Are You Cleaning Your Carpet Wrong?

This is an all-important question every homeowner should ponder. Carpets are completely different from regular hardwood or tile floors. Though extravagant and stylish, carpets require more attention to thoroughly clean.

Dirt, stains, lint and other residue settle deep down into the fibers of your carpet, making them extra challenging to remove. While many homeowners think carpets can be cleaned by using certain products readily available, oftentimes they are misinformed.

What Are The Cleaning Products I Should Never Use In Carpet Cleaning?

The following items get rid of topical stains, however, that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to truly cleaning your carpet. The deep-seated dirt and other nasty residue remain at the bottom most part of the carpet. These may easily be the cause for some allergies, cough and colds, and even fever to those with weaker constitutions. Here are some of the cleaning items you should never use for cleaning carpets:

????Water

Water is a most readily available resource. It can clean almost anything. Yes, it may even get rid of carpet stains. However, it only does that – stain removal. Also, remember that water will make ink and paint stains worse. Rubbing it will just make the paint spread to other parts of the carpet fibers. In this case, water definitely does more bad than good.

????Vinegar mixed with baking soda

Many think that the internet is a treasure trove for life hacks. Several videos show how easy it is to clean stains by simply mixing baking soda with vinegar. The stain magically disappears after wiping off the froth created by the mixture. Well, it may get rid of the surface stains. However, just like water, it does not get rid of the dirt and other contaminants stuck in between the fibers all the way to its base.

????Ammonia

While ammonia works magically to treat dizziness, it is best to leave it in the first aid cabinet. Ammonia proves to be made of strong chemicals known to damage carpets especially wool. It can also be dangerous to children and pets. When used in a poorly ventilated room, its fumes may have some damaging effects on the respiratory system.

???? Clothing iron

This tip may have again been watched on the internet. Some videos probably have shown others miraculously cleaning waxy carpet stains by using a hot iron over parchment paper. Though this may get rid of mostly wax and petroleum, other types of stains don’t respond just as well. Worse, the heat greatly affects the delicate fibers of the carpet. It certainly will leave a burn mark which is even worse to fix.

So is Vacuuming the Safest and Most Effective Method of Cleaning Carpet?

Sorry, no. Vacuuming, even as often as possible, is not ENOUGH to clean carpets. Different infomercials offer vacuum cleaners with steam. These companies claim that theirs is the ultimate answer to the carpet cleaning dilemma. Well, of course, they will say that to sell! However, whether one likes it or not, the best way to clean carpets is to bring it to a professional carpet cleaner.

Professional carpet cleaners know what to do and how to do it the right way. They are well equipped with tools and cleaning agents to effectively clean carpets all the way through. It is best to leave this daunting task to them. The pros’ carpet cleaning services may be needed once per year.

Don’t Give Up on Vacuuming, Though

However, while waiting for the next professional carpet cleaning intervention, vacuuming once a week should help. Again, it is not enough to deep clean your carpets, but it should suffice while waiting for the next professional carpet cleaning appointment.

Want to deep clean your carpets yourself? Check out our list of the best carpet shampoos on the market.