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Carpet Cleaning Tips

Carpet cleaning services Done Right By Flat Rate Carpet – clean and disinfect

This video by Flat Rate Carpet portrays the standard process of an in-home professional carpet cleaning service in NYC, The New York Metro and New Jersey performed by the company. It follows a customer from her first contact with Flat Rate Carpet all the way to the end of the service. Through a series of various animations, the narrator explains all the big and small details associated with carpet care by Flat Rate Carpet wall to wall carpet cleaning services.

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How To Remove Toxic Mold From Your Carpet

Identify and Eliminate Carpet Mold

Is there anything more unhomely than mold? It grows in the walls, roofs, and of course, carpets. If you have mold growing in your carpets then you need to act fast! Mold is not just damp and smelly, it can also be dangerous, especially if you have young children in the house.


cleaning carpets without a vacuum

If you have a major mold problem you will certainly need the assistance of a trained professional to remove it, but, if you tackle the issue early on, there are several DIY methods that you can use to keep your home mold free.

Defining Mold

Before we can get on to explaining how to remove and eliminate mold from your home, we must first establish what exactly mold is, and how it gets into your carpets in the first place.

Mold is a putrid and foul-smelling fungus which derives sustenance from organic matter. It survives by eating the bacteria eats the bacteria from your carpets or any other wet and damp surface.

If left unchecked, mold will continue to grow and devour the surface it’s living on. Eventually, it may destroy it completely. Aside from being disgustingly rancid, mold is also a health hazard. If-inhaled, mold can damage one’s lungs, especially those of small children. Some types of mold can cause cancer, heart conditions, and blood disorders.

Far too often, we at Flat Rate Carpet have found large quantities of mold growing on the furniture and carpets of children’s bedrooms. Needless to say, we eliminated it immediately, but this is a problem we encounter often and we cannot stress enough how important it is to kill toxic mold as soon as you notice it.

Identifying Mold

This leads us to the next step – identifying mold. Sometimes mold can be camouflaged as a stain or spill, so it’s important to be aware of the key identifying features.

  • First, unlike stains, mold grows. If that damp stain on the carpet looks a little bigger than it did last week, you most certainly have a mold problem. While you sleep the poisonous fungi was slowly eating away at all the bacteria living in your home.
  • Secondly, mold has a distinct appearance which can be used to identify it. Some types of mold have a circular pattern, while others have a green/black color. If you notice a patterned or oddly colored stain on your walls or furniture then chances are you have a mold issue.
  • Finally, a good way to detect mold is to examine any unusual symptoms you or any household member has. If anyone living in the home has persistent, non-seasonal allergies, skin irritations, or congestion, then you might have a mold issue. If you notice that you feel better when away from your home, then the problem is pretty much guaranteed to be in the home.

Ultimately, it’s not always possible to detect mold, so you might want to consider investing in a mold-detection kit. These kits test the air quality in the home and can identify if any mold spores are growing.

Removing and Eliminating Mold:

Ok, so you have a mold issue in your home, now what?

The first step to verify that this a DIY job and not something that should be left to an expert. If the mold is less than 3×3 feet and on a damp surface, then you might be able to attempt it on your own. However, if the mold is black, larger than 3×3 feet, or caused by a contaminated water source, then it’s best left to the experts.

If it is a DIY job, then the next step is to buy the right products, i.e:

  • Carpet mold cleaner (bleach/borax based)

Before you go all bleach-a-blazing, make sure you have the correct safety equipment! Use rubber gloves, a respirator/mask, and some eye goggles. If you want to go the extra-mile safety wise, throw on some coveralls for the ultimate protection.

Step by Step Guide:

  1. Open the windows in the room – you don’t want to start inhaling the cleaning products
  2. Dry out the carpets using a humidifier/lights
  3. Use a stiff brush to sweep up any dry/dead mold
  4. Pour the carpet mold cleaner into the carpet, take care not to overuse it as bleach is also toxic. A small amount poured directly into the mold is sufficient.
  5. Let the cleaning solution sit for half an hour or so, then vacuum up all dead mold
  6. Keep the room ventilated and reuse the humidifier until the carpets are completely dry

To prevent mold from growing again, use an antifungal spray from time to time, ensure the room is always well ventilated, and any wet spills are cleaned and dried right away.

Conclusion

This guide is only for small patches of mold that have only recently begun to grow. For serious cases of mold, we strongly recommend using professionals to eradicate and eliminate all traces. Here at Flat Rate Carpet, we specialize in mold removal and carpet cleaning in New Jersey, including Jersey City NJ, Middletown NJ, Morristown NJ.

Which Type of Carpet is Easiest to Clean?

It’s lovely to have carpets at home: they’re colorful, they’re bright, they’re nice and comfy to walk on, and they add both coziness and a stylish touch to your place. These days, there’s a variety of carpets available to suit every taste: carpets come in all colors, shapes, sizes and textures. So where’s the downside to getting a carpet? Well, let’s say they’re not the easiest item to clean… but nevertheless they must be cleaned often. Don’t worry, though – we’ve got lots of carpet cleaning tips for you! Next time your carpets need to get cleaning, perhaps you won’t have to look for carpet cleaning Brooklyn services right away.

Why is cleaning carpets so important?

 

Carpets easily accumulate dust and debris, and they tend to attract a lot of unwanted “guests”, like insects, mold and bacteria. In addition, there’s always the occasional spill of wine or ketchup on the carpet or that time when your pet accidentally peed on it. Not only do all these things cause carpets to get worn and discolored quickly, they may also present a health hazard to you and the other inhabitants of your home. That’s a fact – which any rug cleaner NYC service will corroborate with.
All this can be avoided if you clean your carpet often: quickly blot out any spots or spills with stain remover; vacuum your carpet regularly; make sure you wipe your shoes thoroughly on the doormat before you enter the house; and occasionally wash your carpet.
However, it is also important that you pick a carpet that is easy to clean to begin with; that will definitely save you a lot of work. So here is some advice on the easiest carpets to clean, gathered from carpet cleaning services in Brooklyn.

Which carpets are the easiest to clean?

The ease of cleaning carpets is mainly dependent on the material they’re made of. Here are some types of carpets which are either relatively easy to clean and/or easy to maintain looking clean (that’s not necessarily the same thing!):

1. Nylon carpets –nylon carpet

Nylon carpets have the advantages of being very durable on one hand, and easy to clean on the other hand. A pure nylon carpet is very easy to clean, plus, it has a long lifespan; however, it might cost more than other types of carpets. Another great choice, especially for families with young children and/or pets, is nylon frieze carpets. Those are among the easiest carpets to clean, and they’re perfect for high-traffic homes.

2. Wool carpets –wool carpet

Surprisingly enough, wool carpets are also considered quite easy to clean and maintain. They repel water naturally, which makes them harder to stain, and their low static electricity makes them attract less dirt than other types of carpets. Plus, their fibers don’t get worn easily because they bounce back up even after being stepped on a lot; and they tend to keep their original color for a very long time. They may be more expensive than other carpets but they have a long lifespan, too.

3. Propylene carpets –

If you’re on a budget and can’t afford a nylon or a wool carpet, the next best choice is a propylene carpet. They don’t bounce back as easily as wool carpets, and they’re not as easily cleaned as nylon carpets, however, they’re still relatively easy to clean and maintain, if you make sure to protect them and clean them regularly.

So now that we’ve laid out all the best options for you, check which one best fits your budget and other needs and go shopping for your perfect carpet. Good luck! And if you still need help with cleaning the carpets professionally, just look up “carpet cleaning Brooklyn NYC” or “carpet care carpet cleaners NYC” on the internet.

Get your carpets clean for summer with these tips

carpet cleaning before summerIf you have carpets in your home, you may have noticed that they need better and more frequent care during the summer. While winter isn’t very kind to carpets – what with mud stains and the difficulty of airing carpets outside when it’s raining – summer can be even harsher. The kids are home all day, spilling stuff, running around and using their colors everywhere; pets are shedding their winter coats all over the place; friends and family keep visiting; and more outside activity means bringing in more sand, dust, twigs, insects and debris. In a matter of a few weeks, your carpets might look worn and dirty even if you’ve just bought them recently; and you’ll find yourself frantically looking for carpet cleaning services in Brooklyn.
To make sure your carpets stay nice and clean all summer without too much effort on your side, we’ve decided to present you with the following carpet cleaning tips. So before you look up carpet cleaning Brooklyn NY, give it a try with these methods!

Carpet Cleaning Tips Right Here:

1. Treat spills and stains immediately

With kids running around and playing everywhere, and a constant stream of guests, something is bound to get spilled on the carpet at least once. So the best strategy is to prepare for such an occurrence in advance: stock up on stain remover and clean white cloths. If your children are old enough, show them how to clean up spills for the times you’re not at home with them. For extra measure, have some packages of baby wipes ready as well – they do quite a good job in blotting out and absorbing stains!

2. Make sure shoes stay outside

(or at least the dirt on the shoes does)
Ask anyone who comes into your house to take their shoes off before they come in – and provide them with slippers if necessary. This way you’ll keep a lot of the dirt, dust, bacteria, etc. away from your carpets. For guests who for some reason can’t or won’t take their shoes off (for example, the guy who comes to fix your AC), place a mat outside the door, so they can wipe their shoes clean before they enter the house.

3. Vacuum regularlyvacuum carpet

A good way to keep carpets clean throughout summer is simply to vacuum them regularly, about once a week. This way, even if they do accumulate dirt, dust, tiny critters and bacteria, vacuuming will remove them as well as keep their fibers from getting worn. Besides the regular vacuuming, make sure you also vacuum after you’ve had a large family gathering or a dinner party. Vacuuming regularly is a tip all carpet care carpet cleaners NY will give you – and they know what they’re talking about!

4. Entertain outside

It’s summer, the sun is shining and the weather is great. Why sit with guests inside when you can all enjoy the sunny weather and summer breeze in your terrace or back yard? Being outside is also perfect for kids as there’s a smaller risk of getting stuff dirty or broken. Your guests would only have to enter the house to go to the bathroom, and you can hang up a sign which shows them the way so they don’t wander around and trample all over your carpets.

5. Wash your carpets from time to timeRug cleaning

Summertime offers the perfect opportunity to wash your carpets: the warm, dry weather makes it very easy to hang them outside to dry. Wash your carpets every few weeks (or more if necessary) and normally, they shouldn’t take more than 1-2 days to dry.
Hopefully, the next time summer comes around, you’ll be using all these tips and enjoying clean, bright carpets all summer long! However, if you do get some persistent stains that just won’t go away, don’t hesitate researching online for a good carpet cleaning service: terms like “rug cleaner NY” or “carpet cleaning Brooklyn” should do the trick.

Where Do Carpet Beetles Come From?

Your home or your office is covered in beautiful carpets you purchased some years ago, and up until recently you’ve had no problems with them whatsoever; they’ve created a pleasant atmosphere and added color and life to the surroundings. That’s why you were so devastated to discover one day that the carpets are teeming with nasty little bugs! How horrible. This kind of situation can really be upsetting, but don’t throw out the carpets just yet – carpet beetles can be removed by pest control professionals; and there are ways to keep them at bay so this doesn’t happen to you again. But before we dive into the solutions that can be used to treat a carpet beetle situation, let’s first learn all about those tiny creatures.

carpet beetle

What are carpet beetles?

Carpet beetles (Anthrenus verbasci) are a common species of beetles which can often be found as pests in domestic houses: the beetles’ larvae can cause damage not only to carpets, but also to clothing and furniture. Carpet beetles have round bodies, parts of which are covered in scales, and their color is an irregular pattern of yellow, brown and white patches.

How big are carpet beetles?

Carpet beetles are 1.7 to 3.5 millimeters long. Surprisingly, the larvae are bigger than adult beetles: the wooly, elongated larvae are 4 to 5 millimeters long.

Where do carpet beetles come from?

Carpet beetles are very common and they live in a variety of environments – not just carpets! However, they prefer areas with low humidity as their eggs develop best in dry areas. They can found in most of Europe, in North Africa, in the Mediterranean countries and the Middle East, in North Asia (Russia, China, etc.), and in North and Central America. So as you can see, they’re pretty much everywhere. They can easily enter your home through openings such as doors and windows, or on plants and flowers that are brought inside.

What causes carpet beetles?

To understand what causes carpet beetles, you must first understand what attracts carpet beetles. The secret lies in their food preferences. These beetles like to eat animal-based items, such as wool, fur, leather, animal hair and silk. Understandably, this attracts them to upholstered furniture, clothing, blankets and of course – carpets. But why are carpet beetles also found in synthetic carpets, which are not made of animal materials? Well, synthetic carpets (like other carpets) often absorb food, oil, perspiration and other organic materials from their surroundings.

If you’re wondering now, “But where do carpet beetles hide?” – they’re not necessarily hiding, they’re simply so small, and their carpet habitat is so good in hiding them, that sometimes it’s difficult to spot them until they’ve become numerous.

What kills carpet beetles?

You obviously don’t want your home to be infested with carpet beetles and their larvae, so what’s the best way to get rid of them? Well, it depends on the situation. If you haven’t seen carpet beetles at your home at all but you want to keep them away, there are some things you can do: regularly vacuum your furniture, carpets and areas where food is stored such as the pantry; store all your food either in plastic containers or in the fridge; dust your home thoroughly on a regular basis; and check for pests and insects on plants and flowers before bringing them inside your house.

However, if you already have carpet beetles in your home, your best option is to contact pest control professionals. After they’ve eliminated the beetles, be sure to follow the procedures in the previous paragraph so they don’t come back. Good luck!