When creating interiors, designers actively use carpets made from different materials. They help to emphasize style, create comfort, and correctly place color accents in interior design. The stores offer a wide selection of carpets made of wool and fur, cotton and felt, and various synthetic materials. They differ in appearance, performance properties and cost. But no matter what kind of carpet you choose, it needs regular cleaning. If you do not maintain cleanliness, the carpet product will quickly lose its presentable appearance and become unsuitable for further use.
Most often in the interiors of our apartments we find carpets made of wool and synthetic materials. Today we will talk about how to properly clean carpets without resorting to the help of professionals, using only home remedies. Let's start with traditional wool carpets. They can be of different colors, shapes and sizes, have long or short pile. Wool carpets can decorate and make any interior more expressive. But over time, their pile becomes dirty, and stains may appear from careless use. To restore the original appearance of a wool carpet, it must be cleaned periodically. How to do this at home? Follow our recommendations.
Features of cleaning wool carpets:
- Keep wool carpets with as little moisture as possible when cleaning. It doesn’t matter what kind of wool the carpet is made of - sheep, goat or camel - it always perfectly absorbs moisture that falls on its surface and is in no hurry to give it away. For this reason, mold can form inside a damp carpet. In addition, silk or viscose is often added to carpet fibers, and when saturated with moisture, they can be damaged, causing bald spots to appear on the carpet, and there is a risk of color change;
- Avoid not only over-wetting, but also over-drying the carpet. Excessively dry air in the room, as well as direct sunlight or close proximity of the product to heating devices, can cause the structure of the carpet to lose its elasticity, its pile to become rigid, and its appearance will not be as aesthetically pleasing as before. A steam generator and hair dryer, which self-proclaimed would-be experts often recommend using for cleaning and drying carpets, can also have a detrimental effect;
- Do not be too zealous when mechanically cleaning. Exposing a wool carpet to it can cause irreparable harm to it. For example, excessively active friction when removing stains contributes to the appearance of unsightly small pellets, which will make the carpet look pretty worn. Use hard brushes or sponges with caution when cleaning.
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How to clean: general rules
A natural wool carpet is made from animal hair (sheep, camel, goat). Handmade carpets are more demanding in terms of care; those made in factories are less capricious, but also require careful treatment.
One of the features of wool is its high hygroscopicity, which allows it to absorb and retain moisture. And also difficulty with drying.
Because of this feature, restrictions are imposed on the operating conditions of the carpet and the rules for caring for it.
These include the following points:
- prohibition on using a steam generator and a washing vacuum cleaner for cleaning;
- inadmissibility of washing;
- prohibition on staying in rooms with high humidity.
A damp carpet will quickly develop an unpleasant odor and can become a breeding ground for mold to grow. At the same time, the quality of the pile itself deteriorates, and the color may suffer.
The base of the carpet, which is usually made of cotton, is also at risk of destruction. When exposed to moisture, it becomes deformed and can even collapse completely.
Other features of wool carpets include:
- the likelihood of being attacked by moths;
- tendency to burn out;
- instability to aggressive mechanical stress;
- prohibition on drying using heating devices.
Unless strictly necessary, the carpet cannot be over-moistened, washed, or used aggressive cleaning methods.
Cleaning the door mat
The bedding in the apartment near the front door needs periodic disinfection. Animals often like to sit in such a place, which then spreads an invisible infection throughout the house. It is necessary to periodically spray with a solution, for example with vinegar or a drop of essential oil. Treatment with vinegar will prevent bacteria from multiplying and the unpleasant odor will disappear. And the essential oil will add the necessary aroma and scare the animal away from unnecessary gatherings. To ensure that the mat does not lose its appearance during disinfection and washing, it is better to buy one made of synthetics or rubber based.
This can be safely treated with washing powder with the addition of a small amount of Chistin or Domestos for disinfection. Afterwards, rinse thoroughly, then rinse with vinegar, then the powder will be completely rinsed out. And the rug is like new!
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Dry cleaning
Based on the principle that dry cleaning is preferable to wet cleaning, periodic vacuuming is recommended for wool carpets. This cleansing should be done as needed, at least once a week. Regular use of a vacuum cleaner in carpet care prevents the development of moths.
High-quality vacuuming includes processing both the front and back sides. The passage of the vacuum cleaner nozzle should be in the direction of pile growth.
Particular care must be taken when cleaning the following carpets:
- long-pile;
- with unstable coloring;
- with low pile density.
Advantages of the “dry” method:
- Fast processing.
- Simplicity.
- Suitable even for daily cleaning.
- Waste collection efficiency.
Disadvantages of vacuuming:
- Stains are not removed.
- The brightness of the colors does not return.
- Cleaning does not always cope with ingrained dirt and dust clogged in the pile.
- Mold does not disappear.
Dry cleaning is complemented by periodic beating of the carpet. The best option is to place it on supports and crossbars with the pile down. And only after that start knocking out.
Cleaning with a steam cleaner
The action of a steam cleaner is based on pressure and high temperature, which allows you to quickly and effectively remove even the most stubborn stains. Before using the device, it is necessary to treat the product with a regular vacuum cleaner. The steam cleaner works in three stages:
- Spraying cleaning solution on the surface.
- Vigorous brushing, steam softening of old dirt particles and possible mold in the fibers.
- Collection of dirty solution using a vacuum system.
When working with a steam cleaner, it is important not to over-wet the product and therefore it is advisable to clean from the center to the edges to prevent the same area from being exposed to the device twice.
Wet processing
Wet cleaning for some types of wool carpets is not an acceptable method of care. Before you adopt one of the “wet” methods, you need to check whether this care option is possible or not.
Preparation for wet processing should begin with the following activities:
- Checking color fastness. To do this, you need to move a damp cloth over the pile in an inconspicuous area. If the shades begin to fade, do not use wet cleaning.
- The detergent that is prepared for cleaning the carpet should be tested on an inconspicuous area. If the paints blur or become discolored, and the pile is wrinkled, the prepared composition cannot be used.
Soap solution
For processing, prepare a mild soap solution (10 grams of soap per 1 liter of water) . Only cold water should be used for cooking.
Using a brush, the carpet is cleaned first with a soapy mixture, then with clean water. For processing, you can use liquid soap dissolved in water.
Vinegar
Treatment with vinegar solution is one of the effective ways to revive flowers.
To treat the carpet, prepare a solution from the following components:
- water (1 l.);
- vinegar (2 tbsp.).
When working with a brush, you need to move it carefully along the pile, without applying much effort.
At the same time, do not allow the carpet to become over-wet. To do this, after wetting the brush in the solution, you should shake it off .
Ammonia
To prepare you will need:
- ammonia (2 tsp);
- water (1 l.).
Cleaning is carried out in the same way as using a vinegar solution. When working, the room should be well ventilated.
Snow
Cleaning with snow is a method that has been proven over the years. For such work, a frosty day is chosen so that the snow is not too wet. It is enough to take out the carpet for this treatment 1 or 2 times throughout the winter.
Procedure:
- Spread the carpet on clean snow.
- Pour snow on top of the entire surface.
- Brush the snow off the carpet.
- Repeat several times until the snow swept away from the carpet is clean.
Carrying out such cleaning is possible if the product is dried after it.
And in cases where the rug is not just dirty, but also affected by mold, additional treatment with household chemicals will be required. It is recommended to use a brush with rubber bristles .
Removing stains - quickly and effectively!
Due to the nature of natural wool, removing stains from carpet can be difficult, as harsh chemicals cannot be used.
Using improvised means and simple folk recipes, fresh stains that have not yet had time to be absorbed are best removed.
To eliminate them, the following tips will be useful:
Potato starch has the ability to absorb various substances. It should be sprinkled on the stain.- Fresh grease stains can be removed with chalk or talcum powder.
- Juice, tea and beer stains can be removed by immediately covering them with salt.
After 15-30 minutes have passed, the carpet is vacuumed. In cases where a home recipe does not cope with the problem, household chemicals are used .
Removing plasticine
The most worrying question for all owners of flooring products is: how to quickly clean a carpet at home? It becomes more relevant when atypical contamination appears, for example, plasticine smeared on the pile - the result of children’s creativity. Removal of plasticine should be started immediately after detection, for this you need:
- Removing the top layer of plasticine is convenient to do with a plastic scraper or any sharp object. To remove residues, ice is applied to the problem area; frozen pieces of plasticine are removed in the same way.
- You can use the heat method by placing a paper towel on the stain and ironing it on top. The melted plasticine is absorbed into the napkin. The procedure is repeated until the stain is completely removed.
- Antipyatnin soap will help remove plasticine from carpeting. To do this, you need to soap the problem area, leave it for 30 minutes and rinse with warm water.
- If the plasticine has become ingrained and the previous methods do not help or a mark remains on the light-colored product, you can use more effective means - white spirit, acetone or gasoline.
These methods are also optimal for removing chewing gum and paraffin wax.
Top 3 household chemicals
A number of household chemicals are intended for cleaning carpets.
Very often, for cleaning a wool carpet, a powder is chosen that does not lead to excessive moisture in the pile and base. Among the leaders are the following household chemicals:
- Vanish shampoo for carpet cleaning.
- Help tool.
- "A drop of vox."
If the carpet cleaner does not cope with the task 100%, you can use a stain remover approved for use on wool carpets. For example, TM Vanish.
Vanish
Before using Vanish, the carpet should be vacuumed or beaten. Next, prepare the solution and begin cleaning.
Stages of work:
Prepare a foam cleaning solution. For 9 parts water you need 1 part Vanish.- Beat the foam.
- Using a sponge, apply foam to the carpet, avoiding over-wetting.
- Cleaning is carried out quickly so that the pile does not become too wet.
- Allow time until the pile dries completely.
- Vacuum.
Cost - about 250 rubles per bottle. This product is one of the leaders in the world market of cleaning products and stain removers.
Help
The product is available in containers with a sprayer. Cost – from 130 rubles per 0.5 liter. It has many advantages :
- reasonable price;
- efficiency;
- pleasant aroma;
- good distribution over the surface;
- convenient packaging;
- Suitable for removing stains.
The drug is applied by spraying evenly. If you allow the pile to become significantly wet, a stain may remain after cleaning.
Drop vox
The release form and application procedure are similar to Vanish carpet shampoo. Whipped thick foam acts effectively on the pile, literally pushing out dirt.
The product has the following advantages:
- affordable price;
- pleasant aroma;
- economical consumption.
The downside is that it is insufficiently effective on complex and old stains. Price – from 150 rubles.
Vacuuming correctly
At first glance, everyone knows how to use a vacuum cleaner, from early childhood. However, experts have their own view on the problem - not everyone knows the rules that allow you to clean carpet efficiently.
First of all, carpets are vacuumed from the inside out along the entire length of the product. The direction of movement is periodically changed; the pile should not wrinkle or lie on only one side. If you notice that there is more dirt in some areas than in other areas, go through the vacuum cleaner about 5-6 times.
Tip: add some aromatic herbs (mint, lemon balm or lavender with a dash of clove) to the dust collector - this will help eliminate any unpleasant odor. Simple baking soda, which can be added to a mixture of herbs or used separately, will have a similar effect.
You can also use a scented mixture by scattering it over the surface of the carpet for fifteen minutes before vacuuming.
How to vacuum properly?
vacuum cleaner
Carpet care requirements
In order for a wool carpet to serve for a long time, it is recommended to adhere to the following care requirements :
- When a stain appears, it is necessary not to let it eat in, and to take measures to eliminate it as quickly as possible.
- For a fresh stain, simply wiping the lint with a damp cloth may be enough.
- A broom and brush will help collect debris and prevent it from getting deep into the pile.
- For cleaning, it is recommended to use products designed for wool carpets.
- Do not use chlorine or bleach products.
- You can dry the carpet after cleaning only in natural conditions, without exposure to electric heaters, open fire, etc.
- All household chemicals used must be used strictly according to the instructions.
- Before you start cleaning a wool carpet using any method, it is recommended to vacuum it.
- It is not recommended to rub contaminated areas very intensively - the pile may not withstand such influence.
- Do not use hot water, a vacuum cleaner or a steam generator for cleaning.
General recommendations
Before cleaning a carpet at home , it is useful to familiarize yourself with the recommendations based on many years of observation, testing and experience of housewives. In order not to spoil the structure of the pile and the color of the product, it is not recommended:
- Use hot water. Carpets are cleaned with cool water, the temperature of which is close to room temperature.
- Use hard brushes. This is a direct path to damage to the pile, which significantly reduces the life of the product.
- Moisten the product heavily. As a rule, when excess moisture is used, it does not have time to dry completely; over time, rot appears on it, destroying the base of the product. In addition, an excellent environment is created for the proliferation of fungus, bacteria and some insects.
- Clean against lint. This method breaks the structure of the pile of the product.
- Vacuum new carpets. It is recommended to knock out or use a vacuum cleaner on a new product only after 6 weeks. This is necessary so that the pile is trampled down; during this period, cleaning is carried out with a soft broom, slightly moistened with water.
Before cleaning a carpet at home, you need to choose a suitable product, taking into account the length of the pile, the material of the product and the type of contamination.
