How To Clean A Carpet At Home Quickly And Efficiently

Do not rush to take the carpet to the dry cleaners, effective home methods and special chemical compositions for individual use will help to cope with many types of contamination

We tell you how you can clean the carpet from various types of stains and how to do it correctly, depending on the type of product.

Content:

Basic rules
Tools
Types of carpets
Types of pollution
Expert’s comment

Experts in this material:

Elena Kulakova, Director of the Production Department of the Diana dry cleaning chain;
Nikita Minko, a specialist in furniture cleaning service for the search for professionals “Profi”.

rbc.group Carpet cleaning at home: basic rules

Wet cleaning is more suitable for carpets with short pile; long pile products take a long time to dry and dry cleaning is preferable for them

It is pleasant to walk on a soft carpet with bare feet, it complements the interior and can become the main accent of the design. But in order for the coating to maintain its beautiful appearance, it is important to take care of it and avoid active contamination:

To change shoes in the apartment. You should not walk around the apartment in street shoes, regardless of the time of year. The more dirt from the street gets into the house, the worse the floors will look and the more often cleaning will be required;

Vacuuming the carpet. Even if you do not see obvious contamination, dust, wool settles on carpets, small crumbs and other household debris get stuck. Over time, all this is compacted and it becomes more difficult to clean the coating;

Keep an eye on pets. Cats and dogs should be trained to go to the toilet for a diaper, in a tray, or while walking outside. If a pet pees on the carpet, it will be difficult to get rid of not so much visible dirt as a persistent odor;

If we are not talking about carpet tightly fixed on the floor, an ordinary separate carpet should be cleaned and the floor under it washed at least once a month. Despite the fact that it covers parquet, laminate or tiles, over time, garbage gets under it;

It is better to wash carpets taking into account the humidity in the room. They dry better in the cold season when the heating is running. If the batteries are cold and it is damp outside, the situation becomes much more complicated: an unpleasant smell may appear and mold may form;

Wet cleaning is more suitable for carpets with short pile; long pile products take a long time to dry and dry cleaning is preferable for them.

How to clean a carpet at home

Sodium bicarbonate not only removes persistent impurities, but also neutralizes odors and disinfects the surface

In most cases, cleaning with water and a brush alone will not be enough. Therefore, decide in advance which of the available options is suitable for you, depending on the type of pollution, budget and your own preferences.

Home carpet cleaning products

Sometimes there is no need to buy specialized formulations, it is enough to use the available products that are in the house:

Soda. Sodium bicarbonate not only removes persistent impurities, but also neutralizes odors and disinfects the surface. It is better to use soda on light carpets, because fine particles may remain on dark material. To clean the carpet, distribute the powder evenly over its surface, gently rub the brush into the pile and leave for an hour, then vacuum. Soda can be used for wet cleaning: dilute a glass of powder in nine to ten liters of clean water and spread on the carpet with a spray gun. Brush the material and let it dry completely, then vacuum the remaining product;

Soap, washing powder or dishwashing detergent. This method is suitable for removing spot contaminants — for example, from spilled wine or tea. For cleaning with a soap solution, it is better to use a sponge or microfiber. Apply the product to the dirt, rub and leave for 10-15 minutes. Rinse with clean water as much as possible, dry and vacuum;

Vinegar. Dilute one tablespoon of the product in one liter of clean water. Take a piece of natural suede, moisten it in the resulting solution and carefully treat the contaminated area. Then the carpet needs to be vacuumed. It is not necessary to wash off the vinegar solution, and the smell of acid will soon evaporate. If the contamination is persistent, you can use a more concentrated remedy by taking two tablespoons of acetic acid;

Ammonia. An effective remedy, but with an acrid smell, so it is better to use it if possible to ventilate the room for a couple of hours after cleaning. Add two teaspoons of ammonia to one liter of clean water and apply the solution to the pile using a soft sponge. Rub the composition into the carpet and leave for 15-20 minutes. Then blot the coating with a cloth or towel, let it dry and vacuum;

Glycerin. Another way to get rid of small stains from spilled liquids. Apply a little glycerin so that it covers the stain, and leave for a couple of hours. Blot the remnants with a napkin and clean the carpet with soap solution and water. After cleaning, it is not necessary to dry the stain with a hair dryer or at the battery, this can deform the pile;

Snow. In winter, the easiest way to clean a carpet is with snow. Take the carpet outside, cover it with snow, leave it for 15 minutes, and then knock it out. Snow cleanses the lint and helps to get rid of dust mites. When you return the carpet to the room, it must be thoroughly dried.

Special carpet cleaning products

There are many special chemical solutions on sale that will help to clean the carpet as quickly and efficiently as possible:

Carpet shampoos. Usually these compounds foam well, smell nice and quickly clean up dirt. To clean the lint, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations indicated on the label;

Concentrated products. By diluting the composition with water, the solution is saturated with oxygen so that the purification is even more effective;

Means without rinsing. A very convenient option that saves time. Be sure to pay attention to the composition and take into account the presence of allergies in family members;

Cleaning products for vacuum cleaners. Powders and liquid cleaning formulations that can be selected depending on the technique.

How to clean carpets of different types

The longer the pile, the more actively dirt accumulates in it

Before cleaning the carpet, study the features of the coating. It is better to choose the means depending on the length of the pile, the composition of the fabric and even the color of the product.

How to clean a light and dark carpet

For light shades, you can not use formulations with dyes. It is best to give preference to colorless soap or soda solution. Ammonia and vinegar are suitable for dark carpets, and it is better to abandon soda and powder products so that there are no streaks left.

How to clean a long-pile carpet

The longer the pile, the more dirt accumulates in it. Such a carpet needs to be vacuumed very carefully before applying cleaning products. Long pile dries for a long time, which increases the risk of mold development. Try to use dry cleaning methods and refresh the carpet with a steam cleaner.

How to clean a wool carpet

In no case should bleaching agents be used on wool, they spoil the fabric. It is best to clean the coating with water and soda, and use soap solutions no more than once a year. Keep in mind that a wool carpet should not be left in the sunlight for a long time — the pattern may burn out.

How to clean a synthetic carpet

In the absence of an adhesive base, synthetic carpets can even be washed. If there is one, clean them on the floor using any of the above tools. Synthetics absorb less dirt, so you will have to wash the carpet less often, and in most cases regular vacuuming is enough.

How to clean a silk carpet

Silk is a delicate and capricious material that requires careful handling. Such a carpet should not be strongly rubbed, actively steamed and soaked. Choose dry cleaning using a soft cloth instead of brushes.

How to clean a viscose carpet

Bleach with chlorine is not suitable for viscose pile. They can be vacuumed, but without a turbo brush, and it is worth cleaning with foaming compounds, delicately distributing them over the surface with a sponge.

How to clean the carpet from various stains

Nikita Minko, furniture cleaning specialist of the Professional search service:

— Almost any stain can be removed from synthetics, even an old one. But this is not so easy to do with natural fibers: from synthetics, greasiness is removed with an alkaline enzyme agent, from wool with a light alkaline agent. Silk, cotton and viscose cannot be brought to such a state, special, very delicate compositions are used for them.

Some specific spots require a different approach. Nikita Minko advises choosing a cleaning method depending on the type of contamination:

Coffee, chocolate and wine are removed with an acid stain remover;

The blood in the next day or two can be washed with ordinary cold water, but it is better with an enzyme stain remover;

Wax and plasticine are removed with solvent-based products;

Animal pollution does not differ much from household pollution, but a remedy that neutralizes unpleasant odors is useful;

The ink is well cleaned with special tools for removing marker and ink;

A gel stain remover is effective for dried slimes and plasticine;

There are many universal stain removers for sale from ingrained dirt, mainly strong alkaline compounds.

Coffee, chocolate and wine are removed with an acid stain remover

All these products must be washed out of the product by extraction, no matter how safe and hypoallergenic they are. Just rubbing the carpet will not work, all stain removers work on the principle of detaching stains from fibers. If the composition is only applied and rubbed, you will rub the stain and make it non-removable. All impurities must be washed out under strong water pressure. If you clean carpets at home yourself, there is a high risk of making it worse. It is better to contact the professionals right away.

Important clarification: almost all stain removers cannot be used on natural fabrics. They will simply damage the fibers and spoil the product. In addition, stain removers need to be washed with a rinse aid with the opposite chemical action — for example, acidic after alkaline.

Expert’s comment

Elena Kulakova, Director of the Production Department of the Diana dry cleaning chain:

Which brush is better to use when cleaning carpets

— Before choosing a tool for cleaning such coatings, first of all it is worth examining the label and understanding what kind of carpet you have: wool, silk, viscose, cotton or synthetic materials; with short, long pile or without it at all. Your choice will depend entirely on this.

For example, for wool and some types of synthetic coatings, a hand brush familiar to every housewife is ideal. It is inexpensive and quite practical. You can also use a mechanical brush to remove wool and small debris.

And carpets made of natural silk and viscose can be easily spoiled with coarse bristles: they do not tolerate strong mechanical influences. Therefore, it is better to use a vacuum cleaner (without a turbo brush and at low power), a dry sponge or a silicone brush to clean such coatings. It is better to entrust the removal of stains from these coatings to professionals immediately.

In addition, the longer and more delicate the pile, the softer the brush should be. Products made of natural fibers are cleaned in the direction of the pile.

What is carpet dry cleaning?

Dry cleaning of carpets is an organic solvent treatment without the use of water in any form: foam, steam, chemical solution

Dry cleaning of carpets is an organic solvent treatment without the use of water in any form: foam, steam, detergent solution. This cleaning is used for those types of coatings that do not tolerate moisture. For example, for carpets made of silk, including bamboo silk, or viscose, for which a humid environment is harmful. It affects the structure of the pile and destroys the base, which is why the carpet villi change their structure. In addition, if any coating is not thoroughly dried, mold and mildew may form.

Dry cleaning is carried out by specialists both at the factory in a special carpet cleaning machine, and at home with the help of professional equipment and special tools. Dry cleaning at home is less effective, since it can be used to remove only the upper layers of dirt. And in the dry cleaning, the carpet is treated, which allows you to eliminate even the deepest impurities. This is especially important for carpets with medium and long pile, which simply cannot be completely cleaned at home.

Is it possible to wash the carpet

There are not so many carpets that can be washed at home by hand and in a washing machine. As a rule, these are small synthetic and woolen coverings. Carpets made of viscose, natural silk, jute, linen, as well as any products based on glue or jute should not be washed.

Before washing the floor covering, it is worth examining the label on it in advance and clarifying whether the material is not afraid of water and whether it tolerates mechanical stress well. In addition, it is important to consider which way the floor covering is made: mechanical or manual. Handmade carpets should never be processed at home.

If you want to wash the carpet in the washing machine, make sure that it does not have a rigid base. Only soft coatings with low pile or without it at all can be processed in this way. Measure the carpet: it should easily fit into the washing machine, otherwise it is likely to break.

In which cases it is better to contact the dry cleaner

Dust and surface dirt from the carpet can be removed with a vacuum cleaner or a brush at home. It is not worth experimenting with complex impurities and stains — from alcohol, oils, cat and dog tags. Therefore, it is better to immediately contact specialists who will help eliminate stains and dirt from carpets. And remember: the fresher the pollution, the easier it is to deal with it.

See also:

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How to clean an iron. 7 Easy and Fast ways
How to clean suede at home. List of actions

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