How to Deep-Clean Your Carpet
Vacuuming doesn't always restore a carpet's clean appearance. For heavily soiled carpets, shampooing is recommended, rather than spot-cleaning. Wet-cleaner machines spray and remove hot detergent solution while cleaning the carpet. Here are a few steps to get your carpet looking clean as new.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Rubber Gloves
- Vinegar
- Prespray Carpet Cleaner
- Vacuum Cleaners & Accessories
- Wet Cleaner Vacuums
- Carpet Shampoos
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1
Purchase or rent a wet-cleaner machine also known as a steamer, at a hardware or grocery store. When you rent a machine, the necessary cleaning products are usually included or can be purchased at the rental store.
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2
Vacuum the floor thoroughly.
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3
Spray heavily soiled areas with prespray or traffic-lane cleaner. For really dirty areas, increase the amount of prespray used instead of increasing the amount of carpet shampoo.
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4
Fill the machine's hose or reservoir with hot tap water.
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5
Use the machine and carpet shampoo according to the steamer manufacturer's instructions.
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6
Maximize the amount of water removed from the carpet by making a water-extraction pass with the water spray on, and then again with the spray off. Test the carpet with your hand. If your hand comes away with water droplets, extract again with the spray off; if your hand comes away damp and the carpet feels wrung out, you have extracted correctly.
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7
Wait overnight for the carpet to dry before walking on it. To dry thoroughly, open windows and use fans.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Special solutions are available to treat pet stains and odors.
To help your cleaning last longer, neutralize detergent residue left on the carpet by steaming with a vinegar-water rinse made up of 1 c. vinegar and 1 gallon water.
Oversaturating the carpet can cause water to soak through and damage the floor underneath.
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Comments
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Between cleaning or for spots/stains make sure to use a QUALITY carpet spot cleaner... a cheap one can leave a spot sometimes worse that the stain you were hoping to get out in the first place. Try a local hardware store or Amazon for a good cleaner (I like Christopher's Own Spot Cleaner but there are others).
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yes
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Leave it to the pros if you don't use a truck mount unit it's waste of time and money. If your carpet smells call dr. Wells
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clsygrm
Aug 17, 2009
Does shampooing your carpet after it has been treated with scotch-guard ruin it? My landlady stated that it would cause the fibers to separate and forebade me to shampoo it, but the carpet is dirty and stained. What do I do?
