The Complete Guide: Carpet Cleaning and Maintenance at Home

Carpets carry great value and importance for many, so many people want to know the best methods for carpet care, maintenance and cleaning without having to transfer them to carpet cleaning stores unless there is a necessity, so we have collected in this comprehensive guide the most important methods related to maintaining and cleaning carpets at home.

How to keep up with carpet maintenance

Oriental rugs, handmade and machine rugs can be considered an investment like any other, and you should keep up with the maintenance of home rugs, antique paintings, and furniture to maintain their value.

Antique carpet maintenance is the easiest and it is important to keep it clean regularly depending on the amount of traffic it gets, the office rug that you walk on may only need a lot of cleaning once or twice a month, while the hallway rug will need cleaning once a week because it gets a lot more movement and dirt.

We recommend a professional carpet cleaning every three to four years, and in order to use the carpet evenly to avoid damage, it is necessary to make sure to rotate the carpet every time, as this will help in extending the life of the carpet, but if it is related to fading, wear or tear, we We recommend immediate carpet maintenance, as any delay will be counterproductive and compound the damage.

shoes off

Restricting the use of shoes in the home can be one of the simplest ways to avoid walking injury.

In many countries, carpet weaving is a respected and appreciated art form, so residents and visitors are asked to remove hard-soled shoes when entering a home, to walk around the house barefoot or with socks, to put less pressure on the fibers of the carpet, and removing shoes can prevent dirt from being transferred. Dust, dirt, and any debris from outside into the home and will keep your rug clean.

Even when the carpet is used in high-traffic areas, it is necessary to take care to extend the life of the carpet, and to clean it only when necessary, and carpets used in high-traffic or low-traffic areas may only need cleaning once every few years.

How do we know if a carpet needs cleaning?

There are many ways we can know whether the carpet currently requires cleaning or not. One of the easiest ways is:

• Edge checking

Examine the carpet by lifting one of its edges and hitting it slightly from the bottom. If it leaves a large cloud of dust, this indicates the need for a deep cleaning. However, keep in mind that any carpet is expected to leave some fibers and some dust even if it is not used frequently. .

• Hand use

The other way to check the carpet is to rub the hand vigorously on the carpet fibers in an arcing motion for 5 to 10 seconds. If that movement gets your hand dirty, then the carpet needs to be cleaned soon.

• Examination from behind

As for the last method, it involves examining the underside of the carpet and bending it back on itself, so that you can see the warp and pile, when you notice signs of stains and dirt, this means that the carpet needs a deep cleaning, because if the dirt is deep inside the carpet, vacuuming will not be enough to remove it .

Removing carpet stains and cleaning them yourself

If the carpet is not maintained properly, it will lead to bad results, as it will set the stains deep in the fibers, which will cause damage to the quality of the carpet.

Top 10 rules for carpet maintenance at home

1. Blot all stains quickly to avoid them sticking to the fibers of the carpet.
2. Do not overuse cleaning solutions. Damaged fibers should be well dampened with cleaning solution, not too much.
3. Use only cold water to dilute the cleaning solutions, although some stains can be removed more easily with hot water, but the heat causes the color pigments to become trapped in the fibers of the carpet.
4. Use cleaning solutions only when needed.
5. Avoid rubbing the stains. Instead, press repeatedly on the fabric, then release and re-press, repeating as needed.
6. Avoid using colored cloth or paper materials to clean stains. White cotton cloths and rags are ideal.
7. When cleaning, start from the edge of the stain or spill, and move towards the center.
8. A hair dryer or fan can be used to dry the cleaned section if necessary, especially if the carpet is in a high traffic area where any remaining moisture will cause more dirt to appear.
9. Restore the appearance of carpet or pile using a clean, soft toothbrush, being careful to brush the fibers in the direction of the pile / not against it.

Vacuum carpet maintenance

Preparing a stain treatment solution for carpet maintenance

There are many DIY spot cleaning solutions for carpet maintenance that are effective and usually safe, and include:

• Vinegar: A vinegar solution of 100% vinegar or 50/50 vinegar and water is one of the safest and most effective solutions for most stains.
• Detergent: Mix one tablespoon of dish detergent with one tablespoon of cold water.
• Ammonia: Mix 1 tablespoon of household ammonia with ½ cup of cold water.
• Oil solvent: such as nail polish remover.

How to apply topical cleaning solutions while cleaning carpets

Do not pour spot cleaning solutions directly as this will likely over saturate the fibers and may cause the stain to spread to the rest of the carpet. Instead, choose your cleaning method based on the size and depth of the stain, including:

• spray bottle.
• Put the solution directly on a cloth.
• Eye dropper or medicine dropper.
• - ladle / spoon
• Ear cleaning stick

How to take care of burn spots

Never rub or scratch the burn marks, as pressure methods rarely help remove the soot (residue of combustion) from a burnt carpet. Gently push the unburned fibers away from the burned part, usually at the top of the fibers or on the surface. In this case, use hand scissors to cut the burnt part of the carpet fibers.

How to take care of wax and gum residue

The wax and gum will harden once you put the ice on top of them. Apply the ice for 5 minutes until the substance is hard enough to dislodge, then remove the remaining traces.

An alternative method is that after applying the ice, place paper towels over the stain and then quickly run a warm iron through the paper bag so that it sticks to the paper towel. (Be careful that this method does not lead to burns on the carpet).

How to take care of oil and grease stains

Carefully scrape off the hardened parts with a spoon or blunt object, then use an appropriate cleaning solution to get rid of all traces of oil. An ammonia solution can work well for stubborn stains.

How to take care of a spill

Use a dry cloth to absorb the liquids, place it over the stain to absorb the liquid on the surface of the carpet without pressing it, and repeat the process until the surface liquid is completely gone, then press directly on the place of the liquid with another cloth to remove the deeper liquid. This method involves avoiding surface liquid diffusion into the fibers.

If the stain remains, use the appropriate cleaning solution. Any remaining stains can be removed with a vinegar solution. Some strong-colored drinks require the use of ammonia.

How to take care of blood spots

You can use the above method, through the two-step absorption method, to remove the liquid from the surface without penetrating deep into the fibers of the carpet, then use the cleaning solution and the patting method, the ammonia solution and the patting method can be used to remove any remaining stains, then dry thoroughly.

How to take care of chocolate stains

To scrape off chocolate stains, use a spoon or blunt object, then clean with an appropriate cleaning solution. You can use ammonia and patting to remove the tougher stains, then dry the area you cleaned and use a brush to give it a neat appearance if needed.

How to take care of a coffee stain

Again, use the two-step method to absorb the liquid, then apply the ammonia solution to the stain and leave it for 2 to 3 minutes, use the patting method to get rid of the stain, then reapply the ammonia as needed and repeat the process until the stain is gone, then dry thoroughly.

How to take care of glue stains

Soak a cloth in the vinegar, then dab the glue stain and gently pull up against the fibers of the carpet, repeating until all of the glue is lifted. (It may be important to use a cleaning solution or an amount of alcohol solution to remove the sticky residue.)

How to take care of ice cream stains

Using a spoon, scrape up as much of the ice cream as you can, then dab with ammonia to remove any stains. Repeat, dry and brush the carpet if necessary.

How to take care of ink stains

Spray hairspray on the stain for 10 to 15 minutes. When it dries and sticks to the ink, use a soft toothbrush and add a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water to remove the stain.

How to take care of lipstick stains

Scrape as much of the lipstick stains as possible and then get rid of the remaining ones on the surface gently. Apply the cleaning solution and use the patting method to remove the remaining deep stains. If some remain, use ammonia or vinegar solution, then dry and use a soft toothbrush for that.

How to take care of nail polish/paint stains

Scrape off the paint, whether it is dry or runny, then apply a cosmetic cotton swab with nail polish remover. Dab the stain with a new Q-tip as needed until you remove as much of the stain as possible. Then use a cleaning solution and a clean cloth by patting, if not. For effective results, you can use the ammonia solution and the patting method.

How to take care of vomit stains   

Scrape the vomit from the carpet or rug with a blunt object, then use the vinegar solution and the patting method to disinfect the fabric and remove the stains. After that, use the detergent solution for additional cleaning, and then dry the area.

How to take care of urine stains

Urine removers often damage carpets rather than sterilize them, so use the above two-step method to absorb this liquid, and use the 100% vinegar patting method to disinfect, deodorize, and remove stains from the carpet.

How do you maintain carpets yourself?

• Putting anything on the stain may exacerbate the situation or damage the carpet, so you can avoid this, and contact a professional cleaning service as soon as possible.
• Specialty rugs, such as Oriental rugs, antique rugs, silk rugs, and fine Persian rugs to name a few, may require; Professional and specialized cleaning services.
• Be sure of the chemicals you are going to use, some chemicals should never be mixed together, such as bleach and ammonia, because this can cause chemical burns to the lungs, skin and eyes and may have serious consequences, always know what chemicals you are going to use and how to use them with care in order to keep To your health and the health of your carpet.
• If you are in doubt about the compatibility of a product and a substance, test it first.
• Be careful when drying any felt under the rug, as leaving moisture underneath can lead to mold.

How do you maintain carpets yourself?

Carpets can be maintained by yourself without having to always hire professional carpet cleaners, here are some ways to do it well:

1. Vacuum each end of the rug well, by that we mean vacuum the back part of the rug first as the shaking will get rid of the dust stuck deep in the rug, then collect all the dust from the floor, turn the rug over to the front part and vacuum the face also, Repeat this method until there is only a little dust left.
2. When you get rid of the dust in the carpet, start by washing the face, that is, the front of the carpet, with the lotion. Clean it in cold water with a mild liquid of dish soap or carpet cleaner, and use a soft brush with long bristles or a good quality sponge. Wet the brush with soapy water and lather, then Brush the fibers vigorously, being careful not to press too hard on the carpet or it will damage it.

One of the things to consider when choosing the right cleaning solution is to check its ingredients to make sure it doesn't contain ammonia of any kind. It's best to test a small section of the carpet to see how the solution affects the colors before you start washing the entire carpet with the solution.

3. For a deeper cleaning, use plenty of water, then brush or sponge to clean in order to push the dirty water away from the fibers, repeat this process several times to get better results, then rinse the carpet thoroughly with clean water, making sure to remove excess soap and loose dirt in the carpet.
4. For a lighter clean, or specifically for cleaning antique carpets, we recommend using some water, you may need to use just a lather of soap and gently work it into the pile of the carpet, then wash the used brush frequently in the water, so that you can remove the dirt from the carpet and wash it with the solution.
5. If you clean the carpet using large amounts of water, squeeze out all the excess water. The best tool to do this is a rubber squeegee. You can squeeze with your hands if necessary. Squeeze the excess water out and repeat this process as needed to get rid of as much water as possible.
6. Dry the rug front and back, lay the rug flat on the floor with the rug face up, then put barriers under it to allow air to pass through the rug to dry (this will prevent dry mold from building up inside), if you can hang it that would be even better, and to speed up the drying process Fans may help to push more air across and around the carpet.
7. Any stiffness in the fibers of the carpet can be removed with a vacuum cleaner or soft brush after the clean carpet is completely dry.

A note on white vinegar and carpet cleaning

- Most oriental carpets are made of acidic and natural carpet dyes, and when using white vinegar with water to clean the carpet, a higher acid rating is added to the solution, which leads to stronger bonding between the dye and the carpet fibers, and this leads to better color protection.

Whether the stain was caused by liquid or pet droppings, always clean the stain with a sponge and cold, clean water. It is best to use towels with high absorbent properties or use a brush for this part of the process.

When cleaning, rub upwards, but keep in mind that rubbing too vigorously can loosen the fibers. Towels should be placed under the rug to avoid the felt absorbing water (although we highly recommend removing the felt before beginning the carpet cleaning process).

- Make sure the back of the rug is completely dry before removing the towels, both the front and the bottom of the rug should be completely dry.

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How to remove dust from your carpet?

When maintaining carpets, the first thing you should do is get rid of the dust stuck to them. Often, all you need to do is shake the carpet to get rid of the dust and it will look beautiful again. To remove dust from oriental rugs, follow these steps:

1. Grasp the rug by both ends and shake it as if you were trying to flatten it.
2. Suspend the rug over a rope and gently beat the dust with a rug paddle.
3. Turn the rug over to clean the back of it by moving the vacuum cleaner slowly, you will help loosen the dust that is deep in the fibers, then shake off the dust that has fallen on the floor. Repeat the process until you see that the dust is no longer falling to the floor from the carpet.

How do you make a spot cleaning solution for your carpet?

To get a solution for cleaning stains in carpets, mix dishwashing powder with warm water, put two cups of warm water in a bowl, then add a few drops of dishwashing liquid to the water, and mix the mixture well.

Before using any cleaning solution on carpet, turn the carpet over, test the solution on a small corner of the back of the carpet, and test the solution before cleaning it completely.

How do you put the cleaning solution on your carpets?

You can clean the carpet with foam often and not with a large amount of water so that the whole area does not get wet. Then use a soft brush and add your cleaning solution to it and gently rub the stained part so as not to damage the fibers. After that, dry the area with a clean, soft cloth.

Repeat the process until the stains are completely gone and enjoy a clean carpet again..

We hope that this guide will be useful and brief to know how to clean and maintain carpets, prepare different types of cleaning solutions, and clean different types of stains from carpets.

Translated by: nazmiyalantiquerugs.com