Carpets effectively make any home comfortable and relaxing. They are great investments that we can have for our homes and like other investments we make, we need to maintain and care for the carpets properly and adequately. Part of proper care is carpet home cleaning. Cleaning the carpet can be a daunting task for most of us but if we are equipped with the right knowledge about it, the task can become easier.
As always, preventing the carpet to become dirty is one useful guideline in carpet care. If possible, remove slippers or shoes before stepping on the carpet. Slippers and shoes may look clean but little did you know that there are tiny bits of dirt underneath which can cause the carpet to become dirty and eventually become damaged.
When removing carpet stains, remember not to rub the stain, only gently blot on it. Too much rubbing will only spread the stains and can weakened the carpet fibers and cause it to wear out quickly. It is advisable that when the stains are still fresh: already remove them so they will not settle and become hard to remove.
In addition, stains that are not removed very well would reappear on the surface after some time. To avoid stain resurfacing, the stain must be covered with thick piece of cloth then placed with something heavy on top of it overnight so the cloth will be able to absorb the deer stains. Then clean the carpet the usual way.
In our haste to clean the stain, sometimes we tend to do something that can worsen the problem. For example when we want the stain to dry quickly, we would use a hair dryer or an iron but that can only permanently lock the stain on the carpet.
Regularly vacuuming the carpet will effectively remove the dirt that has settled on the surface of the carpet. However, some of these grimes may settle on the deer layers of the carpet which typical vacuuming may not remove. Thus, deep cleaning or steam cleaning is advised to be performed. There are machines for deep cleaning which are available in stores that you can use if you wish to perform your own carpet deep cleaning. Yet if you want to be free from the hassles of this task, there are professional carpet and home cleaners who will do the task for you. Whichever option you choose, the key thing to remember is to thoroughly clean the carpet about twice or once a year.
For stubborn mildew or molds on the carpet, use bleaching cleaner without chlorine. Colored fabrics may be treated with salt solution or lemon juice. The spot with mildew or mold may also be brushed with water and hydrogen peroxide solution (one part 3% hydrogen peroxide, 3 parts water). Since peroxide is also a bleaching agent, test the carpet for color fastness by applying the solution first to an inconspicuous spot. If the color of the carpet remains unchanged then you may proceed with the cleaning. Use only a mild commercial carpet cleaner. Harsh and stronger chemical cleaners must only be applied on tough stains and dirt.