PHD Carpet Cleaning Indianapolis

Carpet Cleaning / March 5, 2022

Mistakes happen, and when it comes to owning a carpet or rug, mistakes usually mean stains. The plush softness of carpet and rugs comes with a price: the time and care required to clean them. Cleaning your carpet or rugs can require some extra work and special techniques that differ from typical hardwood or tile floors. In some cases, you may even need to hire a professional to get the best results.

DIY Cleaning

For minor stains or routine cleaning, it's possible to effectively treat a carpet or rug yourself. If a thorough vacuuming doesn't get rid of dirt in certain areas, here's how to tackle them on your own.

Stain Basics

A number of liquids can stain carpet or rug materials, including wine, coffee, nail polish, or blood, to name a few. Depending on what caused the stain, the carpet or rug's material, and how long it's been there, you may need to use different techniques or cleaning supplies to get rid of it. In general, though, keep the following ground rules in mind for stain removal:

Apply a cleaning solvent directly on the stain, if needed, and allow it to soak in for a few seconds.
Use a damp cloth to blot the spot. Don't scrub or apply too much pressure, as this might only further embed the stain into the carpet or rug.
Rinse the cloth and continue blotting until the stain is removed.

Take these steps to remove a stain as soon as possible to prevent drying.

Solvents

Some stains may come out with little more than water or a mild soap. More serious stains may require a solvent to make removal easier. The best solvent to use depends on what caused the stain.

-Water-soluble stains: These include berries, cola, food dye, jelly, mud, washable ink, or wet paint. Mix a solution of 1/4-teaspoon nonbleach detergent (or white vinegar) with 32 ounces of water.

-Dark water-soluble stains: Chocolate, coffee, mustard, tea, wine, and bodily fluids often stain much more readily than other water-soluble materials and need a different solvent. Use 1 tablespoon of ammonia mixed in 1 cup of water first. If this doesn't work, try combining one part chlorine bleach with five parts water. These solvents may remove color from certain fabrics like wool, so check with the manufacturer for the best cleaning method.

-Oils and waxes: This would include glue, gum, nail polish, and cigarette residue. The best way to clean each of these varies - some may need to be simply scraped off or, if possible, frozen to make it brittle and then chipped away. Most glue can be dissolved and removed using a solvent like rubbing alcohol. Nail polish may also be dissolved using rubbing alcohol or with nail polish remover containing acetone.

Why You Should Hire a Carpet Cleaner Service

Unfortunately, some stains may prove difficult to remove using household products. In any case, vacuuming and spot cleaning may not be enough to get your carpet or rug looking like new again. That's why many homeowners opt to hire a professional carpet cleaning service on a regular basis, around once every 12 to 18 months.

When it comes to heavy-duty carpet cleaning, you have many options to pick from. The two most common methods for cleaning carpets are steam cleaning and dry cleaning.

Steam Cleaning Carpets

Steam cleaning is a common method for professional carpet cleaning, but the name is somewhat misleading. Steam-cleaning services use machines that utilize hot (but not boiling) water in combination with a vacuum. The water is heated inside the machine and sometimes mixed with detergent before being sprayed directly onto the carpet. At the same time, a vacuum sucks up the water almost immediately after hitting the fabric. The hot water extracts far more dirt and stains than would be possible by hand.

Cleaning machines using hot water extraction can be purchased or rented for home use, but they aren't always as powerful as what professional cleaning services use. Improperly drying the carpet may also cause bacteria or mold growth. Professional cleaners also employ a number of other methods to pre-treat the carpet and ensure adequate drying. For these reasons, professional carpet cleaning may be preferable to do-it-yourself methods.