Carpet is one of the larger investments in a home and it’s only natural to want to protect that investment in hopes to prolong the life and look of that investment.  To avoid premature replacement and the keep your carpets in top notch condition it will take some effort and attention on your part, but we promise you will be thankful in the long run!

Though it’s extremely important, vacuuming can’t be your only carpet cleaning method. Even the most high-grade vacuums can’t reach all the way down within your carpet fibers to clean them from top to bottom. This is why you must bring in a professional carpet cleaner about every 12-18 months to work wonders with their powerful equipment and solutions. A steam cleaning is your best chance at extracting all those things mentioned above that easily embed themselves in carpet and continue to wreak havoc on your home’s indoor air quality and overall cleanliness. Add a professional carpet cleaning to your spring cleaning to do list every year to keep it looking its best.

It’s not recommended to ever try DIY carpet cleaning techniques since inexperience and lack of knowledge can often do more harm than good, but there are some instances where you may be able to save a couple of bucks by doing your own cleaning in between your annual professional carpet cleaning service.

Clean the carpet before it becomes really dirty
How often your carpet needs cleaning depends on the kind of carpet traffic you have (think kids and pets). Clean the carpet when the color starts looking dull. If you wait until the carpet is filthy, cleaning it will be much more difficult, take much longer and cost more.

Pretreat stains and high-traffic areas
Mix a drop of detergent with hot water in a spray bottle and  lightly  mist the dirtiest areas. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes before starting the general cleaning.

Remove or elevate furniture
If your furniture is too heavy to move, put aluminum foil squares, wood blocks or plastic film under and around the legs of all furniture to prevent rust from metal casters or stains from paint and finishes from transferring to damp carpet.

Don’t over wet the carpet
DIY machines put a lot of moisture into the carpet, and most don’t have strong enough suction to extract it thoroughly. If you choose to rent your own carpet cleaning machine make only one pass with the soap and water solution. Make one pass with the neutralizing rinse solution. Then make two or three drying passes with the water  off.

Let it dry thoroughly
Wet carpet is a perfect environment for mold and mildew. After you clean your carpets, open the windows, use fans and a dehumidifier, or put the AC on a moderate setting (72 to 78 degrees) to remove excess moisture from the air. Don’t replace the furniture or walk on the carpet until it’s completely dry. This can take up to 12 hours, though six to eight hours is typical.

Maintain Your Warranty

If your needing a professional carpet cleaning service, Gator Cleaning Solutions can help! Just call 813-929-1122 to get your no obligation quote!

The post Carpet Cleaning – Keeping Your Carpets Clean appeared first on Gator Cleaning Solutions.