Children, Pets and Carpets

When you share your home with children and pets, carpets often start to look aged and dingy before their time. Luckily, with a few simple carpet cleaning tips, the like new look of your carpet can be maintained for years to come, no matter the spills, accidents and uh-ohs that happen when animals and children are involved.

Tip 1: Vacuuming. Vacuuming is something you probably already do regularly, but if not, know that regular vacuuming will greatly extend the life of your carpet. Vacuuming at least once a week will keep the heaviest dirt from being ground into the carpet and causing dinginess. However, for a more effective solution, take some time and evaluate the traffic patterns through the carpeted areas of your house. Is there a spot where the dog likes to lay, or a path the children run from room to room? Giving these high-traffic area a quick once over with your vacuum cleaner every day or so will keep the wear from showing up as quickly.

Tip 2: Child-related stains. When you've got young children in the home, spills are bound to happen. Juice, food, paint and all kinds of other things will surely find their way to your carpet. The most essential thing to remember when dealing with spills and stains is that the faster you can treat it, the better. Use a standard carpet cleaner to treat the spot as soon as you notice it. Follow the instructions on the package of the carpet cleaner closely and pay attention to the type of stain you're dealing with. Some carpet cleaners work especially well on organic stains, such as fruit juice or food, while other cleaners are designed to remove things like melted wax or paint. Keep a couple of different carpet cleaners on hand so that you're ready for any accident.

Tip 3: Pet accidents. No matter how well trained your cats and dogs are, the occasional accident does happen. Not only accidents, but some more territorial pets are prone to marking their territory. In this case, again, it is important to treat the area as soon as you notice the stain. You do not want to give the pet urine time to settle down into the pad beneath the carpet, as this will make removing odors much more difficult. Visit your favorite pet store and look for a carpet cleaner specifically designed for pet stains. There are enzymes in these carpet cleaners that break down the offensive material and eliminate both the stain and the odor. Not only will this keep lasting damage from happening, it will also prevent the pet from marking the same area over and over again.

Tip 4: Steam cleaners. With regular vacuuming and quick treatment of stains, your carpet will stay in good shape for the most part. However, for some more difficult stains or stains that had a chance to set before you could reach them, a professional carpet cleaning machine is in order. A carpet cleaning machine can be rented from many local grocery stores, and there are even some personal carpet cleaning machines that make sense for individual purchase. The combination of steam and industrial grade cleaning solutions is sometimes what is needed to get rid of those persistent stains. Additionally, make it a habit to go over your whole carpet, especially those high traffic areas, once every month to two months with a professional carpet cleaning machine. These machines will bring up deep, ground in dirt that has settled into the carpet, instantly renewing the look and feel of the rug.

Tip 5: Professional Carpet Cleaning Companies: If you've moved into a new home with carpets that are a bit more dingy than you would like, or if you'd like to attempt to revitalize your old carpet rather than purchase an entire new one, look into the possibility of having a professional carpet cleaning company come out to your home. Your local yellow pages will have many listings for these types of companies. Be sure to get several quotes and ask about multi-room discounts. If you have been considering replacing your carpets, do yourself a favor and instead have a company come out for professional cleaning. The cost is much less than installing new carpeting, and you'll be amazed at how fresh and new your carpets will look.

Whether you're starting with brand new carpets or simply trying to extend the life of your current carpets, these tips will help keep them looking as fresh and new as the day you bought them. Most importantly, vacuum high traffic areas often, treat kid and pet stains as quickly as you can, and when all else fails, consider a professional carpet cleaning.