Using carpet can help to add more color and warmth to the home, making your living space look much more exciting. On the other hand, it can also be susceptible to dust, odor, and naughty stains. Considering that you eat and walk around your carpet, it’s no surprise that they can get dirty quite easily. Thus, understanding how to effectively clean and care for your carpet is essential. But worry not about how to do it, as we have a wealth of tips below to help ensure your carpet stays as plush as ever!
How to Clean a Carpet?
Maintaining clean carpets at home is very important due to the constant wear and tear they endure from shoes, spills, and even pets (if you have one). Allowing dust and soil particles to linger on the carpet fiber will not only result in a dull appearance but can also lead to unpleasant odors. Over time, it can even cause deterioration in the carpet!
To prevent it from happening, below are comprehensive tips to help you learn how to do routine cleaning or the deep cleaning method for your carpet!
Routine Cleaning for Carpet
Get Rid of Dust and Dirt by Vacuuming
The most effective way to clean your carpet is to vacuum it regularly. The frequency of the vacuuming process will depend on the type of carpet and the daily foot traffic. But at the very least you should vacuum your home carpet every once a week.
To ensure that you’re using your vacuum efficiently, you should vacuum your carpets in one direction only. Either from north to south or from east to west. This technique is effective in ensuring that your vacuum is getting every bit of dirt and lint in your carpet. Also, don’t forget to empty the vacuum bag once it’s half-full, as it will have reduced efficiency as the bag fills up.
Spot-Clean Stains
Carpet stains are probably not a new problem in your daily life. But the important thing is, you should clean them ASAP! If the spill has solid materials such as cereals, pasta, or your children’s snacks, you can use a spoon to remove them. You can also vacuum the area to ensure every bit is completely removed. After the initial clean-up, refer to the section on How to Remove 4 Types of Stain to effectively address and remove specific types of stain!
It’s important to clean carpet stains with the right cleaner. Using the wrong cleaner such as bleach is a big-no for carpets. You should also avoid harsh cleaner and vigorous scrubbing, as they can damage your carpet by tearing its delicate fibers.
Dealing with Pet Hair Shed
If you have pets at home, dealing with pet hair shedding on your carpet can be quite a challenge. Even though vacuuming can help, it might not eliminate all the hair effectively. If you have carpets with short fibers, you can make life easier by cleaning the sheds with a squeegee. Just run the squeegee along the carpet to collect the pet hair, before vacuuming it up.
Deep Cleaning for Carpet
If you prefer the DIY approach, you can effectively deep clean your carpets by using a carpet shampooing method. This process is a great option for do-it-yourself as it works wonders in breaking down and lifting dirt and stains from your carpet!
Step 1: Set up the Cleaning Area
Start your DIY cleaning process by setting up an outdoor station where you can wash and dry your carpet, preferably with sturdy benches or walls to help support the heavy carpet. Make sure to choose a sunny day when washing your carpet because it’s ideal to do this outdoors.
Step 2: Vacuuming the Carpet
Begin the cleaning process by vacuuming the carpet to remove loose soil, dust, and dirt. If you skip this step, you may just be pushing soil around or driving it deeper into the carpet fibers.
Step 3: Shampoo the Carpet
Wet the carpet using a garden hose and proceed by applying the carpet shampoo to the wet carpet. Don’t forget to test it out first on a small area of the carpet to make sure that it doesn’t ruin the dye of the carpet. Afterward, rub it thoroughly using a brush, and leave the shampoo on the carpet as long as indicated in the instruction.
Step 4: Rinse the Carpet
Next, rinse the carpet thoroughly to avoid leaving any residue.
Step 5: Allow the Carpet to Air-Dry
Wring the carpet to get rid of excess water. Hang your carpet and let it completely dry, or add fans to speed up the drying process. Do not allow traffic on the carpet until it is fully dry. Only when the carpet is dry you put it back in its original place.
If you think deep cleaning your carpet is too much of a hassle, you can hire a professional cleaner to handle all the work!
How to Remove 4 Types of Smell?
Pet Odors
If you have pets at home, accidents on the carpet can frequently happen. Your pets might even urinate in the same area frequently when they detect traces of urine, often due to territorial marking. To effectively eliminate pet urine smell and discourage them from returning to the same spot, you can consider this DIY method by using baking soda to deodorize your carpet.
- Sprinkle baking soda over the affected area.
- Allow it to sit for several hours or overnight.
- Vacuum all the baking soda.
Cigarette Smoke Smells
Cigarette smoke smells can make some who inhale the odor feel lightheaded. You can also effectively remove this smell from your home, by following the DIY method below!
- Mix baking soda powder and borax.
- Sprinkle the powder on top of your carpet, and let it sit for at least 30 minutes.
- Vacuum everything carefully to ensure no powder is left behind!
Musty Smell
A musty odor emanating from your carpet is a sign of mold and mildew growth at home. These two will thrive on a damp carpet and can cause health issues if not addressed properly.
To tackle this issue, you should first check for any leaks or water seepage in the carpet area. It’s essential to fix this issue first to eliminate the musty odor. If you have done it, you can follow the tips below to remove musty smells!
- Mix equal parts of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle.
- Spray the affected area, where you can smell the musty odor.
- Allow it to air dry.
If you have vodka in your home cabinet, you can also effectively get rid of that smell using this alcohol! Vodka is another best option for homeowners who prefer a DIY method to deodorize and kill mold and mildew at home!
Vomit Smells
To effectively tackle the smell of vomit, you should start the cleaning process while the vomit is still fresh.
- Use an absorbing powder like baking soda to cover the vomit. This will help to soak up the liquid.
- Gently wipe away the powder and vomit residue using a cloth or paper towel.
- After the vomit has been removed, treat the area with an enzyme-based carpet cleaning shampoo. You can find the shampoo option to effectively deodorize the vomit smell here!
How to Remove 4 Types of Stain?
Coffee Stain
Having a cup of coffee in the morning and suddenly a spill happens? No worries, you can follow these tips to remove the stains effectively.
- Start by blotting the stain with a rag to remove as much of the coffee as possible.
- Next, make a detergent solution by mixing liquid dish soap, white vinegar, and lukewarm water.
- Spray the cleaning solution on a microfiber cloth, and blot the stained area. If the stain appears to be fading and transferring to the cloth, you should repeat the step until the stain is fully removed. Find the in-depth guide to remove this particular stain here.
Red Wine
Red wine spills during a night bender can be alarming, but quick action can prevent a permanent stain!
- Start blotting the stain with a clean cloth or paper towel to remove excess wine.
- Mix a solution of equal parts dishwashing soap and hydrogen peroxide.
- Apply the mixture to the stain, and allow it to sit for a few minutes.
- Rinse the stained area with cold water and allow it to air dry!
Ink Stains
Ink stains can happen unexpectedly, especially when your children are writing or lounging around on the carpet. But no worry, you can get rid of it effectively at home with minimal effort!
- Start by dabbing the ink stain with rubbing alcohol using a cotton ball or cloth. Do not rub, as this can spread the ink.
- Rinse the carpet in cold water to remove any residual ink.
Grass Stains
Not having a welcoming mat in your home can be the ultimate reason why you often have grass stains around your carpet. But you can conquer them with this DIY approach!
- Create a mixture of equal parts of white vinegar and water.
- Apply the solution to the grass stain and use a toothbrush to gently scrub the area.
- Rinse the carpet with water.
- Allow it to air-dry after.
Leave it to the Experts
Cleaning and maintaining your carpet might look like a daunting task, but with these expert tips and techniques at your fingertips, you can easily clean and maintain your carpet at home!
Don’t want to do it yourself? Entrust your carpet to Luce SG expert cleaners who have the proper equipment and knowledge to keep your carpets looking clean and fresh in the long run. Contact us today to book a cleaning spot!
