Carpet cleaners recognize that carpet may be soiled by an infinite variety of contaminants which could come from inside or outside the building.

Indoor pollutants may include grease, dust, hair, animal dander, shed skin, lint from clothing, and spills from drinks or food. Cooking oil floating in the air also traps particulates floating in the indoor environment. These ultimately end up among the carpet fibers, because carpet is the perfect filter.

Contaminants from outside may include abrasive soils, sand, grit, grease and tars, grime, insects and a host of other foreign materials. Most of these enter the home or office on the soles of shoes, but many other types of foreign materials may be brought in by animals, or may even just get blown in by the wind.

Understanding the nature of these materials will help to place them in categories and thus determine the best carpet cleaning method for each situation.

Everyone realizes that a soiled carpet is undesirable for many reasons. Perhaps the most commonly acknowledged reason is the appearance. A soiled carpet doesn\’t look good and the householder is often embarrassed by the resultant poor aesthetics.

But dirty carpet is also insanitary. Foreign material in the carpet provides a fertile breeding ground for many microorganisms, some of which are carriers of harmful diseases and various allergens.

Soiled carpet may also be the repository of abrasive materials which cause excessive wear when ground in among the fibers over time. The fibers are thereby destroyed and the useful life of the carpet is considerably reduced.

A recent study of the types and composition of soils commonly found in carpets, concluded that approximately 80 % was insoluble and only about 20 % was soluble. A further breakdown of the composition of the soils revealed that 60% was derived from sand, quartz, clay, gypsum or carbon; 10 % from vegetable material and fiber; 10 % from cooking oils, body oils, asphalt, tars or grease and only 10 % from soluble sugars, starches, salts or other fluid materials derived from foods.

It is therefore quite easy to classify these soils into three basic categories:

1. Water- soluble.

2. Solvent-soluble

3. Insoluble.

The terms \”water-soluble\” and \”insoluble\” are self-explanatory. By \”solvent-soluble\” we mean substances which are soluble in organic solvents like alcohol, acetone, kerosene, ether, etc.

Insoluble soils, which constitutes the greatest portion of carpet soils, will dissolve in neither water nor solvents, and will cause the most physical damage to carpets. Fortunately, they are the easiest to remove. Frequent vacuuming is the solution to this problem. Use the most powerful vacuum you can get, preferably one with a beater brush which will agitate the fibers and facilitate extraction of particulates from deep down. Frequent means daily if possible, but if not, at least three times per week. More heavily tracked carpets will require more frequent vacuuming, of course.

Water-soluble soils are the easiest to extract, and more so, if the soiling is fresh. The key is to blot up spills as soon as they occur. The emphasis here is to blot, not rub. This is to prevent the soil or stain from spreading to adjacent areas. Also, wherever possible, use a white absorbent cloth or paper towel. This will ensure that color from the towel will not be transferred back to the carpet.

Oil based stains require an organic solvent before they can be dissolved and removed. The solvent should first be pre-tested on a small spot in an inconspicuous place to determine whether there will be bleeding or leaching. The same blotting procedure may then be tried, but be sure to rinse out the solvent thoroughly with cold water afterwards.

As always, for difficult situations or for a comprehensive deep carpet cleaning, be sure to consult a professional carpet cleaning company.

Victor Nugent is Owner and President of AJS Carpet Cleaning, Inc. with over 11 years experience in the Carpet Cleaning business. For more information call 801 368-0705 or visit our website at AJS Carpet Cleaning, Inc or AJS Carpet Cleaning Eagle Mountain

Victor Nugent is Owner and President of AJS Carpet Cleaning, Inc. with over 11 years experience in the Carpet Cleaning business. For more information call 801 368-0705 or visit our website at http://www.ablejan.com or http://www.carpetcleaningeaglemountain.info/

Author Bio: Victor Nugent is Owner and President of AJS Carpet Cleaning, Inc. with over 11 years experience in the Carpet Cleaning business. For more information call 801 368-0705 or visit our website at AJS Carpet Cleaning, Inc or AJS Carpet Cleaning Eagle Mountain

Category: Home Management
Keywords: carpet cleaning,soap free cleaning,carpet cleaner, cleaning professional,carpet cleaning company