100% Recycled Plastic Carpet.

100% Recycled Plastic Carpet

Sounds good, Well Maybe

Some carpets on the market today are made from 100% recycled soda bottles (PET).  PET fibers offer very distinct advantages (so say the manufacturers).  Among the advantages they list are

1.     Superior and Permanent Stain Resistance

2.     Strength and Abrasion Resistance

3.     Permanent Static Resistance

4.     Rich True Colors

5.     Low Moisture Absorption

Because recycled plastic is in products such as seat belts and tire cords it must meet federal strength requirements that are not applied to other fibers used in the production of carpet.  And it is claimed that 100% recycled carpet is competitively priced with standard nylon carpet.  100% recycled pad is also offered to go with the recycled carpet.

Sounds good.  However, as a carpet cleaner I have noticed other distinct differences that you may not be aware of.

When people get their carpets cleaned they expect the carpet to look pretty much like it did when it was installed.  And while that might be the case for a few cleanings, this will not continue indefinitely. 

Of course the driving force behind getting this type of carpet was that it is made from recycled products.  Good for the environment, right?  Not so fast.  Some products that have been envisioned as being made from recycled products should not be.  And a case in point is carpet. 

Carpet is unique in that it is subject to a lot of wear and tear.  We walk on it we drag stuff on it, track in dirt from outside onto it and our pets play and sleep and sometimes have accidents on it.  So it takes a lot of use and abuse. 

So what is the result?  The carpet fibers scratch, fray, crack and retain scuff marks.  As this happens over time the wear patterns become more visible and the plastic begins to change the color.  Whites become  gray and colors take on a muted shade.  And believe it or not, dirt becomes trapped in the cracks and scrapes and breaks of the fibers and it is very difficult to get out.  It can be removed but the carpet fibers are further broken down.  The carpet is clean and it can be scotch guard treated again but the discoloring and the wear will remain. 

I have cleaned many such recycled carpets and the customer is always amazed at how clean I am able to get them and they do look much better.  But they do not look new and the wear pattern remains and the discolored areas remain. 

We use a special carpet cleaning machine that has scrubbers on it that really give the carpet a good cleaning.  We are able to dislodge the trapped dirt.  It really is the best cleaning they will ever get.

So what is my point?  When I let people know that their carpet is made from recycled plastic soda bottles I get one of two reactions

A.     Wonderful, it is good for the planet.

B.     Oh no, now what?

Several very high end homes have 100% recycled carpet.  But it does wear out faster.  Not that you can wear holes in it.  It just breaks down and looks worn.  Do you remember the “Double Knit Polyester pants?”

I do and we thought, ”WOW! These will never wear out or fade. “

But they did show wear. As Ron Rader of Kleensmart Carpet Cleaning laughed and chuckled “ Kinda formed to our body parts, Permanent.”  The fabric “Pilled” and would pick and get pulled.  The only way you could destroy them was by fire.  Well 100% recycled plastic carpet is much the same, “In my opinion”. 

Please be assured that the carpet can be cleaned cleaner that most other fiber carpets because it is stain resistant and will not absorb moisture as much as other fibers and it is tough as nails.

Kleensmart Carpet Cleaning can get your carpets the cleanest they have ever been, Including 100% recycled plastic carpet.  So give us a try.

Visit our facebook site (www.facebook.com/Ron.Rader.146) and learn about us.  You can email us at (kleensmartcarpetcare@gmail.com) to ask questions or book and estimate.

As always “Success in carpet cleaning” for you.

Ken Rader

Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C.

Ken Rader Interiors is partnering with Kleensmart Carpet Cleaning.

www.kenraderinteriors.com  for all your painting needs.

Visit our facebook page at www.facebook.com/ken.rader.interiors

How to Achieve A Traditional Look In Your House

 How To Achieve A Traditional Look In Your House by Sarika Kabra If you want to achieve a formal look for your house, consider decorating it in a traditional style. This is the kind of decor that can stay timeless and beautiful. The Victorian look has never really gone out of style even if the arcane beliefs and systems have. The 18th and 19th century decoration in Europe totally focused on ornamentation. Opulence exuded from every furniture and decorative item. Intricate carvings and rich fabrics were the chief features of this type of decoration.

This article will take you through simple ways to get a traditional look for your house. One of the most important things to consider is color, which in traditional style must never be too bright or gaudy. The colors are supposed to be neutral in most cases. For those who want to bring it up a notch, jewel based tones can be great too. In traditional decoration, wallpaper can be used in very creative ways. You can let your imagination run wild with the pattern on wallpaper. Pretty flowers, large fruits, entwined vines, or just simple stripes - the lack of experimentation in color can be made up with the varied availability of wall paper styles.

The next thing to pay attention to is the fabric, which is always expected to be rich and luxurious in traditional decor. You could use velvets and brocades for curtains and covers for the living room furniture. You can make the draperies over the windows as elaborate as your budget allows you to be. Sheer curtains with many draped layers are common in traditional looks. You can use patterned fabric for the furniture items like sofa sets. Also, pillow covers and bed sheets can be made of rich fabrics. Beautifully decorated ornate pillows can be added to sofas to add to the formal look. In general velvets and other ornate fabrics can quickly transform a room from drab to fabulous.

The furniture used in traditional decorations is very artistic. There are many types and styles of traditional furniture to choose from. Most of these furniture pieces have intricate crafting and fine detailing. These furniture pieces are made of wood like mahogany, walnut or rosewood. The ornate styles and curved legs of the furniture make it distinct from the other items available in the furniture shops. Most of the bedroom furniture pieces will be very heavy due to the large size and use of heavy wood.

There are many types of decorative pieces that give a regal look to any room. Mirrors with detailed frames are regularly used in traditional decor. Portraits framed elegantly and still life paintings add to the sophistication of the look. Many other types of accessories like statues, tapestries and flower vases can be used to add to the formal look.

A fabulous article, I am always searching for articles with information that is useful and informative.  I hope this gives you assistance in decorating.

As always “Happy Painting”

Ken  (www.kenraderinteriors.com)    (www.facebook.com/ken.rader.interiors)

Home Decorating Tips

Is anyone into home decorating and want to redecorate your living space? You may feel a little overwhelmed. Home decorating is not going to come easy to most people, but there are lots of television shows and online sites that can present you with help. Improve your home, follow these tips.

1.  Know What You Would Like From Your Room

Home decorating might get confusing should you not understand specifically what you want from the room you are designing. The first step will be to recognize what you would like from the room. Do you want that it is a play room, a formal lounge, or a media room? Would you like your kitchen to be a chef's kitchen or an eat-in kitchen?

Do you want your bedroom to simply be a place to sleep, or would you like it to be a haven? In addition, a part of knowing what you need from the room will be, “knowing who will be in the room.” You will want to bear in mind whom lives in your home and who frequents the room. For instance, for those who have young toddlers, you do not want expensive glass pieces inside a formal living room. In the event you only have one large living space, you most likely do not want a formal room at all when you have a youngster. Rather, you'd need a more relaxed, comfortable living space.

2. Pick One Piece of furniture

Room’s can get cluttered when you have too many important pieces in the room that you'll be trying to focus on. Instead, try having one main piece that focuses the entire room. Just be sure you keep the size of the room in mind. When you have a small bedroom, you do not want a sizable 4 post king sized bed.

While the piece may well be stunning, it is just too large to actually create a good home decorating impact on your bedroom. Home decorating is all about taste.  Look for a focal piece that basically fits in your room and also makes a statement.

3. Be Careful

Home decorating is about being fresh and new. Trends may very well be fun to follow and add some life as well as interest to your home, try not to follow them exclusively. If your home decorating is dependent on fads, inside only a couple of years, your home will be outdated. Instead, stay with traditional ideas that you simply freshen up with bright colors.

If you follow these three tips, you will possess home decorating skills that will serve you well.

Happy decorating and painting

I LIKE POPCORN BUT NOT ON THE CEILING

 REMOVAL OF POPCORN CEILING TEXTURE

So your ceilings are textured with popcorn style texture. It used to be the rage. How to get it off and then what to do.
Most ceiling TEXTURE will scrape off if they are wet. Take a garden sprayer (pump up) and really wet the ceiling down. Of course you will need to cover everything since gravity is working against you. Use the scraper blade as flat as you can while scraping. The sharper the angle the more damage will be done. Take your time and make sure the surface is very wet. The texture will absorb most of the water. This is very messy. Once all of the texture is off and I mean all of it, let the surface dry and make any repairs that are needed. Sometimes the sheet rock tape will come loose. Just mud it back or put new on it. The fiberglass mesh tape is the easiest to use. If you have some cracks in the ceiling please use paper tape as the fiberglass is prone to show hairline cracks when dry. Then you will need to texture. This requires considerable skill and the right tools. To make the job look right the best is to hire the professional.  However, for the DIY's you can buy a texture hopper at your local Lowes or The Home Depot. Buys some sheet rock mud in a box (usually about 50lbs.) Put it in a 5 gallon bucket and add some water. Enough water to make it pretty thin.  Pour this into the hopper, connect the hopper to a compressor that will provide at least 40 lbs of pressure at a steady rate.  Most hoppers have the ability to adjust the hopper to point at the ceiling without spilling it out. With a little practice you will soon get the feel for an even texture.  It does need to be consistent to look good.  Keep the hopper moving.  This does weigh a bit much so have your strong brawny man do this if you are a woman.  Holding about 30 lbs above your head for a bit will let you know how strong you really are.  This is not meant to discourage you, just let you know what is ahead of you. Let the texture dry overnight.  Now you are ready for primer and paint.  A light orange peel or knockdown style texture can usually be rolled and brushed.  One coat of primer (Latex- BullEye 1-2-3 or Glidden Gripper are the best) and Two coats of paint will be needed.  And VIOLA!!!  A  BEAUTIFUL NEW CEILING!!!!!
On the next Blog we will talk about stripping off that ugly wallpaper (Why did I like that?)
Thanks
Ken
Please feel free to visit our web site (www.kenraderinteriors.com)  Lots of good stuff and things there.

What we will talk about

Welcome to all.  We are new to the blogging community.  Still learning with each passing day.  I have made 2 blogs and so I feel like the new kid on the block.  Hope you have found them helpful.  We will be posting updates on our House Renovation project.  We will also blog about all kinds of painting, wallpapering and textures.  You name it .  If it has to do with painting we will eventually consider it.  Types of paints, quality of paints, tools to use, tools not to use.   Next week we will have a guest blog from my wife.  She has been in the decorating business for many years.  She has been a color consultant and interior decorator on hundreds of projects.  Therefore, she is well qualified to talk about what colors are in and where to use them.  Example, back in the 80's people fell in love with 'Burgundy".  Well people still say "I like burgundy" .  This color has changed in the last 3 decades.  It is still called burgundy but it is different.  People have to be sold on the new color.  It is up to date.  Well the same is true will lots and lots of colors.  In the 90's people started to demand more vibrant colors and in order to meet the demand the paint manufacturers started using acrylic base to start the paint color with.  Acrylic is clear so your reds, blues and greens were more vibrant and seemed to be alive. Thus all color have changed over the years even though they may be named an old color.  So. the need for some direction.  Most people think that they can pick colors just fine.  'I know what I like and that's that'.  So tune in next week and she will present a couple of blogs that will give you some direction and good advise.  Stay tuned