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Carpeting

How do you remove a red wine stain from carpet?

No carpet is stain proof, but since many are stain resistant, you have time to act. Absorb wet spills quickly by blotting repeatedly with white paper or white cloth towels. Always blot. Never rub or scrub abrasively, as a fuzzy area may result. When blotting, work from the outer edge in toward the center of the spot to avoid spreading the spill.

There are many methods and formulas you can use to remove a red wine stain from carpet. It is always best to check the manufacturer’s specifics before trying any home remedies. Our recommendation is to have a professional carpet cleaner come ASAP and have them assess the stain.

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We serve Livingston County and all of Southeast Michigan including Howell, Brighton, Hartland, Pinckney, Fowlerville, Fenton, Linden, Highland, South Lyon, Ann Arbor, Flint and the entire Metro Detroit area.

How do you remove carpet stains?

What is Berber carpet?

Today there are several types of modern Berber carpet made from a range of materials.

The most common fibers are:

Nylon
Olefin
Polyester
Wool

The size of loops and cut pile varies for each manufacturer. Olefin is the most commonly used and most affordable material, and carpets with blends of the different materials are also available. Berber is made from one continuous fiber, not short pieces of fiber.

Berber carpet is highly durable and is often found in high-traffic areas such as:

Family Rooms
Kids' Bedrooms
Offices

It is stain resistant as well, and is more affordable than thicker plush carpets. The disadvantage is that it can be difficult to clean if dirt does get lodged in the fibers, and it may need professional cleaning. As with all carpets, Berber should be cleaned every 6 to 12 months to prevent permanent wear patterns.

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Which carpet is more ECO friendly?

When shopping for green carpet, there are a number of factors you should consider.

What is the carpet made from?
Does it contain any toxic chemicals or volatile organic compounds (VOC)?
Was it responsibly manufactured?
Is it recyclable?

Carpet is cozy, soft underfoot and sound-absorbing, making it a popular choice for flooring in many homes. Unfortunately, it also tends to be hard on the environment and on indoor air quality, off-gassing volatile organic compounds and toxic chemicals. Buying eco-friendly carpet is an easy solution that allows you to retain all the benefits of carpeting without the drawbacks.

Types of Eco-friendly Carpeting

Eco-friendly carpet comes in virtually all varieties, from area rugs and wall-to-wall installations to customizable carpet tiles. Carpet made from natural, renewable fibers tend to be the most environmentally friendly and include:

Sisal
Sea Grass
Coir
Organic Cotton
Jute
Organic Wool
Bamboo

The materials used to create these carpets are biodegradable and don't require a lot of fertilizer and pesticides to produce.

Recycled carpets are another eco-friendly option. Rather than making carpet from petroleum and other fossil fuels, some carpet manufacturers use both the pre-and post-consumer plastics like polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, or industrial scraps. PET carpet, is made from 100 percent recycled plastic beverage bottles and can be down-cycled into insulation or furniture stuffing when it wears out.

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Why does my carpet have wrinkles, waves and bumps?

There are many causes for "waves" or wrinkles in carpeting. The most common reason a carpet will develop carpet wrinkles is poor installation. The resulting wrinkles usually don't show up for at least a year or more, long after the installer is gone.

Other causes of premature carpet wrinkles are:

Over-Wetting from Poor Carpet Cleaning
Flooding
Dragging Heavy Furniture Across the Carpet
Old Age

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Can I have my carpet restretched?

Once your carpet starts to ripple, it’ll only keep getting worse. That’s because carpet is intended to lay flat at all times. A small ripple not only puts more wear and tear on the carpet, but causes it to move when you walk across it. That movement causes—you guessed it—more ripples. Soon your carpet will begin to look more like an ocean than a floor, and that’s a problem.

If you find yourself in that situation, don’t worry. You probably won’t need to replace the carpet. For the most part, stretching it will remove the buckles and return it to its natural state as a flat, attractive floor covering.

Carpet stretching is a very common carpet repair task. Carpet stretching is simple in theory.

Having your carpet restretched involves:

Pulling Up the Edges of the Carpet
Re-stretching the Carpet So It’s Properly Taught
Trimming Any Excess That’s Been Created
Re-securing the Carpet in its New Place

But in practice, it’s a considerably involved process, involving unique tools and proper technique to actually accomplish a successful carpet stretch.

Come in, contact us, or call (517) 546-0001 to receive expert assistance with your flooring needs today!

Which is the best carpet for kids?

The kid’s room is possibly one of the most accident-prone rooms in the house - it needs to endure food and drink spills, mud tracking, and arts and crafts project mishaps. As a result, choosing the right carpet for a kids room involves picking out the right materials, texture, and color.

Here's what you need to know about the best carpet for kids:

1) Try recycled carpet or rugs for the kid’s room.

Using PET carpet in a kid's room is #1 very cost-effective and can be cleaned with a water and bleach mixer to clean spots. Scotchguard and Teflon are not used much anymore because there is NEW technology now.

2) Look for a track-resistant carpet.

Berber carpet is perfect for the kid’s room because it doesn't leave footprints or other marks from tread. When your kids leave their shoes on in their room, you won't have to worry about extra wear and tear with track-resistant carpet.

3) Go for a middle-tone carpet color.

Avoid the all-beige or super-dark colors, and go for a neutral brown, tan, or dark shade of cream instead. These colors give you just the right balance of making the room seem larger, and can still hide mud, dirt, or dust. Middle tone carpet colors can also be topped with play mats and rugs with ease.

4) Don't pick velvet or plush styles.

No matter how cozy and comfortable these types of carpet may seem, they're not suitable for kids rooms because they are hard to clean and maintain. This type of carpet is best-suited for guest rooms and rooms that do not get a lot of use.

5) Pick carpet made primarily of nylon.

This is the best choice for carpets in high traffic areas. It's durable, maintains its color, and the fibers are unlikely to unravel over time.

6) Avoid wool carpets.

Wool is a natural fiber so stains will be more difficult to remove, plus the cost of wool makes it a more impractical choice for the kids' rooms.

Choosing the right type of carpet for your kid’s room will help you keep the room clean and safe for years to come. You just need to pick out the right fiber, color, style and pricing for your family. We can help you!

Come in, contact us, or call (517) 546-0001 to receive expert assistance with your flooring needs today!

Area Rugs

Why should I use area rug pads on my hardwood floors?

The addition of area rugs on hardwood flooring serves both an ornamental and practical purpose. But rugs can move or slide around on a wood floor and cause scratching due to different types and coarseness of rug backings as well as the grit, dust, and dirt trapped beneath the rug.

Thus, it is recommended that a pad be placed under area rugs to protect the wood floor. However, rug pads can also cause damage depending upon the material they are made of. Make sure you choose carefully. As you know, area rug pads offer other benefits as well including noise reduction, safety and comfort.

The following recommendations are for polyurethane-coated hardwood floors.

Wood Floor Rug Pads to Avoid

Rubber
Foam-backed
Latex
Plastic-matted
Non-ventilated Rugs
Padding

Some rugs are made of PVC (vinyl) that contains plasticizers which can discolor the finish or the wood. The damage is permanent and it is not a pretty sight. Your floors need to breathe. Many area rug pads will be labeled as good for "hard surface floors" or even wood floors. But remember, you aren't putting the rug pad directly on wood. You are setting it on top of your wood floor finish.

Be sure your rug pad won't harm whatever finish your flooring is protected by. If you're not sure, call the manufacture or check their web site.

Come in, contact us, or call (517) 546-0001 to receive expert assistance with your flooring needs today!

What is the proper way to clean an area rug?

Here are 4 ways to clean your area rug:

1) Take care of spots immediately.

Like any rug the longer a stain or a spill stays on the rug, the harder it will be to get it out. So immediately attack any type of stain or spill. When blotting up spills just pad the area with a white paper towel and avoid scrubbing it in circles or back and forth as this will just spread the stain around.

2) Clean stains.

If hot water on a towel fails to pick up a stain off of your area rug, then try mixing two parts hot water with one part white vinegar and see if you can use that mixture in a blotting method to remove the stain. Try this solution out on a small corner of the rug first to make sure it will work well with your rugs materials and colors.

3) Personally clean the area rug.

You can do this with one of those home-based machines or even a unit that you rent. Check the tags first on your area rug to make sure that the backing is not sensitive to hot water or certain type of cleaning chemicals. Some area rug backings are rubber-based and can suffer when exposed to hot soapy water. Also did not lay your area rug on top of another piece of carpet to clean unless you are going to clean that carpet next, as many area rugs will simply leak a bunch of the water right through it and soak whatever it is sitting on. So be very careful if you’re going to clean your area rug when it is sitting on a hardwood floor.

4) Professionally clean the area rug.

This is by far the easiest way to go as you can simply roll up your rug and drop it off at the cleaners or they can come by and pick it up. Never fold up your rug, as the folds can put more of a bend into the carpet, so that it can easily recover. You’ll have a wrinkle that you’ll have to push out over time, but just roll it up and it should be fine. The professionals will clean your area rug and then hang it up to dry and possibly even have it back to you the same day.

So cleaning your area rug really isn’t that much different from cleaning your regular carpet. In many cases it can actually be easier if you can pick it up and move it around at your leisure. So hopefully some of these cleaning tips will keep your area rug looking great for years to come

Come in, contact us, or call (517) 546-0001 to receive expert assistance with your flooring needs today!

What type of area rugs are more durable?

Natural Fiber Area Rugs

First, let’s define natural fibers. A natural fiber comes from plants or animals.

These types of area rugs are made with natural fiber:

Wool
Hemp
Sea Grass
Bamboo
Sisal

They are of the highest quality, and are eco-friendly. Wool rugs are more expensive than their synthetic counter-parts but will last much longer and perform better. Sea grass is quite durable and is recommended for high traffic areas like hallways, entries and family rooms. However, be careful with spills, as these rugs are not very easy to spot-clean.

Silk of course is less durable and best used in low traffic areas such as formal living rooms. They can also make excellent wall hangings. Another common use of silks is to only weave the highlights of a design with it and the rest of the pile is in wool. If for example when you see a rug made of 80% wool and 20% Silk, that’s usually the case.

Many natural fiber rugs are hand-made with the greatest of care. Bamboo is becoming a very popular fiber because of its natural wood-like and sustainability. It also makes for a great outdoor rug. Wool is considered the oldest natural fiber and has been used for centuries to make quality, long-lasting wool rugs. Most Persian and Oriental rugs are made exclusively of wool.

If you or a family member has allergies or chemical sensitivities, you’ll want to choose a natural fiber rug, as opposed to synthetic fibers, as they are commonly made with synthetic dyes or chemicals. Natural area rugs are a good choice for those wanting a more eco-friendly and green lifestyle.

Synthetic Fiber Area Rugs

Again, we’ll define synthetic fibers, remember synthetic fibers do not come from plants or animals, they are man-made. They have been manufactured in a factory of some sort. Don’t confuse this with being handmade. They could be called that but yet made from un-natural fibers.

Synthetic rugs have been normally made from artificial fibers in a factory using an automated procedure with machinery and yet recently they have been hand-tufted or hand-hooked.

Some of the materials used for synthetic rugs are:

Nylon
Polypropylene
Acrylic
Polyester

These fibers are strong and are weather and water resistant, so they are made to last longer than some of their natural fiber counterparts. They can also be stain and fade resistant, depending how they were made. They are dyed using ingredients and chemicals that are also man-made. Some of the ingredients used for dye include acid, chrome and aniline. Some would argue that polyester is a potentially eco-friendly choice, because it is made from recycled soda bottles (but is the soda pop made in an eco-friendly way in the first place? hmm). These types are generally less expensive and will hold up longer in high traffic areas. They can generally take a bit more beating if well constructed.

Classic Sells

Rug cushion, that is synthetic felt over a sprayed polyester coating that will not stick or damage your wood or LVP flooring.

Each type has its pros and cons, you'll have to decide for yourself which one you will choose.

Don’t choose on cost alone, remember that in most cases you get what you pay for. A rug that is low quality is not going to last you as long. You may pay less now, but you’ll pay more when you have to buy a new one only a relatively short time. Keep in mind what the rug will be used for and how much traffic it will be getting. In other words, don’t choose a silk rug for your entry way or your family room. Your traffic area has to fit with the type of fiber you choose.

Come in, contact us, or call (517) 546-0001 to receive expert assistance with your flooring needs today!

Other Flooring

Can you install hardwood floor in a basement?

Basements can be dreary, dingy places. So why not liven things up and install a hardwood floor in your basement? Not a good idea as basement floor installation are also known as below-grade installation ("grade" being ground-level). There is simply too much moisture present in basements to safely install hardwood.

Moisture can come from two directions:

The basement can flood, a common occurrence in some areas. Even a flood of a half-inch of water is still enough to flood to ruin solid hardwood.

Moisture will seep upward through the concrete in the form of vapor. Barriers can be installed to prevent this upward seepage, though they do not always do the trick.

While it's not advisable to install solid hardwood flooring in your basement, you do have two alternatives:

Engineered Wood Flooring - a thin veneer of real hardwood sits on top of a plywood-type base. This plywood-like material holds shape much better in the presence of moisture.
Laminate Floor - It's not wood, but it looks like wood. Much laminate flooring does not do very well with moisture. But it's possible to purchase moisture-resistant laminate flooring

The best engineered wood floors are built having 3-12 multiple-ply layers that are cross-layered, glued and pressed together. The inner core layers are generally built up with either a hardwood and/or soft plywood type of material, which incorporates the tongue and groove system. The top thicker hardwood veneer wear layer is then glued and pressed on the top surface of the core. Engineered hardwood flooring is available in almost any wood species.

The benefits of using engineered wood floors include more resistance to higher moisture levels than solid wood flooring, this adds to their appeal to use in damp basements or in regions of the country that have higher relative humidity levels. Also, engineered flooring (excluding the newer Click Lock flooring) can be direct glued down over (dry) concrete slabs above or below grade or stapled down over a wood subfloor. Quality Engineered Hardwood flooring has the same resale value as 3/4 IN. solid wood flooring, if you ever decide to sell your home.

The BEST product for a basement area is LVP / LUXURY VINYL PLANK or LVT / which is LUXURY VINYL TILE. We have a huge selection in our showroom.

Come in, contact us, or call (517) 546-0001 to receive expert assistance with your flooring needs today!

What is laminate flooring?

Laminate flooring is a multi-layer synthetic flooring product fused together with a lamination process. Laminate flooring simulates wood (or sometimes stone) with a photographic appliqué layer under a clear protective layer. The inner core layer is usually composed of melamine resin and fiber board materials.

Laminate flooring has grown significantly in popularity, perhaps because it may be easier to install and maintain than more traditional surfaces such as hardwood flooring. It may also have the advantages of costing less to purchase and require less skill to install than alternative flooring materials. It is reasonably durable, hygienic and relatively easy to maintain.

Come in, contact us, or call (517) 546-0001 to receive expert assistance with your flooring needs today!

Are hard surface floors better for allergies?

The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) has a number of very interesting studies you should be aware of.

Review the studies below and learn interesting information about hard surface floors and allergies:

Done in 23 countries that looked at individuals that had carpeted and non-carpeted bedrooms to determine in which type of rooms people have less allergic reactions. The study revealed that individuals who had carpeted bedrooms had lower allergic reactions to contaminants in the air than did those with non-carpeted bedrooms!
Examined asthmatic children in carpeted schools, non-carpeted schools, carpeted bedrooms and non-carpeted bedrooms. Researchers found that those children that had carpeted bedrooms had much less severe symptoms and used less medication than all three of the other groups.
Looked at the protective influences of carpet in bedrooms for those children who suffer from asthma. Researchers again found that the filter-like capabilities of carpet in the bedroom allowed the children to use lower levels of medication to deal with their asthma than children in non-carpeted bedrooms.

Placing a rug over an area of carpet can add style or prevent high-traffic areas from becoming worn. Unfortunately, the rug may slide when placed directly on the carpet, causing the user to have to constantly move and adjust the rug. When stepped or pushed on, carpet pile moves in one direction. When the carpet pile moves from being compressed, it causes the rug to shift or move with it. The taller the pile, the more difficult it can be to prevent the rug from slipping. However, there are numerous products designed to keep rugs in place. Does this spark an idea?

Come in, contact us, or call (517) 546-0001 to receive expert assistance with your flooring needs today!

Can I use bamboo flooring in the basement?

Bamboo is not recommended for below grade installation without using a special moisture barrier underlayment recommended by the manufacturer – check with the manufacturer for specific requirements.

Benefits of Bamboo Flooring

Because bamboo is such a renewable resource, it is typically harvested from plantations where it is harvested in four to seven years and replanted. The wild habitats are not disturbed for commercial use of bamboo.

Even though bamboo is actually a grass that can be woven together and used for wood applications, it is a great alternative to hardwood flooring. It has a Janka Scale rating of 1642, which is above oak and maple and just under hickory. The scratch resistance is very high and its tensile strength rivals steel.

In conjunction with its green properties and plentiful/renewable supply, bamboo is quickly becoming one of the most popular types of residential as well as commercial flooring choice. The fact that bamboo performs well in humid and drier climates helps to promote its benefits on a wide scale basis. Many homeowners, business owners, and contractors are touting the strong points of utilizing this material.

Below is a list of bamboo flooring benefits:

Renewable and Plentiful Resources
Resins Can Easily Meet Stringent Environmental Standards
Termite Resistant
Moisture and Stain Resistant
Easier to Clean
Harder Than Most Hardwoods
Have an Expansion Rate That is Only About 50% of Hardwoods
Costs 10% to 50% Less Than Hardwood Flooring.
Can Be Installed Over Numerous Types of Sub-flooring Like Concrete - check with manufacturer for specific requirements

Come in, contact us, or call (517) 546-0001 to receive expert assistance with your flooring needs today!