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Carpet Care

Heather Marvin
Feb 11, 2021
3 min read

Updated: Feb 2, 2022

If there is carpeting in a home or workspace it no doubt takes up a decent amount of flooring real estate in any room. Therefore, it needs to be high up on the list of cleaning priorities. Why?

-To extend the life of the carpet

-Create a healthy environment

Soil, dirt, debris, and all of the things that are walked on outside gets tracked onto carpeting in the home or office. Especially in an office or commercial setting is this true - no one takes off their shoes upon coming in from sidewalks, parking lots or the street. The list of contaminants landing in these carpets is endless and need more frequent professional care.

Constant treading on already soiled carpets embeds contaminants even further into the fibers making it more and more difficult to remove - which is not only unhealthy but can damage the carpet.

A Clean Habit that will reduce the amount of contaminants brought in the home is to remove shoes prior to walking on the carpet. Even in homes where this is practice with the utmost strictness, oils from feet collect in carpet and can degrade its fibers.

It is important to establish regular and proper cleaning.

"Everyday" Care

First line of defense for keep your carpet nice is to have walk off mats one at outside the entry and one inside the entry. In the home, when possible, encourage everyone to take their shoes off immediately after they come in the door.

Shaw Flooring recommends vacuuming traffic lanes 2x per week for light traffic and daily for heavy traffic. They also recommend vacuuming the entire carpet once per week for light traffic and 2x per week for heavy traffic.

Regular vacuuming not only removes damaging debris but it prevents matting which also can be problematic in removing contaminants and will reduce the life of the carpet.

Spills happen. It is vital to clean them up immediately. Most already have effective and safe spot removers in the home:

Vinegar OR Hydrogen Peroxide (HP)

Blue Dawn

Microfiber Cloth

Always blot up as much of the spill or stain before applying any solution or water. Once this is done determine which solution would be best: HP & Dawn usually work best with bodily fluid stains and food stains that have fats / other types of stains may respond well to a vinegar & Dawn mixture. Blot the solution on and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Using a wet microfiber cloth to remove the solution.

Periodic Care

Even the cleanest carpets over time will collect oils and embedded debris. An effective professional cleaning will remove these contaminants and make your carpet feel and look new.

How often? Seth recommends a professional cleaning be conducted every 6 months for an average family of four with light to moderate traffic. Other factors to take into consideration that may increase the frequency of professional cleaning: pets, frequent spills, or heavy foot traffic.

If you notice that your carpet is becoming unsightly before your 6 months are up - then the universal recommendation from floor professionals is to get it cleaned before it becomes too unsightly. Cleaning will be much easier and more successfull.

What cleaning method is best? Clean uses a non-toxic, healthy, proprietary solution customized for each cleaning that gently but completely removes contaminants from carpet fibers. Once the solution has done its job - it is extracted. Although "steam cleaning" or what is truly hot water extraction is a common way to clean carpets, the heat from this method has the tendency to break down and/or compromise carpet fibers. However, the method and products that Clean uses leaves the carpet in great condition without harmful chemicals.

Any residue left from an incomplete cleaning job will attract even more contaminants ultimately leaving you with an even dirtier carpet. This is why it is super important to hire a professional for this job - they have the know how, the proper solutions, and tools to protect your investment and leave you with a healthy carpet.

Carpets are a costly investment. They can provide soft comfort for tired feet; an awesome cushion for playing with children and pets; an added decor element. To prolong the life of the carpet and to make it a healthy part of your environment try to implement good daily habits and schedule regular professional carpet cleaning.