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How To Keep Your Carpets Looking Clean

Fri 16 Mar 2007 - 15:30

How To Keep Your Carpets Looking Clean
By Tim Ramsey

Clean looking carpets.... Sounds impossible, but is it? Everyone has visited a friend's home and looked at their carpet? A couple may say "yes" it looked like a terrible show of C.S.I., at the actual crime scene. Everyone has all seen the really dirty ones, probably not quite that bad, but we definitely have them. You may be thinking how some of your "other" acquaintances have brand new looking carpet. The answer is preventative maintenance! Your acquaintances probably have some guidelines about what they allow on their carpet. Go walk on it I wouldn't recommend walking on it with any mud on your shoes, because you will probably be looking down the barrel of a fully loaded twelve-gauge shotgun with the safety off. Well I hope they're not that bad, but I am sure that you will hear a warm but stern "we don't wear our shoes in the house".

Some preventative maintenance tips that I would implement if I were trying to keep my carpet clean would be first to not allow shoes on the carpet. Also, have a no food rule in any carpeted room that you can help (if you have a carpeted dining room I wouldn't suggest eating on the kitchen floor). Respond to spills/stains immediately the longer you wait the better chance the stain has to set. Vacuum regularly- twice a week would be beneficial, but it should be vacuumed at least once a week. Try to have your carpet steam cleaned every 4-6 months.

When cleaning spills up, don't use the abrasive action of back and forth. This will only start to fray your carpet, and I promise you that you will be able to tell if you look. Then that frayed spot will nag you to insanity until you have that room re-carpeted. In small cases I use a towel that is wet on both ends but dry in the middle. One end has a little dish soap, and the other end is good and saturated with plain water. Use the middle and press on the stain soaking up as much as you can. Then use the soapy side and blot in the soap. Finally, end with a soft rinse with the other side. Good luck!

Tips:

Try runners in some heavy traffic areas to cut down on the soiling.

Have your carpet cleaned by a professional! The cheaper store rentals don't extract all the soap and if you ever do decide to get it done professionally it will look like a giant bubble. In addition the rentals don't do nearly as good of a job compared to a good professional.

You may want to check into those robotic vacuums. I have seen them used and they don't do that great of a job, but it's better than having your carpets vacuumed once a month or worse.

If you ever try any kind of spot remover make sure to pre-test in an unnoticeable location. Nothing like a nice bleach spot right in the middle of you living room.

The author is the publisher of a True Light Wall Tapestries supplying Wall Tapestries and Hangings to help you put the finishing touches on your wall decor. Also offering Picture Weave Photo wall hangings, which make for the great personalized gifts.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Ramsey
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Keep-Your-Carpets-Looking-Clean&id=489220


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