Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Information

Below you will find some useful information on maintaining your carpets and upholstery

Regular Cleaning

Regular vacuuming of your carpets will ensure that your carpets remain cleaner for longer and last longer. Dirt particles become trapped in the pile of your carpet which works its way deeper and deeper into the pile if not vacuumed up soon enough, causing it to become trapped in the carpet pile where your vacuum cleaner cannot suck it out. On a microscopic level this dirt scratches your carpet fibres causing them to lose their strength and optical appearance, giving your carpet a worn out and compressed feel and dull appearance.

The floor tool on your vacuum cleaner cannot reach the edges and skirting so you need to also use a crevice tool to clean these areas. When vacuuming make sure that you thoroughly vacuum high traffic areas such as doorways, passages, sides of beds and at cupboards as these areas are more likely to have more dirt on the carpet. Also remember to vacuum your upholstery regularly, lifting any loose cushions and vacuuming between any crevices.

The best way to reduce dirt entering your home or office is to have proper door mats at each entrance. You can buy these at most hardware stores or department stores. Don't go for the cheapest as these do not always trap the dirt on your shoes or feet. Rather go for something decent knowing that they will save your investment. Also remember to clean these mats regularly by hanging them up and beating them clean and washing them.

Another good idea is to take of your shoes at the entrance to your home, leaving it at the door. This will ensure that only clean feet enter the house, and the soles of your shoes will not cause damage to the carpet. Many middle eastern and eastern cultures use this practice ensuring that their homes are clean.

Key points to remember:

• Vacuum carpets and upholstery regularly
• Vacuum high traffic areas more thoroughly.
• Use doormats
• Leave shoes at door

Pile

Carpet pile describes the fibres that are woven to the carpet backing, creating the soft surface of the carpet. Carpet pile is woven in different forms such a cut pile, twist pile, loop pile, cut-loop pile, needle punch. Carpet pile also comes in various combinations of the forms below. The different forms of pile have varying durability and wearing properties, each being suitable for different areas and uses.

Below are diagrams of the basic types of carpet pile structure:

How do I clean a spill on my carpet

One should clean a spill as soon as possible to ensure that it does not stain. The sooner one treats a spill the better the chance of removing it and ensuring that it does not turn into a stain. However spills come in many different forms, including coffee, tea, ice cream, juice, soda, paint, oil etc. One needs to use specific methods for each type of spill to ensure that you remove it properly.

If it is a liquid, dab the spot with a clean cloth to absorb as much of the liquid as possible. Do not rub the spot as this will spread the spill. If it is food, first remove as much of it with a spoon or blunt object ensuring that you do not spread it further. Then dab as much of the dirty area with a clean cloth. Do not rub as this will spread the spill.

Using a cleaning solution, test it in an inconspicuous area of the carpet. Leave for about 30 seconds and dab area with white cloth to see for colour transfer. If no colour transfer takes place then you can use the cleaning solution on the spill. Pour a small amount on the spill and dab with a clean cloth to remove the spill. Repeat this process several times until carpet is clean and dry. Do not soak the spot with solution and do not rub as this will spread the mark.

Removing spots: The power of vinegar

Firstly you must know that treating a spot caused by a spill as soon as possible will ensure that it comes out completely when you clean it and in the worst case will cause the stain to be minimal.

Quick action is important. Don't let the liquid dry or solid set.

Vinegar has been proven to be an effective cleaner and is able to remove a range of substances from your carpet.

Here's how to use household distilled vinegar:

• Mix 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water.
• Spray or sprinkle the vinegar solution on the spill, after removing solids if there are any eg. icecream etc. Make sure you liberally spray the area. It needs to be wet.
• Do not scrub as this will spread the spill making the mark larger.
• Take a white towel or rag, or colourfast cloth and place it over the spot that has just been treated.
• Place a heavy object ontop of the cloth and leave it for 2-3 hours.
• The action of the vinegar solution on the substance and the wicking effect of the cloth should remove the spot from the carpet.

If after an hour or two, the spot is still not out repeat the process. The smell of the vinegar will disappear after a day or two. For bigger and more difficult spots it is better to call us to attempt to remove it.

Remember that not all stains can successfully be removed from a carpet, even by professionals.

Some substances will damage the fibres of the carpet and stain it. Also the longer a substance is left on a carpet the more chance it has of setting permanently on the fibre.

Deep Cleaning Carpets

So when should one have your carpets deep cleaned? Well it all depends on how dirty they are and how much traffic they experience as well as how often they are cleaned.

If carpets are thoroughly vacuumed it would be less frequent.

If not then one should deep clean them once every year. The Carpet and Rug Institute recommend that carpets are deep cleaned every 12-18 months to ensure that they last for their full lifespan. Shaw Industries as well other carpet manufacturers recommend deep cleaning as the preferred cleaning method

So what is deep cleaning, you ask. Deep cleaning, also known as hot water extraction cleaning or steam cleaning is a method used to flush out trapped dirt in the carpet pile and vacuuming the dirt and solution out of the carpet. This is done with an extraction vacuum cleaner. See section on why deep cleaning is the recommended method of cleaning carpets

It is best to have a professional carpet cleaner do the job to ensure that the right chemicals and techniques are used to clean your carpets. Many DIY attempt turn out unsuccessful and a carpet cleaner is often called in to clean up after the failed attempt.

Common problems with DIY deep cleaning that can occur if the right chemicals and techniques are not used include: wet carpets and backing, stains appearing after cleaning, mouldy smell, carpets dirtying within the next few months, carpet has lost its texture etc.

To have your carpets professionally cleaned using only high quality chemicals, equipment and proper methods contact Fresh Start Cleaning for an affordable quotation.