What is the best way to care for carpets?

Question

Best carpet care company, any things to avoid? any things to do? how often to clean, stain removal tips and any other knowledge you might have

All advice is helpful

THANKS in advance :)

Answer 1

I have to say that the carpet cleaning dude is right about the steam cleaning. And with the experience he has he should be. However, I need to let you in on a little secret of mine.  I have been using the Home Depot product Zep 505 to clean EVERYTHING from walls to laundry (my husband works with grease as a mechanic and I clean houses).

Years ago I purchased a home carpet cleaner because I did not want to use rentals.  It has paid off tremendously.  My carpet is 10 years old and my 17 year old daughter just moved her things out of her room.  I couldn't believe the c**p she left on my carpet. There were spots as black a charcoal (if I didn't know better I would say she crushed some in the carpet to spite me).  The point is..... I pretreated the stains with the 505 cleaner by saturating the spot and letting it dry.  I then sprayed the spots again just before using the hottest water I could safely put in the machine and used the hand held tool to scrub the spots as I came to them. Then I just rinsed it several times with the mix of cleaning product the carpet cleaner recommended by running over it several times slowly. It worked great!!!  Now that carpet is the best looking rug in the house.  I need to do all of them that way.  

The best way to take care of your carpet is to remove your shoes before walking on it, get up spills and dirt spots you notice quickly by using a steam cleaner to spot clean so you don't end up rubbing the dirt in too far.  Use the carpet cleaner frequently and stay away from the Carpet Fresh powders.  They just stay in your carpet until you remove the carpet.

Answer 2

Dont get a dry chemical company.  All they do is load up cleaners on your carpet then rub them with a slow speed buffer.  The chemicals stay in your carpet and quickily remerge ( about 3 months later).  Soaps are attracted to dirt (thats why we use them to clean) if you don't take them away dirt more quickly than average attach themselves to the left over chemicals and the dirt stays in your carpet.

Steam extraction does take longer to dry but overall is a better clean. the water rinses out the chemicals and your carpets staty clean longer. Also Carpet manufacterers reccomend water extraction above all else.  

as far as stains try these:

blood....use hydrogen peroxide

red (wine, grape, kool aid) .... ammonia. but you need to place a wet white towel over it and steam it out with an iron.

gum... liter fluid (seriuosly it works)

if the dry clean clean guys start talking about mold and mildew they are trying to scare you.  You have to completly flood a house and let it sit to grow mold and mildew.