Carpet Cleaning Methods and Tips

Maintaining a home might be one of the most arduous and daunting tasks of everyday life. From repairs to decor, you are constantly putting money into your home. Doesn’t it make sense that you look after your investments? While, knowing that might not make you feel better, you know it to be true. Carpeting is a common feature in many homes and as well know, between the price of the carpet you choose as well as the installation and padding, it can be quite costly. Of course the cost is well worth having the flooring of your choice, but it also means you need to pay special attention to its upkeep. Luckily, here are a few tips and suggestions to ensure you extend the life of your carpet and care for your investment properly.

Shampooing your Carpet Regularly is Key
Shampooing your own carpet is all well and good, however it also means you forgo the expertise, cleaning products and machinery that a professional carpet cleaning company would have at their disposal. It’s important that you look at a few aspects of your own carpet to know how it should be cleaned properly.

1. Assess Your Cleaning Needs
a. If your carpet is light colored, stains will be more prevalent and means more cleaning will be required. You should plan to shampoo you carpets at least every 12 months.

b. Darker carpets hold up much longer than light colored carpets and require cleaning every 18 months or so.

c. If you have children and indoor pets, cleaning as often as every 6-8 months is necessary to ensure your carpet looks tidy.

d. A good rule of thumb is to clean your carpet when it begins to look dull or lose its original color. Be conscious of what your carpet looks like in a clean condition and take action when you see it begin to fade.

2. Using a Rental Machine or Hiring a Professional
a. If you don��t have pets and keep a generally clean home, then regular vacuuming and yearly carpet cleaning will do the trick. Renting a carpet cleaning machine from your local grocery store is adequate to ensure the upkeep of your carpet. This is especially true if you have a darker colored carpet.

b. Hiring a professional is beneficial for people who have frequent spills in their home or have exceptionally fragile carpeting. When you��re unsure of the best method of cleaning, it��s best to leave it to a team that knows exactly what they��re doing.

c. If your have stains or exceptionally stubborn discoloration, hire a professional to remove them.

d. If you are sensitive to cleaning solutions or just prefer a more natural method of cleaning, hire green cleaners. There are companies that specialize in using safe cleaning solutions that are without harsh chemicals. This is especially good for people worried about their health and the health of their family members and pets.

3. Cleaning on Your Own
a. If you choose to rent a carpet cleaning machine, follow the directions completely and be sure to purchase all the products per the machine��s recommendations. Spray a stain removing solution on especially stubborn areas and let soak. The importance of using the recommended products is so that you don��t damage the machine and incur extra costs when you return the rental.

b. If you want to tackle shampooing your carpets on your very own, scrap carpeting can be extremely useful. For one, you don��t really know what cleaning spray will work best with the fabric dyes used in your carpeting. The last thing you want is the color in your carpeting designs to run together. By testing out a new cleaning solution on a piece of scrap carpet, you can find the best product for your flooring. If you are without scrap pieces, you can always do your testing on a rarely seen area of the carpet such as in the back of a closet.

c. Regardless of any which way you decide to shampoo your carpet, it is incredibly important to let it dry completely. Carpets can take up to 24 hours to air dry, but many people assist the process with fans. It is vital that you allow your carpet to dry otherwise mold and mildew will grow in the damp environment. Do not put furniture on the drying carpet.

4. Maintenance Tips
a. Vacuuming everyday sounds excessive but it��s really the most valuable practice you can do to maintain the quality of your carpet. You are picking up dirt hair and other debris that��s, at this point, on the surface of your carpet. Waiting too long means that all the crud will sink lower into the fabric and be harder to reach later.

b. Brushing your carpet is very necessary when you own pets. Brushing the carpet will bring all the fur to surface and make it easily removable when you go over it with the vacuum.

c. A Doormat does wonders. If you��re not convinced, go check out the state of your doormat, right now. It saves your carpet from an enormous amount of debris that would otherwise be dragged into the house.

d. Invest in a worthwhile vacuum. Sure, vacuums aren��t cheap, but isn��t it worth it to care for an even bigger investment? Cheap vacuums could damage your carpet and be counterproductive while cleaning.

e. Have cleaning materials and solutions on hand to clean up any spills promptly. The longer they stay put the harder they will be to get out. Always wipe up wet spills from the outside in to prevent the liquid from spreading outwards. Assess the problem and research the best methods for removal before experimenting on your own. You don��t want to cause any more damage.

f. Contact your carpet��s manufacturing company for the preferred cleaning methods. Different fibers require different cleaning solutions. Some carpeting can even be ruined if exposed to the wrong cleaning product.

g. Research first about stain removal according to what substance has caused a spot on the carpet. Proven solutions offered on carpet cleaning websites are invaluable and prevent further damage that can otherwise be caused with insufficient cleaning methods.