Carpet Care Guidelines | San Jose CA
You may have invested a good deal of money into your carpet. Whether you have or not, you want it to look its best and last as long as possible. Following these steps can really aid in keeping up the life and look of your carpet.
1. Vacuuming
2. Place Mats in the entrances
3. Clean up spills immediately
4. Groom your carpets
5. Have your carpets cleaned professionally
6. Have your carpets retreated with a carpet protectant
Vacuuming is the most important thing to do to keep your carpets looking and smelling great.
Regular vacuuming can help your carpets to last for years. Carpets should be vacuumed at least 1-2 times a week. If you have pets and/or children, the carpets may need to be vacuumed more often. Make sure that when you vacuum, you move over the carpet with slow, even strokes. This will allow the brush and suction of your vacuum to operate to their fullest power. If you rush over the carpet, and move the vacuum haphazardly across its surface you may miss places entirely or only the surface dirt will be sucked up as the vacuum skims the surface. While dirt and stains may be obvious, other contaminants such as bacteria, pet dander, dust and soil are not as obvious. This debris can be ground into the pile of your carpet over time, damaging the fiber and creating a breeding ground for bacteria.
Place mats in the entrances to the home. This can help reduce the amount of dirt that is tracked inside onto the carpet.
Every entry into the house that is used should have an outside mat that is rough enough to remove mud and other debris and soil and the inside mat that is absorbent can remove any moisture. The inside mat should be heavy enough to lay flat and have a rubberized back to prevent creeping. These mats should be small and light enough to be able to be washed in your home washing machine and should be cleaned regularly. Right off kitchens to prevent cooking oils and food-stuffs from being tracked into the carpeted area of your home.
Clean up spills immediately after they happen. The best chance of getting out stains lie in the first 48 hours of its occurrence.
Most spills can be removed if attended to quickly. The longer a spill stays on the carpet, the greater the chance that damage will take place. Keep a quality general spotter on hand and preferably have a multi part professional spotting kit to cover most spills. You can try to get the stain out yourself but if you are unsuccessful, be sure to call us right away.
Groom your carpets. Yes, your carpets need to be brushed just like your hair to ensure optimum health.
What it does is to pull up or lift the tufts of fibers and make them stand on end. The helps to control matting and crushing, and allows your vacuum cleaner to reach down and get the sand and grit in the base of your carpeting. It has been estimated that grooming prior to vacuuming increases loose soil removal by 23%.
Have your carpets cleaned by a carpet care professional.
Cleaning your carpets regularly can actually save you money. Instead of replacement, regular cleanings can keep your carpets looking good for years to come. Under normal conditions (no smoking, no pets, and a low dust locale), you should have your carpet deep cleaned at least once each year. If you have allergies, children with allergies, pets, or all of the above, cleaning your carpet at least 3 times annually is recommended. Some carpet warranties require that you have your carpets cleaned professionally or the warranty is void. The more regularly you clean your carpets, the less dirt and pet dander will be ground into the base of the carpet and the longer it will last you.
Have your carpets retreated with a carpet protectant regularly after a through, deep cleaning. Apply stain and soil resistant products such as Scotchguard or Dupont Teflon.
Although you may have purchased your carpet new with some type of soil or stain resistant treatment, all topical treatments like these loose effectiveness over time through wear and in the cleaning process. Once the carpet protectant wears off, the carpet fibers are easily damaged. Just like when you purchase a new car there is a protectant applied to protect the paint from scratches but in order to maintain that shine a protectant needs to be reapplied after washing. The only way to insure the highest level of protection for your carpet is to retreat after each cleaning.