Carpet Cleaning All You Need to Know

Let’s face it; no matter how clean your home or office is, your carpet cannot escape spills, drops, stains, and anything under your shoes. Although carpet cleaning is a chore, long, tedious, and stressful process; nevertheless, it has to be done. You have to always keep the carpet in your home or office clean to avoid dust build-up. This has a great significance on the quality of air and the number of pollutants in your space.

There are three options to carpet cleaning:

• hire a carpet cleaning service,
• use a carpet cleaner, and
• clean manually

The most frequently used area on the carpet always looks duller compared to the rest of the carpet, and this is because the fibers get scratched by the dirt, and thus the sheen looks dull. The fibers also wear away after many grinding of dirt, which makes the fiber get stained easily. This post will teach you how to remove dirt from your carpet, keep it clean, and all you need to know about carpet cleaning. First and foremost, why do you need carpet cleaning?

Why do I need Carpet Cleaning?

Your carpet houses more than you think. You can only remove the dirt and germ through deep carpet cleaning. It will help you get rid of spots, soils, stains and also improve the quality of air in your home or office. Aside from that, everyone loves seeing a shiny and clean carpet in their space. There are hundreds of reasons why you need carpet cleaning. This will be discussed extensively in another post.

How to clean your Carpet like a Pro?

Most people like leaving their carpet cleaning job in the hands of professionals because it involves a lot of time and special cleaning equipment. Among the number of factors to note is the protection of your furniture, using the right chemicals, as well as advance planning to spare time for the carpet to dry after cleaning.

• Pro Tip: It is advisable to use a carpet cleaning service or carpet cleaner when you are looking to perform both cleaning and maintenance of your carpet, as these are the major ways to really get your carpet clean. 

A carpet cleaner will help you extract the dirt stored inside the layers through string suction. They are also perfect for hard and difficult stains removal. Cleaning your carpet manually will require a lot of times, but carpet cleaning shampoos are quite cheap if you have the time. Although the following tips will help you with your carpet cleaning, they are not a match with professional carpet cleaning. If you have the time and strength, follow these tips to clean your carpet like a pro:

• Colorfastness Test

This step is regardless of the method you want to use. You have to be sure the color of your carpet will not fade or get damaged by the cleaning before you start it all. Test a hidden part of the carpet, such as within the store before you start cleaning. If your carpet passes the test, you can go ahead.

• Avoid Rubbing Stains – blot them

Remove stains by cleaning with clean paper towels, a cloth or a sponge, and a cleaning solution. According to an expert, blotting is the key, as it soaks up the stains by applying pressure on it. Fibers get affected when you rub them, as particles will be able to penetrate the carpet fibers. Make sure the blotting is done inward and not outward to avoid spreading the stain.

• Clean Carpet Stains using Club Soda

When used correctly, club soda is an excellent way of removing wine and beer stains. Blot the affected area using soda on a cloth. You can also use a mixture of water and vinegar, and spray the stained area using a hand sprayer. Then leave it for some minutes to soak in gently. Proceed by pressing a clean sponge on the stained area to absorb the solution and the stain. This step should be repeated until the desired result is achieved.

Rinse the area with warm water once the stain has been removed. Brush the strands with your hand in the right direction. Lastly, place white paper towels on the spot and suppress the weight. This will remove the dampness from the carpet. Then leave the towels on the spot for at least a day for the carpet to dry.

• Using Hydrogen Peroxide

Even a few carpet stains can be as visible as blood. However, having a bloodstain on your carpet doesn’t mean it can’t be cleaned off. You can remove the bloodstain with hydrogen peroxide. Start by applying water and detergent to the blood to weaken it, and then scrape off the blood as much as you can. Now, apply hydrogen peroxide directly to the affected area to remove any residue. The solution will form foam when it gets to the blood, so don’t let it surprise you. Use towels to clean off the hydrogen peroxide so the carpet can dry.

• Dishwasher Detergent to remove Grease

To get rid of difficult-to-clean stains from carpet, mix a drop or 2 of dishwashing detergent in a cup of water. The solution will act as a grease-cutting solution, exactly the way it works on your dishes. Pour the mixture in a hand sprayer and spray it on the grease stain. You can then blot it out to remove the stain. This step may be repeated to achieve the expected result.

• Using Heat Wax

When you burn candles in the house, and it drips onto the flooring, it quickly dries and stuck itself on the carpet. You will have to heat the wax back up to get rid of it from the carpet. To warm the wax, cover your iron with a white cloth and place on the wax. Use a butter knife to scrape off the wax from the carpet. After all, place a paper towel on the spot and iron on the towel. The wax will melt and, at the same time, bind to the paper towel, getting rid of it from the carpet after many applications.

• Pro Tip: The maximum time for using the iron on the paper is 30 seconds to avoid burning the carpet. Also, make sure you use white cloth and towels to avoid decolorizing the carpet when heated up, most especially when your carpet is light-colored.    
• Deep-Clean Regularly
  Carpet cleaning is very important to keep your carpet new and shining. Carpet Steam cleaning means using water jet-nozzles to inject cleaning solution into the carpet. The machine will then extract the dirt, debris, as well as the solution in the carpet. The water will run through the fiber to the backing and dissolve any accumulated soil, remove grease deposits and give your carpet a refreshing look. Deep cleaning should be done every six months for a family of 4, as stated by expert. However, you may not be able to deep clean your carpet if you don’t have the required equipment. A professional cleaning service can help you.

How to perform a Carpet clean with a Carpet Cleaner?

Carpet cleaners don’t work the same way, but here is a general guide on how it usually works.

Protect your furniture: Make sure you remove any furniture and breakables from the rooms or places you want to clean to gain access to hidden dirt and dust. Furniture such as chairs, tables, as well as clutter, should be removed. Other large items such as couches, sofas, desks, and beds should be covered with plastic tarps. Make sure you cover the legs of your tables and chairs to avoid damage during the cleaning.

Read instruction: Take your time to read through the cleaning solution usage instruction specifically for your unit, as contained in the cleaner manual. It includes instructions like warnings for those with children, allergies, and pets.

Prepare the machine: Remove the machine’s reservoir tank and mix measured quantities of water and cleaning solution. A cup if cleaner with hot water is usually enough. Fix back the tank to the machine carefully with the bottom positioned before tilting to lock in place.

Use the machine: Switch on the machine and activate its handle located under the unit. Press the button situated on top of the machine to apply the hot cleaning solution to the needed area. After releasing the cleaning level dispenser, push the machine to enable it to extract dirt from the carpet. You can also pull towards your direction to likely pick up more dirty water from the carpet. Continue this process until there is a need to empty the tank. Do not stop until the affected area is cleaned. Mix another tank if the previous one is exhausted.

Dispose the water: Release the tank when full to dispose of the water. Make sure you rinse the tank and filter (in hot pipe water) when you are done cleaning.  Before you store the carpet cleaner, make sure it is properly dried.

How to Regularly Keep your Carpet Clean 

When you follow some professional tips, you can get rid of those difficult stains as well as prevent them from getting to your carpet. However, below tips will help you keep your carpet clean all the time:

• Target spills promptly:Any accidental stain, if not quickly treated, can become a stain. A quick application of a carpet cleaning solution would quickly remove the stain and smell before it soaks in. Thus, make sure the carpet cleaning solution is always ready for use. Read ways to get rid of pet smell from your carpet.
• Do not rub:Avoid rubbing your carpet stain, so they don’t turn stubborn. The spill or stain will soak deeper into the carpet when you rub it. Instead, remove the stain by blotting with a clean towel or sponge and an effective cleaning solution. Begin with the outside stain before moving to the inside to avoid spreading the stain to other parts.
• Vacuuming is the key: Vacuuming will help remove any accumulated dust, dirt, and debris from the carpet and, at the same time, simplify your job. Make sure you test the effect of the cleaning solution in a small area on the carpet after vacuuming.
• Pre-treat for excellent results:Carpets are mostly dusty and dirty. For this, make sure you apply a pre-treatment solution to it before starting general carpet cleaning. You can find a pre-treatment kit (such as a wand, a bottle of solution, and applicator) in most carpet cleaner modules. Spray this solution on the dirtiest area and leave for some minutes before you begin general cleaning.
• Clean in straight lines:Make use of parallel strokes with cling to achieve the best cleaning result. You can also push the carpet cleaner at a reduced speed on a vertical standing vacuum.
• Vacuum at the appropriate speed: Vacuum the carpet at slow speed to extract as much as possible dirt. You can vacuum less dirty areas at increased speed but low speed on highly dirty areas. You will get rid of much dirt when you pass twice and slowly than moving faster severally.
• Use walk-off mats: Place walk-off mats inside and outside your door to keep off the dirt from the carpet. Coarse-textured mats are capable of removing soil and also make your carpet cleaning job easier when placed outside your doors. Placing water-absorbent mats inside your doors will prevent wet shoes on your flooring.For further tips, you can as well read our post on how to keep your carpet clean.

Professional Carpet Cleaning Companies

The question is – do you actually need to do this all by yourself? Well, if you have the time and strength, you can try it out. However, most people prefer hiring professional carpet cleaning services for their carpet cleaning job rather than renting a cleaning machine and do it themselves. In reality, there are wide differences as to how professional carpet cleaners do it compared to a common homeowner.

A professional carpet cleaner will remove every long-accumulated dust from your carpet. There are two categories of benefits with professional carpet cleaners over homeowners cleaning, which include more expertise and usage of special and relevant equipment.

• Professional cleaners know exactly how to handle different situations such as tough stains, careful handling of fragile fabrics and water damage.
• Professional cleaners also have access to cleaning tools and equipment such as steam cleaning equipment for hot-water extraction, UV lights for spotting stains from pets, and so on that you may not be able to rent anywhere.

Things to Consider in any Carpet Cleaning Company

A reliable carpet cleaning company will provide their licenses and certifications for your review as needed. Make sure you also read online reviews about them and seek references. You can also identify a good company from the equipment and chemicals they use. Although most carpet cleaners, however, figure out the chemicals they use to make sure they don’t include ammonium hydroxide or any chemical starting with fluoro- as they are not eco-friendly. It is best to leave carpet cleaning in the hands of professional steam cleaners. They make use of specific cleaning solutions and required scientific injection-extraction method to remove germs from your carpet. If you need one in Melbourne, you don’t need to look further; Best carpet cleaning Melbourne is all you need in every carpet cleaning requirements. You can book us for your carpet cleaning services here.

Final Words

Make sure you wash your carpet at intervals to avoid leaving stubborn spots and stains on it. Don’t hesitate to contact professional carpet cleaners when there is a need for deep cleaning of your carpet. Your carpet will continue to look refreshed when you follow these tips, as explained. We are waiting for your carpet cleaning experience. You can share with us in the comment box!