You've spent weeks, maybe even months, picking just the right carpet style and color for your home and lifestyle, and now the time has finally arrived -- it's installation day!  During the selection process you were probably a bit overwhelmed by all the information you learned from your salesperson and now you can't recall what to expect after the installation is complete.  Here is a list compiled by the World Floor Covering Association of the things to expect post installation for your reference:

CLEAN UP:
After the installation is complete, the installers will remove all flooring waste and other installation related debris from the job site.  However, the installation process will create some dust that cannot be avoided.  You should expect to do further cleaning after the installers have finished.

PROPER VENTILATION:
New flooring and installation materials can often affect indoor air quality.  Ventilate your home during installation and for 72 hours after installation.  If practical, we recommend that you open the windows and utilize the fan in the heating and cooling system keeping in mind that you should maintain a consistent temperature of at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit for 48 hours after installation.

INITIAL APPEARANCE:
Your new carpet may shed small amounts of fiber for up to 6 months.  This is a normal consequence of the shearing process during construction and not the result of yarns coming loose from the backing.  Do not be alarmed if your vacuum fills up quickly.

You may also see shaded areas across the width of your carpet resulting from the carpet resting upon itself during transportation and storage.  These marks will disappear in time and with normal traffic and vacuuming.

LEFTOVER CARPET:
Carpet is manufactured in standard widths and must all be installed in the same direction, creating leftover pieces.  It is advisable to store these pieces in a warm and dry location in the event it is needed for a repair later on.

TOUCH UPS:
Due to the stiff nature of certain flooring materials, even with the installers’ best efforts, it is possible that walls or baseboards could be scratched during installation.  Any retouching or repainting will be the responsibility of the customer.

At Action Carpet & Floor Covering we want to make the transition from your old floor covering to your new floor covering as smooth as possible and without any surprises.  Here are some things to consider before the carpet installation date:

1.  RIP AND DISPOSAL OF EXISTING CARPET/PADDING.  When making your new carpet purchase the first thing you need to decide is whether you will be ripping out the old carpet and padding to make room for the new one.  Ripping and disposing of your old carpet and padding will cost you an additional labor charge if our professional installers do it for you, so you can save yourself some money if you do it yourself.  It's time consuming, but not as difficult as it may seem.  TIP -- vacuum the old carpet before removing it to minimize airbourne dirt and dust.  When removing the old carpet/padding DON'T try and get it all out in one piece.  Using a utility knife with a new blade, cut the carpet and pad in 4' strips and roll them up to get them out the door.  Find out what your town dump will charge you for disposal and if you can leave it at the curb for their pick up.  Vacuum the subfloor after the carpet/padding has been removed.

2.  FURNITURE.  The movement of furniture out of and then back into the room(s) will also cost you a labor charge if the professionals do it for you, so you'll want to decide if this is a task you can take on yourself.  The room must be completely empty in preparation of your new carpet.  Some people move as much as they physically can and leave the larger items (bed, armoire, treadmill, etc.) for the professionals.  Detach and store all the wiring from TVs, stereos, VCR/DVD and computers.  It's best to hire a professional piano or pool table mover for these large items.

3.  OTHER REMODELING PROJECTS.  Before the day of the installation you may want to be sure that all other remodeling projects in the room are complete before the new carpet goes in.  (i.e. wallpapering, new trim, painting, subfloor repair, etc.)

After your new carpet is professionally installed, the small scraps will be removed by the installer and any large balance pieces will be left behind for you to do with them what you'd like.  Some people have us cut them to various sizes to use as little scatter rugs elsewhere in the house.  If you decide to do this, a nominal binding fee will apply.  This binding will prevent the carpet remnant from freying.

After the installation is complete all you have to do is marvel at how beautiful and clean your new floor looks.  Be sure to vacuum your carpets regularly and call on Action Carpet & Floor Covering's Cleaning Service to have them professionally cleaned at least once per year.  This will prolong the life of your carpet.

I hope these tips and considerations help!

Today a somewhat frantic woman called and started the conversation with, "How do I get lipstick out of my carpet?"  Now, there are a number of stain removers on the market that claim to remove lipstick stains like 'Goo Gone' and 'Stain-X,' but the issue in this case was that the woman was elderly and unable to get out of her home right away.  She didn't have access to a computer to search for cleaning tips on the web, so I searched through my online resources to come up with products that she might have on hand to help her remove the stain right away.  I suggested the following to her and was SO delighted to receive another call from her later in the afternoon exclaiming, "I got it out! THANK YOU!"  It made my day.  I thought I'd share these instructions in the event you are ever faced with this same lipstick dilemma.  

• Remove any excess lipstick in an upward motion carefully with your fingers and a butter knife.
• Blot the stain in an up and down motion with a clean white cleaning rag or towel.  Paper towel will work too. NEVER  scrub or you'll spread the stain and work it further into your carpet.
• If you don't have 'Goo Gone' in the house, use petroleum jelly on the stain, again working in an upward motion with your fingers. 
• Using another clean rag or towel, in an upward motion remove as much of the stain as you can.
• Finish by preparing a detergent solution: a squirt of Dawn dish soap into about a cup of warm water. Pour some of it onto your cleaning rag and gently work the spot from the edges to the center until the stain disappears. Follow with clear water on a cleaning rag or towel instead of soap, and then blot the area thoroughly with paper towels.

Hopefully this will work for you.  If it doesn't, call us at 860-298-0070 to arrange for a professional cleaning.