How to Clean and Take Care of Carpets

There are many different kinds of home flooring on the market today. Laminate and wooden floors are trendy and rising in popularity. Classic tiles are easy to clean and always look great, and vinyl is incredibly convenient. But, despite the availability of a vast range of options, carpet remains popular with over 50% of us still choosing carpet for our home flooring.

Carpet is soft and comfortable under your feet. It’s warm and comforting, and it looks inviting. Modern carpets are also robust, durable and more eco-friendly than older options.

But carpet can quickly become worn, tired, smelly and stained. Take care of your carpets, and they can look, feel and smell great for years. Fail to give them the appropriate care, and they won’t last for anywhere near as long.

In most cases, cleaning carpet is easy, cheap and well worthwhile. Here’s a look at some of the ways that you can keep your carpet fresh and clean for a long time.

Choose the Right Carpet

The first step to keeping your carpets clean and in great condition is finding and fitting the right carpet in the first place. If you’ve got kids or pets, you may choose something simple, that’s easy to clean and always looks good. If you live in a colder home, you might want something softer and shaggier to keep you warm. Whatever you are looking for, you will want to buy a high-quality carpet that’s suitable for hard-wearing areas of your home and made of hardy fabrics that are ready to be walked on, run on, sat on, and spilt on.

Like most things, you get what you pay for. High-quality carpet can take more wear and tear and is far easier to keep looking it’s best.

Add Underlay

We often worry about what goes on, on top of our carpets. We worry about spills and dirt. But, what’s under your carpet can also make a difference. Adding underlay keeps your flooring soft and comfortable, but it also protects your carpet, providing a layer between the carpet and the ground, and giving extra support.

Day to Day Cleaning

When it comes to everyday cleaning, looking after your carpets is easy. Vacuum any heavy use areas, such as around your front door, hallways and high use rooms such as your lounge daily. Pick up any large debris as soon as you see it and dry any spills as soon as they happen. When using your vacuum, make sure it’s on the correct setting for specific rooms and carpets, and that it doesn’t pull on the fibres of your carpets.

Then, clean rooms that don’t get as much footfall, and that are less at risk of spills, such as your bedrooms and stairs once a week.

Deep Cleaning Your Carpets

Cleaning carpet daily is great, but to keep your carpets looking their best, they will also need the occasional deep clean.

Once a month, use the best attachment on your vacuum to clean hard to reach spots and corners which might get ignored the rest of the time.

Then, at least once a year (more often if you have kids or pets) deep clean your carpet using carpet shampoo and professional cleaner. Make sure you use products that are suitable for your carpets, and that you move furniture to clean your flooring thoroughly.

Top Tips for Removing Tough Stains

That’s the day to day dust and dirt dealt with, but what about the tough stains? Those awful red wine spills, chewing gum drops and other accidents that are bound to ruin your carpets? Well, dealing with tough stains doesn’t have to end in buying a new carpet.

Blot Don’t Rub

It’s tempting to rub at a stain, but this usually just rubs the spill in, letting it really take hold in the fabric fibres and making it much harder to remove. Bolting with some kitchen towel can be more effective. But, don’t press down too hard, as this will have the same effect as rubbing it in. Dab gently, and only until you’ve got any loose liquid up.

Use the Right Products

Stain removers are readily available, and it’s always good to have something in your kitchen cupboard, just in case. But, make sure any chemicals that you use are suitable for your carpet, and that you’ve tested on a small area that’s out of sight before using it freely.

Try Home Remedies

The truth of the matter is, some of the hacks and old wives’ tales work. Some don’t. But that doesn’t mean that they aren’t worth a true. Rubbing ice on chewing gum sometimes works. Shaving foam will remove some stains. White wine vinegar might help with red wine. Try them by all means, but don’t expect miracles.

Act Fast

The worst thing that you can do is leave a stain to get worked in. Pit up loose debris, bolt, pre-treat and vacuum as soon as you notice a spill.

How to Maintain Your Carpets

If you want your carpets to last as long as possible, there are some things that you can do to maintain them. These include:

• A no shoe policy. Taking shoes off helps keep fibres fresh and keeps dirt outside
• Use doormats
• Add protective feet to heavy furniture to stop damage
• Daily vacuuming to prevent dust build-up, even when the carpet looks clean
• Deodorize. A simple carpet deodorizer can help your floors smell fresh and clean
• Focus on cleaning problems areas, that take lots of weight, and get dirty easily
• Move large pieces of furniture, like sofas and beds, if you can, to keep the wear even

If you are ready for a new carpet in your home, or keen to look at alternative flooring options, why not check out Ottawa Diamond Flooring today? One of our friendly and knowledgeable staff will be happy to guide you through our extensive range of flooring, to help you to find the perfect options for your home, whether you are looking to make an impression, or after something that is durable and easy to clean.