Congratulations, you’ve installed your new carpet. But…wait a minute…you had a dinner party with 20 of your closest friends, and that bottle of Kendall-Jackson wine (because you’re classy) ended up on the brand-new carpet. Now you have to clean it. What do you do? What don’t you do?
Here’s our list of do’s and don’t’s of carpet cleaning:
- Do use the best method available at the time. Not everything requires harsh chemical cleaners – a small, organic mud stain requires a totally different method of cleaning than a large, non-organic chemical stain.
- Don’t shampoo your carpet. Shampooing is no longer the best way to clean your carpet, especially if you’re cleaning an eco-friendly carpet – in fact, shampooing your carpet can make it look dingy and dull, and actually make it get dirtier quicker.
- If the stain is a little “tough,” do use an appropriate pre-treater to help break down the stain on an enzyme level.
- Don’t forget to vacuum the carpet before you clean it. Failure to do so will cause the remnant dirt and dust to be embedded into the carpet.
- Do cover the legs of your furniture with cellophane wrap to prevent rust stains from forming on the carpet.
- Don’t forget to also clean the upholstery when you clean the carpet, especially if it’s made from fabric. Like the carpet, this too can get dirty, and needs to be vacuumed prior to being cleaned.
- Do clean your carpet on a warm, sunny day. This will help speed up the process of drying after you’re done. Rainy, humid days can not only slow down the process, they can actually deposit more moisture on your rug.
- Don’t hesitate to ask questions of the appropriate professional if you find yourself getting stuck at any point in the game. We’re always here to answer any questions you may have, or you can get a whole new carpet from us if there’s no hope left for your old one!
