Why is Cleaning Your Carpet Regularly So Important?

If you’re asking yourself why it’s so important to have your carpet cleaned regularly, you clearly have no idea what could be lurking among the fibers. People commonly only consider the way their carpets look whenever thinking about having them cleaned — unless there are any noticeable stains, it can all seem like an unnecessary job. Read on to find out why that’s far from the case.

The Carpet Catch-All 

Your carpet serves as a repository for all kinds of nasties. To start with, keep in mind that carpets can retain up to four times their weight in dirt. Next, factor in dead skill cells, dust mites, mold, bacteria, pet hair, insect feces and husks, volatile organic compounds, and pollen, and you’ll understand that an unclean carpet quickly becomes a sea of pollutants, irritants, and allergens. 

When you walk across the carpet, some of that debris gets kicked up and some gets pushed deeper. That’s not a very healthy living environment. 

What Are the Hazards of Unclean Carpets?

Allergens are one of the biggest problems associated with unclean carpets, and they can be particularly problematic for young children since their immune systems won’t be as strong and they’ll also be closer to the ground.

Of course, you’ll also be encouraging the growth of mold, bacteria, and parasites. Even if none of those problems develop, failing to regularly clean your carpets is only going to make stains harder to remove in the long run. 

Why is Professional Cleaning So Important?

If you think you can turn back the tide by breaking out your vacuum, think again. Yes, vacuuming plays an important part, but you really need to seek professional cleaning services on a regular basis.

A professional cleaner will utilize high-end tools such as steam cleaners to eradicate problems that could scarcely be touched by a vacuum. 

It’s Hard to Undervalue the Importance of Cleaning Your Carpets

With years of experience cleaning carpets across Naperville, Lisle, Wheaton, and beyond, we understand the importance of the task and boast both the knowledge and equipment to get it done right. Of course, we also sell carpets and rugs — we’re your one-stop-shop for flooring! To find out more, just contact us today.

How Often Should You Clean Your Carpets?

Most modern carpets are made with materials that prevent many allergens from gaining a foothold in your home, but dirty carpets can still play host to pollutants, bacteria, irritants, and other dirt and debris. Fortunately it doesn’t have to be that way– all you have to do is clean your carpets regularly.

You’re probably onboard with the idea that cleaning the carpets is a good idea, but you might still be asking yourself: “Hey, how often should I actually have my carpet cleaned?”

Vacuuming Duty

Vacuuming is your first line of defense against an unclean carpet, so you need to vacuum regularly and vacuum right.

Most people go far too fast when they vacuum their carpets. Make sure you move the vacuum slowly back and forth, making repetitive passes instead of just simply going over each area once. For your average household, try to vacuum your carpets around twice a week.

Professional Cleaning

While you’ll be able to take care of plenty of dirt and debris via vacuuming alone, you should seek regular professional cleaning sessions to keep it looking new for years to come.

A professional will use a commercial-grade steam cleaner to penetrate deeper than any vacuum and ensure that your carpet looks and feels great. For your average household, high-traffic areas should be cleaned every 12 to 18 months.

What is Average?

You may have noticed that the timeframes given above only apply to the “average household” — there are some other factors to take into account, including:

• Pets: They tend to track in dirt and will liberally distribute their coat.

• Children: They often spill drink and food, and having their mouths closer to the ground makes irritation more likely.

• Heavy Use: If you like to wear your shoes inside, it should go without saying that your carpets will probably be dirtier.

If any of those factors apply, it’s a good idea to vacuum and employ professional cleaners more frequently.

Don’t Let Your Carpet Get Too Dirty for Comfort

Here at Russell Martin Carpet and Rugs, we’re dedicated to helping you keep your flooring in spectacular condition. Having worked for years across Wheaton, Lisle, and Naperville, we offer one of the most dependable and effective cleaning services around — and we also offer carpet and rug sales in case you’re looking for a change. To find out more, just contact us today.

Do I Need a Rug Pad for Hardwood Floors?

Yes, you do. Honestly, this shouldn’t be seen as optional or something you can pick up later. At best, you could end up with a damaged floor; at worst, you could end up with a broken bone, and there’s plenty of potential problems to take into account. If you’re still unconvinced that hardwood floors demand rug pads, please read on. 

Rug Pads Provide a Non-Slip Surface

With their timeless style and incredible durability, hardwood floors can make an excellent addition to any home. That said, one of their biggest drawbacks is that they are quite slippery. Place an area rug across them and you could find the floor zipping out from under your feet as you walk across it, even if part of the rug is held down by a heavy piece of furniture. Use a rug pad with non-slip backing to drastically reduce the risk of this occurring. 

Rug Pads Protect Your Hardwood Floors 

Hardwood floors are indeed pretty tough — you might be wondering how on earth a rug could do any damage. Well, just check out the underside of your rug and you’ll notice it’s quite scratchy. When you walk on your rug, that material will be pushed against the hardwood, potentially causing scratches. A rug pad provides a welcome protective barrier between the rug and the hardwood. A denser pad, such as one made from felt, will even resist the pressure exerted by heavy furniture, which can cause dents and divots. 

Rug Pads Insulate Against Noise and Cold

Beyond slipperiness, one of the problems with hardwood floors is that they transmit sound very well, so every footfall can be quite noisy. Additionally, they aren’t particularly good at providing insulation, with cold air penetrating through the planks to make this issue even worse. 

It might not sound like a serious issue, but chilly temperatures, upset neighbors, and higher heating bills can result. Instead of risking those problems, use a rug pad to create an insulating layer. 

Find an Extensive Range of Rug Pads from Russell Martin Carpets and Rugs

Homeowners from across Naperville, Lisle, and Wheaton trust Russell Martin Carpet and Rugs to provide the best rug pads to meet their needs, and we’d love to do the same for you. From carpet and rug sales to repairs, cleaning, and more, you can count on our help. To find out more, don’t hesitate to contact us today.

Why Is Steam Cleaning Your Carpet So Important?

If you’re asking yourself why it’s so important to have your carpet cleaned regularly, you clearly have no idea what could be lurking among the fibers. People commonly only consider the way their carpets look whenever thinking about having them cleaned — unless there are any noticeable stains, it can all seem like an unnecessary job. Read on to find out why that’s far from the case.

The Carpet Catch-All 

Your carpet serves as a repository for all kinds of nasties. To start with, keep in mind that carpets can retain up to four times their weight in dirt. Next, factor in dead skill cells, dust mites, mold, bacteria, pet hair, insect feces and husks, volatile organic compounds, and pollen, and you’ll understand that an unclean carpet quickly becomes a sea of pollutants, irritants, and allergens. 

When you walk across the carpet, some of that debris gets kicked up and some gets pushed deeper. That’s not a very healthy living environment. 

What Are the Hazards of Unclean Carpets?

Allergens are one of the biggest problems associated with unclean carpets, and they can be particularly problematic for young children since their immune systems won’t be as strong and they’ll also be closer to the ground.

Of course, you’ll also be encouraging the growth of mold, bacteria, and parasites. Even if none of those problems develop, failing to regularly clean your carpets is only going to make stains harder to remove in the long run. 

Why is Professional Cleaning So Important?

If you think you can turn back the tide by breaking out your vacuum, think again. Yes, vacuuming plays an important part, but you really need to seek professional cleaning services on a regular basis.

A professional cleaner will utilize high-end tools such as steam cleaners to eradicate problems that could scarcely be touched by a vacuum. 

It’s Hard to Undervalue the Importance of Cleaning Your Carpets

With years of experience cleaning carpets across Naperville, Lisle, Wheaton, and beyond, we understand the importance of the task and boast both the knowledge and equipment to get it done right. Of course, we also sell carpets and rugs — we’re your one-stop-shop for flooring! To find out more, just contact us today. 

JUST GIANTS SHOE DRIVE

Help us reach our goal of 4,000 pairs! Any kind of shoes can be donated for the cause. They will be cleaned, repaired and recycled to those in need around the world, including the USA by Funds 2 Orgs.

Shose Drop Off Locations:

• Fox Valley Winery, Oswego IL
• Fox Valley Trophy - Oswego IL
• Keith's Car Care - Oswego IL
• Russell Martin Carpet & Rugs - Naperville IL
• DuPage Security Solutions - Addison IL
• Culver's - Ottawa IL
• First Bank - Hazelwood MO

Visit justgiants.org or email: justgiantsrescue@gmail.com for more info

Ends May 31st

NEW ON THE SCENE

Introducing new nylon rugs from Karastan! You read that right! Karastan has come out with a fun new collection of nylon area rugs.  These rugs come in a variety of colors and patterns and because they’re nylon, they’ll clean up well.  They’re even easy on your wallet with a 5’3” x 7’10” rug starting at $290 and a 8x11 rug for $516! Think of all the possibilities; your guest bedroom, teenage daughters/sons room, the family room, under the kitchen table.

COLOR TRENDS

At the start of a new year, everyone wants to look and plan ahead. A lot of this starts with a good ol’ New Years resolution. Sometimes it starts as a not so simple question “What do I want to accomplish this year?”.  Either way, lots of predictions are being made for 2016. When it comes to design, we look to a few major companies for color and fashion predictions for the New Year.  From what we’ve seen 2016 looks to be very interesting. The leader in design color prediction is a company called Pantone. Typically they have a color of the yearthat they feel will take over the fashion and design world. This year Pantone has named two colors; “Rose Quartz” (a soft pink hue)  and “Serenity” (a sky blue hue) as the colors of 2016. Pantone has selected these colors because they “demonstrate an inherent balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue, reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace.” These colors also mix together a masculine and feminine feel which is very popular in textiles (including carpet and rugs!)

To contrast Pantone’s, Benjamin Moore is calling Simply White (#OC-117) their color of the year.  I know, how exciting! They suggest to either layer your whites for contrast (putting a gray based white against a true white) or using Simply White as an “outline” color and having a big punch of color to contrast.

What are the 2016 trends for color in carpet and rugs? Good question.  We’re seeing a return to warmer colors (grey mixed with beige, purples, and navy’s) in nylon carpets  as well as a return to brighter accent colors (greens, yellows, reds, teals etc) in our area rugs and wool carpets. Ulster has a great line of plaids (a hot texture and fabric trend for 2016!) that mix the softer grey/beige neutrals with bright shocks of teal or purple or navy.  Some mills are blurring the lines between masculine and feminine in their new introductions.

Fabrica’s new styles Beverly Hills and Grayson mix a more masculine pattern with a little shine that adds a feminine touch.  Karastan is introducing a lot of new rugs that mix together more traditional colors like navy in a traditional diamond pattern with a punch of coral pink for contrast.

It seems 2016 is going to be a mix and match kind of year. Contrast your classic jewel tone Karastan Multi Panel Kirman rug with accents of Simply White or redo your living room carpet with Fabrica’s Beverly Hills and add some new metallic finished end tables. Either way, we’re always here to help and offer suggestions of how to add some spice to the new year!