Even though carpets are a great air filter and they help to enhance your décor, carpets are also stain magnets for soils and stains. Even though Sydney receives an average amount of rainfall in the spring and summer months, as well as in November, muddy footprints on the carpet is inevitable. The good news is that you don't have to replace your carpet, you can clean muddy footprints from your carpet.
Basic Method For Cleaning Muddy Footprints on Carpets
Sydney mud can be cleaned from synthetic and natural carpets that are woven, needlefelt, knotted, tufted, nylon, polypropylene, wool, and polyester. The common method for removing mud from carpets, as well as the suggested method by carpet manufacturers, is the following:
• Let the mud dry to a solid composition. Mud is simply wet soil, clay and dirt, which when it becomes dry, turns almost solid. If you attempt to wipe up wet mud with warm water, this will only allow the mud to settle into the deep recesses of the fibers. Dry soil or mud can easily be vacuumed.
• After the mud dries, take a brush and get up as much of the loose, crusty, dry soil as possible.
• After brushing your muddy dry from the carpet, use a good vacuum. Preferably use a vacuum with a HEPA filter for proper sanitation and to keep the soil dust from flying around into the air.
• After you vacuum up the former muddy footprints, a few soiled spots will remain.
• Treat these stains with either a simple mixture of vinegar and water or with a store purchased cleaning solution. You can also use a mixture of shampoo or dish washing liquid. Do not saturate your carpet because this can affect the padding underneath. Use just enough cleaning solution to dampen the mud stain.
• Take a white cloth, after spraying the soiled spot, and press down or blot on the stain, to release the muddy stain. Do not scrub because you can damage the fibers of the carpet.
• Blot from the outer edges of the carpet stain, moving toward its center. This keeps the stain from spreading.
• Repeat the solution and blotting process, until the stain has disappeared.
• Now, you want to rinse the area. Use clean water to rub the area and remove the excess solutions used to treat the stain.
DIY vs. Professional Cleaning
This is a DIY method for residential homes, but if your muddy footprint area is large, as in a commercial setting, then using a professional carpet cleaning company in Sydney, is the best process, plus it will save you time. Also, if your Sydney carpeting is made of natural fibers like wool, a wool bend, cotton, sisal, or rayon, a professional carpet cleaning company has the experience to remove muddy footprints without damaging the fibers or pile of these sensitive carpet materials.
Summary
Carpet cleaning professionals further suggests using a protectant to keep your carpet from muddy footprint stains and soils that could eventually damage your carpet fiber, especially if they become ground-in. When a professional carpet cleaner cleans your carpeting, they generally add a stain repellent to protect it. This carpet protectant is designed to protect it against oil and water based stains; keep its fibers from soiling; and gives your carpet an invisible barrier between dirt, soil, and stains from sticking to the fibers. If you are a DIY residential carpet cleaner, there are popular carpet guard products that can be applied to your carpets to make them a longer lasting investment.
For more info, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpet