How Can I Protect My Carpet?

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carpet care

This post is the third and final installment in a series on implementing a carpet maintenance program for your home or business. In Part 1, we talked about vacuuming frequency. Part 2 discussed how often you should get your carpets professionally cleaned. In this post, we’ll take a look at some easy ways to protect your carpet and mistakes to avoid to prolong your carpet’s life and to increase your enjoyment of it.

What can I do to protect my carpet? This is a question we hear from customers all the time. Luckily, there are several simple things you can do to keep your carpet clean, lush and beautiful for years to come. Below is a list of do’s and don’ts that will help you maintain your carpets, whether in a home or workplace setting.

DO:

  • Provide welcome or “walk-off” mats at ground level entry areas to catch and contain dust and soil tracked in from outside.
  • Clean these mats regularly.
  • (In residences) Ask family members and guests to remove shoes at the door.
  • Implement a regular vacuuming schedule (read our post on vacuuming frequency to decide how often you should vacuum.)
  • Vacuum room edges and under furniture every second or third time you vacuum.
  • Brush and bathe pets regularly to reduce hair, dander and dirt from being absorbed by your carpets.
  • Avoid eating juicy or sticky foods in carpeted rooms.
  • Serve children beverages in cups with tight-fitting lids.
  • Act fast to remove a stain. The longer you wait, the more opportunity the stain has to set in the fibers and absorb into the carpet padding. This can lead to odor and mold growth.
  • Keep a small remnant of your carpet for testing new spot cleaners or other cleaning solutions before using on the installed carpet. Some cleaners can damage the color or texture of certain carpets.
  • Have your carpet professionally cleaned periodically. (Read our post on carpet cleaning frequency to decide how often.)

DON’T

  • Vigorously scrub a carpet stain. It is ineffective and will push the stain further down into the carpet, while fraying the carpet fibers. Blot instead.
  • Use the wrong cleaning product. To avoid permanent damage or discoloration, thoroughly read the manufacturer’s instructions on the product’s label to ensure compatibility.
  • Use deodorant powders incorrectly. Deodorizing powders can leave gunky residue on your carpet, which can become more and more noticeable over time with repeated use. Remember, deodorants are not a substitution for professional cleaning!
  • Use too much cleaner. Oversaturating your carpet with cleaning solution can lead to permanent damage and can allow dirt-attracting residue to build up. Check the label on the product to determine how much to use.
  • Rent faulty carpet cleaning equipment. Rental equipment is frequently damaged and unfortunately, it is often not maintained properly. Sometimes rental machines can do more harm than good.

With a little bit of knowledge and planning, you can get the most out of your carpet for many years to come! We hope you found this series of blog posts helpful and informative. If you live in western North Carolina and want to discuss one-time or regularly scheduled carpet cleaning for your home or business, give us a call at (828) 772-1824.

How Often Should I Have My Carpets Cleaned?

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asheville, how often should i have my carpet cleaned

This post is Part 2 in an informational series on carpet maintenance. In the first post, “How Often Should I Vacuum?”, we discussed the reasons for regular vacuuming and considerations on determining how frequently to vacuum. Today, we’ll talk about professional carpet cleaning.

“How often should I have my carpet cleaned?” This is probably one of our most commonly asked questions. And it’s not a simple one to answer. Just as with vacuuming (or really any home or office maintenance regimen, for that matter), the answer will vary from place to place and person to person. But there are a few factors to consider that should help you plan an effective cleaning schedule for your home or business.

Most people don’t think about getting their carpet cleaned unless it is visibly dirty or has noticeable odors. But even if your carpet doesn’t exhibit any stains or odors, it is still important to have it cleaned periodically in order to protect the health of your home’s inhabitants or your business’ employees and customers.

As we discussed last week, carpet absorbs and traps pollutants over time. Some of these, like dust, pollen and fungi, are pretty easily combated with regular vacuuming. But others, like bacteria, viruses, chemicals and pesticides require professional cleaning to extract.

Here are some factors to consider when implementing a cleaning schedule for your home or place of business:

  1. Family residences and office buildings should stick to a regular cleaning schedule of every six to twelve months for the higher traffic areas. Lower traffic areas such as guest bedrooms or conference rooms may need less frequent cleaning.
  2. Restaurants and nursing homes should have carpets cleaned more frequently in order to maintain a healthy environment. Monthly cleaning is recommended.
  3. Schools should have carpets cleaned on an every three to six month schedule.
  4. Day Care Centers: Young children are built low to the ground and attract a lot more dirt and dust than adults, as well as bacteria and viruses. They are also much more susceptible to contagious diseases and respiratory problems due to poor air quality. Therefore, it is recommended that daycare centers have carpet cleaning done weekly.
  5. Special Circumstances: If the humidity is high in your area, or if you live in a place with a lot of dust, you may want to consider more frequent cleaning. Same goes for homes with pets. Ground floor rooms will require more frequent cleaning than upstairs rooms. Schools, nursing homes, medical facilities and daycare centers will want to commit to rigorous weekly cleaning when dealing with epidemic disease.

Hopefully, this brief guide will help you make informed decisions when implementing a carpet cleaning schedule. Be sure to check out our next installment in this series, “What Can I Do to Protect My Carpet?” in two weeks.