There is no other feature in your home sustains more wear and tear on a daily basis than your carpet, and no other item can impact your home’s appearance like your carpet can.
To help keep the appearance of your Des Moines, Atlantic, Cedar Rapids, Fairmont, or Spencer carpet and upholstery looking its best, ServiceMaster by Rice has compiled a short list to assist you:
Carpet Cleaning and Care in Des Moines
Have your carpets professionally cleaned at least once a year:
A professional cleaner has the equipment and expertise to fully remove dirt and detergent from your carpet. More importantly, they can remove most of the moisture in your carpet, something most rental and purchased cleaning equipment doesn’t have the capacity to do.
Vacuum carpets at least once a week:
Up to 80% of dirt in carpets is loose that can be removed with regular vacuuming.
Use doormats:
Keep dirt, and especially sand out of the house and off the rugs by using a doormat.
Protect the surface:
Have ServiceMaster by Rice apply a carpet protectant like Scotchgard Carpet Protector to protect your carpet fibers.
Rotate furniture:
Premature wear, tear and soiling take place when traffic paths are consistently used and remain unchanged.
Blot spills:
Quickly clean up spills with a dry, clean cloth or clean towel by blotting. Ensure the area remains free from grime or people walking on it until it is completely dry.
Upholstery Cleaning and Care in Des Moines
Avoid direct sunlight:
Modern furniture fabrics are usually very resilient to sunlight. However, under extreme exposure, even these show signs of fading.
Plump cushions often:
Cushion fillings lose their ability to bounce back if not plumped up to reshape them. Plumping cushions will help them last longer.
Rotate cushions often:
Cushions that are not rotated may experience premature damage and unnecessary wear and tear. To ensure a longer life for your cushions, rotate them often.
Vacuum:
Upholstered furniture should be vacuumed on a regular basis to remove dust and loose dirt.
Cleaning spills:
Spills left unattended may set in as stains. Blot when spills occur, never rub! Protect the area from further damage until it dries.
Spot Removal Techniques
Remember that the best time to clean up most spots and spills is right after they occur. Follow the techniques below on how to use the proper agents. Be sure to pretest a small area to make sure the fabric will not bleed or get damaged during the treatment.
- If liquid, blot up as much as possible with a clean cloth.
- If the material is dry, loosen residue with the dull edge of a knife or spatula. Scrape or vacuum up as much of the residue as you can.
- Dampen a clean cloth with the proper cleaning agent for the particular type of spot.
- Blot the area gently, working from the outer edge to the center of the spot. Turn the cloth frequently so you are always using a clean area.
- Repeat this process until the spot is removed or until you no longer have a transfer of the spot onto your cloth. Be careful not to get the carpet excessively wet.
- Blot the spot with water. Blot any excess moisture.
- Align the carpet pile. Protect the area from any traffic and allow to dry.
Once the technicians from ServiceMaster by Rice arrive at your home, please let them know of any spots that have already been treated.
Spills and Spotting Tips
At ServiceMaster by Rice we deal with thousands of spots and spills every year. Care taken when events occur may immediately solve the problem. Use the tips below to help get rid of common household stains found on carpets. If the stain is more serious, call your local ServiceMaster by Rice for service.
Grease and Oil Marks:
Gently rub in talcum powder, cornmeal or cornstarch. Let it Set and then brush or sponge powder away. Vacuum the area.
Mustard Spots:
Soak stained area with diluted ammonia (one tablespoon ammonia, one cup of water), then dry with a hairdryer.
Pet Urine:
Dampen area with equal parts white vinegar and water, then blot dry.
Red Wine:
Use club soda to flush the wine from carpet fibers.
Blood Spots:
Flush with cold water. Avoid hot water as heat will set in the blood stain.
Soft Drinks:
Blot the area with a vinegar solution (one part vinegar and two parts water). Then blot with a detergent solution (one teaspoon detergent and one quart water).
Gum:
Freeze the gum with ice and use a dull knife to remove.
Candle wax:
Put a brown paper bag over the dried wax and run a hot iron over it. The bag will absorb the hot wax.
Latex Paint:
Soak with dish detergent diluted with 20 parts water. Agitate the area, blot, rinse and blot again.
Ball Point Ink:
Use hair spray and be sure to rinse the entire area well with water when finished.
Choose Carpet Cleaning & Upholstery Professionals
When you choose ServiceMaster by Rice to help keep your home clean, you can feel confident that you will be working with professionally trained technicians who are dependable and experienced. Contact ServiceMaster by Rice today for any carpet cleaning or upholstery needs in the Storm Lake, Des Moines, Spencer, Carroll and Ankeny areas.
