5 May 2024

The secrets of washing carpets and carpets

The secrets of washing carpets and carpets: most often, we start washing carpets and carpets only when visible stains appear on their surface. This is a mistake – it is worth doing it regularly, because such care treatments refresh the color and make this undisputed decoration of the room look much better.

In the carpet, even if we can’t see it with the naked eye, dust, epidermis and everything that we managed to stain its surface accumulate. Such a mixture, although invisible, is a habitat for bacteria and is a great environment for mites to multiply. It is therefore worth washing carpets and rugs more often than once every few years, especially if there are children in the house.

Self-cleaning of carpets and rugs

Regardless of what material the rug is made of, the first step should always be thorough vacuuming. If possible, it is also worth shaking it out. This will allow you to extract some of the dirt from its surface and make subsequent treatments visibly better. Chemical agents are unlikely to dissolve sand and dust, so we have to take care of that ourselves with the beater. Before we wash the carpet, we should also remove pet hair. It’s best to do this with a rubber glove. If there are visible stains on the carpet, we can be tempted to use a stain remover. The choice of product should depend on the material from which the carpet is made. Even if we find a preparation dedicated to cleaning a specific material, we should make a test and use the stain remover in an inconspicuous part of the carpet – e.g. which is usually covered with furniture. Only then will we be sure that the substance will not discolor the colors and thus will not destroy the carpet. When deciding to wash carpets and carpets on your own, remember not to rub their surface when removing stains. This causes the impurities to soak into the individual fibers even more and it will be more difficult to remove the stain. A better idea is to press the cloth against the stain.

Dry cleaning of carpets and rugs

For many people, this is actually the only option, because they have neither a balcony nor a garden where the carpet could dry in peace. In order to clean the carpet in this way, we need to obtain a powder for washing carpets and carpets dry. Some manufacturers offer convenient packaging that has holes that facilitate even sprinkling of the entire carpet. This is a convenient way, because it does not require us to fold and carry the carpet, or work in an uncomfortable position. Such a powder should be left for the time specified on the label – usually several dozen minutes, and then the surface of the carpet or floor covering should be thoroughly vacuumed. The dirt should turn into crystals in the process, so the suction power of the vacuum cleaner will deal with it perfectly and pull it out of the space between the fibers. If we prefer more natural methods, We can use home methods of dry cleaning carpets and carpets. The simplest method is simply to sprinkle baking soda on the carpet – a product that can be found on the shelves in almost every kitchen. This topping should be left for at least a few hours. In some recommendations you can find information that it can stay up to 24 hours a day. After this time, as in the case of a product from the store, you just need to thoroughly vacuum the surface of the carpet. If we don’t have soda, we can use another, self-made mixture. Just mix a handful of soap flakes (we can grate the soap ourselves on the fine mesh of the grater) with 1.5 cups of potato starch. Rub the powder into the carpet, and then, after several minutes, thoroughly vacuum it. We can use a different, self-made mixture.

What to do with worn-out carpets?

Unfortunately, the carpet loses its attractive appearance over time. The most visible defects, in addition to stains and faded colors, are various types of deformation. Although it is rather discouraged, it is not uncommon to place heavy furniture on the carpet. Sometimes it is the only possibility to arrange space and it cannot be avoided. The problem arises when we move or slightly change the arrangement of equipment. It turns out then that the pressure of the furniture caused unsightly creases of the bristles. Although they look permanent, they can be easily removed. All you need is a handkerchief, an iron and a brush. We put the wet material on the carpet in the problematic place, and then run a hot iron over it. The next step is to comb the carpet with a brush in such a way as to lift the bristles in the right direction. This should bring the carpet back to its original appearance. It is worth realizing that before we start any care treatments, we should get to know our carpet well – check the material from which it was made and read the manufacturer’s recommendations. Read the markings on stain removers and washing powders for carpets and carpets carefully. In this way, we will avoid unpleasant surprises in the form of damaged fibers.