The carpet is the essential decorative element for a warm interior. Whether Persian, long-haired or jute, it brings a cozy touch to any room in the house. But how do you clean them? We share with you all of our tips for keeping them looking new and healthy for as long as possible. An occupation not really thrilling but essential!
The key to keeping your carpets clean is regular maintenance. Daily, vacuum your carpet at least once a week or every day if it is positioned under a dining table. The carpet, whatever its composition, is a nest of dust and bacteria. Vacuuming it regularly will prevent their proliferation and will facilitate work when it needs to be thoroughly washed. If your carpet is not fragile, use the “brush” mode of your vacuum cleaner for greater efficiency.
A great cleaning, at least once a year, is recommended
Start with shake your carpet, outside if you can. You can help yourself with a large wooden swatter. The one used by our grandparents from the time when the vacuum cleaner did not exist. It is perfect for removing the most attached residues.
Then vacuum and completely sprinkle your carpet with baking soda. Wait at least 30 minutes for the product to take effect and vacuum again. Baking soda has the property of naturally sanitizing and deodorizing tissues.
> Premium quality baking soda, € 11.25
You can then thoroughly clean your carpet with a water and white vinegar solution. Moisten a white cloth with the mixture and rub gently over the entire surface of the carpet and in all directions. It is important to choose a neutral colored cloth or sponge to avoid any risk of rubbing off. Leave the white vinegar to act for 10 to 15 minutes then rinse off with lukewarm water. If the carpet's shine is not found and your carpet is not fragile, then use a brush with a mixture of warm water and detergent or dishwashing liquid. Rub in all directions then rinse with clear water.
> Concentrated white household vinegar, € 22.90
Then dry your carpet in the open air, if you can, or with a hairdryer if you want it to go faster indoors.
For a deep cleaning you can also get a steam cleaner which will have the particularity of scrubbing while easily removing stains and stubborn mites.
> Steam cleaner with hand brush, 85.98 € (on promotion)
With this daily and annual routine, your carpet should be able to keep its original freshness longer. For more specific cases, we invite you to read on.
Clean a stain on a carpet
If you stain your carpet, we must intervene immediately ! The stains that have just been made are always easier to clean. The trick to prevent the stain from spreading is to always clean it from the outside to the inside.
Use the right product for your task.
For a stain of wine, sprinkle it with salt, for a stain of fat, Sommières earth is very effective and for all other stubborn tasks, shaving foam works miracles.
> Land of Sommières Starwax, € 6.49
Cover your task with the appropriate product and rub gently with a white cloth always from the outside to the inside, varying the movements. Leave on for 5 minutes. The shaving foam can even be left on overnight for greater efficiency. Rinse with sparkling water or lukewarm water.
Remove traces of furniture on your carpet
To delete a mark made by a piece of furniture, put an ice cube on it. By melting it will straighten the fibers. You can also place a damp cloth there and iron it with an iron set to "wool" mode. When heated, the fibers will straighten. Then brush the area so that the indentations disappear completely.
Clean bathroom rugs
Bathroom rugs are the easiest to clean. They are mostly machine washable. Check the conditions on the label provided for this purpose and machine wash them with the rest of your laundry, once a week or every 10 days. You can use a house detergent with Marseille soap or black soap and a softener based on white vinegar.
> Black soap concentrated with Starwax olive oil, € 6.99
> Marseille soap in shavings Marius Fabre, € 21.90
Cleaning a long pile carpet
Natural or synthetic long pile carpets are more likely to catch dust and residue. They must therefore be sucked in very regularly several times a week. Thorough cleaning two to three times a year is recommended. Follow the same steps as for a traditional carpet: baking soda to deodorize it, followed by a washing with soapy water rubbing in all directions with a brush
Cleaning a jute rug
Jute is a natural fiber used in textiles for its high resistance. It is also used for weaving carpets or rugs. Jute rugs have been back in fashion for a few years in decoration to give a bohemian and natural spirit to your interior. However, they require special maintenance.
In everyday life, the jute rug needs to be vacuumed at least twice a week on both sides because dust gets stuck more easily.
To clean a stain on a jute carpet, you must act quickly because once dried and encrusted, the stain will be very difficult to remove.
If it's liquid, blot it with a white cloth. Finally, gently rub the stain with a brush and a little water.
For some solid residue (food or soil), you can gently scrape them with a knife, being careful not to damage the fiber. Finish by scrubbing the leftovers with a brush and a little water.
Jute rugs tend to mold more easily, especially in damp environments. To withdraw a mildew stain, soak it in white vinegar and leave to act for 10 minutes. Then rub with a white cloth and if necessary a brush.
Clean a colored, wool or oriental carpet
These are the most fragile rugs. Before cleaning, check the cleaning tips if they have a label and follow them scrupulously.
If you have a stain to remove, follow the previous advice but do a test on a small part of the carpet to check the reaction of the fibers to the product used.
To preserve your carpet as well as possible, turn it regularly 180 °. This will prevent wear and discoloration due to the sun, repeated in the same places.
To revive the colors of your carpet, dilute white vinegar in one volume of water and wipe this solution on your carpet with a white cloth.
For an Oriental rug, nothing beats the care of a specialist. To be done once in a while to give your carpet a soft finish.
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