Carpet Cleaning Tips - Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Carpet is designed to hide dirt and all types of soil and present to you a clean and comfortable surface at all times. Even a filthy carpet can look and feel clean. But hidden by the fibres can be pet hairs, dry skin and soil that creates a warm and moist environment that is perfect for micro-organisms like dust mite and certain fungal varieties. Fleas will often live and breed in carpet also.
Even thorough vacuuming will not shift all of the in-ground soil, organism and foreign matter. In fact carpet wears out mostly because of the fibre being cut but the soil that is in the carpet.
This is why you should have your carpet professionally cleaned every 6 – 8 months. Professional cleaning will dislodge the foreign matter from the carpet fibres as well as sanitise and deodorise your carpet.
Note: Stain removal is one of the most important parts of carpet cleaning. Remove stains as soon as they occur. When you use stain removal products to your carpet, you should spot test them first. Try the stain removal agent in a hidden part of the carpet, before you apply it to the stain. This way you can be sure that your stain removal product won´t harm your carpet.
Managing Spills and Stains
The best method to deal with the problem will depend on the type of stain or spill. However there are three basic rules to managing spills and stains:
1. Act Immediately
2. Never add moisture to moisture
If the spill is wet, then use whatever absorbent materials are readily available to immediately dry up the spill. Good examples of absorbent materials are Paper Towel, Toilet Paper or Tissue, Common household Salt, or Bi-Carb of Soda. Cover the entire area with liberal amounts of absorbent material and remove as much moisture as possible. Then place a towel or clean absorbent materials on the spill area. Place some light weight on the towel (eg a book) and forget about it for a day. If you have a residual stain, go to the next step.
3. Don't rub at a stain
Vacuum the area thoroughly, always work from the outside, do not over wet and never rub. Dab at the stain, working from the outside and pushing toward the middle. The reason for this is to avoid spreading the stain and avoid piling the carpet fibres.
4. If you wet it, go back to point 2.
If the stain is still there, call 1800 BLUEJET and state what action you have taken. Blue Jet Cleaning Services will have a range of specialised chemicals that can remove most stains.
Warning: If the wrong chemical is used, the stain could be permanently set.
Cleaning Stains from Carpets
Your carpet should be vacuumed frequently and cleaned professionally every 6-12 months, depending on the amount of traffic it experiences. If you have something spill on your carpet and it is due for a professional clean, it is suggested that you leave removing the stain to the carpet cleaning professional as they will know the best method for removal, without damaging your carpet or its underlying base.
For a quick spot clean, however, you may try these quick and easy tips. Be warned, however, that some of these products can damage or alter the colour of your carpet, so it is important to know the limits of your carpet, test in an inconspicuous area first and, if in doubt, always call 1800 BLUEJET and leave it to the professionals.
The important thing to remember when it comes to carpet stains is:
• Don't add liquid to liquid – dry the stain out thoroughly before attempting removal.
• Dab at the stain, never rub.
• Try and clean the stain from the outside in, to prevent it from spreading further.
• After cleaning, cover the area with a thick pad of white paper towels and weigh this down to help absorb all the moisture and dry out the carpet.
Cleaning chewing gum from carpet:
• Using ice cubes in a bag or an aerosol freezing agent to chill the gum, pick and scrape it away.
• Use a dry cleaning solvent on what remains.
• Rinse with 2 teaspoons of vinegar mixed with a litre of warm water.
Cleaning wax from carpet:
• Place a slightly damp, white cloth so that it covers the wax.
• Run a hot iron over the cloth, letting the heat melt the wax and the cloth absorb it.
• Repeat if necessary.
Cleaning nail polish from carpet:
• Find a clear nail polish remover that doesn't contain lanolin.
• Test on a discrete/hidden patch of carpet to ensure carpet isn't damaged by it.
• Dab at nail polish to remove it.
• Rinse with 2 teaspoons of vinegar mixed with a litre of warm water.
Cleaning blood from carpet:
• You should always use cold water initially when cleaning blood from any material.
• Follow with a mild detergent mixed in with warm water (1 teaspoon detergent to 1 litre water).
• Rinse with 2 teaspoons of vinegar mixed with a litre of warm water.
Cleaning lipstick from carpet:
While there are products available on the market for removing lipstick stains, a suggested home remedy is:
• If the lipstick has been crushed into the carpet, attempt to remove as much as possible first.
• Rub Vaseline into the lipstick, working from outside in to prevent spreading the mark.
• Remove the Vaseline-lipstick combination, scraping it away and repeat step two if necessary.
• Follow with a mild detergent mixed in with warm water (1 teaspoon detergent to 1 litre water).
• Rinse with 2 teaspoons of vinegar mixed with a litre of warm water.
Even thorough vacuuming will not shift all of the in-ground soil, organism and foreign matter. In fact carpet wears out mostly because of the fibre being cut but the soil that is in the carpet.
This is why you should have your carpet professionally cleaned every 6 – 8 months. Professional cleaning will dislodge the foreign matter from the carpet fibres as well as sanitise and deodorise your carpet.
Note: Stain removal is one of the most important parts of carpet cleaning. Remove stains as soon as they occur. When you use stain removal products to your carpet, you should spot test them first. Try the stain removal agent in a hidden part of the carpet, before you apply it to the stain. This way you can be sure that your stain removal product won´t harm your carpet.
Managing Spills and Stains
The best method to deal with the problem will depend on the type of stain or spill. However there are three basic rules to managing spills and stains:
1. Act Immediately
2. Never add moisture to moisture
If the spill is wet, then use whatever absorbent materials are readily available to immediately dry up the spill. Good examples of absorbent materials are Paper Towel, Toilet Paper or Tissue, Common household Salt, or Bi-Carb of Soda. Cover the entire area with liberal amounts of absorbent material and remove as much moisture as possible. Then place a towel or clean absorbent materials on the spill area. Place some light weight on the towel (eg a book) and forget about it for a day. If you have a residual stain, go to the next step.
3. Don't rub at a stain
Vacuum the area thoroughly, always work from the outside, do not over wet and never rub. Dab at the stain, working from the outside and pushing toward the middle. The reason for this is to avoid spreading the stain and avoid piling the carpet fibres.
4. If you wet it, go back to point 2.
If the stain is still there, call 1800 BLUEJET and state what action you have taken. Blue Jet Cleaning Services will have a range of specialised chemicals that can remove most stains.
Warning: If the wrong chemical is used, the stain could be permanently set.
Cleaning Stains from Carpets
Your carpet should be vacuumed frequently and cleaned professionally every 6-12 months, depending on the amount of traffic it experiences. If you have something spill on your carpet and it is due for a professional clean, it is suggested that you leave removing the stain to the carpet cleaning professional as they will know the best method for removal, without damaging your carpet or its underlying base.
For a quick spot clean, however, you may try these quick and easy tips. Be warned, however, that some of these products can damage or alter the colour of your carpet, so it is important to know the limits of your carpet, test in an inconspicuous area first and, if in doubt, always call 1800 BLUEJET and leave it to the professionals.
The important thing to remember when it comes to carpet stains is:
• Don't add liquid to liquid – dry the stain out thoroughly before attempting removal.
• Dab at the stain, never rub.
• Try and clean the stain from the outside in, to prevent it from spreading further.
• After cleaning, cover the area with a thick pad of white paper towels and weigh this down to help absorb all the moisture and dry out the carpet.
Cleaning chewing gum from carpet:
• Using ice cubes in a bag or an aerosol freezing agent to chill the gum, pick and scrape it away.
• Use a dry cleaning solvent on what remains.
• Rinse with 2 teaspoons of vinegar mixed with a litre of warm water.
Cleaning wax from carpet:
• Place a slightly damp, white cloth so that it covers the wax.
• Run a hot iron over the cloth, letting the heat melt the wax and the cloth absorb it.
• Repeat if necessary.
Cleaning nail polish from carpet:
• Find a clear nail polish remover that doesn't contain lanolin.
• Test on a discrete/hidden patch of carpet to ensure carpet isn't damaged by it.
• Dab at nail polish to remove it.
• Rinse with 2 teaspoons of vinegar mixed with a litre of warm water.
Cleaning blood from carpet:
• You should always use cold water initially when cleaning blood from any material.
• Follow with a mild detergent mixed in with warm water (1 teaspoon detergent to 1 litre water).
• Rinse with 2 teaspoons of vinegar mixed with a litre of warm water.
Cleaning lipstick from carpet:
While there are products available on the market for removing lipstick stains, a suggested home remedy is:
• If the lipstick has been crushed into the carpet, attempt to remove as much as possible first.
• Rub Vaseline into the lipstick, working from outside in to prevent spreading the mark.
• Remove the Vaseline-lipstick combination, scraping it away and repeat step two if necessary.
• Follow with a mild detergent mixed in with warm water (1 teaspoon detergent to 1 litre water).
• Rinse with 2 teaspoons of vinegar mixed with a litre of warm water.
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