Carpet Care Tips

How to Care for Your Carpet:

When it comes to maintaining your carpet, one of the most critical areas of focus is the traffic areas. If ground in soil is not removed on a regular basis, the traffic areas will begin to wear excessively. The dirt is extremely abrasive against the fibers of the carpet as you walk back and forth on it. The second area of focus, of course, is spot removal. You must react to “danger” spots immediately. Red wine, red beverages, urine, blood, etc. can cause a permanent stain if not treated immediately. Listed below are the steps that you must take to properly maintain your carpeting.

Warranty

Copies of specific warranties on your carpet purchase may be available from your carpet retailer. Stain resist warranties can vary from 5 to 20 years. ALL STAIN RESIST WARRANTIES REQUIRE REGULAR CLEANING AND IMMEDIATE SPOT REMOVAL.

Vacuuming

Vacuum your carpet often. Once or twice a week at least. Vacuuming removes the sharp soil that can cut and slice the fiber causing premature wear. Much of this soil is not visible to the eye. Vacuum before the carpet looks soiled. Remove any loose particles such as loose food, leaves, pieces of crayon, bugs, etc. as these items can cause a spot on the carpet.

Professional Cleaning

As a general rule, profession cleaning by a professional, certified firm should take place about once per year. For extremely heavy traffic areas, cleaning may be required more often. Proper professional cleaning will not leave a sticky residue behind and can be done as many times per year as needed. MANY STAIN RESIST WARRANTIES REQUIRE PROFESSIONAL CLEANING EVERY 2 YEARS. Professional cleaning removes the damaging soil from the traffic areas that vacuuming has not been able to remove. WARNING: UNINFORMED CARPET CLEANERS MAY VOID THE WARRANTY, BE VERY SELECTIVE WHICH COMPANY YOU HIRE.

Spot Removal and Interim Cleaning

Immediate spot removal is key to a clean carpet. Great care also must be taken in how spot cleaning is performed. When a carpet is new, or has sufficient protector on it, plain tap water will remove many spots. However for those spots that will not move easily with water, you must use a spot cleaner. Select a spot cleaner that is recommended by the carpet manufacturer or your trained, certified professional cleaner. Most spot removers that are purchased over the counter leave too much soap residue and can cause yellowing. Avoid using foam carpet cleaners or any product that is no made specifically for carpet.

Apply spot cleaner sparingly to white terry cloth and gently massage spot causing it to transfer into the cloth. Never pour cleaner directly on carpet. If the product that you are using seems to cause the spot to re-soil over a few week period, discontinue use. Any spot that you are not able to remove, and for pet urine or feces, call your professional cleaner immediately.

Protective Coatings

Residential carpets are treated with stain resist properties and soil resistors known as Dupont Teflon or 3M Scotchgard. After a period of 2 to 3 years, some of the soil-resistors wear off. At that point, you should consider having a professional carpet cleaner re-apply the treatment after professional cleaning. The soil resistor will help the soil slide off of the carpet easier when vacuuming, spots will be easier to remove, and professional cleaning will be more effective.

Tips to Keep Your Carpet Looking Like New

You love the look and feel of your carpet. And you love the way the color complements the other furnishings in the room. So, how do you protect your carpet and keep it looking like new for years to come? The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) offers the following tips to prolong the beauty and life of your carpet:

Tips to Keep Your Carpet Looking Like New

	Keep walkways and entries clean. Sweep, blow, vacuum or rinse soil away from the entry area often. Use walk-off mats at all entrances. This will prevent dirt from being tracked inside and soiling carpets and rugs.
	Vacuum regularly. Vacuum at least twice weekly in high-traffic areas and weekly in all other areas to remove dust and particle soil. Use high quality equipment with high efficiency vacuum filter bags, replaced when 2/3 full for best results.
	Treat spills immediately. Using a mil cleaning solution will decrease the solution, test it in an inconspicuous spot to ensure that discoloration does not occur.
	After treating spills with a mild solution, gently blot with a clean, white cloth. Rubbing may cause damage to the carpet fibers. Continue blotting until the spill is removed or until no more color is transferred to the cloth Rinse away all cleaning agents. Mist the carpet with plain water to remove the cleaning agents. This will prevent discoloration or rapid soiling.

Have carpet professionally cleaned annually. Light-colored carpet may require even more frequent professional cleanings. The IICRC recommends hiring an IICRC-Certified professional or Certified Firm to clean your carpet. Certified firms and technicians adhere to the IICRC S100 Carpet Cleaning Standards and recommended cleaning procedures.

To learn more about the IICRC or how to care for your carpet visit the IICRC WEB site at http://www.iicrc.org/ or call 800-835-4624 ext. 123. For your professional carpet cleaning needs, you may also contact the IICRC to locate an IICRC-Certified firm or technician in your area. Certified firms and technicians should be able to provide a list of satisfied clients as references.

What To Do When Water Damage Occurs

Broken pipes, leaky appliances and heavy rainstorms can teach an unexpected lesson on the destructive power of water. One unforeseeable release of water and suddenly your home and furnishings are in serious peril. A little knowledge about what to do, combined with quick action, can help salvage your home and personal items.
In most cases, only a professional can repair water-damaged flooring and furnishings. Do not attempt to treat these items yourself – that may only contribute to the problem and cause further damage.

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) recommends the following actions to minimize damage while waiting for help to arrive:

Foremost, stop the water leak and attend to obvious safety hazards, like electrical shock and personal injury from slips and falls.

Increase airflow with open windows, fans, and heating and air conditioning systems.

Open doors, drawers, cupboards and closets to maintain optimal air circulation and promote drying.

Move furnishings out of wet areas or protect furniture legs from absorption and damage with triple-folded aluminum foil.

Hang up draperies and pin up upholstery skirts to prevent water rings; allow leather items to dry at room temperature.

Wash wet clothes, sheets and linens immediately and hang cleanable fabrics up to dry.

Do not store damp items in plastic bags where mold can grow.

Contact a certified water restoration firm to preserve your home and furnishings from the destructive effect of water. Trained technicians, using professional inspecting and drying equipment can identify hidden water pockets and dry both your structure and furnishings to acceptable industry standards.

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) recommends the following actions to minimize damage while waiting for help to arrive:

Foremost, stop the water leak and attend to obvious safety hazards, like electrical shock and personal injury from slips and falls.

Increase airflow with open windows, fans, and heating and air conditioning systems.

Open doors, drawers, cupboards and closets to maintain optimal air circulation and promote drying.

Move furnishings out of wet areas or protect furniture legs from absorption and damage with triple-folded aluminum foil.

Hang up draperies and pin up upholstery skirts to prevent water rings; allow leather items to dry at room temperature.

Wash wet clothes, sheets and linens immediately and hang cleanable fabrics up to dry.

Do not store damp items in plastic bags where mold can grow.

Everett: (425) 252-7865 • Lynnwood: (425) 771-2219 • N. King Co: (206) 527-1906