Carpet Tips

Tips to keep your carpet looking its best

The normal hustle and bustle of everyday life can take its toll on your carpet. The following tips will help you maintain your carpet’s appearance and lengthen its life.

Between Cleanings

  • Vacuum heavy traffic areas 2–3 times a week, and the rest of your carpet once a week.
  • Use indoor and outdoor mats at each entrance to reduce the amount of dirt tracked into your home. Be sure to clean these periodically to ensure their utmost effectiveness.
  • Keep a bottle of Home Pro Spotter on hand so you can treat spots and spills immediately, preventing today’s accidents from becoming tomorrow’s stains.

Spot Removal

When removing accidental spots and spills, speed is the key. The longer any substance stays in contact with your carpet, the more it will penetrate into the fibers.

For most household accidents, follow these spot removal steps:

  1. Remove any solid materials - a spoon is a great tool for this.
  2. Blot the area with a clean, white cloth to absorb as much liquid as possible. Do not use a scrubbing motion, as this can damage carpet fibers.
  3. Pour a small amount of Home Pro Spotter on a white cloth and blot the area directly. (Be sure to test for colorfastness in an inconspicuous area first). There will be a color transfer to the cloth as you blot.
  4. Wait 1–3 minutes while the Pro Spotter loosens the dirt.
  5. Gently wipe the spot with a clean, white cloth working from the outer edges in towards the center. (If the spot is not completely removed, repeat steps 3–5).
  6. Once the spot has been removed, place dry, absorbent white cloths over the area and press to absorb remaining moisture. You may also use a wet/dry vent to remove any excess moisture/water.

Top 10 Tips

  1. Keep your carpet clean. Vacuum often (1 time for each person/pet), minimum of 3 times per week to remove dirt. Vacuums with a rotating brush or combination beater/brush are recommended to agitate the carpet pile and mechanically loosen soil for removal by the vacuum.
  2. Use rugs outside of any entrances.
  3. Remove shoes. This a sure way to make carpet last longer.
  4. Clean stains quickly. Use a white cloth or paper towels. Always blot; never rub or scrub abrasively. When blotting, work from the outer edge in toward the center of the spot. Use a wet/dry vac when cleaning stains. Use Home Pro Spotter as direct and it will not leave a residue. In a pinch, make your own spot remover by mixing 1/4-teaspoon liquid detergent (without bleach) and 1 cup cold water.
  5. Have your carpet professionally clean once or twice a year and apply carpet protection (Scotchguard) to help against permanent staining. Over time, the protection on stain-resistant carpet wears down. For optimum performance, have a protector regularly applied after cleaning.
  6. Stain-resistant does not mean stain-proof. Be sure to act immediately to prevent spots and spills from causing permanent damage.
  7. Before using any spot removing product, test for colorfastness in an inconspicuous area.
  8. Test area rugs for colorfastness before placing over carpet since some rugs may tend to bleed.
  9. Vacuum under area rugs periodically to remove loose dirt that may have filtered through the rugs to your carpet.
  10. To avoid color transfer between furniture and flooring after a professional cleaning, leave the protective blocks in place until the carpet is completely dry (about two days).