How to Clean Your Carpet and Remove Stubborn Stains

Ensure you vacuum your carpet at least once a week, if there are specific areas such as at the doorway or beside the couch that get dirtier than other areas then increase the frequency of vacuuming. To keep the entire carpet in good shape it is also worth using all the vacuum tools to remove all debris from the edges of the carpet and those spaces where the vacuum cannot reach.

The best technique for vacuuming your carpet is to maintain a slow pace and work over an area of a carpet several times. If you have a plush carpet that will hold onto dirt then make sure you work the vacuum slowly over the entire area allowing the suction to pick up and remove all the dirt and dust.

If you are unfortunate enough to get a stain on your carpet then do not rub it! If it is a stain caused by a liquid dab it with tissue it absorbing into the kitchen roll or tissue will lift the stain, rubbing will only spread the stain and ruin the fibres in your carpet. When following this method of stain removal it is best to place the absorbent cloth or tissues over the stain and place something heavy on it to aid the absorption process.

If after trying this process or if the stain cannot be absorbed the best thing to put on it is water. As much as possible, use the mildest cleaning products available in the market on your carpet. Use only harsher ones with stubborn stains and certain spillages. Mild carpet shampoos are still always the best solution.

For particularly obstinate mould and mildew, you can go in for a non-chlorine bleach or lemon juice and salt solution for coloured fabrics. Else you can just slightly brush the area with a solution of hydrogen peroxide (one part of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide to five parts of water), provided you are sure that the solution doesn't harm the fabric of the carpet. Before using any cleaning solution, test your carpet in an inconspicuous area to make sure the cleaner won't damage or discolor it. Test the cleaning agents that you keep on hand before you have to use them to make sure they will not harm your carpet.