As an avid carpet-lover, keeping your carpets clean can seem like an impossible task.
From little muddy paws and footprints to pet puddles and messy ketchup, your carpet is seemingly almost under constant attack. Do not worry, there are several ways that you can protect your carpet to keep it looking fresh and extend its lifespan.
Below are five simple tips for caring for your carpet effectively:
1. Embrace House Slippers
Soil, gravel, dirt, and bacteria all take a free ride around the house on the soles of our shoes.
While it is impossible to avoid dirt and bacteria completely, you can delay the inevitable by wearing house slippers.
You do not necessarily need to train your pets to wear them too, just get into the habit of wiping their paws when they enter the house.
2. Vacuum Regularly
Over 80% of the dirt from the outside gets quickly removed by vacuuming.
That does not mean you need to panic-vacuum daily – a weekly session will do the trick. Choose the right vacuum for your carpet and the proper attachment.
Gently vacuum your carpets regularly to keep the dirt from building up and embedding in the fibers. If you have a wool carpet, be extra careful when vacuuming so you do not cause damage that will result in pile loss.
3. Shade Helps
While constant sunlight flooding a room looks gorgeous aesthetically, it will fade your carpet over time. You probably will not be able to keep your apartment carpet away from sunlight completely, but you can do a few things to lessen the blow.
Close your shutters or blinds whenever a room is not in use, and buy area rugs to cover spots that receive sunlight for most of the day.
4. Pets
We all love our furry, four-legged friends, but we know they don’t do our carpets any favors.
Pets frequently chew, scratch, and claw at carpets because it feels good. To stop that from happening to your new carpet, train them to use a scratching post or chew toy to vent their frustrations.
Keep your dogs and cats well-groomed to avoid excess pet hair and dander from building up in your carpet.
5. Clean Spills Quickly
Life happens, and so do accidents.
Spilling on your carpet is enough to give anyone anxiety, but it does not have to be as dramatic as it initially seems.
The trick to avoiding stains and long-term damage is to clean the spill as quickly as possible. The longer a spill has to dry, the more chance stains have of setting in.
Spot treat spills when they occur by blotting them with a paper towel and covering the area with baking soda to absorb any excess moisture.
Final thoughts
Lastly, to keep your carpet looking its best for as long as possible, have it deep cleaned every one to two years.
That process relies on steam and power cleaners to blast away dirt and grime. If you do not want to pay someone to do the deep cleaning, you can rent a steam cleaner and do it yourself.By following these tips, you can keep your carpet looking beautiful all year round.