Carpet Cleaning Tips – A Step by Step Guide
Keeping your carpet looking new is not easy. Depending on where your carpet is, it can receive a lot of traffic each day. Some carpets can begin to look dingy and dirty after just about a year of use. So, it is important to stay on top of a few carpet cleaning tips to keep your home looking new.
1. Attack spills immediately
If anything spills onto your carpet, the best thing to do is to place a paper towel or another kind of cloth on top of it and apply direct pressure from above. This will soak up the spill. You should not rub a towel over a spill because it might cause it to set and spread.
2. Pay attention to material
Wool carpets are especially sensitive to chemicals, so anytime that you use a cleaning agent, always test the chemical on a small inconspicuous portion of the wool to see what the result will be. If it is safe, use the chemical on the entire carpet.
3. Use a carpet cleaning machine
This is one of the best carpet cleaning tips there is. Keeping your carpet in good condition is a great way to keep it looking good for years. So, once every one or two years you should use a steam cleaning machine (also known as a hot water extraction machine) to totally clean your carpet.
4. Vacuum often
Getting the dry soil out of your carpet is a great way to keep it in good shape. You might also want to think about using a dry cleaning solution or other type of cleaning aid when you vacuum. There are some cleaning agents that come in a powder form and are then worked into the carpet with a brush and a bit of water. You can then vacuum these chemicals out of your carpet and they leave it smelling fresh and clean.
5. Keep heat away from stains and spills
If you apply a significant amount of heat to a stain or a spill, it will be set in your carpet permanently. A set stain will be almost impossible to remove. So, never use any type of iron or hair dryer to dry a spill on your carpet.
6. Always read labels
Too many problems come up because people do not read the labels on the cleaning agents that they use. Every chemical usually has its own set of instructions. So before you use it, you should always read the instructions on the label to make sure that you have taken the necessary precautions to use it properly.
If you have a brand new carpet, then you should take these carpet cleaning tips to heart. Try to be as careful as you can to keep it clean and looking nice for as long as you can. Think about working out a regular cleaning schedule that involves vacuuming at least once or twice a week and steam cleaning at least once or twice every year. Remember that maintenance is the best way to keep your carpet in good shape.