Removing Candle Wax from Carpets, Rugs or Upholstery

 Candles can provide an ambience and pleasant odor. But, what to do when Candle wax drips onto the carpet, rug or upholstery?

First, wait for the wax to cool, then try to scrape off as much of the hardened drips as you can, using a dull knife. Next place a clean white rag over the remaining wax and run a warm iron over the area. Once again, use the iron on warm setting. If it is too hot, you could damage or melt the fibers. You should see the wax transferring to the white towel. Repeat the process by putting a fresh part of the clean towel over the wax each time, until all the wax is gone. If wax residue remains, apply a small bit of dry-cleaning solvent and blot.

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Wool Carpets, The Good and The Bad

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. Therefore, if your main concern is staining (from kids, pets, etc.), then synthetic carpets would most likely serve you best. They come in all "levels" of stain-resistance, from very basic synthetic fibers, to those treated with Teflon and other solutions.

The bottom line is that 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.

 

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The benefits of carpet padding

     You've paid hundreds or even thousands for that new carpeting or rug--and now the "experts" are recommending that you spend even more to buy a pad to put underneath it. Believe them and get a good pad. It will save you money in the long run.

     For both carpets and rugs, a good pad not only increases the comfort but it extends the life of your carpet or rug. It reduces wear and tear plus pile crushing by absorbing the pressure created by walking on the carpet or rug. It also allows for deeper vacuuming because it raises the rug or carpet off of the floor. This allows the air to flow through it more easily, making it possible to remove more dirt from the rug or carpet.

There are also other benefits associated with rugs. 

Pads are a safety issue. No matter where the rug is placed (on carpet or hardwood or etc), a pad keeps the rug in place to prevent slips and pulls. It provides protection for the flooring underneath the rug - Very important! A pad prevents dye transfer, marring, staining, and scratching to the floor or carpeting beneath.

     Note: Rug pads are specific to the type of flooring underneath - if you have carpeting under your rug, make sure you purchase a rug pad made specifically for carpeting. The same goes for hard floorings. Don't use a pad for carpet for a hardwood floor - they are not made the same and will not give the comfort and protection your floor needs.

What kind of pads to get.

     The most popular type is rebond pads which are made from scraps of high density foam. Pads come in different weights. The Carpet Cushion Council recommends a pad of 6 pounds at a minimum. However this is a minimum recommendation and a pad of 8 pounds will provide longer wear. There are also pads that have a scrim on top to prevent liquids from soaking into the pad. These pads also have anti-microbial aspects that inhibit the breeding of bacteria and associated smells. This type of padding is very good for homes with pets and small children.

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Pet Accidents, What do you do?

You know your pet has had an accident on the carpet (or rug) because you can smell it. The quicker you can address the accident the better, so look for spots or discolorations. However, sometimes the accident is not visible, so what do you do then? A black light can be used. Darken the room, turn on the light and scan it over the floor. You will be able to identify the urine because the urine salts become fluorescent in the ultraviolet light. However, the most available and practical method is to use your nose. Don't be afraid to get down on your hands and knees to find it.

If the spot is still wet, blot, blot and blot some more to remove as much as possible. After blotting, you can sprinkle baking soda on the area. The baking soda will help absorb the urine and also neutralize the PH of the urine. (Note: baking soda may sometimes discolor fabrics, so you should test it on a non-conspicuous area of your carpet or rug). Let the baking soda dry on the spot then vacuum it up.

If the spot is dried up, then mix 1/3 white vinegar with 2/3 water and spray it on the spot. let it sit a little bit than remove the vinegar/water solution by blotting.

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Do It Yourself Spot Cleaning

You have an accident on your carpet and want to get it up. I do not recommend using something you buy from the store. These products tend to leave a residue that will attract dirt. Also, if it does not remove the spot, it could actually set the stain so a professional cannot get it out. I recommend using white vinegar and water. Mix around 1/3 white vinegar to 2/3 water in a spritz bottle, then spritz the spot and blot it up with a white rag.

Here is a link to a video that will show this process. Spotcleaning video

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

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 building. What happens is, when pressure change occurs within a room from either the effect of warm air rising or from mechanical pressures, 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.

     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.
     Because soil filtration is a concentration of dirt particles, cleaning soil filtration areas can be very difficult.

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Why Vacuuming is So Important

When people ask me what is the best thing to do to take care if their carpets (or rugs), I tell them frequent vacuuming. Based on a Proctor and Gamble Company analysis of carpet soiling in the US, about 79% of dirt in a carpet is dry particulate. The compensation of this dirt is about 55% from "Tracked-In" gritty particles (like sand and fine dirt), 12% from animal fiber from people, pets and fabrics and another 12% from fibers, indoor plants, and tracked in organic material.

Because most of this dirt is brought in from outside of the home, you should vacuum at least a minimum of 2 times per week.

To really understand the importance of vacuuming, watch this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNiMsB-4qtI&t=4s

For more information on taking care of your carpets and upholstery, visit my website at www.graysoncleans.com