Cleaning your Carpets

Cleaning your carpets using specialist carpet cleaning equipment can be a great way to get your carpets looking as good as new, as long as you avoid the most common mistakes that people make when purchasing and using this type of equipment. Here are some of our carpet cleaning tips and tricks from our expert team.

Carpet cleaning tips and tricks

If your carpet is starting to look a little worse for wear, but you don’t want to fork out for a new one to be fitted, here are a few carpet cleaning tips and tricks to get it looking its best again: 

• Get rid of pet hair 

You can use a squeegee to get rid of excess pet hair on your carpet that your vacuum hasn’t removed. Put water on the squeegee (just as you would when cleaning windows) and drag it across small sections of your carpet. You’ll soon see a small pile of pet hair forming that you can easily throw away. 

 

• Remove nail polish 

 

The feeling when you drop a full bottle of nail polish onto your light-coloured carpet, and you see it seeping out is like no other. However, you can use rubbing alcohol to remove the bulk of the stain and make it less noticeable. Prise off any excess dried nail polish you can before firmly dabbing it with a cotton bud soaked in rubbing alcohol. 

 

• Unstick chewing gum 

 

Like nail polish, you never want to see a piece of chewed gum tangled up in the fibres of your carpet. Unfortunately, the soft texture allows it to stick to your carpet without any hope of getting it off. Or is there? We suggest getting an ice cube and placing it over the gum for a few minutes. This will harden it and allow you to pick it off with your fingers or a hard tool. 

 

• The power of vinegar 

 

Vinegar is a great thing to have on hand for all types of carpet emergencies. Mix it with water to dilute it and spray on areas of your carpet that have gone flat over time. This will help to untangle the fibres and get fluffed up. 

Types of carpet cleaning equipment

Carpet cleaning equipment comes in all shapes and sizes. There are small handheld models for easy spot removal and there are large commercial models for whole-house cleaning. Here are some different types of cleaners:

 

• Carpet extractor

 

A carpet extractor pumps a detergent solution into the carpet, then sucks it out with a high-powered vacuum. This system cleans deeper than most, but it will leave the carpet wet.

 

• Self-contained carpet extractor

 

This machine works on the same principle as a carpet extractor, but it includes a brush that scrubs the carpet between laying down the detergent and sucking it up.

 

• Extraction restoration

 

This process adds to the extraction above by adding a rinsing aid, which will flush out chemicals and dirt.

 

• Bonnet cleaning

 

This is a dry carpet cleaning machine that uses a round pad. The pad is placed on a standard floor buffer and uses friction to pull dirt from the carpet fibres. Though your carpet will dry faster, this is not a deep-cleaning method.

For the best results when using specialist equipment to clean your carpet, mix hot tap water and the cleaning solution in a bucket. For heavily soiled carpets, use four fluid ounces of solution for every gallon of water.

For carpets that are only slightly dirty, use only two fluid ounces per gallon. Fill the tank with the mixed cleaning solution. Ensure the hose connections are secure and the switch is set to clean the carpet instead of upholstery.

Common carpet cleaning mistakes

A common mistake that people make when using their carpet cleaning equipment is to over saturate the carpets. This is when they make too many passes on the carpet with the equipment and leave the carpet wet with water and cleaning solvent.

Another common mistake is misusing the carpet cleaning equipment. Misuse can range from not using the right attachments for the job to using the wrong type of cleaning fluid – the most common form of misuse. For you to get the most out of your carpet cleaning equipment, it is strongly recommended that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the use of the equipment.

If you’re not using carpet cleaning equipment, you may still be making some big carpet cleaning mistakes, such as: 

 

• Using the wrong product 

 

You may think that all stain removers will do the same thing, but some specialise in a particular type of stain. Using the wrong product on your carpet may result in further stains or damage. Make sure you always read the instructions and description of products before putting them anywhere near your carpet. 

 

• Cleaning too vigorously 

 

If you put too much elbow grease into scrubbing your carpets, you risk damaging the carpet fibres. As well as this, the stain you may be trying to scrub out will only go deeper into your carpets. Go gently, pat rather than rub, and also use a clean white cloth to blot.

• Overusing carpet deodorisers 

Carpet deodorisers are great if you need a quick refresh, but if you regularly use them, the particles start to get ground up in your flooring, making them difficult to remove. A quick fix is to vacuum your carpets every time you use one of these products to prevent build-up or use a liquid form instead. 

 

• Using too much water

 

When you spill something on your carpet, your first instinct may be to soak the area with large amounts of water. However, this can make the stain spread even further. Instead, wet a cloth and use this to dab rather than pouring water on the area. 

Professional carpet cleaning

You do not have to purchase the equipment, you can hire commercial carpet cleaning equipment for a period of time in order to clean your carpets. However, if you are unsure about cleaning your carpets or using the machinery correctly, it’s best to find a professional cleaning team to carry out the job for you. 

Call us on 02033711200 and let us do all the hard work for you.