Carpets are becoming increasingly popular these days. They are available in wide variety of fashion. A well chosen carpet can significantly enhance the appearance of a house.
But vanity is not the only reason to have carpets on your floors. Carpets also have many health benefits. They prevent slips and falls. And if you fall they cushion the impact, reducing damage and injury. They keep your feet warm in cold weather. They also reduce allergies.
In 2003, a study of school children in New Jersey, U.S.A. found that having a carpet in the children’s bedroom is associated with fewer missed school days and less need for asthma medication.
Having a carpet is useful, but they also have to be maintained. You have to take care of them if you want them to last longer. Following are a few tips that’ll help you maintain your carpet and prolong its life.
1. Vacuum the carpet daily to avoid dust and dirt from accumulating on the carpet fabric. How often you need to vacuum depends on how dust prone your surroundings are.
2. If you spill something on the carpet, clean it immediately. The longer it stays the more it is absorbed by the carpet, which may leave a stain. Use a clean white cloth to do it. Cloths that are dyed may transfer colour to the carpet.
3. Don’t use cheap cleaning or stain removing products on your carpet. You may end up damaging it. Most of these products don’t work. If you want to try a cleaning product, test it on a small area first.
4. Cut off sprouts with sharp scissors, don’t try to pull and remove them, it’ll only damage the carpet further.
5. If your carpet has a bad odour, following is how to remove it.
Sprinkle baking soda all over your carpet. Baking soda is pretty effective in removing odours from carpets. Make sure you cover it completely with a fairly thick layer. Leave it for a day or two, and then sweep it off with a broom. Remove the remaining with vacuum. If the smell persists, repeat the process.
Baking soda can also be used to clean vomit and urine. First remove as much as possible and then pour baking soda over it. When it dries up, remove it with vacuum.
6. Here are some household items you can use to remove carpet stains:
Beer: Use it to remove coffee and tea stains. Pour some beer over the stain and rub it lightly.
Vinegar: Rub light carpet stains with a mixture of 2 tablespoons salt dissolved in 1/2 cup white vinegar. Let the solution dry, then vacuum.For larger or darker stains, add 2 tablespoons borax to the mixture and use in the same way. For tough, ground-in dirt and other stains, make a paste of 1 tablespoon vinegar with 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and rub it into the stain using a dry cloth. Let it set for two days, then vacuum.
Source: Reader’s digest
7. Things never to use on carpets: Bleach, abrasive cleaners, laundry detergent.