How to clean a carpet

A clean carpet is to the house like clean shoes to a man. Another old saying is that a clean carpet is like a business card to a business man. When your visitors come into your house or office, the first thing they notice is your carpet and how clean it is. This page explains steps to clean a carpet. The advantage of a Persian carpet or a Kashmit carpet is that it can be easily spot cleaned. 90% of spills can be removed without staining your carpet. Most accidents can be handled with cold water, a wash cloth, and non-perfumed soaps. Moisture should be blotted dry between each phase of the cleaning process. It is also important to dry the carpet cleaned spot fairly quickly. A hair dryer can be used if necessary. The following tips provide more details about proper clean carpet techniques.

Clean carpet stain removal kit

Before you start to clean your carpet, prepare a so-called spot or stain removal kit. It is a good idea to have the stain removal kit readily available even before the need to clean carpet occurs, before the accident happens. When preparing the clean carpet stain removal kit (also called carpeting cleaning kit), it is also wise to label all cleaning solutions (see carpet cleaning precautions link in the menu above). The kit includes various items which will be used based on the origin of the stain.

Clean carpet stain removal procedure

Act promptly

When cleaning a carpet, the time is important. The longer a stain remains in the fabric of your carpet, the harder it becomes to remove. In case the stain on the carpet originates from some solid material, first, scoop up solid material with a spatula or a spoon. In the second step, absorb any excess liquid with a clean, white, absorbent cloth. This will help to clean a carpet. You can also you a towel or a paper towel. If the stain originates from a liquid, you also need to prevent spreading a stain, so work from the outside edge of the stain toward its center.

Pre-test before working on a stain

To achieve a clean carpet, you need to pre-test your cleaning and stain removal chemicals (see a link in the menu above). This is best done on an area that is not normally visible such as a corner or the underside of the carpet.

Blot gently between each clean carpet step

It is important to never run at a stain. Rubbing or scrubbing only gets the stain deeper into the carpet fiber. If you want a clean carpet, you need to press down and hold the cloth on the stain. For deeper stains, place a weight on a thick pad of cloth and allow time for the stain to be absorbed. It is also a good idea to use a clean white towel or a paper towel to clean a carpet. A white towel makes it easier to see when the towel no longer absorbs the stain.

Never use bleach

Never use bleach to clean a carpet. Bleach can remove stains, but it will also alter the color.

Clean carpet methods

Vacuuming

Vacuuming is a good method to clean carpets to remove dust and mite. Carpets collect dust, and dust collects mite; therefore, carpets should be vacuumed every week. Vacuuming is also an important first step during your scheduled carpet chemical cleaning.

Spot cleaning

Spot cleaning is needed to clean a carpet before an entire carpet is machine cleaned. Old stains can be removed by applying a carpeting product spot cleaner. You can use a carpeting spot cleaner from your stain removal kit. Not all chemicals and solutions are suited to the material of your carpet and to the type of your stain. See your stain removal kit checklist. To achieve a clean carpet, it may be necessary to leave the carpet cleaning solution on the carpet for a while before running a carpet cleaner.

Machine cleaning

Cleaning carpet with machine should be done at least once per year. Machine cleaning removes dirt, debris, and stain from the depth of your carpet fibers.

Steam cleaning machines extract stains through heat and a mixture of water and chemicals sprayed over the surface. Heat often dislodges the dirt. Not all carpet materials withstand heat, for example wool is not suitable for steam cleaning.

Shampooing machines release cleaning agents that are whipped up into foam by a rotating pad or brush. The rubbing motion removes dirt from the surface.

Dry cleaning machines applies a dry mix of chemicals on the surface and lets to set them in for a few minutes. A dry cleaning machine is used to extract the dirt.