Choosing the Perfect Floor Rug pt. 3

Shopping for a new rug can be daunting.  With so many sizes, looks, designs, and textures, the process can be overwhelming.  Here at Carpet Wagon we want to help you choose the perfect rug for your home. 

Below are some key terms to know when you go rug shopping. 

Call Carpet Wagon at 1(800) 57-WAGON today to schedule a free consultation at home or visit our showrooms to see all the great rug products we have for you.

Key terms and phrases about rugs:
Field: The largest portion of a rug, typically the center, surrounded by the border(s). The field may be solid or contain medallions or an overall pattern.

Foundation: The backing of the rug composed of teh warp and weft threads and often made of cotton, wool, or silk.

Fringe: Extension of the warp threads on two opposite sides of the rug.  Fringe can also be attached to a finished rug to simulate warp threads.

Hand: The tactile aesthetic qualities of carpet and textiles; how it feels to the hand.

Hand-Hooked: Yarn is pushed through a canvas cloth with a hooking needle to form a loop pile.

[Photo by ccarlstead]

More Tips for Flawless Carpet

New carpet represents a substantial investment and, like your other furnishings, requires proper care to keep it attractive over the years to come. 

Carpet rarely wears out in terms of fiber wearing away, but it appearance deteriorates over time and becomes less attractive. 

You can protect your investment, prolong the life of your carpet and improve the quality and beauty of the indoor environment by establishing a regular maintenance schedule.

A comprehensive carpet care program consists of four elements:

- Preventative maintenance

- Regular vacuuming

- Removal of spots and spills

- Overall cleaning on a regular basis

Call the experts at Carpet Wagon 1(877) 57-WAGON to schedule a free at home consultation and estimate.

Simple tricks for carpet maintenance #expertadvice

Even the best carpet will eventually have one or more of these common issues.  Find out what they are and what to do about them to keep your carpet looking brand new for years!

Sprouting: If loose ends or “spouts” extend above the rest of the pile, clip them off even with the pile surface.  Never try to pull them out.  After clipping, smooth the area with your fingers.  Sharp edges on your vacuum cleaner, a child’s toy, high heels, or animal claws can cause this condition.

Pile Crushing: All carpet fibers will crush under heavy stationary loads.  Crushing can be reduced by shifting furniture regularly.  Crushing areas can be usually be improved by covering the area with a damp, clean white cloth and then applying heat to the cloth with an electric iron on the lowest setting.  To ensure that the iron does not damage carpet fibers, test carpet in an inconspicuous location such as a closet.  Remove the cloth and restore the pile while it is still hot by brushing it lightly.  Keep traffic off the carpet until it is dry.

Shading: After certain carpet styles have been subjected to traffic, you may notice areas that appear lighter or darker than other areas. Don’t be alarmed.  Shading is the result of of the change in direction of the pile due to pressure from footsteps and vacuuming.  Brushing the pile all in one direction may temporarily correct shading; however, shading is part of the carpet styling and should be expected in varying degrees.  Do not mistake shading for color fading.

From the experts at Carpet Wagon.  Call 1(877) 57-WAGON to schedule a free consultation at home.

Choosing the Perfect Floor Rug pt. 2

Shopping for a new rug can be daunting.  With so many sizes, looks, designs, and textures, the process can be overwhelming. 

Here at Carpet Wagon we want to help you choose the perfect rug for your home. 

Below are some key terms to know when you go rug shopping.  

Call Carpet Wagon at 1(800) 57-WAGON today to schedule a free consultation at home or visit our showrooms to see all the great rug products we have for you.

Some key terms and phrases about rugs:
Cut and Loop Pile: A combination of cut ends and loops of pile yarn creating a variety of surface textures.

Cut Pile: The majority of area rugs are woven or tufted in loops and sheared after insertion so loop ends stand straight, creating a luxurious appearance and texture.

Dhurrie: A flat-woven rug made in India, usually of wool, and noted for their geometrical or whimsical designs.

Drop-stitch: A technique in machine made rug construction where a line is “dropped” simulating carving in handmade designs and adding a textural element.

Flat-weave: Any rug woven without a cut pile such as a dhurrie.

[Photo by ccarlstead]

Great Tips for Flawless Carpet

You've just spent your hard earned money on a beautiful new carpet, so now what?   Here are some great tips from the experts at Carpet Wagon for keeping your carpet looking flawless for years to come.

Even though vacuuming can remove most of the dry soil, it is also necessary to clean your carpet on a regular basis to remove the oily, sticky soil that builds up in the pile as a result of cooking vapors, air pollution, and tracked in dirt.  The particles of oily soil deposited on carpet fibers can cause gradual but significant dulling of delicate pastel colors; the color isn’t lost, but is hidden under the film.

If this type of soil is allowed to accumulate, it begins to attract and hold the dry soil.  This is the reason cleaning is so important when dulling of the color is first noticed; if allowed to remain too long it becomes gummy and difficult to remove.

If carpet is cleaned before it becomes too unsightly, the cleaning chore will be easier and more successful.  It is a myth that cleaning the carpet before it is absolutely necessary will cause it to get dirty faster.  Carpet in a typical household should be cleaned every 12 to 18 months depending upon the number of residents and amount and type of activity.

Choice of the proper cleaning system is important.  Some systems may leave residues with promote re-soiling and defeat the whole purpose of cleaning.  The recommendations below represent the best current knowledge and should help prolong the time between cleanings.

Call Carpet Wagon at 1 (877) 57-WAGON to set up a free "Shop at Home" consultation.

How Do I Keep My Carpet Looking Great After A Spill? #expertadvice

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Question:

A friend of mine spilled on my carpet.  I cleaned it with my regular carpet spray, which removed the stain, but now it's flat in that spot!  Any advice?

 

Answer:

This is more common problem than you'd think.  Luckily there is an easy solution.  Simply spray Scotch Guard onto the affected area to restore body and stiffness.  Follow the instructions on the Scotch Guard can.   Another option: if you know the manufacturer of your carpet you can call their technical department for recommendations of products you can purchase for spot cleaning that can help you avoid this problem in the future.

Choosing the Perfect Floor Rug pt. 1

Shopping for a new rug can be daunting.  With so many sizes, looks, designs, and textures, the process can be overwhelming.  Here at Carpet Wagon we want to help you choose the perfect rug for your home.  Below are some key terms to know when you go rug shopping. 

Call Carpet Wagon at 1(800) 57-WAGON today to schedule a free consultation at home or visit our showrooms to see all the great rug products we have for you.

Key terms and phrases about rugs:

Arbrash: An effect created by varying colors of yarn giving the rug a washed appearance.   Machine made area rug manufacturers use this to create the look of fine, hand-made carpets.

Aubusson: A French influenced design, usually with a center medallion and pastel colors.

Border: The design which forms the outside edge of a rug and surrounds, or frames, the field.

Bordered Rug: A rug with a solid or patterned border surrounded by a solid field. 

Contemporary: Designs that are characterized by stark contrasts, bold use of color, and geometric or free form style elements.  Contemporary patterns are often architectural or modern, but also include retro designs as well.

[Photo by L. Richard Martin, Jr.]