Tips and tricks for keeping your carpet clean
Hire a professional fumigator since they know where roaches hide and how to spray so that the results are long lasting. File photo
Keeping your carpets clean makes a big difference to your home. When your carpets are clean, they look good, smell good, and your whole home just takes on a much nicer ambience.
Wearing shoes in the house increases the amount of dirt and mess you track in over your lovely, clean carpets. Shoes also have a harder tread than slippers (and certainly harder than bare feet or socks), and will wear down your carpets faster.
Keeping your carpets bright and fresh is a must for any home.
Joseph Kato of Kawa Interiors says keeping your carpets clean and fresh is simple when you follow these steps:
Colour
Kato says before chosing a carpet colour, you should consider the usage of the room where it is to be put. For example, if you have young children, it might not be wise to install a white carpet in the living room since this is the room yiour children will spend most their time playing.
“The nature of one’s room also matters a lot. Smaller rooms can be made larger by selecting a light-coloured carpet while larger rooms appear pleasant with a touch of a darker coloured carpet,’’ he says.
Maintenance
According to David Joel Nabeta, the field Manger of Ultra Clean and Fumigation Services, carpets trap dust and all kind of dirty will need to be removed in order to maintain the carpet and to avoid the bad odour that may be caused by urine from children or pets.
“However, before you think of how to clean the carpet, you need to know how best you can prevent it from getting dirty. Display a mat for children were they can sit during meal times and a door mat at the entrance,’’ he advices.
“Mold is another issue one should pay careful attention to. One needs to choose a high quality rubber carpet padding to prevent the growth of mold. It will also maintain the texture of your carpet especially if the humidity of the slab is high.
Cleaning
William Kabuye of Divine Cleaners in Kyegere says cleaning should be done immediately one spills something on the carpet. The longer the spill sits there, the harder it will be to remove the stain.
Kabuye says spilled food should be picked before others step in it and spread the stain adding that in order to clean the stain, one should mix water and cleaning detergent until it brings form. Dip a clean cloth into the form and clean the stain. Avoid dipping the cloth in water as this will wet the carpet causing other issues such as an unpleasant smell.
Baking soda
Kabuye says you do not just want your carpet to be clean, you want it to smell clean too. Sprinkling baking soda before you sweep is a simple trick that will keep your carpet smelling fresher for longer. “Sprinkle a light dusting of baking soda over your carpet, leave it to settle for a few minutes, and then sweep as normal,” he says.
Deal with stains straight away
Kabuye says the longer a stain is allowed to set, the harder it will be to get out. Therefore, with any spills or stains as soon as they happen.
“When mopping up your carpet, always blot. Do not scrub as this could work the stain in deeper. If you are dealing with solid dirt like food or mud, gently scrape it off with a dull knife, he advises.
Leave dirty shoes outside
According to property24.com, an online portal, you should make it a family habit to ditch the shoes as soon as you come in the door, and encourage your visitors to do the same.
“Wearing shoes in the house increases the amount of dirt and mess you track in over your lovely, clean carpets. Shoes also have a harder tread than slippers (and certainly harder than bare feet or socks), and will wear down your carpets faster,” the portal states.
Deep clean twice a year
Property24.com, an online portal, states that instead of waiting until your carpet looks dirty, make a twice-yearly note on your planner or calendar to give your carpets a proper deep clean. You can hire a carpet cleaner for the weekend if you want to tackle the job yourself, or call in a professional for the best possible finish.
Kabuye also advises that other than just sweeping, once in awhile one needs to the hire professional cleaners to clean the carpet thoroughly.
Cost
Nabeta says different cleaning companies will charge different prices but some of the factors that are considered before setting a cleaning price include how dirty the carpet is, your home location and number of square metres to be cleaned.
Caution
“Not every many people will think of replacing the carpets in their home but every carpet that sees regular use needs to be replaced. If the carpet no longer feels plush under the foot and even a professional cleaning cannot renew its texture anymore, replace it,’’ advices Kato.
