How to Maintain Your Carpets and Rugs

Hasn’t carpet cleaning become such a chore in the popular imagination? We often think of someone — all too often called “mom” or “honey” — sweating over a loud whirring vacuum, poking at a hard-to-reach corner while possibly worrying about the sunny weekend outside slipping away. But as any carpet cleaning professional can tell you, it is only so hard in our imaginations; reality is not as unpleasant, and things happen quicker and much more easily than we might suppose in our dread.

Maintaining your rugs and area carpets is simple to do, and while perhaps the work will never become a favorite hobby of yours, with some practice it can become at least a habit like brushing one’s teeth or taking a shower, activities no longer thought of in terms of pain or pleasure but simply accepted as little facts of life that demand some compliance. Here, then, are some fundamental rules-of-thumb to observe when maintaining carpets and rugs.

Actually, there is one overarching rule of thumb to keep in mind, as this comprises the bulk of good carpet maintenance: frequent vacuuming! Yes, the big secret to it all isn’t all that surprising. Especially with those areas of your home that see a lot of traffic. Vacuuming is pretty much all that’s needed, unless your carpet or rug suffers from seriously heavy soiling. With such situations, you’ll probably want to try a carpet shampoo or other similar chemicals. But do check that the cleanser’s pH balance isn’t rated as being “10″ or more. Many times, plain household dishwashing detergents will do the trick just fine; don’t forget to try them first! Make sure, however, that it’s a neutral liquid, and dilute it 20:1 with water. White vinegar, mixed with water at a 1:1 ration, might also work. No matter what is decided, be sure to test first on hidden or obscure areas of carpeting, like underneath the bed, in case of discoloration. And always always always follow the manufacturer’s instructions!

And of course address any food stains immediately.

But there is one secret to area carpet maintenance, however: rotate it once or twice a year such that sunlight does not affect the fibers of one spot only, causing possible discoloration.