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

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

Create a lounge inspired living room

How much do you love to entertain friends and family in your home, but you think the entertaining rooms are too small?  Don’t worry, there are plenty of interior design tricks which can help you to create the living room of your dreams.

Even if you are on a budget, these goals can be achievable, you’ll just have to think about spending the money in the right places to get the biggest impact and the correct use of the space.

One of the biggest problems in interior design is buying the correct size furniture for the room it is going to be used in.  Also, if you have a built in fireplace, sometimes these can be quite dominant in the room, especially if they are period pieces. 

One of the biggest looks in interior design is the lounge inspired seating area.  Think of long low couches which run along two walls and will seat more than a couple of people.

Even though it’s a small room you have to create a lot of impact so the choice of artwork is really important.  The thing to remember when choosing artwork is to choose off the same colour pallet.

For any room, natural light is absolutely the most important.  More the better! But either way, if you have a simple window frame, think about having a pull down blind with a graphic design to give it a bit of interest and architectural detail as well.

Another tip for adding more light to a room is, to take a look under your carpet and if you have floorboards, how about having them expertly sanded and sealed.  Having varnished floorboards, will help with reflecting light around the room.

If you have a large fireplace in the sitting room, think about adding a feature wall with a large and muted design wallpaper.  The use of the wallpaper will detract from the fireplace and is a really good trick in a small room.  It really does make the room fill much bigger and give depth and give the wall height.  A large scale mirror above the fireplace will add impact.

Being on a budget, means having to hang to some of your old furniture and recovering the upholstery.  This is a great opportunity to update your tired furniture and tie it with your new colour palette and make it sing-again!    

Because the room is small, it’s probably best not to put a coffee table in the lounge but instead use small tables which are quite flexible, which are big enough to perch some food and drinks on.

Pulling together a small space project on a small budget can at first seem quite taxing but planning the changes and if at in any doubt call the experts and they will be able to advise you on your interior design changes. 

  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

Inspirational interior trends for Summer 2016

Are you passionate about the latest trends in interiors and design? If you’re like me, then you’ve usually got your head stuck in a building magazine, or can be seen sitting quietly flicking through the pages of the latest interior design coffee table book or have a huge digital folder full pictures from websites of the latest trends.

So I thought I would put together three of the key trends for the Summer season 2016.

Industrial trend

One trend that has been around for quite a while now, is the industrial look.  This style is all about leaving exposed the raw building materials, such as bare brick walls, concrete floors.  One of the key feature of this look is lots of sanded wooden floorboards and metal on display, basically anything that has been used before.

To complement the industrial look, how about choosing a leather sofa?  Leather can sometimes look a bit hard, especially if it's a new sofas which needs time to wear in, but whether it's a new or old sofa, if you want to tone it down a bit, you can use lots of soft furnishings, like throws and cushions and mix lots of different textures.

Flower prints

Bold flower prints on cushions and wallpaper is another look which has stayed the test of time.  This is probably one of the easiest trends to experiment with.  Try it with a few cushions or a lampshade or go bolder with a feature wallpaper of printed fabric on single easy chair or sofa.

Heritage style

This has to be my favourite and this trend never really goes away, it just gets updated gradually over time just with new furniture in updated fabrics and styles.  Just think about Downton Abbey and you'll know what I mean.  It's all about comfort and deep and soft sofas, with nothing bright or glaring but you can mix different patterns with a wide range of fabrics such a tartan and florals.

Another key feature of the heritage look, is traditional furniture such as winged-back armchairs, a look which has been around since the 17th century and anything else which leans towards the heritage look, taxidermy, log baskets and family photographs on the fireplace.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog inspirational interior trends.

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

Adding simple architectural features to your home

Adding architectural detail to your home is an easy DIY project and inexpensive.  Here are some simple tips and hints, which you could do in your home.

Using artificial bricks, simple moulding and a warm white paint on the walls on the chimney breast, and then place a fireplace in front of it.

In front of the fireplace, how about adding a deep crimson rug and use that colour as accents around the room, especially on cushions, throws and ornaments on the fireplace. 

Wood work around a window can be quite basic.  How about adding a sash but that could possibly need you to take out the existing moulding and spending a lot of money. The alternative would be to take a stencil of a window sash you really like and then trace that on the wall and fill it in with paint.  Not to forget adding a faint outline in a slightly darker colour, to suggest shadow.

The next cheat is really inexpensive to do.  Instead of opting for a hardwood floor, use plywood.  Check out below some local stockists for prices.    Think about painting the plywood a dark colour, it will hide any imperfections that’s often found in plywood.

Another way to add architectural detail is painting up skirting board.  Most heights of skirting boards are about 2400mm.  So instead of removing them, you can add to them.  Measure up about two inches and add a piece of trim and paint it all the same colour.
Taking on renovating projects doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot of money but by taking on this basic tips you can really transform your space.

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

 

Is it about time you got that split in the carpet repaired?

Do you have a tear or has your carpet split?  Well, look no further and call Art of Clean for a free quote.  This week the Art of Clean team were in Cambridge repairing old radiator holes and a split in a carpet.

Our client had a very good quality woven Brintons carpet and recently had a refurbishment and some radiators were removed and placed in different areas in the home and instead of coming through the carpet the pipes came through the wall.  And for that reason, our clients were left with old holes in the carpet where the pipes used to come through the floor.



This was very unsightly and the client had even considered having a very large room re-carpeted but luckily the client consulted with Art of Clean. 



Following on from a training course in repairing reinstallation by the IICRC training received in Kansas USA, Art of Clean is now qualified to carry out repairs in a case like this.

It took us a few days to locate the type of carpet and source some pieces to carry out the repair but with the extremely helpful advice from Carpet Mill in Cambridge, we were able to locate a piece of carpet to do the repair with.



To carry out a professional repair some very advanced equipment is required in this case we purchased a Koolglide machine as well as specialist cutting tools.

The Koolglide helps by heating the carpet tape after it was placed under the carpet - the traditional way of doing repairs like this was messy as the glue was heated while the carpet was the exposed.

In the photos, you can see where we cut pieces out and replaced them with new pieces.  In some light you will find the new piece to be a little brighter as it is a brand-new carpet but compare it to the all the carpet that you still have on the floor and overtime this will blend in.

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

News: Art of Clean elected as Senior Member of NCCA

What sort of experience have you had when trying to employ a tradesperson or company?  Were you happy with the service you received?  If you received a positive experience, then you will understand the importance of choosing the right person for your job. 

There are many reasons to employ the services of a professional cleaning company as the leading cleaning service provider in Cambridge, Essex and Hertfordshire, we like to pride our professional service largely coming down to our training and knowledge.  

It is also important to remember, the mistakes of an inexperienced and untrained cleaner can cause damage to both carpet and furniture that can be expensive or impossible to repair.

At the Art of Clean we are proud to announce our Senior Membership for the National Carpet Cleaners Association.

To achieve this level, Art of Clean, as with all applicants for membership must undertake the NCCA course in carpet and upholstery cleaning and reached the required standard in the written test papers.  This course offers a thorough grounding in all aspects of the carpet and upholstery craft, and covers theoretical and practical instruction in basic cleaning as well as spot and stain removal.

It is only after successful completion of this course may the applicant become a fully accredited member of the NCCA and be eligible to add the coveted logo to their company name. 

A trade association like the National Carpet Cleaners Association is a governing body that has specific training and industry news that really any professional should be part of. There are even in depth industry exams just to pass. Also part of the criteria are having the correct insurance, and all members must carry out industry standard processes and run an ethical ship.

The National Carpet Cleaners Association is the only nationally recognised trade association dedicated to the cleaning of carpets, hard flooring and soft furnishings.

The NCCA membership comprises fully insured companies and professionally trained technicians that follow a Code of Practice and are recommended for a full range of services related to the carpet and upholstery cleaning industry.

NCCA members are trained professionals and can undertake work in many industry related areas.

Members’ services include:

• Cleaning of all types of Flooring and Soft Furnishings
• Hard Floor Restoration
• Rug Cleaning and Repair
• Leather Furniture Cleaning and Restoration
• Carpet and Fabric Repair
• Fabric and Fibre Protection

If you are considering employing a company to undertake cleaning or restoration of carpets, upholstery, hard flooring, leather, curtains and rugs, you cannot underestimate the value of using an NCCA member.

 

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

Art of Clean Competition Winner 2016

We would like to thank everyone who took part in the Art of Clean Rug-time Competition 2016.  We had a great response, but unfortunately there could only be one winner and we have great pleasure in announcing Tali Fisher (pictured below) from Cambridge as our competition winner. 

We asked everyone who took part in the competition to tell us, which is your favourite room in the house and why? 

Tali to who told us that her favourite room in her house was, "the open plan kitchen and dining area because it is the heart of the house where we cook together and eat together as a family".

Once again we would like to thank everyone who took the time to enter our competition.  Please watch this space for further competitions and promotions.

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

3 Simple tips to redesigning your home | Art of Clean

Now the warmer weather and longer days have arrived, generally our thoughts turn to doing those jobs around the house such as interior decorating but if you don’t want the upheaval of a full redecoration, here are some great simple tips for changing the style of your room which you can do yourself.

Floors

If you have carpets on the floor, either you can call in a professional cleaning company to give them a good clean, which will leave them smelling fresh and clean, alternatively if you think your carpet is looking past its best, lift up a corner and take a look underneath.  If you find floorboards, get them sanded and sealed by a professional floor sanding company and then put a rug down.  It will dramatically change the look, feel and aspect of the room.  

Handmade rugs are particularly on-trend at the moment in the interior design world and with Cambridge at the forefront of UK fashion trends, there is no better time to purchase a new rug.

Contrasting colours and asymmetric patterns are becoming increasingly common in modern homes across Cambridge and that means it's important to know how to care for them. Of course, there's no substitute for a professional rug cleaning service, but to maintain your lovely rug to look as good as possible you should be aware of the following points:

Avoid Moisture: Water is handmade rug's worst enemy and you should avoid spillages as much as possible. Of course, accidents happen, but the key to maintaining a handmade rug is to dry it as soon as comes into contact with moisture. Doing this will keep it fresh and looking great for years to come. 

Rotation is Crucial: Wear, tear and sunlight can play havoc with a handmade rug and to properly look after it you need to keep it moving. Rotating a handmade rug is the key to avoiding fading and uneven scuffs.

Underlay that Protect: Handmade rugs offer a plush surface to walk on and to properly care for it you need to return the favour with some underlay. Protecting a rug from hard surfaces using underlay will not only give your carpet some extra lift but extend its lifespan. 

Lighting 

Lighting is crucial for a room.  In the living room take away the side tables and have free standing lights or you could get small uplighters and put them by the curtain and they will light up the ceiling and that will give it a whole new look.

Colour of the walls

And the next thing you could do is change the colour of the walls. According to HouseBeautiful magazine, current interior wall paint trends for 2016, will be lilacs and purples, milky blues, dark teals and my favourite neutrals paired with jewel tones.

Caring for a handmade rug takes time, effort but, ultimately with the help of a professional, it will be easier for you. In addition to following our three steps to interior design, you should find a professional rug cleaning and floor sanding company in Cambridge to provide regular treatment for your prized possession.

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

Is it about time you employed the services of a professional cleaning company?

There are many reasons to employ the services of a professional cleaning company as the cleaning service we provide largely comes down to our experience and knowledge.  The mistakes of an inexperienced and untrained cleaner can cause damage to both carpet and furniture that can be expensive or impossible to repair.

Here’s the difference:

When entrusting the work of a professional carpet cleaning team, here are a few things to look out for.  They will have good powerful machines that will remove most of the moisture from the carpets once they are cleaned. However, not all moisture can be removed instantly and this can cause major problems to your carpet and furniture if preventative measures are not taken.  What will happen?

• Moisture will work up the legs of your wooden furniture and cause damage to the wood

• Dye from the wood can transfer onto your carpet – staining your carpet!

• Metal legs can start to rust, damaging both furniture and carpet.

We at Art of Clean are very aware of this concern and take preventative measures to ensure that this will not happen.  After cleaning, furniture is replaced back onto the carpet with protective foil/plastic tabs and Styrofoam blocks under the legs. Why? Well sometimes the moisture left in the carpet will leach out any colour-stain finish from the furniture leaving a (very difficult to remove) stain on the carpet.  We are one of only a very few carpet cleaning companies in Cambridge that offers this.

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