Want to keep your carpet looking clean for longer? Here are seven tips for keeping your home’s carpets as clean as possible.
It’s inevitable that carpets get dirty. There are plenty of ways you can keep carpets clean for longer, however, while also increasing the carpet’s lifespan.
In this article, we’re going to show you seven tips for maintaining your carpet’s cleanliness. We’ll also answer some common questions and misconceptions about how to keep a carpet clean.
1. Vacuum Carpets Twice Each Week
The common advice is to vacuum carpets at least once per week. We think is the absolute minimum – and ideally you should vacuum carpets twice per week for best results.
Dirt, grime, and hair that settles on carpets is pushed deeper into the fibres whenever someone walks on it. The longer you wait between vacuum sessions, the harder it is for your vacuum cleaner to remove the debris.
Regular vacuuming also lifts the carpet pile, which helps to maintain its appearance for longer.
Make sure you’re using a vacuum cleaner that’s effective on carpets. Take a look at our list of the best carpet vacuum cleaners for some great options.
What About Homes With Pets?
Pets increase the amount of hair and dirt that ends up in carpet fibres, so pet owners need to vacuum more frequently. If you have a pet who sheds a lot, then daily vacuuming for the areas that he or she spends a lot of time may be required.
2. Treat New Stains as Quickly as Possible
Stains seep deeper in your carpet fibres over time. They can also start to bond with the fibres, which makes them virtually impossible to remove.
For this reason, make sure you treat carpet stains and spills as soon as you notice them. Here’s a quick method for removing stains:
- Blot as much of the spill up as possible with a clean white cloth, making sure to start from the outside and working inwards. Don’t rub!
- Use cold water to dilute the stain further, then blot it up again with a fresh white cloth.
- If necessary, create a carpet cleaning solution using 500ml of cold water, a tablespoon of white vinegar, and a tablespoon of washing up liquid. Apply this to the stain, then blot it up again with a clean white cloth.
- Repeat step two to rinse the remaining stain with cold water, before blotting up again.
- Give the carpet plenty of time to air dry before placing a rug, furniture, or other item on it.
Tip: Don’t rub stains on carpets as this can cause discolouration. Blotting is more effective and is less likely to spread the fluid or damage the carpet fibres.
3. Make Your Home a “No Shoe” Zone
We know that it can be awkward to ask visitors to take off their shoes, but this is one of the most effective ways to protect your carpets. It’s also much more hygienic!
Shoes are covered in dirt, bacteria, grime, and chemicals that are picked up from the outdoors. Even if they look relatively clean, walking on carpets with shoes will transfer all this unwanted material into your carpet fibres.
The hard soles of shoes also grind dirt deeper into the fibres. In short, wearing shoes on carpets is one of the worst things you can do if you want to keep them clean.
Tip: You should also have a door mat both indoors and outdoors at your front door. This minimises the amount of dirt that enters the home.
4. Trim (Don’t Pull) Snags
Carpets are always going to snag at some point. Snags are more likely if you have pets with sharp claws, but they can happen even without kids or pets.
The key is to use a pair of scissors to cut these away at the base, rather than pulling them out, as this could damage the carpet further.
5. Consider a Rug for High Traffic Areas
Rugs protect your carpet’s fibres from getting worn or damaged, making them a useful addition to high traffic locations. They also protect your carpet from grime or spills, while being easier to clean than a full carpet.
Make sure you vacuum and clean the rug regularly though. Thick rugs can become dirty very quickly, particularly in homes with pets or children.
6. Remove Chewing Gum Using Ice
Chewing gum can be difficult to remove from carpets – but ice can make the process much easier.
Simply add ice cubes to a sandwich bag, then place the bag over the gum for around one minute. You can then use a soft plastic knife to gently pry away the gum, being careful not to damage the carpet fibres.
7. Book a Yearly Professional Clean
While a good vacuum cleaner can remove most of the dirt and grime in your carpet, vacuuming alone can’t keep the fibres completely clean.
That’s why you should book a professional deep carpet clean once per year. Professional cleaners have access to carpet cleaning machines that can remove dirt, grime, and even parasites that might be lurking below the surface of the carpet.
Alternatively, you can rent a carpet cleaning machine (such as a Rug Doctor) and do it yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Baking Soda Good for Your Carpet?
We don’t recommend using baking soda to clean your carpet. Baking soda particles are small and sharp, which can damage your vacuum cleaner when they are sucked up. The coarse nature of baking soda also means it can act as sandpaper on carpet fibres.
How Often Should Carpets be Cleaned?
We recommend deep cleaning a home’s carpets at least once per year. A deep clean will get rid of allergens, grime, dirt, and hair that your vacuum can’t remove. You may need to clean them more frequently if you have children or pets.
When it comes to vacuuming, we recommend cleaning carpets twice per week. You may be able to get away with once per week in low traffic areas though.
Summary
Keeping your carpet clean doesn’t need to be difficult. By vacuuming regularly, treating any stains as soon as they happen, and protecting high traffic areas, your carpet will remain fresh for longer.
With that said, we still recommend deep cleaning your carpets at least once per year. A deep clean is the only way to get rid of grime, dirt, and hair that’s become lodged deep into the carpet fibres.
Do you have any questions about how to keep your carpet clean? Please let us know in the comments below and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. You may also want to read our article about how to make your carpet fluffy again.