The best way to look after your carpets is keep on top of the maintenance of them
Regular Care
Modern carpets are designed to hide soil and reflect light, many have the ability to resist soiling and stains. The effect of soil in carpet is not as visible as it is on hard surface flooring where soil remains on the surface and is easily seen. This hiding of the ingrained soil is great for the hectic style of life that many of us have, however this is no excuse for looking after them generally
Soil ingrained in our carpets will over-time wear away at the fibers giving carpet a dull appearance. This damage is permanent.
Looking after your carpets on a regular basis extends the life and the 'new look' of your carpet.
Basic Vacuuming
Regular vacuuming of the most used areas of your home is essential, such as hallways, stairs, exterior entry ways, and paths in the home where there is constant wear. Vacuum the entire carpeted area a minimum of twice per week. If you have loose soil on the surface of your carpet is important so that it is not worked into the carpet pile by people walking on it. It is easier to get it up now that later when it is engrained into the fibers.
To remove surface soil, push the vacuum forward several feet with the pile direction of the carpet in a slow, deliberate motion and then reverse direction. Embedded soil is best removed by moving the vacuum cleaner in a slow, deliberate motion. Repeat strokes as necessary based on the traffic pattern and soiled level of the carpet.
Homemade carpet sprinkle
The basic recipe for making your own carpet sprinkle is this, using one cup of baking soda and one cup of cornstarch, and about fifteen to twenty drops of vinegar, mixing thoroughly then sprinkle over your carpet. Letting this carpet sprinkle sit over night and then vacuuming as usual will bring out a fresh scent for your home.
Shampooing Carpets
When doing the annual or biannual whole house cleaning many of us like to shampoo our rugs for a whole house clean. I wanted to make it known that you don’t have to use the commercial cleaner in the carpet scrubber. You can use a mixture of vinegar and the hottest tap water that you can use to clean your carpet. The vinegar will loosen dirt as it deodorizes at the same time while saving you money as well!
