The winter season means many different things to many different people: festive holidays, skiing or snowboarding, playing in the snow, and dirty carpets. Wait a minute, what was that last one? Yes, winter brings rain, mud, snow and salt - a nightmare for anyone with carpet in their homes. You don't have to resign yourself to perpetually dirty carpets however, read on to learn carpet cleaning tips for the winter months.
If you live in a cold, snowy region, or anywhere that gets a lot of rain during the winter, you already know that winter brings its own special carpet cleaning obstacles. Regular cleaning and maintenance to your carpet must be done, not only to prevent staining and damage to carpet fibers, but to keep your home free from dirt and other unhealthy particles, and keep your family healthy.
Your very first line of defense in protecting your carpet during the winter is to place doormats inside and outside all main traffic areas into and out of your home. You'd be surprised at how much salt, sand, chemicals, and mud your heavy-duty doormats can remove with just a few swipes of shoes and boots. Doormats also act as a visual reminder to kids (and adults) to stamp their feet and remove some of the drudge from their shoes before actually entering the house.
Winter carpet cleaning doesn't stop at the doormat, however. Stay on top of the problem by shaking out all doormats every day, and sweeping and/or vacuuming all entryways and common areas to remove any loose dirt, sand, rock salt or other debris that has been tracked inside. If you notice any spots where melting snow, salt or chemicals have taken their toll, try spot-cleaning the area with a clean, damp rag and dish soap or carpet cleaner (before you try to remove any type of stain, always test the cleaning solutions you will be using on an inconspicuous part of the carpet before using them on a large area). Be careful not to rub the stain and risk spreading it to a larger area; instead, blot the area with your clean towel, using a clean area of the towel each time you blot.
If an area of carpet is wet but not dirty, it still needs your attention. Excessively wet carpet is a breeding ground for mold and mildew (a great reason not to use steam cleaning on your carpet); you can dry wet carpet using a shop-vac, hair dryer or clean towels to prevent mold from forming.
If you are expecting company for the holidays you may want to have your carpet cleaned by professionals before they visit. A professional, non-toxic carpet cleaning company can help restore carpet fibers that have been discolored by salt, chemicals or dirty snow. Even if you're not expecting visitors, it's best to get your carpet professionally cleaned after the extreme winter weather to ensure your carpet is free from dust or allergens. As mentioned above, steam cleaning is not recommended - especially during winter when it can take upwards of 24 hours for your carpet to dry.
Author Resource:-
Using innovative products and technology, Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning®, one of the nation's fastest-growing carpet cleaning franchises, offers oxygen powered cleaning, which cleans all the way down to the bottom of the pile. Visit Oxi Fresh for more carpet cleaning tips.
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