Our carpets are supposed to be around for a long time. It is an expensive hassle to have your carpet replaced. Carpets also take a lot of abuse. Anything that we track into the house is now in our carpets. They collect all the dirt, dust, and dander, and when something gets spilled, it likely ends up on the carpet. There are some easy steps we can take to make sure our carpet care efforts last as long as possible.
Vacuum Your Carpet Regularly
The dirt and dust that fall into the carpet fibers start to sink in the longer they are sitting. By vacuuming regularly, you keep the dirt from settling deep into the carpet. Make sure the bag on your vacuum is less than half full, or it may not work as efficiently. For bagless vacuums, make sure the filter is clean and the dirt holder is dumped regularly. Also, check that your vacuum is the right level for your carpet. If it’s too high, it’s not as efficient; if it’s too low, it could damage your vacuum and the carpet.
Use Rugs In High-Traffic Areas
High-traffic carpet areas start to show signs of wear and tear the fastest. One way to combat this is by using rugs in hallways, entryways, and any other area that gets a lot of foot traffic in your home. Look for rugs that have properties like water absorption for even more protection.
Rugs can be vacuumed regularly, as well as moved for a deeper clean. When rugs start to show signs of wearing out, they can be replaced much more easily than the carpet in your home.
Take Off Your Shoes
Having a mat to wipe your feet on and making it a practice to take off your shoes can go a long way towards keeping your carpet in great shape longer. Besides keeping your carpet cleaner, removing your shoes can be easier on the carpet itself. Having a spot by the door designated for shoes is an easy way to care for your carpet.
Clean Up Spills
Messes are a part of life, but they are not good for the carpet. From coffee to dip and everything in between, it’s inevitable that something will spill onto your carpet. Cleaning these messes up as soon as they happen is crucial for the longevity of your carpet. The longer a mess sits on your carpet, the more the fibers absorb of it, making it much harder to clean up.
Use a blotting motion instead of rubbing liquids in. It may take longer, but you will get more of the liquid out of your carpet. With solids, try to use a scraper like a spatula to scoop up as much as you can.
Hire the Professionals
To keep your carpet in the best shape possible, you will want to schedule an annual deep carpet cleaning. Getting your carpets cleaned every 12 to 18 months is a good rule of thumb. You can have the best vacuum ever, but it still isn’t going to be able to get your carpet as clean as a professional carpet cleaning service. Simply vacuuming will not get rid of the dirt, bugs, and other things in your carpet. At Extreme Carpet Care, we have been cleaning carpets for over 20 years. We know how important your carpet is for the health and safety of your household, as well as the comfort of your family. Give us a call to find out how our carpet care and cleaning techniques are the best in Tallahassee.
