Home and Garden

There is no doubt that annuals would bring your garden to life. With the lavish colors to choose from and the rich textures they possess, annuals can easily become the centerpiece of any dedicated garden. They could beautify shaded areas, take away the focus on unsightly objects in the landscape, and allow your garden to explode in a cacophony of colors that would be the envy of fellow gardeners the world over. The problem is, annuals only bloom once during their lifespan, after which, they start to wither to their deaths. This is the reason for name, as annuals are expected to bloom but once every year.

So a lot of gardeners are quite torn. On one hand, annuals do provide so many aesthetic and practical benefits that would greatly improve any garden. But their rather short lifespan makes them quite a costly investment. Should a gardener risk the time, effort and resources to grow these annuals? Do their benefits justify their temporal existence?

Surely, such a dilemma can easier be answered if theres a way to prolong the benefits that these annuals bring, right?
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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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