Carpets and rugs on floors add a touch of grace to your home interiors. Plus, the warmth and comfort underfoot it provides is uncomparable. Despite having the advantage of elegance and comfort, carpets are subjected to a lot of abuse by shoes, spills, and pets. Furthermore, if left unclean for an extended period, the dust can settle under the carpet fibers, resulting in the growth of dust mites, pollen, and bacteria.
That’s why ensuring better care and protection to your carpets is an important consideration to maintain its longevity and a healthy environment around your rooms.
But how to clean your carpet and rugs at home without calling for professionals is a big deal. Using a vacuum cleaner is a great way to achieve the best cleaning results; still, you need to know the right way of using it on your rugs and carpets.
Here are some useful tips and tricks on how to clean carpets with vacuum at home.
First Thing First Choose the Right Type of Vacuum
Since there are different types of vacuum cleaners, each with distinct utilities, it is very important to choose the right and best carpet cleaner to maintain its quality and life.
Upright vacuums are the most popular choice for cleaning large carpeted areas (Wall to wall carpets, area rugs, etc.). They include a beater brush with rotating brush rollers that easily loosen the dirt from the carpet fibers, which in result helps in effective suction of the dirt and debris. Many models even also have the feature of turning off the beater brush and using suction only to prevent damage while cleaning special rugs or carpets.
Canister vacuums are best for cleaning small carpeted areas. To clean carpets specifically, you must choose the turbo or turbine type canister vacuums. They come with the common beater brush powered by the airflow of the vacuum’s suction helps in easy loosening of dirt from carpet fibers.
Stick vacuums are lighter in weight and have soft bristles. Plus, their ability to turn off the beater brush makes them appropriate for cleaning different surfaces from carpets to rugs to hardwood floors.
Robotic vacuums are the most convenient options that can easily pick up small dust particles and pet hair from the low-medium pile rugs and carpets.
Choose the Vacuum Based on Carpet Types
The different construction materials in carpets require different levels of vacuuming. For exp. the traditional cut-pile carpets require heavy-duty vacuuming, generally, with the vacuum featuring a beater brush to remove the dirt and debris effectively. On the other hand, the modern carpets with soft and delicate fibers require vacuum cleaners that are gentle on them and do not damage them.
The Carpet and Rug Institute has created a labeling system to highlight the features of each vacuum cleaner model. To make the best choice, you are advised to read carefully the instructions and labels present on the back of the machine.
Your Vacuum Must Have Adjustable Height Feature
Adjustable height is the most important feature, especially for cleaning carpets and rugs. Vacuum heights may need to be adjusted based on the type of carpet, so airflow can remain proper, and suction is optimized. For instance, if your vacuum is set too high above the carpet surface, the vacuum can’t grab the gritty soil below. The same if the setting is too low, the vacuum’s beater bar or brushes can “fuzz” the carpet’s surface, making it look dull and damaged.
So, it is very important to set the appropriate vacuum height according to the manufacturer’s recommendation for the particular style of your carpet.
Use The Appropriate Attachments
The vacuums come with a wide range of attachments to offer amazing cleaning results on different surfaces. Here, we are talking about carpet cleaning, so you must require the appropriate attachments specifically meant for rugs and carpets.
- For cleaning delicate area rugs like wool or silk fibers, it is best to use the upholstery attachment. Gently glide the attachment over it to get the best cleaning results without damaging them.
- The mini-motorized brush is ideal for high-pile or area rugs with long fibers since it removes dust embedded in the carpet fibers.
- Cut pile synthetic rugs require robust cleaning action. So, beater bar brush attachments are ideal for cleaning them. Make sure not to run the beater bar over the edges of the carpets or rugs, as this could lead to damage.
- When it comes to cleaning carpeted stairs, hose attachment is the ideal option. Since they are small, they are perfect for cleaning corners and tiny gaps between railing posts.
The Right Way to Vacuum Your Carpet
Using the wrong vacuuming technique can often result in an unsatisfactory cleaning result, which can be frustrating for you surely. Don’t worry, though; there’s no need to be intimidated. Just follow these simple steps to vacuum your carpets the right way, and you can save yourself hours of time and frustration.
- Before you start vacuuming, make sure to collect small objects from your carpets like paper clips, coins, small toys, etc., as these are the things you should never vacuum. Doing so will limit the chance of them getting caught in the vacuum and impairing its suction or causing damage.
- Vacuum your carpet in sections, moving to and fro. First, start off from a small section. Now, run the vacuum in the forwarding direction and then bring it back towards yourself. Do the same to the adjacent section that will ensure no part is left uncleaned.
- The most important thing while vacuuming a carpet is to Go Slow. A speedy vacuum movement can damage the fibers of your carpet and also reduce the effectiveness of the vacuum.
- Once the carpet has been thoroughly cleaned with a to-and-fro motion, vacuum it in reverse. The reverse motion will offer the deep cleaning of the carpet and help getting rid of the embedded particles into it.
- It’s important to empty the vacuum bag or canister when it’s half-full. A full bag or canister will reduce the suction power of your vacuum and cut its cleaning efficiency.
Smart Tips for Carpet Cleaning and Maintenance
- Vacuuming frequently or at least once a week is very important to remove the dirt and dust piled up underneath the carpet fibers.
- Daily vacuuming must be done in high-usage areas to prevent the buildup of dry soil, dirt, dust, and grit. For best cleaning results, go with the vacuum cleaners with a rotating brush.
- Treat stains or wet spills from the carpets immediately. A wet/dry vacuum cleaner is the best way to effectively remove stains from rugs and carpets.
- Avoid vacuums with very concentrated or sealed suction.
- Rotate your furniture every so often to avoid permanent marks on your carpet.
- To get maximum efficiency in cleaning, always set your vacuum at the right height.
- The most important thing is to consider the professional cleaning of your carpet once a year to extend its durability. The duration for professional cleaning also depends on traffic and other use factors like frequency of vacuuming and whether the carpet is a light or dark color.
How to Get Bad Smells out of Your Carpet Using a Vacuum?
Often when you have to clean your carpet, you have to deal with bad smells. The reason behind bad-smelling carpets are undissolved grease, wet spills (coffee or wine), urine, or pet hair, which, if left for an extended duration, may result in musty or horrible smells from it. A simple small step before vacuuming can get you rid of those foul smells from your carpet.
Simply sprinkle some soda bicarbonate (Baking soda) on it and leave it for at least 15 minutes before vacuuming. It will loosen the carpet’s fibers and help in releasing the mildew growth or pet hair embedded into it. This, in result, deodorizes your carpet, leaving a fresh smell around.
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