Carpet Cleaning and Maintenance- Official Tips and Tricks!

Carpet Cleaning & Maintenance

Maintaining Your Carpet’s Beauty

The best way to ensure long-lasting beauty, comfort and durability in your carpet is to vacuum it regularly, as it prevents soil from becoming embedded in the carpet’s pile.

•Depending on the type of carpet you have, you’ll want to use a vacuum with a rotating brush, a beater bar or suction only. If you have shag carpet, use a suction-only vacuum cleaner with no beater bar.
•Consider professional cleaning every 12-18 months, depending on traffic and other use factors, frequency of vacuuming and whether the carpet is a light or dark color.
•Use scissors to clip sprouts and snags; do not pull them or you may damage the carpet.
•To remove a dent caused by heavy furniture, stroke carpet with the edges of a coin. You can also use a hair dryer or a steam iron to gently raise the dented area while you tug upward on the tufts.
CAUTION: DO NOT LET THE IRON TOUCH THE CARPET.
•If your carpet is burned, remove the tops of the dark, burnt fibers with curved fingernail scissors. If the burn is extensive, the carpet may require patching or replacement.
•If a flooding occurs from a burst pipe, washing machine overflow or other leak, the carpet needs to be dried, front and back, by a professional cleaner with the proper equipment.

Stain Removal Tips
•A wet/dry vacuum cleaner is the best way to effectively remove stains. Use the attachment with the best suction and vacuum as much of the stain as possible, continuing to add water to the stain as you go.
•If detergent is required, use it sparingly and gently rinse the area with water while moving the vacuum wand back and forth. Use a towel to absorb all moisture.

•If spot removal solvent is necessary, apply several drops to a clean white cloth and blot the carpet in an inconspicuous area. If a color change occurs or color transfers to the cloth, consult a professional carpet cleaner. Place towels or cloth over wet area and weight with a heavy, colorfast object to absorb moisture. Leave overnight.

•If stains remain after cleaning, moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide and let stand for one hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain-free. No rinsing is necessary. Apply a pad of paper towels and weigh them down, allowing carpet to dry.

•Some stains cannot be removed because they permanently alter the carpet’s color. These stains include acid toilet bowl cleaners, acne medication, alkaline drain cleaners, chlorinated bleaches, hair dyes, iodine, insecticides, mustard with turmeric and plant fertilizers. For these types of stains, call a professional.
Tips for Removing Common Stains

Beer, wine, coffee and tea

Blot and neutralize with a white vinegar solution, then work a small amount of a detergent solution into the spot (1/4 teaspoon detergent per 1 qt. of water). Continue applying detergent and blotting until spot is completely removed. Using a spray bottle, rinse with tap water and blot to remove excess moisture. Apply paper towels and weigh them down, allowing the spot to dry.


Blood, catsup, cheese, chocolate, cola, cough syrup, mixed drinks, soft drinks, soy sauce, starch, toothpaste, white glue

First, note that all solutions for removing blood must be cool in temperature. Blot and neutralize the spot with an ammonia solution, using a spray bottle to saturate the spot. Next, work a small amount of a detergent solution into the spot (1/4 teaspoon detergent per 1 qt. of water) and continue applying detergent and blotting until spot is removed. Using a spray bottle, rinse with tap water and blot to remove excess moisture. Apply a pad of paper towels, weigh them down and allow to dry.


Mud and dirt
Two beagles and a black lab. Oh yes, there is lots and lots of mud! What do I do?

Allow mud to dry completely. Shatter the dried mud with the handle of a knife, then vacuum. For dirt, apply a small amount of a detergent solution to the spot (1/4 teaspoon detergent per 1 qt. of water) and blot with a white paper towel to work the detergent into the affected area. Continue applying detergent and blotting until spot is removed. Using a spray bottle, rinse with tap water, and then blot to remove excess moisture.

More from the Carpet and Rug Institute

The Carpet & Rug Institute is the science-based source for the facts on carpet and rugs. This nonprofit trade association represents more than 95 percent of all carpet made in the United States. Learn more about the CRI by visiting the website at http://www.carpet-rug.org.