Things you should know about carpet cleaning

Carpets should be groomed after cleaning to ensure that they dry quickly and that the pile sits in the same direction (not falling to the side).

Regularly cleaned carpets last longer and look better than carpets that are rarely cleaned. Cleaning helps remove the abrasive soils in your carpet pile that wear away at the carpet fibers when the carpet is walked on.

Quality pros charge according to the type of carpeting, the services you need and the size of the job. The entire process can take one to three hours.

A dirty bag, dirt cup or filter can cut a vacuum’s suction power in half. The main reason bag-less vacuums stop working is that the filters aren’t changed often enough. 

How often your carpet needs cleaning depends on the kind of carpet traffic you have (think kids and pets). Clean the carpet when the color starts looking dull. If you wait until the carpet is filthy, cleaning it will be much more difficult, take much longer and cost more.

It might be time for you to clean your carpets if you have one or more of the following issues:

• It hasn't been cleaned in over a year. When was the last time you had your carpets cleaned? When it comes to carpet cleaning, a general rule is that it should be professionally cleaned at least once a year. If it’s been longer than a year, you should definitely contact a carpet cleaning service, especially if you have pets or small children running around. Regular cleanings will extend the lifespan of your carpet, make day-to-day maintenance easier, and improve your home’s overall appearance.
• You're Having Allergy Problems. If you’ve noticed that your indoor allergies have gotten worse, you might be due for a professional carpet cleaning. Carpets collect a lot of dust, dirt, pet dander, and other allergens, even if you’re vacuuming them regularly. The slightest movement — like sitting on or walking across the carpet — can disturb these allergens and send them into the air, where they can circulate for several hours before settling back down again. To get rid of some of this build up and improve your allergy symptoms, you should get your carpets cleaned as soon as possible.
• It’s Looking Dull Or Dirty. When you look at and walk across your carpet every day, you get used to the way it looks. You might not think your carpet looks bad, but a furniture test can let you know how dull or dirty it really is. Move a piece of furniture that hasn’t been moved in a while, and take a look at the carpet underneath. Does it look lighter, fluffier, and cleaner, especially compared to the carpet surrounding it? Professional cleaning can help get all the dirt out of your carpet and lift it back up again so that it looks considerably better!
• It’s Stained. There are some types of stains, including pet stains and ink stains, that you will definitely need a professional’s help to remove. Sometimes soap and water just won’t cut it.
  

While some carpets look just like new after a good cleaning, rips, and tears will still be there after the carpet dries.

If you’re covering up damage with rugs and furniture, it’s probably time to get new carpet. Small defects can sometimes be repaired, but large rips are a different story, especially if they’re located on stairs or in high-traffic areas.

When you’re replacing your carpet, choose nylon over polyester. Nylon is more resilient and responds better to carpet cleaning.

If the pad under the carpet is in bad shape, it won’t matter how nice and clean the carpet itself is.

Padding makes your carpet comfortable to walk and lay on buffers sound and improves insulation. However, it also absorbs spills and is a lot harder to clean than the carpet above it.

If your padding is old, it’s probably contributing to lingering odors in your home. Signs of old padding include unevenness, wrinkles, and a crinkling sound when it’s walked across.