When trying to figure out the basics of carpet care, it is important to consult the experts to determine what is best for your carpet. While everyone thinks they have the best tips or tricks to care for their carpet, you want to make sure you are making the right decision to ensure you are not doing permanent damage to this very important part of your home! Here we will discuss several techniques to best care for your carpet, from the experts and experienced homeowners who know what works.
First, if you have come to the conclusion that you need to clean your carpets, you have to decide if you want to do the work yourself, or if you want to hire someone. If you have the luxury and finances to be able to hire a carpet cleaning company, your worries are much fewer than those for individuals who want to do it themselves. If you can afford to have them professionally cleaned, make sure to do your research. Do not hire the cheapest company out there, or who you find in the yellow pages. Make sure to do your homework and get referrals from friends, family, or business organizations.
If you have instead decided to clean your carpets yourself, the first step you need to take is to rent a steam cleaner, which will get deep inside your carpet to get out the dust, dirt, and stains. If you know you will need to clean your carpets regularly, consider investing in your own steam cleaner (but if you do so, make sure to check product recommendations to make sure you are getting a quality machine).
It is recommended that people deep clean their carpets approximately twice a year, although it also can depend on how many people live in your home and how much traffic the carpet gets. For some people who live alone and have no children, who keep their home clean and have no pets, you may be able to go up to two years without deep cleaning. It all depends on the level of dirt and dust in your home and if you have any stains you need to eradicate.
Besides deep cleaning, it is also important that homeowners understand how to take care of their carpets from day-to-day to make sure that when they are ready for an in-depth cleaning once or twice a year, it is not hard work. Besides steam cleaning, every homeowner should have a great vacuum which picks up the daily or weekly dirt and grime that often gets left behind by a poor vacuum. Besides having a strong vacuum, you need to vacuum regularly, as over 75% of dirt on most carpets is dry dirt or dust.
If you are able to clean up stains and spills as soon as possible, this is the best way to keep your carpet in its best condition. As soon as a spill gets past the initial level of carpet, it gets into the padding, which causes smells and permanent stains to set in. The longer a stain sits, the more difficult it will be to get out. Especially if you are talking about pet stains, or hard to get out stains like coffee or red wine. You can use water to clean stains, as just basic water will take out most spills. If water will not work, you can look in your local stores or online to find products that are designed specifically to help with certain kinds of spills.
It is important to keep your home clean, and one of the ways your home most reflects on you is through the condition of your carpet. Carpet care can be tough, so do your research and make sure you are taking care of your carpets regularly so you do not disregard them to the point where they must be replaced.
