Tips for Cleaning Carpet
Clean carpet looks nice and feels plush against your feet when you walk across it barefoot; however, dirty carpet is unsightly and can harbor germs and bacteria. Making sure your carpets are clean is the first step toward keeping them in good condition. How you care for your carpeting is directly related to how long the carpet will last.
- Start your carpet cleaning routine by vacuuming the entire carpet. This removes small particles of food, dust and other items that are in the carpet. It will also loosen up the pile and keep it from laying flat. Generally, most carpet needs to be vacuumed at least once per week; however, high traffic areas may need daily vacuuming.
- Blot up spills as soon as they occur. Liquids will seep deep into the pile and can stain the carpet, backing and padding if they remain on the carpet for too long. Don’t try to rub liquids up. Instead, place a white towel onto the spill and apply gentle pressure to soak up the liquid. If the spill was large and the carpet is soaking wet, place three to four white towels on the spill and put something very heavy on the towels to press them into the carpet.
- Shampoo the carpets as needed. High traffic areas may need to be shampooed once per month or more often. Carpets in areas that aren’t used much may only need to be shampooed twice per year. When you shampoo the carpeting, don’t get it too wet. Only a light misting of the water/cleaner mix is needed to clean the carpet. Using too much of the mixture may lead to the padding getting wet. Wet padding may mildew or grow mold, which causes odors and may lead to health problems. When shampooing, go against the grain of the nap to help fluff it up.
- Allow the carpets to dry thoroughly before walking across them. This will prevent stains from occurring and it will help the fibers from getting smashed down.
- Contact a professional carpet cleaning company if you have extremely dirty carpeting. Professional equipment may be able to get the carpet cleaner than residential machines.