It's important to clean your carpet because it takes so much wear and tear from shoes, spills, and pets. Frequent vacuuming, spot cleaning, and deep cleaning can extend the life of any type of carpet. Read on for tips and instructions on how to do cleaning right!
How often should you clean carpet?
Regardless of whether you have wall-to-wall carpeting or rugs, regular vacuuming is a must at least once a week - even more often if you have pets or children. Spills and stains should be treated as quickly as possible. Consider doing a deep cleaning at least twice a year.
What you need to clean
You probably already have everything you need for your carpet cleaning at home.
Equipment/Tools
- Vacuum cleaner
- spray bottle
- Microfiber cloth
- Bucket
- Oscillating fan
- Scrub brush with stiff nylon bristles
- Old towels or rags
- Laundry steamer
Materials
- Distilled white vinegar
- Sodium bicarbonate
- table salt
Cleaning instructions
The best way to have oneClean carpet, is to use a vacuum cleaner with strong suction – often. However, if you don't have a vacuum cleaner, there are other ways to clean carpet, such as: B. with an old-fashioned broom or a carpet sweeper.
A few tips for your routine cleaning:
- For one possiblethorough cleaningYou should take the time to remove furniture and other items from the carpet.
- Adjust the vacuum to the correct height for your type of carpet for the strongest suction power.
- Vacuum slowly and go over high-traffic areas several times for best results.
- Use a lint roller to quickly remove crumbs.
- Run a squeegee over the carpet to collect pet hair.
Stain removal:
It's best to treat a carpet stain as quickly as possible. If there are liquid stains, blot the moisture away immediately with paper towels or a white cloth. Never use a cloth or napkin that may not be colorfast. Atfirmer mud stainsor dropped food, use the edge of a credit card or a dull knife to remove the solids. NEVER rub a stain with solid components as this will push it deeper into the fibers.
Clean with distilled white vinegar
Always start cleaning with spot removal and then vacuum the carpet to remove loose soil, dust, dirt and debris. If you skip this step, you may just push the mess around or drive it deeper into the fibers. Some stains such as oil, tar and animal accidents require special treatment.
In a spray bottle, mix one part distilled white vinegar and three parts cold water.If you have a carpetClean from wall to wall, you will need to refill the bottle several times.
Before you start cleaning, spray the vinegar solution on the carpet in a hidden area to test the color fastness of the carpet. Do not use the solution if you notice any bleeding or color change.
Spray the vinegar solution onto the carpet in a small 1m x 1m area until it is very damp. Don't get wet. Follow a grid so you know where you've cleaned. When cleaning a carpet, take special precautions to protect the floor beneath the carpet from moisture damage.
Allow the solution to sit on the carpet for five minutes to dissolve the dirt. Use a microfiber cloth to blot away the solution and dirt. Have a bucket of clean water ready to rinse the microfiber cloth. Change the water frequently if it is dirty.
Allow the carpet to air dry. Open doors and windows to increase airflow in the room or set up fans to speed up drying. Do not allow the carpet to be walked on until it is completely dry. If you must use the room while the carpet is damp, place plastic sheets or tarps on the traffic routes to prevent stains. Brass oscillating fan increases airflow while carpet dries
Clean with baking soda and salt
In a small bowl or bucket, mix a one-to-one mixture of baking soda and salt. The salt can be table salt or kosher salt. Fill a spray bottle with cold water.
Sprinkle the carpet generously with the baking soda and salt mixture. It may be easier to work in a grid pattern by starting in a corner and working toward the exit.
After spraying, mist the area with a spray bottle filled with plain water. The carpet should be very damp, but not soaking wet. Use a scrub brush to work the baking soda deeper into the carpet fibers. Walk in one direction and then at a 90 degree angle,to solve the pollution.
After scrubbing, use old towels or rags to wipe away any loosened dirt. It's okay if a little baking soda remains in the fibers. Allow the carpet to air dry completely. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove any baking soda residue left in the fibers. The carpet should now smell fresher and look brighter.
Tips to keep carpet clean longer
- Place doormats in front of and in all entrance doors to catch dirt.
- Take off your shoes at the door to prevent dirt from getting in.
- Vacuum several times a week.
- Treat stains immediately.
- Change or clean the air conditioning filters to catch the dust particles circulating in the air before they land on the carpet.
- Keep your vacuum cleaner well maintained and clean to ensure it functions properly.
- If you have pets, brush and bathe them frequently to protect the carpets.
