Things You'll Need:
- Carpet
- Quality vacuum
- Stain removing information (from on-line sites and/or books)
- Rented carpet cleaner
- Names of reputable home carpet cleaning services
- Home carpet cleaner
- Throw rugs
- Carpet cleanser
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Step 1
Vacuum regularly with a quality vacuum. Many people make the mistake of only vacuuming when the rug "looks" dirty. However, quality carpet takes surface dirt deep into the fibers, leaving the surface looking fresh even when it's not. For that reason, carpets should be vacuumed with a good, quality vacuum at least once a day, or twice if a lot of traffic has taken place in and out of the room.
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Step 2
Spot clean carpet immediately when a stain is first noted, using the appropriate removal process. Letting a stain set into carpeting can be a costly mistake. Set in stains are much more difficult to remove than those that are still fresh. It is also ill advised to treat all stains the same way. A generic carpet cleaner may be less expensive and take less effort, but it may also be less effective. Stains should be treated according to their type. There are dozens of removal techniques for any number of stains available through on-line websites. There are also lots of books on the market that cover a wide variety of typical household stains. Many of these removal ideas even involve safe "green" remedies.
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Step 3
Don't overdo the carpet fresheners. There are lots of products on the market today that claim to take the odor out of carpeting. There are sprays, powders, mists, and more. Most are applied to the carpet, allowed to set for awhile, and then vacuumed away. Many of these products work pretty well and, because they do, it is tempting to over use them. Some people apply them several times a week. Unfortunately, it is possible to get too much of a good thing. Over use of such products can actually damage carpet fibers and lead to a much quicker need to replace home carpeting.
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Step 4
Clean carpets regularly. That doesn't necessarily mean that renting one of those huge carpet cleaning machines at the grocery mart is the best choice. Unless you already know exactly how to use it, misuse of these large, commercial grade machines that generally provide only sketchy instructions, can actually lead to early destruction of carpeting. Many a victim of these supposedly helpful gadgets report carpets that no longer lay flat, actually absorb more dirt after cleaning than they did before, or those that even look worse after the machine's use. Instead consider budgeting for one or two professional carpet cleaning sessions a year. Choose a company with a good reputation that provides a money-back guarantee and has insurance to cover any damage. Another option is to invest in a good quality home carpet cleaner. There are many on the market today that work beautifully when instructions are followed to the letter.
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Step 5
Clean high traffic areas of the carpet regularly. There are always certain areas of carpeting that receive more wear and tear. These include carpets in entry ways, hall ways, in certain rooms such as play rooms, bathrooms, or kitchens. Because there is more traffic in those areas, dirt settles more quickly deep into the fibers of the carpets risking early damage. For that reason, these high traffic areas require more frequent cleaning. That can be accomplished any number of ways including with over-the-counter carpet cleansers and good old fashioned hard work, using a home or rented carpet cleaner, or by purchasing spot carpet cleaning through a reputable cleaning service.
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Step 6
Use throw rugs to protect carpeting. While some people hate the carpet on top of carpet look, others realize that it is a way to help preserve the length of expensive wall-to-wall carpeting. It isn't necessary or even advisable to cover all the carpeting in your home with throw rugs. Instead, use them in high traffic areas to prevent excessive wear on carpeting in those spots. Another option is to use them to accent a part of a room; adding a pattern to solid colored carpet. Throw rugs often help to "warm" the look of a room or to give it texture, making it appear less sterile and more inviting. The side benefit is that the rugs also help to preserve the carpet underneath them. They can also help to cover up stains that could not be removed for some reason.
