Of all the different flooring materials you have to choose from, carpet is the most inviting. It feels soft and warm underfoot compared to tile, wood, or vinyl flooring. Unfortunately, the woven nature of the carpet makes it a hot spot for microorganisms, dust, and chemicals.
If you don’t give much thought to having your carpet professionally cleaned, consider this: even when your carpet appears spotless, it’s still about 20 times dirtier than the average city sidewalk, a surface you probably don’t consider very clean. Find out what’s lurking below and the benefits of professional carpet cleaning services from Rainbow Restoration®.
What Lurks in Your Carpet?
Is your carpet all that dirty? Here are some of the pollutants commonly found in wall-to-wall carpeting:
Dust mites
These microscopic insects are not parasitic and they don’t bite, but their shed skins, fecal matter, and secretions are the most allergy-causing components of household dust.
Bed bugs
Growing to about the size of an apple seed, bed bugs are most active at night. While they traditionally live in the creases of your mattress, bed bugs love carpet, too.
Fleas and ticks
It’s not hard to guess why you don’t want these biting insects living on your carpet.
Carpet beetles
These tiny critters are often confused with bed bugs and fleas. Routine vacuuming and carpet cleaning is the best way to get rid of them.
Cockroaches
Among the most undesirable intruders in the home, cockroaches are associated with filthy conditions, but they occasionally invade even the best-kept homes.
Dander
Pet allergies are common, and dander is the primary reason why.
Mold
Microscopic spores exist in all indoor and outdoor environments. It’s when the spores settle down onto a moist, organic surface and start to grow that you have a problem.
Pollen
Outdoor allergies are often triggered by pollen, but an open window can blow it inside where it lands on the carpet and aggravates your allergies.
Chemicals
Pesticides, herbicides, asbestos, and other chemicals can be tracked onto the carpet from outside. This makes the habit of removing your shoes before coming inside a good idea.
Best Carpet Cleaning Methods
With all these nasty things probably lurking in your carpet, it’s vital to uphold a strict cleaning regimen. The best cleaning methods include the following:
- Vacuum twice a week to get rid of surface dirt before it has a chance to become embedded. A vacuum cleaner with strong suction and a HEPA filter removes the most dirt and prevents blowing it back into the room.
- Sprinkle baking soda on the carpet to remove odors. Unlike commercial carpet fresheners, baking soda removes the smell instead of just masking it. Let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes, and then vacuum it up.
- Have your carpets professionally cleaned a minimum of once per year, every three months if possible. Regular carpet cleaning removes stains and helps make your carpet look like new again, increasing the life of your investment. Professional steam cleaning reaches deep within carpet fibers to remove the most embedded debris.
Health Benefits of Carpet Cleaning
Vacuuming is important to maintain your carpet week by week, but nothing matches the health benefits of professional cleanings. For example, carpet cleaning:
- Clears out dust mites.
- Extracts chemicals, soil, pollen, grass clippings, and traces of animal feces tracked in from outside.
- Removes dead skin cells, lint, hair, and dead insects, thus eliminating the food source for carpet beetles and dust mites.
- Eradicates pollutants left behind by your pet, including fleas, ticks, and dander.
- Helps prevent mold and mildew growth.
- Kills bacteria and viruses breeding in the carpet.
Professional Carpet Cleaning Services from Rainbow Restoration®
Capitalize on the health benefits of professional carpet cleaning! Contact Rainbow Restoration® today or schedule an appointment online for commercial and residential carpet cleaning services.
