Caring For and Maintaining Your Carpet
Keeping your carpet fresh and healthy has many advantages. Many home owners know that regularly vacuuming, stain removal, and carpet cleaning are an important part of keeping carpet in good condition. However, most people are not aware that water and chemicals actually damage carpet more than soil and stains. Water harbors microorganisms such as mold, bacteria and dust mites, which all damage carpet fiber. Just four hours of wet carpet can have a tremendous effect on the health and well being of your carpet fibers and your home’s interior air quality (IAQ). In such a short period of time, an entire ecosystem can develop, with water as the necessity of life.
Microorganisms, once they thrive in an environment, can be tough to get rid of, as they continue to feed off of each other and can utilize indoor humidity as moisture to sustain their habitat. The tipping point for such an ecosystem can only occur in a carpeted environment after a steam cleaning or flood, as significant amounts of water is necessary for such rapid colonization rates for microorganisms. Carpet just happens to be an ideal, temperature-controlled environemnt for micro-life to develop at these rapid rates of colonization.
In fact, “water damage” is a misleading term. In most cases, the water is not doing the damage. The damage actually occurs due to the microorganisms that feed on the water-soaked environment, whether it be wood, paper, carpet, fabric, leather, etc. That being said, it is true that “water damage” is the leading cause of carpet fiber deterioration, according to the world’s leading commercial carpet cleaning equipment manufacturers. Unfortunately, carpet mills and fiber manufacturers have not conducted such studies of their own, or at least have not made them available to the public.
The #2 cause for carpet fiber deterioration is soil (dirt, food, waste, particles, matter, chemicals, etc.). In most cases, these substances can be removed with our carpet cleaning process. The only case in which soil is more difficult to remove is when a steam cleaner has pressure-forced the soil into the carpet backing or carpet pad. In such case, it can be virtually impossible to remove the soil once it is trapped under the carpet backing.
As molecules and particles are imbedded into the carpet backing and underlayment padding, they can not be loosened without physical contact and even if a steam cleaner could penetrate into the soiled areas underneath the carpet backing, the amount of moisture that would be required to loosen the soil would cause more harm than good, as it would create a breeding ground for microorganisms. Further, the loosened soil would then have to be extracted through the carpet pad, backing and fibers before it can be removed. Instead, it is far better, after thoroughly cleaning the soiled carpet fiber, to neutralize the soiled area with a fast-drying and mild sanitizer such as 70% isopropyl alcohol and then dry the area with a hair dryer on low heat. This will ensure that the carpet pad underneath the carpet backing dries quickly.
To help prevent tracking soil on your carpet, use exterior and entry mats and rugs and vacuum and clean them frequently. Utilize desk mats under chairs to prevent soil impressions.
Vacuuming
Soil becomes imbedded in carpet fiber most commonly by sneaker soles rubbing against the floor. Frequent vacuuming (for a family of four, 3-4 times per week) is the best way to prevent soil from becomming impedded into your carpet. This also helps lift the carpet pile, keeping each yarn in tact and increases yarn resiliency. The longer that soil remains imbedded in the carpet fiber, the higher the chance of decreasing resiliency due to heavy soil residue which can cause fiber deterioration. It is important to empty vacuum bags / compartments often in order to improve vacuum air flow and prevent indoor air recontamination.
The highest quality vacuums will typically have several of the following features:
- Dual motors (separate motor for the beater bar)
- Good filtration (preferrably HEPA quality or better)
- Brush height adjustability
- A rotating brush and/or beater bar (loosens dirt)
- Top-loading bags are preferred
- For wool or some berber and thick loop pile carpets, refer to your manufacturer for vacuum selection guidelines.
Stain Removal
Refer to your carpet manufacturer’s recommendations (or call their toll-free customer service number) when you encounter a difficult stain. Always color-fast test when using a commercial stain or spot removal product on your carpet. If you do not have a commercial carpet cleaning solution, consider using club soda, nail polish remover, diluted non-bleach laundry detergent (ex: Woolite), diluted household ammonia (1:10), diluted white vinnegar (1:2), diluted hydrogen peroxide (1:10), salt, laundry stain remover (ex: Shout). Reminder: Test any cleaning solution in an inconspicuous area first.
Carpet Stain and Spot Cleaning Steps:
1. Blot with a clean cloth or sponge to remove excess liquid.
2. Do not scrub stains, as this can spread the soil to surrounding carpet fibers.
3. Apply the pre-tested solution to a clean cloth. Do not apply the solution directly to the carpet.
4. Starting from the edge of the spot or stain, begin blotting and agitating (use short strokes) the carpet fibers with the cloth toward the center of the stain. Continue blotting and agitating, as the soil is absorbed into the cloth.
5. Rinse the carpet fibers by applying clean water to a clean cloth to absorb the cleaning solution and soil. Continue to blot the carpet fibers to remove any residue. Repeat the rinse process with another clean cloth the ensure that all residue is removed from the carpet.
6. Repeat the entire process if necessary.
7. Use a dry clean towel to absorb excess water and then use a hair dryer on low heat to dry completely.
8. Vacuum
9. If the spot or stain could not be removed, contact a professional carpet cleaner.
Stain Removal Tips:
Red wine - use club soda
Grease - Use cornmeal or baking soda to absorb the stain. Allow to sit overnight.
Fixing Damaged Carpet – Contact a professional carpet repair service provider.
