Hard Surface Flooring = Rugs

Area Rug Sales Have Skyrocketed in Recent Months

The trend towards hard surface flooring in the residential environment continues to grow. Wood, laminate, ceramic, and stone are all making a big hit. There are a variety of reasons that consumers are choosing hard surface flooring over carpeting. Unfortunately, one big reason is that too many consumers are not able to successfully maintain their carpeting. Others just find it easier to maintain a hard surface, while some just like the look of a hard surface better. There are some incredible types of flooring available today. There are many colors and styles to choose from. I personally have ceramic tile in the foyer, kitchen, and hallways, hardwood floors in the living room and dining room, and carpeting in the bedrooms and the den. The different types of flooring all blend beautifully together, but each one creates an original atmosphere for the particular room that you are in. Of course I have to clean the carpets in the den much more than in the bedrooms, but my wife and I really like the softer feel of carpet in our main living area.

So what does this trend mean to carpeting? It seems that carpet production continues to grow which means that many consumers and business owners are installing carpets as well as hard flooring. Carpet is definitely not dead. Not by a long shot. There are still many applications in which carpeting is simply the best choice. I have three children ages seven and under and I can’t imagine not being able to get down on my den carpet and horse around with them. My knees simply wouldn’t be able to take crawling around on marble with three crazy boys piling onto my back. I also personally feel there are many businesses that greatly reduce slip and fall accidents by having carpets as opposed to tile. I also rented a condo once when I was on vacation that had nothing but ceramic tile throughout the unit. I would speculate that they were trying to save money on maintaining the units, but what about the negative customer feelings? I for one will never go back to that particular vacation property.

A fact realized by many hard surface owners is the need for rugs. Some homeowners for example, have discovered that their home is not as quiet as when they had carpeting. Installing a few rugs provides more “absorption” of sound. Some floors simply do not look good without rugs. This of course varies from location to location. There are also situations in which having a rug under a desk or a table is much more comfortable to the homeowner. As a result of these realizations, rug styles and numbers are increasing as well. Rug sales have continued to climb dramatically (much more than carpet) along with hard flooring sales. Many consumers have a passion for rugs. Rugs can be quaintly simple or intricately beautiful, rugged or fine, expensive or inexpensive. Some even say that a room without a rug is like a kiss without a hug!

With so many types of rugs and the extreme range of prices, it is very important to think through what type of rug will fit your environment. Just like carpeting, there are a few issues to think through when choosing a rug. You want to ensure that the fiber is going to fit your lifestyle and that the style of the rug fits your home. Unfortunately, many do not realize their need for a rug until the hard flooring is installed. Consequently their budget did not allow for a nice rug. The end result is that they have a great floor with a cheap rug on it.

It is also imperative that one realizes what it takes to maintain a rug properly. Carpet cleaners are currently faced with more rug cleaning than ever and most are not qualified to clean rugs. Miracle Machine continues to educate and inform both our technicians and our clients to ensure that we continue to bring you top quality rug cleaning as well as cutting edge information. Call us with your rug questions or to make your appointment and we will put our passion for rugs to work for you. 

Has a Ruthless Thief Stolen Your Identity?

Have you ever experienced the humiliation and anger of having your wallet stolen and your credit card used fraudulently? Well, there’s a new more sinister crime on the rise. It’s called “identity theft.” Identity theft is more common than you might think. Much worse than a simple stolen wallet, identity thieves use stolen credit card receipts, driver’s license numbers, and bank or social security information to assume someone’s complete identity. They then use all of this information to obtain credit cards, driver’s licenses, and cellular telephones, or even to purchase cars and houses. Then, they skip out on the bills and heavy obligations they create, leaving the victim to deal with the collection agencies and the horrible credit problems.

The Federal Trade Commission says awareness and concern about identity theft is on the rise. FTC officials told a Senate panel that the volume of calls from worried consumers to its identity theft hotline (1-877-ID-THEFT) has doubled in the last six months. “The fear of identity theft has gripped the public as few consumer issues have,” says Jodie Bernstein, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, as she testified before the Subcommittee on Technology, Terrorism, and Government Information. Bernstein said the number of calls to the FTC’s hotline was running around 800 to 850 a week. She said that more than half the callers complained that a stranger had opened a credit card account in their name. Other callers complained of telephone or utility service connected in their name.

Other, potentially more costly scams included the opening of checking accounts and applications for auto loans made using the caller’s identity. Some have even purchased homes using the victim’s identity. Authorities advise these victims to take a series of actions once they discover that their identities have been pinched – including closing bank accounts, terminating credit card accounts, and sending letters to credit bureaus, banks, and driver’s license bureaus. It’s best to terminate the entire relationship with a bank or credit card company, and inform them of the situation. Some high-tech means of foiling identity thieves are under development – including computerized verification of fingerprints, voices, eyes, and electronic signatures, which were officially confirmed as a recognized legal signature by the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act signed into law.

But there’s nothing like old-fashioned awareness and prevention on the part of consumers to go a long way towards reducing the occurrence of this fraud. ♣



Caring For Your Carpet

Keeping Your Carpet Looking Like New

You love the look and feel of your carpet. And you love the way the color complements the other furnishings in the room. So, how do you protect your carpet and keep it looking like new for years to come? The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) offers the following tips to prolong the beauty and life of your carpet:

1.  Keep walkways and entries clean. Sweep, blow, vacuum, or rinse soil away from your home’s entry area often.

2.  Use walk-off mats at all entrances. This will prevent dirt from being tracked inside and soiling carpets and rugs.

3.  Vacuum regularly. Vacuum at least twice weekly in high-traffic areas and weekly in other areas to remove dust and particle soil. Use high quality equipment with high efficiency vacuum filter bags, replaced when 2/3 full for best results. (We currently have a commercially-rated Powr-Flite HEPA vacuum cleaner available for $399. If you would like a two-week in-home demo call us at 454-1705.)

4.  Treat spills immediately. Try plain water first and then a mild cleaning solution, such as one teaspoon of clear hand dishwashing liquid to eight ounces of water. Always test in an inconspicuous location first to ensure that discoloration does not occur. (We also have a professional carpet and upholstery spotting kit available as well as a pet urine spotting kit. Both sell for $22 and the former one comes with unlimited free refills! Call the office at 454-1705 for details.)

5.  After treating spills with a mild solution, gently blot with a clean, white cloth. Rubbing may cause damage to the carpet fibers. Continue blotting until the spill is removed or until no more of the spill is being transferred to the cloth.

6.  Rinse away all cleaning agents. Mist the carpet with plain water to remove the cleaning agents. Blot dry with a fresh cloth. This will prevent discoloration or rapid soiling.

7.  Have carpet professionally cleaned annually. I’m sure you already knew this one!