So you just got your carpets professionally cleaned! Great news! But the work isn’t over yet.
There is a lot of difference between before and after carpet cleaning, and believe it or not, the real work starts after you get your professional cleaning done.
Here are some tips to keep those carpets sparkling clean until your next professional cleaning session arrives:
1- Taking care after drying
The first and foremost thing is to let your carpet dry for 24 hours after it is cleaned by professional cleaners.
Even though professional cleaners typically use equipment that extracts much moisture during the cleaning process, it’s still important to dry the area completely.
If you put your furniture back before it’s dry, your carpet might touch the damp spots from the furniture, which can cause mold and stains.
In addition, if someone walks on your wet carpet, it pushes any existing layer of dirt deeper into the fibers, which could lead to a need for another cleaning sooner than expected.
Hence, it’s highly important to dry your carpets before putting any fixtures on them.
2- Vacuum regularly.
The number one tip for keeping the carpet clean after a professional cleaning is to vacuum it regularly.
You will naturally see tread dirt into your carpet from both outside and other areas of your home, even after getting it professionally cleaned.
This is definitely avoidable if you vacuum regularly.
It removes small, dry, sandy debris (which, on a microscopic level, looks sharp and jagged) from the carpet.
Whenever someone walks on the carpet, sandy debris grinds itself into the fibers, making little abrasions, just like sandpaper, which eventually wears out the carpet.
But if you vacuum regularly, the dirt doesn’t get trodden so deeply into the carpet fibers.
3- Use good quality mats
Use good quality mats at your entrances (both front and back doors).
What it does is that it reduces the incoming dirt that people bring with them by walking in or out with dirt, dust, and whatever else they pick up on their shoes.
The dirt gets trapped in these mats instead of smeared across your clean floors.
It also keeps the dust down by capturing those dust particles before they get airborne.
4- Avoid overuse of spot cleaners
Whenever a spillage occurs, try to dab up as much moisture as possible without using spot cleaners or any other portable carpet cleaner.
These spot cleaners can harm your carpet by bleaching or damaging it,as they’re known for removing color.
While it might lighten a stain, it will likely leave a noticeable bleached patch on your carpets.
The harsh chemicals weaken the fibers, making them more prone to breakage and shortening the carpet’s lifespan (especially the ones that have just undergone professional cleaning).
5- Prevent future wear and tear
Try to prevent your carpet from any sort of wear and tear
It’s best practice to rotate your furniture every 3-4 weeks. This helps prevent high-traffic areas from getting worn down faster than the rest of the carpet.
Another better option is to consider having a carpet protector installed on your carpet. This will act as a shield that repels dirt or spills, making your carpet last longer.
6- Protect it from the sun’s rays
Too much sun can actually hurt your carpet!
The sun’s rays, especially strong ones, can fade the color of your carpet, particularly if it is dark.
When the sun is strongest (usually midday), draw the curtains or blinds in rooms with exposed carpets.
Also, by occasionally rotating your furniture placement, you can prevent sunlight from constantly hitting the same carpet areas and causing uneven fading.
Conclusion:
Carpet cleaning before and after are two different approaches to increasing the longevity of your carpets. After getting it cleaned from any professional cleaning company, you have to maintain it.
Steam Dryer Cleaning is a professional cleaning company with all the capabilities from carpet stretching, hardwood floors, and upholstery cleaning.