Nothing teaches you better than experiencing something yourself. But sometimes bad experiences are the most important lessons in life. There are certain things that you try once and you’ll never do again and here are some of them.

The first thing is to learn from others: Have a look at the 6 common carpet cleaning mistakes and make sure you don’t full into that same trap.

1. Rubbing the carpet instead of blotting

 When an accident or spill happens, you panic. Red wine on the carpet! Coffee on the rug! You want to get rid of them – now! So you rub very forcefully on the stain. Your alarm is understandable, but this is the very last thing you should do.

Rubbing can quite often cause the stain to penetrate more deeply into the carpet fibres and spread it to a wider area.

The best way to tackle a spill is to calmly and carefully remove excess solids and then gently blot the liquids up. Then use the correct cleaning product to tackle the specific stain, You’ll need to read the bottle and follow the instructions and be prepared to repeat the treatment if the stains isn’t removed the first time.

2. Over wetting

 Getting your carpet too wet can cause a number of issues including carpet lifting, dark patches and a lingering damp smell. When you are tackling spills and stains, follow instructions and use a very small amount at first: it it’s too little you can always add more, but if you put down too much, it’s harder to removed. Always blot the area with either a paper towel or dry cloth.

3. Using a vacuum cleaner with a full bag

 Using the vacuum cleaner when its bag is full can reduce the suction power available. So you’ll get a much poorer result, and the machine’s filters can also become clogged, especially if you’ve used any kind of powder cleaning product. Emptying your vacuum after each use may seem annoying but will save you time and make your carpets look much cleaner in the long run! 

3. Waiting a long time before you tackle a stain

 Time is of the essence in stain removal, and leaving a stain to settle and dry on your carpets is a big NO NO. Depending on what has been spilled, bleaching can occur, and as a result of this the stain becomes even harder to remove. Urine accidents need particularly prompt attention as urine forms hard crystals. To remove this, an enzyme-digesting treatment will be needed.

Tackling any spill straight away gives you higher chance of completely removing the stain, along with any bad odours.

5. Starting work with testing the product

 You should always test any product you choose on an inconspicuous area of the carpet to ensure its colourfastness.  It’s important to make sure your carpet is colour-safe and that the product has no unexpected effects.

All products used by Carpet Bright UK have been thoroughly tested on a variety of carpet materials, types and shades. Our specialist technicians can advise in individual cases.

6. Relying on vacuum power alone

 Regular vacuuming is most important to keep carpets clean by lifting off surface dirt. But over time, this is not enough to keep your carpets deep down clean and to prevent visible wear and tear and the development of unwanted smells. Deep cleaning your carpets every 6-12 months will ensure that dirt, debris and potential allergens are removed. This keeps your carpet fresh-smelling and hygienic and prolongs the lifespan of your investment.