Rugs cleaning for you convenience is matter. This can be make our life more relax. What needed for this is clean home for almost everything including Rugs. So, cleaning home is not only floor,wall, ceiling and so on. It also carpet and rugs.
There is nice tips about Rugs cleaning as stated by http://chooseakitchen.com/make-your-home-more-relaxing-with-rug-cleaning/11/2008/
If you decide that you want to tackle cleaning the carpet on your own, then there are a few tips that can help you give the proper care and attention to your rugs. But, you should always remember that there are professionals who are experts at carpet and rug cleaning who can take care of things for you if you start to feel overwhelmed, or just simply don’t have the time to do the job properly.
One of the first carpet cleaning tips to keep in mind is to be careful not to be too aggressive or harsh when trying to remove a pet stain or other type of stain on your rugs and carpets. If you do this, then the chances are good that the stain will spread and you could even push the substance that is soiling the carpet even deeper into the fibers, which could cause further damage the fibers and make it almost impossible to get out.
The next tip is for pet stain removal and spots. Attend to the stained areas as quickly as possible. Nearly all carpet stains can be removed with the proper carpet cleaning product and method as long as the stain does not have a chance to permanently set. Usually, you have a window of a few days to get the stain out, and the earlier you try the better so that you will still have time to call a professional cleaner if you need to.
Another carpet cleaning tip is to do a test application of any cleaning chemicals that you think you want to use before applying the produce widely over the surface of the floor coverings. Test a small area that is out of the way and out of sight first and look for discoloration. Some types of fibers used in rugs and carpets will loose their color very quickly when certain chemicals are used on them.
If you are not confident in your abilities to correctly and effectively do the rug cleaning by yourself, then you would be wise to engage the help of a professional carpet cleaning service. Not only do these services have the right carpet cleaning equipment and chemicals to do the job well, they also have the expertise to tackle any kind of tough problem you might have. In short order they can get the carpeting back to a condition that will add to the experience of enjoying your home and surroundings.
-
If you getting confused where to buy rugs online, you can check Cheap rugs online shop
Maintain cleaning of our carpet is not always expensive things. We can do it by our self to clean carpet as it can reduce daily cost of home cleaning. We just need to know and get enough information how carpet cleaning should be done at the beginning. Then we do it in correct way.
If you take some care and use a little common sense, you can get great results and it makes more sense than leaving the marks on your carpet too long and taking a chance that the damage is permanent. Follow a few tips to maintain your carpets and cleaning the carpet yourself gets much easier.
Food spills can be a little tricky. Make sure you don’t leave any spills for later, it ’s imperative that you clean those spills immediately as it will prevent stains. When removing spots or spills do not use any harsh cleansers that might permanently damage the carpet.
When traffic patterns start to form on your carpet they can be extremely difficult to clean because the carpet itself is wearing out. You are able to clean the dirt but not the wear. To avoid this problem, try to rotate your furniture so that people will change where they are walking on your carpet.
Your best defense for pet damage is to vacuum your carpets often and make sure you clean any accidents immediately. When you clean these areas, make sure you use a deodorizer specifically designed for pet stains so that the animal will not repeat the accident on the same spot.
The fading of your carpet by the sun is a problem that no carpet cleaner can tackle because the sun literally bleaches your carpet. To avoid this problem make sure you close your blinds in areas of your home not in use and avoid long hours of direct sunlight.
Every doorway seems to have worn out carpet in the opening, or dirt that has been tracked in from outside. Lay mats in the doorways or other strategic areas to prevent wear and dirt.
To circumvent crushing from your furniture you can place glides under the furniture and move your furniture around occasionally.
One of the best techniques you can use to maintain the beauty of your carpet is to vacuum as often as possible. Vacuum areas carefully and slow enough to get out as much dirt as possible. The more dirt removed by vacuuming means you will preserve your carpets and the appearance will be much cleaner.
Its okay to steam clean your own carpets but beware of over wetting the carpets as it can cause the carpet to develop mold and mildew. Make sure that when you put your furniture back, if the carpet is not completely dry make sure you put something under the legs to prevent marking the carpets.
It ’s important that you hire a professional carpet cleaner periodically as well to deep clean your carpets. Try to use a carpet cleaner who uses encapsulation technology.
Encapsulation technology is a system that removes the dirt from the carpet and transforms any residue into a crystal. You vacuum this crystal out for a more thorough clean. Using this method of carpet cleaning will prevent your carpet from getting dirty faster and in most cases will leave your carpet cleaner.
From: http://www.content4reprint.com/home/diy-carpet-cleaning-tips-to-maintain-the-beauty-of-your-carpet.htm
You scrub your kitchen, wash your floors and vacuum clean your rugs, but does that mean you have a healthy home? The answer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, might be no. AirMD is a Boca Raton-based health and wellness service company that employs scientific analysis to educate the public and improve indoor environments.
Boca Raton, FL (PRWEB) November 13, 2008 — You scrub your kitchen, wash your floors and vacuum clean your rugs, but does that mean you have a healthy home? The answer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, might be no. In fact, the EPA says the air quality of indoor environments may be anywhere from 5 to 100 times more polluted than the outdoors. Rather than being a refuge from harmful elements, our homes may be breeding grounds for biological pollutants such as mold, bacteria and a variety of allergens, as well as havens for non-biological pollutants including chemicals from cleaning products, furnishings and combustion particles.
AirMD is a Boca Raton-based health and wellness service company that employs scientific analysis to educate the public and improve indoor environments. Its Scientific Director, Simon Hahessy, is a Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant and an authority on health-related indoor environmental quality issues.
“We know, according to studies by independent agencies such as the EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that indoor air quality often is not as healthy as it needs to be,” says Hahessy, who leads AirMD’s team of field analysts and scientific personnel who are experienced in the fields of bacteriology, mycology, aerobiology, microscopy, environmental science and toxicology.
“Invisible environmental problems in our homes and businesses are the bad news,” Hahessy adds. “The good news is that there are easy steps people can take to analyze and improve their indoor environments, where they spend most of their time.”
Finding What Lives in Your House
AirMD offers scientifically based services designed to identify air quality problems and their sources and then provide the right remedies. Its field analysts begin by conducting environmental evaluations utilizing scientific instrumentation to detect a wide range of contaminants. Clients receive a scientific report within seven business days including results on levels of mold, airborne particles, volatile organic chemicals, moisture measurements electromagnetic radian and bio-aerosol sampling.
The company also conducts allergen evaluations for dust mites, mold, pollen and dust particles as well as water and bacteria evaluation. Additional evaluations analyze water and bacteria levels in bathrooms and kitchens. AirMD also offers customized testing services, such as thermal imaging of a building’s interior.
“So many people suffer from allergic reactions and various symptoms for which they have not been able to identify a cause,” says Hahessy. “There are many irritants in home or office environments that can be the causes of eye irritation, sneezing, coughing, headaches, respiratory problems and other symptoms that compromise people’s health and well-being.”
After identifying the problems, AirMD offers solutions to improve the indoor environment and promote wellness. Depending upon the nature and level of the problem, the company utilizes different types of equipment. These procedures may include, for example, filtering harmful particles from the air, displaying moisture areas not visible under ordinary lighting conditions, or sanitizing air-conditioning and duct systems.
In November 2008, AirMD will add to its existing services an environmentally responsible selection of personal and homecare products that can be purchased on the web site, www.airmd.com.
“There are scientific, proven solutions to improve the quality of the air we breathe,” says Hahessy. “The key is finding the right team to guide you through the process.”
Be Warned Hard Floors Are Much More Unhealthy That Carpets Are! That’s a pretty controversial statement that carpets are healthier that hard flooring. Why would I say it when Asthma UK recommends that asthma sufferers remove their carpets?
Well first not all asthma is caused by what we call “air allergens”. The four main air allergen in the home are, dust mites, pet dander, mould, and pollen. Let’s start with that statement and then I will explain my reasons.
For one moment think about the term “Air Allergen” air being the key word here, well if you have hard floors then those allergen will blow around every time you open a door from outside. Carpet act as a filter trapping those allergens stopping them blowing around.
You might say but having them trapped is not a good thing. Well they are better trapped than in you lungs. And they don no harm here where they can be vacuumed away and periodically removed with carpet cleaning.
So why do Asthma UK recommend removing carpets? You will have to ask them but I will say they will tell you that dust mite bread here. It’s now been proven that dust mite needs moisture in their environment and carpets don’t provide this. It’s the mattress that they love.
I remember watching a TV program about asthma and Asthma UK where telling these sufferers that they should rip up carpets and use hard floors. Well as I have said dust will then be a problem. Well you could get around this by mopping every day. The amount of times each day would depend on the type of home environment you have. More kids and pets more dust equals more mopping each day.
Seeing your carpets as your homes lungs filtering out the dust for you help’s you understand what’s going on with causes of asthma attacks.
Source: http://tinakimmens.wordpress.com
Q. A few years ago I made a cupola with a copper roof. The copper has now turned brown. What can I use to make it a greenish color?
A. Use a lot of patience. As the copper oxidizes, it turns from bright copper color to brown and then black. Eventually, it will turn green, to making the copper look very attractive.
Q. I am writing to find out what I should use on my galvanized roof, which is starting to rust. The roof is about 20 years old and is in the back woods of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom.
A. All loose rust particles must be removed with a wire brush or broom, and the entire roof needs to be cleaned by whatever means you choose. Pressure-washing is a good option. Then apply a metal paint, such as Rust-Oleum, which protects enamel or equivalent.
Q. Thank you very much for your response! I apologize for letting you think that I wanted to put a vapor barrier on the outside! I just realized that I erroneously used that term at the beginning of my first letter. I am aware of the fact that the vapor barrier has to be on the inside. The problem with my house is that the plastic under the Sheetrock is a bit sketchy from what I’ve seen in one wall. I’ve gotten cedar clapboards, primed both sides, painted one, and will install them per your recommendation. I’ll use one of the water-draining house wraps. How does the drained water exit at the bottom? Past the starter strip under the first clapboard? Or would it be better to install a trim board below the first course, with a drip edge on top that goes up behind the wrap, allowing for drainage between the bottom row of clapboards and the trim board?
A. To beef up the interior plastic vapor retarder, use a paintable caulk to seal all joints between different materials such as window and exterior-door trim and baseboard. If there is also a ceiling molding on exterior walls, caulk its joints with the wall finish as well. Paint the exterior walls with a quality alkyd-base paint or prime them with B-I-N and paint them with your choice of quality paint. Instead of using one of the many water-draining wraps, consider Home Slicker plus Typar. The drainage and ventilation it offers is superior to some of the water-draining house wraps I have encountered. Home Slicker comes with a 6-inch-wide fiberglass insect screen that is stapled at the top and bottom and folded over the Home Slicker. Once the Home Slicker is stapled onto the sheathing, you can either install a trim board at the bottom of the walls or start with the clapboards applied directly over the Home Slicker. Follow the instructions to provide a ventilation channel at the top.
Q. My question is about cleaning vinyl siding. I cleaned the siding last weekend, using Jomax House Cleaner and mildew killer. This product worked fine, but the siding still looks dull. My house was built in 1991, and the front of the house gets sun all day, while the back doesn’t get much at all, resulting in mold and mildew. What do you recommend for getting rid of the dull look?
A. If the vinyl siding looked dull before you cleaned it, age may be the reason. But if it became dull after cleaning, it is possible that you didn’t rinse it thoroughly immediately after you finished cleaning. Try rinsing or pressure washing, using the lowest pressure jet; keep a safe distance from the siding. Be sure that you direct the jet of water horizontally or slightly downward; do not aim the jet upward. If this does not improve the dull condition, you may be stuck, since your siding is 17 years old.
Q. My husband is 72, and I am 62. When we got our home reroofed in 2001 with white-colored shingles protected by a 25-year warranty. We expected them to wear and last pretty much until we were ready to sell our home. Instead, just seven years later, there appears to be algae making huge black streaks all over the front of our cute ranch-style home. There are no trees near the roof. My husband does not recall the local contractor, who bought and arranged for the shingles to be installed, telling him about the algae problems people were beginning to experience with the change in shingle composition. So you can imagine our shock when we heard that we were not covered under any warranty until after seven years! How do we know which products are safe and efficient to purchase so we can provide them to a roofer?
We would be grateful for any help you could give us on this cleaning issue. Or, if you know of any remedies that can be sought from the manufacturer, that would be even better.
A. Algae form on all types of roof coverings. It has nothing to do with the composition of the shingles. Algae needs moisture to grow, and the fact that there are no trees near your home is not enough to prevent algae from growing on your roof. Lingering rain, dew, high humidity. damp air are sufficient to foster the growth of algae. There is no recourse against the shingle manufacturer if the shingles were not algae-resistant. Here is a repeat of how to get rid of algae and prevent a recurrence:
To remove algae discolorations, spray the roof with a solution of three parts fresh Clorox bleach to one part water with a garden sprayer on a windless day. Work from a ladder and do not walk on the roof, as it can become slippery and it can damage the roof surface and void the warranty. Wear goggles, old clothes and rubber gloves. Spray only enough to wet the shingles, but avoid as much runoff as you can. One gallon of the mixture covers 50 square feet of roof surface. Before you start, thoroughly soak any vegetation below the roof and cover it with plastic. If you have metal gutters and downspouts, keep running water in them while spraying and until all runoff stops, as the solution is very corrosive. When you are finished spraying, wash the plastic thoroughly with your garden hose and spray the plantings again. It will take several weeks before you see results. This will not prevent future growth.
To prevent recurrence, install special copper or galvanized strips on each side of the roof directly below the ridge vent. An easy way to find and install these strips is to get Shingle Shield strips online: www.shingleshield.com. Or you can buy Shingle Shield by calling them toll free: (800) 942-3004; Fax: (800) 606-2028, 2710 North Ave., Bridgeport, CT, 06604. Shingle Shield strips are installed under the top course of shingles below the ridge, so the zinc leaching out runs down the roof, preventing the formation of the algae that discolors the roof covering. It will take several weeks for the results to show. These guidelines can be shown to anyone you hire to do the job, since you are not planning to do it yourselves.
Q. We are planning on replacing some double-hung windows and one awning window in our 30-year-old colonial. What are some good-quality, environmentally sound windows? Is fiberglass or aluminum a better choice? Or do you have another preference? The inside will be wood.
A. Fiberglass windows are relative newcomers on the scene but are a good choice. Marvin offers the Integrity Line of fiberglass windows, which are either all fiberglass or have a wood interior. Andersen windows come with all-vinyl Perma-Shield double-hung models or with a Perma-Shield exterior and wood interior.
Q. I have a basement with standard masonry walls. There’s a little “bump out” workshop that was put in sometime after the original house was completed. The owner cut through the original foundation to create a door and built an underground workshop there. An enclosed sun porch rests atop the workshop. The workshop is the dampest part of the basement. We keep finding puddles in one corner, sometimes up to one-half inch deep. This happens every few weeks regardless of the weather. We have to take out the shop vac and vacuum it up. That dries things out for a little while, but, inevitably, the water returns, and a portable dehumidifier doesn’t seem to help. There are no visible cracks or condensation on the walls, and the water appears to either be bubbling up through the floor or through microscopic cracks at the base of the wall. (The floor is covered in 50-year-old asphalt tile and mastic, so we can’t see whether there are any obvious cracks on the slab below.) The rest of the basement is bone dry, including the other side of the workshop. We spoke with a few different “basement waterproofing” companies, all of whom told us that the only solution was to put in a sump pump. But that seems like overkill if the problem is only in one corner of this little part of the basement. What would you recommend? Short of digging out the foundation and resealing it from the outside, or repouring the floor, we’re flummoxed!
A. If the puddles appear during any season, and you don’t see any wetness on the walls indicating condensation, it is likely that the water is coming through the walls. If it were coming through cracks in the floor, you would likely see white efflorescence in the joints between the old asphalt tiles. Check the grade around the entire foundation, as water can travel considerable distances before it finds a weak point. Make sure that the grade flows away from the foundation and correct any low or flat areas. It is also possible that, when the “bump out” was built, a dirt ball fell on the footings before the walls were erected and over time water pooling at the base of the foundation has found its way inside at that point; I have seen this before, where the top of the footings was not thoroughly cleaned before the wall forms were set up or the concrete blocks were laid. If the walls are made of poured concrete, you may want to try to waterproof them with one of the coatings available in hardware and building supply stores. However, if the walls are concrete or cinder blocks, do not waterproof them from inside, as their cores may fill with water and cause worse problems. If the condition is so small, as you say, you may just have to live with it.
• Henri de Marne’s column appears Sundays. He was a remodeling contractor in Washington, D.C., for many years, and is now a consultant. Write to him in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006, or via e-mail at henridemarne@gmavt.net.
Source: http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=245805&src=118
By Ilyce R. Glink with Samuel J. Tamkin
Saturday, November 1, 2008; Page F05
Ten years ago, architect Sarah Susanka published a coffee table book called “The Not So Big House.” The premise of the book was that we should build smaller but nicer. It was a counterstatement to the McMansions sprouting up in developments all over the country, with their double-height ceilings, vast basements and $100,000 kitchens.
Back in 1998, it seemed like a quaint idea. But Susanka clearly touched a nerve, as her “Not So Big” idea has grown into a multimillion-dollar franchise, with several books and a successful Web site. Just in time for the 10-year anniversary, that first book has been expanded and re-released.
Today, as families are struggling to pay the heating and cleaning bills for those double-height ceilings, and as hundreds of thousands of McMansions are falling into foreclosure, building smaller and cheaper seems like a really smart idea. Too bad it’s so hard to sell your house these days, or you might just try it.
One of the problems with a big house is that so many other expenses rise along with the square footage. It’s very difficult to live cheaply in a huge house.
First, along with the bigger monthly mortgage payments, you have higher real estate taxes and insurance premiums. If you live in a flood plain (and that affects more and more people as maps are being revised to reflect global climate change), you also have to pay more for flood insurance. (Federal flood insurance is limited to $250,000; you have to buy private insurance to get more coverage.)
More square footage means bigger energy bills. Even if you turn the thermostat a few degrees up in summer and down in winter, you have that much more space to heat and cool. And while some houses are built with energy-efficient windows and other eco-friendly amenities, it’s still a lot of space to heat and cool.
You also have to furnish, clean and maintain the space. So there might be an extra 1,000 square feet of floor to polish or re-carpet. You have more walls to wallpaper or paint, more trim to touch up. More bathrooms to clean, more bathroom tile to grout. More light bulbs to replace.
If you have a large garden, you’ve got more yardwork. If you hire a gardener, you might be charged $50 a week to cut the grass rather than $25 for a smaller yard. A long driveway may cost $150 to clear after a snowstorm, whereas you might be charged $75 for a short driveway (or you could do it yourself).
And then there are extra charges for people who live in expensive homes in truly swanky neighborhoods.
If you live in a top neighborhood, it feels as if everyone charges more to perform basic services. Your housekeeper might tack on an extra $10 per week, and a contractor might add another 10 percent to the price of building out your kitchen. If you have doormen, you will tip them more each year if you live in a fancy building than if you lived in a less expensive building. Stores in fancy neighborhoods often sell more expensive goods, the restaurants are more expensive, and so on. Think about the holidays: If you live in a fancier neighborhood, you might feel pressured to do more elaborate holiday decorations.
But in times of economic stress, the idea of building smaller but nicer doesn’t seem good enough. The financial crisis seems to require an even bigger idea. How about this: Build for cash. That’s right — do without a mortgage entirely.
There have been stories in the media recently about people building extremely small homes, some just 65 to 100 square feet. That’s right. An entire house that is six feet wide by 10 feet long, or smaller than the average master bathroom. The good news is that these houses, which have toilets, showers and a kitchen, cost less than $15,000 to build. And many are portable, so they can be hitched up to a truck and driven to the next destination. (So you save on hotel costs as well.)
In a recent CNN story, one home builder showed the 65-square-foot house he built for himself, but it wasn’t big enough for his wife. So, he’s building her a 250-square foot house for herself.
In building a small house that costs less than $1,500 per year in which to live, the owner said he had found a new business: Already he has built 11 tiny homes for other people who want to live cheaply and mortgage-free.
Q: My 84-year-old father (who is not in great health) bought into a senior-living community several weeks ago, just before the market crash. He must pay the balance of what he owes, about $200,000, by the end of his first month, which is within the week.
He has all of his investments and his IRA in the stock market. They were worth about $1 million but are now worth 40 percent less. He also has a condominium in Florida on the market for $90,000 but will probably not sell anytime soon.
He is reluctant to draw from his portfolio now, at its lowest point ever, but needs to come up with this cash.
I have asked him if we should use my existing home-equity line to help bide some time to wait for the market to recover. I have a $100,000 line of credit from which I would probably draw about $50,000 for his purchase. He would then pay down my line of credit monthly. Is this a bad idea?
A: It’s a generous offer, but before you tap into your existing home-equity line of credit, I think your father should go back to the senior-living community and ask whether he can have more time to come up with what he owes. Surely, he is not the only retiree who has watched his net worth plummet 40 percent. Liquidating his investments this week probably wouldn’t be a great idea.
He should see if the community could be more flexible and create payment terms that work better for him. If the community cannot be flexible, then he should tap whatever resources he has. If you can draw down $50,000 or more on your home-equity line of credit, that would help.
It would put your credit in danger if your father doesn’t pay this bill on time each month and you can’t afford to make the payments. But as long as your father can afford the payments and is willing to make them, that would be fine.
He will need to adjust his will, however, so that if the debt is not repaid before he dies, his estate will pay off your credit line as part of the bills owed before funds are distributed to his heirs. Your father could also sign a promissory note agreeing to repay you the money you used from your credit line. You should talk to him about how to document this loan so it makes sense to his future executor and his other heirs.
Ilyce R. Glink is an author and nationally syndicated columnist. Her latest book is “100 Questions Every First-Time Home Buyer Should Ask.” Samuel J. Tamkin is a real estate lawyer in Chicago. If you have questions for them, write Real Estate Matters Syndicate, P.O. Box 366, Glencoe, Ill. 60022, or contact them through Glink’s Web sites, http://www.thinkglink.com and http://www.expertrealestatetips.net.
Copyright 2008 Ilyce R. Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin; Distributed by Tribune Media Services
Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/31/AR2008103101591.html