Home and Garden

You know how your carpet got dirty — sloppy kids, slobbering pets and a revolving door of spill-happy guests. Now you want to know how to get it clean.

If your carpet is the size of a beach towel, you can simply roll it up and throw it in the wash. But if it’s a wall-to-wall hash of cola and coffee spills, grease and gravy spots, and mustard and mayonnaise stains, you will have to broaden your knowledge of carpet-cleaning options. Fortunately, few trashed carpets are beyond hope, say the experts.

The first step to restoring the color, pile and life of your carpet, says Tyler and other industry professionals, is to identify your carpet’s composition. Nylon is the primary synthetic fiber, making up about 75% of all carpet. Acrylic, polyester, olefin and wool are also used.

The second step is to classify the carpet to be cleaned by level of soiling or its appearance. This may take into account past maintenance, excessive foot traffic, household pets and even air pollution and smoke from heating systems, fireplaces and incinerators. Typically, high-traffic areas such as entrance ways and family rooms may require cleaning every six months while seldom-used areas such as a spare bedroom may require attention only once every 18 months.
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Spattering, sponging and foam-stamping can be as much fun as finger painting. Decorative paint techniques are just as playful, especially on a child’s furnishings.

These and other do-it-yourself touches give plain furniture pizazz. By adding a splash of color and a — of detail, they jazz up a setting for someone young.

Detailed with paint, furniture acts as a canvas for myriad designs. If parent and child pool their decorative ideas, the result is bound to be meaningful.

Because growing up means growing into different looks, it’s wise to consider furniture for a child’s room that easily changes face. With a little elbow grease and a colorful new decorative finish, painted furniture assumes as spirited or sophisticated a personality as you want.

Before deciding what furniture to paint in a room, consider the age and interests of its resident. For a preschooler who likes tabletop activities, think about detailing a small table and chairs with a stencil design in his or her favorite motif. Once he or she is school age and doing homework, zero-in on a desk or a big table suitable for projects, and paint it in a color the student prefers.
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