Smart Tips to Clean Carpets
Keep the carpets in our home clean with these smart tips for cleaning your carpets and removing stains.
04/04/2018
bhg.com
Installing carpets in your home sometimes comes with the problem of keeping them clean and stain-free. You can spend hours trying to clean up spills to prevent stains, or working out how to remove stains, especially with kids running round and pets in and out.
The process or cleaning up or removing stains remains the same and you can follow these three simple steps to keep your carpets looking good as new - without having to call out a professional carpet cleaner.
Blot up mess
No matter how many times you ask people to wipe their feet before they enter your home, sooner or later it's going to happen. The first smart step you can take is to blot (not rub) the stain with a slightly damp, clean cloth. If that fails to do the job it's time to move on to the next step.
Clean away excess
If liquid is spilled onto a carpet you should immediately remove with a cloth, making sure to blot the excess liquid away. By rubbing you push the liquid into the carpet fibres rather than lift off. If it's a large spill, layer clean cloths over the top and weigh them down until most of the moisture is absorbed.
If a solid has been messed onto the carpet - jam and peanut butter are a good example - use a blunt knife to remove the excess as quickly as possible.
GOOD TO KNOW: With any stain, always work from the outside towards the centre. You want to avoid spreading the stain as much as possible.
Natural cleaners
A bottle of soda water is handy to have in case of emergency spills. Pour some into a spray bottle and, after blotting, lightly spray the stain area with club soda before blottng away excess. Repeat until the stain has been completely removed.
Bicarbonate of soda is another product you should always have in your pantry. Not only good as a household cleaner, sprinkling bicarbonate of soda over stubborn stains will help with their removal. Let them sit on the stain for a couple of hours - or overnight - before vacuuming clean. Bicarbonate of soda should be your first step when cleaning up pet stains and neutralising odours.
Did you know that oily stains can be treated with rubbing alcohol or vodka. Both are great at breaking down oils and grease. Simply decant a small quantity into a spray bottle to lightly spritz stains and then blot dry. After that, if the stain remains, use mild dishwashing detergent and warm water to dampen and blot clean.
Remove fixed stains
For carpet stains that have been there for some time, you can try a combination of bicarbonate of soda and white spirit vinegar. Sprinkle the soda over the stain and lightly spray with vinegar decanted into a spray bottle. Leave this overnight before vacuuming the carpet to clean. If necessary, you can lightly brush the surface with a soft scrubbing brush to make it easier to vacuum up.
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