#1 Emeny of Floors + 5 Ways to Stop It

Did you know that the #1 danger to floors of any kind is the sandpaper properties of fine dirt and dust?

It breaks down carpet fibers and scratches through protective wear layers on hard surface floors such as hardwood. The sandpaper properties cause a dulling in appearance, a ‘graying’ in the color, and a dramatic decrease overtime in the performance and life of any floor.

How do you protect your floors from this?

Well, the obvious step is to prevent the dirt and dust from outside from entering your home in the first place.

5 ~ Use welcome mats at all the entryways to the home. Make sure you use only mats that are made in the USA as the rubber on the bottom of imported mats can cause your floors to discolor. (We even have had some customers who trained their pets to wipe their feet before coming in!)

4 ~ Remove your shoes at the door. Even if you don’t have a stone lodged in the bottom or wear high heels regularly (which easily cause dents and other damage), it is very difficult to get off all of the soiling from outside.

3 ~ Regularly change the filters in the air circulation system of your home. This also helps to decrease allergens, making the air in your home healthier and more enjoyable for all. (This also increases the efficiency of the system which saves you money!)

Now, here is how to remove the dust once it is on your floor (no, we don’t want you to beat your rugs – which is very damaging).

2 ~ For hard surface floors like hardwood, you can use a dry dust mop (I find that one equipped with a swivel head is covenant and that a terry cloth mop head is the most efficient).

Probably the most important step of them all…

1 ~ Vacuum regularly. What is regularly? For high traffic areas (kitchen, hallways, stairs, etc) shoot for vacuuming between weekly to daily. For the rest of the house, vacuuming twice a month to weekly is perfectly fine. This gets not only the fine partials up but the larger ones as well. Be sure to frequently change the bag (or clean the filter). Use a canister vacuum cleaner for hard surface floors and an upright vacuum cleaner for rugs and carpet. In an upcoming post I’ll give you some insider tips on how to get the most out of your vacuum.

I hope you enjoyed these tips and found them helpful. Do you have any of your own that you would like to share?

Recycled Carpet - Oil Spill Clean Up

Our beaches are now being protected by recycled carpet!  Talk about the power of repurposing.

The Carpet And Rug Institute Blog: Recycled Carpet Protects Florida Coast From Oil

What are your favorite repurposing stories?

Another Mannington Winner

Mannington has had a great year with all of the awards it has received for its new product lines including the Serengeti Porcelain Tile.

With Serengeti, Mannington did a beautiful job of imitating the beauty of natural slate with 6 different colors ranging from a warm white to a rich gold and a contemporary iron grey.

They did such a great job, that Mannington was awarded the Dealer’s Choice Award, again. Plus, I cannot tell the difference in the appearance of Serengeti and the natural slate my parents have down in their family room.

In the Serengeti line, Mannington included accent pieces to help home owners design the floor of their dreams.

The accent pieces include small 1x1 tiles, 1x1 metal accents, and extra long and thin subway tiles making this a floor you can have fun with. Maybe mix 2 or 3 of the colors for a unique pattern…

Or just go with the classic slate floor look…

It’s pretty hard to go wrong with the look of natural slate no matter if you dress it up or down. It is one of those looks that goes well on the patio and in the formal dining room.

And, of course, being porcelain makes Serengeti Tile extremely durable. Porcelain is the stronger version of ceramic tile. If you want a ‘for life’ floor, porcelain is one of the best options. Using fine stone dust that is baked under high heat and pressure creates one of the most sturdy floors available.

Where could you use the flexible style of slate and the durability of porcelain? What are your experiences with natural stone and porcelain or ceramic tile?

We Want to Hear From You!

Did you recently finish a remodeling project?  Are you planning one?  Or are you in the midst of updating a room?

We'd like to hear about it!  If you would like to be a guest blogger and have the chance to share your excitement with...

  ~ before and after pictures,
  ~ inspirations, and
  ~ goals for the finished product...

Just send me, Katlin, an email to Contact@MercerCarpetOne.com stating your...

  ~ first name,
  ~ home city, and
  ~ room(s) that you would like to talk about

And we'll work out the details.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you all!

The Soft Revolution Strikes Again

The Soft Revolution in the carpet manufacturing industry has given us another great line of carpet to offer excellent value to our customers: Soft Bigelow with SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona and Wear Dated.

Excited about how well our collaborative efforts with Shaw turned out with Tigressa SoftStyle carpet, Carpet One Floor & Home International tossed a similar idea to Bigelow and Mohawk so we would be able to further enhance the choices available to our customers. Our enthusiasm was obviously contagious and they truly raised the bar with this new line.

The Soft Bigelow carpet line was created using…

~ Bigelow’s quality standards

~ Mohawk’s fiber breakthroughs in SmartStrand with DuPont Serona & Wear Dated nylon

~ Carpet One Floor & Home International’s knowledge about the needs and wants of our customers

Bigelow has been a big name in the carpet industry since the beginning when Erastus Bigelow invented the power loom for weaving carpet. America's carpet brand since 1825, Bigelow carpet has earned generations of trust for ingenuity and expertise in making top quality carpet that will enhance your home.

Bigelow has always stood for value without any sacrifice. They strive to always produce carpet of superior craftsmanship and fashion designed to transform any room into something quite special.

Mohawk brought their top fibers to the playing field for this line: SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona renewably sourced polymer (a new carpet fiber that stands on its own) and Wear Dated nylon with Scotchguard stain protection. Here is how they stand on the issues.

Stains and Soiling:

SmartStrand is made to naturally repel stains and soiling so it is easier to clean and more inherently stain resistant.

Wear Dated carpet is treated all the way through with Scotchguard. This stain treatment also repels stains and soiling.

Durability:

SmartStrand is specifically made for high resiliency with its spring-like molecule structure that has been wear-tested with 200,000 footsteps (or about 44 slumber parties with 10 kids at each).

Wear Dated is only made with 100% premium nylon with its built in durability, stain and fade resistance, and appearance retention. It is made to be extra strong, extra durable, and better able to withstand the challenges of active lifestyles.

Comfort:

SmartStrand has built in static resistance and the carpets in our new Soft Bigelow line uses the new microfiber technology for higher quality fibers and more fibers per tuft. This adds to the durability as well as the softness helping Soft SmartStrand to pass the ‘barefoot test’.

The Wear Dated carpet in our new line has also been updated with the new microfiber manufacturing breakthrough with Mohawk’s unique DuraSoft and SoftTouch fiber construction methods. With their Soft Fusion Technology, Mohawk is able to incorporate an enhanced level of supreme softness and extra body, adding to the luxurious feel.

Our fellow members of the small business co-op, Carpet One Floor and Home International, always strive to keep in tune with the needs and wants of our customers so we can continue to hand pick the best products with the best value, performance, style, and feel.

With our direct connection with the end user - the consumer, you – and our status as the largest buyer of flooring in the world, Carpet One is able to…

• Dictate designs

• Create reliable warranties

• Work with the top manufacturers to create lines with the best overall value in carpet and other floors based off appearance, durability, comfort, and other important factors

Which means the new Soft Bigelow Carpet line in combination with our other soft carpet lines – Tigressa Soft Style & Soft Resista – gives you a selection of over 70 styles with hundreds of color options, with quality and warranties you can trust.

Our Soft Bigelow Carpet line comes with enhanced Platinum and Gold Warranty packages:

Platinum Warranties

• 20 Year Wear Warranty – this is the expected life of the floor

• 20 Year Stain Warranty – this combined with our 3M stain treatment makes the carpet stain proof

• 20 Year Soiling Warranty – this shows that the carpet is easier to clean (stain is an ‘oops’ while soiling is everyday grime such as dirt from the bottom of your shoes). With the combination of the Stain and Soiling warranties, you are guaranteed that if you cannot clean something out of the carpet within 20 years, it will be replaced.

• 20 Year Texture Retention Warranty – this means that your carpet will not flatten or matt

• Life of the Floor Installation Warranty – since the life of the floor is 20 years, you’re guaranteed that if we messed up the installation it will be fixed

Gold Warranties

• 15 Year Wear, Stain, & Texture Warranties

• 10 Year Soiling Warranty

• Life of the Floor Installation Warranty

Talk about a no worries floor, wouldn’t that be a nice assurance in a family room, entertainment room, or other rooms in your home that are used a lot and are more prone to messes? Do you have any stories to share about carpet in your home? Did it add to the quality of life in your home or take away because it wasn’t what your lifestyle needed? What would you like out of your carpet? Please share!

Classic with a Twist

It is hard to find a floor that can bring as much warmth and sophistication to a room as hardwood. It is an easy floor to add a ‘wow factor’ to any room’s design with all the color, species, and texture choices. And Mannington just won a Dealers’ Choice Award for their brand-new line that took the design of hardwood floors to the next level.

Mannington’s Earthly Elements

Stunning Oak and Hickory in

Square and Rectangle Tiles

with coordinating Planks

With Earthly Elements designing the floor of your dreams is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

Step 1: Just pick your favorite color (or two) from the selection of eight beautiful colors ranging from ebony black to earthy caramel to brilliant white.

Step 2: Choose your favorite pattern out of the five available including Checkerboard, Subway, Weave, Herringbone, and Pinwheel.

The timeless checkerboard layout brings a classic look to any room. Choose two contrasting colors for a bold look that suits both traditional and contemporary decorating styles or go with a single color for a more traditional look.

Offering a look that captures the essence of today’s contemporary styles, the subway layout brings a modern twist to any room. Great for larger spaces, this pattern gives any space a fresh, updated feel.

A fresh take on a traditional pattern, the weave is popular in textiles with its never-goes-out-of-style look. Perfectly at home in any room, combine colors to add dimension and visual interest to any space.

This is my favorite. The classic herringbone design gets a fresh look with a larger format and refined color combinations. Seen everywhere from penthouses to palaces, this design is both modern and timeless.

Perfect for large spaces, the pinwheel design adapts to any style, from casual to formal. Contrasting colors offer drama, while complementary colors provide a classic backdrop, setting the stage for any design.

Step 3: Design your floor. Do you want a border with the coordinating wood planks? Or would you like to use the pattern to create a medallion in the center of the room? With the two classic wood species, the eight stunning colors, and the three shapes the options are endless!

So, what do you think? Are you inspired? Which pattern is your favorite?

Stunning & Sustainable all in One

Until recently, if you wanted bamboo flooring, you were limited when it came to style choices. Usually the bamboo look could only complement a few specific designs. But Teragren, the leading bamboo floor manufacturer, has recently released a brand-new line that combines the design flexibility of hardwood floors and the sustainability of bamboo flooring.

Teragren’s Portfolio Strand Bamboo Floating Floor has absolutely stunning appearances that still hold an exotic feel while looking like a hardwood.

New Country in the Portfolio Stranded Collection is a warm golden corn silk color with a gently weathered appearance. Great for mudrooms, workrooms, and other rooms in a home with a welcoming casual and stylish feel. Teragren suggests complementing rooms decorated with browns, reds, and oranges with this attractive bamboo floor.

Hewn Port in the Portfolio Collection has a gentle hand scraped appearance and rich burgundy coloring. It is a perfect floor for a traditional, contemporary, or eclectic room with a touch of elegance. Teragren suggests highlighting creams, greens, whites, and wine colors with this floor.

Paris Black of Teragren’s Portfolio Bamboo Collection has an exotic mix of a deep chocolate to black and gentle brown with a smooth finish. Great for rooms with a global or eclectic feel especially those that want to use comforting neutrals like warm browns, soothing greys, and stunning blacks with a pop of cream.

Hewn Tawny, another great bamboo floor in Teragren’s Portfolio Collection, has a warm amber coloring with a gentle hand scraped texture. This floor is perfect for rooms with cheery yellows, regal golds, stunning purples, and stone greys. With a hint of exoticness and plenty of warmth, this floor would accentuate the design and feel of many rooms ranging from rustic to contemporary.

Rich Cognac is a sophisticated addition to the Portfolio bamboo floor line by Teragren with its gentle sheen and Old-World brown with a hint of cocoa. Add modest elegance to any traditional, eclectic, or contemporary room with this bamboo floor. Teragren suggests using colors like wisteria blue, stormy sea grey, violet, ivories, and browns.

High Tea by Teragren Portfolio has smooth auburn coloring and a gently weathered appearance. This warmly styled bamboo flooring would accentuate almost any style from global to traditional to modern. It helps fresh greens pop and blends well with soft neutrals and sienna browns.

Midnight Black – oh, even the name spells mystery and stunning class – has a smooth finish and rich, smooth black color. This bamboo floor in the Teragren Portfolio collection would be perfect in a den, dressing room, or entryway. It would heighten any style from the clean-cut lines in modern design to the warm colors of the traditional feel to the spicy exoticness of a global style. This floor helps sooth white accentuating reds and golds while flowing with dark neutrals like charcoal grey or chocolate brown.

Honey Ridge, with its dark honey tone and gentle rustic feel, is a great choice by Teragren when they included it in their Portfolio Collection. Working well with reds, golds, blues, and whites, this would be a great floor in a cheery rec room or sunroom.

Darby Brown: a smooth bamboo flooring with a gentle two-tone coloring with deep cocoa and warm, earthy brown. Great for rooms with terra cottas, burnt oranges, olive greens, and golden yellows; this floor would be great for living rooms, dining rooms, or any room with a classy, welcoming feel.

Brown Sugar has a similar graining as hickory with its gentle sheen and dark clove brown streaking a burnt caramel brown. This bamboo floor is a great backdrop for greys, metallics, and whites such as in home offices, kitchens, and workrooms.

Where do you need a durable, stylish floor? What is your next project? What colors will you be working with?