Are your carpets clean? Probably not.
A great floor for young children, carpet is soft underfoot and helps to keep your home’s temperature warm during the winter. But due to the hundreds of cloth fiber’s carpeting is made of, carpeting is often one of the largest contributors to poor indoor air quality. Use this checklist when cleaning your carpet in order to protect your indoor air quality and keep your home clean.
Cleaning Your Carpet Checklist:
Vacuum Regularly (and Thoroughly!)
Frequency: Because carpet can trap dust and debris, you should make a point to vacuum at least once a week. The areas of your home that are exposed to excessive foot traffic (like hallways and entryways) should be vacuumed twice a week. If your household has pets, it’s best to vacuum the entire home twice a week to prevent pet hair from accumulating.
Don’t Rush: It can be tempting to vacuum as quickly as possible and move on to more enjoyable things. While other household chores can be rushed without any repercussions, it’s important to give your vacuum enough time to remove any dirt, hair, and dust that has settled deep into the fibers.
Stains happen, it can be as simple as your pen deciding to leak while doing a crossword puzzle or you trip while carrying a glass of red wine to your friend.
Stain Treatment
Stains are a carpet’s worst enemy, but there are a few things you can do to prevent them from sticking:
Treat Spills Immediately: By taking care of spills the moment they happen, you can decrease the chances of accidentally staining your carpet.
Soak, don’t scrub: When a spill is scrubbed, the liquid has a chance to work itself deeper into your carpet fibers. Not only does this increase the chances of creating a stain, it can also fray your carpet fibers! Instead, lay a paper towel or wash cloth over the spill to absorb excess liquid.
The Right Cleaning Supplies: After all excess moisture has left the carpet, use carpet cleaning supplies (such as club soda, corn starch, or a commercial cleaner) to prevent stains from sticking.
Deep Cleaning
To clean your apartment’s carpet thoroughly, a deep steam clean should be done at least once a year. If you share your home with pets, we recommend steam cleaning your carpet once every six months.
Using a professional carpet cleaning service is best, however many renters choose to clean their carpets themselves by renting a steam cleaner for the day. If you’d prefer to steam your own home, use the DIY deep clean checklist below.
Do-It-Yourself Deep Clean Checklist:
Remove all furniture from the carpeted area.
Vacuum the entire carpet to pick up any excess dirt.
Apply your Cleaning Solution – be careful not to use too much, however. The wetter your carpet gets, the longer it will take to dry out.
Steam Clean the carpet, using the directions provided by the rental company.
Dry Your Carpet Thoroughly by leaving the windows open and running a downward-facing fan. Depending on how much solution was used during the cleaning process, it may take anywhere from 8-24 hours.
Replace the furniture after your carpet is dry.
Keeping your carpets clean does more than just appearance of your rental home, it also protects your health and increases your chances of getting your security deposit back. If you have any questions about the type of carpeting used in our units, contact our leasing office at (240) 585-7100.
