For the past few months, it seems like the CDC Distributors Flooring blog has focused on nothing but carpet and cleaning this specific floor. Perhaps it’s the start of a new year that has people focused on getting organized and cleaning house, or it could be the chilly weather making people wanting to stay warm. Regardless, carpeting is back again, and this time, it’s focusing all about spills. … And how to remove them.
While there are no big holidays in the beginning of the year that have the need for a family get-together, accidents do happen. So for those having a Valentine’s Day gathering (or a Galentine’s Day celebration), don’t fret when the red wine spills onto the carpeting; carpet cleaning can be easy and stress-free.
Accidents and mistakes can result in spills and their consequential stains. Naturally, the first thought that comes to mind when a liquid is spilled on carpeting or any floor is to wipe it up right away. However, for carpet cleaning, it’s a huge don’t to scrub a spill on a carpet. Because of the twisted fibers carpeting consists of, scrubbing will only lock in the spill, resulting in a stain. Instead, it’s best to blot a spill. This works for almost any spill: housetraining a pet, wine that’s been around long after a party ended, etc. Gentle carpet cleaning is better. Blot the area by placing pressure on a wet paper towel on the carpeting where the spill is. Repeat until the spill doesn’t appear on the towel anymore.
That’s great for spills in liquid forms, but what other, non-liquid spills or accidents? As far as carpet cleaning goes, yes, these will require some care and maintenance. But, in order to keep a carpet – or any floor at that matter – looking its best, tackling carpet cleaning at the source of the culprit of a spill is ideal.
For things like gum, candle wax, or solid foods that could get trapped in a carpet’s fibers, “scrape” the floor with a knife or spoon to gather the loose, excess particles at the top of the carpet. Use the edge of a knife or spoon to be the utmost gentle for this carpet cleaning method. Similar to liquid spills, don’t scrub the floor vigorously to get these remnants up. From there, vacuum up the loosened particles and any other hidden debris to ensure nothing else is hiding in the floor.
It may seem like carpet cleaning methods, the do’s and don’ts of carpet cleaning, and carpeting in general are topics that have now been tapped out. Fortunately, with new designs, materials, and trends constantly evolving, carpeting and carpet cleaning will always be a high priority for homeowners.
