When we think of cleaning our homes, we usually think of the big items; the carpets and rugs, for example. We might clean out the cupboards or mop the floors, but these small changes often don’t go far enough. It’s important that you get into everything in your home and ensure that it is clean and safe before allowing anyone to step inside.
It isn’t just about having a clean home; there are health benefits to consider too. Dirt can lead to all kinds of illnesses and diseases if it isn’t properly taken care of so you need to make sure that you give every part of your home some tender loving care. Unfortunately, this does mean spending more money than you might have originally planned on some items. If you want a clean home, you have to be prepared to pay the price sometimes.
If you’ve been wondering how you’re going to manage the costs of cleaning your home and getting it back into shape after all these months or years then wonder no more. We’ve got some tips that will help stretch your dollar just that little bit further so you can keep everything looking nice and feeling fresh without having to go over budget. Here are 10 ways for saving money on rug cleaning:
1. Take it outside
By far one of the best things you can do is take any rugs and carpets outdoors and give them a good hosing down with a high-pressure hose or power washer. You’ll be surprised at how much dirt and grime is swept up into the water. Just be careful not to send all that dirt back inside when you’re bringing it back in again!
2. Don’t over-wet it
It might seem logical to think that if some soap is good then more must be better but this isn’t always the case with carpet cleaning – particularly if you’re trying to remove stains. The trick here is not to use too much water or soap; otherwise, you’ll end up forcing stain removers deep into your carpet where they can’t do their job properly. Be sparing with how much water/soap you apply and focus on scrubbing at stains until they come off instead of trying to force out by flooding the area around it.
3. Go for a trial run first
If you’re trying to clean a particularly large rug then it might be worthwhile doing a practice run with the cleaner that you plan on using before tackling the job in full. This will give you an idea of what sort of results you should expect and if it’s going to be worth your while. If the cost is more than you expected or there isn’t as much improvement as you’d like, then at least this way those funds won’t have been wasted completely!
4. Hire out extra equipment needed
In some cases, hiring out heavy-duty cleaning equipment such as steam cleaners could save money in the long term if buying one outright doesn’t fit into your budget. You may even get a discount if you plan on making use of the machine for a long period of time. It’s always worth asking around and seeing who has what available before investing in expensive equipment yourself.
5. Learn to deep clean carpets/rugs properly
If there is a particular carpet or rug that you need to get into shape quickly then it might be worthwhile learning how to do this properly. The key here is not to agitate the fibers too much, though; otherwise, you’ll end up damaging them even more! Avoid using strong chemicals or hot water at all costs and ask your cleaner how they go about tackling these jobs if you don’t know already. Just make sure that whatever method they’re to use isn’t going to end up doing more harm than good!
6. Use a vacuum cleaner brush for stubborn stains
It’s not always a simple case of using a soap and water solution to get rid of stains in the carpet but if you’re feeling impatient, you can try out this technique instead. All you need is an old vacuum cleaner brush and some shampoo or laundry detergent. Put the machine on its highest setting and use the brush head to scour at any particularly troublesome spots until they come off or start to fade away. This method is best used on thinner carpets/rugs with small patterns rather than large, intricate designs where damage could occur easily.
7. Consider using dry-cleaning solvents
If your rug or carpet has been exposed to some form of liquid then this might be an ideal time to use dry-cleaning solvents. Again, you’ll want to test out a small spot with whatever cleaner you have on hand before going all in but this is definitely something worth considering if the spill has set deep into the fibers. Simply spray it onto the area in question and allow it some time to penetrate down before scrubbing away with water.
8. Use bicarbonate of soda for stubborn stains
Bicarbonate of soda can be used in more ways than just cooking and when mixed with hot water, it makes for a pretty decent carpet/rug cleaning agent too! Mix up roughly three teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda with half a cup of warm water and use a cloth to apply the solution directly onto any annoying stains. Give it a little time to work its magic before scrubbing at the area as normal.
9. Steam clean as much as possible
Steam cleaners can be expensive so if you have one, it’s always best not to let your opportunities pass you by. Vacuum your rug or carpet first using a standard vacuum cleaner head so that there isn’t too much loose dirt for the steam cleaners to blow away. Then, once cleaned, use this opportunity to spray some cleaning agents directly onto the fabric; this will allow them to penetrate even deeper into any stubborn stains and shouldn’t damage your rug/carpet if used sparingly.
10 Invest in a professional deep clean
The more you invest in a regular carpet/rug cleaning schedule, the less costly it will be in the long run. If your carpet or rug is made using cheap fibers that are prone to breakage then this makes for even more of a reason to get them cleaned on a more regular basis. Pick up some good habits if you don’t have any already and get those carpets and rugs as clean as possible!
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