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Carpets make a great decorative presence in many homes. Not only are they attractive but they can be real comfy to lie on. One big headache attached with carpets is keeping them clean, especially if you have children or pets. Another is that they can be a major health risk especially to persons with allergies. Nonetheless, carpets can be kept clean with a little effort and without having to call the carpet cleaner as often as you normally would.
Before attempting to clean your carpet determine what type of material it is made of. Remember that all carpets are not the same, some are wool, plant fiber or manmade material. The material will help you better determine whether to do it yourself or get the professionals.
The tools needed for cleaning carpets are not out of reach of the ordinary homeowner. In fact, all that is generally needed are:
- Buckets
- Spray bottle
- Scrub brush
- Laundry detergent (preferably the powdered type, although dish washing liquid can be used. Do not use detergent containing bleach or alkaline.)
- Towels
- Vacuum
- Toothbrush
The Process
- Vacuum or sweep the carpet before you start the real cleaning. This removes lint, hair and any other such material.
- Mix the detergent with warm water. Generally ¼ cup to a gallon of warm water ensures that it is not concentrated. To prevent damage to the carpet, test the solution on a small area. If discoloration occurs do not go any further. If all goes well, you can proceed with the cleaning process.
- Whether you are using a sponge or a brush work in small areas at a time for the best results. If using a sponge squeeze out most of the water. With a brush, gently spray some cleaning solution and slowly scrub the area being cleaned. Use the toothbrush to scrub hard to remove spots.
- Dip a clean sponge into clean water and remove the cleaning solution before moving on to the next section to be cleaned. You may need to repeat this to ensure that all the cleaning solution is removed.
- Fluff the carpet against the nap to ensure proper drying and to restore carpet to its original level of fluffiness. Using a stiff bristle brush is a good way to raise the nap. You can also vacuum for the same result.
Dealing with Stains
It is hard to avoid stains getting on your carpet. The Internet offers lots of solutions for removing various types of stains, so do a quick search for the solution to your particular problem. However, the following tips are handy for dealing with stains as they happen:
- Quickly blot the spot with hand towels or a clean rag to absorb most of the spilled material, whether liquid or solid. Remove as much of it as you can before cleaning the area. As usual test any cleaning solution on small area first.
- Always start at the outer edges of the spot and work inwards. This will prevent the stain from spreading outwards.
If nothing works to get your carpet as nice and clean as you want, you can always resort to calling in the professionals.
For clean, fresh smelling carpets, vacuum them at least once per week. Pay special attention to heavy traffic areas. Add some baking soda to your vacuum bag to prevent odor. You can also opt to sprinkle the baking soda on the carpet itself, leave for about 15 minutes and then vacuum.
Tip: Don’t get overly excited and soak the carpet. Making it too wet leads to a longer drying time. This can be an especially problematic situation as it can soak through to the floor and damage it, especially a wooden floor. This will also make it easier to get dirty again if others walk on it while it is still wet.
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