Do you clean Berber
carpet?
Absolutely! Berber is a weave, not a
particular type of fabric. Berber is simply
a type of loop construction carpet that has
face yarns which can be made of olefin,
nylon, wool or a blend. Berber requires a
more thorough cleaning than other carpets
because more "flushing" action needs to take
place to get under, around and through the
loops. This also necessitates more dry
vacuum passes with the wand in order to
allow the carpeting to dry as soon as
possible.
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2) How do I maintain my carpeting between professional
cleanings?
When it comes to interim carpet maintenance you should
concentrate on two critical areas - traffic lanes and
spotting. The traffic lanes need to be vacuumed as often
as possible (several times a week or more) to remove the
abrasive soils that can excessively wear carpet fibers
causing a permanently soiled look. Traffic lanes should
be vacuumed in two directions using slow and repeated
strokes to ensure maximum removal of abrasive soils. Spotting
procedures should be performed as soon as possible after
the spill. Red wine, red beverages, urine, blood, etc.
can cause a permanent stain if not treated immediately.
For a complete list of spotting procedures to remove
spots and spills, please refer to
THE
EMERGENCY SPOTTING GUIDE.
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3) How often should I have my upholstery cleaned?
As with any fabric, upholstery needs regular
cleaning to keep it looking and performing
at it's best. I always recommend that
upholstery be cleaned every 12 to 18 months.
If you have formal upholstery which is not
used regularly, it may not need cleaning as
frequently as upholstery in a family room
which is used every day. Irregardless of
how often your upholstery is used, you
should never wait until it appears dull and
soiled before having it professionally
cleaned. And remember, gentle vacuuming and
immediate spot removal is the best way to
maintain your upholstery in between
professional visits.
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4) Does burning candles add to indoor air pollution?
The concern with the effects of burning
candles on indoor air quality is more
prevalent now than ever. This is only
natural as 7 out of 10 U.S. households now
burn candles regularly. Most of the concern
with candles is the ever present by-product
of combustion, soot. Certain varieties of
candles have been shown to produce indoor
concentrations of soot that exceed levels
allowed in outdoor air by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
Candles with improper trimmed wicks or
lead centered wicks can indeed add to
problems of indoor air pollution, they can
add large amounts of soot, or even worse,
lead into our indoor environments. You
should make sure you purchase only candles
made with lead free wicks, also keep the
wick trimmed to 1/4 inch in length and never
burn candles in a draft.
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5)
What is the best way to care for my
protected leather upholstery?
Protected leather (as
opposed to Aniline or Nubuck leather) is
relatively easy for the homeowner to care
for. Here are a few tips on proper care for
protected leather upholstery:
- Do not place leather
furniture closer than 2 feet to a heating
source (radiator, vent, etc.)
- Avoid placing
protected leather furniture in direct
sunlight
- Dust regularly every
week with a slightly damp cloth
- Use only approved
Leather Master cleaning agents when needed
- Wipe up any food
spills as soon as possible with a damp
cloth
- Have your upholstery
professionally cleaned and protected every
12 to 18 month
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No matter which brand name you choose to
purchase a vacuum cleaner should be able to
perform well in three basic areas: To remove
soil effectively, to keep dust in the vacuum
and out of the air and to keep your carpet
looking good. In order to achieve
this a vacuum should be equipped with a
beater bar to agitate the carpet fibers,
have separate motors for both the vacuum and
the beater bar and have a high efficiency
particulate air (HEPA) filter. Remember a
vacuum can only perform as well as it is
maintained; keep
brushes clean, and replace them when worn,
change the vacuum bag when it is half full
(when the bag is half full soil removal
efficiency is reduced by 80%), keep vacuum
hoses and attachments free of obstructions
that restrict air flow and Inspect belts
frequently to make certain they are working
properly.
Normal maintenance cleaning of both
residential and corporate interiors is not
intended to kill any living organism.
However, during the cleaning process we will
remove large numbers of dust mites as well
as their eggs and food source. By removing
the dust mites and their eggs we can slow
down the rate of reproduction and thus
reduce the chances of an allergic reaction.
Dust mites can never be totally eliminated
from an indoor environment, but with proper
housekeeping techniques and timely
professional fabric cleaning they can be
held to a manageable level.
Common household allergens such as dust,
dust mites, mold, pet dander, and cockroach
can trigger allergies. Dr. Mary Lasley, a
pediatric allergist, explains, “Simple
changes in your routine house cleaning can
reduce allergies and help your family live
more comfortably.” Cleaning is the best way
to reduce allergens. Done regularly,
cleaning stops allergens from accumulating,
which helps minimize allergy and/or asthma
symptoms.
Regular professional cleanings coupled
with a comprehensive cleaning plan by the
home owner can greatly reduce allergy
symptoms.
After being
involved with the cleaning and restoration
industry for over ten years now, there is
one thing that I can say on this subject
without the least fear of contradiction.
Almost every person engaged in the carpet
cleaning profession has their own opinion of
what is the best method of cleaning carpet.
The factors which affect the selection of
which method to use include: the fiber
content of the carpeting (natural of
synthetic), the soil level of the carpeting,
the frequency of cleanings, the amount and
type of foot traffic, etc. There are five
methods approved by the Institute of
Inspection Cleaning and Restoration
Certification (IICRC),
Absorbent Compound, bonnet, dry foam,
shampoo and hot water extraction.
Each of these methods have advantages
and disadvantages which make them
appropriate to use in different situations.
However, the one thing that all the methods
have in common is that they can only be
effective when performed by trained,
professional technicians.
At Regal we offer a comprehensive
evaluation of our client's situation and
then follow cleaning guidelines using the
most appropriate method.
Teflon fabric protector offers the
homeowner three distinct benefits when
properly applied to carpeting, upholstery or
window treatments. First, because soils
find it hard to stick to a fiber coated with
Teflon, your regular maintenance vacuuming
will remove more of the dry particulate
soils which can scratch and permanently dull
fibers. Secondly, a fabric treated with
Teflon will allow the homeowner more time to
address a spot or spill before it has time
to become a stain. Thirdly, when the
fabrics are ready for professional cleaning
more soils will be removed than could have
without the Teflon protector application.
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Regal's
Tip of The Month - Sun Fading!
From
the first moment that a piece of upholstery (or
carpeting, drapery, wall covering etc.) is exposed
to ultraviolet light, the process of fading will
begin. The amount of fade that will occur on any
one piece will be determined by its location, exposure
to light and elements, color intensity, type of
dyes and dye method used.
You
will find that lighter shades will tend to fade
faster than darker ones owing to the fact that they
contain less color to begin with. Color fade can
also appear as a change in color rather than as
a lightening of color. This is because most colors
are made up of blends of two or more colors to yield
the final dye color. When one of these blended colors
fades faster than the others, you will notice the
remaining colors more. For example, many greenish
colors are made from yellow and blue dyes. If the
yellow dye is affected and the blue dye is not,
the green fabric may seem to be turning blue. If
you were to examine an antique tapestry or painting
which had trees or grass in them you would find
that these green colors now appear very blue because
the yellow has faded from them.
The method of applying the dye to
the fabric also has a lot to do with its color fading
characteristics. If a carpet or upholstery fabric
is made from a solution dyed fiber (one where the
pigment is added before the fibers are formed, sealing
in the color) it will tend to resist color fading
better than a fabric dyed after the fibers are made.
However, in my experience, most upholstery (drapery
and carpeting also) fabrics are made of materials
which are not solution dyed.
Unfortunately there is no way of
correcting ultraviolet light damage to upholstery
or any other fabric. Even if there were a way to
re-dye the faded areas of an upholstery, this would
not address the fiber deterioration which can occur
as a result of exposure to ultraviolet light. If
you suspect that your upholstery fabric has areas
which have deteriorated from the sun, make sure
when you have it cleaned you point this out to the
technician. These areas are very delicate and require
special treatment to avoid harming the fabric.
At this point, before I talk about
preventative measures which can be taken to avoid
ultraviolet light damage I would like to contradict
myself. I said above that there is no way to correct
fading, however, there is one upholstery material
(anyone want to guess) on which color fading can
be corrected. Of course I am speaking of leather,
this is the only material which can be effectively
re-colored after the sun has faded the original color.
With a very delicate process, the results which
can be attained when undertaken by a trained professional
are nothing short of remarkable.
There are several steps which a homeowner
can take to insure that the potential for ultraviolet
light damage is minimized. These include:
Place upholstery out of direct sunlight -
try and arrange your rooms to give your upholstery
minimum exposure to direct sunlight.
Close draperies - during the brightest part
of the day, closing your draperies help protect
your upholstery and other fabrics.
Protective window treatments - ultraviolet
blocking window coatings are now widely available.
They can be applied at the factory on new windows
or on the panes of your existing windows. The newer
window treatments need not be tinted, unless that
is the look you like. Several companies now offer
clear ultraviolet protective coatings for windows.
Apply fabric protectors -
by having fluorocarbon fabric protectors applied
to your upholstery you can reduce the amount of
sun fade. the fabric protectors will, however, need
to be reapplied periodically after cleaning.
Regal Fabric Care thanks the technical
department of ASCR International for providing this
month's tip - Consumer flyers are available FREE
to the public by phoning Regal @ 781-397-0425, or
order by
e-mail
info@regalclean.com
The consumer flyers cover subjects including ...
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Copyright ) 2002 Regal Fabric Care All
rights reserved.
Revised:
February 28, 2008
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