What you do to your carpet will make a world of difference.

First lets say the obvious. Regular vacuuming will go along way in making your carpet look and feel good. Remember that a clean carpet is a clean carpet.

When you vacuum do not make the mistake of just passing the vacuum over the open areas and traffic areas. Be sure to use your hose attachment to get along the walls, baseboards and in the corners. This will take more time but it is worth it, In the long run it will keep your carpet from developing that dark tint along the walls and corners. Over time that tint is almost impossible to remove even by a professional carpet cleaner. Some chemical treatments may remove the stain but it can be costly.

Remember that your carpet is an investment. Proper weekly and/or daily care will keep your investment looking and feeling good much longer.We come across carpet that is 16 years old from time to time and you would never know it. There's no reason why you should not be able to get many healthy years from a properly cared for carpet.

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Runners Worth Their Weight In Gold

That $20.00 investment could save you more than you know. We highly recommend placing a small carpet or runner in your high traffic areas such as hallways, walkways, entranceways and in front of your favorite chair. The wear and tear that your carpet will miss will save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in new carpeting.

The worse spots in the carpets are the high traffic areas. Often they make a good carpet look bad. It's these areas that cause us to replace the carpet more often than not. By placing a inexpensive runner down you will save your carpet a lot of wear and your wallet a ton of cash.

Runners come in all shapes, sizes colors and prices. Some runners can be found on sale for under $10.00 and it's worth every cent. The next time your in a department store check to see what styles they have in their collection. Chances are you will find one that will complement your home decor and furnishings. Take our advice and bring a few home! You will not be sorry.

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Shoes off to you!

It may sound so simple but not many people follow the rule. The best way to keep your carpets looking good year after year is to use the no shoes rule. Take your shoes off when you are inside the house.

About 97% of the dirt and wear in your carpet comes from walking on it with shoes. Lets face the facts and realize that we go everywhere throughout our day with our shoes. They track through mud, dirt, grease, and other countless "unknown" substances. All this gets into your carpet. So help your carpet look and feel better by taking off your shoes in the house.

One of carpet's best friends.

Proper Grooming

We all rake our leaves but what about our carpets? It may sound silly but it's greater for the look, feel and care of your carpet.

You may have seen the professional carpet cleaners with those long handle carpet rakes or groomers. These are great for getting the dirt and pet hair loose prior to vacuuming. If you have a cat or dog you know that even after you vacuum there's still pet hair stuck in the carpet. If you rake your carpet before hand it will loosen the hair and bring it to the surface making it easier to vacuum.

In addition to a deeper clean it fluffs the carpet pile which in turn gives way to a healthier looking carpet. Groomed or raked traffic areas will not wear out or flatten quickly.

Brush your hair, brush your teeth and don't forget to brush your carpets! If you would like to purchase a carpet grooming tool click the link below.

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Stain Gaurd...Yes!

The next time you have your carpets cleaned do yourself a favor and have the carpet treated with a stain guard.

It may cost a bit more but you'll save in the long run when you do not have to have the carpet cleaning company back so often.

It really does work preventing stains but keep in mind that a spill or a messy accident must still be promptly cleaned. Many people thin that because they had their carpet treated they do not have to clean spills or soiled areas. This is not true and it's a costly mistake.

First off, if you don't immediately clean the spill or soiled area it can and may stain the carpet even if it's been treated. Second, if a stain is allowed to set in you have just wasted your money on the stain guard.

Stain guard does just what the name implies but it can not be left to do the job on it's own . Prompt cleaning of the soiled area will allow the stain guard treatment the ability to do it's job. So remember, if you make a mess it still needs to be cleaned up. Stain guard does not clean a mess. It will however protect the carpet fibers until you get the mess off and out of the carpet! For best results act quickly.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Those dark areas that eventually appear along the carpet at the base board are almost impossible to remove with regular steam cleaning? They are caused by two things:

1) Not vacuuming along base boards and corners with the hose attachment on a regular basis.

2) What is known as "FILTRATION". This is when air moves through the cracks and spaces of the house causing the edges of the carpet to act like a filter. Eventually all filters become soiled.

Chemical treatment may remove the stain but it is costly and time consuming.

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Beware of Store Bought Stain Removers!

If it removes the stain but discolors or lightens your carpet, what's good has it done?

Many people have bought and tried those over the counter or off the shelf carpet stain removers with extremely poor results. To often they will remove the stain (or not) and leave behind a light spot, yellow spot, brownish spot or even worse.. the stain remains along with the new discoloration.

What is a person to do? Some folks have made up there own home made remedies for stain removal which may or may not work. Keep in mind that even if you get the stain out with some "special" cleaner you know of you must think of the long term and future effect it will have on the carpet. For example, we know that dish soap cleans many things but if you put it on your carpets the odds are that spot will be the dirtiest area on your entire carpet after a few weeks.The reason for this is the residue left behind causes dirt and grim to adhere to the carpet fibers causing that area to become soiled faster. The same may be true with other "special" cleaners yo may use.

This is where the Professional carpet cleaner comes in. The chemicals we use are made for the carpet and more often than not there is a second chemical we apply after the first designed to remove the residue left by the first chemical cleaner. This way your carpets are completely free of any residue which may cause the carpet to become more soiled than normal.

Although calling a professional carpet cleaner in for every little stain or spot can be costly it is a small price to pay when you consider replacing the entire carpet.

Another good way to clean up small stains and spots is to ask your carpet cleaner if they sell any spot removal chemicals that you may use on your own. Many professionals will sell cleaners to their clients. The benefit is that you can be sure that the cleaners obtained by a professional carpet cleaner will more than likely do a better job and they will not damage your carpet if they are used properly.

Steam-Dri has a line of carpet care cleaners and spotters that are available to you for use in the home or office. Click the link below for more details and pricing.