Rugs are a great alternative to carpets, as not only are they easy to move, clean and replace when you feel like a change, they also make a great statement in a room, if positioned correctly. But when it comes to using rugs in your home, there are some important things to consider in order to get the right balance in your space. So, before heading to the shops, check out our top tips for rugs and you’ll soon be adding some personality, style and warmth to your home.

Cover Heavy Foot Traffic Areas

Rugs in areas prone to heavy foot traffic, such as hallways and lounge rooms, should be extend close to the full width, so people don’t have to walk with one foot on the rug and the other off it. Not only does an ill-fitting rug make walking awkward and uncomfortable, it can lead to unusual wear patterns on your rug and flooring.

Keep Equal Space Around Your Bed

When positioning a rug under your bed, try to place it directly in the centre so the edges extend evenly out from the bed frame. If it’s lop-sided, it can make the whole room appear unbalanced.

Place Rugs Underneath Furniture

In a large open lounge room your rug should sit under at least the front legs of the sofas – or if you have a large rug, completely under them. If you have armchairs in the space as well, their front legs should be just on the rug too. This creates a cosy atmosphere and cohesive sitting area, without closing it off from the rest of the room.

In a small lounge room, rugs should sit in front of the sofa, so there’s a narrow strip of floor showing. This makes the room appear lighter and more spacious. Meanwhile, In a dining room, rugs should be large enough for both the chairs and the table to all be placed on top. Make sure the chairs remain on the rug even when they are pulled out from underneath the table.

Don’t Place Your Best Rugs in The Spill Zone

Having said this, it’s best to avoid placing expensive rugs in the dining area, where there are likely to be spills and accidents. Even though they’re easier to clean than carpets, it can still be difficult to remove certain stains from rugs. If this does happen, you can always try using our spills and stain cleaning guide, and if those don’t work you can give us a call and get the professionals in.

Don’t Hide Your Rug

If you have a small rug in your lounge room try using a couple of side tables instead of a large coffee table, to show off more of your feature rug.

Don’t Forget to Purchase a Rug Pad

Rugs can provide comfort for your feet and back, however without a rug pad, that comfort may be lacking. Placing a rug pad under your rug will add additional support, prevent slipping and extend the life of your rug. Without one, your rug is free to bunch up, move, and slide around on your floors.

So now you know where and how to position the rugs in your home, it’s time to head to the shops and start shopping! But with so many designs, styles and makes to choose from that can be even more tricky. If you’re struggling to decide, check out tips for picking the perfect rug.

Trying to choose and pick the perfect carpet for your stairs might seem like a daunting task; not only trying to find the right style and colour, but also durability, thickness and how it looks as it wraps around the edge of the stair and bannisters. There’s also the question of whether your carpet actually needs to be replaced or not: here’s our 8 signs to check if you should replace your carpet.

While there’s a lot more to consider when buying stair carpet, choosing the best carpeting for your stairs is easy once you learn how to spot quality carpeting. First, you’ll want to assess your staircase and the type of carpeting you need.

What type of staircase do you have? 

STRAIGHT STAIRCASE

As the most common staircase type found in homes around the world, when it comes to carpeting the straight staircase, you might want to look at going for something durable and sturdy, such as a plush or Berber carpet. With its loop construction, the Berber carpet has a more textured look and feel that also adds durability, allowing it to withstand a high amount of traffic.

CURVED STAIRCASE

Larger homes sometimes boast a grand curved staircase, and the best choice to emphasise this elegant feature is a Plush carpet. You could even choose to go a step further by making use of a carpet stair runner, as opposed to completely covering the original treads and risers. This way the staircase edges will be exposed and create an interesting and elegant feature.

SPIRAL STAIRCASE

Spiral staircases, are usually installed for space-saving qualities, and therefore choosing carpet for a spiral staircase is very dependant on the width of the staircase. It’s important to take this into consideration, to avoid choosing carpeting that could encourage missteps. Metal or wooden treads are better suited for narrow spiral staircases, whereas the wider, more dramatic spiral staircases can be carpeted just as any other staircase.

STAIRS WITH MULTIPLE LANDINGS

When choosing a carpet for a staircase with multiple landings, one thing to consider is the wear on the landings. The turn in the staircase will mean that foot traffic patterns will wear carpet at the point where people turn to go up the stairs. Selecting a high-quality carpet for this will definitely pay off in the long run.

What about thickness? 

A thicker carpet does not mean it is more durable: in fact, some of the most durable carpets are the thinner varieties, and some of the thickest carpets are just full of air, and squash down over time.

Thickness is important when choosing the suitability of a carpet for stairs. A carpet that is too thick can be a safety hazard, as it wraps around the front edge of the stair and acts as a ramp for your foot, with nothing substantial to support your foot, leading to potential slips and falls.

General consensus suggests the ideal thickness for a stair carpet is a pile height of maximum 1.27cm, with a carpet padding of 1.11cm or less and a pile density rating of at least 3.5kgs.

Choosing the right colour

There are so many different tones and shades when it comes to choosing the right colour carpet for your staircase, but basically it all comes down to the type of flooring above and below your staircase as well as the look and feel of the interior décor of your home. Here are a few handy tips to help you make the right decision.

• The most popular and obvious colour choice is a neutral sandy tone, which is the most easy option as it compliments a variety of other colours.
• If your ceilings are low, pick a carpet colour that is slighter darker, or a few shades darker than the colour of the surrounding walls, to give a feeling of extension in height.
• If you have light, white or cream walls and high ceilings, you can go a bit more adventurous with carpet colour and patterns, as this will complement the surrounding neutral colours and make a real statement.

Don’t forget, you also need to consider the right carpet underlay. We’ve written about this before so check our hints and tips here!

Now that you’re a more familiar with what type of carpet will work best for your staircase, we hope you feel more confident in making the right colour and design choices. And once you do get that new carpet installed, check out our article on quick tips for removing that new carpet smell.

Once your carpet is in, remember we are always here to help if you do have any spillages on your way up or down the stairs and end up with some stains that need professional attention.

Valentine’s Day is approaching and in the spirit of staying at home you’ve invited your date over to your place to impress them with a romantic home cooked meal. But what you haven’t factored in is the house cleaning and preparation before their arrival! Don’t worry; we have some quick and easy tips to help you get your humble home all shiny and ship-shape, ensuring you make a great impression this Valentine’s Day.

1. Give the lounge room a spruce up

This is the room your date is likely to see first and will be left alone in when you nip into the kitchen to finish off that Master Chef meal you have going, so you need to make sure their gaze doesn’t fall on anything unpleasant!

Here’s a checklist to make sure you have all areas covered:

• Clear away the clutter
• Remove any rugs and shake them outside before vacuuming
• Wipe down everything with a multi-surface cleaner
• If you have any tough stains in the carpets try some of our carpet spills and stain cleaning guide tips
• Vacuum on the way out (we even have some tips on how to vacuum properly for you)
• Once everything is clean, place your rugs back
• Place a bowl of choccies and some candles on the coffee table. It sets the mood and scented candles might help cover up any funny odours that may be lingering from those sweaty gym clothes or stinky socks you removed earlier
• Why not go the whole hog and arrange a nice bottle of champagne in an ice bucket with 2 sparkling clean glasses ready for their arrival

After all that, if you find there are stubborn stains that won’t come out with our stain removing guide, or you want your house to smell super fresh and clean for your special guest, give Drytron, the carpet cleaning professionals a call, and we’ll get your carpet all spruced up and ready to impress even the most discerning date.

2. Let’s get in the kitchen

You know how the saying goes, “a good cook is a clean cook” and Valentine’s Day is not a good time to put that to the test, so play it safe and follow these quick cleaning hacks we’ve put together for you:

• Load all your dirty dishes in the dishwasher and run a cycle so it’s ready and empty for the evening, making for a quick clean up and no lingering smells
• Fill your kitchen sink with hot, soapy water and put all removable stove burners in to soak
• If you have some tough stains on the stove top mix some baking soda in a small bowl with enough hydrogen peroxide to make a paste. Scrub with the rough side of a sponge and hey presto, squeaky clean!
• Wipe down all surfaces with a multi-surface cleaner (don’t forget the cupboard doors!)
• Scrub, rinse and dry the burners then put them back on the stove
• Vacuum and mop the kitchen floor on your way out
• Add a vase with red roses and put out some wine, glasses and nibbles such as a dip, grazing platter or cheese board, so your date can come and chat to you while you’re cooking

3. Don’t forget the loo!

Probably the most dreaded job, but definitely a date deal breaker, so follow these tips to get that powder room ready to pass muster:

• Pour a good amount of toilet cleaner into the toilet bowl and up under the rim, and let it sit for a while
• Remove the bath mats and towels and replace with clean ones
• Wipe down everything with multi-surface bathroom cleaner
• Clean and tidy the inside of your cabinets and drawers and put away anything embarrassing! (everyone likes to peep)
• Neatly arrange bathroom items like soaps or hand towels in a decorative basket. Don’t forget to provide a basket to place the used ones in for washing afterwards
• Now it’s been soaking for a while, give your toilet a good scrub with the toilet brush and flush it
• Lift and wipe the seat and all around the bowl of the toilet with a disinfectant spray. Make sure there are no stray hairs anywhere and don’t forget the top of the loo as well!
• Time to add those romantic finishing touches – essential oil burners or diffusers and some candles will do the trick
• Vacuum the floor all over, being sure to get under and around and in all those dark corners, and mop on your way out

Last but not least, don’t forget to lay the table before your date’s arrival. Add some candles and a few rose petals to set the ambience and you’re all set to enjoy a relaxed (and clean) Valentine’s date in your home.

You could say having all your loved ones around for the festive season is fun… but after all the guests have gone, you’re left with the aftermath of mess, chaos, clutter and laundry. You may feel a sense of panic kick in as you begin to face and tackle an overwhelming load of tasks in a desperate attempt to get your home looking somewhat ship shape. Well don’t despair – we’ve put together a quick and easy list of tips and tricks to get your home looking fit and fabulous for February in no time.

Let’s start with the fridge

Fridges are always pushed to their limit during the festive season, in terms of how much you can squeeze in and still get the door closed. So it’s always a good idea to go through everything in the fridge after all the guests have left, and throw out anything that’s gone off, expired or beginning to grow legs. Now your fridge is decluttered take the opportunity to give it a good wipe down and disinfect it.

Onto the dishwasher

Let’s face it, during the festive season your dishwasher becomes your new best friend, taking care of all the dirty work while you and your guests use more and more dishes. It’s done you a favour, so it’s time to return the good deed by giving your new bestie a good scrub down and get it looking as good as new! Luckily it’s quite an easy task. Simply start by hand-washing the removable filters if your dishwasher has any. Then add a cup of white vinegar in a dishwasher-safe container on the upper rack of the machine. Run the dishwasher through a hot-water cycle. This will wash away grease and grime and remove musty odours, too. Lastly, sprinkle one cup of baking soda across the bottom of the dishwasher. Run a short, hot water cycle. The dishwasher will be fresh-smelling and have a brightened, stain-free interior.

And now the floors, carpets & upholstery

Your floors, carpets and upholstery always tend to get the biggest beating when it comes to the festive season, whether it be from sandy or wet feet, food crumbs, spilt drinks or pet hair, you name it, they’ll be in desperate need of a good, deep clean once the guests have left. Head over to our easy, step-by-step ‘after party’ carpet cleaning tips and then check out our upholstery cleaning tips too. If that hasn’t quite done the job then give us, the carpet and upholstery cleaning professionals, a call.

Don’t forget the barbie

For those that love entertaining around the barbie over the holidays, I think it’s safe to say it’s probably looking a little grim, greasy and full of grime. Thankfully getting it back in good nick is fairly easy, and won’t take too long! All you need to do is half fill your kitchen sink, or alternatively a large container, with cold water, mixing in 30ml (2tbsp) of washing powder until it is completely dissolved. Place the barbecue grid in the water, ensuring it is covered, and leave it to soak for an hour. Lastly, put in some elbow grease by hand-scrubbing the grid clean before rinsing it well. Then dry it and rub it with cooking oil to prevent it from rusting, and you’re good to chuck another shrimp on the barbie next time around.

Christmas Décor

And lastly, if you still haven’t done the dreaded job of packing away those Christmas decorations don’t be tempted to throw them in a bag and stuff them into the back of the cupboard. Why not make life easier by making the pack-away process enjoyable, organised and creative. Get the kids involved in making a DIY ornament box to neatly and safely store all your Christmas decorations. All you need are plastic/paper cups and sheets of cardboard sized to your choice of storage bin. Simply arrange your plastic cups along the bottom of your storage bin, placing an ornament in each cup and then cover with a sheet of cardboard. Repeat this process until you have filled the storage bin with layers of cups and card. This will help you keep all your ornaments organised and easy to unpack the following festive season. Next you’ll also need to pack away the Christmas lights, but avoid scrunching them up into a ball: wrap them around a piece of cardboard to prevent them from getting tangled up. You could even go one step further by labelling the cardboard ‘front porch’ or ‘Christmas tree,’ to remind yourself where to hang them when they’re needed again. Now you’ve not only successfully and neatly packed away everything, but also got everything prepared and ready for next Christmas – how organised are you?

Cleaning the aftermath of all the festive season chaos doesn’t have to be chaotic, in fact, it’s actually fairly easy and stress free. So, If you haven’t already, why not start now by putting our easy DIY tips and tricks into action and getting your house looking fresh and fabulous, ready to kick start February with a bang! Happy cleaning, from Drytron.

Now the festive season has come and gone, and the new year is already well underway, we’re sure many carpets are feeling a little battered and bruised from the aftermath of the summer holidays. So we thought we’d help you jump into 2021 the Drytron way: clean, refreshed, revived and ready.

The general rule for carpet cleaning is: the sooner you act, the less you need to clean, so follow these easy ‘After Party’ carpet cleaning tips to get your carpets looking primed and pristine, ready to welcome more guests and gatherings during the year!

RED WINE CARPET STAIN 

As cautious and careful as you might be when it comes to drinking and celebrating in carpeted areas of your home, it’s pretty inevitable someone will have a glass or two too many and spill their red wine all over your carpet… and wine, rich in pigment, tannins, and other staining agents, is not that easy to clean. A red wine spill can totally ruin a carpet, and once it’s dried, it’s even harder to remove. But don’t worry, because we’ve got some simple methods for you to tackle those pesky vino stains.

Note, it’s always best to spot test these solutions first on an inconspicuous part of your carpet, before you try them on the stain. 

Solution #1:

Re-wet the stain with a small amount of water, then proceed to apply a generously large amount of salt to the stained area. Salt sucks out the moisture from the wet stain, drawing out pigment and other discolouration’s alongside it. Leave the salt overnight. The next day, you will find that the salt has turned pinkish in colour, which tells you it’s doing its job. Once you’re satisfied, simply scoop up the salt and discard. For the final touches, vacuum up the remaining salt grains and you should be left with a stain that has greatly reduced in size or intensity, or completely vanished!

Solution #2:

Mix 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, 1 tablespoon dishwashing liquid, and 2 cups of warm water in a large bowl. Make sure you only use white vinegar as other vinegars can stain leading to further damage. Wet the stain with the mixture and using a clean rag, dab (don’t scrub!) the stained area. The mixture will loosen the stain. Use a second dry rag to absorb the liquid as you continue to blot. Alternate using the wet and dry rag. When the stain has been mostly removed, soak a third rag in cold water and press it into the stain. This will further loosen and remove the wine. Continue until the stain is gone.

CANDLE WAX STAINS

Everyone’s a sucker for the warmth and intimacy that candlelight so easily provides, and what better occasion for that ambience than a family sit-down Christmas dinner… that is until wax ends up all over the carpet. If you had any wax mis-haps over the holidays, then you’ve come to the right place. Here’s our go-to method for removal…

Solution:

Place a bag of ice, an ice pack or even frozen meat over the wax on the carpet until the wax solidifies and starts to lift up from the carpet fibers. Once the wax stain is frozen, use your knife, or a spoon if you’re afraid to ruin the fibres, to scrape off as much of the wax as you can. If you’re unable to remove all the wax, then grab a paper towel/bag and place it over the wax stain and proceed to rub over the paper towel/bag with an iron on low temperature. Keep repositioning the towel/bag on fresh areas and repeat until all the wax has been absorbed. Ta daaa.

PET URINE STAINS

Don’t we all just love having the relatives over for the holidays, especially Auntie Susan who insists that her precious pooch never gets left behind. Well, it’s all fun and games until you’re left to deal with the aftermath of the pooch’s party on your carpet… Luckily we’re here to give you the perfect remedy on how to remove pet stains from your carpet!

Solution:

Assuming you were wise enough to clean up as much of the urine as possible as soon as it hit the carpet, however, once the remainder of urine dries, the odour will set into the carpet fibres. To get rid of the odour, mix up a solution of 2 cups vinegar, 2 cups warm water and 4 tablespoons of baking soda. Transfer the solution into a spray bottle and spritz it onto the urine stained area. Let that sit for about 5 to 10 minutes, and then dab the area with a soft kitchen towel to remove any excess liquid. If you’re still struggling with the smell or urine stain, proceed to sprinkle some baking soda directly over the affected area. Then pour a half vinegar and half water solution onto the area and let it sit for 5 minutes. Again, dab the area with a cloth to remove any excess liquid.

For more tips on urine and your carpets click here:  https://drytron.com.au/urine-and-your-carpets/

We hope these quick and easy home remedies have come to your rescue, and helped you bring your beautiful carpets back to life, ready to take on another year of celebrations, gatherings and good old fun! However, if you’ve tried everything under the sun, and still find yourself in a pickle you can always call the carpet cleaning professionals – Drytron.

Of course, like everything, even carpets and rugs have a lifespan and if you’re considering replacing your carpet take a quick look here to see if it’s time to spoil yourself by starting the new year with some new carpets. We’ve even made a list of tips to help you pick the perfect rug.

In our last post we shared some tips on how to prepare for the arrival of your friends and family this Christmas, we decided to go a little further in helping you prepare for a fun and fabulous, festive drinks evening at home.

Set up a drinks station

There’s nothing better than kick-starting the festivities with a little extra festive ‘spirit,’ so follow this easy, step by step punch recipe that you can pre-prepare and set up alongside a drinks station – it will free up heaps of time for you not having to play hostess and mixologist extraordinaire at the same time. You might need to taste a few beforehand just to make sure you’re happy with them though!

What you’ll need:

• red grapes
• A bottle of Prosecco
• 1L of cloudy apple juice
• ice
• 250ml sloe gin
• 50ml Jägermeister
• 1 ball stem ginger, finely sliced
• 3-4 sprigs rosemary
• 1 clementine, finely sliced
• A sprinkle of cinnamon

What to do:

The day before your party, put the grapes in the freezer, and chill the prosecco and apple juice in the fridge. Just before your guests are due to arrive, place the frozen grapes and a generous handful of ice in a large 2-3 litre punch bowl and pour all the remaining ingredients on top. Stir gently to combine, then serve. This will keep nice and cool for up to 3 hrs before needing to add more ice. Sip, sip, hooray!

Festive snacks

Make sure you choose simple foods that can be prepared ahead of time. Have the platters and bowls assembled and ready to be pulled out of the fridge or have the cling film taken off at least 15 minutes before guests arrive. Simple finger food allows guests to graze, such as crackers, cheeses and a cut fruit platter, dips and chips or a crudite plate.

Here’s a great recipe for a festive cranberry salsa to serve with your cheese board:

• Pulse cranberries and sugar in a food processor
• Stir together with onions, cilantro and jalapeno
• Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight
• To serve, place cream cheese on a serving plate
• Drain salsa; spoon over cream cheese
• Decorate with a sprig of holly

Crank up some Jingle Bell Rock

What’s a festive party without some holiday music? Before guests arrive, dim the lights, turn up the holiday tunes, light some scented candles, string up the fairy lights and pour yourself a punch.

Stock up on festive props

Gather a bunch of Santa hats, reindeer antlers, Christmas crackers, silly glasses and other props to leave around the room and encourage people to wear or pose for fun photos. You could even set up an allocated photo booth area by the Christmas tree – there are plenty of photo booth apps available to download.

Get people in the giving mode

Set up a Kris Kringle present game and let everyone know the allocated budget beforehand – it’s a great ice breaker to start the party with as people get into the spirit of some light-hearted “gift giving” fun!

Plan ahead for the morning after

Let’s face it, you don’t want to be worrying about the aftermath of the party while you’re busy enjoying it and having fun, so take as much of that worry away by planning for the clean-up ahead of time. Clear an area, say in the laundry or another room near the kitchen, where you can fill trays with empty glasses ready to be washed, and if there isn’t a sink nearby use a bucket to empty the dregs into. Have some large, strong bin-bags ready for food scraps or disposable plates and napkins, and try to clear these throughout the party. Tidy as much as you can after the guests leave, so it’s not such a mission the next morning (you’ll thank yourself for it later!) And if you have any major spills on the carpet or couches there’s no need to get your tinsel in a tangle because we’ve got that covered too – try our stain removal tips or call in our carpet cleaning specialists to take care of the job for you. You could even think about booking your carpet clean in advance for the week after the party, to take even more pressure off.

With family and friends arriving to celebrate the festive season together after being apart for so long (thanks Covid!), we thought we’d bring you some easy tips and tricks to ensure your Christmas celebrations run as smoothly as possible.

1. Prepare the guest bedrooms
We all know what happens to guest bedrooms when there is no guest… they end up being that ‘spare’ room where all the junk and clutter gets stored. This is your chance to get in there and do a full room makeover, to refresh and revive the space while getting it ready for your guests. We’ve got a list of 10 smart ideas for you. If you want to go the extra mile to make sure the room is up to standard for your guests add soft, cosy linen, fluffy bath towels, ambient bedside table lighting for reading, inviting rugs, cushions, throws and maybe some mini toiletries too!
 
2. Prepare menus & prep meals before hand 
Before all your guests arrive make sure you know of any dietary requirements so you can plan for those beforehand and avoid the rushed scramble to quickly put something together on the spot! Create a meal plan or schedule that covers the duration of your guests’ stay, do the grocery shopping before your guests arrive and prep as many meals as you can in advance: you can even freeze them if possible. This will mean you don’t have to be in the kitchen prepping and cooking meals all day long. If your guests are close friends or family you could even come up with a meal roster where everyone has days allocated to take turns doing the prepping and cooking. This is a fun and easy way to get everyone involved and also makes for some great bonding!

3. Get the Christmas decorations up
Sometimes all you need to do is add a little Christmas colour and sparkle. A few berry sprigs in a vase and some pine cones dusted with glitter work a treat. Everyone loves the smell of Christmas – grab some cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, vanilla, ginger or orange scented candles. If it smells like Christmas it’ll feel like Christmas. And of course, don’t forget the tree! It always takes a bit longer than you think to get the decorations done so don’t leave it to the last minute if you can help it.

4. Kit out the kitchen
Whatever the occasion, people always tend to be drawn to the kitchen, which is often the only place in the house that is overlooked when preparing for guests! During the festive season, the kitchen is often busier with cooking for more people than usual which means counter space, equipment and oven space are in short supply. Check you have enough serving ware, cutlery and tableware for each guest, bearing in mind you don’t want to be doing dishes constantly. Lastly, make sure the essentials are easy to find; milk, tea, coffee, sugar etc as this will allow your guests to feel more comfortable and at home to help themselves.

5. Prepare the table for the big day
Styling your table doesn’t need to be detailed and in-depth, in fact it’s really not hard at all. All you need to do is choose a tablecloth or runner, which will be the base or foundation of your overall look. Next, put together an eye-catching centre piece, whether it be a flower arrangement, an ornament, candles, anything that complements the look you are trying to create. Lastly, layering your tableware creates a more refined festive table look, so make sure you use charger plates as well as your normal dinner and salad plates. As an extra, you could also include a personalised element for your guests, such as Christmas ornaments or crackers with their names on them.

6. Prepare for bad weather
Although we might hope for sunny weather, it’s a good idea to prepare for a few rainy, overcast days to avoid being stuck in the house with nothing to do! Get out all those all board games you have sitting in the back of your cupboard and pick out a few festive movies that can be enjoyed by guests of all ages so if the time comes, you’re prepared!

7. Clean your carpets, curtains and upholstery
Last but not least, an inviting home for your guests means nothing if your carpet and upholstery is in need of some cleaning. Whilst it may be the safest option to call a carpet cleaning professional if you have tough stains to shift, you might find our guide for DIY carpet cleaning and removing stains comes in handy. But if you’re running out of time in the run up to Christmas, call in the professionals and let Drytron take care of it for you.

Wishing you all the ‘merry’ best for your upcoming Christmas celebrations and we hope this helps you stay stress-free so you can enjoy the festivities as much as your guests do!

We’ve never spent so much time inside, as during this pandemic. That’s why now is the perfect opportunity to put that time at home to good use, by undertaking some simple home improvement exercises. 

We’ve got ten ideas to get you started. 

1. Spring clean for a thorough spruce up.

Now is the time to get your house ready for Summer and potential visitors in the hotter months, by undertaking a thorough Spring Clean. We’ve got a checklist with ten ideas  to help you get started. 

2. Find your perfect couch.

Updating a key furniture piece can have a massive impact on your home and living space. Picking the perfect couch is important, but there are many bargains to be had at retailers at the moment. Or, you could even find a second-hand couch to keep costs down.

3. Get inventive with new soft furnishings.

Discover what rugs work best for your home, and invest in some new accent pieces to liven up your spaces. Look at bright blues, greens, burnt oranges and pinks, to stay up-to-date with current trends.

4. Modernise with colour.

If you are feeling the pandemic pinch, and need to be thrifty with any home improvement ideas, try adding a splash of colour to modernise outdated spaces. Even something as simple as a brightly coloured mug, or even just vibrant fruit like lemons and limes placed in a bowl, can really brighten a room and make it feel fresh and modern.

5. Get smart with small spaces.

You might not believe it, but there are so many things you can do with small spaces to bring out the WOW factor. Don’t be afraid to play with colour, mirrors, levels or clever storage ideas, to trick and transform.

6. Hang some fresh art.

The simple act of hanging some fresh art can make a huge difference to how your home is presented. If you don’t have any art sitting around, and can’t afford to purchase some, try a framed print OR even create a hanging space for your kids to show off their art. They are mini Picassos afterall.

7. Introduce a sanitation station.

Unfortunately, our new normal is a little different to the life we had all grown accustomed to, but what better way to embrace it than by making a specific, stylised space in your home for sanitation? It could be in the entryway, hallway, or any other area near the entrance of your home. You could even invest in a hands free sanitiser to add a modern, innovative touch.

8. Convert a nook or spare bedroom into a home office.

With the whole world largely working from home at the moment, most of us need a functional, quiet home office to get things done in. Try converting a nook, or spare bedroom into an office space with the introduction of a nice desk, comfy chair and some stationary and decor items.

9. Plant a little positivity in your garden.

Right now, we need all the positivity we can get, so why not plant some? Turn your outdoor space into a flower garden, green oasis, cactus walk or even, a mini orchard and vegetable garden.

10. Have your carpets and upholstery professionally cleaned.

When it all comes down to it, an improved home means nothing if your carpet and upholstery is dirty, lacklustre, and in need of some serious TLC. Don’t break your back, or your wallet, trying to find solutions. Call in the professionals and let Drytron take this job off of your hands, to free you up for more of the good things. Like, enjoying your home, and this precious time with loved ones.

Most people give very little consideration to choosing underlay at the time of installing new carpet, however this unseen element plays a huge role in determining how long your carpet will stay looking and feeling great for years to come.

What is carpet underlay?

Carpet underlay is sandwiched between your floor and the carpet, giving carpet both its softness and form. Apart from providing extra comfort underfoot, underlay also creates a layer of insulation against cold bare floors, adds extra noise absorption and can assist in minimising floor damage from furniture indents or scratches. Lastly and more importantly, underlay can save you money, by reducing significant heat loss, therefore keeping your energy bills to a minimum and keeping the home warmer in winter.

Why use Carpet Underlay?

Carpet underlay improves your underfoot comfort, as the crushing forces of walking on the pile are absorbed and bounce back, keeping the carpet’s overall form and look. A good quality underlay can help mask minor flooring imperfections such as uneven or rough surfaces, both protecting unnecessary additional wear on your carpet and making it much smoother to walk on.

Types of carpet underlay

Foam, rubber and felt are the most common traditional underlay options, and these come in various qualities, from low cost to premium offerings. In addition to different levels of thickness and density, there are other lifestyle considerations to take into account, such as environmentally friendly, asthma and allergy-friendly underlay options on offer, helping you increase the health of your home environment.

How to choose the right underlay

You wouldn’t buy just any carpet for your home, and the same should go for choosing the carpet underlay. When looking for new carpet for your home, underlay can considerably enhance your chosen carpet, by giving it additional texture, depth and comfort.

When choosing your underlay, it’s important to consider how the room will be used, to ensure your underlay will adequately stand the test of time. If the room will have a lot of foot traffic, heavy furniture or a lot of wear and tear, you should really consider investing in a higher quality carpet underlay.

Low density underlay tends to be less expensive, however it is also a lower quality choice. This may save money in the short term but over time it could mean needing to replace floor coverings more frequently as they don’t hold up as well.

In order to get the best out of your carpet and underlay, make sure you vacuum regularly and factor in regular professional cleaning to remove unhealthy irritants, bacteria and allergens.

It might seem a bit far-fetched, but installing the right carpet can really make a big improvement in your daily quality of life, especially in these times when so many of us are working and schooling at home.

One reason for this is that carpets are great at absorbing and softening harsh sounds, creating a quieter, more harmonious indoor environment for everyone in the home. Installing good quality carpet with the right kind of underlay is the only way to eliminate excessive noise generated by floor impacts, such as footsteps, chairs scraping, and objects being dropped. This is particularly noticeable in homes where children running, jumping and playing can greatly contribute to ambient noise levels.

Carpet and underlay also absorb sound reverberation; which is the technical term for how long sounds last within a room. Uncarpeted homes are generally much noisier, with background sound echoing around and impairing communication, particularly when you are trying to talk on the phone or via video conference. Soft furnishings such as curtains, rugs and furniture in a room can greatly help with sound absorption, however by far the most effective solution is wall-to-wall carpet with a good quality underlay.

According to a fact sheet by the Carpet Institute of Australia, acoustic consultants, Graeme E Harding and Associates (GEHA) said: “The installation of carpet or similar types of floor covering is the only method available for eliminating excessive noise generated by floor impacts. Carpeted floors can result in a reduction in noise of over 20 decibels2.”

The type of underlay used is also important: “The pile structure of carpet also helps to control reverberation. A material’s potential for reverberation control is quantified by its Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) and/or by its Weighted Sound Reduction Coefficient, αw (pronounced ‘alpha w’). A typical broadloom carpet has an NRC of 0.35 and will absorb approximately 35% of sound that strikes it. The NRC rating of carpet is directly proportional to the thickness of the floor covering. If the carpet is installed with an underlay its NRC rating will almost double.”

In addition to the obvious noise reduction, carpet also gives a feeling of comfort and warmth that makes working from home so much more enjoyable. Sitting at a desk all day in an uncarpeted room can be quite cold, and can leave you feeling quite stiff and irritable. Carpet automatically makes a room more insulated and therefore cosier, meaning you won’t get cold feet and might even be able to leave your shoes off, for a more relaxed and comfortable working environment.