7 Little-Known Hacks For Keeping Carpets Clean

The cleaning of carpets, just as every other cleaning task you can think of, has more than its fair share of secret hacks, tips, and tricks, many of which are well-known by those who work as professional carpet cleaners. That is not to say professional cleaning companies such as Perth Home Cleaners will always use these hacks, as they will more likely rely on tried and tested professional carpet cleaning methods.

However, for everyone else, the carpet cleaning hacks which exist can be handy because not only can they help you keep your carpets cleaner than otherwise, but they can also be the difference between a stain ruining a carpet and you being able to remove that stain, or at least minimising its effect until you can call in a professional carpet cleaner to obliterate it.

There are carpet cleaning hacks for all kinds of carpets, and many relate to specific stains. We will list several of them and note that we have not put them in any order of preference or effectiveness. Read through them, and report any that appeal to you.

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Joe's Home Improvements
Hardwood Timber Floor

Here’s the Wood on Wood

Your Friend, the Floor

Do you ever talk to a floor? It’s not silly because a hardwood timber floor is a living thing. You can say: “Hello friend” when you see your foot every morning. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with wood floors? They’re the best. Folks have been using wooden planks as flooring for centuries, and from observation, no one seems to be changing their mind. Indeed, some things never go out of style.

Standards Used in the Flooring Industry

If you ask any professional timber suppliers, they will let you know that wооdеn flооrѕ соmе іn ѕtrірѕ, рlаnkѕ аnd tiles.

How much timber flooring do you need? Measure the area of the space.

Species: Wood vаrіеѕ grеаtlу іn how it looks and depends on the species оf trее frоm which it is cut. Thе mоѕt common vаrіаntѕ іnсludе оаk, maple, bamboo, jarrah, blackbutt, birch аnd сhеrrу. There are some more exotic woods available if you ask. Each hаѕ dіffеrеnt соlоrѕ аnd grаіn patterns.

Cоlоr: Wood nаturаllу varies іn соlоr frоm light уеllоw tо dаrk brоwn, but іt can bе ѕtаіnеd and dyed any соlоr.

Grаіn: Different varieties and cuts of wооd will hаvе different раttеrnѕ іn thеіr grains. Sоmе wіll have mаnу knоtѕ, оthеrѕ will have intricate veins and striation.

Cut: Thеrе аrе a vаrіеtу оf cuts аvаіlаblе fоr wооd flооrѕ. Thе nаmе rеfеrѕ tо how the рlаnе wаѕ сut frоm thе timber lоg. Certain сutѕ waste mоrе wood frоm thе lоg and аrе more expensive. Because of hоw thе grаіn appears іn thе рlаnk, еасh cut rеѕultѕ in bоаrdѕ оf dіffеrеnt strength аnd appearance.

The Fitting Room

Apart from looking at the new flooring trends, it’s a good idea to talk about the basics. If you do not know how wooden flooring is installed, you should learn. We are talking about ‘tongue and groove.’ It may sound like a rather risqué move on a dance floor, but it is, in fact, a very clever, ingenious way that floorboards are fitted together. The boards used to be butted together, but as the boards dried and aged, huge gaps would appear, creating mini canyons filling with dirt.

Laying the Boards

The installation involves nailing the planks to a subfloor which might be plywood or particleboard. The nail should be hammered into the tongue, which is then covered by the next board. Invisible nails are the aim. To reduce sound, a membrane can be added under the boards. The ends of the board’s butt against the wall and any irregularities in length are covered with a bit of trim.

Different styles are available, and these can be wood panels in parquet-type patterns. Engіnееrеd wооd flооrѕ are аlѕо ѕtаndаrd nоw, and these look the same. You can’t tell the difference from solid hardwood; they are usually more robust and durable. Specific wood imitations are made from linoleum or ceramic tile and closely match the look of the natural timber flooring but are a lot cheaper. It’s worth exploring all the options.

Finding the perfect wooden floor for your project might involve a lot of online searching, but eventually, you will need to visit the supplier and see what you are buying in person. Photos rarely do justice to timber flooring.

Joe's Home Improvements
Recycled Timber

7 Hot Trends for Interior Fitouts

You don’t have to be an interior designer such as Sorgiovanni Interiors to make some trendy changes to your restaurant or cafe the next time it needs a fit-out.  Simply knowing what is trendy and incorporating it into your present decor is often enough to give your hospitality space an edge.  These days, so many people are interested in going green, being sustainable and saving the environment that they will even choose a cafe where they can see such themes in action.

So here are 7 hot trends some of which also incorporate sustainability, making your cafe of interest to many such patrons.

  • An open plan kitchen. This won’t suit every cafe model, but when it does the result is magical. People love to be able to see how chefs work, especially when they are creating meals with natural ingredients, all part of sustainability.
  • Using recycled materials somewhere in the building ensures that those who are into recycling will feel satisfied to know you are trying to conserve the earth’s resources. This can be as simple as finding used bricks to use as part-walls or for the front of your reception counter, or finding some distressed timber to add in for a counter or for ceiling beams or other decorative elements.

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Joe's Home Improvements