Category Archives: Good Advice

Good advice on buying considerations for carpets, on wear characteristics and general aspects of carpets, rugs and upholstery

Vacuum Cleaner Selection Tips

In past newsletters, we have stressed how important it is to vacuum your carpets and rugs regularly. Since that is something we harp on, we are consistently asked “What is the best vacuum to get?” We do not have a specific brand to recommend but here are some tips on what to look for or consider when buying a vacuum.

Beater Bar Brush
For carpets and rugs, this is important. The beater bar brush is needed to loosen up the dirt during vacuuming.

Upright vacuum or a canister vacuum
Upright vacuums do a better overall job on carpets, though canister vacuums are easier to maneuver, especially on stairs. Also, top of the line canisters typically have a motor-driven head for better carpet cleaning.

Bagless vacuums verses bagged vacuums
Bagless vacuums save you the cost of bags, but like bagged models they still require filters. Emptying a bagless vacuum is also a dustier process, a concern if you have asthma or allergies.

Other features to consider
Edge-cleaning tools help at corners and baseboards. If you will use your vacuum to vacuum draperies, make sure it has a suction control feature in order to protect the drapes. If you will use your vacuum for both bare floors and carpets, get one with a brush on/off switch. This will help safeguard from scratching bare floors and prevents scattered dust and debris.

Most Important, give it a spin before buying
Even if you order your vacuum online, visit a store first. Push, pull, turn and lift any models you’re considering. The bottom line is, you may have the most expensive, fanciest vacuum, but if it is heavy, awkward to use or move around and you do not use it, it is a horrible vacuum. The reality is that the best model for you (whether cheap or very expensive) is the one you will use.

For more information, visit my website at www.graysoncleans.com

The biggest Vacuuming Goofs

I am always stressing how important it is to regularly vacuum your carpets and rugs to make them last longer and look better. Since vacuuming is important, I wanted to share some of the biggest vacuum cleaning goofs.

  1. Not changing the bags. When your bag or bin (for bagless vacuums) is 1/2 full, suction power is reduced by at least 50%. This means you need more strokes over an area to clean it and it is making the motor work harder. It is best to change the bag or empty the bin when 1/3 to 1/2 full.
  2. Using the brush on bare floors. A powered brush is critical for deep-cleaning carpets. But the revolving bristles can scatter debris while scratching the finish on hardwood and the plastic wear layer on laminate floors. Most of the newer vacuums let you switch off the brush when needed. If your vacuum cleaner is not able to switch off the beater bar, it would be good to get a vacuum for bare floors that does not have a beater bar.
  3. Vacuuming hard, sharp objects. Nails, screws, coins and even paper clips can rip bags and damage the machine. Either pick them up or sweep them up with a broom before vacuuming.
  4. Sucking up water or wet messes. Had a flood? Avoid the risk of electrocution by leaving your upright or canister in the closet. Use a wet-dry vacuum with a ground-fault interrupter for standing water or even damp debris.
  5. Tossing it when it loses suction. Full bags aren’t the only reason a vacuum’s suction can suffer. Check the hose to see if it is clogged. If the hose is clear, check the filters found on bagged and bagless vacuums. Also, if the brush roll barely turns, check it and the drive belt for tangled string or hair.
  6. Assuming the motor has blown. Many models have a thermal switch that cuts current to the motor if it begins to overheat. If your vacuum shuts off during use, check for a full bag or bin or a dirty filter. The switch should reset itself, though some models have a reset button for that purpose.

For more information, visit my website at www.graysoncleans.com.

Pet Odors! — That do you do?

Pets have accidents and it is good to address them as soon as

Accidents do happen

possible. Urine is probably the biggest issue because it soaks into the fabrics. Urine is also a rather sophisticated problem with respect to removal. When it is wet it is acidic and needs to be approached one way. When it dries, it turns into urine salts, an alkaline, and should be addressed differently then when wet. Also, when it is dry, the uric acid crystals absorb moisture from humidity in the air giving off the foul odor. That is why on humid days, a house can smell worse.

Dealing with Urine while it is wet — Blot, blot, blot because removal is the first approach. Find a dry white towel and apply to the wet spot (colored or patterned towels run the risk of bleeding onto the carpet, rug or upholstery). Keep moving dry parts of the towel over the wet spot to remove as much as possible. After blotting, sprinkle baking soda on the urinated area. Baking soda will help absorb and neutralize the urine ph. After the baking soda has dried, vacuum it up thoroughly. (note: baking soda may sometimes discolor fabrics, so you should test it on a non-conspicuous area of your rug, carpet or upholstery).

Dealing with dried urine — first identify the spots. Look for visible evidence like spots or discolorations. Also, a black light can be used to find the source. In a darkened room, the urine salts become fluorescent in the presence of ultraviolet light. However, the most available and practical method of locating urine problems is your nose. Don’t be afraid to get down on your hands and knees to find it. Once the spots have been identified, using 1/3 white vinegar with 2/3 water, spray it on the spot. You want to apply enough to get to the contamination in order to liquefy the urines salts. However, do not over wet the carpet especially with wood sub-floors. After applying the vinegar/water solution, remove as much of the moisture as possible by blotting as described above.

If there is still an odor problem, contact us. www,graysoncleans.com

Tips on Rug Care

During these crazy times and the Corona virus situation, it is a good time to take care of things in the house. So, whether you have expensive oriental rugs or just good everyday rugs, here are some tips to take care of them and make them last longer.

  1. Vacuum rugs at least once a week.
  2. Turn or rotate the ends of a rug. This should be done once a year. However, it is a must to turn them at least every two years. Turning prevents more wear in one area than in another. It also helps to prevent “traffic patterns” from occurring as in carpeted rooms.
  3. Moth considerations for wool and oriental rugs. Rugs regularly vacuumed or located in well used rooms are less likely to have moth damage. Moths work in secluded, undisturbed areas such as under beds, skirted sofas, or heavy furniture. Move furniture occasionally when vacuuming and clean under it. Also, homes not well ventilated or rooms closed for long periods of time are more likely to have moth problems, so once again vacuum rugs regularly.
  4. Sunlight considerations. Direct, sunlight will gradually fade a rug. To avoid this, cover windows with drapes, curtains or shutters and use them to block strong morning and afternoon sunlight. Also, consider window glass treatments and rug treatments for UV light protection.

For more information, visit my website at www.graysoncleans.com

Dark lines at carpet and wall – Dirt Filtration

Have you ever noticed a grayish or dark line along the walls on your carpets? You probably do not want to know this, but it is not a defect in your carpet. It is called soil filtration and is a concentration of dirt that has collected on the carpet fibers

Soil Filtration is caused by positive and negative pressure within a home. What happens is, when pressure change occurs within a room from either the effect of warm air rising or from pressure created by your heater and air conditioner, air tries to flow either in or out of the room. The carpet along the wall edges serve as a filter as the air exits or enters under pressure.

Also, have you ever noticed a grayish or dark line at the doorway of a room? Once again, soil filtration. It is quite common for dirt and dust to accumulate under doors when they are shut. The supply air vent blowing air into the room creates positive pressure in the closed room. This air will seek areas of lower pressure (the return air vents) through the largest available holes. With the door shut, the undercut of the door is generally the largest available hole. Therefore, as the air passes between the door undercut and the carpeting, the carpet acts like a filter taking out dirt and dust particles from the air. Over a period of time, the carpet will darken as the dirt accumulates.

For more information, visit my website at www.graysoncleans.com

Upholstery Cleaning, Completely Different than Carpet Cleaning

Cleaning Upholstery takes a level of expertise way beyond the typical carpet cleaner. This is due to the different fabrics used for upholstery, the type of dirt involved and the different shapes of furniture.

Upholstery uses many different types of fabrics than carpet or rugs ranging from natural materials like silk and wool, synthetics like nylon and blends. If the upholstery cleaner doesn’t really understand materials, real problems can occur. For example, if silk is not cleaned properly, the potential for splotching or streaking can occur. Also, if not properly cleaned, white furniture, especially cottons and wools, can turn brown.

Upholstery dirt is primarily people and pet issues. People shed dead skin cells, hair and hair dander along with sweat and body oils through exposed skin. Cosmetics, hair sprays and other beauty items get on upholstery. Plus, children and parties increase the likelihood of spills. If you have animals, their hair, body oils and dander are probably getting on your furniture. Over time, all these tend to accumulate into the fabric.

Furniture designs and styles contribute different degrees of difficulty to clean. An easy working surface is a flat one. However, furniture has many corners and edges which make the application of cleaning solutions and the removal of the associated dirt very difficult. Skill and experience are required to effectively clean these areas.

So, make sure to hire an upholstery cleaner that knows what they are doing. For information, visit my website at www.graysoncleans.com

Berber Carpets, The Good and Bad

Berber carpets are an aesthetically appealing carpet that allows for unique designs and color schemes. However, berber carpets are not a style of carpet but a specific weave. It is a loop pile construction and can be made from many different materials and in many different qualities. The looped design does provide a cushiony feel under your feet and this is especially true with the wool and nylon varieties.

While berber carpets can be visually pleasing and comfortable, there are some aspects that need to be considered when either buying berbers or deciding in which parts of your home to install them. They can snag and unravel or run, similar to a run in ladies hose. Situations where this can be a real concern is with cats who use the carpet as a scratching post and dogs that like to dig on carpets. Also, this type of carpet is difficult to clean. Because of the loop weave and the twist of the loop being larger at the top than the bottom, It draws dirt to the bottom of the fibers and traps it there. This dirt, trapped at the bottom, is very difficult to extract with a vacuum cleaner. As a result, traffic patterns can develop prematurely. Finally, the less expensive berber carpets will also tend to show wear patterns quicker.

Therefore, you might want to reconsider berber carpets for high traffic rooms such as dens, stairs and halls. Especially if you are not able to vacuum them regularly. Also, if you have pets that like to scratch, you might reconsider the use of this type of carpet all together.

For more information visit my website at www.graysoncleans.com

Sculptured Carpets The Good and Bad

Sculptured carpet is a design of carpeting that is characterized by a mixture of high and low pile fibers arranged according to a specific pattern. The appeal of this type of carpet is in the visual presentation. Sculptured carpets can be an effective means of adding interest to a room by providing a layered effect to the floor covering. It is considered to be an excellent means of increasing the visual interest of the floor covering without the use of different colors to create a pattern.

However, a concern with sculpted carpets over non sculpted carpets is the wear tendency in high use areas of the home. Because of the high/low aspect of this carpet, wear patterns tend to become more prevalent in high use areas. This is due to the walking and dragging of feet on the carpet which impacts the less supported taller fibers. Therefore, avoiding the use of this type carpet in high traffic areas should be considered. Examples of high traffic areas are dens, TV or play rooms, stairs and halls. Also, once the carpet is installed, regular vacuuming and periodic professional cleaning are important. By doing this, you will increase the longevity and maintain the beauty of this type of carpet longer.

As mentioned earlier, sculpted carpets can be used to enhance the look of the flooring without using a lot of color that may clash with other furnishings in the room. However, it would be prudent to avoid them in high use areas. And once installed, vacuum regularly and periodically have them professionally cleaned.

For more information, visit my website at www.graysoncleans.com

What Causes Wall-To-Wall Carpeting to Buckle or Ripple

Having wall-to-wall carpeting offers distinct benefits, but sometimes walking on it can become hazardous and its appearance can deteriorate due to buckling or rippling. The reasons for ripples across the floor can range from improper installation to excess humidity to long term wear.

To understand why ripples happen, it is good to understand how carpets are fabricated. Most residential carpet is manufactured by inserting yarn into a backing material to form the face material. The yarn/face material and primary backing is then back coated with a synthetic latex adhesive to lock the fibers in place. Finally, a secondary backing is applied to provide dimensional stability. (See diagram).

Improper installation methods almost always guarantee carpet rippling and can range from the installer not using a power stretcher or only power stretching in one direction. Also, padding with improper thickness or density for the carpet can also cause rippling. Therefore, make sure to purchase the proper carpet pad for your carpet and to use a qualified carpet layer for installation.

Excessive water from humidity or improper steam cleaning can break down the latex adhesive and cause premature rippling. Stretching the carpet can help the appearance but the carpet has probably been damaged and buckling will more than likely return. Replacement might be your best option.

Finally, buckling occurs overtime because the carpet stretches due to regular foot traffic and wear. Every carpet reaches an age when it must be replaced because the secondary backing and latex start to breakdown. Stretching the carpet can remove the ripples for a period of time but these areas will still be prone to buckling over time.

For more information, visit my website at www.graysoncleans.com

The Good & Bad of Wool Carpet

Wool carpets remain a favorite for their warmth, luxurious feel and durability. A good quality wool carpet is typically more expensive than other fibers. However, if maintained properly, the wool carpet, due to its durability, can save you money over its lifetime. However, if not maintained properly or if staining concerns is a part of your life, wool may not be the best choice.

For homeowner’s who either vacuum their carpets regularly or have them vacuumed regularly, wool will last longer than other fibers and would be a good investment. The reason that vacuuming is so important is that through normal home living, grit gets into the carpet fibers. If this grit is not removed by regular vacuuming, it will act like sand paper on the carpet fibers, damage them and create premature wear patterns. Therefore, if regular vacuuming of your carpets may be difficult to achieve, it might be prudent to invest in a less expensive type of carpet.

If spills and staining are not a big concern, wool once again is an excellent choice. Wool has natural oils inherent in it which have a tendency to repel liquids. Therefore, if you can get to spills quickly, the wool provides good stain resistant qualities. However, if a spill is left unattended, it seeps past the natural oils in the wool, absorbs into the fibers and has a high probability of becoming a permanent stain. If staining is a concern (from kids, pets and parties), then synthetic carpets would most likely serve you better. They come in all “levels” of stain-resistance, from very basic synthetic fibers, to those treated with Teflon and other solutions.

So, if you have good maintenance of your carpets and have the ability to address spills quickly, then wool, over its life, is your most cost effective choice. However, it either of the above concerns is an issue, then your money might be better spent on a synthetic carpet.

For more information, visit my website at www.graysoncleans.com