| We've all done it. Every time we invest in | | | | of the soil that falls into the carpet can be |
| new carpet, we take an internal oath and | | | | removed safely and effectively with routine |
| solemnly swear we will take care of this | | | | dry vacuuming of high traffic areas such as |
| brand new carpet, and rightfully so. It | | | | halls, stairs, entry ways and traffic paths |
| doesn't take a mathematical genius to know | | | | in front of furniture. This single process |
| that for most folks, the third largest | | | | alone can greatly extend the performance and |
| investment after the purchase of our home and | | | | life use of the carpet. Remember the |
| cars is the home's interior. | | | | hospitality industry housekeepers? |
| | | | |
| So we read the manufacturer's warranty and | | | | The second most fatal mistake a carpet |
| notice that it says to vacuum often. Daily | | | | purchaser can make is ignoring the quality of |
| might be the frequency in the high traffic | | | | the carpet pad. Padding for the subfloor is |
| areas. But who has time any more to spend | | | | like the spine of the carpet. It provides |
| maintaining carpets on a daily basis? The | | | | support to aid in preventing indentations |
| only time you see people vacuum that | | | | left by heavy furniture legs after |
| frequently is in the hotel and motel | | | | re-arranging a room. |
| industry. | | | | |
| | | | It also has the job of holding water like a |
| Rarely does one actually see the carpets | | | | sponge whenever a copious amount water floods |
| being replaced at the hotel and motel | | | | the room such as a broken water pipe. It |
| industry unless there is a major remodeling | | | | provides the comfort under our footing so our |
| project happening with new color schemes to | | | | feet and backs don't ache. This is the one |
| match. So it would serve one well to learn | | | | place you don't have to worry about the color |
| from the hospitality business. | | | | matching as the carpet will cover all the |
| | | | pad. |
| How do we usually buy carpet? In most cases | | | | |
| it comes with the home already installed. It | | | | Pad is also measured in ounces and pounds. |
| will either be a newly built or a previously | | | | Once again, the higher the number, the more |
| owned re-sale home. If a new home was built, | | | | dense the pad. The density can range in |
| if you are in the beginning stages of | | | | feeling. By using a pinch test between the |
| construction, you have a choice to upgrade to | | | | top and bottom of the pad you can compare |
| the better carpet and padding offered. Or you | | | | densities. There is foam all the way up to |
| can choose the cheapest carpet known to | | | | feeling like a large pencil eraser. The |
| mankind commonly referred to as 'builder's | | | | higher the better. |
| grade' materials which also includes the | | | | |
| cheapest, thinnest carpet pad also known as | | | | Try to stay away from rubber based products |
| 'FHA grade' 2 lb. rebond. | | | | like a waffle print as they have been known |
| | | | to dry rot where hot water pipes run through |
| Sure the carpet is fuzzy and comes in a light | | | | the concrete subflooring. They also don't |
| color and the padding might as well be called | | | | provide any absorption for collecting water |
| foam because it easily crushes to the | | | | spills. In fact in a typical flood scenario, |
| sub-floor when any weight is applied on the | | | | the water just continues to migrate further |
| carpet's surface. After all, carpet is just | | | | by saturating a greater area of carpet space. |
| carpet and pad is just pad, right? WRONG. | | | | |
| Once again the old adage "You get what you | | | | It would also be wise to choose the right |
| pay for" still rings true. | | | | carpet for the right application. If you were |
| | | | born during Baby Boomer era, you would have |
| DuPont, one of the top four major fiber | | | | ran into carpets that were made from |
| producers, conducted a study years ago about | | | | polyester. Those fibers were dyed first |
| the behaviors of the consumer as related to | | | | before they were extruded as fiber. They |
| the way they make a purchase decision when it | | | | never faded from the sun or bleach spills and |
| comes to picking carpet. I suppose human | | | | lasted forever but were harder to clean. |
| behavior still has not evolved that much | | | | |
| since. Please note that the following results | | | | Nylon came around and was softer to the hand |
| are not a misprint. | | | | and cleaned up better but spills could |
| | | | permanently stain the fibers and due to |
| They rank from number one to number five in | | | | costs, generally come in lighter colors. |
| order: | | | | Almost all darker colors will be more |
| | | | expensive to produce due to more dye in the |
| 1. Color | | | | process. More dyes prevented stains due to |
| | | | the lack of dye sites available. |
| 2. Color | | | | |
| | | | Fourth Generation carpets removed the |
| 3. Color | | | | nuisance of static electricity when walking |
| | | | across a room and touching anything |
| 4. Texture | | | | conductive to release a jolting shock. |
| | | | |
| 5. Price | | | | Fifth Generation carpets involved the |
| | | | incorporation of stain resist carpets. The |
| While not disclosed, the first three might | | | | key to this technology was to create a |
| have been trying to color match the hard | | | | transparent dye. Normally after dyeing half |
| surface flooring like tile, hardwood flooring | | | | of the carpet's dye sites in a light color |
| or stone. The second might be for the paint | | | | the remaining dye sites would be open for |
| in a given room and the last color match to | | | | stains once installed. The solution was |
| compliment the home's other furnishings such | | | | solved by re-dyeing the remaining dye sites |
| as window treatments, and furniture. | | | | with a transparent dye. Dye sites are like |
| | | | skin pores on your arm. |
| Texture refers to the 'feel' also known as | | | | |
| the hand of the carpet referring to how it | | | | Benefit: |
| feels when you touch the carpet by hand. It | | | | |
| would also take into account the weight of | | | | If all dye sites on a fiber are filled, then |
| carpet measured in ounces. For example, a | | | | no stains could penetrate immediately. This |
| carpet weighing 32 oz. per square inch has | | | | would give the end user time to remove the |
| more carpet fibers then say a 16 ounce | | | | stain later even if it dried on in many |
| carpet. A good way to test this principle is | | | | cases. |
| to go to carpet a retailer and ask to see two | | | | |
| different swatches. | | | | The last point to consider is the primary |
| | | | backing of carpets. For a number of years, |
| For example with all things being equal, such | | | | India exported to the United States jute |
| as the same Carpet Fiber Producer | | | | which is what ropes are made of. An |
| manufactured by DuPont, same carpet fibers | | | | unfortunate deadly industrial accident |
| milled at Shaw Industries, same color dye | | | | involving chemicals at Union Carbide's |
| lot, etcetera, you can perform this simple | | | | battery plant, cause strained relations |
| comparison test side by side. | | | | between both countries and jute stopped being |
| | | | exported. |
| Simply form your fingers like a claw and push | | | | |
| directly straight down from top to the bottom | | | | Jute backed carpets also occurred when they |
| of the fibers using your fingertips only. You | | | | became wet from flooding. The natural fiber |
| should notice an immediate difference in | | | | made of plant (organically)based material |
| carpet density. It will also reflect in the | | | | released a tannin dye similar to coffee and |
| price per square yard. The difference is the | | | | bled into the carpet's surface; thereby |
| number of stitches per square inch. On a much | | | | causing it to permanently discolor the carpet |
| more dense carpet, it will be difficult to | | | | and ruin it. |
| see down to the primary backing where the | | | | |
| carpet is stitched in. | | | | It was also a food source for mold and mildew |
| | | | and if not treated quickly, it would dry rot |
| Here's the benefit: | | | | causing the primary and secondary backing to |
| | | | delaminate and destroy the carpet. |
| If there are more carpet pile fibers, then | | | | |
| each carpet fiber actually supports one | | | | Since the mid 1980's polypropylene backing |
| another side by side on all four corners of | | | | has become the norm. It's a tough as fishing |
| the fiber forming a nap. The less pile there | | | | line and can hold up to most abuse end users |
| is opens up the potential damage for gritty | | | | give it. It's also cheaper to produce. In |
| soil to 'cut' the fibers at the base of the | | | | fact, 70 percent of all carpets involved in a |
| pile where the primary backing is. This | | | | clear water food damage loss can be dried, |
| cutting effect comes with every step, pivot | | | | cleaned and re-engaged with no evidence of a |
| and turn on the carpet nap's surface. This | | | | pre-loss condition. |
| also causes thinning, pitting and marring of | | | | |
| fibers making carpets dull in appearance even | | | | Good luck on your next carpet purchase as you |
| after restorative cleaning. | | | | now possess more knowledge than most of the |
| | | | carpet cleaners and retailers in the |
| It is also worth mentioning that 60 percent | | | | industry. And don't forget to vacuum! |