Looking after wooden flooring in winter months

Looking after your wooden flooring in winter months is extremely important.  Hardwood flooring is a natural product and can become damaged, scratched and dented if not cared for properly.  As the weather turns colder and wetter heading into the winter months it is important to protect your flooring from the harsh outside elements. Read More

Homes and lifestyles changed when everyone stayed home for a year. Suddenly, you looked at your space a bit differently.

Do you really need a guest room that sits idly by almost every day of the year?

Or how about that extra space in the basement, the one with boxes stacked in the corner?

Why not turn it into usable space? Why not make it a home gym? It’s the perfect solution to ensure you get your workouts in each day without having to make time to go to the gym.

People have found that working a fitness routine into their lifestyle when the gym is at home is easy. In fact, Three out of four respondents said gyms are becoming more obsolete due to the pandemic because it’s easier than ever to incorporate fitness routines into their lives right from the comfort of their own homes.

Is the time right for you to add a gym to your home? Where do you begin?

It starts with the floor.

The best floor choices for a home gym

If you’ve ever placed a piece of workout equipment in your living room or bedroom, sitting it on top of carpet, you know the damage it can do. It crushes the fibers, compresses the padding, leaving divots and bumps in the carpet.

Even one simple machine can cause extensive damage. So you know the flooring in your home gym has to be carefully thought out.

Home gym floors should be durable to stand up to your routines, without impact from the weights or machines. It should cushion your body as you jump and bounce during workouts, but also withstand and protect from scratches, dents, or gouges.

Take a look at commercial gym flooring choices to be your guide as you finalize your selection. The most popular floor choices include:

Rubber

Foam

Vinyl

Wood

Carpet

Of course, the final selection is dependent on your desired workout routine. What type of equipment will you be using? What exercises are a part of your routine?

Ultimately, your choice should provide you comfort, wear, and durability.

What’s the right home gym flooring? Ask these questions first.

The easiest way to create a home gym is to find a spot, move furniture and boxes out, and get your new workout equipment in.

It might not take very long to discover the problem. Carpet may hinder your HIIT routine. Hardwood may scratch as you drop weights onto the floor. Without considering your actions first, your flooring can quickly be compromised.

Ask these questions first:

What workouts will be a part of my routine?

Everyone has a different approach to fitness. Some love the elliptical. Some prefer lifting. Some like to change things up and move through various routines. Carefully consider the equipment you’ll need, the exercise you’ll perform, and what your flooring must withstand in the process.

Who will use the gym?

You may have your own routines, but what about the rest of the family? Will you be investing in different equipment to meet everyone’s goals? The best gym flooring works well for everyone in the household, providing comfort, safety, and durability.

Will you use free weights?

Free weights are one of the most impactful pieces of equipment you can own. If you’ll use them in your home gym, be especially aware of your flooring choice as the sudden drop can cause extensive damage. Be aware that you may need to build up the subfloor as well to handle the additional weight.

Is moisture a problem? 

Even small home gyms can be impacted by moisture. Will you crank the heat for a hot yoga session? Are your routines especially rigorous, leaving you sweating throughout the sessions? In small spaces, moisture can be a big problem. If you add a small sauna for after workout sessions, it can be an even bigger problem. Consider how much moisture you’ll bring into the room before you finalize your flooring decision, or you could face a problem down the road.

What about equipment?

Machinery is heavy. It’s bulky. It might need special attachment features to the walls or floor. It can also move around as you use the machines, further damaging the floor. Don’t forget about the lifecycle of the machinery. If you’ll be upgrading or switching out the machines periodically, the wrong flooring can leave divots, further impacting your routines.

Finalize your home gym floor with one of these best flooring choices

Are you leaning towards a specific flooring choice for your home gym? If you have several options in mind, here are a few more ideas to keep in mind.

Rubber is always a good choice in a home gym setting. Walk into just about any commercial gym or fitness studio and you’re likely to see rubber flooring. There are many different types of rubber flooring – tiles, rolls, and mats. It comes in a range of thicknesses to best suit your needs. Tiles are a great DIY choice, allowing you to take control over the installation process. Rolls provide a seamless appearance that is great for wide open spaces. If you want multiple options in your small space, mats can be especially beneficial for customizing the space based on your requirements. If you’re using free weights, thicker is better to help prevent impact on the floors.

Carpet tiles are another popular flooring option that are relatively inexpensive, comfortable to the touch, and are fairly easy to maintain. What’s more, tiles make it easy to change out and replace if damage occurs to part of your space. Select low-pile, commercial-grade carpet that is designed for high traffic and high impact. The touch of softness works well if you’ll be up and down between workouts. You’ll also be able to customize the aesthetics by having a wide variety of color options to choose from.

Luxury vinyl planks are also an option. Be sure to select waterproof rigid core for the best durability. The right vinyl plank can withstand many different activities, including weights, heavy equipment, and more active workout routines such as basketball. Vinyl planks have a natural tendency to prevent mold and mildew growth. They’re naturally scratch and stain resistant, and did we mention waterproof? Depending on your workout routine, luxury vinyl planks are definitely worth a second look.

What’s the best flooring for your home gym?

Still have questions about the right home gym flooring for your home? Stop by today and see our complete selection. We’ll help you find just what you’re looking for.

The post Best Flooring When Creating a Home Gym first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

This post appeared first on https://pro-flooring.com

There’s a chill in the air and the leaves have fallen off the trees – these are signs that winter is on the way, and with it the holiday season. Now that it’s getting colder, it’s tempting to light a few candles. After all, what’s not to love about candles? Their ambiance and scent can make any home feel warm, cozy and inviting.

There’s a downside to candles, however, aside from the fire hazard – melted candle wax can drip onto your furniture or carpets if you’re not careful. So what can you do to remove candle wax from carpet? Here are the steps you need to take to prevent that melted candle wax from becoming a permanent stain.

5 Simple Steps to Remove Candle Wax from Carpet

1. The first thing you want to do is to get the melted candle wax to harden as quickly as possible. Grab an icepack, a bag of ice, or even a bag of frozen vegetables and use it to freeze and harden the wax. This will help to keep the wax from seeping further down into the carpet fibers, which will make it even more difficult to remove.

2. Once the wax has hardened, scrape as much of it off as you can with a butter knife or other dull object (don’t use anything sharp – you could end up cutting the carpet fibers). You can even break off the larger chunks of wax and scrape the rest off as best as you can.

3. Get out your vacuum cleaner and vacuum up the wax pieces. Still have wax in the carpet fibers? Try using heat to get the rest of it out.

4. For this step, you’ll need an old (but clean) cloth or T-shirt, if you can spare one. Otherwise you can use a paper towel or brown paper bag. You’ll also need to use an iron set to the lowest heat setting.

Put the cloth, T-shirt, towel or paper bag on the wax and slowly run the iron on top of it. The heat from the iron will soften the wax, while the cloth or paper will help draw the wax out of the carpet fibers. You may need to do this step more than once to get all of the wax out.

Remember to put the hot iron on a book or baking sheet to prevent it from burning your carpet if you accidentally knock the iron over. We have repaired burned carpets from hot irons, so this step is critical!

5. If the above steps fail to remove the melted wax from the carpet, then call A Personal Touch for professional carpet cleaning. We serve the Denver metro area including Littleton, Parker, Castle Rock and more!

We use a powerful truck-mounted steam cleaning system that can help remove not only candle wax from your carpets, but also gum, tar, rust, pet stains and odors. We also offer upholstery cleaning services, so if you’ve spilled candle wax on a sofa or chair, we can clean that, too.

Having your carpeting professionally cleaned once a year is your best bet for keeping it clean and allergen-free all year long. If you’re due for a professional cleaning, contact us today so that your home will be ready to welcome your holiday visitors!

Remember at A Personal Touch, we don’t cut corners, we clean them!

The post How to Remove Candle Wax From Carpet appeared first on A Personal Touch.

Thinking of remodeling and adding new flooring to your home? Before you start looking, spend some time debunking the most common flooring myths that homeowners still believe.

Myth: Laminate floors are inferior and look cheap

There once was a time when Pergo dominated the laminate flooring market. It came with its classic clicking, hollow sounds.

No more. Technology has advanced to make laminates so closely related to solid hardwood, it’s often difficult to tell the difference.

Laminate is created from a particle board wood base topped by a realistic image layer, sealed with a wear layer to provide strength and durability. The result is a beautiful flooring option.

Because of technological advancements, they look and act more realistically than ever before. The image quality gives a realistic look and feel, while the scratch-resistant surface area makes it suitable for homes with busy lifestyles. Plus, its low cost gives it an added bonus to families concerned with sticking to a budget.

Myth: Hardwood flooring is too expensive

What’s the most expensive flooring on the market today? Don’t fall for the myth that hardwood tops the list.

In reality, hardwood flooring is a perfect solution for any homeowner on any budget. There’s an option perfect to suit your needs.

When you visit a flooring showroom floor, you’ll find hardwood is one of the most popular options, and as such, many different manufacturers are competing at many different levels.

The key is knowing your budget ahead of time, then considering your options carefully. Many homeowners like the fact that hardwood can be refinished multiple times, giving them more remodeling options in the future.

Myth: Carpet won’t work for anyone with allergies

Do you believe the myth that carpet harbors dust bunnies, dirt, and other debris? If you are prone to allergies, you may be shying away from installing carpet.

Carpet remains one of the top flooring options for good reason. It’s soft. It reduces noise. It makes a space feel warmer.

Manufacturers know this, and work hard at creating better products. They make carpet with better fiber technology to capture allergens and hold them in to keep them from getting into the air inside your home. Simply vacuum the carpet with a vacuum with HEPA filters in place, and your carpeted room can often be just as clean as other flooring options you may be considering.

Myth: Engineered hardwood is inferior to solid hardwood

Nothing is better than solid hardwood flooring. Or is there?

Engineered hardwood actually provides several advantages over traditional solid hardwood.

First, engineered hardwood works in places where solid hardwood won’t. Want to install hardwood in your basement? Give engineered hardwood another look. That’s because it’s designed with moisture-resistant qualities making it a better choice in basement situations.

Next, engineered hardwood can offer you more choices than solid hardwood. Because it’s built in layers, it can offer strength and durability that traditional hardwood can’t compete with. Pay attention to brands to find the right choices to suit your needs.

Also, engineered flooring offers you the aesthetics of solid hardwood in a more sustainable option. That’s because solid hardwood is created from the core of a tree, while engineered flooring uses a top layer of real veneer wood. That means more hardwood planks from fewer tree resources.

Myth: Vinyl flooring is obsolete 

When many people hear “vinyl”, they think of their grandmother’s vinyl floors. You have a vision of cheap flooring in obnoxious colors that simply won’t work in your home.

That’s not today’s vinyl. Instead, vinyl today is designed to give you the very best look with other benefits you can’t refuse.

Luxury vinyl planks are dominating the market as they mimic solid hardwood. Yet these planks have the added benefits of being durable, and in some cases, waterproof. That means you can have your hardwood in areas where it wasn’t possible before – bathrooms, laundry rooms, and your basement remodel.

Of course, it’s not just hardwood – luxury vinyl can mimic just about any look you desire. Want marble floors? Consider luxury vinyl tile.

You also get the added benefit of finding colors that are harder to reproduce in nature. And if you do, it’s almost always at a cost. Luxury vinyl gives you a wide array of colors and patterns, all at affordable pricing.

Even if you wish to stay with traditional vinyl choices, either in sheet or tile format, you’ll be amazed at the colors and patterns, and how well they appeal to your design senses.

And you won’t be able to resist the affordability.

Myth: Carpet is outdated

Who installs carpet anymore? If you believe this myth, it’ll surprise you to learn that carpet is everywhere.

While we would never suggest putting carpet in the bathrooms or kitchen, it still makes a wonderful choice where comfort and warmth are important.

Bedrooms are perfect places for carpet. Nothing feels better than wiggling your toes into the fibers on a cold winter morning.

How about a media room? The insulation from carpet works well to help insulate the room.

All you have to do is take one look at the wide variety of colors, patterns, and styles to put your mind at ease that carpet is still in style.

What’s most important when adding carpet is to ensure you buy padding to give it proper support, and transition it well to other flooring choices in your home.

Myth: Solid hardwood is hard to maintain 

Nope. It’s simply not true.

Solid hardwood is designed to provide one of the best flooring choices suitable for almost any home.

There are hundreds of varieties to give you a chance to let your personality shine. How about:

• Red oak
• White oak
• Maple
• Bamboo
• Walnut
• Cherry

You’ll find the possibilities are endless once you start taking a look.

Stop believing the most common flooring myths circulating online. When in fact, it’s up to you to decide the best flooring choice to suit your needs.

With so many options, you’ll find the perfect flooring to love for many years to come.

The post Exposing The Most Common Flooring Myths first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

This post appeared first on https://pro-flooring.com

The holidays can be an amazing time to get together with friends and family. It almost feels like regular life disappears for a couple of days just so you can reconnect with the ones you love. But with the holidays, you tend to ignore those little aspects of life that you tend to care about for the rest of the year. For example, the quality of your flooring it’s not something you’re going to be thinking about while cutting the turkey on Thanksgiving. But the truth in the matter is, you can still have fun while protecting your flooring this holiday season. So when you have guests over, don’t stress about it. Because today we’re going to give you some tips on how you can protect your flooring during the holidays.

Doormats

You can’t put door mats all over your home but a doormat can be essential in keeping your main floor in great shape. This is done because it acts as a cleanser for the shoes that walk through the front door. If someone’s got something on their shoe, you can direct them to the doormat. You don’t even have to do that because when the person sees it, they tend to wipe their feet anyway. This is just a small little thing that you can do to protect your floors without going above and beyond.

Strategic Rugs

As we said, you can’t put door mats everywhere. But you can take the idea of the doormat and duplicate it. All you need to do is place rugs in high-traffic areas. If you know that many people have been walking in your living room, put some rugs down there. You probably won’t need rugs in your basement or your bedroom. All you need to do is buy enough rugs to cover the areas that may face damage. be strategic about it.

Takes Shoes Off

Instead of putting rugs all over your house, you can eliminate the problem by getting rid of the source. This can be done by asking your guests to remove their shoes. Don’t feel awkward about this whatsoever because, at the end of the day, it’s your home. And this isn’t as uncommon as it may sound. There are plenty of homes that have this done all over the place. Sure, back in the day this may have been a little strange. But today it’s a lot more common than you may think. And this can be a huge benefit because shoes carry some of the most harmful bacteria that you can bring into your home.

Call the Pros

Flooring.org has been bringing floors to customers for years and we’re ready to help you redo your floors this season. So give us a call at 1-800-689-9006. We can’t wait to help!

This post appeared first on http://www.flooring.org

What do home buyers want today?

A study produced by the National Association of Realtors, found that 54 percent of home buyers are willing to pay more for hardwood flooring.

Whether you’re considering a remodel, or are getting your home ready for selling, hardwood flooring may be the perfect addition to your home. Here is some food for thought on why hardwood flooring will help sell your home.

Hardwood flooring adds value to your home

Let’s start with the most obvious. Besides being attractive and making a good first impression when potential home buyers walk through the front door, it also boosts how much money they’re willing to put down. Realtors report home prices can increase by as much as 5 percent of the asking price if they have hardwood in the main living quarters.

If you’re considering a remodel, it’s good to keep in mind that the average return on investment (ROI) for installing hardwood ranges between 70 to 80 percent.

Use this as you plan out your remodel. Will you be investing in hardwood flooring for immediate resale? Or will you be enjoying your new flooring for a few years before putting it up for sale? That may alter what type of hardwood you put in.

With today’s technology, there are many ways to get the look of hardwood.

• Solid hardwood is always a wise choice. Its classic beauty can last for decades if well cared for.
• Engineered hardwood gives you classic looks at a more affordable price.
• Laminate provides more functionality and stands up better where traditional hardwood may have a problem.
• Luxury vinyl planks mimic the best of solid hardwood, yet can offer waterproof options that are perfect for moist and humid areas.
• Tile planks are growing in popularity for giving you the functionality of tile with the looks of hardwood.

Hardwood flooring is aesthetically pleasing

Hardwood flooring is the one material that remains relevant and continues to look good throughout the years.

Maybe it’s because of its flexibility. It works effectively with almost any design theme, and in any situation. Prefer a clean, modern look with minimalistic lines? Hardwood flooring works perfectly. Want country chic? Hardwood gives you just what you’re looking for. Prefer rustic, reminiscent of an old skiing lodge? Yep, hardwood works there too.

It may also be from hardwood’s ability to look even better with age. Because you can sand it down and refinish it time and again, some of the very things that give it an original look make it even better over time. You can feel the history just by walking into the room.

Of course, if natural beauty is your thing, you can’t go wrong with hardwood flooring. It’s worked in homes for thousands of years – who can argue with what works? There’s something about knowing how your hardwood flooring is sourced that can give you an added bonus of knowing you’re adding sustainability and classic materials to your home as you complete your remodel.

Hardwood flooring offers durability that lasts for years

Durability stems from providing a surface that’s long-lasting and easy to care for.

Hardwood flooring provides all of that and more. In fact, they’re so durable, they’ve lasted for centuries in some cases, and still look good.

Solid hardwood planks provide strength to a residential setting. If you focus on quality, they offer a high-quality surface area. With the right sealant, your regular household activities won’t impact the surface. You’ll sweep away dust and debris with a quick swipe of a broom. Spills will also be wiped away easily, leaving nothing but the quality shining through every single day.

And when the years go by and the shine disappears, the planks still have life in them. Just sand them down and refinish them. You can change the color, or keep it the same. Then repeat it again somewhere down the road.

What other flooring can give you all of that?

Hardwood flooring stands the test of time

Every generation has its style and fads. Think shag carpet. The colors orange, gold, and avocado green. How about Pergo?

Each style and fad is reminiscent of a certain period in time.

Hardwood, however, stands the test of time. You’ll find it in residential homes through every generation. You’ll find it used in homes in ancient civilizations.

That’s because nothing is better than using building materials right from the source. It’s one thing that will never go out of style.

Hardwood flooring offers a clean, allergy-friendly surface

Want a surface area that won’t hold dust, dirt, or other contaminants? Look no further than hardwood flooring.

Its natural qualities also mean it doesn’t bring in volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It’s created and manufactured from solid hardwood.

If you suffer from allergies, hardwood won’t harbor dust mites and other pollutants the way other flooring choices may.

It also makes cleaning a breeze. A simple swipe of a broom carries potential problems away.

Hardwood flooring can be refinished multiple times without having to replace the floors

If you are living in your forever home, your idea of a “dream home” may change from time to time.

You’re looking for light and airy today. You prefer dark and dramatic tomorrow.

With hardwood, that’s okay.

When you’re ready for a change, skip buying and installing new flooring. Instead, you can sand it down and refinish it to give you the fresh appearance you’re looking for. Sanding it down takes it back to a smooth surface area. New stain and sealant give it its new appearance.

And you’ll fall in love all over again.

Are you ready to make your house more sellable? 

Then it’s time to install hardwood.

While traditional hardwood is always a good choice, it’s not your only choice. Let your preferences and lifestyle lead the way to finding the perfect hardwood flooring to make your house a home.

And create a house that will be a future buyer’s dream come true too.

The post 6 Reasons Hardwood Flooring Will Help Sell Your Home first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

This post appeared first on https://pro-flooring.com

Walnut flooring is a great choice if you are looking for a dark, elegant and sophisticated wooden floor. Walnut is a hardwood tree that produces a rich, dark brown coloured wood. Read More

You’re ready for new floors. You have an idea in mind.

But flooring isn’t just about picking out the material. It requires a whole collection of accessories to finish the process.

• Granite
• Marble
• Hardwood
• Linoleum
• Laminate
• Carpet
• Vinyl
• Stone

Each material requires its own extras to complete the project. Transitions, trims, vents, underlayments – it’s all required and needs a decision before you finalize your purchase.

The more you know before you start shopping, the better prepared you can be to finalize your decisions.

Transitions

When planning a remodeling project, the main focus falls to what material you select. It’s fun to choose what you’ll install, and select the perfect color.

It’ll quickly become apparent that your new floor will have to sit adjacent to another floor, and it’ll have to blend together. This junction plays a vital role in visual appeal and overall durability. The standard way to transition from one floor to another is by using a transition strip. Here’s how you identify what works best.

What purpose will it serve? Transition strips can perform several different functions. The most obvious is to cover the joint where two separate flooring materials are joined together. Transitions can also help secure the flooring material into place, helping to protect it from wear and tear. It should be large enough and secured into place to prevent foot traffic from knocking it loose. Transitions can be similar to one flooring material, blending in nicely. Or make it visible to signal a change in height or texture of the flooring.

What flooring are you transitioning? Specific flooring materials need different transitions. Not all transitions will work in every situation. Are you moving from hard to soft flooring? Is there a difference in height? The material and height of the connecting surfaces will help you determine the best transition piece. A good installer will make recommendations and help you select the right piece for your home.

What transition strip do you need? A reducer helps transition from thicker flooring to thinner material, such as hardwood to sheet vinyl. A T-Mold helps transition hard surfaces of the same height. Carpet strips help transition from carpet to any other type of flooring. End molding provides a final edge instead of transitioning it to another material. Stairnose transitions from the edge of the stair tread to the flooring material. Tile strips provide transition between tile and any other type of flooring. Installers can get creative and make any transition durable and look great.

Trim and molding

Trim and molding are an essential part of any flooring project. They are flooring edge pieces that transition your flooring material to stairs, another floor, or walls. They are the finishing touches to complete your flooring renovation.

They come in many forms and materials, such as wood, rubber, vinyl, fiberboard, and more. Trim is a term used to describe edging material used around doors, windows, between different floors, and on walls and ceilings. Molding is a grander version of trim. Baseboard molding, for example, would be a decorative trim meant to stand out and create a custom look.

Like transitions, molding is chosen based on a variety of things:

• Location
• Floor type
• Size
• Style

Baseboards are considered to be the finishing touches. It fulfills two purposes: they serve as a transition from floor to wall, and cover any gaps between the floor and the wall. It gives a room a finished look, and can add to the overall architectural component.

Vents and registers

Vents and registers are standard and essential elements of any flooring remodel. Depending on your HVAC system, you may have several vents in the flooring. This requires you to incorporate them into your finalized flooring project to give your floors a flush fit, and ensure it isn’t a tripping hazard.

There are two essential elements to picking a suitable vent: function and aesthetics. Vents must allow your HVAC system to function as designed. They should work well with your flooring and allow airflow into the room. Vents should also be aesthetically pleasing. With many different types, it’s easy to find one that fits well and works with your room’s decor.

Underlayment

Underlayment sits just under your visible flooring choice and provides a smooth, flat surface area for your flooring to be installed. It can be made from different materials, and should be chosen depending on what flooring you’re installing. It comes as plywood, padding, hardboard, and cement board, to name but a few.

Underlayment isn’t the same as the subfloor. A subfloor is a part of a home’s framework and structure. Underlayment serves mainly as a flat surface area to make it easier to install your new flooring.

In some cases, it can also serve as additional insulation to help reduce noise as people walk across, or to soften the feeling of the floor underneath. It can also provide a moisture barrier, depending on what flooring you’re installing.

When installing hard surfaces like tile, underlayment provides a good surface area to adhere to the tile. It allows grout, adhesive, and tile to expand and contract if installed incorrectly. Be sure to select a quality underlayment for full protection.

It can also provide structural stability. Especially in older homes where the subfloor may not have the strength of modern-day building materials, the right underlayment can provide structural support.

Maintenance

From the moment you install your new flooring, you’ll want the proper tools to maintain it. If you’ve never had hardwood before, you’ll want something to dust away the daily dirt and debris. Installing carpet may require a vacuum to give you flexibility and ease while keeping it clean. Installing new linoleum? It requires occasional waxing to ensure it retains its good looks.

Before you rush out to your favorite big box store, check with your flooring manufacturer to ensure the products you use match what they suggest for warranty validation. Many of the top cleaners you’ll find on the shelves aren’t suitable for floors and can strip them of their good looks.

Have further questions? Just ask. We’re here to guide your flooring project every step of the way.

The post Flooring Accessories – Things To Ask Before You Invest In New Flooring first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

This post appeared first on https://pro-flooring.com

Wooden floors will encounter expansion and contraction with seasonal changes. It is commonly thought that a plank of wooden flooring is a set size and will stay that size, however wood is a natural material and will adapt to its surroundings.  The planks of flooring will respond to the humidity and temperature of the room that it is in. Read More

Carpeting is one of the most valuable assets in your home, adding beauty, warmth, and comfort to any room. However, it also takes a beating from spoils, pet accidents, dust, dirt tracked in from outdoors, and constant foot traffic.

If your carpets are beginning to show their life with some wear and tear and dirt or grime, you’ve probably thought about cleaning them yourself. Maybe you’ve walked by the carpet cleaning machines in your local store, or seen commercials for them on TV, and thought to yourself, Why not just clean the carpeting myself with one of these machines? It’ll save me some money and get the carpeting just as clean as a professional cleaning will.

Yes, it’s tempting to rent a carpet cleaning machine and do the job yourself in order to cut costs and not have to hassle with hiring a professional carpet cleaning company. But hold on – you may be doing more harm than good by taking the DIY option. Let’s take a closer look at carpet cleaning machines and what they can do to your carpets (and you!).

The Downside of Carpet Cleaning Chemicals

While you may think you are saving money by renting a carpet cleaning machine, keep in mind that you also have to buy the cleaning chemicals, which adds to the expense. If you have a large house with a lot of carpeting, that added cost can pile up fast!

And have you ever thought about exactly what’s in those cleaning chemicals? The exact formula will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but carpet cleaning solutions generally contain solvents, surfactants, foaming or defoaming agents, optical brighteners, emulsifiers, dyes, fragrance, and a host of other ingredients that if not handled correctly may be hazardous to your health. If you or anyone else in your household has asthma, allergies, or other respiratory problems, these chemicals can irritate the lungs and cause breathing problems.

DIY Carpet Cleaning Machines Can Damage Your Carpets, Too

Let’s move on to how these carpet cleaning machines work and how that can affect your carpeting. Typically these machines saturate your carpet (and the padding beneath) with water and cleaning chemicals. If the carpet gets too wet, or the padding gets wet and cannot dry thoroughly, then you are at risk of mold and mildew. As with harsh chemicals, mold and mildew can cause breathing problems for those at risk. Not to mention the fact that walking on wet carpeting is not fun!

Carpet cleaning machines also use brushes to agitate, brush and loosen dirt and stains, while their vacuum suction lifts it away. Depending on how the machine is used, the brushes could damage the carpet fibers. 

Professional Carpet Cleaning to the Rescue!

Carpets can last as long as 20 to 25 years in good condition as long as they are maintained properly. Unfortunately, improperly cleaning them yourself can cause damage, and using unapproved cleaning methods can even void the warranty.

That’s why it pays off in the long run to have your carpeting professionally cleaned. A pro will know how to properly clean and treat your carpets so that they will keep looking fresh and beautiful.

At A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning, we use a powerful steam cleaning system that eliminates the need for extra chemicals, removes tough stains and odors, and leaves your carpets looking like new. We serve customers throughout the Denver, Colorado area and offer carpet repair, upholstery cleaning, and rug cleaning services, as well.

If your carpet is showing its age, don’t be tempted to go the DIY route – contact us today for a professional carpet cleaning and let us bring your carpets back to life!

Remember at A Personal Touch, we don’t cut corners, we clean them!

The post Cleaning Carpets Yourself May Do More Damage appeared first on A Personal Touch.