Guest Post by Andrea Davis
Carpets make your home feel welcoming and cozy. But carpets also take a lot of abuse from day-to-day life. Here are five easy ways to keep your carpets clean.
#1 Buy a Good Vacuum
Your vacuum is your first line of defense against dirty carpets. Follow these tips to stay ahead of dust and dander:
- Look for vacuums with easy-to-empty canisters and strong suction.
- Vacuum at least once a week.
- Go slow and steady to ensure the vacuum is getting up dirt.
- Don’t ignore corners.
#2 Use Good Spot Cleaners
You can use a variety of spot cleaners to keep your carpets clean. Use the following around-the-house cleaners for DIY stain removers:
- Hydrogen peroxide foams up when it contacts blood. This lifts the stain and allows you to dab it away.
- Laundry detergent cuts grease and allows you to blot messes away.
- Shaving cream also helps to lift stains. Let the shaving cream set for 30 minutes and then blot it away with a dry cloth.
It’s important to remember to blot your carpet stains. Rubbing blemishes only spreads stain-causing liquids. Blotting uses a small amount of pressure to soak up the stain.
#3 Buy Organic Cleaners
Organic cleaners remove messes without using harmful chemicals. This is especially important for homes with small children or pets. The residue left behind by dangerous cleaners can pose a threat to certain family members. Also, many organic cleaners don’t leave behind strong chemical odors.
#4 Hire a Maid Service
One of the keys to keeping a clean carpet is staying ahead of the mess. Hiring a maid for several hours each week is a simple — and labor-free — way to keep your home spotless. Also, professional cleaning services remember to clean the easily forgotten areas of your home that can become major mess magnets.
#5 Time Your Cleanings
The early spring months are the best time to begin a deep clean of your carpets. You’ll be able to remove all the grime and dust that accumulates in the winter before the summer humidity arrives. Humidity traps moisture in your carpets and can cause mold and mildew growth.
Andrea Davis is the editor at HomeAdvisor, which connects homeowners with home improvement professionals in their area for free. Connect with Andrea on Google+
One thing I would recommend is no matter what kind of soap you do use to spot clean is to cut it way down with water. Anything that is soapy is going to turn gray within a month or so because you haven’t properly rinsed it out . The residual soap is going to stick to more dirt and that spot is hard for your professional carpet cleaner to get out so water down your spot cleaner could be an organic soap mixed in a spray bottle with a lot of water shout is a good product or if you can get it out of there with vinegar and water that’s something that needs no rinsing or plain club soda .I always tell my customers do not rub circles it will take the twist out of your carpet fibers you can blot it or rub firmly straight back and forth but no circles Also if you have regular pet problems you may also want to use a wet dry shop vac so you can rinse through the problem and suck it out ! Good luck PS having a good place to wipe your shoes off when you get home that works wonders too we keep old but clean towels at either entry of the house those are easy to throw in the washing machine after they get trashed but your carpet is not
Great tips, Andy! Thanks so much for sharing your expertise.
Good advice, clean and green is the best service.
We agree, Terry!
Thank you for talking about the importance of planning your carpet cleanings property to allow for the best job done. It makes sense that doing this can help you make sure you keep it clean in the times where the most dirt can be tracked in the house. I can see how anyone looking into this would want to make sure they take the time to consult with a professional in order to get the best tips to keep their property clean.
I like that you mentioned to deep clean your carpets in the early spring. That way, you can get all the bad stuff from the winter off before the summer humidity. My wife and I are talking about having some new carpet put in, but we want to make sure we know how to take care of it. I will definitely keep these tips in mind.
I like your tip to use laundry detergent to cut grease and deal with stains. I bet the active ingredients are good for that. You should get a good professional cleaning once in a while to disinfect your carpet, too.
Thank you for the great tips. It’s important to vacuum on a weekly basis since it’s that build up that also causes stains. Hydrogen peroxide works great, but just be careful with it cause it may cause discoloration.
#4 tip would be the best option if you are in a hurry or you don’t have time. This is what I am currently doing because I really don’t have time to clean even on weekends.
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