Interior design has, in the recent past, become an integral part of every home. In as much as people have lovely home floorings, they still go ahead and cover them with carpets. These carpets are prone to dust and dirt, thus the need for regular cleaning.
While most people have a passion for cleaning around, there is a high possibility that they are doing it the wrong way. Unfortunately, people do this unknowingly. Cleaning and shampooing your carpets is fun but can quickly cause destruction depending on how it is done.
If you do the cleaning by yourself, keep reading to understand the typical carpet cleaning and shampooing mistakes.
Over-Doing the Shampoo
Cleaning your carpet is a crucial exercise as it keeps your home neat. On the other side, it can be your worst nightmare if the shampoo is not used appropriately. Every often, you will find people sprinkling shampoo on the carpet through estimation.
This estimation is what brings all the troubles that are associated with the carpet. The first one is that you will have to use a lot of water to rinse. It is common sense that the more the soap concentration, the higher volumes of water required to remove it.
At the same time, over-shampooing amounts to a waste of resources. This is because some of the shampoo used in carpet-cleaning is expensive and requires caution while handling. Over-using it will also trickle down to the misuse of other resources.
Over-shampooed carpets take ages to rinse. This consumes time that would have been used to perform other essential tasks. It is also not given that when you do the rinsing, the shampoo will be eliminated.
There is a high possibility of soap residues remaining on the surface of the carpets. The presence of these residues means that the carpet is far from clean. In the process, it will act as an attraction to more dirt. For you to be on the safe side, shampooing has to be done moderately.
Lack of Appropriate Tools
Carpet cleaning may seem to be easy, but not without the right machinery. If anything, acquiring the right tools for the task should always be the first procedure. Among the essential tools is the modern carpet cleaner.
This tool is known for its low flow technology. This modern technology gives the users a chance to control the flow of water through the adjustable nozzle. This will, by far, minimize the chances of over-wetting and water wastage.
The good thing with this modern machine is that it initiates the right temperature, which facilitates the drying of the carpet. Acquiring this vital equipment is a long process that will require your research.
The cleaner you go for has to match the needs of your home. You will find people with big carpets, yet their cleaning machinery is very minute. This will affect your cleaning in that small carpet cleaners have a small tank, which means you will have to refill every now and then.
At the same time, you have to put your kids and pets into the cleaning equation. A home with children gets dirty often, thus the need for portable equipment that can be applied anytime. Pets too release hairs into the carpet, meaning you will need equipment specialized for the same.
You will also need vacuum cleaners to suck most of the dirt from the surface and within the carpet. However, don’t break the bank to acquire these items. Always work within your budget and get something that works for your home.
Over-Wetting the Carpet
This is a situation where excess water soaks to the bottom of the carpet. While it may seem ordinary, the consequences that come with it are severe. Top on the list is that the rug will discolor, which spells doom for its beauty.
Other carpets will shrink, thus reducing in size. This leads to a reduction in the thickness, meaning they can no longer provide warmth to the feet. Others will tear, which brings losses since they cannot be repaired. The best you can do in such instances is replacing them.
The presence of wet carpets also creates room for the existence of mold. The mold will bring about allergies to your kids and pets.
Not Giving It Enough Time to Dry
While you may have done an excellent job in cleaning without even soaking, it will be zero work if you cannot give it time to dry. Unfortunately, most people are impatient and can hardly wait for it to dry.
If you are dealing with a small rug, take it out and allow it to dry in the sun. If it is big, keep the windows and doors open for some time to facilitate the drying process. However, you have to be sure that the drier in your cleaner is working effectively to dry excess water.
Even as this is happening, there should be no furniture anywhere near the carpet. When such furniture comes into contact with wet carpets, they will release their dyes, which end up staining the carpets. Removing such stains can be hard even when using chemicals.
Skipping the Vacuuming Phase
Some of you think they are doing justice to the carpet just because they clean it regularly. Regular cleaning without using the right procedures does not add any value. Instead, it leads to the accumulation of dirt within the carpet.
Whether spot cleaning or doing it thoroughly, vacuuming is a crucial phase. Before applying any cleaning agent, it is upon you to unleash the vacuum first. This specialized equipment will help to eliminate excess dirt.
Vacuuming will be of great help in that it prevents the carpet from getting muddy during the cleaning process. While doing it, children should be alert due to the noise and sounds associated with the machine. However, its efficiency is unquestionable as long as you are dealing with the right machinery.
Carpet cleaning is never easy and may, at some point, require a professional touch. If DIY hits a snag, make an effort of contracting reliable cleaners. Keep the contract short as you learn the basics of cleaning your carpet in the future.
