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Carpet cleaning secrets

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Secrets

If you're a homeowner, then you are probably quite proud of your home. Keeping it clean and fresh is probably top of your priority list, even if its not always possible! Despite your best efforts at cleanliness though, it is inevitable that your carpet will eventually become the victim of drops, spills, accidents, and whatever's on the bottom of your shoes. Read on to find out about our top carpet cleaning tips.

Blot stains, don't rub them

If you have a drop or a spill on your carpet, don't panic. You should dab stains with a cleaning solution and a clean cloth, paper towels, or a sponge. Blotting is key to the removal of a stain. Blotting puts a small amount of pressure on the stain to soak it up rather than move it around. Rubbing at a stain in your carpet causes the particles to get ground into the carpet fibres, and this can lead to the premature breakdown of your carpet fibres, leaving it looking old before its time. Always blot from the outside of the stain inward, as blotting outward can spread the stain. Try not to soak the carpet as you blot it.

Grease stains

Grease stains are tricky. One of the best methods against difficult-to-clean grease stains is to use a drop or two of dishwashing liquid in a cup of water. This will cut through the grease in the carpet in the same way that it does on your dishes. Place the mixed solution in a spray bottle and spray it on the stain, then blot the stain in the same way as above. You may need to do this multiple times for larger stains and again, be careful not to soak the carpet.

Freeze chewing gum

We have all been there. You step in chewing gum out on the street but don't realise it until you tracked that gross, sticky mess onto your carpet. To remove the chewing gum from your carpet, get yourself some ice cubes. Freeze the chewing gum with ice cubes for about 30 seconds. Once the gum is frozen solid, use a spoon to lift up the glob and cut the strands of carpet attached to the chewing gum as close as possible to avoid leaving a hole in the pile. The less carpet you have to remove, the less noticeable the end result will be.

Heat dropped wax

Burning candles are a nice, relaxing touch to the home. Hot wax however can result in this wax dripping onto the carpet, where it quickly dries to a solid and gets embedded within the fibres. The best way to remove this wax is to heat it back up so it becomes liquid. Do not be tempted to rub it or apply water to the carpet in order to remove it instantly as this will only allow the wax to penetrate further into the fibres of the carpet. You could use ice cubes to cool the wax down quicker but make sure you place the ice cubes in a bag to avoid adding moisture to the wax. Once the wax is dry, try to remove as much loose wax as possible. Next, place a white cloth over the wax, then put the iron on top of the wax to warm it up. Use a white cloth as opposed to a coloured one to avoid the transfer of colour to the carpet. As it warms up, the wax should transfer to the cloth. Don't use the iron for more than 30 seconds at any time or you risk burning the carpet and making the issue worse.

Pet accidents

Training pets can be tough on your carpets but even well-trained pets can have an accident from time to time. Blot the stain as quickly as possible to soak up excess liquid. Multiple layers of kitchen towel with a weight on top work well. If the spot isn't fresh, you may have to work out of the stain further as the liquid would probably have travelled in the pile further than you can see. Once you have soaked up as much of the spot as you can, re-wet the spot with water. Next, apply an enzyme cleaner over the area. Using an enzymatic cleaner is the best way to help break down the proteins left over from the urine, removing the smell as well as the impulse for the pet to urinate in the same spot again. Follow the instructions on the bottle through to completion.

As with all of our advice, these should be used as a guide. We do not accept any responsibility for the outcome of using the above information. Use at your own discretion. Ultimately, there is no replacement for professional deep carpet cleaning. If you have unwanted stains, odours and grime in your household carpets contact Xtraclean today for a superior result.