Does Carpet Cleaning Remove Pet Dander?

Carpets get dirty for many reasons – kids, pets, unruly guests, infuriating people who don’t remove their shoes, etc. So, inevitably, you will need to get your carpet cleaned. Some stains and dirts come out easier than others, but pet dander is not one of these.

Pet dander is tiny flakes of dead skin that continuously fall off pets. It is incredibly light and can become airborne with shed fur, ultimately causing allergic reactions for many people. It can be spread by touch or by normal shedding and is not easily removable.

Carpet cleaning is one way to clean pet dander, though it may not be the most effective. The formal carpet cleaning process is an extensive one meant to clean the carpets from any soils, dusts, and other materials that may get stuck in your carpet. Usually, carpet cleaning is performed by professionals who own expensive equipment and use expensive products. However, these professionals aren’t always able to clean the pet dander that may be in the air or stuck to furniture and carpet. This cleaning doesn’t remove all pet dander, or even all the dander on the carpet.

Method for Cleaning Pet Dander

1. Mix fabric softener with water into a spray bottle.

2. Lightly spray the floor with this mixture, making sure not to completely saturate the carpet.

3. Let it dry for several minutes.

4. Vacuum up your floor as you normally would.

The fabric softener works to loosen up the carpet from the stains, making it easier to remove the dander. This method is effective at removing dander from your carpet, though not completely. This method also works with furniture, but to get the remaining dander, other methods will need to be used.

Other Methods to Remove Pet Dander

– One suggested method is to wear rubber gloves and rub it against walls and other surfaces where dander may have strayed.

– An alternative method is to find a balloon, then rub it along a carpet. The resulting static helps to pull hair out from carpet. By utilizing these tactics, you should be on your way to reducing and removing dander in your home.

Additional Assistance

When talking to any professional carpet cleaners, ask them what steps they take to reduce dander. If you need help locating a professional carpet cleaner, consider using TalkLocal to find a carpet cleaning company for you. TalkLocal is a free service that will connect you with top-quality carpet cleaning companies in your neighborhood within minutes. Just enter in your specific problem, location, and availability, and up to three companies will call YOU directly, saving you the time and stress of finding one yourself.

We’ve all been there- the red wine on the white carpet, the new puppy that needs to be potty-trained, and the normal wear-and-tear until the carpet is dirt-covered.

Carpet cleaning can be difficult depending on what kind of carpet stain you have. But one way to fix all of these problems is to target deep carpet cleaning with a steam cleaner.

Deep Carpet Cleaning with a Steam Cleaner

Steam clean carpets with plain water and a steam cleaner vacuum. Don’t bother with the detergent. Just use water and operate the machine as directed. The hot water will remove a considerable amount of dirt, even without detergent.

If you must use soap or detergent while steam cleaning, don’t use more than 3-4 tablespoons of mild liquid soap or detergent and at least one gallon of water. Do not mix vigorously because suds may clog the steam cleaner vacuum.

Avoid steam cleaning in the winter, as you won’t be able to open the windows. However, also avoid steam cleaning on a hot, humid day, as the carpet will not dry.

Removing Shampoo Residues

To remove shampoo residues from earlier cleaning attempts, use a mixture of 1 cup white vinegar and 2-1/2 gallons of water. (Add another cup of vinegar for a stronger solution.)

Removing Grease Stains

1. If you have grease stains on your carpet, sprinkle the grease stains with baking soda or corn starch.

2. Let stand six hours or overnight.

3. Vacuum the area. The grease stain should be gone after that.

Cleaning Liquid Spills

1. Soak up liquid spills by covering them with clean white (or light-colored) towels or paper towels.

2. Scrape sticky substances off carpets with a spatula or spoon.

3. Avoid rubbing in spills. This will damage carpet fibers and make the stain spread.

Removing a Stain

1. Mix one cup of warm water and 1/2 teaspoon mild liquid soap, such as dishwashing liquid or fine fabric detergent.

2. Apply a small amount, blot by pressing a clean white towel into the carpet and lift. R

3. Repeat thia process until the stain is removed. Don’t scrub. Be patient.

One last tip: Club soda will remove red wine stains. Just do follow the above steps with club soda and you should be set!

Additional Help

Keeping your carpet spotless is close to impossible. You can find your local carpet cleaning professionals using TalkLocal! This free online service will connect you with up to three carpet cleaners for you so you can get the help you need at the time you want it.

Are you trying to figure out how to remove burns from carpet? This article will help you make your carpet look like new!

Before you begin, you will need these supplies:

– carpet glue

– glue gun

-roller carpet tractor

– replacement carpet patch

– vacuum or hard brush

– scissors

– paper

– pencil

– carpet knife or a utility knife

– and steel wool or light sandpaper.

Steps to Remove Burns from Carpet

1. Take your sandpaper or steel wool and slowly rub along the burned area of the carpet. Rubbing the carpet in this way will get rid of the burned fibers.

2. Use your vacuum or brush on the burned area to get rid of any excess burned fibers or ashes. Check the burned area. At this point, you may have already eliminated any trace of the burn and you may be finished. If you still see evidence of the burn on your carpet, there is more you can do.

If you still see evidence of the burn…

3. Take your utility knife or carpet knife and cut the burned area out of the carpet. Make sure you cut at least two inches outside of the burned area. Also, make sure not to cut the floor below your carpet.

4. Put the burned piece of carpet that you cut out on a piece of paper. Trace the outside of the burned piece of carpet with a pencil on the paper.

5. Cut out the outline that you drew on the paper and use it to cut out replacement carpet.

6. You can match your carpet exactly by using a piece from the back of the closet or other hidden area. If you have no extra carpet, buy a square of similar carpet.

7. Glue your replacement carpet patch to the main carpet. Make sure to apply the glue the bottom of the new patch, as well as all along the edges.

8. Use your roller to seal the seams together.

Additional Help

While you can save money removing burns from a carpet yourself, you may not have the time, or you may not wish to go to the trouble of creating a replacement carpet patch. Don’t worry! You can contact a carpet cleaning professional to remove the burn from your carpet. With the help of TalkLocal, you can be on the phone within minutes with up to three high quality carpet cleaning professionals your area, that are available when you are.

Berber carpets are often made from wool or nylon.  Berber carpets are manufactured by bringing together small repeating loops.  The tight weave of Berber carpet provides extra resistance against dirt and stains.  However, at the same time, this makes cleaning Berber carpets a bit more difficult.  So what’s the best way to clean Berber carpet?

Helpful tips:

–    Regular vacuuming is key to preserving your Berber carpet and keeping dirt particles from forming inside the weave.  Vacuum 1-2 times per week.

–    Dry clean your Berber carpet at least once per year by using dry cleaning methods.  Dry cleaning chemicals and machines can be found at your local department store.

–    Never scrub a stain because this will make it seep deeper into the carpet

–    Removing your shoes is a great preservation technique to keep dirt from entering the carpet.

–    Do not use regular chemical carpet cleaners to clean Berber carpet.  Using regular carpet cleaners will tear away at the natural dirt repellent found Berber carpet’s lanolin.

–    Avoid over wetting your Berber carpet because this will cause it to shrivel up as it dries.

Additional Help

In order to keep your Berber carpet from getting stained or from growing mold, regular upkeep is key. Using a carpet cleaning service can take this worry off of your hands. Vacuuming once or twice a week is recommended along with a yearly deep cleaning. Use TalkLocal to connect you to reliable, local carpet cleaners who can clean Berber carpet within minutes.

When anything spills on the carpet, we tend to panic., especially when we believe the spill will be difficult or impossible to remove. For example, how can you remove blood stains on carpet? It’s easier than you think! Using a few common household items you probably already have on hand, you can effectively remove blood stains on carpet.

Some Simple Tips. Remember always to use cold water to treat blood stains, since warm and hot water can make the stain permanent. Also, never rub a blood stain. Rubbing will drive the the stain into your carpet and make it impossible to remove.

Use one of these remedies for removing either fresh or dried blood stains:

How to Remove Blood Stains on Carpet Using Dish Detergent and Ammonia:

1. Combine 1 teaspoon of dish detergent with 1 cup of water and apply to the stain. It is easier to place the mixture in a spray bottle, but it is not necessary. If you do not have a spray bottle, pour the mixture on a cloth and lay the wet cloth over the stain.

2. After you apply the soap mixture to the blood stain as described above, gently blot the stain.  Be careful not to press the stain further into your carpet. Clean up as much of the stain as possible.

3. Mix 1 teaspoon of household ammonia with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle. Again, if you do not have a spray bottle, wet a cloth with this mixture and lay it over the stain. After you apply this solution to the remaining stain, blot the excess moisture until the stain disappears.

4. Add plain water to rinse out any chemicals left in your carpet and use a wet vac to remove excess moisture.

How to Remove Blood Stains on Carpet Using Salt:

Salt is an effective and easy way to remove stains. Simply sprinkle salt on the affected area; it will absorb stain residue.  Once the salt has sat long enough to absorb most of the stain, simply vacuum it up.

How to Remove Blood Stains on Carpet Using Hydrogen Peroxide:

Drip hydrogen peroxide onto the stain and let it bubble. Add more if needed. Gently blot the stain from the carpet and then use a wet vac to suck up excess moisture.

Additional Help

If you are having difficulty removing blood stains or do not have the time to remove the stain yourself, you should use TalkLocal. We can connect you with up to three high quality carpet cleaners in your area who will able to remove blood stains on carpet.

Carpets and rugs take a lot of abuse and inevitably need to be cleaned. This cleaning often involves the use of many different chemicals, so pet owners may be asking themselves, are carpet cleaning chemicals harmful for pets? The answer to this is yes and no.

Some carpet cleaners, and spot removers in particular, can be very dangerous. These products contain chemical solvents that dissolve dirt without soap or water, but give off strong odors as a tradeoff of sorts. These odors may contain chemicals that are not safe for human consumption, and certainly not okay for pets, who are smaller in body size and closer to the ground. During the cleaning process, the chemicals in carpet cleaners and protectors evaporate and may be concentrated in the air. This indoor air pollution is even more likely if the area isn’t well ventilated, or if the weather is hot and humid. This chemical pollution can cause headaches, irritation to the eyes, nose, and lungs, congestion, nausea, sneezing, and other problems. Some of these chemicals have even been reported to cause sever diseases like Kawasaki Disease, although the evidence supporting this is limited.

In short, it’s very possible that carpet-cleaning chemicals are harmful for pets. Many people have reported that their pets have grown ill and died not long after a carpet cleaning – even cleaners claim their products are not pet-safe. If you want to avoid these complications, be certain to avoid carpet-cleaning methods that utilize large amounts of chemicals and be sure to interrogate the carpet cleaners (and their superiors) about the ingredients within the products they use. Even if the supplies claim to be pet-safe, it may be a good idea to research the ingredients to see if anyone has run into any complications. If not, purchase the pet-safe carpet cleaning supplies.

Pet-safe Cleaning Methods

If you want to keep your carpets clean without the use of chemicals, you’ll want to vacuum often, especially during the summer when your pets shed more frequently. You can make a spot-cleaning solution by mixing vinegar and water. This mix is both natural and quite safe for pets, they just won’t care much for the smell (but then again, who does?).

Professional Help

If you want your carpet cleaned professionally, call your local carpet-cleaning company and ask them what products they use. Research these and if they seem okay, feel free to book an appointment. If you need help finding a local carpet cleaning professional, consider using TalkLocal to find a carpet cleaning company for you. TalkLocal is a free service that will connect you with top-quality, reputable carpet cleaning companies in your neighborhood within minutes. Just enter in your specific problem, location and availability, and up to three companies will call YOU directly, saving you the time and stress of finding one yourself.

Carpet cleaning is something that anyone is capable of, but few are great at. To do a thorough carpet cleaning, you need the right supplies, time, and an understanding of how carpets work. So if its professional vs home carpet cleaning, then unless you are the rare individual with all four of those things, you will want to find yourself a professional carpet cleaner.

This article will steer you toward finding a professional carpet cleaner simply because their experience and convenience outweigh the money you may save overtime by doing it yourself. And even that isn’t a sure thing, as carpet cleaning supplies and equipment can run you quite a bit of money. However, if you do want to do your own home carpet cleaning, keep reading for some tips and general info on how to do so.

How to Clean your Carpet

If you have a lot of carpet in your home and plan on cleaning your carpet frequently, you will want to purchase rather than rent the needed equipment. You will also need supplies, which consist of carpet cleaners like Resole and Spot Shot, as well as special carpet cleaning powders that are engineered to attract and absorb soils and stains within your carpet. If you don’t feel like spending money, powdered laundry detergent works just the same.

The first step is to vacuum your carpet thoroughly by vacuuming in multiple directions (up and down, and left to right). This method will remove any loose dirt that may be lying near the top of your carpet. Next, treat specific areas that need extra cleaning with your carpet cleaner. With these pre-cleaning steps out of the way, the next step is the actual cleaning of the carpet.

General tips for Carpet Cleaning

Begin cleaning wall to wall and then divide the area into quadrants, cleaning every quadrant before moving on to the next. Overlap quadrants and movements, as well, to ensure everything is cleaned. Also, take your time and do a thorough job, otherwise your carpet will reflect this. Once you are done cleaning, wait overnight before resuming use of the carpet to ensure it has time to dry thoroughly. Most newer carpet cleaning machinery dries the carpet fairly quickly, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. You can also apply a carpet protector if you want to prevent stains from penetrating deep into the carpet and ensure easier stain removal in the future.

Professional Help

While these tips may allow you to clean your carpet effectively, we still recommend leaving your carpet cleaning to the professionals. If you need help finding one, consider using TalkLocal to find a carpet cleaning company for you. TalkLocal is a free service that will connect you with top-quality, reputable carpet cleaning companies in your neighborhood within minutes. Just enter in your specific problem, location, and availability, and up to three companies will call YOU directly, saving you the time and stress of finding one yourself.

Unfortunately, not all carpet stains can be removed. Some oil-based stains, such as tar or gasoline, will be considerably harder to remove when it is already dried into the fibers of the carpet. These stains will also require some heavy-duty cleaning, which may even destroy the carpet if the fibers are too worn out. Therefore, it is best to act before the stain completely dries up, as most stains can be removed without heavy cleaning.

Most Common Types of Stains

Flavored drink stains (from juice, kool-aid, etc.) can be removed through the following steps:

1. Dab the stain with a dry towel without rubbing it in or spreading it around. Absorb as much of the liquid as you can.

2. Mix together 1/4 cup of white vinegar, one tablespoon of liquid dish soap, and one cup of water in a sprayer and spray on the stain. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.

3. Wipe the stain with a new dry towel.

* Warning: if the carpet is old and valuable, consult a professional as to not damage the carpet.

Coffee stains can be dangerous, meaning they can leave a permanent mark on your carpet unless they are treated before the coffee dries into the fibers. Follow these steps:

1. Dab the stain with a dry towel without rubbing it in or spreading it around. Absorb as much of the liquid as you can.

2. Mix together 1/4 cup of white vinegar, one tablespoon of liquid dish soap, and two cups of water in a sprayer and spray on the stain. Let it sit for about 25 minutes. Diluting the coffee stain works well in most cases, which is why you should add more water to the solution and wait a bit longer.

3. Wipe the stain with a new dry towel.

* Instead of trying the entire solution, try a little to see if there is any effect on the carpet. If you find that it does not help, run to the nearest store and buy a commercial mix for your type of carpet.

Additional Help

Can all carpet stains be removed? No, but most can be. If you feel like you need professional help, TalkLocal can help with finding the correct local experts in this case, saving you time and energy in what may be a stressful situation.

If you want to truly clean your carpet, it will require a carpet cleaning machine or a steam cleaner. A steam cleaner uses a mixture of water and detergent along with rotating brushes to scrub each fiber of your carpet, making it completely clean. Below is a description of the highest rated carpet cleaning machines.

Hoover SteamVac with Clean Surge

The Hoover SteamVac with Clean Surge is the highest rated carpet cleaning machine by consumers, according to a consumer review site called Consumer Search. The price of the Hoover SteamVac with Clean Surge is abut $150, which is average for a steam cleaner. Tests by third parties indicate that carpets cleaned with the Hoover SteamVac with Clean Surge are cleaner and less wet once the cleaning is complete. It has five cleaning brushes and two tanks full of cleaning solution. Additionally, it has the “clean surge” which gives extra cleaning solution to carpet stains. The only negative aspect about it is its breakable plastic pieces.

Bissell QuickSteamer PowerBrush

A cheaper, but still quality carpet cleaning machine according to Consumer Search, is the Bissell QuickSteam PowerBrush. It costs less than the Hoover SteamVac with Clean Surge at about $100, a low price for steam cleaners. It is very effective for cleaning small rooms or carpets, but it not designed for cleaning large rooms, let alone an entire house. The negatives to the Bisell QuickSteamer PowerBrush are that it tends to leave carpet particularly wet and the steam cleaner sometimes leaks. It also has a smaller water tank.

Bissell 9400 Proheat 2X Select Upright Deep Carpet Cleaner

Another product review company, GALT Home, rates the Bissell 9400 Proheat 2X Select Upright Deep Carpet Cleaner as one of the best carpet cleaning machines for consumers. It is very powerful and has excellent suction. It has 10 cleaning brushes and a 12-inch cleaning path. Additionally, it can heat up water to get rid of tough stains on the carpet. It is the highest rated, but also one of the most expensive carpet cleaning machines at $199.

If you do not wish to purchase a carpet cleaning machine or steam clean your carpets yourself, you can contact a carpet cleaning professional to do it for you. With the help of TalkLocal, you can be on the phone in minutes with up to three high quality carpet cleaning professionals in your area that are available when you are.

It is common for pregnant women to worry about how their actions will affect their baby.  It is not unnecessary to worry because there are activities that should be avoided during pregnancy for the safety of your baby.  However, if you are in good health and physically active you should be able to safely continue basic household cleaning, if you have not been told otherwise by your doctor. Is it safe to clean carpet when pregnant?  Yes, as long as your take the proper precautions.

Avoid chemical cleaning products

During pregnancy, you should avoid chemical cleaning products as they can be harmful to your baby.  You can still steam clean your carpet with water.  You can also create a mixture of one-third cup vinegar and two-thirds cup water to remove stains by hand before steam cleaning.

Take precautions to prevent mold

Mold can also be potentially harmful to your baby.  Before you begin steam cleaning your carpet, open any windows and turn on any fans near the carpet so that it will dry quicker and not give mold a chance to grow.  If it is a humid or rainy day, you should put off steam cleaning until a dryer day.  Additionally, if it is very cold outside and windows cannot be opened, wait until a warmer day so you can properly ventilate after steam cleaning.

Vacuum carpet after steam cleaning

After you steam clean your carpet, you should vacuum twice per week to reduce carpet allergens, dirt, and dust mites.  Make sure that your vacuum has a HEPA filter and do not use carpet sprays or deodorizing powders.

Contact healthcare professional if you feel pain

If you begin to feel back pain or pelvic discomfort while you are steam cleaning your carpet, you should contact a healthcare professional immediately because pregnant women are at a higher risk of injury due to the fluctuation of hormones during pregnancy.

If you take these precautions it should be safe to steam clean your carpet while you are pregnant.  However, if you are nervous about harmful effects to your baby, you can hire someone to steam clean your carpet for you.  With the help of TalkLocal, you can receive up to three phones calls within minutes from high quality carpet cleaners in your area that are available when you are.