Carpet buying and cleaning is a big business. There are lots of carpet dealers and cleaning services. It makes sense when you think about it. Carpets receive some of the greatest wear of just about anything in your home. You don't usually walk on your walls, ceilings, doors or windows....at least I hope not!
All Over the Map
Carpet quality is all over the place. You can buy quality or junk. Some less than honest carpet dealers go to great lengths to disguise their garbage, trying to trick you into thinking it is quality. Comparison shopping coupled with some basic knowledge will help you get the most for your money.
A natural fiber like wool makes a superb carpet. The reason for this is that the wool wears down by releasing small parts of the top of each fiber. Think of those mechanical pencils that you twist to get fresh lead. This is why wool carpets can look great until you wear them down to the backing.
Synthetic fiber carpets tend to show wear because the fibers actually change shape or get scratched. Even after you clean them, they look worn. If you can afford it, buy wool area rugs. My wife and I have numerous ones that look tremendous. Two of them have been down for nearly 12 years and look great.
Cleaning Carpets
In a few moments, you are going to read about the Carpet Rescue Kit you need to clean your carpets when an accident occurs. Once you have your Rescue Kit in place, here are some ways to clean common spot problems.
The first thing to remember is to act quickly. Stains are simply molecules in a solution. The solution might be water or some solvent. If the water or solvent evaporates, the stain molecules can lock themselves quite tenaciously into the carpet fibers. If you keep the spot moist with water or the solvent, you stand a better chance of getting it out.
Try to avoid rubbing the stain. Blot the area with dry, light colored rags or towels.
Always work from the edge of the stain in towards the center. If you do it any other way, you might spread the stain.
A Recipe Guide
Dry cleaning fluid that can be purchased at your grocery store, regular liquid dish soap, vinegar, and ammonia can be used in different combinations to remove 90 percent of most stains. The Carpet Spot Removal Guide that I talk about in column Area Rug Cleaning Tips tells you exactly what mixtures to use and in what order to apply them. You don't use the same procedure for each stain. The reason is simple. Each stain has a different chemistry.
Oxygen Bleach
Several years ago, I was doing research for a deck sealant column. Part of the column was dedicated to properly cleaning wood before treating it with synthetic resin water repellents. During the research I came across a product called oxygen bleach. It was developed in Europe some time ago to clean hospital linens and commercial laundry like restaurant tablecloths. Just about everybody knows why you can't use chlorine bleach to remove stains. It is so aggressive, it destroys the fabric and removes color. Oxygen bleach is virtually 100 percent color safe and is fabric/carpet safe. It aggressively attacks stain molecules and blasts them apart.
The oxygen bleach is a powder you mix with water. It is simply a dried form of hydrogen peroxide and soda ash. Once mixed with water, it simply creates more water, oxygen ions, and soda ash. In other words, it is non-toxic.
Tough stains like coffee, tea, red wine, Kool-aid, urine, vomit, etc. can usually be quickly cleaned from carpets with an oxygen bleach solution. You simply apply it to the stained area, let it sit for 3 - 5 hours and blot it up. Once again, the trick is to keep the spot slightly damp with additional oxygen bleach solution so that the stain doesn't dry out. Oxygen bleach works well on dried stains too, although it may take multiple applications and treatments. See oxygen bleach for additional information.
| Message from Tim:
Years ago while researching a column about cleaning decks, I discovered the wonders of Oxygen Bleach. It is perhaps the 'greenest' cleaner I know of as it uses oxygen ions to break apart stains, dirt and odor molecules. There are no harsh chemicals, and it works on just about anything that is water washable. I decided to create my own special blend using ingredients made in the USA. In fact, the raw materials in the active ingredient are food-grade quality registered with the FDA. I call my product Stain Solver. I urge you to use it to help clean the stains in your carpet. You will be amazed at the results! |
Professional Help
The worst thing you can do to a carpet stain is to attack it with no plan. If the carpet is expensive, you can ruin it in short order. For this reason, it is not a bad idea to call in a real professional carpet cleaner. There are possibly companies in your area that have special equipment, washers, tanks, drying racks, etc. to treat area rugs. Don't take a chance if it is an expensive rug that is a family heirloom. Call in a pro. Remember, plan ahead. Call local quality rug dealers and ask for the pros before an accident happens. These phone numbers must be handy!
Related Articles: Area Rugs - Spot a Great One, Area Rug Cleaning Tips, Area Rug Dealers
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