The internet is full of tips to help clean furniture or curtains or remove stubborn stains. Many of these cleaning methods use simple household products such as vinegar or dishwasher detergents.
Some of these approaches are very practical, but others, well, not quite so much. One of the most troublesome areas in a home to clean can be the carpet.
Carpets and rugs can really pull a room together, and they aren’t just there for aesthetic reasons. They can provide soft flooring for children to play on, and they are comfortable to walk on.
Carpets can help soundproof people walking on the floor above, and they make a room warmer during cold nights.
However, for all the available tips for cleaning vinyl, wood, and tile floors, it is not always easy to find help to clean a carpet. Is it possible to deep clean your own carpet easily?
Why should you want to deep clean your own carpets?
While carpets can be extremely comfortable – think shag pile – they attract dirt. They are walked on by not only the people living in your home but by pets and visitors too.
Over time, the bright colors and patterns can become dulled by dirt. Crumbs and tiny debris can end up between the fibers. Dust will gather, and sometimes even worse. Pet dander, cockroach allergens, and dust mites can end up trapped in the carpet’s fibers.
This can put your health at risk. Health problems caused by carpets, including coughs, sore throats, and nasal irritation, explains everdayhealth.com. Dust mites can cause allergies or make symptoms worse.
So you see, not cleaning your carpet could lead to a lot of hidden nasties.
How often should you clean your carpets?
Advice on how often to clean a carpet differs depending on who you consult. As a general rule, it would appear most would say a carpet should be deep cleaned once a year.
Others feel that carpets should be shampooed twice a year. Some experts suggest you should clean more often if you have young children or animals in the house. Smoking can also be a problem for carpets.
One of the tips to keep your carpet in the best shape is to clean it every three months if your situation is as mentioned above. This is because cigarette smoke lingers in the fibers, children can be messy, and pets carry dirt from outside on their paws straight to the carpet.
How do you perform a deep clean yourself?
You can perform spot cleans as and when necessary. If you spill a drink or paw marks appear on the carpet, then a spot clean may be all that you need.
However, sometimes something a bit deeper is required. One way to achieve this is by using vinegar, normal dish soap, warm water, and a lot of elbow grease.
- Vacuum your carpet thoroughly
- Make up a mixture with the equivalent measures of 1 quart of warm water, 1/4 teaspoon of white vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of dish soap.
- Use a scrubbing brush with the cleaning solution to make circular motions on the carpet.
- Dry the wet areas with a clean cloth or kitchen towel if you are cleaning a small area
This is an environmentally friendly way to clean a carpet, but it will take time and effort. Sometimes you might need a bit more power.
When do you need to use a professional cleaner?
There are many ways to clean a carpet with borax, soap, and other household items, but sometimes they can’t go deep enough. Perhaps once a year, you should consider getting a professional cleaner.
If you can’t get your carpet as clean as you like, professional carpet steam cleaning can work well. Modern companies use eco-friendly products and use antiviral disinfection treatments too.
How do you find the right carpet cleaner for you?
If you have decided to use a professional carpet cleaner, you should first search for one local. Then check their credentials.
For instance, if you were in London, look for a carpet cleaner near your borough, check to see if Trust Mark and NCCA accredit them. Alternatively, you can also find a reputable carpet cleaner through Check a Trade.
Next, see what services they provide. Ideally, they will perform a survey pH testing, use UV lights, perform stain removal, deep steam cleaning, and provide stain protection. Check what guarantees they offer too.
Summary
Vinegar, soap, and warm water can work wonders at cleaning small areas of a carpet. Borax and salt can help remove stains easily if caught on time. However, sometimes you need to clean a bit deeper.
When this is necessary, you can hire a steam cleaner machine yourself, but often it isn’t that much more expensive to hire professionals to clean your carpet for you.
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