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Carpet Cleaning

How to Remove Shoe Polish from Carpet

There is no doubt that shoe polish can make your shoes shine brighter and amp up their look. But what if this same shoe polish smears right in the middle of your carpet? It doesn’t sound like the best situation, right? Although throwing shoe polish on the carpet or keeping the shoe brush upside down is rare, it does happen. Accidents happen, and in such scenarios, you have no choice but to call your local carpet cleaner, or get your hands on it immediately and clean up the mess as soon as possible.

Need to know how to get that shoe polish out of your carpet? You are in the right place because we are here to save the day. With a few handy ingredients and the right moves and what not to do (i.e. NEVER scrub your stain in the outward direction; you will only make it worse), you will get rid of that horrible stain in no time.

Scoop, Scoop, Scoop

If you got a large amount of matte polish on your carpet, scrape the polish as much as you can very carefully. You can use the sleek edge of a butter knife or scoop it up with a spoon. However, if you are dealing with a liquid-based polish, take some cotton balls and place them gently on the stain so that they absorb the liquid. Keep collecting the cotton balls in a paper bag to avoid creating any further mess. As the cotton balls suck up sufficient liquid, you will see that the color of the polish is now fading to a grayish tone.

Blot, Blot, Blot

Rubbing alcohol is a great thing to have on hand for cleaning, it can also be used to remove nail polish stains, and paint stains, in addition to ones that result from shoes polish. Pour some rubbing alcohol on the stained area and grab a clean paper towel. Now it’s time to blot so that the towel absorbs the dirty polish. This may take a while, but it will be worth it. Keep doing this until you see that the paper towel is coming up clean, even after holding it on the stain for about thirty seconds. This means that the paper towel did its job and blotted everything it possibly could.

Clean, Clean, Clean

Even after blotting, you will see that the actual colors of the carpet are not visible yet, and it is still giving an undesirable appearance. But worry not because dealing with it is very easy. Put a few drops of dishwashing liquid in a cup of warm water and give it a nice whip. Sprinkle a few drops of the diluted solution onto the stained surface of the carpet and then, using a laundry brush, start brushing the fibers of the carpet thoroughly. Your carpet will get a little foamy, but that’s okay (you can easily take out the foam with some warm water).

By now, your carpet should be as good as new. However, if you still find that your carpet doesn’t look nice (it is possible if you let the stain stay for long), you can use a solution of one part vinegar and four parts water. Pour a generous amount of solution onto the carpet, cover it with a microfiber towel, and let it sit for a few hours, preferably overnight. In the morning, remove the towel and implement the steps given above and voila! 

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Carpet Cleaning

How to Remove Paint from a Carpet

Paint is tough to clean from a variety of materials, and carpets and furniture can be particularly difficult to remove. The most important aspect in this case is time: It’s important to clean up spilled paint as soon as possible to avoid leaving a lifelong stain carpet. Once the paint has dried, it is considered set—and, regrettably, it is almost impossible to erase without the assistance of a professional carpet cleaning service in Northampton or replacing your carpeting entirely. It is also crucial to use the right tools for the job. 

Here’s all you need to know about how to remove paint out of carpet.

The exact procedure to use will depend on the type of paint – water based, or oil based. Either way, you will need to exercise some caution as the cleaning methods call for the use of water. Some carpet materials such a sisal and jute are sensitive to excessive water.

Water-Based Paint

Step 1: The spreading of water-based paint is rather rapid. A quick response to a spill will assist in avoiding or limiting lasting damage to your carpet.

Step 2: You will need to gather paper towel, a clean towel, light soap or detergent (must be chlorine and bleach free), a soft scrubbing brush, and a rug cleaner.

Step 3: Remove as much extra paint as you can with paper towels before beginning to work on the stain. Start at the fringes of the spill and work inwards making sure not to press down to hard.

Step 4: Follow this up by applying a little water to the affected area. Be careful as too much water may increase to stained are.

Step 5: Never rub, always dab. Rubbing a stain may enlarge the affected area and may cause it to become more deeply embedded in the fibres of the carpet. Dabbing helps to lift stains off the rug’s surface and out of the rug’s binding, keeping them. Try to prevent the paint from soaking through to the binding as you may end up with mildew in your carpet.

Step 6: Continue to dab while adding small quantities of water. You will need to be patient as it may take many attempts before there is observable progress or to entirely remove the paint stain.

Step 7: Create a soap and water solution and dab the paint off the carpet to remove any remaining paint. Alternatively, a chlorine and bleach free detergent and water solution may be used. If using dish soap use it sparingly and properly dilute it in water, or you’ll end up with an even greater mess.

Step 8: Apply the cleaning solution to the affected area with a clean cloth or towel and dab off the solution. Repeat the process until the stain is removed. If necessary, use the scrubbing brush to gently scrub the stained area making sure to move from the fringes to the centre.

Step 9: If the stain is not completely removed by the process described above, you may need to use commercially available cleaners. If you do, be sure to follow the instructions precisely. Be sure to check that the cleaning solution is safe to use in your home and does not include harmful chemicals. Also, do a test application an inconspicuous area of your carpet to ensure that the cleaning solution does not cause discoloration.      

Final Step: If all else fails, call for help of a professional. Professional rug and carpet cleaners are well-versed in the most effective methods of removing stains from carpets without causing damage to them or compromising the integrity of the colouring, pattern or pile.

Oil-Based Paint

Step 1: Take action quickly. When it comes to removing a stain, time is of the utmost, but this is particularly true when it comes to oil-based paint. Oil-based stains may adhere to the fibres of your rug very quickly, making ii critical to begin cleaning the process as soon as possible to prevent a long-lasting stain to your carpet.

Step 2: For the cleaning you will need rubber/disposable gloves, paper towels, a putty knife, light soap or detergent (that does not include chlorine or bleach), an old soft cloth, and a carpet cleaner. When selecting a carpet cleaner, get one that is specifically developed to remove oil stains. This will minimise risk of removing colour or damaging the integrity of the carpet fibres themselves.

Step 3: If the paint has not dried up, use the paper towel to dab up as much of the paint as possible. Start from the fringes and work your way in and avoid pressing to hard. If the paint has congealed or dried, use a putty knife to gently scrape away any extra paint from the carpet. Place the knife beneath the paint spill and gently scrape off the paint with it. Repeat the process until you have removed all of the extra paint. Avoid scrubbing with the knife since this may aggravate the stain.

Step 4: Make a cleaning solution by mixing a light detergent or dish soap with cold water to remove the rest of the stain from the carpet. A variety of materials are used to make carpets and rugs; some of these materials are sensitive to certain chemicals, which may cause harm. Try out the solution on an inconspicuous part of your carpet to be sure that it will not cause any damage.  

Step 5: Apply small amounts of soapy water to the stain and then dab it away with a clean cloth. Do not rub or scrub as it will move the paint deeper into the carpet’s fibres. Keep repeating the process as it may take many rounds to complete. Keep the carpet from being saturated as the paint stain may spread. For stubborn stains you may need to gently use a soft brush.

Step 6: If the stain is still visible, a professional cleaning solution should be used specifically designed for the purpose. Be careful to read the bottle for step-by-step instructions and check whether the cleaner is safe for your carpet before applying.

Final Step: If all your efforts fail, you will need to assess if it will be worthwhile to approach a professional carpet cleaner. The good ones have an in-depth understanding of the best ways to remove a variety of stains ranging from spilt milk to shoe polish stains without destroying your carpet.

Paint stains are probably the most difficult to remove, particularly in the case of large spills. It is essential to start the cleaning process quickly. Ideally, this should be while the paint is still wet. You will need to be careful not to spread the stain and you will need to be gentle so as not to push the paint deeper into your carpet pile.

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Carpet Cleaning

How to Remove Milk Smell from Your Carpet

What could happen to your beloved carpet in the worst-case scenario? For most of us, spilling milk on the carpet isn’t a huge concern, but it won’t be until things get serious. Milk can quickly penetrate deep into the fibres of carpets due to their high absorbency, causing persistent stains and unpleasant odours.

These stains can be a lot more trouble than say your typical paint stain or ink stain, which just sits on your carpet. Milk bacteria will grow and convert natural carbohydrates into lactic and acetic acids. As a result, the affected area will turn yellow and emit a bad odour. Is it possible to get rid of that odour? Follow these simple yet effective tips:

What’s the first step?

Before you start cleaning, keep in mind the following tricks to make the cleaning process easier:

  • Avoid rubbing at a stain to prevent milk from getting further into the fibres;
  • Using a clean towel, mop up any excess liquid first;
  • Perform a spot test on a hidden area of the carpet;
  • Wipe at the spot to remove as much as possible;
  • Use a carpet cleanser and a tiny, soft brush to remove any remaining marks.

How to remove milk smell from your carpet

There are several ways that might help you save your carpet:

1. Dish soap and Ammonia

Combine 2 cups lukewarm water with 1 tbsp. of dish soap. Slowly clean in a circular motion. Slightly rub the stain from the outside in tiny, circular strokes towards the centre with the moist cloth. Allow as long as possible to decrease and disrupt the milk stains. Clean the stained area using a sponge soaked in a mixture of 2 cups lukewarm water and 1 tbsp. of Ammonia.

Dip another sponge in cold water and thoroughly clean the area. Using a clean sponge wet with cold water, rinse the area. After that, use a clean, dry towel to absorb as much moisture as possible.

2. Ground coffee

Drop some fresh ground coffee over the area that’s creating the odour. The fragrance should be quickly absorbed by coffee grounds. Once the coffee grounds have absorbed the liquid and are no longer smelling, vacuum them up (give it an hour or two).

3. Vinegar

Allow half an hour to settle after spraying vinegar immediately on the stain. Using a clean cloth, blot the stain or use a steam cleaner to clear the stained area. Allow time for the area to dry. The vinegar smell, as well as the scent of spilt milk, will go away as time goes on.

4. Baking soda

Make a cleaning solution by mixing one teaspoon of bleach-free washing up liquid and two cups of warm water. Apply your solution to the odour-causing area using a sponge.

Then, right onto the carpet where the spilt milk odour resides, pour baking soda. Allow the baking soda to sit overnight. Clean up the baking soda with a little brush the next morning, and then vacuum the area completely.

Call a professional…

Professional carpet cleaning will remove the milk smell from your carpet more thoroughly than you can. It will help your carpet last longer, so you won’t need to splurge on a new carpet in case you ruin it. Not only will a professional carpet cleaning service help fight milk stains, but it’ll also eliminate dirt, allergens, and grime.

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Carpet Cleaning

How to Get Ink Out of Carpet

The sight of your toddler gliding the tip of a pen across your carpet can be pretty disturbing. But seeing that your pet (or toddler, of course) has spilled an entire bottle of ink on your vintage tapestry is enough to cause you a heart attack.

But not to worry, there’s always a way out. This article will guide you through it. It will show you how to get ink out of the carpet.

But then, no matter what you do, never let the ink dry on your carpet – act as soon as it is spilled. Ink contains several resins and dyes that, when dried, may give you a tough time when you try to remove them from your carpet without professional help from our Northampton based carpet cleaners.

For Water-Based Inks,

Water-based inks are pretty straighforward to remove from most materials and will not require harsh chemicals. Follow the steps below if you’re curious to know how to remove water-based ink stain out of your carpet:

  1. Mix dishwashing liquid with warm water.
  2. Soak a white microfiber towel with the mixture, and gently blot the ink stain until it is removed. Don’t forget to change the towel once it is saturated with the ink. You don’t want to keep spreading the ink to your entire carpet.
  3. Now rinse the area with clean water and another microfiber towel, and then allow the carpet to dry.

For Permanent/Solvent-based Inks,

Permanent/solvent-based inks are usually more difficult to remove. Instead of water, they are composed of larger compounds that you’ll need to break down to detach them from your carpet.

  1. Dampen a white microfiber towel with some isopropyl alcohol, and then gently mop up the ink stain. Change the towel as soon as it gets saturated with the stain to avoid transferring ink back to the carpet.
  2. Continue step 1 until the ink stain is completely removed.
  3. Soak another towel with a mild solution of water and white vinegar, and then rinse the spot with the solution. This rinsing should remove traces of isopropyl alcohol from the carpet to avoid damaging its fibers.
  4. You can also rinse the vinegar mixture using another towel damp with clean water or let the carpet dry.

For Ball Point Inks,

  1. Spray a liberal amount of lacquer hair spray on the stain to break down the component of the ink for faster detachment from your carpet.
  2. Allow the spray sometimes on the carpet before blotting it using a clean microfiber towel. At this point, try not to scrub. Simply dab from the carpet towards yourself.
  3. When the ink stain is completely gone, allow the area to dry and vacuum it up.

For Dried Ink Stain,

You can damage your rug if you try any of these methods with dried ink. So, you may want to seek professional help if the ink has already dried up on your carpet, especially if your carpet is made from delicate fibers.

Contact our experienced carpet cleaning company with details about the type of ink and the nature of your carpet. We’ll be able to help with them and a wide range of other issues from lingering spilt milk odours, to paint stains in the carpet. Give us a call today!

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Carpet Cleaning

How to Remove Tomato Sauce from Carpet

Tomato sauce serves as a handy ingredient during the preparation and serving of most meals. No doubt, you’ll always find a bottle or two of this delicious puree in every kitchen and a portion or more of it on the sides of dishes like French fries, beans, pasta, and noodles. Sure, it adds flavour and colour to your meals until some of it reaches your carpet.

Tomato sauce stains can be stubborn and require you to blot it off the moment it happens. Like red wine stains, if left untouched for too long, this stain can become nearly impossible to remove by conventional stain removal methods.

So, did a tomato sauce stain happen on a patch of carpet in your living room or dining area? Are you looking for quick, eco-friendly, and DIY ways to blot out that annoying patch of tomato sauce stain from your carpet? Then this guide should be easy and helpful. The items used in this guide are eco-friendly, and you can easily find them around your home.

Method 1 – Dishwashing Soap Method

Items You Need

Spatula or bread knife

Plate

White microfiber or terry cloth

Dishwashing soap

White vinegar

Method

Begin by removing excess sauce from the stained area to make cleaning more effective. Use a spatula or a bread knife to scrape off tomato sauce from your carpet’s surface lightly. While collecting the excess sauce, place the plate very close to the stained area to avoid dropping some sauce after scooping it from the stained area. Also, be careful not to dig into the stain, as this would make removal more difficult.

With the paper towel, blot out remnant sauce from the carpet. Remember not to apply excess force; otherwise, you’ll deepen the stain.

Combine one spoon of dishwashing soap with a cup of warm water, then apply the mixture to the stain to soak up the stained area. Double the measurements if the stained area is vast so that the mixture can cover the stained part of your carpet. Let the water-soap mix sit on the carpet for about 20 minutes.

Now, daub a microfiber or terry cloth on the area to soak up the soap + sauce residue. Complete this step gradually until you’ve soaked up the stain.

Pour a small quantity of cool, clean water on the carpet to rinse out the dishwashing mixture.

Soak up the moisture using another microfiber cloth until the carpet is dry.

If your carpet is brightly coloured, you may still find that the stain leaves a faint-coloured residue. Soak a portion of another towel in a mixture of white vinegar and water, then blot the area with the towel until the stain is completely removed.

Method 2 – Lemon Method

Items You Need

Half a lemon

Microfiber towels

Spatula

Plate

Method

First, remove excess tomato sauce from your carpet using the spatula and plate as in method 1.

Gently rub the lemon on the stain to get enough lemon juice on your carpet without increasing the stained area. Allow the liquid to sit on the carpet for about 15 minutes.

Once 15 minutes have elapsed, sprinkle some water on the carpet and blot the stain with a clean microfiber cloth.

Continue steps 2 and 3 till the carpet area is entirely stain-free. Afterwards, air dry the carpet or dry it up with a fan.

Conclusion

With the steps above, there’d be no need to panic the next time you mistakenly smear some tomato sauce on your carpet. All you need to do is run into your kitchen and prep yourself to fight that annoying stain. And if you would prefer to hire a professional you can utilise our low moisture carpet cleaning company. We’ll have your carpets dry within 30 minutes, so you don’t have to experience the inconvenience of waiting several hours for wet carpet to dry.

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Carpet Cleaning

Why Do Some Carpets Shrink After Being Cleaned?

There are many things that can go wrong with your carpet after it’s been cleaned. One of the most common issues is shrinkage. We’ve received many calls from “do-it-yourself” carpet cleaners, who have hired a machine from the supermarket, only to find that upon the carpet drying it has shrunk significantly! In some cases this can be fixed, but sometimes the carpet may have to be replaced! In this article, we’ll explore what causes carpets to shrink.

Carpets come in a variety of constructions, and some are more prone to shrinkage than others. Carpets that have a jute backing are most likely to shrink under certain conditions, which we’ll look at later.

Why is this? Well, Jute is a natural fibre that is commonly used as carpet backing, due to its high absorbency properties, it swells up when it comes into contact with water, which puts stress on the carpet causing it to shrink.

How can you avoid shrinking your carpets?

Having a little knowledge about the construction of a carpet can go a long way in helping you to avoid some common carpet cleaning problems, such as shrinkage.

The first thing you may want to do is identify the backing of the carpet. You can do this by finding a corner piece and lifting it off its gripper. If it’s Jute it will be brown in colour (see picture below). Once you’ve identified it you’ll know that you have to be extra careful with the amount of water you use on the carpet. If you’re using a carpet cleaning machine you’ve rented from the supermarket, this may be difficult to do because they tend not to have very strong vacuum motors, which means they don’t get as much of the water out of the carpet as a commercial carpet cleaning machine during the rinsing stage. So what often happens is the water seeps deep into the Jute backing causing it to swell.

Jute Backing

So if you do go the DIY route be conscious of this, and try not to spray down too much water into the carpet when rinsing it.

What happens if my carpets have shrunk?

Shrunk carpets can usually be salvaged, unfortunately rectifying the issue comes with an additional cost. You will need to hire a carpet fitter to re-stretch the carpet back to its former size.

If you want to avoid any unwelcome surprises after having your carpets cleaned, or you have challenging stains on your carpet like ink stains, we would suggest you hire a reputable carpet cleaning company like ours to do the work for you. We have never shrunk a carpet, and we never will. Our low moisture cleaning technology uses minimal amounts of water, so there is no risk of overwetting the carpet. In addition to that our cleaning process involves using a heat blower to have your carpets dry within 30 minutes of being cleaned!

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Carpet Cleaning

Signs It’s Time to Replace Your Carpet

Most carpet manufacturers recommend that you get your carpets cleaned every 12-18 months. Doing so will ensure that your carpet has a long life, stays free of spots and stains, and stays in good condition for several years. But eventually, you will need to replace your carpet. Here are 4 signs that it’s time to do just that.

1.You have carpet stains that can’t be removed

Professional carpet cleaners can often remove stains from your carpet, but unfortunately, there are situations where the cleaning technician can only improve them slightly. If you have a heavily stained carpet with stains that won’t budge your best option may be to replace the carpet.

If the staining has been caused by a pet, and it will still be around when you replace the carpet, then you’ll want to factor this in when purchasing a new one. Ideally, you’ll go for something that’s more resistant to pet stains, such as a synthetic carpet. You’ll definitely want to stay away from wool!

2. Your carpet has a horrible odour that won’t go away

Just like carpet stains, a carpet cleaning technician will be able to eliminate nasty odours the vast majority of the time. However, this task becomes more difficult when the cause of the odour has seeped into the backing of the carpet. It’s not the end of the world if that happens, because the technician may still be able to flush the offending liquid and its odour out of your carpet. But sometimes it’s not possible due to the construction of the carpet. Some carpets contain latex or a layer of plastic (or both even) in the backing. The problem with these types of carpets is, a cleaning solution can be flushed into the backing, but it can’t be sucked back out, even with specialist equipment used by a professional. If the water remains in the backing it can cause the odour to get worse. If the spill and odour have only covered a small part of the carpet, the area can be cut out and replaced with a spare piece. But if the spill and odour cover a larger area, then you will need to replace your carpet.

3. Wear and tear has got the better of your carpet

If a carpet has been looked after and cleaned regularly it can last for 20 years or more. But eventually, wear and tear will get the better of it. The more people and pets you have in your house walking on it every day, the quicker it will happen. The carpet pile will become worn and unsightly at this point, so you’ll know when the time has come.

4. The Padding Has Worn Down

The carpet pile is not the only thing that wears away, the same thing happens to the padding. Especially in areas with a lot of foot traffic. Signs that the padding has worn away may vary depending on the material it’s made from. But common signs are ripples in the carpet where the wear has occurred, and in some cases, there may be a crunching sound when you step on worn areas.

Find out why carpets sometimes shrink after being cleaned and what you can do about it if you find yourself in that situation. Or explore the other articles on our blog

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Carpet Cleaning

Spots vs Stains – What’s the difference?

A number of our carpet cleaners found that many of our customers use the term stain when in actual fact they’re talking about spots. The terms mean two different things, and in this article, we’re going to look at the differences between them.

Stains and spots both occur as a result of spillage or something being dropped on a carpet. But the key difference is that a spot will not leave a permanent mark, because it cannot bond to the carpet fibres. Common examples of spots include mud, dust and soil. These do not change the colour of the carpet pile because they do not contain artificial dyes or anything that can permanently change the colour of the carpet. More often than not spots that are made up of these substances can be removed.

When a spillage involves a substance that contains dyes, you’ll end up with a stained carpet. Common stubborn stains include curry, coffee and pet urine. In addition to that, some stains may also weaken or even destroy carpet fibres, really affecting its look feel, resulting in the carpet having to be replaced in the worst case scenario.

What has started as a spot, may eventually become a stain when the wrong cleaning products are used to clean it, thus making the situation even worse. This is even more likely to happen if the cleaning products are at the lower or higher ends of the PH scale, or in other words, strong acids and alkalis are used. Often times you are better off letting a professional deal with the spot or stain, this greatly increases the chance of it being removed.

Another thing to be aware of with stains is they need to be addressed in a timely fashion. The longer they’re left, the more problems they can cause. This commonly happens with pet stains, which over time can actually chemically burn certain types of carpet fibre, resulting in permanent damage.

Spots on the other hand are often a lot easier to remove and tend not to cause permanent damage to the carpet fibres they come into contact with. Often they can be removed with a hoover, dustpan and brush or a wet towel. They become more of a problem when they’re a combination of both a spot and a stain (i.e. coloured candle wax solidifying on the carpet is another common example of this) because, as mentioned earlier the latter can lead to permanent discolouration and other damage.

If you have any spots or stains you’re worried about, give us a call today. We would be more than happy to assist you.

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Carpet Cleaning

How to Remove Candle Wax From Your Carpet

If you want to give your surroundings a warmer, more intimate feel with the added benefit of a pleasant odour, nothing does this better than candlelight. But as you know, candles are made of wax, and when wax drips on your carpet it can cause a small headache. If your carpet is made of wool, we have a solution for removing spilled candle wax from it. PLEASE NOTE, WE DON’T RECOMMEND USING THIS APPROACH ON SYNTHETIC CARPETS DUE TO THEIR LOW MELTING POINT. With that said, let me outline the simple process you can follow to remove candle wax yourself, instead of having to call your local carpet cleaner.

You’ll need the following items: A paper bag or terry towel, a butter knife and an iron.

First of all let the wax harden, as solid wax is much easier to remove than semi-solid wax is. It shouldn’t take long for the wax to harden on its own, but if you’re in a rush you can aid the process by placing a bag of ice cubes on the warm wax. If you decide to do this make sure you use a transparent bag without anything printed on it, the last thing we want to do is exacerbate the problem by having dye from the bag transfer onto the carpet!

Now that the wax has solidified, get the butter knife and use it to remove as much wax as you can. You should be able to remove most of it this way, but there will still be some wax present on the carpet.

Take the paper bag or terry towel and place it on top of the wax spot. Now you’ll need to get your iron and turn it on. You need to be cautious here and set your iron to a low temperature, we don’t want to burn the carpet! Place the iron over the terry towel/paper bag and slowly slide it along. Doing so will gradually melt the wax, which in turn will be absorbed into the terry towel or paper bag. Do the same on other areas that have wax until all of the wax has gone.

Use a cloth and some cleaning solution to blot the area clean. If your candles had dye in them, the dye may have transferred onto the carpet. If this is the case you may need to call on the services of a professional to see if the dye stain can be removed.

Assuming you’ve managed to clean the area with no problems and the carpet is now dry, your next step will be to vacuum the carpet to realign the pile. Ideally, you’ll want to use one with a brush to achieve this goal.

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Carpet Cleaning

Carpet Deodorising Powders – Are They Safe?

If your carpets have started to smell, you may be tempted to head to the nearest supermarket to pick some carpet deodorising powder. After all, it seems like a great, cost-effective, short-term solution, and it does the job effectively.

But have you ever considered the possibility that these powders may actually be damaging your carpet, and potentially putting your family’s health at risk?

While there are many pros for using these products, there are also many cons against using them. We’ve outlined some of them below.

They May Aggravate Allergies and Breathing Issues

If you suffer from allergies be aware that carpet deodorising powders may trigger them. Teary eyes, coughing and a runny nose a few of the symptoms people with allergies may experience when using these products. The same applies to people who have breathing conditions such as Asthma. If any of this applies to you and you absolutely must use one of these products, then maybe get another family member to apply and vacuum up the carpet powder while you go out for the day. Or alternatively employ the services of a professional carpet cleaning company, which can give your carpet a thorough deep clean, using safe solutions that are less likely to trigger allergies.

They’re Not Good For Pets

If you have pets, make sure they are kept out of any rooms that are being treated. Although many of these powders have been deemed “pet safe”, there have been many reports of pets getting sick upon coming in contact with the powder. The powder tends to get into every nook and cranny, so it’s not hard to believe that some of the powder will be missed during the initial vacuum cleaning.

The Powder Particles Become Trapped In The Carpet

The idea behind carpet deodorising powders is pretty simple. You shake the deodorising powder over the carpet and let it sit for a bit before vacuuming it up. However, there is one small problem with this idea that often gets overlooked. Most residential-grade vacuum cleaners are not strong enough to suck out all of the powder. Over time this powder builds up deep within the carpet fibres, adding to any dirt that has already accumulated over the months and years.

In conclusion, we live in an age where we’re told that many questionable things are healthy for us, but often these claims don’t hold up under scrutiny. We would advise anyone who purchases a carpet deodorising powder to check the ingredients, and purchase the brand that contains the least amount of chemicals.

If you’d like to talk to one of our experts about a carpet odour issue, give us a call.

 

Would you like to find out more about how to deal with issues that commonly affect carpets in the home, such as candle wax or oil stains? Then continue to explore our blog for more informative articles.