Cleaning is an integral aspect of a carpet’s maintenance. Whether it is regular vacuuming, spot treatment, or deep cleaning, it helps keep your carpet in a tip-top state. However, the effectiveness of cleaning results depends on many crucial factors. All of them contribute to the quality of carpet cleaning.
And one of them is the products. From choosing a stain remover for your carpet to a deep cleaning agent, it’s crucial to choose the right ones. So, here are some essential tips by our carpet cleaning experts to help you choose the right cleaning products for your carpets to give them the best care.
7 Expert Tips To Choose The Right Cleaning Products For Your Carpet
1) Read The Carpet Manufacturer’s Label
To choose the right cleaning product for your carpet, our Kings of Steam carpet cleaning professionals advise you to always refer to your carpet manufacturer’s label. The label specifies the right precautions for its cleaning. So never skip that step.
You can also visit the manufacturer’s site to see the suggested type of cleaning products for your carpet. This way, you’ll be rest assured that your carpet gets the right care.
2) Green Cleaning Products
When it comes to choosing the right carpet cleaning products, our experts recommend nothing better than green cleaning products.
However, this category comprises two kinds of green cleaners.
One of them is DIY carpet cleaners. Another is safe store-bought cleaners.
DIY cleaners are mostly reliable if used in the right proportions. However, it’s difficult to identify “green” store-bought products for carpet cleaning.
For that purpose, various government organizations like the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) have developed indicators to help consumers find products with safer chemical ingredients, without sacrificing quality or performance.
We advise checking any of the below labels/indicators to identify a truly right and safe cleaner for your carpets.
⇒ Safer Choice label By EPA
⇒ Design for the Environment (DfE) label by EPA
⇒ Seal of Approval (SOA) program by CRI
All the above labels are certifications given to the products that are safe and green for the health and environment. The products that receive this label are reliable as they go through extensive ongoing testing to meet high standards.
They also have online search tools to help consumers find green-certified solutions. Here are some.
Safer Choice-Certified Product Search
DfE-Certified Product Search
CRI Certified Seal of Approval Product Search
3) No-Residue Leaving Product
Another consideration while looking for the right cleaning products for your carpet is the residue it leaves. Aim for solutions leaving no or minimal residue. Products that leave high amounts of residue on the carpet are difficult to rinse thoroughly.
The remnants lingering in the fiber then attract dirt and lead to frequent soiling. Moreover, residue can also be one of the causes of unexplained stains on carpets.
Especially the shampoos used in carpet shampooing leave a lot of soapy foam behind. That is why our Kings of Steam technicians always use and endorse steam carpet cleaning method to provide no-residue and effective cleaning and care for your carpets.
4) Use Carpet Deodorizers Correctly (Avoiding Is The Best)
Carpet deodorizing products are known for great fragrances but they just mask the odor temporarily. On top of that, if they aren’t used properly, they can cause a stubborn build of powdery substance. This is not easy to remove with normal vacuums and can actually spoil your carpet instead of doing good.
Ideally, we would insist on avoiding store-bought deodorizers altogether. And preferring professional deep cleaning for odor removal would be the best.
Still, if you want to use them, make sure to fully remove the deeply set deodorizing solutions after use.
5) Appropriate For Your Carpet Type
You may choose a cleaner for your carpet. But you may end up damaging it if you have not checked if it’s right for your carpet’s materials. Certain carpet cleaning products are specifically designed to be used on a certain type of carpet.
For example, products for cleaning wool carpet stains would be different from those for polyester carpets.
And using a product not made for your carpet type can do the opposite of cleaning.
Also, we advise pretesting a small amount of solution on the hidden area to be on the safer side.
6) Appropriate For Stain Type
Just like a product has to be suitable for the type of carpet fabric, it has to be applicable to the type of stain. Different stains have different combinations of elements. And so each spot needs to be handled with different types of spot treatment.
That’s why our Kings of Steam pros suggest using spot removers suitable for the carpet stain you want to address.
7) Compatible With Your Cleaning Method & Equipment
There are various carpet cleaning methods such as dry carpet cleaning, steam cleaning, bonnet cleaning, etc. Each method employs different techniques and different cleaning products/solutions.
For example, ideally, steam cleaning involves no use of cleaning products. Because it’s effective with the high temperature of the water penetrated with pressure. But it can still be used with a mild, green cleaning detergent to mix with the water. And the dry carpet cleaning method uses absorbent powder to extract dirt.
So, make sure that you pick up the right product for the method you are going to use. Also, ensure to use products that are compatible with the carpet cleaning equipment you are going to employ.
Summing Up
Choosing the right cleaning product for your carpet can be easy if you are proactive and with some good research. The above tips by our experts conclude using green cleaning solutions that leave no residue. Avoid carpet deodorizers at all costs.
Lastly, choose products that align with your carpet type, type of stain, the cleaning method, and tool.
