General Cleaning One of the best ways to keep your carpets clean is to limit the amount of dirt they are exposed to in the first place.
Ask all family members and guests to remove their shoes upon entering your home, and place an appropriate doormat at every entry to cut down on grit.
You should also vacuum frequently to prevent dirt from becoming embedded in your carpets.
When you vacuum, focus your efforts on high traffic areas.
Deep Cleaning For deep cleaning, steam cleaning is the best available method.
You can hire a professional company to clean your carpets in this way, or you can rent an extraction machine and do the job yourself.
However, if you decide to use a rented machine, be sure that you do not use too much soap or let the carpet get too wet.
Whenever you deep clean your carpets, it is important to first test the cleaner in an inconspicuous area to be sure that it will not harm the fibers.
You should also try to remove as much furniture from the room as you can.
If you must leave furniture behind, be sure to wipe off any cleaner that comes in contact with the furniture immediately in order to prevent damage.
Spot Cleaning In the event of a spill, you will need to use spot cleaning techniques to remove the evidence.
The longer the liquid sets, the more likely it will be to stain your carpet, so do not wait too long to treat the spill after it occurs.
First, blot the excess liquid with clean paper towels.
Fold the paper towels into a thick pad and press down firmly.
Repeat this process with dry paper towels until all of the excess liquid has been absorbed.
For larger spills, you can use a wet-dry vacuum to suction some of the liquid prior to blotting.
If a colored stain remains on your carpet after you have finished blotting, you can use a spot cleaner to remove it.
There are a variety of spot cleaning sprays on the market today that can be used to treat carpet stains.
However, it is also possible to create your own spot cleaning soap at home.
To do this, simply dilute a few drops if dishwashing soap with some water.
It is best to use clear dishwashing soap as it will be less likely to leave a residue on your carpet.