For the average person, cleaning a carpet is not the kind of thing that you have to concern yourself with on a regular basis. For this reason, not many people really know how to approach the situation. If you have not had your carpets professionally cleaned, then you are in for a surprise, as there are many ways in which you can ensure that your home is made newly vibrant and bright by simply getting rid of a little carpet dirt. Over time, the dirt that collects in a carpet will fade the color. The fading is gradual and often so even that it is not something that you will notice, so the first time that you clean your carpet after a long while, you will no doubt find that the color change is quite drastic, which can completely reinvigorate the whole room. In most instances the techniques used to get a carpet cleaned properly need to be performed by a professional, but even in the cases where you can do things yourself, it is well worth calling up a carpet cleaning company to see if they can give you any advice, as they will have the experience necessary to get the job done well.

In the event that you want to keep things cheap and do it yourself, carpet shampoo can be bought from the supermarket, or even the local shop. The shampoo comes in the form of a foam that is sprayed over the carpet and scrubbed into the pile, so that the chemicals get in to the pile. You will find that of course you cannot rinse out a carpet, so the foam needs to be left to dry, at which point you can vacuum the dusty residue out of the carpet. The foam will work on the fibers, removing the dirt as it goes, and you will find that when you vacuum up the residue, the dirt comes with it, which ensures that you are getting rid of it all. Unfortunately some shampoos will leave a little residue that you can’t see in the pile, which will attract dirt more quickly, so it can be an uneconomic process in the long run.

Hot water extraction is also known as ‘steam cleaning’ despite the fact that no steam is actually used. A machine is used to fire hot water into the carpet, and then extract it similarly quickly. This vigorous process will remove dirt in both the pressure and the heat, and can be extremely effective. You need to be sure that the person performing this process has well maintained machinery, as failure to extract the water after it is fired in will potentially mean that you get a damp and sodden carpet. A warm damp carpet is obviously going to be a nightmare by way of a place for damp and mould to grow, so this situation needs to be avoided at all costs.

Dry cleaning may sound like something that is only for clothes, but in the case of carpets, the chemicals involved in the process can be extremely useful. There are techniques that can be used for localized spillages or stains, or you can have the whole carpet cleaned. A dry compound is put across the pile, and then a small amount of solution is added, and the mixture scrubbed into the pile. The reaction between the chemicals attracts the dirt from the fibers, and when it dries, the residue is vacuumed up, taking the dirt with it.