Most households have carpet in at least one room. Often times carpet can get dirty easily between shoes, pets and accidental spills. There are multiple methods of cleaning carpet that are used, some in conjunction with one another to insure a deep clean and to remove stains.

Vacuuming

The first and most practical method of cleaning carpet is vacuuming. Vacuuming is often needed before any other forms of cleaning can happen. Vacuuming picks up large pieces of dirt and dust and often can help in making the carpet look much cleaner. There are two main forms of vacuuming, suction and brush. Suction works solely on air being sucked into the vacuum along with dirt, while brushing works but cleaning the surface with a rotating brush while also sucking in dirt. Most households have a vacuum and a majority of dirty and normal debris can be picked up with the vacuum, but more severe stains require more cleaning methods.

Spot Removal

Another popular form of carpet cleaning is spot cleaning. This is done with a cloth and some form of cleaning solution. This is useful for small spots where dirt or liquid only damages a small portion of the carpet. Spot cleaning is generally done by hand and is used for liquid stains and small dirt spots.  Here is a look at removing stains from carpet.

Steam Cleaning

The next form of carpet cleaning is steam cleaning, and is the most popular form of cleaning when cleaning large areas that are soiled by dirt or grime. This is done by utilizing a steam machine, that is generally used by a professional carpet cleaning experts that heats up water along with a cleaning solution. This solution is pressurized and sprayed onto the carpet and then sucked up. This heat and liquid process is often the most effective as it cleans large areas quickly and also allows for even deep cleaning. This method requires vacuuming beforehand because loose dirt and debris can damage the steam cleaner.

Whether vacuum cleaning, spot cleaning or steam cleaning the most important aspect to remember is to not let stains or dirt remain on the carpet. The longer the dirt or debris is allowed to stay the harder the stain will be to remove. Lighter carpets will retain stains more so than darker carpets, while deeper pile carpets will hide dirt more than short pile. All methods will assist with cleaning carpet but understanding the type of stain and the length of time that has passed will dictate what form or forms of cleaning will be required.