Tips On Carpet Cleaning

1. Vacuum at least 2 – 3 times a week. Heavilytraveled areas may need vacuuming every day. Remove odors by sprinkling a bit of baking soda into your vacuum bag.

2. Remove stains right away. See our article entitled, “Carpet Cleaning Stain” for correct instructions. Spray WD-40 on hardened, sticky substances to remove items like candy or make up. To remove wax, scrape it away with a rounded knife or hard plastic card, and then place a few layers of paper towels over the area. Lightly iron to melt the wax. Then blot dry.

3. Test a small inconspicuous area of your carpet with a cleaning product before attempting to clean with it. Some cleaners are too strong for some types of carpeting and may discolor them or destroy their textures.

4. Start with a weak stain agent and then work up to a stronger level should the weaker solution prove ineffective.

5. Refrain from using too much cleaning solution. Overuse will create a sticky mess that attracts even more of the dirt that you’re trying to remove. It may also cause discoloring and ruin the fabric’s texture.

6. Refrain from removing spillage in a circular motion. Doing to only grinds in existing solids and staining agents. See our article entitled, “Carpet Cleaning Stain” for proper instructions. When finished, thoroughly rinse the area so that there’s nothing left to attract more dirt.

7. If you must clean your carpeting yourself, use a machine that has a rotary scrubber. This type of scrubber encapsulates soils and residue better than the others.

8. Wait a while to try a different cleaning product if the first one doesn’t work. You’ll want to wait until the first product dries in fact because if you apply a different cleaning product while the first one is still wet and active, you may inadvertently cause a chemical reaction that’s damaging and dangerous to breathe. It may also bond the chemicals together and create a sticky stain. Club soda should be your first choice against stains.

9. Clean with cold water instead of hot water whenever possible. Believe it or not, cold water cleans just as effectively as hot water, and since we’re currently in an energy crisis, cleaning with cold water will help environmental efforts.

10. Use the correct type of disinfectant. Never use a disinfectant intended for a problem that’s different from what you’re trying to solve. Only use bactericides to kill microorganisms, sporocides to kill spores, viricides to kill viruses, and fungicides to kill fungi. Use enzyme products to kill pet odors and to remove pet stains.