Tony's Tips

Your guide to keeping your carpets clean

Regular cleaning of your carpet will help to keep it looking good for years.

Your carpet is a large investment, so to keep it looking good for years, it needs to be maintained the right way. Dirt wears your carpet away by burrowing into the fibres, and shredding them with each footstep.

Your carpet is like your car, to keep it running properly, it needs servicing. You wouldn’t contemplate for one second the idea, of driving your car for 3-5 years without getting it serviced. You would ruin your car, that’s what happens to your carpet if don’t clean it regularly. You would end up with an expensive bill replacing your car and your carpets. Your carpet also needs looking after.

After laying & reparing carpets for over 20 years, I’m amazed at the state of people’s carpets, you should see these horror stories, caked in filthy grime and looks like a train had carved a track through the carpet. And some places your feet stick to carpet like glue. I don’t know, how people can just let these assets rot away.

It’s like the Old Story Out of Site Out of Mind

Modern Carpets are actually designed to hide the dirt, and if you only clean it, when looks dirty, then the damage is already done

Don’t let the Damaging Dirt Wear away Your Beautiful Carpet

Day after day your carpets are bombarded with dirt particles and other materials, which strangles your carpet pile and clings to the carpet fibres dulling it’s beauty

Under a microscope, the dry soil in your carpet has razors-like edges, which abrades your carpet fibres, causing light to reflect differently and making carpet look dull.

As soon as you notice, the vacuuming doesn’t seem to improve the appearance of your carpet it’s time to get your carpet cleaned by a trained, qualified carpet cleaner.

Do you want your children crawling through the accumulated grime of your dirty carpets?

Don’t wait until your carpets on life support, to start cleaning your carpet.

If your carpet came with a service manual like your car then you would know the steps you need to take to keep your carpet looking good for a long time.

I know you’re busy and you don’t have time for a complicated maintenance program. So I’ve boiled them down to the 5 simple and easy steps to help you look after your valuable asset, extending the lifetime of your carpet. (If you have a cleaner, then give them this as a guide to follow)

If you get into a routine and keep it up, you will enjoy the long lasting beauty of your carpet.

Get in the habit of using these 5 steps to protect your carpets before they become too unsightly. You will minimise the damage of soiling, enhancing the appearance of your carpet and increase its life span. You will also enjoy a cleaner and healthier environment, which you can be proud of.

You may not be aware, that under most carpet warranties they require proof, you have maintained your carpets.(it’s usually hidden in small print, but it’s there)

The key to maintaining the beauty of your carpet is to clean it regularly before it becomes excessively soiled and a chore.

Think how you will feel, the next time your friends come over for coffee, not having to apologise for having a grotty carpet. By following these tips, you’ll be the envy of your friends as they admire your radiant looking carpet.

So let’s get started

Step 1 Preventive Maintenance

Dirt is everywhere. Keeping it out of your home is easier and less expensive than removing it. Stop the dirt at the door

Step 2 Vacuuming

Regular vacuuming is the most important part of looking after your carpet

Step 3 Spot Removal

Spots are inevitable, but they don’t have to be permanent. Act quickly, remove the spill so there’s less chance it will become a stain.

Step 4 Interim Cleaning

Use low moisture encapsulation systems to efficiently improve your carpet’s appearance with limited down time for cleaning and drying

Step 5 Restorative Deep Cleaning 

No matter how conscientiously you work at cleaning your carpets, you’ll still leave some dirt behind. Periodic deep cleaning, using hot water extraction, is most effective at removing any embedded abrasive soil. Professionally deep clean your carpets every 9 to 12 months to remove embedded dirt and grime.

5 simple steps to keeping your carpet clean and looking great:

So let’s delve a little deeper, so you’ll feel comfortable knowing how each step applies to keeping your carpets in good condition.

Step 1 Preventive Maintenance

Preventing dirt and grime from getting on your carpet in the first place is the best way to keep it clean. Because 85% of soil in your carpet is tracked in on dirty shoes

The following helpful hints can stop dirt in its tracks.

• Use doormats — Outdoor and indoor mats reduce the amount of dirt entering your home. They trap soil and stop the dirt at the door – just remember to clean them frequently, so soil does not spread to your carpets.
• It’s also a good idea to use small mats or off-cuts of your new carpet in kitchen doorways or in other areas where the carpet is next to a hard floor to prevent greasy spots spreading to the carpet (beware not to place the off cuts directly on your carpet as the backing may stain your carpet)
• Take off your shoes — You can save wear and tear on carpet by asking everyone to take off his or her shoes before entering your home.
• With the hot summer just finishing the air conditioner been working overtime, it’s time change your air filters, as per manufacturer’s instructions. The more dust and particles removed by the filter, the less dust and particles fall on your carpets
• Place chair pads under desk chairs to prevent casters from continuously grinding soil into the carpet and breaking down the carpet’s fibres
• Here’s good reason to use the blower, clean around your home by keeping footpaths, driveways adjacent to the building as clean as possible.- To Minimise the immediate sources of soil walked into your carpets

Have you ever wondered why Commercial properties have big mats at the front door? Here’s why because scientist have found removing 0.5 kilo of dirt, once it in your carpets costs $551.12 to remove

Step 2 Vacuuming

“Vacuuming is the most important thing you can do to keep your carpet clean. You cannot over-vacuum a carpet!” From Brintons Fine Carpets UK Carpet Care

It makes sense your carpet is probably subject to more abuse than any other piece of furniture. Kids running on, food spilt, dogs slobbering. Different qualities and styles of carpet will perform differently, and the way your carpet is vacuumed and maintained, as well as the condition of the vacuum cleaner affects its performance.

About 80% of dirt that enters the home is dry. So it make sense, to regularly vacuum the areas receiving the most traffic, such as hallways, stairs, exterior entryways, and paths in the home which has constant wear. Vacuum the entire carpeted area at least once a week.

More than any other factor, daily vacuuming of all high-traffic areas determines the life of your carpet. Even when soil is not visible, vacuuming high-traffic areas will reduce the wear and tear on your carpet

Vacuuming is the single most effective way to remove dirt and the key element in looking after your carpets.

It is essential to vacuum often (minimum once per week), using a top quality vacuum, to prolong the life of your carpet.

To get the best result use a heavy-duty upright vacuum with revolving brushes or beater bars and a high filtration internally- housed vacuum bag are recommended for the best overall cleaning. It should have a filtration system of 0.5 to 0.3 microns. It should be sturdy, easy to handle and provide good brush action for high airflow

To get the best results, try these tips for vacuuming

A slow pass against the carpet pile is more effective than several quick strokes. Vacuum with slow, deliberate passes, forward and backward.

Heavy traffic areas will require multiple passes (forward and backward) to sufficiently extract embedded soil.

• A vacuum brush will open up the tufts and a strong enough airflow to penetrate the carpet’s backing.
• Agitation will loosen the soil
• Slow movement allows time for air to circulate through the face yarn and extract soil.
• If you have cut-pile carpet, then use a  power-brush attachment
• For loop-pile carpets it’s recommended vacuuming with the brushes raised or turned off
• For maximum efficiency, change the disposable bag when it is 75% full. When a vacuum bag is over 75% full the vacuum loses much of its effectiveness
• Keep the filters clean

For the best cleaning results, no matter which type of vacuum cleaner you purchase, inspect it periodically to be sure it is functioning properly. Be sure to follow these basic care procedures for your vacuum:

• Keep brushes clean and replace them when worn and check for worn belts
• Inspect the vacuum head for rough edges or bent metal that may damage your carpet.

Step 3 Spot Removal

Spots are inevitable, but they don’t have to be permanent. Act quickly, remove the spill so there’s less chance it will become a stain.

With today’s stain-resistant carpet, treating spots and stains has never been easier. The key is to act quickly! The longer you wait, the higher the probability that a spill will become a permanent stain. No carpet is completely “stainproof”

If your carpet is exposed to products such as beers, red wine, sauce, foods, vomit, urine, feces medicines, hair products, pool chlorines, and indoor plant fertiliser, then it’s likely to stain. These can change the colour of your carpet because of their destructive properties, which modify the carpet dye and making it difficult to correct.

Try to keep these products away from your carpet, because prevention is the better than cure.

Remember, staining is influenced by many factors, and no carpet is completely stain proof

Take Immediate Action

The longer a spot is allowed to set, the more difficult it is to remove. Some spots will become permanent stains if allowed to remain until dry.

Follow these general procedures for emergency stain removal:

• Act quickly when anything is dropped or spilled. Remove spots before they dry.
• Remove any loose material prior to cleaning up the stain
• Do not rub! If the spill is solid or semisolid, gently scrape off what you can with a spoon
• Never scrub – always blot. Do not rub vigorously
• Blot liquids with a clean, white, absorbent cloth or paper towel. For semi-solids, scoop up with a rounded spoon. For solids, break up and vacuum out as much as possible
• Do not use hot water; heat can worsen the harmful effects
• Pretest any spot removal agent in an inconspicuous area to make certain it will not damage the carpet or its dyes. (Try the carpet in a wardrobe Examine the carpet and cloth for colour transfer, colour change, or damage to the carpet. If a change occurs, another cleaning solution should be selected)
• Apply a small amount of the recommended cleaning solution to the cloth. Work in gently. Do not scrub. Work from the edges of the spot to the centre. Blot thoroughly. Repeat until the spot is removed

Be patient! Complete removal of the spill may require repeating the same step several times. After the spill has been completely removed, rinse the affected area thoroughly with cold water, and blot with a dry cloth until you’ve removed all of the solution.

How to remove common Spills and Stains in your carpet

If all else fails, remember that you can contact a professional cleaner to handle the stains.

Important – Do not use any cleaner with a PH of 10 or higher.

 

Avoid Overwetting – Prolonged dampness may cause discoloration, promote growth of mould and bacteria in the carpet, or cause separation of the backing. This can be controlled by a combination of proper equipment use and operator training.

Step 4 Interim Cleaning

Using a low moisture encapsulation system efficiently improves your carpet’s appearance without having to spend hours waiting for the carpet to dry.

How the interim cleaning method works, you apply a low moisture cleaning formula, which impregnates, dissolves and absorbs both water and oil based soils. The cleaning agent contacts all surfaces of the soiled carpet fibres, breaking down the bond that causes the soil to stick to the carpet fibres. Once the suspended powder is dry, you vacuumed up using a powerful vacuum cleaner.

CAUTION:
Most Carpet manufacturers do not recommend the use of a spin bonnet, as it can damage the fibres in your carpet. Use will void most carpet warranties.

Step 5 Restorative Steam Cleaning

All carpets, no matter how resistant to dirt and stains, will eventually build up a layer of oily, sticky soil, from cooking vapours that is not removed by vacuuming. If this soil is allowed to remain, it will bond to the carpet fibre, causing matting and unsightly traffic lanes.

Even with regular vacuuming, soil particles and oily dirt will cling to your carpet fibres’. With foot traffic, these particles and oily dirt are driven deep into your carpet. North Shore Flooring Solutions recommends professional steam cleaning every 12 to 18 months,( this depends on the traffic) Periodic cleaning using the hot water extraction method performed by a certified carpet care professional, will refresh carpet appearance.

Don’t wait until your carpets a glue pot and your feet stick to your carpet before thinking of getting your carpets professionally cleaned

HOT WATER EXTRACTION

Hot water extraction cleans the oily materials, your vacuum cleaner can’t remove, or low moisture systems can’t totally remove. These oily materials account for approximately 15% of all soil found in the carpet pile.

The hot water extraction process drives hot water and cleaning agents down into the pile under pressure, flushing out heavy soil and microorganisms. The excess water and dirt is pulled from the carpet in a vacuuming/recovery action that is performed as the water and cleaning agents are forced into the carpet pile.

Warning

Don’t use the cheapest you find in the yellow pages because expertise is especially critical for hot water extraction. When properly performed, hot water extraction will thoroughly clean the carpet with no possible damage to the carpet. Over wetting of the carpet, due to lack of training or expertise, can lead to delamination between the primary and secondary backing. With proper hot water extraction equipment, carpet should be dry within 4-6 hours.

Only use a professional carpet cleaner to clean your carpets, because your health and your carpets depend on getting it right.

For  All Your Carpet, Timber and Flooring Needs  Talk to  your  Northern Beaches Flooring Solution