Carpet Cleaning

Keeping your carpets clean refreshes the home. For some the thought of cleaning carpets just seems so overwhelming. Cleaning carpets may not be one of your favorite tasks, but it is one of those “have to do” chores.

Carpets start off plush, feeling great under your feet but that can quickly change if carpets aren’t cleaned after the dog and family members track dirt in the house or hidden spills happen that you don’t find out about until its too late. Whatever the reason, these things happen all too often.

Vacuuming Tips:

• Vacuuming frequently, at least weekly will help save the life of carpet.
• In high traffic areas vacuuming should be done more often.
• For areas where dirt and other matter are brought in the house, it’s a good habit to vacuum these up as they happen (this is a good kids chore).
• If you don’t have a type of mud room for entry into the house, use throw rugs in front of each door. It wouldn’t hurt to have one inside and outside.

The Benefits of Vacuuming Frequently:

The vacuum is one of the least appreciated tools in the home for all the cleaning it does. It is an excellent tool for prolonging the life of your carpeting. Vacuuming frequently is the key to maintaining your carpeting. Here’s why.

• Let’s say the dog or the kids come in the house with dirt on their feet.
• Dirt and other matter sits on top of the carpet as it is brought in.
• Dirt especially becomes abrasive as it dries causing it to grind into the carpet fibers as it is walked on.
• If allowed to sit for days before vacuuming you risk damaging the fibers of the carpet causing them to fray, look matted, or become dull due to people tracking in more dirt and pushing the granules of dirt deeper into the carpet.
• If you vacuum up dirty messes such as this as they happen it cleans up easily extending the life of your carpet.

Professional Carpet Cleaning:

Even when you maintain and clean carpets regularly you should consider having a professional come in and clean your carpets occasionally. It may not be an easy task to move all the furniture but it will improve the look for a longer period of time. If you take this method also ask about carpet protection to help prolong the life of your carpet.

Cleaning up Carpet Spills:

Had you known about those spills, you would have tackled them sooner, right?

The fact is, cleaning up spills on carpeting is easier if you catch it quickly. Otherwise, the stain gets pushed deeper into the carpet fibers, making some spills difficult to clean. These tips will help with your cleaning carpets and keeping them looking good.

• Prevention is always the key. For instance, if you have small children limit their drinking to the kitchen or sitting at the table, don’t let them walk around with a glass of juice.
• If a spill does happen, clean it up quickly or as soon as you possibly can.
• Using water to blot up new spills will help while you look for the best cleaning approach. Know the type of treatment for the type of spill. Cleaning carpet stains the wrong way may only work temporarily, they may come back to haunt you.
• Always blot spills using an absorbent cotton towel working from the outside of the spill towards the middle. Never rub a spill as this can cause a permanent stain and you could damage the carpet fibers.
• If you do use a commercial product, read the instructions thoroughly.

Tips for Cleaning Carpet Spills:

Tackling stains and spills sooner rather than later is inevitably the first step towards clean carpets.

Kool-Aid Spills:

For small kool aid spills, dampen the area with club soda. Use a clean rag to blot the stain away. When there is no more staining, let dry and vacuum to fluff the carpet fibers once again.

Strong dye stains or set stains need extra strength help. Stain removal products with oxygen bleach, like folex, lift stains with out bleaching or damaging carpet.

Pet Urine Stains:

If your pet is like most, every now and then there is an accident to deal with. A solution to remove not only the stain but also the odor is to use a combination of baking soda and peroxide on the surface. Create a solution of 30 percent peroxide to 70 percent water and then add one teaspoon of baking soda per cup.

• Completely blot up as much urine as you can with an absorbent cloth.
• Re-dampen the area by pouring some of the mixture on the stain.
• Blot again using a clean absorbent cloth or paper towels.
• Sprinkle baking soda over the area you just cleaned and gently work it into the carpet. Let dry overnight or for the day.
• Vacuum up remaining residue.

This method should clean the urine and odor fast. If you find that odor or staining remains (likely due to the age of the urine stain or multiple “accidents”) the urine has soaked into the base of the carpet and you need to remove it or risk your pet returning to the area again and again. biological stain removers work using enzymes to break down the urine stain and odor to a further degree than using peroxide and baking soda.