If you want to know what the best methods for cleaning your carpet are then keep on reading. Our carpets can sometimes be the first thing people look at when they enter our homes or offices, so we must treat them properly and clean them often. As the top floor covering in commercial settings, carpets are an investment that needs to be protected and preserved.
Dirty carpets will not last you as long as one that you keep clean. There are many reasons why you need to maintain your carpet including your family’s health and the need to keep your surroundings neat and clean. Carpets trap germs and bacteria that can be harmful to your health and is especially detrimental to a child’s health. Therefore, you must choose the best methods possible to keep your carpet clean.
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Why it’s important to keep a well-maintained carpet
Dirt accumulation occurs primarily on floors and carpets even when you are doing the best you can to keep it clean. Unfortunately, a stained or messy carpet can make the entire room look dirty which in turn makes it seem as if you are unhygienic.
You are usually provided with instructions on how to keep a carpet clean when you buy it. Some carpets are unfortunate enough to not only be dirty, but worn-out as well which makes it look significantly worse. The smallest pet stains and dust molecules could make your carpet appear as if it has been to hell and back.
The dirt and dust will attract dust mites which are a health risk on their own. The feces they produce is harmful when inhaled and so tiny that the slightest disturbance can cause them to go airborne for longer than ten minutes.
Generally, carpets may look clean, but that doesn’t mean that harmful pollutants and dust mites are not gathering in them.
Reasons to keep your carpet clean:
- The removal of allergens and bacteria from your home or office is important to ensure health and hygiene.
- Vacuuming the carpet gives a clean look to your environment by removing the dust that can be expelled into the air.
- Bad odors can be kept at bay by cleaning your carpet regularly.
- Pet odors can be eliminated by cleaning your carpets.
- Cleaning your carpet properly eliminated the musty odor caused by moisture seeping into the underlying layer of the carpet.
Common causes of stains:
- Red wine or juice
- Candle wax
- Blood
- Coffee or tea
- Chocolate
- Fat or oil-based stains
- Chewing or bubble gum
- Grease
- Urine
- Mud
Here are a few tips that you can use for almost any carpet that you have at home or in your workspace.
Keeping your carpet at home clean
Cleaning and sanitizing
Removing furniture: Before starting, ensure that you move all furniture off the carpet to another area. If you can move the carpet, try to clean it outside where it can dry faster.
Disinfecting washable carpets
Remove loose debris: Try and do this in an open space to minimize the debris staying in your home. Vacuum or dust the carpet to remove most of the loose debris and dust.
Set the washing machine: Most front-loading machines are better for accommodating bigger carpets in comparison to top load washing machines.
Add detergent and sanitizer: Laundry detergents are packed with enzymes that cut through grease and dirt to remove it better. Remember to not set your water temperature above 40°C (104°F) as this will destroy the enzymes and they won’t be able to work on stains.
Dry your carpet: If your carpet has a rubber bottom, you will have to sun-dry it. If it is 100% cotton, you can use a tumble dryer set to high heat.
Distilled white vinegar for deep cleaning
You can make a homemade cleaning solution for your carpet by mixing water and vinegar in a spray bottle. You can mix one part vinegar to three-parts cold water to make a solution that removes any loose oil and can treat stains before washing.
Cleaning with baking soda and salt
As usual, start by vacuuming the carpet to remove loose dust and debris.
Make sure that you pre-treat any stains on the carpet.
Mixing the salt and baking soda: Using a small bowl, mix baking soda and salt in a 1:1 ratio. You can use any salt that you prefer. Fill any spray bottle you have on hand with cold water and spray your carpet until it is damp making sure that you don’t wet it too much. You can then sprinkle the salt and baking soda mixture over your carpet and use a scrubbing brush to work it into the fibers.
After scrubbing: Use old or broken towels to wipe the loosened dirt away and leave a clean carpet behind.
Deep cleaning with steam
Vacuum: Vacuuming your carpet before any cleaning to remove loose soil is important.
Baking soda and salt: Using the same steps for baking soda and salt cleaning, use steam instead of cold water to moisten the area. Remember that it should not be soaking wet, but only damp enough to scrub the mixture deep into the carpet fibers.
Steaming: Steam your carpet using a typical clothing steamer. There are heavy-duty steamers available as well, but generally, any steamer will suffice.
Absorb the soiled water: Microfibre cloths work best, but any old towel will work well for absorbing the soiled liquid from the carpet.
Vacuuming
Dry cleaning is one of the most popular methods for carpets. It involves the use of an absorbent detergent. This is generally paired with vacuuming to leave your carpet looking and smelling fresh. Although vacuuming is helpful as a quick fix, it does not remove trapped dirt or oily residues that can cause damage to your carpet.
Loose dirt can be removed weekly by vacuuming a few times. If you have a toddler, vacuuming daily is a good choice. Deep cleaning can be done twice a year, but it is always better to do it once a season. If anyone in your home has contracted a communicable disease or if they have a weak immune system, deep cleaning should become a weekly routine.
Encapsulation
Encapsulating involves the use of a foam that dries into a powder. The carpet is covered in foam which then crystallizes to encapsulate loose dirt and any particles of dust. The carpet can then be swept or vacuumed once the foam is a dry powder.
Shampooing
If you shampoo your hair, then you understand the general idea behind carpet shampooing. It involves the use of water, brushes, and loads of detergent to get rid of pesky dirt and stains. You have to use the right carpet shampooer.
Typical shampooing will not have the same results as hot water extraction does. Hot water extraction is only recommended if you are a professional as it can be damaging to carpet fibers or leave behind a residue if not done properly.
The main disadvantages of the shampooing process include:
- A large amount of water consumption
- Residual shampoo foam
- Drying takes ages
- Only works efficiently on low pile carpets
Protecting yourself, your family, and your carpet from bacteria, fungi, pollens, dust, and dust mites are especially important currently. If you want to ensure that you are protected, then continue reading.
Hot water extraction method
By far the best method to ensure that your carpet is clean is by the hot water extraction method. Dry cleaning is a quick fix for when you do not have time to spend on cleaning your carpet.
Also referred to as deep-cleaning or steam cleaning, this method is the only way to make sure that most of the dirt and bacteria are removed from your carpet.
This method uses a machine that pushes hot water deep into the fibers of the carpet which a high-pressure wand. All types of dirt and dust can be removed from carpets with these cleaners making it easier to extract soil. It is always advisable that you clean carpets with this method later in the afternoon as it will take quite a while to dry and can be left overnight.
Steam cleaning by yourself or with the help of a professional has many advantages including:
- The removal of the toughest stains
- Keeping carpets maintained regularly
- Extending the lifespan of any carpet
- Improving the appearance of carpets
- Ridding you and your family of allergens or disease-causing bacteria
Dry method
Also known as compound cleaning, this method uses some of the latest cleaning technology to rid you of pesky stains and grime. It is gaining popularity as time goes on and uses a chemical cleaning powder on the bottom of the carpet. The powder is worked into the fibers using a motorized rotating machine.
Manufacturers of these rotating machines differentiate themselves by developing a unique chemical formula for their cleaning powder. While the general function of the machine stays the same, the design and any accessories will differ between companies. Using this method to clean carpets will remove more grime than most other methods and no residue is left behind to attract dirt.
Wrapping Up
There are pros and cons to each cleaning method. Some are good for removing dirt alone while others can remove both dirt and grease. Some methods allow you to remove almost every speck of dust but remember that some methods are more expensive than others.
When you have a professional clean your carpets you must maintain it continuously until your next professional clean. This will benefit your health and many other aspects of your daily life.
Cleaning your carpets requires care and patience, but it also teaches us that waiting too long between cleans is a bad idea. The longer you wait, the harder the carpet will be to clean. Remember to find the method that works best for you because everyone is different and different situations may require different methods.