Picking the Right Carpet Type

Style vs. substance is applicable to many things in life, including your choice of carpet. The type of carpet you choose will determine how easy it is to clean and maintain your home. The fiber type and construction of your carpet will give you an idea of how hard or how easy it will be to clean the carpet.

So, how much time and maintenance are you willing to spend on cleaning your carpets? The carpet you choose will determine all of that, so choose wisely. In choosing carpet types, Nylon is probably the most popular and best selling carpet fiber. It’s a bit more expensive than Polyester, but it does well with mildew and high traffic areas. Additionally, it’s wear-resistant and reacts well to movement of the furniture, as well as the weight. If you’re looking for the best all-around carpet type, Nylon may be where your search stops. Here are the other types of carpet you can get:

Olefin: This type resists staining, moisture, and color fading pretty well; it just doesn’t do very well with oily soils. This type of carpet would work best in a playroom, since it’s water resistant.

Polyester: This type is resistant to most water-soluble stains and can be easily cleaned; however, it doesn’t do very well against wear and tear. This may work for green-minded folks, as some polyester carpet is made from recycled soda bottles.

Wool Fiber: This type of carpet is luxurious, and is pretty expensive. It is resilient to traffic and wear, and is very soft. On the other hand, it doesn’t resist stains well and may turn yellow in long periods under the sun.

Another option is to use blends and combine characteristics of different fibers.

Anyways, choose your carpets wisely and make sure it’s appropriate for the type of room your putting it in. Do your research!

Keeping Your Carpets Smelling Fresh

If you have pets in your household running a muck around your furniture and carpet, then your carpet will eventually absorb their foul smells. It’s not just your pets though, it’s also your shoes, what you spill and anything else that constantly hits your carpet. Here are some friendly tips on how to make your carpet smell fresh and clean.

  • Vacuum and clean your carpets on a weekly basis. The less bacteria there is, the less your carpets will smell.

  • This one is easy: remember to place a mat (that works) on your front porch and a sign that says “wipe shoes first.” This will reduce the amount of crud being brought into the house.

  • Buy some carpet deodorizer or you can use something that already may be in your kitchen: baking soda. It’s simple, non-toxic and cheap!

Deodorizing with Baking Soda:

Pour the package of baking soda abundantly on the musty or smelly areas of your carpet. You should then even the coat on the carpet. Let the baking soda sit on the carpet overnight or longer; the longer it soaks in the better it works.

When the baking soda is all soaked in, it’s time to vacuum. Vacuum the excess baking soda until it’s all picked up. If you still smell the odor, then you can repeat the process.

This is the best way to clean your carpets and have them smell fresh. Baking soda is cheap, very efficient, and can be used for many different things around the home, so always keep some handy.

Tips on Cleaning Up After Pets

Dogs pee indoors. It’s a part of life that can become quite a nuisance if not dealt with. If your dogs urine isn’t entirely picked up off your carpet, you can expect your dog to do it again, marking their territory. Dogs use their urine to show other dogs dominance, so it’s in their nature to pee everywhere. Of course, if your dog is spayed or neutered, they won’t pee indoors at much, but it still happens every once and awhile. Below are some tips on how to prevent your doing from peeing inside your home.

  • Neuter or spay your dog, as this will reduce the amount that the dogs pee indoors.

  • Potty train your puppy as early as possible.

  • Distinguish right from wrong. If your dog pees outside, give them a treat. If they do their business in doors, correct them immediately.

  • Confine your dog to certain areas of your home, kind of like a baby.

Properly Cleaning Urine:

Clean up the mess as soon as possible! Extraction is key.

Clean-up mix:

  • Distilled white

  • Water

  • Spray bottle

  • White cloths/towels

  • Cold water

Pour about 4 capfuls of distilled white vinegar into a spray bottle filled almost 3/4 with water and gently shake. Extract the urine with the white cloths as much as you possibly can, using a solid blotting motion. Move the cloth to a clean piece of towel when a good amount of urine is soaked up. Get as much urine out as possible with the white cloth before you start spraying. Put the spray bottle against the carpet and generously spray the stain, and allow the solution to get into the carpet pad. Let the solution sit for a minute. Now pour the cold water onto the stain spot and blot it out just like the urine.