When purchasing living room carpet or a new couch, people are purchasing more than just an item for their home—they are buying an appearance. While carpet and furniture eventually wear and fade from regular use, they do not often need to be replaced, given regular cleaning and deep cleaning.
The best way to keep the look of your décor is very simple: keep up with the cleaning. Do not wait until your carpet or couch looks dirty or dingy to clean it; by then the deterioration has begun. Many people do not realize that regular cleaning is one of the easiest and most effective ways to keep furniture and floors looking new. While professional cleaning and care are important, there are a few things that homeowners can do that dramatically extend the life of their floors and furnishings. Most experts recommend performing the following tasks consistently to enhance and maintain your home.
Vacuum carpets at least once a week, since 80% of dirt in carpets is loose dirt that should be removed quickly before it becomes absorbed by the fibers. You should vacuum high traffic areas more often, if needed.
Use a treated dust mop once a week to remove fine dirt and sand from wood floors and marble. These small particles get ground into hard surfaces and can cause irreparable damage.
Spot clean smudges and spills on upholstery as soon as they occur, using a soft cloth with a small amount of mild detergent. Once a spill dries, it can be extremely difficult or impossible to remove.
Carpets should be professionally cleaned at least once a year to maintain their appearance. Consumers using rented equipment often leave the carpet too wet, causing mold and fungal build-up, or they do not fully remove the detergent, which attracts more dirt. A professional cleaner has the equipment and expertise to fully remove dirt and detergent, and leaves the carpet drier.
Hard surface flooring—such as wood and marble—should be cleaned and treated once a year by a professional to remove ground-in dirt and sand particles that can damage floors. Many consumer cleaning products leave a film that attracts more dirt.
Upholstered furniture that is used often should be cleaned once a year because body and hair oils left on the surface attract more dirt. Deep cleaning products available to consumers can shrink, discolor and damage the upholstery fibers. Professional cleaners have the products and equipment to avoid shrinkage and discoloration, and leave furniture drier. Periodic deep cleaning helps maintain the appearance of floors and furnishings. Since deep cleaning is difficult and technical process, you should consider hiring a professional service for these jobs.
Call the experts at Park-Ellis ServiceMaster today at 419-861-9602!