Carpets are the most functional elements in a surrounding, whether it’s your home or workspace. It may not seem to be like that, yet carpets work 24/7 to absorb all the dirt, dust, and grime. Plus, they provide warmth, comfort, and a touch of aesthetic appeal.
However, when it comes to cleaning a carpet, sometimes what seems to be good may end up ruining your carpet. In fact, many homeowners end up committing common mistakes that can damage their carpets while cleaning them.
In this article, you will learn about the top 5 carpet cleaning mistakes that can ruin the aesthetics of your rugs. You will also get tips from top carpet cleaning companies on how to avoid these mistakes.
Top Five Carpet Cleaning Mistakes to Avoid
Here are the top mistakes you need to avoid while cleaning your carpets:
- Delaying Cleaning Until It’s Too Late:
Procrastination is a human tendency that everybody falls for. There is no cure for that. However, procrastinating on cleaning a carpet is simply one of the biggest blunders that can cost too much.
Over time, dirt, dust, allergens, and stains get deeply embedded within the carpet fibres. This makes carpet cleaning more challenging. It can potentially lead to irreversible damage.
Ground-in dirt acts like sandpaper, which ends up being abrasive to the fibres with every footstep. This further causes the fibres to wear out prematurely. Furthermore, dust and allergens can further cause respiratory issues and poor indoor air quality.
To avoid such a situation, you need to adopt a proactive approach to carpet care. You can implement a regular vacuuming schedule that is done twice or three times a week.
This will help you prevent the buildup of loose dirt and debris. Furthermore, you need to address spills and stains quickly. You should keep a stain remover that is specifically designed for carpets.
You can also consider professional deep cleaning services to get your carpet clean at least once or twice a year, depending on traffic and lifestyle at your home.
- Over-Wetting the Carpet:
To get a carpet that is thoroughly cleaned, many homeowners believe that more water will ensure better results. However, excessive moisture can leave your carpet with a lot of problems.
When carpets get oversaturated with cleaning solutions, the excess water can seep down into the backing and underlayment. This will create a breeding ground for mould, which will definitely cause unpleasant odours, trigger allergic reactions, and even damage the structural integrity of your flooring.
What’s more worrying is that the seepage can further result in shrinkage, discolouration, and the loosening of carpet adhesives. The drying process becomes significantly longer, increasing the risk of mould growth and disrupting your daily life.
To avoid such a situation, you need to ensure moderate usage of water and cleaning solutions. When using a carpet cleaner, you need to follow the manufacturer’s instructions precisely regarding the amount of solution to use.
Avoid repeated passes over the same area with excessive spraying. For spot cleaning, you should dampen a clean cloth with the cleaning solution rather than pouring it.
If you have accidentally oversaturated an area, use a wet or dry vacuum to extract as much moisture as possible. You should also ensure proper ventilation by opening windows and using fans to ensure faster drying.
- Using the Wrong Cleaning Products:
Just like using the wrong type of soap can cause problems with your skin, using unsuitable cleaning products on your carpets can cause irreversible damage. Different carpet fibres and stain types require specific cleaning solutions.
Using harsh chemicals or general-purpose cleaners can leave the carpet damaged, causing discoloration, fading, and even disintegration. Some cleaning agents can leave behind sticky residues that will attract more dirt and make your carpet look dirtier in the long run.
Additionally, certain chemicals can react negatively with the carpet backing or underlayment, which results in weakening and premature wear. Using the wrong pH balance can also create more trouble for certain carpet materials, such as wool.
The best thing to avoid such situations is to read the manufacturer’s instructions for your carpet and your cleaning products. Apart from that, you need to choose the cleaning product that suits your carpet’s fabric.
To get rid of stains, you should select a product that is formulated for the specific type of stain. Always test a small, inconspicuous area of your carpet with the cleaning solution before applying it all over the carpet to check for any side effects.
- Neglecting Proper Ventilation During and After Cleaning:
Cleaning is the process that removes dirt and grime from your carpet. However, the drying process is equally important. Neglecting proper ventilation can cause lingering moisture and problems associated with it.
As mentioned earlier, the trapped moisture can result in the growth of mould and mildew. This will definitely result in an unpleasant musty odour and potential health risks. Slow drying can also result in inconvenience to your household.
Furthermore, stagnant air can also trap cleaning solution residues within the carpet fibres, which will potentially attract more dirt and affect the texture of your carpet.
To avoid these things, you need to ensure adequate ventilation during and after carpet cleaning. Open windows and doors to allow for cross-ventilation. Use fans to circulate air and speed up the drying process.
If you are using a carpet cleaning machine, you need to use the extraction function effectively to remove as much water as possible. In humid conditions, you need to use a dehumidifier to draw out excess moisture from the air.
Avoid placing furniture back on damp carpets as this can trap moisture and result in indentations. Allow ample drying time before resuming normal foot traffic in the cleaned areas.
- DIYing When You Need Professional Help:
While many carpet cleaning tasks can be effectively done at home, there are situations where calling in the professionals is the wisest course of action. Attempting to tackle severe stains or deep cleaning with inadequate equipment or knowledge can result in further damage and frustration.
Stubborn, deep-seated stains, such as those from red wine, ink, or pet accidents, often require specialized equipment and cleaning solutions that are not readily available to homeowners.
Similarly, professional-grade carpet cleaning machines are significantly more powerful in extraction capabilities as compared to consumer models. They ensure deeper cleaning and faster drying times.
Trying to achieve the same level of deep cleaning with a less powerful machine can lead to oversaturation and ineffective dirt removal.
To avoid such situations, you should learn to recognize when a cleaning task is beyond your capabilities. If you are dealing with persistent, large, or unusual stains or if your carpet requires a deep, thorough cleaning, call a professional cleaning service immediately.
These experts have the knowledge, experience, and specialized equipment to deal with even the most challenging carpet cleaning situations safely and effectively. Investing in professional cleaning can save you time, effort, and money.
To Summarize
Understanding and avoiding the top 5 carpet cleaning mistakes that are mentioned above will help you improve your carpet’s lifespan and appearance effectively. You should further remember that proactive maintenance, using the right techniques and products, and ensuring proper ventilation are essential.
Most importantly, you should also know when to seek professional help to avoid further problems with your carpet. This way, you will be abe to ensure that your carpet stays comfortable, healthy, and beautiful.
