DIY Carpet Cleaning: 3 Tips for Effective Results

Maintaining your carpet is essential for its hygiene and longevity. However, before you take on the task of cleaning your carpet on your own, you need to understand that doing it improperly may only serve to make the carpet even dirtier. Therefore, to ensure your DIY carpet cleaning project yields the best results, here are a few tips to consider.

Vacuum Properly

Vacuuming is usually the first step to any carpet cleaning task. For your vacuuming to be efficient, watch the movement of your vacuum cleaner. To remove the surface dirt particles, go along the pile grains of your carpet. For the deeper particles, move against the grains. Vacuum thoroughly, running your vacuum cleaner multiple times on your carpet to ensure you remove the maximum amount of dirt.

Setting your vacuum at the required height is also critical. Set it too high and you won't be picking any dirty particles. If you set it too low, you risk damaging the drive belt and roller brush of your vacuum or even the carpet itself. Setting your vacuum to the ideal height is simple. Before you turn it on, ensure it's at the highest setting. With the cleaner on, start lowering the setting gradually. You should do this until the vacuum starts tugging itself forward. This should be the perfect height to operate the vacuum.

Last, vacuum as slowly as you can to remove as much dirt particles as possible.

When Treating Stains, Don't Rub, Blot Instead

If you rub the stains on your carpet, you may end up working them deeper inside the fibres of your carpet. Therefore, whether you are using a sponge, a paper towel or a piece of cloth, dip it in your cleaning solution and dab the stains, making sure to apply little pressure on them. This is what is referred to as blotting and it works to soak up the stains. When blotting, work inward from the outside of the stains. Doing it the other way could spread the stains.

Choose Wisely Between Water and Dry Extraction Methods

You can clean your carpet using either of these two methods. Steam cleaners are typically the main water extraction units for most carpet cleaning systems. The secret to effective carpet steam cleaning is ensuring you don't over-wet the carpet. Over-wetting results in odour, shrinkage and discolouration. Therefore, to prevent this, be as slow as you can when pulling back the machine. Dry extraction methods are usually more effective. You simply spread a dry compound, which is usually absorbent, over your carpet and then run the machine back and forth to vacuum it. However, dry methods are usually more expensive, so remember that when making your choice.

Talk with carpet cleaning professionals if you're concerned about any damage or stains.

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