5 Easy Tips For Cleaner Carpets
We all love the bright sunshine of spring, but what we probably don’t love is how it unintentionally yet distinctly highlights all those little smears, scratches, and stains around the house that were not so discernible under the cloudy skies of winter. The stains on the broadloom or carpets in a house are especially noticeable, so it’s no surprise that most of us have visions of new broadloom or carpets gracing our floors at the onset of spring.
But that can get expensive. It may be a better idea to be pro-active and preventative when it comes to the maintenance of your existing carpets. And although that may sound quite challenging, it’s not! There are some very simple things homeowners can do to keep their carpets clean and to substantially increase their lifespan.
Fight carpet enemy #1: Dirty shoes
Shoes sodden with mud or covered with street dirt pose the most harm to carpets. Dirt acts like a little blade that cuts carpet fibers—walking across a dirty carpet grinds the dirt particles against the yarn, damaging it.
Implement a house rule for everyone to take their shoes off when they enter the house, especially during the fall-winter-spring seasons. Or, place a big mat with abrasive or textured surface by the door to scrape the more stubborn dirt off the shoes, and clean the mat often. You may also want to place another mat inside the house at the door for extra protection.
Fight carpet enemy #2: Pet “accidents”
Most households today have a pet, so if you do have one, proper training is in order. You don’t want to have any pet accidents on your carpet as stains from pet urine are very difficult to clean up and are unpleasant in general. If you have a cat, consider placing the litter box in an area which is easy to clean (IE on tiles or laminate flooring), or get a rubber litter mat.
Vacuum often and properly
It’s important to take dirt off the carpets before it has any chance to absorb into the fibres and do damage. It’s a good idea to vacuum twice a week if you can manage, but once a week should be your minimum. You also need to set the vacuum to the right height – if it is set too low, it can damage the carpet, if too high, it won’t pick up all the dirt. To set the vacuum’s correct height, raise it to its highest setting, start vacuuming, and lower it gradually, until you can feel it tugging itself forward.
Clean up stains as soon as possible
You don’t want the stain to sink into the carpet’s fiber. It’s best to blot the spot right away, rinse it thoroughly with clean water, then blot again. Don’t scrub the carpet – this will just ruin the carpet fibers and allow the spill to soak through to the carpet pad.
Use rotation strategy
To help your carpet wear evenly, move your furniture around every 6 to 12 months, if possible. This will prevent areas underneath heavy furniture to acquire a different look and texture from the rest of the carpet.
Shampoo your carpet
Every 3-6 months you should shampoo your carpet to deep clean it and freshen it up. Buying the right carpet shampoo and testing it prior to the cleaning is key.
Following these tips will help to keep your carpets stay clean and in good condition for a long time. Still, sometimes you will not going to be able to get rid of a stain and deeply ingrained dirt no matter what you try on your own. That’s when you should call professional cleaners! We have access to heavy-duty tools, technology, solvents and chemicals not available to homeowners.
With these big guns you can be guaranteed your carpet will be stain and dirt-free, and ready to support all the active living in your home for a long time.