How to clean a carpet, the definitive guide

If you are a parent and have children you will know how hard it is to keep things like carpets looking clean from food and drink. In addition to its decorative function, the carpet has several very practical advantages in an indoor living space. Soft and warm, it makes the room where it is placed more welcoming. Its presence also helps protect the floor covering against impact and premature wear. However, with all the daily commuting and dust accumulation, your carpet can very quickly become a nest for dust mites and dirt. It is therefore important to clean it regularly to get rid of all the accumulated dirt.

Is cleaning a carpet different from cleaning a sofa?

Just like the sofa, the carpet is ubiquitous in modern and chic accommodation. Often, the maintenance of these two furnishing accessories is done at the same time. The methods used for their cleaning may be a little different, but they follow the same principles.

To choose a precise technique, you must take into account the design material of the sofa. A fabric sofa is not cleaned the same way as a leather sofa. As you can discover by clicking here, a cleansing oil and not aggressive will be useful to hydrate the leather while ridding it of its impurities.

Sometimes it is also necessary to re-color the leather, protect the new shade with a varnish and occasionally use a nourishing oil so that the leather can remain supple and resistant. Fabric furniture does not require this type of care. Likewise, by NYC Steam Cleaning’s professional mattress cleaning service the maintenance of a silk rug will be different from that of a cotton model or a seagrass rug.

In addition, some grandma’s recipes that are used to wash a rug can also be used (with some variations) for caring for canapes. White vinegar, baking soda and shaving foam are just a few concrete examples. What is most important, therefore, is to choose a technique that is suitable for the design materials of your carpet or sofa.

How do you go about washing a carpet?

Do you want to clean your carpet to restore its charm and usual softness? Regardless of the textile finish, there are some common processes you can use to achieve this:

    Dusting;

    Cleaning with soapy water;

    The use of cleaning foam;

    Using a steam cleaner …

Dust off

To clean a carpet and have a chic and cozy decor, the first good thing to do is to dust it off. To do this, it is advisable to vacuum regularly (at least twice a week). This eliminates all traces of dust and parasites that nest in its fibers.

Use soapy water

A traditional way to clean a carpet is with a sponge dampened with soapy water. To do this, simply wet your sponge in a mixture of lukewarm water and washing up liquid. Then use the sponge to scrub the carpet and rinse it with a damp cloth and let dry. However, be careful! This cleaning process is only effective when the carpet is not too dirty. So you’d better not use it if you need to clean a heavily soiled carpet.

Cleansing foam

Cleaning product, carpet cleaning foam is also very effective. To use this method, be sure to protect your hands with gloves. Then spray the foam all over the fabric. For a more impeccable result, help the foam to penetrate the fibers of the carpet deeply by pressing it down with the flat of your hand. As soon as this is done, leave to act for the time indicated on the instructions for the cleaning product. Finally, scrub the surface of the carpet using a broom or brush. Vacuum to finish your cleaning.

Use the steam cleaner

Another convenient option is to clean a carpet with a steam cleaner. Thanks to the heat released by its vapor, the pile of your carpet is free of any dirt. Efficient and powerful, you just need to run it several times over the entire surface of the carpet, rinse it with a cleaning solution in clean water and then let it dry.

Discover our tips and advice for quality carpet cleaning and maintenance of your carpet. 

However, if you notice that your carpet is really very dirty, it is best to send it an expert carpet cleaning or to the dry cleaners so that it receives the necessary maintenance to come out like new.