Summertime brings a lot of foot traffic back and forth into the house, and those feet are often pretty dirty! You can save money with a DIY approach to expert carpet cleaning and carpet maintenance when you keep a few things in mind.
Know your carpet manufacturer’s warranty. Improper carpet cleaning can actually void your warranty, and several problems can develop if you don’t know what you’re doing. The two most common problems that homeowners confront when attempting do-it-yourself carpet cleaning is
- Using too much water and/or
- Using too much detergent
The outcome of either scenario can get ugly fast. A carpet that never dries thoroughly can lead to mold and mildew growth. Plus, certain detergents can cause backing separation. When you think about the investment you have in new carpet, you want to be sure that you are maintaining it so that it lasts as long as possible.
Purchase a quality, moderate-grade carpet (or better). Honestly, you get what you pay for. A cheaper carpet will just not stand up to kids, pets, and life in general! Make an investment in a higher grade carpet (when you can get it at a discount price) and you’ll actually save money in the long run.
Buy a good vacuum cleaner. When dirt isn’t rubbing around on those carpet fibers, they will last longer. A carpet specialist once told me to vacuum the high-traffic areas once per week for every member of the house. (So if you have a family of four, you’re going to vacuum about every other day.) Vacuuming is the number one way to take care of your carpet. Be sure to change your vacuum bag regularly and keep the filters clea
Take care of stains immediately. Always keep a quality carpet stain remover on hand, and tend to stains immediately. If you let them set, they will adhere to the fibers and be that much more difficult to remove. (Be sure to let children see that this needs to be done quickly, and be forgiving and loving when they have spills or accidents. If they think they are going to get in trouble for spills, they will hide them, and then the stains will set.)
Go with the pros. Finally, be sure to include room in your budget to have expert carpet cleaning done by professionals at least once a year. When you make carpet maintenance a priority, you’re making your investment last and your money go further. What a great savings!
How do you take care of your carpets? Any special tricks for dealing with stains?
We had cream colored carpet last for 11 years with 2 kids, by never wearing our shoes in the house. Think of how many yucky things you step in and then walk on your carpets. It really saved a ton of money in cleaning.