There’s no better feeling than looking at your brand-new carpeting, so fresh, vibrant, and clean.
The goal is to keep it looking that way by cleaning and maintaining it per the manufacturer’s instructions and recommendations.
Cleaning & Maintenance Tips: Keep That Carpet Looking Like New
The following carpet cleaning and maintenance tips are all you need to keep your carpets looking brand new for many years to come.
1. Choose the Best Carpet For the Location & Lifestyle
If you haven’t selected your carpet yet, that’s great. Maintaining your carpet begins by choosing the right type for the location and your lifestyle.
For example, if you choose a high-profile, luxurious, shag carpet for hallways or a family room frequented by children and pets, it will be harder to clean and maintain than if you choose a family- or pet-friendly carpet designed to be more water, stain, and foot-traffic resistant.
So, work closely with the design professionals at a central Florida flooring showroom (or an in-home consultation) to get personalized attention and trust that the carpet they’ve installed is ready for its future in your home.
2. Always Follow the Manufacturer’s Cleaning Instructions
Today, we will go over carpet cleaning basics, but not all carpets are created equal. For example, wool carpets, one of the most durable eco-friendly carpets on the market, are cleaned and treated differently than synthetic carpet products.
Your carpet provider should provide you with paperwork from your carpet manufacturer or instruct you where to find it on the manufacturers website. This infromation includes instructions on how to clean your carpet using a vacuum cleaner and which products you can and can’t use if you want to spot clean or deeper cleaning action.
You’ll also learn more about stain prevention and what to do when there’s a spill or accident, and many carpet manufacturers provide more details on how to treat tougher stains/accidents like red wine, blood, or pet waste products. Also, we can’t help but point out that one of the many benefits of using Creative Floors is that you can call us anytime, no matter how long after you purchased our products, to refresh your memory on how to care for, clean, and maintain your carpet.
3. Vacuum Regularly
The first step in maintaining clean carpets is to vacuum them regularly. What does regularly mean, though?
If you live alone and your carpet experiences minor traffic and activity, you can get by with vacuuming once a week. Remember that even if you can’t see obvious dirt or debris on top, things like dust, pollen, mites, particulate matter, and pet dander can be invisible. Their build-up makes your carpet more prone to looking dingy, staining, or harboring unpleasant odors.
Vacuuming more than once a week may be best if you’re in a busy household or have allergy-prone occupants, especially in high-traffic or dry snack zones.
4. Clean Spills ASAP & Spot Clean as Needed
The sooner a spill or accident is cleaned up, the better. Today’s carpets are typically treated with stain-resistant products that do their part to keep stains from settling in while you get busy spot cleaning.
Spot cleaning works best when you:
- Use clean, dry cloths
- Blot, blot, and more blotting (resisting the urge to scrub as this works stains deeper and fray carpet fibers.
- Start with the mildest solutions and then work up to the “big guns” if necessary
Always use dry cloths to soak up liquid in a spot/accident before moving on to the next steps.
- Fresh stains: Start by adding club soda, let it sit for five minutes, and then blot with the cloths. Repeat as needed, working from the outside in.
- Tougher stains: Make a 1:3 vinegar/water solution. Spray it on the spot to saturate it. Let it sit 10 to 15 minutes. Use dry cloths or towels to blot or gently rub (but not vigorously scrub) the fibers to loosen and absorb. This works well for pets and their accidents/odors.
- The toughest stains (red wine, grease, markers, etc.): Mix 1 cup hydrogen peroxide with a 1/2 teaspoon dish soap in a small bowl. Use a sponge to soak some up and blot the stain with it. Let it sit for five to 10 minutes and then blot up. Most synthetic carpets won’t be affected by peroxide, but natural fibers will, so a spot test somewhere discreet is a good idea.
5. Professional Carpet Cleaning
We recommend hiring a reputable local carpet cleaner to clean the carpets at least every year to 18 months. Not sure who to use? Call Creative Floors at 407-856-0994, and we’ll refer you to the best carpet cleaning pros in the area.
Choose Easy To Maintain Carpets At Creative Floors
Are you interested in installing carpet that looks amazing, feels great on feet and paws, and that’s easy to maintain? Schedule a flooring design consultation with Creative Floors, and we’ll show you all of your options.
