Today, a wide range of residential flooring products are available including bamboo, laminate, vinyl, tile, stone and wood. But, carpets still remain the most popular choice. In fact, as per the US Census Board, 51% of the total flooring market is dominated by the carpet industry. In 2020, the floor covering sector’s revenue amounted to $24, 200m and the market is expected to grow at a rate of 4.1%.
The reason why people love carpeting – besides its softness and warmth – is that it does not require a lot of upkeep and maintenance as hard-surfaced floors. An occasional deep-clean scrubbing and frequent vacuuming are typically all that a carpet needs to look fresh and new.
However, if you be extremely careful, sooner or later, your carpet will become the victim of splashes, spills, messy accidents and the things that you carry with you on the bottom of your shoes.
Do you want to know how carpet professionals save carpets when they become victims of such problems? According to a highly rated carpet cleaning service in NYC, the following are the cleaning secrets that you need to know.
Never rub stains, but clean it by blotting, using club soda or shaving cream
Stains can occur due to many reasons. Here’s how to clean stains without harming the carpet.
- Blotting: When a spill or stain first occurs, the first urge is to scrub. It is crucial to resist this urge as scrubbing only drives the stain down into the carpet. Instead, you should dab the stain gently using a cleaning solution and a paper towel, clean cloth or sponge. The key to removing stains is blotting. While rubbing results in the particles getting into the fibers and leading to the premature breakdown of the fibers, blotting only puts a slight amount of pressure on the stain. Always remember to blot from the stain’s outer edge toward the center.
- Use club soda to remove stains: Wine and beer stains can be removed easily using club soda. Get a clean cloth, pour club soda and blot the stain. If the stain becomes light, pour some more club soda and repeat the process. If this doesn’t work, you can mix water and white vinegar, and pour this mixture in a hand-held spray bottle. Spray the solution onto the area that is stained and wait for 15 minutes. Then, press a dry, clean sponge and wait till the diluted stain and cleaning solution is soaked up. Once the stain has been removed, rinse the spot using warm water.
- Try using shaving cream: Believe it or not, shaving cream is helpful in cleaning general stains. Apply the shaving cream directly to the stain and allow it to sit for 30 minutes. After the shaving cream has set, use a dry cloth to blot it up. Finish it by spraying the area with a mixture of water and white vinegar, and wipe the solution away using a clean cloth.
Chewing gum stuck to your carpet? Freeze it!
Stepping on chewing gum on the street and not realizing it until the sticky, gross mess is onto your carpeting is a very common scenario. The secret to removing gum from your carpet is found in your freezer. You have to get a few cubes of ice and press them against the gum for about forty-five seconds. Once the gum has frozen, get a spoon to lift the gum and use scissors to cut the carpet strands as close to the gum as possible.
Greasy spills? Dish soap to the rescue
Greasy spills are some of the most difficult stains to remove from carpets, but fortunately, dish soap is capable of cutting through the grease. Pour a few drops of dish soap into warm water, and mix the solution until the soap dissolves. Pour the solution into a hand-held spray bottle and spray it on the stain. Let it soak for a while. Then, blot the stain using a paper towel or clean cloth. If the stain has been there for a very long time, you might have to repeat this process multiple times.
Hydrogen peroxide removes unsightly blood stains
Imagine that you have spent a lot on carpeting your living room and a freak paper cut results in blood stains on your carpet. Bloodstains on carpets are quite unsightly and you would want to wipe it out as soon as possible. You can use hydrogen peroxide. First, you have to loosen the dried blood stain by using a mild detergent mixed with water. Then, make use of a butter knife to gently scrape off the blood from the fibers. Then, use hydrogen peroxide to get rid of the residual blood. When the solution comes in contact with blood, it will immediately start to fizz and foam. So, do not be surprised.
Use heat to remove wax stains
Burning candles in the house might result in wax dripping onto your carpeting. Wax quickly hardens and gets embedded into the fibers. To remove such stains, you have to bring the wax back to its semi-liquid state by using heat. Place a clean, white cloth over the stain and set iron on top it and hold it for some time or until the wax melts. Use a butter knife to gently scrape off the softened wax.
So, these are a few of the best-kept carpet cleaning secrets. However, it is also recommended that you schedule for carpet deep cleaning frequently as this is one of the procedures to sanitize carpets. Frequent deep cleaning can ensure that your carpet tis free of germs and make it look as good as new. It can prolong their lifespan and allow you to enjoy the carpet for a very long time.
