Investing in a quality carpet can provide your home with a warm, luxurious floor covering that has the potential to define a room. But even the most durable carpets require regular cleaning and maintenance – otherwise they can end up looking tired and worn very quickly.
You can keep the carpets in your home in tip-top condition by implementing the following carpet cleaning tips. They will keep your carpets looking fantastic – and could even increase their lifespan.
1. Make vacuuming part of everyday life
A lot of people only vacuum when their carpets and floor coverings look like they need it. However, a schedule of daily vacuuming will keep the unseen dirt and dust particles that lurk deep within your carpet’s pile at bay. Large particles of dirt such as soil or sand have the potential to wear down carpet fibres over time until they are frayed, but removing this everyday dirt regularly will keep any damage to a minimum. Make sure you keep your vacuum cleaner’s filters clean to ensure its suction doesn’t diminish over time.
2. Never saturate your carpets with water
Whether you are trying to remove a stain or refreshing your carpets with a steam cleaner, it is important that you don’t use too much water. A saturated carpet can shrink, and if it remains wet it could lead to the growth of mould over time.
3. Attend to stains and spillages immediately
Always have a store of paper towels or absorbent kitchen roll at hand to deal with spillages and stains the moment you notice them. You might like to keep a carpet cleaner that complies with your carpet’s cleaning guidelines close by – but remember that bicarbonate of soda is a great stain removal agent that also helps to get rid of odours.
4. Dab stains, never rub
You know the feeling – you’ve spilled red wine on your brand new carpet, and in a state of shock you find yourself rubbing at the stain furiously. However, rubbing can spread the stain and even cause permanent damage to your carpet’s fibres. Instead, grab an absorbent microfibre cloth, and dab gently. You can find stain removal carpet cleaning tips here.
5. Protect your carpets where necessary
The high-traffic areas of your carpets are likely to become tired, worn or discoloured before other areas. In order to protect them, you might like to strategically place rugs and runners around your home. Hallways, stairs and doorways are always subjected to lots of footfall – so make these areas a priority for extra protection.
6. Know your carpet
Carpets made with synthetic fibres are often more forgiving than those with natural fibres during the cleaning process. Before you use a new cleaning product or steam cleaner, check the manufacturer’s cleaning and maintenance guidelines. Some cleaning methods can permanently damage wool-based carpets.
7. Help people to look after your carpet
A great way to preserve the carpets in your home is to stop people from entering it with their shoes on. Place a shoe rack next to your front and back doors and position a doormat on both the outside and inside of your home’s thresholds – which should encourage people to automatically wipe their feet before entering.
8. Be careful with candles
Wax from candles can become stuck fast to carpet, so be careful where you position your candles around the home.
If wax does end up on your precious flooring, don’t panic. Place a bag of ice over the wax to cool it quickly, then use a blunt knife to very gently scrape the frozen wax up from underneath – as gently as you can. Vacuum the loosened pieces away. You should then cover the area with an old towel or paper towel and apply the lowest heat setting on your iron over the affected area. The wax will melt again and stick to your towels.
9. Use ice on chewing gum
The best carpet cleaning tip to protect it from chewing gum is to ban it! However, if you happen to find gum on your carpet, wrap up some ice cubes in a tea towel and press it down on the affected area. The gum will eventually harden, and you should then be able to lift it by gently teasing with a blunt knife.
Regular maintenance and cleaning will protect your carpet from everyday wear, tear and discolouration. If you can make carpet cleaning part of your daily routine, you may never need to hire the services of a professional cleaner.
Did you enjoy these carpet cleaning tips? Browse a whole host of cleaning tips, hints & hacks from Shark.
