For those of you that want to clean your carpet without toxic chemicals; there is an answer. Sometimes shampooing just isn’t enough and no matter how often you vacuum it, it just doesn’t seem to come clean. This can get to be a tedious task and if your budget doesn’t permit you to install new carpet or put down new flooring, there are green solutions to reviving your old carpet. Follow these simple steps to a greener way of cleaning carpet:
Remove all furniture from the area Before applying any shampoo or other treatments, thoroughly vacuum your carpets. Scrape, brush or rake up any matted areas. A carpet rake or a pet brush can help you to do this with ease. To lift up the pile, gently brush the matted areas without pulling too hard on the fibers. Use short choppy strokes so it doesn’t tear the fibers from the backing. For deep down embedded stains caused by pets or food soils, use of a small scrubbing brush and regular laundry soap with protein breaking enzymes to help pretreat the troubled area. Hypoallergenic powders are great detergents to use for this. Be careful to not oversaturate the carpet with water and soap or you could get moisture into the subfloor padding which could lead to a mildew problem.
Chemical Treatments
There are a host of green carpet cleaning products on the market today for deep cleaning your carpets. For a good heavy duty deep carpet cleaner, try a janitorial supply for pricing green cleansers and machine rental. You’ll get more bang for your buck and they also may be able to refer you to an independent contractor who can help. Industrial cleaning machines are heavy and may be difficult to manage. If this is the option you choose get instructions and a manual for the products and machine.
Professional Cleaning Companies
You can find several companies and independent contractors that can come and professionally green clean your carpets. Shop around and do your research first though to ensure the best price and quality. By asking around, you can easily get the best reference through word of mouth from people you know. Always ask what chemicals they use and how they will dispose of the waste once the project is complete.
“Over the Counter” Treatments
Renting a carpet shampooing machine is usually the first option any one ever thinks of. But there are other products in the store you can use that are much greener than basic carpet shampoo. Be careful and read the labeling as some cleaners are not safe for certain fibers and can damage the color or the carpet.