Carpets provide a comfy soft feel and additional warmth for your home, but they also make floors more vulnerable to stains and grime. For your carpet to stay clean and sanitary, it is necessary to understand how to care for it. With these carpet care dos and don’ts, we teach you how to deal with stains and accidents so you can keep your floors in pristine condition for as long as possible!
Don’ts when dealing with carpet stains and accidents
- Do not overlook stains and spots
Despite your efforts to avoid any dirt or grime, your carpet may acquire stains over time, generally from food, beverages, visitors, and pets. If you overlook these stains, they will adhere to the carpet fibres as they dry, making them much more difficult to remove later. The longer you try to ignore it, the more difficult it will be to fix, which may lead to you buying a new rug.
- Do not use strong cleaning agents
Before applying a spot-removal product to a rug stain, it should be tested on an inconspicuous area in your carpet. This is a crucial step, as certain cleaning products might cause damage. Robust cleaning solutions such as bleach, turpentine, eucalyptus oil, and vinegar can remove dyes, discolour brilliantly coloured carpets, and harm carpet fibres.
Apply a few drops of the solution to the test area and hold a white towel over the area for 10 seconds. Next, examine the carpet and the fabric for colour transfer or evident rug damage. Try another product if you observe colour transfer onto the fabric or discolouration on the rug.
- Do not Wait
When you see a new stain on your carpet, the best course of action is to act on it immediately. The cardinal rule of stain removal is never to allow a stain to set. Most carpets manufactured now are stain-resistant, so many incidents can be rectified if you act quickly. Immediately scoop up any solids and use a clean cloth to absorb liquids. The longer the delay, the greater the likelihood that something will become permanent.
- Do not wipe or scrub the stain
Wiping and scrubbing the stain can damage carpet fibres and allow stains to penetrate the carpet pad. Instead, use the blot and dry method to avoid the stains from spreading. If the stain has been present for a while, place cold water over it to remove it before blotting.
- Do not soak the rug too much
When excessive water soaks into the carpet’s backing, it can cause damage. Some backing materials discolour the carpet when they become too moist. Some carpets will shrink, while others may become nearly impossible to dry without direct sunlight. This may appear to be a viable option for removing all moisture, however, UV light is severely harmful to most fibres. Long-term exposure to intense sunshine can cause synthetic fibres to melt and deform, rendering the carpet worthless.
Do’s when dealing with carpet stains and accidents
- Do clean up as much of the spill as you can
If the spill on the carpet is solid, remove it as soon as possible with a spoon or knife. Getting as much residue off the carpet as fast as possible can lessen the likelihood of lasting stains. Use clean kitchen towels or other extremely absorbent paper to absorb any liquid that has been spilled quickly. Repeat with dry, clean cloths until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Please do not press the towels until they can no longer absorb liquid from the stain’s surface. At that moment, begin applying little pressure until clean towels no longer absorb any liquid. Even water leaks require immediate attention. Mould and mildew can develop on carpets that absorb water.
- Do be mindful of the proper cleaning remedies
Different types of stains will necessitate different types of chemistry to remove them effectively. What can eliminate one kind of stain can make another colour permanent! Depending on the nature of your carpet, curtain cleaning products may produce discolouration.
Be prepared, conduct your research, and know-how to treat common water-soluble and non-water-soluble stains. You have access to various cleaning products and household remedies, including peroxide, bleach, vinegar, dishwasher detergent, and ammonia.
- Do work from the outside-in
After identifying a safe cleaning agent, add a small amount to the stain and allow it to sit for approximately 10 minutes. Next, working from the outer borders of the stain inward, blot the stain gently, as many times as possible. This will prevent the stain from spreading and will contain the problem in the centre.
- Do wait for the solution to cure the carpet
After thoroughly cleaning and drying out the stained area, leave your cleaning solution or chemicals on the spot for about 15 to 30 minutes. They will work better after they have had some time to get through the stain. Afterward, you can observe that it’s easier for the stain to be removed.
- Do contact a professional
At least twice a year, we recommend that you give your carpet a deep clean. A professional carpet cleaner can get rid of stains and bring your carpet back to its appearance when it was fresh and brand new. They can also make sure that spots and stains can be removed before they become permanent. Interested? Feel free to contact us if you wish to inquire about carpet cleaning in Canningvale!