While regular vacuuming goes a long way to ensure your carpet is clean, it just won’t cut it, especially if you’re dealing with deep-seated odors or persistent stains. Every carpet needs to be cleaned thoroughly every so often and that’s why people choose to shampoo their carpets. Whether you choose to shampoo your carpet on your own or hire a professional, here are a few shampooing carpet tips to bear in mind.
Shampooing Carpet Tips
Some shampooing carpet tips include thoroughly reading the instructions that go with your type of carpet and solution, vacuuming beforehand and more.
Prepare the Carpet and Areas to Be Shampooed
- If available, read the instructions that go with your carpet to ensure the shampoo and cleaning solution you use are appropriate for your specific type of carpet.
- Remove furniture from the room before vacuuming the carpet thoroughly. Before shampooing, be sure to get rid of pet hair, loose dirt and other particles. Vacuuming will also help to expose carpet stains if any.
- Pay close attention to spaces and corners where the carpet meets the wall as well as any high traffic areas. Consider using an attachment to get suction into areas the vacuum can’t adequately cover.
- Make up the shampoo solution according to the instructions on the package. In most cases, you’ll need to dilute the product with water and either spread it onto your carpet or spray it on.
- Before using any shampoo, it’s wise to perform a spot test on a small inconspicuous portion of the carpet to make sure it doesn’t discolor or damage the carpet fibers.
- Removing as much dirt, dust mites and allergens as possible with a powerhead vacuum before shampooing will help to get better results.
- You want to avoid getting the carpet too wet- doing so will not only waste detergent but also increase drying time.
- Scrub the carpet using a hard-bristled brush and pay attention to particularly stubborn areas. Avoid rushing the job as it may yield poor results.
- Avoid over-shampooing: This mistake occurs when either too much shampoo is used or when you don’t adequately rinse the carpet. Both cases are almost inevitable, especially if you decide to shampoo the carpet on your own. This is one of the main reasons it’s highly recommended to occasionally use a professional. Failing to rinse the carpet adequately results in a soapy residue that is difficult to clean out, leaving a carpet that is a virtual dirt magnet.
- Once you’re done shampooing, give the carpet ample time to dry. This could take about two hours or more. A larger room may take up to six or more hours for everything to be completely dry. As such, consider speeding up the drying process by turning on fans and opening windows.
- If you must place back any furniture before the carpet is completely dry, use plastic or aluminum foil under the furniture legs to avoid staining the carpet. Similarly, if you must walk on the carpet before it’s dry, use white cloths or towels and try to keep pets and children off the carpet until you’ve completed the cleaning process.
Bottom Line
Finally, vacuum the shampoo once the carpet has dried and you’ve followed all of the above shampooing carpet tips. The trick with shampooing is to read any directions and follow the instructions. Shampooing your carpet is a good way to keep your carpet clean and maintain a healthy indoor environment. You can also make your own spray on carpet cleaner to remove any stains that happen suddenly or look into the easiest carpets to clean if you want to make it easier on yourself.
