Carpets and rugs make any space warmer, more inviting. Apart from insulating your living space, carpets do double duty as home decors too. Proper care and maintenance are needed to keep your carpets in tip top shape. And to avoid any mistakes and misconceptions, we are setting the record straight on some of the most common carpet myths:
Inexpensive Carpets Make a Great Investment
The quick answer is no, cheap carpets do not last as long as pricier carpets. Cheap carpets make look great in the living room, but the fibers are made with less durable fibers that wear easily. In addition, the backing of the carpet is made of bentonite, a type of clay filler instead of latex. Within just a few short weeks, the carpet will show signs of permanent damage.
Quality is a must, choose a mid to upper price range carpets made with nylon fibers and latex backing for added durability and resistance.
New Carpets Don’t Require Cleaning
Let’s face it; most homeowners with new carpet do not clean them unless they look obviously dirty. Unfortunately, soil and debris embedded deep within the carpet fibers could cause damage to the carpet. Worse, vacuuming the dirt away is not enough to clean the carpet. In fact, vacuuming could cause even more damage to the carpet. We recommend cleaning your carpet regularly, even new ones.
Professional Carpet Cleaning is not Necessary
Your vacuum is not enough to lift dirt and grime off the carpet. Washing the rugs with soap and water is not enough either. Water will just soak into the fiber, making the carpet vulnerable to mold and mildew. The soap buildup could also cause rapid re-soiling so freshly cleaned carpets will look dirty in just a few short weeks. So have your carpets professionally cleaned. Commercial carpet cleaning machines come with a variety of features that will lift away dirt and dry your precious rugs completely. So never wait until your rugs and carpets are extra dirty before getting them professionally cleaned.
Use a Stain Remover to Remove Carpet Stains
A stain remover bought from the local grocery store contains harsh chemicals that can discolor the rugs. Worse, the chemicals could eat away at the carpet fibers, causing more damage. Instead of a commercial stain remover, use a product that’s made specifically to remove stains from carpets and rugs. These products are made with mild chemicals that are proven safe for carpets. Stain removers for carpets will also lengthen the life of your rugs.
Vacuuming the Carpet is Enough
No, vacuuming is never enough to clean rugs and carpets. You have to get your rugs professionally cleaned several times per year. If you insist on vacuuming the carpet, you’d have to do this every day to keep the rugs clean.
It’s Okay to Use Deodorizer Powder to Keep Carpets Odor-Free
Most deodorizer powder products are made with talcum powder. This powder is not water soluble. Therefore, buildup can quickly occur on the surface of the carpet. Using deodorizer powder products will accelerate the re-soiling rate of the rugs. It can also stain the carpet. Worse, cleaning them after is harder because the talc will absorb the water and cleansing agent.