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Home » Home Improvement Articles » How To Deep Clean Carpets

How to Deep Clean Carpets

Maintenance of a carpet is not one of the easiest jobs and it takes time and effort to keep your carpet in good condition. Most people use vacuum cleaners for carpet cleaning but this is not enough; your carpets also need some deep cleaning. The truth is that a carpet is easily prone to contaminants and pollutants. Your dog may walk in wagging his tail and shed some of his lovely hair on the carpet. A storm may bring in a few more surprises in the form of dust and allergens. To top it all, there is always the fear of spilling liquid or food, which may cause deep stains. All this translates to one thing: deep carpet cleaning.

It is advisable to deep clean carpets at least once in 12 or 18 months. This will not only remove the dust and the dirt but also the deep stains. As a result of deep carpet cleaning, the life span of your carpet will increase and it will also look as good as new. Deep cleaning of carpets will reduce the wear and tear and keep its colors bright. The question is how best you can deep clean your carpets?

Deep cleaning of carpets is not something that you can do at home always. This kind of carpet cleaning requires professional help. When you buy a new carpet, you will find a manufacturer note that states that the best cleaning process for all carpets is deep cleaning. It is important that you follow the instructions provided by the carpet manufacturer. You can try deep carpet cleaning at home too but for that you will require a carpet shampoo. There are different types of shampoos available in the market that can be used for specific carpets like woolen or silk carpets.

You should avoid using soap and household detergents for deep carpet cleaning as they can severely damage your carpet. To get the best results, start by vacuuming your carpet completely and then apply a pre-conditioning solution. The pre-conditioning solution is a form of mild detergents, which will help the soil on the carpet to loosen before you can start the actual deep cleaning process. Alternatively, you can also hire a carpet cleaning professional to do the job.

You can search over the internet for firm in your area that employ different deep carpet cleaning processes. The best way to find a professional is through references. Ask for references from your friends, neighbors, colleagues and family. While speaking to different professional carpet cleaners, make sure that you discuss the use of the five different methods of deep cleaning. Take their advice as they know which method will be best suited for your carpet. The five methods of carpet cleaning are:

Dry extraction: In this method professionals use an absorbent that contains special solvents and detergents. This absorbent is infused in to the carpet using special machines. The absorbent acts like a magnet and attract all the dirt, dust particles and soil from the carpet fibers. Once that happens then the carpet can be cleaned using a vacuum cleaner. This process works well for sturdy carpets.

Dry foam extraction: In this method, the professional will apply a detergent solution, which will create foam. The foam will then be applied to your carpet. The foam will attract all the dirt and the other pollutants, which can be removed later on using a vacuum cleaner. This process of carpet cleaning will work well for woolen carpets.

Hot water extraction: This is also known as steam cleaning and you can do it at home. First you will have to precondition the soiled areas of the carpet and then use a specially designed hot water extraction machine to infuse the cleaning solution into the carpet. This will help in loosening and removing of the soil.

Rotary shampoo: This is one of the classic carpet cleaning methods. It is done by professionals who use a machine that has rotary brushes. With the help of the brushes, cleaning solution is injected into the carpet, which helps in removing loose soil.

Absorbent pad: This is the last of the carpet cleaning methods and should not be done at home. A specially designed machine is used for removing the soil. The machine has absorbent spin pads, which can absorb the soil from your carpet.

At the end, it is always advised to refer to the instructions mentioned by the carpet manufacturer to help you choose the right deep cleaning method for your carpet.

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

Are You the Culprit?

Are you a manager who pretty much ignores your organization's important outside audiences?

If that's you, do you realize how difficult you're making it to achieve the important behavior changes you really need and want? I mean changes that lead directly to achieving your department, division or subsidiary's objectives?

I'm talking about growing the repeat purchase rate; attracting new prospects; achieving new levels of membership applications or contributions; expanding the list of organizations officially specifying your service and products; or suppliers newly motivated to meet your strict quality and delivery requirements.

Start operating in your own best interest by taking a closer look at the public relations work underway on behalf of your unit.

Is it focused more on communications tactics than upon a workable, comprehensive plan for dealing with those key external audience behaviors that impact your operation the most?

What may be needed is a refocus on the fundamental premise of public relations: People act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

When you meet with the PR people assigned to your unit, be clear about the need to list and prioritize those key external audiences, and then monitor how your unit is perceived by members of those audiences. That means interacting with those folks and asking lots of questions. Now, and only now, can you mount an effort to alter those perceptions, and thus behaviors, in your direction.

You need to evaluate the data gathered during the perception monitoring session. Is there a glaring inaccuracy about your organization mentioned by several members of that audience? Any false assumptions come bubbling up about your products, services or management? Are misconceptions, rumors or distinctly negative attitudes obvious during your monitoring interviews?

From these data, you frame your public relations goal. For example, spike that rumor, correct that inaccuracy, clarify that misconception or "we'd better do a better job of communicating our product and service benefits."

Every good PR goal needs an equally good strategy showing you how to achieve your goal. But when it comes to matters of opinion and perception, there are only three choices available to you: reinforce existing perception/ opinion, create perception where there is none, or change existing perception. Just be certain your choice of strategies is a natural fit for your new PR goal.

Your public relations people should be especially useful to you for the next step, writing a message positioned to alter perception among members of the target audience. You should, however, be closely involved in putting the message together. It must be not only persuasive, but compelling as well. And it must be very clear as to why the offending perception is simply wrong, or unfair, including how you propose to correct, clarify or change it. I'm certain you will agree that, as you make the case for your point of view, you must be believable.

No easy task to alter what people have come to believe, but certainly worth the effort.

Your public relations people will help you deliver your message to the attention of members of your key target audience. They will identify the communications tactics to help you do the job. As they will tell you, you have a broad choice of tactics such as newsletters, radio and newspaper interviews, newsworthy special events, brochures, speeches and scores of others. The only caveat here, check carefully that your chosen tactics have a record of reaching people like those who make up your target audience.

In short order, all concerned will wonder aloud whether progress is being made toward the public relations goal. Obviously, to satisfy yourself that offending perceptions are actually being altered, leading to the behavior change you desire, you must remonitor the perceptions of members of your target audience.

The difference this time is, you will be watching carefully for clear indications that perceptions are, in fact, being altered.

Now, if you're not pleased with the rate of progress, add a few more communications tactics, as well as using them more frequently, to increase the impact.

So, as a manager, you've pretty much ignored those important outside audiences until now. But, hopefully, these comments have convinced you to ramp up your unit's public relations effort and pursue the behavior changes you really need and want, and that lead directly to achieving your department, division or subsidiary's objectives.

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