How to clean your carpet at home

Recommendation points

• Choice of cleaning chemicals
• What tools and devices are needed
• If there is no cool washing vacuum cleaner – a quick water filter
• Procedure: general cleaning and stubborn dirt
• We wash out the remaining soap and dry the carpet

Today we will share with our readers the experience of cleaning companies and highlight the main points related to cleaning carpets and carpets right at home. From the choice of cleaning agents to the drying process, you will learn everything you need to achieve a high-quality and long-lasting result..

Choice of cleaning chemicals

Almost every carpet product has its own specific cleaning associated with the textile materials and dyes used in it. To know or to visually determine whether it is wool, or synthetics, or what other type of pile, what type of base of carpets is – these are the primary tasks. Otherwise, carpet cleaning may do more harm than good..

Synthetic one-color carpet and coatings similar to it, in which large forest pile is knocked down not very tightly, can be cleaned by almost any means that do not contain caustic solvents and impurities. Synthetic pile is chemically inert, has a permanent coloration and therefore you can freely combine different chemistry: from dishwashing detergent to washing powder and laundry soap. This will help to cope with the main spectrum of pollution with a minimum of effort, just let the chemistry do its job..

Patterned carpets with natural fabrics in the pile require a more careful approach. They are usually cleaned with highly foaming formulations. Depending on the degree of contamination, both liquid soaps and chlorine-free bleaches based on active oxygen can be used. Mild flaking of a significant part of household dirt can be achieved using ordinary baking soda, usually added to whipped foam. And no vinegar: natural acidity will be enough to form foam.

If you are going to clean a delicate piece of art made of wool or delicate fabrics, you should use special cleaning products: Vox, Thomas, Help, Amvay, Karcher – here are just a few of the names to search. Choose a specific type of detergent based on the permissibility of using it on your material, which is indicated in the annotation to household chemicals. You should also test the action of the detergent on a small area of ​​the carpet before proceeding with the “big cleaning”.

Special products have an advantage in the durability of the result over all other representatives of cleaning chemistry. They do not create a soapy film, therefore, dirt and dust from the carpet can be easily removed using “dry” methods. Some formulations are characterized by the ability to pull dirt to the surface and adsorb it in a dried state; the remaining foam can be collected with an ordinary vacuum cleaner.

What tools and devices are needed

Do not rely on the effectiveness of automatic cleaning brushes. They are good for day-to-day cleaning, but manual methods are a better choice when cleaning your carpet thoroughly. Your main weapon should be a pair of ironing brushes, one about 80-100 mm long, the other about 200-250 mm long. For more convenience, you can stock up on a mop brush, but be prepared that problem areas will require careful hand rubbing.

Actually, you need one of two conditions to clean the carpet. The first is access to a large amount of water and its free outflow. This will not work in the apartment, it is better to take the carpet outside to the nearest cleaning rack, taking 3-4 buckets of water.

The second option is a good washing vacuum cleaner and a piece of plastic wrap one meter wider and longer than the carpet. The latter is necessary in the event that the floor covering does not tolerate even temporary wetting, such as laminate.

In addition, there should be a pair of clean buckets on hand. One with a solution of detergent or whipped foam, the other with clean water. You will need quite a lot of it: even special products require thorough washing out, just using them this process is much easier than if a wide range of chemistry was used.

If there is no cool washing vacuum cleaner – a quick water filter

A separate water cyclone filter, possibly homemade, will help to replace a vacuum cleaner with a suction function for liquid contaminants. To make it, you need a plastic bucket for 15–20 liters with a tight-fitting lid, several knees under 45? and 90 ?, aluminum tape and hot glue. Despite the budget, the filter copes with its tasks, although it is not entirely convenient for daily use.

We make two round holes with a diameter of 48–49 mm in the lid. Holes in fluoroplastic covers can be easily scratched with a compass with two needles or an awl, tracing the pipe around the end without a socket. Place the holes 30-40 mm from the edges at diametrically opposite points.

Pass one pipe through the lid so that the socket remains on top, seat it up to the most stubborn side and cut it 120–150 mm from the bottom. Insert the second pipe in the opposite direction and shrink it just as tightly, if necessary, you can slightly expand the holes with an emery cloth. Take the rubber bands out of the sockets and put them on the pipes, pull them over the flares of the sockets. To properly glue the joints, rest the tubes with their free end on the floor, press the cover to form a small gap under the flange of the socket and quickly pump it in with hot glue. On the reverse side, draw a strip of glue around the corner of the pipe to the lid and press the rubber ring tightly.

The pipe, directed upward, serves to connect the brush. On its free end, you need to put on a 45? Knee, if necessary, fix it and direct it tangentially to the tank wall. The second pipe is cut at a convenient height and serves to connect a vacuum cleaner; from below, a rectangular elbow must be inserted into its socket, directed away from the inlet. For convenience, can be equipped with knees under 90? and the upper terminals, to them are connected standard hoses from the vacuum cleaner, sealed with several layers of tape-tape.

Before using a homemade cyclone, you need to pour 80-100 mm of water into it, close the lid tightly and tape the porch with tape. Please note that such a filter is slightly inferior in performance to the present one; it will not work correctly with vacuum cleaners below 1.5 kW. Plus, you need a brush to collect moisture, without it you will have to work with the bell of the handle, which is possible, but long and tiring.

Procedure: general cleaning and stubborn dirt

To remove dirt, you need to stir the pile properly so that the cleaning liquid soaks it thoroughly. Therefore, at the beginning of cleaning, rub the carpet in small areas, wetting the brush often and well. It is advisable to move from one edge to the opposite, moving to the beginning at each new stage. This will ensure that the exposure time of the cleaning agents is the same for all areas. But at the same time, do not forget that the activity resource of the detergent is limited and, perhaps, it will have to be applied several times..

For general carpet cleaning, follow these steps:

1. Apply a generous amount of cleaning compound and rub well on the carpet, whipping the lather.
2. Use a small brush to brush over the edges and overlock seams, rub the fringe away from the carpet, pressing it against the film on the floor.
3. At each site, the foam should last 15-20 minutes, but manufacturers may regulate a different holding time.
4. Remove any remaining foam by rinsing with water or cleaning with a cleaning attachment.
5. If necessary, apply the detergent composition again until the foam stops turning gray.
6. Dry the carpet thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner, moving 2-3 cm per second, or rinse well with water, scrubbing the soap solution with a brush.

To remove stubborn dirt, use chlorine-free stain removers such as Vanish Active Oxygen Shampoos and Powders. Please note right away that it is almost impossible to remove stains from potassium permanganate, green leaves, iodine, fruit juices (especially red), so do not waste your time on them. As for iodine, you can try to remove stains from it with ordinary potato starch, spreading the gruel from it on the spot.

Tea, coffee or grease stains can be easily removed with common stain removers after about an hour. You can also use baking soda, ammonia and hydrogen peroxide, especially on stains of unknown nature, where any of the agents can have an effect.

We wash out the remaining soap and dry the carpet

When the main dirt has been removed, the carpet must be thoroughly rinsed. When washing with water, everything is simple: we spill the carpet until the water flowing from it ceases to make your hands slippery. If the carpet gives off an unpleasant odor after washing out the foam, use an air conditioner..

When cleaning in an apartment, rinsing the carpet must be periodically moistened by spraying it with water or wetting it with a rag, each time collecting excess water with a vacuum cleaner. You need to repeat this procedure an indefinite number of times: if one or two are enough for special products, then most of the products of a wide range and after five times cannot be completely washed.

It is important not to overmoisten the carpet by adding small amounts of water and brushing them off immediately. Auto nozzles work well here, only instead of the washing vacuum cleaner, you need to pour clean water into the tank.

When drying outside, the carpet should not be left unattended for a long time, so allow the bulk of the water to drain away, wringing it out on both sides with clean rags along the way. After 1-2 hours outdoors, you can bring the carpet back into the apartment.

For faster drying, fold the carpet on the floor like an accordion, water bottles under the folds. Depending on the density, the carpet can dry in a room with open windows from several hours to 2-3 days. You can speed up the process by folding crumpled newspaper sheets.