You may once loved a carpet and bought it, but now it doesn’t look like the same way and make you worry about the germs… Don’t despair. With this article, we will tell you how to change it backwards by eco-friendly carpet cleaning.
Over the course of time, the carpets in your home may pick up odors, smells, bacteria, and stains. This might be from a variety of reasons, from pets and people walking in with dirt on their shoes, bacteria and dust. There is a simple solution to getting rid of these problems whether you do it yourself or leave it up to an expert house cleaning company. The first step in sustainable carpet care is all about maintenance–keeping dirt outside, vacuuming regularly, and cleaning up stains quickly. But no matter how stellar your housekeeping habits, your floor will need a deep cleaning occasionally. If you are going to do it yourself, the most common method is hot water extraction, also called steam cleaning. In steam cleaning, the area is first vacuumed of all dirt and debris. Secondly there is non-toxic, eco-friendly green solution that is applied to your carpet or rug and is set for 20 minutes. Next you will want to take a machine brush and get the eco-friendly green solution spray into the carpet thoroughly. Finally, the steam cleaning machine goes over the area and works its magic going back to looking like new carpet. As a general rule you should let your carpets or rugs dry overnight. Another option is hiring a cleaning company. Traditionally, the pros have used either hot water extraction or dry cleaning. But these days some companies use a system that bubbles up the dirt with carbonated water. They say it reduces the use of both water and cleaning chemicals.
When shopping, you should look for eco-friendly cleaning products, made using acceptable production methods which are safe and do not use toxins, just biodegradable products. Good floor shampoos are available at green home stores and online, but you can also use whatever detergent you wash your dishes in. Although most chemicals used with hot water extraction systems are mild, read the warning labels before you buy or use any of these products. Steer clear of the ones labeled “danger” or “poison.” Dry floor cleaners usually contain solvents. Look for ones that offer citrus (not petrochemical) solvents and stay away from scents.
You can also use carpet deodorizer. This can be accomplished using baking soda and borax in equal parts and a couple drops of a good smelling essential oil. You want to mix the baking soda with the borax and then add the drops of essential oil to a container with a shaker top. You can spread this on your rug or carpet and let sit for a couple hours and then vacuum it up.
There are still common mistakes that we would like to remind you. You should avoid spot cleaners with glycol ether solvents such as butoxyethanol, which can be absorbed through your skin, can poison your blood, kidneys and liver, and has been linked to reproductive harm. Also using more detergent than recommended doesn’t get the carpet any cleaner and can leave a sticky residue that attracts even more dirt. Don’t use a stronger solution than the manufacturer recommends; in fact, you may even want to dilute the detergent more than recommended. Some people don’t use any detergent at all. They rely on the hot water to clean the carpet. If the carpet gets too wet, the carpet and subfloor may be damaged and mold may flourish. Steam cleaning machines are designed to extract moisture so that the carpet dries within 6 to 12 hours. If your carpet stays wet longer than that, speed up the drying with fans, a dehumidifier, or by turning on the heating or air conditioning system.