In the furniture industry Microfiber was initially introduced with two names; micro-suede and ultra-suede™. As the names suggest, you could buy the look of suede or leather without the high cost. Microfiber is made using a variety of fiber types and is used in a multitude of products but when it comes to furniture the…
Five years ago we bought a very expensive sofa and love-seat – in hindsight we probably shouldn’t have bought white upholstery. We now have 2 kids and a dog. Needless to say but the fabric is no longer white. In my infinite wisdom I decided to borrow a home steam cleaner from my neighbor and clean…
I see TV commercials for home carpet cleaning machines; with 3 kids and 2 dogs my carpets really take a beating. My husband says we should buy one to keep our carpets clean. Do they really work that well? Carpet cleaning machines sold on TV can do a fair job; but I consider them more…
Our upholstery has gotten quite soiled from everyday use. I noticed that they have zippers on them. Is it okay to take the cushion covers off and wash them in the washing machine? Cushions are made with zippers for ease of manufacture and to ensure proper fabric tension once stuffed with foam. Upholstered fabric is…
Why would I need carpet protectant applied to a stain resistant carpet? Our carpeting was brand new about 3 years ago. We purchased a stain resistant carpet and have followed the manufacturers’ guidelines and had the carpet cleaned annually to maintain our warranty. However each time the carpets were cleaned the technician asked me if…
Shaw and Mohawk (the two largest carpet manufacturers altered their carpet warranties by stating: “Effective January 1, 2008 the company will require the use of IICRC Certified Firms for all professional cleaning services.” Additionally cleaning companies must also be compliant with and approved by the CRI/SOA (Carpet & Rug Institute / Seal of Approval) with…
You can drastically prolong the beauty of your carpet and greatly improve the healthful quality of your home environment if you: 1) Don’t wear shoes on your carpet (especially outdoor shoes) as the treads abrade and scuff the carpet filaments more than wearing socks or soft soled slippers. 2) Don’t consume foodstuffs over carpet. Food…
CLEANING YOUR CARPET FILTER! My carpet doesn’t have a filter, does it? Well not really, but it does function like one. For reasons I’ll explain later this filtering is very beneficial. Have you ever thought about what is really being collected, tracked through and spilled into your carpet? The most common household pollutants are; dirt,…
Berber carpets are very popular; this is in part due to the affordability of this type of carpet. The other part is that many carpet retailers are promoting this style of carpet as being tough as nails and that it will wear like iron. Truth be told, it simply is not true. Olefin (polypropylene) fibers…