Vacuum Cleaner Selection Tips

In past articles, 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 our website at www.graysoncleans.com

Have You Noticed Grayish or Dark Lines 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 which is a term used to describe dark, gray (sometimes black) lines that appear on carpet. Soil filtration occurs because the carpet acts as a filter to dust and other airborne particles resulting from a concentrated flow of air over the carpet. It is most commonly found around baseboards, under doors and along the edges of stairs.

The primary reason for this concentrated flow of air is pressure changes within a room. Pressure changes occur within a room from either the effect of warmer air rising or from your heater or air conditioner blowing

air into a room without a return vent. Because of the pressure change, air tries to flow either in or out of the room. For walls that are not sealed to the floor, air moves in and out of the room at these areas and that is why you will see it along walls and stairs. For these situations, unless the air leakage areas are addressed, the soil filtration will continue to occur.

 

 

Also, have you ever noticed a grayish or dark line at the doorway of a room? Especially a closet or a room that is rarely used and the door is always shut. Once again, soil filtration. It is quite common for dirt and dust to accumulate under doors when they are shut. Due to pressure differences between rooms (as described above), air will flow from the high pressure

room to the lower pressure 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. For these situations, you might consider leaving the door cracked so air can move around the door and not under the door.

Do your wool carpets and/or rugs shed when you vacuum?

     Are you worried that the carpet or rug is degrading. Don’t worry. This is a natural characteristic of wool carpets and rugs. 

     Some pilling and shedding can occur with all wool carpets and rugs. This is a natural characteristic of wool carpeting because wool carpets are made from short “staple” fibers. A staple fiber is a short

length of fiber generally ranging from 4 to 8 inches long which is then spun into a yarn comprised of these short lengths. As we all know, wool is sheared from sheep. The result is short lengths of fiber which is then woven into a yarn. Because the yarn is made up of millions of short fibers, there are millions and millions of ends of these fibers in the carpet. Kind of like split ends in a person’s hair. It is impossible to remove all of these loose ends in the construction process. The result is these ends come out or shed when vacuuming.

     Once again, no need to worry. Wool carpets will not wear out from the loss of fiber. They can “ugly out” from use and abuse but they won’t fall apart.  Also, the thicker the carpet yarn, the more likely you are to see shedding. Once again, no need to panic. The shedding should diminish with time but it will never go away completely. There will always be some fiber in the vacuum canister. Remember, this is normal.

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

Cleaning Up After Your Pets

I have recently received a rash of calls about cleaning up pet urine. So, that is the topic of this blog. As funny as it sounds, urine is a rather sophisticated problem. It requires slightly different approaches depending on whether it is fresh or had time to dry.

When Urine is fresh or still wet, the first step is to remove as much as possible

by blotting with a dry towel or rag. Once you have removed as much as possible by blotting, consider applying baking soda to the damp spot. Fresh urine’s PH is on the acidic side and baking soda will help neutralize it. The baking soda will also act as an absorbent to pull more of the urine out of the carpet (or rug). Leave the baking soda on the spot until it is dry. (However, before using baking soda on your carpet or rug, test it on a non-conspicuous area to make sure it does not affect the color.) To remove the baking soda from the carpet, you will probably need to vacuum it many times.

If your pet did not tell you they had an accident and you come across the spot after it has dried, white vinegar and water is your best approach. When urine has dried, the PH of the urine salts is on the alkaline side. Therefore, white vinegar is the best thing to use to neutralize and to remove the urine from the carpet or rug. To address the spot, mix 1/3 white vinegar with 2/3 water in a spray bottle. Spray the dried urine with the mixture, let it sit a few minutes and then remove it by blotting with a dry towel. This process will probably need to be repeated multiple times. Finally, the best way to determine if you have gotten the urine out is to actually smell the area.

 

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

Removing Red Wine Stains

A red wine glass spills onto the carpet. Yikes! The sooner you act the better. Attacking the red wine stain before it fully sets into the carpet gives you a better shot at getting rid of it. The following are good stain removal remedies, but remember, to ensure color fastness, we always suggest you test any removal method on a discreet spot of carpet before treating the stain.

First, BLOT. Time is of the essence, so grab a clean white cloth (towels
and paper towels work just fine) and press the cloth to the stain. Soak up as much of the red wine stain as you can. Be careful not to rub, rubbing can push the stain deeper into the carpet’s fibers. After you finish blotting, you can pour a bit of cold water directly onto the wine stain (Be sure not to pour too much at a time). This helps dilute what remains, making blotting a bit easier. Continue blotting until no more of the stain will come out.

Two, If You Can’t Treat It, Salt It. Don’t have time to treat while playing host to your guests? After you’ve finished blotting, pour salt onto the affected area. The salt helps absorb the stain and can be quickly removed with a vacuum when you’re ready to treat the stain. Don’t have salt? Baking Soda can also be used.

Three, Treat It (presented are two different options)

     Home Remedy #1 – Plain Club Soda is a good home remedy because of it’s carbonation and sodium components. Apply club soda to the red wine stain and blot. (Be sure not to pour too much on at a time).
     Home Remedy #2 –Mix 1/3 of a cup white vinegar with 2/3 of a cup water. Saturate red wine stain with the vinegar solution and blot with a clean towel.

Four, Attacking what is left. After blotting either the soda or white vinegar mix, combine 1/4 teaspoon liquid dish detergent (Dawn® is a good choice) with 4 cups of luke-warm water. (Note: Make sure your dish soap is free from bleach and lanolin). Spray or gently pour a small amount of the dish soap solution on the stain. Using a gentle blotting motion, work the detergent into the stain and continue as needed until stain is gone. Then remove the soap by spraying the treated area with water and blotting.

 

For more information, visit our 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 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 but these areas will still be prone to buckling. Replacement might be your best option.

Preserving Your Carpets, Not Replacing Them

Money is always tight and making your carpets last as long as they can is always better than having to replace them sooner than is necessary.

It is the sticky stuff that causes a deterioration of the carpets appearance. Dirt can have a sticky component. So can people, air systems, food and drink, smoking, foreign matter (including smog), pets and residue from “do-it-yourself” carpet cleaning products. So what is the answer, preventative maintenance and periodic commercial carpet cleaning.

Preventative maintenance is the least costly and the most effective means of maintaining a carpet’s appearance. There are two goals of maintenance. One is to limit the amount of soil that comes into contact with the carpet through the use of walk-off mats. The other is to limit its accumulation through routine vacuum cleaning.

Walk-off mats should be placed at all entrances to reduce the soil that comes into the home. It is best to have an outside mat and an inside mat at each entrance. Outside mats should be capable of scraping debris off of shoes. Inside mats are needed to remove the smaller particles of dirt as well as oils and other liquids that can be tracked inside.

Routine vacuuming is necessary to reduce the amount of soil that can accumulate. There are many types of vacuums available but the best one is the one that you will actually use. Make sure it has a beater brush to get the soil to release. It is also important to empty your bag when it is 1/4 to 1/2 full. Once the bag gets over 50% full, its efficiency diminishes dramatically.

The final aspect is periodic professional carpet cleaning. The commercial grade equipment and expertise associated with reputable companies such as Grayson Smith Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning provides removal of the deep down dirt and removal of spills and spots. In fact, most major carpet manufacturers require professional carpet cleaning every 12 to 18 months to maintain the carpet’s warranty.  

For more information or questions on carpet cleaning in Memphis Tn, visit the Grayson Smith Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning website at www.graysoncleans.com