Deep cleaning carpets and floors

Vacuuming carpets or giving floors a quick mop once in a while isn’t enough if you want to keep the surfaces under your feet in tip-top condition. Once a year, perhaps for that big spring clean, you need to get below the surface and do some deep cleaning on your carpets and floors. If you own dogs or cats you may have to do it more often, especially if children or allergy sufferers live in your home.

Ashleigh Braund, one of our home experts, knows how troublesome the task can be. ‘Everyone likes to think they can get away with the normal weekly routine and that there’s no need to roll up their sleeves and get down to the big jobs,’ she says. ‘But no matter how rigorous you’ve been about spills and possible stains, your carpet or flooring is worn down by everyday use – and can also harbour bacteria. Reserve a day for the big deep-clean, and the shining floor or bright carpet that results will give you a lift every time you see it.’

Of course, if it all seems a bit too much like hard work, we are happy to put our members in touch with specialist cleaners who can take care of the job. It’s also worth checking what condition your flooring’s in: ‘If it’s cracking or rotten, it’s time to call in the professionals,’ says Ashleigh.

Here are some DIY deep cleaning tips.

Carpets

Deep cleaning carpets properly requires equipment that you’re unlikely to have in your own home. If you want to do the cleaning yourself, we can arrange equipment hire for you at competitive prices.

‘When you’re ready to get started, move all furniture off your carpet and give it a good vacuum,’ Ashleigh says. Professionals then use various methods for deep cleaning, all of which involve different equipment. To work out which method is best for your carpet, get in touch with us and one of our experts will be happy to advise you.

The most common DIY method for deep cleaning carpets is to use hot steam. ‘Condition your carpet with a cleanser before using steam to scour it deep down, restoring dust-choked colours and killing bacteria,’ Victoria says. ‘Be careful not to soak your carpets and to ensure they dry out as quickly as possible. The last thing you want is lingering, mould-encouraging moisture.’

Professional carpet cleaners are more likely to use shampoo – but you can do this yourself if you hire the right equipment. The rotary machine feeds cleaning solution through its revolving brushes, working it deep into the pile. The same machine then removes the solution, together with any ingrained dirt. If you want to use this method in your home, ensure the machine is intended for carpets and not hard flooring – if you arrange your hiring through us we can ensure you have the correct tools.

Dry foam extraction is a technique which involves using a machine to work foamed detergent into the carpet – this is then vacuumed out afterwards. Dry extraction is a similar method, but instead massages an absorbent compound cleaner into the carpet – this attracts oils and dirt which can then be removed by vacuuming.

Flooring

Wooden and tiled floors are much simpler to clean than carpets – it’s a job that shouldn’t pose any problems if you want to tackle it yourself and you won’t need to hire any equipment.

The first thing to do is sweep away any dust, making sure your broom or brush gets into all the corners. ‘You can also use a vacuum,’ Ashleigh says, ‘but make sure your machine does not have wheels that will scratch the floor.’ Next, mop the floor with your usual cleaning solution to get rid of any superficial stains. If cleaning a tiled floor, just add your chosen specialist cleaning product to the bucket, mop thoroughly, and leave to dry.

Mopping a wooden floor involves a bit more work. Use as little water as possible to prevent the build-up of moisture in floorboards, and dry the floor afterwards with rags. Finally, it’s time to get on your knees and use some elbow grease. Work in your chosen wood-floor wax all over, and then use a dry cloth to buff and finish.

As every type of wooden flooring requires different treatment, it’s a good idea to give us a call for some advice from our experts. They can tell you what products and cleaning methods work best on which surface, and recommend suppliers or specialist cleaners.