Sometimes a simple vacuuming won’t clean your carpet as well as you would like.  There can be stubborn stains or patches of dirt that you just can’t seem to get out. When this is the case, you should use a steam cleaner to clean the carpets on a much deeper level.  But, which steam carpet cleaner does the best job? Below are the best steam carpet cleaners reviews:

If you do not plan on using a carpet cleaner often, then you may want to consider renting one instead of shelling out the money to buy one. Before purchasing a carpet cleaner, you should also consider future uses of the appliance and whether you will be remodeling, perhaps replacing carpet with tile or hardwood. A carpet cleaner is no small purchase so make sure it is worth your money.

Continuing Problems

If you continue to have problems with your steam carpet cleaning you should seek professional help.  Use TalkLocal to be put in contact with reliable local carpet cleaning businesses.  You don’t have to do any work! Simply input your problem and availability and within minutes you should be connected to someone who can help you out.

Cranberries are a delicious fruit that can be used in a huge assortment of decadent desserts, or enjoyed on their own for an extra special treat. Unfortunately, many individuals who love cranberries will find themselves wondering about how to remove cranberry stains from the carpet at one point or another. The deep crimson color of cranberries and their juice makes for noticeable stain when pressed into a light carpet, making it imperative to remove the offending liquid as quickly as possible. Using the following techniques, homeowners should manage to lift even the most stubborn cranberry stains from their home’s floor.

Blotting the Carpet
If cranberry juice is spilled on the carpet, the excess liquid needs to be removed from the fabric. This should be done very carefully, as rubbing the carpet could cause the stain to set. Instead, a towel should be pressed very lightly onto the spot where the cranberry liquid is located. If any fruit remains, it should be carefully picked up and disposed of properly.

Applying a Cleaning Agent or a Bleach
Detergent is one of the most popular solutions for lifting a cranberry or other fruit stain. A small amount of detergent mixed with warm water can be sponged onto the stain. In turn, all of the liquid should be soaked up again. This can be repeated several times until the desired results are achieved.

If detergent does not successfully remove the offending stain, a hydrogen peroxide solution may work more effectively. This should only be used on stains that have been treated with other products and have not responded to the removal attempt. Soaking the area with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution, the carpet should be left to sit for approximately one hour. The liquid can then be blotted away. This can be repeated several times if needed.

Particularly stubborn stains often require the assistance of a carpet cleaning professional. To find a qualified company in your area, use TalkLocal. TalkLocal makes it easy to find professionals in no time, as the system takes care of the tough work for you.

Vacuuming the carpet won’t get rid of all the odors in your home. Some odor-causing particles are smeared into the fibers of your carpet, requiring more than just pure force of a vacuum to eliminate the smell. You can try spraying the carpet with a scent in order to overcome the smell, but that’s not really getting rid of the smell, is it? Read more to learn ways to make your carpet smell better.

Getting Rid of the Smell

Using baking soda is one way you can absorb the smell-causing particles in your carpet. Follow these directions:

1. Mix together a 3/4 cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup of talcum power, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.

2. Pour the mixture into a container that can sprinkle the content over the carpet, such as a spice shaker.

3. Sprinkle the contents of the shaker on the carpet areas you want to clean.

4. Rub it into the fibers of the carpet using a brush or a broom. Wait a while (overnight) for the mixture to settle in; you will want to make sure that no wind is present to disturb the powders on the carpet.

5. Clean up the powder using a vacuum.

You can try buying a carpet fragrance powder at a local supermarket, but they are essentially the same thing as your homemade mixture. Use the same ratio as described above if you are interested in making different amounts of mixture.

You may also be interesting in steam cleaning your carpet for definite results. Hands down, this is the most effective way to not only get rid of the smelly odor on your carpet, but also clean your carpet. However, the cost of steam cleaning your carpet is not cheap. You can try renting a steam cleaner to just do the job yourself. The cost of renting a steam cleaner will probably be under $50. Having someone to do it for you, on the other hand, will cost a bit more.

If you are expecting guests soon, try something that will cover up the smell, such as scented candles. Make sure that there aren’t flammable objects nearby whenever you light a candle.

Additional Help

If you are looking for ways to make your carpet smell better and feel like you need professional, TalkLocal can help with finding carpet cleaning experts, saving you time and energy in what may be a stressful situation.

There are many types of carpet cleaners, and most of them do a pretty good job. But the best types of carpet cleaners are the ones that do more than just good. These cleaners clean as much as possible and make the carpet looking like new. So how exactly do we find these carpet cleaners and what are the right methods for cleaning your carpet?

Best Cleaners

The best type of carpet cleaner is the one that does what it advertises – clean carpets. Some products that have been known to work are Resolve carpet cleaner and Spot Shot. These products break the structural bonds of the stain, and as the bonds break, the stain becomes more easily removed. Products such as these help to remove the stains, no matter what the source of the stain may have been.

Before you use any products like this, however, the first step is to actually vacuum the affected area. Most of carpet soil can actually be removed from vacuuming alone, so be sure to do this step. Once you finish vacuuming, the actual cleaning process can begin.

Best Methods

There are a couple of different methods of cleaning carpets, some more effective than others. One of the most common methods of carpet cleaning involves the use of shampoo. Special detergents are applied to the carpet and then the shampoo is extracted by the vacuuming. This method makes the carpet appear clean and smell good, but these effects diminish quickly and the dirt and microbes end up remaining in the carpet. So despite it being commonly used, we recommend you stay away from this method and instead utilize the next method we are about to discuss.

The ideal way of carpet cleaning is a method known as the dry cleaning method. This type of carpet cleaning involves powdering the carpet with a special cleaning powder that attracts dirt (much like a magnet). After this powder works its magic, you vacuum it up and your carpet is clean. This method is recommended because it doesn’t induce streaking like some other methods do, and it keeps your carpet dry and ready to use. However, one limitation of this method is that it doesn’t accomplish a whole lot when used for a heavily soiled carpet.

Additional Help

Now that you’re equipped with the knowledge of the best types of carpet cleaners, you should be able to get your carpet looking like new in no time. Bear in mind, it is no easy task to clean your entire carpet for yourself. If you need assistance of any kind, 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.

Many carpet cleaners contain harmful chemicals such as chlorine that are detrimental to our health and the environment. “Green” carpet cleaners can remove spots and stains just as well as the industrial chemical cleaners. Continue reading for more information the best eco-friendly carpet cleaners.

Vinegar

One of the best eco-friendly carpet cleaners is vinegar. Most homeowners have vinegar in their pantry, but if not, it is inexpensive and can be found at your local supermarket. Many common carpet and rug stains can be cleaned with a vinegar and water solution, or with undiluted vinegar. Many common chemical carpet-cleaning products offer a foaming action. You can achieve this with vinegar, too, but putting the vinegar solution into a foaming soap bottle.

Vinegar works on a variety of tough stains. Diluted vinegar removes many different types of stains, including the following:

Crayons and Glue

Kids can be very messy, but it is easy to clean up after their mess. Crayons and glue stains should be treated with undiluted vinegar and an old toothbrush to scrub the soiled area. If the stain is stubborn, such as dried glue, warm up the vinegar and let it sit on the stain for about 15 minutes before scrubbing it away.

Red Wine

If red wine spills on your carpet, you can remove it by immediately throwing salt on the soiled area, which will absorb the spill. Next, remove the salt with a vacuum and clean with 1/ 3 cup of vinegar and 2/ 3 cup of water.

Grease

Grease stains can easily be removed, too, by sprinkling cornmeal to absorb the oils. Then, sponge the greasy stain with diluted vinegar.

Ketchup, coffee, soda, chocolate

Prepare a diluted vinegar solution with a 2 to 1 ratio of water to vinegar, respectively. Remove ketchup stains by liberally sponging the vinegar solution into the soiled area. Coffee, tea, and soda spills can be treated with just water. If the stain is set, then sponge in the diluted vinegar mixture. For chocolate, blot the stain with a clean cloth and the vinegar mixture.

Mildew

Vinegar is powerful at eliminating bacteria. Kill mildew with a mixture composed of half vinegar half water. Make sure the carpet dries since we want to get rid of any dampness to prevent future mildew.

For best results, remove stains as soon as they happen. If your carpet is beyond repair, use TalkLocal to connect you to a local carpet cleaning company today.

A carpet that is steam cleaned is much cleaner than one that is simply vacuumed.  However, because steam cleaning uses water to clean the carpet, it takes a while for the carpet to be completely dry.  How long does it take to dry a carpet after steam cleaning?  A variety of factors go into the drying time of the carpet, so it’s best to know all of them in order to estimate how long it might take for your carpet to dry.

Carpet Density

Carpets that are denser and thicker will hold more water and take longer to dry.  The carpet padding will also retain water, and its thickness is also a major factor in the length of time it takes for the carpet to fully dry.

Ventilation

Increased ventilation in a room will allow for more evaporation, which means it’ll take less time for the carpet to dry.  Turning on the AC and any fans will also help.  Turn off any heaters, as cold air holds less moisture than hot air.  Heat will also encourage mold growth, especially in humid areas like in your carpet.

Water Usage

The more water you used while steam cleaning, the longer it will take to dry.  Using less water is just as effective as using more, in most cases.

Extraction Cycle

Pass over the carpet multiple times during the extraction cycle in order to extract as much water as possible before the drying process begins.

A professional carpet cleaner will provide the optimum drying settings for your carpet while still giving it a deep clean. Use TalkLocal for free to find a quality carpet cleaner in your area today.

Some would expect to only see rust on metal or iron materials outside of their houses, but if these objects are brought inside and set down, you may discover soon after that rust stains have settled into your carpet.  How do you remove rust stains from carpet?  There are a few easy, cheap methods you can try.

1.  Dish detergent & warm water:

– Take a dull knife and try to gently scrape off any excess rust from the carpet bristles.

– Mix a few drops of mild dish detergent (one with no alkalis) with warm water.

– Blot, don’t rub, the stain with a wet cloth or sponge.

– Let the mixture set in for a few minutes, and then rinse the sponge/cloth and blot with cool, clean water.

2.  Lemon juice and salt: 

– Take a small spray bottle and spray lemon juice and a pinch of salt onto the stains.

– Let sit in for about 5 minutes (but no more than 10 minutes).

– Blot clean with a damp cloth or sponge.

3.  Vinegar:

– Pour a small amount of vinegar onto the stain.

– Let sit for 5 minutes (again, no more than 10).

– Blot clean with a damp cloth or sponge.

If you’re dealing with a stubborn stain, and none of these homemade solutions have worked, it may be worth it to contact a professional carpet cleaner. Try using TalkLocal to locate one close to you. TalkLocal is a free service that will connect you with top-quality, reputable carpet cleaners in your neighborhood within minutes. Simply enter your specific problem, location and availability, and TalkLocal will contact multiple professionals who will then call you directly.  Save time and stress from trying to locate the right, most affordable cleaners on your own, and let TalkLocal handle it for you!

Moving furniture around seems like a good idea until you see all the carpet dents left behind by the newly moved furniture. So how exactly do you get rid of furniture imprints on carpet? Believe it or not, it’s a pretty simple process if you follow these few steps for how to get rid of furniture imprints in carpet.

The first step is to moisten the imprint left behind by the furniture. You can use ice or a spray bottle, but the key is to use enough water to help the carpet fibers rebound. It’s best to give the carpet a few hours or even the night to soak up the water. Next, with the carpet damp, use a wide-toothed comb or a fork and start rubbing the dented spot of the carpet with this comb. This step will help to loosen the dented fibers and get them back to their original position.

Next, find a hairdryer and start drying the carpet while you continue to comb the fibers. Try and lift up the carpet while drying it, if possible. Continue doing this until the carpet is completely returned to normal. If not, you will want to let it soak in ice for another night, as the imprint may be too heavy for a few hours to fix.

By following these instructions, you should be able to remove any furniture imprints left on your carpet. However, if you still need assistance, consider using TalkLocal to find a carpet cleaning company for you. TalkLocal is a free service that will connect you with top-quality, reputable companies in your neighborhood within minutes. Just enter in your specific problem, location and availability, and up to three companies will call YOU directly; your carpet will be restored to its original state in no time.

Let’s face it; you can’t avoid your carpets getting stained.  The everyday traffic of dirt, crumbs, spills and pets inevitably takes a heavy toll on household carpets, and all of those stains can cost a fortune to get cleaned if you hire professional cleaners.  Luckily there are tons of do it yourself carpet cleaning tips and methods out there that you can try.  If you know the right techniques, you should be able handle all but the most resilient stains on your own.  Read on to take the first steps towards cheap and easy carpet cleaning in your home.

One of the most powerful tools in the arsenal of a DiY carpet cleaner is baking soda.  This all-purpose powder is great at absorbing stains and smells.  Try sprinkling a thick layer of baking soda over a spot stain and add water to make a paste.  Let it sit for a few hours and then blot it up with a rag and vacuum the remaining powder.  You can use this same process on larger stains as well, just repeat it a few times to get the entire stain out.  Vinegar is another household item with powerful cleaning properties.  When your carpet has strong odor problems, try mixing equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle and misting the entire thing.  Blot with a towel and then let the carpet dry.

If baking soda and vinegar are not enough, you may want to rent a steam cleaner.  These power appliances use steam to deeply penetrate the fibers of your carpet and scrub out stains.  Be sure to exhaust all your other options first as steam cleaners can be a big investment.  If you do rent one you should take the opportunity to do some preventative cleaning on all of your other carpets to get the most out of your money.

Once you decide to get one, it can be hard to find the best place to rent a steam cleaner.  You can try using TalkLocal to hook you up with a carpet cleaner appliance rental service for free.  Or, if you decide that your stain is too tough to tackle on your own, you can use TalkLocal to find a professional carpet cleaning company.

How to get rid of musty smell in carpet

Having a dirty carpet is bad enough, but if your carpet has fallen victim to water damage and begins to smell musty, it’s important to get it cleaned as fast as you can.  There are a few options to get rid of the musty smell in your carpet, depending on what’s most affordable for you.

Cheapest option

The cheapest and easiest option would be to acquire a wet/dry vacuum, vinegar and baking soda, and clean the carpet to disinfect and remove the moldy smell.  If the carpet is still wet, you should first use the vacuum to suck up any remaining liquid.  Then in a gallon bucket, mix ¼ to ½ cups baking soda, 2 cups water and 2 cups vinegar.  It will foam and bubble, so it’s important to have a bucket that is large enough.  Over the affected area, scrub with the mixture, but don’t re-soak the carpet.  Then re-vacuum up with the wet/dry vacuum.  If the smell lingers after a few days, repeat.

More expensive option

A more expensive and tedious option would be to replace the carpet padding underneath the wet spot(s) in your moldy/musty carpet.  The carpet padding is most likely the source of your mold, so pulling up the carpet above this spot, cutting it out, and then replacing it should remove the stench.

After moving all the furniture out of the area, you may need to remove the molding on your wall (use a prybar to avoid damage to the molding) above the carpet to be pulled out.  Grab some pliers, and pull up the carpet closest to the wall.  Be sure to wear work gloves – there’s likely to be many sharp tacks along the wall and carpet.

Roll up the carpet towards the wet spot.  Take a razor knife and cut out the wet spot of the padding. If there is still moisture, vacuum it up under this area.  Sprinkle some baking soda over this area and on the underside of the carpet to neutralize the smell.

Cut out an area of new padding similar to the original padding and tape it down.  Roll out the carpet back to the wall, and press the edges down firmly so they attach back to the tack strip along the wall.  Replace the molding.

Most expensive option

If the damaged area is too large, the most expensive option you could take is to tear out your entire carpet and replace it with new carpet, laminate, linoleum, tile or vinyl.

Depending on the option that best fits your needs and situation, you may want contact a carpet cleaner or repair specialist to help with your musty-smelling carpet.  Try using TalkLocal, a free service that will connect you with top-quality, reliable carpet cleaners in your area.  Simply enter in your specific problem, location and availability, and TalkLocal will contact multiple companies in your area who will then call you directly, ready to help.  Save time searching through directories and phonebooks for the right, most affordable company, and let TalkLocal do it for you.