How to Choose the Right Carpet

Choosing the right carpet for your family's unique needs and lifestyle can be overwhelming.  Step into a big box store, and you’ll be bombarded with various types, styles, manufacturers and colors.  Butmaking the right decision doesn’t have to be so difficult.  

The first step once you’ve decided to replace the carpet in your home is to choose the carpet style.  Once this is done, you can move on to the style, then manufacturer, and finally the color.  

Here I’ll discuss the 3 basic types of carpet.  I’ll talk about deciding on manufacturer & color in later posts.  

• Plush (AKA Saxony) Carpet.  Plush Carpet is an example of a cut pile carpeting that is distinguished by a weave that is smooth and dense.  This gives the impression of a perfectly manicured lawn.  

• Pros:
• There are several advantages when it comes to choosing Plush.  Because the fibers are closely spaced, this type of carpet offers a great cushioning effect.
• Maintenance is relatively easy with this choice. Most manufacturers offer soil and stain resistant varieties, which can be enhanced by applying protective chemicals to the surface of the fibers, which will help repel stains from liquid spills, a well as prevent tracked in dirt from “sticking” to the fiber.
• Cons:
• There are more expensive varieties, but if you plan to spend more money, you might want to consider another option.
• This variety of carpet is often used in rental homes and is considered a “builder’s grade” carpet.  This is because it’s relatively inexpensive to replace.  There are more expensive varieties, but if you plan to spend more money, you might want to consider another option
• This carpet sheds!  If you want a low maintenance carpet, or if you’re planning to install carpet in a high traffic area, this may not be a good choice for you.  

• Berber Carpet.  Many people will choose a berber because they believe it’s more durable than other choices.  However, this is not always the case.  Not all berbers are created equal.  Only an informed buyer should purchase this type of carpet.

• Pros:
• Depending on the type of material chosen, typically wool, nylon, Olefin or PET fibers, berber can be a great choice for high traffic areas. Wool and nylon are the most expensive, attractive, and durable choices.  Nylon is also very resilient.  When it comes to maintenance, wool or nylon are your best options, as they can be more forgiving. Rule of thumb: The more expensive the material, the softer, more durable, and easier the carpet will be to care for.  
• Cons:
• Berber is referred to as a “continuos loop” carpet.  With that in mind, you’ll want to be very careful moving furniture, vacuuming, walking on the carpet with high heels, and allowing children to play with their toys on this type of carpet.  The reason is because one snag can result in a run down the middle of the carpet.  If this happens, you’ll have to replace the whole room.  
• Because of the design, it has highs and lows that are uneven to walk on.  It’s not as appealing for many because of the stiff and “scratchy” feel.  
• Be careful not to purchase Olefin or PET variations if you plan to use this in a high traffic area.  Olefin is a man-made material that has been around for about 60 years, and was designed as an inexpensive substitute for wool or nylon.  PET is actually recycled plastic, and is often referred to as “pop carpet” since a lot of the material comes from plastic pop or water bottles.  Although these are inexpensive options, these materials shed and mat easily.  Even with modest traffic, these carpets will likely need to be replaced 3-6 years after installation.

• Frieze (AKA Tight Twist, Casual Texture, Short Shag) Carpet.  These fibers are tightly twisted, and in my opinion offer the best bang for your buck.  

• Pros:
• Frieze styled carpet s popular around the country.  In addition to being softer in feel, and offering a more contemporary look, it’s considered a very wise and practical choice for active households. They’re less likely to show footprints or vacuum marks than other cut pile styles
• This style usually carries the best & longest warranties when compared to berber or plush.  Many manufacturers offer a 10 year warranty on stains, and a lifetime warranty on wear.  
• Cons:
• Because the carpet-making process is more involved, frieze carpet is more expensive than traditional pile carpets.  Although this may seem like a disadvantage at first, due to it’s rugged durability, a properly maintained frieze carpet often lasts much longer than a pile or berber.  If you’re staying in your home longer than 3-4 years, it may be worth spending a few extra dollars now.  
• Frieze has a slightly shaggy appearance.  Although this is perfect to achieve a casual and contemporary look and feel in your home, it might not be the best design selection if you’re looking to replace carpet in a formal setting.  In this case, you may want to select a nice plush, since you’ll probably have less traffic in a formal area than you would in your family room.

In conclusion, you’ll want to think about a couple things before making your selection.  Where is the carpet being installed?  Living Room, Dining Room, Bedroom?  Does this area experience a lot of traffic, or is it a more formal area of your home used only occasionally?  What look are you going after? Casual? Contemporary? Formal? How long do you need the carpet to last? Are you planning to sell your home soon, is this for a rental, or is this a long-term decision?  

Answering these questions will go a long way in ensuring you make the best carpet decision for your unique needs and lifestyle.  

As always, if you have any questions, I’m here to help.  You can reach me at 586-443-3693, or by visiting my website @ www.carpet4lessonline.com.  

How to Remove Red Wine Stains from Carpet

We’ve all been there.  You’re enjoying your evening entertaining friends at your home, and all of a sudden, there’s a gasp.  The room slows down to slow-motion as everyone’s attention is drawn to the glass of red wine that is propelling toward your carpet.  Then... T-minus 3, 2, 1... IMPACT.  An explosion of red wine spatters the surrounding ground zero.  

Not good.  

Well, it doesn’t have to be quite so apocalyptic.  Removing the red wine stains from carpet, upholstery, and other materials is possible as long as you follow the right steps.  

First, you can’t let the stain dry.  As with any other wet stain, once it dries, it will be much harder to get it out.  At this point, your only option may be to call in support in the form of a professional cleaning service.  However, assuming your stain is still wet, we recommend taking the following action.  

First, blot up as much of the spill as possible using a clean white towel.  Once you’ve removed as much of the red wine as you can, go to your pantry and grab some white vinegar.  

You can pour the vinegar directly on the stain if needed, but we suggest pouring the liquid into an empty spray bottle.  Just keep in mind, if you use an old spray bottle from say a window cleaner, you need to thoroughly rinse out any remaining cleaner in the bottle.  You’ll also want to put the spray hose back into the bottle, and clean out any remaining window cleaner by pumping the trigger and running fresh water through the hose and spray nozzle.  

Once you’ve poured your white vinegar into the bottle, spray a very generous amount of liquid directly onto the stain.  Be sure to do this on all the spots surrounded, and look for other explosion evidence on things like surrounding furniture, drapes, or clothing.  These smaller spots will dry faster, so it’s important that you douse them with the vinegar first.  

After applying a generous amount of liquid to the red wine stains, get a new, clean white towel and place it over the affected area.  You then want to stand on the towel and bounce up and down applying at least 250 pounds of pressure.  This will ensure you remove all of the red wine, down to the fibers at the bottom of the carpet.  

Once you’ve bounced 5-7 times, repeat the process applying more white vinegar.  Keep in mind, you’ll want to use a new section of the white towel. Then bounce. You can keep the music going in the background so your guests don’t loose their groove, and you have style while confidently handling this buzz-kill situation.  

You’ll want to repeat this process as many as 3-5 times until the stain is removed.  

Once the stain is gone, you’ll probably wonder about the smell.  It’ll go away as soon as the floor dries, so you can light a candle to cover the smell and go on with your evening.  Your friends now have a deep respect for your ability to quickly resolve even the worst of party faux pas.  That’s because you’re awesome.   

If the stain had a little more time to dry before you noticed it, you might have a tougher time.  In that case, you can try mixing one drop of hand dishwashing detergent with with your white vinegar mixture.  On this one, you’ll want to be sure and test first in a less noticeable spot of your carpet, and make sure the solution doesn't harm the color of the carpet.  Follow the Blot & Bounce approach above. 

If all else fails, call in reinforcements.  Professional carpet cleaners are highly trained and outfitted with the best gear for the job.  A red wine stain should be no sweat for them.