Why Do Carpet Stains Reappear?

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So you just cleaned the carpeting in your home and it looks great, only to find that after a week or so passes some of those larger spots that you thought were gone have come back to haunt you. But...
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Keeping Your Carpet Clean

The post Keeping Your Carpet Clean appeared first on Clean Advisor

No matter how hard you try to keep up with it, you floors take a beating. From spills, drips, muddy shoes, and whatever the kids bring in on there shoes, keeping your carpet clean seems like a never ending job. In this article we are going to share some tips on keeping your carpet clean and looking good for years to come.

Vacuum Regularly

It goes without saying that if you want your carpeting to stay clean, regular vacuuming is essential. A lot of people don't realize that dirt is actually very abrasive and damaging to your carpet. The more you walk on dirty carpet, the more you grind the sharp dirt particles into the carpet. This causes damage by scratching and scraping the fibers, which not only embeds the dirt, but also causes wear. So naturally you want to remove any loose dirt particles before they start getting ground into the carpet, causing irreparable damage. And you do this by vacuuming. Some tips from the Carpet and Rug Institute: "To get the most out of your vacuuming regime, remember these few easy tips:

• A quick once-over doesn’t do much. Slow and steady does the trick.
• When vacuuming, don’t ignore those corners and crevices where dust builds.
• “Top-down” cleaning saves you the step of vacuuming again after dusting. Dust blinds, windowsills, and furniture surfaces first and then vacuum away any fallen dust.
• Remember to replace or empty vacuum bags when they are half to two-thirds full. Read the full article here.

But how often do you need to vacuum? Well a good starting point is once a week. However, the more traffic the more often you need to vacuum. Double it for kids and pets. In fact, it would be ideal to run a vacuum over the highest traffic areas daily if possible. Keep in mind, all that work will be for nothing if you don't have a quality vacuum cleaner.

Call a Professional

While you can make a huge difference yourself with vacuuming, eventually its going to take more. Dry vacuuming will only remove so much of the soil, eventually some of it will bind to the fibers. When you reach the point where your carpet looks dirty even after vacuuming, its time to call in a professional. Professional carpet cleaners have the solutions and equipment to deep clean your carpets, bringing them back to new again. This Huffington Post article recommends: "Regardless of how often you choose to use them, our experts agree that professional steam cleaners are hands-down necessary -- you shouldn't attempt to steam carpets yourself. Only steam can effectively lift dust from deep within your carpet, Wilson says -- if left there, it will wear down and rip the carpet's fibers. But only professional machines can truly zap all the steam's moisture from the carpet when you're done cleaning. The results of trying to do it yourself can be sickening." Don't let the price of professional carpet cleaning convince you to try it your. The machines you rent from your local grocery store are simply nowhere near as powerful as the equipment that professional carpet cleaners use. One of the biggest problems with these machines, is that they lack the power to remove all the water used. This can leave your carpet very wet, and for a long time. Another problem is that they leave a lot of chemical residue. A recommendation from SteamPro Carpet Cleaning is that if the homeowner does attempt the DIY method, to "mix your cleaning solution in a pump up sprayer and apply it to the carpet, then use clean water in your machine as a rinse." That way you are rinsing the cleaning detergent, not running it through your machine. This can help prevent cleaning residue. Also, put some fans out to try and speed up drying.

Clean Spills Immediately

No matter how careful you are, spills are going to happen. When it does, make sure to grab a towel as soon as possible. Keep in mind, you want to blot spills, not scrub. Excessive scrubbing can and will damage your carpet fibers. Its also good to use chemicals only as a last resort. This goes back to the chemical residue problem. Any chemical left to dry in the carpet will attract dirt and appear dirty after a period of time. So use the chemicals sparingly, sometimes it only takes a towel and some water to completely clean a spill up. Hopefully this gives you a head start on keeping your carpeting clean. Keep reading the Clean Advisor blog for more helpful tips.        

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Methods of Carpet Cleaning

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There are many different methods used to clean carpets, steam cleaning, dry powder cleaning, bonnet cleaning, and shampoo. But which method produces the best results? Lets take a look at some of the different processes used. Dry Cleaning The dry-cleaning method involves using a powdered cleaning compound. It is brushed into the carpet fibers using an agitating machine. The idea is that dirt will bond to the powdered chemicals, then are removed through dry vacuuming. The downside of this method is that there is no rinsing involved, and there will still be chemicals left in the carpet. Bonnet Cleaning Bonnet cleaning is similar to the dry cleaning method in that it is still lower moisture, but instead of dry cleaning powder a liquid cleaning detergent is used. After the detergent is applied to the carpet, a machine is used to scrub the solution using a towel-like pad. The pad picks up dirt, however this is not ideal because there is no flushing the fibers or rinsing the detergent from the carpet. So again you are left with cleaning residue in the carpeting. However, bonnet cleaning can be a good solution in some commercial cleaning settings. Steam Cleaning Steam cleaning is about the most common and popular method of carpet cleaning. Although the name is a little confusing, as no steam is actually used to clean the carpet fibers. Its actually hot water, though some steam is still produced from the high heat. Steam cleaning typically involves applying a cleaning detergent to the carpet, then agitating with a type of brush. After the cleaning solution has a dwell time of about 10 minutes or so, a tool is used to rinse the carpeting using heated water to remove dirt. Some people think that steam cleaning is chemical free cleaning, but that's not the case. The only real "chemical free" way of cleaning you carpet is to dry vacuum. Hopefully we have cleared up any questions you might have had on different methods of carpet cleaning. Manufacturers prefer the steam cleaning method to uphold your carpets warranty, however lower moisture cleaning methods often are a better fit in commercial settings.

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How to Choose the Right Rug

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Choosing the perfect area rug for your space can be a difficult and time consuming decision. There are many varying factors to consider including things like room decor, size of room, etc. At the same time you want to choose a rug that will provide comfort and the right cushioning. Size is definitely one of the bigger factors to plan for.

Here are some tips from hgtv.com: "Considered artwork for the floor, which acts as the frame, size does matter — and it's often a big concern for the homeowner unsure of how to create that well-balanced space. So designers say start with the area rug first. From its design, you can choose colors to paint your walls and find throw pillows and paintings to complete the decor. Just make sure to follow this rule of thumb: The area rug should be a minimum of six inches and no more than two feet away from the wall. When you take into consideration the different uses, shapes and design preferences, however, other factors weigh in as well." - Original article Choosing the Best Area Rug for Your Space

Before you go rug shopping make sure to get measurements of your seating area first. On a limited budget you can find smaller rugs that can be placed in front of furniture. But if you have a big room, get a larger rug that will pull the whole space together. You don't want to get a rug that is too small as this can make your room appear to be smaller. If you are going to be starting from scratch with decorating, then you have the option to choose a rug first and design around it. Once you have the rug, then you can find other things to ties in like curtains, pillows, and other objects that will be on the floor.

Something else to consider is padding. Padding can add some extra protection if you have hardwood floors, an at the same time helps with keeping the rug from slipping and moving out of place. If you have a flat weave rug, the right padding will add an extra layer of comfort.

Choosing a rug may seem difficult, but all it take is some planning ahead of time to make the job much easier. Be sure to subscribe to our blog so you don't miss future posts!

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How Often Should You Vacuum?

The house we live in had brand new carpet when we moved in. What a treat! So, we’ve tried hard to take good care of it. Well, as best as one can when you live in a busy household of eight people, six of them active children.

Daily Vacuuming

This summer I wanted to instill some better cleaning habits in all of us and instituted the daily vacuuming of the living areas. There are three carpeted areas in the downstairs, and so each of the big boys had to choose one area to vacuum every day. It’s amazing what a difference it made to the overall appearance of our home.
I’d read once that you should vacuum an area as many times per week as the number of people that regularly use that area. So, for a bedroom for one person, a weekly vacuuming is sufficient. A room with two roomies should get a twice a week treatment.
Our main living areas? According to that formula, they should receive eight vacuumings a week. Well, that ain’t happening. But, this summer we were able to swing a daily once over. It really doesn’t take very long to go over each area. And, since it has to be vacuumed, all the junk has to be picked up off the floor, too!

Read the full article  How Often Should You Vacuum? here http://lifeasmom.com/