Put The Groove Back Into Your Rubber Floor | Art of Clean

Rubber floors have been synonymous for years with places which receive a high volume of traffic, such as the floors in public baths and the lobbies of commercial buildings but unlike floorboards and carpets, which are easily recognisable, rubber flooring goes unnoticed.

But next time you're on public transport, in the sports centre or on a family day out at the local amusements or doing a bit of retail therapy, look down at your feet and check out what your walking on.  I can almost guarantee it won't be carpet or floorboards, it will be some type of rubber.


Rubber has been, a great versatile material from its initial invention in 1839, by Charles Goodyear. and is used in a variety of different ways, it is a strong, yet soft and supple material and has many safety features and because of this was developed as a flooring material as it is also comfortable underfoot.

One thing that has always amused me about rubber floors is they have a retro appeal but is always a feature which is in fashion and on trend but slightly looks like the top of one big brick of lego.  Any connection?

 

This week the Art of Clean service technicians were cleaning an Altro rubber floor, in a converted school building, which explains the wild and wacky colour schemes.  The floors were about 30 years old and so there was a massive polyurethane build up.  The guys spent about 10 hours battling to remove the filth and grime.

Once the floors were cleaned and sealed.  It was an understatement to say our customers were impressed, wowed and lost for words with the results.

I think you would agree, what an amazing transformation.

Art of Clean is a specialist cleaning firm in: 

Wood Floor Sanding,

Stone floor Cleaning,

Carpet Cleaning,

Rug Cleaning,

Upholstery Cleaning 

Leather Furniture Cleaning, 

CLEANING PRODUCTS

Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information on our services contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or email us at info@artofclean.co.uk

Pile Reversal On Rugs

Art of Clean has already published an article about pile reversal on carpets.  Did you know, you can also get the same marks on rugs?

I don't like to be the bearer of bad news but unfortunately, any amount of cleaning will not rectify the problem.  The rug isn't dirty, although that's the appearance it is given.  Pile reversal or shading will appear in parts lighter than other parts of the rug and give the effect of a watermark.

As I mentioned in my previous blog post about pile reversal, this anomaly in thick pile rugs, could be the result of several reasons, such as a high volume in traffic or it could be floorboards or tiles from underneath the rug pushing up and causing an indentation.   When the rug is new, the tufts stand straight up but over time, the tufts are pushed and crushed in different directions, causing them the reflect light in different directions.

It's best to look out for these causes first and perhaps the rug could be moved to another area, where it doesn't receive so much wear and tear. Another reason could be the way the rug has been woven but officially it's not seen as an imperfection.

Rug Cleaning Cambridge, Art Of Clean, Pile Direction

Art of Clean is a specialist cleaning firm in: 

Wood Floor Sanding,

Stone floor Cleaning,

Carpet Cleaning,

Rug Cleaning,

Upholstery Cleaning 

Leather Furniture Cleaning, 

CLEANING PRODUCTS

Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information on our services contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or email us at info@artofclean.co.uk

EPA Warns of the Dangers of Dirty Carpets

Pet owners know that getting muddy paw stains out of carpets and rugs is a tough task at the best of times. However, when our four-legged friends traipse grime through our pristine hallways, it’s not just soil residue they’re carrying with them. Germs, bugs, mites and bacteria can get carried through as well, bringing hidden nasties from the outside into places we can’t even see. What’s worse, conventional cleaning methods – a good scrubbing with a damp cloth and elbow grease – won’t necessarily purify the surfaces beyond removing the visible mess. To cleanse the carpet of dangerous microbes, a deeper clean is necessary.

When it comes to rinsing carpets, professional cleaning companies are the most sanitary solution out there. With industrial equipment and the right know-how, specialist scrubbers can blitz away both visible dirt and invisible bugs through processes like steam cleaning, grooming and deep vacuum cleaning. Once they’re done, they can also apply protective sprays to the carpet, making it much harder for future grubs to sink deep into the fibres. In terms of protecting the inhabitants of a home from potential ailments, it’s always more effective to call in the pros.

The risk of developing illnesses from contact with dirty carpets is real. In 2016, the US Environmental Protection Agency announced that ‘80 percent of most people's exposure to pesticides occurs indoors.’ A major reason for such an alarming statistic, they say, is the tracking of contaminated soil and dust from outside through our homes via shoes, feet and animal paws. Such pollutants are then absorbed into carpets and rugs, which gradually release them over time. Indeed, elsewhere in 2016, Marnie Riches, a mother-of-two from Manchester, was deafened after her ear canals collapsed due to an allergic reaction to dust mite faeces in her carpet.

It’s understandable, therefore, that many are concerned about the dangers carpets pose to friends and loved ones. Young children playing at floor level, touching carpets with their hands and inhaling whatever toxins lie within, are put at greater risk by dirty fabrics than anyone else. In recent years, the growth in the cleaning industry as a whole has accompanied an upswing in public awareness about such dangers.

Still, a lot more can be done to counteract the risk. The thicker and older the carpet, the more likely it is to contain hidden dangers. However, illness prevention doesn’t necessarily mean you have to replace carpets like these altogether. Rather, it’s much cheaper to simply have them cleaned – ideally by trusted professionals. Just make sure this is done more regularly than it would be for thinner, newer mats. That way, you can be sure that people encountering your plush, cosy carpets and rugs are also kept safe, happy and well.

 Art of Clean is a specialist cleaning firm in: 

Wood Floor Sanding,

Stone floor Cleaning,

Carpet Cleaning,

Rug Cleaning,

Upholstery Cleaning 

Leather Furniture Cleaning, 

CLEANING PRODUCTS

Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information on our services contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or email us at info@artofclean.co.uk

Does your rug need to be clean before storing, transporting or shipping?

GREAT NEWS Honey! Our visas has been approved and we can finally get things ready for the move!

In exciting times like this you will unlikely think of smaller details like how your precious had knotted rugs will experience the journey to the new home far far away.

You have invested so much in these lovely rugs not to mention the time and sentimental value - The last thing is you want to expose them to harm though very few people think of storing transporting or shipping rugs correctly and only learn from their mistakes and then it is too late.

Having your fine handmade and area rugs thoroughly cleaned before storing or transport is very important and here is why:

Dirt build ups in rugs acts as a food source for bacteria and insects thus form the perfect environment for them to multiply.

Urine turns alkaline once dry and the bacteria that breaks it down produce alkaline gas in this process and this can case damage to the fabric of the rug.

This can be the perfect breeding ground for carpet moth as you do not know what your rug comes in contact with wile in storage or on the journey to your new home.

This is a rug we discovered stored in a cupboard for months - We did not know what we will find inside - our discovery shocked us to the core - see it for yourself

We have heard and seen countless horror stories of clients finding their inheritance or a cherished family heirloom rug, totally destroyed from bad storage procedures.

Rugs are unrolled and found riddled with moth or rodent holes, covered with mildew damage, moisture caused by dye migrations, or worse yet – pet urine or faeces stains that have faded the dyes and are set forever because the rugs were stored dirty and in uncontrolled heated storage environments.

DO NOT wrap your rugs in plastic. DO wrap your rugs in TYVEK or brown acid-free PAPER. Wool has a moisture content even when it is dry, so changes in heat can cause it to “sweat.”  Because of this you should NEVER wrap wool rugs in plastic or you will create a potential mildew problem.  Tyvek Paper is best (tear and water resistant).

Here is what to look out for when choosing a rug cleaning company:

How do they clean the rug?

Will they use an effective measure to remove dry soil from the rug (a commercial vacuum cleaner or a knock-off rug duster that they built themselves one Sunday afternoon is not the correct piece of equipment up to the task) - If they claim to have this equipment have you seen evidence of this - Maybe multiple videos or photos with them in the picture (careful that some so called rug cleaners attend a one day course take multiple pictures and videos while on the course posing with equipment only to return and clean rugs using a standard carpet cleaning machine)

When saturate cleaning (where the rug is submersed in water) will they have a centrifuge spinner to remove most of the water and hang it in a purpose built rug drying room - or do they clean it in their garage or on their driveway.

Do the rug cleaner offer an alternative means to wrap your rug (in Tyvek) when you mention you will be storing or transporting the rug? If not you need to ask yourself if they are truly the company for you.

Careful when wrapping the rug with moth repellent products inside the rug. This should not come in direct contact with the rug fibres as it can be harmful to your rug - Wrap moth repellent inside a cotton towel and then wrap this in the rug

Would you have any more questions about storing, transporting or shipping your rug safely contact us here at Art of Clean on 01223 863 632.

Art of Clean is a specialist cleaning firm in: 

Wood Floor Sanding,

Stone floor Cleaning,

Carpet Cleaning,

Rug Cleaning,

Upholstery Cleaning 

Leather Furniture Cleaning, 

CLEANING PRODUCTS

Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information on our services contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or email us at info@artofclean.co.uk

Advice on purchasing antique rugs

Antique rugs are beautiful and an eye catching accessory to your home.  Not only are they a practical piece of art that welcomes visitors to your home but they are also useful in protecting the floor below.  Once only available to the wealthy, and never intended to use on the floor, antique rugs have in more recent years become available to a broader spectrum of consumers.   When buying an antique rug, like with all art, you are making a financial investment.



How can you be sure of you are investing wisely?

Aesthetic appeal and quality greatly define the rugs worth, and will possibly be the primary connection you make with the item as you consider its potential in your home.  However the age of a rug is the indicator of its antiquity.  And this definition as Antique makes a significant difference to the value.

What is the defining age of an old rug before it transcend to the status of antique?

Principally, it is very difficult to determine the exact year the rug was made, so only a rough ageing is determined.  But with in-depth knowledge of the history of rug making a trained professional calculate an estimated date of production by the type, colour, size and style.  Like a wine connoisseur, a rug expert can “read” the rug: where the rug was woven, the language or dialect of the weaver, and often her religion. Generally, antique status is given to a rug that is determined to be over 100 years old.

When buying your rug it would be wise to perform some research to educate yourself on some of the key points in rug making history so that you can be prepared to question the seller on details about the rug, allowing you to make your own informed decision on your investment.

Art of Clean is a specialist cleaning firm in: 

Wood Floor Sanding,

Stone floor Cleaning,

Carpet Cleaning,

Rug Cleaning,

Upholstery Cleaning 

Leather Furniture Cleaning, 

CLEANING PRODUCTS

Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information on our services contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or email us at info@artofclean.co.uk

Hard wax oil or lacquer? Which one do I choose for my hardwood floor?

We have recently been contacted by a customer, enquiring about what finish she should use to protect her hard wood floors and I thought I would share with you our advice.

As this is quite a common question our customers ask us at Art of Clean, professional floor cleaners in Cambridge, the advice we gave was, it really depends on the type of finish you would like to achieve.  At Art of Clean we would normally discuss these options with you on our initial inspection of your wooden floor.

As hard wax oils contain a mixture of oil and wax, which completely saturates into your timber flooring, which means that no other liquid can be absorbed into your wooden floors.  So if you were to spill any drinks, accidentally tip up your bucket of cleaning water onto the surface then none of this would go into your lovely wooden floor.

The wax element of the hard wax oil, protects the surface from small scratches to the wood. Hard wax oil finishes are generally popular with our customer’s wooden floor cleaning requirements in and around Cambridge, as they are the easiest to maintain. The hard wax oil also comes in various shades and colours, and offers three different types of sheen finishes.

Lacquers on the other hand act in a slightly different way, rather than absorbing into the wooden surface of your floor, it will sit on the surface.

The type of lacquers we use at Art of Clean in Cambridge, have flexible qualities, so rather than drying into a solid rigid surface, the lacquer will flex with the timber when it is scratched or dented. This type of finish is harder to maintain, as although it is durable, if you need to touch up and scratches, it’s much harder. There are also only a two different types of finishes available too.

We realise at Art of Clean that it all comes down to a question of taste, and as hard wood flooring cleaning experts we will be happy to help you choose the most suitable finish for your hardwood floor, so why not give us a call on 01223 863632.
Looking for the most up-to-date advice? Read our updated blog on this topic "Why Are My Floorboards Shrinking?".

Art of Clean is a specialist cleaning firm in: 

Wood Floor Sanding,

Stone floor Cleaning,

Carpet Cleaning,

Rug Cleaning,

Upholstery Cleaning 

Leather Furniture Cleaning, 

CLEANING PRODUCTS

Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information on our services contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or email us at info@artofclean.co.uk

Reclaimed Teak Wood Flooring

Does your mind boogle when you look at the types of wood flooring there is available?  Beech, Oak, Pine, Bamboo, even reclaimed pallet wood, but I would like to talk about teak.

Teak wood is found predominantly in South East Asia and in particular, the country of Myanmar (Burma). A large amount of teak also grows in Africa.  Teak is a large, deciduous tree and has small, fragrant white flowers and papery leaves. Valuable for its durability, teak has been milled and fashioned into boat hulls, due to its durability, water resistance and ability to withstand almost every weather condition.

On a recent job, Ben and Jo found themselves with a really nice teak floor and staircase to sand and seal.  There was nothing horrible on it and so it was a very straight forward job.  It had been quite a while since the floor had been sanded and as such it was a joy to see the reveal. Using only the best products, that thick, oily surface gave way to a rich, golden base and later yielded to an enhancing re-oil.

Teak has that wonderful, mottled grain, that's toned and allows for light to reflect off it.  So when you have the opportunity to sand and enhance your floor and make the most of it.  Because of the natural oils, teak wood floors can be buffed to a high-gloss finish.

Art of Clean is an affiliate of The Ultimate Floor Sanding Company and professional wood floor sanders of all types of wooden flooring. Our goal is to reclaim and maintain delightful looking and working wooden floors around Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Essex. 

If you are in need of our services or simply have a question, call and we'll be happy to arrange a visit and give you a FREE, no obligation quote.

Art of Clean is a specialist cleaning firm in: 

Wood Floor Sanding,

Stone floor Cleaning,

Carpet Cleaning,

Rug Cleaning,

Upholstery Cleaning 

Leather Furniture Cleaning, 

CLEANING PRODUCTS

Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information on our services contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or email us at info@artofclean.co.uk