Sharing is Caring, Especially When It Comes to Cleaning

Summertime, and the Livin’ is Easy…?

During all of our years in the carpet cleaning business, we have learned that more – much more – people clean their wall to wall carpet during the summer than in the winter time.

They call us to complain about the dirt, stains, and especially about the odors rising in their house, wall to wall, as they ask for immediate assistance.

summer_pictures_204963

Why Does That Happen?

Wall to wall carpet gets dirty all year long, as they collect dirt and dust, yet the cold keeps it buried deep within its fibers, shrunken and mostly unnoticeable. But then comes summertime with all of its glory and humidity and allow for the expansion of the carpet’s fibers, releasing the hidden dirt out. Once that happens, it also becomes a perfect breeding ground for dust mites, bacteria and a whole host of problems.

What Can i Do?

You should really do two things to avoid your entire house spreading bad odor comes summer –

1) Keep regular maintenance that includes weekly vacuuming, treating stains and spots right as they happen, and keep a clean household in general – in the end, all dirt and dust will find it way into the carpet.

2) Use a professional carpet cleaning service at least once a year, for a truly deep cleaning that vacuuming simply can’t achieve. You will keep your carpet value, as well as avoid unwanted odors.

Have a happy & joyful summer!
(From everybody here on the team)

Staying safe during hurricane season in NY

Less than 50% of New York and New Jersey residents are preparing more for hurricane season this year, despite the devastation from Sandy and Irene still so fresh in our minds (and neighborhoods.)

As the rain lashes down this weekend please make sure that you and your families are prepared.

ny storms

1. Listen to local news– and take it seriously! If the weather warnings tell you to get out, then get out. Don’t put your own lives at risk, and don’t put local firefighters and other rescue services at risk.

2. Avoid driving during floods and storms. If you must travel check travel updates for the safest routes.

3. Keep kids away from flooded areas. Kids can drown in just six inches of water.

4. Keep emergency lighting and food stored high up in your home. Keep emergency supplies in waterproof coverings, along with phone chargers and spare batteries.

5. Make sure you clean out all flood waters from your home after the storm has moved on. Contaminated waters can introduce real hazards into your homes and bodies. Damp carpet and upholstery can breed mold and encourage bugs to breed in your home.

Call Flat Rate Carpet for a free estimate for water damage restoration. Stay safe.

 

 

Designing your home to reflect your style

Check out our great guest post by New York interior designer Michal Abehsera on New York carpet and rug choices to match your personality and fashion choices.

As an interior designer I see a strong correlation between our own closets and the carpets we choose to cover our floors with. Fashion comes with a world of choices and allows someone to portray oneself as he or she wishes.

Zebra print rugOne can be wild and exotic, or adorned with feminine flair, a sophisticated and classic chooser, or the loud and eccentric.  As an interior designer working in the New York area I encourage clients to also see their choices in home furnishings as a further expression of themselves.

Zebra, tiger, leopard, and cow have migrated from the wild into our homes. Their patterns and hides are a hit that awaken even the dullest of dull. Whether in their natural hues or bright and saturated bold colors, an animal print rug is sure to make an impact.

NYC carpetIf feminine frills and lace are your thing, lace replicas with velvet-like textures create a semblance of romance. Flirt a bit with these fine ruffles and the rest is history, your love story written.

Classic in your closet choices?   Herringbone, plaid and gingham your thing?  Translate that all the way down to what you walk on.  Cover your floors with carpets that will always be around time after time.

70’s retro your newest love?shag carpet cleaning NY  Well shag your way into a jungle for your feet.  Shag is back and bigger than ever.  Thick and thin, wool and cotton, from lowest of pile to high.  Choosiest of choosers, you can now make a choice.

Having a fling with a Mediterranean design? Moroccan and Persian patterns in rug design are the newest trend and spice up any space.  Patterns create movement and movement creates a flow, a cycle has been born.

Persian rug LGD has now become the new LBD.  Grey is hands, and in this case, feet down, the new black, white, and beige.  The choices of grey carpets now run from this world to the after world and beyond.

grey carpet  With a world of colors, textures, designs, patterns and trends in today’s carpet choices one could easily get lost and confused.  My advice?  Take your fashion style and translate into your carpet choice and you’ll pretty much be happy wearing that carpet on your floors all the time.

Interior Designer- New York

Interior Designer- New York

Michal Abehsera is a Parsons graduate and New York based interior designer specializing in modern and contemporary residential spaces.   Check out her website michalabehsera.com for home inspiration or to book a consultation.

Need your rug or carpet cleaning? Click here for a free estimate

Make Your Own Pumpkin Spice Latte

Pumpkin Spice Latte | Flat Rate Carpet BlogWith the cool autumn breeze comes the delicious desire for warm drinks. It’s time to toss aside the ice coffee and move on to fall delicacies like pumpkin spice lattes. This fall flavored coffee is super easy to whip up at home, and will save you a bundle by making it yourself.

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup espresso or half a cup of very strong coffee
  • 2 cups milk (non fat, whole, soy – any kind you like)
  • 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons sugar (more or less depending on your taste)
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Directions:

Mix together the milk, sugar and pumpkin in a medium sized sauce pan. Then cook the mixture over a medium heat until it starts to steam.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients.
Either blend the mixture for a few seconds, or mix by hand using a wire whisk. (A blender will make the mixture more foamy.)

Now just pour everything into a mug and enjoy!

Super Bowl Salsa

This super yummy Super Bowl salsa takes a little extra time to make than your ordinary avocado salsa, but it’s well worth the extra effort.

Ingredients:

16 ounce package of frozen corn, thawed (kernels)

2 cans of sliced olives (2.25 ounce cans, drained)

1 small onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 bell pepper, red, chopped

4 avocados, peeled and diced (set the pits aside for later)

¼ cup lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Mix corn, olives, red pepper and onion in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Pour the ingredients from the smaller bowl into the larger bowl and mix well. Cover the mixture and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.

To keep the avocado’s fresh it’s best to cut them, and mix them into the salsa right before service. Although with so much to do on a Super Bowl Sunday that’s pretty hard to do. You can cut up the avocado’s in the morning, and leave them in a bowl. By placing the pits on the bowl with the cut up avocados, they will stay green for longer instead of turning brown, also a splash of lemon juice will help them stay fresh.

Serve this super salsa with tortilla chips, and watch it disappear!