How to Spring Clean Your Carpet – Guide
Pets, toddlers, mud, spills and general wear and tear can make your carpet dirty over time. It’s important to not only remove stains as quickly and efficiently as possible but to also give your carpets a spring clean every so often.
New carpets can be costly to fit and sometimes not necessary. A thorough deep clean with professional equipment can give even the most tired looking carpet a new lease of life. You can clean your carpet at anytime of the year but spring is a good time to do it as it's less muddy outside so any foot traffic won't cause too much mess. Autumn is also a good time as you can give your home a deep clean in preparation for the winter months. You can even do your rugs at the same time!
We’ve put together a few tips on how to clean a carpet, remove one-off stains and conduct a full deep clean.
How to remove stubborn carpet stains
No matter how careful you are, accidents happen. Whether it’s dreaded red wine, paint, oil or ice cream, it’s important to act swiftly. As we all know too well, these markings cannot be removed easily. Different stains need different treatments to avoid making the situation worse. There are a number of ways you can get rid of these stains.
Remove the excess water and dry the area
First, remove any excess mess with a paper towel. Next, gently blot the stain using a clean cloth, making sure you aren’t adding any more dirt to the carpet. It's best to blot the wet area rather than rub as this can cause the stain to spread and require additional work to remove it.
Use washing detergent
Use a gentle washing detergent and combine it with half a litre of warm water in a spray bottle. This can be used to clean up a variety of stains. Gently rub the soapy water into the area with a wet cloth, work from the outside in so you don’t spread the stain. Follow up with some ammonia and warm water. Be careful not to use hot water as the stain will spread and soak deeper into the carpet pile.
Dig out some cleaning powder or sprinkle baking soda
A traditional and effective cleaning solution is using carpet cleaning powder. Simply sprinkle it on, leave overnight and then vacuum it up the following morning. Baking soda is known to be just as effective when used in the same way. It also works particularly well to lift pet hairs from a carpet too.
Try using specialist carpet shampoo
Carpet shampoo is great for removing stains, however, it’s important to not apply too much or to drench the carpet. Use sparingly and avoid scrubbing the carpet too fiercely. As with carpet powder, you can leave the shampoo to dry completely and then vacuum.
Use surgical spirit for heavy duty stains
Surgical spirit can be used to tackle heavy duty stains such as solids, oil, tar or any unknown stains. It’s most effective when combined with warm water and washing detergent.
Mix white vinegar with water for a homemade solution
Tough stains such as blood and wine can be removed with a cold water and white vinegar solution. Combine 2 cups of water with 2 cups of white vinegar to a spray bottle and leave to soak deeply into the stain. After 5 minutes, use a microfiber cloth to blot the stain out of the carpet. We recommend going over this with carpet shampoo or laundry detergent to add a nicer fragrance afterward.
