By Clive Sabin

Most of the Ways that people use to to deal with their carpets cleaning problems only offer partial solutions and some offer no solution at all

Vacuuming your carpets regularly which most people do does remove the surface dust and some dirt from the surface of them, but does not always remove ingrained dirt and grit that can accumulate in the fibres of the carpet.

A more effective method than vacuuming alone is shampooing, it normally reaches deeper into the carpet fibres; dirt is normally left crystalised on the surface of the carpet which has to be vacuumed of the next day. There are problems with this method however; it can leave a sticky residue on the surface of the carpet, and a lot of dirt is still left within the carpet.

Stains can cause a real problem for carpets if not treated properly to remove them immediatly, or as soon as possible after they occur; this can be a real problem on brightly coloured carpets like white or beige which show all the marks. Stains like orange juice, tea, coffee, red wine, grease and general food stains can really destroy their appearance, as well as causing lasting damage.

Another solution to solve the carpet staining problem is to buy carpets that are already treated by the manufacturer for stains and soil; this treatment normally forms an invisible layer or coating on the surface of the carpet, so when they are stained the stain in most cases if treated straight away can normally be wiped of the surface of the carpet using a slightly wet absorbent cloth and some mild shampoo or carpet stain remover if necessary, because it sits on top of the carpets protective coating rather than in the carpet itself.

Manufacturers who treat their carpets for stains and soil still can’t guarantee that all the stains will be removed; stains should still be treated carefully in the proper manner straight away, particularly stains like hot coffee or tea, as these can breach the protective coating in the carpet and do lasting damage. Having said this cleaning and treating these stain resistant carpets should be a lot easier because stains and soil should sit much more on the surface of the carpet above the protective coating and therefore much easier to remove, rather than deep within the pile of the carpet itself.

Often the actual way in which carpets are constructed can have a big impact on on the results that can be achieved cleaning and treating them for stains. Certain types of carpet like tufted eighty percent wool and twenty percent artificial fibre like polypropelyne can be quite resistant to stains and soiling even though they have not been treated by the manufacturers, and when cleaned most and sometimes all stains and soil can often be successfully removed, particularly when using professional cleaning systems like hot water extraction.

Other cheaper kinds of carpet like many cords and synthetic foam backed carpets, and loopy or berber type of carpets are not very resistant to stains and soil, and even when cleaned by professionals using the hot water extraction process will not come up very well, and may still look quite dirty and stained. This is not to say that all cheaper carpets are the same, even some expensive wool carpets particularly bright colours, if mistreated can be extremely difficult to clean. A lot depends on the user and how the carpets are treated and maintained.

Often the best method to solve your carpet cleaning problems is to always buy carpets that are practical; not too light in colour so as not to show the dirt and stains; are of good quality, are stain resistant, and have them cleaned regularly, preferably by a professional carpet cleaning firm which uses the hot water extraction method of cleaning. This method is very effective for removing ingrained dirt and stains from them, and can extend their life for many years, avoiding the cost of early replacement.

The Author who has many years of experience runs his own north London based Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Firm, and often gives advise to customers on the best ways to look after their carpets.
http://www.northlondoncarpetcleaners.com