Do you want your carpet to last long?
A maintained and properly cleaned carpet will last twice as long. Learning the strategies that keep your carpet look new and fresh will help you in the long run.
Take a look at some tips!
Eliminate Dirt
When you walk across a dirty carpet, you grind dirt particles against the yarn making tiny nicks in the fibers. When dirt comes in contact with the carpet, it dulls the sheen, making the high-traffic areas appear dull. When this happens over and over again, the fibers wear always, this mats them down & makes them stain more easily.
- Regular vacuum
Protect your carpet by vacuuming the entrance areas and high traffic areas twice a week’ vacuum the other areas once a week at least as oily soils attract oily soils and vacuuming frequently will reduce the buildup of soil.
- Keep the vacuum clean
A dirty bag or filter can cut a vacuum’s suction power in half. When filters are changed timely, it makes bagless vacuums stop working. You can replace or wash the filters for bagless vacuums every three months or even replace vacuum bags when there are three-quarters full.
- Vacuum slowly
Vacuum at a speed that gets out as much dirt as possible from the carpet. Make a quick pass to the low-traffic areas and slow passes over high-traffic areas. The slow passes will remove the dirt more effectively than several fast passes.
- Walk-off mats
Walk-off mats are helpful to keep the dirt off the carpeting. Mats with coarse texture outside your doors will remove soils and will make your carpet cleaning project easier. Water-absorbent mats will prevent wet shoes on the carpeting inside the house.
Use a pro
Professionals often recommend hot water extraction as the primary cleaning method for synthetic carpets. Though it’s called steam cleaning, there is no steam involved. The carpet is treated with a detergent solution first and then with a hot rinse solution under pressure is forced into the carpet and vacuumed out.
Quality pros charge highly, which is why people tend to avoid it and think of renting a machine to clean the carpet on their own. It is recommended that you shouldn’t do it like a rented machine will only remove surface dirt and deep cleaning is essential to remove allergens and greasy residue, which can only be done by special equipments. Hire a professional every 12-18 months or use our DIY tips to clean the carpet most of the time.
- Don’t decide the bids on the phone
Based on the square footage, conditioning, and type of carpet, experts will provide references, a written estimate, and an in-home inspection rather than the number of rooms cleaned, and a written guarantee of their work.
- Be aware of the discounts offered
Discounts are mainly based on making volume sales rather than establishing client relationships. They may not do the cleaning for you properly and the services will leave the carpet in a situation that will attract more dirt. The offers may sound attractive but the high priced add on services will be included b the quality pros for free.
- Get what you pay for
Professionals charge as per the type of carpeting, the size of the job, and the services you need. The entire process can take up to three hours but the end result will satisfy you.
DIY tips
Hiring a pro is expensive but experts do a job that can’t be done by you. So, the best you can do is to alternate between DIY and expert cleaning. Steam machines are effective if you understand how to use them and take the time to clean your carpet carefully.
Rent a steam cleaner and buy a detergent – use a tablespoon or less per gallon of water. Buying a steam cleaning machine is also a good option; although, pricier the model, the more powerful will be the water jets and suctions. They may even be prone to break down. So, before buying any steam cleaning machine, do some online research.
The rental machines always weigh more, come with a wider wand, and hold more water making them useful for high-traffic areas. The purchased models are smaller and portable. They are good for spot cleaning and easier to move up & down the stairs. Buying or renting is your choice – make sure you don’t damage your carpet and follow these tips for long-lasting cleaning.
- Don’t wait for the carpet to become dirty
Carpet cleaning depends on the traffic you have on your carpet. Clean it when the color starts to look dull as waiting for it to look filthy will only make the work more difficult.
- Vacuum is essential
Vacuum initially to remove the particles of soil. Vacuum after cleaning and the carpet will completely dry to pick up soil that sticks to the surface while drying.
- Treat stains and high traffic areas
Take a drop of detergent with hot water in a spray bottle and mist the dirty areas. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before starting the general cleaning.
- Elevate furniture
If your furniture is heavy, then put aluminum foil or wood blocks around the legs of all furniture to prevent rust from metal or stains form paint.
- Avoid moisture on the carpet
DIY work put a lot of moisture into the carpet, and most don’t have strong suction to extract it thoroughly. Make one pass with the soap and water solution and the other with neutralizing rinse solution. Lastly, make two or three passes with water off.
- Let it dry completely
After cleaning, use fans and a dehumidifier, or put the AC on moderate to remove the excess moisture from the air. Don’t replace the furniture or walk on the carpet until it’s completely dry. It can take up to 12 hours.
Don’t keep stains
If you see a stain, then there’s a high chance you can remove it immediately. The longer the stain is on the carpet, the harder it becomes to remove it.
- Use water first
Most of the stains can be eradicated by using plain water. To remove it, press a clean, white, and dry cloth over the stain to absorb the spill. Repeat till it’s absorbed and then gently work water into the stain with a damp towel and blot till the stain vanishes. Change clothes if necessary.
- Don’t rub or scrub
Scrubbing will damage the fibers and create a fuzzy area. So, always bloat from the outer edge towards the center of the stain to avoid spreading the spot.
- Try vinegar or club soda
If water doesn’t work, then try white vinegar and water solution or club soda before trying a stronger cleaning product.
- Go for commercial products
Some products can damage the colour and textures of the carpet. Before going for a commercial product, check the carpet-cleaning product on an area before using.
Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having the entire material ready ahead of time for the DIY carpet cleaning project.
- Carpet-cleaning soap
- Indoor and outdoor floor mats
- Paper towels
- Spot treating cleaners
- Vacuum filters
For further assistance or booking, visit: Safe Bond Cleaning and get the required services at an affordable price.