Tips for Cleaning Carpets

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Carpets take a beating, especially if you have kids or pets. These Tips for Cleaning Carpets include useful ways to deep clean and spot clean common stains.

Carpeting is not only something you have installed for looks, but also as an investment. This means that protecting your investment is probably very important to you. Everyone knows that most carpets take a beating, especially if you have kids, pets, or like to entertain. They can go from clean to dull quickly and that's not even including the typical stains you get on them that are enough to make someone panic. Here are some Tips for Cleaning Carpets as well as spot cleaning some typical stains you might encounter.

Tips for Cleaning Carpets

Cleaning your whole carpet is something you should do at least yearly, if not every 6 months. It isn't just so they look better, but they need to be cleaned to extend the life of your carpet as well. Here are some tips for cleaning your entire carpet.

Tips for Deep Cleaning Your Carpet

You can hire a professional to clean your carpets or do it yourself. If you are hiring a professional, make sure you read reviews. Also, check and see if they have specials. Often times during the change of seasons carpet cleaning companies will offer specials.

If you opt to clean your carpets yourself, you can do it by renting a steam cleaner or buying one. If you rent one, make sure you understand how to use it and only use the recommended cleaner for it. They can be very expensive so you don't want to have to replace one if it breaks.

For cleaning yourself with your own steamer, you can do it with commercial cleaners or make your own. If you opt to make your own, a good one is this carpet cleaner recipe from Happy Money Saver. If you prefer a natural carpet cleaner Apartment Therapy has one.

Make sure you vacuum very well before you clean your carpets. This is vital for getting your carpets extra clean and keeping dirt from becoming embedded or tearing up carpet fibers.

Tips for Spot Cleaning Carpet Stains

Pet Stains– Clean up any solids and blot up any liquids as much as possible. Sprinkle baking soda on the area and leave for 10 minutes. this helps neutralize odors. Spray the area with distilled white vinegar or a commercial enzyme cleaner and vacuum the area.

Red Wine or Grape Juice– Blot up as much of the liquid as you can. Mix warm water and some dish soap and clean the affected area as quickly as you can as this stain can set in pretty fast.

Body Fluids or Vomit– Clean up as much as you can. Then, take towels and blot the area. Sprinkle corn starch or baking soda generously in the are of the stain. Leave it to sit for about 20 minutes and then vacuum well.

Mud and Dirt– If it is mud, let it dry first. This seems counter-productive, but it will be best. When it is dry, vacuum the area well. You may still have some mud left behind. If this is the case, use warm water and detergent to gently clean it up. Let that dry and vacuum again.

Milk or Ice Cream– Dairy presents some issues in that it can leave behind an awful odor if not cleaned properly. To do this, blot up as much as possible. Then, make a solution of dish soap and warm water and scrub the area. Sprinkle the area with cornstarch and allow to dry. Vacuum the area and repeat if necessary.