One of the largest investments you make inside your home is what you choose for your flooring. The most common choice as a floor covering is carpeting and the reasons for their popularity are both practical and aesthetic. Unlike other types of flooring, carpet is a natural insulator, providing warmth in winter and keeping cool air trapped during summer months. It reduces the noise level by eliminating or muffling the clatter of different sounds. It is also soft underfoot, providing a comfortable walking surface and reducing fatigue.

The beauty of carpet is evident in the overwhelming selection of styles, patterns and colours in which it is offered. Before choosing a particular style you should consider how much use the areas to be carpeted will receive and whether you will be able to keep the carpet cleaner. It is always best to balance the elegance of your carpets with the areas they are to be used. Entrance-ways, halls and stairways should have carpets that will not show wear and tear because these areas are usually subject to heavy traffic and the carpet cleaning is generally more difficult. Rooms which are favorite play areas for children, such as family rooms, also take a lot of punishment, so make sure durability is a consideration.

Most people want their carpets to last long and look good throughout their home. In order to achieve this, you should take certain steps to ensure that your carpet looks good even after years and years of wear and tear. In order to extend the life of your carpet follow a few of these simple carpet cleaning tips.

Regular vacuuming is the most important thing to do if you want your carpet cleaner. Contrary to popular belief, regular vacuuming will extend and not decrease the life of your carpet. Friction caused by embedded dust and grime is responsible for breaking down the fibers in your carpet and for carpets losing their color and sheen. Vacuum your carpet at least every other day to keep it clean from carpet killing dust.

Another major enemy of carpets and their life are moisture and stains. Apart from having carpet cleaning products for all kinds of stains on hand, it is important to get your carpet coated with an anti stain finish like Scotchgard. While this does not mean that your carpet will become stain proof, it will definitely become stain resistant. Any extra protection that you add to your carpet can only make it easier to keep your carpet cleaner.

Wear and tear is another issue that you need to tackle, especially for high quality carpets. Generally, carpets get worn out at certain places while other areas keep looking like new. If we are looking at wall to wall carpeting, then you should consider using area rugs or entrance mats at high traffic places like corridors, in front of doors and near tables to save your carpet from getting worn out. This will prolong the life of your carpet for many years.

The use of carpet padding is extremely important to save your carpet from uneven wear and tear. Put plastic foam carpet padding under all your area rugs and carpets to ensure that they get evenly worn out. Another thing that you should make it a point to do is to rotate the furniture that is kept on your carpet regularly so that your carpet does not get permanently depressed at certain places where furniture has been placed for a long time.

Apart from cleaning your carpet at home by vacuuming, you should also get them professionally cleaned at least once a year. This will help in taking out embedded dust particles from carpet fibers, bringing back its sheen and give it a soft hand. After getting your carpets cleaned, get them coated with carpet protection finish.

Following these simple carpet cleaning tips will ensure the beauty of your carpets for many years. They will look good far beyond your expectations.

Carpet is one of the most important things in your home to keep clean. Keeping your carpet clean is important, for both health and cost effective reasons. Your health can be largely affected by dust mites and other allergens that make carpets their home, and it is more financially sound to keep your carpet clean than it is to purchase a new carpet. You should professionally clean your carpets every twelve to eighteen months, and vacuum every day or two to keep them from appearing dingy.

There are many different ways to remove spots and odors from your carpets. To keep odors out of your carpet, periodically sprinkle baking soda on your carpets. The baking soda will remove a wide range of odors, from pet odors to body odor in carpets. When a spill occurs, it is important to spot clean it immediately. If you leave a spill on the carpet too long, it is more likely the stain will be permanent. Do not rub the stain too hard, as it will become more difficult to remove from the carpet but it could spread further and make a larger stain. Rubbing the stain too hard will also weaken the fibers of your carpet. It is best for the carpet if the spill is blotted so that there is no extra damage to the carpet.

Use gentle cleansers such as shampoo or dish soap to remove stains. Club soda and vinegar also work well on carpet stains. There are many commercial spot cleaners on the market for residential carpet use. Before applying these cleaners to the carpet, choose an inconspicuous area of the carpet to test the cleanser. When you are spot cleaning spills, use white cloths or plain white paper towels so that you can monitor the amount of the stain that has been removed.

For the more solid spills like pudding or peanut butter, scrape off the excess spill with a butter knife or similar object. Rinse the remaining part of the spill with warm water, and blot the rest of the spill out of the carpet. Solids that have dried on the carpet can be broken up and vacuumed out of the carpet. Any remaining stain from a dried solid spill can be rinsed and blotted out of the carpet.

There are also several different carpet cleaning methods to keep your carpets clean. Developing a regular routine of cleaning your carpet is the best way of prolonging the looks of your carpet.

The carpet shampoo method utilizes a foamy chemical that is scrubbed into the carpet. This cleaning solution binds with the dirt in the carpet. You apply the carpet shampoo to the carpet, allow it to attract the dirt and dry, and vacuum up the residue. Carpet shampooing is one option but because of the nature of detergents, it can allow the carpets to resoil easily.

Another method is dry cleaning. Dry Cleaning uses a dry absorbent compound to attract dirt and debris, and what remains can be vacuumed away. This option is used for common maintenance in areas that get a lot of traffic but need to be used regularly, which means there is no drying time available for the carpet.

The next method is called hot water extraction. Hot water extraction, commonly called steam cleaning, uses a fine spray mist of water to force out dirt, which quickly picked up by the vacuum part of the steam cleaner. You can perform hot water extraction on your own, or you can hire professionals to do the job for you. Either way, hot water extraction is the cleaning method almost all carpet manufacturers recommend for their carpets. The biggest downfall with this method is the drying time of the carpet. If the carpet is left too wet, it can form mold or mildew

For highly soiled carpets, there is the combination dry foam extraction method. This method begins with dry foam being applied to the carpet. A circular brush scrubs the carpet to loosen the dirt and soil. This solution is then extracted from the carpet leaving the carpet to dry very quickly. This method for heavy soil is the best removal option and the nice thing is that there is no residue left in the carpets to resoil quickly.

Remember that a clean carpet can greatly enhance your indoor air quality. It will reduce the dust mites and other allergens in your home and maintain the beauty of your investment. This can ultimately save thousands in costly carpet replacement.