How to clean carpet

How to Clean a Carpet

Carpets are susceptible to stains from daily dirt and more noticeable discolourations from grass bought into the house on shoes and wine mishaps. Knowing how to clean a carpet properly can help save money on professional cleaning services and keep your flooring looking better for longer and also help you to identify the best carpet cleaning products for the task.

Baking soda, a vacuum cleaner and carpet shampoo are the key items required for cleaning carpets. Find out how to use them, and the best ways to use them. We're certain you'll be surprised at the results you can achieve in a short amount of time!

How Often Should You Clean Your Carpet?

Cleaning your carpet may help limit dust and other allergens, and if you have hay fever, this can help reduce those symptoms when it's in season. Ideally, you'd vacuum your carpet every day — especially for for big households that have pets and kids present.

Recent researched revealed that carpets can be ten times dirtier than a toilet seat. This is the reason for the advise to vacuum regularly. We understand that you may struggle to vacuum daily due to work commitments and busy schedules, so at a minimum carry out this task once a week.

If spills happen, pre-treat them with a stain-removal solution without delay and let them dry thoroughly, then use a carpet cleaner to bring your carpet back to it's former glory.

How to Clean a Carpet at Home

Below we've compiled a list of ways to get your carpets looking clean again. Whether it's a stain you're dealing with, daily cleaning or a deeper clean, we've got the info you need.

Vacuum the Full Carpet

When cleaning your carpets, it's essential to consider the material it is made from. From synthetic, wool, or plant-based fibers, there's numorous carpet types and different types need different pile height settings.

First of all, clear the floor. Make sure any items on the floor, such as toys or the ood magazine that is lying around, are placed in a safe place.

For synthetic and plant-based carpet fibres, turn on the beater brush and move the vacuum over the carpet in different directions. This optimises the amount of irt that is removed.

For high pile or wool carpets, do not use a beater brush and push the vacuum across the room following the direction of the fibres.

Remember, always read the care instructions for the type of carpet you have, and follow these closely to avoid any damage!

Choose the Right Carpet Cleaning Products and Method

You'll need a decent carpet cleaning product to deep clean your carpet. To get the best results, use a carpet cleaning machine for this purpose. If you don't have a machine, do a quick search on Google for a place to hire one locally. Regular machine cleaning will keep your carpets in top shape without any soaking or damage. If your carpet is made from wool, make sure that you use a wool safe product!

If you are going to clean your carpet by hand, or want to give your carpet a refresh, you can use vinegar or baking soda.

Mix one part white vinegar with three parts water and spray it onto the carpet with a plant mister. Blot the mix into the carpet with a clean microfibre cloth, leaving for a few minutes. Remember, never scrub a stain, always blot! Once this is complete, vacuum thoroughly.

To freshen your carpet, first, start by spreading the soda evenly over the carpet, spritz it evenly with a fine mist of water, and let it sit for a few hours. Once the time is up, vacuum thoroughly.

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Stain Treatment

Stains often occur from tea, coffee, red wine or even blood. It's essential that you act fast. The quicker you treat the stain, the higher the chance is that it's going to be removed successfully. Initially, use kitchen roll to absorb any excess before it soaks into the carpet. Remember, never scrub a stain, only blot. Scrubbing can actually work the stain further into the carpet!

Our below tips will help you to remove stains:

  • Organic stain removal: The environment is always on our mind, so give a product with natural ingredients a go, such as Prochem Natural Carpet Spotter. We have used it on food stains and pet urine, and we've found that it works. As with other stain-removing products, you should apply the remover sooner rather than later.
  • Ironing: Start by soaking a cloth in water. Follow by placing on the stain, and run a hot iron across it. Also, the heat will cause the carpet to release the stain. This is also great to remove wax that spilt on the mat.
  • Dried on stains: Use a blunt scraper or stiff brush to loosen, then vacuum. Once the debris is removed, spot treat as per the instructions below, then deep clean with a machine.

Remember, before deep cleaning your carpet, remove any tough marks and stains you can see. This will loosen the stain, making it easier for your carpet cleaner to wash it away.

Carpet Impressions Treatment

Carpet impressions are indents left by furniture. These often occur where the legs of a cabinet or chair rest for an extended period on the carpet in one place.

If there are indentations or impressions left on your carpet, you can remove these easily by rubbing an ice cube over the affected area.

What Not To Do

Here are a few tips to avoid when cleaning your carpet:

  • Choose neat vinegar to get rid of stains
  • Never use hairspray for ink stains
  • Bleach does not work well natural carpets
  • White wine does not solve red wine stains
  • Rubbing your carpet is not the solution to stains

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