How to Clean Carpets

A dirty carpet not only mars the grace and decor of the house but can actually make you and your family members sick, as it is the perfect niche for dust mites and mold spores. Therefore, carpet cleaning is as important as having a bath everyday. There are a number of ways to keep the carpet clean, shiny and free from insects. Let's take a look at them.

Lift and Shake: The easiest thing that can be done daily is to lift the rug and shake it well, in order to dislodge the dust. Thereafter, sweep the rug with a broom. It keeps the carpet free from dust. To maintain the shine and texture of the rug, mere lifting, shaking and brooming will be inadequate in the long run. Therefore, other methods need to be applied every now and then.

Vacuum the Carpet Mat: Vacuuming the mat is a good idea. It removes the dirt and is the only way to keep dust mites off the rug. Brooming loosens the dirt on the carpet; therefore, to obtain the best results, broom the carpet first and then run the vacuum cleaner over it.

Use Detergent: Not every detergent is suitable for this job. In fact, many washing powders that are meant for washing clothes, are too harsh and can damage the fabric of the rug.

Nowadays, you can find detergents that are specific to this purpose. They come in the form flakes as well as powders. The detergent needs to be sprinkled on the carpet followed by pouring an adequate amount of water. This combination of detergent and water is then left to soak into the carpet for the time recommended and as per the directions given. It absorbs the dirt buried deep in the fiber of the carpet. The carpet can then either be wiped off with paper towels or vacuumed up with a vacuum cleaner.

This technique is quite effective and can easily be performed at home, on a weekend basis.

Call a Professional Cleaner: All the methods mentioned above are easy to adopt and are very practical to use. They would no doubt keep your carpet clean. However, it is recommended you hire the services of a professional carpet cleaner, once a year. A professional cleaner cleans the carpet with the aid of a special machine meant solely for this purpose. The machine uses steam for cleaning.

Renting the machine for a day or two, in order to clean the rug yourself is also a feasible idea. Apart from cleaning the mats and rugs, there are a number of dos and don'ts that must be followed, to remove stains and spills from your carpet.

Things to Avoid

There are many things we do to clean carpets. Rarely, do we know the extent of harm that the cleaning process can cause to the carpet. Therefore, it's very important to be aware of the methods and substances that should be avoided during carpet cleaning.

• Never oversaturate the carpet with detergents and avoid using harsh chemicals. Rugs have dyed fibers. Overwashing or using strong cleaning compounds can damage the fiber and fade the dye.
• Avoid scrubbing the carpet, while removing any spill or stain. It would drive the staining agent even deeper into the fiber. Instead, moisten and blot it.
• Never steam cook the carpet. It facilitates the formation of a chemical bond between the rug fiber and the dye and would only make the stain more resistant.
• Never bleach the carpet, as based on the chemical composition of the stain, the bleach would actually help the stain to set in.
• Do not use ammonia-based cleansing agents, as ammonia has a tendency to discolor the applied area completely.
• Avoid using detergents meant for clothing and automatic dishwashers to clean carpets as these are too harsh.

Things to be Followed

There are some simple tips that should be kept in mind. If followed the proper way, they can ensure excellent results in the long run. Let's know more about them.

• Moisture should be soaked up by using towels and rags as soon as possible. The spread of the spill cannot be stopped; however, it can at least be minimized.
• Cold water should be sprinkled on the area of fresh stains. Hot water should never be used, as it would fasten the chemical bond formation between the fiber and the dye. This is one reason why tea, coffee and soup stains are difficult to remove.
• Stains should always be blotted up and never scrubbed. Use rags or paper towels for it. Rags are generally recommended as they can be washed and reused.
• Hand dishwashing detergents can always be used. Woolite is one such example. It should be used in proportion with water. The common ratio is one teaspoon full of detergent and one cup of water.
• Mild citric acids like lemon juice can also be used.

Follow the above instructions and the outcome would be nothing less than an ever shining and long-lasting carpet. So, labor to clean the carpet everyday, in the right way. Cleaning a carpet is a physical activity. You can include family members in it and bear the fruit of your labor, through a well-preserved and beautiful carpet.