Everything You Wanted to Know About Carpet Patching (But Didn't Know Who to Ask)

A patch is one of the most common types of repairs that we do. We use a carpet patch to solve several types of carpet problems where small to mid-sized portions of wall-to-wall carpet have been damaged. People usually call us to patch their carpet when other methods to restore their carpet won't work.

Common causes of carpet damage that require this type of carpet repair include carpet burns, carpet stains, carpet tears, carpet holes, pet damage (Bad Kitty!), and remodeling as well as worn traffic paths.

We remove the damaged area, and replace it with an identical piece of carpet. When done correctly, it's normally, but not always invisible to the eye. Depending on the type of carpet you may be able to see the patch, but it will almost always look far better than what we started with.

Reasons why your carpet patch may not look as good as you'd like

• The patch is a different color due to the original carpet fading.

• The patch is new and the area where it's going is old and worn.

• The patch has a gap or overlap in the seam.

• The carpet is running the wrong direction.

Start with the essentials: carpet anatomy

The greater the damage, the more complicated the repair, so it helps to understand what exactly your carpet is made of so you can assess how far the damage has gone.

Every carpet has several layers below what we can see with the eye. That top layer, which comes in various colors, weaves, heights, materials, and densities, (and which is the fun part to pick out when you go carpet shopping) is called the pile. The pile is made from many different materials: nylon is the most common encountered in both commercial and residential carpet repair, because it is relatively stain- and heat-resistant and doesn't crush easily.

Most people are familiar with the fact that padding lies below the carpet, which helps give it its comfortable feel when you walk on it. This is the bottom layer. Common types of padding include foam (cheap), rebond, frothed foam, slab rubber, waffle rubber, fiber (such as jute, recycled textiles, synthetic fibers, etc.), and in some cases special Berber padding.

Between the pile and the padding is the backing, which is made of two layers and holds the fibers together so the carpet doesn't fall apart. When the carpet is manufactured, needles are used to push the fiber through the primary backing. It's then sealed against the secondary backing with very strong adhesive to keep everything in place.

Once you're familiar with how your carpet is constructed, it's easier to envision how patching works, even if you've never done it before. These are the basics of your carpet's anatomy, and should help you in assessing how far down the damage has gone, which is an important step in carpet repair and carpet patching.

#1 Carpet Patching Requirement: Carpet Patches!

Just as important as removing the damaged carpet is replacing it with well-matched good carpet. There's a few different ways to find a fresh carpet patch:

· In ideal situations, the new carpet patches come from spare scraps left over from the original installation. Always save the scraps!

· If you don't have any leftover carpet from the installation we may be able to steal some carpet from a closet, beneath a radiator or from under a piece of furniture that you never move. (Now you'll never move it for sure.)

· If your carpet is a relatively common style, a nearby retailer may have a perfect or near-perfect match that you can purchase. (The chances of finding a perfect match are somewhere between slim and none.)

· If you need to patch a significant area that matches the rest of the house (such as several steps in a stairway or a hallway, one great carpet patching alternative is to re-appropriate matching carpet from another room, such as a bedroom. Re-carpeting just that one bedroom means the hallway/stairway still matches the rest of the house, and costs a LOT less money than replacing the carpet for whole common area.

Basic Steps of Carpet Patching for the novice.

1. Removing the damaged carpet: Start by using a straight edge and a row finder. An ice pick or a Phillips screwdriver can be used instead of a row finder. Place the straight edge on the carpet with the groove side down. Use the row finder to separate the nap. Do this by dragging the point of the row finder across the carpet up and down and against the edge of the straight edge.

2. Use a slotted blade knife with a fresh blade. You can use a slotted blade knife (butted up against the straight edge to cut through the carpet without cutting through too much of the nap if you used the row finder properly. The more nap you cut off, the worse the carpet patch will look.

3. Choose a scrap of carpet that's leftover from the original installation for the carpet patch. If you don't have any leftover scraps of carpet then you'll need to remove a piece from a closet or from under a piece of furniture. Some people try to find a piece of matching carpet at a carpet store but it's nearly impossible. On occasion we will have the customer buy some carpet from a carpet store that is very close to matching. We then take carpet from a closet to do the patch with and use the new carpet in the closet.

4. Determine the direction of the nap. Carpet lays down more when you brush your hand in one direction than in other directions. It's incredibly important for proper carpet patching that all the carpet runs the same direction. Sometimes it's really hard to tell which way the carpet nap runs. All I can say is to keep brushing your hand in different directions until you really get to know the carpet. If you keep at it, you'll figure it out.

5. Turn the carpet patch over and use the straight edge to cut a perfect patch from the back. If you are untrained, chances are that you won't be able to cut a perfect patch. (Tip, use a fresh blade in the slotted blade carpet knife) Here at Creative Carpet Repair we're carpet repair experts, we do this all the time so it's easy for us. If the patch isn't cut exactly perfect you'll see the carpet patch.

6. Now that the carpet patch is cut exactly perfect without any gaps or overlaps at the seams it's time to seal the edges. You can seal the edges with latex or with a glue gun. Just use the slightest amount of glue along both edges so that there won't be fraying in the future. Not everyone seals the edges but it is highly recommended.

7. The carpet patch is cut to perfection, the edges are sealed and now you're ready to adhere the carpet patch to the rest of the carpet. The way we do it is to use a special carpet seam tape with an iron or with a hot glue gun. For the beginner I'd recommend using the glue gun.

Cut the seam tape to the size of the carpet patch. Line up the carpet seam tape so that half of it is under the existing carpet and the other half of it will be under the patch.

Use the glue gun to apply a generous amount of hot glue under the seam of the carpet. Slowly work your way all the way around the carpet until you have glued the carpet patch into place. (hint, have a glass of water right next to you for when you get molten hot glue on your fingers. A quick dip will cool it off right away and prevent you from experiencing nearly as much pain.)

When gluing the carpet patch down using the glue gun, pay special attention to the backing. You want to glue the backing down so that it's butted up just right. Also be especially careful to avoid getting the nap of the carpet pushed down into the hot glue. It's a mess when that happens and there's no recovery.

As you glue the carpet together, push the carpet backing down into the hot glue using a carpet tractor. It's a good idea to put a flat weight on top of the seam for a few minutes as you work your way around.

If you're a novice, I wouldn't recommend that you try to use the carpet seam iron to patch a carpet. It takes a skill that doesn't come on the first try. You can get a better idea by watching the free videos that you can find on the main website.

Steve Gordon of Creative Carpet Repair has been a carpet repair expert for more than thirty years. Please visit http://www.creativecarpetrepair.com to learn all about carpet repair.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_S_Gordon

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Vermont Carpet Cleaning - provides professional Vermont carpet cleaning services at fair rates.  24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE Water, Fire, Smoke Restoration. We service the Burlington, Vermont and St. Albans, Vermont areas.

How To Effectively Clean Your Carpets

No matter how hard you try to keep your carpets clean, they will eventually need to be professionally cleaned or at least cleaned with more "industrial strength" cleaners. Taking care and cleaning your carpets on a regular basis will greatly extend the life of your carpet. Even if your carpets do not appear to be dirty, a regular carpet cleaning is required.

It is recommended that you clean your carpets once every six to twelve months. This will help to remove dust mites, pollen, pet dander, and even mold. No matter whether you are cleaning one area of carpet or several, following some simple guidelines will keep your carpet looking great.

Begin by deciding what type of carpet cleaning method you want to use. Although there are many methods of cleaning carpets, they fall into three main categories. Whenever possible, refer to your carpet warranty or ask a carpet professional which method is best for your type of carpet.

The first method is hot water extraction or steam cleaning. Extremely hot water, along with a carpet cleaning solution, is distributed over the carpet. Then, the carpet cleaner quickly sucks the water back up, along with the dirt and grime.

The next category of cleaning carpets is cold-water extraction. Cold-water extraction works along the same lines at hot water extraction, with the exception of using cold water.

The last category is dry extraction. A foam or powder is applied to the carpet. The cleaner works the dirt into a pile, where it can then be swept up by the carpet cleaner or regular vacuum sweeper.

After determining what method will work best with your carpet, either purchase a carpet cleaner or you can rent one from your local home improvement store. Whenever you rent a steam cleaner, the carpet cleaning supplies will be provided. However, if they are not, you can purchase them at most retail stores. Be sure to explain what type of carpet you have so that the right cleaning solutions can be recommended. Using the wrong solutions on the wrong carpet can produce disastrous results which may be expensive to repair.

Be sure to remove any large stains and/or odors before beginning the cleaning. When blotting up a stain use a white towel. Otherwise, a colored towel could possibly bleed through to your carpet. Apply stain remover to the cloth, rather than directly on the stain. Then, blot up the stain.

After you have the majority of the stains removed, you can begin shampooing the carpet. It is very important to follow the carpet cleaner instructions in order to avoid damage to your carpet.

Minimize the amount of water that is sprayed onto the carpet. Saturating the carpet can cause deterioration of the carpet and padding, which can create molds later on. Therefore, it is very important to quickly extract any water that is sprayed over the carpet.

After you had made several passes over the carpet with the carpet cleaner, let the carpet dry. It is recommended that you let the carpet dry overnight before walking on it. Whenever possible, place a fan on the carpet and open any windows.

Sometimes your carpet will need to be cleaned by a professional. So be sure to keep in mind, that if your carpet is too bad, call in professional help. While you may save money by doing it yourself, you could also do more damage than a professional would cost if your carpet is in extremely poor shape.

Taking care of your carpet can extend the life of your carpet. By quickly removing stains and cleaning your carpet every six to twelve months, you are ensuring that you carpet will be around for you to enjoy for many years.

Jon is a computer engineer who maintains many websites to pass along his knowledge and findings. You can read more about carpets and carpet cleaning at his web site at http://cleaning-carpet-tips.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Arnold

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Vermont Carpet Cleaning - provides professional Vermont carpet cleaning services at fair rates.  24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE Water, Fire, Smoke Restoration. We service the Burlington, Vermont and St. Albans, Vermont areas.

7 Tips for Making Your Carpet Floors Last

Extending the life of your carpet floors not only keeps your home looking enticing, but it ultimately saves you money, as replacing carpeting is quite expensive. According to carpet suppliers, how well you maintain your flooring will aid in determining how often you will have to replace it.

Along with following any care recommendations from your local carpet company, here are some tips for maintaining its appearance:

1. Don't scrimp on padding. Padding not only makes carpet floors more comfortable to walk or sit on, but it also absorbs most of the abuse your carpet gets subjected to. Any time you replace your carpeting, you should also buy new padding; otherwise, you may void the warranty on your carpet floors. Ask for assistance from your carpet company when choosing the right type of pad for your carpet floors.

2. Get a quality vacuum cleaner. Make sure your vacuum has strong enough suction to collect the small grit and debris buried deep within your carpet floors. This will help prevent it from tearing due to a worn-down backing and pile.

3. Protect your flooring with carpet runners. A runner is perfect for protecting your carpeting in areas with heavy foot traffic. Runners not only add class to your home décor, but they also collect dirt as it gets tracked into your house. Your local carpet company is a great resource for finding runners to suit your home design.

4. Get regular professional cleanings. Regular visits from your local carpet cleaning professionals can also help maximize the life of your carpet floors. The pros have top-notch equipment that gets rid of all the dirt and grime missed by regular household vacuums. If you're on a budget, contact your carpet suppliers or carpet company to see if they rent out their professional equipment.

5. Ban shoes. You can help protect your carpeting by banning shoes, which contain oil and particles that can damage your flooring.

6. Do not allow bare feet. Just like shoes, bare feet can damage your carpet floors over time. When in direct contact with carpeting, the natural oils on your skin actually attract dirt and cause the fabric to deteriorate more quickly. To minimize the impact on guests, keep a shoe rack and a basket of house slippers by your front door.

7. Clean stains immediately. If you leave a stain unattended over time, it will grow larger and harder to remove. Make sure to get a stain removal guide from your carpet suppliers for the type of flooring you are getting. You can also consider using items such as commercial cleaning solutions for carpets (just make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions), household carpet shampoos for small spots, or a professional carpet cleaner for tougher stains.

Nothing ages the inside of a home faster than a worn or dirty carpet. By using the tips listed above, you can keep your carpet floors looking clean and well-maintained.

If you're looking for ways to keep your carpet floors in tip-top shape, visit the website for Area Floors, a local carpet supplier in Portland. You can find tips on how to maintain or clean your flooring, at their website, or browse their large inventory of flooring options: www.AreaFloorsOnline.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anita_Ferguson

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Carpet Cleaning Vermont - provides professional Vermont carpet cleaning services at fair rates.  24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE Water, Fire, Smoke Restoration. We service the Burlington, Vermont and St. Albans, Vermont areas.

Carpet Purchasing Preferences

Nowadays, plenty of people opt more for carpet flooring as compared to wooden or tile flooring. This is mainly because carpets give a pleasant feeling of comfort and softness to your feet, which is comparatively greater than the soft feelings you get with other types of flooring. This type of flooring's affordable price is another important advantage that makes it a favorite choice for home lovers. However, you need to be knowledgeable regarding the different features of carpeting that are available today before installing any in your dream home.

Three C's of Purchasing Carpets

1. Carpet Color: The first and foremost thing that has to be given due importance while selecting a carpet is the correct carpet color. The selection of a color is entirely your personal choice of liking and disliking it, but generally speaking, the color plays a vital role in serving other practical purposes, as well. For instance, light-colored carpets make your smaller rooms appear more spacious and appealing, especially if the walls are painted white or a lighter shade. Rich and dark colored carpets make larger rooms seem cozy and intimate. For family rooms, the warm reds and orange shades give a look of an active atmosphere. Cooler shades of blues and greens give bedrooms and other quiet places of your rooms a setting of tranquility. To get the exact choice of color, you can head to a recognized carpet store with a pillow cover or arm rest cover or check their online color selections.

2. Carpet Texture: As compared to color, another part of carpet's beauty and another dimension for the selection of carpets is the texture. Right from the elegant sweeping and smooth touch of velvet, to the peculiar appeal of pebbly frieze, the texture of carpet undoubtedly brings excitement, drama and interest to your entire décor. There are different carpet textures available to you to choose from, like saxony, berber, frieze and velvet.

3. Carpet Padding: Carpet pads are what provide support and protection to the carpet, also helping in providing a cushion of comfort while walking. To get the best performance from carpet pads, selection of quality pads has the greatest significance. Always remember that the cheapest pads that you purchase are really going to turn out to be the most expensive ones, as you will frequently need to replace these, owing to their quick wear and tear. So, it's better to choose quality pads, even if they are a bit more expensive. The different types of carpet pads available in the market today are foam, rebond and fibre.

Once you make the right choice regarding the above three aspects, you can contact carpet stores like those online, seek a rough estimate and proceed with switching over to the latest and stylish, yet, truly comfortable carpet flooring. Get free quotes from professional who know everything about carpets, right from the rough estimate needed at the beginning so you can choose the right product in your budget, to installation charges of carpeting your house.

For more information please visit our Denver Carpet Store and Denver Hardwood Floors Store web pages.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Garner

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Carpet Cleaning Vermont - provides professional Vermont carpet cleaning services at fair rates.  24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE Water, Fire, Smoke Restoration. We service the Burlington, Vermont and St. Albans, Vermont areas.

Hiring Carpet Cleaners Through a Company Is Safer Than Going Private

Even if you regularly spray your carpets and rugs with the latest carpet cleaning product on the market and do a spot clean on the occasional stain as soon as you notice them, there will be a time when you will need to hire carpet cleaners for a thorough job.

Especially if you are planning to have family or friends over at your place for a special occasion on the weekend, or you are in the process of moving house, you will need to make the decision to either do the carpet cleaning on your own or hire expert carpet cleaners to complete the grueling task for you.

If you have chosen to employ somebody to do the carpet cleaning, it is essential that you use a reputable cleaning company to guarantee that you get the service that you pay for. Preferably you would choose carpet cleaners that have been recommended to you by a family member, close friend or colleague.

The results of hiring just anybody with a carpet cleaning machine can turn out to be disastrous, even if they appear to know what they are talking about. There are many rogue traders that will use a technique called "bait and switch" where they offer incredibly low carpet cleaning prices to attract a customer, and once they are in their house, will perform a demonstration using no products. This will extract all the dirt from the fibres, but will not clean the carpet, so that you're left with a nasty patch in the middle of your floor. The rogue trader will then offer a "premium" carpet cleaning for extortionate amounts of money, merely for adding the cleaning product into the machine. Your choices are either to pay the premium for the guy to complete the job somewhat efficiently, be left with a nasty patch in the middle of your carpet or save your hard earned money and hire professional carpet cleaners through a reliable cleaning company that offers reasonable prices for an outstanding job.

Without the insurance you would get from a cleaning company, you could be left with a ruined carpet and no money. However, if you do your research and choose the right carpet cleaners you will be left with a carpet that looks completely spotless and feels brand new.

A carpet is a major investment in your home and therefore, it needs to be taken good care of to keep it looking and feeling fresh. Hiring carpet cleaners to restore your old carpet is far cheaper than purchasing and hiring someone to install an all new one.

Carpet manufacturers recommend that you undergo carpet cleaning at least twice a year and vacuum clean once a week to keep on top of dirt levels.

The carpet cleaners that you'll get through a cleaning company will be fully trained to use the latest and most powerful carpet cleaning equipment, and they use the best products available for the task.

Copyright @ Fast Cleaners - Carpet Cleaners

Vladi Aleksieva is the editor at Fast Cleaners, one of the leading carpet cleaning companies. Established in 2001, their carpet cleaners provide a wide range of cleaning services to residential and commercial properties.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vladi_Aleksieva

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Vermont Carpet Cleaning - provides professional Vermont carpet cleaning services at fair rates.  24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE Water, Fire, Smoke Restoration. We service the Burlington, Vermont and St. Albans, Vermont areas.

Carpet Cleaning: 12 Things To Know

Carpets, there in all of our homes. Of course it's a given that at some point you will be doing some carpet cleaning. Here are 12 things to know about carpet cleaning that will make your life easier.

1. Toxic

Most of the products on the market for carpet cleaning are safe and will have a minimal impact on the environment. However some of the carpet cleaning products do contain toxic chemicals which can be hazardous to the person using them as well as other people in the house or pets. So be sure to read the labels carefully before using. Always try to choose a product with the least amount of chemicals and in the mildest you can find that will work.


2. Clean Often

It's always best to clean your carpets on a regular basis. If you do not clean your carpets on a regular basis you will need to use a stronger chemical product because the dirt will have ground itself deeper into the carpet and it becomes more difficult to lift. Cleaning your carpets on a regular basis is easier on the environment, your health, and it will help extend the life of the carpet.

3. Use Caution

Read labels very carefully. Not only on the product but on any documentation provided with the carpet. Should you use the wrong product or a product with stronger chemical than your carpet can handle you could damage the carpet.

4. Hire The Pros

If you are not comfortable with cleaning your carpets yourself or you can't be bothered to rent a carpet cleaning machine, drag it home, and get to work, then hire the pros! There are many professionals that will clean your carpets for a very reasonable fee and give you a guarantee on the work they do.

5. Installation

If you are laying new carpets chances are the reason you are doing this is because you want them to look appealing and accent the room while at the same time providing functionality. If you install the carpet poorly or install the wrong type of carpet for the area you will have a higher maintenance cost and the carpets will need to be cleaned more frequently. So make sure you choose the correct carpets. Regular vacuuming and spot removal will also lower your cleaning maintenance costs.

6. The Right Underlay

The underlay is more important than you might think and is directly related to carpet cleaning. You need to match the underlay to the type of carpet you will be installing. Carpet should not be placed in areas were water, chemicals or hard to clean products could be spilled on the carpet. Kitchens, copy rooms, lockers, and entrances to buildings are not a good location to place carpets because your carpet cleaning costs will be high. Poor grade underlay will affect how the stain soaks into the carpet and how difficult stain removal becomes.

7. Stop The Worst

The worst soiling on your carpets comes from outside. So if you stop outside soil from coming in contact with your carpet you will reduce the amount of chemical cleaners you will have to use. Place a large walking mat at all outside entrances Every few days you should vacuum the mats this will prevent soil from entering the carpeted areas of your home. Have visitors remove their shoes so that they aren't dragging that loose dirt across the carpets.

8. Vacuum Often

Believe it or not daily vacuuming with a good vacuum cleaner that has good suction and a power head with a brush type power bar will help to eliminate soil build up and reduce the amount of times you will need carpet cleaning performed. That's because the dirt gets picked up before it has a chance to get ground in and soil the carpet.

9. No Drinks

Limit the places you allow the kids to have drinks and messy foods. If you have young children make them stay seated while drinking. If you are really concerned about reducing staining then don't let any family member's family drink or carry soft drinks, coffee or other food items across the carpet.

10. Act Fast

If you can react to the spill immediately and any spots you see with a good spot remover you will help prevent stain from becoming permanent and it will save you having to use a carpet cleaner. Be careful what you use to remove stains because if you use the wrong chemicals you could smear the stain and spread it further and deeper into the carpet. Always first try clear cold water and blotting with a cloth to remove the stain and only move on to a stronger product only as a last resort.

11. Toxic Chemicals

You should know that carpet spot removal cleaning products contain some of the most dangerous chemicals found in any cleaning products. If you us these products be sure to wear gloves and use the cleaner according to the manufactures directions. Avoid all type 4 spot removers because they contain Tetrachlorethylene which is very toxic to people and pets.

12. Steam Cleaners

Steam or rotary cleaners for carpets use a fairly mild products so they are an excellent choice. But you can still misuse them so follow the directions carefully. If you use this type of cleaner you will have to be careful that you do not saturate the carpet with hot water because if you do it will take longer to dry and may result in damage to the carpet.

Some of the cleaners supplied with the machines you rent from the local store are highly toxic so be sure the room or rooms you are working in have a good supply of fresh air. Be sure to keep kids and pets off the newly cleaned carpets until it is dry because there is always a residue left on the carpets that can be harmful to kids or pets. Always let the carpets dry completely and then vacuum right after it is dry to remove any residual contaminants.

These 12 things to know about carpet cleaning that will make your life easier much easier and keep you on top of the carpet cleaning game.

John Murray makes it easy to go through the carpet buying process and provides tips to keep your carpet lasting long. To learn more and receive your free mini-course visit the carpet & rugs website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Murray

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Vermont Carpet Cleaning - provides professional Vermont carpet cleaning services at fair rates.  24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE Water, Fire, Smoke Restoration. We service the Burlington, Vermont and St. Albans, Vermont areas.