Keeping the clothes we wear spotless and smelling fresh requires regular washing – and the same principle applies to our carpets! Periodic carpet cleaning and maintenance is a must not only to remove accumulated soil, dirt, and grit but also to prevent spread of harmful bacteria, maintain its luxurious texture, and prolong its fabric life.
There’s simply no way to avoid carpet cleaning – routine dust, dirt, and moisture tracked in on a daily basis can quickly make them look worn out. The minimal costs associated with regular cleaning and maintenance as compared with the unnecessary expensive replacement cost makes carpet cleaning worth it.
To keep them clean and looking new, here are the comprehensive carpet cleaning tips and facts from professionals.
The Manner – Are there Specific Ways to Clean My Carpets?
Carpet cleaning pros can do an excellent job ensuring your carpet leads a long and healthy life. However, proper care and appropriate maintenance on your part can go a long way, especially when done on a regular basis. If you want preserve your carpet’s appearance longer and extend its plush, luxurious look, you have to understand the cleaning techniques and strategies for it – making sure to do it with diligence.
- Vacuum thoroughly and frequently. Dust, dirt, and moisture are the common culprits of wear and tear of carpeting.
- Carpets come in a variety of quality, texture, and grade. There are carpets that are sensitive to harsh alkalis while other carpets react negatively to acid-type cleaners. Make sure to test carpet before spotting or scrubbing.
- Always use the mildest appropriate spotters. If you have to resort to harsh spotting agents, make sure to neutralise it after use.
- Treat spots and stains right away – it is almost 100% guaranteed to be removed by a suitable cleaning agent when cleaned as soon as it happened.
- The stain resistance quality of your carpet does not ensure its imperviousness to stain. Act immediately and accordingly to avoid causing your carpet permanent damage.
Spots and stains should be scraped lightly – never dug or brushed vigorously.
- When using spotters, shampoos, or detergents to treat spots and stains, use recommended amount. Too much cleaning agent will leave residues that even thorough vacuuming may not remove.
- Rotary scrubbing is the best way to clean off dirt and detergent residues.
- If after scraping or scrubbing spots and stains, you are not satisfied with the results, do not attempt to ‘coat’ it with carpet protector – this will cause the dirt to get “more stuck” within the fibres. Either re-scrap/re-scrub or leave the carpet until the next cleaning cycle.
- Make sure carpets do not get overly wet during cleaning and treatment. Over-wetting can cause adhesion problems, carpet shrinkage, and other irreparable issues.
Carpet Wear – What is Traffic Lane Grey?
Like all garments, textiles and fabrics, carpets are not immune to wear and tear and will eventually show signs of damage. Your carpet has certain areas where people and pets are constantly walking or where household appliances or furniture run through. These certain areas that receive heavy and constant traffic are called ‘traffic lane grey’ or ‘ugly out’.
As time passes by, even the most diligent carpet cleaning methods done by professionals cannot make traffic areas look tidy and spotless; hence, resulting in traffic lane grey.
Traffic lane grey can result into any of the following:
- Fibre abrasion, an illusion of soiling on the fabric where it looks dull and dirty even if it has been already thoroughly cleaned;
- Fibre distortion or matting, where carpet fibres have lost its original shape, causing it to look flat, distorted or bunched together.
Whether you accept it or not, ‘traffic lane grey’ is an inevitable occurrence of any carpet’s life. The good news is, even if it cannot be stopped from happening, it can be minimised or slowed down. But how?
- Put carpet runners on areas that receive the most foot traffic. Runners are cost-effective, easier-to-clean, and much more durable solutions that can minimise ‘traffic lane grey’.
- Move furniture regularly, at least once every 6 months, to ensure that no area of carpet receives extended traffic than the others. This will also give your home a more updated design without spending anything.
- Use proper routine vacuuming, spotting methods and appropriate cleaning solution not only to prevent loose particles from becoming deeply embedded into the carpet fibres but also to slow down rapid re-soiling and matting.
The Frequency – How often should I have my carpets cleaned?
Your lifestyle at home can have a great impact on your carpet cleaning cycle. Daily cleaning efforts should be exercised to keep carpets pristine and in great condition, especially if you have children, pets, and heavy traffic.
Cleaning on a regular basis can also minimise the growth of micro-organisms such as bacteria, food particles, dust mites, pollen, and soil – all of which can bring adverse effect in your indoor air quality and overall well-being.
Vacuum Regularly
The amount of foot traffic your carpet receives as well as the level of activities done on your carpet will determine how often vacuuming is necessary. Vacuuming every other day or at least twice a week reduces the dirt, bacteria, and residue that are likely to end up in the roots of your carpet.
How Often should I Get Professional Carpet Cleaning Services?
If mere vacuuming is something you can’t commit to on a day-to-day basis, then you should hire professional carpet cleaners more frequently so your carpet will get the best treatment and cleaning efforts it deserves to improve and prolong your carpet’s performance. It is recommended to do a thorough carpet cleaning every 12 months
.
Methods for Cleaning Different Types of Carpet Stains
Red Wine
- Blot the spill with a clean cloth or with paper towels.
- Combine 1 cup hydrogen peroxide and 1 teaspoon dish soap or carpet shampoo.
- Soak a clean sponge to the solution to treat the stain. Continue to gently blot the stain until it lifts or vanishes.
- Clean the area with warm water.
- Blot dry with paper towel or clean cloth.
Coffee
- Blot up as much of the spilled coffee as possible.
- Combine one tablespoon of white vinegar and one tablespoon of liquid hand dishwashing detergent with two cups of warm water.
- Sponge the stain with the solution using a clean white cloth.
- Apply a little bit at a time. Blot frequently until the stain disappears.
- Use paper towel to dry off the solution.
Candle Wax
- Let the wax harden, then use a dull knife to scrape off the excess.
- Cover the wax with either paper towel, a sheet of newspaper, or part of a paper bag.
- Using a warm iron, press gently on the covering. Don’t leave the iron in one place too long to avoid burning the carpet fibres.
- Use another piece of covering as often as necessary until you get all of the wax.
- For stubborn candle wax residue, put an ice cube or two on the wax to freeze it before using the warm iron over it.
- For coloured candle wax residue, dab the stain with a rag dampened with rubbing alcohol.
Fresh Paint
- Blot the extra paint with a piece of cloth.
- Soak clean cotton in a solution of water and detergent and rub it on the fresh paint stain.
- Wash it with clean water afterwards.
- Let it dry quickly using a vacuum cleaner.
Old Paint
- Pour club soda on the old paint stain. Don’t let it spread around it.
- Put one tablespoon of salt.
- Let it sit for fifteen to twenty minutes.
- Blot the stain and the mixture off from the carpet.
- Clean the carpet with plain, lukewarm water. Blot it dry.
Other Methods of Getting Paint Out of Carpet
- Pour acetone on the stain and leave it for a few minutes before blotting it off.
- Apply nail polish remover on the stain. Let it dry for a few minutes before scrubbing it off with a water and detergent solution.
- Rub hydrogen peroxide over the stain then soak it up with a piece of clean cloth.
Water-Soluble/Oil Based/Acrylic Paint
- If it is a recent paint stain, dab the excess paint with a paper napkin or damp cloth.
- If it is an old one, scrape it off with a blunt knife.
- Rub the stain with a soap solution and let it sit for a few minutes before blotting it off with a damp cloth or paper napkin.
Ink Stains
- Blot it out with a paper towel.
- Pour milk onto the stain. Rub the area with a brush then remove stain using a paper napkin or cloth towel.
- Pour a small amount of 90% isopropyl alcohol over the stain. Dab (not rub) it with soft cloth. Vacuum excess moisture or liquid.
- Apply 3 per cent hydrogen peroxide onto the stain. Leave it for 2 hours before blotting it off with a damp paper towel.
- Apply ammonia solution (1tsp ammonia and ½ cup lukewarm water) over the stain and let it soak for a few minutes. Blot it off with a paper napkin.
- Use hair spray over the stained area. Let the liquid soak in for about an hour. Use cloth towel to dab over the spot until all stain and liquid are removed.
Blood Stain
- Blend talcum powder, corn starch, and cornmeal with cold water to make a paste. Apply on fresh stain and leave it on for at least 30 minutes. Remove the paste and the blood stain with sponge dipped in chilled water.
- Put salt onto the blood clot. Dab a piece of cloth in a solution of water and hydrogen peroxide (2:3 ratio) and onto the stain. Clean it off with a moistened towel.
- Make a paste from laundry starch and cold water. Apply it on the stain using the back of a teaspoon. Clean the area with sponge dipped in cold water. Dry it off with a paper towel.
Pet Odour
- If there’s stain, sprinkle baking soda on the soiled area and leave it overnight.
- Dab a mixture of baking soda and white vinegar solution onto the problematic area.
- Use a stiff broom to dust off the particles.
Urine
- Spray white vinegar over the stained portion. Absorb with a paper towel. Repeat as needed.
- Spread a cup full of borax over the stain and leave it overnight covered with a plastic sheet. Vacuum it off the next day.
- Combine 8 ounces hydrogen peroxide and ½ cup vinegar with 1 cup water. Rub this concoction over the stain. Let it sit for 30 minutes before scrubbing off the area with paper napkin or soft cloth.
Selecting the Right Carpet Cleaning Service
The Carpet and Rug Institute advises homeowners and business people to engage with professional and experienced carpet cleaning companies in order to get assurance that their carpet is being serviced with the best products as well as to maintain their carpet’s warranty.
But just how much should you expect to pay for professional carpet cleaning services? It all depends on what you choose to do. The services of carpet cleaning companies can range from simply washing and drying the carpets up to carpet stain removal and carpet installation, to say the least. Cost will also be determined by the area to be cleaned or number of hours required.
Carpet cleaning done by the pros can help you achieve better looking, healthier, and longer lasting carpets. However, you have to be clear about what exactly you want them to do, how much they are going to charge, and what any extra costs might be, so the service you get will match your expectations.
What are the Advantages of Hiring a Professional Carpet Cleaner?
- Certified Equipment and Cleaning Solutions. It uses CRI-certified equipment and products that won’t harm your children and pets or will aggravate any allergen sensitivities you have.
- Improved Air Quality. It uses industrial-strength vacuum that is powerful enough to eliminate all visible and unseen dry contaminants.
- Mould- and Mildew-free. It ensures that your carpets do not become oversaturated with moisture or liquid and are properly extracted with industrial-strength suction power.
Expertise on Different Carpet Types
It has sufficient knowledge of the different types and brands of carpet as well as the best cleaning methods and products for your carpet.
Instead of taking risk using a carpet cleaning rental or store-bought cleaning solution, protect your carpet from unintentional damage and let a pro expertly clean your carpet.
Ease and Simplicity
It removes all the stress, difficulty, and hassle associated with dealing it yourself. Renting a carpet cleaning machine may be a cheaper option for you, but hiring a professional carpet cleaner can be a back-saving advantage with better results!
Conclusion
Proper cleaning and maintenance efforts can enhance the beauty and life of your carpet. These simple steps from the pros can help you tackle accumulated soil, dirt, and grit a step at a time.
Nevertheless, only the cleaning power of a professional carpet cleaning service can remove the evidence of your busy everyday living, as well as stubborn odours, bacteria, and allergens buried deep in the carpet.
Need carpet cleaning services? Make Avalon Services your trusted carpet cleaner. Through its professionally trained and insured technicians, witness the revitalisation of your carpets for a longer lasting, healthier clean – extending your carpet life and keeping your family safer.