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Carpets are beautiful and useful things to have in the home. However, they are often a nightmare to keep clean, especially in high traffic areas, or large households. While it is a difficult task, we have compiled several carpet cleaning tips for you to utilize, should the need arise.

Wall To Wall Carpet Cleaning

A lot of homeowners love the beauty and the soft, cushy feel of a carpet underneath their feet. Especially if they don’t like the way their floors look, they choose to cover the entire floor with wall-to-wall carpet. But then, they would soon discover to their horror that they need to clean their carpet. How is it possible to clean up wall-to-wall carpeting effectively without missing a spot?

Here’s the step-by-step procedure on cleaning wall-to-wall carpeting:

Pre-Cleaning Preparations

The first time that you purchase your carpet, inquire with the distributor or a professional cleaner on what are the best cleaning solutions to use. These would include spot and stain removers and carpet shampoos.

If there are individuals with allergies in your home, you might want to buy extra HEPA bags for your vacuum. Hepa bags can kill dust mites, carpet beetles, and other pests that have gotten in your carpet.

Cleaning Procedure

Remove every piece of furniture that is sitting on your carpet. Take them outside or put them in another room.

Scrutinize your carpet for any items that can damage the vacuum, such as bits of paper, paper clips, string, coins, tacks, or nails.

Do an initial sweep of your carpet with a vacuum cleaner to remove all dust, dirt, and debris. Switch to a hose attachment to suck out the dust and debris where the carpet touches your wall.

If you find spots or stains in your carpet, use the cleaning solution that was recommended to you by the cleaner. Another way to remove stains is with the help of a carpet shampoo machine. Once you have removed the stain, you can speed up drying with a fan or hairdryer.

Divide your carpet into sections. You can use masking tape for this. Start by vacuuming one part using vertical up and down strokes, followed by overlapping diagonal strokes. That will help you to get all the dust and dirt out. Make sure that you vacuum a section carefully and thoroughly before moving on to the next part.

Before you place the furniture back on top of the carpet, make sure that you dust and clean the solid surfaces and legs and vacuum the upholstery. This way, any dirt and dust that is still present on the furniture will not fall on your carpet.

If your carpet is too dirty or shows signs of discoloration, it is best to get professional help from a carpet cleaner.

Water Damaged Carpet Cleaning

For residents living in areas that are prone to flooding, owning a carpet can be a massive pain in the neck, especially if floodwaters somehow manage to get inside the house and drench the carpet in muddy water and sewage.

While most carpet owners would prefer to throw out water damaged carpets, many would want to save them, especially if it is a family heirloom or a priceless antique.

If your carpet has been water damaged, you need to do a lot of things to save it. Not correctly fixing the problem can result in carpets emitting a foul, musty smell, or, worse, ends up becoming a growth bed for molds and mildew.

Before you start work on your carpet, you need to determine what type of water has seeped into it. If the water that caused the damage is “clean” water, you don’t have to worry about contaminants. You only need to extract the water with a pump or shop-vac and let it dry.

On the other hand, if it was gray, brown, or even black floodwaters, it may have been severely contaminated. Rather than have it become a health hazard in your home, it is more advisable to throw it away.

Process

If floodwaters damaged your carpet but not so extensive, here is what you need to do:

1. Get as much water out of the carpet as you can with the help of a shop-vac or pump.
2. Inspect the padding of the carpet. If the floodwaters have ruined it, throw it out.
3. Wash the carpet using mild wool detergent until the water runs clear.
4. Once you have finished washing it, carry it outside and let it dry in the air. Make sure that your carpet is lying flat.
5. Once the carpet is dry, scrutinize it again. If there are still stains or there is a foul smell coming off from it, you might need to repeat the above steps or, better yet, take it to a professional carpet cleaner for a more thorough cleaning.
6. If you had to remove the ruined carpet padding and throw it away, take the carpet to a carpet repair shop and have the padding replaced.
7. Before re-installing your carpet, make sure that the floor is spotless and dry.

Cleaning Carpets on Walls

Did you know that some carpets are not for installing on the floor? These carpets on walls or “wall carpets” are decorative pieces. You have probably seen several samples of these carpets. Most wall carpets are of the exotic Persian variety. Some cute novelty carpets resemble paintings.

One carpet would have kittens playing on a similarly patterned rug. Undeniably, one of the most popular designs of wall carpets, depicts dogs gathered around a table playing Poker. Wall carpets are not just for decoration, though. Some homeowners have discovered that carpets on walls can help to improve insulation and quality of sound.

Carpets on walls obviously will not get stepped on, unlike regular floor carpets. However, they need to be cleaned and maintained in the same way as carpet flooring.

Here is the procedure for maintaining and cleaning wall carpets:

• When mounting a wall carpet, never place it in a bright sunlight exposed spot. That will prevent the colors from fading. Also, do not install it in places that are humid or damp to avoid damage by prolonged exposure to moisture.
• To prevent dust from accumulating on your wall carpet, dust it briskly with a feather duster every day. Do not pound on the carpet, however, so that the fibers do not get depressed.
• Using a hand vacuum cleaner, vacuum your wall carpet every week. Take note that the fibers on a wall carpet may be thicker than a regular floor carpet. Divide the carpet into sections, making sure that you vacuum each part thoroughly before moving on to the next.
• Every month, it may be necessary to remove the carpet from the wall to give it a more thorough vacuuming with a floor vacuum cleaner. Make sure that you wipe the wall with a moist cloth so that dirt and dust will not stick to the bottom of your carpet. Dry the wall entirely before installing the carpet back.
• If your carpet is on a wooden wall, make sure to check the back of it periodically. There might be termites or carpet beetles that have accumulated behind it, which may damage both your carpet and your wall. If there is insect infestation, call up a professional cleaner immediately. They have the right pesticides to use, which will not damage your carpet.
• Bring your wall carpet to a professional cleaner yearly. The cleaning company will not only deep clean and shampoo your carpet, but also spray retardants to give it a much longer life.

Antique Carpet Cleaning Tips

Antique handmade carpets are priceless keepsakes, especially for individuals who can purchase them at their horrendous price tags or those who have inherited them from a deceased loved one. Although handmade carpets are more durable than their commercially made counterparts, you need to maintain them properly so that they will last for additional decades.

Here are some tips that you need to keep in mind so that you can preserve your antique carpet in its pristine condition.

Get the Wrinkles Out

Because of its considerable age, your antique carpet is sure to be delivered to your home rolled up or, worse, folded. But when you unfurl it, you will discover that it has a lot of wrinkles. You need to get the wrinkles out immediately because it may cause tremendous wear on the ridges and edges of the carpet. To get the wrinkles, roll it up as tightly as possible without tying it. You can press it between two heavy pieces of furniture for a couple of hours. Slowly unroll the carpet. If there are still wrinkles, continue doing this procedure until the carpet is wholly smooth. For persistent wrinkles, get a steam iron and set it to wool. Lightly press it over the carpet to remove the wrinkles.

Regular Vacuuming

If you want to maintain your carpet and hopefully preserve it for posterity, you need to vacuum it every week or more frequently if it gets stepped on a lot. Vacuuming will remove dirt, which can sink deep into the carpet and tear at the fibers. Also, regular vacuuming is necessary to get rid of beetle or moth larvae that have settled in between the carpet fibers. As a final reminder, do not use power brushes on an antique carpet. The hard bristles can practically strip the threads from your carpet.

Clean Up Spills

Spills are the bane for owners of antique carpets. If there are any spills on your carpet, you need to clean it up immediately. As the spill gets absorbed by the carpet fibers, the higher is the likelihood that the stains will become permanent. Always blot up the spill or stain with clean white rags or paper towels starting from the edges going toward the center. Never rub at the stain. These two procedures will prevent the stain from spreading outward and thus getting bigger. Water-soluble stains can be removed by alternately dripping water to the spot (for diluting the stain) and blotting it with paper towels. Remove urine stains with a diluted mixture of white vinegar and water, followed by blotting with paper towels. For tough stains, it is best to bring your carpet to a professional cleaner.

Carpet Cleaning Tips: How to Remove Specific Stains

Never treat two stains on a carpet equally. There are so many types of stains, and there is no single remedy for all of them. To get rid of stains on your carpet, you need to know what caused them and what would be the best way to get them out.

Since there are just too many things that can cause stains in your carpet, this article shall concentrate on the specific stains that you are most likely to encounter.

Carpet Cleaning For Fruit Stains

Fruit stains, whether from the fruit itself or commercially prepared juices, are tough to remove if the carpet has absorbed it. You need to work on the spill immediately before the stain becomes permanent. First, blot out the fruit juice and scrape away fallen fruit bits. Prepare a cleaning solution made out of 1 teaspoon white vinegar, one teaspoon mild detergent, and 1 quart of warm water. Apply the solution on the stain and let it air dry. Once dry, vacuum it gently. If the stain persists, do the procedure all over again.

You can use the above cleaning solution to remove similar stains caused by coffee, chocolate, gravy, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages. That is also the solution to use when there is mud on the carpet. However, in cases of persistent mud stains, you will need to use additional dry-cleaning fluid. After application, blot it up and let it air dry. Again, vacuum your carpet gently.

Unlike other food stains, catsup can be troublesome to remove because of its thick consistency and vivid red color. When catsup has gotten into your carpet, prepare a cleaning mixture of 1 cup vinegar and 2 cups water. Use a sponge to get it into the stain. Wring out the dirty sponge in a basin and repeat the procedure until the stain has gone.

Cleaning Urine and Vomit in Carpets

Bodily fluids can be challenging to remove from your carpet. Aside from any stains that may be left by urine or vomit, you also have to deal with any foul odors emanating from it. If there is blood or urine in your carpet, again, blot as much of it as you can. Again, prepare a cleaning solution of 1 teaspoon each of white detergent and mild vinegar in 1 quart of warm water. Apply the solution to the stain and let it air dry. Once it is partially dried up, apply dry-cleaning fluid. Completely dry your carpet with gentle vacuum strokes.

If it is vomit, you need to act very quickly. Blot up as much of the vomit as you possibly can. Dilute the spot with a mixture of baking soda and water, or you can use club soda. Prepare a solution of 1 part ammonia in 10 parts water. Apply this solution on the stain and then rinse it off with cold water. Air dry your carpet and then vacuum it gently.

Conclusion

Keeping on top of your carpet cleaning may require a cleaning schedule. However, no matter what stain you have, unless it is extremely damaged by dirty water, you should be able to get it back to top condition with the tips that we have provided in this article. If you have any issues with cleaning yourself, please do not hesitate to contact us for further advice.