CARPET BUYING & CARE GUIDE
CARPET BUYING GUIDE

CARPET STYLES -
Carpets come in a variety of styles, each giving their own unique feel to a room. Following are the major categories:
Cable
Chunky, nubby yarns are used to create cable-style carpets which bring an atmosphere of casual elegance to a room. Luxurious and soft, with great performance.
Frieze
Friezes create an informal look and feature a crimped yarn and randomly textured surface, produced by the fibers being tightly twisted. This highly styled, fashion-forward carpet also reduces footprints and vacuum marks.
Loop
Durable with a casual look, loop pile carpets resist matting and crushing and are well suited to high traffic areas. Multi-level loops have two to three different pile heights, which create dimensional interest.
Pattern
From subtle to bold, patterned carpets add a unique and dramatic style to any interior. The pattern may be achieved in a variety of ways: Tufted in multiple heights, applied through a dyeing process, or sculpted using cut and loop combinations.
Saxony
The standard cut pile, this carpet has a smooth, level finish. Its pile yarns have no texture, resulting in a richer, more formal look.
Texture
As the most popular cut pile, this carpet has a soft feel because it is made from slightly textured yarns. Its textured surface is perfect for casual settings and resists high traffic.
CARPET FIBER - The esthetics and performance of carpet is similar to the fabric in your clothing. The type of fiber used, the construction of the cloth, and the color all play a role in the styling, cost, and performance of that garment.
Nylon
Nylon is a durable fiber that has good resiliency and good stain resistance. It is a strong fiber, which makes it suitable for the heavy traffic of a commercial area or active household. It is typically more expensive than olefin and polyester based carpet.
Smartstrand with Dupont Sorona fiber. these carpets are manufactured with ingredients made from corn sugar, a renewable resource, instead of petroleum. This results in environmental benefits with no compromise on performance.
Engineered in stain protection, excellent colorfastness, natural softness, & exceptional wearability, make this fiber a new and exciting alternative to nylon.
Polyester & P.E.T
Polyester fiber has some of the most beautiful textures and colors available, and is durable and resists wear. It is susceptible to crushing, but has excellent resistance to stains. Most polyester-based carpets have a luxurious feel (hand) that people love to dig their fingers into.
Olefin
Olefin, also called polypropylene, is a relatively inexpensive fiber that has good stain resistance. It's color is added before it is made into a fiber, and thus has great resistance to bleaches or fading caused by sunlight. However, it has poor resiliency, which means the carpet may eventually show signs of crushing.
Wool
The most expensive of the fibers listed here, it is a natural fiber with moderate soil and stain resistance. It has durable, luxurious "hand", reduced visible soil due to fine, light-scattering characteristics.

CARPET COLOR-
Carpet is available in every color you can imagine, but four major color categories are listed below.
Solid
Carpets made from one solid are the most popular. They offer the most color choices, and create an easy background for your furnishings.
Fleck
Flecks are products with accent yarns of darker hues randomly twisted together among yarns of a solid base color. The darker flecks create visual interest and add a deeper, more textured surface appearance to the carpet. Flecks are popular in loop, frieze and cable carpets.
Jewel
Jewel tones are constructed similarly to flecks, but have brighter accent yarns that can be red, green or even blue in color. These accent yarns give a striking visual 'pop' of color to the product.
Tweed
Tweeds are becoming very popular and are characterized by a heathered two-tone visual effect. Typically, yarns of two different dye levels of the same color are twisted together to form a 'barberpole' look. Tweeds deliver visual contrast and highly styled fashion-forward.They hide soil better than solids.
FIBER BRANDS -
A number of different manufacturers produce fiber - and CarpetsPlus Color Tile carries only the best. Read below to find out more about various fiber brands.
Anso
The leading edge technology of Anso Caress nylon has taken carpet fiber a step further. Silk-like softness has now been married to the performance of nylon. The minute you step on to it, you will want to kick off your shoes and stay awhile. Carpet made from Anso Caress Nylon is not only unbelievably soft, it's naturally tough.
ClearTouch
ClearTouch is a new PET fiber system that produces fabulous carpet that has it all - incredible softness and color, exquisite styling, and incomparable stain resistance. Featuring R2X soil and stain resistance technology, 10 year warranties and a 30-day customer satisfaction guarantee.
Sorona
Introducing SmartStrand™ fiber with DuPont™ Sorona® polymer... A revolutionary new fiber system with lifetime stain warranties, excellent durability and a soft touch. Performance and built-in stain resistance at value prices.
Stainmaster
Dupont Stainmaster carpet with Tactesse fiber is the incredibly durable carpet with the incredibly soft touch. With the Dupont Stainmaster Advanced System the carpet fibers actually push dirt and spills away. This quality carpet stays clean and fresh and is easy to maintain.
WearDated
Weardated provides the ultimate in softness, quality and durability. Whether you're lounging in front of the TV or walking barefoot through the master suite, Weardated gives your family softness that lasts. Its resistance to traffic, stains and the demands of growing families has made Weardated a trusted brand for over 30 years.
WearDated II
The ultimate in fashion and style, Wear-Dated II carpet offers the selective customer an unmatched choice of color, as well as superb luster and feel. Higher twist and density requirements create a carpet of obvious quality and distinction.
A FINAL NOTE ON PADDING
Make sure to include a good carpet with your carpet. It will add to the carpet's life and greatly improve the comfort feel. Thin, firm pads generally perform better than thick, soft cushion. Recommended pads include rebond cushion with a minimum of 6 lb. Density, and a maximum thickness of 1/2". Standard is adequate for most carpet styles but should not be used under berber or commercial styles. These products perform better over "felt" type pads or an upgrade pad such as Glacier Berber. For the ultimate in comfort and performance, the best cushions available for residential use is Berkshire Memory Foam 8 lb. Density, or our Prime urethane, with moisture barriers on the top and bottom.
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CARPET CARE GUIDE
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Removal of Spots
and Spills
Suggested items
A good checklist to
handle spots and spills should include the following items.
Do not use any household cleaners other than those listed here,
since many household products contain chemicals that may permanently
damage your carpet.
-
A solution of a mild
liquid detergent (no more than 1/4 teaspoon of detergent to 32 ounces
of water). A clear, nonbleach liquid dish washing detergent such as
Dawn, Joy, or clear Ivory is recommended. Do not use detergents which
are cloudy or creamy because they may leave a sticky residue.
-
A solution of white
vinegar and water (1 part vinegar to 1 part water)
-
White cloths, white
paper towels.
-
An ammonia solution
of one tablespoon of ammonia to one cup of water. Do not use on wool.
-
Non-oily nail polish
remover.
-
Chewing gum remover
(freeze or solid type).
-
Non-flammable spot
remover specifically for grease, oil, or tar, such as Carbona, Energine,
or K2R.
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General Instructions
Note: Prompt attention
to spots and spills is essential.
Remove as much of
food spills as possible by scraping gently with a spoon or dull knife.
Absorb wet spills as quickly as possible by blotting repeatedly with
white paper or cloth towels.
Always blot; never
rub or scrub abrasively, as a fuzzy area may result. When blotting,
work from the outer edge in toward the center of the spot to avoid
spreading the spill.
Always follow up
with water to remove detergent or residue that may become sticky and
cause rapid re-soiling.
Draw out any remaining
moisture by placing several layers of white towels over the spot and
weighing them down with a heavy object that will not transfer color.
Stain Removal Procedures
The following recommendations
are for spot cleaning. The numbers are keyed to the stain, and all instructions
should be used in the recommended sequence. Some stains are marked PRO,
indicating that professional knowledge and equipment are necessary.
A. Water Soluble
Stains. Absorb as much as possible with white towels. Blot the stained
area with white towels dampened with cool water until there is no more
transfer of the stains onto the towel.
If any of the stain remains, use the detergent previously described.
Spray lightly onto the spot and blot repeatedly with white towels, working
from the outer edge in toward the center of the spot to avoid spreading.
Rinse thoroughly by spraying with clean water, and then blot or extract.
Do not use too much detergent because the residue will contribute to
rapid re-soiling.
- As in A above, but before using detergent, apply the white vinegar solution
to a white towel and blot onto spot.
- As in A but
before using detergent, apply a household ammonia solution to a
white towel and blot onto spot. Do not use on wool or wool-blend
carpet. Rinse as in A..
B. Oil Based Stains. Blot as much as
possible with white towels. Apply the special oil and grease spot
remover to a paper towel and repeat blotting. (Protective gloves should
be worn, as the solvent will quickly remove oils from the skin and
could result in irritation.) Do not pour or spray directly on the
carpet pile, as damage to the backing or adhesive underneath could
result; use the towels to transport the solvent to the carpet. Repeat
as much as necessary. Ventilate.
Follow up with procedures in A.
C. Freeze
stains such as chewing gum and candle wax with ice or a commercially
available product in an aerosol can. Shatter with a blunt object and
vacuum before the chips soften. Follow up with solvent as in Oil Based
Stains above.
PRO = Professionally
Clean.
Specific Stain Removal
Procedures
Stain |
Removal
Procedure |
Stain |
Removal
Procedure |
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| Alcholic
Beverages |
A |
Asphalt |
B,
PRO |
| Beer |
A |
Betadine |
PRO |
| Berries |
A |
Blood,
wet |
A |
| Blood,
Dry |
A-2 |
Butter |
A |
| Chewing
Gum |
C |
Chocolate |
A-2 |
| Coffee |
A-1,
PRO |
Cola Drinks |
A |
| Cosmetics |
A,
B |
Wine |
A-2 |
| Crayon |
B |
Deicer
(calcium chloride) |
Vacuum,
A |
| Excrement |
A |
Food Dyes |
A |
| Furniture
Polish |
A,
B, PRO |
Grease
(Auto) |
B,
PRO |
| Grease,
Food |
A |
Ink (ball
point) |
B,
PRO |
| Ink (permanent) |
B,
PRO |
Ink (Washable) |
A,
PRO |
| Lipstick |
B |
Milk |
A |
| Mud |
A |
Mustard |
A |
| Nail Polish |
Polish
Remover |
Paint -
Latex, wet |
A |
| Paint,
Latex, Dry |
B |
Paint -
Oil-based |
B,
PRO |
| Rust |
PRO |
Tea |
A |
| Urine |
A-1,
PRO |
Vomit |
A-1 |
| Wax |
C |
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Warning: Certain
products found in most homes can cause irreparable damage to your carpet.
Bleaches, tile cleaners, mildew removers, oven cleaners, and drain openers
are very strong chemicals that can discolor or dissolve carpet fibers.
Acne medications containing benzoyl peroxide, a very powerful bleach,
are capable of permanently damaging your carpet and most other fabrics
as well.
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