Carpet Cleaning Myths Exposed
In the carpet cleaning industry, there are plenty of myths and just plain bad advice circulating. Below we’ll discuss some of the most common myths around carpet cleaning and discuss whether they’re based in reality or just hot air.
I Should Delay Steam Cleaning My Carpet Until Absolutely Necessary
Many carpet manufacturers of yesteryear recommended that homeowners put off deep cleaning until necessary because harsh chemical products would wear away at the fibres and reduce the quality of your carpet. This is no longer the case, provided that you choose hot water extraction, aka steam cleaning, as the preferred method of deep cleaning the carpet.
In fact, it’s best to have your carpet deep cleaned sooner rather than later since steam cleaning causes no long-term damage to modern carpets, and more importantly, it sanitises it completely by eliminating soil and bacteria deep within the fibres in a way that vacuum cleaning simply can’t achieve.
In addition to steam cleaning, don’t neglect weekly vacuum cleaning (2-3 times a week is recommended, but few of us do it more than once a week). Also avoid soiling the carpet unnecessarily by tracking in boots or shoes. Use floor mats or area rugs in high-traffic areas for added protection.
Bottom line: myth busted.
After the First Steam Clean, My Carpet Will Re-Soil Quickly
This simply isn’t true. Although perhaps you may notice stains and spills on a freshly cleaned carpet more easily since it stands out, there’s no evidence that steam cleaning your carpet will cause it to soil faster.
Your carpet will always be prone to suffering from soil, bacteria, and perhaps even mould over time, which means that the best treatment is regular steam cleaning at least once per year (3 times per year under heavy usage).
Keeping your carpet steam cleaned on a regular basis will thoroughly eliminate bacteria and any mould that may have accumulated, thus leaving your home safe and healthy and your carpet aeshetically clean.
Bottom line: myth certifiably busted.
Carpet Protectors Are Unnecessary and Don’t Work
Carpet protector products often come across as an ‘upsell’ from carpet cleaning professionals that aren’t necessary. After all, a thorough cleaning will get the job done, so why bother adding more chemicals to the carpet afterwards if you intend to keep it nice and clean going forward?
For a minimal expense, carpet protectors extend the cleanliness of a freshly steam cleaned carpet for months longer than without.
What are carpet protectors? Most are fluorochemicals that are topically applied to freshly cleaned carpets which coat the fibres of the carpet and reduce the absorption of stains and spills as they occur, thus protecting the carpet.
Homeowners should not apply carpet protectors without plenty of caution and they should never be used on carpets that aren’t perfectly restored to near-pristine condition or else they won’t be as effective.
You don’t have to apply carpet protector, however it’s certainly not a bad idea to prolong the cleanliness of your carpet.
Bottom line: carpet protectors are worth every dollar, but they aren’t absolutely necessary.
Floodcare
To get the best care for your carpet, including remediating the damages incurred by water after a flood, get in touch with the friendly folks at Floodcare today.
