James Cummings is the general manager of Servpro of Ahwatukee & South Tempe in Arizona, a branch of Servpro, the national fire and water cleanup and restoration company. Since his company has a lot of experience restoring different types of materials, they can also help you choose the strongest, most durable options for carpets and home furnishings. Here is their guide to properly caring for your carpet.
With regular care, you can add years to the life of your carpet and help retain its original appearance. The most important thing you can do is vacuum thoroughly and frequently, particularly in high foot-traffic areas. Vacuuming helps remove dirt particles which abrade the carpet and dull its appearance. For the best results, use a vacuum cleaner with a beater bar (as opposed to a brush bar) and good suction. Keep bags, filters, and recovery tanks clean.
Carpets act as a filter, trapping dust, dirt, gases, animal hair, and other soils. All carpet manufacturers agree on actions you can take between carpet cleanings to increase the life span of your carpet. The IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning & Restoration Certification) states that 79% of soil in carpet is dry soil. Vacuuming is a key component to a carpet’s proper care and maintenance.
Ways to Maintain Your Carpet
A few ways to keep your carpet in good shape include:
· Regular vacuuming
· Spot removal when necessary
· Grooming the carpet to prevent matting
· Moving around furniture once in awhile to change traffic patterns
· Using walk-off mats to limit the amount of soil tracked onto the carpet
Professional Cleaning
How often you’ll need professional cleaning depends on soil buildup, traffic, type, and the color of your carpet. A good rule of thumb would be to professionally clean your carpet every 12 months. The best advice is to clean carpets before they become totally saturated with soil. If you wait until carpets look really dirty, they may never be restored to their former appearance. Dirt builds in layers, and when a carpet looks dirty, you are only seeing the dirt at the tips of the fibers. More dirt is hiding below the surface near the base of the pile, damaging the carpet. When a carpet is saturated with dirt, the soil has penetrated crevices and has become firmly lodged.
Professional cleaning can address both moderate and heavy soil conditions in your carpet. Servpro offers several deep cleaning processes:
· Hot water extraction
· Conditioner and rinse
· Rotary jet extraction
· Showcase cleaning
Servpro professionals know the latest in carpet construction and safe, effective cleaning methods to help maintain your carpet’s beauty.
