A 9x12 Oriental Rug Can Hold 87 Pounds of Soil Without Looking Dirty!
A study by the Eureka Company revealed that a 9x12 Oriental Rug can hold up to 87 pounds of soil without looking dirty. Oriental rugs are made to hide soil. Most Orientals are made with wool fibers that naturally hide soil. The hand knotting helps even more. This explains why an old Oriental rug still looks good! However, the dry soil is damaging to your rug, so be sure to have your rugs cleaned on a regular basis, use a good pad, vacuum them often, and rotate them once in a while.

General Upholstery Care Guidelines

Follow the simple guidelines below to keep all your upholstered living room, dining room, and bedroom furniture looking like new.

• To avoid fading, keep upholstered home furniture away from direct sunlight.
• Vacuum upholstered furniture as often as possible. Even if your home furniture has seen little use, the abrasive action of dirt and dust particles can wear the fibers of your upholstery fabric. For high-use furniture, it’s a good idea to frequently beat the cushions and then vacuum and rotate them.
• With a damp rag and cleaning solution dust arms and headrest areas to prevent body oil accumulation on the upholstery fabric.
• Avoid placing newspapers directly on home furniture upholstery fabric. Ink will accumulate and id difficult to remove.
• Never cover your upholstered home furniture with dark-colored blankets, sheets, etc. Dyes can rub off onto fabric when dry or bleed when wet.
• Avoid the use of dyes, paints, inks, and nail polishes around your upholstery fabric. These substances will stain the material.
• Never remove cushion covers for dry cleaning or machine washing. There is a good chance the colors will fade and would mismatch the rest of the upholstery fabric.
• Periodic professional cleaning keeps soil accumulation from marring the beauty of the upholstery of your home living room, dining room, and bedroom furniture.
   

Stain Removal on Carpet & Upholstery

Sponge the stained area with a small amount of dry-cleaning solvent. Use small amounts to prevent any possible damage to sizing, backings, or stuffing materials. Do not use gasoline, lighter fluid, or carbon tetrachloride. Mix one teaspoon of a neutral detergent (a mild detergent containing no alkalies or bleaches) with a cup of luke-warm water. Sponge with clean water. If stain persists, seek professional help

Why Do My Spots Keep Coming Back?

Have you ever cleaned a spot on your carpet and had it return?
Have you had your carpet cleaned and had the spots just “come right back”? Why does that happen?

There are two reasons that spots return:

The first reason is wicking. Many times, the spot that is being removed has seeped into the backing of the carpet. This is common with pet urine, beverages, and anything that is spilled in “volume”. The material dries in the backing and the cushion (pad) of the carpet. When the spot is cleaned, only the material in the “pile” of the carpet is removed. However, moisture is introduced to into the backing of the carpet. As the spot dries, the material that is in the backing of the carpet wicks back into the pile.

Even traffic area soil that is embedded can wick back. This is especially common in glue down carpet that is heavily impacted with soil. When the carpet is cleaned, it looks good. When it dries, the spots and traffic areas come back.

The good news is that if a spot actually wicks back, it can be removed. When spot cleaning, place a folded white terry cloth towel over the spot just after you clean it while the spot is still moist. Place a heavy object on top of the cloth.

When you have your carpet cleaned professionally, be sure to point out spots that have wicked back in the past, so they can be treated properly.

The second reason spots return is re-soiling. Re-soiling is caused by a sticky residue that has been left behind. The residue may be from the spot itself, the cleaner that was used, or both. Some common residue causes are over-the-counter carpet cleaners purchased at the grocery store. Avoid using these cleaners altogether. If you have to use one of these cleaners, or you have to use dish washing detergent, use as little as possible and rinse with water thoroughly.

Other residue causes include oily spots: duct tape residue, body oils, lotions, etc. If all of the oily residue is not removed, it will attract soil as the carpet is walked on. Even quality professional cleaning may not remove all oily residue the first time.

SPECIAL NOTE: Cheap carpet cleaners use cheap products that are loaded with optical brighteners. Optical brighteners create an illusion of clean that causes the soil or spot to appear to be removed. The spot is still there. The soil is still there. Optical brighteners create a film that reflects light so the carpet looks incredibly clean. It’s an optical illusion. to be removed.

A stark illustration of this can be seen at a flea market or home show. Someone will be demonstrating a miracle cleaner on a small rug. The rug is saturated with motor oil. The salesman then scoops off just the foam of the miracle cleaner and presto, the motor oil is gone! This is physically impossible. Notice that the salesman has several bright lights shining on the demo rug to create the illusion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hey Greg,

What is the carpet drying time?  The carpets are slightly damp after cleaning, and can be walked on with clean non-marking shoes in about 30 minutes. Normal soiled carpets usually dry between 4-6 hours after cleaning.

How much furniture do you move?  Couches etc. can be moved by request.

How often should I get my carpets cleaned?  The carpet manufacturing industry recommends bi-annually (every 4 months if you have children and pets) cleaning with truck-mounted steam cleaning equipment to obtain maximum lifespan of your carpet. Professional cleaning does not damage the carpet. (IICRC)

What is the black around the carpet edges?  This is called filtration edges. It is caused by an air gap between the wall and the sub-floor. Sometimes the filtration edges can be removed depending on how long they have been there.

What is the proper way to spot clean?  Spot cleaning can be done by spraying a mild diluted detergent on the spot, and then blot the spot with a clean white damp towel ( DO NOT RUB! YOU WILL DAMAGE THE CARPET FIBERS) Rinse out the towel and repeat as necessary.

What does TEFLON®  Carpet Protector do?  TEFLON® puts a water resistant shield on your carpet, that helps prevent it  from absorbing spills that can turn into permanent stains. TEFLON®  can be applied after cleaning for an additional charge. Carpet protector is highly recommended if you have children or pets.

How do I pick the best carpet cleaner? Perhaps the best way to select a carpet-cleaning professional is through references from friends and family. A glowing endorsement can provide great peace of mind. If you don’t know anyone with recommendations, request references from the company. A reputable cleaning professional should have available a list of satisfied clients or businesses that uses his services. Also, the local Better Business Bureau can act as a reliable source of information on the cleaning company’s history.

How can I keep my carpet cleaner for a longer period of time? Vacuuming twice a week will help prevent soil buildup. Door mats and regular changing of AC filters also prevents soil buildup.