Why Professional Carpet Cleaning Is Better For Your Home
Most soil trapped in the carpet can be removed by vacuuming. However it is also necessary to clean your carpet professionally on a regular basis to remove the oily, sticky soil that vacuuming alone can not remove. This soil can result from cooking vapors, air pollution, and tracked-in dirt from outside. The particles of oily soil deposited on carpet fibres can cause gradual but significant dulling of colors. The color isn't lost, but is hidden under the film. If this type of soil is allowed to accumulate, it begins to attract and hold the dry soil.
The cleaning chore will be easier and more successful if the carpet is cleaned before it comes too unpleasant. A typical household should be cleaned every six to twelve months, depending on the amount of activity, indoor and outdoor, and the residents.
The cleaning product used also affects the results of the carpet. For example, if the cleaner chooses to use a product that leaves residue, this defeats the whole purpose of carpet cleaning as residue accelerates re-soiling. A cleaner or cleaning company should have the best current knowledge of the proper cleaning products and should help extend the time between cleanings.
Professional or DIY
Using Professional Cleaners will ensure a cleaner and much safer job as their experience enables them to do a better job. Their highly sophisticated equipment has more extraction power than the rental units available to individuals and the carpet should dry quicker. Qualified Professionals also understand the equipment, know the proper cleaning agents for the situation at hand, and recognize the differences in fibers and carpet construction.
Carpet Care
It is possible for your carpet to look good for years, with regular cleaning and routine maintenance. As with everything, the more care you take of your carpet, the longer it will keep its appearance and the longer it will last.
Routine Maintenance aims to prevent the build-up of soil so the cleaning is less frequent.
An easy way to protect your new carpet from dirt and grit is to place a doormat at entrances to a room or even a left over piece of carpet. It is also important to remember that doormats also need to be cleaned regularly as well otherwise they will not prevent the transfer of dirt and grit to your carpet.
Vacuuming
• Vacuum your carpet 3 times a week or at least once a week. Heavy traffic areas should be vacuumed daily.
• When a carpet is first laid, there may be some loose fibres which work their way to the surface. Just vacuum a little more gently and more frequently.
• All vacuum cleaners must be well sustained in order to be effective. Best to use HEPA vacuum cleaner. Filters and dust bags need to be emptied regularly and filters washed or replaced depending upon the type of cleaner.
• Cut pile carpet. An upright vacuum with a beater bar brush is recommended or cylinder vacuums with a turbo head attachment. For loop pile carpets, a suction only cleaner is recommended.
Stain and Spillage
• Always act quickly, the longer the stain is allowed to remain, the more likely it is to damage the carpet.
• Always use a clean cloth, paper towel or tissues. Scrape up solids with a blunt knife. Remove as much excess stain as you can.
• Always work from the outside edge of the stain to inside to keep the stain spreading.
• Keep spill or stain moist with a little water and keep a damp cloth spread over the area until help arrives. Do not put too much water on the carpet.
• Do not use solvent, detergents, turpentine or other solutions on the carpet.
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• Do not try to dry out carpet by applying heat.
If all the carpet has been looked after, it would last much longer and look better at all times.
Follow the basic rules below to keep your carpet at its best condition.
• Vacuum regularly on a weekly basis using a vacuum cleaner with HEPA(high-efficiency particulate) filter and thoroughly remove gritty dirt that can damage the fibres of your carpet.
• Regularly steam cleaning your carpet should be done every 6 -12 months which will extend the life of your carpet and maintain its good appearance.
• Steam clean any spillages on your carpet or rug as soon as possible, preferably the moment that it occurs.
When your carpet or rug reaches a stage to clean, you can either do the job yourself. If you are considering cleaning the carpet or rug yourself make sure you use qualified products for the job. Or you can call us, the professional carpet cleaning company to do the job.
We always use approved carpet cleaning products. If you going to hire a small carpet cleaning machine to do the job, please make sure that you do not use detergents such as dish washing liquids, soaps or other cleaners recommended for general household use. They may cause problems such as rapid re-soiling or other damage to the pile or backing of the carpet.
You can hire a small carpet cleaning machine (these are available from supermarkets), or give us a call, we have bigger and better machines to hire for the same price.
We recommend that It is always best to engage the services of a professional carpet & upholstery cleaning company to do the job.
Other Tips
Entrance or walk-off mats
We highly recommend to use the mats at all outside entrances to the house so this will significantly reduce the rate at which your carpet will soil. The mats should be as large as possible to allow most of the street dirt to be removed from shoes. The mats must be vacuumed every so often.
Carpet protective treatments
Usually carpets come with a protective fibre treatment to reduce problems with staining and soiling. These treatments, while effective in many ways will eventually wear off. Quick response to spills and regular cleaning is highly recommended.
Fibre loss for new carpet
Many carpets after being laid, tend to lose fibre during the first few weeks on the floor. This is a natural phenomenon, which will stop eventually. Just vacuum the carpet a little more often for the first few weeks and there would be no more loss of fibre.
Sprouting
Occasionally tufts may appear above the surface of the carpet. Do not pull them out. Just cut them level with the surrounding tufts using a knife or scissors.
Draught marking
Carpets may show increased soiling around the edges of a room, under doors and near air ducts. This is called draught marking. Again regular cleaning will avoid this happening.
Shading
Pile reversal, also known as shading, is the effect whereby areas of velour or velvet carpet appear to become lighter or darker in color than the surrounding area. It is an optical effect, brought about by localized changes in the direction of which the pile lays and made visible by the way light is reflected off the carpet surface. It is caused by traffic patterns or unevenness in the floor.
Carpet Color
The carpet color will be changed over time for a variety of reasons. Usually due to pile flattening, gradual soiling and slight fading of the dyes used to color the fibres. A regular good professional cleaning will avoid this happening.
FAQ(Frequently Asked Question)
How long until I can walk on the carpet?
After steam cleaning, the carpet will be damp. You can walk on it straight away, but carpet will be dry and safe to walk on in 3 to 4 hours. Keep all the windows and doors open to help carpet dry quicker. Turn on ceiling fan if you have one.
Do I need to vacuum carpet before steam cleaning?
It is a good idea to do so, but with our machine it is not necessary as our machine is very strong and efficient to do both jobs.
What about reoccurring spots & stains?
Some spots may return a day or so after steam cleaning. Most times many professional companies using special equipment and chemicals to remove the spots and stains to avoid this happen
How often should a carpet be cleaned?
Depending upon how many occupants are in the property and the level of usage. Households should be cleaned every 6-12 months in order to keep carpet clean and healthy. Some homeowners said that once the carpet is cleaned, it will re-soil quicker. This is a result of improper cleaning on the part of many cleaning companies. In an effort to cut costs, these companies will buy the cheapest cleaning solutions, will not provide the proper training for their technicians and will not offer a separate rinse step in order to remove detergent residue. If detergent is left in the carpet, accelerated re-soiling will occur.
Foot traffic grinds the soil against the carpet fibers and causes a sandpaper effect. This will cause the fibers to dull and become worn looking.
The best thing you can do is to have them regularly cleaned by a professional carpet cleaning company.
How long can I vacuum the carpet after steam cleaning?
It is better once the carpet is dry.
How long does the carpet cleaning process take?
We are able to clean approximately a 2 bedroom unit or house in one hour. This varies slightly depending upon the amount of soil, how much furniture needs to be moved, specialty spotting procedures, and setup time.
Do you move furniture?
We do not mind moving furniture but it will take more time and there will be additional charges.
What are your payment methods?
Cash, Cheque. Credit cards.
Why should I have my carpets protected?
By spraying your carpet with a non-toxic water based fluorochemical protector i. e. 3M SCOTCHGUARD or Dupont from Telfton would protect your carpet in two very important ways:
1. When you have done this, it puts a protective barrier around each fiber. This barrier resists moisture and dirt. When you do have a spill, it gives you more time to have it cleaned up.
2. Having this protective coating on your carpet helps reduce the wear and abrasion caused by dirt or sand in the carpet. This protects the carpet from excessive matting, and in turn your carpet will last longer and healthier.
Can you guarantee that you will get all my stains out?
No one can Guarantee this for the reasons mentioned below. What I can and do guarantee is that we can give the most thorough clean you've ever had.