Introduction
Carpets have evolved to address health concerns. Thus, hypoallergenic carpets were invented, which are basically carpets that do not shed its fibers. As a result, allergens at home are significantly reduced. It still does require cleaning and it is highly beneficial for homeowners to know how to clean hypoallergenic carpet.
How to Clean Hypoallergenic Carpets
Carpet fibers play an important role in keeping your floor hypoallergenic too. For instance, certain fibers such as olefin, polypropylene, and nylon naturally resist mold and mildew. This property makes it perfect to use carpets manufactured with these types of fibers in homes situated in environments with high humidity.
Having hypoallergenic properties, however, will not make your carpet dirt, dust, and debris-resistant. It can get dirty, dusty, and smelly if you do not clean it regularly and properly. You can still have allergic reactions from dirty carpets.
Cleaning carpets still requires the most basic: vacuum it regularly. Although hypoallergenic carpets do not shed fibers, dust and other allergens can still settle on it. These dust, allergens, and even debris can still cause health problems if left unattended.
Aside from vacuuming your carpet, make sure to spot clean it. If stain-causing liquids or things fall onto the carpet, immediately clean it. If left uncleaned, this spot may grow molds or draw bacteria.
When dealing with stains, it is important to remember not to wipe it off. Instead, blot it to prevent it from smudging or going deeper into the fibers. For stains that adhere to the carpet like gum, harden it with an ice cube and then pry it off. For stains that have nasty odors, use a mixture of equal parts of warm water and vinegar and then apply it on the area with a cloth in order to eliminate the odor.
Carpets also require deep cleaning at least once or twice a month or as frequently as it is required. Deep cleaning may require shampooing or using other carpet cleaning products that are commercially sold. It can also entail hiring cleaners to do the job for you if you are too busy to do it or if you are not confident enough that you can do it yourself.
Important Steps You Should Take
There are important steps you should keep in mind when cleaning your carpet to prolong its life. Remember to follow these steps:
Make sure that your vacuum filter is clean. Since you need to vacuum everyday as a part of hypoallergenic carpet cleaning, make sure that your vacuum is also clean. There are vacuums that specialize in sucking out particles from the carpet and are equipped with HEPA filters. These are the ideal types of vacuum cleaners for carpets.
Just make sure to regularly clean its filter too. Otherwise, you might be releasing more allergens into the air as you vacuum your carpet.
Make sure to keep your pets clean too. If you live with pets who will naturally shed hair onto every part of the house, including the carpet, make sure you clean them and brush their fur. This will prevent fur, bacteria, and other debris from your pets from accumulating into the fibers of the carpet.
Use hypoallergenic cleaning products. There are studies that show that scented carpet shampoos can cause allergic reactions among humans. If you deep clean your carpet using shampoo or power, find one that is unscented or hypoallergenic.
If you are using shampoo as a hypoallergenic cleaning solution, use just enough to cover the carpet area of your home. Do not drench the carpet because you will just end up wasting detergent and also end up having to wait too long for the carpet to dry. Use a hard-bristled brush to scrub on areas with stubborn stains.
Let the carpet dry and then vacuum the shampoo after.
If you are using powder, spray it generously on the carpet. Wait for 30 minutes or overnight for the stains on the carpet to soften and for the odor to be eliminated. Vacuum up all the powder after.
Purifiers that are allergy-rated can help you prevent allergens from landing on your carpet. There are pollen and molds that are in the air and may fall onto your carpet. Using purifiers may help pull these allergy-causing particles out of the air before they can even land on your carpet.
You can opt for natural cleaning products or commercially sold cleaning solutions. Using merely soap and water will not eliminate dirt, stains, dust, and odor from your carpet, especially if your carpet has stubborn stains. Hence, commercially available shampoo and power carpet cleaners are used to make sure that carpets are satisfactorily cleaned.
Those who prefer natural carpet cleaning products may still use tonic water or soda water to remove coffee stains. Salt is also an effective kitchen staple to remove dirt and to soak up freshly made stains. Baking soda has also been highly praised for absorbing odors that hide deep among carpet fibers.
Conclusion
Whichever method you prefer to use, the important thing is that you should clean your carpet. If you have more time to spare on deep cleaning, shampooing your carpet may make you feel more at ease. However, if you do not really have much time to dedicate to cleaning your carpet, the carpet cleaners in powder form will save you a lot of time. You only need to pour the powder into the carpet, leave it alone for a period of time or overnight, and then vacuum the power after.
Also, it is worth emphasizing that using strongly scented carpet cleaning solution may trigger allergic reactions from you or your family members. It is still best to use unscented and hypoallergenic commercially sold carpet cleaning products. However, if you need to eliminate nasty smells using only what is available in your kitchen, baking soda does a perfectly fine job.
When using cleaning products, make sure to test it on a small area first before using it all over the carpet. There may be cleaning products that may damage your carpet. It is always better to test it out first before using it on your carpets.
