Q:My husband is in Afghanistan right now and can buy those Chinese silk rugs for really cheap and we are debating whether to buy one for under our dining room table. Would you say it’s a good idea to put a rug under your dining room table is that I common thing to do. This is the first time we have owned a house and I am no home decorator.

Oh yes, a rug under the table is very popular in a dining room. There is often less textiles in a dining room compared to other rooms in the house, so a rug fits the bill. In order to pull this off and have the rug look right, it has to function correctly in two regards. First, it has to be in proportion to the scale of the room. Secondly, it is wise to get the right size which allows the chairs freedom of movement. Step foot into your dining room with a tape measure. The rule of thumb for a room size rug is to have the rug set within 12 to 24 from the walls--that is for a room size rug. An area rug under a dining table can be smaller and is measured as such: Pull the side chairs and the chairs at the foot and the head of the table out just far enough as if you were going to sit down. Now, measure how wide and how long the chairs are away from one another. That is the size of the rug you should purchase for under the dining room table. Idealy, the rug should be large enough so the chairs always are on the rug. Sometimes you can get away with being short, only if, when the chair is pushed under the table, all chair legs are on the rug. Assuming that your husband is deployed in Afghanistan, you have a lot to be proud of. I admire the US Military. Particularly the bravery of the enlisted men and women who have my utmost respect.

Q:whats a good inexpensive stream cleaner that will make my carpet look like new again! we moved into our apartment almost a year ago and it was a very rainy muddy day, ever since my carpets have just been plain nasty looking, its only the livingroom and diningroom though. What can i get that will actually work

I decided last year to do that very thing and researched carpet steamers and scrubbers on Consumer reports. Their finding was that NO home carpet cleaner was even close to the cleaning power of the rental steam cleaners that can be rented at grocery and pharmacies. (They did advise to inspect closely for worn or dirty units). But beyond that - they said that having Stanley Steemer out was far beyond the cleaning of the rentals. That's what I did, and I have to agree, having used both rental steamers and an older home carpet scrubber at our own home and on rental property carpets.

Q:Our cat who is not declawed, will pick at anything. What carpet would be best in the den?

I think you mean Berber carpet. Why don't you simply go to a carpeting warehouse place and see if they have remnants and get them to bind the edges and then lay it down on the good carpet as a large area rug? I did that one place I lived and it worked out quite well. I also went to a place like Bed Bath and Beyond and looked for large area rugs that they have for kids going into dorm rooms and bought two rugs and laid them over my carpet. They were good for several years and when they got bad I rolled them up and threw them away and unrolled some new ones. I think they ran about $30 per rug.

Q:does anyone know of a home remedy to get rid of carpet stains? Please help! Thank u!!

mix equal parts water and borax and scrub.. or vinegar water does a good job as well..

Q:The best way to carpet deodorant

Clean the carpet surface with a vacuum cleaner first

Q:I have a light weight rug on top of a thick wall to wall carpet? I have tried to use padding made for this purpose but it does not work. The rug continues o bunch up and not lay flat.Thanks

Why dont you get some self adhiesive velcro and stick it to the back of the rug and on the carpet then it wont move.

Q:Our kids have gotten playdough on our carpet and it is dryed up.

I did this as a kid a long time ago. And to avoid getting in trouble with my mom, I made the playdough soft again. I added some hot water, and rubbed it out of the carpet with a towel. Goodluck with this headache.

Q:What glue does the square carpet glue to the ground?

Double sided adhesive glue on the top slab carpet thorn.It is recommended that you do not glue it. Once the carpet doesn't work, it will be troublesome to clean the glue. The better thing is to use double glue to prick the top, so that it can be reused.

Q:I'm thinking of buying new carpet for my bedroom, the type that interest me has no attached backing.Is it okay to purchase carpet with out attached backing or am I getting scammed?

Installing new carpet can be a hassle, especially if you are using carpet that requires a separate layer of padding. Instead, you can save time by purchasing foam-backed carpet that comes complete with the padding. The backing is not as thick as traditional foam padding, so the carpet will need to be replaced every few years if it is subject to a lot of foot traffic.

Q:I have a espresso colored round table (i think its about 4' or 5' diameter) and it also incleds a leaf to extend the table into an oval shape. I am trying to decide what kind of rug i should get for underneath the table (there is ceramic tile in this area). Its going into the formal living and dining room in the house which is the first you room you enter when you come into the house. The entire room is about 13' wide by 22' long. There will also be a buffet by the table taking off about 2' or so from the width. This is what i was thinking1. getting a big square rug (about 8x8)2. getting a rectangle rug (either 5'x8' or 8'x11')Let me know if you have any other ideas. Thanks for your input!

1] is buffet on long wall or short wall? How big is actual dining area? 13' x 11'? or smaller? [ also subtract the two feet from buffet space ] 2] rug should be about 2.5 feet wider and longer than the table to allow chairs to move back and forth freely; so you need a rug at least 6.5' or 7.5' by 8' or 9'. depending on table and leaf's actual size. 4] do measure the table and leaf for accuracy before making any purchase. 5] buy some graph paper; cut out table, chair, buffet and rug sizes; and play with pieces for best look. . 6] I would buy one that covers most of area. - so 8' x 11'.