Carpet has many merits and advantages as a flooring material, but spills can leave stains and daily traffic takes its toll. Learn how to clean carpet with methods for vacuuming, deep cleaning, and stain removal that will help your carpets look better and last longer.
Test for Colorfastness
Before you begin cleaning carpets, the first step is to test its colorfastness. Colorfast carpet will not bleed, fade, or change when you are cleaning it or removing stains. The colorfastness will help you decide the best carpet cleaning method, products, or machines to use. Follow these steps to pretest your carpet to find out if it is colorfast.
- Locate a carpet scrap or an inconspicuous spot on the floor, such as the carpet inside a closet. Vacuum the carpet.
- Dampen a cloth with the carpet cleaner or carpet stain remover you want to use.
- Lay the cloth on the carpet for an hour, and then blot the damp area with a dry white cloth.
- If the cloth is stained with carpet dyes, test other carpet cleaning products until you find one that does not make the carpet sample bleed.
How to Clean Carpet
It’s important to protect your furniture, carpet padding, and subfloor when cleaning carpets. Grab a partner to help you remove furniture from the room where the carpet is being cleaned. Here I listed the two best ways to clean the carpet.
- Dry Extraction Method
- Water Extraction Method
Dry Extraction Method
Other home carpet cleaning systems use a dry extraction method to wash carpet. First, spread a dry absorbent compound over the carpet being cleaned, then vacuum it with the carpet cleaning machine. Although they usually work better than steam cleaners, dry machines and chemicals are more expensive than steamers and wet extraction solutions.
Water Extraction Method
Most home carpet cleaning systems are water extraction units, which are also known as steam cleaners. They work to wash carpet by injecting a solution into the carpet pile, then pulling the dirty solution back into the machine. To avoid the hassle of dragging a hose around the house, opt for a model that does not require a clean-water hookup. Also, choose the most powerful carpet cleaning machine you can afford to ease the burden of water extraction.
Some Carpet Cleaning Tips
Do Regular Vaccum
Vacuuming up your carpet will make the job much easier as it removes every tangled dust particles and debris. After vacuuming, it is advisable to check a small area first (just to test the effect of the carpet cleaning solution on the carpet).
Clean in straight lines
To attain the most thorough cleaning, use parallel strokes with carpet cleaning solution. Another smart tip is to push the carpet cleaner at half the speed of that on an upright vacuum. Meanwhile you can check the best home blog to get professional results.
Do not rub
If you don’t want to make the carpet stains stubborn, resist your temptation of rubbing them. Rubbing make the condition worse as it allows the spill to soak in the carpet. Instead, dab the stain with a good cleaning solution and clean rug, sponge or paper towel. Always start from outside the stain and gradually move inward as blotting upward will spread the stain to a larger area.
Target spills promptly
Any small accident can become a stain if it is not treated in a straight way. Your carpet cleaning solution if applied immediately will be able to work on the spills before it soaks in. Therefore, keep the carpet cleaning solution readily available.
Conclusion
To keep your carpet spotless all the time, don’t take long gaps between washes. In addition, seek professional help when your carpet needs in-depth cleaning. Following all these tips will keep your carpet new looking for a longer time. Share your carpet cleaning experience with us.