Archive for August, 2010

Tips to Keep Your Vacuum at Top Performance

Saturday, August 28th, 2010

1. Keep your Brush Roll Clean. Before starting to vacuum, take a look at your brush rolls. Take away particles that may be stuck to it like lint, pet and human hair, small pieces of paper - take them out and free the brush roll from anything that might block dirt from being picked up by it.

2. Brush Roll and Oil. Once in a while it is advisable for you to lubricate your brush rolls.  Check your manual , if you have lost the manual, you may try calling the manufacturer or checking their website.

3. Check Vacuum Hose. -your vacuum hose has a clog or an obstruction and won’t properly clean your carpet.

4. Check Vacuum Bags. Before starting to vacuum, always check the vacuum bags first. It is best for you to empty them when they are just half-full.

5. Check Vacuum Belt. Check for spots, cracks, and tears. Belts wear out after a few months (depending on usage) and would need to be replaced.

6. Check Vacuum Filters. - always make it a habit to check and clean the filters before vacuuming

Hand- Knotted Rugs - Dates

Saturday, August 21st, 2010

Dates are occasionally woven into a rug. The date can be in the format of the Western calendar that begins with the birth of Christ and is based on the solar year. Dates woven in the Islamic solar system can be converted to the western format by adding 622.

Pros and Cons of Polyester

Saturday, August 14th, 2010

Polyester’s popularity seems to go up and down like a roller coaster. Because it’s relatively inexpensive to produce, manufacturers are regularly reintroducing this fiber to the carpet industry. Although it has some excellent qualities, and is a great fiber for clothing, it does have some limiting factors when used in carpet.

PROS

  • Since polyester does not have dye sites, it is usually dyed with a disperse dye or solution dye method which makes it very resistant to bleaching, fading and soil dye reactions.
  • Stain Resistant – This applies only to water based stains. Low Absorbency – Quick drying
    CONS
  • Polyester is difficult to dye and usually must be solution dyed which limits the variety.
  • It is not resistant to oily stains, and in fact an oily spill or spot left without proper cleanup can oxidize and even chemically bond with and become part of the fiber. You need to know that some of these spots just won’t come out.
  • Crimp Loss – Early polyester was a mess. A new polyester carpet was fuller, fluffier and more luxurious than anything on the market. Six-month-old polyester was an owner’s nightmare. Due to loss of twist and crimp, long strait fibers were left in the traffic areas, which caused matting and tangling and destroyed the original look of the carpet. Definite improvements have been made by heat setting and using finer yarns, but crimp loss can still be a problem. This is a characteristic of polyester, not a defect.
  • Complex flooring systems, sensitive fabrics, and new age soiling conditions have created a need for advanced education in the cleaning industry

    Saturday, August 7th, 2010

    Cleaning has historically been viewed as a commodity - a menial task that anyone can do. Long before sophisticated textiles and complex built indoor environments were created, cleaning may have been a simple, easy task, but that is no longer the case.Complex flooring systems, sensitive fabrics, and new age soiling conditions have created a need for advanced education in the cleaning industry. Unfortunately, many cleaners (and consumers) have not understood this concept. We still see the ads for $6.95 per room for carpet cleaning and sofa cleaning for $45.00. The cleaner puts the ads out, never intending on cleaning for those prices, and the consuming public gets the idea that cleaning should be cheap.These so called cleaning companies also happen to be the ones that don’t educate themselves or their employees. The result is that carpets and fabrics are being ruined every day by uneducated, uninformed, and sometimes downright unscrupulous carpet cleaners. They are facing soiling conditions that they have never seen or heard of due to a lack of education. Or worse, they create a situation on a carpet or fabric that they have no idea how to fix. Education is expensive, but the result of not getting the knowledge necessary is much more costly.Our company invests a great deal in education.

    Pros and Cons of Nylon

    Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

    PROS

  • Good Elasticity – Nylon will stretch up to 100% of its length and still regain its original shape. This is very important in heavy traffic areas where furniture may be dragged across the carpet.
  • Very Abrasion Resistant – It even surpasses wool. Many manufacturers offer wear guaranties.
  • Static Resistant – Not its ancestry, but today’s fibers do very well.
  • Heat Sets Well – When properly heat set, nylon retains its crimp, twist, and dye extremely well.
  • Good resiliency – Nylon can be crushed for long periods and still regain its original shape.
  • Non-Absorbent – Nylon dries quickly since it will absorb less than 8% of its weight in H20.
  • Mildew Resistant – Nylon provides no food source, but mildew can grow on it if another food source is available. Notice the damage that can be done under an over watered potted plant.
  • Nylon responds very well to most professional cleaning methods and treatments.CONS
  • Nylon is almost always acid dyed. It is rarely solution dyed, so it can have problems with bleaching, fading, urine reactions, etc.