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.

ServiceNet Cuts Ribbon on Vocational Farm to 'Sow Seeds of Hope'

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
06:30AM / Saturday, May 18, 2024

Lori Carnute plants flowers at the farm and enjoys seeing her friends. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Smiles were all around as farmers, human service workers, and officials cut the ribbon Friday on ServiceNet's new vocational farm on Crane Avenue.

Whether it is planting flowers or growing fresh produce, the program is for "sowing seeds of hope" for those with developmental disabilities.

"What Prospect Meadow Farm is about is changing lives," Vice President of Vocational Services Shawn Robinson said.

"Giving people something meaningful to do, a community to belong to, a place to go every day and to make a paycheck, and again, I am seeing that every day from our first 17 farmhands the smiles on their faces. They're glad to be here. They're glad to be making money."

Prospect Meadow Farm Berkshires held a launch event on Friday with tours, music, snacks, and a ribbon cutting in front of its tomato greenhouse. The nonprofit human service agency closed on the former Jodi's Seasonal on Crane Avenue earlier this year.  

It is an expansion of ServiceNet's first farm in Hatfield that has provided meaningful agricultural work, fair wages, and personal and professional growth to hundreds of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities since opening in 2011.

Eventually, the farm will employ 50 individuals with developmental disabilities year-round and another 20 to 25 local folks supporting their work.

The pay is a great aspect for Billy Baker, who is learning valuable skills for future employment doing various tasks around the farm. He has known some of the ServiceNet community for over a decade.

"I just go wherever they need me to help," he said. "I'm more of a hands-on person."