Caring for your carpet like a professional
Carpet Cleaning Tampa
Common household carpet care begins with knowing your carpet and knowing what is going on “in” your carpet. Carpet type and construction can change what and how you care for your favorite “soft” surface.
Carpets have been typically made of nylon or mostly nylon for many years. Over the past few years, olefin (most berbers) and polyester fibers are being used more often these days. Nylon fibers are the most durable for wear but sometimes are prone to dye staining, and olefin and polyester fibers are not as durable for wear but better with removing stains.
All carpet, first and foremost, must be vacuumed (with a good quality vacuum) on a regular basis (2-3 times per week) to remove dry soil or “dirt” and pet hair and dander. Vacuuming is the number one best thing a homeowner can do for their carpet and health. A good and thorough vacuuming should take several minutes per room and include using the machine in different directions over high traffic areas.
High traffic areas can be prevented in most cases by trying to change the surroundings around the traffic area to change the foot traffic flow, like moving a couch or chair or placing a small table to change the flow of a room.
The most common question that we get is about spot cleaning carpet. Always try to remove the source of the spot first by blotting with a clean towel. Always “blot” with working spots and do not scrub in a side to side motion as this will damage the carpet fibers. For larger spills or spots, use a shop vacuum to extract it. Don’t under estimate what water (hot water) can do! Always try to remove spots and spills with hot water first. If that does not succeed, refer to http://www.carpet-rug.org/residential-customers/cleaning-and-maintenance/spot-solver.cfm . We have also found that using a damp clean white towel that has been warmed up in the microwave works very well at removing most spots with no cleaners.
Why all the talk about using water only? Most spot cleaners that you are buying will work, the problem is in what gets left in the carpet that causes the most problems with spots reappearing. When using the hot water or small amount of cleaning solution, try to dry the spotted area as quickly as possible to prevent it from returning with a fan.
Of course, regular deep cleanings are a must. If you are using or renting your own machine, again try using just hot water or applying the cleaner provided directly to the spot and then rinsing it out. Professional hot water extraction (steam cleaning) is a great option to have done every 12-18 months as recommended by carpet manufacturers. Drying is the key in these processes as well. You can speed up the drying by turning down your a/c in the summer, turn on all fans, and try not to walk on it until dry.
After you cared for your carpet by vacuuming, spot cleaning, and deep cleaning, you can now appreciate the need for good outdoor matting. Place good quality outdoor matting (not an old piece of carpet) at each entrance, change your air filters, and vacuum or sweep all hard surfaces on a regular basis to keep from tracking onto your carpet.