The dos and don’ts of carpet care

Carpets are great for creating comfortable floors, adding colour and texture to a room, and warmth for occupants and visitors. But regardless of what type of carpet you choose, maintenance is essential to keep them looking their best and retain the quality.

Carpets in high-traffic areas such as hallways, living rooms and bedrooms, in particular, need to be well cared for if you want to maintain the appearance and avoid costly replacements. To avoid common mistakes when it comes to carpet care, we’ve put together a few dos and don’ts to help you look after your floors.

Do: Be consistent

Carpet cleaning is often an afterthought or implemented only when a stain occurs. But caring for your carpets should be a regular occurrence rather than just a reaction to spillages. Consistent cleaning will help protect your carpets from the wear and tear of everyday use, and ensure that small spots and stains that might be overlooked ordinarily are removed quickly to keep the carpet fresh and clean at all times. In addition to regular vacuuming, schedule in a deep clean a few times a year to remove any deep-trodden dirt and allergens.

Don’t: Use the wrong vacuum

Routine vacuuming will remove the vast majority of dry soil, but not all vacuums are suited for the same carpet type so you need to be sure that the model you’re using is right for your type of flooring. If you use the wrong type, you could be leaving large amounts of dirt, dust and debris in your carpets without even realising. Check that you’re using the right vacuum for your floors, and empty the vacuum bag once it’s half full so it can continue to operate at peak performance.

Do: Keep water to a minimum

Using water to clean your carpets is sometimes necessary, depending on the cleaning method you’re using, but if you use too much you’re at risk of it not drying out fully. If there’s moisture left in the carpets, mould and mildew can form and even lead to damage to the floorboards beneath. Make sure that if you’re using water to clean, you keep the quantity as low as possible and fully dry the carpets afterwards to remove all moisture.

Don’t: Fail to match the cleaner to the stain

Whether it’s a glass of red wine, a mug of coffee or a greasy oil stain from a takeaway, carpet stains come in all forms. But your cleaning approach should be matched to the type of stain you’re dealing with, or you could be at risk of making matters worse. Organic stains, for example, require a formula that’s designed to eliminate odour-causing contaminants, while a grease stain will need a water-based formula that’s non-flammable. More often than not, people use a multipurpose cleaning product that can result in re-soiling the area and worsening the stain, so do your research and choose a product that’s suited to the issue at hand.

Do: Take care of your cleaning equipment

You can’t clean your carpets effectively if you’re using damaged equipment, so make sure that anything you use to maintain your floors is well cared for. That means keeping the filters on your vacuum clean and replacing the bag when necessary, addressing any build-up in spray nozzles that might interfere with cleaning, and disinfecting cloths and sponges that are used for stains and spot cleaning.

Proper carpet care offers several benefits, from faster drying times and better results from products, to cost saving measures and minimising the risk of needing to replace your carpets sooner than necessary. Your cleaning routine ideally needs to be a mix of preventative measures and restorative cleaning, and hopefully by keeping the above tips in mind, you’ll be able to keep the colour, texture and appearance of your carpets for longer.

We have many years’ experience in carpet cleaning, as well as other cleaning services such as curtain and upholstery cleaning, commercial cleaning and stain removals. If you’d like further advice on how to look after your carpets and upholstery, please get in touch with our team today.