Every once in a while, the neat freak in all of us tends to go into overdrive. It is during this time that we tend to launch into full spring cleaning mode, even if it’s not springtime. Have you ever wondered why they call it spring cleaning and not, autumn cleaning, perhaps? The practice of spring cleaning is widespread in areas that experience cold winters. In various cultures, the annual general cleaning happens at the end of the year, usually during the spring, hence the term spring cleaning.
Spring cleaning involves cleaning the house from top to bottom. This is usually the time when we also clean up the flooring and carpets in the living room or different parts of the house. Here are ten carpet cleaning tips should you suddenly get bitten by the spring cleaning bug.
1. Vacuum
Dust and tiny particles cling to carpets and rugs. Using anything other than a vacuum to remove these dust and tiny particles will take forever and double your efforts, meaning double the energy but less favorable result. Ideally, carpets need to be vacuumed at least once a week and more frequently in areas of heavy traffic.
2. Baking Soda
Baking soda is useful in so many ways, and that includes removing odor in carpets. This wonder powder can also be used to remove acid spills when mixed with water or soft drinks.
3. Vinegar and mild detergent
While vinegar on its own can damage the carpet when spilled, it can do wonders when mixed with soap and warm water. This solution can remove stains caused by mud, alcoholic beverages, blood, ketchup, chocolate, and fruit stains.
4. Use a warm iron
Sometimes, wax falls on the carpet no matter how careful we are. The usual thing we do is quickly chip off the wax and pray over and over that you don’t make a hole when you pluck a handful of fibers while doing so. The tip to remove the wax is to get a plain, white cloth and put it on top of the wax. Then place the warm iron on top of the cloth to soften the wax. After this, use a blunt knife to scrape it off without plucking any of your carpet fibers. Do this over and over again until you have removed all of the wax and residue.
5. Lint Roller
Vacuums are not the only best friend of your carpet. Lint rollers are also useful to remove stubborn tiny particles clinging to your carpet that a vacuum won’t pick up.
6. Ice cubes
If a warm iron is to wax, an ice cube is to chew gum. Rub the ice cube gently on the gum, and once it freezes, you can easily remove the gum from the carpet.
7. Chemical-free carpet cleaners
Most commercially available cleaners are chemical-based and can be harmful to your carpet. So, opt for chemical-free or homemade cleaners instead to save your carpet fibers from deterioration which is one of those little house cleaning secrets to keep in mind.
8. Carpet Protection
Carpet protection helps prevent stains from piercing through the fibers of your carpet. The best time to spray on this carpet protection is upon buying your expensive carpet.
9. Blot
The first instinct is to wipe anything that spilled on the carpet. But instead of wiping, blot carefully to take out as much moisture from the spill as possible.
10. Get professional help.
Time will come that vacuuming will not be enough to clean up your dearest carpet. When you feel that it is sticky, is of a different color, and has dusty circles around the chairs or emits dust when you run across it, then a regular vacuuming job won’t do the trick. It’s time to bring in the professional carpet cleaning port Charlotte has to offer.