Carpeting takes a beating in the average American household. Kids, pets, weather damage and wear can make your carpet look old before its time. Fortunately, you can find a number of ways to repair your carpet and rejuvenate your carpeting to approve its appearance to avoid replacement costs.
Regular Maintenance
Carpet experts agree that the best way to preserve the new look of your carpeting is by giving it the daily and weekly maintenance it needs to minimize everyday damage. This simple strategy can help to keep carpet fibers clean, strong and looking good:
· Vacuum the high-traffic in your home daily to remove dirt and allergens brought in from the outside. Less heavily traveled areas can be vacuumed weekly.
· Treat everyday stains the minute they occur. When stains set into the carpet fibers, they become much more difficult to remove. Prompt treatment helps to remove as much as the stain as possible. Further measures may be needed to remove any residual staining.
· Use mats at doorways to catch dirt, grease and allergens before they enter the home.
· According to Rugsteam, you should have your carpeting professionally treated every 18 to 24 months to enhance its appearance. They added, “Professional carpet contractors can provide additional services such as stain removal and deodorizing, as needed.”
Stain Removal
Homeowners are often faced with a variety of carpet stain problems, from wine spills to children’s paints. These stains can make your carpets look old and battered before its time. Keep a number of carpet stain solutions on hand to treat these problems as soon as they occur.
· Water – Clean water is the homeowner’s first defense against carpet stains. Some people find that club soda is helpful in removing stains like wine or blood, but this is essentially water with some bubbles added.
· Clean cloths or towels – Keep these on hand to absorb spills and apply cleaning solutions.
· Gentle detergent for making a cleaning solution – The detergent can be dishwashing liquid or the type of detergent used for cleaning woolen clothing. Mix a solution of one teaspoon per pint of water for treating stains.
· Household white vinegar – Vinegar can be used to help remove stains and deodorize carpeting. One teaspoon can be added to the detergent solution.
· Household ammonia – Ammonia can also be used to remove stains, in a ratio of one teaspoon to one cup of warm water.
· Dry cleaning fluid – Many experts also recommend keeping some environmentally friendly dry cleaning on hand for stubborn stains on some carpet fabrics.
Deodorizing
Carpets pick up odors from cooking, pets and other everyday living activities. Making your carpet look like new also includes helping it to smell like new. Most carpet cleaners provide some sort of deodorizing capability, if only allowing your rugs to smell like the cleaning solutions used. If you need more heavy-duty deodorizing to make your carpet like new, consider using a 50-50 vinegar and water solution and then sprinkling baking soda over the dry carpet. Allow the baking soda to sit for several hours, and then vacuum up the remaining powder.
Home Carpet Cleaning Appliances
Homeowners who need frequent carpet cleaning because of children’s activities or pet problems may choose to purchase a home carpet-cleaning appliance. A number of different types are available that use warm water or clean to extract dirt, stains and allergens from the carpet. These machines vary in price and ease of use, but they can be a good solution for keeping your carpets looking newer and fresher in-between professional cleaning treatments.
Professional Carpet Contractors
A professional carpeting contractor can help with a number of additional problems that often make carpets look older than it is. These problems can include separation of seams, bunching in areas of the carpet and fraying of ends at doorways or along walls.
https://www.carpet-rug.org/Carpet-for-the-Home/Cleaning-and-Maintenance/Cleaning-Essentials.aspx
http://www.ncca.co.uk/firstaidforyourcarpet.php
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/carpet-stain-removers/buying-guide.htm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/10/how-to-deodorize-your-carpet_n_1765894.html
