Antique type carpets help to add a touch of grandeur
and glamour to your home or office, speaking greatly
about your rich and extravagant tastes. Antique
carpets are beautiful home furnishings and solid
art investments. They aren't just decorative items,
but pieces of tradition, ethniticity, and true class
that dates back thousands of years.

Antique carpets represent enormous range in motifs
and color harmonies and you'll simply lose yourself
seeing the diverse combinations of rich antique
colors and heavy intricate weaving.

The diverse range of antique carpet pieces that you'll
encounter while shopping for them are mostly Oriental
carpets and rugs that portray the mystery and legend
of the far off lands of the Orient.

Antique carpets and rugs are imported mostly from China,
Persia, India, Afghanistan, Caucasus, and Turkey.
Some of the famous weaving areas of such antique carpets
include Kashan, Agra, and many other locations.

Antique carpets have a more artistic integrity, as
they are exclusively hand woven. They are sold all
over the world, with clients more than willing to pay
whatever they have to in order to redefine their home and
decorate in style.

If you are looking to add luster and glamour to your
home or office and are ready to spend a fortune on the
exquisite pieces of art, then you shouldnt wait a single
minute.

The first thing to do, is contact one of the several
reliable, knowledgeable, and genuine art dealers
and galleries who deal in antique carpets and
have profound knowledge about the various aspects
of a good and genuine antique carpet. They can
guide you in selecting the best one per your
budget and tastes.

You've got a bit of work to do as well. You should
visit a lot of dealers and educate yourself
about dyes, wools, design quality, and the many
styles of weaving as well. Touch the carpet and
scrutinize them carefully. Beware of the machine
made synthetic carpets that some dealers will
tell you are antique carpets.

Below, are some tips to help you when buying
antique carpet.
1. You have to remain careful and thoughtful
while analyzing each piece of antique carpet.
2. You'll also need to try and understand
the age and origin of the carpet that will in
turn give you a much better insight about the
overall quality of the carpet.
3. You'll also need to look and see if
the edge and borders are there in the antique
carpet you intend to buy, as the end and edge
borders are sometimes lost or even cut out on
purpose. Keep in mind that the borders will
determine the overall value of your carpet.
4. Keep an eye out for holes and moth
attacks that are both common when dealing with
antique carpets. These problems must be attended
to before you buy the carpet.
5. You should always deal with dealers who
have the prices marked on the carpet. See to it
that your dealer sticks to that price.

The dry foam procedure is mostly rather than dry as
the name infers, although the content of moisture
is so low that it can actually be referred to as dry
foam (90% air - 10% liquid). The dry foam machine
is equipped with a pressure tank, which you will
pour a solution of water and shampoo into.

A compressor will work to convert the solution into
foam which is then dispensed all over the carpet
using a revolving cylindrical brush. The brush will
work to comb the foam through the piles of the
carpet so that each individual fiber of the carpet
is cleaned.

To achieve success, you must make sure that the
bubbles being produced are of uniformed size so the
foam can complete the cleaning process before it
is dispersed. Once it has dried, the carpet is
then thoroughly vacuumed to remove the dried crystals
of dirt that have been left behind.

Below, are the steps to the dry foam procedure:
1. First of all, vacuum the carpet and
remove all the stains that you possibly can.
2. Mix the dry foam solution according to
the directions of the manufacturer.
3. Shampoo the carpet then once it has dried,
vacuum the carpet.
4. Depending on the type of carpet you
have, groom the pile to speed the drying process.
5. Complete the work by using a furniture
leg pad or block to eliminate furniture stains
or rust.

Advantages
The process of dry foam cleaning is capable of
covering a lot of area in a very short amount of
time. There isn't really any danger involved in
saturating the carpet simply because the moisture
content is low. This will also help you to
minimize the problems that are commonly associated
with over wetting.

Disadvantages
The dry foam method is capable of removing average
levels of soil. There is however a possibility of
excessive residue and soil build up if the machine
you are using has inadequate extraction capabilities.

Dry foam is the ideal method of choice if you have
older carpet if you want to get your carpet as clean
as possible. You can rent a machine at your local
department or carpet store if you don't think you'll
use it enough to buy it. They don't cost that
much to rent, which is great for those who just
want to give it a shot and see what happens.

Dry foam carpet cleaning isn't that hard to do,
as you'll be fine even if you have no experience
with these types of machines. The above information
will help you greatly, and if you follow it, you
shouldn't have any problems. Dry foam can make a
carpet look spectacular, as long as you follow
the manufacturers directions on mixing the dry
foam solution. Once you've finished cleaning your
carpet with dry foam, you'll probably find yourself
falling in love with the results.

Natural fibers used with carpet are produced either
by insects, animals, or even plants. The fibers
that are produced by insects or animals are known as
protein fibers. Those that are made by plants are
known as vegetable fibers. Vegetable and protein
fibers share the common disadvantage that they are
both very absorbent and will have extended drying
times when wet cleaned - which can lead to mildew,
shrinkage, and even dry rot.

Wool
Wool fiber is produced from the fleece of lambs or
sheep. Wool of carpet is imported from countries
such as England, Australia, and New Zealand. Wool
is the oldest and considered to be the finest of
all carpet material.

The ability of wool to stretch up to 40% of its
original length and the fact that it can be bent
back and forth more than 180,000 times without
breaking makes it very resilient. Wool is the most
expensive material for carpet, although it is also
the best you can buy.

Silk
The fiber of silk is produced by the larva of
various insects known as silk worms. The silk, in
continuous lengths from 300 to 1600 yards is spun
to produce the cocoons. As a fiber, silk is naturally
non flammable, strong, and not affected by static
charge problems - even at low humidity.

Cellulose fiber
This type of fiber is produced by plants and normally
not used as face yarns. These types will however,
show up as backing materials of tufted as as well
as carpets that have been woven.

Cotton
Cotton is a vegetable seed fiber that is produced
from the cotton plant. The primary use for this
fiber is yarns woven in carpet or rugs. Cotton is
resistant to alkaline solutions and becomes stronger
when it is wet.

The biggest disadvantages to cotton is the fact
that is the most absorbent of all fibers and requires
extended drying times after being wet cleaned. It
is also easily damaged by acids, stains easily,
mats down, soils quickly, and is subject to mildew,
dry rot, and shrinkage.

Jute
The fiber of jute is produced by the jute plant
which grows in South America, Pakistan, and even in
India. The stalk of the jute plant is where the
longer coarse fibers are obtained, located between
the outer bark and within the inner pulp.

Jute is normally used as weft yarns, across the
width, in woven carpets and as a backing material
in the construction of tufted carpets. Jute is an
inexpensive material that also serves other uses
than just carpet. Like all other fibers, this one
has disadvantages as well. The fiber is weak when
it becomes wet and is also subject to dry rot,
shrinkage, and mildew.

Sisal
The fiber of sisal is produced by the leaves of the
agave plant. Sisal is very strong and primarily
used for making rugs, sacking, rope, and even
carpet. The fiber stains easily and is also very
difficult to clean. Wet cleaning can also cause
shrinkage so its best to use low moisture methods.

Rayon
There is quite a bit of confusion about rayon and
it is easy to understand why. Rayon is a
synthetic fiber that is produced from natural
cellulosic fibers of wood pulp or cotton. The
material is put through several chemical treatments
which help to turn it into a synthetic fiber.

Primarily, rayon is used for area rugs because of
its silk like appearance. It can be damaged by
acids, has low resistance to abrasion and is also
prone to cellulose browning.

Shopping for carpet is something that has never been
an easy task. To most people, it is more of a chore
than fun. For most people, shopping for carpet is
a dreaded experience that should be avoided at all
possible costs - although they aren't in this alone.

Once you realize that others feel the same way, its
time to go shopping. Frieze is an excellent choice
of carpet, one of the most popular types that you
can purchase even today. Frieze offers you a lot
of benefits without having to compromise anything.

The following are points that you'll want to consider
when you evaluate the durability of the carpet:
1. 75% twist
2. 15% fiber type
3. 10% density

Twist
The twist type of carpet has a spiral shape. It
is used via heat method that twists the yarn into
its permanent shape. The fibers can have up to
seven twists per yarn, as the more twists you have
the better. The result in the end is a rustic
knotted look that is very appealing.

Fiber type
Frieze carpets are normally made with high quality
nylon yarn. Nylon is one of the most popular
and most widely used fiber types for wall to wall
carpets.

Density
It is very interesting that several people use the
density of carpet as their primary factor in
judging quality.

As you may know, carpet can be too dense. The
denser a carpet is, the harder it will feel, as
the fibers are compacted. The fibers were meant
to wear on their sides rather than on the tops,
as they need their room to move.

To help you get a better idea of carpets and the
types that stand out, we'll take a look at several
of them below.

Gulistan
Gulistan is actually one of the top manufacturing
companies of frieze carpets. The company was a
trendsetter early on with innovate styles and a
very impressive selection of colors and easy
care. Even though the company is one of the
smallest in the world, it has proven it has what
it takes to compete, with it's high quality nylon
frieze that is popular even today.

Laura Ashley
The Laura Ashley company is a name that sports an
elegant English country look that continues to
grow and inspire. The company brings a lot to
the table, from impressive carpets to bed linens,
paint, and upholstery fabrics.

Beaulieu industries
This company licensed the Laura Ashley name and
premiered close to two dozen products, which
included a cool frieze carpet. The company has
been very successful with their carpets, managing
to compete for several years.

The bottom line
Anytime you shop for carpet, no matter what the
style may be, you should always know what you want
and how it will fit in with your home. Along with
frieze carpet, there are many other types such as
Berber, loops, high pile, and others that will add
quite a bit to your home. Your carpet is very
important, and therefore you shouldn't rush buying
it.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to get
assistance from a professional, friend, or a member
of your family. Those that have experience with
carpet can be a great help when you purchase your
own, especially if you don't have a lot of
experience.

By getting help when you need it, researching, and
just taking your time, you'll have no problems at
all shopping for a carpet. Carpets can make or
break a home, which is why it is very important that
you know what you are buying before you make that
critical purchase.

There are many different products available on the
market that will help you to remove almost all types
of stains. The ideal solution in minimizing or totally
removing stains is by simply cleaning the spills
and dirt the moment they crop up. Cleaning them up
won't even require you to leave your home just to
rush out and buy the expensive types of cleaning
products.

There are several ways to clean up stains simply by
using products already available in your home which
you use on a regular basis, such as detergents,
rubbing alcohol, vinegar, lemon juice, etc. Its
simply a matter of knowing how to use these common
household products and the procedures involved to
clean up stains. Below, you'll find some tips on
how to clean up pet stains and some other types of
common carpet stains.

Pet stain
For your first option you can use one teaspoon of
clear, household type ammonia to a half cup of
cold water. You can use this solution in a spray
bottle or apply it to the carpet directly. It is
very important not to wet the carpets backing when
you apply the solution. After you have applied
the solution, use paper towels to blot then allow
it to dry completely.

For a second option, you can use detergent solution
made of hand soap or dish soap. The combination
is one quarter of a teaspoon detergent to one quart
of water. You should always make sure the soap
doesn't contain bleach or lanolin.

The third and best option, is to use water, it
can re-hydrate the stain to help with removal. Most
types of pet stains can be cleaned up by using a
steam cleaner. Once you have finished, be sure
to dry the area as thoroughly as possible.

Ink stains
1. You can purchase isopropyl rubbing
alcohol at your local department or grocery store.
2. You can apply it by pouring some onto a
clean white towel or cloth. You can use paper
towels as well, as long as they are white.
3. Blot the stain as much as possible
until it is removed.
4. Make sure you be careful, because if the
stain is small, you need to blot in one direction
only so you don't spread the stain.

Beer and wine stains
1. Mix a solution with one part white
vinegar and one part water.
2. Apply the mixture to the stain using a
spray bottle to saturate.
3. You should allow the stain to sit around
ten to fifteen minutes.
4. Use a sponge and clean in a rubbing
motion.
5. Rinse the area with warm water.
6. Brush the carpet pile back into the
natural direction it has.
7. By using layers of white paper towels,
place paper towels on top of the area, then something
with weight on the paper towels. Allow everything
time to sit like this until the area has dried.

Nylon
The fiber nylon was introduced first by the DuPont
Chemical Company in 1938. Several years later, after
a great deal of development, nylon became the first
synthetic fiber to be used in the entire carpeting
industry.

The first 3 generations of fiber experienced many
problems with the worst being staining. The 4th
generation fiber of nylon had a mill applied coating
that solved a majority of the staining problems. The
ability of the fiber to repel water and oil based
spills as well as soil helped to propel nylon into
the top selling carpet fibers out there.

After several other changes, the DuPont company
introduced the fifth generation nylon fiber. This
stain resistant fiber would repel most dye stains
if treated in a reasonable time. This fiber is
more accurately called an acid dye blocker in that
it doesn't allow acid dyes to penetrate and stain
the fiber.

The protective coating mill is applied and fills the
dye sites with anionic molecules.

Tip
An easy way to test fiber for the presence of a
fluorochemical is to cut a couple of fibers from a
non traffic area and apply a few drops of oil and
water mixture. If it beads up, then there is an
active fluorochemical present.

Whenever testing for the presence of the acid dye
blocker, you should again cut a couple of fibers
from a non traffic area, then immerse the fibers
in a red kool-aid mixture and wait for 5 minutes
or so. Remove the fiber from the liquid and
flush with neutral detergent solution. If the
acid blockers are present and active, there will
be no discoloration.

Polyester
The fiber of polyester was first introduced into
the garment industry around in the 1950s. By the
late 1960s, polyester was introduced into the
carpet industry as a face yarn. In hand, feel,
and appearance it is similar to nylon, although
it doesn't possess that same resiliency.

Polyester doesn't absorb water based spills, isn't
affected by urine or kool-aid, but it will
absorb oil based spills. Polyester is non allergenic
and mildew resistant.

Acrylic/modacrylic
Both of these fibers were first used as carpet
yarns around the late 1940s. They disappeared
around 1988 due to the competition from other fibers.
In was reintroduced to the market around 1990
in Berber styling.

This was done so that people could take advantage
of the wool like appearance, hand feel, and the
fact that its more spot resistant, much easier to
clean, and not damaged in the ways that wool is.

Olefin
Olefin is the latest of the synthetic fibers to
be adopted to carpets. Once only available in
continous filament, it is now produced in staple
form as well. Olefin has a wide variety of uses
that include primary and secondary backing of
tufted carpets, warp yarns, and other uses as well.

Natural fibers used with carpet are produced either
by insects, animals, or even plants. The fibers
that are produced by insects or animals are known as
protein fibers. Those that are made by plants are
known as vegetable fibers. Vegetable and protein
fibers share the common disadvantage that they are
both very absorbent and will have extended drying
times when wet cleaned - which can lead to mildew,
shrinkage, and even dry rot.

Wool
Wool fiber is produced from the fleece of lambs or
sheep. Wool of carpet is imported from countries
such as England, Australia, and New Zealand. Wool
is the oldest and considered to be the finest of
all carpet material.

The ability of wool to stretch up to 40% of its
original length and the fact that it can be bent
back and forth more than 180,000 times without
breaking makes it very resilient. Wool is the most
expensive material for carpet, although it is also
the best you can buy.

Silk
The fiber of silk is produced by the larva of
various insects known as silk worms. The silk, in
continuous lengths from 300 to 1600 yards is spun
to produce the cocoons. As a fiber, silk is naturally
non flammable, strong, and not affected by static
charge problems - even at low humidity.

Cellulose fiber
This type of fiber is produced by plants and normally
not used as face yarns. These types will however,
show up as backing materials of tufted as as well
as carpets that have been woven.

Cotton
Cotton is a vegetable seed fiber that is produced
from the cotton plant. The primary use for this
fiber is yarns woven in carpet or rugs. Cotton is
resistant to alkaline solutions and becomes stronger
when it is wet.

The biggest disadvantages to cotton is the fact
that is the most absorbent of all fibers and requires
extended drying times after being wet cleaned. It
is also easily damaged by acids, stains easily,
mats down, soils quickly, and is subject to mildew,
dry rot, and shrinkage.

Jute
The fiber of jute is produced by the jute plant
which grows in South America, Pakistan, and even in
India. The stalk of the jute plant is where the
longer coarse fibers are obtained, located between
the outer bark and within the inner pulp.

Jute is normally used as weft yarns, across the
width, in woven carpets and as a backing material
in the construction of tufted carpets. Jute is an
inexpensive material that also serves other uses
than just carpet. Like all other fibers, this one
has disadvantages as well. The fiber is weak when
it becomes wet and is also subject to dry rot,
shrinkage, and mildew.

Sisal
The fiber of sisal is produced by the leaves of the
agave plant. Sisal is very strong and primarily
used for making rugs, sacking, rope, and even
carpet. The fiber stains easily and is also very
difficult to clean. Wet cleaning can also cause
shrinkage so its best to use low moisture methods.

Rayon
There is quite a bit of confusion about rayon and
it is easy to understand why. Rayon is a
synthetic fiber that is produced from natural
cellulosic fibers of wood pulp or cotton. The
material is put through several chemical treatments
which help to turn it into a synthetic fiber.

Primarily, rayon is used for area rugs because of
its silk like appearance. It can be damaged by
acids, has low resistance to abrasion and is also
prone to cellulose browning.

Everyone hears about Berber carpet, and just how great
it can be. The carpet was named after a hand made
bulky wool that was textured and used by a tribe in
North Africa, the Berber tribe. The Berber carpet
that is used even today follows the same tradition
of the tribe by using flecked bulky yarns to create
a beautiful carpet.

Below, you'll find several reasons why you should
choice Berber carpet over all others.

The carpet is unique
The flecked looped yarns that are used to make Berber
carpets provide a very unique yet stylish carpet
that makes Berber easily to identify.

Choice in loop sizes
There are several loop sizes with Berber carpets,
so there is always going to be a size for any room
or decoration, from the large knobby loops to the
small and tight loops. There are several choices
as well, that include cut and loop designs, multiple
level loops, and even level loops.

Hypo allergenic
Berber is the ideal choice for anyone who has
allergis or younger children. The carpet is made
from wool so it's non toxic and non allergenic, and
it will stop bacterial growth on the spot.

Very comfortable
The manufacturing process that created the loops
of wool have millions of air pockets in them so
the carpet has a nice and cushioned feel when you
walk across it. It also offers an insulation factor
due to the weaving which helps to regulate the
temperature of the room as well.

Durability
Berber carpet is one of the most durable types and
also one of the easiest to clean. The stains are
easily lifted from the carpet and it takes a lot
of miles on the carpet before it will even begin to
show any signs of wear.

Berber is also well known for longevity, as it
always seems to look like it was installed yesterday.
It rarely ever shows footprints, and it doesn't
even show the lines from vacuuming. The only
thing you have to watch out for is snagging, as
you don't want to snag the loops and damage the
carpet.

Affordable
This is actually a mystery, as Berber is pure wool
and still cheaper than nylon, olefin, or any other
type of man made carpet, even though it outlasts
the rest and maintains a newer look over a longer
period of time. Berber is one of the most
affordable choices you can make and it still looks
richer than any other available choices.

Choices of colors
The color choices with Berber carpet are varied and
include earthen or neutral colors, dark colors,
and pastel colors as well. There are plenty of
colors to choose from as well as patterns. Berber
carpet offers more choices than any other carpet
type.

Hiding the sub floor
Because the density of Berber carpet is so thick,
you can easily hide anything wrong in the sub
floor without having to spend a lot of money having
the sub floor repaired of replaced. This helps
to make Berber carpet very cost efficient in
older homes that need to have the carpet redone.

Grade variety
Just like with other carpets, you can choose from
a variety of grades that will determine just how
plush the carpet is. Berber is available in
several different grades, even a product grade
that is designed to go on over top of concrete.

Besides the fact that Berber is one of the most
economical carpets to buy, it is also one of the
most economical to install. The carpet is easy
to lay, which will save you time and effort, making
it a truly excellent choice when it comes to
carpet for your home.

The carpet that is made today is a mix of old world
craftsmanship and a touch of 21st century innovation.
By combining the two, carpet is able to become the
household feature that we all know and love - and
get tired of cleaning.

Carpet can be manufactured in one of two ways;
weaving or tufting. Carpets that are woven are
primarily wool and are very durable, and very
expensive as well. The woven carpet types can be
hand produced, as it has been for centuries, or by
machine. No matter what method is chosen, the same
procedures are followed.

The yarn for the carpet is woven through or around
vertical fibers known as warps, and then locked
into place with horizontal strands known as wefts.
The woven carpets can utilize a variety of colors
as well to create intricate patterns in the
highest quality of carpets.

Tufting machines can also be utilized as well, as
they use computers to determine the patterns, styles,
construction, and density. No longer does someone
have to do everything by hand or mentally, as the
tufting machines will take all of the guesswork out
and make things easy on the operator.

Once the fibers have been locked into place, the
carpet is dyed using a variety of methods that
will create patterns or effects. For cut pile
carpets, the final stage is stretched,
cutting the pile loops. This is an important
stage, as it will determine the softness and
feel of the carpet.

The carpet will also receive a secondary stretch
backing as well to give it stability and allow
it to be stretched during the installation
process. Most of the carpets of this day and
age will receive stain protection as well, which
happens during the manufacturing phase.

The way that a carpet is made will greatly affect
how the carpet is installed. In the past, the
creation of carpet was a very complicated
process, as there were no computers or technology
to do most of the work. Back then, it was all
done by hand. The carpets were great, although
there wasn't any colors or textures that we
have to choose from today.

The carpet manufacturers of today have a lot of
technology at their disposal, which makes life
at the plants easy. Operators can watch and
operate machines to do a lot of the work, which
makes their job a lot easier.

The continuous fibers found with carpet are heat
set and twisted at the mill to give a tightly
twisted product that is commonly found with
frieze carpets. This type of yarn is less
bulky although it will hold its shape for a long
period of time, which is great for those who
don't like to replace their carpet every couple
of years.