As the evenings draw in and the temperature drops, most of us will want to stay in for cosy nights inside, in front of the fire, curled up with a blanket and a mug of hot cocoa.
When you spend more time in your home you start to notice areas that could do with a bit more of a deep clean. This is particularly true of our carpets.
In the UK it is not uncommon for people to keep their outdoor shoes on inside their home, even in the winter months. With a drop in temperature, snow, and wet and icy conditions, our homes can bear the brunt. Each time someone steps through the door into your hallway, their shoes will carry in with them dirt, and germs and create wet dirty puddles on your floor.
While it may not be on the top of our to-do lists, without proper maintenance our carpets can be ruined. There are some simple steps you can take to protect your carpets.
In this blog, we will look into the techniques of carpet cleaning as well as give insight on how to keep your carpet clean all year round.
Carpet challenges
We will all have seen the weather reports on TV, where the snow is falling, it’s dark and icy, and the salt and grit spreaders are out on our roads. Whilst this keeps the roads up and running, it’s not good news for inside the home and it’s not good news for our carpets.
In the winter months, when de-icing salt and grit from the pavements is trodden inside, and off of our shoes, there’s a risk that our carpets can develop white streaks running across the surface. This salt and grit can also become embedded within the carpet fibre and start to impact its overall appearance.
But it’s not only salt and grit that are the culprits. With the increase we’ve seen in wet weather here in the UK, our carpets are at risk of retaining the moisture trodden in, which can lead to mould and germs, if not properly maintained.
Vacuuming tips
The first line of defence, as well as asking our family and guests to remove their shoes, is to vacuum more regularly. This must be considered. Especially with the increased likelihood of salt and grit deposits. Tackled quickly and you can avoid most of the risk of streaky carpets. It’s important to remove all surface dirt and prevent it from settling by using a powerful and high-quality vacuum cleaner with adjustable settings for various carpet types.
Typically it’s best to start vacuuming at the part of the room that’s farthest from the entrance. Work backwards, starting from left to right, making sure you cover each section twice, as once won’t always pick up all the dirt and debris from the floor. Use attachments for the edges of the room where dust and dirt can accumulate.
Spot cleaning
As you’re vacuuming and you see marks on your carpet, don’t be alarmed. If there are only a few you won’t need to automatically get the carpet cleaner out. It’s possible to spot clean any marks with the appropriate product. There are all sorts of different spot cleaners on the market, including ones for pet stains. You could also look up how to make a natural cleaner that is often equally effective. Apply your product with a lint-free, damp cloth and let it sit overnight, then vacuum again and dab it with a damp clean cloth if there is any residue left. For shop-bought chemical products follow their instructions.
Deep cleaning
Sometimes it’s not enough just to vacuum and spot clean your carpet. To keep your carpet completely clean and remove embedded dirt and allergens a deep clean is needed. A deep clean will get to the carpet fibres and wash them and get rid of any bacteria too, as well as get rid of those harder-to-shift stains which will make your carpet look like new. There are a couple of options available to you for carpet cleaning. They are steam cleaning and hiring a professional carpet cleaning machine.
A carpet cleaning machine will give the most efficient result. You don’t necessarily need to use their chemicals to clean your carpet if you don’t want to. It’s possible to make your own, and several sources can help you with that. Essentially though, you will need to fill the carpet cleaner with the right quantity of product, checking their instructions before you do so. You can use the cleaner as you would a vacuum cleaner, but before starting make sure you’ve vacuumed the floor well and moved as much of the furniture out of the room as possible. It can take several hours to dry so you will need to plan around using the room you’ve cleaned. Steam cleaning is a good way to give your carpet a refresh and surface level clean, but it isn’t as thorough as using a carpet cleaner.
Again you will need to make sure you are following the manufacturer’s instructions, but you will need to fill up the water reservoir with water and any cleaning solution that the manufacturer recommends, or again make your own. But if you are making your own it would be sensible to try an off-cut carpet if you have one beforehand to see how effective it is.
Moisture prevention
With people walking inside with wet shoes and wet clothes, moisture can build up on our carpets. Too much can create the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. You might want to consider using a dehumidifier if it becomes a particular problem, but also ensure the house is heated regularly so the carpets have the opportunity to dry out. It’s not just too much moisture that can encourage mould growth, dirt build-up can, so it’s advisable to carpet clean your hallway, where people walk in from outside, annually to lessen the chance of mould growing.
Regular maintenance
Regular carpet maintenance will help to ensure that you can keep your carpets clean and lasting longer. Maybe schedule an annual carpet clean in the spring, or regularly use your carpet cleaner and make sure you’re vacuuming your carpets once a week to keep things manageable.
Please do get in touch to let us know how we can help and also if you require support with your commercial cleaning needs. We’re here to help, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
