DIY Carpet Cleaning Solutions

DIY Carpet Cleaning Solutions

Yes, we’ve all accidentally spilled drinks on our carpets, or sofa and stained them!  What most of us may have not done is bought a carpet cleaning solution product from the supermarket/internet to use in these situations. The good news is and, fortunately, you might not have to buy anything to get your carpet/upholstery looking like new again. Did you know that you can make your own homemade (DIY) carpet cleaning solution with a few, under the sink (household) items!   So, I thought I’d share some of my favourite DIY solutions to get you started:   

*** Note: It is best practice to dip a white cloth/terry towel into all these solutions and apply to the stain by dabbing or blotting. You must never pour the solutions directly onto carpets/upholstery. And never, never rub at the Stain ***

1.   A Vinegar solution: Mix one cup of white vinegar with two cups of water.

2.   A Detergent Solution:  Mix a 1/4 teaspoon of a liquid washing-up detergent, such as Lidl’s W5, Fairy Liquid into a cup of lukewarm water. 

3.  A Solvent Solution:  Use a paint type solvent. Or a substitute nail-polish remover; such as Mylee 100% Pure Acetone polish remover.

4.  An Ammonia solution: Mix one tablespoon of clear household ammonia with 1/2 cup of lukewarm water.

 Additional DIY Solutions To Try

5.  Club Soda also works very well on a certain type of stains (wine) but may have to be coupled with a cleaning solution for several applications before a stain is removed. Begin by blotting the affected area before pouring the club soda directly over it. Once the solution has stopped fizzing, immediately blot the spot again, repeating as many times as necessary.

6.   Baking Soda/ Bicarbonate Soda works very well to remove pet stains: Just sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over the soiled area and then let it sit/dwell for a couple hours and then vacuum the affected area. It also acts as an effective deodorizer.

  

 7.  Diluted Bleach can also help too in some instances, but *** do not use this on wool carpets***. Just use 10 parts water to one part bleach. Spray the solution on the stain, and then let it sit for 15 seconds before thoroughly rinsing the area with warm water. If you can still see the stain, repeat the process until the spot is gone.

The stain removal remedies, above, should help the DIYer, eliminate most household accidents, but are to a cure-all for every type of stain, especially if there is a colour change in the affected material- this is when you should consider calling in a professional… And by using these DIY stain remedies is a great way of saving some money! 

Regards
Tom
Acleanerplace Cleaning Services

4 Things To Consider Prior To Having Your Upholstery Cleaned!

4 Things To Consider Prior To Having Your Upholstery Cleaned!

When your favourite seat, sofa or reclining chair begins to look, well, dirty, you should consider having it and, or your upholstery suite cleaned. However, prior to looking for a professional upholstery cleaner, you might consider these 4 questions:

a.            Firstly, consider what type of dirt has invaded your furniture!  We upholstery cleaners differentiate different ‘dirt’s’: grease, food and pet oils/stains we treat differently. Knowing what the source of the spots, stains, and dirt will help your upholstery cleaner use the correct cleaning treatment providing you, the owner, with the very best of results. 

b.            Do you know the type of fabric your soft furnishings are made of?  There are many types of fabric used in furniture manufacture: Wool, Cotton, Polyester, Polypropylene, Micro-suede, Rayon, Velvet, Nylon, Linen, and Silk.  By understanding which materials your upholstery is made up of can make the difference between a successful outcome or a disastrous one!  As a householder, you can find out the type of fabric is in your upholstery by easily lifting up its cushions. Here you will (or should) find a manufacturer’s tag with a set of ‘cleaning care instructions’ (similar to the wash tags, seen on garments) listed. It will also provide the type of fabric (s) that it is made of. This will usually be co-located beside the ‘Fire Retardancy’ label. 

c.             Does the person, or company, that you hire as your professional upholstery cleaner survey and inspect your upholstery before cleaning in order to determine what type of fabric (s) it is made up of in order that they apply the correct cleaning solutions. And to keep drying time to a minimum; do the professional use air movers to speed up the drying process- after all, you, the householder does not want to have a soggy backside when your favourite tv programme is due to start…

d.            When the time arrives and you are ready to start searching for upholstery cleaning providers and estimates, you now can be armed and prepared for some of the questions you should be asked about:  the type of dirt, the level of soiling that is on your furniture, and what type of fabric your upholstery is made up of.

You can ask for an estimated drying time (as each fabric type dries differently, e.g. Wool, Cotton and Linen take much longer to dry. In addition, you might ask how long it takes to clean?  A very large sofa will generally take 1 hour to 1 hour 40 min.  A 3-piece suite may take up to 2 hours. Moreover, if the cleaning is completed too quickly, it means the upholstery cleaner is not taking the time to do it right. However, at the very outset of the cleaning process, does the upholstery cleaner vacuum the piece they are to clean.  Similar to carpet cleaning, 78% of the dirt is first removed via vacuuming leaving the remaining 28% to remove via the ‘fabric specific’ cleaning process.


Regards
Tom
Acleanerplace Cleaning Services