Carpeted floors look nice and they keep your feet warm, but they can be a little hard to clean up. If you have carpeted floors, you’ll want to clean your carpet often, especially if you have pets or children. Stains can get on your carpets and smells can linger if they’re not treated properly, so make sure you clean your carpets every 6 months to a year. Here’s how to do it.
Vacuum Your Carpet
You should vacuum your carpet at least once a week to keep any mess at a manageable level. Make sure your vacuum is in working condition, since you may want to clean your carpet with water, and you don’t want any crumbs or loose items going into the carpet-cleaning machine. Try to get all of the area you’ll be cleaning, and any hard to reach areas while you’re at it.
Treat Any Stains
Stains happen, especially with pets or kids. You’ll want to treat any stains before deep cleaning your carpet. There are different ways to get various stains out of your carpet. You’ll want to blot any stain once it happens instead of rubbing it in to prevent a bigger stain. You can use ice to get out gum or vinegar to get out coffee. You can look up different methods to treat stains to try to find the most effective.
Deep Clean with a Machine or Powder
If you have stuck in odors, stains, or discoloration, you can use either a machine or powder to clean your carpet. Powder can be vacuumed up, but doesn’t offer as deep of a clean as a machine would. It may be a good idea to start with a powder deep cleanser, and if it doesn’t have the desired effects on your carpet, switch to a carpet-cleaning machine to try to get a deeper clean.
Use Baking Soda
Baking soda can eliminate the odors that can be trapped in your carpet. Make sure your carpet is mostly dry before using it on your carpet if you decide to use a carpet-cleaning machine. Sprinkle a generous amount on the area you want to clean and let it sit overnight. Vacuum the baking soda up in the morning and it should leave your carpet smelling fresh. It also helps fend off fleas and other mites that might live in your carpet.
Be Proactive with Your Carpets
If you lay out mats that protect high trafficked areas in your home, you can prevent a lot of unnecessary cleaning. Your carpet will look fresher, and you can add some decoration by using fashionable rugs or mats. Treat any stains as soon as they happen so you won’t have to worry about them lingering, and it will be easier to clean up. High traffic areas in your house could be near your kitchen, your front door, or your living room.
It’s important to clean your carpets, since it can often be forgotten. If you have pets or children, they can add extra wear and tear on your carpeted areas. There are steps you can take to avoid having to deep clean your carpets all of the time, although you should deep clean them at least once a year. It’ll cost more money to replace your carpet completely, so clean your carpet to keep it looking as new as it once was.
