Regular, professional carpet cleaning services are essential to maintaining the longevity of your carpet. In between regular cleanings, we recommend following these 5 tips to keep your carpets looking fresh and clean!
Proper Way to Vacuum Carpet
Vacuuming your in-home carpet seems simple enough, but there are some proper techniques that can make this weekly chore more effective:
Dust First – dusting before vacuuming ensures that you are removing as much dust and dirt from your home as possible. When you dust after vacuuming, you are reintroducing a layer of soil onto your carpets.
Adjust the Height Setting – if your vacuum comes with a flooring height setting, use it! When you move from bare floors to high pile carpet, make sure you are adjusting your vacuum accordingly. Some vacuums will do this automatically, so if you do not have this setting, don’t worry!
Vacuum in Both Directions – most of us make one pass at the carpet and move on to the next room. When you vacuum in one direction, you are leaving behind unwanted dirt and dust at the base of your carpet. By vacuuming in two directions (north to south and east to west), you ensure that you are getting as much out of the carpet as possible.
How to Implement a No Shoes Rule in the House
Establishing a “no shoes” rule in your home is easier said than done, but the benefits are invaluable. Your shoes pick up petroleum (and who knows what else) from the street and sidewalk as you go about your day. By implementing a “no shoes” policy in your home, you are leaving these problems at the door – literally!
Why Cleaning Pet (and child) Messes Right Away is Important
Even the best trained dogs, cats (and children!) have accidents on the carpet. Stay calm, and follow these tips for cleaning pet messes until a professional carpet cleaner can take care of the issues for you:
- For wet stains, blot area with towel or paper towel. Do not rub the stain. For dry stains, remove the “accident” from the carpet.
- Apply an enzyme pet stain cleaner (like Nature’s Miracle) to the affected area. The bioenzyme will help treat the odor and stain. DO NOT apply oxidizing cleaning products (like OxiClean or Resolve), or baking soda and vinegar – these can set the stain and bleach the carpet where it is applied.
- Blot again.
- Vacuum if needed.
- For severe stains you may want to consult a professional carpet care professional like Gallagher’s Rug and Carpet Care.
How Scotchgard Helps Keep Your Carpet Cleaner
Did you know that most new carpet comes with stain protection already added? When you have your carpets cleaned for the first time, this protection is removed from your carpet. In order to keep your carpet looking beautiful, we highly recommend re-applying Scotchgard. Not only does this product protect your carpets from stains, it also creates a barrier against dry particulates and shields your carpet fibers from wear.
Carpet manufacturers recommend having your carpets cleaned every 12-18 months. What you do in the meantime is just as important as the regular cleanings themselves!
When the time does come to have your carpets deep cleaned, call Gallagher’s Rug & Carpet Care at (503) 477-4097. We can take care of your rugs and upholstery too!
