When it comes to keeping your carpets and upholstery clean, regular professional cleaning is essential. But in order to keep your soft furnishings looking their best between visits from the professionals, there are a few easy steps you can take. In this guide, we’ll look at the most effective methods for maintaining clean carpets and upholstered furniture. We’ll explain how you should approach spills and suggest other tips that will help to make sure that your carpets and upholstery stay looking as good as new.
1. Professional Cleaning
Having carpets and upholstery professionally cleaned is the best way to ensure that they remain clean and in good condition. Professional cleaners use specialized tools and cleaning solutions that are designed to remove all dirt, surface stains, dust, and allergens while preserving the beauty of your fabrics.
Generally speaking, professional carpet cleaning should be done every 12-18 months or as recommended by the manufacturer of your carpets or upholstery. Professional cleaning can help extend the life of your furnishing fabrics, improve the air quality in your home, and improve both appearance and comfort levels.
To maintain the appearance of your carpets and upholstery in between professional cleanings, there are several steps you can take. It’s important to vacuum your carpets at least once a week using a high-quality vacuum cleaner to remove any dirt and debris that can accumulate over time. For spills or stains, it’s best to tackle them immediately by spot cleaning.
After treating the spot, rinse it with warm water to prevent any streaking. Another helpful tip is to use protective pads under furniture legs to avoid damaging the fabric. Regularly rotating furniture can also help prevent uneven wear patterns from forming.
Finally, it’s important to schedule professional cleanings for your carpets and upholstered furniture every 12-18 months or as recommended by the manufacturer to ensure that they stay in good condition over time.
2. Vacuuming
Regular and thorough vacuuming can help extend the life of your carpets and upholstery. A vacuum is designed to go beyond the surface, deep down into the carpet fibers, to remove dust and other debris that may build up over time. Coarse particles from pet hair, as well as food waste, can easily become ingrained in the material of your carpets and upholstery and regular vacuuming can help you maintain them.
When vacuuming carpets or furniture, make sure to use a high-quality vacuum cleaner with adjustable settings for different floor types. Aim for at least twice weekly vacuuming for best results. For a more thorough clean, consider investing in a carpet and fabric steam cleaner which works to penetrate deep down into the synthetic fabrics of your rugs and furniture as opposed to vacuums that only remove surface dirt.
3. Spot Cleaning
One of the best ways to keep carpets and upholstery looking new between professional cleanings is to spot clean when necessary. Spot cleaning refers to more localized cleaning mainly involving spills and small spots. Immediately after a fall, blot the affected area with a paper towel or a soft cloth. Avoid scrubbing as this will only spread the substance further into the fabric or carpet fibers.
Once the spot has been blotted, a general-purpose cleaner may be used to address any residue left behind in the fabric or carpet fibers. Take precautions when using any cleaner on an item to ensure that it won’t detract from the color or texture of whatever you are attempting to clean. When in doubt, patch test an inconspicuous part of carpet or upholstery before treating all surfaces in order to prevent permanent damage caused by any cleaners or detergents used during the cleaning processes.
Consider using specialized products that are created for use on upholstery and carpets specifically before using household cleaners.
4. Shampooing
Shampooing is a type of cleaning that involves applying a special cleaning solution, often in foam or liquefied form, to carpets and upholstery and then scrubbing the material with a brush. This type of deep cleaning process is often seen as one of the most effective ways to clean your home’s carpets and upholstered materials, as it cleans deeper into the fibers than just vacuuming alone.
Professional carpet cleaners often use special shampoos that are formulated to be gentle on fabric yet still provide deep cleansing action; it is possible to do some DIY shampooing at home but it should never be done without first researching the proper techniques for this type of cleaning. Additionally, you might want to purchase special upholstery shampoo that is designed specifically for your particular furniture if you don’t want to use an all-purpose cleaner. Whatever product you choose, read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
Shampooing should be done regularly, depending on the amount of traffic in your household, since built-up dirt can cause premature wear on carpets and furniture fabric over time.
5. Steam Cleaning
Steam cleaning is a popular method for cleaning carpets and upholstered furniture between professional cleanings. Steam is a powerful natural sanitizer and can safely penetrate deep into fabrics to dissolve dirt, stains, and other grime.
When steam cleaning your carpets and upholstery, make sure to pre-treat any heavily soiled areas with a specialty fabric cleaner or stain remover before using the steam cleaner.
It involves the application of hot water or steam infused with detergent onto the fabric’s surface. The steam will dissolve dirt and particles lodged in the fabric by heating them up and allowing them to break down into smaller molecules that can easily be extracted from the fibers. The steam also sanitizes fabrics as it eliminates bacteria, allergens, and mold that can accumulate over time.
For best results, make sure to follow instructions for your specific steam cleaner carefully as some fabrics may not be suitable for this method of cleaning. Follow-up rinsing is also important in order to remove residual detergent from the carpet or furniture fibers after steaming them clean.
Conclusion
Regular professional carpet and upholstery cleaning is a great way to keep your home looking and smelling its best. However, to get the most out of your investment, it’s important to stay on top of regular maintenance between cleans. Allowing more time between each clean can result in more dirt and allergens building up in fibers, as well as staining or discoloring carpets and furniture.
Taking simple steps such as vacuuming regularly, promptly dealing with spills and stains, and addressing pet accidents will help to minimize further damage and protect your investment. So, take the initiative, protect your carpets and upholstery, and get the most life out of them!
