The Five Secrets to Maintaining a Clean Carpet

Are you frustrated with your carpet losing the lustre it had when you first saw it, more and more every day? Carpets are as much a part of a home as any everyday appliance or much loved piece of furniture. But like anything in a busy household, they receive their equal share of use. Maintaining a clean and comforting carpet isn’t as “hard yakka” it at might appear. Here are 5 easy measures you can try to guarantee your carpet feels and looks its best each day.

– Keep Undesired Yard Visitors at Bay. Avoid unpleasant mud and grass being brought into the house by having an area near the front door where guests can remove their shoes (a rack may be helpful), or a mat at the threshold where they can wipe their feet before stepping onto the carpet.

– Reduce Clutter. Carpeted rooms that house clutter, for example broken furniture, unwanted clothing, stacked dishes or undesired food could be a refuge for dust, mold, moths, cockroaches and other undesirables which in turn bring mess of their own. Ensure that leftover food is stored or carefully discarded, surfaces in rooms are clean and floor areas are free from gathered junk.

– Vacuum Often. Dust and mold left to fester in a carpet can lead to significant health problems for people in the house exposed to them. Put aside a day every week dedicated to vacuuming the carpeted areas of your home. Sprinkle the areas with baking soda before commencing, as a deodorant. Ensure you vacuum straight after dusting down any shelves or ornaments to avoid dust gathering and leading to respiration issues. Get assistance with lifting or shifting furniture to ensure as much of the carpet as possible is seen to.

– Address Stains As Soon As Possible. The more readily you act on a stain, the better your chance of removing it, or at least reducing its spread. It is generally best to act when the stain is damp blotting delicately with a clean sponge or tissue should eliminate almost all of it. Then put to use a carpet cleaning spray/foam if you have one to hand, or scrub carefully with one of the following chemical-free cleaning alternatives:
– 1:2 solution of vinegar and water (for chocolate, sauce, fizzy drinks/cordial/coloured juices)
– A cup vinegar, a cup warm water, cup bicarbonate of soda (for baby/pet urine, food residue)
– Soda water (for beer, wine, coffee, tea)
– Sprinkle of salt, Two cups water, Five drops lavender oil (for smaller stains)

Be Gentle. It is advice that sounds easy to shrug off, but while they deal with heavy-duty contact every day, it is important to understand that carpets are not indestructible. Avoid shoe-scuffing as you walk, and don’t rub too vigorously at stains (and definitely do not use a hair dryer to dry damp stains!).

Like humans,, carpets the world over do enjoy special treatment now and then. Call on a professional carpet cleaning service to give yourself a rest, and give your carpet a top quality make-over, once every month or thereabouts.

Melanie Shepherd runs a solo business, carpet cleaning in Mornington Peninsula, cleaning all forms of carpet and upholstery from Sorrento to Mount Eliza.