If you are dealing with an older carpet that is stained and unsightly, but your budget doesn’t call for replacement, there are several techniques that you can implement to restore it. While picking the nap back up may not be possible, you can at least improve the appearance of carpeting until you are able to afford a new solution. Here are some tips to help you take care of business and get those carpets restored.
Identify the stain.
This may not be easy, but there are a few ways to determine whether or not a stain is organic (pet, food, drink) or chemical (ink, cleaning fluid, oil). Once you know what you’re dealing with, it is a lot easier to find the right cleaner to fix the issue. For pet stains, one of the easiest ways to identify them is to purchase a black light wand. You can find these in the pet stain removal department at most stores or online. Turn off the lights and use the wand. If you see a stain that glows, chances are it is a pet stain.
Other organic stains can be determined by color, residual smell and whether or not a small area of if responds to organic cleaners. A chemical stain will likely be dark, it may feel tacky to the touch and it will most likely not respond to traditional cleaning methods.
After you have determined the origin of the stain, it’s time to start spot cleaning.
We recommend tackling this area first, before you steam the carpets. Otherwise, you may be locking that stain in permanently. For organic stains, you may want to consider a type of enzymatic cleaner that will break down the elements, allowing you to easily wash the residue away. These may also work for chemical stains. Otherwise, for these stains, you may need to use a harsher chemical, such as paint remover or specific cleaners that are designed to reduce the appearance of these stains.
Once you have your spot treatment done, you can either steam the carpets on your own, or hire someone to do it. If you plan on steaming the carpet, make sure to have enough fans on hand and to do it when it will not be difficult to dry the carpets. Mildew can easily creep in if you are not careful and getting rid of that smell is not an easy task.
There are plenty of new carpet cleaning methods that professionals use that will dry within one hour. They may be a little more expensive, but generally, the results are better and you don’t have to wait days for your carpets to dry. Consider weighing the money you would save by doing it on your own, versus the inconvenience and potential for mildew before making your decision.
With a little TLC, you can restore old carpets and help them last a few years longer. For truly bad stains that have soaked through into the subfloor or completely penetrated the carpet, removal may be the only permanent solution.
Photo Credits: 1
Originally posted 2008-10-14 05:52:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Pre-Winter Pest Prevention As the winter months get closer, this usually means having a whole host of little non-paying tenants moving into your homes. Whether it’s mice, box elder bugs, crickets or any other type of critter, these unwanted guests can pose much more than a nuisance. In the case of mice, they...... -
How to Remove Old Carpeting Whether you are ready to replace an old, stained carpet, or you want to completely redo your flooring, it is vital to make sure that you know how to properly remove carpet. By using the right techniques, you’ll be assured of saving not only time, but your floors will go...... -
Caulking a Bathtub in 5 Easy Steps Water can penetrate into your bathroom walls, causing expensive damage unless you take precautions to keep your bathtub properly caulked at all times. Here are the steps involved in the process: 1 - Examine the entire joint between the wall and the bathtub. Mold, mildew, caulk and soap scum should...... -
Dealing with Mildew in Your Home As the warmer months approach, many of us have to deal with the ugly problem of mildew. From bathrooms, to kitchens to basically anywhere where there is water, mildew can be a health risk and it is incredibly unsightly and in many cases, very smelly. However, there are a few...... -
How to Build a Garage While many homes already have basic garages built into them, this isn't always the case, and some families find themselves seeking free plans, garage plans and the like. Some newer properties, and properties built by architects rather than home-building companies often do not come with the same garage space that......
Related Websites -
A Simpler Way To Budget. Because we are away camping this week, the following is a guest post from Mike over at Four Pillars. If you like what you see here, won't you consider subscribing to his feed? One of the more popular concepts with respect to budgeting is the idea that you should write...... - Reducing Allergies in Your Home Many folks I know are suffering from allergies right now. You know the culprits: itchy, stuffy, scratchy, teary, wheezy, sneezes, and phlegm - a parade of annoying allergy symptoms that similiar to the names given to certain crotchety, little, old men who befriend innocent damsels in distress. Thankfully, my body doesn't......
-
Economical Pet and Child Safe Ways to Repel and Kill Ants, Spiders and Other Insects With the charms of summer also come not-so-charming and unwelcome visitors. With consistent 100+ degree weather in the desert we call home, 6- and 8-legged visitors (or really more like trespassers) are almost a regular part of life. But we have discovered a few safe and relative effective ways...... - The Responsibilities of Caring for Freshwater Fish,Some Things You Should Know About Freshwater Fish Care by Bella Holly Usually freshwater fish are considered the pets for people that are either lazy or don't really want to take care of something They may like the idea of a pet but perhaps one that you don't have to interact with as often as others, underestimating the responsibility......
- Aquarium Canister Filters for Beginners by Jeffry Johnston Aquarium canister filters are needed in order to maintain the balance and cleanliness of the aquarium. This type of canister filters may be used for either a freshwater or saltwater aquarium. Depending on the type of canister filter, it may contain media that may filter the water......
- Chemical Romance Books
- Vacuum Cleaner Bags Vacuum Cleaners Housekeeping & Organization Home Store
- Cleaners Cleaning Supplies Housekeeping & Organization Home Store
Categories:
Clean, Handy Man, Refresh, carpet
Tags:
1 comment so far ↓
The healthiest and best thing to do would be to hire a professional who doesn’t charge an arm and a leg but has powerful truck mounted equipment. The dry clean methods are not true deep cleaning restorative cleaning. The people who make the carpet almost always recommend steam cleaning by professionals using equipment with maximum extraction. The strong suction of today’s industrial equipment, when properly operated, virtually eliminates the risks of mold and the need for fans. Even stains that have reached the padding can be pre-treated and extracted out with powerful suction. On the other hand, and machinary or method that is not capable of rinsing and extracting the chemicals used in the cleaning process is not really cleaning the carpet. Though its appearance can temporally look better, the carpet usually ends up with more soil attracting residue, more mold and mildew spores and less resistance to future stains.
Leave a Comment