Cleaning your carpets is one chore commonly associated with spring cleaning. Spring cleaning is never fun but is necessary. Your carpets should be cleaned at the same regularity. Unfortunately, most carpet owners have their home carpeting cleaned once every few years if that. Little do they know, keeping your carpet clean is not as simple as just removing it stains. Maintaining a regular cleaning schedule for your carpeting can help improve the quality and longevity of your carpet’s performance.
How Often Should Your Carpet Be Cleaned?
Manufacturers recommend having your carpets cleaned at least every 12-18 months. Regular cleaning keeps your carpet looking and performing well while enhancing the longevity. The frequency your carpet cleaning needs depends on the amount of traffic in your home. In fact, frequent cleaning is a condition of most warranties. It is important to important to take the time to read your warranty information carefully to avoid voiding the warranty.
Nylon Carpet
While regular cleaning is essential for all types of carpet, it is crucial for nylon carpeting. Nylon’s primary source of durability is hydrogen molecules within the carpet fibers.
As foot traffic flattens the fibers, cleaning reactivates the hydrogen molecules, causing the threads to bounce back into place. In other words, the cleaning revives the carpet, enhancing its overall performance.
Hot Water Extraction and Steam Cleaning
Most carpet manufacturers recommend the hot water extraction cleaning method. This method is commonly referred to as steam cleaning.
The hot water extraction method works by using a machine to spray warm water on the carpet, and then it sucks it back into the machine. As the hot water is sucked back into the machine, it brings along any dirt or residue that was on the carpet. Often a cleaning solution is added to the water to assist in the removal of stains and dirt.
This method is the most common carpet cleaning method. While this method is commonly referred to as "steam cleaning" it differs significantly from professional steam cleaning serves.
Professional Steam Cleaning
Professional carpet cleaners use either a truck-mounted unit or a portable machine. The portable machines offer a variety of benefits, such as convenience of reaching places a truck-mounted unit could not, like apartment and condo buildings.
Truck-mounted cleaning units are recommended whenever possible for maximum efficiency.
DIY Steam Cleaning
There are a wide variety of do-it-yourself (DIY) steam cleaning machines available to rent or purchase on the market. With such a wide range of tools available, you may be wondering if you should skip the professional services and tackle the job yourself.
A small cleaner may be worth having in your home if your household is prone to spills or accidents that are difficult to clean. For general cleaning of the entire carpeted surface, a professional cleaner is highly recommended.
Risks of DIY
Generally, DIY machines are not as useful or powerful as professional cleaning machines. In most cases, the DIY machines do not heat water to the same high temperatures, resulting in less effective cleaning. These machines also lack the power of professional cleaning machines, meaning they are not capable of extracting as much water, or dirt, from the carpeting.
When done correctly, carpeting should be slightly damp after a thorough cleaning. A wet carpet indicates the machine was not powerful enough to do the job adequately. If your carpet is very wet after you finished cleaning, use fans to help speed the dry time. You should avoid replacing your furniture and walking on the carpet until it is scorched.
Other variables, such as the amount of cleaner added to the machine, or the technique for using the machine (hot fast/slow it is moved across the carpet), present several opportunities for things to go wrong, or not as effective as professional cleaners.
Cost Savings Concerns
If the cost of a professional cleaning service concerns you, consider only having the “traffic areas” cleaned. This means your large pieces of furniture, like the bed, sofa, etc., do not move, and the cleaner works around them. Since the carpeting under large pieces of furniture is not seen, and it is not exposed to the air, light, or traffic the way the rest of the carpet is, it does not require cleaning as often.
If you have a habit of moving your furniture around frequently, it is best to have the entire surface cleaned. Having only the traffic areas cleaned should result in cost savings versus a whole area.
These tips were provided by refreshcarpetclean.com/. Visit them today to check out a great carpet cleaning company.
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