Carpet Cleaning
4 Carpet Cleaning Mistakes You Have To Avoid
Feb
Written by Clint Thorpe
So, you’ve been looking at your carpet for some time and it is time to make the call on “What’s next?”. The last “professional” cleaning team charged you an arm and the results were a little underwhelming. To make matters worse, your carpets were only clean for a couple of weeks before you started noticing stains appearing in random spots. These are some of the calls we have taken over the last week and if this resonates with you, then maybe it is time to rent a machine and do the cleaning yourself with our professional-grade machines and detergents. The process isn’t difficult, and you have the added benefit of using the best quality products to protect one of the biggest assets in your home.
Deep carpet and upholstery cleaning extends the life of your carpet or upholstery and improves the indoor air quality. This reduces allergies and illness caused by contaminants living in the pile of your carpet or upholstery.
Now that you have decided to do it yourself, make sure you don’t fall prey to one of these common mistakes:
- Vacuum thoroughly
- Over shampooing
- Over-wetting
- Failing to protect the wet carpet from furniture
Vacuum Thoroughly
This is the most important step in the pre-treatment process. Make sure you vacuum the area thoroughly. 15 minutes of vacuuming is the standard as this can remove up to 83% of loose particles in the carpet pile.
This will have a significant effect on the results once you have done your deep cleaning.
Pro Tip
Make sure you have a vacuum cleaner that suits your needs.
Whether you are an allergy sufferer, pet owner, parent or space conscious, there is a machine perfectly suited to your needs.
Over Shampooing
This occurs when the directions on the cleaning product being used are not followed correctly. Less is more when it comes to dilutions. The heavier the solution is with detergent the quicker your carpet and upholstery will attract dirt. It is also highly likely that other products are still present in the pile of fabric from previous attempts to clean messes on your carpets or upholstery. The residue left on the carpet pile will act as a magnet and attract dirt
leaving you with dirty-looking carpets. You must use a machine with adequate capabilities to remove the detergent mix from your carpets or upholstery.
Pro Tip
Follow the dilution instructions on the bottle. If you intend using a cleaning service, ensure the are reputable and use SABS approved detergents to ensure your carpets are being cared for.
Over-Wetting
Over-wetting the carpet is not going to make them cleaner. If anything, over-wetting can damage the carpet. Discolouration is common with over-wetting as the under carpet cushioning gets wet and released dyes that are in the materials used. Over-wetting also runs the added risk of causing mould and mildew issues.
Pro Tip
Spray extraction cleaning is the preferred method for deep cleaning carpets. Ensure you use the machine correctly to keep your carpets from being over-wet.
Failing To Protect The wet Carpet
Prepare the area you are cleaning properly before you start. Move furniture out the way so you can get to all the areas. If your furniture has wood or metal feet, consider wrapping them to prevent them from coming into contact with the wet carpet. An open window, fan, or any source that can generate airflow will assist greatly with the drying time after cleaning.
Pro Tip
Airflow significantly improves drying time. Open windows, turn on
your fan. This will help improve drying time so you can start
enjoying your fresh, clean carpet.