would like to give your carpet a pleasant scent, stir a few drops of essential oil into the baking soda before sprinkling it on the carpet.
Vacuum the carpet thoroughly. Go slowly and change the bag if you are vacuuming a large area. Also if you would like to give your carpet a pleasant scent, stir a few drops of essential oil into the baking soda before sprinkling it on the carpet.

How to Remove Cooking Oil Stains From Upholstery

Sprinkle a thick coating of baking powder onto the stain and let it sit for 20 minutes. It will pull most of the oil out of the upholstery without any damage to the upholstery. Then use a vacuum cleaner to remove it.
Pour a few drops of liquid dish soap onto a small brush (you may use a tooth brush or any other soft brush) and scrub the dish soap into the stain. The soap will naturally break up and remove the grease or oil. Repeat until the entire stain has been removed, re-applying fresh dish soap and scrubbing more as needed.
Moisten a clean white cloth with water and blot the stained area to remove any remaining dish soap or oil, and allow the area to air dry.
If the stain is too big and doesn't go after the process described above, we recommend a professional carpet cleaning service to prevent ruining your furniture.

How to clean old champagne stain from carpet

That's right, champagne stains are those that are actually difficult to clean, especially on carpet. But here are some tips that will help you to get rid of it easy:
Combine warm water and mild liquid dish soap in a bowl. Then, dip a cloth into the solution and dab the stain. Thoroughly rinse the area with warm water to remove the residue
When you just spilled the champagne it's much easier to clean, just sponge it with carbonated soda water. Blot the area well and then use a paper towel with detergent and water to try to lift the stain.

If you've got old champagne stains, you most probably will need a professional carpet cleaner, since those stains won't go easy, it will need deep penetration and certain products that only professional carpet cleaners have.

The best vacuum cleaners for using on carpet

A vacuum cleaner is a major purchase, and like other budget-conscious consumers, you'll want to find the best one for your money.

Consumer Reports magazine put 89 vacuums to the test, tackling more than 3,000 miles of dirty carpet. From upright models to canisters, bagged to bagless, the magazine rated its top picks.

Mandy Walker, the magazine's special projects editor, appeared on "Good Morning America" today to share the magazine's findings.

She explained how Consumer Reports conducted its testing: They ran the vacuums and measured the decibels. They used them to determine how easy they were to push around, and tested how well they cleaned carpets by running them repeatedly over carpet into which dirt had been pressed.

They evaluated how the vacuums worked on pet hair and sand on a floor, and also tested how much dust and dirt was left in the air so people with allergies could be aware, she added.

Best Buys 

Top Pick: Kenmore Intuition 31100, $260.

Walker said this was the best buy because it was very good on floors and carpets. An upright cleaner with a bag, the Intuition has excellent tool airflow so you'll get good performance when you use a tool to clean your drapes or upholstery.

Best Bagless Upright

Hoover WindTunnel T Series Rewind, $130

Because you will need to replace bags, this will mean an added expense, but although some bagless vacuums can be messy to clean up, this one was good, Walker said. It worked well on floor and carpets. Walker said the magazine had stopped recommending Hoover vacuums because many of its replacement parts can be expensive if a repair ever needed to be done. But the magazine recommends this model, she noted.

Dyson DC28 Animal, $600

Consumer Reports also recommends the Dyson Animal. Walker acknowledged the device was expensive but said it had an excellent repair rate and did a great job on carpets and pet hair. It also has new technology that automatically adjusts to carpet's height, she added.

Best Inexpensive Model: Dirt Devil Featherlite Bagless, $50

The Dirt Devil is only $50. It used to be $60 and the manufacturer dropped the price, Walker said. Weighing in at 13 pounds, the machine is easy to maneuver and ideal for apartment-dwellers. It's also good for people who have lots of stairs because you can carry it easily up and down the staircase. It's also good on carpets, she said. The only drawback was that the Dirt Devil was a little noisy, Walker added.

Best Canister Vacuum: Kenmore Progressive, $300

Many people find this type of vacuum easier to maneuver and easier for stairs thant an upright vacuum, Walker said. Canisters typically did well on bare floors but poorly on carpets, but this model was great on both, Walker said.

Bagless Canister: Hoover Platinum Bagless Canister, $365

The Hoover was number one in this category, Walker said. She noted that this vacuum worked well on carpets and floors and the height was adjustable. 

The article was published by ABC news.