One of the best ways of turning your house into a cozy and classy home is by decking your floors with carpets. The rugged mats keep your feet warm during winter, and nothing beats their softness during summer when you walk around barefoot. It will also serve as a comfortable pillow fort when you lie on it next to your fireplace or heater.
However, keeping your carpet clean and fresh can sometimes be challenging because it requires specialized cleaning.
Frequent vacuuming is only the first line of defense against dirt and grit that may damage it. To keep your carpet looking good and fresh, you need to do a lot more. Plan to hire a Montreal carpet cleaning service at least twice a year to deep clean it.
In this post, we discuss the top five proven carpet cleaning hacks that can save time and money.
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Blot stains, don’t rub them
When a spill or stain happens, most of us tend to start scrubbing it immediately. That is not recommended because it only drives the stain down into the carpet. Instead of scrubbing, gently dab the stain with a cleaning solution and a sponge, paper towel, or clean piece of cloth.
The primary target is to blot the stain because it exerts a minimal amount of pressure on the stain so you can easily soak it up. Rubbing causes the stain particles to get deeper into the fibers, which can lead to early damage.
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Vacuum often and at the right speed
To protect your carpet from premature damage, consider vacuuming it frequently, especially the high-traffic areas. Typically, you should vacuum your carpet at least twice per week.
While vacuuming, ensure you are doing it at the right speed. Vacuum slowly to suck out as much dirt as possible.
Always, make one quick-pass over the low-traffic areas and two or three slow passes over the high-traffic areas. Two or three slow passes gets rid of the dirt and dust effectively than several fast passes.
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Eliminate pet hair and dander with a squeegee
Pet dander and hair are quite challenging to get rid of with a vacuum cleaner. Some people prefer using lint rollers, but they are also not so effective. Therefore, if your pet shades hair overwhelmingly, then you need to try out a squeegee.
Although a squeegee is intended for windows, it is generally designed to dislodge frost, gunk, and other substances that form relatively thin layers and stick to a surface.
This is precisely what pet dander and hair do on your carpet. Simply water the squeegee and use it the same way you would on a window.
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Use shaving cream for tougher stains
Did you know that the best cleaner for common stains is ordinary shaving cream? In fact, the cream can get rid of almost every type of stain.
Simply apply the cream directly but carefully to the stain and let it sit for at least 30 minutes.
Once the cream has set well, blot it up with a dry white piece of cloth. Finish the clearing with a 50/50 mix of water and vinegar and wipe away the solution with a towel.
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Keep your carpet clean with shoe caps
Lastly, if you plan to move or host an event that will attract high traffic to your house, you can minimize the damage on your carpet by ensuring people wear a pair of shoe caps while inside the house. This will prevent them from tracking too much dirt, mud, and dust into the house.
Keep in mind that prevention is just as important and essential as proper maintenance, and taking precaution goes a long way in prolonging your carpet’s lifespan while keeping cleaning to a minimum.
