How To Clean Carpet the right way - a Series of four lessons on Miraculous carpet cleaning

Do you know how to clean carpet?   To some people this is common sense.  Why in the world do you need a carpet cleaning service to tell you how to clean carpet.   It's simple as picking up a vacuum cleaner and just using it right?

Well, that depends on what type of carpet you need to clean and how much of a mess you need to clean up.  So as silly at it may sound to question the ways in which and how to actually clean carpet, it's not a common sense thing for everyone in every situation.

In this blog article, we will provide you with a great guide on how to clean carpet and guide you to the right place or right action to keep your carpet fresh and clean!

There are four basic recommendations we have to cleaning your carpet.  Check them out below.

Lesson #1: How to Clean Carpet with The Vacuum the Right Way

Vacuuming your carpet is the first step in ensuring you have a clean carpet.  It's importance for both the appearance and the indoor air environment to keep your carpet vacuumed and kept up to clean fresh standards.

Stains are often a result of left debris on carpet.  Not only can they be unsightly, they can also hold onto allergens and microbial organisms that affect the breathing quality of your home.  Molds and bacteria love a carpet that isn't vacuumed. 

To Vacuum properly there are a few steps you need to take.

1. Pick up anything that is on the carpet that you are going to vacuum. This includes toys, mail papers, and any other objects that are in the way of the vacuum path.  Don't forget to check for blind cording that may be lying on the floor too!  You don't want to ruin your vacuum motor from this simple oversight. Coins and other items and cracks or under furniture should also be picked up.
2. Dust first.  Dust your baseboards, furniture and any horizontal surfaces in your home.  You can dust both before and after vacuuming if needed. Some carpet cleaning vacuums come with HEPA filters so dusting afterwards is not necessary.  
3. Use the vacuum attachments to reach all of the hard to clean areas.  This includes the edges of the carpet near doorways and baseboards. Don't skip this important step because this is often where dust and debris will collect over time.  Be sure to use the extension want to also be underneath larger furniture such as couches, arm chairs and bed sets. 
4. Once you have completed the small areas and hard to reach areas of your carpet cleaning process, it's time to vacuum with the main device.  Vacuum the entire room one way back and forth, then repeat that process vacuuming perpendicular to your first run through.  This means if you vacuum north to south the first time, you will vacuum east to west the next.   This process helps to ensure that the fibers are accessed from all directions when you are cleaning your carpets.
5. Perhaps the most pertinent step in the whole "how to clean you carpet" lesson is this: CLEAN REGULARLY.    Vacuuming at least once a week is just fine for one person, but if you have a whole household of people, it is recommended to vacuum more frequently. As a general rule,  you should vacuum at least once per person or pet in your home according to wikiHow .com and we tend to agree! 

Lesson #2: How to Clean Carpet Using The Spot Clean Technique

Become a spot cleaning carpet expert!  Just because you make a mess in a small area of your carpet, it does not warrant cleaning the entire household of flooring.   The quickest way to spot clean is to use a rag or cloth. Make sure the fabric is white so that you can determine when the stain is fully removed.  Do not use paper towels for the actual scrubbing during this process or you will end up with a bigger mess within the fibers of the carpet.   Another concern with colored rags is that some can actually stain your carpet further and that would not be good!

Here are the steps to spot cleaning your carpet:

1. Use your rag or cloth to blot up the bulk of the cloth.  You can also use paper towel for this step but be cautious not to rub back and forth.   
2. After blotting, use the cloth and the proper carpet cleaning fluid.  There are many available carpet cleaning sprays and fluids on the market.  Just be sure to read the instructions and use them properly to prevent damage to your carpet.   If the stains are from body fluids or of an organic nature, be sure to pick a proper carpet spray. for that. If the area is small and is stain with fresh blood, using cold water and hydrogen peroxide might do the trick.  Hydrogen Peroxide will react with the hemoglobin in the blood and help you soak up the mess.  Be sure to use and enzyme-based detergent when blotting and cleaning up stains that are organic. 
3. TEST your carpet first.   As already mentioned, not all cleaners are alike and if you are unsure of the color fastness of your carpet or rug, you must test a small inconspicuous area with the spray you intend to use first.  Do not test on the stain as this might spread it and make things worse.  Try a small area of carpet that is hidden in a closet or a scrap that you may have from the initial installation of the carpet.  Once you know the reaction of the spray to the carpet, determine if you can use it on your stained area.
4. When ready, dab the area of the blotted up stain with a white cloth or rag.  Only use enough solution to do the job.  In this case, more carpet spray isn't the answer.  If you use too much and do not blot up the spray properly this will create a sticky place in your carpet that will attract future dirt and debris.  Try to avoid harsh scrubbing so that the stain is not driven further into the fibers.
5. Give your carpet a good rinse. Again, using a fresh clean white cloth, soak up any spray and stain with your cloth. You may need to do this several times before the carpet stain subsides.  Try not to soak the carpet with your spray because you do not want the carpet pad to become contaminated.  Allow the area to dry after blotting up as much of the mess that you can.  Then, when dry you can vacuum to fluff the fibers. 

Lesson #3: How to Clean Carpet with Carpet Shampoo

If you had made it through the How to Clean Carpet lesson #1 and #2 and you still have not resolved your stain issue, it's time to consider carpet shampoo.

Shampooing your carpet is when you purchase, rent or pay a carpet shampooer to be used in your home.  When is comes to carpet shampooing, we of course recommend Miraculous Carpet Care.  Our materials are kept up and have a more powerful extraction than that which you can rent or buy for use in your home.  In addition, our carpet shampoo process comes with a carpet cleaning service technician with many years of priceless experience to ensure that your mess is not exacerbated when the carpets are cleaned.

Still, we find it educational to let you know of your own carpet shampoo option.  Below are the steps to shampooing your own carpets.   If you choose to skip this step altogether and want us to help you, then by all means pick up the phone and give us a call.  We'd be delighted to help you with your carpet conundrum.  Call 615-905-6292

Below are the steps to Shampooing  or Steam Cleaning your Carpet:

1. Pick up all things on the floor, and be sure you follow Lesson #1 and #2.  Then, remove all furniture that you can.  Leave the heavy and bulky stuff if you need to but be sure to protect the footing with plastic.  You can use old shopping bags, sandwich bags, aluminum foil and a variety of other flexible and waterproof covering. Do not skip this step as it protects the furniture item itself from moisture and protects any stains from bleeding onto the carpet from the furniture legs.
2. BE SURE that the carpet or rug is vacuumed thoroughly.  Bits of debris and dust can clog your carpet shampoo machine and make your own clean up disastrous.  
3. Rent or purchase (Or hire us!) your carpet shampoo machine.  You can find carpet shampoo rentals at larger retails stores such as Lowe's and Home Depot.  You can also find them in smaller rental and specialty hardware shops or even moving shops!  If you rent the cleaner, be sure to prepare your home first so that you don't have to pay for time unused with the machine.  Most cleaners will have specific instructions and chemicals to use with them. Be sure to ask your salesperson and to read the instructions to ensure proper use. Also, if you rent realize that the time you need to clean the room or house will be longer than had you hired a professional carpet cleaning company. (hint...hint..)
4. Plan how you will shampoo the rug. The last thing you want to do is have to walk over your freshly shampooed carpet because you didn't plan how you were going to shampoo before you started.  Be careful that you don't trap yourself into a closet, bathroom or corner.  Plan to shampoo your carpet in such a way that you do not walk onto the newly shampooed carpet until it is completely dry.  
5. Follow any directions with your shampooer.  Be sure that you only put in the type and amount of soap instructed otherwise you can end up with a sticky soapy carpet nightmare. Trust us, it's not worth the time or cost to fix such a mistake.  Know the steps and the process before you start.
6. Wear clean socks or go barefoot once your ready to clean.  You can buy specialty booties that they use in operating rooms too but it is not necessary.  If you go barefoot, make sure that chemicals that you are using are safe for skin contact.
7. Most vacuums will have you spray with the wand and extract while retracting the wand.  Be sure not to go too fast and allow the wand to extract the water as much as possible.  You want to get up as much water as possible during this process to lessen drying time and to prevent damage to the pad or flooring below the carpet.   As with carpet spot treatment, more is not necessarily better.  Take your time.
8. Ventilate and allow the area that was shampooed to dry.  This may take a day or two depending on the humidity and the air flow of the room you have just cleaned.  With our professional carpet cleaning services in Franklin, it generally takes about two hours. Open windows if it's dry outside and use a combination of fans and dryers if you've done it on your own or put too much water down.  You can use dehumidifiers too!
9. Once the carpet is completely dry, remove the plastic from the bottom of the furniture and other bulky items.  You may choose to do another shampoo back to back and that is fine. In this case, leave the plastic and repeat steps #1-#8 again and then remove plastic.  If the area is a high traffic area, it is not a bad idea to shampoo the area twice for a uniform consistency in the after shampooed look.  Remember, you can always hire a professional to do the job! We are ready when you are.  Here's our number: 615-905-6292
10. Spray carpet stain protector if desired. When we come to clean your carpet, we always offer our carpet stain protector treatment.  Be sure to ask us about it!  We often times will offer it at a discounted rate with a carpet cleaning service. 

Lesson #4 How to Clean Carpet Using the Preventative Method

Although this carpet cleaning method doesn't help us as a carpet cleaning company to make money, this is by far our favorite step!

Why?

Because if you can keep your carpets clean, then when you do need us, this makes our job so much better.  Your carpets will stay in tip top shape and you will have a longer living carpet and a better investment in your home!  We like it when our clients take care of themselves and we are just needed as an extra little boost!  

Here are some idea to help prevent carpet soiling messes in the first place:

1. Designate a specific eating and/or creation making space.  Allowing foods in all spaces of a home, opens up all the flooring to bigger potential stains and messes.  If you specify and reinforce a space for the more messy events of living, you protect other areas of your home so that if there is an accident, it is less costly.  You will ideally have less to have to replace or deep clean.
2. Have guests and residents remove their footwear before entering a carpeted area.  It is customary in some countries to do this and it is a great practice to keep from tracking in dirt and debris into the home.  Designate a place where people can comfortable take off their shoes and enter your home.  Make is fun part of the ritural of entering your home and everyone will be more happy and likely to comply!
3. Train your pets, such as dogs and cats, to use a proper area for excretion.  Consider placement as well.  Litter boxes are better on areas that are laminated or sealed rather than on a carpeted area.  If you have no option than carpet, then purchase a small area mat to protect the carpet.
4. If you do have a mess or accident, clean it up immediately. the longer a mess is left, the more likely a stain may set in and be more difficult to remove.  Remember to dab stained items rather then scrub them to keep the area of the stain at a minimum.  

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