Most of us grew up in households that were carpeted and now as homeowners have an appreciation of the work that our parents put in to keep the house nice and clean. And carpet cleaning was one task that needed to be regularly done. Traditionally a vacuum has been used but other techniques have been developed to keep up with new materials we use for carpets today. The most common cause for damaged or stained carpets are pets and children, although we are all guilty of spilling a glass of wine or dropping food occasionally, it’s how we deal with it is the question.

Keeping carpets in good condition is something some people fail to understand that can affect the value of the property if you wish to sell or buy. Clean carpets make a great first impression when entering a room, poorly maintained carpets can also affect the equity of your home or office. Regardless of whether you intend to sell or not, clean carpets also are much healthier for people with lung diseases or allergies. Having professional cleaning done makes a huge difference that you only appreciate when it’s finished, if you live in the London area try carpet cleaning London for professional advice.

Cleaning Carpets And You’re First Line of Defence

Cleaning your carpets is something that should be done on a regular basis to avoid a build of dirt in the fibers. The most common method is the vacuum cleaner which most households possess, they have the ability to get into every nook and cranny with the attachments provided. Other methods still are quite popular including:

• Carpet sweepers have been around for so many years that if there isn’t one in your home there more than likely has been. Although the technology is old they are still a great environmentally friendly alternative to electric vacuum cleaners. They will not get into the fibers the same as a vacuum cleaner but will not cause any damage to your carpet.
• The brush and pan method may not be as effective as a carpet sweeper but for carpet with a low nap, the brush works fine. Using a short brushing stroke and forcing the dirt into the dustpan you can achieve great results, especially in a small area.
• Lint rollers work in exactly the same way as the one you may have for grooming your pets. Remove any large pieces of debris by hand or a brush and simply roll over the carpet picking up any hair or dirt. Inexpensive to buy and with little maintenance they are a great substitute for vacuums.
• A sponge and bucket is a time-consuming method but worth it, gently rub a dish sponge over the carpet and it will pick up dirt and hairs. Rinse in the bucket of warm soapy water, ring out the sponge, and repeat. It may take some time but the carpet will look great afterward.

These are a few alternative methods to maintaining your carpets and preventing dirt and hair from getting entrenched within the fibers.

Tips on How to Remove Carpet Stains

It’s something that we all know is going to happen and go to great lengths to avoid but carpet stains are inevitable. But all is not lost, it’s all about your reaction that could save your carpet or rug. There are solutions to carpet stains, whether is a nervous pet who got too excited, a wine spillage, or the children food there is a home solution that can save the day, here are some of the best:

• Use a white cloth soaking in rubbing alcohol and slowly dab gently on the affected area until the stain is removed.
• Try mixing ¼ cup of warm water with 3/4 cup of household vinegar, put in a spray bottle, and cover the stain. Allow the liquid to absorb for a few minutes and take a clean white cloth dipped in the water-vinegar solution and rub gently.
• You can also try a laundry stain stick or pen but only on light-coloured carpet fibers.
• Removing chewing gum from the carpet can be tricky, place on the chewing gum 1 teaspoon of peanut butter and leave a minute or two then lift up with a wet cloth. Wipe the carpet with a wet cloth to get the chewing gum completely removed.
• Dabbing with a wet soapy sponge then use hydrogen peroxide or a 50/50 mix of hydrogen peroxide and household ammonia to remove the rest of the stain. Be careful on darker shades of carpet, this method is best suited to light colour carpets or rugs.
• Make a thick paste using cornstarch and water and apply to the stain, allow it to dry, and vacuum, this may take a few attempts.

There are many different ways to prevent the permanent staining of your carpets and most of the ingredients used to make these solutions are found in the home. A bit of research before you try removing the stain might be best.

Create a Positive Impression For a Potential Buyer

When advertising your property either for sale or lease the reality has to match your description. And one of the things that are often overlooked is the carpets and how clean they are. As soon as a potential buyer or tenant enters the property they will notice the carpet if it’s not cleaned to a high standard they may think you have misled them as to the overall maintenance of the rest of the building. Real estate agents acting on your behalf will often highly recommend that you have a professional cleaning company not only clean the carpets but the rest of the property also.

Having clean carpets is essential to improving the perception of the property and can help with whether or not you get the money you were looking for. Selling a home, apartment or office space is stressful enough but you should consider making a list of things you need to do first. Having the carpets professionally cleaned should be one thing that is high on the list, it could make you more money.

Conclusion

Keeping a well maintained and clean home or office space has so many advantages, aesthetically pleasing not only to yourself and being able to take pride in what you have done but also any visitor will notice as soon as they enter. Other than looking good, clean carpets are essential for our health, dust mites can infest a carpet and their droppings can cause asthma attacks, sufferers of eczema can also be affected too. Often people who suffer from underlying medical conditions try to figure out the cause of their condition without thinking about the carpets and could they be contributing to their poor health.

Financially it makes complete sense to have clean carpets on your property when looking to sell or lease either your home, apartment, or office space it can make a big difference to potential clients. Having professional carpet cleaners is not very expensive and you will be surprised just how good the carpets look afterward. No matter how much you have vacuumed your carpets if you are selling you may be pleasantly surprised by how much value cleaning the carpets can bring to your property.