Carpets are still the most popular floor covering in homes today. As a result, carpet manufacturing companies spend millions of dollars on research and development, searching for ways to make their product better and stronger. They want longer lasting, better looking carpets that are more stain resistant, while maintaining an overall feeling of comfort, beauty and elegance.

Carpet cleaning in Irving is only one step in a process to maintain great looking carpets. The biggest mistake people make with their carpet is failing to have a regular routine of maintenance to keep their carpet cleaner. Following a few proven tips will guarantee cleaner carpets that look good and last much longer. This will absolutely save you thousands of dollars, prolonging the need to replace your carpets sooner than necessary.

Areas in your home that will show carpet damage the soonest are places where you gather most often, such as in front of a popular couch or chair with a direct path to the TV. Kitchens, bathrooms, and hallways are also high traffic areas. Foyers and stairs always tend to show a lot of foot traffic as well. Bedrooms and other rooms not used as frequently will maintain their beauty for a considerably longer period of time. In real estate the Buzz words are “location, location and location”. For carpet cleaners it’s “vacuum, vacuum and vacuum”. There is no more valuable tip to follow, that will have more benefit to maintain amazing carpets, than frequent vacuuming.

In carpeted areas that don’t receive much use you can get away with vacuuming once a week, but areas that are used regularly need to be vacuumed every day or every other day without fail. This may sound drastic and you may feel it is unnecessary, but try to imagine the irreversible damage caused by sand and grit buried in your carpets.

If you’ve ever seen a home with those ugly pathways in their carpets, or black, matted areas of carpet in front of a favorite chair, then you’ve seen a small example of the damage caused from dirt left in the carpet. Unfortunately, once you can see the damage it is too late to make your carpet look new again. You can clean these areas and they will look better, but there is already a certain amount of permanent damage that will never go away.

Don’t cheap out on the type of vacuum you use. Make sure it cleans effectively, and it will pay you back many times over. Placing small walk off mats strategically throughout your home on the carpeted areas frequently used is another great way to protect your carpet, maintain the beauty and keep your carpet cleaner. They can be decorative to provide some contrast, and if they are light enough you can wash them in your machine.

Also removing your shoes at the front door will save an enormous amount of wear and tear to the carpets. Another common practice to protect the carpet and keep their luxurious appearance is to rearrange your furniture. By changing the walking patterns in a room as well as the sitting areas, you automatically reduce the foot traffic to any one area. This is a simple way to prolong the life of your carpets and keep them beautiful.

Occasions where accidents occur happen in every home, no matter how careful you are. Even more so in homes with kids and pets. Small little drips on the carpet, a drink spill, or even food stains will occur, and being prepared is your best course of action. Having spot cleaning supplies for your carpet is essential. The quicker you remove marks from a carpet or furniture after an accident will determine the likelihood of your success. The longer a stain stays in your carpet the harder it is to remove. Occasional spot cleaning is necessary to maintain great looking rugs.

With pollution coming in from outside, cooking grease settling on your carpets, and everyday dirt, it is necessary to develop a pattern of washing your carpets. Every 12 to 18 months is recommended, and even more frequently in busy homes. Regular carpet cleaning in Irving Texas, either with steam cleaning or dry foam extraction, will maintain a clean, soft luxurious feel in your carpet. They will look amazing, feel amazing, and more importantly last much longer than homes without these routines.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8513558
By James Thornton

Everyone who has a pet and a carpet knows just how difficult pet odor removal in Irving Texas can be. While your pets may have litter boxes or are taken out regularly for them to do their “thing” outdoors, there are times when your pets do soil your carpets, particularly when they are young and still undergoing toilet training. This problem of pet odor is not that easy to handle on your own, which is why professionals should be called in to do the job.

When a pet defecates or pees on one spot of your carpet, it is likely for them to continuously return to that spot to do their “thing” over and over again. They can also choose to be magnanimous and spread their discharge in a few different spots. If you can catch them doing this early on, you might be able to stop them from creating a habit out of such behavior. Remember, if a spot smells of animal urine or feces, they usually think that it is an okay spot for them to discharge on.

In order for you to stop your pets from stinking up your carpet altogether, it is best you do toilet train them from the very start. Once they realize that your carpet is not grass that they can defecate or pee on anytime they want, they will learn not to mess up your carpet again. For you to effectively toilet train your pets however, you need to keep your carpets clean and free from pet odors. To do this, you might want to get a professional to thoroughly remove any remaining pet odors that may have seeped through your carpet the first few times your pet decided to make your carpet its bathroom.

Aside from the odor, you can also expect to see stains on your carpet where your pet peed or pooped. This can be somewhat of a blessing since you can easily locate where your pets soiled your carpets due to the discoloration. While the removal of stains and the removal of pet odor from carpets usually involve different removal methods, most carpet cleaning services that are experts in this field can easily do both. As long as they can easily locate the areas that have these stains and odors, you can be sure they can get your carpet cleaned and odor free as soon as possible.

Some people believe that they can actually do this task themselves. If the odor problem is new, then the removal of pet odors in Irving can indeed be a DIY task. You can try to neutralize any pet odor that you find early on with the use of a few home-made remedies, which include baking soda, lemon juice and water mixed together to form a deodorizing agent. This must be used on the spot the very moment your pet soils such an area. If the pet odor has been around for longer though, you might want to get a professional cleaner to do this for you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7708312
By Branden Hedberg

There are several misconceptions about carpet cleaning in Irving TX that have remained over the years, despite the advancement of modern technology. Here we list some of the popular myths with the reasons why they are not applicable today.

Myth 1 “Wait as long as possible before cleaning a carpet because the more you clean it, the quicker it gets dirty”

Not true because dirt is abrasive so every time you step on the carpet, dirt is ground into the carpet fibres, damaging the carpet. A dirty carpet will need replacing before a clean carpet will. Vacuuming alone will not keep a carpet free from grease and fine grains that contribute to wearing out the carpet.

Myth 2 “You only need to clean a carpet when it looks dirty”

Not really – you would wash clothes once they’ve been worn, even if they look clean. The same applies to carpets – air contains pollens, fungi, bacteria and air pollution such as cigarette smoke, car exhaust fumes and hundreds of other chemicals. Your hair, skin, clothing and shoes can transport these from outdoors to end up in your carpet.

Allergies and breathing difficulties can be exacerbated by pollens, fungi and chemicals in your carpet.

Myth 3 “All cleaning methods have the same result”

There are two primary methods, dry cleaning or hot water extraction.

(a) dry cleaning (this is not like dry cleaning clothing because all carpet cleaning methods use water in one form or another, whether dry-foam, dry-chemical or dry compound methods are employed).

With dry foam, your carpet is shampooed and allowed to dry, followed by a vacuuming to remove the foam and any adhered dirt. This old-fashioned method is least effective and can leave a soil-attracting residue in the carpet.

The dry chemical method is similar to dry foam but a rotary machine is fitted with a cloth to rub the carpet and absorb the dirt. It is the equivalent of someone using a spot cleaner and towel but on a larger scale. This method also fails to achieve a deep clean and can also damage carpet fibres.

These dry-cleaning methods can be adequate for maintaining lightly soiled carpets.

The dry compound method spreads an absorbent compound over the carpet, which is then brushed into the carpet fibres by machine to absorb dirt into the mixture. When dry, a vacuum is used to remove the compound, much like the dry foam method but far more effective at removing dirt and residues. This is known as the HOST Dry Carpet Cleaner System which is recommended by over 70 carpet mills and is the most popular carpet dry-cleaning method in Europe.

(b) hot water extraction (or ‘steam cleaning’ although this description is inaccurate).

A hot water cleaning solution is high-pressured into then extracted from the carpet fibres by a powerful machine. Its deep cleaning action fully penetrates every fibre, extracting almost all the moisture pumped into the carpet, together with soil and residues, for the most effective clean.

The world’s largest carpet manufacturer recommends hot water extraction. Hot water will not damage the carpet – that’s another myth! Washing and rinsing carpets with hot water is the most effective way of cleaning – as with bathing, laundry or washing the dishes.

Myth 4 “Anyone with the right equipment can do the job”

Of course this is not the case. Training and experience are also important. Many cleaning companies own hot-water cleaners but some employees have little or no training and even some owner-operators don’t know how to use them properly. For this reason, it is important to choose a carpet cleaning service wisely.

Check that the company and on-site operators have been fully trained and certified by the Prochem Training School or the National Carpet Cleaners Association. The NCCA provides written credentials to companies it certifies therefore you can request proof or check the membership directory on the NCCA.co.uk web site.

Myth 5 “The lowest price must be the best value”

There are two important points to consider: that the quotes are for the exact same service and that an advertised price is the actual price you will be charged.

(a) comparative quotes are for identical services.

As you are reading this, you are clearly doing your research. Before you invite a company to quote, decide what you do and don’t need to achieve.

For example, if you want a quick surface clean, there are many companies that offer shampoos or similar cleaning methods – or you can hire a machine to do the job yourself.

However, if you want your carpet thoroughly deep-cleaned to remove dirt, bacteria, pollen, chemicals and other residues, the cleaning company should, ideally, provide a quotation for using a professional hot water extraction system – the best way to keep your carpet free from dirt and abrasive chemicals.

(b) ensure that the price you see advertised is for the services you want.

Home-owners have sometimes found themselves the victims of misleading advertising, that the amount they are charged is higher than the price in the advertisement or leaflet. Some carpet cleaners offer a low price, perhaps £9.99 per room, to give them an opportunity to pressure a potential customer into paying more once they are in your home.

Myth 6 “An honest company can quote over the ‘phone”

As with most services, an estimate can be given ‘site unseen’ but each job is likely to have different requirements so – should an honest company be pressured into quoting for the shortest anticipated service or cover themselves for unforeseen difficulties?

Reputable carpet cleaning companies often price a job by the square footage of carpet on the basis that this will determine the amount of consumables and time to be spent. If a potential customer can provide the exact number of square feet to be cleaned, it may be possible to get a quote over the ‘phone, subject to confirmation when the professional cleaner arrives on site.

Other factors that need to be considered are:

(a) the type of carpet. Certain types of carpets take longer to clean than others.

(b) the amount of soiling. Carpets with years of accumulated dirt will take longer to clean than carpets cleaned every few months. Also, any stains that may require special attention need to be taken into account.

(c) the amount of furniture that has to be moved.

Unfortunately, there are a number of cleaners who are inexperienced or do not take pride in their work. Remember to use an accredited cleaning company.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5659770
By Bee Primrose  |   January 04, 2011

Carpet Cleaning in Irving TX is an essential part of keeping your home clean. Not only does it prolong the life of your carpets helping them to last longer, but carpet cleaning needs to be carried out in order to contribute towards optimum health for you and your family. Ideally you need to be helping yourself by having your carpets cleaned professionally by a carpet cleaner at least once or twice a year. Carpet cleaning is not a luxury but an essential. Read on to understand what I mean by this.

People sometimes forget about their carpets unless they look dirty or they have spilt something upon them. However, it cannot be emphasised enough how important it is to look after your carpets and soft furnishings.

Carpets can hold odours, germs, dirt, pet hairs, crumbs, food deposits, grit, (grit wears the carpet away) pollen, mould, dust, even fleas or fleas eggs. Can you imagine the germs and bacteria in your carpets if all these things are left in your carpet to aggravate or cause allergies in anybody living in your home. This many include children, partners or even yourself.

By using professional carpet cleaners, you are doing the best for you, your family, and your carpets.

Most of the time we walk upon our carpets not even considering how dirty they are. We eat tv dinners, drink, sit on the floor, rub our bare feet on the carpet, our pets walk in from outside with muddy sticky feet, pushchairs etc etc. So as you can see our carpets area breeding ground for germs. In a way we are neglectful of them because carpet cleaning is not something we usually think about unless they look dirty. You may think that by vacuuming your carpets daily it will keep them clean but this is not the case.

By vacuuming your carpet you will only be removing the surface dirt. Therefore all germs, dirt and bacteria will be remaining in your carpet.

Of course these days you can hire carpet cleaning machines from your local High Street but there are many negative things to say about this. For a start, you are only supplied with a basic cleaning solution and as a result of this, there is no conditioner, colour brightener or stain removal product. There are also more chance of you shrinking your carpet doing it yourself due to lack of knowledge. Sometimes the colour may run in your carpet. Furthermore, it has been known that people have injured themselves damaging backs. So as you can see carpet cleaning is not easy work and really needs to be left to the professionals in order to ensure a thorough deep down optimum clean.

By using professional carpet cleaners, the industrial machines and the cleaning agent used will penetrate the surface of the carpets breaking down the dirt with a powerful anti bacterial solution, conditioning, deodorising and restoring the colours. Once your carpets have been cleaned you can rest assure they will be left in pristine condition providing you have chosen to have your carpets cleaned by a professional experienced company.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6836298
By Karen A Hills  |  January 24, 2012

Carpet cleaning methods are not all the same. In fact, there are many different ways to clean various types of carpet. What many people do not understand is that carpet fibers are not all made the same, so certain types of carpet will require a different type of cleaning method. Certain cleansers may also be harmful for some carpet fibers while they work wonders for other types. It is important to complete preliminary research before having just any carpet cleaning company come to a home and clean the carpet with whatever method they feel like using without regard to what is best for the carpet.

Having a carpet professionally cleaned is by far the best way to clean it. However, if the cleaning method utilized is detrimental to the lifespan of the carpet, then it basically serves no purpose. This type of mistake can cost you a lot of money and maybe might even require you to replace your own carpet.

To keep informed, it is probably a good idea to learn about a few of the different carpet cleaning methods and how they work. Here are a few different carpet cleaning methods:

1. Shampooing a Carpet – Typically this seems to be the least effective method on any carpet. What occurs during a carpet shampooing is that formulated detergents are applied directly to the carpet and then the professional carpet cleaners will use a machine that agitates the cleanser. Then they will use a vacuum to extract the cleanser and make the carpet look very clean. The detergents used are formulated to make the carpet seem bright and smell nice. However, it does little more any caked on dirt deep down in the pad of the carpet. So if the main purpose of a carpet cleaning for a home is to make it look nice, maybe for a special occasion where a lot of people will be walking around so the carpet will need to be cleaned again anyway, shampooing can be the right choice. However, for health and wellness reasons, it is typically not the top choice.

2. Dry Carpet Cleaning – Most people recommend the dry cleaning method over any other. It is certainly helpful since there is little to no down time since the carpet will not need to dry for a long period of time as is necessary with other methods. Most of the time, using a special cleaning powder completes the process. It is sprinkled all over the carpet and it will automatically start attracting dirt. After it has stayed on the carpet an appropriate amount of time to absorb, it is then sucked up by a vacuum, leaving the carpet almost as good as new. A few carpet cleaning companies have made modifications to this method with different cleansers, such as an oxygenated cleanser. This method works well too, because although it may make the carpet wet just briefly, the oxygenated bubbles help lift dirt out of the base of the carpet, allowing it to be cleaned up even more effectively.

3. Foam Carpet Cleaning – This method is also very useful. It basically takes a little bit of the shampoo method and then combines it with the dry cleaning method. A cleansing foam and a small amount of water are applied to the carpet. The cleansing foam is also designed to attract dirt dust and harmful fibers like the powder in a dry cleaning method does. It works its way through the carpet and then the foam, along with all the dirt and dust particles it has collected are extracted from the carpet. This method works best of tougher carpet due to the nature of the foam as well as the vacuum.

4. Steam Carpet Cleaning – Steam carpet cleaning is probably one of the most well known cleaning methods and is also used often. It does have its disadvantages though because it uses an awful lot of water. When the water soaks deep down into the pad of the carpet, it can damage it so severely that the carpet may need to be replaced. However, if steam cleaning is done properly, and not too frequently, it can be effective. It is also known as “Hot water extraction” and basically it works by having a very powerful machine put a hot water and cleanser solution deep down into the carpet. Then the machine will extract the cleanser with a powerful suction. All of this will most likely get the most dirt out of the carpet, however, it may cause the carpet damage over time. It also means the carpet will be wet for a while, so do not use this method as a quick fix, since there is nothing quick about it.

5. Bonnet Carpet Cleaning – This method is mostly used for commercial buildings due to the amount of carpet inside of them. It is not meant to be incredibly effective, since commercial buildings experience so much traffic anyway. Basically this method will keep the carpets looking fresh and clean, even though some dirt and dust may still be lurking under the surface. A chemical detergent is applied to the carpet and then a rotary machine is equipped with an absorbent pad and then worked across the carpet.

So it is clear that not all carpet cleaning methods are the same. Now that the different methods are clearly outlined, it’s time to figure out which one will work best in your own home. Choose wisely, as different methods will affect different types of carpet in various ways.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7496978
By Stacey Hammel|Submitted On February 06, 2013

The short answer for how long does carpet cleaning take is: anywhere between 5 minutes and 3 days. Depending on the size of the area cleaned, its condition and stuff standing in the way of the cleaner (desks and chairs for example). In addition, there is time needed for the carpets to dry which should be added to the service time.

Now here’s the long answer

There are several factors that can influence how long the Carpet Cleaning In Florence Hill TX will take to complete, as well as the length of time it will take for the carpet to dry afterwards.

Size of area to be cleaned – the rule of thumb regarding carpet cleaning is usually 20 minutes per room for small rooms (bedrooms, hallways), and 30 minutes per room for large rooms (master bedrooms, living rooms, etc.). However, this is only a rule of thumb and not something you can depend upon. If the carpet is heavily soiled, stained, or just hasn’t been cleaned for a long time, several runs will be needed on the same areas, adding more time to the carpet cleaning. In addition, every run of the carpet cleaning wand adds more time to the drying time.

The condition of the carpets – as mentioned above, heavy soiling, lots of grease or just some hard to remove stains can add a lot of time to carpet cleaning. Basically, a more soiled carpet will require a more thorough approach, including pre-spray and maybe even agitation with a special machine. This can add on another 10-20 minutes per room, not including set up time which may be a few more minutes.

What the carpet is made of – Natural fibers take longer to dry than synthetic fibers, and also require a different treatment. Natural fibers are more delicate. In addition, they don’t repel stains and grease like most synthetic fibers do. In general, natural fibers like wool would require a more strict maintenance routine and more frequent cleaning to keep them looking their best.

Additional solutions applied – Depending on the condition of your carpets and your requirements, there may be additional steps to carpet cleaning – pre-spray before the cleaning, or application of protector after the carpet cleaning is done. Each of these steps applies more fluid to the carpet, and creates more moisture that needs to dry. These steps can add as much as half an hour to the carpet cleaning, and can lengthen the drying time by two hours or more.

Weather conditions – Carpet cleaning time isn’t affected much by the weather conditions (though bad weather can affect the set up time, making it harder to get everything ready for the cleaning). However, drying time is affected vastly by weather conditions. The carpet cleaning is done inside. When the weather cold, rainy, or even very humid, there is no option to air out a room and let fresh air inside. Good ventilation helps carpet dry more quickly, so bad ventilation can greatly increase drying time, Drying times can even double if the house is very cold with little or no air movement.

Air movement – carpet in a well aired room with several windows, or even a ceiling fan would be able to dry faster than in a closed room with no air flow. Sometimes during winter, if your carpet cleaner can allow it, he will lay out a few drying fans to shorten the drying time of the carpets. Not all carpet cleaners do this, so if this is important to you ask about it before you schedule your appointment. This can greatly reduce drying time if the weather requires the house to stay shut (and there is no air ventilation system available – an HVAC unit you can turn on or a fan that will air the rooms).
How long will it take to clean my carpets?

We suggest you clear 1.5-2 hours for the cleaning appointment, and 6-8 hours for drying time of the carpets (but can go up to as much as 24 hours depending on the conditions). If you have the option, choose warmer weather for your carpet cleaning appointment.

Even if the cleaning appointment will take a lot of time, it is well worth your time. All the odors removed, the looks of the carpets renewed again, and the whole fresh feeling of the home.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9581709