How to extend the life of your carpets

Member

By Tsunami
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating:

(10 Ratings)

Carpet Cleaning

Extend the life of your carpets and keep the beautiful and odor free.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Diligence
Discipline
The Desire to have a clean house.

Step 1

The #1 tip above all others is to simply keep your carpet clean. Dirt, sand, oil, and other contaminants permiate the fibers of your carpet which weaken it and inhibit stains, odors, and allergens. Simply put the cleaner your carpet on a regular basis the longer it will enjoy a beautiful and odor free life.
Step 2

Common sense tells you that if no one walks on it it can't break rule #1 and get dirty in the first place. Well, the real common sense is that most of us live common lives and dirt happens. I don't by any means suggest that you put the little plastic runners all over the house but you can very easy and attractively might I add use door rugs, area rugs, and other beautiful accessories throughout your house on the high traffic areas to reduce the effects of dirt, sand, and oil that destroys your carpet.
Step 3

Get it dirty, get it clean fast. If you follow this concept you can usually remove contaminants pretty easy. If you wait they may never come out. When cleaning a spot, treat it and then work from the outside to the center blot the spot as not to rub it into the fibers or spread out the stain. Finally vacuum or use a wet vac to remove any excess water or cleaning solution.
Step 4

If you make it a habit of removing your shoes at the front door or other entry ways this really goes a long way in extending the life of your carpet.
Step 5

Use a shop-vac. It's a great help when cleaning stains. You can't just suck out the stain, but you can repeatedly wash and rinse the area, and suck the solution out each time. It's more effective than blotting up the water with cloth, mostly because you won't have the patience to wash, rinse and extract enough times if you're using paper towels or cloth. For a whole carpet cleaning I suggest having a profession come out once per year and do your entire house.
Step 6

Vacuum frequently. If you have a carpet shampoo machine it is OK to use if you are absolutely dilegent about removing the excess water. Use fans to move the air around and use a wet vac where needed. You won't match the results of a good truck-mount hot water extraction unit. However, if you want to save money, doing your own cleaning can lengthen the time between those valued professional cleanings. I always suggest that once per year that you have your carpets professionally cleaned the price is not all that expensive.