How to clean a carpet

Palace as a type of flooring is very convenient. It can have any shape and color and is also easy to care for. But even an unpretentious coating can be damaged - fatally, for example, by burning a hole in the carpet - or simply stained with something. If in case of serious damage nothing can be done, then you can save the stained rug: to do this, you need to remove the dirt as quickly as possible so that the stains do not remain forever.

Palace is not a carpet

Despite the apparent similarity, a carpet and a rug are far from the same thing, although at first glance they are very similar. A palace differs from a carpet:

  • lack of lint;
  • less weight;
  • two front sides;
  • greatly simplified drawing.

In general, the main task of a carpet is to serve as protection from the cold, while carpets serve more of a decorative function.

The need for regular cleaning

It is worth cleaning regularly even if you are extremely careful and never stir up dirt. Cleaning is necessary mainly because of the systematically accumulating dust, which collects in all hard-to-reach places and pollutes not only furniture or floors, but also the air. This is one of the reasons why the carpet needs to be cleaned regularly, even if there is no trace of dirt on it.

Types of dirt on the carpet

The reasons for dirt in your home can vary greatly. Floor coverings lose their cleanliness especially quickly, since most of the marks on them appear after walking along the street. But in addition to street dirt, there are several other types of pollution that most people encounter sooner or later.

Dust

It appears as if out of nowhere, spreads out in an even layer on all surfaces and it is impossible to get rid of it forever, no matter how pretentious it may sound. Dust is harmful because it is home to dust mites, which can cause asthma or allergies. Wet cleaning helps get rid of dust temporarily.

Dirt

Unlike dust, which settles on surfaces no matter what a person does, the main source of dirt in the home is the actions of people. Typically, dirt is brought into the house on shoes or objects that have been in close contact with the outside world - soil, rainwater, dust or sand. Dirt is very easy to identify - it spreads and stains everything around it.

Stains

Stains are marks that remain on an object after someone’s actions.Unlike dust and dirt, which can appear without human intervention, stains appear only after some action, often as a result of carelessness. Another feature of spots is a limited area of ​​occurrence. The stain will not spread on its own further than its original boundaries, whereas dirt is easily spread throughout the available space.

Smells

The peculiarity of the occurrence of unpleasant odors is that it is a consequence, and not the cause of pollution. An unpleasant odor can come from either a living creature or an object. The appearance of an unpleasant odor is a sure sign that something nearby has gone bad.

Animals

When it comes to pollution, animals are like dust: uncontrollable and ubiquitous. Having a pet in the house is a guarantee that cleaning will have to be done regularly. In addition, animals also serve as distributors of dirt and causes stains.

Basic rules for caring and cleaning carpets

Regardless of how dirty the carpet is, when cleaning it is worth remembering a few simple rules that can significantly save you time. Following these recommendations does not automatically guarantee impeccable cleanliness, but it will take much less effort to put your house in order.

Let's list the basic rules.

Using stiff bristle brushes

When cleaning the carpet, you can safely use a stiff brush. It is recommended to use it to get rid of stains: treat the dirty area with detergent and scrub it with a brush.However, it is important not to overdo it - using this method too much or too often will do more harm than good - the material will fade or deteriorate.

Mandatory drying after cleaning procedures

After wet cleaning, washing or removing stains, the carpet must be dried. This cannot be avoided for several reasons. Firstly, if the carpet remains wet for a long time, there is a risk of mold. Secondly, a damp surface is great for turning dust into slush, which is more difficult to get rid of.

You can dry the carpet in different ways, for example, by hanging it outside or warming it with a hairdryer.

Removing fresh stains more effectively

It is much easier to remove a fresh stain than an old one. Some stains cannot be removed once they dry.

Test the use of any store-bought products on a small invisible piece

Store-bought cleaning products can give unpredictable results - discolor the design, ruin the structure of the rug. To prevent this from happening, it is better to test them on that part of the coating that is not visible to outsiders, or even better - on a separate piece of the same material.

Before wet cleaning, always do dry cleaning.

If you do not remove the layer of dry dirt - dust, soil, debris - then after contact with moisture you end up with wet dirt, which is much more difficult to remove.

Cleaning tools

For effective cleaning you will need the following:

  • a vacuum cleaner, preferably a washing one;
  • a brush with stiff bristles;
  • detergents;
  • sponge or mop.

These are things that are in any home, and without which it is impossible not only to clean the carpet, but also to clean the house.

Folk ways to clean carpet

If you don’t have special detergents on hand, you can use old, proven products.

  1. Soda and salt. The most popular cleaning methods involve using one of these products. To get rid of stains, you need to sprinkle the carpet with salt or soda (optional), rub it with a damp brush, and after a couple of hours rinse with warm water.
  2. Laundry soap. To get rid of stains, dilute a small amount of laundry soap in warm water and treat the stain with the resulting solution. The solution is washed off with clean water. If necessary, repeat the procedure, but not immediately, so as not to spoil the material.
  3. Sauerkraut. Using sauerkraut brine can help remove grass stains. After applying the brine to the stain, the rug must be washed. Cabbage can also be used as an absorbent - just rinse it and scatter it over the carpet to allow the dirt to be absorbed. Then the cabbage is collected, and if necessary, washed and the procedure is repeated.
  4. Ammonia. You can remove grease stains and traces of blood using an ammonia solution. To do this, you need to mix a spoonful of ammonia and a liter of water. You need to treat the stain with the resulting solution, and then wash the carpet. If it doesn’t fit into the washing machine, you can soak it in a basin and scrub the dirty area by hand.
  5. Beer It can also help get rid of stains, but you need to be careful with it - if used incorrectly, the result will be the formation of an unpleasant odor and new marks. Stains are removed using a beer solution. The beer needs to be heated (a bottle will be enough), add a tablespoon of soda and salt, mix and treat the stains with the resulting solution.Then the solution must be washed off with water.
  6. Vinegar. A vinegar solution allows you to return bright colors to the material, and a solution of a tablespoon of soda, 4 tablespoons of vinegar and half a glass of water will help remove stubborn dirt.
  7. Tea leaves used to clean the carpet and restore its brightness. To do this, sprinkle fresh tea leaves onto the stains, let it dry and sweep it away. In this case, you need to be careful, because this tea leaves will not get rid of stains, but will add new ones.
  8. Lemon juice removes stains well. To do this, just treat the stained areas with juice and wait quietly, then remove the juice with a sponge.
  9. Wood sawdust used to clean carpets from dust and small debris. It is necessary to allow the wet sawdust to “absorb” the dirt, and then simply sweep it away with a broom.
  10. Bran and semolina used in cleaning in the same way as salt. The difference is that after the dirt is absorbed, they will need to be collected with a regular broom or vacuum cleaner, without using water.
  11. Snow cleaning. The method does not guarantee the disappearance of stains, but the carpet looks much better after this. To clean a carpet with snow, you need to take it outside, cover it with snow, and then beat it off properly. Then turn it over to the other side and repeat.
  12. Kerosene and washing powder. To clean a carpet using this method, you need to mix a solution of washing powder and kerosene, and wipe the stains with the resulting substance. The effectiveness of this method is only diminished by the strong smell of kerosene, so the method is not suitable for everyone.

Store products

Cleaning the carpet with such means is not always the cheapest option, but it is reliable. A variety of cleaning products allows you to choose the right one for any floor covering. However, such substances are tested on a small area before use. Hand-cleaning shampoo Vanish, Shampoo 5+ Carpets, Vox Drop and others are considered high-quality products.

Removing stains

Stains of different origins are removed in different ways, since they do not all react the same to conventional detergents. A number of such methods were mentioned above.

In general, the method for removing stains depends on their origin.

  1. Oil stains. Before removing such stains, it is necessary to remove as much oil as possible from the surface of the carpet, then treat the surface with alcohol and wash with washing powder.
  2. Grease stains are removed in the same way as oil stains.
  3. Ink stains must first be washed, then treated with lemon juice and washing powder and rinsed with water.
  4. Gum. First you need to apply ice, wait until the chewing gum freezes, carefully scrape it off the rug, and then wash the rug.
  5. Chocolate is washed with washing powder. If washing does not help, you can wash the stained area with hydrogen peroxide.
  6. The paint is removed with acetone or a detergent solution. For a better effect, you can pre-treat the surface with glycerin.
  7. Drink stains can be removed with plain water or soapy water. If the fabric is white, use bleach.
  8. Blood stains are removed with ammonia. They should be wiped off with cold water only.
  9. Traces of berries and fruits are removed with vinegar. Vinegar must be removed with cold water.
  10. Traces of a broken egg can only be removed with cold water and a soap solution or washing powder.
  11. Wax and plasticine are removed in the same way. One way is to apply ice to traces of the substance and remove the stain after freezing - cooled wax and cooled plasticine crumble easily. You can also heat the substance and collect it using a paper towel.

Steam cleaner and use of washing vacuum cleaners

Even old stains can be removed if you use a steam cleaner. Its advantage is that the steam softens dirt particles, making their removal possible. The advantage of a washing vacuum cleaner is that it makes it much easier to use a variety of detergents. Moreover, complete wet cleaning of the rug is only possible if you have a washing vacuum cleaner.

Paint restoration

Many stain removal methods also restore the vibrancy of paints. Typically, these methods involve cleaning the entire surface rather than individual traces.

Cleaning the coating will help restore the brightness of the colors using:

  • snow;
  • bran;
  • salt;
  • soda;
  • sauerkraut;
  • tea leaves;
  • sawdust

You can also restore the carpet’s former brightness if you treat its surface with raw potatoes.

Elimination of unpleasant odors

Every smell has a source. To eliminate it, you need to understand what exactly caused it. Most odors disappear once the traces are removed.If the smell persists for a long time, you can wash the carpet with a soap solution, a solution of washing powder or a special cleaning agent.

The most persistent and unpleasant smell is the smell of urine. It is not easy to get rid of it. An effective method is to use three of the most popular folk remedies at the same time. First, you need to wipe the stain with a solution of table vinegar. Then, after a few minutes, sprinkle the dried mark with soda and treat it with a solution of hydrogen peroxide on top. Do not wash off the product immediately, but after a few hours.

Removing animal hair

The easiest way to clean a carpet from small debris and dust, which includes pet hair. This does not require any specialized tools - just a vacuum cleaner and thoroughness. You should go over each area with a vacuum cleaner several times to accurately collect all the hairs.

Sticky tape or a special roller are also used to remove pet hair. Mold removal

Before getting rid of mold, you need to eliminate its source - dampness, and only then start removing the fungus. The first thing you need to do is protect yourself from fungal spores, which can be dangerous - put on gloves, a respirator, glasses; if available - a protective suit. The next step is to dry the carpet. Then remove obvious traces of mold - sweep them with a broom or vacuum.

Only after this can you start treating with special products. Special antifungal products are sold in household chemical stores. The carpet must be dried after applying the product.

It is advisable to treat not only the floor covering, but also the floor in order to get rid of the mold for sure.If the smell persists for a long time, you can wash the carpet with a soap solution, a solution of washing powder or a special cleaning agent.

The most persistent and unpleasant odor is the smell of urine. It's not easy to get rid of it. An effective way is to use three of the most popular folk remedies simultaneously. First you need to wipe the stain with a solution of table vinegar. Then, after a few minutes, the dried trace is sprinkled with soda and treated with a solution of hydrogen peroxide on top. The product is not washed off immediately, but after several hours.

Cleaning animal hair

  1. The easiest way is to clean the carpet from small debris and dust, which includes pet hair. This does not require any specialized tools - just a vacuum cleaner and care. It is worth going through each area with a vacuum cleaner several times to accurately collect all the hairs.
  2. Adhesive tape or a special roller is also used to remove pet hair.
  3. Mold Removal

Before getting rid of mold, you need to eliminate its source - dampness, and only then begin to remove the fungus. The first thing to do is to protect yourself from fungal spores, which can be dangerous - wear gloves, a respirator, goggles; if available, a protective suit. The next step is to dry the carpet. Then remove obvious traces of mold - sweep them away with a broom or vacuum cleaner.

Only after this can you begin processing with special means. Special antifungal agents are sold at a household chemical store. The carpet must be dried after applying the product.

It is advisable to treat not only the floor covering, but also the floor in order to definitely get rid of mold.

  1. If for some reason household chemicals are not suitable for removing mold, you can resort to folk remedies:
  2. Tea tree oil and/or grapefruit seed oil help a lot. To remove mold, mix a tablespoon of tea tree oil or 10 drops of grapefruit seed oil with a glass of water and apply the carpet solution.

You can use undiluted vinegar against mold, but it does not work on all types of mold.

  1. Whatever method you choose, it is important to remember that when mold spreads over a large area, it becomes extremely dangerous, and in this case it is best to turn to professionals to remove it.
  2. Features of carpet cleaning

In order not to spoil the floor covering when cleaning, you need to choose methods suitable for the material from which the carpet is made. Materials are divided into natural and synthetic. However, any carpet needs regular cleaning, carried out using mechanical means - a vacuum cleaner or a broom.

Coverings made from natural fabrics such as cotton, silk, wool should be cleaned carefully. Such carpets quickly deteriorate from dampness, so wet cleaning can only be done if necessary. It is not recommended to use salt and products containing alkali to remove contamination - the structure of the material suffers from this.

The advantages of carpets made from synthetic materials are price, lightness and ease of care. To clean synthetic coatings, you can use both special cleaning products and traditional methods.

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  2. The color of the flooring also matters. The most difficult thing to get rid of dirt is a light carpet made from natural materials - you can only use dry cleaning on it, and you can’t do it without dry cleaning.
  3. Baking soda or sauerkraut are suitable for cleaning light-colored surfaces, but removing dirt with lemon juice or tea leaves is not recommended - stains may remain.
  4. With colored carpets everything is a little different. Since they show less streaks, stains and dirt are much easier to remove. However, due to the use of strong cleaning agents, the rug may noticeably fade.

In any case, you must be careful when cleaning carpets at home.

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