Carpet is a beautiful flooring option that makes a home feel cozy. A clean carpet is inviting to the touch and makes you want to snuggle up to it and maybe even take a nap. Carpeting is also a big investment and preserving its beauty and function is important. There are steps homeowners can take to maintain their carpet which will maintain it as a great addition to the home. Keeping a carpet clean will make it look and feel good for many years. In this blog, we can explore some options for helping your carpet look as beautiful as it should throughout its life in your home.
Prevent Dirt
One of the biggest steps you can take to keeping your carpet clean is to have a no-shoes-in-the-house policy. Shoes carry a lot of dirt from the street, sidewalks and yard, which will be shed all over your carpet if you wear your shoes in the house. Simply taking shoes off before entering the home will go so far towards keeping your carpet looking its best. Dirt is really bad for carpets, as the particles of earth can be abrasive to the carpet fibers, and when the fibers tear they will start to look ugly and frayed. Dirt can also attract unwanted creatures like bacteria, fungus, and dust mites. These can all lead to irritation and allergic reactions, which are bad for your health and will lower your quality of life. If you have ever pulled an old carpet out of a house, you know that you can find pounds of dirt underneath what looks like a normal carpet. This is why taking steps to keep dirt out can go a long way to extending the life of your carpet.
Use Mats and Rugs
A doormat can be a wonderful decoration as well as hugely functional in preventing dirt from entering the house. Most dirt will come off of feet in the first few steps, so having a doormat where people can wipe their feet will help to keep the dirt away from the carpet. Also, in high traffic areas, using rugs and runners can help keep the carpet underneath from getting worn out more quickly than in the rest of the house. Rugs can also liven up a room and accent other pieces of furniture for a sophisticated look. When a rug gets dirty, it can easily be taken outdoors to be cleaned.
Reorganize Furniture
The arrangement of furniture will often dictate the flow of traffic through the house, and when feet are constantly walking over the same path it will become worn out and start to look old before the rest of the carpet. Reorganizing furniture can direct traffic in different directions so that the carpet will be more evenly used and show fewer signs of wear and tear. Not only will this technique help the carpet, but it can also improve the energy of the room and you might discover a new arrangement that suits your lifestyle better. Also, when furniture stays in the same place it will accumulate dirt and dust underneath, that while it may not be visible, it can still cause odors and send dust into the air and cause respiratory problems.
Frequent Vacuuming
Having a quality vacuum and using it often is an excellent way to maintain your carpet’s clean look and feel. It is important to use a good vacuum, as it will suck more of the dirt out of the carpet than a cheap vacuum will. Frequency is crucial, as dirt starts on the surface of the carpet and as gravity pushes it down into the fibers it will be harder and harder and then finally impossible to get the dirt out until you remove the entire carpet. If dirt is vacuumed up quickly it can never reach the lower levels and your carpet will stay cleaner longer. You can also add essential oils to your vacuum filter which can add a pleasant odor to your carpet as well and kill some bacterias that live there.
Clean Spills Immediately
Accidents will happen and various things will spill on the carpet, but it does not mean the death of the carpet and you can clean most spills if you act fast. One trick is to never rub the soiled area with a towel, this will push the stain deeper into the carpet or you could even damage the carpet fibers. It is best to dab at spills gently, using a dry towel will cause the force of osmosis to push water from the wet area to the more dry towel. Hydrogen peroxide will get rid of blood and other stains effectively. Normal shaving cream is actually incredibly effective as a stain remover, gently rub it into the soiled area and let it sit for at least thirty minutes, and it will take up most stains. Many carpet cleaning products available at your home goods store will also effectively get rid of stains. The most important piece of advice is to act quickly to clean any spills.
Hire Professional Carpet Cleaners
While these carpet cleaning tips that you can do yourself will certainly help to keep your carpet looking nice and clean, hiring a professional carpet cleaning service is the best way to extend the life of your flooring. It is best to have a professional carpet cleaning service at least once a year, but twice a year is optimal. This may seem like a big expense, but when you factor in the years of extra life your carpet will last, it can actually save you money to clean it more often. Your local carpet cleaners have all the tools and expertise to maintain your carpet the right way. The best carpet cleaning can only be done by professionals and will make you feel like you have a new carpet every year with much less cost and effort. Good carpet cleaners only take a few hours to clean your entire carpet and the results will truly make you fall in love with your carpet again. It is so important that you protect your investment, and having a professional carpet cleaning is the best way to do so.
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