| Carpet cleaning can be something of a nemesis. If | | | | the spot with fresh water (but make sure that the |
| you're renting, you can bet your bottom dollar that | | | | stain doesn't spread everywhere, which it will if you |
| you're going to have to clean that carpet - possibly | | | | use too much) followed by blotting with a thick |
| by hiring a professional cleaner or by getting in one | | | | towel. |
| of those steam cleaning machines - when you do the | | | | * Really nasty patches of dirt can be cleaned using |
| final tidy up before moving house. And if you're not | | | | natural cleaning methods. The very best is... warm |
| renting, well, you probably want to keep your | | | | soapy water. Don't use hot water - you may have a |
| carpets in good nick because the house is YOURS | | | | bit of protein-based material in the ick that you're |
| and you can't blame anyone else for grotty | | | | trying to clean, and hot water will set this stain in. |
| threadbare carpets. Anyway, carpets can be a pain | | | | Use a medium-stiff scrubbing brush (harder than a |
| to clean, no matter where you live, mostly because | | | | toothbrush but softer than what you'd use for |
| they continually have feet marching all over them and | | | | scrubbing a tile floor - if you have a brush you use |
| those soft, fluffy fibres trap dirt. | | | | for scrubbing clothes, use that). Make the soapy |
| You could, of course, do without a carpet and leave | | | | water foam - this lifts the dirt up and away. |
| some areas in your house with polished wooden | | | | * While soapy water is good for cleaning carpets, |
| boards warmed up by the occasional mat. However, | | | | don't use too much and get the carpet absolutely |
| you will find that this allows more dust to fly around | | | | flooded. Too much water will take ages to dry, and |
| the place and you will need to wield the duster that | | | | while the water's down there, it will attract more dirt |
| little bit more often. | | | | and make a happy home for mildew. The best way |
| Tips for cleaning carpets and keeping them clean: | | | | to apply the warm soapy water (or any other carpet |
| * Provide decent doormats that actually scrape bits | | | | cleaning product, home made or otherwise) is to dab |
| of stray mud off at both your front and back doors | | | | a scrubbing brush into a bowl or bucket of the liquid, |
| and stop a lot of the dirt getting inside in the first | | | | then letting the excess drip off before scrubbing the |
| place. | | | | surface of the patch to be cleaned. |
| * Encourage children (and other family members) to | | | | * It's best to hire a cleaning machine from a |
| have "outdoor shoes" that never come inside. Have a | | | | professional company for cleaning large areas of |
| place for folk to change into and out of these shoes | | | | carpet. These days, you'd be mad if you tried |
| near the door, and allow for plenty of space to store | | | | cleaning a whole room of wall-to-wall carpet by hand |
| Wellington boots, rugby boots, gardening clogs, etc. | | | | with a scrubbing brush. Honestly, you have better |
| * Take a tip from Asian culture and remove all shoes | | | | ways of spending your time! |
| at the door. This is becoming more and more | | | | * Some experts recommend using a broom to |
| common. Going barefoot on carpet is a sensual | | | | sweep over the area of carpet to be cleaned to lift |
| delight, and if it's chilly, wear thick socks or a good | | | | the pile of the carpet and allow the trapped dirt out. |
| pair of slippers to keep your toes from freezing. | | | | You can get a similar effect by using your scrubbing |
| * Vacuum frequently - weekly is the bare minimum. | | | | brush dry on the spot before applying the warm |
| * Treat all spills, stains and smears as soon as | | | | soapy water. But use the broom for a once-over if |
| possible after they occur to stop the dirt "setting" | | | | you are cleaning the whole carpet with a steam |
| into the fibres of your carpet. In many cases, you | | | | cleaning machine. |
| don't need a fancy carpet cleaning products - flooding | | | | |