Every year millions of people fall sick due to the allergens and termites present in the fibers of carpets and rugs. Even if you vacuum your carpet regularly it can harbor a massive number of trapped allergens that can lead to a number of respiratory problems. The vacuum can only take care of dirt, debris and pet hair but does little for actual allergens. To make sure your family enjoys a clean and healthy environment, it is important to deeply clean your carpets and rugs regularly by getting them shampooed. This prevents the growth of bacteria, fungi, termites and mold.
Carpets are one of the biggest investments in the house and people want to keep them as long as possible. They protect your flooring, keep your feet warm in the winter and add to the overall look of our house. Keeping your carpet free from dirt, stains and grime is one of the best ways to increase its lifespan and make it look new for a long time. It also a factor in keeping your home constantly clean.
Protect your home investment by keeping your carpet clean and smelling fresh. Here are the top 15 carpet cleaning tips that will help you maintain a healthy indoor environment.
1. Leave the Shoes Outside
The easiest way to keep your carpet as clean as possible is to stop dirt from getting inside the house. Make a habit of leaving shoes at the door before entering the house and encourage the guests to do the same to reduce the amount of dirt tracked into your house. Secondly, shoes have harder soles than indoor slippers and can cause abrasion to carpet fibers. They will wear the carpet down quickly. Have a place where family members and visitors can leave their shoes.
2. Vacuum Carpet and Rugs Regularly
Vacuuming two to three times per week is another way to keep your carpet and rugs cleaner for a longer time. Trapped dust underneath the carpet fibers creates a breeding ground for bacteria and dust mites and can have a wear and tear effect on the carpet. Regular vacuuming picks up the dirt, reduces the chances of dust build-up and promotes a clean and healthy surface. Carpets can easily stand vacuuming several times a week and won’t sustain as much damage as they do from dirt left inside the carpet. Make sure to vacuum the entrance and busy areas of your house or apartment and go as slow as you can to pick up all the dirt.
3. Keep an Emergency Cleaning Kit Ready
To further protect your carpet, always keep an emergency cleaning kit ready to deal with any stains as soon as they happen. Every carpet cleaning kit should start with a good quality carpet cleaner to remove stains, club soda to clean wine or beer spills, clean towels, double side sponges, scraping tools and rubber gloves to keep your hands protected. Keep everything handy in case of a carpet-cleaning emergency.
4. Wear Shoe Covers When Needed
If you are having an event in your house that will result in high foot traffic, you can minimize the damage and keep your carpet clean by making people wear shoe caps inside the house. Shoe caps will prevent your carpet from being damaged by the blunt imprints of the shoes as well as keep people from transporting too much dirt and bacteria into the house with their boots.
5. Professionally Deep Clean Every 12-18 Months
Vacuuming alone is not enough to remove all the debris that comes into your house as it only removes the dirt from the surface of the carpet. If your house receives a lot of foot traffic, you may need deep clean more frequently. Deep cleaning every 12 to 18 months pulls out all the gross stuff from the carpet fibers that’s not visible to the naked eye like pollen, dust mites and pet dander. A deep cleaning should only be done by a professional carpet cleaner to get the highest level of debris and stain removal possible.
6. Remove Stains as Quickly as Possible
Carpets and stains go hand in hand. No matter how hard you try to protect your carpet, the mishap takes an instant to occur with a coffee spill, drop of blood or when your beloved pet just could not hold it any longer. The longer the stain sets in, the harder it gets to remove. Apply stain remover to the stain as soon as it happens to avoid permanent discoloration. Never rub or scrub the stain and use blotting instead with a white paper towel or any clean white cloth. Always blot from inside the stain to ensure it doesn’t spread further. Use carpet stain remover or DIY solution of water and vinegar 3:1 to clean the stain and make your carpet look as it did when it was brand new.
7. Use Carpet Protector Spray
One of the best ways to keep your carpet clean and extend its life is by applying a carpet protector spray. A carpet protector helps your carpet fibers repel dirt, allergens, bacteria and liquid spills. Air quality is a huge factor when indoors and carpets are one of the major causes of respiratory problems. Having a carpet protector will have a significant impact on your health and decrease the risk of airborne diseases. It also prevents the stains from getting deeper into the carpet and saves you from the hassle of cleaning it more often.
8. Add Area Rugs in High Traffic Areas
Adding an area rug in the high traffic carpeted areas will also help keep your carpet clean. Area rugs will save your carpet from the dust build-up by giving protective coverage and it’s a lot simpler to clean than cleaning the carpet itself. Moreover, area rugs are a great way to add a pop of color and bring new life into your home space. You can also use chair mats to protect your carpets from dents, scuffs, and other marks caused by sofa legs or wheels on desk chairs. This method will further increase the lifespan of the carpet.
9. Use the Freezing Technique
Carpets and chewing gums tend to bond really well, especially when you have kids at home. Trying to get chewing gum out of your freshly cleaned carpet can be frustrating and can play havoc on your carpet’s durability. Try using an ice cube on the sticky mess and freeze the chewing gum for around 30 seconds. Wait till it gets hard and take it off your carpet using a scraping tool or a spoon. Once it’s removed, take a sponge dipped in a cleaning liquid and gently rub the area to ensure the stain doesn’t last.
10. Let Vinegar do the Magic
Vinegar is one of the most important ingredients when it comes to carpet care. It can do wonders in fluffing up the areas of your carpet that have been flattened or simply look worn down. Dilute the vinegar with water and spray it on the affected area. Let it absorb fully and run a spoon sideways along the carpeting to loosen the fibers and restore the original texture.
11. Combat Greasy Stains with Baking Soda
One of the most common stains on carpets is oil stains. There are several methods of removing oily stains such as using hot water and the dabbing technique. However, none of these methods fully get rid of the grease and this is where baking soda comes into play to help you save your carpet’s life. Just sprinkle a good amount of baking soda on the stain and leave it for 3-6 hours until it sucks the oil out of the carpet. Vacuum the solid crust on the top and it will potentially remove the oil stain entirely. Finally, dab the stain with a wet cloth and repeat the procedure till you get the desired results.
12. Use Shaving Cream a Second Way
Shaving cream works wonders in breaking down arrogant carpet stains like coffee, grease or mustard. This trick is often used by professional cleaners to clean stubborn stains that are hardest to remove. Just dab a generous amount of shaving cream on the stained area and let it sink in for 30 minutes or so. Once it dries up, wipe it away with a clean towel or use a wet and dry vacuum cleaner to dry the area. The foamy nature of the shaving cream helps to lift up stubborn stains from the coarse fibers of the carpet, making them look good as new.
13. Try Rubbing Alcohol for Dried Nail Polish
When the offending stain on your beloved carpet is nail polish, rubbing alcohol will remove this pesky stain. Wait until the nail polish is completely dry and chip off as much excess nail polish as possible with the help of a sharp tool or a knife. Use a ball of cotton or Q-tip to gently apply alcohol onto the stain. Rub with a paper towel until the nail polish stain dissolves and absorbs into the towel. Continue applying the alcohol until the stain has vanished. Finish the cleaning with dry-cleaner solvent and then vacuum to fluff the carpet fibers back up.
14. Hydrogen Peroxide is Like Dracula
Suffering a cut and getting a few drops of blood on your carpet doesn’t mean your carpet is permanently stained. Hydrogen peroxide works incredibly well for cleaning blood stains from the carpet. Start with removing dried blood with detergent and water solution and scrape of as much as possible. Apply strong hydrogen peroxide solution on the stain and it will immediately start to fizz. Give it a few minutes and wipe clean the liquid with a light paper towel or cotton cloth.
15. Steam Cleaning on Regular Basis
The best way to keep your carpet clean is by having a regular steam cleaning schedule. While professionals use commercial-grade technology, home steam cleaners can be rented or purchased online. Steam cleaning prevents your carpet from getting dirt and debris build-up and keeps it clean and tidy. Steam cleaning removes the deeper stuff that goes below the carpet’s surface, along with residue left behind by other cleaning methods. Steam cleaning also kills germs, viruses and molds. Not to mention it also eliminates unwanted pet odors and gives you a healthier household environment.