Debunking the Myths of Carpet Cleaning (Part 1)

Craig and I have been in the carpet cleaning industry for over 10 years and during that time, we have heard a lot of myths about the carpet cleaning industry.  We thought we would take this opportunity to do debunk some of the most common myths that we hear.  Each month we will debunk another myth.  This month we will be looking at:

Myth #1.   You should wait until your carpets look dirty before cleaning your carpet

Carpet works like a filter.  It traps dirt and debris that would otherwise be floating around the air.  Carpet is also designed to hide the dirt and debris.  It is only once the ‘filter’ gets full that your carpet shows signs of being dirty.  But once your carpet begins to look dirty it is too late.

To the naked eye, dirt has a smooth look to it.  But under a microscope, soil is shown to have sharp jagged edges and is very abrasive.  As we step on our carpet, we grind the soil into the fibres and it acts like tiny saws, cutting into your carpet’s delicate fibres and causes permanent damage.  Soon, permanent traffic ways appear and no amount of cleaning can restore the carpet fibres. 

The longer you wait to have your carpets cleaned, the more damage you do to your carpets and the faster it wears out! Carpets should be cleaned to remove the dirt before it can do permanent damage to your carpet fibres.

Here is a prescription to keep the soil out of your carpets and prevent premature wear and tear on your carpets.

1. Put a door mat at each entrance of your home to reduce the amount of dirt you bring onto your carpet.
2. Take off your shoes and leave them at the door.  If you like to wear shoes inside, have a pair just for inside use.
3. Vacuum at least once per week.  Up to 3 times per week if you have pets.
4. Get a deep down clean from your friendly local carpet cleaner to clean out he 'filter' every 6-12 months.
5. Re-apply your carpet protection at every carpet clean to protect your carpet fibres from abrasive dirt.