VACUUM CLEANING

The Key To Cleaner Carpets and a Healthier Home Environment

Believe it or not, the real key to keeping your carpet looking good all the time is to vacuum often, probably at least two to three times a week. Dry vacuuming can remove as much as 80% of the soil in a carpet, especially the soil in the high traffic areas. Thorough vacuuming in the high traffic areas will go a long way toward keeping the traffic lanes from getting matted and worn. These are the areas that can look so ugly once they are worn and it ruins the appearance of the rest of the house. Simple vacuum cleaning can add years of life to your carpet and keep it looking good all the time.

You should use a quality upright vacuum with a beater-bar revolving brush that will dislodge the soil from the carpet nap. Use of a nap brush or grooming rake prior to vacuuming will loosen up the dry soil between the fibers, making it easier for the vacuum to remove the soil. If you do not own a nap brush, you can usually obtain one from your professional carpet cleaner. Your vacuum should be equipped with the micro-lined anti-bacterial bags so as not to redistribute the small particles and biopollutants that were just vacuumed up. Keep the vacuum cleaner in good condition, changing the disposable bag regularly.

General vacuuming should be performed in all open areas. More detailed vacuuming is necessary in the high traffic areas, utilizing slower strokes and turning the vacuum cleaner at a right angle for an additional pass in an effort to remove as much dry soil as possible. Placing doormats at entrances will help prevent "tracked-in" dirt from accumulating in the carpet.

The soil that remains in the carpet after vacuuming is the oily soil that clings to the fibers. This oily soil is usually removed by professional cleaning or by do-it-yourself cleaning and with the use of certain cleaning agents. Professional cleaners normally know the difference between carpet spots (usually removable) and carpet stains (usually not removable) and they carry various spotting agents that can aid in the removal of spots. Your best time to try to remove a spot or spill by yourself is as soon as possible after it occurs. You chances are best while the spot is still wet. Refer to our Stain Removal Chart for information on spot removal.

Professionally clean your carpet at least once every twelve to eighteen months. Certainly do it before the traffic patterns begin to show wear. It is always best to vacuum your carpet prior to the carpet cleaner arriving, unless the carpet cleaner offers this as part of his service. Many of them do. Just remember that by removing the dry soil from your carpet at least a few times a week, you stand the best chance of preserving the beauty of your carpet for years to come. After cleaning, be sure to ventilate the area with fresh air during the drying period and at least 24 hours after.