One Way to Dye Your Own Carpets

!±8± One Way to Dye Your Own Carpets

The tan carpet in #216 was shot.

It was hopeless.

A new carpet was needed.

That meant pulling up the old one, scraping off the pad, and then calling the carpet man and shelling out 00 or more.

It wasn't anyone's fault.

The carpet had served well.

But, upon closer examination, I decided it wasn't really in that bad of shape.

It didn't have frayed edges, or worn down spots, and the nap was still pretty good. It just looked terrible. Bleach spots, stains, dark trails down the hallway and into the living room, and light spots where the sun had hit it on a daily basis through the windows.

No one would rent the apartment with a carpet in that condition.

I steam cleaned it in hopes that it would be miraculously healed.

No such luck.

Then it hit me.

Why not try dyeing the bleached out spots to blend in with the carpet.

I purchased an 8 ounce bottle of RIT tan dye (the kind you use for dyeing clothes) at the drug store for , mixed a little in a spray bottle with steaming hot water, shook it up and sprayed the spots.

They came out a brassy brown, nothing like the color of the existing carpet.

I had the carpet professionally steam cleaned. Surely they could perform a miracle.

Nope.

But I noticed that my dyeing job over the bleached out spots had maintained its original color.

Then it occurred to me, why not try dyeing the entire carpet to match the spots I had sprayed?

Two pictures came to mind on how I might do this.

I could mix the dye with hot water in my little steam cleaner (one like you would rent at the market) or I could use a pump up garden sprayer. I decided on the sprayer because the tenant below had suffered through enough steam cleaning noise.

I purchased an ACE Sprayer for .

I mixed 8 tablespoons of dye into the 2 quarts of steaming hot water in the sprayer, screwed in the pump, shook up the contents and pumped it up.

I placed four 1"x 6" x 3' pieces of wood along the edges of the walls so as not to get dye on the white paint. I adjusted the nozzle on the sprayer to a fine spray and began.

I moved the boards as I dyed, but after a while as I became familiar with the sprayer, I didn't really need them.

Also, after dyeing a section, and before reloading the sprayer, I used my little Bissell carpet sweeper to even out the areas I had sprayed and work the dye into the carpet.

But still, the bleached out spots didn't match the overall carpet color after I finished dyeing.

So the next day I applied another coat.

Better, but still not good enough.

Then I went back to the store for more dye, but they didn't have anymore tan. I went to three other stores, but no tan.

So, I bought RIT's dark brown dye.

This turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

I put 4 tablespoons of this darker dye into my 2 quarts of steaming hot water, pumped up the sprayer and applied another coat.

That's when the magic began to happen.

The darker brown really kicked in.

The trails down the hallway disappeared, as did the light spots under the windows.

The carpet started to look like a real carpet again, but the bleached out spots still dyed a slightly darker shade than the rest of the carpet.

To compensate for this I dyed other parts of the carpet darker by spraying more dye on them, and continued using my carpet sweeper to even out the dye and work it into the nap. My goal was to blend everything together.

It worked... somewhat.

I applied two coats of the dark brown dye, about worth of dye, over a 700 square foot area.

It was easy, and fun to do.

By the time I applied the second coat the carpet looked almost new.

Because I've obsessed over the bleached out stains in the carpet I can still find some of them, but not all. There is a slight darkening in the carpet where they once existed, but when a potential tenant came through to rent the apartment, and I explained to her what I had done, she glanced at it, said it looked fine, and went to look at the kitchen.

My daughter and my neighbor also viewed the carpet and both stated it looked great, better than their own carpets.

But I know it's not perfect. It went from a D- or F to a C+/ B- or maybe even a B, and those grades really depend on what angle you look at the carpet from.

My father mentioned that the dye might be toxic.

I hadn't thought of that. I figured if you could dye your clothes with it you could certainly do a carpet.

But to be safe I called RIT, the makers of the dye, and their representative assured me that all their dyes are non-toxic, but that they don't recommend using them on carpets because some of their customers have called and said the dye rubs off over time.

I went back up to #216, soaked a rag with steaming hot water, and tried to rub off the dye in several spots.

Nothing happened.

Maybe in time the dye will wear off in well traveled areas.

I'm not sure.

Time will tell.

But if it does wear off, and the carpet is still usable, why not dye those areas again, like repainting walls, or staining wood doors and trim that experience wear and tear?

P.S. My daughter suggested that I include this following idea: Why not cut out a stencil of your favorite design, say a star or elephant, place it over the stain or bleached out spot, and then spray the dye into the stencil. A lot easier than dyeing the entire carpet!

Just a thought.

One Way to Dye Your Own Carpets

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Bissell Vacuum Cleaners

!±8± Bissell Vacuum Cleaners

The first means of cleaning were through the use of twigs and sticks held together in the hand. Later on then they became brooms, years later, there were mops. As centuries passed, people constantly looked for ways to improve their lives and way of living. The vacuum cleaner was invented to address the need of easy cleaning in the household. The Hoover vacuum cleaner was the revolutionary model to use both a cloth filter bag, which is what we know now as the vacuum cleaner bag, and cleaning attachments.

There have been other vacuum cleaner brands that were sold in the market Much like other vacuum cleaner products that were sold at the height of the machines popularity, Bissell vacuum cleaners have also proven to continually uphold its reputation of quality and dependability since the mid-1800s. It has been one of the original carpet sweepers that stood the test of time until which they have been called vacuum cleaners

The Bissell vacuum cleaners had its humble beginnings in a small town in America Melville Bissell first designed one of the early carpet sweepers to help with his wifes frustration with sweeping their small store in Michigan every night using a broom Melville was able to solve his wifes problem with his new invention, also getting the attention of other people Soon after Melville Bissell patented his carpet sweeper and opened a manufacturing plant in his own town where his first vacuums were produced and sold to the public.

Bissell has also provided solution to the common house wifes cleaning problems It became so in demand that soon after their products were being sold worldwide. Today, Bissell continue its legacy of quality and innovation. It has provided the world of the classic upright vacuum cleaners to carpet deep cleaners to hard floor cleaners. Now, Bissell is set to design more cutting-edge designs fit to every household cleaning need. From vacuum filtration, detachable canisters, bagless vacuum cleaners, height adjustable cleaners, and internal thermal protectors, Bissell has everything there is to offer to make the modern chore of cleaning more convenient yet stylish and fit for any lifestyle.

Although Bissell vacuum cleaners has a lot to offer with its impressive features, the suction of their vacuum cleaners lacks the cleaning power of other vacuum cleaners such as Dyson vacuum cleaners. But still, consumers are guaranteed of more choices to suit their personal taste. More and more people seek vacuum cleaner products which can provide quality performance and convenience. The Bissell Vacuum Cleaners can match consumer needs with any product that will suit the owners personality. Bissell vacuum cleaners are certainly the choice for people looking for diverse vacuum cleaners that offer both simple and unique designs, a must for any modern household.

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A Brief History of Vacuum Cleaners

!±8± A Brief History of Vacuum Cleaners

The first person to patent a machine for cleaning was David Hess in the year 1860. Housewives all over America had turned to using rugs and carpets, a trait brought over by the waves of immigrants coming from Europe, to cover their bare wood floors and keep the dust and dirt to a minimum. When they were dirty, they had to be carried outside, suspended somehow in the air and then beaten with a metal rod or heavy wooden stick.

A bit later someone invented a small, tennis racket-looking device called a rug beater for precisely this purpose. Mr. Hess soon realized that there was probably an easier way to clean rugs without all the fuss and mess and he invented the Carpet Sweeper which had a rotating brush combined with a bellows system that created suction. His amazing invention also used two water chambers to trap the dust and fine dirt. The only problem with Mr. Hess' machine is that there is no proof it was ever produced.

After Mr. Hess' invention, there came a period of wilder and weirder inventions that sought to accomplish the same thing. In the late 1870's, Melville Bissell (sound familiar?) marketed a carpet sweeper that picked up the dirt and dropped it into a pan behind the rotating brush. In 1899, John Thurman invented a gasoline-powered vacuum cleaner that is credited as being the first motorized version. In 1901 Hubert Booth of London invented the electric vacuum, a device so large that it was parked outside the house and a 100-foot long hose snaked its way inside and did the dirty work.

The device was so popular that housewives all over London held vacuum parties to enjoy the event. It wasn't until 1908 when James Spangler, a janitor in Ohio, invented the first portable, suction cleaner -- the precursor to today's high tech machines. He sold his patent to his cousin's husband, William Hoover (also familiar?) and the rest, as they say is history.

A Brief History of Vacuum Cleaners

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Bissell Steam Mop Hard-Floor Cleaner, Green Tea, 1867-7

!±8±Bissell Steam Mop Hard-Floor Cleaner, Green Tea, 1867-7

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BISSELL 1867A Steam Mop¿ Hard Floor Cleaner for an all natural chemical-free clean. Steam Mop has quick release cord wrap with slim, lightweight design. 100% Chemical-free product with steam on demand.

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Wagner Steam Cleaner - Why It's The True All Purpose Steam Cleaner

!±8± Wagner Steam Cleaner - Why It's The True All Purpose Steam Cleaner

If you are looking to buy a portable steam generator then you should definitely consider the Wagner steam cleaner. I tried comparing it with other brands before I made a purchase and here are my findings:

1. You Get The Most Bang For Your Buck

This is not to say it is the cheapest portable steam generator around. But while other brands focus only on one cleaning task, the Wagner 905 power steamer is an all-around cleaning tool. Simply attach the provided wallpaper steam plate onto it to easily remove wallpapers. But it doesn't stop there as it also comes with a window/tile squeegee, flooring cleaning head and pad, and assorted utility brush to transform it into a bacteria-killing machine.

Thus you can use it to remove tile grouts and clean grimy barbecue grills, greasy stove tops, bathroom fixtures, floors, upholstery, and even carpets, pillows and curtains! Compare that with Eureka and Bissell which you can only use on hard surfaces. They may be great too but I want a steam cleaner that I can use on almost any surface that needs cleaning.

2. Delivers Promised Results

This is the most important reason why my Wagner steam cleaner is a good buy. This is the third steamer I bought (I've had my share of disappointments with other brands, you see) and probably the last. While McCullochs are great for tile grout removal, they simply can't steam carpets and upholstery. Haans on the other hand run out of water and steam quickly so it actually takes longer to clean as you have to refill and wait for steam to build up.

I am not discouraging you to consider other brands but if you don't have much time and resources to read reviews and actually test the product then the Wagner steam cleaner is the tried and tested option for you.

Wagner Steam Cleaner - Why It's The True All Purpose Steam Cleaner

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Vacuum Cleaner Reviews - Selecting the Best Type

!±8± Vacuum Cleaner Reviews - Selecting the Best Type

The market has many choices for vacuum cleaners each with a multitude of choice in features. A lot of people buy the first vacuum that looks halfway decent, because they don't like vacuum cleaner shopping and want to spend their money on things that seem more exciting. There are various types of vacuums in the market and each of them has their pros and cons.  The first place to start is by learning about the different basic models of vacuums that are out there, so I've included a brief introduction to each in the paragraphs below. 

Upright Vacuums

Most companies that sell upright vacuum cleaners offer very similar accessories and claim the same benefits. Upright vacuum cleaners normally having a motor, bag as well as a hose & beater in a single unit.  Vacuum cleaners with wheels offer ease of movement throughout the areas of each room in your home. Expect to pay as much as five hundred dollars for a quality vacuum cleaner but the average cost is about a couple hundred dollars. Carpeted floors as well as wood floors can be cleaned well by use of an upright vacuum cleaner, particularly if the appliance has different height settings. Upright vacuum cleaners often are equipped with extensions to the hose and wand, but most cannot easily deal with closets and cannot work well on stairwells. 

Bagless Vacuums

The benefit of a bagless vacuum cleaner is that you can see what has been picked up and are less likely to forget to empty out the collection cup. Once the dirt meets the fill line, it's time for emptying the cup. If not Some vacuum cleaners require that you clean or replace their filters periodically. Emptying the dirt cup itself could be a messy process based upon your vacuum cleaner. Dust often billows out of the cup, or you will actually have to shake or pull out compressed dirt collected at the base of the container. You will be able to find something that should not have been vacuumed simply by emptying the collection cup. 

Canister Vacuums

Canister vacuum cleaners, with a long hose and canister containing a motor and bag, make a good choice for hardwood floors, vertical surfaces, curtains, and steps. If you have a hardwood floor, you should consider buying a canister vacuum since they excel in picking things up from wooden surfaces. Some vacuums are smaller and movable or include beater attachments then upright vacuum cleaner. A Canister vacuum cleaner and some upright ones deposit dust and debris into a container rather than a vacuum bag. These hard bag vacuum cleaners, which also known as bagless vacuum cleaners, customarily include HEPA filters that better remove dirt particles, dust, pollen, and dander from the air passing through the vacuum cleaner and make a good choice for homes with allergy sufferers.  

Stick Vacuums

Those who face trouble in maneuvering a full sized vacuum and for those who lives in lofts with hard surfaces, Stick vacuum are best choice. Rollers and beaters are omitted from stick vacuum cleaners, which are otherwise similar to upright models. Vacuum cleaner like the Eureka broom vacuum cleaners and dirt devil broom vacuum cleaners, perform well on hardwood flooring, furniture, curtains, hard-to-reach locations, and in tight spaces. Many of the more compact "stick" vacuums use a removable cup instead of a bag to hold what's being pulled off the floor. The smaller motors additionally don't require as much energy as their larger counterparts in the vacuum arena, and many units are cordless.  

Handheld Vacuum Cleaners

A hand held vacuum can be whipped out to quickly dispose of a small mess. Many people enjoy the convenience of a handheld vacuum for smaller messes. Handheld vacuum cleaners have most of the same features.  

Robotic Cleaners

Robotic vacuum cleaners are the latest trend used for the vacuum cleaning process. They save some time, hassle as well as some work. Robotic vacuums have built in dirt sensors that help guide their motion. The heads on the robotic vacuum cleaners are adjustable for the various heights of carpet and for hardwood floors. Most of them are available with side brushes for washing the edges of the room and around furniture. Most vacuum cleaners have a bagless system and there the emptying out the collection area is easy. 

Roombas and other self-guided vacuums may seem like attractive options, because they appear to require little work on your part, but there are some problems that you should think about before buying one. These vacuums are a mixed bag, so to speak, because they are not very thorough at cleaning. Some of them also tended to close doors behind them, having themselves locked in a room. 

Central Installed Vacuums

Instead of hauling the motor and cleaning bag around behind you, look into adding a centralized vacuum, like an Imperium central vacuum, Kenmore or a Beam centralized cleaning system. 

Central vacuum system has pipes in the walls which get connected to a tough motor in some area like the closet or the garage. Whenever you want to clean any room, attach a vacuum tube to one out of the 3 or 4 inlets set apart all over your house and permit the ducts to collect the filth and trash in the motor and sack. The process is so quiet since the motor is not near but is in a remote area.

You may be tempted to purchase a central vacuum, but you should be aware that they cost way more than a canister or upright vacuum, and you may have to hire someone to install it as well.  The main benefit is that they are easier to use than a canister. You only have to carry the hose and powerhead, and there is no vacuum body that you need to pull along. While quiet in comparison, central vacuums require less emptying. 

Carpet Steamers and Shampooers

Steam vacuums, such as Hoover and Bissell carpet steamers, utilize hot water and soap to deep-clean carpets. Carpet steamers feature a tank that holds water, soap and dirt, but beyond that, they look a lot like vacuum cleaners. The carrying handles make them easy to move and empty. Carpet steamers have multiple revolving heads instead of beaters, that agitate the dirt out of the carpet and make the cleaning solution get deeper into the nap. The suction of a vacuum cleaner is what picks up dust from your carpeting. Some carpet cleaners have a spray to focus on the dirtiest of areas.. If your carpet is really dirty and looks like it has greasy residue on it, a vacuum cleaner may not be enough to make your carpet look respectable again, so you should consider a carpet shampooer. After the shampoo has dried the rug can be vacuumed. If you use a carpet cleaner your rugs will be far cleaner than if you just vacuumed them.

Vacuum Cleaner Reviews - Selecting the Best Type

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Best Vacuum Cleaner, What is It and Where Can I Find It

!±8± Best Vacuum Cleaner, What is It and Where Can I Find It

A clean house is a healthy house. The best vacuum cleaner will remove dirt and dust as well as many harmful pathogens and allergens. There are many vacuum cleaners that will clean your floors while blowing fine dust particles and airborne antagonists throughout your house. Selecting the best vacuum cleaner requires research. There are many types of vacuum cleaners to consider when making your selection. Each has its strengths and weaknesses when it comes to cleaning. The best vacuum cleaners are generally more expensive but have the best features needed to keep your house clean and fresh. Investing into the best vacuum cleaner is a great investment in your house and your family's health.

The best vacuum cleaner can often be purchased at your local retail outlet or online. Many times you can find a good local store that specializes in vacuums. These vacuum specialty stores normally carry the best vacuum cleaner that you can buy. Frequently the prices at these vacuum cleaner specialty stores are higher than at many big box stores like Wal Mart, Lowes or Circuit City. However when you purchase at a store that specializes in the best vacuum cleaners you have a great local source for parts and maintenance. Any warranty work will be done locally in matter of days. If you purchase your vacuum cleaner online then you most likely are going to have to ship your vacuum cleaner to the nearest repair facility. Purchasing the best vacuum cleaner available will certainly reduce the risk of any reliability problems.

The best vacuum cleaner available may include a good used piece of equipment. Good vacuum cleaners that are not abused and are refurbished at vacuum cleaner stores are an excellent choice for the budget minded vacuum cleaner shopper. The people who refurbished your used vacuum cleaner will know it inside and out so if you need assistance or repairs they will be able to quickly solve any problems that you may encounter. Online auctions are also a good place to locate good used or factory refurbished vacuum cleaners. You will have to do your research to make sure that the model that you are considering has a good record of reliability. Most online vacuum cleaner sales have only a short return time or short warranty period and many have no protection to the consumer at all. The best vacuum cleaner available may be the one that does not cause you to worry about its reliability.

Remember the best vacuum cleaner will have all the features you are looking for and the ability to clean the surfaces located in your house. The best vacuum cleaners will last a long time if taken care of. Additional features to consider are the style of vacuum cleaner, is it and upright or canister model, is it bag less and if does use bags are they readily available. The best vacuum cleaners have HEPA filters to remove fine dust particles and allergens. This is a very important feature in making sure your house remains healthy and clean. As a home owner it only makes sense to invest in only the very best vacuum cleaner available.

Best Vacuum Cleaner, What is It and Where Can I Find It

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7 Early Inventors of Vacuum Cleaners

!±8± 7 Early Inventors of Vacuum Cleaners

The inventor of the first portable vacuum was James Murray Spangler in 1907 in Canton, Ohio. Spangler came up with the idea by using an electric fan, a box and a pillowcase and made use of a rotating brush to loosen debris. Because of a lack of funding to manufacture his product, he sold the patent to William Henry Hoover in 1908 who went on to develop the idea for his vacuum, for which it is used to this day.

Ives W.McGaffey invented a vacuum called 'Whirlwind' in 1868. McGaffey, from Chicago, USA, created a machine that was lightweight to use and also compact, but it required the user to turn a hand crank at the same time as they pushed it over the floor, thus it proved a difficult machine to operate.

Daniel Hess was the inventor of the carpet sweeper in 1860, and was from West Union, Iowa, USA. He came up with the concept of having a rotating brush which was quite like a vacuum, but also had a bellows system to generate enough suction to pick up the dirt.

Melville Bissell invented a vacuum in 1876 in Grand Rapids, Michigan in order to clean up sawdust from their carpet. In fact, Bissell carpet sweepers exist in various forms to this day.

The inventor of the first motorized vacuum was H. Cecil Booth in 1901 after watching a device that was used on trains to blow the dust of train seats, and wondered if a device could be created that instead of blowing the dust, in fact sucked the dust of seats.

P.A. Fisker invented a vacuum in 1910 that was described as the first electric vacuum cleaner to be used in Europe. The device was lightweight, weighing in at just under 17.5kg.

Walter Griffiths invented a manually operated cleaner in 1905, in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Griffiths wanted a vacuum that could be used by a single person, was portable and easy to store. The device was operated by a bellows-like device that was able to pick up the dust through a pipe that was indeed flexible and removable and that could have a variety of nozzles attached to it.

7 Early Inventors of Vacuum Cleaners

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