Home Improvement Tips - Bathroom Renovations

One of the most popular areas of a house to renovate is the bathroom. There are many different ways to renovate a bathroom, from small surface changes to completely gutting the room. With some forethought and elbow grease, there are renovating techniques the do-it-yourselfer can accomplish, while saving money at the same time.

The first rule in any renovation is to start with a budget, and stick to it. After a budget is set, one must decide on how serious of a project the renovation will be. Surface alterations can be done fairly quickly and cheaply, while rearranging the layout of the bathroom, such as moving the toilet to a new location, will be more labor intensive, and require a contractor to move plumbing lines. A complete tear out is the most difficult, as well as money and time consuming, but is sometimes necessary if several years of moisture has begun to rot the bathroom's wooden framework.

Hopefully moisture hasn't penetrated the bathroom's joists and studs, but it's quite possible that drywall will have to be replaced. Today there is moisture resistant drywall called greenboard. If a wall is being replaced inside of the shower, a cement backerboard must be used that moisture cannot penetrate.

Many bathroom renovations revolve around the shower or tub. For the do-it-yourselfer, installing a prefabricated shower enclosure or tub is possible. The other option is a tiled shower or tub, which involves building a frame from scratch, and is best left to a professional carpenter. Though prefab showers were once fairly basic, today there are a variety of styles, colors and textures from which to choose. The units can come in one solid piece, to minimize assembly, and also panels if the complete unit can't fit through the bathroom door (which is the case with many older homes).

There are a wide variety of flooring options for bathrooms, but steer clear of wood floors which will warp from the humidity. Ceramic tiles are the most popular choice for bathroom flooring, as it's completely waterproof when sealed properly. There are also almost limitless combinations of shapes, sizes and colors combinations of tiles and grout that will fit all tastes. All floors must be level before laying down tile, which can be easily achieved by mixing a self leveling compound that is then spread across the floor, evening out any inconsistencies.

A new sink or vanity can spruce up a bathroom as well. There are many popular styles, such as wall mounted sinks, pedestal sinks, and vessel sinks that are fairly easy to install. It's often possible to use the current sink piping to reconnect to an updated sink which can drastically change a bathroom's appearance.

Some of the most effective updating can also be the easiest to do. Changing all the hardware, such as drawer pulls, faucet handles, and shower heads, can make a great impact, especially when they are all pulled together with the same materials, such as stainless steel, bronze, or brushed nickel. The cheapest home improvement choice of them all- paint- can also give a bathroom a new feel. Ditching a bland, frameless mirror for a new, large one with a funky frame is also an easy fix.

Sometimes the cost of new bathroom features is the priciest part of a renovation, but looking beyond big box stores can save cash. The local Craigslist may have a treasure being thrown out by another remodeler with a different taste. eBay can work the same way. Buying discontinued tiles is another good money saving technique, but remember to pick up extras to replace damaged tiles in the future.

Most remodeling techniques can be learned, but a contractor may be necessary to deal with new electrical or plumbing lines- it will be worth the money for it to be done correctly, and they will follow building codes properly. Getting referrals from trustworthy friends is always advisable when looking for a good and efficient contractor.

Cleaning Wool Carpets

Home Improvement Tips On Wool Carpet Cleaning

Cleaning Wool Carpets - A Boulder Carpet Cleaning Guide

If you have recently purchased a wool carpet please go to your pantry which holds all your carpet cleaning spotters and throw them away. Never use soaps or carpet cleaning chemicals on wool carpet unless it has a PH between 4.5 and 8.5. To be completely safe you could stay below a PH of 7 (neutral and will not cause the dyes to bleed) or look for your carpet cleaning product at fernmark.com.

Be especially careful of using bleach products near your wool carpet. Bleach will actually dissolve wool carpet and leave you with a giant hole. Bleach is a great way to test your carpet for wool content if you’re not sure if your carpet has wool in it. Another way to test your carpet for wool content is to take a small piece of the wool carpet and hold it in some tongs. In a safe place, light the carpet fiber on fire. If the fiber will hold a flame it is not 100 % wool. You may still have wool content but we know it is not a pure wool carpet since wool is non flammable and will not hold a flame, it will sizzle.

Even if your carpet is 1% wool, you must clean it as if it is 100% wool or you will probably ruin the carpet. Now that we have discussed what not to do, we can establish how to better maintain your wool carpet.

Vacuum as often as you can. This is akin to washing your hair. How many days a week do you skip washing your hair? Only use low PH cleaners. Using over the counter products on wool carpets is like using Tide on your hair! High PH cleaners will break down the cuticle or hard scaly surface that holds the fiber together. Breaking down the cuticle would leave us with a fuzzy mess.

When using a wool safe product - blot. Scrubbing will also cause the fiber to fuzz out. I also recommend that you blot up the wool safe spotter with an acidic rinse (1 part white vinegar 3 part water). This will remove any residue and leave the wool fiber slightly acidic which will help maintain the wools softness. You also want to speed dry your wool carpet. If the carpet takes too long to dry it can turn yellow or brown. Using too high a PH cleaner on your wool carpet can also turn the fibers brown or yellow. We call this PH browning.

In conclusion, vacuum as often as you can. Spot clean with wool safe products. Blot rinse with an acidic rinse and never use bleach (causes wool to dissolve) or products with a high PH. Have your carpets cleaned at least once a year by a professional carpet cleaner who uses wool safe products. For more information on carpets, carpet cleaning, carpet repair, water damage, or allergies please visit our website.

This guide is written to help you maintain your wall to wall wool carpet. It is not meant for wool Oriental rugs. These rugs may have loose dye that will bleed or crock. I recommend that you have these rugs taken to a rug plant that specializes in wool rugs. Oriental rugs should never be cleaned at your home since the dyes may bleed. If a professional carpet cleaner insists, make sure he tests every color on the Oriental rug for color fastness before he begins. Once a wool rug starts to bleed in your home, their is very little you can do to keep the rug from being ruined.