Almost every home in America has carpets or rugs in at least one room. With this type of floor covering being so popular, it is surprising that more home owners are totally unaware of how to look after and clean their carpet. Dirty carpeting and rugs not only look awful, but are a perfect environment for bacteria to flourish, germs to multiply, and allergens to build to the point of irritation and ill health. Even if your carpet looks clean on top, it likely has ground in, deep down dirt and dust that has been there for years.

Types of Carpet
The initial step to decipher how best to clean your carpet is to find out what type it actually is. Is the carpet made of wool, plant fibers, silk or synthetics? Each one is cleaned differently using different detergents and products. An example of this is that wool can never be cleaned with any heated products or machines, and no bleach can ever be applied. You need to be aware of this if your carpet is wool, otherwise you may cause irreparable damage when trying to clean it.

Carpet Cleaning Products
In addition to the many materials that carpets are made of, there are also many different cleaning materials on the market for the cleaning of carpet. Carpet cleaning is not simply wetting the carpet down then wicking up the moisture. Carpet cleaning involves the gentle removal of deeply embedded dirt. The need to be both gentle and thorough is what often causes the most difficulty when it comes to properly cleaning carpet.

Hot Water Carpet Cleaning
The hot water extraction method is a prime example of a method that is highly effective for most carpet cleaning needs. Although for reasons mentioned above this is not a recommended method for the cleaning of wool carpets it is a viable alternative for the cleaning of other carpet materials. In this method, which is also referred to as steam cleaning, heat is used in order to suspend dirt particles that have become embedded in the carpet. Then a cleaning agent is injected into the pile for the purpose of removing those particles. Heat and fans are used to quickly and effectively dry the carpet after this method is applied (be sure to check with your service to make sure this is included or find the cost of adding it as it is much favorable to waiting around for the carpet to dry).

Carpet Dry Cleaning
Alternatively, there is also the carpet cleaning method where dry extraction is used. This is excellent for wool carpets, and is similar to having your clothes dry cleaned. Combinations of chemicals are used to do the same as the wet methods, and a strong vacuum cleans up particles. The products used are usually powder or foam, with no moisture left behind.

Visit us for more information on carpet cleaning tips, maintaining your carpets and how to remove tough stains from carpet.