Home Management

Archive for March 30th, 2011

These can provide the most comfortable and warm of coverings, but need not be really expensive. You may avoid cleaning problems later by choosing carpet with care. Consider, first of all, how much you intend to spend, and how much traffic there is in the room high heels, children and pets can all be damaging to carpets!

Types of fibres

Wool: The traditional carpet fiber, now frequently blended with nylon to improve wear, and reduce cost. Wool resists dirt and stains very well.

Acrylic: An easy care fiber, tough and durable. Unlike many man-made fibers, it does not cause problems with static.

Modacrylic: A flame retardant fiber and it is usually used in a blend with other fibers, e.g. wool, which is naturally flame retardant.

Nylon: Very hard wearing but does not retain a good appearance. There are often problems with build-up of static which attracts dirt. There are carpets with antistatic finishes e.g. celon. Nylon can be easily cleaned.

Viscose: Resists damage from rubbing by chairs, shoes, etc. and has a good pile. It is anti-static and easy to clean but not suitable for heavy wear.

Polypropylene: A relatively new development, used for cheaper carpets such as cords. The pile tends to flatten and there are few colors. It cleans easily, and is a good choice for the bathroom as it is waterproof.

Polyester: Often used in carpets, is hard wearing and soft to touch.
Cotton: More usually used for bathroom and bedroom rugs. It is absorbent and machine washable.

To wash, use a mild soap or a commercial cleaner designed for this task, and two pails of water, one for washing and one for rinsing. Wash the walls from the bottom up this is to avoid any water running down on the dry surface. This creates streaks which are very difficult to remove. With a well-wrung cloth or sponge, clean a small area no more than 1 meter square, using a circular motion and overlapping the edges of each section you have cleaned. Rinse the area with clean water, dry and continue to the next section until the wall is finished. Remember to change the water in both buckets often. Do not use scouring powder on walls or ceilings as it can damage the paint. The exception to this is if they are extremely dirty and must be repainted. A little cream cleanser will usually remove scuff marks, and some marks can be removed with a rubber. Whitewashed and distempered walls cannot be washed but must be redone. To clean glossy enamel paint use a cloth wrung out in hot water or hot water to which you have added 5 ml washing soda for every 4.5 liters of water, rub gently. Using anything else may dull the finish or leave a film.

Wallpaper

You should always test to see if your wallpaper is washable by applying your washing solution to a small washing solution to a small inconspicuous place before doing the whole wall. If the test is successful, continue to wash using the same method as for painted walls, remembering not to over wet the paper to avoid soaking the paper off the wall, and to pat not rub, the surface dry. For thin papers use only clear warm water with no soap or cleaning agent. Few papers are really washable so you may have to resort to a type of dry cleaner. You can use commercial cleaning dough; wipe the wallpaper with this, turning it so that a clean surface is always in use. Overlap your strokes and be careful that the wall doesn’t streak.