Cleaning Carpet Tips
Read these 6 Cleaning Carpet Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Vacuum tips and hundreds of other topics.
Cleaning Carpets Gives Allergies the One, Two Punch
Animal dander can last for years in a carpet and aggravate the sensitivities of allergy sufferers long after Fido or Mittens have left the building. With a regular cleaning routine that involves vacuuming with a HEPA filter and the use of carpet shampoo machines, allergy sufferers sensitive to animal dander, pollen and other airborne allergens can see a reduction in symptoms by 37 percent.
With 63 percent of American households having pets, it's a pretty good bet that the previous occupant of your new address probably had an animal or two. It's always a good idea to thoroughly clean carpets with a carpet shampooer to remove any pet hair or dander before moving in to a new place. This will keep pre-existing allergens from settling into your furniture or bedding.
Area Rugs Need Love, Too!
While carpets receive the majority of wear and tear in the average household, area rugs see their fair share of abuse, also. Although vacuuming is the number one way to keep area rugs at their best, there will come a time when accidents occur or a rug just needs a general cleaning. It is always best to go with the manufacturer's recommendations for cleaning; however, it is usually safe to use carpet cleaning equipment on an area rug. Portable carpet cleaners are the perfect option for smaller area rugs.
Stopping the Spill from Becoming a Stain
If you have carpet, you'll inevitably have a spill or two to that will send you running for the carpet cleaning supplies. The secret to stopping a stain before it starts is to attend to the spill immediately and remove as much of the product as possible using by blotting with an absorbent towel or preferably, using a portable carpet cleaning extractor. Many know that the best carpet cleaning strategy is to blot a spill with an absorbent white towel. However, to keep it from spreading to another location, carpet cleaning products should be sprayed around (and not in the center of) mishaps. By containing the perimeter and working inward, the spill will stay in a smaller area, instead of becoming an exasperating blemish that grows larger and larger. If you have a portable carpet cleaner, make sure it sprays cleaning solution in a concentrated form and scrubs the carpet.
The Difference Between an Extractor and a Shampooer
A carpet extractor is a machine that injects a cleaning solution into a carpet and then extracts the dirty solution back out. A carpet shampooer sprays the carpet, typically with a foaming agent, which is then massaged into a carpet with a rotating bar or spinning brushes. These days, you can typically find carpet cleaning machines usually are a combination of the two. If you want your carpets to dry faster, a carpet extractor might be your best bet since the machine sucks up the excess water with a powerful suction.
Finding a Carpet Cleaner that Suit Your Needs
When choosing among the carpet cleaners that will best suit your needs, ask yourself these questions:
- Do you plan to have a full size cleaner for carpets or portable unit for spot cleaning?
- Will you need a machine with tools or attachments?
- Do you prefer quality over price?
Look for carpet cleaning equipment that uses hot water for cleaning. Also, upright cleaners come in a number of weights. Lighter models are perfect for apartment living and portable units can be used in the home or car.
Tackle Large Jobs By Breaking Them Down
Carpet cleaning can seem like an overwhelming job -- especially when you're doing the carpets in your entire house. How to cope? With the same method for tackling any large job: break it down! One of the easiest carpet cleaning methods is to break the room down into fourths. Concentrate on cleaning one quarter at a time, making passes up and down; then left to right. When all four quarters are done, make a last pass over the entire room.
