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Although carpets are subject to abuse, this step-by-step manual will teach you how to thoroughly clean and maintain yours so that it looks brand new.
The majority of individuals have mixed feelings about their carpets. Although floor coverings appear to absorb stains better than anything else in your house, they also offer texture, color, and warmth to a room. Additionally, they are always being splattered with something due to the fact that you stand, eat, and drink on them. They can exacerbate asthma and trap allergens. You’ll be glad to hear that there are a number of excellent stain removers available to take on the task if your most recent mishap has you searching for “how to clean carpet.”
We have all the supplies, carpet cleaners, and professional guidance you’ll need to restore your carpet to its former splendor, whether you’re attempting to learn how to clean your carpet as part of your normal cleaning routine (make sure you’re vacuuming your carpet enough). Follow these additional spring cleaning advice while you’re at it for a house that almost glows.
Table of Contents
Supplies for Cleaning Carpets
Make sure you have the proper equipment before you start cleaning your carpet. You could require the following equipment, depending on the sort of cleaning you’re doing:
- Vacuum
- machine for cleaning carpets
- bread soda
- clear vinegar
- hydroxyl radicals
- cleanser of carpet
- carpet brush
- aerosol can
- clothed in microfiber
How frequently are you carpet cleaning?
You should vacuum your carpet frequently since over time it will naturally gather dirt and dander. Vacuuming once or twice a month, depending on how frequently it is used, should be sufficient for upkeep. Select a suction-attached vacuum since it will clean your carpets more thoroughly than a regular rotating vacuum.
To go beyond the limits of a simple vacuum service and restore your carpets to their original state, do deep cleanings every few months.
One major warning: don’t assume you can use the same cleaning techniques for area rugs and wall-to-wall carpeting since they’re not the same thing. Before you start, be sure your rug can withstand a full cleaning. Every three to five years, you should hand-wash a rug made of fragile fabrics or an antique rug using a pH-balanced shampoo. Washable rugs are a terrific household need if you’re looking for a more practical solution.
Rotating your rugs is something you should do in addition to properly cleaning them. According to ECO Clean Solutions, rotating your rug once a year will assist to guarantee even wear over time. “Additionally, utilize a rug pad to extend its lifespan. If the rug is wool, expose it to the sun once a year.” Wool may be sanitized by the sun, but watch out for color loss. Additionally, ECO Clean Solutions advises against steam cleaning since it will harm the carpet.
Prior to starting
Read the labels of all the items you want to use carefully before making a strategy for cleaning your carpet. Usually, the label will specify if (and how) you should conduct a test in a discrete area to prevent mistakenly damaging the entire carpet.
Prior to cleaning the remainder of your carpet after treating a small area of it, wait a few hours to ensure there has been no negative response, such as a change in the color or texture of the fibers.
Even if your immune system doesn’t warn you when your carpet is dirty, you’ll still want to do routine cleaning. People with allergies and asthma realize the significance of frequent carpet cleaning. Additionally, if you spill something on your carpet, you’ll need to deal with the stain right away.
Clean the Carpet.
To eliminate dust and dander, start by cleaning your carpets and rugs a few times a month. And every time you want to deep clean or spot-clean your carpets, vacuuming should come first. You might be unable to reach those spots if there is debris lodged in the fibers.
Additionally, ECO Clean Solutions advises shaking out your rugs a few times each month. Flip your rug over and clean the back every few months. He claims that doing this will remove any grit from the rug’s base.
Clean the carpet in spots.
According to ECO Clean Solutions, it’s critical to understand how to manually clean a carpet. The next time you need to get gum or chocolate stains out of a carpet, you’ll be grateful she gave you some ideas.
Eliminate Pet Hair from a Carpet
There is a tip that will save you a tonne of time when trying to remove pet hair, which can be a real pain. Sprinkle baking soda on the area, then vacuum it up. The pet hair will be removed from the carpet by the baking soda.
Remove Pet Stains From Carpets
Stains left behind by your pet’s accidents are difficult to get rid of and smell much worse. How to remove dog poop from carpet is shown here: According to ECO Clean Solutions, dab up as much of the pee as you can using a paper towel. Then combine white vinegar and warm water in equal amounts in a spray bottle. To get rid of the smell, spritz the area. Blot this mixture once again with paper towels.
Remove Blood off a Carpet
We understand nosebleeds and domestic accidents. Blood stains are difficult to avoid, and carpets are much more difficult to clean. Thank goodness, you have choices.
A solution of two parts hydrogen peroxide and one part dish soap is what ECO Clean Solutions uses. After soaking a cloth in the mixture, dab the spot with the cloth. A paper towel or microfiber cloth can be used to blot bloodstains after soaking them in a solution of cold water and white vinegar for a short while.
Remove Wine from a Carpet
Red wine spills in particular frequently cause panic, but there is still hope for your carpet if it was on your carpet.
Blot up as much as you can—IMMEDIATELY—to remove a red wine stain. After liberally applying salt or baking powder to the stain, allow it to sit for a few minutes before vacuuming it away. Use a specialized carpet cleaning product like Puracy or Wine Away if you can still see the stain.
Remove Paint off a Carpet
A failed craft endeavor? Though it can seem hopeless, removing paint is actually simpler than it seems. How to remove paint off a carpet is as follows: Identify the paint first. Is it water- or oil-based? Since many water-based paints are water soluble, cleanup will be considerably simpler with them.
- Water-based paints: Use a paper towel to blot up any residual wet paint before scraping it off with a dull knife or razor blade. If there is still paint on your carpet, dab some rubbing alcohol on a microfiber cloth and apply it to the stain. Try using paint thinner if that doesn’t work.
- Oil paint: For fresh stains, try wiping away the excess paint first. You’ll need to use a cloth wet with paint thinner and perhaps a 1:1 mixture of dish soap and warm water if the paint has dried. Try adding Scotchguard to your carpet to protect it moving forward.
How to Deep Clean Your Carpet?
Even if often vacuuming your carpets is fantastic, this won’t restore their pristine appearance. Because of this, you need to deep clean them many times a year.
Hand-cleaning in Depth
For a thorough clean, using a carpet cleaning machine is your best option. There is a DIY option if you don’t have one and don’t want to rent one.
- Sprinkle baking soda on your carpet’s surface.
- Warm water and carpet shampoo (whose color you’ve tested) should be combined before being put in a spray bottle.
- Spray the carpet with the cleaning solution.
- Use a carpet brush to scrub.
- Wipe the region.
- Spray just warm water once more.
- Re-blot the carpet.
Yes, it takes a lot of time, but it’s less expensive than purchasing or renting a carpet cleaning device.
Utilize a Carpet Cleaner
There are now smaller devices that may greatly ease carpet cleaning, despite the fact that carpet-cleaning machines sometimes receive a bad press for being large and heavy. You can rent a carpet cleaning machine from your nearby home improvement store if you don’t anticipate using one frequently (or if you lack the space to store one).
According to ECO Clean Solutions, here is how to thoroughly clean your carpet with a carpet-cleaning machine:
- Clear the carpet of all furniture and other objects.
- Vacuum the area to take up loose dirt.
- Prepare stains that will require more treatment (and remember to do a colour test before using a new cleaning solution).
- Select the additive to use in your cleaning machine (Pro Max Clean and Protect will do the trick).
- Fire up your vehicles! Start on the farthest corner of the space to avoid becoming caught in the middle of it and being encircled by wet carpet. The spray button should be depressed while moving your cleaning attachment forward and backward, according to Bissell. Do the same thing while without pressing the spray button after that. Continue in this manner until the entire carpet has been cleaned.
- Rinse. Although it’s not necessary, it’s a good idea to repeat the process with fresh, warm water in your machine.
- Dry it out. Prior to moving your furniture or stepping on the carpet, give it four to six hours.
Get a Pro Carpet Cleaner
The best way to clean a carpet could be to hire a professional carpet cleaning company if you’re not interested in renting or purchasing a machine, if a stain is very stubborn, or if your carpet appears to be nearing the end of its useful life. Commercial equipment are beasts when it comes to removing bacteria and dirt from any pile of carpets, and professionals use detergents and steam to really get in there. You might want to do this once a year if your home is completely carpeted.
Undoubtedly, hiring an expert will be more expensive. Additionally, businesses sometimes base their fees on the number of rooms and square footage they will be cleaning. Consider the advantages (convenience) and disadvantages before hiring a cleaning (cost).
After learning how to properly clean carpets, go on to cleaning other surfaces in your home, such as your mattress, shower curtain, and baseboards.
