Carpet cleaning is admittedly one hell of a tiring task. Regardless of how good you are in cleanliness, with time, your carpet will be a soft destination for spills, drops, and dirt. To be honest, carpet cleaning calls for a lot of effort, especially since it involves moving furniture. One has to also wait for a longer duration for the fibers to completely dry. As a result, most homeowners have put off carpet cleaning. But is there a secret to clean carpets? Well, read on. No matter how stubborn the stains in your carpet are, there is always a way to get rid of them. Yes, even that lingering smell, brought about by spills and drops on the carpet, can be removed!
Here are some of the options you have to ensure that your carpet is always clean:
1. Vacuum often
Whether it is dirt from your shoes or any other form of dirt, vacuuming your carpet regularly will get rid of the dirt. High-traffic areas and entrances should be vacuumed at least twice a week while other areas can be vacuumed once every week. Vacuuming your carpet frequently gets rid of oily soils and other forms of dirt thus protecting your carpet. Just be sure to vacuum at the right speed.
2. Clean stains right away
Carpet cleaning experts advice that one gets to a stain immediately there is a 99 percent chance of removing the stains. The longer a stain stays, the harder it will be to get rid of. Before you try other carpet cleaning methods, it is advisable that you start with water since it can remove up to eighty percent of stains. If it is a spill, use a clean cloth to absorb the spill. That done, gently work water into the spot until there is no stain. If the spots are tough, consider using club soda and vinegar before you try commercial cleaning products.
3. Use DIY machines
If you find that you cannot afford to hire a pro, the next option is for you to go for DIY. If you can, alternate between pro cleanings and DIY. DIY cleaning machines can be very effective as long as you know how to use them. As a homeowner, you can rent a steam cleaner from home center or a grocery. The detergent cost is included in the cost of renting. Alternatively, you can choose to invest in a steam-cleaning machine. However, be sure that you will part with over three hundred dollars. Often, the more expensive models have powerful suctions and jets. Some even have a heating element. Most rental machines are heavier with a wider wand than those purchased, making them convenient for use in high-traffic areas. Usually, purchased models are portable, smaller, and easier to store. These models are ideal for spot cleaning and can easily be dragged down and upstairs. Regardless of whether you buy or rent a DIY steam cleaning machines, ensure that you thoroughly clean your carpets in a way that does not damage them.
4. Don’t over wet
All DIY machines put moisture into the carpet. Unfortunately, most do not have enough suction to remove the moisture thoroughly. Because of this, when cleaning your carpet, avoid using too much water. If possible, make one to three drying passes. That done, let the carpet dry naturally. To avoid mildew and molds, open the windows and use a dehumidifier and fans. You may also put on AC on moderate setting to get rid of moisture from the air. Until the carpet is dry, avoid walking on the carpet and don’t replace furniture.
5. Use a pro wisely
While most carpet manufacturers advice using professional hot water extraction, without the help of professionals it can be hard. Professionals will diligently treat a carpet with a detergent solution and vacuum it until your carpet is clean. They do it in such a way that it does not leave soap behind. Getting quality professionals, however, will cost you as high as five hundred dollars to clean approximately a thousand square feet of carpet. At this price, it is no surprise that many homeowners decide to abandon professionals and clean the carpet themselves. What the professionals do is deep cleaning that gets rid of allergens, greasy residue, and even dust. This work requires a training of a pro, and a person without training cannot execute it well.
When you go the professional way, you will have to choose between dry extraction and steam cleaning. Steam cleaning method involves the injection of a solution into the carpet and then pulling back the dirty solution. To ease the burden of extracting the dirty water, professional carpet cleaners use the most powerful carpet cleaning machines. Dry extraction method, on the other hand, involves spreading a dry absorbent compound then vacuuming it from the carpet. While dry machines usually work better than steam cleaners, these machines use expensive chemicals. For this reason, if you opt for dry cleaners as opposed to steam cleaners, you will have to part with more money. But if money is not a problem to you, then let the professionals use dry extraction method.
When hiring a pro, avoid taking bids over the phone. Work yourself out until you are sure that you have the best deal. Often, quality professionals will give you references, which you can follow up on. They will also do an in-home inspection to ascertain how much they should charge you. Do all you can to hire the best carpet cleaner. You should also beware of carpet cleaners who give huge discounts. As the mantra goes cheap is expensive the same applies here. The more discount a carpet cleaner gives, the higher the chances that they will do substandard work. You definitely do not want to spend money on cleaning your carpet only to be disappointed. Hire professional carpet cleaners! Remember you will always get what you pay for.
A carpet makes your house appealing to you and to your visitors. However, a dirty or a smelly carpet will do the exact opposite. While most people dread cleaning their carpets, the reality is that there is nothing to worry about. With the above tips, carpet cleaning should be an easy experience. Besides, there are many professional carpet cleaners in Singapore that you can hire. As long as you know what you want, carpet cleaning should never bother you.