Atlanta Carpet Cleaning Tips

Keeping carpets fresh between professional carpet cleanings in Atlanta is easy.  Homeowners can find simple solutions like baking soda and vinegar right in their kitchen cabinets. These easy ingredients are great as natural deodorizers, stain fighters and as stain prevention. Kiwi Carpet Cleaning has these great tips to keep your carpets fresh.

Natural Deodorizers
Baking soda and vinegar are simple and natural cleaners that can easily banish any stink from the house. Easily deodorize carpet by sprinkling baking soda over the carpet and let it sit for 20 minutes then vacuum. Vinegar is a great air deodorizer with its natural antibacterial properties. Mist a 50-50 mixture of water and vinegar over the affected area to kill the odor causing bacteria and to freshen the air. Within minutes, the vinegar smell will dissipate leaving your home smelling and looking fresh. These green cleaners are inexpensive and safe to use around small children and pets.

Stain Removal
The easiest way to remove a stain from the carpet is with immediate action. Blotting up and scraping up as much of the stain before treatment can help prevent the stain from setting deep into the carpet fibers. To get the remainder of the stain out, saturate the area with a cool soapy solution and blot up until the stain is removed. Cold water works better than hot water in stain removal, as hot water tends to set stains. Rinse the affected area with a mixture of water and vinegar to remove the soapy solution and to help prevent re-staining. Stains that are more difficult may require a carpet cleaning Atlanta professional to get your carpet back to its original color.

Pet Stain Prevention
Pet accidents do not have to turn into pet stains. Immediate action and proper care can prevent odors and discoloration in carpets due to pet urine. Blot up the excess urine and cover the area in baking soda. Let the baking soda dry then vacuum it up. This method works best with immediate action and first time stains. This method does not work for re-occurring stains. A carpet cleaning Atlanta professional is a great option to get out re-occurring stains as they usually reside in the carpet padding or sub floor.

Vacuuming Tips
Vacuuming is the best way to keep carpets looking fresh and clean. Vacuuming is the first line of defense to get damage causing dirt particles out of the carpets. The EPA recommends vacuuming 1-3 times a week depending on the level of foot traffic. Foot traffic brings in the majority of dirt into the home, causing carpets to look dirty. Dirt causes the most damage in carpets as it rubs against the carpet fibers, ripping and tearing them apart. Vacuuming removes the dirt and lifts the pile, giving the carpets the “brand new look.”

Personalized Tips
When you get your carpets professionally cleaned, ask the technician for personalized tips to keep carpets cleaner between visits. The EPA recommends cleanings 1-4 times a year depending on foot traffic and other conditions so you can test them out between cleanings. The technician cleaning your carpet can easily identify trouble areas in the carpet and recommend easy solutions. Knowing how to prevent high traffic patterns and oil spread will make your carpets look cleaner for between cleanings from your local Atlanta carpet cleaning company.

Keeping up with carpet maintenance between cleanings is key to keeping that freshly cleaned look. Keeping dirt and residue out of carpets helps prevent stains and traffic patterns. Baking soda and vinegar will keep your carpets smelling fresh without the high costs. Following these simple tips will keep your carpets fresh and clean between professional carpet cleanings in Atlanta. 

Proper Carpet Cleaning for Houston, TX Homeowners

The EPA recommends professional carpeting cleaning in Houston every three to six months, as it is the best way to help keep your carpets clean and make them last. You can get more out of a professional carpet cleaning in Houston by using proper vacuuming techniques, removing your shoes, and using rugs at thresholds as well as choosing the right carpet cleaning method.

Proper Vacuuming Techniques
Making one pass with the vacuum in one direction is not enough to pick up the dirt residing in the carpet. Proper vacuuming technique includes passing over the carpet in two directions, north/south and east/west. Vacuuming from two directions cleans the pile from all sides; picking up more dirt. As carpets are like another air filter for the home, they need to be vacuumed two to three times a week, according to the EPA. Overall, vacuuming frequently and properly reduces the amount of embedded dirt allowing your Houston carpet cleaning company to clean your carpets more effectively.  

Remove Your Shoes
Most of the dirt tracked into homes comes from shoes worn inside. The first five to ten feet of carpet traps this dirt causing the high traffic pattern and making the area more susceptible to staining. Dirt, not foot traffic, causes the most damage to carpets as it rubs and grinds against the carpet fibers. As more and more dirt builds up, the quicker the carpet ages and needs to be replaced. Simply leaving your shoes at the door can prevent up to 80% of dirt from entering your home. With less dirt in your home, your Houston carpet cleaning will last longer.

Place Rugs at Thresholds
Foot traffic within the home spreads dirt and oils created within the home; oils from cooking, cleaning and getting ready for the day all land on the floor and are transfer to the carpet as you walk from room to room. Carpeted areas next to high oil usage areas can be protected by simply placing a rug at the threshold. When you’re finished in one area, you can wipe your feet on the rug, leaving the oils there and transfer far fewer oils to the next area.

With proper maintenance tips and tricks, you can reduce the amount of dirt and oils in your carpet. Carpet cleaning solutions can be more effective with less dirt and oil as they can dissolve and release the deeply embedded dirt better. Using the right carpet cleaning method will also affect how clean your carpets are and how long they last.

Choose the Right Carpet Cleaning Method

Steam Cleaning
Steam cleaning is the most common carpet cleaning method as it is a great way to remove large amounts of dirt and oil build up.  This method consists of spraying a cleaner onto the carpet to dissolve the oils followed by a hot water to suspend the dirt. A high-powered extractor sucks up the suspended dirt and oils leaving the carpets clean. As this method is great at pick up a large amount of dirt build up, it is best for annual cleanings. However, this method leaves carpets wet for several hours, making it susceptible to re-soiling and if the local carpet cleaning Houston professional performs it incorrectly, this method can damage your carpet.

 

Bonnet Cleaning
Bonnet cleaning, an alternative method of cleaning, is a great method for getting the carpets cleaned routinely and keeping them clean all year.  Bonnet cleaning is a low moisture system that effectively cleans the carpet fibers lifting dirt, oils and stains. With a pre-vacuuming and stain treatments, a solution sprayed onto the carpet followed by a super absorbent buffer pad gently transfers dirt, oils and liquids onto the pad leaving carpets bright and clean. Since the buffer pad picks up most of the solution sprayed onto the carpet, carpets are usually dry within an hour of the cleaning making it less susceptible to re-soiling. Once the carpet is dry, vacuuming will easily pick up any remaining dirt that wicked up from the bottom of the pile leaving carpets completely clean. Bonnet cleaning, offered by Kiwi Carpet Cleaning in Houston, TX, is safe and gentle enough on carpets to use for more frequent carpet cleanings.

Ask for Personalized Tips
Your carpet cleaning Houston professional can provide you with personalized tips to keep your carpets cleaner between visits. The technicians that perform the cleanings can easily see traffic patterns and problem areas and provide practical solutions to reduce the dirty appearances. With their tips, you can better understand your carpet’s maintenance needs and how to make them last.

Proper vacuuming techniques and appropriate carpet cleanings methods will keep your carpet looking fresh and clean all year long and you’ll get more out of every professional carpet cleaning in Houston, TX.

Carpet Cleaning Austin, TX - Easy Carpet Cleaning Tips

Keeping carpets looking great between professional cleanings is easy and inexpensive. Homeowners and renters have the solutions in their kitchen cabinets to keep carpets beautiful. Kiwi Carpet Cleaning has easy tips to stretch the amount of time between Austin carpet cleaning visits.

Carpet Deodorizers
Baking soda and vinegar are two natural deodorizers. They work well to freshen up carpets and are easy on the wallet. Simply sprinkle baking soda over the desired carpeted area and let it sit for 30 minutes, then vacuum. For vinegar, mix it up with water as a 50-50 solution in a spray bottle.Lightly mist the desired area and as vinegar dries, the smell will disappear, leaving your carpets smelling fresh. Baking soda and vinegar are a perfect option for young families with pets or people on a budget as they are inexpensive and safe for use around children and pets.

Stain Removal
Remove any stain from carpet with immediate action and the proper steps. The key is to pick up or scrape up as much of the stain as possible before treating it with solutions. Treat the stain with a cool, mild soapy solution and allow the solution to break down the stain. Cool water is important as hot water can set most stains. Gently blot solution and repeat to remove the stain completely. Once removed, rinse the area with a water and vinegar solution to remove the soapy solution. Rinsing is an important as soap residue attracts dirt and oils easier than the non-residue areas.

Pet Stain Prevention
For pet owners, accidents on the carpet maybe inevitable, but with immediate action, accidents do not have to turn into stains. Use a super absorbent cloth or paper towels to blot up most of the urine.Cover the affected area in baking soda and let it dry. Once the baking soda has dried, usually a few hours, simply vacuum the area. The baking soda absorbs the remaining urine and smell. To get rid of any remaining smells, spray the area with a 50-50 solution of water and vinegar. This stain fighting method works best for first time occurrences and immediate action.

For reappearing and smelly pet stains, use a Carpet Cleaning Austin professional. Reappearing pet stains often reside deep in the carpet pad or subfloor where homemade solutions are unable to treat. A professional cleaning will be able to remove these pet stains and their odor effectively.

Vacuuming Tips and Tricks
Vacuuming is an important part of carpet care as it picks up the dirt that causes the most damage to carpet pile. Carpets need to be vacuumed 1-3 times a week depending on traffic levels. Areas with low traffic can be vacuumed 1-2 times a week while high traffic areas need vacuuming 2-3 times a week. Shoes track in the majority of dirt from outside the home and vacuuming is one of the only ways to remove the dirt. Vacuuming removes the dirt and prevents it from tearing and frying the carpet fibers.

Personalized Tips
One great way to keep carpets looking great is to get personalized tips from your local Austin carpet cleaning company. During your professional carpet cleaning in Austin, the technician can give you tips and tricks to keep your carpets beautiful. Your technician can easily identify heavy traffic patterns and how dirt and oil is spread in your home. With their tips and tricks, you can prevent the spread of dirt and oil.The EPA recommends professional cleanings 1-4 cleanings a year, allowing you to test the tips between cleanings to see what works for you.

Regularly deodorizing and vacuuming is a great way to carpets fresh and clean. Keeping up with potential stains and pet smells is easy with vinegar and baking soda. Follow these easy cleaning tips and you can keep your home looking beautiful between carpet cleanings in Austin, TX.

Five Ways You're Ruining Your Carpets

Chances are you’re ruining your carpets, unintentionally; with little habits that track in and promote the spread of dirt. Learn what habits are tearing up your carpets and how to stop ruining your carpets.

There are no rugs at the doors
Obvious fact: dirt comes from outside and travels inside when there are no rugs to wipe your feet off thereby distributing onto the carpet. As dirt settles into carpet, it grinds against the carpet fibers, slowly tearing and pulling them apart.

Fix it: Place rugs at every entrance/exit to the home to trap the dirt before it spreads to the carpets. Wash or replace the rugs as needed to continue keeping dirt out effectively.

You wear shoes inside

We just established dirt comes inside from the bottoms of your feet, 80% of can be stopped from simply taking your shoes off. Shoes travel where you travel, to public places then back to your home. Public germs, dirt and oils embedding themselves into the carpet once you walk on it, increasing the likelihood of staining and overall dirtiness appearance.

Fix it: Enforce a no shoes rule in your home. Simply taking your shoes off in your home can save you money on maintaining your carpets by reducing the amount of dirt tracked in. This tip can also help keep your home healthier as you track less dirt, oil, and germs into the carpet around your home.

Rarely vacuuming
The EPA recommends that you vacuum your carpets 1-3 times a week depending on how much traffic you get in your home. As dirt comes into the home, it settles into the carpet. Regular vacuuming removes this dirt leaving clean carpets. Without regular vacuuming, dirt builds up, becoming compacted and pushed deeper into the pile. Dirt deep in the pile is hard for vacuums to remove, allowing dirt to accumulate making your carpets appear dirtier and more susceptible to stains.

Fix it: Set up a vacuuming schedule for 2-3 times a week. If there are multiple people in your home, assign a different person for each time that way you only have to worry about vacuuming once a week.

Never getting a professional cleaning
The EPA’s recommendation for a professional Phoenix carpet cleaning is 1-4 times a year depending on certain conditions. New carpets come pretreated with carpet sealant but it wears off after a year or two. Vacuuming can only pick up so much dirt, leaving the deep down dirt that needs to be loosened and extracted from a deep cleaning.

Fix it: Find a Phoenix carpet cleaning company that has a customer loyalty program, like Kiwi Carpet Cleaning, so you can clean your carpets more frequently without making a huge dent in your paycheck. Schedule your carpet cleanings with the seasons so it’s easy to remember the last time you had them cleaned.

Choosing the wrong type of professional cleaning

Steam cleaning is favored by many Phoenix carpet cleaners since it loosens and extracts dirt trapped deep down in the carpet. This method of carpet cleaning is great to use every year or two to remove the deeply embedded dirt. However, if this method is done incorrectly, it can damage your carpets by pushing the dirt further into the pile and moisture into the carpet padding.

Fix it: Bonnet cleaning, as offered by this local Phoenix carpet cleaner, is safe to use to clean your carpets frequently, as bonnet cleaning is a low moisture system that focuses on cleaning the carpet fibers and loosening deeply embedded dirt. After a bonnet cleaning, deeply embedded dirt is easily pick up by vacuuming.

Good habits like taking off your shoes, vacuuming frequently and getting a routine professional carpet cleaning will make maintaining your carpets easier and increase the life of your carpet. Best of all, these good habits will make your carpets look cleaner and brighter.