So many things can happen to carpeting!
Germs and bacteria of all kinds can be tracked onto your carpeting. Even the use of treated doormats cannot prevent this, but it may significantly retard the process. All these germs are alive and thriving in your carpet, and as long as it remains dirty, they will continue to breed and grow.
Soapy, sticky residue from conventional shampoo, dry foam, spray and bonnet methods of cleaning will cause rapid resoiling. Spots and stains will resurface because they were only pushed a little deeper, and the traffic lanes will appear dirty much sooner.
Sand, grit and hard dirt particles that are deeply embedded in your carpet will cause abrasion of the tips and sides of the fibers. These scratches make the carpet look dull.
Just like a hard-surface floor, which must be scrubbed or mopped often to keep it clean, your carpet gets dirty. It just doesn’t show soil as much because the dirt is hidden within the carpet pile.
Dirt particles contain an assortment of minerals and chemicals that are gathered and blended from a wide area. Humidity or moisture tracked into your home on shoes can act as a catalyst to this foreign matter. The reaction may cause severe damage to the dye and can actually change the color, if left in your carpet.
Gases in the air, caused by the burning of various fuels and the action of the sun on certain other gases in the atmosphere, can affect the stability of a dye.
Many disinfectants and harsh detergents can affect the dye. The longer these foreign elements are allowed to remain in your carpet, the more likely it is there will be damage to the dye in the fibers. It is this dye damage that causes you to first notice a change in the color of your carpet.
About 90% of all soil is dry particulate and can be easily removed by normal vacuuming. Only about 10% of soil is oily and needs special attention.
What can you do about these things?
THREE STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL MAINTENANCE
1. Vacuum. 2. Vacuum. 3. Vacuum.
This is the secret to success. A dry carpet will not be harmed by a brushing action to the fibers. Therefore, we recommend a good quality, upright vacuum cleaner with a reel-type brush to move the tips of the carpet pile so the dirt can be removed with the air velocity created by the vacuum.
The amount of traffic and the relation of the carpet to dirty access areas are the main factors governing the frequency of vacuuming.
The basic rule is that dirt should not be allowed to settle into carpet. Walking on dirt and grit that has settled to the base of the fibers causes an abrasive action, which results in the appearance of traffic lanes and worn areas.
Vacuum traffic lanes every day. Use a back-and-forth motion in one direction, and then finish the carpet by going back-and-forth in the opposite direction. And remember, go slowly.
Change the disposable bag or empty the vacuum often. Filled pickup bags result in less suction and less dirt removal. Be sure to check the belt that drives the brushes or beater bar. A broken or worn belt reduces efficiency. And don’t be upset by the amount of fiber you pick up from a new carpet. These are ends that are not removed in the manufacturing process and often appear for many months.
Carpet sweepers and electric brooms are useful for picking up crumbs and surface soil, but it’s important to know that they will not clean deep.
Never use a broom of any kind on a carpet. At best, the dirt is just moved around, and a dust problem is created.
One of the best methods of preventing the tracking of soil throughout your home is to provide removable mats at each entrance to your home – both inside and outside. These removable mats can be laundered, hosed, beaten or vacuumed as soil accumulates to a noticeable degree.