The Carpet Guy: Cleaning In Winter

When was the last time you cleaned your carpet, area rugs, or furniture? Last year? Two or more years ago? You can’t remember?

Carpet, rugs, and most fabric covered furniture are made out of fibers, like our clothes. We wouldn't dream of not washing our clothes for a year or more. Yet, it's the rare homeowner who cleans their interior home furnishings on an annual basis.

Most homeowners wait until the weather warms up, the sun shines, and the flowers start to bloom before they call to have their items cleaned. Or they wait until they can see spots and soils showing.

There is nothing wrong with this, but you may be missing out on some amazing opportunities.

Cleaning your furnishings during winter months offer some excellent advantages you may, or cannot get, during warm weather months.

Let's start with heat. Cleaning during cold weather months when the heat is on, helps your items dry faster.

Many people ask me: "How long will it take to dry?" Often, I ask in return, "How long does it take your towels to dry?" Then I listen to their response and address the factors that affect drying: temperature, humidity, and air movement.

With your heat on (temperature) and if you or the cleaner uses an air mover or fan (air movement), both of these used together rapidly speed the drying process. If a dehumidifier (humidity) is added, the drying time is shortened even more. Rapid dry times makes the homeowner and cleaner feel good.

Scheduling
Cold weather months are normally slower for many cleaners. This is an excellent time to schedule a cleaning since there are usually more appointment times available.

Some homeowners like to take winter vacations. Coordinating to have your items cleaned in your absence is quick, convenient and the homeowner has no inconveniences to deal with.

Williams College Gives All-Clear After 'Suspicious' Package Found

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
05:40PM / Thursday, May 23, 2024

Williamstown Fire and Northern Berkshire EMS stood by at the scene during the investigation of a suspicious package at Williams College's Wachenheim Science Center on Thursday.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — A suspicious package that caused the evacuation of Williams College's Wachenheim Science Center on Thursday has been determined to be not dangerous. 

 

A post on the college website at 4 p.m. stated the "device was determined not to be a bomb or other danger."

 

The college said all buildings, residences and streets are reopened that no further updates will be made. 

 

In a message to the Williams community, President Maud Mandel said she could not speak to some particulars. 

 

"There are limits on what I can share due to the fact that police are continuing to investigate and some facts simply are not known to us," she wrote.

 

Mandel said a package was delivered just after noon to Wachenheim and the person who opened it immediately called campus safety, who called both the Williamstown Police and Fire Departments. 

 

"The nature and purpose of its contents were unclear and concerning to the people involved," said the president. "As a precaution, we promptly evacuated all academic buildings, residences and streets within a set perimeter. Given that we could not rule out the possibility that the contents were dangerous, the state bomb squad was called in.