Carpet Cleaning Nail Polish Removal
December 1, 2010
Capet cleaning to remove nail polish can be a very simple process if done properly. Just follow the steps outlined below and your carpet problem will be quickly resolved. Above all, do not throw up your hands and assume the worst when nail polish lands on your carpet. Accidents happen and when it comes to removing the polish, it’s really as simple as 1-2-3 and you’re done!
First of all, what do you use to remove nail polish from your nails? You’re right! Absolutely. Nail polish remover will do the same job on your carpet. In addition to the remover you will need one or more dry cotton terry towels. White is best because you’ll be able to see the colour of the polish very easily as it transfers on to your towel.
Before applying the remover, it’s recommended that you test your carpet in an inconspicuous area first. There is a possibility, however slight, that the nail polish remover may affect the dye in your carpet causing loss of colour. To test for this, apply a little remover to a dry corner of one of your towels. Then press it into contact with your carpet.
Choose a spot in a corner or underneath the leading edge of your sofa, or some other inconspicuous spot. Remove your towel after a few seconds and see if the colour of the carpet has transferred to your towel. If not, the remover is safe to use. Otherwise, you are best to call in a professional carpet cleaner to discuss your options.
Once the test shows you can proceed, apply some remover to a corner of your towel. Being very careful to work from the outside to the inside of the spot, alternate between gently blotting and agitating. Check your towel frequently so you know that the colour of the nail polish is being removed to your towel. Change to a clean portion of your towel each time before repeating the process. Continue to apply more remover to your towel and repeat the blotting until all of the stain has been absorbed into your towel(s).
Occasionally, it isn’t possible to remove 100% of the stain from the carpet. In that case you may want to consult the advice of a professional carpet cleaner to discuss other options. In future, be sure to use nail polish with utmost caution. It’s best to avoid applying nail polish to your nails in a carpeted area. Nail polish dripped on a hard surface is generally much easier to deal with.
Carpet Cleaning Paint Stain Removal
December 1, 2010
Carpet cleaning involving paint stain removal can appear to be a daunting task. If the paint is latex, removing it will usually be an easier task than if it’s oil based. Whether a large amount of paint has been spilled or a small amount, this article will give you the steps to effectively remove it from your carpet.
If the paint can has tipped over and the paint spill is quite large, you’ll want to keep it moist because once such a large amount has dried it will be very difficult to remove it completely. Lay some plastic such as sandwich wrap over the area. If the paint spill is latex, you will be able to vacuum most of it up. You will need a trigger spray bottle full of water, a shop vacuum and a supply of dry cotton terry towels.
Spray the spilled paint area liberally with water to further dilute the paint. Carefully vacuum up as much paint as possible working from the outside of the spill into the centre so as not to enlarge the area. Next blot with your towels, changing frequently to dry portions of your towel surfaces. Continue the above process until all the paint is removed. It will take time so you will need patience to complete this task.
If the paint is oil based rather than latex, you will need to use paint thinner and a large number of dry cotton terry towels and/or sponges. For safety reasons, you should avoid using a shop vac when working with solvents. Ideally the paint thinner can be sprayed on the spill, but most trigger sprayers won’t work very well with liquid solvents so you’ll need to saturate a towel and apply the paint thinner that way. Then you’ll need to blot up the paint into your towels. Again, you will need patience and lots of it when dealing with oil paint removal.
Dispose of your paint soaked towels afterwards by placing them in an outdoor garbage container. Let the area dry thoroughly over the next 24 hours. Once dry, check the nap of the carpet. If it’s hard and crusty, there is still paint residue remaining. Whether latex or oil based, you will need to repeat the process of removing the remaining paint as above.
In cases where you are dealing with dry paint stains on the carpet, you will want to gently scrape away as much of the dry residue as possible. Use a scraper that is fairly dull as you don’t want to damage the carpet in the process of removing the paint. The side of an old spoon or even a butter knife can work fine for this purpose. Vacuum away the paint particles with a shop vac before proceeding with the next step.
Whether the paint is latex or oil based, you can usually remove it with paint thinner applied to a dry cotton terry towel. Using a white towel is best as you can easily see the colour of the paint as it transfers to your towel. Work from the outside of the paint into the centre so as not to spread it beyond the area you are working on.
Carpet Cleaning Gum Removal
December 1, 2010
When it comes to carpet cleaning and gum removal, the process of removing the gum from your carpet can be quick and easy or somewhat more challenging. However, with a little knowledge and patience of how to go about it, you should have no problems removing every last trace of it.
The first step is to scrape as much of the gum away as possible. If the gum has been on your carpet for some length of time, it may have formed a hard surface scale. Otherwise, it will still be quite moist and tend to be very elastic. At any rate, it’s best to avoid a sharp knife to scrape away the surface residue. A sharp edged scraper may damage the carpet fibre. Instead, use the side of an old spoon. Also a butter knife is fine for this purpose.
After you have scraped as much of the gum as you can, carefully vacuum the pieces away and check that every scraped particle is removed. During the scraping process, it’s possible that a piece of gum might land a foot or so away and could be missed. You don’t want to encounter it a day or more afterwards when it’s re-bonded to the carpet again. So make sure all the scraped particles are completely vacuumed away.
Next, you’ll want to remove the remaining residue. Mind you, if the gum is very old and dry, chances are good that the scraping process alone will be sufficient to remove all the gum. You will easily see if this is the case. Also run your finger over the area as a final check. If the carpet doesn’t feel tacky, it’s a very good sign that the gum is gone forever and there is no need to do anything further.
Otherwise, the gum residue remaining will be somewhat sticky and must be completely removed. If it isn’t, fresh soil will quickly accumulate on the tacky surface to form an ugly dark blotch on your carpet. There are a variety of gum removal products available from your local hardware store but for most gum removal situations, WD-40 works just fine. Lightly spray the residue and using your dull edged scraper, gently scrape up the remaining residue and vacuum it away.
Next, get an old cotton terry towel or cloth. Dampen one corner with water and wring it out. Gently agitate the area working from the outside into the centre of where the gum was removed. Then change to a dry portion of your towel and gently blot over the area. Do the finger check one more time. If there is still a wee bit of a tacky area remaining, apply some more WD-40 and repeat the process.
Finally, gently brush the nap and the carpet should be fine. No trace of gum should be visible and the area should be non-tacky to the touch. Fresh soil landing on the carpet will not stick to the area and routine vacuuming will remove it just fine. Your carpet should look uniform again with no ugly gum spot to draw the eye to it anymore…..that is, until Junior drops another wad!
Carpet Cleaning Options
November 29, 2010
In this article we’re going to look at the main methods of carpet cleaning ranging all the way from do-it-yourself to hiring professional service providers. There are lots of choices available to today’s consumers when it comes time for your carpet to be cleaned. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of what is available to you. In future posts, we’ll go into more detail in each area so you have the information you need to make the most appropriate choice for your situation.
First is the do-it-yourself approach. We’ve all seen the carpet cleaning rental displays in our local supermarkets. Simply pick up a rental machine and a bottle of carpet shampoo along with your groceries and you’re all set. Right? Wrong, wrong wrong!! The only benefit these machines are going to give is to the store when you pay your good money to rent one. Retailers are smart business-minded folks with an eye on the bottom line. When you think of it, who most often shops for the family groceries? That’s right. Women do.
And therefore, the rental machines are designed to be lightweight units that a woman is easily able to wheel it out to her car. However, in order to keep the weight down, the power of these machines is significantly compromised. Therefore, the quality of the carpet cleaning is mediocre at best. The lightweight motors tend to lack the waterlift capability of larger, heavier units with the result that it’s very difficult to remove the water laden soil from the carpet. It can take hours, even days for the carpet to be dry again. And when it is dry, there may be hardly any noticeable improvement in the appearance of the carpet.
If you want to rent a do-it-yourself machine, avoid the supermarket ones and go to a place where you can rent a more powerful machine with superior water lift capabilities. The equipment rental stores or big box stores like Home Depot and Rona offer a better option that will give you far better results for your rental dollar.
The key is not to over wet your carpet. For every wet pass, go back over the same area with two or three dry passes. In other words, use only the vacuum to remove as much of the soil laden water from your carpet as you can. This will greatly reduce the time for your carpet to be completely dry again and may also avoid wetting the floor underneath.
Next, is the option of hiring a professional carpet cleaning service. Of these, the most familiar is that of carpet steam cleaning, otherwise known as hot water extraction. 
The equipment consists of a wand with hose leading back to either a powerful portable base unit or outside to a truck mounted system. In the hands of an experienced carpet cleaner, either system will perform an effective deep cleaning of your carpet. In selecting a carpet cleaner, first start by asking for referrals among your network of friends.
Chances are good that someone you know can recommend someone. Generally the smaller owner/operator businesses are a safe choice as the owner himself/herself will be doing the actual work. Ask if they will include a thorough pre-vacuum of your carpet at no extra cost. This is a sign that they are willing to take the extra time to do a detailed cleaning for you. Also, ask if they have a written guarantee of satisfaction as additional assurance before committing to set the appointment.
Professional carpet cleaners often offer a low moisture option in addition
to the hot water extraction method. The benefit of using low moisture is that your carpet is dry and ready for use again in as little as one hour following cleaning. Low moisture cleaning uses more agitation and less water to accomplish the same results as hot water extraction. In cases of extremely heavy soil, the carpet may first need to be flushed with hot water and extracted and then followed up with a low moisture cleaning. A professional will know best what is the most appropriate way to restore your carpet to a beautiful, clean appearance again.
Carpet Burns
November 20, 2010
Carpet burns occur when a high heat source contacts the carpet fibre causing the fibre to be damaged. Burns can occur from a variety of sources including candle wax, cigarette ash, even from a hot steam iron or cooking pot. 
The smaller the burned area, the easier it is to repair. However, even if the area is larger, it’s still possible to repair and restore your carpet provided you have access to matching carpet pieces.
In situations where you do not have extra carpet remnants available, it is still possible to do a corrective insert. The damaged carpet is carefully cut out with a sharp linoleum knife and replaced with a similar size piece of undamaged carpet from an inconspicous area. For example, if you have a wall unit sitting on the same carpet, simply remove a matching piece of carpet from such a location and exchange it with the damaged piece. Provided you don’t plan to re-arrange your room anytime soon, voila!, problem solved.
We recommend that the piece you select as your patch should be cut slightly larger as you can then trim it to an exact fit. In cutting out your patch piece, be careful to observe that the pattern matches. Also, be careful to place the patch so that the carpet pile is all in the same direction as the surrounding carpet.
For small burns like cigarette burns, and provided you have a cut pile carpet, it’s a simple process to repair without having to do a corrective insert. First, with a pair of sharp, pointed scissors, carefully snip away the burned fibres. Then, with a damp cloth, gently wipe the burned area to remove some of the discoloration. Work from the outside of the burn into the centre.
Next select a few undamaged carpet fibres from an inconspicuous area as in a closet or along a baseboard. Snip several of these with your scissors and twist the bases of the carpet fibres together to form a plug. Next get some fabric bonding glue and apply to the base of the plug and apply some to the burned cavity on the carpet. Place the plug carefully into the burned cavity and let dry. Remove excess glue from around the burned area.
In cases of larger burns such as from a steam iron, and in situations where you don’t have cut pile carpet, you’ll likely be looking at patching instead of a plug. In most situations, you can effect a suitable repair to restore your carpet so that it can continue to give you years of service.
Pet Stains On Carpet
November 17, 2010
For many Nanaimo area pet owners, pet stains on carpet are part and parcel of owning a pet. Sooner or later, every pet owner will face the challenge of how to remove such stains. Some stains are more easily removed than others. And some stains are invisible to the eye.
In addition to the stain itself, there is often an odour to deal with as well. Phew! Whether your pet is a recent addition to your family and is being housebroken, or perhaps due to old age or health problems, accidents can and will happen. When they do, this article will provide you with the information to do a quick clean-up.
As in any situation where a substance is spilled on the carpet, the sooner you can tend to it the better. The longer the substance is allowed to remain on the carpet, the greater the possibility of it becoming a permanent feature. If there is solid matter, first remove as much of it as possible. If urine is involved, blot up as much as possible using an old cotton terry towel.
Next step is to deal with the remainder of the substance. Ideally you will want to choose a cleaning agent containing active enzymes to deal with both the stain and any odour present. Do not over wet the carpet area as this can damage the carpet and possibly the floor beneath. We recommend mixing your cleaning agent according to the directions and filling a plant mister bottle equipped with an adjustable trigger spray head. Mist the area well and give it several minutes to work.
Next, use a medium soft bristle scrub brush to gently agitate the solution into the carpet. Work from the outside edge of the stained area into the centre so as not to enlarge the area further. Next, you will need one or more absorbent dry cotton terry towels. White is preferred as in the case of urine you will easily be able to observe whether the color is transferring to your towel. Fold your towel in half and blot by applying firm downward pressure for a few seconds. Remove it and check to see if some of the substance is now visible on the towel. If so, continue in this way until the carpet stain has been completely removed. Remember to keep changing your towel to a dry portion each time.
If possible, peel the carpet back to expose the underpad and floor and clean up any liquid that may be visible there, too, with your enzyme cleaning agent. Dry the area and replace the carpet. Finally, place a folded dry towel over the area and add a moderate weight such as a telephone book to apply firm pressure on the towel. In this way, the towel will continue to blot up any remaining residue from below the surface of the carpet. Check your towel every couple of hours and replace it with a dry towel if necessary. You might want to place a plastic bag underneath the book to protect it from moisture.
Why Carpet Cleaning Is Important
November 10, 2010
Carpet cleaning is important for a variety of reasons. Carpet is an expensive investment and for that reason alone, it just makes good sense to maintain it with regular vacuuming and annual deep cleaning. In return, your carpet will last for many years. It will continue to enhance the beauty of your home and provide a soft, warm covering for your floors. 
Also, there are important health benefits derived from maintaining the carpet in your home. Your carpet acts as a filter to capture and hold on to airborne particles. The less dust etc. floating about in your room, the healthier your indoor air quality will be and the healthier you and your family will be.
Regular vacuuming should be performed to remove the accumulated soil, allergens and other particles from your carpet. We recommend at least a once per week vacuum with special attention to the high traffic areas. A vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter is preferred. Such a filter will ensure that vacuumed particles do not escape back into the room as can happen with non-HEPA equipped machines. Use a crevice tool to detail along the edges where your carpet meets the baseboard and along the backs of carpeted stairs. Always check that your vacuum bag is no more than 3/4′s full. Otherwise, replace it with a new bag for maximum vacuum power.
By removing as much dry soil as possible from your carpet, it enables the carpet to continue to perform as an efficient indoor air filter to hold on to airborne particles. This is especially significant during the winter season when we tend to keep our windows closed and stale air isn’t replaced with fresh outdoor air as often. Carpet is able to keep particles from becoming airborne again as is the case with hard floor surfaces. However, it’s important to remove these particles regularly and not allow the carpet to become so full of these that its filtering abilities are compromised.
In addition to removing the dry soil particles, it’s necessary to perform a deep cleaning of the carpet at least once per year using water and carpet detergent. The stubborn, sticky and oily soils that gradually build up in the carpet fibre over time, can only be removed with such a deep cleaning. In Nanaimo and area there are many reputable carpet cleaning services to choose from. With a program of regular vacuuming and an annual deep cleaning, your carpet will continue to provide years of service and help keep your indoor air quality at its best.
Types Of Vacuum Cleaners
October 27, 2010
If a poll was taken of Nanaimo area residents, it would be no surprise to discover that the two most commonly used types of vacuum cleaner continue to be the cannister vacuum and the upright. A variation of the cannister vacuum is the built-in or central vacuum with convenient wall-mounted vacuum outlets throughout the home. In addition there are lightweight stick vacuum cleaners and compact handheld models. There is simply a vacuum to suit every preference. Here we’ll look at the features and performance of each.
Cannister vacuum cleaners have a base unit with an attached hose that you can fit a variety of vacuum attachments to. A floor tool is fitted to a long wand to enable you to vacuum either hard floors or carpet. Some floor tools have a handy foot switch to quickly convert the same tool for vacuuming either hard floors or carpet. 
Many cannister vacuums have an optional power brush attachment for efficient vacuuming of carpeted areas. Other attachments may include a crevice tool for vacuuming along baseboards, backs of stairs, etc., an upholstery tool and a dusting tool.
While cannister vacuums are versatile, it takes additional time to round up the hose and attachments, attach them to the base unit, and remove and store them away after each use. Also, the hose can be a struggle if it gets tangled or caught up on furniture. Having to heft the vacuum and attachments up and down stairs can be an additional headache. Yet the cannister vacuum is often a popular choice for its versatility in dealing with hard and carpeted surfaces including carpeted stairs.
Built-in or central vacuum systems offer the versatility of cannister
models as well as unique benefits. For one thing, they are much quieter as the base unit is usually installed in the basement or in the garage. It allows for vacuuming while someone is talking on the phone or watching television for example. With the base unit secured, one only needs to deal with the hose and attachments. It’s much easier to move about the house vacuuming from room to room as the hose can be quickly attached to the nearest wall mounted vacuum port.
Upright vacuum cleaners are self-contained machines without long hoses. The powerbrush cleaning base is an integral part of the machine and many models come with optional cleaning attachments. 
Some uprights are only designed to clean carpeted surfaces while others have the ability to clean hard floors, too. For cleaning carpet, upright vacuums are preferred as they are capable of removing pet hair and deep down soil. Uprights come in bagged and bagless models. Bags are usually more convenient and less messy while bagless machines offer the economy of not having to stock up on additional bags.
Stick vacuums are lightweight versions of the full-size upright models but they lack the power to do a heavy duty vacuuming. They are great for quick touch-ups between regular vacuuming with a more powerful machine. 
Stick vaccums are available in corded and cordless models. Compact handheld ‘dust buster’ type models are also available for quick jobs such as vacuuming up crumbs, etc.
Overall, consumers have lots of choice when it comes to selecting a particular vacuum cleaner. Regular vacuuming, especially with a machine fitted with a HEPA filter, will greatly help to improve the indoor air quality of your home. Dust, soil and allergens will be easily removed from your hard floors and carpets in this way.
Carpet Cleaning Vacuuming Tips for Nanaimo Area Residents
October 25, 2010
