Whether someone launched a glass of red wine onto the carpet or your Golden Retriever tracked in suspicious dirt, it’s best to treat stains as soon as possible. Some stains require special cleaning solutions; others are easy to remove with common pantry items or home remedies.
Joondalup Carpet Cleaners can extend the life of your carpeting while keeping it looking fresh. Here’s how to do it.
Whether for rugs or hard-to-reach areas, a good vacuum is one of the best investments in your home. Investing in a high-quality vacuum can help protect your floors and carpets, reduce allergens, and keep the air in your home clean. Look for a vacuum with powerful suction and adjustable power settings to suit different surfaces. It should also come with useful accessories like a motorized power nozzle, a crevice tool, or a turbo brush for difficult-to-reach spots.
Dust particles cling to the fibers of your carpets and can lead to health issues, including asthma and allergies if inhaled over time. Regular vacuuming will drastically reduce the dust in your home and ensure it does not circulate the rest of the house.
Industrial vacuum cleaners are another great investment that can be used to blitz away bacteria, germs, and other unwanted particles from your floors. This will improve workplace hygiene and help prevent staff from taking time off sick due to illness.
Buying a good vacuum is well worth the initial outlay, as it will help to prolong the lifespan of your floors and carpets. Regular and effective vacuuming will also save you money in the long run, as it will prevent your flooring materials from needing to be replaced before their natural lifespan is reached.
Just like washing your clothes in the washing machine, your carpet must be cleaned regularly. While vacuuming removes loose dirt and clouds of dust well, it can’t reach all the deep-down dirt hiding in the fibers. That is why getting rid of the dirt before it gets a chance to settle in and make your carpets look dull and lifeless is important.
A well-stocked arsenal of cleaning products can help you get the most out of your carpets, whether you use a professional or do it yourself. Keeping some safe kitchen items on hand, such as club soda and vinegar, is also a good idea to tackle stubborn stains. These are gentle enough to be used on your carpet and won’t leave any lingering chemical smells or residue.
If you have a stubborn stain that won’t seem to lift, spray a small area of the carpet with your homemade solution and let it sit for a few minutes. This will help dissolve the stuck-on dirt and make it easier to scrub away at it with your brush. After a few minutes, go over the spot again with your brush and rinse the carpet with warm water until it is damp but not wet. Rinse with a clean towel until all of the cleaning solution is removed.
To prevent dirt from becoming embedded in your carpet, use doormats at all entrance doors and remove shoes upon entering the house. Rearrange your furniture occasionally to change traffic flow through your home and reduce wear on your carpets. You can also add machine-washable area rugs in high-traffic areas to trap more dirt before it can sink in.
When a carpet becomes wet from a spill or a flood, instead of trying to tackle the problem while it’s still damp (which can cause a worse mess), wait until the carpet dries. Once completely dry, you can use a paint scraper or knife to break up the dried dirt and re-vacuum it. You should also open windows on sunny days and run fans to speed up drying.
Carpeting can be a great addition to your home, providing warmth and softness and a nice place to play or sit. However, it can be hard to keep your floors clean when kids, pets, or guests bring in dirt and stains. By removing stains and spills as soon as they happen, you can prevent them from setting into the fibers of your carpet and becoming a more difficult-to-get-out stain.
Vacuuming is crucial before you start cleaning any stains or spills, as this removes loose soil and helps lift the stain from the surface. After vacuuming, treat the stain with a nontoxic cleaner, which can be homemade from household items or purchased at a store. Choose a nontoxic cleaner that is safe for children, pets, and the environment. Many store-bought cleaners are labeled as such, but you can also look for natural options like white vinegar or baking soda. Always test a cleaning solution in an out-of-the-way spot to ensure it doesn’t discolor or damage the carpet.
Most stains can be removed if you act fast enough. For instance, red wine stains can be treated by blotting the area with dry towels to absorb as much liquid as possible. You can then apply a mixture of salt and borax to the stained area. The Thriving Home blog suggests wearing gloves during this process to minimize the spread of bacteria from bodily fluids and skin contact with the borax. Finally, rinse the area with warm water and blot it with dry towels until most moisture is gone.
Greasy stains may be one of the most stubborn, but they can be removed with the right product and technique. Mix water and a few drops of grease-cutting dish soap, such as Dawn, to remove a grease stain. Then, pour the solution into a spray bottle and spray the stain. You can also use a commercial grease-cutting cleaner like ZorbX or Eco-88.
Whether it’s a food or beverage spill, if you catch it early on, most stains can be removed without shampooing the entire room. A professional carpet cleaner with detergents and steam can work wonders for more stubborn or set-in stains.
Like any other flooring, carpeting needs regular cleaning to keep it looking and feeling fresh. Vacuuming and professional cleaning are the keys to a clean carpet, but there are a few other steps you can take to help prevent dirt and grime from getting into your home in the first place.
Put doormats at every entrance and encourage family members to remove their shoes before entering your home. This will reduce the amount of dirt tracked into your carpet and can even prevent some stains from forming on it.
If you need to wipe your carpet, use a cleaner that does not contain phosphates or surfactants. These chemicals are bad for the environment and can cause your carpet to repel water, leading to permanent damage over time. Opt for a non-toxic, plant-based, biodegradable cleaner instead.
Keep area rugs on your carpet to protect it from furniture scratches and crushes. This will also help to minimize stains and dirt from being tracked into the rooms below.
Clean spots and spills as soon as they occur. Do not rub stains; instead, blot them to lift as much of the moisture as possible. This will minimize the water that soaks down into the fibers, which can cause mold and mildew.
Consider a professional deep cleaning at least once a year to remove embedded dirt and grime from the fibers of your carpet. This can extend the life of your carpet and keep it looking and smelling good.
When your carpet is cleaned, opt for a hot-water extraction method rather than dry cleaning. This is the most effective way to get rid of dirt and grime and can help extend the life of your carpet.
Keeping your carpets clean is not easy, but it is important to protect your investment and ensure your home stays tidy and healthy. These simple tips will help you keep your carpets clean and make them a great addition to your home.
