Cleaning your carpet with a home carpet shampooer can be a time-consuming and energy-consuming endeavor. If you're going to put your time and energy into this process, then you want to ensure you get as much out of it as possible. These four tips will ensure your carpet cleaning efforts remove as much dirt and debris from the carpet as possible, leaving it incredibly clean and fresh.
Give the water time to warm up.
Most carpet cleaners heat the water up before they eject it onto the carpet. Hot water is better at extracting the dirt and debris from your carpet. But, it's important that you give the carpet shampooer adequate time to heat the water before you use it. After filling the shampooer with water, turn it on and, wait about 10 minutes before you begin shampooing your carpet. Most models will be adequately warm by this time. Check your user's manual to be sure.
Dilute your shampoo properly.
Make sure you read the directions on your carpet shampoo bottle, and in your owner's manual (the section on diluting the shampoo). Many shampoo formulas must be diluted with water before you add them to the shampoo chamber of the machine. If you add too much or not enough water, your results may not be ideal.
Work on one section at a time.
If you haphazardly shampoo one section after another, you're likely to lose track of which areas you have treated thoroughly and which still need another pass. As a result, portions of your carpet might not be as clean as they could be. It's easier to keep track when you clean one small section at a time. Focus on one 4 x 4 area initially. Shampoo it, and then go over it several more times on the suction-only mode. Only when you're completely done with that 4 x 4 area should you move on to the next one.
Encourage rapid drying.
If your carpet takes three days to dry after you've shampooed it, you might not be much better off than when you started. Wet carpet promotes mold growth, and it also attracts dirt and debris to come stick to the carpet. There are a few ways to encourage your carpet to dry out quickly after you shampoo it:
- Open the windows on both sides of the room to create a cross-breeze
- Remove all furniture from the room so air can circulate more easily
- Turn on the ceiling fans, or temporarily set up some box fans
