Regular carpet cleaning, including vacuuming and hot water extraction, keeps your home’s floors looking good and feeling soft underfoot. Establish a cleaning schedule that fits your household’s needs.
When a stain occurs, treat it as quickly as possible. Blotting with dry kitchen rolls or paper towels helps reduce the chance of permanent color change. Click the https://www.allproutah.com to learn more.
Vacuuming is one of the most important things you can do to keep your carpets clean. It removes surface dirt and dust that dulls the fibers, retains odors, and causes premature wear. Vacuum at least once a week, and more frequently in high-traffic areas. A good vacuum can also help with allergies by reducing airborne dust mites and other allergens.
If you have pets, consider vacuuming twice a week. Regularly vacuuming removes pet hair from the surface of the carpet and prevents it from becoming embedded in the fibers. Using a vacuum with an attachment for hard floors and corners helps with pet hair as well.
Putting doormats outside and inside all entrance doors helps trap soil before it enters the carpet. Encouraging family members and guests to remove their shoes before entering can also minimize tracking in dirt that damages the carpet fibers. Spots and spills must be cleaned immediately to avoid staining the fibers. Removing the stain as soon as it occurs and blotting it with a clean white cloth rather than rubbing can prevent saturating the fibers and damaging them. Use manufacturer recommended cleaning solutions to ensure that the products you are using are safe for your carpet.
Dirt scratches the carpet fibers as people walk on it, which dulls their sheen and makes them more susceptible to stains. The sharp edges of the dirt can also cause the fibers to mat down and create a breeding ground for dust mites and other allergens. Regular vacuuming and professional cleanings can reduce the number of allergens in the carpet, improve indoor air quality, and extend the life of the carpet.
To prepare for a deep cleaning, you should first remove furniture and vacuum the entire area. Then, shampoo the carpet with a commercial or homemade cleaning solution that is safe for your type of fibers. Once the cleaning is complete, it is important to wait for the carpet to dry completely before replacing the furniture and walking on it. You can help speed the drying process by opening windows, using fans and dehumidifiers, and by keeping the temperature in the room moderate.
Preparation
It’s nearly impossible to keep your carpet completely stain free, especially if you have kids or pets. But if you act quickly when you see spills or stains, they’re much easier to remove before they have the chance to sink in and cause permanent damage. With today’s advanced, stain-resistant carpet, treating spots and stains is a snap if you treat them as soon as they happen. If you’re unsure about how to treat a specific spot or stain, consult the product label for instructions. The label should also let you know whether the product is safe for your carpet fibers. A good rule of thumb is to always test a new product in a small, hidden area before applying it to your entire floor.
Before the professional arrives, make sure that all breakable items are moved away from the cleaning areas. This will prevent a broken vase or china cabinet from getting accidentally sucked up with the professional’s powerful equipment. It’s also a good idea to empty drawers and cupboards of any items that are stored on the top or bottom shelves. This will minimize the possibility that these items may get wet during the cleaning process and possibly attract mildew or mold afterward.
Another thing to do is to relocate any smaller furniture pieces, such as tables, chairs and ottomans. This will make it a lot easier for the professional to work around them. It can be difficult to maneuver large pieces of furniture with a vacuum cleaner in place, so the simpler it is for them to do their job, the better.
You should also clean baseboards if you plan to have them cleaned. Dust and dirt that builds up in these hard-to-reach places can eventually make its way into your carpet, creating an unsightly discoloration. It’s a good idea to regularly have these surfaces power washed to avoid built-up dirt and debris from becoming airborne and settling onto your carpets.
If you’re planning to have a specialty cleaning service done in your home, like dry extraction cleaning, it’s especially important to prepare beforehand. This will help ensure that your home is as clean as possible while the professionals are working and that you get the most effective results from the service.
Cleaning
Carpet requires periodic cleaning to remove surface dirt, stains and allergens. Proper care includes vacuuming regularly and using spot stain treatments as needed. Regular maintenance also prevents premature wear and extends the life of the fibers. Professional carpet cleaners use specialized equipment and training to achieve deeper cleaning than is possible with do-it-yourself methods.
Most carpets should be cleaned about once every three months, although the frequency will vary depending on how much traffic they receive and whether pets or children live in the home. Vacuuming removes surface debris and keeps dust mites and other allergens at bay. When choosing a vacuum cleaner, opt for one with a HEPA filter to trap as many allergens as possible. Aim to vacuum high-traffic areas at least once per week, and vacuum under furniture once or twice a month.
Unlike hard surfaces, carpets trap household dirt that quickly builds up. Hair, skin, pet dander and soil are trapped in the fibers, along with spills and odor-causing residue. Regular carpet cleaning and proper stain treatment help keep these elements at bay, but even with the best maintenance, these substances can accumulate to the point of degrading the appearance and causing health problems.
While many cleaning products claim to be all-purpose or multi-surface, these solutions often contain ingredients that damage or discolor the fibers of carpets. Always test cleaning products in an inconspicuous area before applying to a large area.
Many carpet cleaning services offer a “dry” process that minimizes the amount of moisture applied to the carpet. This process involves spraying a carbonated cleaning solution onto the carpet that works through the fibers to dissolve and release dirt. Then, a machine with counter-revolving brushes removes the dirt and the cleaning solution, leaving the carpet dry and ready for immediate use.
Safety is a concern during and after any type of chemical cleaning. Proper storage and disposal of chemicals is essential to prevent accidental poisoning and environmental contamination. In addition, adequate ventilation is important to avoid inhaling fumes for extended periods of time. This is particularly true when working with strong chemicals in closed spaces.
Drying
It’s important that the carpet, as well as any padding and subflooring beneath it, are completely dry when your professional is finished. Otherwise, you risk the growth of mold and other unwanted microorganisms. This can cause permanent damage to your carpet and can also affect the health of you and your family. A good professional will use a van or blower to help air out any damp areas of your carpet, but you can also do a few things at home to speed up the drying process.
The first thing you can do is to open your windows. This will allow for a steady flow of fresh air that can speed up the drying process. If it’s a rainy or cold day, turning on your furnace or air conditioner can be helpful as well. This will create a steady stream of cool air that can reduce the humidity level in your home, which will make it easier for the carpet to dry.
Next, you can use fans to increase the airflow in the room where your carpet is drying. This will again speed up the drying process by helping to reduce the amount of moisture in the air. If you don’t have fans, simply opening a few windows in the room will also do the trick. If you’re able to, you can even place a dehumidifier in the room that will aid in the drying process as well.
Once your carpet is thoroughly dry, you can move your furniture back into the room. It’s important to wait until the carpet is completely dry before doing this, however, as walking on damp carpet can wear it out. You should also avoid putting heavy furniture over wet carpet until it is fully dry.
While most newer carpets are stain resistant, it’s still important to treat any spots and spills as soon as they happen. For liquid spills, try to blot as much as you can with a white absorbent cloth or paper towels (don’t use colored or printed ones as they may transfer dye or ink to your carpet). Blot until the spot is nearly dry, then vacuum the area. If the stain has already set, you may need to use a carpet cleaner.