Evolution of Carpet Cleaning & Repair

From area rugs to wall to wall carpet and back again, find out how carpet cleaning and repair has changed over the years:

Early 1950s- Area rugs were in popular demand and the wealthy would swap those rugs out seasonally. As such, cleaning facilities had to be large enough to store these rugs regardless of the season.

Late 1950s - Wall-to-wall became popular as area rugs started fading out, but since portable equipment for cleaning rugs wasn’t developed yet - cleaners had to rip up carpet and bring it in for cleaning. The downside? This created problems with shrinkage when trying to reinstall the carpet. The solution? Equipment was developed to clean wall-to-wall in place.

1970s - Carpet fibers made a change for the better. Olefin, a synthetic fiber, replaced nylon. Then polyester came into the picture, which could be dyed in various colors. Carpet fiber makers began to warranty the product instead of the carpet mills.

1980s - With mold becoming a major health concern, it lead popularity back to hardwood floors. Consequently, area rugs became common in homes again.

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Whether you have area rugs or wall-to-wall carpets in your home, the textile specialists at Triple S provide professional cleaning services. We have three main plant locations:

Stamford Plant | 400 West Main Street

Norwalk Plant | 337 Westport Avenue

Stratford Plant | 1800 Stratford Avenue

Expert Tips for Preventing Permanent Fabric Stains

Afraid of spills and accidents? While your answer may be yes, that’s no reason to avoid that beige carpet you always wanted.

Oils often adhere tenaciously to fibers, building up and becoming a physical part of the fabric - but DON’T PANIC! By taking immediate action, this can be easily avoided. See below for our expert tips on spills and spot removal:

1. Blot up spills. Using a clean white absorbent material, immediately soak up the spill.

2. Pre-test spot removal formulas. Before using a new formula, test a small amount on a not-so-noticeable area of the fabric. Put a few drops of formula on each color in the fabric and examine the results. If dye has bled into the absorbent material and cause a color change, call a professional ASCR member cleaner for advice.

3. Do not over-wet. Problems can arise from using large amounts of formulas. Work with small amounts of formulas and blot frequently. Avoid rubbing or brushing the fabric.

4. Work from the outer edge toward the center of the stain. For best results, follow this essential rule.

5. Have patience. Some stains respond slowly.

Need further assistance maintaining clean fabrics? Call the specialists at Triple S! We have three main plant locations:

Stamford Plant | 400 West Main Street

Norwalk Plant | 337 Westport Avenue

Stratford Plant | 1800 Stratford Avenue 

For more cleaning tips and updates, connect with us on social media! 

How to Remove Fresh Pet Urine Stains on Your Carpet

You love your cats and dogs but you're probably not fond of the urine stains they accidentally leave behind on your carpet. The good news is that if you catch the urine stain while it's still fresh, not dried into the carpet, you can follow these few steps to clean it right up.

The most important thing is that you dilute the urine and get it out of the carpet.

1. Use water to blot the spot with a white absorbent material. Your best bet would be a cotton towel. Continue to wet the towel with more water and blot until no more urine is being removed. 
2. Only at this point can you now use your store bought bacteria-enzyme pet urine remover to clean out the remaining urine or odor. 
3. If you don't have a pet urine remover, use the following as a back up:
1. Clean the area with a diluted neutral detergent. 
2. Take a tablespoon of household ammonia to a 1/2 cup of water and blot until no more urine is removed. 
3. Neutralize with 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts of water and blot the area. 
4. Blot up any remaining moisture by pressing or padding the area with the absorbent white towel and weight it down. Allow to dry for 6 hours. 

Important Notes:

• Always test your spotting solution in an inconspicuous area.
• Urine stains may cause permanent dye removal from fibers.
• Urine could have penetrated the carpet and may have contaminated your under padding. Cutting and replacing this section of pad is best.
• If you need help, you can find a IICRC certified carpet cleaner in your area by going to www.iicrc.org.

Triple S Carpet & Drapery Cleaners is located in Connecticut with three main plant locations:

Stamford Plant | 400 West Main Street

Norwalk Plant | 337 Westport Avenue

Stratford Plant | 1800 Stratford Avenue

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Spring Cleaning Chores for the Pros

The first official day of spring is just two short weeks away and we know that means everyone is beginning to think-up and draft a list of their must do spring cleaning chores.

Whether you use cleaning as your therapy or are just hoping to quickly check it all off, there are a few main chores you shouldn't be doing because you're better off calling in a professional to do so.

Washing Windows. Without the help of a professional, washing windows quickly turns into a multi-day project. For just one bundled cost, a professional window washer will typically clean the inside and outside of the windows, the screens, the sills and maybe even protect nearby floors and furnishings at no extra cost.

Restoring Hardwood Floors. Professional cleaning can give your hardwood floors a clean deeper and fresher than you, as a homeowner, can achieve with a mop. A commercial-strength clean and polish can typically be applied to up to 500 square feet of your flooring in under an hour.

Carpet Cleaning. That's where we come in! In-home carpet cleaning is not all that easy to do, making it a good spring cleaning task to hand over to a professional. At Triple S, our machinery and cleaners can tackle dirt and build-up throughout the entire depth of carpet fibers - not just on the surface. Completing these services at least once or twice a year extends the lifetime of your rugs and carpets and improves the overall indoor air quality of your home.

Once carpet cleaning becomes the next item on your spring cleaning chore list, give the textile specialists at Triple S a call. We have three main plant locations:

Stamford Plant | 400 West Main Street

Norwalk Plant | 337 Westport Avenue

Stratford Plant | 1800 Stratford Avenue

For cleaning tips and updates, connect with us on social media!

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Choosing the Right Carpet for Your Home

At Triple S Carpet & Drapery Cleaners we understand that carpet can be costly and regular maintenance is part of the investment. Whether you're looking to add warmth and comfort to your home or protect small children when they slip, fall and crawl, you probably don't know where to begin when it comes to your carpet shopping checkpoints.

Here's a few tips:

Start with style. Depending on whether you are carpeting a high or low-traffic area, one carpet style might be better than another. Plush, for example, is very soft and comfortable but foot prints and vacuum marks will show up easily. Berber, on the other hand, is extremely durable and might be best for a children's bedroom or playroom.

Consider price. Each time you shop ask for pricing of the materials and installation separately. This can help you make the most of your budget.

Choose your provider. A reputable establishment that specializes in carpeting will more likely provide you with a quality carpet than other places or stores. Just like with an HVAC technician or a plumber, the quality of the installation is just as, if not more important than the product itself.

Understand the maintenance needs. Make sure to discuss with your salesperson the upkeep requirements that come with the carpet type you are looking to buy. You may love the look and feel of its beauty now, but if you aren't willing to put time and effort in, it may wear out much quicker than anticipated.

Think about design. Are you looking for this carpet to last through a series of furniture upgrades? Do you want the look and feel of this room to be vibrant or relaxing? Keep all of your intentions and desires in mind when choosing patterns and colors for your carpet or rug.

Are you way past the selection step and have carpets that need a deep cleaning or refresh? Triple S Carpet & Drapery Cleaners has three main plant locations:

Stamford Plant | 400 West Main Street

Norwalk Plant | 337 Westport Avenue

Stratford Plant | 1800 Stratford Avenue

Connect with us on social media for more service updates and information:

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What is ProSeal Fabric Protector?

Looking for a way to keep carpets clean while they are still brand new? What about a way to prevent common dirt and build up that would otherwise age your carpet?

ProSeal fabric protector is a formula of fluoropolymers and co-polymers that can be applied to new or freshly cleaned furnishings for protection. Even the most delicate textiles can be kept in spotless condition.

ProSeal works by creating a bonded seal around each individual carpet fiber without causing texture change or discoloration. This one product can protect your carpet from top to bottom against accidental spills, color fading and other common wears and tears.

What textiles can ProSeal be applied to? Just about everything! Go ahead and use this fabric protector on any of the following products:

• Upholstery
• Oriental rugs
• Tapestry 
• Drapery
• Bedspreads

Made from any of the following materials:

• Velvet
• Velour
• Suede
• Wool
• Silk
• Cotton
• Rayon 
• Sisal 
• Nylon
• Duck
• Bamboo

Ready to get your ProSeal fabric protector? Triple S Carpet & Drapery Cleaners has three main plant locations:

Stamford Plant | 400 West Main Street

Norwalk Plant | 337 Westport Avenue

Stratford Plant | 1800 Stratford Avenue

Connect with us on social media for more service updates and information:

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The Cause of Static in Your Rug or Carpet

Have you ever brushed your foot across your rug or carpet and experienced a snap or shock you weren't expecting? This static in your textiles is caused by the friction between your socks or shoes and the carpet and is made possible by the dry and cold conditions a Northeast winter can cause.

Connecticut and the surrounding states have certainly experienced quite the opposite of a mild winter this year. As a result, humidity has been extremely low making way for such static conditions.

While static charge will vary with different carpet types, overall, it is more likely to occur in harsh weather conditions like these. Electrons create a negative static charge when you touch something (such as your carpet). The electrons then transfer to your socks or shoes generating the small electric shock you experience. This can be specifically troublesome in office spaces with computers.

Some carpets have antistatic agents built into the fiber, but you can also purchase antistatic products to spray on others. The best solution, however, is to add humidity to your home or office with the help of a humidifier. Moisture in the air can carry off a static charge as it is formed.

We know that static isn't the only concern when it comes to your rug or carpet. For information on carpet cleaning services, spot removal and more, visit our website.

Triple S Carpet & Drapery Cleaners has three main plant locations:

Stamford Plant | 400 West Main Street

Norwalk Plant | 337 Westport Avenue

Stratford Plant | 1800 Stratford Avenue

Connect with us on social media for more service updates and information:

Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Google+ Stamford - Google+ Norwalk - Google+ Stratford

4 Main Types of Carpet Fiber

Shopping around for a new carpet? Along with a lot of other carpet factors, you're going to have to decide on what kind of fiber will best suit your home.

Keep in mind that no one fiber is truly the "best." It's a matter of opinion and depends on what you're looking for. Use our guide below to choose.

Wool
This is actually the only natural fiber used in carpeting today! The rest are synthetic materials formulated by chemists. Since wool is scarce it can also be a bit more expensive. To offset these expenses, wool is often mixed with synthetic fibers to create a wool blend.

Advantages: Soft and luxurious; cleans well; hypo-allergenic
Disadvantages: Stains easily; heavier in weight

Nylon
Today this fiber is stain resistant and occupies the largest market share out of the man-made fibers. Plus, it is very resilient and cleans easily. Lastly, it has low levels of static.

Polyester
Most polyester carpets are created from recycled bottles, making it one of the greenest carpet alternatives available. Typically costing less than nylon, it is still stain resistant, cleans well and is static-free.

Unlike nylon, however, polyester carpets don't have a tendency to "bounce back," making furniture marks more difficult to remove.

Triexa 
Increasingly popular over recent years, triexa is very stain and fade resistant. Also priced lower than nylon, it is resilient but does not handle oil spills well.

Already an owner of a carpet you love? Show it some more love with an on-site carpet cleaning from the textile specialists at Triple S. We have three main plant locations:

Stamford Plant | 400 West Main Street

Norwalk Plant | 337 Westport Avenue

Stratford Plant | 1800 Stratford Avenue

Connect with us on social media for more service updates and information:

Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Google+ Stamford - Google+ Norwalk - Google+ Stratford