Professional carpet cleaning tips

By: Uriel Schwartz, Fresh & Clean Carpet & Upholstery Cleaners.

Uriel Schwartz, CEO of Fresh & Clean shares his carpet cleaning tips. Israel has unique weather conditions that can affect the state your carpets and upholstery; strong sun in the summer, humidity and lots of dust during a sharav/hamsin. If not treated properly leather furniture, for example, can dry out and crack. If you have a pet, doggie and kitty odors can penetrate your rugs and furniture and red wine spills in the middle of your family gathering are frustrating to deal with.

We have been in the carpet and upholstery cleaning business for more than 10 years and we have seen it all; blood and food stains, chewing gum, household grime, paint and even grouting.

Here are some of our tips to keep your carpets looking new. You will also protect the fibers from wear and tear and extend your carpet's lifespan so that your precious oriental rug - passed down through the generations, will keep on looking fresh and clean.

1.Vacuum regularly

Vacuum at least every two weeks. More regular vacuuming will be necessary if you have children and pets. Regular vacuuming keeps your carpets looking clean and also removes embedded dust and soil that can destroy the carpet fibers.

2. Deal with spills quickly

Blot but don’t rub the stain. Rubbing spreads the stain in the surrounding carpet fibers and makes it more difficult to remove.

3. Remove candle wax with heat

Spilled wax from your Friday night or yomtov candles have caused some of our clients to snip away at the wax and even into the carpet with scissors. This isn't the way. Take a blunt knife, slide it under the wax and remove as much wax as possible. Then place a few paper towels on top of the remaining wax and using an iron, run the iron over the paper towels The wax should melt into the paper towels.

4. Avoid using excessive water for cleaning stains

When you clean your rug, be very careful not to over-wet it - use as little water as possible. Ensure your house is adequately ventilated so that the carpet can dry properly. Carpets saturated with water can shrink and cause bad odors due to the growth of mold.

5. Use natural cleaning products wherever possible

Ice helps with chewing gum
Soda water for wine and beer stains
Hydrogen peroxide for blood stains
Dish washing detergent for chocolates
A mixture of vinegar and baking soda is also an effective cleaning product
Sprinkling baking soda over your carpet helps remove bad odors too
Upholstery cleaning tips

6. Professional carpet cleaning

If these techniques and tips don't work for you, it could be time to call in a professional carpet and upholstery cleaner. We suggest a thorough and professional carpet cleaning once a year especially if your carpets are worth a lot of money.

Professional cleaners have specialized equipment, detergents and solvents that will clean your carpets thoroughly.