As much as the spillages in your home can’t be helped, there’s nothing worse than a dirty carpet. Whether it’s coffee stains, dirty feet in from the garden or crayon marks from your cheeky toddler, we’ve put together a guide to help you clean up these accidents. So, be sure to read on and give your carpet the TLC it deserves…
Many home-owners are reluctant to cleaning their carpet as they’re worried that the dirt will smudge in to the fibres which can make it worse. However, by using the right methods and products will ensure you don’t make this mistake!
Carpet cleaners
Depending on how deep and old the stain is, simply using just soap and water may not work. Stubborn stains can be tackled with carpet powder or carpet shampoo. If you’ve made a spillage and have got guests coming round in the evening, we would advise you to use carpet powder. This is merely because there’s no liquid needed – you don’t have to worry about hair drying your carpet in a rush as shampoos can take hours to dry!
Natural products
If you prefer not to use any chemical products there is always natural cleaning solutions that can be found in your kitchen cupboard.
If you’ve just spilt something try can clean it up immediately. Blot the patch with a white cloth from the edge of the stain towards the centre – this eliminates the spillage from spreading any further. Once you’ve cleared up as much as you can, dab with clean water. If that hasn’t worked effectively, it’s OK to use a mild solutions of laundry fluid and water, not only will your carpet smell fresh, it works wonders!
Rugs
Rugs are a beautiful addition to your home, they can add colour and texture to any room which creates style and gives your home that personal touch. However they can also be quite expensive and delicate so you need to handle them with caution and care.
Like carpets, using a mild solution of laundry fluid and water is OK to clean up spillages. However, use only ¼ teaspoon of laundry fluid to 1 glass of water, depending on the cleaning instructions and how delicate the rug is. Dip a white cloth into the solution and squeeze the fluid out as much as possible – rugs can shrink so you simply want to dampen the cloth, not drown it. Then dab the spillage gently, avoiding any big circular motions as it could make the stain worse.
General rug maintenance will help your rug last longer. Keep it looking its best by flipping it upside down once a month and vacuuming the back of it. Try to avoid vacuuming the top as it could lose its fluffiness depending on the fibres.
Remember, the key to any stain is time and patience. Before you begin cleaning your carpet, be sure to read and follow the instructions as we can only guide you in what may be suitable. Try a test patch first to be on the safe side or seek professional advice when unsure.
Stay tuned to read part 2 to our blog! We will be providing you with a guide to carpet buying and hints and tips on cleaning.