Sometimes it seems amazing that we don’t have to clean the carpet in our
homes more than we do. We wash our clothes after only one day of wear,
yet we walk on our carpet year after year, vacuuming it once a week and
only cleaning it with any form of water and soap a few times a year at
most. For some families, carpet exposed to their daily living still looks
presentable after several years; however, other families place more of a
demand on their carpet. People who frequently eat in front of the TV in
carpeted living rooms will be more likely to spill beverages. Carpet in
households with children will see many more spills and messes while being
expected to stay cleaner, as children like to sleep and play on the floor.
Pets can wreak havoc on carpet; even if your cat or dog is properly
housebroken, accidents do happen. For homes like these, it’s important to
know how to properly clean carpet spots and how to remove odors.
Surprisingly, a few household products can work as well as expensive
chemicals on stains. For example, hydrogen peroxide reacts chemically to
bubble away blood and other substances and will not lighten the carpet if
cleaned away quickly afterward. Pour some hydrogen peroxide in a spray
bottle; you may want to dilute it half-and-half with tap water. Spritz it
onto the stain and let it bubble for sixty seconds. Then wipe the stain
gently away. Follow by spritzing with water, wiping, and repeating a few
times. Another common household product helpful to carpet is baking soda,
an inexpensive, safe deodorizer. To freshen carpet, sprinkle baking soda
over the carpet and let it settle for at least an hour. Then simply
vacuum it up. Repeat, or use more baking soda, on areas that need more
help (for example, the corner where the dog likes to sleep).
You may find it worthwhile to invest in a steaming carpet cleaner for home
use. Priced similarly to vacuums, these are a great way to deeply clean
your carpet. Professional cleaning is expensive because you must pay
every time you get your carpet cleaned; when you buy a steam cleaner, you
are paying once for a product you can use over and over yourself. These
are convenient because you can use them on demand for an unexpected mess
(a spilled drink or a pet accident) as well as for a planned monthly
cleaning of the entire floor.
Even families that put a lot of stress on their carpet by having pets and
children can maintain their carpet in a clean, presentable state with the
use of a few common cleaners and regular steam cleaning.
Tags: Allergy and Dust Removal, Carpet Cleaning, Residential Carpet Cleaning, Spot Removal, Steam Cleaning