Once you’ve got your desired rug nicely laid out in the lounge, it’s very important to keep it clean. While it’s important to regularly clean your carpet irrespective of stains or not, whenever a stain does occur, it’s even more important to remove it (as much as possible) as quickly as possible. This article discusses one of many effective techniques of prolonging a carpet’s life: instantly cleaning a carpet after a stain is made.
What, you ask, would be the top 3 recommendations?
The first important thing is to have a stain removing kit / carpet cleaning kit handy around the house. Back in the day, there were a number of different products to remove different kind of stains. Nowadays, it is typically possible to find an all in 1 product or at most 2 different stain removers that can remove most stains when combined. However, it is important to ensure that your product matches your carpet; silk and wool carpets require separate cleaning solutions. Testing your product on a hidden corner of the carpet is always a good idea when procuring it or using a sample carpet in the store where you buy it.
Always remove as much of the stain as possible! If you think the stain can be removed further without going to a professional cleaner, give it a try. What is even more crucial is to get rid of ALL the residue afterward. Some stain removers need drying time and vacuuming, while others need a thorough wash before being vacuumed. Make sure to follow the instructions to remove the residue as thoroughly as possible. An uncleaned patch of residue which may be invisible to the eye could end up attracting a lot more dust than before the stain was even cleaned, or even deteriorate to the point that only a professional Carpet cleaner could remove the stain. Stain removing chemical residue usually acts as a magnet for dust and locks it in.
Finally, if the carpet is going to a professional cleaner, consider preventative measures in addition to just having stains removed and the carpet cleaned. It may very well be worthwhile to get a stain prevention chemical treatment for the rug or carpet. It may seem a tad bit costly at the time, but it’s definitely worth the savings it will lead to on both the time and money front.
