| Tips Your
new Abbey flooring represents a substantial inves tment
in your home-an investment that you'll want to keep looking its best for many
years to come. No flooring lasts forever, but by following the maintenance tips
outlined below, you'll extend the life and beauty of your floor. Use
Entrance Mats Place mats inside and outside entrances to trap soil
before it is tracked into your home. Vacuum Regularly
You can't vacuum too often. Using a vacuum with a beaterbar or rotating brush
will loosen the dirt making it easier for the vacuum to remove soil. Vacuums with
top-loading bags are preferred over bottom-loading bags. Change the disposable
bag or empty the vacuum often. Carpet with thick loop pile construction
(berber) may be sensitive to brushing, rubbing, or scrapping of the pile surface
which may cause fuzzing and pile distortion. It is recommended that vacuums with
suction action only be used on these styles. Carpet sweepers and electric
brooms are useful for picking up crumbs and surface soil, but it's important to
know that they will not deep clean. Clean Spots
and Spills Immediately For best results, give prompt attention
to spots and spills. - Use a spoon or dull knife to remove solid materials.
- Blot up liquid spills with a white towel.
- Never rub, scrub,
or use a brush. This may cause damage to carpet fibers.
- Use a cleaning
agent and procedure appropriate for the type of stain being removed.
- Apply
all cleaning agents to the cloth rather than directly to the stained area to avoid
saturating the carpet when spot cleaning.
- Clean the fibers, not the backing.
- Do not rush. Deep stains might require repeat cleanings because they
can "wick" back up after initial cleaning.
- Work from the outside
to the center of large stains. This prevents spreading.
Use
the "Easy as 1-2-3" method to remove these stains as outlined below:
| alcohol | beer | blood
| | candy | catsup | chocolate |
| chocolate milk | clay | coffee
(omit step 2) | | cola | cologne | cranberry
juice | | food stains (general) | fruit
juice | fruit punch | | furniture
polish (water based) | grape juice | graphite |
| gravy | ice cream | jelly |
| latex paint | liquor | milk |
| soft drinks | soil spots | syrup |
| tea (omit step 2) | tomato juice | urine |
| vomit | water colors | whiskey |
| wine | | |
Step 1: Detergent Solution Mix
1 teaspoon of mild laundry detergent (non-bleaching brands such as Tide or Surf)
with two (2) cups of water. Stir the solution gently. Using a clean white
cloth, dampen the fibers in the stained area with the detergent solution. If
necessary, use your fingertips to work the solution into the base of the stain.
Re-wet the stained carpet fibers with clear, lukewarm water. Cover the
area with an absorbent, white towel and apply pressure to the blot. Repeat
the rinsing/blotting procedures until you are sure all traces of the detergent
have been removed. If the stains are removed, place white paper towels
over the stained area. Weight the towels with a heavy, colorfast object,
such as a plastic wastebasket with a weight inside. Change the paper towels
as stains wick up until the area dries. If stains remain (unless they are
from coffee, tea or urine) proceed to Step 2. For coffee, tea and urine stains
proceed directly to Step 3. Step 2: Ammonia/Water
Note: Do not use on coffee, tea or urine stains Mix one (1) tablespoon of
non-bleaching, non-sudsing household ammonia with 1 cup of lukewarm water. Apply
this solution as outlined in Step 1, rinsing the area in the same manner. Note:
Even if stains disappear after using the ammonia solution, it is necessary to
use Step 3the vinegar solutionto neutralize the ammonia solution.
Step 3: Vinegar/Water Mix
equal parts of white vinegar and water. Apply this solution as outlined in Step
1 and 2. Rinse and blot. Fold paper towels with a heavy, colorfast
object such as a plastic wastebasket with a weight inside. Continue to
change paper towels until the area is almost dry. Gently brush pile to lift tufts.
Allow carpet to completely dry before walking on carpet surface. Note:
you must use Step 3 if you first used Step 2. it is important to neutralize the
ammonia solution. Use Dry Cleaning
Fluid to remove these stains:
| butter | calamine lotion | cooking oil | | cosmetics | crayon | felt
tip marker | | furniture dye | furniture polish | glue**
| | grease (black) | gum** | hand cream |
| ink | lipstick | margarine | | mascara | mayonnaise | nail
polish | | ointment | oil | oil paint |
| rouge | salad dressing | tar | | varnish | wax** | |
*If the stain persists, add the vinegar/water solution outlined in
Step 3 with the detergent solution outlined in Step 1. Follow Step 1 procedures. **Freeze
and remove solids before cleaning with dry cleaning fluid. Professional
Carpet Cleaning Abbey Carpet recommends professional cleaning
every 18 months-2 years or before the carpet becomes too unsightly. Important-please
note: Although your carpet may not look dirty, you are still required to have
your carpet professionally cleaned regularly (every 18-24 months) to comply with
some manufacturer's stain or soil protection warranties. |